A/N: Sorry for the wait! This chapter was hard to write, especially with all the references to previous chapters, and I wanted it to be as coherent as possible.

November 8

"This is why you should never do anything without me."

Evangeline scowled. "I accomplished my objectives; this scar doesn't matter in the slightest. You've been stationed in Albion for three years, doing nothing but keeping tabs on the King's movements. How many times was your life in the slightest danger?"

Roman offered her a cocky smile, casually twirling a levitating pebble above his palm as he spoke. "Last I recall, you were the one who had me placed in that backwater. It was partially thanks to my intel that you were able to enact your brilliant distract-Elsa-with-a-war plan. How did that turn out, by the way?"

He was even more annoying when he was right. Roman was only thirty years old, but as an experienced mage capable of manipulating the earth itself, he was one of the Faithful's most valuable operatives. Unfortunately, his greatest source of pleasure in life appeared to be taunting and/or flirting with every female the Faithful counted among their ranks.

Roman had arrived shortly before Evangeline's return from her expedition, limping on a leg that had been mended by one of the worst healers the spymaster had ever seen. The Goddess had been disappointed to see her wounded, but was still pleased by the knowledge of Evangeline's successes. Knowing of the spymaster's importance to their assault, she had quickly healed Evangeline's leg with her own magic.

"All that matters is that this attack succeeds," the spymaster replied curtly. "I trust that you're ready to go into actual combat for once?"

If she'd intended to rile him, her effort had failed. "Always ready my dear. Always ready. Don't worry; before we leave, I'll make sure to grab some bandages from the infirmary. You know, in case an Ungifted manages to scratch you again."

Evangeline rounded on him, prepared to strike the insolent mage in the cheek, but Roman was already gliding away. The ground beneath his feet bent to his will, propelling the mage away swiftly and leaving the spymaster to come up with some difficult excuses for the servants who would have to repair the damage to the Castle's ground floor.

\

Anna said nothing, simply glowering at the man seated before her. A year in prison had not been kind to her former teacher. The heavy beard and long hair that now adorned his face were some of the less surprising changes. Based upon the angles of his legs on the floor, Anna could tell that they had been broken...probably repeatedly. The hastily mended cuts on his cheek and forehead only provided further evidence to the brutal interrogation he had undergone. Thoughts of her own torture reared in her mind, threatening to destroy any composure Anna had managed to retain.

Worst of all were the scars along his arms. It was evident that he'd been bitten...repeatedly, by a large and vicious animal. How he had survived such an ordeal without the beast simply going for his neck, Anna didn't know. And she wasn't very keen on finding out.

"Aren't you going to say hi to your mentor?"

Anna's cheeks went red with rage. "You aren't my mentor! I don't care if you were right about Elsa; it doesn't change anything about how I feel about you! All that time, I was nothing but a necessary casualty in your eyes. How many times during my training did you consider gutting me the second my back was turned?"

Drell frowned. "I never wanted your death. Yes, I was willing to count you as a sacrifice. Just as I was willing to sacrifice myself and any of my men to save the world. Are you any different, Anna?"

Fist clenching, the former Knight forced herself not to scream. "Yes. I would never sacrifice an innocent to achieve my goals! I would always find another way. That's something that you never bothered with!"

"You truly believe that attacking the Castle was my first choice? I regret every death that happened that night, but if I had to do it over again, I would. Just like I'm sure you wish that you didn't have to set fire to that Church just to sneak in and see me. The guards in this cellblock mentioned that it was quite a blaze before they hurried downstairs."

A jolt of dread shot into Anna's heart. "That's different! No one would be in that Church this time of night. Property damage is one thing. Taking innocent lives is another," she said firmly.

Drell's lips betrayed the ghost of a smile. "And what if the fire spreads, Anna?"

"It won't!"

"Probably not," her former teacher agreed. "But there's a chance that it might...a chance you were very well aware of when you decided to put that plan into action. You and I both know that everyone on this planet is doomed; if a few have to be sacrificed to give a chance to the many, that's a choice you must be strong enough to make."

Anna was more than a little unsettled by his words, but she refused to show it. "Risking the remote chance of the fire spreading is a lot different than organizing an uprising that would inevitably kill hundreds!" she hissed.

"Is it really?" Drell questioned. "It proves that you're willing to risk innocent lives for the greater good. That's nothing new. How many of David's guards did you kill to save Elsa while you were in Corona? Most of them were normal men, simply doing their jobs, and you struck them down with hesitation. Am I right?"

