Author's Note:

What inspired me to write this story? Wisty Allgood in James Patterson's Witch & Wizard novels can burst into flames; she has the power of fire, while Elsa in Frozen is able to manipulate ice, snow, and frost at will. I'd love to see how a battle between fire and ice turn out. My ideas expanded from that which led me into creating this crossover.

The story will be written in Whit, Elsa, Wisty, and Pearce's POVs. I'll write Whit and Wisty's chapters in first person like James Patterson did; Elsa and Pearce chapters will be written in third person.

Chapter one will just be on Frozen.

This is my first shot at writing a fan fiction. Hope you guys will enjoy it!

Chapter One: The Fall of Arendelle

ELSA

This would be the perfect gift for her nineteenth birthday, Elsa thought as she opened the box and looked at the shiny tiara. It was made of silver, carved in patterns with curves and twists that are joined together seamlessly, forming the shapes of leaves and flowers. It was embellished with diamonds, with a majestic sapphire as its centrepiece.

She worked out the design herself, and had the castle's royal blacksmith made it for her younger sister Anna two days ago, and was tremendously pleased with how it came out. Lords and ladies, guards and knights who had seen the tiara were just as impressed.

Of course, Elsa had kept the birthday gift a secret from Anna. Her sister Anna loved surprises, and Elsa meant to surprise her with this masterpiece. Anna would love it!

She closed the box and placed it in the hole beneath the floor of her bed chamber. A perfect hiding place. Anna loved to come to her room to play with her when they were both little, and she would explore the room and go through her things. She still does that sometimes now. Not that it was a bad thing. But Elsa will ensure that the tiara remained hidden from Anna until the day of her birthday.

Elsa moved to the open window and gazed at the calm summer evening. I froze Arendelle once, she thought, I had inadvertently unleashed an eternal winter on this kingdom. Only it wasn't eternal. She learned to control her powers, used it to thaw the ice and snow, and restored summer to this land. Love was the key to it all, she knew that now. From time to time, there were still moments where Elsa involuntarily froze the wall she was leaning against while casually talking with Anna, or created a layer of ice when twisting the doorknob. That she had gotten used to. What she was really glad of was being able to resist giving in to fear, fear of her ice magic getting out of hand and hurting someone. She had no more need of those white gloves she wore all the time when she was a child to contain her powers. She accepted who she was, and so did the people of Arendelle. There was no reason to be afraid anymore.

The queen yawned and looked at the clock. It was getting late. She had a busy day planning out Anna's birthday feast with the cooks, and needed a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, she'll have to start writing invitations to the royal guests nearby Arendelle, who will be attending her sister's birthday celebration. Although Princess Anna's birthday was still a month away, Elsa and her people were already busy preparing.

Elsa closed the shutters and drew the curtains. She removed her magenta cape, teal gown, and the dark brown flats she wore. She let down her hair, woven in a French braided crown twist bun, to let it fall on her back. Her blonde hair was long and thick. She donned her soft pink nightdress and lay on her bed. Sleep came quickly.

Elsa turned several times, and then woke up. She rubbed her sleepy eyes. It was still dark in her room, not yet dawn. She must've slept for no more than three hours. She could hear loud noises coming from outside, people shrieking, yelling, the clanging of steel. She heard footsteps of people running within the castle hallways, men bellowing orders mixed with other cries of confusion.

A sudden, high-pitched female scream jolted Elsa into a sitting position.

What the hell was going on? What was happening?

Elsa pulled off the blankets and practically jumped off the bed. She rushed to the window, drew the curtains apart, and pushed the shutters open. Her bed chamber overlooked the front courtyard outside, so she got a clear view of the scene below.

There was complete, utter chaos in the courtyard. Soldiers dressed in what seemed like black military uniforms were dragging villagers into the courtyard beneath the gatehouse and through the main gate, which was broken down and splintered by a battering ram. Lords, ladies, squires, servants, cooks, and even children were being dragged out from everywhere within the castle. Elsa recognized all of their faces. The soldiers were marching them across the courtyard into the keep, holding torches. Some of her people fought and struggled to break free from their firm grasp, while others hollered questions. Most people were too baffled or speechless with shock to resist. The soldiers constantly barked orders to keep them moving. The castle guards were fighting soldiers on the wall walks, in the courtyard, out on the bridge leading up to the gate. The clash of swords against shields and the clanging of steel ringed in the night. Those who fell and are wounded cried in pain. Elsa heard men scream as they died, whether it was her guards or the soldiers, she was not certain.

