A Second Tyranny

Gone Is the Golden Sugar Maple

ELSA

As soon as the Ice Queen blasted her antagonist out of the ice palace, she'd conjured a whirlwind of snowflakes and ice crystals around them, and the silvery haze they formed was all she could see as they carried her and Hans across the white-flecked world. The last time she'd created this kind of magic was during her night time battle with Wisty back in the City's municipal courtyard, ages ago. Elsa withdrew it when she felt they'd flown long enough, and the chilly cyclone spiralled and swirled before petering out.

She and Hans dropped onto land draped in thick layers of snow. They were deep in a wintry forest rising in lush green trees coated with an abundance of hoarfrost on a medium-steep hill close to the North Mountain.

"Oh, Elsa..." Hans rose, dusting rime off his blazer and trousers. "I wonder what possibly befuddled your mind to lead you to abandon the Allgood heroes to Pearce and bring us here. I was under the impression the witch and wizard are your friends."

"Whit and Wisty are mighty enough to deal with Pearce in my absence," Elsa snapped, also rising. "But you teaming up with your newly transformed ally so you could assist him?" She gave one shake of her head. "I don't think so. I will obliterate you before you could lay a hand on the Allgoods. I carried us to this place, far away from my palace so that there is no way you'll be able to find your way back to it. I take it you're unfamiliar with these territories?" She didn't know she still got it in her to play with him. "Even if you aren't, you still have to get past me first."

Approval shone on the king's features. "Smart plan. Although...you do realize that by carrying me to this location I'll be able to teleport again. Right?"

Panic set in like an onrushing tidal wave, and Elsa wanted to clock herself for being such a dumbass.

Hans's sinister chuckle made her wince. He went on, "Once I 'bounce' back to Arendelle, I'll avenge the murder of my Champion by destroying your sister's beloved ice harvester Kristoff and those risible rock trolls, and then return from the stronghold with reinforcements to wipe you, Whit, and Wisty out. Once and for all."

Elsa jeered, trying to steady her rapid heartbeat, "Let me guess: too timid to take me on one-on-one?"

He only chuckled. "Just you wait."

She stared at Hans, and he stared at her, sneering.

Seconds elapsed, then a minute.

A minute and a half.

And he was still standing right in front of her.

"What's going on? Why can't I teleport?" Scowling, Hans touched his uniform, bafflingly lifted his arms, and surveyed his body, the ground beneath him.

The corner of Elsa's lips tugged upwards in a smile.

"The spell should have worn off—"

"The spell," Elsa interjected, "the Allgoods incanted on you must have a boundary. A range. You, Hans, are still within that range. It's the only logical explanation." Her shrug barely contained her delight. "Who knows how far the boundary extended?"

Hans held up a hand as if signalling her to shush. He spoke in a low voice to no one in particular, "I can feel it—their sorcery. I feel it on me, in me. The boundary of their enchantment...stretches circularly in a one mile radius from your ice palace. And its limit, its limit...is just half that distance from where I'm standing."

His gaze locked with hers. Before Elsa could react, he was off.

She dashed after him.

She should've known better than to believe she could catch up. Like Anna, she, too, considered herself a fast sprinter, but Hans was a solid, athletic runner. Whichever physical activity Elsa thought she excelled at—such as running—he was probably better. A gap had separated them before long and it was only broadening with each passing second. Elsa was already having a hard enough time preventing it from widening, let alone retaining it.