The former Knight clenched her teeth, saying nothing.

"Tell me Anna, if you were taken back in time to the night I asked you to join us, what would your answer be? Knowing what you know now, would you have killed Kale for the opportunity to put a blade in Elsa's heart? You don't have to admit it to me. Admit it to yourself."

Anna was silent.

Drell sighed. "You didn't come here to argue with me. I knew it was only a matter of time before Elsa revealed the truth to you. I can see that you didn't take it very well. And now, you want to ask me how to can stop Elsa before her ritual takes effect."

Anna's eyes widened. "How can you know about the ritual?" she blurted out.

"Evangeline and her little friend have been here on several occasions," he said with a grimace. "They've been trying to break my spirit ever since I arrived here; they want me to tell them everything I know about the rest of my Order. Not that there was much to tell; few of us remain at large. Evangeline took great pleasure in telling me how Elsa's magic will consume the world as soon as the next Solstice arrives."

"Then get to the point and tell me how to stop it!"

\

Dong! Dong!

Eugene glanced away from the fire as the bells echoed throughout the night. Immediately, the rest of the guards on station began to move. By the light of the torches, the Prince could see them begin to walk away from the ramparts. His heartbeat rising, Eugene looked down into the courtyard to see the next shift change of guards already making their way to the wall.

No! Anna, Eugene, and Kristoff had been very careful with their observations the previous night. The next patrol of guards wasn't scheduled to start for another three hours! Yet there they were, steadily approaching. His stomach sinking, Eugene realized the terrible, awful truth: each shift change occurred at a random time in the night, making break-ins much harder to plan. If only they'd waited another night, they would have known.

Now, it was too late.

Feeling like the world was closing in around him, the Prince considered his options. If he bolted down the wall now, he would likely escape. Unfortunately, that would put the entire prison on high alert. Anna would be found within minutes. If he stayed, the other guards would likely see through his disguise, but at least the attention would be focused on him.

Then there was the matter of the unconscious body of the guard that Eugene had replaced...

\

"You know more about the gods than anyone besides the Faithful! There has to be some way to interfere with her magic," Anna said.

Her heart sank as Drell shook his head. "I had no idea that Elsa would even need to use a ritual to conquer the world. I know as much about the process as you do...possibly even less. If you want to stop her, your only chance is to kill her."

Nothing. After all this planning, all these risks...it was all a waste. Just like everything else in Anna's entire life.

"Evangeline did let slip that the ritual has somewhat weakened Elsa's powers for the moment. I trust you still know how to use your sword. If you can reach her, there's a chance you could put an end to her before she can finish her spell. If she dies, all of that magic she's built up would probably just fade away. Unfortunately, in your present state of mind, there's little hope that you would succeed."

"What are you talking about?" Anna demanded.

Drell offered her a sad smile. "I trained you for months, Anna. I saw you go through more ups and downs than any other student could even imagine. In some ways, I know you better than you know yourself. Right now, you're filled with pain...and it's not because of me. I imagine that ever since you discovered Elsa's true colors, you've coped with your grief only by masking it with constant anger."

"No. It is because of you!" Anna retorted, jabbing her finger in his direction. "You're honestly surprised that I'm angry with you after you nearly killed me? You think that's just a...just a cover for..."

"Grief and rage can be powerful emotions, but when they control you rather than the other way around, you're just setting yourself up to make mistakes. I don't deny that you have the right to be angry with me," he admitted. "But it hasn't been just me, has it? I can see it in your eyes, Anna. Ever since you found out what Elsa truly was, you've been lashing out at everyone around you."

"How can you-"

Drell offered her a sad shrug. "You aren't the woman I spent nearly a year mentoring. The Anna I knew would never have allowed rage to control her so completely, even when dealing with a man who betrayed her...not when the fate of the world was on the line. How long have you been running from your pain? Do you feel the slightest bit better since you started using rage as your shield?"

Anna fought the urge to recoil. Drell was more right than she cared to admit. Ever since Elsa had betrayed her, she'd suppressed her broken heart in any way possible...first by removing her own memories, then by becoming colder and more spiteful than she had ever been. The way she'd been treating her friends was proof enough of that. Even with the world collapsing around her, she couldn't help but feel a sharp tinge of shame.

Her eyes fell to the floor. "I thought if I ignored it for long enough, the pain would start to fade away," she said, more to herself than Drell. "But that's never going to happen, is it? I'll never be the same..." For the first time in months, Anna allowed the mask of rage she hadn't even realized she'd been holding to drop, allowing her true pain to seep into her voice.

