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Elsa gently placed her hands on the wooden floor as icy fumes poured out and then disappeared. Gradually, drops of water pulled out from the ground, cupboards, and doors and magically floated toward a point further down the deck.

“Elsa?” wondered her sister, mesmerized yet concerned. The water began to take the shape of an ice statue of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna embracing, being enclosed by water. Alex quickly moved forward and stood staring at the figure in disbelief—was this the truth he waited for so long? Anna came and knelt beside her sister, sharing her shock and despair.

“Their Majesties!” gasped Alex. Their final words were heard as a memory.

“Ahtohallan has to be the source of the magic.” Queen Iduna implored.

“We keep going north. For Elsa…” declared King Agnarr.

“The waves are too high!” exclaimed Queen Iduna. Anna gripped her sister’s arm and buried her head in Elsa’s shoulder. The two breathed heavily as they watched helplessly. Alex could hardly believe his eyes—the king and queen were in distress before him, and there was nothing he could do. His worst fear seemed to be the truth, and the proof was right before him.

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“Iduna!” cried the king.

“Agnarr!” the queen called back as the memory of their voices faded away. Elsa couldn’t take it anymore: she realized they had risked everything—for her. Absolute despair hit her like a bolt of lightning. Pain in the form of grief spread chills of devastation through her body. She covered her face with her hands, sprinting out of the ship. There were traces of tears evident on her face as she left.

“Elsa!” called Anna as she pursued her sister. Olaf’s spirits fell; he had never felt so gloomy. The snowman glanced at the statue and then at Alex, wondering what he would do next. The sergeant moved slowly and stood before the figure. He steadily drew out the royal sword, pointing it down and away from the statue with the utmost respect. He lifted it, blade downwards, and jammed it into the floor with all this might.

He fell on his knees before the sword and the statue. As he hung his head low, he teared up. For the first time, all the tears that were kept in till the truth was found ran down his cheeks at once. Fighting them, he started, “I will not fail you, Your Majesties. I… I--” But he was choked by emotion. Saddened by the scene, Olaf walked out quietly.

Away from the shipwreck, Elsa stopped running and rested her head on a boulder. She was overwhelmed with guilt. Her parents were ready to go to any length to save her. Now, she felt the burden of their deaths fall on her shoulders.

“Hey! Hey, hey, what are you doing?” Anna caught up with her sister and asked, knowing exactly what ran through her head. She gripped her arm, trying to reassure her.

“This is my fault. They were looking for answers about me!” Elsa exclaimed, drawing large breaths to fight the tears.

“You are not responsible for their choices.”

“No, just their deaths!” Elsa walked away, crossing her arms defensively. Anna did not give up.

“Stop. No. Yelena asked, ‘Why would the spirits reward Arendelle with a magical queen?’ Because our mother saved our father—she saved her enemy!” declared Anna. “Her good deed was rewarded with you. You are a gift!” she took Elsa’s hands in hers.

“For what?”

Anna couldn’t find an answer to that. Yet she proclaimed confidently, “If anyone can save Arendelle and free this forest, it’s you!” She placed another hand over her sister’s. “I believe in you, Elsa. More than anyone or anything.”

Elsa’s face lightened up. She briefly looked at her sister before turning thoughtful. Stepping away, she started, “Honeymaren said there was a fifth spirit: a bridge between the magic of nature and us.”

“A fifth spirit?”

Elsa turned to her sister, “That’s who’s calling me, from Ahtohallan. The answers about the past are all there.” Seeing that the mystery was partly solved, both the sisters smiled at each other. A moment later, they noticed Alex walking toward them.

He sniffled softly and wiped away the last of his tears just as he halted before them. With much effort, he pulled his lips into a smile, “It’s good to see you both smiling again. I thought—Oh!”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Before he could utter another word, the sisters pulled him in for a tight hug. Embracing them, Alex confessed, “I might have lost them, but I still have both of you!”

He gently pulled away, still keeping an arm on Elsa and Anna’s shoulders. He smiled warmly at them and told Elsa, “I have found the truth that I sought.” He brought his arms to the seams of his pants and declared, “Elsa, your journey is now your own. ‘Be dauntless but cautious’ don’t forget that. And remember: find the voice that’s calling you, find the truth and come back home.”

Elsa looked optimistic and complied with a slight simper, “Okay.”

Without any warning, Alex pulled her into a clinch. She gasped shortly but then calmed down. Ever-so-tenderly, he whispered into her ear, “Be careful, Elsa.”

As he broke away from her, she replied audibly, “I will.”

Alex then shot her a peculiar smile—the way he would do before asking her to do magic. Elsa understood this and smiled back, uncomfortably, though. “The walk back to camp will take me hours!” started Alex. “Could you suggest me a quicker way?”

Elsa giggled, covering her mouth, “I know just what you need!” She created a slippery ice path that led straight back to the campsite with a stamp of her foot. “Ready?” she asked Alex. He complied cleverly,

“If it doesn’t involve me slipping and falling on ice, I’m ready!”

Elsa nodded, and an iceboat appeared beneath his feet. The boat slid out and away from the mound. “Woo-hoo!” he disappeared almost immediately. Anna looked at him go in disbelief—it was clear she didn’t want to try that.

