Into the Unknown (A Frozen Fanfic)

Chapter Eighteen

ELSA SLID DOWN the bark of a tree and let out a long breath. They had been walking now for hours and she didn't feel any closer to their destination. She pulled her legs up to her chest as Mama sat down beside her. "If the Northuldra traveled to Ahtohallan once a year then why is their village so far away?"

She listened as Mama tried catching her breath. "The village wasn't always that far. After Aloni refused to give up her power, life even remotely close to Ahtohallan was treacherous. Anyone who was near the river had to face Aloni's dark magic. The leader's eventually decided it was too dangerous for us to live there and so we packed up and moved." She shook her head. "Though, where the Northuldra are now wasn't where we had moved too. They've moved even further since then."

Elsa stared ahead. They sat on a small hill that overlooked a field. A field that should've been full of bloomed flowers and tall green grass, but instead, it contained dry earth and bristled grass. So much destruction had happened to this forest.

Letting her shoulders slump, she glanced at Mama through the corner of her eye. "You didn't tell Papa you were coming out here, did you?"

She heard Mama sigh in response, "No. He would've tried to stop us, and as much as I love your father, this has to be done."

"If you're Northuldra, then how did you and Papa meet?" Elsa continued. It was a question she had asked many times as a young child, but neither Mama nor Papa ever answered. Eventually, she just learned to stop asking, but now that the truth was being told, she yearned to know.

Mama leaned her head back against the bark. "Agnarr and I were just children. He came with his father to the Enchanted Woods to make peace with the Northuldra. Seeing that we had the spirits on our side, your Grandfather offered to build us a dam to help strengthen our waters and the spirits." She lowered her head. "This all happened during my time as the spirit.

"During Aloni's year, the dam was being built. I got close to Agnarr every time he came to the Enchanted Woods with his father. The time of celebration was coming to thank Arendelle for building the dam, but... something happened during that time. Aloni's year was nearing its end when she suddenly attacked us. Our chief was murdered as Arendelle and Northuldra fought to protect us from Aloni. My people thought it was Arendelle who had killed him, but I had my suspicions on Aloni and why she was really there. It was our chief who had suggested she take over as the next spirit after me. Even then, before her year was up, I could tell that her heart was being twisted."

She sighed and ran her hands up and down her knees. "Agnarr was injured in the fight so I, along with a little help from Gail, got him back to Arendelle where he would be safe. I knew after the battle that there was nothing left for me in the Enchanted Woods so I stayed with Agnarr in Arendelle. His father had perished in the battle, and Agnarr being king, he gave me a place to stay. We still remained close friends for a long time until one day..." She held up her left hand. "He got down on one knee with a ring in his hand." She let her hand fall back to her lap. "Life was good until we had you. I felt like I was living Aloni all over again."

Elsa felt her heart stop. She thought by now she would be used to hearing her mother say things about her, but every time, her words still hurt. Like someone had stabbed a dagger in her heart. She swallowed, pushing back the feelings, and wiped her eyes before any tears could fall as she stood. "We better hurry if we want to make it to Ahtohallan in time to get rid of these powers."

Mama climbed to her feet. "Elsa, I think you were meant to be the fifth spirit."

Elsa stopped mid-stride and slowly turned around to face her mother, shock and confusion twisted her face. "What?"

Mama folded her hands in front of her. "When you become the fifth spirit, you take on their powers. Ice powers." She gestured towards Elsa. "Elsa, you were born with ice magic. I believe you are the one we've been waiting for. That you can free Aloni from the darkness."