Frozen: The Spirit and the Drage

by ArdenLemonade

Set after the events of the sequel: Elsa learns what being the fifth Spirit truly means, as not only many different demanding tasks and quests test her but also the strange being that she can't help but be drawn to. (Elsa x Female OC) Abuse, violence, child abuse, interspecies relationship

43. Chapter Forty Three

The gusts and gales of white unsettled the remaining foliage left behind from the battles and preparations which took place. The contrasting far cry from Elsa's previous emotional storms halted Anna's sprinting feet.

As she dismounted her cold eyes scanned the encampment full of awestruck stares. When they landed on her family Elsa's expression became much more welcoming and calm. Her arms opened to them as they rushed towards her embracing, murmuring and sometimes shouting their concerns. Elsa answered none, allowing them to check her over, searching for anything to answer for the frost coating any surface within the proximity. Like slow creeping vines her magic seeped out, still, crackling with another emotion that wasn't so apparent on the surface.

"Elsa- I- why did you- ugh…" Elsa was nothing but sympathetic for Anna's exasperated relief.

"Is it too early to celebrate?" Kristoff studied her closer, noticing the emerald dust which clung to her hair, jacket and pants but also noting there was a certain someone missing.

Mattias must have been told of her appearance rushing towards the royal family. "If I had the same weight of Krones as I do with how relieved I am that you are in one piece Lady Elsa I'd be richer than all of Europe." Elsa hummed pleasantly at this then allowed her face to grow somber once more.

"Elsa, where's Periwinkle?" Anticipated disquietude tugged Anna's voice down a few octaves as her eyes darted past them into the forest in case she could spot the dragon hiding among the bushes.

Keeping her voice hushed to not draw any unwanted attention from the onlookers at the edge of the fort, Elsa turned towards the treeline. "Mattias please go retrieve our personal physician, I'll leave a trail for you; bring blankets, water, and bandages, if Misha or Konstantin asks of our whereabouts please tell them I felt more comfortable recovering away from the fort and will be with them shortly to discuss what transpired." Mattias listened carefully, leaving to do as was requested of him with a bow.

Anna's despondent expression at being both ignored and concerned had Elsa gripping her hand as she led her and Kristoff towards the woods with a pained face. "It's not for me, sweetheart." As her hand tightened around Elsa's, she felt her rub it with her thumb.

Elsa kept the fourteen minute walk quiet, occasionally looking over her shoulder, till they arrived at a large ice sphere. With a wave of her hand a circular entrance was formed, and with a heaving chest Elsa jerked her head for them to follow her inside.

The interior was empty save for anything that could be found on a cleared forest floor, some freshly dug up earth and plants, upon a circular patch of soil lay Ryu. Anna stood frozen in place watching her still and immobile body.

Swallowing harshly, her voice broke when she used it. "Is she-" Her words died when Ryu twitched in a queer manner. Her eyes moved rapidly underneath her lids, her skin pale and yellowish. Her chest– constantly alight with a golden hue.

The way her muscles looked it seemed she was being jerked in different directions by something under her skin and clenching muscles. Her face scrunched in clear distress.

"Jesus Christ Elsa what happened?" Kristoff asked, kneeling by her head.

"I'm not sure, I-" Elsa choked as the consequences of her actions caught up to her. "I destroyed the Yokai but she has been like this the entire time. I believe it's done something to her." Touching her head Elsa felt the heated fever which slowly began to take over her body as they traveled upon Nokk. Initially she thought it would rise until Ryu reached her normal body temperature but that proved to not be the case.

A knock upon the thick ice startled Elsa and Anna to jump apart. Elsa relaxed her clenched fists seeing Mattias' silhouette.

Absently flicking her wrist she leaned back over Ryu as she heard Anna and Kristoff help their general and doctor shuffle in with pillows and blankets.

It was evident she didn't trust anyone except herself to lift Ryu's body to place on the makeshift bed, smoothing her hair on her forehead when she pulled away.

As the doctor carefully examined her, puzzlement riddled his mind, Elsa knew it was a hail Mary, Ryu was not even human and even if she was her state had to have been influenced by magic.

Waiting patiently Elsa clasped her hands beneath her chin welcoming Anna and Kristoff's soothing touches.

"Broken ribs-" he began feebly feeling along Ryu's chest with careful wrinkled fingers. "Her uh… tail? Has been lacerated, and obvious head injuries, and mouth," he peeled back her lips nodding. "Left Incisor broken. As far as her other symptoms, the uh convulsions, fever, can be explained by trauma to the head. As far as this-" he waved over her chest. "I cannot diagnose. But judging by the movement of the pupils her brain is active, a good sign."

Elsa released a heavy breath despite worrying of the metaphysical damages done to her dragon which wreaked havoc on her mind.

"I should have never brought her." She whispered, Anna clutched her arm tightly smiling sadly.

She was ready to save Elsa from the self deprecation and heavy fault her sister always put upon herself. "Do you really think she would have let you leave withou-"

"Kore wa anata no monode wa arimasen!" Ryu screamed jolting upright, nearly butting heads with the poor startled doctor. Her chest raggedly took in small quick breaths like a rabbit, hands flying to her chest. Scratching and pulling with claws.

Kristoff, Anna, and Mattias gripped her impressively strong lithe arms, pinning them back down as Elsa made quick work of trying to calm her.

Her miserable whimpers both hurt and invigorated Elsa, she was in pain yes but that meant she was alive. "Anata wa yakusoku shimashita."She's alive and able to talk.

Elsa could sob at that knowledge. "Ryu- Gecko, it's fine, it's me Elsa, your Erusa."

This seemed to work its magic, relaxing her enough to turn in the fetal position on her side clutching her chest and clenching her teeth. She tried vomiting but only dry heaves came up violently from her throat.

"Water!" The doctor stood and retrieved a ladle with some water in it offering it to his patient but she refused, vehemently disgusted by the idea of putting anything else in her body.

Squirming to find some position which was comfortable, Ryu's voice sounded blown out and exhausted. "No room. It's too much." She at least didn't resist when Elsa brought her head to her chest rocking them.

"I know sweety, I know, the Yokai is gone I… I broke my promise to you." Tears moistened Elsa's cheeks but unlike in the past offering comfort wasn't Ryu's priority.

"I need to get to Arendelle." She replied weakly.

"I know we'll be going home soon. I know you miss it darling." Ryu wrinkled her face growling, pushing away from Elsa's body, restlessly scratching at her abdomen again.

"No! I have to, I have to deliver the… it's in here." Pointing to her chest before lurching forward to regurgitate what was probably bile.

"Please, it hurts! I can't-" The utter helplessness from her friends was suffocating, Elsa's mind couldn't decode or translate what her dragon was beseeching for or how she could relieve the immense agony she was in.

Finally, squinting one eye open, Ryu could push past the torment to shakily point at her chest. "Inside me. I let the Yokai inside my body. I have to get to Arendelle or I'll die Erusa." Her limbs contorted as if they had a mind of their own, their own agenda leaving Ryu broken with a nauseating residue radiating off of her.

"I have to get to the temple. I- can't let the Mikotos get us Erusa; they'll destroy so much, I have to– I have -ah! Stop!" Ryu growled down at her chest dangerously.

Elsa stared down at her chest replaying their encounter with the Yokai, the fading golden light… Ryu took it within.

"But didn't Bulda say that a dragon's husk can only maintain one soul at a time?" Kristoff brought a freezingly haunting revelation to them.

Agonized, Elsa blinked. "What?" she blurted out before she could stop herself "Ryu… what have you done?" The memories, a direct product of her decision, upped the panic.

"He did nothing! None of them fought back; they all laid down on the chopping block. Now they hurt people…" Ryu simpered.

Elsa's mind began innately humming, drowning out the questions from Anna and Kristoff, muting the rest of Ryu's babblings hyper fixated on dots that seemed like they were supposed to connect but couldn't due to a lack of information.

Standing, she left Ryu to her family and began pacing in troubled thought.

Like a bug bite that wouldn't stop itching no matter how hard it was scratched. Elsa began to compartmentalize what she knew and what she didn't know.

Peace was the answer, yes Ryu handled the Yokai as peacefully as she could even offering up her own body. It wouldn't have ended well for the lucky dragon if she had been alone. Initially Elsa assumed that her interference was unnecessary but logically seeing the state that Ryu was in…

Elsa glanced at her writhing frame frowning.

Ryu was far too weak to ever make it to Arendelle let alone escape the jade encasing a proven weakness to dragons.

Then there were her ramblings.

What chopping block? The Yokai was indeed hurting people but why did that matter? Who did nothing?

"They did nothing." Ryu pleaded, Anna dabbing a moist cloth on her head cooed gently to usher her back into a state of repose.

"Yes, yes Ryu, you're very brave, you did something and saved us, both you and Elsa. If you can make it through Yelena's training and my boring meetings you can make it through anything." It was such a sweet sentiment and brought courage to the dragon's heart who snarled fighting down whatever it was that wanted to surface.

Elsa paused her pacing as Ryu's voice rang in her did nothing!

"That's it!" She exclaimed, drawing the other's attention. "The elders did nothing- the chopping block, Ryu was on the chopping block to be sacrificed. There were more before her six in fact! They did nothing and- now they hurt people… " she began pacing once more. Though she couldn't pinpoint who they were in particular she could at least deduce one thing, whatever it was Ryu was seeing within, it was a warning.

"Elsa?" Anna cautiously stood handing over the duty of keeping Ryu steady to Mattias and Kristoff while the doctor finished her bandaging.

"They did nothing!" Elsa stated exasperatedly at Anna who wasn't quite following her point. Staring down at her hands she spoke in a voice now less frantic as clarity took over her demeanor. "Inaction is just as dangerous and cruel as violence."

Strength renewed Elsa casted her eyes to Ryu and nodded heading for the entrance of the sphere. "Watch over Ryu for me please. I have to speak with the General now."

"Whoa Elsa slow down-" Anna chased her out clenching her arm impeding her from barreling straight towards the fort. "You're on page one and I haven't even entered the library yet!" This seemed to slow her racing thoughts.

"Don't you see Anna I've been wrong this whole time."

"About what?"

Elsa threw her arms up to the sky. "Everything! I misinterpreted what Ahtohollan was trying to tell me."

"That peace was the way?" Anna said slowly hoping that she was catching on, her face became dejected when Elsa shook her head.

