Chapter 3: A Clash of Power.

Maleficent sat in her seat in the grand hall, glaring at the three empty seats which were part of the Villain High Council.

It's already 9:30, where the hell are those three? There will be hell to pay when I find out.

She turned her glare out towards the crowd. Everyone was blabbering and laughing.

What vulgar idiots. I can't understand how half of them even became villains in the first place.

She turned her head and looked out at the upside down V-shaped design the high council's chairs made. Towards the far right she saw Hades slumped in his chair sucking down worm martinis. The next 2 seats, Cruella's and Hook's respectively, were empty. Her blood boiled at the sight of the empty chairs. She then looked to her left and saw Jafar sitting beside her, looking out into the crowd. His face betrayed nothing of the previous events that occurred almost an hour. He turned and saw her looking at him and simply raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm?"

She shifted her gaze past Queen Grimhilde and Scar towards the last seat, which was supposed to seat Ursula. It was empty. Jafar followed her gaze and simply nodded.

"I understand, I've been wondering about that too. It's unusual for any villain to be more than 15 minutes late."

Maleficent was about to speak when the door on her right burst opened, with Ursula holding open the followed by Captain Hook carrying Cruella on his back. Hades who was sitting closest to the door gave them a funny look. Maleficent was about to yell at them when she noticed how Hook was carrying Cruella and the expression on Ursula's face made her stop and give them a chance to feebly attempt to explain the reason for being late. Hades look changed into a rather smug grin.

"Jeez Hook; I know Cruella treats you like a horse bu-"

He stopped talking when he got a good look at Cruella. In an instant Hades had appeared beside Cruella and Hook and picked her up and laid her on the floor. Cruella simply curled herself into a ball. The other villains began to murmur as the High Council members left their seats to crowd around to see what the problem was. Only Jafar and Maleficent remained seated, although Jafar was gripping the edges of his seat trying to get a better view. Voices began to ring out from the crowd of villains.

"What happened?"

"Who is it?"

"What's going on?"

Maleficent had enough.

"SILENCE!"

Everyone was silent, save for the small whimpering of the petrified Cruella. Most of the villains began taking their seats once more. Maleficent turned towards Ursula, who was still standing near the prone form of Cruella. She wanted to know what happened, and asking Hook wasn't going to get her anywhere.

"Ursula."

Ursula swivelled her head to find the source of the voice that was calling her. When she saw it was Maleficent she quickly turned to give her her full attention.

"I apologize for the lot of us being late, but as you can see we have a... problem."

She motioned to Cruella who had been picked up by Hook and was in the process of being moved into her seat. A burly voice came from somewhere in the crowd.

"No one solves problems like Gaston!"

The other villains either groaned or snickered. Ursula was about to drench Gaston when Maleficent held her hand up to stop her. Ursula stopped advancing and looked at Maleficent, as did everyone talking.

"Ursula, what happened to her?"

Ursula couldn't really give her the information that Maleficent wanted. Instead, she shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. Hook and I found her like that. She was curled up under her bed."

Hook chimed in.

"She was shaking and whimpering as if she'd seen a ghost!"

Ursula shot Hook a dirty glance. Hook shrugged.

"She wanted to know!"

"But you didn't have to tell her that much!"

Maleficent placed her hands on her forehead.

"Thank you both, that will be enough."

This is going to be tougher then I hoped.

There was a slight mumbling coming from her right, but she simply ignored it and thought of it as white noise. The other villains began to mumble and chatter among themselves. She simply glared out into the assembled entourage.

"Everybody please be QUIET!"

She shouted the last word, making everyone shut their mouths.

Suddenly the deep burly voice rose from the crowd again.

"NO ONE KEEPS QUIET LIKE GASTON!"

The other villains began snickering again. Maleficent's face was awash with rage. She stood up and let loose a lightning bolt directly at Gaston. In an instant there was a bright purple flash and a smoking husk was what was left of Gaston. All he could do cough. Maleficent sat down again, glaring.

"No one fries like Gaston either. And if you keep talking no one will burn like Gaston."

Gaston, who had finally recovered, opened his mouth, but shut again after using what little brains he had to think about it.

Maleficent heard the mumbling coming from her right again. This time she turned around with sceptre raised. To her surprise it was Hades, who was pacing with his hands behind his back, who was the source of the mumbling.

"Hades."

Hades didn't hear or simply ignored her and kept pacing. Maleficent's patience wore thinner and thinner.

"Hades."

This time she rolled almost hissed as she said his name. Still no response. Her face became filled with rage.

"HADES!"

This time he heard her and shook himself back into reality.

"Wasawhosawhattheyawhat?"

He was looking around for the source of the voice calling him. He turned to see all the other villains looking at him.

"Sorry I was just thinking bout something."