"The same?" Drell asked. "No one ever stays the same. Certainly neither of us…not after what we've been through. But that doesn't mean you can't claw yourself out of the hole you've fallen into. Stop hiding from your grief; accept what happened with Elsa, and move past it. If you keep running, that pain will haunt you forever."

The former Knight stared at him, her annoyance rising once again. "Why? What does it matter if I'm miserable or not? All that matters is that we find a way to take Elsa down...and as it appears you can't help me, coming here was a waste of time," she noted bitterly.

Drell returned her gaze, and Anna could almost feel the disappointment in his eyes. "I spent my life trying to stop her. I failed. But I came close more than once, and it was because I didn't let my heart rule my head. You're one of the few people left...perhaps the only person left...who can possibly stand in her way. But if you don't come to terms with her betrayal...with what happened to you, there's no hope. An angry, bitter woman with nothing to fight for stands no chance against a goddess. You'll go into that fight expecting to lose. Part of you will want to lose."

Anna's nostrils flared. "I don't-"

"Really, Anna? There's no part of you that would welcome a release from the pain you're constantly trying to suppress? There's no soft voice at the back of your mind, whispering to you about the comforts of death?"

The worst part of it was that Anna couldn't deny it. Part of her did think that losing wouldn't be so horrible. Whether the afterlife was paradise or nothing at all, in many ways it would be preferable to the suffering that had come to define her life.

Several moments passed, filled with nothing but silence.

"Does it matter?" Anna finally asked, her voice so soft it was barely audible. "The Faithful say that Elsa is destined to win...that prophecy says that her ritual will succeed and return her full divinity. The version you had was wrong."

Drell was incredulous. "And you believe them?" he demanded. "Prophecies are immutable, that much is true. But I don't believe their story about the Order's version being an altered one. Evangeline spun the same tale for me; they're simply trying to discourage us Anna. It's just a lie they've spread through their ranks so that any who oppose them will be filled with doubt."

"No. It isn't," Anna replied, her voice betraying no uncertainty.

"How-"

Anna raised a hand, cutting him off. "During my time with Elsa, I had more than one especially vivid dream. At least, that's what I thought they were. But somehow, I was having visions of the past. I didn't realize what they were...not until the night you revealed yourself. That's when it all came together. I saw the King of the Gods cast his entire race into another dimension. I watched as the Goddess used her magic to shield herself, so that she would be the last one left." I'll never forget those dreams. They were simply too real. I couldn't even manage to remember the names of Elsa's grandparents when Gerda was tutoring me, but I remember this.

Although still clearly confused, Drell nodded slowly. "There are reports of other consorts of the gods in the past having similar visions. And it's said that the King used his magic to transport all of his people to the Realm Beyond, and that Elsa's previous incarnation cast a barrier around herself on the other side of the world. But I don't see how-"

"I also saw the first members of your Order betray the Goddess and destroy her. My last vision, though...I saw the prophecy being made to the members of the Faithful. It was similar to the one you described to me, but not the same. I didn't put it together until Eugene relayed to me what he was told by the maid who nearly killed Rapunzel. The real prophecy says that the 'shall know divinity once more'. Not if."

Drell closed his eyes briefly, as if he could not bear to look at her. "...And your vision?"

"It was less clear than the others," Anna said. "And it got murkier as it went on. But there were some lines that I could hear clearly. The last thing I heard was 'shall know'. Which means..."

Her former teacher was silent for several seconds, but Anna could see the mounting horror seeping into his eyes. "If that's true...if they really are telling the truth about the prophecy...then they're right. There is no hope."

"What?" Anna demanded. She couldn't believe that the man in front of her, a fierce warrior who had dedicated his life to stopping the return of an evil goddess, could be brought so low by a single prediction made by a young girl. "We can't just give up!" Part of Anna might have welcomed death, but she would be damned if she left the rest of humanity behind to suffer without giving everything she had to try and prevent it.

"I'm afraid you have no choice." Drell certainly hadn't been broken before, but he was now. "You think that was the only prophecy made concerning the last two thousand years? More things than you can count have been predicted by Seers...the founding of the Church of Light, the Sixty Year War between Albion and the Southern Isles, the fall of a drop of sunlight to earth...they were all foretold. The Order kept records of these predictions for centuries, and each one came true...without fail. Even in the days of the Gods, no line of prophecy was ever proven wrong."

Anna frowned. "There has to be a first time."