"No peace is the answer but not neutrality. The eastern Elders who turned a blind eye to the suffering of their cousins and thus doomed an entire race to slaughter. Then I saw what our grandfather did. A horrible sin of greed and prejudice that brought forth a curse. Ahtohollan was warning me about tipping the scales. Two events in history that ended in bloodshed of the innocent both brought on by actions which are opposites of each other."

Anna staring at the ground pondered this, clutching her chin between fingers. "So…" she began carefully uncertain if she was still missing the point or not. "Ahtohollan was warning you to not tip the scales of your actions- y- you can't choose one extreme over the other. Meet in the middle." She connected her two pointer fingers, as Elsa grinned nodding her head.

"Precisely."

A loud shriek interrupted them as Kristoff left the ice dome panting. "He's going to sedate her but she still refuses to drink or eat anything."

Time is of the essence. "We'll need someone to guard her while we're handling-" Anna waved towards the smoke plumes and distant sounds of an army awake and moving.

"I can ensure that." Mattias promised, joining them on the outside. "I'll have some of my most trusted men keeping watch. No one in or out except us and the physician, though I don't know how much longer she can last like this."

Realizing what must be done, Elsa began to gather the jade dust off of her body and sealed it in a pouch.

"We have enough time for tonight. While the medicine lasts."

"Tonight?" Kristoff raised a brow not liking the finality of her voice.

Nodding she turned and headed off with the others following close.

---

There was a resolute confidence in the way Elsa carried herself into the General's tent, not paying any consciousness to her disheveled and dirty appearance.

Misha raised his brows standing, with his arms behind his back.

"Lady Elsa I trust the mission to absconded the Yokai was successful, despite your attempts to prevent our attempts of annihilat-"

"I destroyed the Jade, it now is nothing more than a pile of dust." Elsa tossed the pouch onto the table. Carefully as if it would burn him the Misha picked up the pouch showing its contents to Konstantin who hummed appreciatively.

Kindly enough he gave it back to Elsa.

Anna and Kristoff glanced at Mattias who nodded knowingly. Neither men would be alerted to the actual whereabouts of Ryu or the Yokai as Elsa told lies through the truth.

Anna watched her sister who now had a dangerous stubborn tranquility about her.

Calculated in every word, the perfect envisionment of equanimity… way too calm.

"I never took you to be so vainglorious Lady Elsa, nevertheless We will send word immediately to mitigate peace conditions to the Heretics; it should arrive in two days with our fastest horses-" he pointed at the map which Elsa carefully considered.

"Just West from here another fort they claimed as a battle compound."

Elsa shook her head curtly. "There will be no need for that. I will deliver it myself."

"What?" Anna and Kristoff yelled simultaneously snapping their necks in Elsa's direction who remained indifferent heading for the exit.

"Elsa? No, absolutely not." Anna stated, jumping in front of her sister as if she were stopping her from charging out onto a battlefield. "I don't know what roof of a plan you're trying to jump off of but I won't allow it. If we are to end this war-"

"Forgive me my queen but I'm ending it today." She replied with a simplicity which made everyone question whether she had hurt head during her confrontation with the Yokai as she merely ushered Anna aside.

"Elsa wait hold on–"

The captain watched on both impressed but also peeved that a mere woman had the self reverential trust in her abilities to do what his entire army hasn't in months on a single day.

"And how do you plan on ending this fight, Lady Elsa?" His haughty mocking stopped Elsa's pursuit to whomever now had a target on their back.

"I will go to the enemy and demand they stop this pointless violence. Their redemption lies in the truth and they have based their entire inspiration on lies."

Now Misha had grown anxious. "And if they capture you! Use you against us?" His cries fell to deaf ears.

As she soldiered on outside Anna and Kristoff gripped Elsa's shoulders getting her to finally face them. Revealing what was going on inside her insane mind.

They saw worry, fear, determination, an absoluteness, and pain… pain Elsa was engaging with as a motive.

Her family. Her country. Her people. Ryu. She needed to protect them.

Anna nearly vomited from the fear gripping her organs in a vice grip, seeing that reasoning with Elsa in this state was a pointless resistance. "A moment, alone please? " Elsa despite time ticking away in her ears– spared whatever reserves she had for her sister.

"Elsa, please remember your promise. Where you go I'm going, so if you're ending this war today I will be by your side."

"Anna-"

"No! You don't get to do this! I know we're on borrowed time but I won't let you get yourself killed!" Anna had lost patience and tolerance for her sister's disregard for her own wellbeing.

Now it was Elsa's turn to take Anna into a white knuckled grip as some soldiers began circling. "I won't Anna, I am not disregarding my own safety nor am I thinking rashly."

"It doesn't seem like that by any means!" Kristoff protested, providing a second foundation to his wife's arguments.

"I promised to end this war with peace and I always assumed that meant not taking part in it. I thought that was what Ahtohollan was saying but it wasn't. Don't you see Kristoff, they were warning us!"

"Of what?"

"Balance." Anna stated defeatedly rubbing the worry lines from her forehead. "They showed Elsa two extremes when she visited."

Elsa continued to explain swiftly, taking inventory of the growing numbers, all she saw were possible obstacles created by Misha's fear, hesitant to seize her because of their own. "Two paths, senseless violence and senseless apathy to the suffering of others at the hands of the wicked and self reverential. It may be a sin to kill the innocent but it is an even greater sin to not do what must be done to stop it." Elsa's azure eyes blazed on as she spoke alight and summoned by the injustice of others that she wouldn't allow to grow strong with her silence.

"I don't know if Georg and the princess will listen to me but I must be prepared if they don't."

They will never listen, and why should they? You will always become the monster they fear you to be.

There are only two paths for people like you. Cowardice, or tyrannical power.

Do you hear me Elsa?

"Do you hear me Elsa?" Elsa shook her head trying to rid it of any voices that were not her sister's.

I'm talking to you

"I'm talking to you." she needed to leave now while she still could.

"I'm sorry Anna, I love you." She kissed her head quickly, as Nokk's neighs could be heard from a few feet away galloping towards her.

"What are you saying? Elsa, please my heart can't take much more of this." Anna's pleas were becoming much more difficult to ignore so Elsa hugged her tightly, grasping a hand behind Anna's head.

"Elsa, just think about this." Kristoff tried to reason as she mounted Nokk. "You can't expect us to just let you ride off into enemy territory alone."

Grounding herself from stretching her palm against Nokk's frozen frame, he snorted impatiently, sensing the vibrations of Elsa's magic thrumming beneath her skin.

"No I won't ask that of you but I will ask that you trust me."

"Elsa…"

"Kristoff, it's okay…" she smiled tranquilly to him and Anna, at peace with this. "I chose me. I'll always choose me."

He eased at this and looked at Anna who clearly did not understand what that had to do with anything.

"Keep a close eye on Ryu. I'll be back tomorrow."

Without needing to be prompted Nokk reared up taking off into a gallop breaking through the gathered crowd.

Anna stared after her until she sprinted off towards the stables. Knowing her plan Kristoff placed a strong and sure hand over her own which gripped the saddle tightly.

"Anna, please trust her."

Anna unable to handle the strain any longer she cried into the leather tact, her shoulders alluding to the silent sobs.

---

Elsa and Nokk galloped West, while the gray clouds as if sensing their defiant fury followed wanting to witness whatever events took place next.

As she rode Elsa's magic crept over her lower body changing the lighter hues of whites and purples to darker midnight blues, curving up from a half cape into a hood which covered her face in a mask exposing only her eyes.

A mountain range blocked their way forward like giants in fairy tales chasing young boys down beanstalks and capturing maidens. Elsa observed it and deduced this must have been why it took two days to make it to the enemy compound, a great defense for the Hieratic forces- a detriment for any wanting to get there quickly.

She nearly slowed Nokk but he bellowed and leapt up the steep cliff face digging his hooves into the crumbling rocks, Elsa yelped nearly falling backwards.

Gritting her teeth she crafted pillars for them to scale the pointed and jagged edges easier than any rider would have found such a feat.

At the top Nokk snorted and before Elsa could find a path that would be suitable to ice over for them to traverse, the water horse bounded down a snowy ridge at a rapid rate.

The cliffs were not as straightforward for he had to jump from where the mountain ground evened out to the other side of a drop Elsa had no interest in looking back into. The snow drifts on each side were well beyond what would have collapsed into avalanches, and only Elsa's willpower and concentration continued to hold the heavy drifts in place atop the peaks as they ventured on.

---

The fort was much more decrepit than Karasta. Older with an ancient architecture Elsa would have to guess was constructed in the tenth century and knowing her history of architecture it most likely would be built in the same manner as many European forts had been.

Situated on a rocky outcrop, it was designed with impunity in mind to weather sieges, they copied Wales no doubt. One side was the mountainscape no one dared climb and hope to make it down alive, the other side towering a rocky promontory dropping into the icy sea waters.

To the left of that was the gatehouse protecting the inner keep which Elsa estimated to be at least nineteen feet of thick unassailable walls. Creating a bastion to conquer.

Slowly descending, Nokk stilled considerably as Elsa dismounted, following her closely keeping his head low. Her change in wardrobe allowed her to manipulate the shadows and snow to her advantage sticking to the outline of the forest.

The walls and outside seemed to be regularly patrolled by soldiers, Elsa growled watching from the trees a few particular guards that did appear to have any discernible route.

She had to at least give them that. What was a position they were not expecting to be subdued quietly…

Elsa weighed her options then signaled for Nokk to wait. "If I run into trouble I'll signal you." She whispered grinning when she turned to leave and felt a tug at her sleeve.

With a kiss on his snout she left moving as quietly as if she were walking on paper back in Arendelle trying to not crinkle it and alert Ryu.

Her Jika-tabis barely indented the snow as she slithered across the landscape keeping to the shadows towards the gatehouse. Hugging the side she steadied her breath to silence looking above to spot a shadow lit by the torches moving away from the edge.

Ice compacted round her fingers and balls of her feet as she scaled the stone at a sloth's pace, the color of her clothing subcame to the darker hues as she moved, blending in with the shadows casted by flames. Keeping in mind when the posted watch came and went. Patiently she waited by the edge until the soldier approached again.

Whipping upward like a predator ambushing their prey Elsa snagged whatever article of clothing she could– pulling down over the wall, sealing the soldier's mouth and limbs with ice pinning him on the side.

His eyes crazed and staring at Elsa who was still connected to the stone with her magic. "Shh-" she said quietly lifting a finger to her lips. "I'm here to help."

