Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen nor its characters, nor do I own any characters from other Disney works. Disney owns everything - including my heart, soul, and wallet.

Recap (since it's been... a long while): Anna was kidnapped and stayed to protect Elsa. Elsa threw herself a pity party until it finally clicked that Anna did it for her. She then went on a terribly miscalculated rescue mission with only a nerfed Kristoff as backup and found herself trapped in a lava cave.

Chapter 32 - The Battle

"Elsa? Psst… Elsa," a warm voice floated around her. Elsa cracked one eye open to find Anna's smiling face hovering over her. Anna's grin widened when she caught the small sliver of ocean blue peeking through. "Good! You're awake. Come on! Before Raps eats all the popcorn."

"Huh?" Elsa yawned as she sat up. Blinking a few times, she took a look around and realized she was on the couch in the den. Her eyebrows drew together slightly as she tried to remember how she'd gotten here. She had an inexplicable feeling that she was forgetting something very important.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you take that nap before game night," Anna grumbled playfully. She took one of Elsa's hands and yanked her up from the couch, eliciting a surprised 'oof' from her girlfriend. "Sorry! Sorry… still don't know my own strength," Anna giggled and helped Elsa find her bearings on her own two feet. "Now, bucker up there, missy. You need to be on your toes. I am not going to endure another week of Eugene's gloating."

"I don't understand…"

Anna sighed dramatically. "He hasn't let the last disastrous charades night go forgotten. Though, admittedly, he does have a point," Anna said, grabbing Elsa by the shoulders and giving her a serious look. "Ice, Els. You couldn't act out ice. I mean… you literally shoot the stuff out of your hands. I love you to pieces, babe, but one more night like that and I'm going to have to ask Liv to be my partner."

Elsa gasped incredulously. "You wouldn't dare!"

Anna raised an eyebrow at her, but quickly broke out into a grin. "You're right - I wouldn't do that," she responded. "But seriously, bring your A-game tonight," Anna said, pausing to go onto her toes and place a quick peck on Elsa's lips before speaking again in a determined tone, "I want to crush them all so badly that they regret ever challenging this obvious power couple. May shame rain down upon them all."

"You're adorably scary," Elsa deadpanned and leaned down to give Anna another kiss, only to find that the ginger had suddenly disappeared. With a frown, Elsa looked around the room again to find herself alone. The house was completely still, everything quiet. She couldn't even pick up any other heartbeats in the manor aside from her own.

"Elsa," a distant voice called to her, like whispers through water. She turned toward the front door, taking a couple steps toward it, toward the voice. "Hold on, Elsa…"

"Elsa?" The blonde spun on her heel to find Anna once more, her petite body framed by the sunset visible through the wall of windows behind her leading to the back of the property. Anna smiled and held a hand out toward her. "You coming?"

Without a second thought to the voice, Elsa closed the gap between them and took Anna's hand. As Anna pulled her in close and gave her a proper kiss, confusion set in as a feeling of longing erupted in her chest. As if almost remembering some long forgotten, starved memory. The sadness must have shown on her face because Anna frowned up at her.

"What's wrong, Els?"

"I… I have this feeling that I'm forgetting something," Elsa replied. She searched her thoughts, but came up empty once more. Shaking her head, she gave Anna a little half smirk Elsa knew her girlfriend melted at. "It's probably not important. Let's go crush our loved ones all in the name of fun, shall we?"

Anna led her to the formal sitting area where her sisters plus Rapunzel and Eugene were chatting. It appeared that Liv had gone overboard with the snacks again - there wasn't an inch of surface visible on the small coffee table centered between all the seating.

"About time, sleepy sloth," Liv said, pulling Elsa down in a headlock once she got close enough and mussed up her hair. "I just about had everyone convinced that your nap was a clear admittance of forfeit after last time."

Elsa managed to slip out of her sister's grasp and ran her hands through her locks to get it all back into place. "You wish, Liv," Elsa said, settling into the loveseat with Anna beside her. She put an arm around her girlfriend and sent a devious smile to her sister. "You'll all be begging for our mercy soon."

"How very presumptuous of you, dear baby sister," Liv said, adopting her pompous English accent tauntingly. "Please," she continued and gestured nonchalantly at the bowl in Kai's hands, "might you be so kind as to demonstrate how you plan to make us all bend the knee?"

"With pleasure, beasty," Elsa responded in likeness, playing along with Liv's character. She stood from the couch gracefully and practically glided around the snacks toward her eldest sister. She deftly plucked one of the slips of paper from the bowl and unfolded it.

*You can't stay here*

Elsa frowned at the words. What is that supposed to mean?

"Are you ready to wake up, snowbug?" Elsa's head snapped up to look at Kai. Her sister wore a soft smile, her eyes holding a little sadness. "This memory is beautiful, but we're running out of time. She needs our help."

Anna, Elsa thought frantically and turned around to find that the room was empty once more, save for herself and Kai. "Where did everyone go?"

"You're the one that needs to come back to us, sweetie."

Elsa turned back to where Kai had been sitting, but the spot on the sofa was just as empty as the rest of the room. In fact, everything that indicated tonight was game night was gone - no more snacks, the warmth in the room had dissipated. Pressure began to build in her chest as she felt the panic start to rise. What's happening? Where is everyone? Her thoughts began to spiral and she ran nervous hands through her hair. Something isn't right, but I can't remember…

"She needs you, Elsa, but you have to wake up," Kai called to her. Elsa spun on the spot and found her sister standing near the front door. She watched as Kai took a few steps backward, but her movement wasn't impeded at all when she reached the door - instead she phased right through it. Kai's voice continued to call through to her - muffled by a barrier that sounded thicker than the door could possibly be. "Come back, snowbug."

