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"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."
•••
Mal didn't know her heart could beat louder then war drums. She didn't know the ferocious pink of the sky could appear more ominous then her mother's green dragon breath which she had feared since she was a child. And she didn't know that her thoughts could be scattered to the wind by the mere image of a scarred queen in gleaming silver armor, standing alone on a high tower wall.
Her eyes were pitch black — observing the preparations down below. Auroria castle had been fortified by walls of black brambles, and patches of pink flame. On the horizon, the rising sun cast everything in an eerie, blaze like glow. It was unnerving, yet somehow beautiful at the same time.
Clenching the talisman Dr. Facilier had given her in a hand, Mal ran her thumb across the etched surface. Maybe, if she hadn't been so foolish, she'd have kept Audrey from taking the scepter. If she had just stayed put and left Hades down in his hole to rot, things could have been different. Yet the war drums thumped in time with her heartbeat, slamming the front of her ribs in a mix of elation and terror. Audrey didn't seem at all perturbed by the idea of war, but Mal assumed not much of the girl was left in the husk Dragon Eye had taken over.
She was a monster, bloodthirsty and cruel. If something wasn't done — a miracle, blood would be spilt. Whether it was Ben's, Audrey's or the entire Kingdom's, Mal wasn't entirely sure. It concerned her deeply. Clenching the wooden mask strung around her neck, the daughter of Maleficent tucked it back under the hem of her shirt. She thought about armoring up, but thought better of it as the plates would merely fall off if she were to transform.
"...Mal."
Pulled out of her thoughts, Mal shook her head quickly and turned. Lonnie had returned with Jane, bringing horses and weapons with them. The warrior truly looked the part, draped in silver, green and red plating that her ancestors no doubt wore into battle.
"Lonnie. How's it going?"
"I'm worried." The girl admitted, plopping down to sit next to Mal with a tired grunt, "Auradon has never seen a war like this. We aren't ready."
"I don't think anyone is ready for war."
"What if we don't win?" Lonnie croaked, "what will happen then?"
"I think...it's best, not to think about it." Mal whispered hoarsely, toying with her hands as she scuffled her boots, "hopefully the compendium has the ability to predict the outcome of this. Don't lose hope Lonnie; will over fear."
"Will over fear." The girl responded, hanging her head, "Audrey has asked that I lead the first charge."
Falling silent, Mal wasn't sure what to say. What was there to say? Death was eminent; their fairytale had shattered. This was war, real war, and Lonnie was afraid.
"Are you ready?" Mal asked finally, struggling to find her voice as Lonnie exhaled. To the dragon girls surprise, she nodded an affirmative.
"I think so. I want to make my ancestors proud. I want to make Audrey proud."
"But you're scared?" Mal queried, tucking her hair behind an ear as Lonnie once again nodded.
"Terrified. What will my parents think if I...I mean, and all of my friends. School. Everything. What'll happen if I...I don't..."
Laying a hand over Lonnie's to sooth her, Mal just squeezed the fingers tightly. What could she say when her friend was scared of her own death? Nothing was apparently the best thing, as the warrior princess wiped at her teary eyes and stood. "If I don't see you again Mal. It's been an honor knowing you."
"Yeah."
Staring up at her as she walked away, Mal felt her heart burn with anger. What had their world come to now? Plunged so deeply into chaos. Not a week ago she had been walking on air. Things had been perfect; a storybook ending. But it was a kingdom built on a terrible lie. A fallacy.
A curse.
Pursing her lips till they bled, Mal clenched and unclenched her fists. Why couldn't she be like Lonnie and admit she was afraid? Why did she have to barricade it within steel walls to where it was literally tearing her apart?
Shaking the thoughts away, Mal stood from her place on the bench. She had been sitting to long — her legs felt numb. Wandering away from the isolated corner garden, the Daughter of Maleficent finally walked into the chaos that she'd been ignoring. Men and women wound long strips of cloth around their arms and legs, while others used old tools and stones to sharpen their blades and spears. Those not fighting ran about with buckets of water, medical supplies and food. A few had even fallen asleep, bottles of wine beside their person. As prepared as everyone seemed to be.