Whether he believed her or not was of no consequence, scrambling over the top of the railing she kept low and crouched, surveying every path she took in case an unsuspecting soldier happened to be in the way.

In this particular moment there was a man who was frustratingly in the way of where she wanted to go. Ducking behind a large crate Elsa began calculating her options. She could try to avoid him, but she couldn't assure that she'd have cover to keep from his line of sight as he did his rounds. She could knock him out but that also came with risks.

Okay think, think! There are thirty six pressure points which if used with a tremendous amount of precision could cause death and eighteen which paralyzes a had taught her how to utilize those techniques, additionally with her magic she could easily capacitate him when he came by again.

What are the odds of me killing him?Elsa worried, biting her lower of the possible outcomes, there still remained a sixty point sixty seven percent chance he'd perish. Would the thirty three percent chance be worth it?

Decisively Elsa decided to roll her dice letting fate decide the numbers. Coiling up the unsuspecting soldier yelp was cut short as a harsh stab dulled the pain which came and went quite quickly. His mouth hung open as the hand which hadn't been numbed reached for the problem area.

His larger size was difficult to keep from toppling over knocking a brazier off its pegs, Elsa grunted folding him gently behind the crate. He seemed confused to see such sympathy in the eyes of his attacker as she froze his limbs to the crate and floor. The ice sheet placed over his mouth wasn't as uncomfortable as one would think.

The whole process had assured him that he wouldn't die that day by Elsa's hand.

Elsa's knees burned from the constant crouching and crawling she put them through as she made her way through the outer walls.

The wooden door through the first tower was locked, because of course it was. Elsa rolled her eyes and began working the lock with a compacted bitter chill, turning the hinges and metal brittle enough to be chipped away constantly looking to and fro to ensure she wasn't spotted.

It brought on a sense of pride when she entered the enclosed granary, it had been prepped for any protracted seizes. Many would think it was impenetrable.

Staring up at the stairway Elsa whispered to herself. "I'm going to penetrate you." And immediately cringed, jogging silently up the stairs. "Note to self do not say everything your mind thinks."

The tower was littered with murder holes facing every direction of the tower. Peaking through them Elsa could spot the positions of guards, defenses and other holds that were in the fortress, what were the chances she'd find either Georg or the princess? She needn't find both just one would do. How she was to find them was an entirely different subject.

Elsa tried to not groan too loudly as she fed herself legs first into a hole that led to the inner roofs. Her fingers grasped the ledge tightly until she had a firm and buoyant grasp so she could angle herself to fall onto the roof without making a clamorous commotion. Elsa peered over the edge of the roof waiting, shoulders tense, she needed the right moment to present itself.

A loud gruff laugh drew her eyes to the archways as two soldiers walked side by side passing beneath her. She shook her head, no not them, she needed…

After waiting for another ten minutes a lone guard came the opposite direction of the other two previously. He was of medium build and unlike his comrades had a much more solemn face.

Someone like him.

Elsa positioned her hand above poised and ready to strike quickly before anyone else came along.

The guard had a short time to yelp when he was yanked up by something cold and unrelenting to the roof away from the edge.

Bound and gagged in ice he struggled fruitlessly against the bindings thrashing. In the fit of his efforts he hadn't even taken notice of his capture standing above him with her arms crossed waiting for him to stop. He banged his head on the nearby wall which sheltered them from the harsh winds. Elsa frowned looking down. "Stop that." She berated. "You'll hurt yourself."

It was her low voice that brought him back to gape at her already babbling out a plathora of nonsense Elsa couldn't possibly understand past his gag. He examined the ice, then her, realizing who had managed to infiltrate their fortress. It was the complete terror in his eyes that pierced a guilty spike through Elsa's heart, it was the complete horror in his dark eyes which constricted his irises that drove Elsa to remove her hood and face covering, showing him that she was in fact human.

"Listen, I don't mean any harm. I'm here to help." It was a last-resort in hoping he'd believe her but Elsa was not a fool. It would take more than just words to convince the man to give her anything that was useful besides screams for his countrymen to come aid him. She wondered exactly what lies they were fed into thinking she was a monster, or truths that were given without context.

"I'm going to remove the ice from your mouth and when I do I am trusting you to not scream and remain calm." Maybe it was her beauty, maybe it was the soothing canorous melody of her voice that kept his eyes on her. And now for the finishing blow she could regret later. "If you don't, a lot of people here may get hurt. I will have no choice but to defend myself and that could possibly end with me leveling this historic building which would be shameful. Understand?" She gave him a few seconds to think over the proposal? Threat? Promise? He wasn't certain what to call it but nodded all the same.

Elsa smiled gently, flicking her wrist to take away the gag. He panted and tried to glare up at the beautiful enchantress who easily subdued him.

"What do you want?" He breathed out after swallowing harshly.

"Where is Princess Darya and Georg Scherer?"

His face scrunched up in dubious revoltion, not grasping how this witch could think him so much a coward to give away his leaders positions so easily.

"And why exactly would I tell you that? Just for you to slip into their rooms and kil-"

"Son-" Elsa interjected, hands akimbo, her patience was already a hair width away from snapping, she had a painfully long day and knew she was in to have an equally long night, the incessant ticking that was tucked away in her mind was constant reminder of why she was here in the first place. "I am trying to end this war without bloodshed, and you are in no position to gamble with my leniency. Now either you can tell me where they are and I can put in a good word for you when this war does end… What was your name?"

"Uh… Asha… Asha Kuznetsov." Elsa nodded.

"Asha Kuznetsov- or I will leave you here and end this war alone and we can see what happens to you when the Loyalists siege this fort." His hesitancy kept him silent, weighing the pros and cons of his next choice. Elsa could sympathize with the young man presented at a crossroads of what was right and what was wrong.

She knelt down staring him in the eyes hoping her true nature reflected in her own. "Please, Mr. Kuznetsov, someone I love is dying all because they did a good thing and I must hurry and save them, I want to help. I'm not your enemy. I never was and when this is all over I will go back home… and never visit this horrible nation again." Despite the situation Elsa and Asha both snickered at her bluntness.

Sighing, Asha's shoulders dropped as he leaned over onto the wall's support. His warm breath created smoke between them. "They usually are all over but at this time of night they look at the paperwork and reports-" he shrugged not knowing the details himself. "In the west wing towers."

Elsa nodded, identifying said towers in the distance. "If you are what they say you are please… my sister, my brother in law– their home is in Yokovpen and they are good people. Last names Vann. Please spare them."

Turning back to the man she grinned sadly that he still held a defeatist spirit towards her. "Why don't you visit them when this is all over." She stated, surprising Asha with how warm the ice witch's demeanor could become, how sincere she seemed, handling him with nothing but with a kindness that reminded him of his mother.

How was it possible? Perhaps it was a ruse like the stories he had heard as child how nymphs and myths would lure in the unsuspecting with sweet words and lullabies. She was beautiful enough to be considered such, enchanting even. Asha could only pray as he watched her head towards the towers that God would have mercy on his soul for giving in to such a temptress.

---

Feeling secure enough from her position Elsa whimpered as she straightened her body up, a whisper of an ache touched her lower back in a promise that she would be experiencing regret for this all later. "I should have stretched."

---

The late night was supposed to be a simple one, go over the spymaster's reports concerning the Intel of fort Karasta, check in with strategist to plan the next move that could give their army the leverage in the war and with fewer casualties, perhaps even conspire an attempt to destroy the wretched abomination that plagued their skies.

"Well, this is interesting isn't it?" Princess Darya had barely entered the room and nearly knocked her head upon the door frame, too occupied reading a copy of the reports Georg had just spent an hour reviewing.

His heavy sigh displaced some of the hair on his face. To say he found the princess imperceptive and a bit inordinate was stating the least.

"Turns out Arendelle's military have mobilized at Karasta, no doubt a product of my sister's begging and pleading. They are too saint-suffering to not appear at the front lines trying to appease the poor common fighting man." The contempt in her tone was answered by a simple grunt.

"Indeed princess, it seems you have awoken the hibernating bear. I'd prepare for claws and teeth." His cynicism did not dissuade her haughty attitude as she flitted about the office space, plucking at the bobs, bits, books, parchments and sextants he had strewn about.

"That is precisely why I set bear traps right outside of their den." Her honey sweet voice set a sickening churn inside of Georg's stomach. Glancing outside the window he squinted at the gentle snowfall pushing past the window.

"Oh don't look so glum." He failed to find as much humor in the situation as the princess, turning his attention back to the paper in front of him.

"Did you ever consider what would happen if said bear happens to not be at its den Princess Darya?"

She scoffed. "Of course I did. I'm not the naïve princess so many thought me to be for years. I actually listened to my mother's insufferable meetings when she conspired against the enemy as painfully boring as they were."

"Your facetious demeanor towards the matter makes that fact quite incredulous, I assure you." His sardonic reply amused the princess rather than infuriated her. She hadn't known him capable of playful ripostes.

"Oh I'm sure she was a fine student."

The princess hummed at this amusedly stroking the torch that sat outside the opposing window left of the room.

"Thank you." Her smile instantly vanished when she realized who that voice belonged to whipping around. She groaned at the sight of the bane of her existence standing with crossed arms.

Georg remained seated, dipping his quill delicately scribbling down something.

Without exchanging another word she snatched the candle off of the desk sharing its heat with the torch.

Elsa watched with diligent eyes flicking them between the princess and Georg. "What a clever girl you are Elsa-" the praise instantly switched her voice to darken a few octaves. "How did you-"

She needn't ask for further details when Elsa answered with a turn of her head towards the window behind her.

Removing her hood she shook out her hair tying it up before reaching for the pouch bound to her hip alerting Georg.

Sensing the thin degree of tolerance she was under she lifted her palm. "I destroyed the Jade monster-"

"Jade? Is that what that abomination was molded by? Fascinating." Georg stood to his impressive height when Elsa tossed the pouch onto the table.

His thick fingers held it gently pouring its contents into his palm, pinching together to feel the dust between them.

"A formidable task I'm sure, Lady Elsa. Excellent work."

"I didn't do it in the name of boastfulness." Elsa stated.

"Of course not," The princess laughed, sauntering closer. "No doubt you wish that we surrender and put out our white flag, the monster searching for redemption with righteous deeds. Unfortunately, you already paid the price before receiving the goods."

