The Quest For Hope

Dragon's Gate: Chapter Twelve

The days blended together; the dark confines of the Dragon's Gate tunnel hid the passage of time. Even after the earthquakes ceased, they walked carefully, watching their steps as they inched along. The stagnant air whispered conversations around her, and dark shadows erased her excitement. It reminded her how much she felt pressed in by the tunnel. The crush of people amplified her claustrophobia. Even after walking for days, her heart jumped at each loud thud or scuffle.

The further in they went, the more constricted she felt. She hadn't inhaled completely in days. The shortness of breath and lack of real conversation wore on her patience. Her only lengthy talks were with Pabbie, and those dealt with her dreams and training.

Princess Elsa walked up front, beside Pabbie, leading their group through the winding passages of the tunnel system. The walls shrunk as evidence of cave-ins increased. Her head hung low as she watched the uneven ground before her."

"I am still trying to figure out what your mother knew, the message behind her cryptic words. 'He who recovers the orbs holds the line of the future.' What does that mean?" Pabbie asked. They continued forward, aware that each step seemed to bring new quakes as rocks trailed down the sides of the tunnel.

"I don't know, Pabbie. It's a riddle, but it has to mean something. Everything she's left us seems to be a clue of some sort. She knew the dragons were coming, and she knew it would take great magic to win. How that relates to orbs and a race, I don't know." Elsa paused for a moment before continuing. "You said when my mother died that she died to protect me and Hiccup, right?"

His sorrowful eyes swept over her face. He took a deep breath. "Yes, that's the message she left for us. When she died on the day you were born, it was to offer you her wisdom and power, so that when the dragons returned, you would know what needed to be done."

"That's what I thought. So why don't I know? Shouldn't something make sense? Shouldn't I know what "we're doing or how to win?"

"We can only hope her sacrifice makes sense eventually."

Elsa looked at her feet and noticed the puffs of dirt that arose with every step. "I just wish she could've told us. I know she wouldn't have made that sacrifice if it wasn't necessary for our survival. I just wish I knew what it meant."

"If your dreams can't help us, then we'll just have to be patient and wait for things to unfold around us."

The thought of waiting for her dreams to help unsettled her.

"About my dreams," she mumbled under her breath. "They feel like they're closing in on me. Just like the tunnel: the longer we are in it, the tighter it is. That green fog in my dreams is getting thicker. The closer we get to Dragon's Gate, the more blocked I feel. Maybe it's the tunnels; maybe it's my own mind being cluttered. I don't know. I just don't feel myself these days..." Her voice trailed off under Pabbie's warm eyes, feeling comfort in his gaze. "I'm even beginning to see things."

Pabbie raised his eyebrows but remained silent.

"It started a few days ago. When I concentrate on the walls, I see a light layer of mist. I don't see it unless I really look for it, but it's there. Anna can't see it and neither can Jack. What's going on?"

"Princess, we'll all feel better when the tunnel opens above us. Wait," Elias said, lifting his finger to his lips and closing his eyes.

"No," Elsa whispered, placing her palm against the soft dirt of the wall, feeling the ground pulsate. The rocks danced around her hand.