"Thousands before you have said the same thing, all of them determined to alter the future. None ever succeeded. I...if that is truly what the prophecy says...we were doomed from the start. Millenia of preparation, and we never had a chance…"

Anna stood and watched as a man whose strength and conviction she had never doubted, even as she had grown to hate him, fall to the verge of tears.

\

Climbing down the wall was out of the question. If Eugene left, the guards would quickly realize that another infiltrator was likely deeper within the prison. Anna wouldn't have a chance. His approach now was incredibly risky, but if he were caught, at least their attention would be focused on him. Imprisonment or death was the likely result, but if it gave Anna a chance...it gave Rapunzel a chance. That was all that mattered.

Within thirty seconds, he would pass the guards coming up from the next shift change. If by some miracle they didn't notice that he wasn't a familiar face, Eugene just might be able to slip inside the prison undetected. Of course, there was still the matter of the unconscious guard he'd left behind. The Prince had covered him with another dose of Pabbie's concealing potion and dragged him away from the torchlight, but there was still every chance he would be spotted by the next patrol. Or simply wake up.

Here we go.

\

"So, what? You expect me just to lie down and give up?" Anna demanded. "Sorry, not gonna happen. There has to be something I can do!"

Drell's eyes were still rooted on the floor. "Other than die?' he asked morosely. "If that indeed is the real prophecy, there will be no stopping her. I...thousands of years of preparation, all for nothing..." his voice drifted off.

"Then I'll die fighting," Anna vowed. "It seems as good a way as any to go out."

At last, her former teacher's gaze lifted from the ground, and Anna couldn't help but be surprised by the resigned conviction in his eyes. That sensation, however, was nothing compared to the incredulous shock brought upon by his next words. "Despite what you may think, I do care about you, Anna. Humanity may be doomed to death and oppression, but that doesn't mean you have to share in the same fate. Go back to Elsa, tell her you've come around to her way of thinking, and say you'll be happy to stand at her side as she regains her power. Maybe...maybe you'll be able to influence her slightly...make her more gentle..."

"Go...go back to her?!" Anna sputtered. "Don't you know what she did to me?! You think she would take me back?! That's ridiculous; she'd kill me as soon as she saw me. Elsa doesn't love me. She never did."

Drell frowned. "I'd assumed that Elsa revealed to you the truth, and demanded that you join her. When she saw that you would never accept, she intended to imprison you until her ritual was completed and you could pose no threat to her."

"Then you are sadly mistaken," Anna retorted. "Elsa never loved me; the entire time, she was just using me for protection. She never gave me a chance to side with her. Elsa attacked me, nearly killed me, and was going to keep me locked up for the rest of my life. I thought you knew this...didn't you tell me, on the night you revealed yourself, that Elsa didn't love me?"

The former Arms Master looked at her with shock. "I did, but...I didn't believe it. That was the only lie I told you that night. I thought you would be spared when she dominated the earth...I was desperate to win you over to our side," he said, his tone more uncertain than ever. "This doesn't make any sense, she has to love you. Your powers..."

"My powers are gone," Anna said flatly. "The night she turned on me, Elsa said that I have no magic on my own...it was only because she was constantly using her healing magic on me that I developed powers. After she defeated me, Elsa removed all the magic she'd given me."

"You're wrong."

\

Eugene kept his head down, nodding ever so slightly to the first guard coming up the stairs as he approached. All he would have to do is make his way past and...

"Hold on a moment," the guard ordered. A glance at his uniform told Eugene that he was of a higher rank than the other men he'd seen; the Prince had no choice to obey. Hiding a scowl, Eugene stood to attention and faced the guard.

"Where is Jaxton? I thought he was manning Post Eleven for the first shift," the guard asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

It was do or die. Fortunately, Eugene's years of thievery and dodging the law had installed some impressive acting abilities in the Prince. "He was. Unfortunately, Jaxton's claiming that he's ill. I don't buy it, but it's not up to me...the Captain ordered me to take this shift," he answered, not allowing his voice to betray a hint of fear.

The guard's hand drifted slightly towards the hilt of his sword. "What's your name?"

"Merek. Merek Bracken, sir," Eugene replied. His own hand hitched to reach for his own blade, but such an action would obliterate his ruse instantly. He couldn't risk it, to when there was still a chance that this conversation could end without incident.

The Prince's heart plummeted as the guard took another step forward. "Don't recognize the name. And I don't recognize your face. Tell me, 'Merek', who is the officer in charge of this prison?"

