Nathan followed where she was pointing and gawked as he locked eyes with Mark. Mark scoffed, blurting out over the crackling fire. "Me? No. No way. I think I would know if I had magic. The Trolls tried to teach me. I failed." Yelena stared at him with an unyielding expression, regaling so calmly to him. "The magic within you can't be taught and it can't be harnessed like the other elements. It just is. Whether you believe it or not. I guarantee that you've done things and not known it." Nathan tried to recall anything strange. Thinking of one, he told Mark a little startled. "My vision. The rainbow shimmer I saw on your skin... That's why my magic didn't freeze you out on the Fjord..." Mark tossed up his hands, climbing to his feet and pacing the Lavvu as he stammered out. "No. That can't be. I think I would have known. Someone would have..." Mark's face became saddened by his words, causing him to hug himself as he turned away. Yelena turned her eyes to Nate, informing them lightly. "When the Arendelle soldiers attacked us. They took many of our children. We don't know why... we feared the worst had happened to them. Losing my husband hurt the tribe... losing the Shaman devastated the tribes. Without the Shaman, we are at the mercy of the angry spirits."

Composing himself, Nathan asked cautiously. "The Shaman? Wasn't your husband the Shaman?" She chuckled, shaking her head to correct him. "No. My husband was the leader of the tribes. The Shaman... he was a free spirit. He helped us understand the will of nature. He and he alone communed with them. The Shaman was blessed by our 'Mother' who lives in Ahtohallan. He was like her son. We called him 'the spirit of the forest.' From time to time, our people would notice him grazing among our reindeer herds. Watching over us." Mark turned, stating out curtly. "When you say 'grazing among the herds' you mean...? He turned into a large reindeer?" Nathan perked up, realizing what Mark was implying. He was talking about his dream of the reindeer man that had found his mom. Yelena nodded, replying openly. "Yes. He was a shapeshifter. Often taking the form of a reindeer. In fact, it is why our tribes raise reindeer. It's to honor him and it allowed him to hide among us. For he rarely showed himself to any strangers, but always lingered to gain information on a stranger's true intentions. Proved useful when Arendelle raided us... because of him. Many of us survived... but we believe it was at the cost of his own life."

Nathan shrugged, questioning nicely. "You don't know for sure?" Yelena bowed her head, sorrow filling her voice when she said. "It was chaos that day. We don't know what happened... but we know that something upset the spirits enough to attack and isolate the forest from the rest of the world. We've searched for the Shaman... but have found nothing. No trace of him. Until you." Yelena gestured to Mark. Mark stiffened but kept his expression neutral now. Allowing Yelena to tell him. "Mother said that the Shaman's son would return when the spirits awoke. That if anyone could resolve this veil that has fallen over Misthaven... It's you. You are a gift. The Fifth Spirit that can calm these spirits and find out what is still bothering them." Nathan looked between Mark and her before saying excitedly. "You've spoken to her?" Yelena nodded, admitting proudly. "A long time ago. After I lost my daughter... I went to her seeking answers and that was all she chose to share with me. So, I've held onto it, and hoped for the day to come." Mark finally turned to face her, asking with a little shrug. "Let's say I believe this. Then you're telling me that my father is possibly out in these woods... doing what? Waiting? Why hasn't he shown himself? Why wait for me?"

Yelena ran her hand over the symbol on the shawl, telling him lovingly. "Because nature is all about balance. The spirits work together to solve problems. If even one is missing... they can't harmonize. They had to wait for you. As for your father... we don't know. We believe the Arendelle soldiers have him... but we have no proof. It's been an endless fight between us for the last few years... That's why we have to remain vigilant. They raid us for supplies and hunt our reindeer..." Nathan straightened up, asking a little perplexed. "Arendelle soldiers? They are still here?" She nodded, grumbling out as she handed his shawl back. "Unfortunately. When the mist encased the woods, a few of them got trapped in here with us. We keep waiting for the spirits to put an end to them... but we also fear them possibly hurting or capturing them." Nathan coaxed Mark to sit back down by patting the furs, while asking Yelena with a small smile. "That's why you were worried about Gale?" Yelena nodded solemnly, replying honestly. "Gale is normally pretty docile compared to the other spirits... So, when we saw the tornado, we knew something was very wrong."

Mark tilted his head a little, asking suspiciously. "If you can't talk to them. How do you know their names?" Yelena chuckled, truthfully blurting out. "We don't. We just kind of agreed to name them. Made it easier to warn people whenever one was getting wild. You've met Gale, the wind spirit. Then there is Aalto, the water spirit. Then there is Sten, the earth spirit. And last is-" Before she could finish, someone from outside screamed out. "FIA!" Yelena whirled around, gasping out. "Oh no!" Mark shared a brief look with Nathan, before scrambling from the Lavvu. Hooves thundered across the ground as the reindeer bolted through the camp in a panic. The reindeer knocked down bits of the camp and people in their wake. Forcing adults to snatch up their children to keep them from being trampled. The strong smell of a woodfire hung in the air as thick black smoke rose from a cluster of trees. Yelena noticed the fire and started to yell out. "Quick! Take the buckets to the water! Put out the trees! Don't let the reindeer- AH!" A fleeing reindeer clipped her in passing, sending her to the ground. Nathan rushed out to spook a few reindeer away to keep them from running her over.

