An audible silence filled the room, and it was apparent that while the club knew about the Catacombs, learning of these talismans was new to the villains on the Isle of the Lost as well as the four visitors from Auradon.
“A new Dragon’s Egg?” asked Carlos. “What does that mean?”
“Hang on,” said Jay. “Does this have anything to do with the Dragon’s Eye staff back in Auradon? The original?”
“Yeah, that one broke when Mom turned into a lizard,” said Mal. “We found it and Ben put it away in the museum. It’s useless now, so I guess this would be its replacement.”
Yen Sid nodded to show she was correct. “Merlin wrote me about Camelot’s problem, and along with the strange weather patterns worsening in Auradon, I realized I had to get you kids back to the island right away. There isn’t much time, we must act, and quickly,” said the professor. “The talismans desire to be found; they have already seduced their masters into looking for them and soon they will call others to their side. They seek to escape the darkness of the underground so they can once again bring chaos and catastrophe to our world above. You must find and disarm them before they fall into the wrong hands, then bring them back to Auradon, where they can be destroyed forever.”
“We’ll go as soon as we can,” promised Mal.
“Remember how the four of you were able to defeat Maleficent?” Yen Sid asked.
They nodded.
“But what if it wasn’t just Maleficent and the Dragon’s Eye you were facing? What if you were facing all four villains holding their talismans? Imagine facing not just Maleficent and her scepter, but Jafar and his Golden Cobra, Evil Queen and her poisoned apple, and Cruella de Vil and her Ring of Envy?”
“Oh,” said Carlos. “That does not sound good.”
“Used together, these four talismans for evil can overcome the power of good once and for all.”
This was so much worse than she thought. Evie knew that this trip to the Isle of the Lost would mean they would discover that the villains were plotting yet another scheme, but she hadn’t been prepared to hear about this. To think that there were four evil talismans out there, and that if their parents got ahold of them, they would be unstoppable was too frightening to contemplate. Since Mal had defeated Maleficent, Evie felt assured that they could handle whatever happened next, and that the power of good would always prevail. But now it sounded as if they were truly in peril once more.
Thankfully Mal still appeared calm as ever. “At least now we know that’s where they are, underground, in the Catacombs, looking for the power that they lost.”
“Yes,” said Yen Sid. “The four of you must find these talismans and destroy them before your parents can use them against Auradon. I’m afraid you’re the only ones who will be able to outsmart them. After all, no one knows them better than you. Mal, even if Maleficent is in no shape to retrieve the Dragon’s Egg, it’s still imperative that you recover it before anyone else does.”
“Great, let’s go,” said Jay, already up from his seat.
“First we must show you what we are working on.” Yen Sid nodded to the assembled group, who sat at attention now, pulling out detailed maps and charts. “We think we are close to getting an accurate map of the underground tunnels.”
“You’ve been in the tunnels, then?” asked Carlos.
“No. None of us have.”
“But then how can you draw maps of somewhere you’ve never been?” said Carlos, confused.
“With the help of a little research,” Yen Sid told them. He nodded to the class and they raised the books they were reading. “We stole them from the Athenaeum of Evil, of course.” A Brief History of Evil Talismans. The Legend of the Golden Cobra. Poison Fruit from the Toxic Tree. The Dragon’s Eye Scepter: Lore and Myth. “According to the books, each talisman is grown by magic in its ideal habitat, and so we have been sketching their possible landscapes,” he said, as if it were as simple as learning how to plot an evil scheme, or how to trick a mark out of its money, when it was probably as difficult as teaching a jolly crew of pirates table manners.
“Great, you guys have maps to share. All right, then; just point us to the Catacombs, and we’ll be on our way,” said Jay.
“Well, that’s where I’ll need everyone’s help tonight. We haven’t been able to discover the exact location of the entrance to the Catacombs,” said the professor. “We don’t have much time left, so you and the rest of the Anti-Heroes will need to scour the island until you find it.”
