Authors Notes: Well folks we're back with Voltron Frozen Defender Rise of the Snow Queen, apologies with the late updates, I've just had a lot of prior commitments lately and especially with work. So I haven't found the time to update my stories lately, but luckily I've now had the time to finish this latest chapter. Now without further delay enjoy and set your faces to stunned.
Voltron Legendary Defender (c) Dreamworks Animation
Frozen (c) Disney
:The Totality:
On the Castle of Lions after hours of trying to unlock the two keys to the Shattered Eye, Hunk and Pidge had finally solved the mystery and gained the next keys location. With help from an unexpected source named Olaf. They didn't waste any time in telling the other Paladins, Elsa, Kristof, Shiro, Sven and Coran the news. The keys were on the bridge as they displayed the coordinates.
"Great work you guys now we know where the third key is." Shiro congratulated the two Paladins.
"Thanks Shiro, but we can't take all the credit, it was Olaf who figured it out." Pidge said gesturing to the small snowman.
"Well excellent work Olaf you may've put us one step closer to stopping the Snow Queen." Allura congratulated the small snowman.
"Aww thanks guys." Olaf gushed happily and was given a lick on the cheek by Sven. "Aww Sven." He chirped.
"Huh I guess we underestimated Olaf." Kieth smiled impressed.
"Tell me about it." Lance agreed.
"Yeah, we assumed that since Allura is Altean the key would respond to her touch like the first." Pidge explained. "But when it didn't we thought it had to be something else that would unlock the key."
"But when we saw Olaf playing with the keys how they phased together it all made sense." Hunk continued. "Coran said we use each key to find the next, and now we know how, when we found the first key it sent a signal to the second."
"However it's only when the two keys are interlocked together do they point the way to the third." Pidge then said. "Most likely done to make sure if either the Galra or someone else found them they wouldn't be able to figure it out."
This seemed to make sense to some of the Paladins, well except Lance and Kristof anyway. However now they had a more immediate focus. "Right, but now we know where we're going." Kieth said.
"Yeah the Balmera of all places it is a small galaxy." Lance agreed.
"Still we need to get moving, if we found out about it you can bet it won't be long before Ingrid finds out." Kieth said to which Shiro shared his concerns.
"Agreed, Coran plot a course to the Balmera we need to work fast before the Galra catch on." Shiro said in agreement.
"Right." Coran said as he went to his station and plotted in the coordinates.
"But we still don't know how Ingrid was able to find us." Kristof asked. "I mean it's either because Elsa and her share the same powers or maybe because she was exposed to the stone."
"Kristofs right and on top of that we don't have a clue what Ingrid plans to do even if she gets the stone?" Lance said in agreement.
"Which means we aren't going to be able to stop her if we don't figure out what she's planning." Shiro agreed. "We're missing something, but what?" He then turned to Elsa. "Elsa is there anything you might be able to remember about Ingrid that might help us?"
"I…I don't know Shiro, its all in pieces and it comes back at times but not enough to put a picture together I…." Suddenly Elsa felt tremendous pain in her head and screamed. This caught everyone by surprise.
"Elsa!" Shiro exclaimed in surprise as he crouched down to her level as did Allura.
"Elsa what's wrong?!" Allura asked in great concern. Elsa's head continued to throb in pain it was like something was tearing her brain from the inside out. Then quite suddenly she heard it.
"Elsa…." She recognised that voice. "Elsa…."
The Ice Queen looked to her friends with a very panicked look on her face. "I…its her I can hear her!" She said panicked and to the Paladins that meant only one thing.
Elsewhere:
Lotor's ship flew through a purple nebula silently, in a darkened room Ingrid was focusing her powers and she was surrounded by a flurry of snow. Her eyes were glowing white. "I can see you Elsa, tell me where you are you can't hide from me." She said.
Castle of Lions:
Elsa gripped her head tightly as she screamed out in pain. "Sh…she's trying to find me!"
"We need to do something!" Lance exclaimed.
"But what?!" Kieth exclaimed.
Allura knelt in front of Elsa and held her head with her hands and it was almost as if she could sense something was wrong. "Its the Snow Queen she's trying to find out where the third key is, she must be using her powers to find Elsa."
"So how do we break the link!" Shiro said to her.
Black Lions Hanger:
In the chaos up above the Black Lion of Voltron sat silently, However then its eyes glowed yellow brightly.
The Bridge:
Elsa was more and more in pain as suddenly her eyes glowed white and suddenly visions of what the Paladins had been discussing, and Ingrid could see it. As her spirit smirked evilly happy. "Ah how clever. Now Elsa come back and…"
All of a sudden a loud roar could be heard and swooping out of nowhere was the astral form of the Black Lion. It swooped in and fired an energy blast at Ingrid who screamed from the blast.
Lotors Ship:
Ingrid screamed in pain as the flurry around her fell to the ground and she collapsed breathing heavily. She tried to reach out again with her powers, but it didn't seem to work. "No!" She growled. "My…my connection grows weaker. But no matter I have what I need." She smirked.
Castle of Lions:
The pain in Elsa's head had finally stopped but she collapsed right into Allura's arms. "Elsa!" Allura said and everyone gathered in concern.
"Allura is she?" Shiro asked with genuine concern.
"She's alright she's just unconscious." Allura said to him which made him breath a sigh of assurance.
Moments later Elsa was lay in her bed in the room she'd settled into, on the Castle. She lay quietly. While she slept she was beginning to see faint visions of things one of them was with Anna in what looked like a dungeon then another faded and revealed it was of her and her sister confronting the Snow Queen and were all captured in ice. Ingrid was reaching out. until finally she stirred from her unconscious state. She looked and saw the Paladins, Olaf, Sven, Shiro and Kristof were in the room.
"Ah she's awake!" Olaf breathed in relief as he pulled her in for a hug which the Ice Queen was happy to return.
"Elsa are you okay?" Shiro knelt down to her bedside greatly concerned.
"Yes…yes I..I'm okay." Elsa said a little more calm much to everyones relief.
"So what happened was it Ingrid?" Lance asked.
"Yes, I…I felt in pain and it was like she was calling to me, I could see her." The Ice Queen explained to the Paladins which all but confirmed their theory of how Ingrid was able to find them. Through her powers.
"So she was tracking us through her powers." Kieth realised. "But why would she feel her presence now?"
"Possibly as Elsa's grown stronger through her experiences with us she was better able to sense Ingrids presence." Pidge theorised. "But not being an expert in magic it's only a theory."
"Indeed Pidge." Allura agreed with the Green Paladin's theory.
"But there was something else." Elsa then voiced getting their attention as Ingrid wasn't the only thing she saw. "I felt she was getting close but then…I…I saw the Black Lion, it leaped at her and i…it saved me."
Kieth and Shiro in particular were taken by surprise, the Black Lion saved Elsa, but Allura had an idea of what happened. "Black saved you but how?" Shiro said amazed, and it wasn't long until Kieth soon realised how.
"I think I do." Kieth said getting everyones attention. "When I was injured after Ingrid ambushed us on the planet where we found the second key. Elsa flew the Black Lion in my place to help the others, I mean we know a lions bond with its Paladin stretches great distances even the spiritual plane right?"
"I think Kieth is right, The Black Lion must have sensed that Elsa was in trouble so its spirit must've saved her on the spiritual plane, weakening Ingrids link in the process." Allura agreed with the new Black Paladin's theory.
"Well thats one comfort at best." Hunk sighed in relief.
"Maybe but I think she heard what we were talking about earlier." Elsa voiced in great concern. "She might know where the third key is."
"And it's only a matter of time before she understands the greater significance of the keys if she hasn't already." Coran voiced in fear.
"There's more..I I had more visions, of me Anna and Ingrid but I can't make them out." Elsa then said. "Its all a blur and every time I try to piece it together my head hurts."
"Perhaps understanding these fragmented memories is the key to learning Ingrids intentions with the Eye and maybe find out what happed to Anna." Allura realised.
Shiro got the idea of where Allura was going and immediately turned to Kristof. "Kristof is there anything you might be able to tell us about Ingrid that might help, or any memory of what happened before you woke up on that planetoid?"
"Well not much Shiro, but I do remember one thing." The Ice Master said as everyone listened. "I remember that Ingrid seemed more interested with bonding with Elsa and maybe Anna was feeling a little insecure but after she was shown the ice palace I could see in her eyes something was wrong, so we went to see Grand Papie and the Trolls to get some answers." Kristof began.
Flashback: Arendelle a few weeks ago:
In the dead of night the Northern Lights flickered over the sky above Arendelle, and on the ground. A sled pulled by Sven with the passengers Anna, Olaf and Kristof aboard had just arrived at a certain valley. They disembarked from the sled and headed towards the stones.
"You think Papie maybe able to tell us about who Ingrid is?" Anna asked her boyfriend.
