A/N: Unfortunately, I've been rather ill recently (nothing too serious) and my thesis is proving to be very difficult. I hate making you guys wait, but I don't want to rush any of these chapters.

I originally intended for this chapter to end at a different point, but it ended up being too long. This is already the fic's longest chapter, I believe.

November 11

Elsa smiled, taking a deep sip of her tea as she allowed herself to contemplate the battle to come. The odds were heavily in favor of her servants, she knew, and a victory on their part would wipe out the last remaining resistance to her plans. The Goddess would have enjoyed taking part in the battle herself, but the preparations for the ritual still kept her confined within the walls of the Palace. Despite her desire to watch as the life left Anna's eyes, she was practical enough to leave the task to her servants. Evangeline would simply have to tell the Goddess the tale of Anna's last moments.

She was not arrogant enough to believe that there were no surprises in store for her Faithful. The trolls, as pathetic as they were, had spent centuries studying their variety of magic. If they proved to be more powerful than the Faithful expected, Anna and her allies could conceivably survive the onslaught.

And yet, thanks to her most hidden scheme, it didn't really matter. Only Evangeline knew of the truth, and Elsa was confident that the spymaster would refuse to reveal the information even under pain of death. The Goddess hoped that Evangeline and her minions would survive; they had certainly proven their worth. But even if they died, her plans would continue on unimpeded.

It wouldn't be long before she had accumulated enough power to enact her final ritual. It would be too much to say that there had been no complications; certain strands of magic within the ritual's power were slightly different than the Goddess had expected. Fortunately, this was no great surprise. The Goddess was unfamiliar with using such a weak and mortal body as a conduit for her power. The ritual was still set to encase every mortal on earth in a prison of ice, and it would be only the Goddess's mercy that could release them.

Even if her servants lost the coming battle utterly, the war would remain in her favor.

\

The Faithful rode quickly through the city. Many of Hammerfest's residents stared at the nine riders with no small amount of fear, but the official crest of Arendelle that adorned each of their uniforms was enough to allay most of their concerns. Soon enough, the crest of Arendelle would be a symbol of fear and domination, but for now the aura of comfort suited Evangeline's purposes.

With her rode eight of the strongest mages that the Faithful had ever produced. Even the weakest among them, a woman known as Isabel, was a deadly threat. Born with the seemingly useless ability to control wood, she had developed her control over the material to the level where she could swiftly direct sharpened stakes at any of her opponents. Beside her was Caine, a young man capable of moving metal. While he couldn't snap a sword at a distance, he was more than capable of disarming any Ungifted warrior foolish enough to challenge him.

Then there were Alecto and Mercury. The two of them each possessed one of the most common manifestations of magic; Alecto could wield fire, while her husband had command over air. Neither was particularly notable on an individual level. But over the years, they had trained to synchronize their abilities in battle, becoming one of the most effective pairs in the Faithful's history. Winds only made flames stronger.

Andrew was gifted with mastery over sound. One movement from his palm would send an incredibly powerful sonic wave at his opponents, knocking them to the ground and filling their ears with a deafening blast. It was a simple ability, but it was very effective.

Perhaps the most unnerving was Solas. A man of only thirty, he spoke little and smiled less. Yet he had displayed nothing but complete devotion to their Goddess, and his powers made him invaluable to the cause. He had been blessed with the ability to control time itself. Solas lacked the power to slow time to a standstill, but he could quicken or decelerate events as he saw fit. By learning to speed up his own movements and slow down the efforts of others, Solas had become one of the Faithful's most deadly warriors. Only Evangeline herself had ever been able to defeat him in training.

To her left rode the most irritating member of the Faithful. But as much as Evangeline hated to admit it, she was glad to have Roman by her side during this adventure. His dominance over the earth itself allowed him to move across a battlefield tremendously quickly, and a boulder to the head was enough to knock out any Ungifted with delusions of heroism.

The spymaster's heart filled with pride, however, as her thoughts turned to Kayla. At the tender age of thirteen, the girl was riding her horse with the grace of a seasoned equestrian. Kayla had proven to be talented in many areas, and her magic was no exception. By the time they reached the trolls, she would be accompanied by a horde of beasts eager to fight and die for her pleasure. Any warrior who stood against her would be ripped to pieces by her loyal slaves.

Evangeline had been looking forward to a fight for months. It was only rarely that she had the pleasure to employ her magic against the Faithful's enemies, and she wouldn't miss this adventure for the world. The spymaster was honored beyond words to serve as the Queen's right hand, but her post left her with few opportunities to engage in matters personally.

