Chapter 17

I always wondered what angered Zalena so much into wanting to kill my whole family. It had never occurred to me that she would, in fact, be my family. The idea that I was actually killing her never actually crossed my mind until we got to the castle, it's blackened stone rising high above us. Trapping her was one thing, but killing her was another entirely. Taking a deep breath, I shivered with the idea of entering the castle. Terrence walked in front of us drawing his sword. Regina and I fell quiet as we approached from the south side of the castle. I felt heat on my back and turned to see Regina holding one of her fireballs, cupping my hand I made an icy snow ball.

"Once we get inside there may be guards, keep an eye out for them." Terrence said his eyes lingering on me before he turned to get into a side entrance behind a rock.

Nervously I followed him in continuing down the dark coreadore. Terrence stopped, looking both ways down the hallway motioning us to follow him. I felt like I was on some top-secret mission like when we were kids, trying to listen in on adult conversations when we knew we couldn't get caught.

The castle was dark, lit only by Regina's flame that she held in her hand. I listened carefully hearing more footsteps. Grabbing Terrence's arm, he stopped looking at me, I put my finger to my lips and we all fell quiet. The footsteps continued and we all looked at each other. Someone was following us. I listened carefully, the sound was soft and scratched against the floor.

"Monkey?" I mouthed to Terrence who nodded soundlessly. Stepping in front of Regina I pushed my hand forward freezing the hallway behind us. "Throw the fireball" I whispered to Regina who tossed it in the air in front of us. The hallway lit up revealing a monkey stuck on the ice I had thrown down.

"What should we do with it?" I asked looking at Terrence.

"Kill it" Regina said raising her hand but I grabbed her wrist quickly.

"No, her monkeys are people. They're just cursed." I said looking at her. "Terrence, give me your sword."

"Why?" He asked handing it to me.

"I'm going to cut off his wings, Oswin did it once and it turned out to be a guard at the city hall." I said taking it from him walking towards the monkey slowly. "Sorry if this hurts," I said raising it above my head then letting it drop onto the wings. The monkey let out a scream, part monkey and part human. I jumped back, slipping on my own ice and falling backward. Looking up, I was no longer looking into the black, soulless eyes of a monkey, but the deep blue eyes of a human. Smiling softly I stood up while the young girl caught her breath. She was probably 15 or 16 with long brown hair.

"Thank you" She breathed I smiled nodding slightly.

"How long have you been a prisoner?" I asked unfreezing the ground beneath us.

"I've lost count. She destroyed my village. Those who survived, she made into monkeys to do her dirty work." She said looking down at her hands.

"You need to get out of here, go to the Emerald City and tell the wizard that I sent you. He'll find somewhere safe for you."

"You're Elsa aren't you?" She said her eyes growing wide.

"I am," I said with a soft smile.

"My master will be so happy" She said, I took a step back.

"I beg your pardon?" I stammered.

"Once you're Zalena's soldier, you don't ever stop," she smirked.

"Too bad you're not going to touch my daughter." Regina said, throwing the girl back down the hallway. I froze unable to move, realizing that my life could have very well just ended, my hands grew colder as ice crystals grew on the skin. Closing my eyes I breathed slowly, my heart pounding. Terrence laid his hands on my arms kissing the top of my head.

"Just breathe, let it go Ess" He whispered into my ear I nodded relaxing under his touch.

"Lets go before she comes back." Regina said.

"She needs to…" He started I turned to face him laying my hand on his chest.

"It's fine," I said simply, he sighed but nodded none the less.

We continued down the hallway and up a spiral staircase, ice was forming beneath my feet. We reached a door at the top of the stairs, I watched as Terrence pushed it open and we all hurried inside Terrence shutting and locking it behind us. I turned lighting a torch behind us to fill the room with a dim glow. The light reflected off the crystal ball in the center of the room. I felt like some outside force was pulling me towards it, drawing me closer and closer with every breath. Reaching out I touched my finger on the cold glass. As I touched it pictures danced across the smoke in the center of it and I pulled back quickly.

"Did you see that?" I asked looking at Regina and Terrence.

"No what was it?" Terrence asked.

"I'm not sure, I thought I saw something in the smoke. Pictures of Aly and Oswin." I said looking back at the crystal.

Reaching out slowly I touched it again this time not pulling away. I watched as scenes from my childhood played out in the smoke, all the happy moments we had shared. However with as lovely as they had started they turned dark far too quickly. Memories of Anna's death, of the attack on the camp, Aly's death, Dorothy and Leo and Sawyer. I tried to pull away but I couldn't, my hand stuck to the crystal. As quickly as the memories had come, they stopped when Terrence pulled me onto the floor and away from the crystal.

"What happened?" He asked as he helped me to my feet.

"I had these flood of memories when I touched it, they started off as happy ones but… I had to relive Aly's death and the attack on the camp." I said looking at him. "So many people have died because of me."

He grabbed my arms tightly looking me in the eyes. "None of those deaths were your fault" He said harshly.

"No? Everyone that has ever been close to me, Zalena has taken away. Aly, and… Sawyer... and Leo… and everybody." I spat back.

"She hasn't taken me away from you."

"Terrence, I lost you to the war we fought against her. Twice. That's my worst memory, waking up that day, and you had left without even saying goodbye. Don't tell me these deaths aren't my fault in some way." I sighed swallowing hard.

I turned quickly, ice crystals shot from my fingers without a second thought. I watched as the crystal and the room froze around us.

"You really think you can defeat me?" Zelena screamed appearing in a puff of green smoke on the other side of the room.

"I know I can. You have destroyed too many lives Zalena. With every life you took, I got stronger. Those were people I cared about and innocent lives that didn't need to be taken." I cried standing my ground.

"You'll have to go through me first," Zalena smirked looking between myself and Regina.

Raising my hand I forced ice from my hand but she was faster and threw me against the wall. I let out a cry feeling the sharp pain of an icicle as it cut into my side. Terrence was at my side putting pressure on the deep cut to stop the bleeding. My whole body ached and I felt weak, as I could only watch while Regina tried to fight her.

"Don't you dare touch my daughter, I lost her once, and, believe me, a mother's love for their child never dies. I'll do anything to protect her." Regina said, light magic forming in her hands.

"What are you doing?" Zalena asked taking a step back.

"Protecting my little girl." Regina replied thrusting her arms forward.

As the magic hit Zalena, she flew backward landing limply on the ground. Regina strode over cupping her hand towards Zalena who I could hear gasping for breath. Regina looked back at me and nodded.

"Help me up" I said weakly, Terrence looked at me, very concerned, but nonetheless helped me up. I stood there for a moment, trying to regain some strength in my legs-it took everything I had not to fall. Looking at the crystal in front of me, I breathed, slowly looking up at Zalena and Regina. They gazed back at me as Regina held Zalena against the wall.

"This ends NOW," I yelled, forcing my voice to sound stronger than I felt.