"Shut up!" Elsa ordered.

Elsa got up, and shot a blast of ice at Strife. Strife didn't see it coming. That was a first. He didn't believe that Elsa would have the will to attack him. For the first time in forever, he was wrong. That would be his downfall.

The blast of ice shot through Strife's heart, and he staggered backwards. Another bandit came behind Elsa, and trapped her hands the same way Kai's hands were.

"Let her go!" Kai demanded. The bandit behind Kai smacked him hard in the back of the head.

Strife looked over at Kai. "You're in no position to make demands, traitor." Strife looked towards Elsa. "As for you..."

As Strife walked towards a helpless Elsa, Kai looked around. He looked to see if he could get out of this situation. He saw that there was nothing he could do. Plus, his hands were trapped. He noticed that Olaf was nowhere to be seen. Kai was glad that Olaf was able to get away from this.

Strife looked down at Elsa.

"What did you do to me?" He asked.

Elsa smirked. "I made sure you won't hurt anyone anymore. I froze your heart, even though you don't have one."

Strife slapped Elsa, leaving a red mark on her right cheek.

Kai tried to lunge at Strife, but he was still subdued. He was held back by two bandits.

"I'll kill you!" Kai threatened.

Strife ignored him. "Stupid girl." Strife said.

Elsa looked up at Strife. She spit blood on his shoes, but Strife didn't retaliate.

"We're done with this." He said. "We have other matters to discuss."

"Like what?" Elsa said angrily.

Strife looked at Kai. "Like your boyfriend over there." He answered.

"What are you talking about?" Elsa asked, confused.

"Don't listen to him, Elsa!" Kai yelled, but a bandit hit him in the head again.

"Did Kai ever tell you about his past?" Strife asked Elsa.

"Yes." She answered.

"Oh? What did he say?"

Elsa didn't like where this was going. She didn't trust Strife with Kai's past. She didn't want them to know who Kai yearly was. But it seemed they already knew. She remembered Strife called him a traitor. Why? Elsa decided she would play along with Strife.

"He told me that he spent his life trying to defeat you guys." She answered.

Strife's looked at Kai. "And she believed you?" Kai remained silent.

"That's the truth, right Kai?" Elsa asked. Kai didn't meet her eyes, and didn't answer. "Kai?"

Elsa wasn't sure if Kai was who he said he was anymore. Elsa didn't know if she could trust him anymore. She didn't know if she loved him anymore.

Strife put his hand on Elsa's cheek.

"Such a shame he would lie to such a pretty face." Strife said. "Would you like the truth?"

Elsa didn't know if she would like it. But, she had to know what was going on. She had to know who Kai really was. A tear ran down her face, and she nodded.

"Good." Strife continued. "Tell her Kai, or I will."

Kai knew that he had to be the one to tell her everything. He would break it to Elsa easier.

"I..." Kai said. "I used to be a bandit."

Elsa's eyes widened. "What?" She said. "You hurt people?"

"I used to! I was a bandit. I gave up that life." Kai responded.

Elsa's surprise turned into anger. "Is that another lie!" She yelled.

"No, Elsa, please, you must listen to me."

"I don't listen to liars! Did you lie to me when you said you had nothing to do with Anna's kidnapping? Did you lie to me when you said you were going to help me take her back." Elsa looked down at he knees and started to cry. "Did you lie to me when you said you loved me." She said quietly. "I'm glad I froze your heart."

"No." Kai said. "I told you the truth most of the time. I only hid my past."

Elsa looked back up at Kai.

"Elsa, I left the bandits to help you. I had to make up a story because I knew you would never trust a bandit. I truly wanted to help you. I meant it when I showed my love for you. I love you, Elsa. I would never hurt you."

Elsa managed a weak smile. But then, it faded. She didn't know what to think anymore, she was processing it all in her mind. So, Kai betrayed the bandits to come and help me, she thought to herself.

Strife's amusement went away. Elsa was starting to trust Kai again. Strife had to keep them drifted.

"Is that the truth?" Strife asked.

Kai nodded.

"Really? Well, what about our previous conversation?" Strife continued.

"What conversation?" Elsa asked.

"That was nothing?" Kai told Elsa.

"Nothing?" Strife continued. "Dear Elsa, it seemed that he still has been lying to you."

Elsa couldn't look back at Kai. She didn't know who she should trust anymore. Who's word should she take?

"All Strife ever says are lies!" Kai assured Elsa, but she didn't pay attention to him.

"What did you two talk about?" Elsa asked.

"We were talking about how Kai was still a true bandit, and about how he was just escorting you to Teranhall Keep. He would give you to us when you guys got there."

Elsa's trust in Kai diminished right there. Kai was angry at Strife.

"I was lying to you!" He yelled at Strife.

"Sure you were." Strife said sarcastically.

Kai looked at Elsa, but she didn't look back.

"I'm not a bandit anymore, Elsa. You must believe me. I'm going to help you get back Anna. I promised you that. Plus, why would I be in this position if I was still a bandit. These guys are manipulators." Kai looked at the ground. "They manipulated me." He whispered.

Elsa gave a saddened look at Kai. Elsa's trust in him started to grow slowly. Elsa established one thing for sure, Kai was not with the bandits anymore. That, she believed. She couldn't believe that she fell in love with someone who lied to her. But, looking back, this wasn't the first time that happened. Kai loved Elsa, but does she love him back now?

Kai reminded himself of where he was; on the ashes of his old home.

"Explain this." Kai asked Strife. "What happened here."

"Traitors don't go unpunished." Strife answered. "I burnt it down. All of it."

Elsa looked at Kai's eyes. A faint orange glow was there.

"I found your mother." Strife continued. "I saw the horrified look she had when the house crushed her. Priceless."

That was what set Kai off. "I'm going to fry you!" He yelled. Kai's cubed cuffs disintegrated around his hands, and he was free. Kai started to run towards Strife, but something hard hit Kai's head. Kai fell to the ground, unconscious.

"No..." Elsa said. She didn't feel as bad for Kai as she would earlier. She was still angry at him, but she still felt that he could be trusted. Now, it seemed as though all hope was lost.

"They came here on boat." Strife said. "Tie him to one of the masts, and send him adrift. Follow this path," Strife pointed to a path," and that will lead you to it."

A group of bandits, took Kai, and walked to the path. They were ready to take Kai out of their plots.

A bandit went to Strife. "Why don't we kill him, sir?"

Strife signaled him to walk with him. Strife walked towards Elsa, and looked down at her. Strife looked over at another group of bandits.

"The ice witch comes with us!" Strife said, and he continued walking. The bandits forced Elsa to stand up, and forced he to walk behind Strife.

Strife led them into the forest where he finally answered the bandit's question.

"We won't kill him because he was once our brother. My brother." Strife answered.

As they walked, Strife didn't notice his hair turning white through his mask.

Author's Note: My vacation is over, and now I can finally start posting new chapters. I apologize that this chapter was really short.