Chapter 49:Rebel with a Cause

You finally start to regain consciousness and are immediately greeted with a pounding headache that makes a collision with a train seem like jumping into a ball pit. Your hand immediately rests on your head in a useless attempt to sooth it.

"Jeez... where..." You look around while you rest your hand on your head.

You're inside the makeshift home carved into the mountain. You have your own room, luckily, but you have no idea how you got there. Last thing you remember... Ryu was beating you into the ocean and Shadow was attacking you from within. You chuckle, rubbing your stomach as you slide off your bed and onto your feet.

You look to the bedside table and see a cooked fish with some vegetables on the side complimented with a note beside it all. You grab the note first and read, "Make sure to eat before any more training. This is when we get serious." You set the note down and sigh.

"You mean everything was easy before?"

Before another thought can cross your mind your stomach decides to speak up, growling loud enough to fill the room. You rub your stomach and chuckle.

"Guess eating would be a good idea. Wish there were fries, though... well, beggars can't be choosers."

Though there are utensils left by Ryu, you decide to just grab the cooked fish and take a bite. You're normally not so barbaric but it's not like anyone's around to see you eat this way. Elsa would have scolded you for such silly behavior or maybe even hit you with a small blast of ice. Though she always had a smile when she punished you in that manner, as if she got a twisted joy out of you pouting at her harmless attack.

Her smiling face sticks in your mind. The soft, glistening lips, the luscious blonde hair... You slap what's left of the fish back on the plate as you blankly stare ahead of you with a picture of a happy Elsa in your mind. You unconsciously clench your fist as the fact that she's dead comes back into your mind. It's going to be something that'll loom over you until you fix it... when you fix it. You look back to the fish as you grab it and take another bite. Even with these stressful things on your mind you can still appreciate how well the fish is cooked. You never knew your kingly assassin counterpart would also be a decent cook. Or he could have bought it. You really can't say.

Within a minute you gulp down the fish and all the nutrients from the veggies, despite not liking some of your counterpart's taste in food. But you're fed, you're clothed, and you're ready for some more training. You make your way out of the room and follow the corridor until you reach a staircase to the left. You jog up the cold stone steps until you reach the thick doorway. You push it open only to be hit with a rush of wind and snow. You power through such minor obstacles and pass the limits of the door, allowing nature to slam it shut for you. You don't even notice the loud slam of the door. Your mind is completely focused on the man standing before you.

"Knight."

"Ryu."

"Do you feel it?" Ryu asks with a confident smile as he stares you down, ignoring his whipping cloth. "Do you feel the power flowing through your body?"

"I... I think I do." You lift both fists in view as you clench and release twice. "I think I can finally do it."

Ryu nods, taking a few steps back.

"Alright... transform for me, Knight. Take your time, but I want you to do it right now with full control."

You close your eyes and take a deep breath of the freezing fresh air swirling around you.

"Do I have to babysit you through this?"

"No... I can do this, Shadow," you silently respond. "I can do it on my own."

You think back to all the times you've transcended your limit before. The first time when you molded with Carnage and watched Elsa die for you. The rage and disparity of the situation made you transform for the first time. All the training you did under the mansion, the battle at the temple, all these times were desperate situations that required you to be better than you currently are.

Shadow can do it... I can do it. I can do this! This is my power, no one else's! No other Drakon has these powers either! This is what I can do! THIS IS WHO I AM!

Ryu raises his brow as he sees the wind and snow around you shy away from getting close, leaving you in your own personal bubble. The clouds grow even darker above you both, spawning thunder and lightning for this occasion. The sea rages, the wind howls, and your power skyrockets. Your arms are locked at a ninety degree angle with your fists clenched as tightly as they can be. Lightning starts flickering around your body as the transformation comes to a close.

"HYA!"

Your eyes blast open as a wave of energy erupts from your body, blowing away all snow in the vicinity. Unfortunately for Ryu, the snow in front of him smacks into his face, filling it completely with the cold power. He heats his body up to melt it all away, and when he does he sees your power in full glory. Your eyes are completely white as you stare at Ryu's feet. The feeling washing over you is unparalled. Before this felt like a temporary state, something that you couldn't control. Now it's like the storm raging inside you has been tamed by your will, able to be called upon whenever you wish. One could say it's your birthright.

"How do you feel?" Ryu confidently asks.

You look up at him, though without pupils it's hard to tell from Ryu's perspective.

"I... heh... this might sound weird but I feel really calm. It's not like the other times I've transformed," you note, looking at your body.