That was the point where Eugene knew he'd lost. All of the acting skills in the world couldn't make up for a lack of information. There was no doubt in the Prince's mind that if he failed to answer, the guard would attack. Well, if a fight is inevitable, I might as well be the one to strike the first blow.

He didn't bother reaching for his sword. Eugene's fist lashed out, aiming for the guard's skull. Fortunately, what the guard possessed in intelligence, he lacked in reflexes. The blow hit him square on the forehead, and he crumbled to the ground.

Shouts of alarm echoed from across the courtyard, and Eugene knew it was time to run.

\

"I told you that your powers were the reason we were able to identify Elsa as the Goddess," Drell reminded her.

Anna nodded. She would never forget anything about that night. Drell had explained that his Order had identified both Elsa and Rapunzel as possible reincarnations of the Goddess. Anna's powers had confirmed that Elsa was the one...only a Goddess could give magic to a previously Ungifted mortal.

"That was true, but I didn't tell you the entire truth. A Goddess can't simply give magic to a mortal, it's far more complicated than that," her former mentor revealed. Again, Anna nodded. Elsa hadn't told her everything, but she'd made it obvious that only certain mortals were capable of receiving such power. That was why she had used Anna in the way she had, instead of simply giving magic to some of her loyal guards.

Scowling, Anna turned to glance at one of the cell walls. "I know; not everyone can receive powers from a Goddess...I'm one of the 'lucky' ones. What does it matter? I have no magic on my own, and without it, I'm useless."

Drell's eyes widened. "You truly have no idea..." he mused. "Anna, you're right, only certain individuals can receive powers from a god or goddess. Their children...or those with whom they fall in love."

Letting out a short gasp, Anna took an involuntary step back. "I...I don't understand."

"Several decades before the Cataclysm, the King of the Gods was approached by several of the lesser deities. It had long been common for gods and goddesses to take mortals to bed, but these deities wanted more. They had fallen in love with the mortals they had spent years with, and wished to spend eternity with their lovers. It was beyond the King's power to make these mortals full-fledged gods and goddesses, but he was eventually convinced to grant these requests. He managed to alter the nature of magic...the very fabric of the universe itself," Drell intoned. "Mutual love and affection between a deity and a mortal would change that mortal, giving them magical abilities and eventually granting them a new body...blessed with eternal life and youth."

Anna's mouth gaped open. Already, she had countless questions, yet Drell continued to talk.

"Many of the King's other followers detested this decision, considering it a perversion of reality itself. Matters only grew worse when the King himself fell in love with a mortal woman. He was forced to make her his Consort earlier than intended, giving him little time to prepare for the rebellion. Thus began the Cataclysm," Drell finished.

"...If that's true...what happened to the Consorts?" Anna managed. "If they were able to live forever, where are they?"

Drell frowned. "The Realm Beyond. The King's spell transported both the Gods and their Consorts to that realm. Consorts were not nearly as powerful as the gods themselves, but they were far more dangerous than any mortal...and just like the Gods, they could not be killed. The King intended for humanity to rule itself after his departure, and those on his side in the war would not have wanted to separate from their lovers. Consort or not, there is no returning from the Realm Beyond. Just like the Gods and all of the mortals who have died since the beginning of time, they will remain in that dimension forever."

As he spoke, Anna finally understood what he was getting at. "And you think I'm a Consort?" she asked incredulously. "That's impossible. I loved her, but Elsa doesn't love me. She beat me to the brink of death and took away my powers!"

The former Arms Master glanced down at the floor, still confused. "She took them away during your fight?"

Anna shook her head. "No. They went away afterwards, when I was sitting in the dungeon." Those had been the worst moments of her life. She'd been trapped in the dark, held down by dozens of heavy chains, and been left with nothing to do but confront the web of lies that Elsa had revealed. It was only then that Anna had truly accepted that the Queen didn't love her, and thus finally lost faith in her love of Elsa.

Wait a minute! No...it couldn't be.

Her eyes drifted back to the gruesome scars on Drell's arms. "What gave you those scars?" Anna questioned. Even after all that had happened, she couldn't help but feel some sympathy for her former teacher as she observed the ugly wounds. But there was a thread of suspicion in her mind that had to be answered.

The prisoner's eyes shut tightly. "Part of my torture. Evangeline had the girl sic a starving hound on me. I'd never seen a power like that before...she had perfect control over it. The hound was ravenous, but it never went for my neck. And yet it made the bites as painful as possible."