She had relished the chance to fight against Drell and his allies, though the moment had been tarnished by the knowledge that the defiler of her Goddess was fighting beside her. Knowing that Drell needed to be taken in alive had prevented Evangeline from making liberal use of her powers; the last thing she'd wanted was word to reach the Queen of her true prowess. Now, such concerns were confined to the past. Evangeline would fight with her full fury against anyone foolish enough to oppose her Goddess.

Teleporting through shadows could be perceived as a humble ability. But any Faithful who had trained with the spymaster quickly learned to dispel such thoughts. Evangeline could strike from anywhere, at any time, and only the luckiest of blows would ever glance her. It had been ten years since she had been bested in a training match, and three since she had even been touched.

Every night since her encounter with Anna and Eugene, Evangeline had dreamt of plunging her blades into their throats and feeding their corpses to the maws of Kayla's servants. That dream was less than thirty-six hours away.

Now, it was time to rendezvous with Aeron.

\

"She what?!"

The gravity-mage sat across from her, his face revealing no uncertainty. "There is no doubt, my lady. The girl is as powerful as she ever was. I watched her tear through a company of soldiers as if they were a band of small children. Even the entirety of my power could barely slow her down."

Evangeline knew that he wasn't lying. The accounts of the soldiers who had fought against Anna matched perfectly with Aeron's report, and the mage himself had never demonstrated a hint of disloyalty towards the Faithful. Yet it still did not make the slightest bit of sense. Anna had only ever had magical abilities because of her relationship with Elsa. With the Goddess now in control, those powers should have vanished for eternity.

Next to her, Kayla's lips were etched in a deep frown. "How could this be possible, Mistress?" the young girl questioned.

"I don't know," Evangeline sighed, her voice tinged with a rare inflection of uncertainty. Internally, her mind was racing. Several explanations popped into her mind, and none of them were welcome.

Anna must have spoken with Drell. Evangeline made a mental note to order the Arms Master's execution before she left the prison. There was no further use to keeping him alive, and the man needed to pay for his role in awakening Anna's abilities. What had formerly been a mere nuisance to the Queen had suddenly matured into a major threat.

Still...Drell or not, it shouldn't have been possible. All surviving literature on the subject stated quite clearly that for a Consort to be granted magic, both the deity and the mortal needed to feel a genuine romantic connection. In fact, when Evangeline thought more into it, she realized that Anna should have lost her powers immediately following completion of the Faithful's successful ritual in Eldora.

How did she retain her magic her magic long enough to battle the Goddess over a week later?

Evangeline could think of more than one explanation, but none of the theories were particularly comforting. She took a deep breath, thinking of the prophecy and indulging in the comfort brought about by the inevitability of their victory. Nothing had truly changed. Magic or not, Anna was still a mere annoyance, and one that would soon be dealt with.

"What shall we do, my lady?"

The spymaster faced her compatriots confidently, refusing to display any of her lingering uncertainty. "We will follow our orders," she replied firmly. "Kayla, tell the others that we will be spending the night here. Aeron, have rooms prepared for us and direct one of your men to prepare for a journey to the capital. I need to send the Goddess a message."

Aeron nodded. "Of course, my lady. But...should we not wait for Her Worship's reply? Given the situation, it's possible that she could order a change in our plans. The Ungifted here are dim, but they do ride quickly. It should not take more than a few days."

"No. I simply wish to alert the Goddess of the new situation. I am confident that her orders will not change. Anna and her allies are doubtlessly returning to the trolls as we speak, to prepare for a desperate assault against the Goddess," Evangeline said. "We need to attack the trolls' encampment before they depart, and crush all of our enemies in a single stroke."

The gravity-mage dipped his head in acknowledgment, but Kayla displayed a brilliant smile. Out of all of the Faithful, Evangeline knew, the young girl was perhaps the most eager to kill Anna. Ever since the peasant had been lifted from the streets, Kayla had been forced to attend to her constantly. Serving her drinks, rousing her from sleep, delivering her meals...all of it had been far beneath the young mage's dignity. To Evangeline's relief, Kayla had weathered it all with a gentle smile, knowing that the chance for vengeance would eventually reveal itself.

That day was about to arrive.

\

November 12

"Forgive me, Anna," Grand Pabbie intoned. "This is magic far beyond my knowledge. With the return of your abilities, it is difficult to argue that your beliefs about Elsa are incorrect, but...I cannot understand why your kiss would not have freed her from possession."

