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 I hope you all enjoy this chapter as a huge battle will be happening, I also would like to thank Dreamsandimaginations for helping me out with the battle scene. So please give a big thanks to the author and leave a review when done reading the story, opinions are most welcomed.
"Its a rune to drain you when you get to strong! To control you because their afraid of you! Am I not right?" growled Lars,
"Please, let us explain" began Merlin,
"Its true-", the voice sent chills down Hans spine as he turned and looked at Agathe who looked in sorrow and said "I am sorry", that was more than enough to let Hans know that Lars was telling the truth.
"How could you?" whispered Hans,
"We... we did not know it would be like this, if we knew-",
"They did not, but I did".
There was stunted silence as everyone stared at Sylvia. It was Lars who recovered first from the shock. "You used me!"
"Not quite. You said you would kill Elsa in order to restore balance and protect your brother, yet you failed. All because you were too weak-hearted"
"Sylvia" This time, it was Hans who spoke. "You don't have to do this. Just.. explain it to us. This doesn't need to be a battle" if she wanted to hurt them, she would have done that without announcing her arrival.
"Why?"
Hans gasped when the rune intensified on his back and the prince staggered to keep himself upright.
You ask why?" said Sylvia then laughed "its very clear, you, all of you are not worthy to be Fateweavers" while Elsa and Lars kept Hans stable on his feet.
"And who's to decide that? You?" bit Merlin back. "None of us is above one another. That is the way it has been, and that how it stays."
"The world changes - so do our ways" said Sylvia. "Proclaim your loyalty to me, or die."
"You are deluded!" yelled Fauna.
"There is always a price - this will cause imbalance not only to us, but the whole world" said Flora this time.
"Don't worry. The world won't be harmed, dear Flora - the Fateweavers who stay at my side will remain. Those who do not, I will take their powers for myself, as they can't be trusted with" said Sylvia as she reached into her cloak and took out a box before throwing it to the ground open, black roots and branches swarmed out to grab everything they could get their hands on.
The Fateweavers all panicked as they knew the box contained the enchanted tree, a form of restraint for all magics, if trapped it would never let go.
"Elsa, stay back!" Hans pulled Elsa behind him, but when the queen wanted to pull herself loose, the prince sought his brother's eyes. "Lars-"
One look was all but needed - Lars released the grip on his brother and took Elsa instead. Before the queen could protest she was Shadowed into safety alongside Albert and Clara. "What- Lars!" Elsa tried to grab Hans, but only grabbed air. A scream of frustration escaped the queen's lips and she propelled herself forward with her ice before Clara could stop her. That box! Elsa flew to it, reaching to it, only for her to be slammed on the ground by a branch that wrapped itself around her foot. "AGH!"
"Elsa!"
"Hans, I'm here, I can-" began Elsa as she picked herself up, ready to try to reach them again.
"No. You get out of here now. Get the people out before Sylvia beats us. When she reaches the lair and destroys our thrones, the Underground kingdom will collapse on itself."
"Agathe can-"
"You. Will do this." commanded Hans. "There is no one I trust more."
"Hans, I can't leave you!"
"You can. I'll be fine, I'll be right behind you" lied Hans through his teeth with a confident smile.
Hesitantly Elsa took once more Lars' hand - another second later and Lars returned to his brother's side.
"You too, Lars."
"Lie to Elsa all you want, I know you better." said Lars. "I will not abandon you. Not ever again."
Seeing no way to persuade him, Hans sighed. "Fine."
"No..." whispered Elsa before she turned and faced them "Albert, Clara, I need you two to sound the alarm, say it to as many people as you can and get them out from the underground kingdom!"
"On it."
"Good! Now we move, for there is little time" said Elsa, with a nod Albert left to do as he was told but Clara stayed,
"You go too" ordered Lars as he held out his sickle and tried to cut through the roots to no avail,
"I am not going, you may be an idiot! But your my idiot and I am not going anywhere without you" said Clara, upon hearing that Lars got a little flustered and distracted,so much so he was almost hit by a root.
"Your emotions make me gag" said Sylvia rather bored as she stood back and watched, angry Elsa opened up her umbrella and shot ice at her making her dodge.
Picking herself up Sylvia growled "I almost forgot about you, fitting how this will end where it all began... with you"
There was pure panic and mayhem ran through the streets as everybody ran to escape the kingdom and the branches which had come alive and tried to grab them.
Running around Albert tried to keep control, but failed as people just ran around with what possessions they could carry, trampling over everybody. Finally having enough Albert put his fingers on his lips and gave a loud yet irritating whistle making everybody stop dead in their tracks.