He began to give the members their assignments, sending them to every part of the island, from Henchman’s Knob to the Blown Bridge.
“Shall we go with them?” asked Jay as the Anti-Heroes started to trickle out to search.
“Yes, but please remain where you are for now. Before I send you four off on this journey, I have a few words of advice to give each one of you. Acquiring these talismans will be very dangerous. Evil is seductive; you will have to remain strong and not fall prey to its temptations.”
He stood in front of Carlos first and placed a hand on his head. “Carlos de Vil, you possess a keen intellect; however, do not let your head rule your heart. Learn to see what is truly in front of you.”
Evie was next, and Yen Sid did the same, resting a hand above her dark blue locks. “Evie, remember that when you believe you are alone in the world, you are far from friendless.”
Jay bowed down and removed his beanie so the good professor could lay his hand on his head too. “Jay of Agrabah, a boy of many talents, open your eyes and discover that the riches of the world are all around you.”
At last he came to Mal. Yen Sid delicately touched her purple head. “Mal, daughter of Maleficent, you are from the blood of the dragon and carry its strength and fire. However, this burden is not yours to bear alone. Rely on your friends, and let their strength carry yours as well.”
Yen Sid surveyed the young villains in front of him. “What you are about to do is very dangerous.”
Carlos perked up. “That’s fine, my middle name is—”
“Oscar,” said Evie. “We know.”
The group of Anti-Heroes burst into applause as Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos shook hands with the professor and thanked him for his wisdom and guidance.
“We will collect the maps that we do have,” said Yen Sid. “Give us a few moments.” The group began to disperse to begin their respective assignments, talking excitedly among themselves.
Carlos said goodbye to Harry and Jace, who had been tasked with searching near the Bargain Castle. Jay promised the pirates he would send them postcards from Auradon.
Evie was glad they had figured out where their parents were, but going after them wasn’t going to be easy. If Evil Queen was set on getting back her talisman of power, there was no stopping her. The woman elbowed people out of the way for a tube of concealer.
“Heading out to search?” asked Harry.
“Uh-huh,” said Evie.
“Glad you guys are the ones going after them and not me and Jace. We’d be too scared, all right. Crikey, you’re all so brave.”
“I’m not, really,” said Evie. “But sometimes you have to do the things you have to do. Thanks, though.” Before setting off, however, she had to make sure she could move properly. She inspected her broken heel. She couldn’t keep going this way; the Endless Catacombs of Doom sure sounded like they would entail a lot of walking as well, and she was still wearing the wrong shoes.
“Professor,” she said, holding up her broken heel. “Do you think you can fix this with a little magic of science or something?”
He examined her shoe. “No, I’m afraid there is no way this can be salvaged through the magic of science.”
Evie’s face fell as she resigned herself to stumbling her way through the underground, her feet blistered and callused.
“But I do have something that might help you,” said Yen Sid.
“What?”
“Tape,” he said as he deftly taped the broken heel
back to its original shape.
It wasn’t a pair of sneakers, but at least she wouldn’t be limping anymore.
While Yen Sid went back to going over the possible locations for the entrance to the Catacombs with Jay and Carlos, and the rest of the club members waited patiently for their assignments, Evie looked around the crowded room and didn’t see Mal anywhere. Where had she gone? Evie took another look and caught a glimpse of bright aqua-colored hair swishing in the dark hallway, with Mal’s purple head following behind.
At first she thought that maybe Maddy just wanted to talk to Mal privately, but when the two of them didn’t return after a few minutes, she had a darker feeling about it. She peeked into the corridor and saw Maddy heading out of the basement and up the cellar stairs, with Mal following behind. Where were they going?
Already wary of Maddy’s friendship with Mal, Evie decided to follow them to see what they were up to. She looked behind her to make sure the boys were still talking to Yen Sid. She wasn’t spying on Mal; she was just being careful, she told herself. Mal had to have a good reason for going off with Maddy, didn’t she?