Elsa walked with hurried feet and stopped just before the threshold. She stretched a tentative hand toward the wood, but where she expected to sink through it like she'd just watched Kai, she was met with a solid door. With a deep breath, she grasped the handle and pulled the door open. Light poured into the house, so bright Elsa had to squeeze her eyes shut. When they fluttered open again, her vision was flooded with a pale grey canvas. She could feel the grass beneath her, smell the salty breeze coming off the sea, sense the comfort of mist surrounding her.

"That's my girl," Kai said, drawing Elsa's attention to her left. Her sister was kneeling beside her, looking more disheveled than Elsa could ever remember. Her usually perfect updo had loosened, stray hairs falling around her face, and there was a small cut below her left eye.

"Hey there, sleepy sloth. Nice of you to join us," Liv said. Elsa found her on her other side, hands waving slowly over Elsa's body, laying the cooling mist around her. Liv's face was full of concentration, a slight crease between her eyebrows was the only sign that gave way to the middle sister's worry. Liv reached down and placed a hand on Elsa's forehead, nodding her assessment before resuming her mist treatment. "Much better. Closer to your usual temperature."

"How…" Elsa started, but groaned slightly as she tried to sit up. She felt Kai put a supporting hand on the small of her back to help steady her. "How did you find me?"

"We followed the fire," Kristoff said, walking over. "I ran into this lot on my way around the perimeter to meet you. We saw more smoke start up in the distance and came as quickly as we could. That's when we ran into those two," he finished, nodding his head to indicate over his shoulder. Elsa followed the motion and spotted Uncle Fred and Uncle Luke standing over the two men that had chased her down. Oren and Colborn Westergaard were unconscious and Auntie Ari was kneeling between them, a hand on each man. A slight glow surrounded the three as Arianna worked her magic through them.

"I don't understand," Elsa said in disbelief. They aren't supposed to be here, she thought. Dread seeped its way into Elsa's chest, filling all the gaps slowly like tar in the cracks on a blacktop . "What are you all doing here? How did you even know I'd left Arendelle?"

"Rapunzel called me the moment you didn't show up to your choir class," Kai answered. "I searched the town for your mind, but couldn't find a trace of you. There was only one place you'd go, so we gathered up and set out immediately. I doubt we were more than twenty minutes behind you."

"It would have been sooner if we didn't have to toss a stowaway onto the deck," Liv grumbled as she laid the back of her hand once more on Elsa's forehead. She breathed a sigh of relief and stopped her misting treatment. "Eugene has spunk but there's no room for error here."

"That's exactly why you all shouldn't have come here," Elsa said tightly, eyes focused on the tall wall of fire she could make out in the distance. There was a pregnant pause as the activity around her stalled. Elsa, chest heavy as if a massive load was weighing it down, glanced at her family who seemed taken aback by what she'd just said. "There's no room for error here. I didn't tell you I was coming to rescue Anna because I didn't want any of you here where you could get hurt or…"

Elsa couldn't finish the thought out loud, shaking her head slightly in place of words. She took a deep breath and got shakily to her feet, swaying slightly as she tried to straighten her knees, but Kaira was already there to help her find balance. Elsa gave her a grateful nod before she looked at everyone in turn.

"I will not have any more of my family endangered because of me, because of who I am." Elsa turned back to the wall of fire. "I realize now that Anna is in trouble. She didn't stay here for herself." Elsa looked back to Kai. "She stayed here for me; to keep me safe from whatever the Westergaards have planned for me. I believe it in every ounce of my being. I know it's a trap, but it's a trap that's laid only for me. I won't let any of you get hurt in my stead."

Kaira studied her younger sister for several seconds, love and pride clear in her eyes. She brushed the bangs away from Elsa's forehead and sighed. "You're right."

"WHAT?!" Liv shouted. "Kai! Have you gone mad?! We can't just -"

Liv's tirade was cut short with a simple hand raise from Kai. Still looking at the youngest of the three sisters, Kai clarified.

"You're right. The trap is laid only for you," she said. "And that is why we must stay. The Westergaards will have thought of every possible way to attack you, detour you," she paused, giving Elsa a quick look up and down with a raised eyebrow, "weaken you." Kaira gestured to all the family members that were with Elsa in support. "But they cannot have successfully taken into account every person that would stand by your side. The best chance of getting Anna back safely is to do this together."

Elsa shook her head. It sounded logical, but the risks were too great. She'd already lost too many people who'd fought in the name of her protection. "I can't lose you… any of you. I simply could not bear it again," she whispered. The eldest of the three sisters looked at Elsa with sympathy in her eyes. She brushed some soot off Elsa's nose before fixing her with an unwavering gaze.

"I cannot promise you that all of us will make it through today unscathed. There is no way to predict such things and I will not lie to you and say I'm not frightened." Kaira took in the surroundings once more - the wall of fire, more smoke in the distance, debris scattered about from a small crater caused by the explosion earlier. "The path ahead is dangerous, yes, but there is one thing I know to be true," she said, turning her eyes back to Elsa once more. "There is no one in this fight more powerful than you… with, perhaps, the exception of Anna. Yours will be the winning side. I will always choose to stand with you."

"Ditto," Liv said, arms crossed as she looked down at her younger sister. "Well, I would have said, 'shut up. Entering this fight alone is foolish, and you're no fool,'" she clarified, "but what Kai said is admittedly more beautiful."

Elsa adamantly shook her head once more. "No… I can't let you all ge-"

"I made my brother a promise on the day he was killed," Auntie Ari's gentle voice came to her from where she stood between the two unconscious Westergaards. Arianna's eyes were bright and determined. "Protect his daughters. Keep them safe. I've been true to my word, and I will not fail him now. There is no way I'm abandoning you."

Elsa felt a heavy hand settle gently on her shoulder and she looked up into the face of her Uncle Fred. He didn't say anything, just gave her a small smile; his massive, imposing presence spoke volumes for him. She sighed, defeat settling into her like a lead weight in water.

"There's no changing your minds," she said, defeat in her voice. "Is there?"

