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The defenders of Lithia stood in awe at the macabre marvel standing before them – a jagged wall of ice rising over fifty feet atop of the city’s ramparts.  In each direction, the unsettling sight stretched across the entire face of the northern wall.

Shielding her eyes from the moon’s glare, Esme looked up and began assessing the frozen structure.  Given its sheer height and thickness, not only was the giant monolith obstructing the view of the valley below, but it would also prevent the city’s defenders from targeting the Army of Arendelle when they marched on Lithia.  Even pushing her hand against the icy sheet was in vain, but others across the ramparts began taking up her example.  Several tried striking it with whatever weapon was handy while one brave soul tried splashing flaming pitch – all with no effect.

“What sorcery is this?” Sir Thomas said as he beat upon the ice with his sword.

Esme already knew the answer to that question.  The woman she had seen in the valley had been none other than Queen Elsa of Arendelle.  She cursed at herself for not giving the order to fire upon the queen earlier.  If she had, they may have ended this war before it even began.  Now the lost opportunity had given their enemy time to use her ice powers to cripple the city’s defenses.

In the hills, General Selena Frost saw the queen’s magical display and immediately dismounted her horse.  She had given orders that every man in the ranks was to be on foot, including the Arendelle knights – horses would play no part in the coming attack.  And as she passed by the soldiers, all of them were at attention and ready.

Flanked by two torch bearers, Selena approached the front of the procession and turned to address the ranks under her command. 

“Men and women of Arendelle!” she cried.  “Tonight we taste victory against the defenders of this city.  Our queen has prepared the way ahead.  Now we will finish what she began!

Raising her sword high, she yelled, “To victory!”

“TO VICTORY!”

In the valley, Elsa continued to work her ice powers along the northern face of Lithia.  With her ice wall having crippled the city’s defenses, she set to work forming long ice steps leading from the ground all the way up to the ramparts. Stacking them one atop the other, she built each across the entire front, giving her men the chance to attack the city from as many locations as possible all at once.  And before the assault could begin, there was one last thing that had to be tended to.

Slowly spinning on her toes, Elsa summoned the power of the wind to surround her and slowly began building upon its fury.  As she did, the brightness of her power was shining like a beacon, giving her army a position in which to rally around.  When she began seeing their silhouettes against the backdrop of the burning bridge, the Queen of Arendelle was ready.

With all of her might, Elsa flung her hands forward, sending the howling wind she had generated towards its destination.

The shouting from the northern hills had carried all the way into the city, causing Esme’s heart to race with anticipation.  Even the men around her murmured with discontent at what was coming.  Arendelle was readying an attack and there was nothing any of them could do to stop it.  All of their efforts to cut through the ice wall had failed.  Now they would have to defend the city from within.

“Father!” she cried, “We must concentrate our forces…”

A rumbling in the distance caused Esme to stop in mid-sentence and turn towards the ice wall.  The noise she had heard was approaching… and it was growing louder!  And with it came a light that was becoming brighter by the second.  Her eyes went wide with shock and at the last moment, put her hands up in an attempt to protect herself.

All of a sudden, the fifty-foot ice wall exploded into the city of Lithia with the power of a hurricane.  Thousands of pieces of ice and other debris flew at incredible speeds past the city’s defensive wall and into the heart Lithia itself… along with the shredded bodies of those who had been defending atop the ramparts.

Amongst the screams and cries of agony within the wounded city, there was a deafening roar from the armies assembled in valley.  It was an ominous signal that Arendelle’s attack had begun.

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