He swiftly sat back down and looked around at the other villains, most of them still staring at him. Hades stood up, his hair shifted from its cool blue into a near crimson red.

"WHAT? YOU YUTZS WANNA HAVE AN AFTERLIFE? THEN STOP STARING!"

Everyone except Maleficent and the other council members had quickly turned away or looked at their feet. Hades hair had returned to its cool blue colour and as he was about to sit down again when he heard Maleficent's cold, but beautiful voice, this time more calm.

"Hades."

He turned to look at Maleficent who was still glaring at him.

"Ya sweet cheeks?"

If Maleficent was offended by the comment, which she most certainly was, her face gave no hints that it did.

"Do you know what happened to Cruella?"

She motioned with her hands and gazed at Cruella, who was currently in the fettle position. She had been moved to her chair by Hook. She returned her gaze to Hades.

"Well?"

Hades could see her patience was wearing thin again.

"What happened I dunno."

He shrugged his shoulders in response. He looked at Maleficent, her face filled with irritation in not receiving the answer she wanted. He continued.

"Who, however, I do know."

Everyone was silent, even Maleficent, who was looking at him in disbelief. Hades slumped back into his chair deep within thought. He started mumbling to himself.

"He's never done this before... Why would he start now... why-."

He was cut off by Maleficent, who had recovered just enough to ask him a question.

"Who was it?"

Hades simply turned towards her. Then he looked out into the crowd of villains, each looking at him with sense of eagerness and fear.

"It was the Black god, Chernabog."

The other villains gasped and chattered amongst each other. Voices could be heard loudly enough that Maleficent could hear their conversations.

"Chernabog? Who's that?"

"I thought he was only a myth!"

"This can't be good if he's involved!"

Maleficent was about to stand up when Jafar did so instead. He raised his cobra staff into the air and slammed it onto the floor causing everyone to stop and look at him. He turned towards Hades.

"I thought Chernabog was only a myth."

Other voices piped in.

"Who is Chernabog?"

"What is he?"

"Why is he doing this?"

Jafar once more slammed his staff into the ground.

"SILENCE!"

He glared at the assembled villains with a malicious look. No one said another word. Jafar returned his gaze to Hades.

"Well?"

Hades, who had finally returned to his normal, relaxed state, had just finished sucking down worm martini and was wiping any residue off his face. He looked at Jafar, his face calm and casual.

"Well what?"

He let go of the empty glass and before the glass hit the floor a new one appeared, full. Jafar's patience began to wear thin.

Why can't this hot headed buffoon be more cooperative?

He realized he was clenching his teeth. Jafar took a deep breath in and relaxed, his face becoming eerily calm. He spoke to Hades again, this time more calmly.

"Would you mind answering the questions? Please."

Hades simply raised his eyebrow. He looked directly at Jafar.

"Well since you asked so nicely."

He stood up and looked at Jafar.

"To answer YOUR question,"

He pointed at Jafar.

"No, Chernabog is NOT a myth; he's as real as you or me.

Ignoring the glare from Jafar, Hades turned his attention to the crowd now and began to address each of their questions.

"Chernabog is the Black god, probably the most powerful being in existence."

Some people in the crowd murmured, others gasped in awe. He heard a deep and smooth voice bellow from the crowd.

"WHAT IS THIS BLASPHEMOUS TALK OF A GOD GREATER THAN THE LORD?"

Someone behind Frollo shouted at him.

"SHUT UP WITH YOUR RELIGIOUS TALK YOU HYPOCRITICAL JUDGE! YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER GODS, AND BESIDES YOU'RE NOT A VERY PURE SOUL!"

Frollo rebuffed his statement.

"I REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTENCE OF OTHER GODS AND I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW I'M MORE HOLY THAN THE REST OF YOU!

A shouting match ensued. Hades simply ignored Frollo and the other villains and continued, raising his voice so he could be heard over the noise.

"What he is is the most evil being in creation. He's half submerged in a volcano that goes by the name Bald Mountain, but that doesn't diminish his powers. Every Walpurgis Nacht he rises from his slumber and calls forth many dead spirits and demonic beings."

His attitude changed at the mention of dead spirits.

"Every blasted time he does that many of the damned souls rise from the underworld, and whenever they return at the end of the night, they come back whiny and wanting freedom."

He rolled the word "freedom" on his tongue, making a rather repulsive face when he said it, as if the word was a rotten piece of food.

"Of course,"

He lit a blue fireball in his hand. His hair beginning to show signs of his anger.

"I put 'em back in their place."

His hair changed colors again from blue to reddish orange as he threw the fireball with all his godly strength at the other end of the room. Many of the other villains ducked as the fireball passed over them before exploding in a dazzling display of blue fire, leaving a rather large gaping hole in the far wall. Hades was standing there, hunched over with his arms at his side, fists clenched, his shark like teeth showing in a twisted snarl. As his hair returned once more to its cool blue he passed his hand thru his flaming hair.