Mark managed to grab her and pulled her back into the safety of the Lavvu, while Nathan yelled out to him. "Go stop the reindeer! I'm going to help with the fire!" Mark jerked his head up, yelling back sternly. "NATE, NO!" Nathan didn't listen. He just took off through the crowd to follow those with buckets toward the burning trees. If anyone was equipped to handle fire, he was. Running toward the thick smoke, Nathan watched a few Northuldra set buckets down and wave their hands over it. To his shock they were using magic to form little balls of water that they threw at the burning trees and those that were around the burning ones to keep them from catching fire. As the balls of water hit the burning trees, it puffed into vapor from the intensity of the white and black flames. Even the trees they tried to soak around the burning ones were drying out. Raising his hands, Nathan acted quickly. Shooting thick frost up along the trunks of trees to protect them and then over the burning ones. The flames melted his frost pretty fast but if he lingered to coat them in layers, the flames eventually died out. The Northuldra snuck glances at him because what he could do but stayed focused on the task at hand.

Nathan worked his way farther into the woods as he followed the burning trees, trying to put them all out. The fire was spreading quickly though, forcing him to use both hands to coat the ground and branches. Then from farther behind him, a Northuldran man yelled out. "Look out! There she is!" Nathan whirled around to see a line of flame dashing through the tall grass toward the Northuldran camp. Throwing out his hand, he snuffed out the line of flame with his frost, but at the end of the flame, his frost struck something as it leapt toward a tree trunk. The Northuldrans gasped and fled back as the tiny creature sprang up to its feet and shook off the frost. Letting out an aggressive hiss, it ignited in flames and dashed straight for him! Shooting out short bursts of frost at it, the little creature dodged the attack easily and began to circle him, igniting everything in its wake. Trying to keep his eyes on the tiny creature that was leading the flame, he kept shooting out frost to snuff out the flames in order to see it. Otherwise, it vanished easily onto the rest of the flames. The tiny creature leapt onto a tree and then another, before trying to jump on him. Nathan put out all the flames that ignited on the trees, then had to duck and roll to avoid it landing on him. Rolling up to his knees, he shot ice at its fleeing form, listening to it yelp as he hit it.

Skidding into a slide across the ground, it stopped to look at him, the flames encasing its body flaring into a violent ripple of searing white flames. Nathan got to his feet, flexing his fingers as wisps of ice puffed from his palms. The little creature hissed loudly, then swung its little tail in his direction, causing a line of searing white flame to lash out at him like a whip. Dodging it, Nathan iced the area to where the line of flame hit, then tried to hit the creature. The tiny creature dashed with such speed to avoid his burst of ice, before stopping and opening its mouth to belt out a jet of white flames! Throwing up his hands, his frost slammed into the jet of flames, causing a burst of heated fog to start forming around them as the soft hissing of melting snow filled the air. While he tried to keep his frost going, the tiny creature started using its tail while it continued its focused jet of flame on him. Lashing its tail out, it tried to hit him in the sides. Nathan side-stepped just enough to let the flaming whip of a tail miss him, but he couldn't put out the flames that were starting to burn around him. Nathan's hands started to shake as his power started to waver, forcing him to say aloud. "No...! Not now!" The little creature inched closer and closer, its flames starting to overtake his frost as his power weakened.

Not wanting to burn alive, Nathan took a stronger stance and yelled as he forced his power to continue and pushed back against the flames. The result was not what he intended. Instead of coming back in a focused beam of frost, it burst from his hands like an explosion! The icy blast knocking Nathan off his feet and coating everything in ice in all directions! Laying dazed on the ground, Nathan winced as his arms protested being moved. His body felt utterly exhausted, and he coughed puffs of icy breath. Glancing at where the creature had been, Nathan's eyes widened as he finally got a good view of it. It was a tiny jet-black salamander with big golden yellow eyes and white stripes along its body. Shaking off the snow from its steaming body, it hissed and narrowed its eyes on him. Nathan raised a hand, but his hand only puffed with harmless wisps of icy vapor. The salamander flicked out its long red tongue, its saliva melting the snow as it dripped off its parted lips. Its body slowly ignited as it drew closer. Nathan stared it down, until the soft thunder of hooves distracted them both. Riding in at full speed, Mark and Aputsiaq hopped off Donner. Aputsiaq landed on Nathan, her wings rising to hiss aggressively at the smaller creature. While Mark landed in front of the salamander and yelled at it. "Stay back!"