Your muscles are slightly larger and more defined, as per usual. You can tell that all your senses have been greatly enhanced, something you never noticed before due to being consumed by the heat of battle. It's amazing how much of an upgrade this form really is on your body. It's like you could take on the entire world right now.

"Well, remain in that form for as long as you can while we meditate."

You let your shoulders drop.

"Seriously? I get all this power and you're making me meditate? I can't try it out or anything?"

Ryu crosses his arms and taps his muscle as he thinks.

"I suppose getting you accustomed to your power is also important... very well, let's see what you can do. Let's start simple," he speaks in a commanding tone as he lets his arms fall. "The elements; we'll start with that. Show me your control over all of them."

You nod before lifting your dominant hand, palm up. First, you conjure a fair amount of fire in your hand. Next, you control the wind to wash away the heat source in your hand. Next, you stretch your arm up as a lightning rod to attract the powerful electricity in the clouds which slams into your hand. You raise your other hand towards the sea to bring a small amount of water to electrify.

"Earth and ice isn't a problem either. I think I have it all," you smile as you relinquish control of the elements.

"Mm... but can you fly?"

You use the air to hover over the ground, smugly smiling at your counterpart.

"I'd say so."

You soar into the air, doing a few loopty loops and spins, shouting with pure joy at the rush of flight. Though you have to restrain yourself to not draw attention and not waste Ryu's time. You quickly make your way back to the mountain and land in front of Ryu.

"Yeah... I'd say so," you repeat.

"Perfect. Are you feeling tired? Drained?"

You shake your head.

"No, I feel fine."

Ryu takes a seat and enters a meditating position.

"Well, we'll determine your longevity now. Come, sit."

You huff.

"You know I hate meditating."

"Yes, evident by how bad you are at it. Still, this will help you control it and will show how long you can maintain this form. Even I can only hold my full power for a short time."

You take a seat opposite to him.

"Well I'm not really exerting myself, so... whatever, lets just get this over with."

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Captain Durr shakily stands near the door of Elsa's throne room. Pyro is kneeling before her with the utmost respect.

"You've burned down that filthy tavern?" Elsa disinterestedly asks her subject.

"Of course, my Queen. It was... a beautiful flame."

Elsa's eyes drift to Durr.

"Captain! Step forward."

Following orders Durr approaches the throne and kneels beside Pyro, who gives the Captain a sharp look.

"Yes, my Queen?"

"Have your men questioned all those loud peasants?"

"Y-Yes, my Queen. They claimed that two men started the uproar but left shortly before the guards arrived."

Elsa leans forward with a scowl on her face.

"Was it those filthy rebels?"

Durr shakes his head though continues to look at the ground.

"No, my Queen. The description they gave matched the man who we've been searching for."

The icy wind picks up, yet the click of Elsa's heels pierce through all sound.

"He was in the city and your pathetic men did not notice?" She scolds.

Durr huffs at his failure.

"They did not, my Queen. However they did tell me something interesting."

"Interesting enough to save their unimportant lives?"

"Both men looked the same, my Queen. They claimed to be twin brothers."

Elsa's interest is indeed piqued by this information.

"Hm... two men... Seems your men are in luck," Elsa says with a seductive yet chilling laugh. She sits back down, resting one leg over the other. "But I think the search for these two should be secondary. The rebels may see this as a time to attack with our forces distracted. Pyro?"

"Yes, my Queen?" He speaks in the utmost respectful tone.

"Take our elite soldiers to the mountains. If Gaia's information is correct," she says looking at the green haired woman. "Then they're still there. Eliminate them, then find these two men. I want them before me within the week."

Pyro stands up and places his fist on his chest.

"It shall be done, my Queen."

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If one travel's far enough from Arendelle then that person can find water untouched by the Queen's ice. It's a genius way to prevent any invasions by sea, but can ruin any wayward boat's travels. Fortunately, the ice travels so far that anything on the water is beyond the sight of Arendelle, hence why Ryu chose this place to train. However you two are more of a threat to a boat than the ice right now.

Then again if a boat were to approach the waters right now they would surely be doomed. Shockwaves are erupting from the water every second that nearly reaches Arendelle. These eruptions are caused by you and Ryu finally duking it out. You're still in your Drakon form to keep up with Ryu's power. His wings are sprouted and his skin has become scales. You're both well aware that you can't go all out so your power is suppressed, but to get some legitimate training you have to go at this pace. Your speed even surprises you as you both clash over and over within a three kilometer space, able to move from one side to the other in an instant. Thankfully, Ryu has set up small barriers for you both to keep you grounded as your fight progresses.