Elsa leaned out from the windowsill further, and made out the face of the butler through the torchlight, who was screaming curses and demanding to be told what was going on as the black soldiers dragged him along.

Elsa could feel her heart beating like a drum. She was disoriented and so overwhelmed with terror that she couldn't think clearly. She backed away from the window and bumped against the side of her bed, unable to slow her breathing. She had no idea why all of this was happening, in the middle of the night while the castle slept, so fast and out of her control. She almost couldn't believe it was real.

Who were these mysterious soldiers in black that came out of nowhere? Elsa wasn't able to make out their faces in the dark. How come she never saw them before? Who was their commander? What were they planning to do with the people? What do they want with Arendelle? Despite of the millions of questions swimming in her head, Elsa could form one coherent thought: the kingdom was under attack.

"Anna," Elsa whispered as she suddenly thought of her sister. Was she okay? Were they dragging her out of her bed, hurting her? "No," another wave of panic shot through Elsa. The thought of those malicious soldiers hurting Anna was unbearable.

Elsa quickly slipped on her flats, and, still clad in her nightdress, she threw open the doors and stumbled out into the hallway. She heard heavy footsteps of soldiers climbing the stairs. She ran to Anna's bed chamber as fast as her legs could take her…only to find the room empty.

The blanket was messy; half of it draped over the side of her bed. The lamp on the bedside table was knocked down; its glass lay shattered on the floor beside the pillow.

My sister tried to fight them, Elsa reckoned, but to no avail.

"Anna," she called, "where are you?"

Elsa scampered from hallway to hallway, but Anna was nowhere to be found. She hurried down the stairs to check the second floor. She ran down the hall and turned left into the main hallway…and saw a dozen soldiers in their black military uniforms striding in her direction.

She noticed all of them wore a black surcoat with gold trim, along with the markings of a golden sugar maple on the chest. Their faces were covered by gleaming black helmets, and behind them flew midnight blue capes. They were armed with swords.

"There she is!", shouted one of the soldiers, before pointing at Elsa, "Get her!"

Elsa had never heard anyone in the realm talk of these soldiers before. She never met them, nor did she know them, and yet they knew her. The soldiers quickened their pace towards her.

"Stay away!" Elsa retreated speedily and ran towards the opposite end of the hallway, but stopped when another dozen soldiers appeared in front of her. She recoiled once more and started to run back the way she came, down the smaller hallway that was connected to the main one, but saw another dozen of them coming her way. The soldiers surrounded her at either end of the hall. She was trapped.

"Stop!" ordered Elsa. The soldiers kept advancing, but halted in front of her.

Trying to keep her voice demanding, she asked "Who are you? What do you want with me? What have you done with my sister Anna?"

"Come with us to the great hall," one of them answered, "The king is expecting you. The princess is already waiting for you there, along with all the rest of your people."

So that was where they dragged everybody to. But Elsa was confused. What king? "You mean your commander is expecting me?" Elsa corrected him, "Arendelle doesn't have a king, not until I'm married. Do you know who I am?"

Another soldier spoke up this time in a sardonic tone, "Yes, we know exactly who you are. A monster."

The words brought back past memories where she had difficulty manipulating the powers of ice, frost, and snow at will. They reminded her of her fear. But they meant nothing to her. She would not let their insults wound or upset her. She was better that this. She tried to regain her composure and informed them, "I am the queen of Arendelle. I rule this kingdom. I suggest that you address me with more respect."

"You won't be queen any longer. Arendelle now has a better ruler, a new king," the first man said, "He demands your presence in the great hall."

If Elsa had news of this king and his minions' plotting against the kingdom, she would have sent out knights to put an end to this nonsense and closed the castle gates for sure. But she knew nothing of any of this, and began to regret having the castle's gates open at all times. Her parents had isolated her and her sister and closed Arendelle's gates until Elsa had learned to control her powers. Ever since she managed to do that, she had kept the castle gates open, ensured Anna that they will never close them again. But she guessed she let her guard down too much. She was completely oblivious to any possible dangers or threats from other parts of the world. It came as a surprise to her tonight to learn that she had so many enemies. After I'm done with these obnoxious bastards, I'll strengthen Arendelle's defences the first chance I get.

