Elsa and Sora became enveloped in a radiant light as they entered the doorway. A vast, luminous void stretched endlessly around them, devoid of landmarks, walls, or a visible sky. Sora gazed at the boundless expanse in childlike wonder, but a flicker of uncertainty took root beneath his awe.
"Where are we?" he asked, his voice carrying strange echoes across the emptiness.
Elsa stared into the vast unknown, her expression unreadable. Unlike Sora, her wonder was tempered with concern. This place held no clear path, no guidance—only light stretching infinitely before them. She inhaled deeply, steadying herself before shaking her head.
"I'm not sure," she admitted.
Turning back, she searched for the doorway they had passed through, only to find it had vanished. The realization struck her like a gust of cold wind.
"But I don't think we can return," she murmured.
At her words, Sora tensed, his tiny hands gripping Elsa's arm. The Snow Queen hesitated at the unexpected contact. She had little experience with children, having spent much of her life isolated in her castle, estranged even from her sister. In recent times, she had begun forging connections, but the responsibility of comforting a child felt unfamiliar—yet, something within her urged her forward.
She looked down to meet Sora's nervous, wide-eyed gaze. She saw her younger self in his expression—frightened, uncertain, yearning for reassurance. A warmth she had long buried stirred within her. Kneeling beside him, she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Sora," she said gently, her voice a soothing promise. "We'll find our way out of here."
Sora hesitated. "But what if we don't?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Elsa held his gaze and nodded with quiet determination. "We will. I promise."
Sora took in her words, searching her expression, then nodded. "Together?"
A small smile touched Elsa's lips. "Together."
With newfound resolve, she stood and surveyed their surroundings once more. The void offered no apparent path, yet she refused to waver. The King had entrusted them with this journey, and she would see it through. If this were the way forward—what it took to return to Arendelle—she would face it head-on.
A sudden burst of light flared overhead as if to answer her thoughts. Both she and Sora turned their gaze upward, watching as a new doorway materialized before them, its silhouette shimmering against the void. Beyond its threshold, an inviting glow beckoned.
Elsa straightened and looked down at Sora. "Ready?"
He nodded, determination reflected in his bright blue eyes. "Yeah."
"Let's go. Stay close to me," she instructed.
Together, they stepped toward the gateway. As they crossed the threshold, the brilliance of the light engulfed them, forcing them to shield their eyes. Everything around them dissolved into radiance the moment they entered, and they felt themselves being carried forward into the unknown.
EElsa's eyes fluttered open as the brilliant light around them faded, revealing their new surroundings. They stood atop a vast stone drawbridge, the night stretching endlessly above them. Elsa squinted into the darkness. This was certainly not Arendelle. The eerie silence, broken only by distant rolls of thunder, hinted that they had arrived in yet another world affected by Maleficent's time disturbance.
But where?
"This isn't Arendelle," Elsa thought, her unease growing. "But what world have we found ourselves in now?"
Sora's voice cut through the quiet. "Look!"
Elsa followed his gaze to the towering gates, flanked by massive stone walls. A foreboding castle loomed beyond, its spires reaching into the storm-laden sky, illuminated only by the occasional flicker of lightning. The air felt heavy, saturated with an unnatural presence that sent a chill down Elsa's spine.
Sora moved closer to Elsa, gripping the hem of her dress. She barely noticed—her unease matched his.
"It's creepy," Sora muttered.
Elsa gave a slight nod. "I know what you mean."
Glancing back, Elsa examined the gate behind them. It was bound with thick chains, locking them out of the dense, twisted forest beyond. If there had been another way, it was no longer an option. That left only one path—the castle itself.
"But it doesn't look like we have anywhere else to go," Elsa murmured, her voice low with caution.
Suddenly, shadows erupted from the void behind them. The air crackled with dark energy as Gargoyle Heartless emerged, their glowing yellow eyes fixed hungrily on the pair.
Sora gasped. "The monsters!"
