Authors note: I want to thank you all for reviewing and reading the last chapter. Hearing your opinions means a lot and they also help if I need to edit or make something better.
Any way, hope you all enjoy this new chapter of the firebird, read on and please remember to leave a review when done, opinions are most welcomed.
Arriving back to the Underground Kingdom Elsa and Albert was received with a loud cry, it brought chills down their spine, it was nota simple cry or one of sorrow, but very profound grief, like a mother who lost her child. Having a bad feeling Elsa dropped what she had gathered and ran to where she had heard it come from.
Turning to a corner looking Elsa felt her dread grow worse as she found Agathe crying, completely inconsolable as the Fateweavers gathered around trying to console her. Her breath hitched, her heart beats began to quicken, was it because... No!... It cannot be possible!
Slowly, mechanically Elsa made her way pass the group and into the room where Hans was kept, as she walked to the door her footsteps felt heavy, as if she had heavy blocks attached to her feet. Breathing yet suffocating at the same time Elsa reached for the door nob, grasp it, it was so cold to the touch, never had cold bothered her till now.
Turning the door nob Elsa pushed the door open and looked, her eyes widen in horror, it took everything she had not to cry out in sorrow as she said "Hans... what happened to you?".
Nothing, nobody told him anything. Pacing back and forth it was taking all Lars had not to march over and demand information on his brothers well being, but decided not to as while he was in the Underground he may be out of his league and not as powerful against all the fateweavers.
Growling Lars continued to pace only to stop every now and then to grab a chocolate from a plate that Clara had set out for him, every so often he would stop, take a chocolate eat it then continue his pacing, but this time as he reached he found his hand touched nothing. Confused Lars looked only to find something strange, Clara had left out a plate with 20 pieces of chocolate.
He knew for he had an odd habit of counting his food or his things, always having them in an even number. This made him count the chocolates, which the 20 chocolates he had, which were supposed to be 14 as he ate most of it, were now reduced to 3 pieces which he was sure he had not eaten the pieces.
"What happened here?" though Lars as he looked around, he did not eat the chocolates, he remembered, so it meant somebody took them, but who?
Soon a bluish shine caught his attention, turning he saw the light was a little will o wisp, it scurried around the ground, struggling as it tried to carry the chocolate pieces it piled up one on top of the other, yet despite the weight and difficulty the wisp was determined to leave with the chocolates, as it left the room Lars watched then there was thumps and crashes startling him.
Running out he saw a shadow demon with the will o wisp, in terror the wisp ran back and forth while the shadow demon blocked any and all escapes routs, like a sick and sadistic game before picking it up.
"Stop!" yelled Lars as he ran over, caught the shadow demon turned, there was no wisp, but Lars was no fool.
Taking out his sickle Lars held it out and warned "Where is it?", the shadow demon, shrunk, trying to look as small and innocent as possible,
"Oh no! Your not fooling me!" warned Lars, the symbols on his sickle began to glow dangerously, making a strange whining sound the shadow demon showed its hands as if saying "I have nothing on me",
"Open your mouth!" ordered Lars making it wince and look incredulous at Lars as if he was either insulting or crazy,
"Now!" ordered Lars, grumbling the shadow demon opened and opened its mouth, sure enough inside was a will o wisp, its was shaking and traumatized, not that Lars blamed it. Reaching Lars took the wisp into his hand and said "Poor thing", realizing it was free the wisp took off fast only to stop gather the chocolates it dropped before disappearing somewhere out of the hallway.
Angry Lars turned to the shadow demon who coward in fear, "I told you all to behave" growled Lars as the chain attached to her sickle came to life before they went forward, wrapping around the shadow demon who shrieked and screamed as the chains glowed and tightened around its body before it was crushed and faded away, nothing was left behind.
Turning Lars gave a warning glare to the other shadow demons who gathered there, looking terrified, "Let that be a warning if you disobey me" growled Lars as he gestured to where the shadow demon once was. Saying nothing the others quickly bowed in fear, showing complete submission to Lars.
Never, not once Elsa though it would be like this. She sat across the room, starring at Hans, no... not Hans... that was a body, but it was not Hans. He did not speak, he ate, went to the bathroom, moved, but other than that there was nothing, he did not responded when talked to, he would not even look at her when she would take his hand and hold it.
