The first Purification knight reached Elsa.
His sword came down.
She caught the blade with her bare hand.
The knight froze.
Golden flames flickered around her fingers.
---
"You don't have to die."
Elsa's voice was calm.
The knight gritted his teeth.
"You are a monster."
Elsa looked into his eyes.
"I know you believe that."
Then she twisted his sword aside and struck his chest with the palm of her hand.
He flew backward—
But landed alive.
---
Another knight attacked from behind.
A dragon's tail swept across the ground.
The knight was thrown into a tree.
---
The battlefield erupted.
Humans fought humans.
Dragons fought humans.
And somehow—
Nobody wanted Elsa to kill.
---
Jack blocked three blades at once.
"Elsa!"
She turned.
"Don't let them separate us!"
Elsa nodded.
---
Rowan charged through the masked soldiers.
"You're supposed to purify monsters, aren't you?"
He knocked one aside.
"So why are you acting like monsters yourselves?"
---
The spear warrior fought silently.
Every strike was precise.
Every enemy he defeated remained alive.
---
The Dragon King was different.
His presence alone terrified the Purification Order.
He spread his enormous wings.
The sky darkened.
---
"Leave."
His voice shook the battlefield.
---
Several knights froze.
---
"You came here to kill my granddaughter."
His eyes burned.
---
"You will not leave this place with her blood on your hands."
---
A masked commander stepped forward.
---
"You have no authority over human lands."
---
The Dragon King smiled.
A frightening smile.
---
"Then consider this..."
His claws dug into the earth.
---
"...my first diplomatic visit."
---
The ground exploded.
The commander barely escaped.
---
Elsa glanced toward the Dragon King.
Despite everything—
She almost laughed.
---
"Grandfather..."
---
He looked at her.
---
"Yes?"
---
"You're scary."
---
The Dragon King blinked.
Then—
He laughed.
A deep, thunderous laugh that rolled across the battlefield.
---
"Your mother said the same thing."
---
Elsa froze.
---
"My mother?"
---
The Dragon King smiled.
"She hated my war face."
---
For a brief moment...
The battlefield disappeared.
Elsa imagined her mother laughing at the enormous dragon standing before her.
---
Then—
A Purification knight rushed toward Elsa.
---
He was young.
Barely older than the knight who had died protecting her.
His sword shook in his hands.
---
Elsa stopped.
---
He couldn't move.
---
"You don't want to do this."
---
The knight's eyes widened.
---
"How..."
---
"You don't look like someone who wants to kill me."
---
His grip weakened.
---
"I..."
---
He looked around.
At the wounded soldiers.
At the villagers.
At his own fallen comrades.
---
"...I don't know anymore."
---
Elsa lowered her hand.
---
"Then don't."
---
The knight dropped his sword.
---
It struck the ground.
---
One weapon.
One choice.
---
Then another knight lowered his weapon.
Then another.
---
The Purification Order began to fracture.
---
But the masked commander didn't retreat.
---
He looked at Elsa.
Then toward the village.
Then toward the king.
---
And smiled.
---
"Excellent."
---
Jack's expression changed.
---
"What?"
---
The commander reached beneath his cloak.
---
A crystal.
Black as night.
---
The spear warrior's eyes widened.
---
"Everyone!"
---
Too late.
---
The crystal shattered.
---
A wave of darkness erupted from the battlefield.
The ground cracked.
The sky turned black.
Every living creature felt the same sensation.
---
Fear.
---
Pure.
Instinctive.
Ancient fear.
---
Elsa dropped to one knee.
Her breathing became difficult.
---
Something inside her blood—
Responded.
---
Her pupils narrowed.
Her golden flames turned dark red.
---
The Dragon King stared at her in horror.
---
"No..."
---
Jack looked at him.
"What is happening?"
---
The Dragon King's voice trembled.
---
"Her dragon blood..."
---
He looked toward Elsa.
---
"...is awakening."
---
Elsa's heart pounded.
A strange voice whispered inside her mind.
Not Edward.
Not her mother.
Something older.
---
**Awaken.**
---
Elsa clutched her chest.
---
"No..."
---
The darkness spread.
---
**Remember what you are.**
---
Her horn began turning red.
---
The villagers stepped backward.
---
And for the first time since Edward's death—
Elsa felt afraid of herself.