"Listen up! don't panic! Help everybody out! Avoid the roots and make your way to the nearest exit in groups of 15!" yelled Albert as he went about now with a bit more control of the situation. A bit more calm and now that somebody was in charge the panic was reduced and the evacuation was made more smoothly.
As they did Albert prayed for the safety of the Fateweavers, Elsa and especially his brother.
While Elsa, Lars and the other Fateweavers fought Sylvia Hans had his hands against the roots, trying to burn them to ash. It was no use. They stayed as strong as ever and Hans let his hands slump down, completely spent by his magic. Even trying to produce a small flame now caused his muscles to scream in protest.
"Hans, stop, you're killing yourself." Agathe had to keep the prince from falling on the ground and dragged him out of the branches' reach.
"Well, its not like it will have any difference! That rune is going to kill me regardless - no thanks to you all." bit Hans to the woman he considered his mother. Upon seeing Agathe's hurt face, the prince cast his eyes down. "Agathe, I'm sorry. I shouldn't-" a coughing fit caused Hans to stop and blood began to splatter on his hand. "- have reacted that way."
"You're mad at us - and you have every right to be." said Marius this time, his voice soft and full of sorrow as it seems that he will be loosing another person he held dear. "Rohan.. Rohan could have still been alive if we hadn't kept your rune on." Marius glanced behind him and upon seeing that Flora, Merlin, Fauna and Lars needed extra help, the Fateweaver returned to join them into stopping Sylvia, leaving only Agathe with Hans.
"Can't you break it?" breathed Hans out as he held on to Agathe - he felt like a small child again as she cradled him to her chest.
"We can't - we all poured our magic into the rune - all of us would have to agree to remove it. But with Sylvia..." Agathe went quiet again.
"And if you were to carve it out?"
"It does not work that way." Agathe began to ruffle gently through his hair, all while her tears dripped down on his body. Suddenly, Agathe felt something odd. Hold on. His soulstone should be- "Hans, what are you doing?"
"I'm not going to lay here while you give your lives for us." shot Hans back as the soulstone began to burn brighter at his command in his hand.
"Hans, no its gonna kill you!" Agathe tried to prey the soulstone from his fingers, but hissed when the heat proved too much.
"I'm already dying." said Hans without looking at Agathe and instead held his focus upon the soulstone. Immediately Hans felt an excruciating pain flaring up at his back - the rune was fighting against the usage of his soulstone. Despite the pain, Hans held the soulstone upright and forced himself to continue to burn the roots to ash. Vaguely, the prince could hear a crack - and immediately after, he could feel a large cut going from his chest to his stomach. The soulstone was breaking now, faster as the cracks multiplied.
Upon realizing what Hans was doing, Lars Shadowed to his brother's side. "What the hell are you doing?!" barked Lars. "Stop this right now!"
"I always was the rebellious one in our family." When Lars too wanted to try and take the soulstone away, Hans blasted him away with hot air. "This is what I want, Lars. Consider your promise kept." said Hans as his veins began to glow red-orange. The soulstone was so very close to fracturing, and he could feel death breathing in his neck. With a final effort, the prince used whatever he had left.
Elsa, I love you. I'm so sorry.
As his eyesight began to vanish, the prince saw his life flash by - all the memories with his family, his friends...
It was worth dying for them.
He felt a ear-splintering CRACK - he was dead now. But instead of the cold grasp of death, Hans felt warmth spread throughout his entire body, so fast, so hot he couldn't contain it and he screamed out of pure shock.
Everyone, including Sylvia had to shield themselves from the blinding light.
Hans breathed heavily, bending over as he sucked in the air and looked at the grass. He was alive. He was still alive! Hans glanced to his soulstone, to see the cracks vanish and glow so bright it was nearly yellow-white. And once again the heat was back - the intensity was so much before, that Hans hadn't realized it was healing his wounds. No... the heat didn't come out of nowhere. It was him.
Hans felt his heartbeat increase upon the realization and at the same time, he felt his hands light up. He barely needed to THINK about it to sniff it out again. The magic hummed and it had never flowed so smoothly, never responded so easily.
"No! That can't be, you were not supposed to break it!"
Hans' head snapped back to Sylvia and narrowed his eyes. "It seems I have." He had but to gesture and all the roots became ash immediately.
"It doesn't matter. What is all the power in the world, when you are so weak hearted to save the ones you love?"
Hans' eyes lit up like coals when he saw Elsa being slammed against the wall - the strength by which it was done was so great, the building began to topple over. "NO!" Hans turned into his bird form and sped towards her, smashing through the falling rubble and envelopping Elsa under his wings.