Not even the will o wisps could get him to respond and they tried, every now and then they would appear with various items such as playing card, a pawn from the chess game even one appeared with a ball from an English billard game.
Just as that the will o wisps appeared, again they tried to get Hans to respond to them, one gave a whisper she did not understand and soft cooes as it pressed its "tiny hand" against the tip of Hans nose, there was no response. Another moved part of his hair away from his face, touching his forehead, nothing happened.
It was nothing, he was not there, he was empty, cooing sadly some of group of will o wisps curled up against Hans lap, side and in his hair. While another went over to Elsa, holding up chocolate, taking it Elsa smiled her thanks as the wisp got on her lap and curled up against it.
Running her hand through the wisp gently Elsa sighted, it was ironic really, about 2 years ago she wanted nothing more than to have Hans, who then she knew only as Firebird, out of her life, but now, after everything that happened, everything they went through, the times they shared, both good and bad, everything. Somehow he had become such a part of her life that she could not imagine her life without him.
She did not want to imagine as she did not want that to happen. Getting up from her chair Elsa reached to the table where she had placed the rag Pegasus horse, taking it she walked over and sat next to Hans, pressing her head against his and whispered "Hans... I know your there... somewhere... I don't know if you can hear me but if you do, you have to come back, this... this is not you... the Hans I knew never would have left knowing that his friends need him, so please, come back, come back as a bird if you must, but please, don't leave us, don't leave me... once I would have been happy without you, but not now, not after all we know and experienced" closing her eyes she through tears "I love you, I wish I had told you sooner or more often, I am sorry for not doing both".
Pressing the rag horse into his hand she kissed his cheek, it probably did not help, but she prayed that it and her love would be more than enough to bring him back. She did not believe in fairy tales, she did not believe in happy endings as she though one was not reserved for her, but she could hope, hope and pray for a happy ending for them.
Suddenly she grew tense as she felt something wet on her hand, looking it was tear.
Darkness, it was nothing like Hans ever saw, it was darker than the darkest night, suffocating and oppressive. It trapped him like a cage, a cage he could not escape, he ran and ran, but no escape can be found.
Collapsing on the ground Hans gagged and coughed, his muscles ached, he was tired, exhausted, the darkness caved down upon him, crushing him. He just lay there out of breath, in his mind he began to wonder if this was it, if he was going to die. Just as he though that he heard, it was not an angels, but to him it was.
"Hans... I know your there... somewhere",
"Elsa?" though Hans as he picked himself up,
"I don't know if you can hear me but if you do, you have to come back, this... this is not you... the Hans I knew never would have left knowing that his friends need him, so please, come back" he heard her say. With a new sense of urgency, Hans found strength where he did not know he had, forced himself back to his feet and ran.
"Come back as a bird if you must, but please, don't leave us, don't leave me... once I would have been happy without you, but not now, not after all we know and experienced" Hans heard her say as he ran further he saw a light piercing through the darkness, the closer he got he could feel this force trying to pull him back into the dark.
There was a faint sob before he heard Elsa say "I love you, I wish I had told you sooner or more often, I am sorry for not doing both",
"Don't be sorry, don't be sorry" though Hans as he continued to run, fighting against that force which tried to keep him back, he continued to run and run, his legs hurt, his lungs were ready to burst, but he pushed on, he had so many reasons not to give up, to give in, he had to get there, for his love, his friends, his family, he could not stop, not now, not ever.
Without stopping Hans pushed himself, he was close to the light, so close.
Finally he got there and when he did it blinded him for a bit.
The citizens of the Underground kingdom was going by their regular schedules, doing chores, going to work, keeping or opening shops, it was just like any other day for them in their wonderful and peaceful life. Little did they know was that there was going to be a mayor change.
"Good morning Rose" said a random citizen as he entered one of the many bakeries in the Underground kingdom,
"Good morning Carl, got a loaf of fresh baked bread for you" said Rose as she turned to fetch it, while Carl waited, his nosed twitched slightly as he caught the smell of something burning.
"Good God woman, that smells like-", he was unable to finish as Rose gave off a scream of terror as the store was engulfed in flames in what was a matter of seconds.
