As it Was (Book 1)

Chapter 9

The two walked into the entrance. Hiccup told Toothles to stay behind and keep watch for them. Plus, he was too big to fit in the small opening of the ice mountain.

"If this was us walking in, that was pretty easy." Hiccup said. "Didn't Collin say that no one could get in here except the fifth spirit?"

"He did." Elsa responded, looking at the walls of ice that surrounded them. "It was open already, maybe the fifth spirit is already here."

Hiccup shrugged his shoulders and looked at the walls as well.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Elsa asked, touching the wall with her free hand, the other enclosed in Hiccup's.

"Yeah, there's like little designs in it." He said, leaning closer to the ice wall.

"It looks like mine." Elsa said softly.

Hiccup looked at her and smiled.

"Hopefully we'll get them back." He said, lightly squeezing her hand. Elsa smiled in response, then turned back to the ice.

"It's almost like it's glowing." She said. "It almost looks purple."

"That's because it is purple." Hiccup said, stopping in his tracks.

Elsa noticed and stopped with him. She followed his eyes to pillars of ice that were glowing a soft purple, blocking their way through the ice tunnel.

"Maybe this is what the fifth spirit has to get passed." He said.

The two continued to stare at the pillars.

Elsa felt defeated. She couldn't be the fifth spirit, she just couldn't. She didn't deserve such a title. That would mean she couldn't move the pillars and unblock the way.

She was about to turn around and go back outside to think about what to do next, but Hiccup stopped her when she started turning.

"Try opening it." He said, still looking at the pillars.

"I can't." Elsa said. "I'm not the fifth spirit."

"It won't hurt to try." Hiccup said, turning towards her.

His words were sincere. He knew Elsa didn't think she was the fifth spirit, but he had a feeling that she was. Just like he said, it won't hurt to try.

Elsa looked at him, to the pillars, then back at him.

"I don't want to be disappointed." She finally said.

"Neither do I." Hiccup said. "But I know I'm not the fifth spirit, so I'm not even going to try. You, on the other hand, don't know if you are or aren't."

Elsa pursed her lips.

She slowly let go of Hiccup's hand and walked towards the pillars. When she stood in front of them, she turned back to Hiccup.

He motioned for her to try, then crossed his arms, waiting for her to touch the pillars.

Elsa turned back and took a deep breath. If she could move these pillars, she was the fifth spirit. Her questions would be answered. If they didn't move, she would be filled with disappointment and be defeated.

She slowly reached out her hand and gently placed it on one of the pillars.

There was a dim flash of light which caused her to close her eyes and turn away.

When she opened them, she turned back and saw that the pillars had moved and it led to a giant hallway that was faintly lit with purple, green, and red lights illuminating from the large pillars on the sides.