Elsa spoke to them authoritatively, "Here's what I suggest you should do. You will go back to the great hall and tell your self-styled king that he has no right to Arendelle's throne. All of you will tell him to put an end to this ridiculous malice he has just shown towards my people."

The first soldier was running thin of patience. "I will tell you one last time, Queen Elsa. Come with us to the great hall, or we will drag you there like we did everybody else. Since tonight will be your last night as queen, we will be a bit more lenient."

He smirked, and continued his sentence, "But if you persist in defying the king's orders, we won't turn out to be so kind and respectful anymore."

Elsa looked around at the soldiers. They knew about her magic, but not one of them seemed the least bit afraid. Elsa held her ground, "I'm not going anywhere with you." If nothing she said intimidated them to obey her or leave her be, she was going to have to use force. She didn't want to, but what other choice did she have? Only her magic could make them cower and reconsider her commands.

"Get out of my way. You are aware of what I could do to you all with my powers," she warned them.

The first soldier said, "All right, no more playing nice. Take her!"

The black soldiers moved in to grab her. Out of reflex, Elsa sent a wave of ice and frost from her hand in the first soldier's direction. He bent down and raised his hands to protect himself. To her astonishment, a shimmering wall of magic immediately appeared and formed in front of him, blocking the ice from hitting him. He stood up straight again. The wall had disappeared. Then he waved his hand, and iron manacles magically formed around her wrists. The metal covered her hands like the gloves did. Elsa realized it was the same one she wore while she was imprisoned by Hans. She twisted her hands, tried to shake them out from the manacles, but they were tight and firm. She froze them with layers of ice, but that was no help either.

Elsa looked up at the soldier with wide eyes, "Y-You have magic?"

The soldier loved how he had surprised her, it was obvious. He said cockily, "Oh yes. Now you are aware of what we could do to you with our powers."

She didn't know there were people out there other than her who also had supernatural abilities like she did. She won't stand a chance against so many of them.

The next thing she knew is being hauled down the hallway amidst the black soldiers, her arms securely locked in their iron grip.

The entrance to the great hall was flanked by two black soldiers instead of her guards, who opened the doors as they approached.

The hall was more crowded than Elsa had ever seen. Lords and ladies, squires and knights, guards and the villagers alike gathered at either sides of the aisle, surrounded by hundreds of black soldiers. The soldiers who escorted her went to join the rest of the crowd, while two of them pulled Elsa along the aisle as she attempted to break free from their grasp.

As they approached the dais, Elsa caught sight of her younger sister standing beside the throne, held by two soldiers. She was dressed, Elsa noticed. The soldiers probably made her do it before bringing her here. Anna was in a medium-length dark blue skirt, a black bodice with gold trim and green, red, yellow, and purple roses print on it, a light blue long-sleeved blouse, as well as a magenta cape with purple linings and small tassels on the edge. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied into two braided pigtails like when she last saw her. Elsa didn't realize she was still in her nightdress until now. She felt her cheeks go a deeper shade of pink.

"Elsa!" Her sister called out when the soldiers drew her near. "Oh Elsa, are you okay?" Her face shined with deep concern.

"Anna!" She called back immediately. They didn't harm her yet, she was glad of that much.

The soldiers holding Anna pulled her back as she sprung toward Elsa. "Let go of me!" Her sister yelled at them, struggling hard.

"Let go of my sister!" Elsa cried to the soldiers while wrestling harder against her own, "You have right to do this to her!"

No matter how much Elsa tussled, the burly soldiers restrained her all the same. They forced her to her knees at the bottom of the dais before the throne, which was vacant. They released their grip on her, but remained on either side to prevent her from escaping or doing anything foolish. Elsa could feel everybody's eyes on her, her people and friends looking up to her to do something, to help set them free. But she had no idea how.

"What is the meaning of this? What do you all want with Arendelle?" Elsa demanded of the soldiers.

"What do we want with Arendelle? We want to transform it into a thriving magical kingdom, of course, into a much better place than you can ever imagine." The familiar voice sent a chill up Elsa's spine. Cold sweat began to form around her neck.

She heard her people and the villagers gasp in disbelief and began to whisper amongst each other in the crowd.