"Well they are experts in magic especially Elsa's but there's always a chance." Kristof said to her.
"Lets hope so." Anna said as she needed to know the truth about her aunt, why she didn't pay attention to her or why she never talked about her mother having a sister. "Grand Pabbie, Grand Pabbie?" She called.
Then rolling out of hiding were the stone trolls who unrolled from their balls and greeted Anna and Kristof. "Kristof and Anna are here!" Bulda cheered as did the trolls. "Now what brings you two here its been ages."
"Hi Bulda good to see you!" Olaf chirped.
"Yes sorry we haven't visited lately it's been a pretty crazy week." Anna chuckled. "Is Grand Pabbie here?"
Just then said troll rolled up in his ball form and unrolled to see the two of them. "Ah Anna, Kristof I can tell by the looks on your faces you have something on your minds."
"Yeah you could say that Pabbie." Kristof said admittedly.
"Pabbie, someone recently appeared at the castle and well…she says she's mine and Elsa's aunt, her names Ingrid." The moment Anna said that name the Trolls especially Grand Papie froze in horror, Sven saw that something was wrong he could sense it in the air. Kristof was most surprised he had never seen his adoptive family this spooked.
"Pabbie? Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost?" Olaf asked.
After a moment of regaining his composure the elder troll spoke. "I thought this day would never come." He finally said in great sorrow.
"W…what do you mean?" Anna asked getting a little nervous why was Pabbie so spooked.
Pabbie sighed before he decided to share what he knew. "My friends, Ingrid was a name I hoped never to hear again."
"She says she's mine and Elsa's aunt but I…I want to believe her but she has powers like Elsa's and something just doesn't feel right. I mean my mother would've told us she had a sister." Anna explained her suspicions.
"Actually Anna, your mother did indeed have a sister." Pabbie explained much to Anna's shock. "They were separated long ago, but were reunited some years after Elsa's birth."
"But..why didn't mother and father ever say anything why didn't you say anything?" Anna asked.
"I was sworn to secrecy by your mother and father." Pabbie explained.
"Why?" Anna insistently asked.
Grand Pabbie was hesitant at that question as he wasn't sure she or Kristof would be ready for it. "I can tell you Anna, but you may not like what you hear."
"Please, I have to know the truth." Anna insisted.
"Pabbie if somethings off about Ingrid she deserves to know." Kristof agreed.
"Very well I will tell you." Grand Pabbie said as his magic showed visions of long ago. "Years ago your mothers sister Ingrid came to Arendelle to find her sometime after Elsa was born. She was welcomed with open arms and they could often be seen in the castle grounds." Pabbie explained while the Princess, Ice Master, Snowman and Reindeer listened intently.
"It was then discovered that like Elsa she also had ice powers, which they suspected that she had inherited from Ingrid." Pabbie continued. "She embraced her powers even showing them to the people, but something went wrong, some feared her even considered her dangerous and in her anger nearly froze someone in place. That night she fled the castle thinking she would be confined and not allowed to be who she is fleeing to the mountains."
"Just like Elsa." Anna breathed in shock.
"Something tells me this doesn't end the same way does it?" Olaf asked getting a little concerned.
"Unfortunately not my little friend." Pabbie sighed as his visions continued showing Ingrid in the mountains finding a certain glowing green gem. "In fleeing to the mountains she uncovered a long forgotten magical object, one that causes nothing but pain and rage, she allowed her fears to control her and became corrupted." The vision showed Ingrid being corrupted by the gems power turning green. "She attacked the kingdom, but was repelled by a force from another world and sealed away for all time." Pabbie explained but as his visions showed what happened Anna faintly made out one vision one she almost recognised in an instant.
"Wait..that…that looks like…" Suddenly Anna realised what or rather who it was. "Voltron!"
"Yes, the ones who stopped her were none other than the predecessors of your friends from the stars." Grand Pabbie explained.
"But how Allura, said that the original Paladins existed ten thousand years ago?" Anna questioned.
"As I told Allura when you and your friends came here before saving your sister, time is different for our world what happened was ten years ago but at the same time we follow different paths." Grand Pabbie explained. "But yes your friends predecessors had no choice but to seal her away when she refused to see reason. However now it seems she's free, be weary she is not who she appears."
"I knew something wasn't right." Anna realised but still something was troubling her. "But why didn't mother ever tell us she had a sister."
"Because after she was sealed away your mother requested that all memories of Ingrid and her time here were to be forgotten so with our magic we erased those memories from existence only your parents, the original Paladins and I knew the truth." Pabbie explained.
"But why is she so interested in Elsa? I mean I get her powers are the same but." Olaf said and that took Pabbies particular interest.
"She maybe teaching Elsa to reach her potential but I fear she may try to manipulate her to see her view of things if the corruption she's suffered remains." Grand Pabbie explained much to their shock.
"Then, I need to warn Elsa!" Anna realised in horror. "She needs to know the truth about Ingrid." She was about to hurry back to the sled until Kristof stopped her.
"Anna wait, we need to think this through!" he insisted.
"Whats there to think about." Anna said in haste.
"I get it Elsa needs to know what we've learned but we need to be careful about this, if Ingrid knows what we know she could try something." Kristof explained to her to make her consider what they were about to do.
"Kristof is right." Grand Pabbie said to them. "I would urge caution, there's no telling how dangerous Ingrid may become or what she might do once she knows you know her secret."
Anna then realised they were right, Ingrid could very well do something unexpected if she knew. If there was one thing she learned from her time with the Paladins, is to be careful when dealing with the unknown not like how she stowed aboard Kieth and Shiro's mission to greet the Blades. She nodded and with that they all hurried to the sled, and with one whip of the reins Sven pulled them back towards Arendelle as fast as his legs could carry them. Pabbie and the rest of the stone trolls all looked to each other with great worry, for the royals, their adopted son and even the kingdom.
"We made our way back to the kingdom, but when we got back we didn't expect it." Kristof explained.
Soon they arrived in the courtyard, and without another word Anna hurried into the castle to find her sister to tell her what she'd learned. Kristof however was greatly worried, as was Olaf, and they had every right to be.
Present day:
"I can't remember much of what happened after Anna ran to find Elsa, the rest is a bit blank." Kristof explained to the Paladins and Alteans present.
Elsa felt the side of her head as she tried to remember. "I I think I remember this, Anna came to me about Ingrid but, ah I can't remember the rest it's all a blur."
"Then maybe we need to try and help those memories emerge, I have a feeling somewhere in there maybe the key to learning what happened to Anna." Allura voiced to the group.
"Or maybe learn what Ingrid wanted to achieve during her time in Arendelle something that tells us what her endgame is with the Eye." Kieth then said.
"Okay but how?" Lance said, and everyone wondered how they would help the Ice Queen remember the memories from before she appeared in their universe. Shiro pondered for a moment, but then had an idea but he wondered how certain members of the group would react to this.
"I think I have an idea, but Coran I don't think your going to like it." He then said which made the Altean advisor wonder what idea could Shiro possibly have that he wouldn't like. Then suddenly it dawned on him.
"Oh no." Corans pupils shrunk. "No no no no NO!" He protested.
Green Lions Hanger/Pidges lab:
Moments later the group, Elsa, Kristof, Olaf and Sven were in Pidge's lab looking at a certain Memory Extraction device the Paladins had used some time ago on a certain Galra Commander.
"So what's this thing?" Kristof asked.
"This Kristof is an Altean memory Extraction device, its specific purpose is to extract Altean memories as a means of keeping them alive. It's a similar device that was used to put my fathers memories into the Castle of Lions." Allura explained.
"I remember you said that your fathers memories lived in the castle but were destroyed when it was infected by Sendak's crystal." Elsa recalled one of the stories that Allura had told them.
"Oh yeah and how you found that secret base where Allura was captured." Olaf then recalled as he looked at this device with wonder. "Oooo I wonder if it could be used to keep my memories alive like that."
"Yes we did use it on Sendak, but as I've told you all this was made to keep Altean memories alive not to interrogate prisoners let alone what your proposing to do now!" Coran explained still not feeling comfortable about all this.
"Coran we know thats not what the technology was meant for but when we used it to get Sendaks memories it did have its benefits." Shiro reminded him.
"Shiro's right we found that Quintessence production facility as well as a million other things that Pidge is still digging up." Kieth agreed. "So if there's a chance it could help Elsa remember we have to try."
"So wait you want to hook Elsa up to this thing?" Kristof questioned.
"Don't worry Kristof the process isn't dangerous." Allura explained to him. "But I must confess while the memory extraction can extract memories trying to recall repressed ones is quite another."
Elsa wasn't too sure about all this being hooked up to a machine to have her memories extracted but if she had any hope of remembering what happened to Anna or the truth of Ingrids intentions there was no choice.
"Elsa you don't have to do this if you don't want to." Shiro then said to her.