The Knight moved to speak up, her eyes betraying an undeniable shimmer of hope. "It doesn't matter," Kristoff cut her off hurriedly. "Right now, we need to find a way to get to Elsa without her servants getting in the way. I don't think your concealment spells will do us much good if the entire Palace is on alert for us, and once they hear about how Anna effortlessly tore through all those prison guards, they definitely will be."

"I agree," Pabbie replied, ignoring Anna's audible sigh. "It has taken every last bit of magic in my fingertips, but I've managed to create a few bottled spells that might give you an opportunity. As the only one truly familiar with the Castle's layout, it will be up to Anna to create a plan of attack that can effectively utilize my magic."

Eugene frowned. "First, we need to know exactly what resources we're going to have at our disposal. Pabbie, will you and your people accompany us?" he questioned. "I know that most of you don't have much...or any...ability in combat, but even serving as a distraction might be helpful. Anna will need every advantage she can get if she wants to get close to Elsa."

The old troll's eyes fell to the ground, his gaze uncharacteristically uncertain. "To do what you suggest would be to lead many of my people to their deaths...perhaps all of my people. I've sworn an oath to keep my people from harm, and my life has been dedicated to that goal. Yet if we do nothing, our race is doomed regardless. I...I cannot find a way to protect my people. Both choices end in death."

"It's not your fault, Pabbie!" Kristoff said, his voice firm with reassurance. "No one, no matter how wise or powerful, could have predicted what's happened. You're not all-knowing, and you're not expected to be. All you can do is make the best choice you have."

Pabbie smiled slightly, laying a hand on Kristoff's arm. "You may be right, lad. I thank you. But the fact remains that I have no choice in front of me that has a chance of keeping my people safe. If we remain here, and you fail, we will all die. If we accompany you, nearly all of us will likely perish. And I am not certain that accompanying you will improve your chances. In fact, it may doom your mission entirely."

"I don't understand," Anna voiced.

"All of my magic has gone into creating these spells for your use; I will not have enough power to create another spell for months, and none of the other trolls are skilled enough to create a spell of concealment," he noted ruefully. "Without such magic, we are easily spotted. Any sighting of a rock troll will quickly make its way to the guards, and from there will likely end up in the Queen's hands. She would know exactly when we are coming."

"Maybe if we moved at night..." Eugene started to say, but stopped himself. "No. Before we plan on anything, we need to be aware exactly of what we're dealing with. Anna, find a pen and paper and draw up a layout of the Castle. If you're a terrible artist, ask a troll to help...some of the paintings around here are pretty impressive. Pabbie, I need to know exactly what these spells are and what they can do. Then I can start making up a plan of infiltration."

The old troll looked slightly uncertain, but Kristoff nodded firmly. "Eugene spent years sneaking into places and stealing stuff...heavily guarded stuff. If anyone can figure out how to best put our advantages to use, he can."

"I was a thief, but I was never good at planning," Anna agreed. "It was my climbing that gave me the edge. If Eugene makes a plan and says it's our best shot, I'll go with it," she continued, shooting the Prince a slight smile. "We're lucky to have him around."

Eugene gave her a light grin in return. "Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence. Now let's get to work."

\

Unfortunately for Kristoff, he wasn't much good at planning either, so there wasn't much he could contribute to the day-long discussion. Anna, having finished a rough outline of the Palace's structure, joined Eugene, Pabbie, and a few of the older trolls in trying to draw up a strategy. As the hours wore on, however, no clear route emerged. Elsa had full knowledge of the Palace's secret passages and certainly had them guarded. The Palace itself was perhaps the most heavily defended structure on earth, and even Pabbie's most powerful spells might not be enough to provide them with a way in.

Finally, after the sun had set and blanketed the camp in darkness, Eugene had decreed that they should disperse and get some rest. With over a month remaining before the onset of the ritual, there was still ample time to formulate a strategy before going on the attack. If there was indeed a strategy that could conceivably work. Their discussion so far had not been very promising.

The Prince and the trolls all went to find a place to sleep. Kristoff did the same, but as he was laying down on his cot he noticed Anna out of the corner of his eye. The Knight was sitting near the edge of the campsite, sitting on a rock and staring up into the stars. So far away from civilization, the trolls' camp offered a view of the stars like none other; thousands of pinpricks of light gazed down at them from below. In the distance, Kristoff could see a dark wave of clouds that heralded a massive storm, but the trolls' barrier would protect them from any adverse weather.

No better time than the present.

"Hey," Kristoff greeted softly as he walked up behind Anna, before dropping to his feet and sitting on the grass beside her. For a few moments, the young woman said nothing, continuing to stare up at the sky above them.

A soft sigh. "Hey," she replied in kind.