He strutted into the great hall up the dais and paused in front of the throne directly before her. He was of moderate stature and well-built, with auburn hair, green eyes, fair skin, and a light dusting of freckles across his nose. His uniform consisted of navy blue trousers, a blue shirt, and an indigo vest, black boots, and magenta cravat, light grey and black blazer with patterns, black epaulettes, and gold aiguillette. He donned white gloves too. He kept that same old uniform Elsa knew only too well. Everything about him was the same, apart from that magnificent golden crown on his head, which was studded with jewels in a variety of colours.

"Hans," she said his name with as much animosity as she could muster.

His expression was evil and egotistical. He stared down at her with his hands behind his back, his wicked eyes emitting malice. Elsa glared back at his loathsome face. "Miss me?" Hans said to her hauntingly. "And Anna," he turned to face her sister and threw open his arms, "Long time no see."

More than a year had passed since Hans had last visited to attend Queen Elsa's coronation in honour of his kingdom at the Southern Isles. Elsa was astounded of his return, "You were imprisoned for your crimes and was supposed to be sent back to the Southern Isles to receive punishment from your twelve older brothers for your treasonous behaviour. What are you doing here, Hans?"

"You will address me as King Hans of Arendelle henceforth," he instructed her.

Her sister Anna spoke up angrily, "Correction: We will address you as Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

Hans fought back a chuckle, "Can't you see? I have taken your kingdom," he announced, his voice smug with superiority.

It was all Elsa could do not to crack him across the mouth with her iron manacles. She lunged at him, "It was not yours to take!"

"Kneel," Hans ordered in a dangerous voice, and Elsa instantaneously felt her legs staggering back and her knees bending. It was like a supernatural force had pushed down on her body. She never felt power like that before. She tried to stand back up, but she couldn't. It was as if the force glued her knees to the ground. She looked up at Hans, who stared at her contemptuously. Did he just do that?

Hans's lips curled into a pleased smile, "There. That's much better. Feel that force gravitating towards the earth, the power? That's magic."

If this was a nightmare, it was past time that Elsa woke up. "You have magic too? How is that even possible?" Elsa asked as she struggled to get back up. She definitely didn't recall Hans having magical powers. She remembered the manacles incident just now with the soldiers.

Hans replied, "It was a fascinating story that I'd love to share with all of you" He averted his gaze to the crowd and raised his voice, "The story of how my soldiers and I rose to power."

Her sister Anna wondered, "We've received no word from the traders of your return to the Southern Isles." It dawned on Elsa that she was right. The Southern Isles had been a trade partner of her kingdom for more years than she could count, and she was told that none of their traders had seen Prince Hans ever since he left for Arendelle, which was indeed strange news.

Hans replied, "That's because I never made the trip back to the Southern Isles." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You didn't?" Elsa was taken aback. At the same time Anna said, "What?"

Hans said impatiently, "Yes, I know they locked me up on that ship bound to take me back to my kingdom. But somehow I broke free from my cell…and killed all the crew."

There were gasps of astonishment from the crowd, which seemed to have excited Hans. He continued, "Long story cut short. I learned how to sail when I was younger. Therefore I sailed the ship to a mysterious island I spotted in the sea. There was an enormous sugar maple tree that grew on the heart of the island. Its thick and wide trunk was golden in the sunlight. It looked almost…magical." He paced back and forth on the dais and kept his eyes on Elsa and the crowd, occasionally giving a glance or two at Anna behind him. "Next I sliced open my palm with a knife and offered a drop of my blood to the tree. The tree in answer twisted its trunk to reveal a hole in the middle. I walked through it with curiosity." Hans has gotten the attention of every individual in the great hall, "When I came out, I felt this strange new power within me. It took me a while to realize it was magic. The tree had transferred some if its power to me when I walked through that hole."

Anna asked, "That was where you got the magic from?"

"Oh yes," he confirmed, "With the maple tree's magic coursing through my veins, I left the island feeling rejuvenated. I sailed to many new places I passed by at sea, met new people. I found that there were plenty of poor, deprived people out there in the world. Most of them are farmers, stonemasons, men working in the stables. They are tough men, and strong. These people yearned to be rich, to live in a better land, have better clothes, eat better food, and have better things. They wished to live a royal life. They abhorred royal people who live in castles, who had everything they don't.

