Chapter 5
"Mal!" Hadley calls out as it becomes too dark for even her to see. Her voice echoing in the tunnel, disorienting the teen.
"Down here!" the voice calls out from further down the tunnel. Angled down to go deeper underground. As Hadley continued to walk, the sound of rushing water and barking echo off the walls. The tunnel opens into a cavern. A river runs through the center of the cavern, wailing souls screaming as they rush down a waterfall. Cerebus, the three headed dog, blocked the path to what looked like Mal. "You won't be able to reach me, wimp. You're weak. Mom knew that," 'Mal' taunts from behind Cerebus. A smirk clear on her face.
"Mother never gave me a chance," Hadley says easily walking up to Cerebus. Putting a hand on the neck of the middle head to pet him. "You also forget that I'm great with dogs," she adds calmly as the middle head lowers for ear scratches. The other two heads quickly joining in with a whine. "Are you boys going to let me pass?" she asks the three-headed dog between ear scratches. Cerebus sits down and wags his tail, giving the teen room to pass. "Still think I'm weak because mommy dearest said so? Or are you going to think for yourself for a change?"
"You're dependent on others. Always needing a pack to run with. Never having the strength to stand alone," 'Mal' says. Crossing her arms as Hadley approached. Knife still drawn.
"You aren't Mal. She's never seen me as weak," Hadley says keeping the knife in front of her. Tightly gripped in her left hand. At the very least, Mal would not say these things to Hadley. Despite Hadley essentially being a hired thug, Mal respected Hadley's work. Even though Hadley burned a skull into the places she robbed.
"You're right. I'm not Mal. However, I've been following all of you. Read her mind. She's thought of these things. It's why she left you to die down here," the mimic chuckles, not moving as the knife is put to her throat. "Why else do you think Mal tried to talk you into staying in the closet? You accepting yourself made you stronger. Brave enough to possibly stand up for yourself. But you never do. You're compliant. Submissive. Why else would Elyse want you? You aren't a threat to her throne," 'Mal' says, moving the knife away from her throat.
Blue hair burst into flames as Hadley's eyes begin to glow. A light blue glow flickering around her body. "I am the daughter of Hades. Heir to the Underworld. Unlike Mal, the godly blood flows more strongly through my veins. My magic may be weak, but my strength lies in the fire flowing through me. Elyse sees me as her equal. Her partner. I never needed a love spell," she says walking closer to the mimic, making the fake Mal walk to the river of souls. Her blue hair turns red as she pushes the fake Mal into the river. "I'm stronger than you think," she whispers as a pedestal halfway across the river rises up to the surface. A glowing blue ember resting on it. Without a second of hesitation, Hadley jumps into the river. Souls pulling at her, trying to drown her as she fought her way through. Her cheeks starting to sink in, her movements becoming slower as her soul started to exit her body. Her movement slows as she approaches the ember. Only her hand left above the surface as she finally reaches the edge. The other four run in to see Hadley's hand reach out and grab the edge of the obsidian pedestal. With a scream, she pulls herself up. Biceps bulging with effort as she gets both elbows onto the cold, black stone. With a shaky hand, she grabs the ember before slipping and sinking into the river of souls.
"Hadley!" Mal calls out as she runs to the edge of the river. Plunging her arm in to grab her sister. Locking forearms with the younger teen. "Jay! Come help!" she calls out as she struggles to pull Hadley to safety. Souls trying to pull her down as well. Jay rushes over and reaches down. Finding Hadley's frail arm and pulling her up and onto the rocky shore. A soft blue glow continues to surround Hadley. Her strength beginning to return as the ember pulses into her hand. "Wake up, sis. We need you, I need you…" Mal whispers as she takes Hadley's hand in her lap.
Emerald eyes open as the feeds Hadley strength, hair changing from red flames back to a calm blue. "I could have handled it," she says as she sits up and puts the ember in her pocket. The blue symbol of power fitting into her pocket perfectly. "I had already completed my trial. Getting past Cerebus was nothing," she says as she starts heading to a new opening in the cavern.
"She's hiding something," Mal says as she watches Carlos and Evie follow Hadley. Not moving from the bank of the river.
"None of us wanted to talk about the trials. For all we know, Hadley has the same weakness as Hades," Jay points out as he pulls Mal to her feet. Leading her out of the cavern behind the others.
Carlos stayed next to Hadley. Putting his hand on her shoulder. "Had to face your jealousy of Mal? We all had to face the weaknesses of our parents and you were always jealous of Mal," he says trying to get his friend to open up. After years of being the social outcasts on the Isle together, they were as close as they could be without being friends. Just occasionally allies in finding hiding places away from the fury of Cruella.
"I failed," Hadley whispers as she crosses her arms. She knows that her trial wasn't just jealousy, but self-control.
"How? You got the ember!" Carlos says as he points to the not so burning rock in her pocket.
"I had to kill to get it. I'm a villain, no better than my father," she says punching the wall as they walk. "It wasn't real, but it felt real."
"What did it look like?" Carlos asks as he puts his hand back on her shoulder. "Maleficent?"
"I'd rather not say…" Hadley says looking down. Even though she knew the Mal she killed wasn't real, it still weighs on her. It felt real enough to her. She finally stopped walking when they reached the base of a mountain. "Mal's trial…"
"Wait here. I got this," Mal says moving in front of the others. She starts climbing up the mountain not noticing that Hadley was able to walk right on up.
Jay touched the mountain and when it didn't force him back, he started to climb up after Mal. Carlos, Evie, and Hadley following behind.
"I got this! You all had to do your trials alone!" Mal calls out as she continues to climb up. Not noticing a weak foothold. As she puts weight on it, the rock crumbles. The young dragon loses her balance and falls. Barely catching herself on a ledge.
"We have to face our parent's weakness. Mother would refuse help and go it alone. You need to accept help, Mal," Hadley says as Jay grabs Mal and pulls her to safety.
"We refuse to lose you. Hadley and Jay almost drowned, Carlos almost suffocated, and I nearly put myself in a sleeping curse," Evie says as Mal is safe next to Jay. "This is not a one girl job," she adds.
With a nod, Mal looks at all her friends. Her family. "Let's do this," she says with a smile. The group works together to get Mal up to the top of the mountain. At the top, was a dragon's nest. A single egg resting in the middle. Once it's within reach, Mal grabs it before they all climb back down. As they head down the tunnel to leave, pink fur appears in their peripheral vision. "Run!" the purple-haired leader calls out at a run. The others quickly following.