The next day, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf set off again after a night's rest. The sun's rays struggled to penetrate the darkening clouds as they approached the Frozen Grove. The wind blew gently at their backs, its cold seeping into the folds of their clothes and chilling their bones, enveloping them in an uncomfortable sense of unease. The path had disappeared, but Sven pressed on with determined steps, and Kristoff knew his reindeer rarely deviated from his course.
About an hour later, the trees began to thin out, giving way to a large clearing in the center of which lay the ominous grove. The grayish trees, as Yelena had described, appeared petrified, their gnarled and sinister branches reaching towards the sky. The two trees that framed what remained of the path resembled sentinels frozen in time, ready to seize any intruders.
A broad beam of light pierced through the canopy and the black clouds above them, like a beacon guiding them into the grove. Strange mist snaked between the trees, emerging from the woods and fading into the cool air of the clearing, shrouding the vegetation in a ghostly veil.
"This place is really creepy," commented Olaf as they approached the grove. "But we'll have an exciting story to tell Elsa and Aodhan when we get back, they'll be green with envy!" he exclaimed cheerfully.
He turned to them, his expression suddenly somber.
"Well, if we get back."
"Come on, Olaf, we've seen worse than frozen trees and a few thorns," Anna smiled, brushing off the usual dark remarks from the snowman with a wave of her hand.
When he wasn't looking, however, she turned to Kristoff with a worried look and took his hand. The young man interlaced their fingers with an encouraging smile.
"If anything happens, we'll hop on Sven and get out of here," he explained. "He can run like lightning, right buddy?"
He leaned against his reindeer and grabbed his snout, as he did when he spoke for him.
"Of course!" he continued with a deeper voice, wiggling Sven's snout a bit. "I've raced stone giants, remember! I'm as swift as an arrow!"
The reindeer pouted and shook his head to get Kristoff to let go, which he did with a laugh before untying him from the cart. At least his imitation managed to bring a smile to his fiancée's face, loosening the grip of the grove's unease on her heart. Olaf had already taken several steps ahead of them, and after exchanging determined looks, Anna and Kristoff tightened their grip on each other's hands before following him, accompanied by Sven.
The small group made slow progress through the woods, surrounded by a thick silence only disturbed by the faint rustling of their footsteps on the mossy ground. The wind had died down, giving them the feeling of being in a place out of time. Anna and Kristoff walked hand in hand, their steps determined despite the shiver of apprehension running down their spines. Each of their breaths seemed amplified by the lack of noise around them, so much so that Anna eventually placed her hand over her mouth to avoid being heard by anything lurking in the mist. For something was watching them, she was sure, for she could feel the weight of a gaze on her neck.
Sometimes, between the trees, they could catch sight of the golden ray of light that guided them like a reassuring beacon.
"I understand why the Northuldras avoid this place," Kristoff commented, speaking in a low voice by instinct.
"But that doesn't explain why even the spirits won't go there," Anna retorted in the same tone.
In the distance, a branch cracked, freezing them all in place. All except Olaf, who headed towards the source of the noise, apparently unaware of any danger, shouting, "Helloooo, is anyone there? Samantha?"
Anna hurried over and placed her hand over the snowman's mouth to force him to be quiet. He looked at her, furrowing his brow, and she gestured for silence by putting her finger to her lips. She turned her gaze towards the noise, but silence surrounded them once more. Just like the mist that seemed to thicken. Sven and Kristoff quickly caught up with them.
"Olaf, please, don't say anything else!" Kristoff exclaimed.
Olaf grumbled but complied, and he continued walking alongside them, looking grumpy.
As they progressed, the brambles became more and more prominent, emerging from the ground and surrounding the trees as if trying to bury them. Eventually, they reached the center of the grove. At the bottom of the ray of light, in the center of a small crater, was a golden sword, planted directly into the ground. Around the blade, the ground had flourished, and the grass was lush and swaying in a peaceful wind that was absent. The sharp brambles of the grove surrounded the depression, like crooked fingers trying to grasp the weapon but being blocked by an invisible force. As the group approached and their footsteps tread on the silky grass, they immediately felt a gentle warmth envelop them, and their worry eased.