"Hence I told them I can raise them up high, higher than any lords and ladies, kings and queens. I gathered hundreds of these poor men aboard my ship and sailed them to the island I visited. I lead them to that tree, and made them do exactly what I did." Hans paused to see the crowd's reaction, to give them a minute to take it all in.

Elsa was thinking one step ahead. She guessed, "So these poor people became people with magic, like wizards?"

Hans said to her, "It was more than they could ever hope for: power."

Elsa had never heard of this mysterious island he mentioned before. "Where is the exact location of this island?" She demanded of him before he could go on any further.

"I'm afraid that's top secret, Elsa." He smiled charmingly, and then carried on, "With all this power, we are invincible. No one can stand a chance against us. I asked these people whether they would like to join me in my plan to take Arendelle. I would be their king, and I would rule. I told them that I could grant everything they wished for. It is our turn to live a royal life!"

Cheers and cries of triumph from the black soldiers followed, which startled Elsa's people and made them cringe.

Hans waited for the cries to die down, and then said, "And they accepted my offer. They thanked me for raising them to power, and pledged their allegiance to me. I became their leader. I befriended a blacksmith who was exiled from another kingdom for keeping the gold he made for himself. I had him make the armour, surcoat, and helmet I designed for one of my men, with a sugar maple tree printed in gold on the chest. When that was done, I replicated the black military uniform hundreds of times with magic. They came in all sizes, each one fitted perfectly on every single one of my men. I also told the blacksmith to make a sword, which I enchanted and replicated as well."

Elsa looked around the great hall at the soldiers in black. They looked like dark knights in shining armour.

Hans persisted, "Then I taught them all they needed to know about combat, about swordsmanship. I taught them how to fight. I transformed them into soldiers."

Elsa couldn't help but ask, "Why would swordsmanship still be necessary when your men already had magic powers?"

"So we can fight those without magic with steel, as well as fighting sorcery with sorcery," Hans laughed menacingly, "Who says we can't do both?"

The queen made no answer to that.

"Afterwards, I told my soldiers everything I knew about you and your lonely, naïve little sister," he pointed a finger at Elsa, then turned to Anna, while he spoke. "I knew that with an army at my back, my men will finally have the better life they craved, and I will finally have what I've always wanted: the throne of Arendelle." He paused for a moment, then clapped his hands and said, "End of story."

But the dead silence in the great hall lingered on.

"You see, Elsa, this is how you and I got into this position," he spoke quietly and slowly, "Right here, right now."

Hans looked like a cat that got the cream. It sickened Elsa. She didn't think she could stand being in his presence any longer. For all she knew, Hans could be just as powerful as she was, or maybe even stronger. If she said or did anything foolish, who knew what he could do to her or her sister? She gathered the courage to say, "This isn't over, Hans. Arendelle will fight back."

"I would love to see them try," he retorted. Then he addressed the rest of her people, his voice echoing across the great hall, "People of this kingdom, as your new king, I hereby dethrone Queen Elsa of Arendelle and sentence her to death."

Again? An uproar from her people immediately followed. Elsa shouted at him, enraged, "For what crime? This is injustice!"

"You can't do this!" Anna was shouting at him as well. She began to fight the soldiers again, but they just held her tighter.

"SILENCE!" Hans roared. He instantly took on a booming battle voice, enhanced by magic. He then spoke to Elsa in a cold, harsh tone, "You wrongly imprisoned me and tried to ship me back to my home. Consider this as my revenge, Elsa."

"You wrongly accused me of killing Anna. You deserved your fate!" Elsa tried to make him see sense.

"You froze her heart. You shut her out for almost her entire life." He shot back.

"It was an accident!" She protested. When will this traitorous bastard ever get over it? "My powers were out of control. I was trying to protect Anna from myself."

Hans shook his head at her in shame, "Deep down, you are a monster, Elsa."

His venomous words stung, "No. You are the monster, Hans." She said coldly, "What do you care about my sister? You fooled her like you did everybody else. You are nothing but a power-hungry villain. Your only desire is to become king. You never loved Anna."

Hans hesitated before he said, "You're right. I never did." He spun around to face Anna and said, "You once said to me I am no match for Elsa-"

Anna interrupted him, "And I'd say it again, and again, and again, because you never will be!"