You both collide atop the water, splashing it away from the impact. Your forearms are shaking as they're pushing against each other. Your eyes are sharp, peering into Ryu's eyes as he does the same to yours. You both share a smile, however you push off of him, skidding across the water until you can stop yourself. Ryu recovered quickly, flying high in the air to crash his fist down upon you. You soar out of the way, thus his fist hits the water to simulate the exact same eruption that happened dozens of times before.

You rush him, throwing a barrage of punches and kicks that Ryu does keep up with, blocking, dodging, and throwing his own attacks in the meantime. You both battle across the water, your legs sometimes dipping into the water just to come back for another hit. Your invisible fight continues over the water until Ryu gets the upper hand, swooping your legs to knock you sideways then proceeds to drive his fist into your stomach to send you to the depths of the sea. Immediately, he flaps his wings to dive into the sea to chase you. You spin through the water intentionally to deceive Ryu into thinking he has the upperhand. When he goes for another attack you slam both heels into his jaw, combining your force with his momentum for maximum damage. His body slaps against your fully extended legs thanks to momentum which is exactly what you want. Before Ryu can be sent shooting through the water you flip yourself backward and quickly grab his foot, pulling him below you, then proceed to throw a flurry of punches into his gut. You both descend deeper and deeper into the dark depths of the sea.

Fortunately for Ryu, he can still see the flaws in your technique. The small openings you give yourself without even knowing it. With this knowledge, Ryu grabs your hands by the wrists and thrusts his forehead into yours then quickly follows up by bouncing his hips to create some distance, pulling his legs to his chest, then kicking you away from him. You flip through the water before quickly coming to a halt, staring down your scaly counterpart. You're both breathing heavily even under the water thanks to your abilities to manipulate water and air.

With only two seconds to breathe you both clash once again, sending a shockwave through the water that explodes on the surface. Ryu manages to overpower you as he pushes your arm down and initiates a spinning kick. You duck under it and attempt to deliver a shot to his gut. It does connect, but Ryu gets some payback with a powerful hook to your jaw. Holding those punches for only a moment, you both begin moving at inhuman speeds as you throw a barrage of punches and kicks at one another whilst ascending to the water's surface. The moment you two break free of the water's grasp you speed away from each other only to clash again, colliding your knees together. Immediately you split off and collide fists, forearms, elbows, feet. Massive shockwaves erupt from every attack you two dish out. The sheer intensity of your battle would melt any normal person even with you both massively suppressing yourselves.

You both soar towards each other for another clash, charging your fists for a massive attack. Right before you two can collide you feel... something. Something sends shivers down your spine and a shock in your brain. You both stop dead in your tracks to look around, and the fact that you both stopped gives the other evidence that something's amiss.

"Do you think that-"

"We were holding back immensely. Perhaps this world can't handle even that," Ryu notes. He crosses his arms and sighs. "Well, lets not tempt fate. We'll return to the mountain."

"Right," you nod.

You two speed off, Ryu's wings flapping while you simply fly. It takes no time at all for you both to fly over the sea, past Arendelle, and back to the mountain. You both land; the moment your feet touch the ground you deactivate your respect Drakon mode. Ryu turns to you with a genuine smile.

"Transforming has truly changed you. Your speed, strength, perception, everything is comparable to mine. You could do with some more training to hone your skills though, but I can't deny your major growth in such a short time."

You scratch the back of your head and give a childish smile.

"Hehe, thanks. I really do feel different now, even without using my power."

"I'm the same. Without transforming completely I can summon the strength of the form, the elements, and even my wings. Though our true power is drawn from the form," he explains as he returns his clothing to its normal look. "Now it's time for a break."

"But I'm not tired."

"But the planet is. We can't risk the planet just to train. Besides, there's always a possibility another Drakon exists in this time period. If so this timeline may simply fall apart if we strain it too much."

You huff, crossing your arms and looking up at your older counterpart.

"Fair enough. I suppose I'll explore a bit."

"Just don't cause any trouble. It's best if we remain a secret whilst we're here."

You raise your brow with a chuckle.

"Says the man who bought the bar a round."

"That had little impact in the grand scheme of things. We're not killing monarchs or starting wars. We don't belong in this world, thus our impact should be as miniscule as possible."

