Wicked Dawn | 'Till The Night Falls Book 1 (Disney Descendants)

Chapter 3: Heigh-Ho Oh-No

The earth gave an uncharacteristic rumble. People screamed and ran for cover beneath old buildings and crumbling structures. Bricks crashed into the marketplace. Overhead, lightning flashed and thunder roared. The barrier shuddered as the ocean waves bashed mercilessly against it.

Above the frenzy, in one of the more stable castles, three villains loomed, ready for their moment at last.

"Is it time?" Cruella demanded, marching impatiently around the room, stroking her stuffed dog repetitiously. "Queenie...is it time?"

"When it's time," Evil Queen growled dangerously. "I will let you know!"

"Wowza, someone has jumped into Maleficent's shoes pretty quickly, hasn't she?" Jafar mused, creeping up to stand beside the woman as she glared out at the dirty city. "Who died and made you leader of the Isle?"

"You've forgotten, Jafar," Evil Queen snapped. "That I am a queen! I should be ruling Auradon, not some...creature! And, after today, no one will dare speak my name!" She turned away from the ledge with a huff and stormed back inside what was left of Maleficent's castle. "Cruel!" she yelled for the dog-obsessed woman. "I need a mirror!"

"What are you going to do, Your Highness?" Jafar sneered. "Look at your own reflection some more?"

"Of course not," the queen responded loftily. "The barrier is down. It's all over the news. We are free...though...I do have some wrinkles that I should attend to."

"Shocking."

Evil Queen glared at him as she held out hand, waiting as Cruella returned with a mirror. It was just a small handheld but it was enough. "Mirror, show me the Seven Dwarfs!" she ordered. The mirror swirled and morphed until the cluster of men could be seen, dancing around their cottage with their wives. "Foul beings, Dwarfs," Evil Queen grunted. "Too busy digging jewels to notice what is right under their noses."

"And yet," Cruella put in. "They were the ones that chased you up and over that cliff were they not?"

Her glare was enough to melt pure steel. Like mother like daughter. Jafar, who normally would have laughed at this, wisely decided to keep his trap shut. Evil Queen seemed to notice this and decided to leave it at that, focusing her attention once more on her mirror. "Show me, Evie!" she growled. Once more the mirror changed and the bluenette appeared, hurrying down shining white corridors, Mal and a boy in tow. "What is she doing?" the queen wondered aloud. "And what is up with her hair?"

"She looks a thousand times better than you," Jafar snickered.

Evil Queen hit him upside the head.

"Ow!" he complained, rubbing his scalp painfully. "What did you do that for?"

"You know why," she replied, swishing her cape back behind her majestically, just like Maleficent used to. "Villains!" she called. "It's time! The barrier is gone! Those hero fools thought they could keep us imprisoned forever? I think it's time we got our revenge! Against 101 furry beasts," she glanced towards Cruella. "And a prince and a genie," she looked to Jafar. "And, most of all, against Snow White and her army of little men." She glanced back at her mirror with a wicked grin. "And I know just how to begin." She cackled.

Jafar shuddered. "You sound just like Maleficent."

Evil Queen turned back toward him with a grin. "Perfect."

                                                                                    * * *

He was standing in blackness. All around him he could hear the steady pings of steel hitting stone. He blinked, struggling to see. He reached up instinctively to adjust his glasses only to find nothing there. He frowned. Something was very wrong here. This place...it seemed too familiar... yet...he didn't recognize it.