Frozen Beyond [gxg]

Draugar

It had been three hours since the start of the evacuation. Elsa stood in the market to help guide everyone in the right direction.

She hated seeing Arendelle like this. Scared citizens flooding the streets as a worried murmur hummed through the crowds. Arendelle and Southern Isle soldiers helped everyone proceed with as much unity and organization as possible.

Anna, Kristoff, Sven, Olaf, and Pips resided back in the castle where they were getting ready to depart. She squeezed her hands together in front of her, trying to still her sporadic heart. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't afraid.

Jarrah was strumming his lute to a cheerful tune to help ease the escalating fear, especially for the children. A careful smile eased onto her lips as she watched him.

Just past Jarrah and closer to the docks, Hans directed a few soldiers and shouted some orders she couldn't quite hear. She was thoroughly impressed with him; he was helping and not causing any issues.

When she looked back over the crowd, she noticed Keahi moving through it and towards her. Her heart lifted and despite the situation, a broad smile made its way onto her lips and she wrapped Keahi in a hug. Strong, warm arms immediately encompassed her.

Keahi looked down and pulled away just enough, rubbing Elsa's back. "Want to go see off Anna and Pips?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. She had been dreading saying goodbye to them, but she wouldn't allow them to go without seeing them first. She sadly nodded her head.

"Don't look so sad, we'll see them as soon as all of this is over." Keahi tipped her chin up with her finger and gave her a butterfly kiss to her nose.

Elsa wrinkled her nose but smiled despite the ominous feeling that settled into her bones.

A bull horn spat loudly and everyone quieted before erupted into shrill chatter.

Keahi leapt onto the fountain in the town square, holding her hands up. "Everyone, be calm and continue to stay as organized as possible and continue —" some people listened to her while others continued to shove forward in fear.

Elsa hissed out the air between her teeth, pivoting to look back at Hans who was waving a hand as he ran towards her.

A bit out of breath, he pointed a gloved hand towards the fjord. "Something is happening!"

"We only have half of Arendelle evacuated." Elsa spat, rushing behind Hans towards the fjord.

The black ice had a wispy black fog emitting from it. The glass-like ice suddenly looking like a void. From it, shadowed, willowy figures rose. The creature's skin was a faded blue while their eyes had a milky white layer over them. Their skin was thin, barely scrapping over their bones.

"What...are they?" Elsa whispered, blue glowing at the tips of her fingers. But the humanoid creatures just stood, billowing with the breeze that cascaded over the frozen fjord.

"Does it matter? Men, to your position!" Hans yelled, his soldiers filing in to create a wall of men.

The ground trembled and Elsa groaned. What else could go on right now?

"Grand Pabbie?" Keahi's voice reached her ears just as she caught sight of the multitude of trolls rolling into the town square. Keahi jogged over to Elsa just as Grand Pabbie unrolled and grimaced.

"They are Draugar, they are the remains of humans that are banished to Nifelheim." Pabbie breathed out in dire warning. "Their strength surpasses normal humans despite the way they look. They spread carnage and decay and are the first plague before Hel shows herself."

She could scarcely hear the end of his words with the blood pulsing so loudly in her ears. Could anyone else hear her heartbeat? Because that's all she could hear.

Without question, she ran to the docks, Keahi right behind her as they stared out over the ice and the ominously twitching Draugar.

Everything was silent, the clouds swirled darkly overhead but no lightning or thunder staggered through them. A shadow crept over the land and it caused Elsa to shiver.

Another horn sounded, causing Elsa to jump. The Draugar seemed to come out of their trance. Taking one staggering step forward as a rolling groan moved through the Draugar army. With a slow procession, they started towards Arendelle.

Before Elsa could summon any ice, Grand Pabbie, along with a handful of trolls, rolled in front of them. "Make sure the Queen and citizens continue their evacuation," Pabbie warned.

He took the fire crystal from his neck. The other trolls followed his motion. His gravel old voice mumbled a few ancient words as a cloud of blue started in front of them. The chanting continued down the line of trolls, and the fire crystals hovered within the cloud of blue that Pabbie summoned.

Grand Pabbie clapped his hands, a wave of claps going down the line. The fire crystals gleamed lime green, the light from them getting strong until they shot into the darkness of the clouds. A thin, rainbow sheen started along the edges of Arendelle. Shooting around its outskirts until it was fully surrounded.

"We'll hold them off for as long as possible." Grand Pabbie explained.

Elsa jumped when the first wave of Draugar hit the barrier. It glitched as it pulsed with every hit. "Go!" Grand Pabbie yelled, jarring Elsa from her thoughts.

She turned and grabbed Keahi by the hand, "I need you to make sure Pips and my sister make it out."

"I'm not leaving you." Keahi shot back, almost aggressively.

"Please. You're the only person I trust that can keep our family safe." Elsa pleaded.

Keahi swallowed hard as Elsa watched the heaving rise and fall of her chest. With a sullen sigh, Keahi meekly nodded her head. "Fine. But I'm coming back."

Elsa smiled, putting a hand to Keahi cheek and rising to give her a kiss. There was a strength in it she relied on, and she lingered on for a few more seconds to memorize the contours of Keahi's lips before pulling back. "I'm counting on it." She whispered, pulling away.

If she stayed there any longer, she wouldn't leave. So she turned and ran into the crowd of Arendelle citizens to help them evacuate.

Hopefully in time.