You tiredly wave your hand.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. I'm going into the woods. I doubt I'll find anything that interesting."

Ryu nods his head before turning around.

"Then I shall meet you here, come morning. If something does happen, just contact me telepathically."

Those are his final words before he leaps off the mountain and abandons you to your own actions. You intertwine your fingers and stretch your arms to the sky, letting out a howl as you do so.

"Welp, I guess I'll make true on my word. There's gotta be something interesting around these parts to keep me distracted. What do you think, Shadow?" You wait a moment in complete silence. "Shadow?" You repeat. Once again you're left with silence. You cross your arms and pout. "You'd think he'd at least respond. Well, guess he misses out then."

You shove your hands in your pockets as you approach the edge of the mountain. It's the same side Ryu departed, yet you don't see him anywhere nearby. That's not surprising in the least considering how fast he can move, but you are curious where he's gone off to. Couldn't be to see Rhaegos, else he'd stay here. Your only guess is food or supplies, not that it really matters. You have some free time so you might as well explore. You spring forward, getting a nice distance between yourself and the mountain before gravity's grasp takes a hold of you and you begin to descend. You manage to steer yourself towards a plain that has less trees to crash through. There is a river not far ahead, so you'll use that as a landmark.

You finally hit the ground, skidding across the snow until you come to a halt right in front of that river. The tip of your shoe is just on the edge, at risk of being swallowed by the freezing water.

Huh... one would think this would be frozen over. Are there locals who use this as drinking water?

You look around the immediate area only to be met with trees, snow, and... tracks. You hop across the river and land just before some of the spotted tracks. They're definitely foot prints, meaning your guess could have some legitimacy. You put your hands back in your pockets before following the footprints. Sure, you may not know who they belong to but considering this little expedition needs a foundation to grow... this might provide that foundation. So you trek through the tall snow, keeping an eye out for anyone you can, until you come across a small hut. There's light coming from it along with a hanging sign that's covered in snow.

You approach the shack, stepping up the stairs before tapping the sign to free it from the confining snow.

"Wandering Oaken's Trading Post... Oaken?" Your mind instantly goes back to the goofy man who took you in all that time ago. "No way... is it possible?" You whisper to yourself as you approach the door.

You open the creaky wooden door and slam in behind you. The store very much looks like an old corner store from Arendelle. Miscellanious items are laid about on shelves and table tops, hanging from the walls and tucked away in corners. Most of it seems to be winter gear: hats, gloves, picks axes, rope, wood.

"Hm... yeah, this reminds me of-"

"Hoo hoo!" A pleasant voice erupts from your side. You look towards it to see none other than the same Oaken you once housed with. "Seems to me you could do with some warmer clothes! We have a grand sale!" He declares, wiggling his fingers.

"Heh... Oaken..." You say to yourself. "I need to visit you again in my time, old friend."

Before you can say anything directly to him, the door behind you opens, letting everyone hear the howling of the storm, though promptly shuts. He walks past you and towards the desk, preventing you from getting a good look at his face.

"Ah... I see," Oaken mumbles when he sees the man. "Your order is in the stables, sir. I hope they're up to par."

The man nods, quickly turning around to the door. He sizes you up as he walks. He has a bandana covering his face plus some snow to distort his features. You can't tell who this man is but you don't have a good feeling. He looks away from you and to the door, leaving the small establishment. Oaken quickly turns his attention back to you.

"I have plenty for you!" His voice bubbly once again, eager to make a sale. " Take a look around, please!"

You step back, looking towards the door as your mind ponders this new man.

"Yeah... I'll be back with money," you whisper before leaving the building.

Oaken pats his fingers together.

"Oh my, this is not good. I should get word to them," he speaks before standing up and entering his sauna.

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You watch the mystery man load up three boxes and four barrels of... something into his reindeer drawn sleigh.

"He's like Santa Claus," you remark as you sit on a tree branch.

Finally he finishes after securing the cargo in the sleigh and heading off. You quickly follow, leaping off the branch to land on another tree, then proceed. You're not quite as graceful as Ryu is, but a flying target would be far easier to see than one scurrying through the trees. Each second does grow your curiosity as this mystery man goes deeper and deeper into the mountains, away from civilization. Perhaps he has a camp? Maybe there's more than just him? You're eager to have those answers.

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"Hm, seems the patrol patterns are the same in this world too," Ryu remarks to himself as he watches garbed men and women stationed along specific trees. "That can only mean the same person is giving orders... heh... Idonis," he smiles to himself at the thought of his old friend.