Anna's eyes widened...her pulse was beginning to rise. "You've never seen a power like that?" she demanded. "You and your people sent a pack of wolves after me, remember? You mean to tell me that wasn't you?"

With a heavy sigh, Drell composed himself. "No. I've never seen anyone possess such an ability, though it has been mentioned in some of the more ancient texts. Still...I don't see why that maid would have sent those wolves after you. Not while Elsa was still benefiting from your protection."

This was all wrong. Anna was missing something...something that would allow his words to make sense. "Drell, I need to know. All of those attacks on me and Elsa...which ones were you behind, and which ones were you not?"

"The assassination attempt on the Winter Solstice was our doing. The group of men who pursued you doing the first night of your subsequent journey were mine as well. We also, as you know, were the ones who masterminded the nobles' uprising against Elsa. I told you the night I revealed myself, Anna, what happened in Lucrania had nothing to do with us," he vowed.

Anna hadn't believed him before. But she did now...he simply had no reason to lie. Overwhelmed by the revelations bombarding her mind, Anna found herself sitting on the stone floor. After the assassination attempt on the Solstice, Anna had voiced her opinion to the Council that there were two distinct groups conspiring against Elsa. Eventually, after Drell had revealed himself and the attacks had ceased, she had come to believe that he was the mastermind behind all of it.

The wolves that had attacked her, the fire-mage that had been waiting for her upon her return, Jocasta...none of that had been Drell's group. Was it the Faithful? It must have been; Jocasta kept saying that Elsa would betray me eventually...she even called me an Ungifted! But why? If they'd been working for Elsa the entire time, why would they have been trying to kill Anna from the start?

A thorn in their side for months...that's what Jocasta had called me. If Drell had been the one responsible for the assassination attempt on the Solstice, then Jocasta must have been referring to the kidnapping plot Anna had thwarted and the other two attacks during Anna's journey to the trolls. Right?

Why would they try to kidnap their own Goddess? Again, why did they want me dead when I was still guarding Elsa? And if Jocasta was a member of the Faithful, why would Elsa have ordered her captured...and why would she have been killed?

There were simply too many questions. Anna knew there was something she was missing...a piece of the puzzle that would allow everything to make sense. But she wasn't Elsa, or Eugene, or Rapunzel. The answers didn't just pop into her head. She needed more information...anything might help.

"The girl who controlled the animals...the ones that...you know..." Anna gestured to Drell's arms helplessly. "Who is she? Did they talk about anything else while they were here? I need anything I can get."

"Oh, you know her well. She was your favorite maid."

Kayla?! The small, innocent thirteen-year-old girl who constantly brought Anna hot chocolate was a member of Elsa's sick cult? Never once had she so much as spoken against Anna...never presenting the slightest sort of threat in any way. To hear that she was a willing participant in Drell's torture sent Anna's mind spinning.

If Drell noticed her shock, he didn't comment on it. "What did they talk about? Nothing important. Evangeline certainly enjoyed taunting me with the fact that one of the most powerful mages in the world today spent years right underneath my nose. She was very enthusiastic about Kayla's abilities. According to Evangeline, Kayla is the only person to be gifted with the ability to control animals in a thousand years; she thinks it was fate, ensuring that the return of the Goddess would be met with a powerful servant."

Her former mentor had revealed far more than he knew. Evangeline had been fully aware that possessed wolves had attacked Anna during that fateful journey. If she was so confident that the only person born with the ability to control animals in a thousand years was Kayla, that meant that those wolves could have only been ordered after her by a single source.

Kayla had tried to kill her. In between the trays of hot chocolate and the soft smiles, she had commanded an attack that saw one of Anna's only friends lose his treasured companion. But the turmoil of that realization was dwarfed by the confirmation that the Faithful had indeed been planning to kill her...several months prior to Elsa's betrayal.

I just don't...I don't get it...

Had the Faithful disagreed with Elsa's use of Anna as a protector, and gone behind her back to try and kill her? No, that didn't make sense. Everything she'd heard about them led Anna to believe that they were fanatically devoted to their Goddess. Her word was their literal gospel. They would never have attempted to kill Anna without the Goddess's approval.

And yet they had done that very thing, several months before Elsa had wanted Anna to die.

A memory leapt into Anna's mind. Towards the end of their visit to Eldora, Elsa had briefly gone missing. Queen Marisol had told Anna that Elsa had gone searching for her...heading towards the Castle's basement rather than Anna's true location in the building's upper levels. The Knight had followed, growing steadily more panicked, until...

"Hello, milady." Kayla was standing in the middle of the hallway, having just been headed for the staircase herself.

