Symphony of the Abyss [Descendants]

Chapter 4: The Day of the Apocalypse

A few days after those events, Auradon seemed to have sunk into an anxious tranquility. Everything seemed just a bad memory and yet the distant threat loomed over them.Mal left the classroom with her spellbook under her arm. What had happened continued to weigh on her heart. All of Auradon blamed them, and she blamed herself for having moved Jane to steal the wand, for having made her mother furious...her mother. The torment was such that during the lunch break she did nothing but leaf through her spellbook, remotely searching for something that could help her. Yes, she could find something. It had to exist.She had to become stronger...she didn't know how to defend herself. What would have happened if he hadn't come? She didn't want to see those black wings from behind anymore, she would learn to defend herself, she had to do it.She had to become stronger and get the laughs she hadn't been able to have yesterday.As if that wasn't enough Jay and Carlos left a few days later, they had decided to take a college course together outside of Auradon. Separating was very difficult.<Take care of Carlos> said Evie<I don't need a nanny> said Carlos <I already have him> he said pointing at Rudy<Oh I forgot> said Mal running into the room and rummaging through her bag<Me and Evie did this for you> said Mal giving Carlos a dog treat<Oh...thanks> and gave it to Rudy who ate it in one bite.<Not bad...there was some cocoa, right?>Carlos fell to the floor <Rudy...did he just speak?><Yeah, you said he was just missing the ability to speak, now he has that too> said Evie smiling<Hey, do you have another one?> said Rudy entering their room<Well, at least you know what he wants> said JayCarlos looked at him from below <And now how are we going to get him to college?><He'll stay in his room anyway><Yes Carlos I'll never get out of your bed> said Rudy<I'd prefer if you did it instead><Make up your mind though> he said they return to himWhen they said goodbye to them from the limo Evie hugged her <If they get expelled they'll be back first> made Mal smile.They were about to return to the room when Ben ran up to them <Pack your bags, we have to leave now><What?> said Evie <What are you talking about? Why?><This is hell, it's really terrible. Come to the palace with your bags, now>Not knowing what to do they ran to the room, gathered everything they found and rushed to the palace.The atmosphere that greeted them was that of a true apocalypse. They entered the main room Belle, the Beast and the Fairy were already there.<Oh finally you're here> said Belle running to Ben <We don't have a minute to waste. It's gotten worse>Mal intervened taking the heavy backpack off her shoulders <Can you tell us what's happening? What's all this rush? All this panic?><Your mother that's what she is> shouted the Beast<My..my mother? But she hadn't been...> she didn't even know where she had ended up<Yes but it wasn't enough apparently> said the FairyThe Beast didn't add any more words full of reproaches but only opened the computer in front of him projecting its content on the red wall.What Mal saw were images of cameras scattered all over Auradon, streets and public buildings, all on that wall and many of them repeating the exact same scenario.Of gray fog humans jumping on people, men, children, women, old people anyone with a beating heart. They jumped on all their prey biting the neck or the chest or an arm, anything they could reach.<What the hell are they?> Evie screamed seeing one of those things destroy a camera.<Zombies. And they are magical products, the flow of magic comes all from here> said the Fairy projecting a map on the wall.<From Aladdin's Kingdom> said Ben<That far away? Why...> Mal immediately stopped, realizing where her mother had ended up< How did she... well... send those things from so far away>The Fairy took the images off the wall <I have no idea, it's a huge amount of power... I really don't even know if she's capable of it.>Mal remembered the spells she had read in her book earlier, there was one that she had deemed useless for her purpose but it allowed you to create a single servant to whom you could give a single order. Creating a creature and giving it an order is a small waste of magic... she could have used that.<I had read a spell that allowed you to have a servant with an order to carry out, maybe she used that> Mal saidThe Fairy seemed to think about it for a moment< But it doesn't explain itself, or maybe it does. It could be. By giving an order you can give anything like go to Auradon and spread this contagious disease that turns into zombies... it's not entirely impossible even if it has many problems it could work>The Beast closed the phone putting it in his pocket <He landed> having said that he took a backpack and left the room followed closely by Belle <Come, we have to go>They followed without saying a word, after what they had seen the reason they needed a plane was obvious.