Ryu speeds through the trees at such a pace that even these trained assassins could not follow. He dashes past them and continues this pace until he comes across his destination. A large temple surrounded by tall, powerful walls stands before him.

"It doesn't look any different," he humbly says to himself.

Unfortunately there's an empty gap between the forest and the temple, leaving him wide open if he attempts to enter. Though even this sight brings back a flood of memories. Just ahead in that open field is where he fought his Master during a test he should not have been in. A nine year old fighting alongside graduates, fighting against the masters of the Dragon Clan. He nearly died that day. That's also where he saw Cassandra cut down before his eyes by the traitors.

It's been too long since Ryu visited the temple of his world. He's been so busy with his royal duties he hasn't even checked on the status of his home. Originally he had it sunk below the depths of the earth but the Gaia of his time saw the potential in having a revised Dragon Clan. With his permission she rebuilt the temple and became the Grand Master. Though Arendelle and the Dragon Clan have a mutual agreement that keeps the peace. Having a King that once worked for one of the Seven Clans of the world helps keep the peace between them. Though after what the Serpent Clan pulled, they've been under close observation by Nagas, the Great Serpent. Ryu's only ever met two of the Seven Mythical Beasts, that being the dragon, Rhaegos, and the serpent, Nagas. Ryu can easily imagine what the beasts are for the other five clans. The Scorpion Clan, Leviathan Clan, Hawk Clan, Phoenix Clan, and Manticore Clan. It's clear there are ancient and powerful beasts hidden throughout space and time that Ryu may never encounter.

But all of that is an afterthought. Ryu simply wants to see the state of the Dragon Clan in this world. He leaps far over the ground spanning far past the gap between the forest and the temple. He lands quietly ontop of a smaller building but quickly leaps to the tallest one to remain out of sight. He turns around and kneels to examine the courtyard. He doesn't recognize anyone with a simple glance, but the entire set up is very familiar. The exercises, the shouting, the movements, and the feeling brings back a rush of nostalgia. An even bigger one hits him when he hears a voice.

"You know, Grand Master Idonis, perhaps contacting the Serpent Clan about these attacks would be better. This could just be a rogue cell," a female speaks.

Ryu focuses on that conversation to see two people, a man and a woman, walking out of a building. He instantly recognizes them both as Idonis and...

"Cassandra... she's alive in this time," he says with a smile.

In his time Cassandra was his lover before he met Elsa. She died helping him escape when he was framed. It makes sense she's alive here without him since the events that happened due to his presence would no longer transpire. He can't deny it's good to see Idonis and Cassandra alive and still working with the Dragon Clan, even if he's not there to share the experience. Honestly, he's almost disappointed that nobody has noticed his presence yet. He'd think the clan would be more astute to intruders.

"Seems the Serpent Clan is trouble here too. I wonder if Viper is alive," Ryu contemplates to himself. "Well, I shouldn't stay long... but maybe I'll watch for a little longer. What trouble could Knight get into, anyhow?"

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"Well, this is interesting," you say to yourself.

The sled was taken across a frozen lake to what looks like a very camouflaged base. There's more than just this mystery man in this place. You spotted at least twelve different people, though all their faces are covered in the same style of bandana as the first guy you saw. Admittedly it's hard to see them since the blizzard distorts your view and you're on the other side of the frozen lake.

No doubt they have some sort of lookout. I mean... I guess I could just walk over, but...

There are inclines along the sides of the lake, but they don't pose well for infiltration. You could always fly. Or there is one crazier option. With a smile and a nod you stick your hands in your pockets and start walking across the lake. Sure you might be spotted but what are they really going to do to you? Plus the straightforward approach is sometimes the best. Thus you stick to your path until you're about halfway across the lake. By this time the unidentified group has spotted you and has rolled out the welcome wagon. Four figures approach you all in similar gear, all holding a mix of swords and spears.

You raise your hands to quell any signs of hostility.

"I come in peace. Just an innocent explorer."

One approaches you with his sword still ready to kill.

"Come with us. I don't advise fighting back," the muffled voice of a woman states.

"I have no intention to," you respond as you follow the group.