"No if it means we find out what Ingrid…my aunt is trying to accomplish by getting the eye then we have to try." Elsa decided with her mind made up.
"Be that as it may, it was designed for Altean memories, I have no idea what affect it could have on the human mind." Coran pointed out, but while he was explaining the science of this whole process Pidge looked over the memory extraction device and then wondered about something in the back of her mind.
"Well what about multiple minds." Pidge then said which immediately peaked everyones attention.
"Uh you wanna run that by us again Pidge?" Lance said rathe confused.
"Well I have an idea, what if there was a way we could modify the device, but instead of extracting memories. It links us up to Elsa's mind allowing us to share her consciousness to see her memories." Pidge explained her idea to the group.
"Oh like Lucid Dreaming." Hunk realised what Pidge was getting at.
"Lucid what?" Kristof asked.
"Well basically its a memory reconstruction method that can be done while someones dreaming, even giving them control over what's happening basically describing their dreams and what's happening." Hunk explained further.
"Oh so telling a story from what we dream while we sleep. Cool!" Olaf chirped.
"Yeah but with one difference we share the dream with Elsa and we might be able to see what happened for ourselves." Pidge explained.
"Hold on so you want us to go into Elsa's head!" Lance exclaimed.
"I gotta admit Pidge thats a bit of a long shot can we even pull that off?" Kristof wondered.
"Coran is it possible?" Allura asked her personal aid. The latter pondered for a moment at the Green Paladins proposal, until he came to a conclusion.
"Well I guess it could be done, theoretically." Coran said. "but you would all have to be in a shared state of stasis in order for the device to work, but it would also have to be modified to handle the presence of so many minds at once."
"You work out the specs we'll do the rest." Pidge said standing with Hunk back to back and determined.
"Right and we can use the Castle sleeping chambers as the means of rendering our minds in sleep." Hunk then said.
"And using the mental headsets from training to connect our minds." Pidge theorised in agreement.
So the two geniuses set to work. They were in the Castle pod room as Hunk connected several wires from the memory extraction device to the stasis pods. While Pidge was hooking up her laptop to the machine inputing the modification coding needed. Then the two used connectors to modify the device. Olaf handed Hunk his tools he asked for a futuristic looking wrench but the small snowman instead handed him a spanner which did annoy the Yellow Paladin a little while Olaf gave a nervous smile.
Hours later with much blood sweat and snowflakes the device was ready. The modified Altean Memory extractor was now connected to seven of the Altean sleep chambers via connecting wires. Pidge was making the final adjustments to the headsets they used during their Paladin training.
"Okay so let me get this straight we get into these pods, go to sleep and then that Altean memory gizmo makes us go into some kind of dream limbo?" Lance asked wanting to make absolutely sure of what they were about to do. Even if it was crazy.
"Not quite Lance." Pidge explained. "Technically Elsa will be in a dream state and the rest of us will be connected to her in a sort of dreamscape totality."
"Right so dream limbo got it." Lance said while Sven looked a little unsure of this.
"Okay so we're all on the same page about this?" Kieth then said to everyone. "With Elsa in this dream state a team of the five of us will enter her mind to find out what happened to Anna and learn more of Ingrids intentions."
Just then a hand or rather a prosthetic one was placed on the new Black Paladin's shoulder and he looked to Shiro. "You mean the six of us are going to find out what happened to Anna." He said. "Don't worry I have your backs."
Kieth smiled knowing that Shiro would support them in this journey into the unknown of the dream totality. Elsa was grateful that her friends and family were going to great lengths to help her but deep inside she was nervous, what if they found something they wouldn't be prepared for, and what impact would it have.
"Okay people listen up, we've linked up a visual link to the headsets so we'll be able to see everything you see while in the totality." Coran explained. "But I should explain you'll be on your own Elsa will have to try and guide you through her memories, but be careful."
"Rest assured Coran, we will be prepared for whatever we may face." Allura assured, as everyone took a headset and walked towards the stasis pods. Kieth, Lance, Allura and Shiro entered the pods on the right, Elsa entered the centre pod, while Pidge and Hunk entered the pods to the left. They placed their headsets on and the pods sealed.
Coran, Kristof, Sven and Olaf stood at the control console. The Altean took a deep breath as Kieth signalled him to begin. "Okay." He breathed. "Here we go, initiating stasis." He pressed some of the holo controls and then the Paladins, Elsa and Shiro fell into a deep sleep. "Activating headsets.
He pressed another button and the crystals in the headsets glowed, and the Memory Extraction machine activated and a crystallised light appeared in the machine which made, Kristof, Sven, and Olaf looked in awe.
"You sure they're going to be okay?" Kristof asked still concerned about his friends safety.
"I have to believe they will, but we're diving into unknown territory here Kristof. We can only hope Elsa will guide them to the memories they seek." Coran said in an assuring way, but in truth he felt dreadfully nervous her pod Elsa was in a deep slumber as the crystal glowed.
Then moments later her eyes shot open. She looked around and saw she was in some kind of dark blue void, and her whole body was glowing in a light blue aura. She was somehow in her flight suit. Then suddenly one by one the Shiro and the Paladins appeared, all in their respective Paladin armour and glowing in auras of, violet, red, blue, green, yellow, and pink.
"Guys?" Elsa called as her voice echoed in the void.
"Its okay Elsa, we're all here." Shiro said assuringly as they looked around their new environment.
"Whoa, this is too freaky." Lance said as he looked at the void then at himself. "Whoa we're glowing is this normal?"
"It must be our quintessence." Allura realised looking at her own aura.
"Paladins." Called a voice and they knew it was Corans. "Is everyone okay?"
"We're here Coran." Allura replied.
"Okay let's take it easy, Pidge any ideas on what we need to do next?" Kieth then asked the Green Paladin.
"Well thats really down to Elsa, it's her mind, and with Lucid dreaming the dreamer must guide us." Pidge explained.
Elsa was a little unsure about all of this. "Uh I..I don't know." Elsa said but Shrio put his hands on her shoulders.
"Elsa." Shiro said to her. "Its okay we're all here with you, I know you can do it. Just stay calm and concentrate." Elsa seemed a little calmer of things and concentrated. Then suddenly the void lit up with white spheres and some of them showed memories.
Hunk walked up closer to one of the spheres and touched it, and it lit up showing a young Elsa and Anna playing in a snow pit in the great hall. Hunk couldn't help but gush at this.
"Aw you looked so cute as kids." Hunk gushed wishing he had a camera.
Allura looked and saw some of the memories too, such as how much time the two sisters spent apart, it was then she truly saw how Anna never gave up on her sister despite everything. As the other Paladins looked at some of the memories, Kieth noticed Shiro was looking at a memory too. However Shiro looked with some mixed feelings about it, for it was a memories of his time spent with Elsa. Dancing with her at the ball, sitting on the castle bridge watching the sunset, even a memory of what nearly happened between him and the Ice Queen after the comet ship mission. He just looked away all confused.
"What are all these?" Elsa wondered. "These are my memories?"
"It would seem so." Allura realised. "We need to find the memories of Ingrid and what happened that night Anna found out about her true identity."
"Okay so how do I do that?" Elsa asked.
"Just focus on what you want to remember." Hunk explained.
"Right so think about that night, think about Anna." Allura told her in a supportive way. So the Arendellian Queen closed her eyes and concentrated hard, but her head started to hurt just thinking about that night, just then she felt someone holding her hand and it was Shiro, who was joined by Kieth and the others their confidence in her helped her pass the pain and then in a bright white flash.
They soon appeared in a familiar looking environment. "Hey we're in Arendelle, were in the castle." Lance recognised.
Reality:
From the viewing screen, Kristof, Coran, Sven and Olaf watched from the holo console. "Whoa it looks so real." Olaf chirped.
"Yeah I think I'm starting to remember this too." Kristof realised he remembered that hallway but he just couldn't remember when since it was still a little blank.
"Well we'll soon know." Coran said.
The Memory Totality:
Within the memory the Paladins looked around when suddenly they heard the doors at the end of the hall open. They looked and saw Anna running through the hall in her winter clothes. "Elsa!" She called.
Elsas eyes welled up in tears and ran towards her sister. "Anna!" All of a sudden as she was about to embrace her Anna ran right through her like she was a ghost. Elsa was completely shocked as was everyone else.
"Wha..what!" Elsa breathed in shock. "Anna?" She tried but its like she didn't hear her.
"Elsa, no thats not Anna." Allura explained to her as she came up to her.
"She's right remember this is all a memory, its past events she can't see or hear us." Hunk explained the science of all this. "We're just living events that have happened for her and you."
"So we're nothing but ghosts to them?" Kieth questioned.
"Yeah pretty much." Hunk then said as they looked to past Anna running down the hallway looking distressed, so the group decided to follow to see what happens next.