No one was ready for this.
Glancing up at the sound of opening gates, Mal jumped on a stone to get a better look at the new arrivals. As promised, Evie, Carlos and Jay had returned to Auroria. Upon making eye contact with her friends, Mal was engulfed by hugs.
"We got as many people moved as possible." Evie spoke softly, clinging desperately to Mal's arm as she wiped at her tears, "is there no way to stop this?"
"No." Shaking her head somberly from side to side, Mal gently squeezed Evie's hand.
"What about Hades?" Jay questioned, "he's your dad. That's what you said."
"He doesn't want to get involved in a humans war." Mal spat angrily, "he probably hightailed it back to the Underworld by now."
"So we fight..." Carlos mumbled worriedly.
"I don't want it to be this way." Mal insisted, clenching her fists, "Ben is under a powerful curse...one that we can't break. And Audrey..." shaking her head solemnly, Mal sighed. "All we can do is trust that I can get through to Ben,"
"He's a monster, Mal." Evie whimpered, "he'll kill you before you even get close."
"I have to try." Reaching into her pocket, Mal pulled out the ember which glowed a sickening sapphire color, "this is all the hope we have left."
"Do you hear that?"
Stopping the conversation suddenly, Carlos seemed to squint as he listened closely. The whole courtyard seemed to go quiet, only the occasional flapping of birds in the trees breaking the atmosphere. On the horizon, a horn was sounding. It echoed across the landscape, causing the burning in Mal's chest to turn into a hard lump in her throat.
"It's time?" Evie whimpered, "it can't be..."
Before anything else could be said, the doors to the tables under the palace opened wide. A group of at least fifteen horseman rode out, armor gleaming in the sunlight. Lonnie led them, looking the part as a warrior as she nodded to Mal before leading her group out the doors. Turning to watch Audrey on the castle wall, she hadn't appeared to have moved. But even silhouetted in the sun, Mal could see the tightness in her shoulders, and the downturn to her lips.
"Jay, Carlos. Armor up." Mal ordered suddenly, her heart kicking back to life at a fast pace, "Evie, go back to the library. You'll find Jane there."
"But Mal, I want to fight."
"No. I need you here, alright? I need you to watch the compendium — if there is a way to change the course of this, you need to be the first person to know. I trust you."
Holding the blue haired girls hands tightly, Mal pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you."
"I love you to, Mal. Please...come back."
Not willing to promise anything, Mal merely nodded against Evie's neck as she took a few steps back, transforming easily into her dragon form. Flapping a few times to get to the rooftop, Audrey didn't even flinch nor waver at the wind. Returning back to herself and walking to stand beside the Queen of Thorns, she was looking over the fields surrounding Auroria, staff in hand. Her stoic eyes followed the small line of dots running across the plains.
"You can stay." She spoke after a moment, fingers tightening around Dragon Eye as a hot breeze tossed her hair, revealing the blackened veins which now touched her one good eye, "those not fighting will be barricaded here. They will be safe."
"I said I'd stand by you." Mal told the girl, taking her hand and squeezing it. Audrey's skin lacked any warmth, but her fingers slowly curled inwards anyway, "I'm not going back on that promise."
"When this is over Mal...you'll have to overthrow me as queen."
Staring out at the landscape as a black line began to appear on the horizon, Mal frowned deeply again. She didn't want Audrey to go. She didn't want her to simply let herself be taken over by darkness. "When the deal is complete, I'll die. The evil will have my face but nothing more. You understand?"
"Yeah." Mal croaked, desperately wanting to run her hands over Audrey's scars again. "I understand."
"Good." Turning slightly for the first time to look at one another, Mal swore she could see fear. But Audrey merely pointed her staff across the battlefield. "Because the final battle has begun."