Good morning Descendants!

Got your first chapter of the day... And it's kind of a doozy compaired to some of the earlier... Fluffier chapters. That being said... We hope you enjoy :)


The next morning...

(About a year and a half after the well incident.)

Gil smiles as he wipes the back of his hand across his face, sweeping sweat from his brow. This blade was even better than Mal's. He beams as he turns it back and forth in his grip, his chest swelling with pride. He was improving.

Maybe he should talk to Uma about getting her sword last. His brow furrows as his lips turn in a frown. He had a feeling she wouldn't like the look, but he couldn't put his finger on why. "Can we start on the next blade before we dye the handle?" He asks, putting down his hammer as he turns to face the group.

Hyades' flames slowly die as she steps back to give Gil some reprieve from her heat. "Is that what the look was?"

Carlos lifts his head from the book and lifts an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I'd just…" Gil shrugs, "Rather give Uma her blade last."

"Damn, I wanted mine last." T pouts, "But makes sense you want to give the last one to Uma."

Carlos frowns at Gil and T, "Is that a smart idea though? We promised to give her the second one."

"I'll talk to her first, that's why I wanted to skip the coating and go straight to another blade until she agrees to it or not."

"I think that's a great idea" Hyades volunteers, "We keep getting better with the designs, and if you're not feeling that one for Uma…" She smiles encouragingly, "You're the master smith here."

"Huh, if that's your concern, maybe you should make Hooks, mine, and Jay's blades next. That one can be C's. He doesn't care about how the damn thing looks-" He turns to Carlos, "Do you?"

"I don't want mine second!" Carlos lifts his hands in defense, book flying from his lap in his denial.

"We could just hang onto it until we've given someone else their blade…" Hyades offers before her eyes widen, "Or it can be Evie's. It's dainty and she's a speed fighter. Add a little blue to the hilt and boom."

"Problem solved, doubt C wants his blade description to be dainty." T shrugs, already back to reading his book.

"This would probably be pretty enough for the isle's princess." Gil agrees.

Carlos lets out a sigh of relief. "Yeah, sounds good to me." He grins. "I've been looking up sheaths too since these actually hold an edge."

T lifts his brow at that. "Oh yeah? What would we need?" He walks over to sit next to Carlos and read over his shoulder.

Hyades uses the distraction to 'clean' the anvil of metal chips and residue, "It's a good sword… So that's not what you're worried about…" She purses her lips as she looks up at Gil, "But something is bothering you."

Gil's face heats up with a blush. "It's just I think by the time we finish the others…" He shifts his weight. He should have known Hyades' would be able to tell there had been more behind his question. She always did. "I might be able to make her hilt out of tentacles." He explains with a little grin.

"I love it!" Hyades claps excitedly, "And I know Uma will too."

Both T and Carlos look up at the sudden cheer, before turning back to the book.

Gil smiles in appreciation. That's what he liked most about their book club. Nobody was suspicious when people just wanted to talk one on one. He would have thought for certain T would be up in arms about not knowing what he and D or him and C would talk about in secret. And the fact that Carlos was finally willing to share one on ones with him made his chest warm. He did enjoy the pup. He was embarrassed and humiliated at first when he'd found out Carlos knew about his illiteracy- But the boy hadn't said anything about it. Instead, he even went out of his way to help him with it, when they were taking their breaks.

Hyades wraps her arms around one of Gil's, "We can sneak out here and practice on days we're not making swords." She offers, "That way you don't feel torn between getting the swords made and making Uma's perfect."

"Thank you." Gil smiles in appreciation as he hugs her. "That would make me feel better..."

"Ya know, I was just thinking." Carlos clears his throat. "That maybe you can just make two for Uma, and then you can surprise her with the really nice one…Once you've made the others."

Gil shifts as he sets Hyades back on her feet, "If you don't mind the extra work-"

"Not at all." Carlos quickly blurts out. "I uh," He looks down. "I just think you should make the daggers first too. That way you have, um, all the practice, ya know…"

Gil beams. He was happy that he wasn't the only one that enjoyed their weird little club. "Thank you."

"Then let's get started on the next one." Hyades cheers before she turns around and grabs the crucible to get started on the next batch of metals.