They circle you in a meager attempt to keep you contained. Though it's not their fault they don't know your abilities. Still you'd rather just talk than fight these people, especially since you have no idea who they are or what they're planning. If they're bandits, however... you might have to do something. You keep with them across the lake until you reach their camp. It's a dug out portion of the mountain that's covered by falling snow and ice giving it a very covert nature, but something comes into your mind. You don't see the reindeer that hauled the man and his cargo here. It's just a fire to keep people warm, some boxes, a few weapons in the corner... it's very simple and not near as impressive as you first thought. That is until they lead you past that section and reveal an opening through the mountain.

You haul your feet through all the snow to get to the other end of this narrow corridor. What's beyond truly surprises you. It's a large cave, definitely unnatural, but it houses, from what you can tell, nearly a hundred people. Tents are lined up along with small training, cooking, and recreational areas. It's like a refuge in the mountain. It is darker than you'd like but considering it's in a mountain you can't really blame them.

So you're lead past some other men and women, all dressed similar if a little less weather protected until you reach a larger tent with two guards.

"This man was approaching our perimeter," the woman reports, pulling down her face mask to speak.

The men size you up.

"Hey, isn't that the one who was reported?" The left one mentions.

"I think you're right. Perhaps we should let the boss see him."

The guards open the entrance to allow you entry. Only you and the woman enter, but the inside has others in it. There's a large table with a map, lantern, and notes scattered around. There are three barrels in the back two corners and the corner to the left of the entrance covering the crimson fabrics that make up the tent.

Two men look up from the table at you and the woman. You're about to give a sarcastic wave but your body freezes when you recognize the man on the right. The blonde hair, strong face... there's no doubt about it.

"Kristoff?" You whisper in disbelief and joy.

He too recognizes you.

"Hm... I suppose I didn't do anything to stop you from following me. It's good that Oaken alerted us or we might have killed you on sight."

You stay silent, holding a smile.

I don't think you guys could do that.

"Who are you? Where do you come from to have such... strange clothing?" He asks in a serious, empowering tone.

"I'm (Y/N) Knight. I come from... far away. You're Kristoff Bjorgman, right?"

Everyone around you becomes alert, taking out their weapons and pointing them at you.

"How do you know that? Who sent you?" He demands.

Seems this Kristoff is different from the one I know. I wonder why.

You put your hands in your pocket and let out an accidental yawn.

"Ah, sorry. Anyway, I wasn't sent by anyone. I just know you. I do have to ask what you and all these people are doing in a mountain, though. Seems less than ideal," you chuckle.

Kristoff relaxes some but the other two do not. He sheathes his sword and rests his hands on the table in front of him.

"Arendelle hasn't been an ideal place to live for some time. Ever since..." He closes his eyes and huffs. Suddenly his eyes widen as an idea crosses his mind. "Do... you not know who we are?"

You shake your head.

"Nope. I know you personally but all these people... nada."

Kristoff gives a signal for the others to relax. They do, allowing the hostile tension in the tent slip away. Kristoff walks around the table.

"Would you like to walk with me? Perhaps after hearing you'd be willing to help?"

You shrug.

"Sure. If this has something to do with Elsa then I definitely want to know."

You and Kristoff leave the tent together, slowly walking through the camp.

"What do you know her?" Kristoff starts.

"Well, she did kill a family who helped me and tried to kill me."

"You survived an encounter between Elsa and her guard?"

You give him a confident, if innocent, smile.

"I'm not that easy to beat, despite my look. Though I guess I do kinda dress young. Could you guess I'm in my twenties?"

Kristoff ignores your jokes as he thinks.

"Hm... well, let me tell you a story. It's one we all know well and one that's haunted us for too long." He leads you to a small campfire with a few children and adults littered around in an attempt to warm up. You both take a seat side by side on a lain down log.

"Well, you must know of the first time Arendelle was frozen over when Elsa was crowned as Queen. That's when I first met her and my..." He clears his throat. "My love, Anna."

So he and Anna are together in this timeline too? Wait, does that mean the story Ryu told me about Elsa happened here too? With that... bastard Hans?

"Well, months after that those damned Elementals visited. Elsa took them in immediately when she heard others were like her. As you may have noticed Elsa has the power over ice."

"Yes, I know that... very well," you smile, thinking back to when you first met her in high school.

"Yes, so the thought of new Elementals was something she took a liking too. But mere days after that she... changed. She became cruel, replaced the royal guard with those Elementals, and became a tyrant over Arendelle. Many of us couldn't stand it," Kristoff recalls as he tosses another log in the fire. "So we came out here and formed the Resistance to fight back against her and the others. It was my family who helped make this hideout, but... they murdered them. All of them. The only magic we had on our side is gone... we've only been able to raid caravans, attack roaming patrols but it's not enough. We need to wage war against Arendelle."