Blinking the brightness away Hans looked around, with his sight coming to focus he quickly saw he was in the Southern isles, but he was not there physically, this, it was a memory, but from whoes was the question.
Suddenly there was a loud crash making him jump. Turning his eyes widen as he saw a surprising sight, his brother Lars, the push over, the spineless, the one who let others walk all over him, slamming Caleb against a wall.
Hans just stared as he walked closer in shock, he never though he would see Lars doing this to his brothers, even more what he said next.
"Why did you do that!? Do you not care that it scarred our little brother for life?!" snarled Lars to Caleb,
"He is just a runt" said Rudi shrugging,
"Besides, he won't remember" said Runo not caring, this seemed to make Lars angrier as he shouted "Its Christmas! Its the one time of year children can look forward to being spoiled, its the only day Hans had since his birthday is never celebrated",
"Because he is a use-" Jurgen did not finished as Lars punched him in the face, he punched him so hard he broke Jugens nose and knocked him out. Saying nothing more Lars left fuming. When he left the scene began to change, this time Hans was standing outside of the door which used to be his bedroom, soon Lars walked over to the door.
Lars stood in front of the door, looked down briefly at a rag horse Pegasus, sighting Lars turned the nob and pushed the door open quietly, there Hans was as a child, sleeping.
Hans frowned, he remembered he had cried himself to sleep after that Christmas cookie fiasco, but what was Lars doing?
Looking at the child then at the toy Lars made a move to wake child Hans up, but just as he reached be backed off, the child looked so miserable Lars could not find it in himself to wake the child so he did not.
Backing away Lars left the room, pausing a moment Lars looked back at the child and whispered "I am sorry Hans, I had no idea they were going to do this, if I had known I would have..." he sighted and said "I am sorry..." with that he left.
Seeing this Hans began to feel a bit sick, all this time he swore Lars had known about the cookies, had had something to do with it. But this memory proved other wise and that rag horse proved he had tried to make amends.
The memory changed yet again, this time Hans was in an office like place, Lars was there, pacing back and forth, running his hand through his hair in either stress or worry.
Soon the door opened and a random person walked in, Hans did not know who it was but apparently Lars knew and he cut straight to the chase "Did you find him?", the strangers shook his head no before saying "No sire, me and the search group looked everywhere in the isles",
"Everywhere? The big and little islands? Inland and outland?" demanded Lars,
"Yes, we think he may-",
"Don't you dare" warned Lars,
"But sire, Hans is just a child, if we have not found him now and there is no ransom note then it means he is-",
"No! He is not! He is somewhere out there! Alone and scared! Begging for somebody to find him" snarled Lars not having it,
"Lars",
"Don't! He is out there, alive and we will find him! So unless you bring me a body I will not consider anything else" said Lars then breathing he added "You and your group will keep searching, look again at all the islands, ask everybody and anybody, this search will not stop till my brother is brought back home", nodding the man bow down then left.
When the man left Lars turned, he walked a bit, Hans felt dread as he knew something was going to happen, he was right.
The next thing Hans knew Lars had began to slam his head against the wall, it was so hard it sounded like somebody was trying to burst through the wall, while he did that he kept saying he was sorry over and over.
"Lars stop!" yelled Hans in horror, yes he was angry, but he would never want this, reach he felt his hands go through Lars. This was a memory, it had happened, nothing else...
Then it just stopped, there was a flash of light and nothing more...
Hans blinked, he was starring down at his hands which were wet, he had been crying. Looking up he stared at Elsa, closing his eyes he continued to let his tears fall freely as he realized what a fool he had been. He was not hated or used, he was cared for and most of all, he was loved, not just by Elsa or his friends, but his brother Lars.
Reaching Elsa hugged and held him, he wrapped his arms around her, they held one another for a bit, Hans whimpering "Sorry" over and over confusing Elsa over what was he talking about. But before he could question it the door slammed open and Albert ran inside, his face ashen with pure terror and fear.
To be continued...
Authors note: That's not good... (Covers eyes) Any way I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I hope you all stay tuned for the next chapter as we shall see what will happen when Elsa and Lars meet again, but for now please leave a review and I hope to see you all again in the next chapter.