"Absolutely not," Luke said, giving her a nod. Then he smirked, "besides, I didn't travel here by boat and get all seasick to not get the chance to kick some Westergaard ass."

"Hear hear!" Liv said, heartily. "Now, what's the plan?"

Almost in answer, the squawk of a gull was heard as a bird landed on a branch near Kristoff. "Sorry, I didn't catch that... You originally from the Caribbean or something?" Kristoff looked at Elsa with a bit of a sheepish grin and a shrug, but the gull recaptured his attention with the snap of its beak.

"Mine mine," the bird called.

"Just over this hill?... Around the entire manor?... And she's there, you saw her?" Kristoff said, between loud squawks from the gull. He looked at Elsa at the last word from the gull, nodding his affirmative. He knew exactly where Anna was. Hope burst inside Elsa's chest. "He says there's a massive fire wall all around the large house in the center of the island. Two figures stand just outside the home within the circle of flames - she's one of them."

The end goal is the manor; that's where whoever is responsible is holding Anna hostage. The wheels in Elsa's head started turning as she reviewed the facts. They knew she would choose not to land at their docks. The obstacles started near the small cove. The wall of fire, the explosion… it pushed her in the direction of the lava cave. She was sure if she hadn't overheard the two Westergaard brothers talking, she would have kept running her path to the north where she's certain she would have hit another obstacle that would lead her exactly where they wanted her to be; like a lamb to the slaughter. A plan started to formulate in her mind.

"I think we need to -"

Another small bird landed on Kristoff's shoulder with a chirp, cutting Elsa's thought off.

"Someone is coming."

Anna rounded the corner of the manor and crouched behind the stone wall that marked the edge of the perron. She just needed to catch her breath. Voices caught her attention, coming around the house from the other direction she had come from, and Anna quickly ducked behind one of the small hedges that lined the building. She needed a plan; a moment just to think.

She had managed to take Hans by surprise once they'd gone outside, seemingly to wait for Elsa to arrive according to his plans. Once in the open, her eyes had quickly taken in the chaos around her - smoke and fire, rubble and… birds? There were birds everywhere. Strange, she'd thought. Birds should flee such a ruckus. She jumped to a quick assumption - Kristoff didn't stop Elsa from coming here. Of course he wouldn't; he came with her.

Then, without warning, the wall of fire had started to expand, encircling the entire ancestral home and she'd caught sight of Viggo, the sixth son of Ragnar, guiding the flames. In an instant, Anna had made a decision.

Opening up several doors within her mind at once… trust, fear, reverence… She'd placed a hand on Erik's shoulder. "Follow that bird," she said quickly, letting her magic flow through her to her uncle and quickly pushed him out of the way of the oncoming wall of flames. Once they were safely outside of the ring of fire, she had attacked.

"Your movements are quick because you're small," Liv had said during one of their training sessions. "And because you're small, your enemy will underestimate you. Use it to your advantage - attack low and fast. Hit hard here," she pantomimed hitting Erik in the sternum, "here," a jab to the abdomen just below the diaphragm, "and here," an uppercut to the chin, "in quick succession. Bring them down if you can… then run."

And that's what she'd done. With her uncles off to what she hoped was safety, she hit Hans with a quick 1-2 jab to the chest and stomach before hitting him across the nose with an upward punch causing him to double over. She took advantage and hopped onto his shoulders, legs wrapped around his neck, and used her momentum to flip them onto the ground. She'd then scrambled up quickly and sprinted; seeking refuge behind this very hedge.

Anna took a few deep breaths and ran through everything she knew.

One - Elsa was here. That fact was simple. The unmistakable tug of their entangled auras has never lied to her before.

Two - Elsa had impeccable timing - not even an hour later and Anna could have been on Arendelle with her uncles and everyone would have been safe. Anna told her, implored her, not to come here. She'd have to give Elsa a piece of her mind after all this was over. Well… after apologizing profusely and begging for forgiveness, but, damn it, she'd almost gotten off this blasted island without a fight.

Three - Kristoff was with her, or at least she hoped. Her rash decision was counting on it. If her uncles could find them, they could try and convince Elsa to wait for reinforcements.

Four - If her hastily improvised plan was futile and Elsa showed up here alone anyway, she most certainly is walking into a trap and… Well - she'd deal with that if it happens. Anna was prepared to do whatever was in her power to make sure Elsa got out of here alive. Even if it meant she -

"Ooh, Aannaaa," Hans said in a sing-song, overly saccharine sort of way. "Where might you be hiding, huh?" He was close, she could tell. She held her breath to try to keep as quiet as possible. "Your little trick re-broke my nose. Again!... Come on out, little niece. I just want to return the favor."

She heard the sound of heavy boots on gravel round the corner and stop somewhere nearby. She counted to ten, but nothing aside from the sound of the roaring of flames could be heard. Just as Anna was tempted to peek around the hedge, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up in warning. She flattened herself to the ground quickly; just in time to see a flaming sword slice the top of the hedge off. She wasn't entirely fast enough though - the pointed tip of the sword nicking her across her right eyebrow; the flames immediately cauterizing the wound. Anna blinked the pain away quickly and was on her feet in an instant, dashing several feet away without turning her back on her attacker.

"You're quicker than I anticipated… For a halfie," Hans sneered. He moved toward her menacingly and she matched him two steps for every one of his to maintain the distance. "You can't outrun me forever, and when I finally catch you, I will end you. Keeping you as leverage over the Snow Queen be damned!"

He let out a rage filled yell as he charged at her, sword raised high in preparation of bringing it down on her quickly. Anna counted her heartbeats. Patience, she thought. At the last moment, she turned her body, the sword coming down several inches away from her, flames sparking as it slammed into the gravel path. "Remember it takes more energy to miss than it does to land a hit." Erik had spoken those words to Liv when they were sparring all those weeks ago, but Anna tucked the advice away too just in case. Hans swung the flaming sword quickly in her direction, but she spun out of its path, dashing several feet away at the same time. She smelled singed fabric and looked down to find her cardigan on fire. Taking it off quickly, she tossed it aside. I hate these clothes anyway, she thought.