"This was one of my favorite places when I was a kid," Kristoff said. "The trolls were always great to me, but they didn't know a lot of things about raising a kid. Whenever I'd have problems, they would try to help...but they didn't always know how. If it became too much, I'd always come out here for a bit. Seeing how vast everything is...it kind of makes your own problems feel less significant, you know? After Sven...fell...I spent a lot of time out here."

The Knight shook her head. "I do know what you mean, Kristoff, but I...that can't really help me right now. Seeing how small we really are just reminds me what's at stake here. The entire world out there, depending on us. Even if they don't know it." She paused, her voice quivering. "I know...what you want me to do. Maybe...maybe it really is the only way. But when the time comes, I don't know if I can..." Anna stopped again, laughing and sobbing in the same moment. "Look at me, I can't even say it. How am I supposed to do it if I can't even say it, Kristoff?" she asked helplessly.

"I don't know," he admitted.

Another laugh. Another sob. "No one does," she managed, her eyes twinkling with tears. "I shouldn't be the one with these powers, Kristoff. I was never meant for this sort of thing. It should have been you. Or Eugene. I'm the only person on earth capable of defeating the goddess, and also the last person who ever should have been given the job."

"You have these powers for a reason," Kristoff pointed out. "Elsa-"

"Elsa didn't choose me because she wanted a hero!" Anna revealed. "She told me that once. The reason she wanted to be with me was because I made her happy. She loved me because I 'brought light into her life'...or whatever. Not because I was a brave hero out of a storybook. And yeah, it's nice to know she loved me for me, but that doesn't bode well for our odds now does it?"

Kristoff winced. "Well...maybe," he agreed. "But just because she wasn't looking for a hero doesn't mean you aren't one. I've seen you in action, remember? And Eugene's told me a few interesting stories..."

"Stop right there," Anna held up a hand. "I know what you're going to say. Yeah, I get it, I always put the lives of others before my own. So, I was brave...I guess. But a lack of self-preservation instinct doesn't exactly make me the right person to go up against a crazy, ridiculously powerful goddess."

"It shows that you were willing to do anything for the people you care about," Kristoff pointed out. "And I don't buy that you had no 'self-preservation' instinct, or however you phrase it with those big fancy words you learned in the Castle. I mean, honestly, are you really going to tell me you didn't want to live? Sure, for most of your life, you didn't have much of a reason to, but after you met Elsa...Anna, you had everything. Luxury, friends, a beautiful woman on your arm...are you seriously going to tell me you didn't care that much about surviving when you had so much to live for?"

Anna frowned. "No, of course not. But...none of this matters. Just because I was willing to fight for the people I cared about doesn't mean I'll be able to...'stop' the Goddess. See, I still can't even say it!" she let out a mirthless laugh.

Kristoff sighed, doing his best to repress the frustration building up inside him. He knew he should admire Anna's desire to save the woman she loved, but the Knight was being so short-sighted. "Alright, try," he prompted. "I'm not asking you to say you're going to kill Elsa. That's not even what you're doing. Say you're going to kill the Goddess. Go on."

"I'm going to..." again, she hesitated. Eugene had warned Kristoff that pushing too hard would only make things worse, but the ice-harvester had his limits. "Come on! She possessed the woman you love and ruined your life. Say it. 'I am going to kill the goddess'. Go!"

"Kristoff, I...who the hell is that?!"

The ice-harvester turned to where Anna was pointing. Visible through the light of the moon was a group of ten figures, walking slowly up the mountainside toward the campsite. Behind them was a mass of beasts, churning with a vicious energy yet following the human travelers in an orderly fashion. Slowly realizing what was about to happen, Kristoff's eyes flicked back to the grassy enclave...the tents and huts...that had been his home as long as he could remember, and felt his heart grow cold with terror.

That was when Anna started yelling.

\

It hadn't taken Anna long to rouse the entire camp.

When she had first spotted the group, they'd been around ten minutes away. The light coating of snow that covered the mountainside was little obstacle to their path, and by the time Anna had managed to assemble everyone it was clear that they would be at the barrier in less than five minutes.

There was no mistaking what was about to take place. The Faithful were done taking chances. If they had their way, none of the trolls or their allies would survive the night. Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, and Pabbie convened in a circle, allowing the dozens of other trolls to stand around them. Terror or incomprehension dominated every face.

"If they're here in such a force, they must have a way to bring down the barrier," Eugene said. "I'm certain that every single one of those ten men and women is a powerful mage, and with the horde of wolves they're bringing, we don't stand a chance. Even with Anna. We all have to leave, and we have to do it now!"

