Chapter 69– Into the Unknown

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The next morning in Arendelle dawned not with golden sunlight but with grey clouds and a sharp chill in the air. Snow blanketed the streets, rooftops, and trees, the once lively kingdom now caught in an unnatural winter. People huddled indoors while guards tried to maintain calm, though their own breaths fogged in the air with every word.

Ethan stood by the castle's outer wall, his breath steady and white as he stared out at the endless snow. He'd spent most of the night helping where he could—guiding citizens to shelter, offering extra blankets from the castle storage, and trying to make sense of it all. He had seen powerful magic before in his past journeys, but Elsa's magic felt different—untamed, raw, and filled with fear.

He didn't blame her.

He understood what it meant to lose control.

"Are you ready?" a soft voice asked behind him.

He turned to see Princess Anna, wrapped in a heavy green cloak with fur lining, a satchel slung over her shoulder, and determination etched into her face. Her hair was tied up neatly again, though a few red strands had fallen over her brow. She looked smaller somehow against the backdrop of the snow-covered castle, but there was fire in her eyes.

Ethan gave her a firm nod. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"I've got extra food, cloaks, and some supplies," she said. "Also… Kai said to bring this."

She handed him a long black cloak and a pair of fur-lined gloves. "Don't want you freezing to death."

He smirked. "Appreciate it."

As he fastened the cloak around his shoulders, Anna adjusted her boots and nodded toward the stables. "Sven and Kristoff are already getting ready."

Ethan tilted his head. "Kristoff?"

"He's a mountain man. Sells ice. Knows the mountains better than anyone. And… he's kind of a friend," she said, fidgeting a little. "He offered to help me find Elsa."

Ethan gave her a teasing look. "So I'm not the only guy following you into danger?"

Anna flushed. "It's not like that."

He laughed lightly. "Sure."

They walked together toward the stables, snow crunching beneath their boots. Outside, Kristoff stood beside his trusty reindeer Sven, adjusting the sled's ropes and brushing snow off the seat. The tall blonde man looked up as they approached, giving a short nod to Ethan.

"So, you're the guy Anna was talking about," Kristoff said, looking him up and down. "You don't look like much."

Ethan grinned. "Neither does a snowflake, but it still freezes a river."

Kristoff blinked, then shrugged. "Fair enough."

They loaded up the sled and set off not long after, riding through the frozen forest in a silence broken only by the sound of hooves and the soft crunch of snow. Anna clutched her cloak tightly as the wind whipped at them.

Ethan kept his eyes open, scanning the terrain. He didn't know exactly what dangers lay ahead—wolves, avalanches, magical spikes—but he had no intention of letting anything happen to Anna.

"I still don't get it," Kristoff muttered as they rode. "It's summer. It was warm just two days ago. This kind of storm—it's not natural."

"That's because it's not," Anna replied, voice laced with worry. "It's Elsa. She didn't mean to… she's just scared."

"Scared or not, she froze the entire kingdom," Kristoff said. "And if she loses control again…"

"She won't," Anna said quickly. "I can talk to her."

Ethan didn't speak, but deep inside, he had doubts too. Not because he didn't believe in Anna—but because he knew how dangerous uncontrolled power could be. Elsa was running not just from the world, but from herself. And that was the most dangerous kind of fear.

They camped that night beneath a rock overhang. Kristoff made a small fire, and Anna passed out dried bread and cheese. As they sat, huddled together for warmth, Ethan found himself looking up at the stars.

*Why this world? Why now?*

The system still hadn't responded to his earlier questions. Every time he called out to it, the response was the same:

**\[. System status: STABLE. Dimensional error in recalibration. Please await stabilization of the dimensional tether. .]**

Whatever that meant.

"So," Kristoff said, munching on a piece of bread. "What's your story, anyway?"

Ethan glanced up. "What do you mean?"

"You don't seem like someone from around here," he said. "Anna says you're from far away. But you handle yourself like a trained fighter. And I saw the way you watched the ice spread—you've seen stuff like this before."

Anna looked at Ethan too, clearly curious.

Ethan took a breath. "Let's just say… I've seen a lot of strange things. Been to a lot of places. And I've learned that the world is bigger—and more dangerous—than most people know."

"That's not really an answer," Kristoff grunted.

"It's the best you're getting for now."

Anna narrowed her eyes slightly. "You're always so mysterious."

Ethan smiled softly. "Some things are better revealed over time."

Anna looked like she was about to press the issue when a loud *snap* echoed through the forest.

They all froze.

Sven pawed nervously at the ground.

Ethan was already on his feet, hand on the dagger he kept at his belt. "That wasn't a branch."

From the trees emerged a pair of wolves, their fur dusted with frost, eyes glowing unnaturally blue.

Kristoff stood, grabbing a long staff. "They're not normal wolves…"

Ethan nodded. "They've been touched by the magic."

The wolves growled low in their throats.

Anna stepped back behind the fire. "What do we do?"

"We hold them off," Ethan said calmly, drawing his dagger. "Stay behind me."

The first wolf lunged. Ethan sidestepped quickly, slashing with the dagger and catching it across the flank. The creature howled and spun, snapping its icy fangs. Kristoff followed up with a hard blow to the second wolf's side, knocking it into the snow.

The battle didn't last long, but it left them all breathing heavily.

As the wolves limped back into the woods, tails between their legs, Anna looked at Ethan with wide eyes.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

He shook snow off his cloak. "I've had… experience."

She wanted to ask more, but the look in his eyes made her stop.

That night, as they returned to their makeshift camp, the stars above them glittered brighter than before. The air was cold, but the fire warm, and the silence between them was no longer awkward — it was steady, familiar.

Tomorrow, they would begin climbing toward the mountains.

Toward Elsa.

And whatever awaited them in the snow.

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