Secret in the Heart ||Descendants|| (♡Ben)

34

As they drove through the Isle toward the bridge, Kara watched her friends engage in conversation with the kids they had chosen. Julie and Noah sat quietly, their gazes fixed outside at the colorful buildings they passed. When they reached the square, the barrier opened, and cheers erupted from the crowd. However, the cheers quickly turned into screams, jolting Kara's attention.

She turned her head just in time to see Hades, his head thrust through the barrier, trying to force it open with his hands. "It's Hades!" Evie shouted, her voice sharp with urgency. "Stop the car. He's trying to escape!"

Jay slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a sudden halt. "Stay inside," Kara instructed the children as the seven of them scrambled out of the vehicle. Hades was shouting, "I am a God!" His hair ignited with flames fueled by the magic he exerted outside the barrier.

Kara felt a sudden heat radiate from the scar on her wrist, a painful reminder of the promise she had made with Hades. "I don't belong here," he declared, stretching the barrier with increasing desperation.

Ben, Jay, Connor, and Carlos charged forward, but Hades retaliated, shooting out a burst of energy from his ember that knocked them to the ground. Kara heard Mal gasp beside her, and instinctively, she placed a gentle hand on Mal's waist, pulling her back a step. "It's going to be okay," she whispered, trying to reassure her.

Suddenly, purple smoke swirled around Kara, causing her to gasp as she took a step forward. Mal had shifted into her dragon form, her body soaring into the air with a furious screech. Kara remembered how Mal had discovered this ability after a fit of rage had left a gaping hole in the art classroom. Now, she was in the air, a fierce sight to behold.

Hades's expression shifted to one of surprise as he took in the dragon before him. Without hesitation, he pushed his ember forward, directing the same energy beam that had struck the boys up toward Mal. Instead of a single impact, the beam latched onto her, causing Mal to screech in pain as she clutched her chest.

"Jay!" Kara yelled, rushing toward the boys still sprawled on the ground. "Get Connor off the ground and out of the way!" She quickly lifted Ben, guiding him back toward the safety of the car. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jay rising and helping Connor to his feet.

Kara reached for Carlos, pulling him up with urgency. "Stay behind me," she instructed, and he complied, taking a cautious step back. Gathering her courage, she created a fireball in her hand, directing it toward Hades. The ball sizzled as it struck the barrier above his head.

"You need to learn how to aim better!" Jay called out, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

"Yeah, thank you for the comment, genius! Why don't you come here and give it a try yourself?" Kara retorted, her frustration bubbling over as she conjured another fireball in her palms. Jay was right; her aim needed work, but the first fireball had served its purpose—it had captured Hades's attention.

She aimed the second fireball directly at his head, anticipating that he would deflect it with his ember. As expected, Hades redirected his energy beam away from Mal, shooting one back at Kara's fireball. The two forces collided mid-air, and the resulting explosion lit up the square, sending a shockwave that reverberated around them.

"Kara!" Evie called out as Mal descended wobbly from the air. The urgency in her voice pulled Kara's attention away from the chaotic scene.

"Help Mal," she urged the boys standing behind her.

Mal landed with a heavy thud, likely on the car, and Kara's heart raced. "Are you okay?" she asked, her gaze still locked on Hades.

"No. He was draining all of my magic with the ember, and I felt all of my powers slipping away," Mal replied, a hint of desperation in her voice.