They soon found Anna in another hallway and they saw the past version of Elsa in her ice dress looking at a portrait of their parents. "Elsa!" Anna called and so she hurried over to her sister as the Paladins and Elsa followed from close behind. Though they were not prepared for what they saw next.
Past Elsa looked towards Anna. "Ah Anna, where have you been?" she then asked as Anna caught her breath from all the running.
"I..I went to see the Stone trolls, Elsa listen our aunt isn't who she says she is!" Anna told her which took Elsa aback.
"What are you talking about, she knows our mother and she's our aunt?" Elsa asked a little indignantly.
"Yes she's our aunt but she's hiding something from us, there's no mention in our family history and no one recalls her." Anna explained. "Grand Pabbie knew about her and said that something happened to her."
"Why what happened?" Elsa asked.
"Yes." A voice said which the Paladins instantly recognised and Elsa's eyes shook as she saw Ingrid emerge from behind her past self. "What happened?" She asked almost interrogatingly.
Elsa shook in fear, Allura held her hand for support and Shiro stood close. "Elsa its okay it's just a memory she can't see or hurt you." Allura assured. But that didn't stop Elsa from looking at what came next.
"Aunt Ingrid what's going on?" Elsa asked.
"Why don't you ask your sister?" Ingrid said gesturing to her niece.
"Elsa she's not who she says she is, she's lying to us she's hiding things from us." Anna said in protest while Ingrid kept a cool head.
"Elsa she's merely jealous that she doesn't have powers like you." Ingrid said. "Your an imaginative child like your mother, she was jealous of my gifts too."
"Oh really then why didn't you tell us you knew about Voltron! Or the original Paladins or even why you disappeared!" Anna said in an interrogating way.
"What?" Elsa asked. "Anna what are you talking about, if Ingrid doesn't want to talk about her past she doesn't have to."
"No you can't believe what she says!" Anna protested as the Paladins continued to watch.
"Oh I see she you're threatened by my presence and you accuse me of such things I know nothing of this Voltron or what you told me of them." Ingrid said "you are simply paranoid. And I think you need time to consider your actions." Just then two Arendellian guards arrived behind Anna, and the Paladins, Elsa and Shiro defiantly weren't prepared for this. Elsa trembled like crazy.
"Guards Princess Anna is making rediculous accusations take her to the dungeons to make her think on her actions." Ingrid said much to Past and Present Elsa's surprise and horror.
"What!" Anna was being restrained by the guards and escorted to the dungeons, Kieth glared in anger if he didn't hate Ingrid before he certainly did now after seeing this as did the other Paladins, he wanted nothing more than to slice her apart with his sword.
"NO!" Pidge exclaimed as she charged forward with her Bayard weapon much to everyones shock. She yelled and sliced right through Ingrid but since it was a memory it had no effect. She watched with tears of horror and sadness as she saw Anna being taken away who also had tears in her eyes. For a second she looked at Pidge right in the eyes much to her surprise.
"Elsa she's lying! Elsa!" Anna cried as Past Elsa watched in shock as she turned to her aunt.
"Oh dear but its really for the best little snowflake she doesn't understand us, I'm sure she'll come to her senses." Ingrid told her as she walked away. "Now if you'll excuse me I need a moment to calm myself."
Just then the memory shattered and the Paladins, Shiro and Elsa were back in limbo. Everyone was in shock by what they'd seen.
"Di..did that just happen?" Hunk said in shock.
Elsa then collapsed to her knees crying into her hands as Shiro and Allura knelt down to her. Pidge then came over and looked seriously angry. "You let Ingrid do that to Anna why!" She demanded. Kieth then came up and pushed Pidge to the side.
"Back off Pidge! She had no idea this happened!" He exclaimed.
"You back up Kieth! Anna was my sister too I couldn't let this happen I just!" Pidge yelled back.
"Pidge listen! You don't think I know how it feels to see…that happen to someone we care about!" Kieth felt hesitant at that notion. "But look right now we need to keep our emotions in check."
Pidge took a moment to breath and looked that Elsa was distraught at seeing that memory seeing that slammed right back in her face.
"I..why…why I wouldn't I wouldn't let that happen to Anna!" Elsa said between sobs. "Why didn't I say anything?"
"Elsa listen to me I know you and I know you couldn't let something like this happen to Anna." Shiro said to her. "You loved her even when you were separated."
"Shiro's right there must be more to the story there has to be." Allura said to her in agreement.
"Yeah, and from what I saw Ingrid manipulated the whole situation since when does she give the guards orders!" Lance said in agreement.
"There's something else." Pidge then said getting their attention. "For a second there, I..I thought Anna saw me." She explained.
"But thats impossible, it was just a memory and this is Elsa's memory not hers." Hunk said.
"I know but she looked right at me, I felt it." Pidge said clutching her chest where her heart was.
This did make the Paladins, and Elsa wonder about all of what Pidge had said. "Pidge I believe you but perhaps your mind was playing tricks on you, as Hunk said in this totality we're nothing but ghosts in this memory."
"Maybe." Pidge still wasn't sure, unless it was starting to have a psychological effect on them.
For now the group decided to turn their attention back to what they saw in that memory. "Look guys I know we all have our thoughts on what we saw, but Allura's right there maybe more going on here than meets the eye." Kieth explained to them.
Shiro nodded in agreement as he turned to the still distraught Ice Queen. "Elsa I know this is hard, but you need to concentrate and think of what happened after that confrontation." He told her. "Just concentrate."
Elsa was unsure what to believe but she nodded and closed her eyes to concentrate she could feel the pain of her repressed memories fighting back but Allura stood close in support past the pain.
A new flash of light soon made the group reappear in the Castle dungeons. "Hey this is the dungeons." Lance recalled however they were greeted by a saddening sight they saw Anna sitting in one of the cells.
"Oh no..Anna!" Elsa gasped in shock she walked to the cell door, and while she knew she couldn't see her she couldn't help but caress her cheek. Kieth couldn't help but feel sympathy towards this nor could the other Paladins or Shiro. Before anyone could say anything they heard the doors open, they looked and saw Elsa's past self being accompanied by two Arendellian guards.
In the cell Anna looked and saw her sister come up to the cell door. "Elsa!" She said almost pleadingly. "Listen…"
"No you listen!" Elsa said rather sternly which spooked the astral group they had never seen the Ice queen that serious since the battle with Zarkon. "You came into the hall and practically started making absurd accusations towards our aunt!"
"Elsa your my sister you can't believe what she says!" Anna exclaimed trying to make her see reason. "She's been lying to us…"
"Enough!" Elsa said very sternly. Present Elsa really didn't like this if she wasn't crushed before she was beginning to feel it now. But she couldn't help but wonder why this suddenly looked so familiar. The Paladins and Shiro were starting to wonder what was going on.
"Please leave us, I want to speak to my sister alone." Elsa said to the guards who simply bowed and left the dungeons leaving the two royals completely alone. Then something unexpected happened.
"Ah I thought they'd never leave." Elsa's mood changed to look more relieved while Anna looked confused to her sisters sudden mood change. The astral group was even more confused than before until it suddenly hit both Elsa and Kieth. She then took the keys off the hanging hook and used them to open the cell.
Anna then walked out of the cell freely but still a little confused. "Elsa, what…what's going on?" She asked her sister.
"Anna I'm sorry I just needed to play along long enough to make them think I was serious." Elsa explained and suddenly Anna realised she was faking her strict attitude and disbelief. Without a word she embraced her sister in a tight hug which she was more than happy to return.
"You mean?" Anna said after they broke the hug and looked at her sister.
"Yes I never believed Ingrid to begin with, and I knew you would never make something like this up." Elsa told her sister which nearly made her tear up inside. "But I had to make it look to her like I didn't believe you."
"Oh good, its just for a moment there I..I honestly thought I'd lost you. I mean I didn't want to sound jealous that she was spending more time with you than me." Anna admitted.
"Hey it's okay, besides if she was our Aunt she'd want to know about both of us." Elsa said to her. "Plus I kind of had a bad feeling about her too, the fact she didn't talk about our mother or why she left got me a little suspicious."
Anna was all but happy to see her sister believed her the whole time the two looked warmly at each other holding hands. "Uh…I'm not interrupting am I?" The two looked and saw Krsitof and Olaf in the dungeons too. The small snowman wasted no time hugging the two sisters.
"Kristof, Olaf?" Anna said surprised.
Reality:
Kristof, Coran, Olaf and Sven watched the events unfold. "Wait I remember this, Elsa came to me and Sven and told us what happened, but when she explained her playing along we hurried to help Anna."
"Well I gotta admit her acting skills are on point." Coran admitted.
"I knew there was something else going on!" Olaf beamed with joy.
Totality:
"Okay so what do we do now?" Past Olaf asked.
"If Ingrid is hiding something about her past or why mother didn't tell us about her we need to find out what." Elsa said to them.