Grand Pabbie was gazing around frantically, his eyes seeking a salvation that would never appear. "I...we can't," the old troll intoned, all of the usual composure in his voice replaced by undisguised fear. "With those wolves in our way, we'll never manage to roll down the mountain without being slaughtered. Our only chance would be to make our way over the peak of the mountain and flee down that slope, and those mages will arrive long before we can manage it."

And that was the crux of the problem. The troll's camp was situated on one of the taller mountains of Arendelle, a few hundred yards below the hill's rounded peak. The camp's side of the mountain was relatively flat sloped, making walking up a feasible task. On the other side of the peak, however, the slope was far steeper. If the trolls could make it to the top of the mountain, they would be able to roll down below far faster than a human pursuer could follow. They would end up in the Spine, a treacherous, snow-filled valley surrounded on all sides by mountainous hills. But they would survive.

Unfortunately, the trolls could not roll up the mountain. They would have to run, and their short stubby legs could not carry them forward at any speed near what a determined human could manage. The mages would cut them down in droves as they attempted to flee.

Anna took a deep breath, allowing the adrenaline rushing through her veins to overcome her fear. "I can't beat them, but I can slow them down. Once they break through the barrier, I'll use your cover-spell. When that happens, you all start running. I'll buy you as much time as I can."

"No!" Eugene interjected. "You're too important to risk. If you die, it's all over...for everyone. You should run; race down that hill and get as far away from here as you can. The rest of us will hold them back as long as possible."

Grim nods of agreement were issued by the rest of the circle, and Anna suddenly felt as if the ground was opening up beneath her feet. They honestly expected her to abandon her friends to their deaths, just so she could live? Anna cast her thoughts around desperately, seeking a way out... And then, to her relief, she found it.

"I'm fast, but not fast enough," she declared. "Evangeline can teleport; she'd catch me. I don't know if I could beat her out in the open," Anna noted honestly. "My best chance to escape is to make a stand first, and kill Evangeline. Then I'll run. Hopefully, I'll be able to take out a couple of their other mages too...make it easier for us to attack the Castle when the time comes."

Eugene moved to reply, but Pabbie cut him off. "Anna is right. If any of us are to flee, this teleporter must be slain. All of us who can fight will remain behind; my people will arm ourselves with whatever instruments are available. I will lead a party of our children and elders up the mountain. We will all be able to roll down unharmed, and I will have a sleigh brought up for the three of you. If we are attacked, I will confront the enemy. Anna, take the cover-spell and the other two bottles. The last one shall remain with me."

Kristoff frowned. "I thought we were going to use them to get into the Castle?" he asked hurriedly. "Didn't you say you don't have enough magic left to create another potion for months?"

"We need them now," Anna declared. "Without them, we'll have no chance to survive the night. If we live until tomorrow...we'll figure something out to get into the Castle. Right now, we need to focus on the present moment."

The Prince shook his head. "This is a terrible plan," he ruminated. "You could easily be killed in the next few minutes. We all could. None of us have any idea how powerful all of those mages are."

Anna winced. It was a terrible plan. The Knight had to strain to hold back tears as she glanced around and looked upon the grim, determined faces surrounding her. Some of them are going to die. Even in the best-case scenario, there was not the slightest hope of the night ending without fatalities. Anna had been in many battles, but never anything like this. All my power, and I won't be able to save them...

"It's the only plan we have," she finally managed, her voice cracking horribly. "Pabbie, start the evacuation and take one of the spells. Leave the rest with me. I-" she stopped, trying to think of something more to say. A short speech that would inspire her allies and give them to courage to fight against all odds.

Nothing emerged.

\

"Kayla, hand me the potion."

The young girl did as Evangeline asked, passing over the small glass bottle. It was the most difficult potion that Kayla had ever created, but the spymaster was more than pleased with the results. The spell would do its job, and the Faithful would finish the rest.

Evangeline stopped walking ten yards away from where she knew the barrier stood, raising her hand and signaling her subordinates to do likewise. "The moment the barrier shatters, our foes will likely split into two groups. One will remain behind and attempt to fight us, the other will attempt to flee to the top of the mountain. Alecto, Mercury, and Andrew...you're with me. While the rest of you slaughter those trying to make a stand, the four of us will pursue and cut down those attempting to flee."

She paused, taking in a deep breath and saving the moment. "Anna is our primary target; everyone else is secondary. I suspect that she will accompany the group of evacuees. Our enemies know that if she dies, they lose any hope of confronting the Goddess. And while killing her would be a great honor..." she stopped, sweeping a gaze of warning over the others, "Personal pride matters nothing compared to the will of the Goddess. There will be no competition tonight. Anna will die; it does not matter how quickly or by who's hand."