<What will happen to the others?><Jane will join us at the plane, for all the other inhabitants the bunkers have been opened. There is food, water and heat there. They will have to join them and survive until then> the Beast's tone was calm yet a growing anxiety could be seen.The plane had landed in the flat green space behind the Palace, Jane was already there <Guys, are you all fine, how happy I am. What is happening?><Questions later> said the Fairy pushing her to get on the plane.They threw their things into the plane in the first place they found, they sat down quickly, Evie next to Mal breathing heavily. They closed the door and the engines from a dull murmur began to roar powerfully. The plane vibrated beneath them as it taxied on the improvised runway and slowly gained altitude. When they had stabilized in altitude the fateful question arrived <and now?>Mal's voice also woke Jane <Mother....what is happening to our Auradon><The feelings of hatred that we ourselves created together with that island are falling upon us> said the Fairy caressing her daughter's head.<Now we will go to a military base in the snowy mountains of the permafrost...there we will be safe for a while and we will think about what to do. Mal...>the Beast looked at her intensely <it is your mother's fault and that is for sure...><Yes but it is not her fault father> the defense Ben<With your mother our forces are limited...you will also intervene to give us a hand and if it helps to save Auradon we will use you as a bargaining chip...provided that your mother still feels something for you> the brutality and truthfulness of such wise words sank into Mal's heart who could not reply, it was right and logical that it went this way. A life for a million lives, a fair price.<We'll find another way Mal, we always have. We caught Maleficent once, we'll do it again> Ben said putting a hand on her knee, Mal placed her hand on his smiling at him. He had calmed her heart once again.<We were younger then> the Fairy said with a smile for the old good memories<So was she though> said Belle<Too bad she never seems to age> said the Beast<Come to think of it though it took all the wizards in the kingdoms together to catch her> said the Fairy<And all the soldiers, magical or not, in all the kingdoms that exist were barely enough to catch Hades...we'll never get them both back><You caught them once, you'll get them the second time> said Jane looking at her mother, Ben's hand tightened on her knee.<We can say this about Maleficent but it's very different for Hades> said the Fairy <I still remember him... standing in the middle of a plain covered in blood and corpses that could have counted as many as the entire population of Auradon... it was terrifying, my blood ran cold, just hearing his name><But you succeeded in the end> ​​added Evie<True> stated the Beast <but it wasn't just our merit. We harassed him with everything we had and yet... when we met him for the first time... he was already wounded. Such a good opportunity will never happen again>Mal got goosebumps, all the united kingdoms had barely managed to catch him when he was already wounded and probably tired... what was that being capable of?The cliff and the stormy sea were starting to show <we'll go straight through the mountains, the zombies haven't arrived at the base yet and since all the people from here to the mountains should be holed up underground, the spread of zombies will become slower without prey> said the BeastThe Fairy opened her tablet <it's arrived> the Beast turned on immediately<Read> it was almost an order<What is it about?> asked BelleThe Fairy took a deep breath<the death toll and missing> the words made a funeral pall fall <out of 40 million inhabitants there are...15 million dead...170 thousand missing...800 thousand injured... the rest are safe><All the dead are...zombies now> Evie's words came out faint<Yes...probably even the injured were infected if they were in contact with the zombies, they will be kept in protected areas away from the healthy ones. With this we are at 15 million confirmed zombies and 800 thousand probables...that's a lot> said the BeastA dull roar came from the wing of the plane, shortly after the plane began to shake in a worrying way.<We have lost an engine!> the captain's voice from the intercom preceded another roar <we are without engines, I will attempt a rescue landing on the cliff!