Elsa remained calm as the princess encircled her, hyper vigilant remembering what occurred last time they were near one another. "There is no trade happening here Princess Darya. Maybe I'm foolish seeing this ending in my favor but I can't help but have faith that there are some parts in you that can see reason then again I am just merely human-" Darya derided at the last sentiment.

"A hound and a chicken will have vastly different opinions about the fox. Lady Elsa." Georg stated as the princess turned her back onto them.

"Well said Mr. Scherer, I cannot help what I am and what I have, but surely you see the madness of letting others suffer for my sake. If I continued to allow this I would be the monster you accuse me of being." Elsa could see it in his small beady stare; he wanted to believe her so desperately, but this doubt was clouded away by what ifs and possibilities that clogged reason.

"This visit is not a surrender. I have to end this-" in a spur of apprehensiveness she eyed the floor taking a deep breath. "I would rather it end without any more bloodshed as that is unnecessary and mute. Please Mr. Sherer, you must surely see the horror in all this!" Her hands waved to their surroundings. "If you wish to discuss terms or clauses I am very willing to listen. If I must use my magic only in my home country then so be it. If you wish me to never step foot in your country again I will gladly make that oath." Elsa had her fair share of this place ruled by metal, iron, and gunpowder.

Mr. Scherer considered her words staring down the parchment in front of him with small eyes, these eyes glanced up to Darya turning away from the window towards Elsa with a self pleased lopsided grin. Her demeanor had him sighing heavily, casting a… apologetic? Look to the spirit.

"Here you are." Darya said as if Elsa had only arrived a second ago. Perplexed by this Elsa heightened her guard, tucking her chin to the princess.

"Here I am."

"Indeed Elsa-" Darya began with a sneer watching the other flames fire off in the distance. "Here you are. And tell me where your precious family is?"

Elsa's brows furrowed, choosing to remain silent as Darya continued. "Because if they are at Fort Karasta as my spymasters have last reported they- well let's just say, they will fall on the sword for you."

Elsa's mouth gaped momentarily, panic frazzled any plans she had concocted on the way there, premeditated actions blown away by the princess' sneering words, when she whispered. "What have you done?" She followed Darya's glance to the torch in the window. The princess relished in the quick realization that spread upon her face, the moment it settled her hand flew forwards suffocating the flames of the torch in snow.

Darya giggled eerily resembling an innocent school girl. Yes Elsa could now pinpoint the most disturbing aspect about the princess that took her off the list of suspects when they first visited the empress.

It was her youth. Both in appearance and behavior. Where there should have been a childlike innocence there was malice and a vicious prejudice against what she did not understand instead of acceptance and curiosity.

Brushing past her Elsa watched on as braziers were lit up signaled by their neighbors traveling quickly across the mountain side.

"In about forty minutes Fort Karasta will be overcome. A shame you aren't there to stop them." It would have been embarrassing for the whimper which escaped from Elsa's throat but she couldn't be bothered with such non-quintessential qualms. Taking a stuttering breath Elsa gripped the sill, turning it to ice, it compacted so tightly Darya and Scherer could hear the wood begin to splinter underneath the pressure. The gales of snow and sleet ventured further pouring from the window like a flood nearly killing all visibility once free to gusts outside.

Her family, the troops, Ryu. All in danger now and it was her fault. Her foolishness believing that Georg and Darya would not be prepared for her infiltration, hell she didn't even know they were aware of her presence in the country.

And now all that she cared for was in danger.

Her body froze when the familiar stinging sensation of a knife pressed against her throat. Even the blade touching her skin burned it slowly snuffing out her powers which retreated back inside her.

It felt vulgar the way the Princess pushed her body into Elsa's, enticing her with one step at a time to draw away from the window.

"That's right, it's too late now Elsa, don't you see-" her hot breath slithered against the shell of Elsa's ear as her fingers idly played with the ice fabric of Elsa's garb. "If you hadn't fought us then no one would have gotten hurt. Your defeat was inevitable." Was that true? Did she really fail?

"I'm glad we caught you now, in your infancy." Georg, still appearing remorseful, regarded the pair, taking off his glasses to rub his wrinkled eyes and nose.

"Power does that, it tarnishes more and more when left unchecked by nature and law, and absolute power has no reason to regard the rules that keep the common man safe." Elsa's chest began to pull dramatically upward and then down, lungs beneath working overtime to keep air in her body. What was she to do now? Freeze Georg and have her throat slit by the princess?

"Fate is not fair but it will never be beaten- I see your fate in your eyes right now." Elsa squinted slightly as he spoke, trying to see where he was going with this. She remained silent, waiting for him to finish. "And it confuses me, it reminds me that even I do not know what will happen next. And neither do you."

"Oh-" the knife tightened, nicking the skin on Elsa's throat. "I think she does know what will happen next." The noise of the wind outside and princess' voice dulled till Elsa could only hear the rapid beating of her heart and blood thrum in her ears.

She made a lot of promises in her life, in this year alone, and now it seemed all those promises would shatter, but could they still be considered broken if she still breathed? She was still alive although the play of events was not in her favor, but that didn't mean she would have to fold straight away. She was not backed against a corner, her back was to the princess, the greatest threat to all that mattered to her.

It would be easy to make the choice that presented itself to Elsa for the sake of her loved ones, but could she bring herself to make that decision for herself?

You sacrificed yourself for me?

I love you.

You are the one you've been waiting for all of your life!

Despite being cold Elsa you give the warmest hugs.

Just promise me that, if it ever comes down to your safety or even your life and being a savior... You'll choose the former."

Aishitemasu- I love you so much, Erusa. I love, I can love and I love you.

A cold mist passed Elsa's lips as her pupils dilated from memories she recalled and some her mind had dug up from the recesses of her mind she thought never existed.

How? How could Elsa know true love, what it really means to love if she never considered loving herself before?

If so many wise and considerate even pure individuals risk their lives for me numerous times? Could I say that I really trust them if I don't see myself the way they see me?

What do they see in me?

I love all of you. Every bit of you, from-from your wonderful personality, to your little your wonderful mind which amazes me, to how ingenious you are at math and other complicated topics and how bad you are at charades to guess the picture- How kind you are, how brave, smart, and silly you can be.

Georg breathed heavily through his nose, bowing his head. "Yes… I think she does. Magic incarnate."

"Magic-" Elsa breathed as tears tore down her cheeks. Was that all anyone saw her as? Just a magic?

"Yes, the very thing that you are has become your undoing." The princess sneered self indulging in the moment she waited years for.

You want their acceptance, the holiest of grails.

It's not worth it, Elsa!

Your mother said it herself, you are the monster you've been waiting for.

Don't listen to them, Elsa.

The poignancy will consume you, You're not worth their love.

You're worth it, Elsa!

You ruined everything you dense motherfucker. You'll fade away like the trash in the gutter.

You are timeless, Elsa.

You turn to me in your time of needing the truth.

No one needs your lies.

Be brave and just face it, heed my counsel, and give into the thoughts…

It's more courageous to overcome.

"I am more than… I'm more than my magic."

Elsa felt her control start to slip along with her focus; thrusting her analysis of Darya's tactics aside, she brought her concentration back to allowing the massive storm whirling inside to begin to ease out of her body while more snow and ice accumulated in the room. She was already exhausted and would likely collapse when she finally allowed herself to release the accumulated surges of snow and ice; there would be no second chance to do it again.

Darya tried to slice through Elsa's neck, but she was impeded by a blast of flurries which quaked her upper body to double over. Before he could intervene Elsa shot Georg's torso with large twisting bars of ice which struck him harshly embedding deep against the wall.

Furious the princess sliced at the swirling spirals eradicating them from her path. With a snarl she jabbed again at Elsa who maneuvered gracefully to her left.

The winds in the room picked up scattering the papers and whatever wasn't held down by enough weight.

"I'm not a myth for you to play with." Elsa's words only taunted the princess' wrath. Her deflections with ice would not work, proven by the ease Darya had with slashing away at the snow and ice making it evaporate in a cloud of green smoke.

When she charged again Elsa spun upon her heel quickly. Just as one would suspect the princess was well versed in combative techniques that were taught to most royals.

"I'm not some villain to vanquish." Elsa used her forearm to block the next blow and with the opposing hand, curling her fingers inward, and flexing her thumb jabbed quickly into Darya's ribs.

The impact disabled the Princess for a few moments, as she collected herself Elsa clenched her hands and spread her legs assuming the tachi position ready for her next move.

"You can fool yourself Elsa and maybe fool others into thinking that you are a sheep but I and the rest of us know what you are." The princess wiped the drool leaking from her mouth with the back of her hand, hair becoming more unkempt and eyes blown out from the exertion. The princess sounded uncannily similar to self destructive echoes inside Elsa's head producing nothing but emotional turmoil, confusion unworthiness, now Elsa knew them to be wholly untrue

She remained as a mountain against the winds of their words, unfazed, unwavered, dauntless.

"I'm not an aberration who owes you their life. I'm not your lamb to place upon your altar made from fear of the spectacular." This time Elsa made the first move sweeping her legs beneath Darya swiftly, catching her before she fell to grip her arm to stab with three fingers drawing out a pained cry from her.

"I am more than what you believe me to be. So much more. I am going to save my family and you will live with the guilt of knowing you were wrong. And if you ever threaten the ones I love again…" leaning in closer Elsa kept her pinned beneath her burning gaze. "I will kill you." Her words pierced Darya more than any ice she could have ever produced, releasing her- she let the girl fall to the floor. "I promise." Stepping over her, Elsa walked towards the window.

"Darya no!" Georg's yell was the only warning Elsa had, turning around she prepared for the worst.

The ice shot out of Elsa's joined hands instinctively.

Thick ambrosia leaked down the large sharp shard of ice.

Elsa's pupils grew smaller as Darya's choked gasps and gurgles spat up more blood. Gravity pulled her skewered form closer to Elsa.

The clang of the dagger thudded against the wood when her hands could no longer clutch it.

"I-I lived long enough to seeee… '' she breathed out, staring at Elsa as the life left her constricted irises. "I was righ-" the squelching sound of the full weight of the princess slumping against the ice spike nearly made Elsa throw up.

"Oh lord-" Georg lamented going into prayer immediately.

Elsa straightened and stared, at every detail, the way the flesh flowered out through Darya's back. The pools of her body fluids still drained from the hole in her chest and mouth creating puddles upon the wood.

You monst-

The inner voice couldn't finish interrupted by another.

Live by the sword, die by the sword.