"Have you seen Elsa?" the Knight asked immediately.

The young maid nodded. "She was down here, looking for you. One of her guards said that he thought he had seen you come down here, and she was worried that you would accidentally injure Frye. Her Majesty told me to search for you down here, while she went to go search the upper rooms. I imagine she is still up there."

Anna sighed with relief. "I was just up there...must have missed her on the way down," she mused.

Why would Elsa have ever gone down to the basements in the first place? Why had Kayla been down there? At the time, thanks to her trust in the young maid, Anna had been so relieved that those questions had never even occurred to her.

After that day, Elsa hadn't quite been the same as she had been before; until her betrayal of Anna a week later, she was less talkative...less affectionate. Nothing had happened to Elsa during their time in Eldora to warrant such a change; if she'd been attacked, she surely would have mentioned it. Her body had been free of injuries.

Visible injuries.

Anna thought back to her final lucid dream: the giving of the prophecy that had caused Drell to lose all hope. What had been the words? Two...pass...land...flower...reborn...flesh...first...name...weakened...wiped...returned...betrayal...shall know

Wiped...Anna was fairly confidant that weakened was referring to Elsa's powers; until the ritual succeeded, Elsa possessed only a fraction of the magic she'd wielded as a Goddess. But what had been wiped? And returned?

He says that as a Consort of a Goddess, I had my abilities because of my reciprocated love for Elsa. I didn't lose them until after our fight, when I lost faith in our relationship. Even then, Eugene thinks I still have a small portion of my power left. If Drell's wrong, and Elsa just gave me magic the way I originally thought, why did she wait until after our fight to remove them?

Grand Pabbie said that any malevolent magic inflicted on someone against their will counts as a curse...removable by True Love's Kiss. But he doesn't know everything about magic; Rapunzel's tears proved that. And he didn't know about the gods or their history.

The Faithful had wanted Anna out of the way very badly...it must have been for a reason. If Jocasta had been one of them...and Anna was almost certain she was, then Anna had been frustrating their plans for months. Could that really extend to the very first kidnapping attempt Anna had thwarted? The lead kidnapper had made it utterly clear that he couldn't kill Elsa, and he'd been very annoyed by the comments the traitorous guards had made about their hatred of magic and its wielders as they'd rode towards Hammerfest. The port of Hammerfest.

What if they'd been trying to take Elsa...

"Where did it happen, Drell? The ritual that destroyed the Goddess and sent her essence scattering for thousands of years? Where did it happen?" Even as she asked, deep in her heart, the former Knight already knew the answer.

The former Arms Master gazed upon her wearily. Months of confinement and torture had robbed him of most of his energy, and the confirmation that Evangeline's version of the prophecy was correct had sapped him of his spirit. Yet despite all that had passed between them, Anna was still his favorite student. In his eyes, she could see that her former teacher was willing to humor her for as long as he was able.

He took a breath. "Eldora," came the answer.

Anna finally understood.

\

Not Anna…

Responses:

Spooths: That chapter in the past wasn't one of Anna's visions; it was just a scene to show what the Goddess's reign was like. Only a bonus scene.

TheChronicle: Elsa is not a stupid villain. She healed Evangeline because it further her goals.

JesterSeraph: I referred to her as a prisoner because she became Anna's prisoner. Sorry for the confusion.

WinterWolfDragon: Thanks!

Cyrianu: Yes, this has been a hard read. Totally agree.

Thorneux: Vlora was part of the Faithful. Her father was not. (Some of her relatives were, however.)

FrozenChris: Yeah, the Evangeline thing has been retconed. Cheap move, I know, but since it doesn't really change the plot or characterization, I can live with it. It's basically just like fixing a typo. So those passages have been edited so that Evangeline only teleports to places where she can see (if she could have killed Anna at any point, she would have.)

Yes, Elsa was intended to be this intimidating villain since the beginning. All that talk in the first half of the story about her intelligence and unrivaled power was to make the final twist all the more daunting.

ClaireCooper: Things are fine, thx! Still busy with school, but hanging in there!

Arekanderu: All in good time.

DimmensionalLover: Hopefully this helped answer that question.

TerribleTempy: Hindsight is 20-20, as they say.

TigerCritic: Thank you!

Vesfarhloc: Elsa put a LOT of magic into Anna's sword. Making ice harder and lighter than steel takes a lot of effort. If she got her hands on it, perhaps she could destroy the sword with time, but she can't undo all of her previous magic with a gesture at a distance. (Anna's necklace and wedding ring weren't made to be so durable, and Elsa had to physically touch them to destroy them.)