"Argh!" Hans shouted in frustration. "You insolent girl. I am your uncle and I command you to stand down!"

"Ew." She said and scrunched her nose in distaste. "You need therapy."

His eyes glowed red with anger and he geared up to attack her once more. That's it. Use all your energy on me, she goaded internally.

Hans struck at her with wild abandon. He swung his flaming broadsword this way and that, slashing and stabbing at her, only to find that she was gone just a moment before the blade found flesh. She kept her eyes on him, watching the angle of his shoulders, the position of his feet, every move telegraphed even with his eyes. She dodged and dipped over and over and over again. Patience.

And it finally paid off. One particularly wayward thrust caused Hans to overextend, putting him off balance. She took advantage of her opening to get behind him and struck him with several punches to the kidneys… spleen… liver. Hans fell to his knees, propping himself up with the sword and tried to catch his breath, but Anna kicked the sword away, allowing Hans to slump to a heap on the ground. She reared her fist back once more to deliver another blow, but he quickly raised a hand in defeat.

"Please," he begged, breathing still labored from all the energy he had spent swinging a broadsword for several minutes. "I concede."

Anna stopped, eyebrows furrowed in anger and indecision. Liv always taught her to strike until you felt safe, but she found she couldn't strike someone when they were down - not when they were begging for a reprieve. She was far too empathetic to follow through. With a frustrated grunt, she lowered her fist and, instead, she grabbed his collar to force him to look at her.

"You will let us off this island to return home to Arendelle without any more violence," she said commandingly. He looked at her, eyes wide, his breaths haggard. "Say it!"

"I… I will…" He trailed off, gaze turning downcast.

"Give your word! Say you will allow us to leave this place safely!" Ire burned ferociously within her, dulling all other emotions, and the flames surrounding the manor burned brighter and hotter.

"Okay! Okay…" He nodded and took a deep breath before he turned back to her, a determined look on his face. "I just needed to buy time."

"What?" She said just as Hans snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, her arms were restrained as she was pulled off of the youngest Westergaard brother. She twisted and kicked with all her might, but her efforts were fruitless. She looked at who held her and it turned out to be Klaus and Soren, the twins born last before Hans. They each grasped one of her arms tightly in their large hands, more similar in size and build to Lars than to Rorik or Erik. Massive and imposing, she knew she didn't stand a chance against them and stopped fighting back, choosing instead to conserve the energy she did have remaining.

"You're quite an impressive fighter," Hans said calmly as he picked himself gingerly up off the ground. "No doubt a pupil of that middle Aren sister." Without warning, he struck her across the face with a brutal punch.

Anna cried out as she felt her left cheekbone crack under the force of his strike. She blinked hard several times, trying to rid her vision of stars and holding in her tears. There was no way she'd let him see her cry. When her sight was clear, she saw Hans was picking up the sword that she'd kicked several meters away. He reignited the flames around it once more and looked at her with a wicked sort of grin.

"I'm really going to enjoy this," Hans said as he stalked toward her. "It's just too bad the Snow Queen isn't here to witness it."

Anna fought once more to free herself from the two Westergaards restraining her in place. "Let go of me, you boorish…" she tugged left, "brainless…" and then right, "brutes!"

"Unhand her!"

Out of nowhere, a blast of cold air struck Hans, sending him flying sideways into the stone wall of the manor. Anna looked to her left to see Elsa, shining like an armored knight, run through the opening in the wall of flame she'd created with her ice before it reclosed behind her. With one hand aimed where Hans had crumpled and the other at the brothers holding onto Anna, Elsa looked right at her… and winked.

"Dear maiden, I have come to rescue you," Elsa said in her fake English accent. Despite the situation they were in, Anna giggled. She looked Elsa over with appreciation and noticed she was indeed dressed like a knight. Elsa had fashioned herself a full suit of armor out of ice.

"Banter, babe? Right now?" Anna said with amusement. Damn, my girlfriend is hot, she thought. Well I mean… if she's still my girlfriend. "I'm a little tied up at the moment."

Two quick blasts shot her way and Anna felt herself suddenly freed. Elsa had knocked the twins backwards with her magic so quickly, they never stood a chance. They flew straight into a tree and slumped to the ground motionless. Elsa was in front of her in an instant, eyes full of concern as she took in the cut in Anna's right brow, the disheveled state of her signature twin braids, the swollen bruise quickly forming under her left eye. She lightly placed icy fingertips to Anna's cheek and the empath involuntarily winced slightly. Elsa frowned deeply.

"They will regret ever laying a hand on you," she whispered, mostly to herself. Movement in her periphery caught her attention and Elsa quickly shot a hand out, rolling her wrist in a practiced movement as if by reflex. Anna watched as ice almost instantly twisted around Hans locking him in place with the flaming sword raised above his head. The ice started at his feet and worked all the way up to the elbow of his sword wielding arm, leaving only his head and left arm and shoulder unencumbered.

"Argh! You vile witch," Hans shouted. He spat at her, but Elsa deftly froze the spittle and it bounced off her armor. "This world will soon be rid of you, and I'm going to be the one to do it!"

"I should freeze you from the inside out for hurting her. Strike the heart right in your chest," Elsa said menacingly in a calm, quiet voice. She turned her body toward him, angling Anna slightly behind her as she did so. Hans glared daggers at her, steam rising around him from his ice entrapment. "It's the merciful thing, really. It would be easy; painless almost, I'd imagine." She raised a hand again, swirling blue magic glowing around it. The way Hans' eyes flickered quickly to it betrayed his bravado and she smirked. "Personally, I'll certainly rest easier knowing you could never bother her again."