"Hans NO!" Lars couldn't stop his brother from flying into the falling building and could only stare horrified at the toppling building - so did everyone else. "Agh!"
"Don't think I have forgotten about you, Lars" bit Sylvia as branches began to wrap themselves around Lars' neck.
"So much brotherly love... a shame truly."
Elsas eyes were closed shut, to afraid to open them as she was sure that she had died.
But soon she felt warmth and... feathers. "Hans? O my... Hans, you're alright!" Elsa cried and hugged the bird.
"I'm more than alright" said Hans while transforming back into his human form. The prince wrapped his hands around her while Elsa did the same.
"You feel... different. Its a good different." Elsa commented as she felt his body temperature. It had never been that warm before. When she looked up, his eyes weren't green anymore but golden.
Hans didn't say anything as he gently rubbed her hand. "Likewise." commented Hans gently as he noted her blonde hair turning white. As on cue, their magic seemed to react.
"So much for brotherly love..."
Hans and Elsa's eyes shot towards Sylvia's voice. No. Not Lars. He would not loose another brother today. Anger flared up inside the prince and the building reduced to ashes in but a second. "Let him go and then I'll consider not to destroy you." bit Hans as he saw Sylvia suffocating Lars.
"How?!" she demanded angrily,
"The love we share, the one you claimed that makes us weak... makes us stronger" said Hans as he and Elsa looked at her defiantly.
Looking at that Lars cried out in relief, he was happy to see that Elsa and Hans were okay.
"Love is for the weak" said Sylvia,
"No its not! Love gives us a reason to fight and protect others! Without it our lives have no meaning!" said Elsa,
"I had enough of his!" yelled Sylvia before she attacked sending more vines.
Hans took out his sword and proceeded to hack the vine, which turned to ashes when he did while Elsa shot ice at the vines which iced and shattered freeing Lars.
Reacting the roots and vines all sped towards Hans and Elsa to trap them both, but Lars quickly acted and used his shadow abilities to teleport them to safety.
"Thanks!" Hans yelled then conjured up a ball of flame and threw it close to Elsa making her flinch but saw that a vine had tried to sneak up behind her and almost grabbed her.
"Thanks back" said Elsa as she threw more ice.
"Okay whats the plan?" asked Hans as they worked,
"Get the soulstone, the how is the tricky part" said Elsa as she threw ice.
"Hows about fish and bait?" suggested Lars as he appeared next to them then sent more shadows to restrain Sylvia,
"What?" asked Elsa,
"Brilliant!" said Hans before turning to Elsa, one look was all needed before she nodded.
The three split up in different directions, "Hold still you cowards!" yelled Sylvia then yelled as Hans threw fire at her, this fire was different, it not only burned but ate through her form.
She did not remember it being like that before.
Then yelled as Elsa threw shards of ice at her, trying to pin her down.
Screaming Sylvia attacked, her anger clouded her judgement.
Hanging back Lars saw this, acting quick he turned to a shadow, darted over as fast as possible, passing through vines, leaves and roots before reaching Sylvia, grabbing her soulstone and ripping it off.
"No!" She screamed before sending vines after Lars, knocking him aside, the soulstone went flying before it landed on the ground in front of Elsa's foot.
Sylvia screamed as she reached, Elsa immediately stomped on the soulstone, cracking it, lights of green shone as if the crystal was angry.
The vines and roots wilted as did the giant tree form before it collapsed making Sylvia fall out.
Staggering Sylvia marched over, but Elsa stomped on the soulstone again yelling "This is for Rohan!" The soulstone shattered further and Sylvia collapsed, her skin turning gray, her hair white and falling off, she was in pain but continued to drag herself over.
But Elsa stomped on it harder, breaking it further,
"I will kill you!" growled Sylvia, then with one final stomp the soulstone shattered to pieces, the power dispersed through the area and Sylvia screamed.
Her hands went to her chest as she began to rapidly decay and rot before collapsing into a heap of ashes.
Carefully Elsa, Hans and Lars walked over then sighted in relief.
Turning Hans said "Thank you... you did not have to",
"Thank Elsa, she deserves all the credit" said Lars,
"No, we all did it together" said Elsa softly before saying "Lets go home",
"Home sounds nice" said Hans as they turned to leave.
But as they did the shards of Sylvias soulstone turned black, moving they gathered and grew.
Sensing it Lars turned back and said "Oh no..." as a loud roar filled the area.
To be continued...
Authors note: Thats not good... The battle is far from over... Any way I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review to tell me what you think and stay tuned for the next chapter.