>Jane began to scream at the top of her lungs followed by Evie <we will crash!>Ben rushed to Mal hugging her as the Beast did with Belle, Evie also rushed to Mal.<Mal I loved you with all my heart><Me too Evie, I could not have asked for a better friend>Amidst general screams the plane touched the rocky ground and began to slide on it as if it were ice. The wings detached on impact flying out of their narrow view of the windows, the breathing masks came out of the ceiling, remaining suspended and following the movements of the plane. Mal saw the end of the cliff getting closer and closer, she felt the stones hitting and destroying the landing gear of the plane, reaching to scratch the metal belly. Now the cliff was close... they were too fast.Ben looked at her and kissed her without saying anything, had he also seen death? While she was enjoying that first and last kiss the plane stopped. They were falling, she waited a few moments preparing for the impact with the water... which never came. Mal detached herself from Ben, as surprised as she was, from the window all she could see was the water and the rocks far below them.<Are we alive?> asked Evie<Looks like we stopped in time> said the Beast looking out the window<Yes!!!> Evie shouted with joy<and now how do we get out of this?><Don't move> said the Beast<we're hanging in the balance, one step and we're falling. Are you guys okay in the cabin?> no answer<What could have happened to him> said Mal<HEY!> a voice from outside shouted<Who could it have been?> said the Fairy<Hey from inside, move your butt and bring him out here, you're not light!> the voice shouted again from outside<This voice sounds familiar to me> said Mal<Me too> said Evie<So you've made up your mind!><It's not possible> said the Beast <Hades?!>The voice from outside immediately responded in a mocking tone <no Merlin the Wizard, who the fuck is it, I'll let you sink into the abyss if you don't hurry up><I don't believe it> said the Beast, his face a look of pure confusion <are you holding us?>From outside nothing more could be heard until Hades shouted again <I don't know if you understand the concept...if I let go you'll end up as shark fertilizer and seaweed so...what do you want to do? Quick...there's some trouble out here><I think we need to get out> said Mal<I think so too> said Ben<But Hades is outside...> said the Beast<Better him than the ravine> said MalThe Beast nodded, the alternative was no longer appealing. They approached the hatch and opened it, the door fell into the sea below, the land was separated from them by a piece of emptiness.<We can't get to the land from the hatch> Ben shouted straight to the tail of the plane.<You can't do anything by yourself, ah, hold on> they obeyed immediately, falling was not a good thing. Those seconds of free fall must have been the most terrible seconds.A jolt made them fall onto the iron floor, the plane was moving backwards calmly. Metal plates fell into the ravine crashing into the water. When the land was under the hatch the plane stopped. Mal jumped down followed by Ben and the others <beloved land> Jane shouted putting her feet on the ground.Mal didn't listen to anyone and calmly approached the tail of the plane. Behind, Hades held the tail of their plane in his hands, behind him a wall of transparent blue flames, behind these the zombies crowded in their millions opening their hungry mouths.The others reached her <Oh damn> said Belle<I told you I had some problems out here> said this Hades grabbed the metal tail better, flexed his mighty biceps pulling the whole plane onto solid ground. His strength was disconcerting, they were left speechless as they saw Hades moving half of their plane to the side, placing it sideways on the cliff. The cabin was not there. The Beast looked into the ravine <that's why they weren't answering us...they fell down> Belle put a hand in front of her mouth <no> she said sadly.Hades wiped his hands then looked at the zombies <ah and now you eh> the hand, in front of his face, burned with bright blue flames <gone> he said to the beings before throwing a huge flame that started from his hand and spread covering all the zombies...they were reduced to ashes in a few seconds. The wall of flames vanished, a zombie who miraculously survived charged Hades with his mouth wide open, Hades waited for him before jumping into the air and kicking his head off <resistant the boy> then he turned towards them, looked at them and without saying a word entered the half of the plane that was still lying on the edge of the cliff.They remained still where they were...as they had to proceed now.