Soaring through the sky, Lioro and Elsa drifted above the vast ocean, the salty wind brushing against them as they traveled. Amidst the endless blue, an unnatural sight caught their attention, a frozen island, floating silently upon the sea.
A melodic voice echoed through the air, carried by an unseen force. Drawn to the ethereal song, Lioro descended towards the island, holding Elsa securely in his arms. His feet touched the icy surface, the chill radiating through the air, yet his armor's immunity effect made it a mere afterthought. Elsa, naturally attuned to the cold, remained unfazed.
Together, they moved toward an opening in the ice, stepping into the island's frozen depths. As they descended, the temperature dropped further, thick frost clinging to the walls like delicate spiderwebs spun from ice. It was a silent, eerie place, one untouched by time.
Elsa waved a hand, gracefully shifting the massive ice blocks obstructing their path. The ice obeyed her command, sliding aside effortlessly as they ventured deeper. Soon, the narrow tunnels gave way to a vast, dark cavern, its ceiling lost in the shadows above.
Lioro scanned the area, his sharp gaze piercing through the darkness. A sudden movement beside him caught his attention, Elsa shivered, wrapping her arms around herself.
"You're feeling cold?" Lioro asked, surprised.
"I am," Elsa admitted with a visible breath of icy mist.
Lioro's brows furrowed. Elsa, who had never been affected by the cold before, was trembling. That meant this place was unnatural.
Before he could voice his thoughts, Elsa took a deep breath and pointed to the chasm before them. "We have to jump down."
Lioro peered into the abyss. The darkness was absolute, swallowing any trace of light.
Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around Elsa's waist, ensuring she was secure. Then, he leaped.
The fall was brief. They landed smoothly, their surroundings instantly changing. As soon as they touched the ground, Elsa let out a small sneeze.
Lioro blinked, momentarily surprised. Elsa sneezing? That was a first.
A soft clatter reached his ears, her teeth were chattering. She was genuinely cold.
Without a word, Lioro extended Infinity around Elsa, forming an invisible barrier that erased the unnatural chill. Instantly, her trembling ceased, and she sighed in relief.
"Something is wrong with this place," Lioro muttered. "If even you are feeling cold, then...."
Before he could finish, the space in front of them flickered. A soft light bloomed, spreading outward like ripples in a pond.
A scene unfolded before them, its clarity as vivid as reality itself.
It was a memory, a moment frozen in time from decades past.
The image of a grand gathering took form. Elsa's grandfather, the late King Runeard of Arendelle, stood before the leader of the Northuldra tribe. At first, it seemed like a peaceful meeting, an alliance being forged between the kingdom and the magic-wielding tribe.
But it was a lie.
Elsa watched, horrified, as her grandfather suddenly drew his sword. The Northuldra leader, caught off guard, barely had time to react before the blade was thrust into his back.
"No!" Elsa's voice rang out, filled with anguish. But it was futile, this was merely an echo of the past, an unchangeable truth.
Chaos erupted. The Northuldra warriors retaliated, and battle broke out.
The elemental spirits, witnessing the betrayal, unleashed their fury. The once-peaceful forest was consumed by an everlasting mist, sealing away its inhabitants in a never-ending curse.
The memory faded, and silence settled once more.
Elsa stood motionless, her hands trembling at her sides. Her usually bright blue eyes were now clouded with disbelief.
"How could he... do this?" she whispered, voice barely above a breath.
Lioro crossed his arms. "Power, corruption... maybe even fear," he speculated.
"But this is just wrong." Elsa shook her head. "He lied to everyone. To his people. To history."
Lioro didn't reply. There was nothing to say—she had just seen the truth with her own eyes.
After a moment, Elsa turned to him, determination flaring in her gaze.
"Lioro, we need to fix this."
Lioro met her eyes. "Alright."
"I'll calm the spirits first," Elsa declared. "Then we'll go and break the dam."
She stepped forward, her focus shifting to the scattered elemental spirit crystals that lay before them. These ancient fragments held the angered spirits' power, their once vibrant glow now dulled.
Elsa raised her hands, calling upon her magic. The frozen energies responded, weaving around the crystals in delicate spirals. She whispered softly, her voice like a lullaby to the restless spirits.
Lioro watched quietly from the side. This was Elsa's domain, her gift.
Light flickered as the spirits slowly responded. The crystals glowed brighter, shifting in harmony. The ice that once seemed lifeless began to pulse with warmth.
Then—
Clank!
With a final resonating sound, the crystals assembled, their energies intertwining. The darkness receded, replaced by a soft, celestial glow.
Elsa turned toward Lioro, a quiet resolve in her expression. Without hesitation, she stepped close, wrapped her arms around his neck, and whispered, "Let's go."
Lioro smiled within his helmet. Without another word, he lifted Elsa into his arms and activated teleportation.
A moment later, they reappeared back in the forest.
"Woah!" Elsa gasped, her wide eyes darting around in wonder.
"We're back."
She turned to Lioro, curiosity shining in her eyes. "What did you do?"
"Teleportation," Lioro replied simply. "I showed you before, remember?"
Elsa blinked, then her eyes widened in realization. "Oh… like when you first appeared in my ice castle."
Lioro smirked. "Did you forget? Let me remind you—'Let it go~'"
Elsa's face turned crimson. "S-stop!" She reached out in panic, trying to cover his mouth, only to remember he was wearing a helmet.
Lioro chuckled. "Let it go~ Let it go~"
Elsa groaned, burying her face in her hands. "You're being mean…" she mumbled.
