What in the Hades?
A crowd of Isle kids and has-been villains stared at the shiny purple limo in awe. Its sparkling finish stood out against the dingy film that seemed to cover everything on the Isle.
Smee, wearing a striped shirt and a red cap, hugged his two mini-mes and gave them each a quick kiss on the head.
“All right, boys, let’s hit the road,” Jay said enthusiastically, throwing his arm around an anxious Squeaky, who wore one red glove on his right hand.
“You’re gonna see him soon, okay?” Carlos reassured a fearful Squirmy, who wore one red glove on his left hand. “C’mon,” he added gently, and walked Squirmy toward the car. Carlos, who’d been filled with trepidation himself during his first trip to Auradon, empathized with the twins. But he knew the sweet boys would flourish in their new environment. And he would be there to look after them.
In contrast to the nervous brothers, Dizzy was ecstatic about traveling to Auradon. She’d always dreamed of living in the magical land and couldn’t kick-start her new adventure fast enough. “Do you have everything?” asked her grandmother Lady Tremaine, looking grim as usual in her high-collared crimson dress. Her hair, piled in a colossal pompadour, only added to the wicked grandmother’s stern air.
“Yes, I have everything!” exclaimed Dizzy. Her hair was fastened in two topknots secured with a turquoise flower barrette she’d made herself. She couldn’t wait to create her signature accessories out of all the rich materials she’d find across the bay.
“Are you sure?” asked Lady Tremaine. Her voice sounded cold.
“I’m sure, Granny.”
Lady Tremaine raised her eyebrow questioningly. “Oh, really?” She held up a small object.
“My glue gun!” gushed Dizzy. She couldn’t believe she’d almost forgotten her prized crafting tool.
“I don’t know what you’re going to do without me,” remarked her grandmother, feigning indifference.
Dizzy held her hands to her chest and replied sincerely, “I’ll miss you.”
“Go on, go on,” said Lady Tremaine. She tugged at her brooch, fighting hard not to show emotion.
Evie, who’d been watching the touching exchange, gave Dizzy an encouraging wink. Dizzy threw her arms wide open and surprised her granny with an enormous heartfelt hug. Then Dizzy skipped with glee to join the others leaving for Auradon Prep.
Last to approach the car was Celia, dressed in a wild multicolored skirt and jacket and flanked by Ben and Mal. “Let me get this off of you,” Mal offered, reaching for Celia’s backpack. But Dr. Facilier’s plucky, independent daughter wanted no help. She flung her backpack into the trunk with attitude.
“Oh,” Mal said, laughing.
“Okay, let’s go and do—” King Ben stopped mid-sentence as Celia strutted away toward the limo without acknowledging him. “Let’s do this,” he finished, sharing a laugh with Mal. They could tell Celia was going to be a handful.
With everyone squished tightly in the vehicle and buckled in, Jay climbed into the driver’s seat and revved the engine. He grinned devilishly as he steered the limo down the narrow streets and railed it around the neighborhood’s craggy corners. He rocketed the royal car toward the enchanted bridge that would magically appear to connect the dismal Isle of the Lost with the dazzling United States of Auradon.
Inside the limo, the VKs buzzed with anticipation. It was the first time any of the younger four had been in a car, and it showed. There were so many shiny buttons to press and switches to pull. Life in Auradon was already more fascinating than life on the Isle, and they hadn’t even left yet.
The car was just the start of all the exciting new things that awaited the VKs in Auradon. Evie patted Dizzy’s knee encouragingly. “So as soon as you get to Auradon, you have to try ice cream,” said Evie, whose long blue hair hung straight and shiny that morning.
“And go swimming!” Dizzy said enthusiastically.
“I can take you to the Enchanted Lake,” said Evie. They were going to have so much fun together. Evie had made a long list of things she couldn’t wait to introduce Dizzy to—ballet, volleyball, the periodic table. For Evie, the only thing better than living in Auradon was getting to share it with others.
Dizzy nodded in enthusiastic agreement. “I can’t believe that I get to live with you in your very own castle!” she exclaimed.
“It’s just a starter castle,” Evie said, blushing. But she was proud of herself; she’d bought the charming home with the profits from her wildly successful fashion line.