Without hesitation, Elsa stepped forward, positioning herself between the creatures and Sora. One of the winged Heartless lunged, talons poised to strike. Instinct took over—Elsa extended her hands and sent a powerful surge of ice magic, shattering the creature mid-air. Yet, more of them materialized, rising from the darkness to take its place. Soon, they were surrounded, hemmed in on both sides of the drawbridge.
Sora pressed against Elsa's side, clutching her dress tightly. But she did not falter. She straightened her shoulders, her icy breath misting in the cold night air. She had fought off creatures before, but this was different. This time, she wasn't just fighting for herself. She had to protect him.
More Heartless emerged—Shadows slithered along the ground, their beady eyes glowing as they crept closer, while Lance Soldiers materialized, their long weapons gleaming under the moonlight. They lunged forward as one, a coordinated attack meant to overwhelm them.
Elsa reacted instantly. She thrust her hands outward, and a wave of crystalline frost surged forth, encasing the first row of Heartless in solid ice. They froze mid-attack, their blackened forms locked in jagged, glacial prisons.
Another Heartless tried to leap from the side, claws reaching for Elsa—she spun, sweeping her arm in an arc. A flurry of ice spikes shot out, skewering the creature before it touched the ground. Sora's grip on her dress tightened as he watched, his eyes wide.
Just as the Heartless began their next wave of attacks, a thunderous roar split through the night, the sound shook the ground beneath them, a bellow so powerful that the Heartless recoiled in fear.
Then—silence.
One by one, the creatures vanished into the darkness, retreating as though something far more dangerous lurked ahead. Elsa and Sora stood frozen, watching the bridge empty within seconds.
Sora exhaled shakily. "Hey… where did they go?"
Another roar, even closer this time. The sound rumbled through the cavernous space beyond the castle walls before fading into the quiet. The air felt charged, waiting.
Elsa narrowed her eyes toward the castle's entrance, dread pooling in her stomach.
"What was that?" Sora asked, looking up at her.
Elsa shook her head. "I'm not sure. But something tells me we're about to find out."
Sora's eyebrows knitted together. "You mean we're going in there?"
Elsa nodded solemnly. "We won't find our way home standing out here. Come on. Stay close to me."
As they moved toward the heavy, iron-wrought gate, Sora hesitated momentarily before reaching out. His small hand slipped into Elsa's, gripping tightly.
She squeezed back.
Together, they stepped forward, crossing into the unknown.
The castle hall loomed with complete darkness and shadows, with only the moon's silhouette from above providing a faint glow. Suddenly, the doors behind them slammed shut with a loud thud. Sora jumped at the sound, quickly turning back to the now-sealed doorway. However, Elsa remained focused, her gaze shifting toward the vast hallway ahead. A grand stairway led to an imposing entrance, standing tall in the eerie silence.
Elsa glanced around the hall, noting how lifeless it felt. The emptiness within was just as unsettling as the castle's exterior. Not a single soul stirred in the vast chamber, the silence pressing around them.
"Where is everybody?" Sora asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Elsa peered down the hallway, her expression solemn. "I don't think anyone has been here for some time now," she murmured, shaking her head.
"But there's no sign of anything heartless, thank goodness. Whatever we heard outside must have scared them off."
Sora smiled. "Thats good,"
However, that left the question as to just what it was that made that roar. No doubt, it was lurking within this castle at this very moment. A cold breeze drifted through the corridor, chilling down their spines. The castle was abandoned, yet an unshakable presence lingered within its walls.
"Well, let's not be so sure just yet," Elsa insisted.
"What do you think it was?" Sora asked.
Elsa shook her head.
"I'm not sure. But something tells me we'll find out soon," The Snow Queen said.
Sora turned forward as she gazed down the hall.
Peering through the narrow opening of the doorway, they saw two strange figures standing in the hall—a young woman in a blue dress and a child wandering outside.
"Look, Cogsworth, we have more visitors!"
"Keep quiet, Lumiere! They will hear you," came the hushed reply.
The sound of voices echoed through the castle hallway, catching Elsa and Sora's attention. They exchanged glances before cautiously scanning their surroundings.
"Hello? Is someone there?" Elsa called out.