"Right." Gil goes back to pick up his hammer.

"Do you guys need more water?" T asks as he stands up and stretches. "Was gonna go try to track down some material for Carlos' new project. Figured if nothing else we can at least come up with a design for E." He turns to Gil. "If that's cool with you?"

"I can get the water!" Carlos offers as he jumps to his feet, "You- yeah, you go get that stuff!" He starts pushing at T's back encouragingly, only to have his feet dig into the sand, rather than move T.

Gil chuckles, "Yeah, I get it." He doesn't bother to hide his smile at Carlos' enthusiasm. T was amused too if the way he planted his feet was any indication. He didn't totally understand why Evie would need a sheath more than the others. T always had a reason for why he did certain things, anyways.


Hyades' smiles as she looks around their secret club with a sense of contentment. T and Carlos were already hunched over the materials T had gathered. As she and Gil continued to work on the next sword. She'd never thought she'd see the day that Carlos' and Gil interacted without the need for violence. The two were just so contrastingly similar. Like her and T had ended up being. It made her chest warm with a fire she was starting to grow more and more familiar with. And fond of.

Live on the isle was hard, but certainly worth it for these highs. She smiles, that conversation with T seemed lifetimes ago, and yet here they were, scooping out their own little corner of happiness. Making the most of what they'd been given.

"Think you guys can make some shiny shit to decorate the sheath with?" T asks suddenly. "Or do I need to hunt some down?"

"Oh… Actually, it wouldn't be hard at all. Kind of like pulling glass, except making thin wires to fashion around it. Maybe even add beading or something like E does with her clothes?" If she wasn't melting more metal to add to the slowly shaping sword she would have clapped at the concept, "Something like that?"

"Sweet." Carlos grins. "E really loves her bling. Anything you could make would be helpful-"

"Because we're pretty sure it needs to be pretty for her to constantly keep it on her."

Carlos nods emphatically. "And match her aesthetic."

Gil turns to grin at them, the 'thrang' of the hammer stopping for a moment. "I think that's a good idea."

"Give me some time with her and I'm sure I can even get her to help me come up with a design." Hyades grins, "Without telling her why of course."

"Awesome." Carlos grins before he and T turn back to their quiet discussion.

Hyades turns back to Gil, "Ready?" She asks as she holds the molten metal over the cooling sword.

"When you are." Gil wipes his brow with a grin before he repositions his grip on his hammer.

The melody of the hammer and the hiss of different temperatures of metals meeting makes a beautiful symphony with the crash of the wave as the four quietly work together.

"Yo." T states after a good hour. "C- Go dip to the back. Someone is heading this way."

Hyades looks up, squinting into the distance as Carlos disappears into her hideout, "It's been a long time since we've seen anyone else down here." She frowns.

"Better safe than sorry." T shrugs, "We don't-"

"Mistress Hyades!" Pain shouts as he pops out of nowhere and wraps himself around her legs.

All three of them startling as they either jump to their feet or step back in surprise.

Panic crashes into her, his wings still flapping furiously as he buries his head against her other leg. "Our poor Mistress!"

"Pain. Panic." Hyades lets out a relieved sigh, "You guys scared me." She looks around quickly, "Us."

"We're so sorry mistress." They both exclaim as tears start gathering in their eyes, "Please forgive us! We're not worthy! We didn't mean to-"

"It's okay! No need to be so mean to yourselves." Hyades drops to their levels, wrapping her arms around them, "Shhh, it's okay."

"But it's not!" Pain whines.

"We didn't want to tell." Panic grabs his tail, "We didn't."

"Tell what?" T glares at the two imps.

"Master was looking for the mistress-"

T's eyes narrow, as he suddenly moves further away from their hideout to look in the direction the figure had been approaching. "Fuck!"

Hyades grips them to her tighter. Her heart beats louder, thumping in her throat. She knew this was going to happen eventually, she just thought she was going to get more than a day. A tear falls down her face as she looks up at Gil, who drops his hammer and quickly moves to her side. He wraps his arms around her and the imps protectively.

"We didn't want to tell-"

"But you know how Master Hades gets!"