Squirmy sat shotgun and nervously clutched at Jay’s firm bicep with every wild turn. As Jay pried the youngster’s tightly clenched fingers from his arm, he noticed the kid’s strength. “Great grip,” Jay said. “You play any sports?”
In the limo’s back seat, Carlos handed Squeaky an enormous chocolate peanut butter cup. “Here, go on. Trust me on this,” Carlos told him, recalling his first delicious taste of chocolate in that very limo on his initial trip across the bridge. He was eager to watch someone else enjoy it for the first time. Squeaky eyed the sweet object suspiciously, then took a bite. His reaction was nothing short of euphoric, which was exactly what Carlos had counted on. He laughed when Squeaky quickly took a second bite. “I know,” said Carlos, putting his arm around Squeaky’s shoulder. “Dig in, dig in.”
Celia, who seemed not to have a care in the world, fanned out her fortune cards in her hand and attempted to read King Ben’s fortune. “You’re going to be a wise and brave king,” she predicted grandly.
“He already is,” said Mal.
“See? The cards never lie,” Celia mused, then held out her palm to Ben, demanding payment.
Flustered, Ben fished for a bill from his wallet to give to the fortune-telling VK. She looked thrilled to receive such generous payment.
Mal had no doubt that Celia was going to require a little extra work.
At Auradon Prep, the crowd watched the video screen’s live feed with mounting suspense. Right before their eyes, the magical barrier that separated Auradon and the Isle began to open. It was an incredible sight. But not everyone was impressed.
“The only reason they should be opening that barrier is to be putting Uma back in, not letting more villains out,” scoffed Queen Leah with a disapproving scowl.
On the Isle of the Lost, a riotous mass congregated on Bridge Plaza, in part to bid farewell to the four chosen students, but mostly to witness with their own eyes the normally impassable barrier open. It had been a long time since any of them had seen magic, which had been rendered impossible on the Isle of the Lost.
With the barrier flickering open, the regal limo started to make its way through. Jay gripped the wheel and drove with focus as the crowd pointed and snarled. The disgruntled onlookers seemed ready to cause serious trouble. Jay resolved to get the limo across safely, without any hitchhiking thieves or uninvited passengers.
Before Jay could finish that thought, a rugged scoundrel with faded rock-star good looks, spiked blue hair, and hollow, sunken eyes forcefully pushed and elbowed his way to the front of the raucous crowd. The crowd scurried aside in fear as he barged to the front and beelined for the bridge. He noticed the barrier was starting to close and broke into a fast run.
Just as the barrier was about to finish closing, Evie turned to watch the unfolding chaos through the car’s back window. She couldn’t help feeling a tinge of disappointment. The day had been going so smoothly; it was just like a villain to ruin it. Evie immediately recognized the blue-haired interloper.
“It’s Hades!” she warned, pointing at the rebel dressed in his signature gray chiton, gray T-shirt, and studded leather coat etched with blue flames. “Stop the car. He’s trying to escape.”
Mal twisted around and gasped with alarm. Hades was no ordinary villain. As the great god of the Underworld and vicious collector of souls, Hades ranked with Mal’s mother, Maleficent, at the top of the evil-o-meter. Mal knew the havoc he could wreak if he escaped to Auradon City.
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br /> The immortal villain strode furiously toward the rapidly closing barrier. After years of suffering on the Isle, he would not miss his fleeting chance at freedom. With a keen eye, he noticed a sliver-sized crack that remained open in the barrier. The small gap was all he needed. Hades thrust his mighty hands through the breach and strained to widen it.
The royal vehicle screeched to a violent halt mid-bridge. Within seconds, Mal leapt from the limo, telling herself it was her duty to keep Auradon safe. She would not let Hades pass. Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Ben jumped out of the limo as well, while the younger kids craned their necks to watch the action from the safety of the back seat. Their eyes were glued on Hades as he struggled with the closing barrier.
“I am a god,” he bellowed. “I don’t belong here.” Hades’s sculpted muscles bulged with effort. Summoning every bit of his colossal strength, he pried open the barrier just wide enough to push his right fist through it. Wicked glee flooded his face as he opened his tightly clenched hand to reveal a small blue ember. The magical ember, which for decades had remained dull and dormant on the Isle, came to life the second it hit Auradon’s air. The light from the ember made his eyes glow dangerously.