Maddy was out of the basement now and heading down the path away from the castle. Mal was following behind at some distance. They weren’t walking together, Evie realized now. Mal was following Maddy, for some reason. But why? Who cared about Maddy?
They had to go find the entrance to the Catacombs; there was no time for this. Cruella de Vil, Evil Queen, and Jafar had a head start on them. If any one of them was able to lay their hands on their talisman, no one in Auradon would be safe. The foursome had to get going. What was Mal doing?
Evie lagged behind, trying to put some space between them, when Maddy stopped suddenly and looked around. Mal ducked behind a tree and Evie quickly hid in the shadows as well. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she was glad she hadn’t let her friend go off alone like this.
The two girls kept walking farther and farther away. Evie followed behind.
When Maddy left the meeting, Mal’s first thought was that her friend wanted to get a head start on walking to Troll Town, where her group was going to search. Mal wanted to take a break too, before the four of them had to embark on this journey even deeper underground. The aqua-haired girl ascended the stone steps, and Mal was about to call out to her when Maddy checked her watch, picked up the speed, and disappeared into the maze of streets.
Mal also couldn’t help but notice that Maddy kept looking over her shoulder nervously as she made her way through the dark alleyways. When she took off through the back way, cutting across Hell Hall’s garden, going right instead of heading left for Troll Town, it became clear that she wasn’t going where she’d been assigned after all. Mal watched as she ducked behind a corner, and overheard bits of a whispered conversation between Maddy and an unknown stranger. Something about “Catacombs” and “Doom Cove.”
What was going on? Why wasn’t Maddy going with her group? And who had she been talking to?
Mal’s curiosity was piqued and she decided to keep following her. The group could figure out the plan with Yen Sid, but she wanted to find out what her old friend was up to.
She followed Maddy through the maze of streets, down Pain Lane and past Goblin Wharf, which was desolate and abandoned instead of the usual hive of goblin activity. Mal wished she could send her friends a text explaining where she was. She just hoped they wouldn’t worry; she’d be back as soon as she found out what Maddy was doing.
Maddy led her back on the main road, and Mal had to lag behind farther so she wouldn’t be caught. They passed the Bargain Castle and Maddy kept going, headed down Bitter Boulevard and right to the end of the island by the Rickety Bridge.
Maddy stepped onto the bridge and whirled around. “Mal, you can come out now, I know you’re following me.”
“You got me,” said Mal, stepping into the light and walking toward Maddy. She knew when the game was up. “Why’d you leave the meeting so fast? Is something going on?”
Maddy peered around in the dark. As far as Mal could see, there was nothing. The waters were black, and there was no one else on the bridge. Just the sound of the waves and the light from the Shattered Lighthouse. “Yes,” said Maddy hesitantly, as if unsure whether to trust Mal.
“What?” asked Mal.
“Before the meeting, I got an anonymous letter saying that Evil Queen, Cruella, and Jafar would be returning from the Catacombs after midnight. They would be at Doom Cove.”
“But why didn’t you say anything at the meeting? Why go alone, then?” asked Mal, not sure if she believed her. She’d always had fun with Mad Maddy, but Evie was right, there was something off about her. Why hadn’t she seen it before? Maybe because she was having too much fun indulging in old, bad habits?
Maddy’s green eyes blazed. “Don’t you see? The Anti-Heroes are the only ones who even know about the Catacombs of Doom! Yen Sid warned us that there might be double operatives in the club. I couldn’t take the risk of letting them know that I knew.”
“But who could it be? Everyone seemed so sincere,” said Mal, wondering who had betrayed them.
“It could be anyone. They’re a bunch of villains, Mal, come on. Do you really believe all of them would give up just like that? The professor thinks everyone is redeemable, but that can’t be true,” sniffed Maddy. “Of course there’s a bad egg in the bunch. I can always smell one.”
“Who do you think it is?” asked Mal.