“So, I guess it’s only you and me now,” said Anna. Elsa’s slight smile at the sight of Alex sliding with glee fell.

“No, Anna. It’s only me. The Dark Sea is too dangerous for us both.”

Anna firmly insisted, “No, we do this together. Remember the song, ‘Go too far and you’ll be drowned’? Who will stop you from going too far?!”

Elsa argued, “You said you believed in me, that this is what I was born to do.”

“And I don’t want to stop you from that.” Her voice slightly cracked. At the brink of tears, she went on, “I… I don’t want to stop you from being whatever you need to be. I just don’t want you dying, trying to be everything for everyone else too! Don’t do this alone. Let me help you, please. I can’t lose you, Elsa.”

Elsa wrapped her little sister in her arms, “I can’t lose you either.”

Olaf emerged from behind a rock and watched quietly. “Come on.” Elsa beckoned to a worried Olaf to join them. Putting on a big smile, Olaf joined in. Elsa pulled away and moved her hands, creating another iceboat right beneath their feet.

“Wait, what? What are you doing?! Elsa!” exclaimed Anna, as herself and Olaf were unwillingly sent away. Elsa knew it was for the best. She only looked on sadly as her sister drifted away to safety—or so it seemed.

“No, no! Olaf, help me stop!” Anna demanded as the boat sped down the icy trail. “Give me a hand!” she cried as she looked at the path ahead. Poking her with a finger, he literally offered her a wooden hand. As Anna took it, she noticed a low-lying branch of a tree up ahead. “Hang on!” she warned the snowman. Anna preparedly raised Olaf’s wooden hand and caught the branch. They hinged sharply off course and raced down the uneven forest floor. “Wait, wait. No, no, NO!” shrieked Anna as they splashed right into a river and entered an uncontrolled spin.

“Oh, COME ON!” Anna shouted angrily. Using Olaf’s wooden arm as an oar, she stabilized the spin.

“Anna, this might sound crazy, but I’m sensing rising anger,” confessed Olaf.

“AARGH! Well, I am angry, Olaf! She PROMISED me we’d do this TOGETHER!”

“Yeah… But what I mean is that I’m sensing rising anger in me.” Olaf replied, saddened.

“Wait, you’re angry?” wondered Anna.

“Well, I think so. Elsa pushed me away too and didn’t even say goodbye!”

Concerned for him, Anna got herself together and agreed, “And you have every right to be very, very mad at her.”

Olaf went on, “I thought ‘Some things never change’, but since then, everything’s done nothing but change!”

Anna thought briefly. “I know,” she started. “Bu… But look, I’m still here holding your hand.” She gripped his arm that she borrowed firmly in her hands.

“Yeah, I think that’s a good point, Anna. I feel better. You’re such a good listener.” he said, feeling happy again. Anna gave him a sincere smile, but soon her face was filled with shock as she looked at something behind Olaf. Without wasting a second, she pressed both her hands firmly down onto his mouth and pushed him further into his seat.

“Shh, shh, shh!” Anna tried to silence him. Outraged, Olaf mumbled with effort, “Don’t shush me; that’s rude!”

Anna turned his head all the way around, “No, look!” The sight turned him spellbound—sleeping Earth Giants; lots of them. Even in the river, they lay like hippos, breathing laxly. Olaf whispered, “Oh, the giants. They’re huge!”

Their boat headed straight for a sleeping giant’s nose. Anna quickly used Olaf’s arm and tried to steer clear but couldn’t help being almost sucked in. She rowed as fast as she could but couldn’t change the boat’s course. Just in time, the giant let out a breath and pushed them out of the way. Anna hurriedly rowed away from the giant, only to encounter several others sleeping not very far.

As she scanned the surroundings, a dark opening under the rocky bank caught her attention; she was determined that it was the only way out of this.

“Hang on, Olaf.” Anna steered the boat into the opening while Olaf held on, gulping nervously. On entering, Anna heard the sound of falling water—this wasn’t going to end well. “Try not to scream.”

Inevitably, they fell right down into the cave. Anna kept mum while Olaf let out a highly suppressed squeal. In a flash, they hit the water.

Afterward, they managed to get out of the water and into a dark cavern. Taking notice of a piece of dry wood, Anna struck a piece of flint with a stone and got a spark onto it. As a fire started, she picked up the torch and found Olaf’s carrot nose. “Found it!” she exclaimed and took it over to Olaf. The snowman was a mess, with his buttons in the wrong places and missing nose. He quickly rearranged, and Anna topped everything up by fitting his nose in the right place.

“Thank you!” a fish jumped out of his mouth, along with a pail of water. Starting to walk, he asked, “Where are we?”

“In a pit, with no way out.”

Standing next to an even smaller, darker opening, he added, “But with a spooky, pitch-black way in!” Raising his brows, he entered the space, and Anna followed. Anna tentatively looked inside the passage—she was not keen on taking that path, but what choice did she have?

“Come on! It’ll be fun.” started Olaf, pulling her along further into the cave. “Assuming we don’t get stuck here forever. You starve, and I give up.” He paused briefly and assumed,

“But bright side: Elsa’s gotta be doing a whole lot better than we are.”