There were nods of acceptance all around.

"Then it is time," the spymaster declared. "Prepare yourselves!"

Gripping the bottle in her hand tightly, Evangeline teleported to the edge of the barrier. The moment had come to test the powers of the Faithful against the best efforts of the rock trolls, and she was certain which magic was about to triumph. Grinning viciously, she hurled the bottle against the invisible barrier.

For a moment, there was nothing save the shattering of the glass as the bottle splintered. Then it was possible for a keen eye to spot thin wisps of black smoke arising from the broken glass and spilling into the air. With every second they grew larger and solidified. Cracks began to echo into the night as the tendrils of mist latched onto the barrier at a dozen different points.

A thick layer of darkness, emanating from every point of contact, began to move across the barrier. Evangeline smiled contently as the magic spread rapidly; within seconds the entire shield and the camp within was surrounded by an iron dome of black malice. For a moment, time stood still.

Then a vicious hiss spilled into the sky as the darkness dissolved, taking the barrier with it.

\

Anna was horrified, but she couldn't say she was surprised. The Faithful would never have sent out such a large force if they didn't have a way to break in. Before the barrier had been consumed by darkness, the Knight had gotten a good look at what they were facing: ten mages and a horde of wolves. Evangeline and Kayla stood among them, their faces hiding none of their eagerness.

With her stood Kristoff, Eugene, and four dozen trolls armed with daggers, all of whom taking cover behind whatever obstacles they could. Anna once again wore a bandolier of small knives around her waist, now that she had regained the strength and coordination to throw them with deadly precision. Suppressing her fears as best she could, Anna glanced down at the small innocuous glass bottle in her hand. If this didn't work...

Just as the barrier dissolved, Anna hurled Pabbie's most powerful concoction at the ground in front of her. Dense white smoke erupted from the shards of glass, speeding through the air so strongly that the Knight was forced to cover her eyes. By the time she opened them again, a thick white haze had settled all around her. Pabbie had estimated that his cover spell would shroud half the mountain with fog, and nothing Anna could perceive gave her reason to doubt that assumption.

Unfortunately, Pabbie hadn't been as certain for how long the spell would last. But for the moment, the smoke was thick enough that any combatant on either side would only be able to see a few yards in any direction. The Knight would have liked to have been able to use it against Elsa, but nothing else could have kept the Faithful for overwhelming them within moments.

\

Evangeline and her fellow mages paused. The barrier had given way to reveal a thick wall of smoke hurtling towards them. It took only moments for the spymaster to realize that this spell was intended only as a delaying action, nothing more. The trolls did not have the power to infuse the air with poison.

As it was, this spell was a profound nuisance. Evangeline couldn't teleport to places she could not see, and this smoke made all but the most short-range jumps impossible. Knowing that Anna was likely getting further away with every moment that passed, the spymaster turned quickly to her allies. "Kayla, order the wolves forward. The rest of you follow behind and stay alert. Alecto, Mercury, Andrew...follow me. We're going to head around whatever defenses they have and sprint to the top of the mountain."

\

Anna expected to hear the horde of beasts charging first, and she wasn't disappointed. The Knight reached into her pocket, pulling out Pabbie's second glass bottle. She had to time this just right...

Then a wolf was leaping out of the smoke towards her! Nearly too stunned to react, Anna had just enough time to dodge the beast as it leapt at her throat. As it passed, the wolf's body slammed into her left side. Anna's arm jolted wildly, and the glass bottle spilled out of her grasp and rolled harmlessly onto the ground. Within an instant, it was out of view.

Damn it! Anna had forgotten how quick the animals under Kayla's control could become. Her now empty fist lashed out, smashing into the wolf's jaw and all but shattering its head. The Knight allowed herself a grim smile. These wolves were certainly still a threat, but Anna had grown significantly stronger and faster than the last time she'd dealt with them.

She faced the horde bravely, her sword whirling through the air. One, two, three...every swipe of her blade ended another wolf's life. But they weren't just concentrating on her; many were running well to off the sides and engaging her allies. The smoke covering the mountain did nothing to block out the screams.

Anna ran off towards the shouts...

Then a swordsman was rushing out of the smoke, running towards her position. His eyes sparked with triumph as they settled upon her form. The Knight blocked his first strike easily, having braced herself for a blow of magically enhanced strength that never came. Anna's reply wasn't as quick as it could have been, as her mind was still on alert for whatever magic this man possessed. Her opponent swiftly darted towards the side, and the Knight's blade hit nothing but air.

