CHAPTER 26
Running towards the main building with Mal, Ben immediately called the Auradon Prep's securities that are guarding the school in order to identify directly from them what causes the bombardment of explosions. For three tries, no one answered. On the fourth one, Ben could clearly hear the chaos from the other line as the call receiver struggles to speak. "Security, what's going on?"
"Your Majesty," the man shouted. "Go to safety. Auradon Prep is under attack!"
Under attack? "By whom?"
"Prisoners from the Isle! There are hundreds of them…" He then screamed followed by another explosion before the line was cut off.
"Security? Security?" He tried to contact them again but the line is no longer attainable.
"What's going on?" Mal asked.
"Prisoners from the Isle had escaped and they are attacking the school."
"What?" She exclaimed. "How?"
"I don't know." Ben could not think of a viable answer nor did he want to waste precious time doing so. "But we have to go somewhere safe."
Mal nodded.
Ben and Mal then hurried towards the main building and as they does, disarray begun to become obvious around them. Gunshots and explosions are pounding almost everywhere as barbarous men started emerging from all sides, viciously attacking his personal guards and the school securities, pushing them back towards the building.
"Seize the King," one of the barbarians snarled.
That declaration enlightens Ben that this attack is in order to seize the throne of Auradon from him. He is the target. And they chose this time to strike knowing that he slacks his security whenever he is with Mal.
Two of his body guards went to them to provide cover while firing their guns. "Stay down, Your Majesty."
"Have you called for backup?" Ben asked. The Beast Castle and Auroria are very close to the school, they can send men immediately to assist them.
"We already did," he said. "But they were ambushed and being held right now. It might take them a while."
"And Fairy Godmother?"
"They started fires in the capital," he informed him. "It so happen that Fairy Godmother is there, she's trying to put it out."
"Damn!" Ben cursed. Looks like these people had thoroughly prepared this assault, taking him down while he's totally bare and with Mal, his personal kryptonite. "Hold them back until backup arrives," he ordered. "Push them away! We can't let them get to our students."
He nodded and complied as screams of panic and disorder begun echoing from the dorms.
"And you," he called the attention of his other bodyguard. "Get inside the building and lead the students. Find a means where we can evacuate them."
He nodded and complied as well.
"Mal," he now turned his complete attention to her. "Follow him," he referred to the guard that he just assigned for crowd control and evacuation. "Help him if you can. Find Jay and our friends and bring everyone to safety."
"How about you?"
"I'll stay here and hold them back. I'm the one they wanted. As long as I am here, it will buy all of you time to leave this place safely."
"No!" She objects fiercely. "I'm not going anywhere without you."
"Mal, listen to me…" He growled. But before he could finish his words, they heard another powerful explosion that causes the ground to shake and the battlefield in front of them to be covered in thick smoke.
For a few seconds, the firing of guns and the clashing of swords ceased, enveloping them into an ominous quietness.
And from the clearing smokes, they emerged. Five silhouettes, all carrying malice and deadly swaggers. Five well known figures in the world of wickedness. Ben's eyes widened both in shock and horror as he identified them one by one.
From the furthest right is the Captain of the pirates of Never Land and the archnemesis of Peter Pan, the menacing Captain Hook. Standing arrogantly next to him is the enemy of his Father, the self-centered and narcissistic Gaston LeGume. Emerging from the leftmost side is the Sea Witch of Serpentine, Ursula. And then the last two figures, the two that are leading all of them emerged in the middle. Two wicked villains from the Isle that had once lead a massive mayhem in the land during their years of villainy.
Doctor Facilier. The Witch Doctor, the servant of Voodoo Spirits from the other side, and the same man too that founded the Dragon Hall in order to drag the new generations of kids from the Isle of the Lost to the path of wickedness.
"Headmaster?" Ben heard Mal murmured.
And lastly, the man that with his guts and wits alone had almost brings China to its knees. The cruelest and the most cunning man alive, Shan Yu the Hun Warlord.
"King of Auradon!" Shan Yu roared, unsheathing and pointing his sword towards them, serving also as a cue for his other men, around fifty of more of them to emerge from the darkness, surrounding them. "You have nowhere to go! Surrender your kingdom or face slaughter!"
Ben gritted his teeth. The situation is far worse than he expected. They are not just completely surrounded and outnumbered but this army is even led by the five villains that are just as evil but far more violent than the Mistress of Evil, Maleficent. She alone was already a handful and the kingdom almost collapsed when she attacked. And now, they are facing an out of the blue attack from evildoers that are far more destructive than her.
"Mal, get inside."
"No," she still insisted. "I already said that I'm not leaving you."
"Mal please," he's already begging her.
"Get them," Shan Yu ordered and his men and fellow villains lunged for their throats.
"Gather up! Protect the King!" His guard ordered and the few couple of dozen men that they have left barricaded their selves in front of the main entrance, intending to fight and sacrifice their lives in order to protect him.
"No! What are you doing?" Ben screamed, trying to stop them.
"Please, Your Majesty." His guard stopped him. "You and Miss Mal have to go. We will buy you some time."
"No! You can't do this! I'll stay! I will help you!" He desperately tried to break free. He won't let his own people throw away their lives for his sake. He is the King and he must be the one doing his best to protect them.
By then, their attackers had already leaped in the air and their blades swinging down to his men. Ben made a final attempt to help them but his guard held him back firmly.
But in the midst of desperation and hopelessness, something unexpected happened. Before their blades could connect, their attackers were blown away by an unseen force, knocking them out immediately.
Everyone from both sides stopped, baffled. They glanced around, looking to whoever unleashed that attack. The villains stepped back and raise their guards. It's as if the favors had instantly flipped by that single repel.
"She's here," Shan Yu warned, referring to the unseen as he heightened his defenses.
"Who's…?" Ursula tried to ask but she was knocked down cold before she could finish her sentence.
The villains apprehensively turned to their downed allies' direction, strengthening their guards as much as possible.
Next to be taken down were the three warriors nearest to Ursula. An unseen sharp object fatally slashed them, eliminating them immediately.
"Show yourself!" Captain Hook demanded. But as he does, he had fallen next in the hands of their invisible assailant. A red colored plasma-like ball appeared and exploded in front of him, sending him and the two people nearest to him flying.
Shan Yu's gaze narrowed and unleashed a powerful slash to the empty space in front of him. Ben and Mal covered their ears as a deafening sound of two blades clashing thundered all over Auradon Prep followed by a cloaked entity materializing to where Shan Yu slashed his sword.
"Got you!" Shan Yu announced with a smirk.
The cloaked entity defended with two daggers against the strike of Shan Yu's sword but is still blown away by its power. This unknown ally of them was then blasted directly towards their direction. But by back-flipping in the air, she managed to absorb the impact and smoothly landed on the paved ground.
Upon landing, the hood covering her face was slid down, revealing a raven haired young girl.
It was Fang.
"Brat!" Shan Yu snarled.
"Hi Dad," she greeted her father with a very thrilled smile which was responded by a feral glare by Shan Yu.
"Oh my, who do we have here?" Doctor Facilier remarked with a grin as he also became aware of the identity of their formerly unseen assailant. "If it isn't my former school nurse. Say, what brought you here?"
"I could ask the same thing to you, Boss," she said. "Did you stop by to deliver my last paycheck? I haven't claimed it yet."
END OF CHAPTER 26