Just as Elsa went to blast him with her ice magic, Anna took her hand in a silent request that Elsa look at her. When she did, Anna shook her head slightly.

"He's not worth it," she said. Anna looked at him again, so petulant and unstable. "Not worth the toll it'll put on you knowing you'd taken a life. He's just a sad, small boy who craves his daddy's attention and approval so badly he's willing to destroy the world for it. It's pathetic really."

With a guttural yell, Hans' eyes glowed red once more and flames erupted around his entire body, quickly melting away the ice that had encased him.

"Shut up! You don't know me," he shouted, flaming broadsword pointing at Anna as the flames around him glowed brighter. Elsa stepped more in between Anna and Hans, ice armor clinking as she did so.

"Stand down, Hans," Elsa said, still in that calm, almost condescending tone. "We have the upper hand."

Hans met Elsa's gaze and.. Laughed. Quietly first - a simple scoff - but it grew until his menacing, glowing red eyes were nearly manic in amusement unknown to the girls.

"Oh, Snow Queen. If only that were true."

As if on cue, the crunching of many boots on the gravel path could be heard as several figures emerged, walking directly out of the wall of fire. Lars, Brage, Viggo, Nels, Havard… Anna had met all the brothers briefly in her time here, each one as unpleasant and volatile as the next. Klaus and Soren, having finally regained consciousness, lumbered over, closing a loose circle around the girls. Even if there were a few missing brothers, she and Elsa were grossly outnumbered and surrounded. She knew Elsa outpowered them all easily, but, tactically, the odds were still against them.

Reflexively, for comfort, Anna took Elsa's right hand in her left and was faintly surprised. The usual low hum of anxiety Elsa carried with her nearly always was there, but on top of it, where Anna expected panic and maybe some fear, she found confidence, excitement, and… Was that hope? Anna turned her gaze to Elsa. Always analytical, deeply methodical - Elsa's eyes darted from one brother to the next. She seemed to be calculating, planning next steps, coming up with a plan that Anna could not fathom.

"It's about time, young Aren." Lars broke the silence first, his booming voice carrying all around the fire lined yard. "I was beginning to think Hans' plan, like so many of his previous ones, had been miscalculated. It seems he's finally living up to his Westergaard name."

"I've always represented our family with honor," Hans seethed.

"Now, now, baby brother," Lars continued. "You've done your part well enough. I'm here to ensure it doesn't fall apart at the very end."

"I've got it under con-"

"That's enough. You talk entirely too much," Lars said condescendingly. He had raised his hand lazily in the direction of Hans who appeared to still be shouting, but no sound escaped him. That's when Anna noticed the two boys standing behind Lars. One was the spitting image of his father, bulky and tall with auburn hair and a perpetual scowl on his face. The other, much younger boy was smaller, slender and lithe looking. He had wispy brown hair and grey eyes and his gaze was focused on Hans. Lars placed a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. "Well done, Jakob. Now head inside and lock the doors."

During this interaction, Elsa had taken the opportunity to pull Anna closer and gain her attention. She pushed feelings of fear and panic as rapidly as she could to the surface and looked at Anna urgently, imploring her to understand. Anna's brows furrowed in confusion for a moment before realization seemed to come to her just as Lars turned his attention back to them.

"It was quite foolish of you to come here," he said with a sneer. "Over the last 15 years, I'd envisioned countless scenarios for this very moment. The moment where the Westergaards save the world once more from the terror of Snow Queen. Yet, only in what I thought were my most preposterous fantasies did you seek us out on your own. This is going to be so easy it's almost anticlimactic and disappointing." Lars then summoned a ball of fire in his palm and there was instantly activity all around them as each brother ignited their fire powers.

"Now," Elsa whispered.

And Anna hit the deck, making herself as flat as possible as Elsa emanated an icy blast in every direction all around her. Spikes and shards of ice erupted from the ground in a circle around both girls, only about an arms length from them both in diameter, providing them a solid barrier from the Westergaards. Most of the brothers were knocked nearly fifty meters away. Only three remained surrounding them, including Lars who looked so angry his face was nearly purple from the heat he was building inside.

"Useless, the lot of you," Lars shouted so loudly Anna thought he'd shaken the earth.

Wait, Anna thought as she sprung up to her feet and looked around. The earth is quaking. Suddenly, a giant slab of stone erupted just outside the wall of fire about fifteen feet from where the girls stood. It teetered precariously for a moment before it fell across the flames. Hardly a moment later, Kaira and Frederick crossed the new stone bridge and into the fray. Frederick pulled a massive stone quarterstaff from the ground and knocked a couple brothers who had rejoined the battle back once more while Kaira began hurling every object she could see at the closest Westergaard with her telekinesis.

"You're right, Lars. It would have been foolish of me to enter this fight alone," Elsa said, regaining his attention. She smirked then, a little more wicked than Anna's favorite smirk. The one she'd been starved of for over a week now. "But I am no fool."

Elsa sent a massive blast of magic at the eldest of Ragnar's sons. Shards of ice sliced holes in Lars' cloak and cut the hand that he had thrown up to protect his face. He was pushed back several yards toward the fire barrier, but he remained on his feet. At that very moment, Liv came bursting through the wall of fire with Erik at her side, him having removed all heat from the flames directly around them. She surrounded Lars with a dense fog in which she jumped immediately into.

A mass of blue energy appeared through the fire near the front path to the house, catching the attention of a few brothers that had been flung in that direction by Elsa's earlier blast. When it faded, Arianna and Luke were standing back to back, prepared for the nearest Westergards to engage them. Arianna drew spheres of her energy the size of softballs into each hand, hurling them at Nels as he dodged throw after throw on his mad dash to them. Luke conjured thorny vines that danced around him and Arianna, whipping at any nearby fire master. Catching some by the ankles and tossing them aside.