"But how?" Anna asked. "None of the staff even Kai has no recollection of her."
Elsa thought for a moment and then had a thought but she wasn't sure. "Well there maybe one place that has the answers." She said getting everyone's attention. "Come on." She then lead her sister, Ice Master and Snowman out of the dungeons leaving the Paladins and preset Elsa completely surprised.
"Okay…I gotta admit I did not see that coming." Lance said in surprise as were the others.
"Talk about a plot twist." Hunk agreed. Then Elsa gasped in realisation.
"Of course, when Anna told me all this, I'd already thought that Ingrid wasn't telling us everything about what happened between her and our mother, and this was all I needed to realise she was hiding something." Elsa gasped in realisation and everyone was surprised.
"Hey you remembered something!" Olaf called from reality.
"Yes I think seeing all these memories helped bring something back." Elsa explained to them. "I remember that while Ingrid showed me more than what I could do with my powers I noticed how whenever I asked her about mine and Anna's mother she didn't talk about it, and if there's one thing I've learned from you guys is that there had to be something going on."
"Well I gotta say you had us all going for a moment there." Shiro chuckled. "Sometimes you never cease to amaze me."
Elsa couldn't help but giggle at that remark, "Well I guess I learned a lot from you guys more than I realised."
"You hear that Kieth I think she gets that from you." Lance teased his fellow Paladin. Kieth couldn't help but smirk rather impressed by the Ice Queens ploy.
"Okay so what happened next?" Pidge asked. Then Elsa remembered something else about where they went next.
"I think I know." Elsa realised as she concentrated the group suddenly disappeared in a flash of light and into another part of the castle hallway. They found themselves outside a door.
"So where's here?" Lance asked. It was then Shiro looked at the door and walked closer to it. It was then he too remembered something about this too.
"I've been here before." Shiro realised.
"When?" Allura asked.
"Before me and Kristof tried to save Anna and Elsa from Han's mercenaries." Shiro recalled from his own memories.
Arendelle during VFD 1:
Flashing back to a time long ago, Shiro was wandering the hallways of the Arendellian Castle, wearing the clothes that the Queen and Princess had provided for him. He was walking down a hallway and he noticed a wondered what was inside so he tried to open it turning on the knob. However the door was locked. he tried and tried again to no avail.
"Huh thats strange?" Shiro wondered as his curiosity was peaked.
"Ahem." He heard a cough and he looked and saw that Kai was coming up to him. "May I help you Sir Shiro?" He asked.
"Ah yeah uh Kai isn't it?" Shiro asked to which the latter nodded. "Well I was just wondering why this door was locked?"
"Its ordered shut by royal decree." Kai simply said but by the look on Shiro's face he could guess that wasn't the only reason. "But I suppose you should know, many years ago this room belonged to King Agnarr, Elsa and Anna's father." This took Shiro by surprise. "Which also previously belonged to his father, but after his and Queen Iduna's…passing it was locked shut ever since."
"Oh…I see I'm sorry I didn't know." Shiro said not realising the rooms significance.
"Its perfectly alright and it is only natural to be curious." Kai said to him with a happier mood.
"Well I respect that decree then." Shiro said.
"Thank you Sir Shiro." Kai then said as the two parted ways:
Present Day:
"So this was your parents room?" Pidge asked Elsa.
"Yes, it was locked ever since they died, and well to be honest…me and Anna haven't summoned the courage to go in ever since." Elsa admitted a little sadly. To which she was welcomed by understanding looks from her extended family.
Just then they heard voices, and when they looked ahead they saw Anna, Elsa, Kristof and Olaf speaking with Kai. They saw the personal aid handed the Queen a small key.
"Are you sure you want to do this your majesty." Kai asked the queen. "I mean it was by royal decree that your parents room remain shut."
"I am Kai, and I know the decree but we have questions that need answering. I think that mother and father knew something about those answers." Elsa explained to him.
"I understand your highness." Kai nodded in understanding.
"Oh and could you not tell anyone in the castle what we're doing." Anna told him, which made Kai all but confused. "Especially Aunt Ingrid."
"Uh of course Princess Anna, I won't say a word, I'm sure you have your reasons." Kai acknowledged and left in the opposite direction without another word. The royals, snowman and Ice Master arrived at the door as the Paladins, Present Elsa and Shiro watched.
Elsa was shaking a little, as neither she nor her sister had been inside this room. The Ice Queen felt a hand on her shoulder and she saw Anna. "You ready?" She asked and with one twist of the key the door was unlocked. With a heavy heart the two sisters placed their hands on the doorknob and opened it together, the door creaked open.
The Paladins spirits looked in the room and noticed how large the room was, it looked about twice the size of Allura's room back on the Castle of Lions, there were balcony doors on the left and right side of the room, a well decorated bed with a dresser and chandelier hanging above. It had been six years since anyone including Anna and Elsa had ever been inside this room. A feeling of heavy hearts was among the Paladins, as they knew this was hard for the royals. Their past selves entered the room and Olaf looked around intrigued followed by the sisters.
Elsa picked up a candle holder and lit a match that was next to it and lit the three candles. The room was now slightly illuminated.
"Okay where do we start?" Kristof asked.
"Try looking at some of the books on the shelves anything that could give us a clue." Elsa said and so the group looked around the room.
Anna took a look in the dresser in case their mother or father left anything behind like a journal, while Kristof quickly skimmed through all the books on the shelf, he closed one but it erupted with dust which went right into his face and choked on it a bit.
"Man am I glad we're ghosts and can't breath in that dust." Hunk said in some partial relief.
"This place hasn't been touched in years." Lance observed. "But everything is completely neat and preserved."
"Because when my parents died in that storm the room was ordered shut and it hasn't been touched since." Elsa explained again.
"Yeah but why do I get the feeling there was another reason behind it." Kieth was beginning to get suspicious, the fact this room was ordered shut which he understood as it could hold too many emotional memories. However he wondered if it was because they were hiding something.
Past Olaf then looked around and then found something in the far corner of the room. It was covered in tarp. Curious he went to have a look. Anna meanwhile had completely searched the dresser but could find nothing. She looked behind her and saw her elder sister looking at a large portrait it was of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna, their parents and they were holding a younger Elsa, and a toddler Anna.
Many mixed emotions ran through Elsa's mind as Anna stood next to her looking at her warmly as they held hands. They realised how much they truly missed their parents as many good memories of the times before their separation. Present Elsa looked at this scene remembering it well and some tears began to emerge in the queens eyes. She then felt her hand being held and looked to see Shiro standing next to her in support.
"I really miss them too." Anna said to her elder sister.
"Ah if only they could see us now, and you know sometimes I wish they could be here." Elsa agreed looking emotional at the painting. "I..I just don't see why they never told us about Ingrid, or even why they asked Grand Pabbie to erase everyones memories of her."
"Neither do I, but I mean it had to be for a reason right?" Anna asked.
"Hey guys look what I found." Olaf called and they looked to see him pointing at a painting covered in tarp. Kristof proceeded to pull it off and what they saw they really weren't ready for.
It was a large framed painting and it was of Agnarr, Iduna, Ingrid and the Paladins of old. Alfor, Zarkon, Trigal, Blaytz and Grygan in full Paladin armour and smiling. The current Paladins and everyone in the room were completely surprised.
"Are are they?" Anna stuttered in surprise. Kristof and Elsa looked at the painting and recognised one the figures very well.
"Zarkon." Elsa said surprised and soon put two and two together. "They must be…the original Paladins."
The spiritual Paladins were surprised too, they looked at a portrait of their predecessors. They always wondered what they looked liked and now they knew. Allura walked up to the painting and placed her hand on the image of her father.
"Father." She breathed.
Just then Sven walked into the room looking around, and he suddenly caught a scent. He walked over and it lead to the portrait of the royal family. He snorted getting everyones attention. They saw he was pointing to the portrait, their curiosity was aroused and so they looked at the painting. It was then Anna noticed something, she felt along the sides of the frame and felt it was rather hollow. She looked around and felt along the other side, she felt cylinders that were like hinges. Just then much to Elsa, and Kristof's surprise she pulled the portrait back almost like a door.
"Huh there's nothing there?" Lance wondered.
Elsa was all but confused as she and Anna looked, if the portrait could open like a door there had to be something there. "Try feeling the wall." Elsa suggested and they felt along the wooden wall.
Just then they saw one part of the wall that looked different from the rest. Anna pressed it then suddenly they heard loud booming noises and the wall moved back and revealed a secret room which blew a loud gust. Not surprising as it hadn't been opened in years.
"Wow." Anna breathed in amazement.
"Oh cool secret passages!" Hunk said a little excited like he'd found buried treasure.
They soon entered the secret room, and saw it looked similar to an alchemists lab and a study desk with books and maps. "Look at all this." Elsa breathed.