"She's-!" Anna quickly attacked again, breaking the man out of his warning and forcing him to commit all of his attention to her onslaught. The Knight broke upon him furiously...yet something was wrong. Horribly wrong. She felt no compulsion on her limbs, nothing weighing them down, but her movements were barely half as quick as they usually were. His lips set in a determined line, Anna's opponent was matching her blow for blow.

Anna was still moving faster than any Ungifted could manage, but so was the man in front of her. Their swords were moving at equal speed, enough so that her opponent's superior skill and technique were fully brought to bear. He moved his weapon like a master, deflecting each of her blows with ludicrous precision and seizing any opportunity her defense offered. Anna's only saving grace was her strength. Although the force behind her blows was reduced by her reduced speed, any contact between their weapons was enough to send her opponent recoiling.

Their duel was a furious dance. Every action met with reaction. Anna could hear the sounds echoing from throughout the camp...the screams of the dead and dying, yet her every effort was spent on engaging the mage in front of her.

\

Eugene extracted his bloodied sword from the wolf's body, grunting in grim satisfaction. The trolls were doing the best they could, fending off the beasts with long sharpened daggers, yet it was clear that none among them were trained warriors. Already, several had fallen to the ground wounded...and worse.

An otherworldly sound in the distance compelled Eugene to rush forward. The Prince ran through the fog to find several trolls surrounding a ruined wooden hut, all fixated at a woman standing in the center of where the structure had once stood. Planks of wood rotated in the air around her, striking at any troll who failed to evade in time. Even as he hurried forward, a sharpened stake hurled through the air and impaled a troll in the chest. The unfortunate target crumbled to the ground, a now blood-red post sticking out of his back.

Channeling his rage, Eugene continued forward. The woman hadn't noticed him yet. If he could just get close enough...suddenly his sword was wrenched from his hand by an invisible force; the blade went careening into the fog and fell out of sight. The Prince turned to see a young man walking towards him, a malevolent smile etched on his lips.

The mage thrust his hand forward. A sharp shard of metal sped off his belt and hurtled towards Eugene, angled straight for his heart. Diving to the side, the Prince felt his leg explode in pain as the shard grazed his thigh. Blood immediately began to drip from the long, thin cut.

Years of training just barely allowed Eugene to keep his mind in check. This man could control metal, that much was clear. Fortunately, there was another type of weapon available nearby. Dodging another shard, the Prince reached for the ground and picked up a long plank of wood left unmolested after the hut's destruction.

Another shard! Eugene held his new weapon out in front of him, gritting his teeth and praying to the gods. A loud thunk echoed into the night as the shard slammed into the plank, embedding itself halfway through the wood but leaving Eugene untouched.

Evidently, this mage had grown overly reliant on his magic. With no time left to launch another shard, the man was helpless to resist as Eugene struck out with all of his strength, slamming the plank into the mage's face. The young man crumpled to the ground instantly, clearly unconscious.

The Prince knew it would be best to finish this man off now, but there was no time. Not when the howls of wolves erupted from every direction and his allies crumpled in the face of the onslaught. He needed to find his sword and kill that woman-

But by the time he did, a far more pressing danger had emerged.

\

Kristoff didn't know what to do. He held his sword out in front of him, gripping it as tightly as he could manage. By sheer luck, no wolves had targeted him yet. If they had, it likely would have been the end. The shouts of both friend and foe surrounded him on all sides. Where to turn? What to do? So much death...

A large chunk of earth was suddenly flying through the night, speeding right towards his head. The ice-harvester was powerless to resist as the hardened earth slammed into his body, knocking the sword out of his grip and sending him falling to the ground. His head was alight with pain. He needed to get up, to fight...Krisotff collapsed onto his back and sunk into unconsciousness.

Roman would have finished the young man off, but he had more important targets to find.

\

At last, Evangeline and her three companions had made it out of the fog. By now, they were nearly at the top of the mountain. Going entirely around the trolls' camp, they had met no opposition. Now, however, she could see a group of small figures approaching the summit. They were running parallel to Evangeline's group, but were slightly ahead of the four mages.

There was no need to teleport. The smoke that now covered much of the mountain made her wary of any future surprises, and the spymaster couldn't see Anna among the large group of trolls now approaching the summit. Shouts echoed from the group as they spotted Evangeline and her allies; most of them now sprinted upwards even faster. Only one, a gray-haired rock carrying a wooden staff, stopped entirely. He gestured for his people to continued, hesitated for a brief moment, then began to walk towards the group of mages.