He glared at Anna with contempt and enmity. "You have no idea of what I am capable of, Anna." He leaned down and took her chin. They looked into each other's eyes for a while.

Hans stepped back, and to Elsa's amazement, he waved a hand at Anna's direction, and paralyzed her with his magic. "You can let go of her now," Hans ordered the two black soldiers holding her. They did as they were told.

Dread overwhelmed Elsa. "Don't you dare hurt her!" She tussled against the magical force still keeping her knees bent on the ground.

Hans turned back to Elsa. "I don't plan to. All I intend to do is to get rid of her."

Pretending to be heartbroken, Hans returned his focus to Anna, "Goodbye Anna. I'm going to miss you." With another wave of both of his hands, she disappeared in a flash of light. Elsa heard her people gasp in horror.

"NOOOO!" Elsa cried, "ANNA!" She shouted at Hans, "What did you do?"

Hans dramatically clapped his hands repeatedly and pretended to brush off the dust to indicate his work was done. "I sent her to Shadowland. It's a place for spirits."

Elsa asked, terrified, "You mean she's, she's…" She couldn't say it.

Hans waved his hands casually and filled her in, "Oh she's not dead, if that's what you're all thinking. That would be too merciful of me. Anna is alive, just…trapped...forever."

First the island, and now Shadowland. What kind of mysterious places had he travelled to, lately? "Where is this Shadowland?" Elsa asked the self-styled king.

He answered, "Somewhere far away, in a modern city run by two kids, where people live entirely different everyday lives compared to us. You can only access Shadowland through the Portals, which are everywhere in that city. But I believe that they are all sealed. Anna is never coming back."

Elsa suddenly felt the gravitating force lifting.

Hans ordered the black soldiers still standing on either side of her, "Take Elsa to the dungeons. Chain her against the wall. Lock her up, and seal the lock with magic. That should keep her from escaping." Then he said to Elsa again, "You are free to choose your method of execution. I will pay you a visit at dawn and you will give me your answer."

He then announced to the crowd, "People of Arendelle, pledge your allegiance to me and you will be spared and free to live your joyful lives in this castle. Defy me, and it will be your deaths. It's your choice. Choose wisely."

He jerked his chin towards the faraway doors, and the soldiers took Elsa by the arms and dragged her along the aisle, away from Hans, who took his seat on her throne and kept his spiteful gaze on Elsa. The soldiers didn't even give her a chance to stand up. Elsa stared back at him until the doors to the great hall closed before her, blocking Hans from her view.

The ground, walls, and arched ceiling of Arendelle's dungeons were constructed with bricks of stone. All the hallways linked to one another, with rows of cells along either side. The dungeons were vacant most of the time, as the kingdom got very few prisoners. It was one of Elsa's least visited places in the castle, but she knew it well enough. Just like the entrance to the great hall, the dungeons weren't guarded by her own, but Hans's black soldiers.

The soldiers who brought her here chose a random cell, unlocked its door, and shoved her inside. They released Elsa from the iron manacles she was wearing, and chained her with the stronger, sturdier ones to the wall. After they slammed the door to her cell with a bang, one of the soldiers sealed the lock with his magic using his mind. The lock glowed with a bright white light which then faded again. They walked away after they were satisfied.

That self-styled king was sociopathic, cold-hearted, ambitious and sadistic, so arrogant, malicious, cunning, and abusive. Elsa wanted to scream at him all the curses in the world. He had gone too far by locking her in her own kingdom's cell.

Elsa's thoughts drifted to her sister, Anna. Hans said he sent her to Shadowland, a place for spirits. It was in a city far away from here. What was in Shadowland? Ghosts? Shadows? If Anna was alive, she must be going through a terrible time. And she was trapped.

No. I won't leave her like this. I have to get her out of that godforsaken place or whatever kind of hellhole it is, Elsa thought, I will use my ice powers to escape from the dungeons, freeze all the black guards, and go look for my sister. And I won't stop until she is found, however long it takes. Anna went after her once, and now it was her turn to go after her sister.

Hans warned her about only being able to access Shadowland through portals, which he believed were sealed. This sounded like an extremely difficult, maybe even an impossible quest, but she won't know unless she tried, and she was willing to die trying.

Her determination gave Elsa strength, courage, and a new hope. It began to repair the hole that tonight's events created that were tearing her apart.