"What incredible magic," Anna murmured as she examined the sword.
It seemed to be made of an unknown metal, as shiny as gold. Instead of reflecting light, it seemed to create it. The handle and guard were finely carved and adorned with elegant flourishes, and the base of the blade formed a double helix that joined to form the rest of the weapon, straight and sharp. Anna took a deep breath and grabbed the sword's handle. Immediately, the warmth in her body intensified, a feeling of serenity coursing through her hand, then her arm, until it draped over her like a comforting blanket. But something disturbed this peace, a painful pang in her heart, like a deep sadness that had inhabited her for years. She withdrew her hand, and the feeling vanished, along with the intense calm.
"Are you alright?" Kristoff asked from behind her.
"Yes," Anna confirmed with a nod. "It's just that this weapon emits a powerful aura..."
"We should hurry, I don't like this place."
She turned to see her fiancé casting worried glances all around. Despite the soothing power emanating from the weapon, Kristoff couldn't help but be concerned. Anna remembered her feeling of being watched earlier and turned back to the Narwhal's spine, ready to act quickly.
The sword was surprisingly easy to pull out, and the queen was equally surprised by its light weight. As the column of light, stretching up to the sky, faded away, a deep, resonant voice echoed in her ears:
"Bearer of light, my soul is tainted by darkness. Upon the hill overlooking tragedy, summon me and set me free. My horn is the key to our salvation."
She jumped and looked all around her, searching for the source of the voice in vain. Kristoff looked at her incredulously, and even Olaf seemed uneasy. Suddenly, he screamed, pointing at something behind Anna, who immediately turned around.
A shadow had emerged from the brambles surrounding the crater and was slowly approaching, its mouth agape. The air whistling between its fangs sounded like a demonic and unsettling growl. It suddenly leaped at Anna, but something held one of its paws back.
It froze in place and turned to stone. The creature panicked as its other paws suffered the same fate, and soon, it was a statue facing the group.
"Anna..." Kristoff articulated. "The sword's magic no longer protects this place. We need to flee, quickly!"
He grabbed her hand and threw her unceremoniously onto Sven's back. Olaf jumped onto the queen's knees, and Kristoff sat facing them, grabbing Sven by the reins.
"Come on, old buddy, get us out of here!"
The reindeer immediately galloped away. The brambles emerged from the spot where the sword had been planted and, now animated by a sinister energy, multiplied and entwined around the trees like venomous snakes, forming a deadly maze closing in on the group.
The cracking of branches echoed in the air as they turned to stone, accompanied by the crashing of brambles writhing and moving like hungry predators. Behind them, nature froze in grotesque poses as stone and brambles gained ground, spreading at a terrifying speed like an evil gangrene.
Sven sliced through the air at a desperate speed, the sound of his hooves reverberating in echo with Anna's heartbeats pounding against her chest. Her face whitened with fear, she could only cling to Kristoff as the reindeer skillfully leaped over a gigantic bramble that had just appeared in front of them. The ground shook as sharp spikes emerged from the ground, more and more numerous, closer and closer...
In one final leap, Sven emerged from the grove, throwing the other three a few meters further onto the slightly dry grass of the Enchanted Forest. They rolled over in pain, uttering painful exclamations. Anna got up, holding her sore ribs, pointing the Narwhal's spine in front of her, ready to cut down the brambles that would fall on them.
Fortunately, the latter seemed to stop at the edge of the Frozen Grove, which now bore its name well, its trees turned to stone, and even the brambles, at a slower pace, took on a gray hue as they became unable to move. Anna breathed a sigh of relief as she fell back to the ground, and Kristoff approached her.
"I'm okay," she whispered before he could speak.
He didn't reply but knelt in front of her and took her in his arms, squeezing her so tightly she thought he was going to crack her ribs. Further away, they heard Olaf laughing as if nothing had happened as he tried to ride a tired Sven like a rodeo. Kristoff finally let her go, his eyes shining and a broad smile on his face. She responded before lowering her gaze to the sword they had come to retrieve.
"We did it," she whispered. "I'm coming, Elsa."