"Do you have to go?"
"You'll be fine, Elsa."
These words were swept away by the gusts and swallowed up by the towering waves of the Southern Sea. Torrential rain pounded the ship, its sail bearing the crest of Arendelle threatened to be torn away by the storm. The sailors bustled on the deck, each shouting orders in hopes of being heard over the roaring thunder. They struggled to keep the ship afloat, but they were all aware that they were doomed if they ventured further south.
In the captain's cabin, two voices argued about what should be done. The king, a tall, slender man with a proud bearing, stood before the ship's captain who avoided his gaze. His short hair fell across his still youthful face, but his features were marked by worry and responsibility. Though he towered over him by a head, the captain, a robust man in his fifties, seemed to shrink with each word uttered by his king.
"But, King Agnarr, if we continue southward, our ship will be ripped apart by reefs! No one has ever dared, and those who have never returned!"
"Listen, Angus," replied the king in a gentle yet firm voice, "we cannot turn back. I must ensure that no danger threatens Arendelle from the south! If we give up now, our entire kingdom will be condemned!"
"Your Highness, I understand your concern, but how could anything pass through the reefs and this perpetual storm? Even this ship, the sturdiest in your fleet, risks being swept away at any moment!"
"Agnarr…"
A soft voice rose from a corner of the room. A young woman stepped forward and placed a tender hand on the king's shoulder. Her brown hair framed a delicate face with timeless beauty, radiating a certain gentleness. The captain bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty."
"The captain is right," she continued. "It is pointless to jeopardize the crew's lives so recklessly. We can always turn back and head towards Ahtohallan…"
"Iduna, you know we must first check the Southern Sea…"
"We will still have the opportunity to return later, Agnarr. Apart from this storm, the Southern Sea does not seem to pose an immediate threat to Arendelle. However, this map is our only chance to understand our daughter's powers."
"But…"
"Please… Do it for Elsa. And for the lives of these brave men."
As the ship struggled to turn against the waves, something stirred.
Far, far away, deep in the Southern Sea, they waited for their time. This power. They sensed it and they raged. Their endless thirst wanted to pour into the sea until it reached this continent, this fjord, and seized the source of this magic. But it was still weak, too weak, to appease them. It was only a flickering light in their eternal darkness. A whisper in the infinite silence. But they would wait. Despite their urges, they were patient. When this power grew and illuminated the darkness, when this magic became too strong, then the shadow would invade the sea and devour everything in its path.
And Arendelle would be condemned.