You look around the camp to gauge their combat prowess.

"Well... from what it looks like most of these people aren't soldiers."

Kristoff snickers as he shakes his head.

"No, that they aren't. But that may change soon. We have allies outside of Arendelle willing to help. We just need to get to them!"

"Why haven't you?" You inquire as you roll your shoulders and straighten your posture.

Kristoff huffs as his eyes gaze at the controlled fire.

"We're missing someone important. If we don't get them I fear that will burn the bridges."

You nod at all his words. This definitely isn't what you were expecting, but seeing Kristoff in this way has changed your view on this timeline. He's normally such a softy but... events have changed that. His manner of speech, the hopeless tone he speaks... this isn't the Kristoff you know but one who was molded by this world. Maybe you can get that old Kristoff back. He might not be your Kristoff, you might not have gone through hell with this one, but there's no way you're going to sit back and let him suffer.

"So... Elsa wasn't always as she is now?" You speak up.

"No, no she was really good to me and my family. It was difficult to see the change. I can only imagine how Anna is..."

"I saw her. She seemed sad," you respond in a less than cheery tone.

"She's okay? She's not hurt?" Kristoff spastically asks.

You calmly shake your head.

"No, she seemed fine physically. Though who knows about her mental state," you huff.

"Oh, thank goodness. If something happened to her before I could..." He dons a determined face before looking to you. "How did you survive against Elsa and all the Elementals?"

You shrug, giving him a coy smile.

"I'm a bit better than I look."

You get off the log and look around the camp some more.

"Can we walk around a bit more?" You request.

Kristoff stands beside you and starts leading you away from the fire. The entire layout is basically rows of tents with paths inbetween. Not all are for sleeping or relaxing, it seems. You spot a few "soldiers" speaking around an opened tent. You squint a bit to get a clear view of the insides. It's stocked with weapons and barrels. Definitely their armoury, or what they consider an armoury. What's even more surprising to you is the amount of children running around as they play and laugh.

"How many families do you have here?"

Kristoff shakes his head.

"The real question is how many have we lost. Those bastards don't care if they kill men, women, or children. If they're part of our cause then they're deemed unworthy of life..."

"Then why do you keep them with you?" You argue.

"We don't have a choice! This is our last base... we have nothing else," Kristoff voices changes from frustrated to disappointed. "Some have just given up and returned to Arendelle, pretending to be new. We barely have thirty fighters left."

"And they're all scared?" You assume.

He nods, stopping near the entrance.

"Terrified. We just need this one final push to really get our ground, but that push is... difficult."

You cross your arms and rest against the wall, keeping your eyes on Kristoff as he meagerly paces before you.

"What's this push?"

Kristoff looks to you hopefully, then shakes his head and waves his hand as he dismisses the thought.

"It doesn't matter."

"If it didn't matter I wouldn't have asked," you retort.

"You're an outsider. I can't tell you our plans."

"I-"

"Knight, where are you? Come back to the mountain."

You huff at Ryu's ability to hound you from so far away. Perhaps you could convince him to come here too. He'd certainly want to see this world's Kristoff.

"Well... I think it's my time to go. I'll drop by when I can," you say as you move off the wall and wave.

Kristoff steps in front of you.

"How do I know you won't report our position to Elsa?" He says in a threatening manner.

You shrug and give him a comforting smile.

"You'll just have to trust me. I'd sooner point them towards the ocean than to these innocent people."

Kristoff can see the truth in your eyes. For some reason he trusts you... he shouldn't but he does. He steps out of the way.

"Very well."

You bow your head before walking past him and out the chasm. Once you get through the entrance you pass two guards. They keep an eye on you, so you decide to give them a little show to freak them out. You turn around, giving a happy wave before quickly transforming and soaring into the air slow enough for them to see and be confused.

With your silly joke out of the way you fly over the snow, animals, and trees of the desolate Arendelle until you reach the mountain. At your speed what would take hours takes under a minute. You approach from the sky and spot Ryu awaiting you in the center of the small field. He looks up at you and keeps his eyes on you as you land in front of him.

"Ryu, you have no idea who I found!" You happily speak as you approach the older man.

"Who?"

"Kristoff! He's leading a resistance against that crazy Elsa!"

Ryu's eyes become sharp.

"Did you speak to him?"

"Hm? Yeah. I went in their camp and everything."

Ryu huffs, pinching the bridge of his nose."

