Hi all here is another chapter, sorry it took so long but it's here.

I do not own any of the characters, it belongs to Disney unless I put an OC.

Chapter 9 will only be up in a few weeks...Please keep your eyes open for the next chapter or follow the story to get updates of new chapters. Thank you

Credit

Ginnyrules27 - She helped to write this chapter. Thanks for sticking to me still.

Please enjoy and let me know down below what you guys think and please stay safe I know by us its almost summer so somewhere in the world its becoming winter, stay safe and health with this COVID that is still out causing sickness and death.

Chapter 8

"Dad?" Mal gasped, the ember still hovering in the air. As shocked as she was, she still stood there and listened as she heard his voice once more.

"Mal, are you okay?"

That was the first thing her dad asked her. Despite only hearing his voice, she could tell that he was worried about her. Losing control of one's powers could be frightening.

"Dad…I…I don't know what's happening," she said, sobbing slightly as she looked at the ember. "I saw this coming but I ignored it. Now all of Auradon's in danger!"

"Mal, this is how your powers work. Come to me, I can help you," Hades told her. "We will get through this. Together."

"How?" Mal asked, as tears continued to stream down her face. "Dad…I'm scared. Terrible things are happening."

"Bring the ember and I can show you how to control your powers."

That's what I meant by weakness. Your father has it—always putting others first.

"Go away," Mal muttered softly though not soft enough as Hades heard her through the ember.

"Mal, I'm not going anywhere. Listen to me."

Don't listen to a weak God like him Mal. I was always there for you, teaching you how to be like me.

"Go away mother!" Mal yelled, having missed what Hades had said as she held her head in her hands, trying to get her mother's to go away.

"Mal, your mother's not there. She can't harm you anymore," Hades told her, trying to get through to his daughter but the limitations of the ember making it so that he could only hear and not see her served to grow his frustrations. "Mal, it's me. Hades. Your father."

"She's in my head," Mal said, her voice a near whisper as she tried to focus on the ember and not her mother's voice. "She's trying to control me and I don't know how she's doing it."

"Mal, tell me where you are and I'll come get you," Hades said, trying to make sure his worry didn't come through his voice. "I can help you."

There was a brief moment of silence before Mal responded.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'm in the Enchanted Forest."

As Mal grabbed the ember, a shock rang through her body and she couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't her regular laugh however but one that was more like a cackle. Her mother was grabbing hold and it wasn't likely she'd let go.

"Stupid Hades, trying to save our daughter," Maleficent laughed as she looked through Mal's eyes at the ember and broke the connection Hades made. Mal's eyes now only glowed green. Maleficent's control of Mal was limited as Mal's body made its way to the museum, Mal trying to overthrow her mother's control.

Finally regaining control as she reached the museum, Mal looked at the museum and back to the ember in her hand.

What am I doing here? Mal thought as something inside her pushed her to go forward. She fought but failed, opening the doors to the museum.

Go on my dear. Get the scepter, her mother's voice rang through her head. Mal tried to resist but once again found herself falling to her mother's control

"Leave me alone mother!" Mal yelled to the empty museum, grabbing her head once more. It felt as if her head was going to explode.

Mal, get me my scepter.

Mal's eyes started to flicker again, alternating between green and blue. Her mother's powers and her father's were still at war, clashing against each other inside of Mal. To add Maleficent clamoring for control…Mal knew she had to escape somehow.

However, by the time she came to that realization, she found herself standing in front of the scepter as her mother's voice echoed in her head.

"Why mother?" Mal asked, trying to stop herself but it was as if she was a doll for someone else to use for their own enjoyment.

You shrank me into a lizard and took over Auradon yourself. Grab that scepter!

"I will not do what you want me to do!" Mal yelled, somehow gaining the strength to force her mother out of her mind. Panting, she kneeled on the ground in front of the scepter as the ember glowed in her hand. She looked up to stare at the scepter, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't help but feel lost and yet proud as she had defeated her mother's hold on her for the second time.

As she stood up, she couldn't help but start to sing softly to herself.

How will I know there's

A path worth taking

Should I question every move

I make

Walking away from the scepter, Mal paused as the ember in her hand glowed brighter. It was a clear indication that her powers were once again growing stronger. Being as close to the scepter as she was, Mal knew she couldn't control her powers but she was determined to try; continuing to sing under her breath.

I doubt in my dreams

They will never come true

I blamed the world

But never blamed me

I will never live a lie again

Gods, I can't believe I had lied to Evie about the plan to close the barrier, Mal thought. The look on Evie's face when she found out that Mal had lied still haunted Mal. Looking over her shoulder at the scepter, Mal quickly looked back to the ember.

I don't wanna win this game

If I can't play it my way

I wanna stop this madness

This is not who I am

Pushing herself away from the scepter, Mal couldn't help but think back on her father's voice in the forest. He had been trying to help her but her mother had won out. If she'd been a little stronger, maybe she wouldn't be wrestling with this dilemma.

"These powers of mine

Has plans of their own

And I don't want this"

As if on a whim, Mal looked to her left and paused as she saw her reflection. Looking closer, she could see her eyes were still flickering between blue and green while her hair was still burning blue flames—just like her father's hair did.

"It's not good at all

To see yourself and

Not recognize your own face

Out on my own

Its such a scary place"

As she stared at her reflection, she couldn't help but think of Ben. The first time they met. How she had spelled him with the cookie only to fall in love with him. She remembered his words: Right now, I can look into your eyes and I can tell you're not evil.

A tear ran down her cheek as she thought back on their first date. She tried her best to push her powers away from her but it wasn't working. Determined though, she kept singing as images of Ben proposing to her and her asking Evie to be her made of honor ran through Mal's head.

"The answers are all

Inside of me

All I gotta do is

Believe"

As she finished singing, she walked off; leaving the scepter behind and smiling slightly. She had to admit, it felt good having not touched it. The good feeling vanished however as she stepped outside only to see blackness and smoke. Everything was destroyed as far as she could see.

"Ben!" Mal screamed, hoping to find him in time before her powers took control once more. Little did she know that she was seeing the future through the ember. As she walked to the garden, Mal couldn't help but look around her in shock. Everything had truly been destroyed, burned to ash.

"Hello! Ben?!" Mal called again as the ember in her hand started to glow once more.

"No," she muttered, noticing it and trying hard to control her powers. This was all her fault, she had to try to fix it somehow. She just didn't know where to start. As she kept walking, she approached the castle where she had been preparing for her wedding early that morning. Gods, had it really only been that morning? This had been where it had all started, where her powers had taken over.

She looked at the castle, shocked to see that it was burnt black but most of the building was still standing. She entered, hoping to see Ben or at least someone who could tell her where Ben was.

Instead all she saw was an incredibly realistic statue of Ben. If Mal didn't know better, she'd have sworn that was…

"No! No, no! Ben!"

Brushing the statue's face with her fingertips, Mal fell to her knees as she sobbed once more. The ember glowed again and Mal closed her eyes, trying to block out her powers but this time it wasn't enough. As her eyes closed again, Mal was transported back to the the present as she stood inside the empty castle. Mal didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to see the statue of Ben.

Then, however, the ember whispered to her. Mal didn't know why but she felt the need to whisper back.

"All be cold and dark as snow."

As she said the spell, outside a terrible snowstorm began as snow started to cover most of the burnt buildings or putting out the purplish blue flames still making their way through the remaining buildings. A strong wind picked up, blowing so hard it made the trees bend sideways or picking up anything in its path from bikes to some of the cars on the road.

Mal opened her eyes as they once again flickered between blue and green. She started to laugh as her powers overtook her once again. Getting up, she stalked off.