30- Arendelle's Secret

The snowy fields of the valley were lashed by a terribly cold wind, the snow was falling from a frozen gray sky, everything seemed peaceful and finally the most respected Generals of the Southern Isles Army emerged from the War Council.

All of them carried long sabers ready in their hands, and their elegant red cloaks were rippling in the cruel and freezing wind…

They abandoned the campsites together, and after that they advanced with great pride between the lines formed by the great horses and riders that were ready to charge against Arendelle's devastated Sammel Line.

This was the final offensive, the moment to finish off Anna and her army so the Southern Isles forces could invade the rest of Arendelle…

The twelve Generals reached their white horses at the very head of the cavalry armies, they mounted in a coordinated fashion and they looked around at the forces that were under their command, raising the sharp sabers high above their heads.

"All men ready!" screamed the tallest of the Generals, a fearsome man of long brown hair and mysterious blue eyes- "You know the orders! We shall end this offensive once and for all… We'll have no mercy on them!"

The armies replied by raising their own sabers between wild cries of battle, everyone ready to fight for the Southern Isles and King Hans...

"For the Southern Isles!" the General cried out, his powerful voice taken by the wind- "Chaaaarge!"

Then it happened, and it was a truly fearsome view:

Thirteen thousand horses and courageous men rode out into the snowstorm like a nightmare, the ground began to shake and particles of ice and snow were flying everywhere between the countless red cloaks…

The battle cries became a deafening growl, for this was the largest and most fearsome cavalry offensive ever seen in the lands of the North.

The proud riders had no fear, they rode as fast as possible against the snow and the wind, very soon they had crossed the center of the valley and then the Arendellian sentinels atop the hills discovered them at last...

"They are coming!" the voices cried out all over the Line, giving the alarm just in time- "Get ready to open fire! They are coming! "They are coming!"

"Alice!" Anna screamed, dashing on her way to her Cracker position- "Kristoff!"

Anna stationed herself to the left side of the machine gun, ready to do her part by feeding the ammunition strips to the Cracker. Kristoff came a few seconds later wearing a wide purple cloak, and he immediately took his position behind the intriguing and mysterious weapon.

"This is the moment of vengeance, Kristoff!" Anna said, patting the Cracker with a rather dark enthusiasm- "Are you ready?"

"I think so…"

Alice came to the front lines as fast as she could, carrying multiple strips of Cracker ammunition and quickly taking her position beside a nearby machine gun. Alistair came out of nowhere and followed his daughter, eager to finally display Arendelle's most powerful weapons in battle.

Anna was not surprised to discover a look of rage and blood-thirst in Alistair's eyes, for she knew that her best General had been waiting for this moment for a very long time...

"We are ready to give them Hell, your Highness!" Alistair screamed, his right hand ready at the trigger of the weapon- "Your Cracker shall be the first to open fire, and then… everyone else follows!"

Hundreds of other Cracker teams were loading their machine guns at those very moments, all of them aiming at the valley and waiting for the enemy forces to become visible between the snow and the wind…

Everyone knew that they had to wait for them to get really close to the Sammel Line, every team had received orders to let Anna be the first to open fire as the signal to attack and now five hundred fingers were ready on the triggers.

"Wait, Kristoff…" Anna said, her voice shaky with excitement- "Wait…"

Anna's blue eyes were trying to pierce through the snowy wind, trying to discover anything red in the frozen whiteness of the wintry landscape… time was passing and the seconds felt like minutes, then she heard battle cries and it happened at last:

The huge Cavalry armies appeared between the snow like an image from a nightmare, thousands and thousands of horses and red-cloaked riders charging with cold fury and sabers in their hands…

"Anna…" Kristoff said, his finger shaking against the trigger- "Come on!"

"Wait, they have to get closer" Anna replied, a wicked smile slowly forming on her face- "Kristoff, just wait a little more…"

"Anna…"

Anna suddenly discovered a look of shock and surprise in the face of the enemy commander, she saw fear in those blue eyes, they had seen the Crackers… Now it was too late for all of them, and the Princess of Arendelle gave the awaited order at last:

"Now, Open Fire!"