"Alright, I'm cool, I'm cool."

He continued to look at the crowd. He continued informing them about this "Chernabog" creature.

"As for WHY he's doing this I can't answer that. Whad'ya think I am some kinda mind reader? Sheesh."

He sat down again, creating another Martini and slurping it down noisily. Jafar sat down shaking his head. This time it was Maleficent's turn to address the crowd.

"Look, we don't know precisely what we're up against,"

She immediately turned her head and glared at Hades who was about to contradict her. He caught her gaze and immediately shut his mouth.

"But it's obvious that he is a major threat to us as a group. So, tomorrow I want you all here again for another meeting. We,"

She cast her arms to her sides, motioning towards the other seven high council members.

"Will learn as much as we can about this new, dark threat. So, remember that tomorrow morning, 9 O'clock sharp there will be a meeting. Meeting adjourned."

As the other villains began to disperse Maleficent and the other high council members moved into their private meeting room, save for Cruella, who was still curled in a ball and had to be moved by Hook. As they began to sit Maleficent raised her sceptre at Hades, giving him a death stare. She began shouting at the top of her lungs.

"YOU KNEW OF THIS, THIS... THING BEFORE AND YOU NEVER MENTIONED IT TO US?"

Hades simply shrugged. Maleficent's rage grew as she pointed the sceptre directly at his head.

"Babe, whad'ya take me for, some kinda everyday average schmuck?"

He made exaggerated circular hand motions as he said it.

"I'm a GOD, remember? You really think you can hurt me?"

Maleficent's face showed the slightest sign of defeat before returning to its original death glare. She pushed the sceptre, now glowing with green power into his face.

"YOU DON'T THINK I CAN-"

Hades cut her off before she could finish.

"Sweet Cheeks-"

Maleficent screamed at him.

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME SWEET CHEEKS!"

Hades ignored her and continued.

"remember, I'm married to another goddess. Marriage takes away fear from other women and places it onto fear of your wife."

He used his left thumb and index finger to grab and push aside her sceptre, as if it was a dirty piece of garbage.

"You don't scare me."

Maleficent's face was so filled with rage that her green skin began to look red.

"WHY YOU, YOU, YOU!"

She was about to lob a fireball at Hades when a hand pushed in front of her and a deep suave voice broke her concentration.

"Maleficent, my dear, this isn't getting us anywhere."

She was about to blast Jafar when she saw the look in his face. He had a look of calm, yet it had a sense of worry to it. The rage that was built up in her slowly began to drain away. She slowly sat down. This time Jafar spoke.

"Now, first off, is there anything we can do for Cruella there?"

He pointed at Cruella who had stopped shaking but was still curled in a ball. Hades simply looked at her before making a gun shape with his right and aiming it at her. He bent the thumb down and instantly a blue stream of smoke shot out as his hand made a recoiling motion. As Hades blew the residual smoke around his finger away the rest of the smoke began to circle Cruella. As the smoke cleared Cruella was shaking her head, coughing and mumbling under her breath. As the other villains looked at her she caught them staring and with her face now returned to its normal angry state, gave each of them a death glare.

"This...NEVER...gets...mentioned...EVER...again...ARE...WE...CLEAR?"

She spoke thru gritted teeth but that only added to the menace. She relaxed a bit before speaking again.

"Now,"

She motioned with her hands towards her night clothing that she was still wearing.

"Would one of you magic using villains please zap my clothes onto me? I'm not entirely comfortable in this."

Again, Hades raised his right hand in a gun motion and bent his thumb, making a recoiling motion as a blue lightning bolt zapped Cruella. As soon as the bolt hit Cruella, her regular black dress and yellow fur coat and purse appeared on her immediately. She gave Hades an appreciative look as she took out a cigarette from her purse and placed it on her cigarette holder before lighting it.

"Thanks dah-ling."

As she took a long drag and exhaled green smoke Hades bowed his head in a semi mocking form.

"No worries babe."

A new voice, one as smooth and suave as Jafar's, but had a British accent, spoke up.

"So, what ARE we going to do about this Chernabog."

Scar, who had been looking at his claws as if tired of this meeting, had deliberately emphasised the word "are".

Queen Grimhilde, who hadn't looked up from her hand mirror the whole time, simply nodded her head, too enchanted by her own beauty to even bother talking.

Scar looked around at the other villains.

"Well?"

Everyone was silent for a bit. Eventually Maleficent spoke up.

"I think I have a plan."


Ok wow that took awhile...

Oohhh a new villain, bigger and more powerful then Maleficent? Something's going down and Maleficent seems to know what to do... we hope...

I hope you enjoy, and remember to rate and review!

KTHNXBAI :D