CoolNickNack: Nope, the prophecy is definitely real. And if Elsa gets her divinity back, there will be no stopping her. Gods can't be directly killed, and there's no way she'll fall for that ritual again.

.Sato: Because there's thousands of fluffy Elsanna stories on the web. I want to make this one people will remember. (I love your name, btw!)

Caravanserai: Someone is happy.

Coincedencless: The Seer did not lie. That is a very real prophecy.

Veoviing: Well, Tempest was removed.

RezaNovaria: Anna's parentage will not come into play. Very very on in this story's development, I had some ideas on revealing Anna's parents. But one of the central themes in this story is that you don't need a special background to be a hero/important person. Anna comes from absolutely nothing, and that isn't going to change. Even I don't know who her parents were. I know everyone always makes stories about an orphan finding their parents through fate and destiny, but that's not happening here. She doesn't need to know where she came from to be who she is.

ObsessiveImaginings: Sorry for the wait!

PascalDragon: You were saying?

Mahmed: Hold that thought for a few chapters.

Crazykrew: The main characters definitely deserve to be spared and live happy lives. Doesn't mean the world works that way.

TwiceasTwisted: Thanks! I tried to keep the story fresh and interesting all the way through!

TheChronicle (Re-read):

47: Yes, that was indeed a subtle signing hinting at a connection between the two of them. Not all of the Faithful know the truth about the Goddess, but Jocasta was actually one of those who did. She was mixing truth with lies to break Anna's spirit. The scene with Evangeline entering the study was changed (see my response to FrozenChris.)

48: It'll be hard for them not to learn about the fire (and what comes next.) I have plans to make the playing field more…interesting. (Not necessarily even.)

50: Yeah, I edited the scene in chapter 73 too. It's not the first time I retconned something small for the sake of consistency (adding references to horses running away in Chapter 21 was one such example.) It doesn't really change the plot or characterization, so I can live with it. I think I fully removed all references to Evangeline teleporting to places she can't see, but if you find any more, let me know.

51: Anna might think that Elsa protected her simply because she might still be useful in the event of possible future attacks (she did, after all, just save Elsa's life, and there's every possibility that she'll rebound from her PTSD eventually.) As for Kayla and the time zones…yeah, good points. Nothing else to say, really.

53: Maybe Elsa just prefers the ambience given by torches compared to that given by lanterns…sure, let's go with that.

54: Elsa didn't really give her much choice. Obviously Evangeline hated doing it, but she comforted herself by the thought that Anna wouldn't be around much longer. She could always say to people who pointed out the inconsistency that Anna had earned her trust through what happened in Corona. As for the foreshadowing, well, isn't the mark of good foreshadowing stuff that people miss on the first read, but seems like an obvious clue in hindsight? No one ever said in their reviews that they expected Anna to be kicked out of the Castle.

56: It's true; Elsa is smarter than Anna, more powerful (though weakened from what she was last time they fought) and knows Anna better than Anna knows herself. I'll just say that the ending has been carefully planned for a LONG time.

57: You're right; there's nothing saying the ritual has to take place on that certain day. She can only put so much power into it at one time (and she'd been putting the max amount in since she began); if she could speed it up, she would.

59: Yeah; it was mentioned in this chapter. Just because you assume someone is evil (really evil) doesn't mean you can't believe that they aren't capable of affection.

60: Ah…I was wondering if someone would catch that. Early on, Drell's group was going to know about the Faithful and their plans. That changed, so that foreshadowing didn't pan out. So they killed Vlora just to keep Elsa rattled and rob her of a sound advisor (similar reasons to why they wanted Kale dead.)

62: Yeah, I have to fix that Tower thing. Drell told Anna that Elsa gave her powers in this chapter, but he never said it was because Anna was her consort. So Anna still thought that it had to do with Elsa continuously using her healing magic on her.

65: Thanks! The Faithful did wait a while, but they were in no hurry (since the prophecy said they're destined to succeed.) They were still cautious, because each of them wanted to be alive to witness their Goddess's return. Once the initial kidnapping attempt failed, they sped up their plans, because they knew that Elsa would be looking into who was behind it and might (given time) find out the truth. As for the prophecy that predicted her downfall and return…it wasn't the same prophecy we saw being given. One said she would fall and eventually be restored. The other was made after her fall saying she would be restored, where she would be reincarnated to, and how she would regain her divinity.