When it comes to man the wicked and righteous are all the same, their religious alignment means nothing if not for their own gain. They do not know true faith. Their god is their own ego, vulnerable and falsified. A disgrace. A god instructing them to massacre us in our sleep.

"Our sleep?" Never had Elsa felt so disconnected from humans in all her life. How far humans would go, how they would betray, logic, kindness, humanity itself in the dangerous egotism of being right in their convoluted beliefs. This is what the dragons felt. To be hunted and hated for what they were. It was through calamity that Elsa felt a connection between her and the ancient beings in ways she never considered. She still felt remorse for Darya. It was a tragedy, so young, so blinded, so ready to give an outright refusal to live.

Your decisions are monumental in regards to the fate of magic itself. You must aid each other, when one is forced to make a decision for the greater good, the other must keep morality's worth in question. So what do you choose?

Closing the fist she had been also observing and touching with the other Elsa casted one more glance to Darya's disemboweled corpse.

"I chose me." She stated simply to the inner question.

There were many emotions coursing below in the pot of Elsa's mind and she'd take note of the glaring absence of one in particular.

Guilt.

She knew she'd heal and rise above if it did ever decide to show its face.

The horns outside had broken her self reflections to the pressing matter that was happening right now. The bangs at the frozen over door were mute to her ears as Georg spoke.

"She won't ever learn what you truly are." Elsa accepted that it was not her role to educate the woman. She'd teach those that would listen and those that refused… well they'd learn by another means.

"I know." Elsa stated lifting one leg out the window, she could detect Nokk's neighs and bellows outside.

"You were both right in some things… you are more than your magic and you still are too late I'm afraid."

Elsa regarded him tiredly, sighing.

"If Nokk can outrun a dam breaking he can outrun Ruskland horses."

"A gambler's fallacy, I expected better from you lady Elsa."

"I don't live by your expectations, Mr. Scherer, yours are just premeditated resentments. Your fate is no longer my concern but your empress who you swore to serve. Let's hope she's more merciful than your God."

They both knew who was more capable of forgiveness than the other.

Climbing down the soldiers that tried to surround Elsa were flung away by winds and ice, as if they were flies swarming a horse's back. Back straight and steps sure, crowned in an overture bold, she'd go beyond what she had ever thought herself capable–not permitting the inner voices to lie to her. She had too much to lose, too much to love, and to fight for, just to lose and succumb to doubts.

Elsa knew she was not unbroken yet…

Within my cracks dwells the truth.

She kept up the steady snowfall in her vicinity, layering yet more snow upon the ground and in the air as she focused on maintaining less visibility for anyone near.

Mounting Nokk Elsa casted one last glance to the roof where Asha remained watching.

Sending Nokk into a gallop Elsa left the fort with a haboob of snow and blizzards following closely behind shrouding the already dark skies cursing anyone unfortunate soul who found themselves amidst it with zero visibility.

---

"Impressive. And when will he be ready for harvest?"

Their smooth voices enraged bouts of nausea in Ryu's stomach, the likes of which she had never felt. In person it was a horrendous reality but here… Inside her mind it was a terrifying ghost, less of a promise and more a dreaded threat.

"In seven weeks time, when the next egg is predicted to hatch my liege."

It was so revolting. The way they stood in their lavish clothes, examining the beautiful Leviathan who coiled around the provided giant pillar. Eyes dead of any hope, mind racing with what ifs that were far more livable than the fate it was born into.

"Let me see your body, you magnificent beast. Let me see the magic within you."

The dragon did not budge, contumacious, wondering what was the point. What was the point of spending such a long and arduous life only preparing for death? Was this all they were worth?

"Come now from the shadows dragon, and show me everything. Trust me, why don't you trust us, show us and all the world your beauty. I will see more of it."

The grotesque reverence they spoke in was so perverse, it made Ryu want to cover herself up in so many layers of clothes that she'd disappear never to be found.

Ryu's protests in the present could not be heard in the past as the dragon uncoiled itself moving with a grace only a creature of this magnitude was capable of.

It burned! Ryu felt it. The stinging assault of hands daring to touch and molest the scales of her kin. The feather light touches which danced across their skin might as well have been plundering her inner most intimate places.

Beautiful golden skin.

Ryu whimpered. Remembering the way her mistress would touch and prod her without a care of modesty.

"There is something special about you, dragon."

Her mistress would beset as her fingers burglarized underneath the satin silks to feel her skin. Saying ;"Am I not worth your purrs, does it not please you that I find satisfaction in how you develop or are your vibrations only shown to my son behind my back? The only thing that would make you absolutely perfect would be a lovely gag over that mouth. You beautiful beast."

Her power. That's all she wanted. She just wanted to touch her power and soul. She demanded Ryu share it with her. To harness and show the whole damn world, to overcome it as if she owed it to them just for being born.

It always made Ryu question why it felt so depraved to be touched by Lady Mikoto when she was taught that it was right. Just a mere pet to her mane or scales she'd flinch away from and be deemed obstreperous. Why was she born with these emotions if they were wrong? Why did her skin crawl whenever the Lady's eyes would stare down at her with depraved affection just to turn into repulsion the next hour.

Why did it hurt when Lady Mikoto felt her?

Why didn't she trust her mistress? You just wanted to feel me, you just wanted to share me, you just wanted to use me, and now I know. Seeing another go through the same.

Did her worth only exist in the Mikotos words? Or was there truly more?

Yes there is. So much more, little fledgling. I am telling you this now because if someone had told me this I'd… perhaps be still alive.

Dragged back to hundreds of years before her, Ryu saw those same tormenting questions dampening in the Phoenix dragon's eyes as his Lord's wrinkled hand dragged across his giant tied muzzle.

I'm more than their words?

Something was stopping Ryu from accepting the answer despite how much it pained her to do so.

Why do you heed the word of humans?

I don't know, maybe because I know and have seen how wise and wonderful they can be.

The Phoenix dragon must have seen the fleeting image of Elsa and Anna and scorned them with abhorrence.

Wonderful? They are against nature, her antithesis, constantly fighting against her. An arrow, nature's affection for them being the heel to her Achilles.

That's not true! I have seen humans embrace nature and welcome her with nothing but love.

That is the least repentance they can make to atone for destroying her absent of cause and excuse. They find new ways to create odium in me with their absurdity.

Ryu wheezed as the hate inflamed her bosom. Decidedly she flooded her already crowded mind with thoughts of Elsa, hoping that her own emotions were strong enough to mellow out the Yokai's vengeful sorrows to heal from solitude.

She would not sustain his violent passion and ennui. She did not have the energy to keep up this fight he knew that, but he would also have to know that she would not easily yield. She had her own confusions and qualms with humans but she would not submit to the irresistible temptress of rage.

You are nothing if not a cosmonaut with a strong soul.

A quake resembling when Elsa cracked open the jade shook her unconscious form. It didn't feel like it came from the memories which kept her exhausted mind from truly resting.

A small grunt followed by a twitch jolted her roused by the deep rich timbre of the growls that refused to stay silent in her mind.

Fledgling you must give me control of the body.

Why should I? Ryu had no desire to risk the dragon pushing her soul out, the effort of rising now seemed like an impossible task and one she had no interest in partaking in.

True to their gospel here man comes to destroy us. Give. Me. The. Body.

His dangerous growls would have intimidated Ryu, sending her in the corners of her mind–tail tucked had she not the obstinacy remain put.

It's a pointless resistance for you.

Another boom accompanied with the sounds of yelling voices pounded against the ice encasing Ryu.

As much as she wished to open her eyes they wouldn't budge, her body became prey for the weariness.

Humans may have lost all their charms to you, and you may be older and stronger, but I am wiser. I have seen all perspectives of them. What they are capable of. You never had the chance to witness their beauties, to feel admiration in their savage excellence and varieties.

I refus-

I've seen them unbridled and it is both terrifying and euphoric. I've seen them at their most human; brutal violence to their enemies, loving protection for loved ones, intelligence, lust, stupidity, jealousy, hatred, rage, kindness. It's not easy being a human, sometimes they are what their nature demands them to be and sometimes they must choose.

Your sympathy towards humanity is an insanity, so unhinged that I cannot help myself from respecting it. Nevertheless if you do not abandon it they will destroy you.

I will not let them destroy me.

Then give me the body. I vow to not harm the ones you cherish.

Ryu's slipping resolve tuned her ears into the sound of cannons and guns, boots crashing against the earth leaving prints and horses rearing up in agitation.

Very well.

Let me show you the amount of power it takes to set things right. Watch and see what we are capable of together.

---

The ice dome was regarded with vacant eyes until dulled out shuffling and grunts could be heard within.

"What's this?" A heretic asked slowing his trot down through the forest. His comrades also stopped at his inquiry, swords gripped tight.

Experimentally one pressed the tip of his blade into the dome. It felt like ice yet held an ominous aura. The surface danced in shadows of light blues and whites, as if a blizzard was just under a few inches deep.

The last thing any of the stray soldiers expected was for the ice to begin glowing gold, heat radiating off it like a dangerous sun. The temperature was warning enough that they should evacuate the vicinity swiftly.

There was a distant wail inside that came from the large unidentifiable silhouette.

The water from the great dome melted down into the already moist ground.

Darkness, life had left the ice leaving it gray and devoid.

Then came the noises.

As air temperatures rose and fell, the ice expanded and contracted as a result. Deforming with expansion, creaking and groaning, sonorous in volume accompanying the returning light.

As a bow with too much weight would snap the ice no longer able to handle whatever was happening inside it fulminated in a blast and dangerous backfire of icicles and shards piercing some of the soldiers.

Those injuries could not compare to the deafening shrill cry of the beast which hatched from the cold.

The nightmare standing upon its hind legs, coughed out a bark of bile finding its wicked voice. Every breath it took was a promise of death.

The soldiers stood still frozen in place. Unable to move or draw their eyes away. This had to have been wrong. The orders to advance upon the fort would only be carried out if the green abomination was dead or gone. But this wasn't a green monster. Its smaller size and flesh, created a more visceral fear. Where they could hide away in smaller places away from the bird– intuition told them that wouldn't be the case here.

The beast's beauty was terrible, its iridescent scales and colors oozed into their minds forever permanating its shades there. The beast fell to four paws oddly curious of its own body, rolling and flexing each claw which dug into the brown soil, as the tail whipped in almost all directions. The immense muscles coiled underneath its ethereal armor.

If the soldiers had to pick the worst part of it they would have chosen the jaws, the skin along the muzzle curling and wrinkling with each snort and growl.