Dawn would arrive soon. She will have to leave this castle before then. The longer she was stuck here, the longer Anna will be trapped in that hellhole, and the less chance she'll have of surviving. It was now or never.

Without hesitation, Elsa began to freeze the iron manacles. Layer after layer of ice and frost formed around it until they became so thick that Elsa couldn't see the manacles anymore. She gave her wrists a hard yank, then another, and another. She pulled for so long that she felt the skin around her wrists going raw. She gave herself time to take a breath. Then, gathering all the strength she had left, she gave the chains another fierce and violent yank. They clinked loudly and were loose.

Elsa examined her wrists, which were indeed raw, but she was happy that her hands were free. She conjured up a gigantic ice hammer, and slammed it against the steel bars of her cell with a blast of snow and frost. The steel bars broke, collapsing onto the stone floor. She stepped out of the cell, and ran.

There was shouting from the soldiers behind her, but she was a fast runner, and knew the dungeons well, unlike the rest of them who were new to her castle. She reached the hallway with staircases at the end that lead the way out, and sprinted towards them.

Behind her, three black soldiers turned a corner and dashed down the hallway in her direction. Elsa halted at the foot of the stairs, and before they had any time to use their magic, she stomped her foot, producing a thin layer of slippery ice that spread rapidly over the ground. The soldier running at the front slipped and fell, and the two behind him tripped over his body and tumbled down on top of him.

Before they could get up, Elsa created a thick, sturdy wall of ice between her and the soldiers, with long, sharp, jagged, and pointy icy spikes sticking out from it. She watched through the ice as the soldiers conjured electrical beams to crack the wall, but it was impenetrable.

Pleased with her magic, Elsa rushed up the stairs two at a time and continued running, firing spikes of ice at whichever soldier who tried to restrain her or get in her way. She took the shortest route she thought of and was out of the castle in minutes. She didn't emerge from the main entrance because it opened into the front courtyard. She guessed it was probably the most heavily guarded area, and it meant she would have to get past all of the soldiers. Instead, she emerged from one of the castle's least well-known side entrances, and rushed along the lower battlements, leaping over the corpses of guards and black soldiers alike.

The black night sky had brightened to a dark blue. The castle had gone quiet again. Elsa reckoned it was still about one or two hours before dawn.

She descended three flights of steps and reached the area built along the outermost walls of the kingdom. Below her was water that gradually expanded into the sea. It was here that Elsa slowed down, panting, to catch her breath.

She suddenly thought of all the lords and ladies, squires and knights, guards, servants, and cooks back in the great hall. How many of them had chosen to pledge their allegiance to Hans for the sake of being spared? How many chose to rather die instead? There was not much time to think about that right now. She needed to get far away from here. She had to rescue Anna from Shadowland before it was too late.

She looked down at her soft pink nightdress. Why the hell was she still in her nightdress? That must've been a delightful sight to see for her people in the great hall.

Elsa used her ice magic to slowly transform herself. The long thick hair that fell down her back turned into loose French braids that swept over her left shoulder. Her bangs were slicked back on top of her head. Her nightdress turned into a crystal-blue, off-the-shoulder dress made out of ice with a right knee-high slit, with a crystallized bodice and translucent, powder blue sleeves. Her dark brown flats became ice-made kitten heels. Attached to her bodice was a long, transparent floor-sweeping cape of sheer ice decorated with large snowflakes.

She stretched out her hand, and frost and snowflakes magically formed in the air. "Take me to Shadowland," she spoke to them, and then blew the frost and snowflakes away from her. They flew in the direction of the water and the sea beyond. And that was the way she took.

She jumped off the edge. The moment her feet made contact with the water, it turned into a thick layer of ice on the surface. Elsa walked a few steps, the ice forming beneath her feet wherever she went. Ice that formed earlier melted as soon as she moved away from one place to another over the water.

Good. Unless the soldiers knew where Shadowland was, there was no way that they could follow her.

"Hang on there, Anna, I am coming for you." Her words were carried away by the wind.

With ice constantly forming a support beneath her feet and melting behind her, Elsa ran across the sea, away from Arendelle and towards her sister.

Author's Note:

I'm still re-reading the Witch & Wizard novels at the moment, and I won't be able to start the next chapter until I finish. But I'll try to update chapter two soon.

Thanks for reading!