"No! Kai!" Erik shouted, causing both teen girls to look toward the last place they'd seen the eldest of the sisters. She was being pinned down by Brage whose hands were like flame throwers. Kai was using her telekinesis to create a sort of force field around herself, diverting the flames everywhere but at her, but it was taking a toll and she'd fallen to her knees as she pushed all her energy into protecting herself. Erik made his way to her, but was cut off by another of his brothers and was wrestled to the ground.

Elsa was off in an instant toward her sister; throwing icicles at every obstacle as she ran across the yard to save Kaira. The fog that had been surrounding Liv and Lars dissipated as Liv ran in the same direction as Elsa, leaving Lars on his hands and knees trying to catch his breath.

Anna went to follow when a whooshing sound caught her attention. She ducked just in time for a flaming sword to fly over her head, but it sliced one of her signature braids in half. She was immediately incensed and she looked at Hans who was glaring directly at her. Anna jumped over the ice barrier and darted directly at him. She saw him take a defensive crouch and made the split decision to use it to her advantage. At the last moment, she slid through his athletic stance, grabbing his dominant foot as she passed through, causing him to fall hard to the gravel.

"You underestimate me and now you have no weapon," Anna said. She kicked him in the gut to flip him over and Hans grunted as he fell to his back. His mouth moved in obscenities she could read, but still no sound could be heard. She scoffed at him. "All this destruction you've caused, but your brother still takes your voice and makes you powerless with a simple wave of his hand."

He opened his mouth in a rage she imagined was meant to be a ferocious yell as he leapt to his feet and began throwing frenzied punches at her at a dizzying speed. She did her best to dodge and parry each blow; waiting for an opening to move back onto the offensive. Again, her patience paid off, and she found herself atop Hans' back with him in a headlock she'd learned from Liv. He swung her around, her legs dangling wildly, trying to free himself. She held steadfast, but her concentration was broken when a fear so cold washed through her and gripped her heart. It felt as if she had been plunged back into the icy depths of the Dark Sea.

Anna instinctively looked for Elsa on the battlefield and she spotted her, ice armor gleaming through the smoke, as she held Kaira who was lying very still.

"No," Anna gasped. A moment later, she found herself on her back as Hans took advantage of her lapse and flipped her off of him. He placed a knee on her sternum and leaned his full weight onto her to keep her pinned. From her angle on the ground, she saw Oren and Colborn running into the fray, and, as quickly as the Arendellians had gained the upper hand, the tides changed. They were outnumbered. Every Arendellian was forced to switch to a defensive position as they were double teamed or overpowered.

She felt herself get yanked up into a standing position and Hans got her into the same headlock that she'd had him in only moments before. But he was bigger and stronger than her. She tried with all her might to break it, but his hold stayed true.

"Watch," she heard him say in a strained, voiceless whisper into her ear. She could feel his satisfaction and excitement as he watched his brothers turn the battle in their favor.

Fear, her own this time, struck her again as she saw Liv get entangled in a battle with the twins, Klaus and Soren, leaving Lars unopposed. When he shed his now tattered cloak, his massive, muscular arms became exposed when the sleeves of his shirt burned off as lightning danced and crackled along them. He stalked toward Elsa who was still preoccupied with attempting to wake Kaira. Anna tried to yell, tried to warn her, but Hans clamped a hand over her mouth.

No! No, no no… she thought helplessly. Not her… Nature, please! Anna scrunched her eyes shut so hard she saw white, and she called out with her mind as resoundingly as she could. ELSA!

When she opened her eyes again, she was confused. Anna was standing alone in a brilliant foyer made of… ice? She ran a hand along the edge of the fountain she stood in front. Yeah, definitely ice, she thought. Where am I? How did I teleport here? On the other side of the fountain she saw a massive door and went to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Another look around the room revealed a double grand staircase led up to another floor. No other way than up, I suppose.

She climbed a staircase, slipping slightly on the first icy step. She took in the details along the railing, the filigree that decorated the walls, the elaborate chandelier. Everything was sleek and elegant; grandiose enough to be fit for a queen. When she finally reached the top, she found only one room, and inside, wearing jeans and her favorite blue hoodie, Elsa was pacing.

"Elsa!" Anna ran to her, but Elsa wouldn't stop walking back and forth in this small, circular room. She waved her hands in front of Elsa's face, but got no response. Unsure what to do, Anna looked around the space in desperation. There was another door on the opposite side of the room that led to a balcony. The doorway was open, and outside, a blizzard raged. It hit Anna then, a realization so simple. Kai's voice from a treasured memory came to her.

"It seems Elsa is the only one that can find the way into your little castle… Your anchor point, so to say. Elsa uses you similarly now…"

"Elsa," Anna said urgently once again. She grabbed Elsa's hand and stepped in front of her, forcing her to stop. Elsa startled for a moment. She shook her head slightly, but her eyes were still unfocused. She was fully dissociated, but Anna was determined. She took Elsa's face gently into both of her hands. "Please, love. You need to hear me."

Elsa's eyes finally met hers, confusion clear at first but realization slowly found home. "Anna?"

"Yes, it's me. You need to look up, okay?" Anna said really quickly. She wasn't sure how much time was passing outside of their minds. Elsa still seemed to be in a bit of a stupor, like Anna's voice was coming to her through water. "Baby, please! Listen to me!"

"Kai…" Elsa said, pulling away from her slightly.

"If you want to help Kai, you need to snap out of it. You need to look up," Anna said. Elsa shook her head and took another step back. Out of frustration, Anna caught back up to her and grabbed Elsa's face with both hands once more but with more force. "Elsa! LOOK UP!"