"I'm looking." Anna breathed and so they looked around the room, Olaf looked at some of the book cases with Kristof. Spirit Pidge then looked at the book case and saw the titles of some of the books.
"Magical Arts, Dangers of Dark Magic?" Pidge read. "I never knew these books existed?"
Kristof also read the titles as Elsa looked at them as well. "Just what is this place?" Kristof asked.
"I don't know but…it looks like. Father was studying magic." Elsa realised.
Anna looked round the room with Olaf rather curiously at all the books and maps, just then she found a small chest and opened it. Inside was a small dark magenta coloured scarf with sewn patterns.
"Hey look. Its mothers scarf." Anna said showing it to her sister, she touched the scarf and felt the fabric her mother once had. While the Paladins looked around even more intrigued than before, and for Keith it all but confirmed his suspicions.
"What in the world was Agnarr hiding here?" Lance asked rather worried.
"I do not know, but it is clear he was studying magical arts." Allura realised looking at the books.
"Yeah but guys, looking at this place it looks like this has been here for years." Hunk guessed looking at how worn down the brickwork looked not to mention the ageing of the maps.
"Hunks got a point, and Elsa, didn't you say this room once belonged to your grandfather?" Kieth asked the Astral Ice Queen in the room.
"Yes, it became my fathers room when he passed away." Elsa acknowledged.
"So Runeard could've been obsessed with magic too?" Pidge wondered.
"Hey guys." Lance then pointed out and they looked to see Past Elsa had found something among all the notes and parchments on the desk. It was a small Prussian coloured journal with leaf patterns. She blew off the dust and began to read it.
"Found something?" Kristof asked as he and Anna came over. However as Elsa looked through the journal she saw something that made her eyes widen in shock. It was a drawing of her and her powers.
"He was studying me too." Elsa said shocked.
"Wait what?" Anna said in surprise.
"Man what kind of father studies his own daughter for magic? What is this Harry Potter?" Lance questioned. However Shiro simply put a finger to his mouth telling him to shush.
"Its some sort of journal?" Elsa said as she continued to read it while everyone reindeer and Snowman included looked.
"I can find no record of a human with powers like hers but for the ancient myths with their tragic fates.." Elsa read. Then Anna noticed something.
"Wait this isn't fathers handwriting?" Anna said. "Its mothers." That revelation raised even more questions among everyone present.
They looked through the pages and then they came across exactly what they were looking for in some of the previous ones. "Hey look." Kristof pointed to an illustration that looked a little like.
"Its Aunt Ingrid." Anna gasped, and they saw the notes and illustrations were comparing her powers to Elsas, but there was also a drawing of a certain green crystal.
"What does it say?" Olaf asked.
Elsa began to read the words. "My dear sister Ingrid, I don't know how she gained these powers, no myth nor tale speaks of it. However I still wonder if Elsa inherited this from her or if a dark fate awaits her the same that consumed my sister." Elsa read, and the Spirit Paladins, Elsa and Shiro could see the crystal was the Shattered Eye.
"I don't know what to believe, but I have to have my trust…in Alfor's instincts and guidance that her fate is not bound to my sisters." Elsa read, and everyone took an interest in on section of that sentence in particular.
"Alfor?" Anna wondered but then remembered where she'd heard that name. "Allura's father!" She gasped.
"But what did it mean by a dark fate that consumed her sister?" Kristof wondered but Olaf looked at the journal and saw something.
"Well I'm no expert but I think it has something to do with that green thing." The small snowman pointed to the illustration of a certain jewel.
So they read that section. "Whatever darkness that jewel infected her with, whatever evil that is contained within. I wonder if it is connected to what fate befell my people?" Elsa read, which all but got them confused what people was she talking about, and what evil.
"Just what is it about this jewel in the book?" Anna wondered.
"I don't know but looking at the notes around the drawing it must be important." Kristof realised. "But what has this got to do with your aunt?"
"Hey guys I think I know." Olaf said.
Flashback A few Days ago:
Olaf was waddling around the castle hallways in his normal cheery mood. It was a lovely day as always for him. He waved at some of the castle servants and they waved back with a smile.
"I was just waddling round the castle one day…" Just then as Olaf passed the study, he heard some crashing. He turned back and peaked through the doorway. Inside the small Snowman saw Ingrid was looking through some of the draws in the desk, and the cabinets in the study.
"Where is it where!" Ingrid said ferociously like she was angered. Olaf just watched in silence and it seemed she hadn't seen him yet.
"I found Ingrid was looking in the study and making a big mess. It was like she was looking for something." Olaf explained.
Present Day:
Olaf had finished his story awaiting the groups response, the royal sisters, Ice Master and Reindeer looked at each other wondering just what was Ingrid doing. When she wasn't teaching Elsa to use her powers she was snooping around the castle. It didn't take the spiritual Paladins, Elsa and Shiro long to see what this was about.
"So what now?" Kristof asked.
The sisters looked at each other and nodded. "Okay we better go before anyone realises what's going on." Elsa said and the group left the room. While the Paladins and present Elsa remained in the room.
"Well I think we can all agree this story is just getting crazier and crazier." Lance simply said.
Then it dawned on Elsa about a certain part of that journal. "So thats it." She breathed.
"What?" Shiro asked.
"I remembered where I heard about the eye before, it was that drawing in my mothers journal I never knew what it meant before?" Elsa explained to them. "Not until what happened on Olkarion."
"So Ingrid was snooping around the castle, could…could she be looking for the Shattered Eye?" Hunk wondered given what they'd heard.
"Most defiantly Hunk, she must have been trying to find the Eye thinking it was somewhere in the Castle." Allura then theorised. "However, since my father sealed her away she must not have been aware that he took the Eye back to Altea to try and destroy it."
"It makes sense." Coran called from reality. "Ingrid must have thought it had been hidden somewhere in the castle, all that time being sealed away may've made her jump to conclusions."
"So training Elsa to use her magic and making Anna the fall guy might've been the perfect way for her to search the castle." Kristof agreed.
As everyone spoke Kieth was still focused on the secret room from Elsa's memory and one thing in particular caught his attention. "Hey guys look at this." Everyone looked to see a rather large map of both Arendelle and a highlighted area which had the words.
"The Enchanted Forest." Shiro read.
"Wait you mean the forest from Elsa's story, the one her grandfather went to years ago?" Lance wondered.
"Yeah." Kieth realised. "But look at these markers." He gestured to certain markers on the map of the Enchanted Forest. "Shiro unless I miss my guess they look like strategic locations."
"I think your right, that coupled with what we've seen in this room it looks like this Enchanted forest was clearly on Runeards mind." Shiro agreed looking over the map.
"I always thought it was strange that in the castle library there was nothing on myths and magical artefacts at all. It looks like Runeard kept them here away from prying eyes, it was like he was obsessed with it." Pidge realised.
"But why?" Hunk asked.
"Well clearly this is a mystery we'll have to solve another time, but right now we need to stay focused on finding out what Ingrid was trying to do here." Shiro then said to everyone.
"Yeah Shiro sorry about that." Kieth realised this discovery would have to wait as they had a bigger mystery to solve. He then turned to the Ice Queen. "Elsa do you remember what happened after this?"
Elsa started feeling the brow of her head. "Well i..its faint but I'll try and focus." She said and soon the group disappeared in a flash of white light.
Meanwhile:Galra Central Command:
Haggar was standing quietly in her sanctuary, still dwelling on what she had discovered of Lotor's alley and what she could potentially be seeking. Just then a Galra commander walked in.
"You summoned me High Priestess." He acknowledged a little nervously.
"Commander, it has recently come to my attention that a section of the Galran Archives has been reported missing." Haggar addressed him.
"Ah yes, we are unaware of who took it, we are beginning an investigation we will not rest until the culprit has been found!" The Galra commander said rather righteously.
"Spare me your speech commander!" Hagger hissed angrily. "Learn what was taken and report it to me at once. Further more tell no one outside of this base of this development."
"Not even Prince Lotor?" The commander questioned.
"Especially not Lotor, for I suspect he has hand in this. Now leave." Haggar said to him.
"Verpitsa!" The Galra commander saluted and left the room, leaving the witch to contemplate her thoughts. She had suspicions of what Lotor's new ally was trying to acquire how she did not know, but something lingers in her mind. Memories of long ago. However above all she knew whatever was taken from the archive could provide what was needed to confirm her suspicions.
"So the eye of rage of long ago may yet again reveal itself." She said and though no-one noticed not even her Druids she was greatly worried, an emotion she had not felt before.
The Memory Totality:
Back in Elsa's memory totality the Paladins, Shiro and Elsa soon found themselves in the throne room of the castle. They looked and saw that Elsa's past self had entered the room with Anna and Kristof in tow with Sven and Olaf. They saw Anna still had the journal in hand.
"So what's happening now?" Lance wondered.