The rest of the trolls had reached the summit, and were now turning into round rocks as they rolled over the peak. Evangeline would have liked to slaughter them, but they weren't a priority. This old troll approaching her was clearly the leader, and if anyone knew where Anna had fled, he would. She signaled for her subordinates to surround the troll without attacking.

Within moments, they were standing in a circle around him, each mage positioned perhaps two yards away from the diminutive troll. He was trying to put on a brave face, but the spymaster could not be fooled so easily. His large hands were clenched tightly, one still encircled around his staff. Evangeline could see the fear in his eyes and relished the sight.

Any moonlight had long since faded. A quick glance to the distance confirmed that the approaching storm was growing ever closer; within minutes, the entire mountain would be assaulted by a powerful blizzard. Fortunately, Evangeline had more than enough time for a quick interrogation.

"I have no patience for games, troll. Tell me where she is, and you will be spared. Refuse, and die painfully. Talk!" she demanded.

The old troll said nothing, though the fear in his eyes grew ever more apparent. Then his gaze shifted into his free hand, and Evangeline noticed something that she had previously missed. Glinting in the light provided by the few stars still visible in the sky was a small glass bottle, wedged between his fingers.

"Move!" she screamed. The word had barely left her mouth before the troll hurled the bottle at the ground, breathing deeply and closing his eyes. It was the last thing he ever did.

Fire rushed into the air, spreading in a circle from the smashed bottle and consuming the troll instantly. With nowhere in her line of sight safe, Evangeline eschewed teleportation in favor of more mundane means of evasion. The spymaster leapt backwards as quickly as possible...too slow! The outermost tendrils of fire reached her arms, hungrily lashing out at her skin for a brief, agonizing moment. Then she fell backwards, her sleeves and skin both on fire.

Pain a hundred times greater than Eugene's earlier attack invaded Evangeline's mind. Instinctively, the spymaster plunged her limbs into the snow-covered ground. A different agony now consumed the first, one of biting cold and blackening skin.

Andrew rushed to her side. Out of all the mages, it seemed he was the only one quick enough to escape the blast. Alecto and Mercury were nowhere to be seen...unless one counted the charred corpses at the edge of the ring of melted snow.

He moved to help her, but she shrugged him off. "I'll...live," Evangeline managed. "Go. Kill the girl. Come back for me when...it's over." Her mind had reached its limit. The spymaster collapsed into the snow, falling into unconsciousness as her body went into shock.

\

Not Anna…

Responses:

CoolNicNac7112: Technically, it's December 21.

Andilite: About that…

ReadingFriendHurryUp: Everyone will be surprised by the ending. That's all I can say.

Cyrianu: Anna doesn't have many good options at this point.

SUGARKANE: Thank you! I certainly try to write every scene with a purpose.

TheChronicle: That's a good point about longer chapters. You raise some interesting plot theories, but I can't really talk about them

.Sato: I want people to worry about my characters!

Vidgamelords: The ending is approaching, but there's plenty more to go!

ClaireCooper: This chapter, or the story as a whole?

Spooths: Remember that Anna held out for a little while last time, and that was without trying to kill Elsa. She is certainly still heavily overmatched, but she's fast and durable enough to survive for a bit against a weakened Elsa.

DimmensionalLover: I never make things easy!

JellalFernades: Thanks! I can't really comment on theories, but I'm glad to see people enjoying what I've written and thinking about it.

WinterWolfDragon: Fire and blood are what happens next.

TaniaHylian: That was definitely written so that both characters could have an understandable position.

Arekanderu: The reality is, they're simply overmatched. Pabbie's magic isn't geared for combat.

LordWestGordon: Neither would I!

Jydr: What do you think it means?

AceVermin143: Do we?

SeniorCrescent: Close, but not quite. She still has a role to play.

ThunderJovi: Hang in there!

ObsessiveImagnings: Everything has a purpose.

LadyAK: Thanks for all the reviews! I enjoy seeing people experience this story chapter by chapter.

FrozenChris: Can't comment on theories, but I appreciate your enthusiasm for this story!

AHugeFan: You never know.

Hjsimmons: It's supposed to be somewhat frustrating. My biggest complaint with a lot of Elsanna stories is that they have no real tension.

PascalDragon: Hmmm…

Jacklyn: First, she has to survive the night.

Coincidencless: 31 days?

xAnimeJunkie23x: I did warn that this would be a dark arc…

Truffalot: Sent you a PM, but for anyone else wondering, it WAS a possession, the Faithful were simply wrong (willful misinterpretation). Thanks for reading!

VelascoAnna: Thanks! How long does this take to read now?