And as instantly as she'd found herself in Elsa's inner fortress, Anna was back on the battlefield. Hans still had a hold on her, but Elsa's eyes met hers. Anna gestured with her head as best as she could to behind Elsa's right shoulder. Just as Lars brought down a massive fist, crackling with electricity, toward Elsa's head, she sculpted a circular shield of thick ice upon her right forearm as she instinctively reached up to protect herself and her sister who was still lying in her lap. A deafening crunch could be heard over the entire battlefield as Lars' fist met the ice shield, and Anna knew he'd shattered several bones in his hand.

The strength of his punch was too great though, and the force of it made the shield come down on Elsa's head hard, causing her to crumple. The shield cracked in half, and Anna could see Elsa underneath the pieces, unmoving with her eyes closed, a small trail of blood dripping down her right temple from beneath her hairline.

"NO!" Anna's yell was muffled by Hans' hand still covering her mouth. All around, her found family was falling. Luke's vines were being burned faster than he could grow them. Arianna kept throwing up shields of blue energy in front of herself, but each subsequent one was fainter and faded faster. Even Liv, the ever energetic and strongest of them all, was breathing heavily with a split lip and seemed unable to put any weight on her left foot. After everything they'd been through, they were going to lose.

She had to do something. Anna couldn't just watch as all these people she loved got cut down. She wouldn't let Elsa down like that. The decision was easy - the only choice, really. She was going to save her family, no matter what the cost.

Lars regained his composure and fury rolled off of him so strongly, Anna's knees would have buckled if Hans wasn't holding her up in a headlock. Lars towered over the unconscious Elsa. He rubbed his hands together and formed a ball of erratic lightning, burning bright blue and white with his violent ire, big enough to entirely encase her collapsed form. Anna's hairs stood on end as Lars lifted the massive crackling orb above his head, poised to bring it down directly on Elsa.

Desperation flooded through her like water through a demolished dam; rapid and unceasing. "Save her" was the only thought she had.

Like the flick of a switch, Anna started glowing.

A bright white light radiated off of her; so bright it made the world seem dim in comparison. Her eyes filled with it until the teal was gone and no pupils could be seen. She felt Hans' shock as he suddenly dropped her. Without much thought, she placed a hand on his cheek and opened a door in her mind's castle the color of the deepest blue of the midnight sky. The effect was instantaneous. Hans immediately broke down crying as a sadness so true gripped his heart; wailing sobs silent for his stolen voice.

Anna didn't feel fully in control of her own actions. She observed the battlefield with new eyes, the singular goal still reverberating in her mind - save her. Anna felt herself energized as she siphoned the emotions from the space around her. Elation… pride… fear… joy… anguish… The Westergaards had every reason to rejoice in their perceived coming victory while her family, her chosen family, were getting struck down. The power of it all was intoxicating. Figures all around her started falling to their knees as she passed them, walking purposefully toward Lars. When she was only a few paces away, his arms seemed to get heavy. He faced her, the lightning ball he was holding now at chest level was only the size of a melon and flashed dimly.

"Terror," she said ominously in a voice that wasn't quite her own; it reverberated, like multiple voices were speaking for her at once. She found a sickly green door within her mind's castle and opened it for him and she reached up, placing a hand on the center of his chest and allowed the pure emotion to flow into him untempered.

Lars' entire body stiffened for a moment and his pupils constricted to an almost impossible pinhole size. His breathing became erratic as he started swiping his hands all over his body, trying to rid himself of something only he could see. He fell into a fetal position with a pathetic whimper.

Not enough, she thought. She'll never be safe. She placed her glowing hand on his back and pushed more dark emotions into him - agony, grief, alienation, bitterness… an unrelenting torrent of heavy feelings. Anna became enthralled with the power of it all and Lars became still.

"Anna." Her voice was quiet, nearly a whisper, but as melodious as it ever was. It pulled Anna back to herself a little.

She looked down and saw Elsa, eyes wide but tired. She was still on the ground, but had sat up slightly, remnants of her ice shield off to the side. Elsa reached up to her and, without hesitation, Anna took her pale hand in one of hers. Elsa gently laid her eldest sister's head on the ground as Anna helped Elsa to her feet slowly, steadying her when she swayed. Carefully, Anna tilted Elsa's chin to the left to look at the gash she'd gotten.

"He'll pay for that," she said quietly and the shining white light around her glowed brighter. Elsa took a deep breath and leaned in to touch her forehead to Anna's. Anna closed her eyes, relishing in the comfort of the act.

"Anna, my love," Elsa said cautiously but imploringly. "Please stop this."

What? Anna pulled back slightly and looked at her. Elsa's eyes were shiny with unshed tears and she saw herself reflected in them; eyes fully whited out and her skin glowing brilliantly by the energy emanating from within her. She was breath-taking and magnificent and powerful.

"It must end," Anna said. Again, her voice sounded foreign, even to herself. She could hear her voice on top of many, like she was speaking with the voices of all others that came before her. "I can finish them."

Elsa looked at her sadly. "But it's not just them, love." Elsa tore her gaze from her and looked out onto the now still battlefield.

Following her gaze, Anna saw that the fire around them had been extinguished. All the Westergaard brothers had been incapacitated - some lying on their sides holding their heads, some on their knees staring unseeingly. But then she saw them…

Arianna sitting with her knees to her chest and her hands pressed to her ears. Liv on her knees, breathing haggard and crying silent tears. Erik lying prone, every muscle in his body tensed. All around her, her family too was suffering.

What have I done?

Anna tried to pull back. She closed her eyes and imagined herself as she had always been, tried to stuff this energy down. When she opened her eyes again, she was still glowing. Anna had no idea how to stop this… she couldn't stop hurting them… couldn't stop being a monster… she didn't know -

A cool hand on her cheek. The familiar touch on her forehead. Anna took a breath.

"Focus on me," she heard Elsa say. "We'll do this together. Breathe in with me… good, now hold it… and release." Anna complied, followed Elsa's words and matched her breath. In… hold… out. In… hold… out. In…

The bright glow that radiated from Anna faded and she collapsed, exhaustion settling into her very core. Elsa caught her and gently lowered them both to the ground, cradling Anna in her lap.