“My money’s on Harry or Jace—their fathers are still Cruella’s loyal minions.”
Mal considered this. It was hard to believe that anyone back at the meeting could be so two-faced, and Harry and Jace seemed more bumbling than malicious. “Maybe someone else on the Isle knows that Cruella, Jafar, and Evil Queen went down into the Catacombs to look for the talismans. It doesn’t have to be someone in our group. If the three of them knew about it, they might have told someone before they left.”
“Maybe,” said Maddy. “But I doubt it.”
“Who were you talking to back there?” asked Mal.
“Oh, just some goblin. I told them to find me if they catch sight of Jafar, Cruella de Vil, or Evil Queen.”
“Show me the message,” said Mal.
Maddy handed her the note, written in green ink. Doom Cove. Prepare for our return to the Isle of the Lost. Talismans acquired. Alert the troops.
“That’s Doom Cove right there,” said Maddy, pointing to the dark, sandy stretch of beach below.
“Who are the troops?” wondered Mal. “You don’t think they mean a goblin army, do you?” There weren’t enough villains on the Isle to put together a real battalion, and “troops” signified that whoever had sent the message was readying for a large-scale operation.
“Of course it means a goblin army, how else would they take down Auradon?” said Maddy.
“Are you sure you didn’t tell anyone about it?” Mal asked, thinking of the conversation she’d overhead earlier.
“Duh, like I told you, of course not. No one can know!” said Maddy.
“We need to get help. I’ll go back,” said Mal, turning away. Maddy was obviously lying about telling someone, and Mal figured the easiest way to handle it was to get backup.
“No! We need to stay here, in case they do arrive. What if we miss it and they slip away?” said Maddy. “We should follow them and call for help later so we don’t lose them. Don’t you trust me?”
Mal understood that Maddy was testing her, and while she had a feeling that she shouldn’t stay, she realized it wasn’t safe to leave Maddy on her own at this point. She had to figure out what the girl was up to.
Carlos and Jay were so absorbed in their conversation with Yen Sid that they didn’t notice that half of their team had absconded. The professor handed them the maps to the underground land. “These contain all we know about the Catacombs as well as the talismans. I hope you find them useful on your journey once we find the entrance,” he said.
They thanked him, but Carlo
s was intent on learning as much as he could about the talismans before setting off underground. “So can we touch them? The talismans, I mean?” he asked the professor. “Or are they cursed? Like the Dragon’s Eye?”
“Yeah, I don’t look forward to falling asleep for a thousand years,” said Jay.
“I’m not certain. My hunch is that each of you should be immune to your particular talisman, as Mal was unaffected by the curse of the Dragon’s Eye.”
“Anything else you can tell me about this Golden Cobra?” asked Jay.
“It should be an exact replica of your father’s cobra staff. It’s said that the Golden Cobras give up their freedom when they succumb to their master’s power, but they are very much alive. It is a living weapon.”
“Great,” said Jay. Under his breath, he told Carlos, “I’m sure it’ll just lie down and roll over for me.”
“It’s a snake, Jay, not a dog,” said Carlos. “You should know the difference.” He turned to Yen Sid, who was erasing lines on the blackboard. “About this Ring of Envy, what exactly does it do?”
“Your mother made everyone believe their lives were nothing compared to hers. That huge green ring that she wore was a testament to her glamour, and its size and great worth always made others feel small and useless.”
Carlos swallowed a gulp, especially since his mother had always made him feel small and useless even without the aid of a talisman. “What about the Fruit of Venom; is it filled with poison?”
“Poisonous thoughts,” said Yen Sid. “Taking a bite of it will fill one’s mind with your deepest fears and insecurities, every kind of dark, malevolent emotion and idea, and the power to use them against other people.”
“Yikes,” Carlos said. Evie was one of the sweetest girls he knew, and he hoped she wouldn’t be swayed by such a toxic influence. “And the Dragon’s Egg?”
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