"We're so sorry mistress!"

"It's okay. I promise it's okay." Hyades whispers, "I told you not to get in trouble for me. You did what I told you to do."

"But Mistress!" They both whine.

"You were happy on the ship!"

"And we ruined it for you!"

"Please forgive us, mistress!

"We are but worms-"

"Useless worthless worms-"

"You know how much that hurts me to hear." Hyades shakes her head, "You did fine. Thank you for warning me, but you should leave-" She closes her eyes, "Or tell me what father ordered you to do."

Gil frowns as he watches T slowly moves back, hands in his pockets where he knew he kept his daggers. His arms tighten around Hyades as he glares down the beach at the approaching figure.

"Mistress Hyades. The master ordered us to keep you from running."

"We're so sorry Mistress Hyades. Please run!"

Hyades bites her bottom lip, shaking her head as she looks up. That was her father coming for her, and if she wanted this to end peacefully she knew what she had to do..."T, get Gil, please." She pleads with desperation. "Please. I don't want anyone getting hurt."

"No," Gil says firmly. "I'm not letting anything bad happen to you."

"Gil, please." Hyades turns to him, her hands flat against his bare chest, "Please, you can take care of me all you want, I love it, enjoy it… But please, right now, you've got to let me do this. He's a villain, and you know we can't fight him." She didn't even care about the tears falling freely as she begs, some flaming as they hiss in the sand, "And I refuse to lose you, any of you, to him."

T's hand suddenly clamps over Gil's shoulder. "Don't make this worse for her." He states evenly. "She'll be okay. She's D. She can handle her old man… But she won't be able to live with herself if you get hurt by him. And if you think she was hard to get out before-" He shakes his head. "You don't have to like it. Just don't do this right now."

Gil hesitates as he looks between the two with warring emotions in his eyes.

Hyades leans forward and presses her lips to his, "I'm sorry" she whispers against him. This time she wasn't going to drop him. She wasn't going to leave him to face the horrors she was afraid of. She wasn't Uma, but she could be brave enough to do this. She pulls back from his comforting heat before she pushes him with all her strength, sending him tumbling back in the sand for several feet until he rolls next to Carlos.

"Come on!" Hyades stands with the imps clamped to her sides, "drag me to him." She demands as she runs towards the water.

"Yes, mistress."

"Of course mistress."

"I've got you," T states quietly as he passes her to go into the hideout. Hopefully to keep Gil at bay.

Hyades nods, she never doubted it for a second. She runs until the water laps at her feet before she releases her hold on the imps. "Go for it." She encourages as she fakes her struggles. At least she was away from the rest of her friends, maybe her father wouldn't even notice them.

"Is this where you've been hiding babycakes?" Her father greets with an eye roll, one hand on his hip.

"Father." Hyades straightens up at the sound of his voice, "You told me to get stronger, so here I am."

Senior looks her over before he rubs his hands together. "That's what I long to hear my dear." He grins. "Now let's get home and test this newfound strength, hmmm babycakes?"

Hyades frowns, her eyes darting to the hideout. "Cool!" She quickly spits out when she sees T pushing against Gil's chest, to no avail as he continues forward, pushing T with him. It would have been comical if she hadn't been so terrified. "Let's go, I want to see how good I am."

"That's my little princess, always putting me first." Hades playfully knocks his fit to her chin "Daddy's little hellion." He grins as he turns back to the temple, "And if you rats know what's good for ya, you'll stay out of her life. Scurry on back to that ship you're oh so proud of. This one belongs to me." He holds Hyades up to his face, "Don't you pumpkin."

"NO SHE BELO-" T's hand slaps over Gil's mouth after he jumped up on the other's boys back to do so.

"Yes, dad."

Hades grins as he walks, "Pain! Panic! Come! We're done here. And I want worms and wine waiting for me. Chop. Chop."

The imps look from the fight to their master before they take off, flapping their wings frantically and stumbling over themselves to remind Hades of how great and powerful he is.


uh oh...

So what do you guys think? Did you see Senior coming? What do you think of the God of Death? Who's reaction affected you the most? We're you proud of Hyades? Let us know what this chapter did.