She stepped further into the hallway, searching for the source of the voices. Tilting her head, she noticed a faint light seeping through a narrow doorway. As she focused on it, she saw a pair of eyes peering out briefly before disappearing behind the door. Elsa narrowed her gaze curiously.
She turned toward the doorway and cautiously approached. "Please, we don't mean you any harm," she assured.
From behind, Sora stood watching as Elsa neared the door. Just as he stepped forward, a sound from the stairway caught his attention. He turned sharply and spotted a figure climbing the staircase to the left.
"Hey, wait!" Sora called out, his instincts pushing him to give chase.
"Sora, wait!" Elsa called after him, concern filling her voice.
Without hesitation, she turned and ran after him. Meanwhile, the doorway she had approached creaked slightly, revealing someone still lurking within. As Elsa hurried toward the stairs, she caught sight of the figures ahead.
"Oh no! They're heading for the West Wing!" she exclaimed.
"We must go after them!"
Sora raced through the castle's west hallway, pausing momentarily as he lost sight of the figure. He glanced around, noting that the west hall had a brighter ambiance than the entrance. Yet, despite the improved visibility, there was no sign of the mysterious figure anywhere.
"Hey, where did they go?" Sora muttered to himself.
Scanning the hallway ahead, his eyes widened as he spotted movement. A figure in a blue dress disappeared behind the corner at the far end. Sora instinctively reached out a hand.
"Hey, wait!" he called out, echoing through the hall.
"Sora!"
He turned at Elsa's voice as she hurried toward him, concern written across her face.
"Don't take off like that," Elsa scolded, catching her breath.
"I saw someone!" Sora insisted, his excitement undeterred.
"What?" Elsa asked, her brow furrowing.
"I saw someone! A girl!" he repeated urgently.
Sora gestured toward the hallway. "She went that way! Come on!"
Before Elsa could respond, Sora grabbed her hand, tugging her forward as he dashed toward the corner. Neither noticed the silent figures trailing behind them, keeping to the shadows.
Sora led Elsa to what appeared to be another stairway, though this one was much shorter than the grand staircase in the entrance hall. He stopped at the base, his eyes widening as he pointed upward.
"Look!" Sora exclaimed.
Elsa followed his gaze and saw a young woman disappearing down a hallway at the top of the stairs. The two paused momentarily, uncertain where she was headed or why she was in the castle. The air around them felt thick with mystery, their minds racing with questions.
"Who is she?" Sora murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Elsa frowned. "I don't know, but we should find out."
The two began climbing up the steps as they followed the young women. Despite the curiosity pulling them forward, an unease settled in their chests. If she was here, whatever else lurked within the castle couldn't be far behind. Once more, the ones following them were already falling behind them. Peering around the corner, they saw the woman and child climbing up the stairway to the East Wing.
Much to their dismay.
"Oh, this is terrible. The Master will not be happy!"
The young woman disappeared through the doors of a room at the far end of the hallway. Elsa and Sora paused momentarily, exchanging uncertain glances. A shared feeling of unease settled between them—an unshakable sense that whatever lay beyond that door would not be easily forgotten.
"What's in there?" Sora asked.
"I'm not sure," Elsa said.
Whatever was behind those doors and who that woman was wasn't Elsa's concern. She was more concerned about Sora and the potential dangers lurking within. Her duty was to protect him from the Heartless on their journey back to Arendelle.
She turned to Sora, her voice firm but gentle. "Stay close to me," she insisted.
Sora nodded. "Okay," he replied, his voice filled with determination.
Together, they stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the dimly lit room beyond. Shadows stretched along the walls, shifting as they moved deeper inside. The air was thick with an eerie silence, as if the room held its breath.
Yet, neither noticed the figure watching from the darkness beyond the hallway. It was not the ones who had been pursuing them before. No, this presence was different—its gaze lingering with quiet contemplation rather than malice. As Elsa and Sora disappeared inside, the shadowed figure hesitated momentarily before retreating into the gloom, leaving only the faintest whisper of its presence behind.