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Sam had gathered his people into the courtyard, he stood on the staircase of the palace, ready to address his people, to give them an update. Finally, he would get a chance to explain the real story to them. As he was about to begin, Corey rushed up to him.
"Your majesty," said Corey, as he bowed. "Sorry to interrupt but there is a girl at the gates, she said she must see you and that it's urgent."
"Let her through," said Sam.
Corey and Aaron opened the gate and Katrina frantically stepped through, clutching her arm. Sam saw her and he immediately rushed to her.
"Sam! Sam you have to help me!" she cried, running to him.
"Kat? What happened?" asked Sam.
"It's Colby," she replied. "He's out of control. His power has corrupted him."
"What? How?" asked Sam confused.
"I don't know," said Kat, now crying. "He said that he vowed revenge on the people that turned their backs on him, and that he was gonna freeze the entire kingdom!"
Sam heard the worried whispers and cries from his people currently gathered in the courtyard.
"I don't understand," he said. "Colby wouldn't do that. He loves his people."
"He's gone crazy Sam," she cried. "I tried to stop him and he did this to me." She lifted her hand to reveal her frostbitten arm. "I didn't know where else to go. You're the only one who can talk some sense into him Sam, he'll listen to you. Please."
Sam couldn't believe it, he had seen Colby only hours ago and he was fine. Happy. He didn't seem power hungry. He looked around at his concerned people, they were staring him down waiting on his answer, and as king, he had to look out for his people.
"You need to take me to him," said Sam. Kat nodded as Sam put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We must leave immediately; we don't know how much time we've got."
"I shall accompany you," said Elton, stepping up beside Sam. "You're going to need all the help you can get. Jake, Corey and Aaron will come as well."
"No. You, Kat and I can handle it," said Sam. "The guards need to stay here and defend our people." Sam turned to face them. "Stand ready, we don't know how bad this could be, you must do your duty to defend this kingdom and its people."
"We will defend it with our lives," replied Jake. Standing ready.
Sam, Kat, and Elton rushed into the castle to gather weapons. Elton handed Sam a sword.
"I won't need that," said Sam.
"It's just in case," said Elton. "We don't know how far gone he is, and if need be, you must do what needs to be done."
"It won't come to that," said Sam. "I'll bring him back."
"Then how about as a precaution," said his uncle, handing him the sword. Sam nodded and grabbed the sword, slipping it onto his hip.
Once they returned to the courtyard, he gestured to Kat.
"Lead the way," said Sam.
Katrina rushed to the entrance of the gate as Sam and Elton followed close behind. They heard the giant doors shut behind them and hurriedly made their way to the entrance of the forest.
They continued on for a long while, Sam, having made this journey before; didn't remember it being this long. He was about to ask Kat when she stopped in her tracks. Her back to the rest of them.
"What is it? What's wrong?" asked Sam.
"You royals really are all the same," she started. "So naïve."
As she turned around, Sam saw her glossy white eyes. Sam and Elton drew their swords. They stepped towards Kat. She turned towards Elton and struck him with an icicle, it pierced his side, and he screamed in pain as he clutched it, blood staring to drip out.
"Uncle Elton!!!" yelled Sam, kneeling beside him.
"You didn't even question how I found you," replied Kat. "Honestly Sam, I thought you were the smart one."
"Who are you?!" asked Sam. "Where's Colby?"
"He won't be coming to save you this time?" said a voice behind Sam. He turned to look behind him and saw the boy from the night of the coronation, Brennen.
"Not bad sis," said Brennen.
"Not bad yourself," replied Katrina.
Sam rose to his feet, readying his sword, ready to attack when he heard his uncle scream in agony as Kat made the icicle dig further into his side.
"Don't even think about it," she said threateningly.
Sam let his sword fall to the ground and raised his hands in surrender. "Please," he pleaded.
"Oh don't worry," said Kat. "I won't kill him, yet. Bind their hands." She gestured towards Brennen, who had formed ice shackled in his hands.
Sam let himself be shackled behind his back and he watched as Brennen did the same to Elton. They both sat on the cold ground. He saw Brennen looming over him, and watched as he formed a sharp icicle in his hand, ready for the kill, but Katrina stopped him.
"Don't!" shouted Katrina.
"I thought you said we were gonna kill them," said Brennen annoyed.
"Not yet," she said. "First, they watch their kingdom fall."
Kat's eyes once again turned their glossy white. Sam and Elton whipped their heads around, they could see their kingdom from the mountain, and watched as a giant sheet of ice covered the kingdom, frost and snow covering the walls as a strong blizzard surrounded it. They heard the screams and cries of their people from below.
"Noooo!!!" shouted Sam. He turned back to Kat and Brennen.
"How should we do it?" asked Kat.
"I don't care how you do it," replied Brennen. "Just make it slow and painful, like it was for our parents."