"Did I not explained that revealing ourselves is a poor idea."

You cross your arms.

"Come on! We can help bring Elsa back to normal! We both have a soft spot for her so doesn't it make sense for us to want to fix this Elsa!"

"This isn't our Elsa, our Kristoff, our anyone. We shouldn't interfere in major events!" He snaps. "It changes events!"

You frown at Ryu's apathy.

"That's not fair! We're Drakons or whatever. Shouldn't we use that power to help wherever we can!"

Ryu turns away and heads for the door.

"No. End of discussion."

"Hey!" You turn around and grab his shoulder. "You can't just decide what I do!"

Ryu turns around which makes you retract his hand. He's given a curious smile.

"You're going to defy Rhaegos? Defy me? If you try anything I will stop you myself."

"At the risk of destroying this timeline?"

"That... is your decision, Knight."

You can't believe the absolute disregard for the people of this world. You know they aren't the same Kristoff and Elsa you knew, but that doesn't mean you don't care about them. It's just being a decent person to help a struggling city! You turn away and huff at Ryu's idiocy... but that's when you see smoke rising from far away. It's coming from a mountain.

"A volcano? Are there volcanos around?" You speak aloud.

Ryu diverts his course to see what you're talking about.

"There are no volcanos around here. What could be..."

Your eyes widen when you realize what mountain that is. You erupt in a flash to transform and burst into the air.

"Wha- Knight!" Ryu shouts, sprouting his wings and chasing after you.

"Please don't be... please!" You pray to yourself as you close in on the mountain. A giant unnatural hole is in the side of the mountain like it was created from the inside. You fly inside, landing ontop of a destroyed tent. You quickly scan the area to get grasp of the situation. There are soldiers similar to the ones you saw in Arendelle but... different. Their armour is darker and their swords seem to be of higher quality. Apart from those standing there are dead bodies everywhere of men women and children who've been stabbed and... burned.

Suddenly you hear a scream and see a body fly through the air. Instantly you spot the blonde hair and recognize Kristoff. You jump into the air, catch him, and land smoothly on the ground. On quick inspection he's only slightly hurt with a few innocent burns. You set him on his feet and keep a hand on him to keep him up. That moment Ryu lands where you did, finds you, and approaches.

"Knight, what are you doing? Is that..?"

"Damn... we have to get out of here. That Elemental," Kristoff huffs, placing a hand on his wounds.

"Fire, huh... Pyro?" You theorize. "Ryu, can you get Kristoff to safety?"

"I..." Ryu cuts himself off with a huff. He eyes you with an intense, disapproving stare. You counter it with your own.

"Ryu..."

"We'll talk about this later," he decides, taking Kristoff and flying out of the hole.

"So you've sided with the rebels? I should have guessed," a familiar voice speaks as he steps closer to you.

You look over at Pyro with your pure white eyes. His soldiers surround you as well in a fruitless attempt to corner you.

"You killed these people... there were children!"

"Children who would grow into rebels. They would have died eventually."

You grind your teeth at his words. Even your Pyro wasn't so evil, despite you not truly knowing him.

"I'll be taking you to the Queen now. Perhaps we can recruit you to our cause too."

You shake your head.

"I'd rather send your head back for what you've done!" You shout, powering up to send dust flying around. The soldiers are pushed off their feet while Pryo has to stabilize himself.

"What is this? Is he using the elements? No..." He whispers to himself. "Perhaps... Soldiers! We're done here!" Pyro shouts, leaping towards the exit.

The rest of the soldiers crawl to the exit while you continue outputting power. Once they're gone you relax as much as you can. The sight of innocents around you, all dead... if you had stayed a little long... truly just a minute longer then these people would have been saved.

But you can't dwell on this. Kristoff is still alive and that means you might be able to save this world... whether Ryu wants you to or not.

Heya! Well, this was the chapter! Next is gonna be the big fifty which... Christ, fifty chapters... Actually I do have some things to say! I'm going to be focusing on Project's Past for the next few months which hopefully results in about two or more chapters a month! With less than fifteen chapters to go I'm hoping I can try to finish by August. That is a bold goal, but maybe I can finish in the same month I began. Either way, Project's Past is finishing this year! Some of the chapters might be a little shorter though. I'm not really sure until I write them. Still, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and enjoy everything I have planned! After all this time the end is in sight!

Anyway, I guess I'll see you guys later! I do hope you enjoy what I have planned. Project's Past will have an awesome Act 3!

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