"I'm sorry," Anna said. She felt like crying but she was just so tired.

"I know." Elsa brushed Anna's bangs aside. She knitted her brows as she looked at Anna's injuries, her missing braid with the remaining shoulder length hair flowing in the breeze, her exhausted form. Elsa heard the crunch of gravel nearby, felt the small hairs on her arms stand on end, but she was too focused on the girl in front of her to care. Anna had exposed herself as an Empath. She wasn't sure what that meant now, but she knew they needed to get home. They all needed to get -

"ENOUGH!"

A loud booming voice broke the silence that had fallen on the battlefield when Anna became the Empath and nearly destroyed them all. The girls both started and looked to where the voice had come. Walking up the main path from the boathouse to the manor was a massive man, as big or slightly bigger than Lars, Anna guessed. He walked with a large knob cane, the fire symbol twisting in a pattern around the length of the staff. Beside him, three smaller figures walked double time, nearly jogging to keep up.

"I said, 'enough!'" The man thumped his cane into the ground so hard Anna felt it shake even though he was at least twenty meters away from her.

Movement beside the girls caught their attention as Lars lowered the lightning ball he'd conjured and snuffed it out with a loud clap of his hands. He glared down at the girls, but taking several steps away from them.

"Cousin!" Liv said. "Help Kai! Please!"

Anna looked back and finally noticed the three additional people this towering man arrived with - Rapunzel, Rorik, and Kristoff. Raps was quickly at Kaira's side, joining Liv and Erik. Her face was full of concern as she put both hands on her cousin's face and assessed her. Anna held her breath and she could feel Elsa's perpetually cold hands turn icy. After what felt like ages, Rapunzel finally nodded slowly and began working her magic through Kaira. Anna breathed a sigh of relief once the healing glow the color of the golden rays of the sun could be seen. The glow meant it was working. The glow meant Kaira was alive.

Their view was blocked suddenly as the large man stepped up to them. He reached out a hand to Anna, but Elsa protectively held Anna tighter.

"I will not hurt her," he said, his normal speaking voice was deep and gravelly. "I promised the healer and I always keep my word."

Anna looked at Elsa and nodded. Once she was helped to her feet, Elsa placed a hand on the small on her back to keep her balanced, her legs unsteady from the fatigue the full use of her powers brought upon her. The man put one finger under her chin and raised her gaze to him. He studied her for a long moment and then looked at Elsa with the same amount of scrutiny.

"Fascinating," he finally said. Fixing his attention on Anna once more, she spotted the smallest of smirks. "You have her eyes. My late wife's that is - your grandmother." Realization hit Anna hard because, of course, who else would this be but Ragnar Westergaard. He considered both girls for a moment longer before he nodded to them. "Excuse me. I have some sons to deal with."

The moment he stepped away toward Lars, Rapunzel was in front of them.

"Anna first," Elsa said. Anna was about to protest, but Rapunzel had already started looking her over.

"I'm afraid you're going to have a scar here," Raps said with a small frown, touching Anna's right eyebrow with one finger and healing the cut. She placed a palm on Anna's left cheek next, tears in her eyes. "This must have hurt, boo."

Rapunzel worked her way around the yard, healing everyone, Arendellians and Westergaards alike. Anna soon found herself wrapped in a massive hug as all three sisters pulled her into them, and all the Arendellians and their allies gathered together.

"Love the new 'do, Anna bear," Liv said in jest.

Anna looked over at Hans. The instant annoyance she felt was directed at the boy currently being reprimanded by his father on the other side of the yard. She ran a hand through the shortened locks.

"It'll grow," Elsa said with a small smile.

"I know, but I'm still upset about it."

"Ugh, I'm wiped," said Rapunzel as she walked up having healed everyone's battle wounds. She stood next to Anna and leaned against her dad. "I think I could eat as much as Liv tonight."

"Is that a challenge?"

Rapunzel considered it for a moment. She frowned, worry and sadness rolled off of her. "No. You fought hard today. Your injuries proved it."

Instinctively, Anna took her hand and pushed a wave of calm to her best friend. It was a misjudgment. Her legs buckled as exhaustion hit her once more. She would have hit the ground if several hands weren't there to catch her. The next thing she knew, she was bridal style in Liv's arms.

"Conserve the energy you have," she said to Anna.

Anna nodded. "Yeah, I see my mistake," she said meekly. She allowed herself to relax in Liv's arms and tried her best to stay awake. Liv turned when they heard footsteps approaching and Anna saw Ragnar approach.

"I will speak to the Westeltons and call for a meeting on Ahtohallan in about a week's time," Ragnar said to Kaira and Frederick. "Allow the dust to settle, so to speak." After getting agreement from the Arens and Coronas, he looked at Anna again, still cradled in Liv's arms. He nodded to himself. "And bring the girls. They aren't of age yet, but I think it's important."

"I'll consider it, but I won't promise anything just yet," Kaira said.

"Very well," Ragnar said with another nod. "I'd wish you safe travels, but an Aren does not need that on the open seas." And with that, he made his way toward the front door of the manor.

Anna didn't recall the walk to the cove, she couldn't even tell you how she'd made it onto Elsa's boat. All she knew was that she was lying on the bed inside the boat's small cabin.

"Sleep now, love," Elsa had said. "We're taking you home."

Home, Anna thought as she drifted off. Finally.

A/N: I am sincerely apologetic. Three years... I really have nothing to offer that makes three years excusable. All I can really say is, "I'm sorry, and I hope you still liked it." I have the last 2 chapters roughed out so I'm hopeful that I'll have those out to you in a few weeks each and not a few years (again... SO VERY SORRY).

Thank you to my very patient BETA... who had to re-read the bulk of the story in order to be ready to proof read this chapter for me.

And thank you, as always - 1. for reading. and 2. for sticking with me :)