"I think after we went to mother and fathers room we went to try and find out from Kai about all we learned." Elsa explained.
"Okay we need to find Kai and tell him and Gerda what's happened, then we talk to Ingrid ourselves about all this." Elsa suggested.
"Yeah but maybe we should get Anna back to the dungeon before she realises she's gone." Kristof suggested.
However just before they could head in that direction. "Oh too late for that I'm afraid." Said a voice that made them stop in their tracks. The Paladins, and Elsa knew that voice all too well indeed.
They all turned round and saw Ingrid standing right behind them. "A..Aunt Ingrid!" Elsa said surprised. Present Elsa started to shake in terror at seeing her but Allura held her hand in support.
Ingrid noticed that the Princess of Arendelle was among the group, she glared intently to which she adressed the group. "Oh I thought I ordered Anna to be locked in the dungeons, I must say Elsa I'm disappointed you didn't let her consider her actions."
"Actions, or her telling the truth." Elsa then said defiantly to which Ingrid nearly flinched. "Did we consider our actions Aunt Ingrid, if we should even call you that?"
"What nonsense are you talking about little snowflake?" Ingrid pretended like she had no idea what she was talking about. "I am your aunt."
"Then why don't you ever talk about our mother?" Anna questioned. "We know she would tell us if we had an aunt, and what exactly made you disappear and we mean what really happened!"
Ingrid just chuckled and it seemed her mood was beginning to change as Olaf stuck close to Sven. "Did you really know your mother?" She questioned. "Seems to me she kept a lot of secrets from the both of you namely you Elsa, because they were afraid of your gifts just as they were afraid of mine I left to get away from those who would never accept people of magical gifts. Your mother abandoned me! She called me a monster and now I see its all the same again with you and Anna."
Elsa and Anna looked in disbelief at their aunt while Kristof stood ready to act. While the spiritual form of Elsa looked more scared than before she was starting to remember this confrontation.
Reality:
In reality Elsa began to flinch and twitch in response to seeing these memories, and her vitals were beginning to show on the console. Just then Coran saw what was going on as alerts began to sound.
"What's going on?" Kristof asked.
"Its Elsa's vitals they're going all over the place, it must be seeing this memory!" Coran said greatly concerned.
Olaf looked worried most of all as the footage they saw from the memory totality was beginning to scare them too, as they remembered it too.
Totality:
"You saw what she could do and you were afraid, you were born with no magical talent and you are afraid of that." Ingrid continued. "I wanted to try again and have a family again after my last one abandoned me, but now I see I can't have that with you Anna." Anna looked deeply hurt by all this while Elsa was beginning to get angered. "You are the odd girl out you have nothing in common with me or Elsa."
Kieth suddenly picked up on something that Ingrid said "The odd one out." Which told him she would never accept he remembered how Ingrid said the exact same thing when they first encounter
"How can you say that!" Elsa yelled at her.
"Just because she doesn't have powers means you can't love her! She and Elsa are both your neice's you should love them equally!" Kristof pointed at her angrily.
"Yeah and if you really knew Anna and Elsa you would know that even when Arnedelle was frozen in an eternal winter, Anna never gave up on her!" Olaf exclaimed standing up for himself and his friends. "Even when her heart was frozen even when Elsa pushed her away she was willing to sacrifice her life to save her! Because an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart, and if you can't see that and love her the same as your niece then you don't know what love is!"
Everyone present was amazed at all of this, never before had Olaf said things such as this or stood up for himself. Allura smiled admiring his bravery, Kieth, Shiro and Lance couldn't help but smirk impressed by Olaf's courage there was more to him than meets the eye. Elsa had a lone tear streaming down her face at all of this.
"Olaf is right!" Past Elsa said stepping forwards. "I don't know what happened between you and our mother but it's not the same with me and Anna! I may still be opening up to others but I know what it means to share my heart with others, and to love others and earn their love in return!"
As past Elsa said those words Shiro looked in thought about those words and it made him think back to all the time he spent with the Ice Queen from the moment they first met. He couldn't help but wonder.
"You don't know what your saying Elsa, your clearly not in your right mind." Ingrid simply said.
"Her or you!" Anna said holding up the journal that belonged to her mother. "We know from the trolls that you were a good person but was corrupted by something that made you give into your fears! Listen its not too late we can still be a family and there's no need to be afraid whatever happened years ago doesn't have to happen again the worlds changed."
Ingrid however saw differently as Allura could see the infulence of the Eye still lingered within her. The Snow Queen closed her eyes and then with a deep breath she glared at them. "No it has not!" She opened her hand and fired some ice spikes from her hand towards Anna.
Elsa quickly formed an ice shield in front of Anna before the spikes hit her and they struck the shield instead. "No I won't let you hurt my sister or my family!"
Ingrid looked rather hurt but then deeply angered by this it was as she feared it would be. "So this is where your heart truly lies?" She asked with anger.
"Yes." Elsa said as she summoned her powers and formed an ice spear, but she wasn't ready for what came next. Suddenly straight from Ingrid's feet a sheet of ice emerged and trapped Elsa before she could retaliate.
"Elsa!" Anna cried but suddenly she was suddenly trapped in an ice trap too. Kristof ran to try and help his girlfriend but suddenly he too was entrapped in ice up to his neck.
"Elsa! Anna! Kristof!" Olaf cried and ran to try and help them.
"No Olaf stay back!" Elsa cried.
"Sven get him out of here! Warn Pabbie and the others!" Kristof yelled but Sven snorted in protest. "GO NOW!" Kristof yelled more as the ice closed in on them. So the reindeer had no choice and put his head under Olaf's body and ran away as fast as his legs could carry them.
"NO!" Olaf cried as they hurried out of the room just escaping the grip of Ingrid's ice, to which she growled in frustration.
"Yeah go Sven!" Lance cheered. However the astral groups attention turned back to the scene at hand.
"Hmph no matter they are of no concern to me." Ingrid said as she went over to the trapped royals and Ice Master. "Now what are we going to do about this?"
"Ingrid listen you don't have to do this we can still be a family whatever happened in the past doesn't matter any more." Anna said in a pleading way.
"Oh don't worry we will be in a family again, just without you!" Ingrid said as she approached Elsa.
"No stay away from her!" Anna exclaimed.
"What what are you going to do?!" Elsa demanded.
"Simple, I'm going to make it so we are a family and don't have to be troubled by those who hate magic kind any longer." Ingrid said almost sadistcially. "Since we can't have the life I offered to your mother long ago, I'm going to find somewhere new." Present Elsa was trembling with terror and breathed heavily by this point Shiro, Kieth, Allura and the others looked at her with concern, but strangely they were feeling the tension too.
Reality:
Suddenly the console in front of Coran, Kristof, Sven and Olaf was blurting out alarms namely on the groups vitals. "Elsa's heart rate is going out of control and it seems to be affecting the Paladins while they're in the totality!" Coran exclaimed which caused panic among everyone else.
"What does that mean?" Olaf asked.
"She's going into shock!" Coran explained.
"Well get them out of there!" Kristof yelled at him and Coran wasted no time to try and shut down the machine to pull them out of the totality with some key strokes on the console.
Memory Totality:
Ingrid was now very close to Elsa who was trembling with fear while Anna and Kristof tried to struggle out of their ice prisons. "No STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" Anna yelled.
Lance didn't want to see this and regardless of whether this was a memory he formed his Bayard blaster and fired several shots at Ingrid, however they just phased right through her.
"Lance stop that won't help its a memory we can't hurt her!" Kieth reminded him as he held his blaster back.
"But we can't just let this happen!" Lance protested.
"Its just like when I thought Anna saw me maybe this is having a psychological effect on us!" Pidge realised. None the less they continued to watch past events unfold.
"Oh I assure you once I'm done, making sure she doesn't remember you, she won't have a sister anymore, only me." Ingrid said in a sadistic way much to Anna and Kristof's horror.
"But thats impossible no one has that kind of magic!" Kristof protested.
"What, you think only your adoptive family the stone trolls have that magic? Well think again, I learned the craft a long time ago." Ingrid said as her hands glowed with a purple magic and placed them on the side of Elsa's head.
"No! No she…she's trying to alter my memories!" Present Elsa panicked. Shiro wasn't liking this one little bit, while Pidge looked in horror. She too wanted to have her family back so badly but she never would go to the length the Snow Queen was. This wasn't love it was evil.
Past Elsa struggled to try and break free from the ice but it wasn't working. Ingrid smiled knowing soon it would all be over. When all of a sudden a bright light appeared, and some invisible force blasted Ingrid back. The Paladins, Elsa and Shiro were in complete shock just what was happening?
They could make out a light and swore they saw someone in the light then suddenly in a bright flash of light Anna, Elsa, and Kristof had all but disappeared. Whilst Ingrid looked in a furry of rage and unleashed a powerful shock wave and seconds later Ice formed all over Arendelle. Just as Olaf and Sven had reached the outskirts of Arendelle they looked as they saw their home become frozen in ice, not just the land but the women and children too.