When it opened its maw to an impossible width, like a snake yawning before a large meal there was nothing but pink fleshy hard and soft palettes and wicked devilish rows of fangs that belonged to the monsters they imagined as children. Two tiny holes in the back of its throat were licked by the slightly forked tongue.

When it was done the mouth closed back up tucking everything inside, it sat very cat-like upon its haunches, wrapping the tail around its four paws. The noise coming from it now was a low hum of nine notes that was almost tranquil.

What creature was so awful and mesmerizing and capable of song?

A snap of the twig startled them all and the beast's melody halted abruptly. The appendages rose and flickered, slowly the beast twisted its neck joints capable of turning back completely like an owl.

A whimper. The soldier cursed himself for actually fucking whimpering! But how could he not? With those intense eyes which constricted in dilation the moment they landed on him kept them all locked in place. Luminous yellow, and molten like the core of a star resided in them. Unlike actual stars it wasn't poetic or hopeful. It was not beautiful, enchanting maybe but the hatred in them vowed to bring nothing but agony and destruction.

Its movements were no longer blithe and preparatory, lips parting a vibrating snarl curled in the air, penetrating through their bowels, moving them. Then as quick as a lightning striking a tree the beast vanished into the brush.

Its absence took a moment to register but not too long for the soldiers to go sprinting, some even dropping their weapons favoring speed over defense.

---

The dragon watched as they clambered away. Still unable to understand how these disillusioning creatures overcame their ancestors so long ago. Hiding behind their inventions of unnatural destruction. Without them, the wealth, the titles, the guns and metal, the jade… what were they?

Nothing more than squirming soft, fuzzy, bags of flesh and blood. With dull teeth, and blunt fingernails that shine pink when too much pressure was exuded upon them.

You're wrong!

Shaking away Ryu's voice The dragon followed silently and quickly, easily navigating the forest with graceful serpent-like movements until it was close enough, flattening to the ground to avoid detection.

The thrill enhanced the serotonin and cholinergic chemicals that even Ryu felt intoxicated by falling under the spell of induced predation.

Their rapid little movements triggered her irises to widen taking in more light.

The crawl progressed into a jog, then gallop, and soon they were sprinting towards a selected target.

The man screamed as he was overcome by large paws and jaws clasping around his legs dragging him back.

His jugular– so soft and vulnerable as he quivered and cried. "Please! Please don't!"

He held out his hands.

Don't!

Aren't these the men who wanted your Elsa dead? Why spare them?

B-b-because all life has value!

Is their lives more valuable than your spirit's?

Ryu could not form a response, she knew what the Yokai wanted. He wanted to kill and exude his vengeance for what was done to them. He did not care about Elsa but was aware Ryu did. And maybe if she was the same person months ago she would have gladly let the Yokai slaughter all the Heretics if he pleased and maybe even the loyalist so long as Elsa was safe.

Two extremes, neither would be good, the Yokai could not destroy every living human in the vicinity but if she went to the other opposite variable he very well may not listen, doing things on his own terms and things would get out of hand quickly.

Do as you please with Heretics they are dressed like him, but leave the loyalist, and don't you dare hurt my friends.

She hoped she sounded as intimidating as she tried. The Yokai grunted and rested a large paw on the man's chest.

No matter what Ryu did she could not look away, this was her body after all. As much as she wanted to, she'd have to witness all the carnage the Yokai desired and even share his glee at the decimation.

The man wailed as the dragon inhaled and opened its jaws before exhaling out a fire so hot it felt chilling, scorching his flesh to a reddish char.

The dragon lifted off of him and watched as he wriggled, cooking alive on the ground.

Elsa will be so disappointed.

You confuse me fledgling, any female would be pleased their mate so readily eliminated any threats to them and their territory.

He's still alive.

He'll succumb to his injuries.

You could have killed him quickly.

Yes... I could have.

They took off towards the other soldiers skidding to half on a cliff. Slowly the dragon's wings spread and took off low dodging the trees catching up quickly to the others.

They were scorched in a wall of flames that burned the brush and their bodies black and red.

Ryu groaned, loathing the exhilarating tingle that tickled her brain and chest. It should not have felt so… so rapturous. How her flames burned brighter and hotter than they ever had. The adrenaline coursed through her veins reaching a level that she usually arrested before it overcame her. This power her lady craved as well, wanting to steal it for herself and her household.

Man cannot stand to exist in a world where a being exists as more than they, they cannot accept that their species is less than. So they either try to control that power or destroy it.

A wave of whole disgust for humankind rose up again within them and completely soured the hunt that was to come, so that they felt not only no joy, not even the least bit of satisfaction at catching these pitiful creatures.

This spirit's entire existence now was just conjecture and gloom.

Yeah yeah, humans are bad and all that other bullshit you're not getting a convert outta me, look ya want violence well I'm sure there's plenty of that at the fort.

Ryu didn't care if he knew her true intentions were just to get to where Anna and Elsa were and baited him with brutality. She needed to keep them safe and since she was shackled with this vengeful spirit she'd use him to do just that.

---

Anna's head whirled at the whistling of a flurry of crossbow bolts cutting through the dank smoke filled air. While most of the bolts missed them, more than enough found their mark hitting some poor soldiers in the shoulders and arms.

Anna screamed ducking down in the cover Kristoff yanked her into. She clutched her bag of bombs with one hand and the other grasped her sword.

"Your majesty, we must get you to safety." Mattias panted exasperatedly, he squatted in front of them as another shockwave of a blast shook the foundations of Karasta.

"Mattias–" Anna began softly, her voice still rising over the ruckus of battle.

Glancing to Kristoff he smiled at his wife, telegraphing eyes which showed more understanding than any spoken word could. "I'm with you Feisty pants but know that your safety is more important than any soldier and anything and I'll do whatever I must to keep you safe… that includes disobeying the queen."

Anna grinned dreamily. She knew she was being selfish, it still made her heart soar faster than an arrow hearing Kristoff prioritize her in a situation like this, it gave her courage to face danger and not falter but instead nobly dare.

Knowing that telltale defiance shining in her eyes Mattias sighed. "We have to get to the armory to suit you two up properly." Anna nodded, smiling with zeal.

---

"Are you mad!" Some of his men cringed at Colonel Misha's shrill bark. Mattias maintained stoicism unwavered by his reddened face.

"I am." Anna answered, stepping forward keeping her gaze leveled.

Misha's furious gaze tempered when he stared at her, keeping its boiling just beneath the surface. "Your Majesty, it would be nothing short of complete insanity to send you out into battle. If anything were to befall you I would be held responsible along with General Konstantin. Think of the state that would leave Arendelle in."

Anna considered his words briefly before replying seriously. She had already thought of that, there was so much on the line. Still a sneaking presentiment kept nagging at her insides. It was fed by the memory of when the sentinels captured her in the temple.

Ryu was currently out of commission albeit a bit more than being drugged but still she came. In times like these she was reminded that if there was nothing left then faith was all she could cling to.

"I understand and personally appreciate your concerns Colonel Misha, but I will not hide here cowering while my men and yours risk their lives. While my sister is currently risking her life. You thought she was incapable of defeating the Yokai and yet she did. I am not asking your permission to fight, just your support and if you will not aid me then so be it. "

She could see how he fought to roll his eyes, his composure slipping like the debris or rocks and dust off of the walls as catapults flung mortar and boulders at their refuge.

"Your sister Lady queen, the one with magical abilities that can create life?"

Misha's face was the very face of the insecurities that festered and ate at Anna's resolve for the majority of her life.

She wasn't enough.

She wasn't special.

She was stupid, impulsive, and a naive foolish princess playing dress up as a queen.

Something dangerous snapped behind her eyes at his attempts to claim she was bluffing which needed to be called, in a very humiliating manner.

So focused on her own aggression Anna hadn't noticed the telling signs of Kristoff's the way his face remained neutral as he started speaking with his hand in the Colonel's direction.

"Look Misha, I know you don't know us but Anna has magical abilities of her own. I have seen her defy what is possible and go against odds that would have even the most skilled gambler sweating. She may not be as imposing in size or demeanor but this woman is not to be underestimated because she will prove you the fool."

After growing up always being the little ray of sunshine in everyone's life not taken seriously in anything regarding importance to almost everyone in every way she could remember, Anna decided she was through with that facade. That single layer everyone thought to be her whole being.

After sharing a loving glance with Kristoff she turned her turquoise raging eyes on the man.

"Colonel Misha, I am more than just some girl who you need to protect. Last I checked you sent word asking for our rescue, well-" she gestured to herself, Kristoff and Mattias with his men. "We're here to rescue you, so let us."

Konstantin snickered quickly, recovering with a cough.

Misha sneered trying to hide his blush. "And what, pray tell, are you going to do against those thousands of soldiers out there who won't hesitate to take the queen prisoner or kill a sweet young lady such as yourself?" he asked condescendingly.

Anna's grin became a full-blown smile, stretching her freckled cheeks to show her bright teeth. She reached into her bag pulling out a bomb, testing its weight by juggling it up and down.

"I'm going to kill them with my sweetness."

---

Gathered around the table Anna's mouth moved in rapid succession explaining her and Mattia's plan to the military leaders and their squadrons. It was one of the few times her rambling was a blessing since they were pressed for time.

"Separate into three groups. Bishops continue on foot to the enemy reinforcement lines and keep them from grouping up with the people chasing us.

The second group; Knights Cavalry, take the horses and hide away waiting for the signal forSweet Lady.

The last group of Rooks, on foot will attack the chasers and finish them off before joining the first group. Encircling them creates a target for Konstantin and his men to fire at." Her hands moved as quickly as her words across the map pointing to the positions.

"Then when they are all together the Knights will sweep in and rescue the Rooks and Bishops taking off for cover back to the fort bunker. Here I mean. Any questions?" One brave soldier raised his hand but Anna was already on the next topic looking down at the map.

---

"Is this enough your Majesty?" A soldier inquired, dumping the last of the sugar into the steel ball.

"Yes, that's perfect!" Anna gave a thumbs up bouncing on her heels.

"Quick question?" Kristoff asked racing off after Anna down the hall of the fort. His armor still felt clunky and foreign.

"What's up, Reindeer king?" Anna quipped.

"How are we going to get that giant explosion away from us and towards the enemy?"