The Salamander hissed, then dashed into a leap at Mark. Nathan cried out his name as Mark snatched the creature from the air and cried out as he held onto its flaming body! Nathan screamed for him to let it go, but Mark didn't. Trapping it within his hands, he staggered to his knees as the white flames leaked out between his fingers. The Northuldran people stood is awe as Mark held the creature and yelled out through his pain. "STOP! It's ok!" The flames lessened and Mark's shimmering hands shook as he slowly opened them to see the tiny creature. Nathan held his breath. Mark's hands weren't burned and again his hands were shimmering with a strange golden rainbow light. Opening his hands up for everyone to see, the tiny salamander skittered around his hand, hissing and panting heavily. Yet, seeing Mark's hands seemed to surprise it enough that it slowly calmed it down. It squeaked in fright when Mark pet it, but when it realized that it wasn't being attacked... it curled up to nervously enjoy it. Smiling, Mark whispered to it. "There you go. It's ok. Were you scared?" Nathan hugged Aputsiaq to his chest, trying to calm her as she growled with jealousy upon watching him touch a smaller creature.

Yelena parted the crowd of Northuldran people, looking upon the scene with loving eyes as she said aloud. "Do you believe me now, Mark?" Mark looked to Nathan, prompting him to smile back at him. There were still so many questions he had, but before he could even try to bring them up, a new deeper voice stated aloud sternly. "Put down your weapons! All of you! And put those hands up where we can see them!" The Northuldran people gasped in fright, starting to back up as a group of strangers slowly crept out into the open. Their boots crunching across the snow is eerie unison. Nathan recognized them the moment he saw them by their uniforms. Arendelle soldiers. Yelena raised her hands in surrender, calling out to the man who had spoken. "Lieutenant Mattias. Please." Lieutenant Mattias scoffed, snapping back bitterly. "Do as I ordered!" Yelena reluctantly nodded to her people, prompting them to lower their herding sticks and buckets of water. Very few were even holding spears. Upon raising their hands, Yelena asked the Lieutenant defensively. "What do you want now?" Lieutenant Mattias kept his shield up before his torso, while keeping his short sword pointed at her as he said emotionlessly. "We want the lizard. Hand it over and no one will get hurt."

Yelena's face turned to one of disgust as she blurted out defiantly. "Fia is not a possession I can give you. Nor would I to let you abuse the poor creature! She is a sacred elemental spirit!" Lieutenant Mattias rolled his eyes, stating out dryly. "Every speck of dirt to you people is 'sacred.' Don't you see how dangerous that THING is?! It needs to be dealt with before it burns EVERYTHING to the ground!" Yelena stepped forward, shouting out loudly in return. "The only thing dangerous in these woods is YOU and YOUR PEOPLE, Lieutenant! She is no more dangerous than any child you'd bring into this world!" Lieutenant Mattias took a step closer to her, shouting over her. "How can you people be so blind?! That THING just killed half my men, and you are defending it!" Yelena huffed, lowering her hands to yell back. "She's defending herself! That is more than I can say for you and your invading soldiers! You don't belong here! And you don't respect anyone but yourselves! You are selfish and cruel! YOU deserve to be hunted down by the very creatures you deem inferior!" Lieutenant Mattias scowled, bitterly starting to say aloud. "Why you impertinent bush baby! How dare you-!"

Lieutenant Mattias was cut off then by one of his men pointing to Nathan and shouting out. "Lieutenant! Look!" Lieutenant Mattias' eyes drifted from her to the little ice dragon in Nathan's arms. Tensing as he realized what she was, he called out to his men. "Kill the dragon!" Aputsiaq let out a startled squeak as they rushed toward her with their swords raised. Mark staggered to his feet with Fia still in his hands as he called out Nathan's name with worry. Nathan hugged Aputsiaq to his chest, flicking out his hand in a panic in their direction. The frost shot out and encased their legs in place, causing the soldiers to yelp and stammer out in a panic that they couldn't run from. "MAGIC! The boy has magic!" Slowly getting to his feet, Nathan shouted to them sternly. "Stand down! By order of the King of Arendelle!" Lieutenant Mattias blinked with a perplexed look, lowering his sword as he shot back a bit defiantly. "What? No, you're not! I knew the king of Arendelle, and YOU are not him!" Nathan puffed his chest up, resorting to his full title for the first time in what seemed like forever. "My name is Nathan. Son of King Agnarr and grandson of King Runeard Oldenburg of Castle Arendelle. You owe me your allegiance. To do otherwise is treason."

Lieutenant Mattias thought it over, before suddenly asking aloud. "Prince Agnarr had a kid? But that's impossible... He was just a young boy a day ago. I helped him escape..." Nathan took a step back to process that, looking to Mark who could only shrug. That's when Yelena tenderly announced to Mark and Nathan. "I hadn't gotten the chance to tell you... but the mist has cursed us. We are frozen in time." To Be Continued...