Suddenly the whole scene erupted in a flash of light.
Reality:
Elsa's eyes shot open in a panic as she let out a breath and soon the Paladins all shot awake from what they had just seen. One by one the pods opened and Elsa collapsed out of the pod dropping her headset. Shiro and Allura hurried to her side as the others processed what had happened.
"Elsa." Shiro gasped as he knelt down to her and looked to see her eyes shaken from that experience and just collapsed into Shiro's arms while the Altean Princess comforted her from behind.
The Paladins meanwhile had removed their headsets. "Guys are you okay what happened in there?" Kristof asked in concern despite seeing everything from their side of the screen.
"Wha…what did we just see?" Hunk asked in shock reeling from it all.
"I..I don't know but did anyone see that figure in the light?" Lance asked.
"I couldn't tell who it was." Kieth then agreed.
Pidge just collapsed to the ground and she had tears dropping from her face after seeing all of that. Olaf wasted no time running over to her. "Pidge..are you okay?" He asked.
Pidge breathed slowly still reeling from what she had seen nearly happen to one she considered a sister. "How….how could…how could she do that…Anna was her family too and she just…how could she not accept her own family just because she didn't have powers!" Pidge practically yelled in her sobbing.
Olaf could see this was affecting the Green Paladin the most as did everyone else. So the snowman simply hugged her and she returned it sobbing as she did. Elsa too was in tears over all of this as she looked to Shiro.
"Shiro…I…I remember now…all of it." Elsa said in shock.
Hours later:
While the Castle of Lions continued on course towards the Balmera, the crew were now in the living area on couches surrounding the table. They were all still processing what they saw. The Space Mice and Flurry sat and comforted Allura, while Olaf sat between Pidge and Elsa who was in Shiro's arms next to Allura. Kieth was leaning against the wall while Lance and Hunk sat in complete silence.
After a few hours Hunk broke the silence. "Okay so is no-one going to talk about what we just saw?"
"I..I remember it all now, Ingrid confronted us and tried to tamper with my memories when I believed Anna over her and now….now she's gone…i..its all my fault." Elsa said nearly on the verge of sobbing.
"No." Shiro said disagreeing. "This isn't your fault Elsa."
"Thats right." Kieth said in complete agreement as he turned to face her. "Its no ones fault but Ingrids, she couldn't let go of the past, and thats what cost her having a family again."
"Not to mention whatever mark the Eye left on her after all these years." Allura then agreed but she was still dwelling on something. "But there was something about that light."
"The one that saved us?" Kristof asked now knowing the full story.
"Yes…I..I can't explain it but it was like I was feeling pure quintessence." Allura explained. "But I couldn't make out who or what it was."
This raised many questions among the group, just what was that light they saw that saved the royals and Ice Master from their fate only to bring them to the Paladins? There were too many questions they weren't sure they wanted to know the answers to.
"Well I suppose that is something to which we may never know the answer." Coran then wondered.
"Okay life saving light show aside, what exactly did we learn from all that, we still have no clue what Ingrid's endgame is?!" Lance then reminded everyone.
"Maybe not Lance, but we did learn a lot. We now know that Ingrid did come to Elsa and Anna, and tried to get close to Elsa to train her to use her powers and push Anna away." Shiro explained. "We also know that during that time she was searching the castle in hopes of finding the Eye not even knowing it was in another universe."
"Still we don't have a full puzzle can't the answer just fall into our laps for once!" Hunk complained. Then at that exact moment they heard a communication coming through on the com channels.
"A communication is coming through." Coran realised.
"Patch it through." Kieth ordered. From the holo consoles in the rec room Coran brought up the communication line and the screen revealed it was from Kolivan.
"Paladins this is Kolivan please respond." He called in.
"Kolivan what's going on?" Shiro asked.
"I'm afraid there's not much time to explain I'm on the approach to you now, we have found something you should see." The Blades leader explained.
The Castle Bridge:
Soon Kolivan was onboard the Castle of Lions and on the bridge with the Paladins, Ice Queen, Ice Master, Snowman and reindeer. He handed Pidge a Galran flashdrive.
"A few douboshes ago, our spy in Galra Central command reported that a section of the old Galra Archive was missing." Kolivan explained. "It was fortunate he was able to recover the data and send it to me."
Pidge plugged it into the Castle computer and it brought up a specific entry into the Galra Archives. "Great Groggery!" Coran exclaimed. "This is an account of the war between the Galra and the Druul Empires."
"The Druul the very race that possessed the Shattered Eye." Allura realised.
"Indeed, it was reported that someone had procured this data from Central command and he claimed he saw Prince Lotor exit the archive room." Kolivan said and the moment he did it made Kieth think.
"Wait..Kolivan when did this happen?" He asked.
"It happened several Varga's ago." Kolivan explained. Kieth then thought about the times of when this occurred and it hit him.
"Shiro! That time coincides from when we fought Lotors Generals and the comet ship!" Kieth realised. "While we were busy stopping them and Ingrids Ice monster…"
"Lotor must have taken that data from the archive, it must have been for a reason. But what?" Shiro then agreed but had to wonder why.
"Well we know the Druul used the Eye as a weapon so maybe Ingrid needed to learn more about them, maybe as a means to locate the eye." Pidge theorised. "But still if she's gone to this much trouble for the eye we still don't know what she could do with it."
This made everyone wonder about that too, but then Kieth had an idea one he was horrified by. "The odd one out." He said.
"Come again?" Lance asked the new Black Paladin.
"Guys think about it, when we first met Ingrid she referred Anna as the 'odd one out' and in Elsa's memories she said she was going to make a world where magic kind wouldn't be hated." Kieth said.
"Your losing me Kieth?" Hunk questioned but Elsa began to see all too well.
"Wait he's right, Ingrid was afraid of those who feared her and from what Coran told us from his story she wanted to erase Arendelle so she could live without fear." Elsa then said. "Plus we know that the Eye has the power to make people hate each other in a deadly way, what would someone like Ingrid do with it?"
Allura began to see the picture. "I fear I know where you are going with this, in Ingrids hand she could use it to destroy planets by making the populace turn on each other."
"Can she even do that?" Kristof wondered.
"I don't know, we don't know how powerful the eye is but based on what we know the eye only affects a person if they're within its glow so it can't be that powerful." Pidge theorised. "Unless its power was enhanced."
"But the Galra don't have that kind of tech." Hunk said.
"No." Coran said in a dreaded tone. "But I think the Druul do."
"But the Druul are extinct aren't they?" Olaf asked.
"Yes but I remembered while Alfor and Honerva worked to try and destroy the Eye, Zarkon uncovered information about a weapon that the Druul created long ago to enhance the Eyes power beyond normal limits." Coran explained much to everyones horror.
"Impossible the archive stated it was destroyed years ago during the final battle with the Druul." Kolivan disagreed.
"I don't know if the Eye still exists who's to say this machine doesn't still exist too." Shiro wondered.
Then everyone began to see things much more clearer. "So thats Ingrid's plan she's going to use the Eye to turn everyone in the galaxy against each other so she can create a world where no one would fear her." Pidge realised.
"If she does succeed, the entire universe would be torn apart through hatred." Kolivan realised.
"All except me." Elsa suddenly realised.
"I do not understand why would this Snow Queen spare you Elsa?" Kolivan asked.
"Because Kolivan, Ingrid is Elsa's aunt we discovered this during our last battle with her on Olkarion." Allura explained.
"Thats why she's doing this, she wants it to be just the two of us." Elsa then said in dread. "Her perfect family."
"Then no matter what we have to stop her." Kieth finally said. "We've had our hands behind our backs too long, if this enhancement machine still exists we'll find it and destroy it along with the Eye, we stop Ingrid, find Anna and free Arendelle."
"Kieth is right, we've seen through the worse before and we will now. So if Ingrid wants a war, war she gets." Allura agreed in a dead serious tone.
Authors Notes: A...nd scene! DUN DUN DUN! Things just got intense folks, for now the Paladins and Elsa now know what Ingrids intentions are should she ever recover the Shattered Eye, and they now know what occured before Elsa and the others arrived in the Paladins universe. But what other mysteries remain undiscovered it would seem that would have to be solved for another time. Or a later story hint hint!
And yes I decided to have Ingrid try and track Elsa through her powers, but little did she know of the guardian that now stands to protect her namely the Black Lion, and with that her connection is weakened and hopefully she won't be able to reach her for quite some time now.
Now onto the Balmera where the hunt for the final key begins, and who knows what other surprises they may find along the way. I'll try and update this and my other stories when I can as I have a lot on at the moment but I will update soon so I greatly appreciate your patience.
Until next time Vrepitsa!