With his hands and arms completely through the barrier, Hades squeezed his head and shoulders through next. Like the ember before it, Hades’s spiked hair burst into scorching blue and white flames the instant it crossed into Auradon. After years of being held in abeyance, Hades’s almighty magic surged through him. He cackled darkly, then aimed the blazing blue ember in his hand directly at Mal’s friends. It released a magical hot blue laser beam in their direction. Ben, Jay, and Carlos were struck to the ground by the powerful blue force while Evie backed away toward the limo. Hades forged toward them.
“No!” screamed Mal. She would not let Hades harm those she treasured most. Her angry eyes flashed bright green and she vanished in a cloud of swirling purple smoke. In a glimmer, Mal reemerged as a glorious purple dragon with opalescent scales, a spiky barbed tail, two curved horns, and an enormous and intimidating wingspan.
Dragon Mal spread her exquisite wings and swooped down on Hades. He was undaunted. To someone who had seen every monstrous creature imaginable in the Underworld, a dragon was nothing to fear. In fact, after years of Isle idleness, the diabolical villain welcomed the fight. Hades snarled, raised his right arm, and hurled his crackling ember at Mal. The sizzling stone released a piercing blue laser light that locked on to Dragon Mal and began to drain her awesome power.
That was new. Dragon Mal shook her head in disbelief. How was he doing that? Severely weakened, she dropped lower and lower in the sky.
Jay, Carlos, and Ben exchanged frightened looks. The teens had heard about Hades’s incomparable magic, but until that day, it’d been just another fright-time story parents told their kids before bed. Now they watched in terror as Hades easily overpowered their friend.
At Auradon Prep, the crowd of gathered students and onlookers gasped and screamed, their eyes glued to the terrifying sight on the screen. They watched in shock as Mal, incapacitated, flapped helplessly toward the ground.
Fairy Godmother valiantly vaulted onto the platform, grabbed the mic, and attempted to take swift control of the situation. “Do not panic, okay? Nobody needs to panic!”
Unlike the others, Audrey seemed to revel in the developing turmoil. “There’s your precious queen,” she snarled, pointing toward a depleted Mal on the live feed. “She can’t even protect us.”
As if on cue, Hades’s sinister face and monstrous flaming hair filled the screen threateningly. Even Fairy Godmother was spooked. She took one look at the screen and screamed. “Okay, we’re panicking. Bibbidi-bobbidi run!” she shrieked, and bounded away. Terrified students followed the headmistress’s example, becoming hysterical and scattering hastily.
Back on the Isle, Jay watched the battle with grave concern. “C’mon, Mal, blast him,” he bellowed. His encouragement gave Mal the extra boost of confidence she needed.
With her final burst of energy, Dragon Mal reared back, opened her jaw wide, and prepared to release fiery havoc on Hades. But to her and everyone else’s surprise, instead of unleashing a fireball, the dragon exhaled mightily and hit Hades with a forceful gust of air, which blew out his burning hair and extinguished his blazing ember. Hades tumbled back to the Isle with a thud. The magical barrier immediately shut and resealed, recondemning Hades to Isle imprisonment.
Dizzy, Squeaky, Squirmy, and Celia hopped out of the limo. Battle-worn, Dragon Mal landed on the limo roof and morphed back into an everyday tough-as-nails teenage girl, although a little singed. And a lot more concerned.
Evie and Ben ran to Mal and helped her down. They were legitimately terrified for their friend. In all the years Evie had known Mal, she had never seen Mal come so close to defeat. “Hey, are you okay?” asked Evie as she patted down Mal’s charred dress hem.
Mal caught her breath. Then, with an uneasy feeling in her chest, she opened up to her friends. “No, he was draining all my magic with his ember. And I felt all of my powers slipping away.” A shiver ran through Mal as she relived the moment.
Evie had never seen Mal that shaken; she was clearly rattled to her bones. Unsure of how to help, Evie tried to be there for her friend. “It’s okay, he’s back where he belongs,” she said.
“Yeah, for now,” said Mal. She stared back at the Isle and frowned.