Anna held up her fingers and counted their options. "One; we use the giant catapult to launch it at the target-"

"The one that isn't finished yet– And if that doesn't go as planned?" It wasn't a doubtful question; the steel ball was much heavier than any of their original catapults could handle. They had to string up a few men who knew how to handle wood and mechanics to even build it. There was no time for testing they could only hope.

"And one- wait no I already said that- two! I get up on it and roll it myself!"

As much trepidation as the second option caused, Kristoff was glad they at least had one before it that could keep Anna from nearly killing herself with her plan of devastating the heretic army.

Kristoff slowed them down grabbing Anna's arm pulling her closely. "I want you to know that no matter where you lead me, be it to a mountain, a forest, an altar, or battle or even death itself– I'll be right there with you always."

Anna wiped her tears away with the back of her right hand, removing her hands from Kristoff's to place over his and squeezed. "I know," she replied with a small nod. "And I will never move forward unless you are by my side cause I can't do this without you. And if anyone tries to hurt you I swear to Jesus H. Christ himself I will bathe them in sugar, Potassium chlorate, and sulfuric acid. Thank you for staying with me-" there was a pause where they both smiled sadly. "As crazy as our adventures have been-" her voice trembled so she closed her eyes and sighed, needing just a few seconds to compose herself before gazing at Kristoff again. "We were chosen for this for a reason. I know that and take it as a compliment." She lifted their hands so they were clasped just below their chins, their faces just inches apart. "I love you forever."

"And ever." Kristoff finished kissing her gently.

Mattias joined them drawing his sword, he side glanced at Anna. "Are you sure you do not wish to wear the more traditional armor my queen?"

Anna shook her head looking down at the ice suit Elsa had made her "Nope." They stood in front of the draw bridge which groaned as it began opening. "Something tells me things are about to get hot."

There stood their men. From Arendelle and some natives, Anna stepped ahead of Kristoff and Mattias, calling the soldier's attention with her hand.

"Brothers of Arendelle and new comrades we have made by coming here-" she stared at all their faces, some were wrought with worry, others a sense of duty and loyalty that made her want to cry but now was not the time for tears. "We are a peaceful nation and some have mistaken that for a willingness to concede defeat before the battle has begun. We will prove them wrong today, and any other day they dare threaten us." The men cried a single cheer in unison. It stoked the flames within Anna's heart so hot she wouldn't doubt that if in the next exhale she took fire would leave her lips, instead her voice rang out efficacious and formidable.

"You are probably wondering why I am joining you at this time; and the truth is because as queen my job isn't just sitting in a castle and passing laws and kissing babies on their foreheads." She chuckled along with some soldiers before returning to her previous disposition. "I am Anna Oldenburg Árnadalr, Guardian and Sovereign of the Northernmost Realm among the Nordic isles. My title, my bloodright is to serve my country and its people. To protect you all as best I can. And with my title that means I must live amongst you, fight amongst you… and die amongst you. To lay myself down in the effort to protect, and serve with all that I am, with all that my honor and blood allow."

"And ya know it angers me that the audacious see us and are jealous or threatened and think they can come and violate with impunity and prejudice. Are we going to allow them to get away with the terror they caused?"

The soldiers' voices rose above the snow, above the cannons, sounding off as a single organism. "No!"

"Are we going to permit them to threaten our bridge of life and nature?"

"No!"

"Exactly! We are not monsters or oddities that need to be culled. We are teachers who now must teach the enemy what happens when they mistake our tranquility for weakness. We are warriors who do not seek out the fight but will step up and defend the innocent from the hunger of the wolf. We are the keepers of our own peace and those who call upon us! We are a mountain that will not bend to the mere howling of antagonizing winds! Our Flags will always fly! We are Arendelle!" Her raised fist wavered when she spotted some Ruskland men folding her lips at the last part of her speech. "W-well some of us are and some aren't and that's okay too!"

The men cheered, clapping and beating their chest with the strength of Thor himself.

"Now let's go show those boys the terrifying force of what happens when Nature and humans unite!"

They roared in agreement and mobilized.

---

Checking her vital signs and following the rhythm inside of her chest Anna sat up on her steed proudly with her squad of the most experienced riders and riderless horses that managed to escape and reorganize as the Heretics fought and ransacked the fort.

She was born for this.

They'd draw them out of the fort with a falsified retreat towards the no man's land keeping them there long enough until the giant bomb she affectionately namedSweet Ladycould be released by the catapult or herself– she still wasn't certain how she'd get it high enough to set it off– destroying their machinery and numbers.

She prayed silently that the feigned retreat would not become a real one.

Anna hated that it came to this, so many perished due to their self inflicted blindness but with being queen she had a duty to her people and family. And the Heretics had proven they were not going to be swayed from their fanatical hatred of magic.

To hate magic to Anna meant hating her country, her origins. To hate magic meant to hate Elsa and that just wouldn't do.

She held her fist up steadying her horse and holding her men in place, with heavy hearts they watched on as their comrades overwhelmed by numbers fought valiantly. Until they could withstand no more, watering the dead soil with their blood.

A flag was raised in one of the fort's towers. Anna and Kristoff nodded to one another and turned back to the soldiers.

"That's our signal. Charge!" Anna's horse reared up, galloping down the hill from under the cover of trees keeping pace with Sven heading to the back entrance.

Archers aimed straight for their heads, hitting their bullseye between the eyes of some men and their helmets.

Even with her absence Elsa was still protecting Anna with her magic keeping the arrows from penetrating her ice flight suit.

The stampede of a hundred hooves galloping through the fort created dust and chaos. As some loyalists braved the mayhem to stop the animals long enough for them to mount either getting stomped in the fray or managing to make it atop. The lucky ones were helped by their fellow man to swing aboard with them. Misha missed his steed, too busy fighting off and kicking a Heretic into the ground.

"No!" He chased after his mare who continued on with the herd without him.

Anna hearing his plea steered her stallion towards him, placing two fingers into her mouth she whistled high and loud catching his eyes. Lucky for him she had a hand free to scoop him up as she raced by.

Shooting a sardonic smirk over her shoulder the Colonel bristled and nodded ahead of them. "We'll address thislateryour Majesty."

Leading the charge out the gates Anna knew the task would be formidable and this was proven when some Heretics tried to grab her legs and yank her off. Misha cursed them to hell, stabbing them with his sword as they dragged along hanging on by the stirrups.

Panicked she fumbled with her satchel and pulled the ring out of her bomb, casting it downward spreading the molten purple flames upon her enemies who screamed from the unsuspected pain. Misha shielded his face from the heat looking on in awe at the woman's tiny but formidable weapon.

Anna noticed his amazement and barked out a mirthful laugh. "Our snowman Olaf invented these!" She stated proudly.

"Ah yes a snowman of course." He mumbled now accepting that he would never be prepared for anything an Arendelle resident would say.

Kristoff spurred Sven in front of Anna's horse, holding his head down barreling through bodies with his impressive antlers clearing the way until they made it out.

"Woohoo! Atta boy Sven!" Anna cheered in jubilation, looking over her shoulder she smirked looking over her shoulder seeing the Heretics give chase. "To Protect and Serve–!" Her battlecry was answered by a harmonious drum of baritones

"We shall!" With their voices they rallied together in formation charging for no man's land.

Lengths ahead of the pursuing enemy forces the Arendelle and Ruskland troops split off, one group surging ahead to meet the left behind enemies with an onslaught.

The others took refuge out of sight in trenches while the remaining attacked in oblique order: it was a speculative strategy that they barely had the numbers for versus the many Heretics.

Their flanks were positioned in a slanted fashion instead of giving a vast part of their force to a single flank.

If they could last long enough and then find a window to retreat in six minutes hopefully getting away from the blast long enough then they would win this.

The infantry and pikemen in the remaining group dismounted and took their places with Mattias.

The hidden cavalry and horses would be held back from the initial charge waiting until the signal was sounded forSweet Ladyto be launched, only taking field up on the Heretics who'd be unprepared for the assault, crippling them while whisking the footmen to safety away from the blast radius. Speed and precision were critical to Anna's plan.

Slowing down Anna and Misha dismounted and turned back to face their pursuers. She and Kristoff frowned as the Heretics showed no signs of charging forward to clash into them. Misha did not seem puzzled by this, probably having already seen the marshaling before. Hell for all Anna knew he or Konstantin invented it, still she had hoped to keep some distance between the enemies being the wedge to keep them from grouping up and hiding behind the cover of their barricades, giving them the chance to siege her men. But the Heretics held their ground, either through experience, wise leadership or both.

The men took up their shields and held them in front, pikes held outward towards them. In perfect synchrony they began marching towards but that wasn't the most pressing concern. The real threat was the wave of black that blotted out the sky.

"Fuck." Anna swore to herself. "Spread out or take cover!" Misha belted out. There wasn't much cover to be had save for a few abandoned structures that littered around what was once an active battlefield.

The formation split apart to avoid the rain of arrows. The men were subjected to the piercing of the arrows. Those remaining obeyed their queen and charged forward as the Heretic Archers were probably notching their bows.

Despite their armor and shields, if enough arrows were put into the air, there would be injuries and deaths from precise shots.

"Stay a few paces behind me!" Anna instructed, the men hesitated not liking the idea but heeded, this wasn't a war room where they had freedom to argue, there was no place for doubt on the battlefield.

With nowhere else to go but forward Anna held her bomb in hand adding a second for good measure and ran towards the wall of shields with Kristoff wielding double axes and Misha holding his sword high and proud rushing the enemy a few paces back.

It must have been puzzling for the weathered soldiers to be charged at by the petite woman holding two balls in her hands. Brows set in with dauntless courage, for those seeing this from a distance they'd see the queen barreling through the mud and snow to the barricaded shields and steel spearheads which would no doubt pierce her heart.

"One," Anna began whispering beneath clenched teeth, despite the exertion her breath held fast and remained steady. "Two-" A little closer, she plucked the pins from her bombs with her teeth and pulled down the ice face shield from atop her head.

"Three!" The small bombs were thrown between a gap in the shields drawing some curious glances, two seconds later their blockade was overcome from the inside with purples and blues hues of heat that imploded, casting the soldiers nearest into the air from the impact of the explosion.

Anna leapt into the fray of fire curling in on herself. True to Elsa's word she rolled past into the muddy slush unscathed from the flames.

The next minute was utter chaos as the loyalist troops flooded in through the created weak point clashing metal to metal.

The herd of dirtied heavy boots and bodies rolling kept Anna from finding her feet.