Lioro let out a light laugh before gently setting her down.
"Hmph!" As soon as her feet touched the ground, Elsa turned away, arms crossed in mock indignation.
Lioro gestured toward the massive dam in the distance. "You still want me to destroy that, or should I keep singing?"
Elsa glanced between him and the dam, letting out a long sigh. She placed her hands on her hips and pointed a finger at him.
"Promise you won't do that again?"
Lioro paused for a moment, then smirked. "I promise… to definitely do it again."
"Lioro!" Elsa puffed her cheeks.
Lioro chuckled but relented. "Alright, I promise."
"Good." Elsa patted his shoulder armor with satisfaction. Then, with a playful glint in her eyes, she added, "By the way, Lioro, your singing is actually pretty good."
Lioro scoffed. He knew better than to fall for her tricks.
Turning to the dam, he raised his hand. A deep violet energy swirled in his palm, forming a Tier 10 spell: Hollow Purple.
As the devastating magic took shape, Elsa instinctively stepped back, watching in awe.
"You definitely weren't taking our duel seriously," she muttered.
"No, I was," Lioro countered. "You have no idea how hard it was to hold back."
With a flick of his wrist, Hollow Purple shot toward the dam. The structure shattered instantly, sending torrents of water rushing forward.
Summoning the water spirit, Nokk, Lioro commanded it to control the waves, ensuring Arendelle was safe.
As the mist cleared, the spirits' laughter echoed in the wind. The curse was lifted.
Elsa smiled. "We did it."
And for the first time in forever, the forest was free.
----
As the last remnants of mist faded into the sky, the once-cursed magic forest finally breathed in freedom again. The spirits' laughter echoed in the wind, their presence no longer burdened by anger and grief. Elsa closed her eyes for a moment, listening to them, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
Behind her, the sound of hurried footsteps grew louder as Yelena and General Mattias, along with several Northuldra and Arendelle soldiers, approached.
Yelena, the wise leader of the Northuldra, gasped as she felt the air shift. A deep warmth filled the once-cursed land, a stark contrast to the sorrow that had lingered here for decades. She extended her hands, feeling the returned balance of nature, before turning to Elsa with eyes filled with gratitude.
"The spirits… their blessing has returned," Yelena said, her voice thick with emotion.
General Mattias, however, stood frozen, his gaze locked onto the ruins of the shattered dam. The once mighty structure, a supposed testament to Arendelle's prosperity, now lay in ruins, swallowed by the river's relentless flow.
"The dam is gone," he muttered, his voice tinged with sorrow.
Elsa turned to him, her expression steady. "The dam was a mistake, General Mattias," she corrected. "The mistake made by my grandfather."
Then Elsa explained the whole situation to him.
After listening, General Mattias exhaled, his shoulders heavy. "For over thirty years, I stood by my king, defending Arendelle's honor, believing in its righteousness. But to think he would do sich a thing…" He clenched his fists, his eyes clouded with regret.
Arendelle soldiers behind him looked at each other in confusion.
Lioro, standing beside Elsa, observed quietly.
"You did what you thought was right, General," Elsa said, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "And now, we have the chance to do better."
Yelena stepped forward. "You fought bravely to protect your people, just as we fought to protect ours. The past cannot be undone, but today, we can choose to move forward together."
Mattias looked between Elsa and Yelena, then at the gathered Northuldra and Arendelle soldiers. His duty had always been to Arendelle, but now he realized that duty extended beyond just a kingdom, it was to its people, all its people.
With a deep breath, he straightened his back and saluted Elsa. "Then I will stand with you, Queen Elsa, and do my part to mend what was broken."
Elsa nodded, grateful for his unwavering loyalty despite everything.
With the conflict resolved and the spirits at peace, it was time to return home.
Elsa turned to Lioro. "Will you take us back to Arendelle?"
Lioro, ever calm, simply reached out his hand. "Come here."
Without hesitation, Elsa took his hand. Mattias and his soldiers, after a moment of consideration, stepped forward as well.
"Brace yourself," Lioro said, raising his free hand. And teleported away.
In an instant, the world blurred, and the forest vanished from sight.
---
Arendelle.
A cold breeze greeted them as they reappeared in the heart of Arendelle, right in front of the castle gates.
Elsa's long white cloak fluttered in the wind as she looked around. The familiar streets, the towering castle, the people, everything was as they had left it. Yet, somehow, it all felt different.
Mattias took a step forward, momentarily disoriented by the sudden teleportation. "That… was fast," he muttered, blinking in astonishment.
"You get used to it," Elsa said with a small smile before turning to Lioro. "Thank you."
Lioro simply nodded.
The castle gates opened, and a voice called out.
"Elsa!"
Anna came rushing down the steps, her auburn hair bouncing with each step, relief and excitement evident on her face. Kristoff and Olaf weren't far behind.
Elsa barely had time to react before Anna threw her arms around her. "You're back! What happened?"
Elsa let out a light laugh, hugging Anna back. "Yes, we found the truth… and we fixed it."
Anna blinked her eyes in confuaion. "The truth? I dont understand..."
Elsa turned to look at Lioro, who stood a short distance away with his arms crossed, observing their reunion in silence. Then she looked back at her sister and said, "Let's go inside. There's a lot to talk about."
Anna's eyes flickered between Elsa and Lioro, then at Mattias, noticing the seriousness in their expressions.
"Alright," she said, nodding. "Let's go."
As they made their way inside the castle, Elsa cast a glance at Lioro.
Lioro met her gaze and, without a word, followed.