“We should go,” whispered Jay.
“Okay,” agreed Mal. As her friends helped her back into the car, Mal leaned on them for physical and emotional support. She would need them more than ever now.
I did not take that girl for evil. I mean, she always wore so much pink.
Audrey sat on her queen-size bed and sketched furiously in a rose-colored journal trimmed with gold scrolling. Dressed in a beaded bodysuit with pink leather pants and an open leather duster, pink ankle boots, pink feather earrings, and a sweet bluebird charm necklace, Audrey screamed goody-goody. As did everything about her dorm room, with its pink curtains, pink bedding, and pink marble fireplace. A glinting crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. Several handsomely framed portraits of Audrey and Ben through the years received prime placement on the fireplace mantel. In one particularly sweet photo, a cherubic five-year-old Audrey was seated on a miniature gold throne next to Prince Ben, who wore a teensy-tiny Auradon crown and held out a matching one toward Audrey. It was an adorable depiction of their destined royal future together.
Audrey looked up from her journal and scowled at the old photo, a sharp reminder of what was never to be. She’d followed all the rules and waited patiently, but when the time finally came, Ben chose Mal. A villain! Audrey’s heart shattered all over again at the thought of his cruel rejection. She returned her attention to her journal and attacked the page with angry strokes of the pencil. The sketch she drew was haunting: a majestic portrait of herself as Auradon’s queen, wearing a resplendent gold-and-sapphire crown atop her head. Audrey’s brown eyes filled with tears. She looked at her sketch and wondered, What happened to my happy ending?
She hurled her journal across the room and strode to her dorm room door, grabbing a fireplace poker on her way out. Her face was set with resolution. If she couldn’t be Ben’s queen, then she’d show Auradon. Ben wanted a villain. Well, he’d get one. Mal wasn’t the only one who could succeed at breaking and entering.
A CLOSED sign hung on the wrought iron doors of the Auradon Museum of Cultural History. Behind it a single guard slept obliviously at his post. Audrey snuck across the silent museum lobby, which held her mother’s spinning wheel. She crept past a glass case displaying the Genie of Agrabah’s lamp and another exhibiting Cinderella’s glass slipper, then stood thoughtfully in front of the security console. Without a sound, she deftly turned knobs and pushed buttons, which shut off alerts and silenced alarms. Then she swiftly climbed the steep foyer stairs, proud of her first successful foray into crime. See? There was nothing to this being-evil thing.
On the
second floor, Audrey crept down a dimly lit hallway and tiptoed into the museum’s Room of Crowns. It was a guilded gallery that showcased the glorious tiaras and crowns of the queens and kings of fairy tales past. When Audrey was a young girl, the regal room had been her happy place. Tonight, she walked by the dazzling tiaras of everyday royals and headed straight to the far end of the room. A sign read Crown of the Queen of Auradon. She pulled back the blue velvet curtain and bounded up the few steps to a lit glass case that held the breathtaking crown. The gem-covered object of beauty was the same magnificent two-tiered gold, diamond, and sapphire crown Audrey had drawn herself wearing. In accordance with kingdom tradition, the crown was meant to sit on the head of King Ben’s chosen queen—which, Audrey fumed, was supposed to be her. Oh, how she coveted the stunning crown and everything it represented. She was not about to sit by and let the most precious heirloom in the land be worn by that dreadful daughter of Maleficent. She’d sooner steal the beloved crown than let that happen. Audrey was tired of playing nice. “Your nightmare’s my dream,” she said as if speaking to the people of Auradon. With anger and hurt boiling in her blood, Audrey hoisted the iron poker in the air and smashed the glass case.
At the sound of the shattered glass, something evil awoke down the hall in the museum’s Room of the Dark Arts. As if roused by Audrey’s villainous intentions, Maleficent’s scepter, which had sat dormant on a spotlighted pedestal for years, began to pulse with an eerie green light. There was something ominous and wicked about its glow.
Meanwhile, Audrey stood in the Room of Crowns among the scattered shards of glass, with the iron poker at her feet. She grabbed the majestic sapphire-laden crown from the case and raised it defiantly above her head.
Descendants 3 Junior Novel Page 3