A heavy man landed on her back, nearly immobilizing her. She crawled, crying out from the suffocating pressure she continued to crawl to open ground nearly getting up.

When she lifted up her head she caught eyes with a heretic who charged yelling in bloodlust. Determined to end the little vagrant who thwarted their defenses.

Her muddy fingers slipped and hurried to grab another bomb from her bag but he was already above her swinging his large sword.

Blood splattered her once dark blue and white scaled armor. Too shell shocked it took a few seconds of frantic checking for Anna to realize the blood was not hers but belonged to the attacker, the tip of an ax blade poked through his chest. He gurgled and coughed before falling forward, nearly landing on Anna had she not rolled out of the way.

Her chest moved rapidly looking around at the carnage of men tearing each other apart.

Till her eyes trailed to a very concerned Kristoff holding a bloody ax. His hulking form rippled and twitched from the adrenaline of the surrounding violence like a bull ready to rut his horns through any who dared to touch her- but his eyes softened to a degree enough to cause whiplash when they landed on Anna. He lifted her up to her feet.

"Let's get you back to the fort." His offer was so tempting, Anna knew battle would be perilous but this… nothing could prepare her for this. The shakes from nerves shot from knowing it only took a split second of carelessness for someone's blade to end her life.

Unable to steel herself, Anna kept her resolve as best she could. She promised to protect these people and that is exactly what she'd do. "No," her voice wasn't stentorian, it was actually very meek and she was impressed that Kristoff could even hear her. "I have to meet the… Bishops and blow up the Heretic catapults untilSweet Ladyis ready."

Kristoff breathlessly laughed, pulling her with him away from the fighting as best he could. Anyone else would have assumed she hit head but to Kristoff she was just Anna. "Careful, you're starting to sound like Ryu." He nearly slipped but kept a firm grip on Anna's hand.

"Aww thank you." She began jogging ahead of him keeping her head low and steps light.

A sword would have split their held hands had it not been intercepted by a long dirtied blade held by Misha. The clang of the weapons resounded around them. He countered the attack and slashed through the man with a roar.

Haggardly breathing he looked at the pair then zeroed his gaze on Anna pointing to her. "It's later."

Anna grinned at the man before she could open her mouth. He was attacked again, with impressive strength he threw the two troops off of himself . "Go to the Bishops, or the fort I don't care– just get out of here!"

Not needing to be told twice Anna ran with Kristoff safeguarding her passage. The bombs didn't hurt their cause either. They were a small comfort, reminding her of Ryu. She had to admit she'd feel a lot more confident if she were riding the dragon right now.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Eh" Anna shrugged one shoulder. "I'm alright but we'll be feeling it in the morning though." Kristoff groaned, keeping the pace of a run that wouldn't gas them out towards the center of the enemy reinforcement lines.

"Speak for yourself and check your privilege of being young. I'm feeling it now!"

---

"Sir, more soldiers from the south are infiltrating the fort!"

Konstantin frowned, turning towards the sound of a violent scuffle happening behind the doors leading to the steps.

His subordinates also glanced momentarily, stopping their work on the catapult, jolting when his usually tepid voice boomed at them.

"Don't act like spring weathered privates, Queen Anna needs this catapult functional and so do our comrades!" We did not send them to slaughter!"

Drawing his longsword holding it with a strong two handed grip and taking a fighting stance the old general sneered at the wood waiting for it to reveal whomever dared interrupt their plans.

"Ready yourselves." The archers notched their bows, taking aim at the doors.

Wood splintered apart from the battering ram. The first troops in line were shot down through the openings they created but were quickly replaced with more mindless drones who were willing to die for the cause.

Once through the soldiers flooded in like a swarm killing the remaining masons and engineers. The Heretic captain adorned in blasphemous metals, stepped through smugly. The General's eyes roamed over the rewarded sigils of his betrayal.

"Konstantin." He saluted, with the same respect he'd pay in the past.

Konstantin snarled, enraged by the audacity as he was surrounded by traitors, he eyed the boys he trained and promoted himself. His heart gained three more pounds of sorrow and disappointment.

"Petri." He practically spat out the name like a glob of chewing tobacco that overstayed its welcome. Some of the men hesitated remaining where they stood.

Petri grew irritated, stomping his polished boots to the ground. "Charge!" He ordered. "And seize him!" Still the battle-seasoned soldiers held their ground, this considerably would be an act of treason far beyond what they thought they'd be committing, sensing their reservations he tried a different approach. "I am not ordering you to annihilate him, I would never omit such an act. I will not punish him for being loyal even if it is placed in the wrong allegiances, the old bulldog will see the path of light soon enough." His silky voice sickened Konstantin, always did but he ignored it in the past when they were fighting for the same Royals. "Seize the General, place him in the dungeons with the other deserters, and destroy this" his eyes roved over the catapult still not figuring out what they had hoped to accomplish with it. Still if the General thought it worth protecting…

"Wooden contraption." He tapped it with his boot, arms folded behind his back turning away.

"No! Petri you bastard! Can't you see that you are on the wrong side of this?" Konstantin fought the subordinates who had to throw themselves away from his large sword. Once overtaken then held him down in shackles working vehemently to drag the behemoth man away. "It won't end well for you!"

Petri smiled smugly. "It already has." he motioned for a soldier to approach. "Send a few squads to the northern center lines in no man's land." The man bowed and left to carry out his orders. Petri stared down at a few ants crawling around the stone word for sill. "Time to crush their pathetic attempt to cut the tendrils of progression." Too busy crushing the ants the general failed to notice the large shadow over casting Fort Karasta.

---

Too much time had passed. Something was wrong. It had been twenty minutes since the rest of the Rooks had joined the Bishops at the Northern center of no man's land.

Orbiting the outskirts of the battle planting bombs, Anna anxiously awaited the signal to fire off but the only sounds to be heard in the dusky sky were the cries of those slain, steel clashing, and muskets being fired.

"What is taking them so long?" Kristoff muttered mostly to himself, taking cover alongside Anna, his face smudged in smoke and scum. Her eyes remained trained on the horizon. "I don't know but something isn't right. We have to go back."

Kristoff nodded, touching her shoulder signaling for her to stay so he could retrieve Sven from the Knights squadron.

---

"Dante's seven hells," Anna breathed seeing the amassed carnage that ransacked the fort. Bodies lay askew, hung over walls, some torn and charred beyond recognition. They were human but looked less than.

The heavy and hot air smelt of blood, smoke, and utterly grisly as if someone had split open a cow's belly that had been full.

That invoked the primal emotion of disgust to bubble in Anna and Kristoff's stomachs.

They had to cover their noses as they crept carefully closer to the fort's inner gates, grimacing as the occasional squelching could be heard and felt under their boots. They dared not look down knowing the ground had to be more ghastly than what they were seeing.

The feathered splatter of arterial spray coated the stone walls and wooden gate.

Puddles had been created red, with chunks of what could be flesh floating around like sponges in a bath. Membranes and certain organs they could identify hung off the walls and torn down wooden beams like streamers at a party.

Sven kept close, flattening his ears and hunkering low, the viscera on proud display hit his battle malice like a sledgehammer crippling him.

"No! Please, God! Get back, demon!" Anguish was heard from around the corner two men turned fumbling over themselves. In their fit of hysterics one fell over, his once spic and span black and red uniform was dirtied, that one could not pinpoint the specific shade of it, he desperately crawled not caring about massacred corpses his hands sunk into.

Anna and Kristoff could only look on, struck with confusion and disturbance witnessing the display. "Sven get outta here, stay nearby in the woods." Kristoff ordered Sven bellowed at him sadly. "Go Sven."

As the reindeer took off a blood smeared muzzle– glistening an aggressive maroon– appeared from the corner. This was a greater shock than if it was a monster from their worst nightmares and not one of their best friends.

Ryu snarled trailing after the men targeting the one who tripped. Raising a sticky dripping claw over the trembling Heretic soldier she drove it into his back ignoring his wails of agony as she dragged it down at a sloth pace along his spine splitting his seams open with the ease of a sharp dagger to a teddy bear and ripped.

He broke his vocal cords with agony even while looking away, his wails ragged and putrid, fueled by whatever small amount of air was left in his lung, making the couple want to run as far away as possible.

"Captain Petri!" His brave companion returned with a gun firing off at the wicked devil.

His shot landed but it only enraged the dragon who abandoned her current plaything to pounce on him clutching his leg between her fangs, unbothered by his drizzling body fluids which stained her lips further. He was lifted into the air reaching and grasping for anything he could.

Standing up on her hind legs Ryu hooked him on the shoulder, deeply penetrating the meat and began to pull slowly.

He groaned loudly from the stretch only drowned out by the sound of joints popping out of place. His skin stretched to its capacity and bones protrude out in unnatural angles.

He panted and clenched his teeth and eyes. "Augh! Uh-Noo!" Like a well oiled machine the dragon continued pulling intent on tearing his lower half off its torso.

"RYU STOP!" Kristoff held out his arm. Anna slowly pulled it down back to his side when the dragon released the man from her jaws and turned her head at them. Her movements were different from the bouncy and reckless manner she had that they could recognize. Now they were snakelike, calculated and cruel. Yellow eyes focused on them, instantly flashing to lavender in a blink and miss moment– Anna instead of confusion saw that look Ryu gave when self hatred and guilt drowned her– as quickly as it came it was gone while the dragon bowed her head growling at an empty space to herself

The inner argument seemed to be settled in the dragon who returned her attention back to the young man. Impatiently she bit him and ripped his upper half clean off till his entrails sagged out of his body like an overstuffed pastry, steam from his form lazily weaved in the crisp air. Mucus, bile, yellow, brown and red spewed out onto the ground followed by his two halves with a dead thud.

The sick gratification and hatred shone in Ryu's eyes looking at her artwork painted upon the snow. In another glimpse, Ryu's eyes changed yo their soft pastel lavender and pink, Something inside must have interrupted to cause the dragon to whimper and shut her eyes tight, shaking her head to and frown before returning to her previous state.

Inside me. I let the Yokai inside my body. I have to get to Arendelle or I'll die Erusa.

Anna gripped her own head, unable to comprehend what she was surrounded by but she did know one thing. "That's not Ryu Kris…"

The dragon released an earth shattering roar, it was pained and agonized but also triumphant as the sound wave split the clouds to enter the skies.

---

Notes:

Kore wa anata no monode wa arimasen- This is yours (body) and no harm will come it

Anata wa yakusoku shimashita- you promised peace