Symphony of the Abyss [Descendants]

Chapter 11: Black Cloak

Mal, Ben and the Fairy followed the nurse into the base. They passed through iron rooms and under maintenance vehicles before arriving. He led them into the infirmary leading them down the white corridor to a glass room. Mal looked into the room. Hades was lying on the white bed, his chest was attached to strange machines that measured his vital rates, over his mouth was an oxygen mask that fogged up as his chest rose.<Why is he attached to a respirator?> asked the Fairy<He has a collapsed lung, until he comes out of the coma he will need a hand to breathe. When he wakes up we will remove all the machines little by little. You can stay here as long as you want, I'm over there if you need me> the nurse answered<Can we come in?> asked Ben<Sure it's open> he said before going back over thereBen opened the door letting them in. The sound of his heartbeat entered his ears sharply, penetrating all the way to his brain, the annoying sound was calmed by that of his calm and muffled breathing.Mal stood next to his bed, placed her hand on his, his whole body was covered in white and pure bandages, almost shiny. Ben and the Fairy also approached him, remaining to look at the bandage on his head and from which blood could be seen even though he had just come out from under the knife.<Let's hope he gets better> said the Fairy<Yeah> sighed BenThey remained there in silence for a long time without saying a word, Mal was happy just to hear him breathing, she didn't ask for more, if he was breathing he was alive... just like he had been when he looked at her with a sulky expression.They left him only a few minutes later <can you let us know if there's any news?> asked the Fairy to the nurse on duty <Certainly>They decided to retire to their room, wanting only a long rest on a comfortable bed and in peace. Mal separated from Ben who hugged her <everything will be fine> he reassured her as if he understood that she was anything but calm. On the other hand Evie returned late in the evening happy as ever <did he give you a rose by chance?> Mal mocked her when he saw her fall on her bed as if after a heavenly dream.<No but you think so> he replied lying down next to her<Then why are you smiling?>Evie bit her lower lip like a child who doesn't want to lie <he kissed my hand><Really?! What a gentleman. He tells me everything about><He took me to visit their farm and I have to say it's truly fantastic. He explained everything to me and then towards the end he went from being a scientist to being a seducer and I have to say he succeeded><Mhh ok...but Doug?> Mal's question pierced Evie's boiling heart<Oh Mal that's my problem...I don't know. I like him but does he like me? I don't know, our relationship, if that's what we're talking about, is about movie nights and goodnights. I don't know what to think><Talk?>Evie moved her head to the side<Mh, good idea. But what do I tell him? I can't go there and...><I'll prepare a good opening speech for you, okay?><Okay>The morning after breakfast they had been called for an emergency meeting to take stock of the situation. The context they found themselves in had to be addressed with some more data that had arrived from the bunkers the night before.<This is the situation> began an officer <all the confirmed zombie-injured have turned into zombies in the bunkers and have been put down thanks to the chambers equipped with sleeping gas. All the healthy ones are still healthy and locked in the bunkers. Now...> a map of Auradon was projected on the wall <all the zombies have gathered here, at the castle, but they are slowly advancing into the woods, discovering and taking over a new piece of land that they are clearing of anything that moves. This is the area they have cleared> the gray stain extended almost throughout Auradon, except for the beach and mountains and some surviving woods <the main problem is that the stain covers all our bunkers. A rescue operation is impossible and very high risk><Why?> asked the Beast, raising his hand<I will explain to you the method for extracting people from the bunkers. Then they send helicopters that land on the roof of the bunker and here there are two possibilities. Either the roof comes down, allowing the vehicle to enter or the people come out. In both cases the chances of infection are very high><But the zombies do not control the entire gray area> said the Beast<Instead, that is what we have just discovered. They control it all. In this stain, every square meter has five zombies. We have about 100,000,000 zombies in Auradon><How many!><That's why it's impossible to reach them><But we have to find a way> Ben shouted<We know that, prince. With the resources available to them, they can live down there for a few more days, then they'll have to be extracted. We also have a serious problem here> said the officer, stopping in his singsong <the zombies are at the foot of the mountain> images of the sides of the mountain were broadcast on the wall, the zombies were trying to climb the sides of the mountain falling to the ground every time they slip but they didn't give up <soon they will start to arrive><How did they multiply so much? We don't have that many people injured in Auradon> said BelleThe officer gulped down a drop of water <here's the scary part. They multiply like bacteria, they split and they do it quickly>A drop of sweat fell on Mal's hand and she gritted her teeth causing a few trickles of blood to come out.<This is the plan for now. We need to create an Airbus A400M Atlas with not only maximum transport capacity but also capable of landing vertically and at the same time defending every corner without blind spots. An engineering feat>The Beast cleared his throat <and how long will it take for this miracle><The project had already started for a while but until now it had remained the utopian dream of the military. The project will take months and the same to build it><But people don't have all that time!> Ben shouted<I understand but we can't do otherwise. We will design some drones to bring them some survival food but more is impossible. I'm sorry but if we were to risk it we will transform the only safe port into a zombie den and we can't afford that> concluded the officer with the climber zombies still behind him."Jay, Carlos...they can't...risk...there must be a way...there's always a way" Mal's nails dug into his palm and drew blood "a way...there's always...always...a spell, a magic...I must be able to do something...my mother would already have an idea in mind, a curse ready on her mouth...why can't I find anything?"<I'm sorry but I don't agree, we can try to save them and build an area to keep the wounded isolated and controlled> protested Ben<It's not possible. We would lose too many of my men and there will be dozens of wounded, it's not possible to contain them all, just one scratch, one blow is enough to trigger the end of Auradon><Nooo!!> shouted Ben <They will die if they are all in there. We must do something!><It's not possible. It's a question of probability sire. With the food we could send them the chances of survival increase, with one action now they are zero.><I don't accept it. There is no one here who wants to save them, no one wants to try to save them, no one can do anything for them, no one wants to help them?>A light came in from the back, the door opened with a dull creak <I'll help them>Everyone turned around including the officer who dropped his tablet to the floor. Ade was holding on to the door with his entire body still bandaged but still with that ambiguous smile on his face.<Sorry, I tried to stop him> said the nurse arriving out of breath.Mal jumped up, left her row of chairs and rushed towards the door <Ade!> she didn't even know why but she ran to him and hugged him <Hey, hey, where does all this affection come from?> Ade teased her placing a hand on her hair, the lights in the dark room came on. Hot tears wet the fresh bandages.<Hey...didn't I tell you not to cry>Mal looked up at him and he was looking at her smiling <I'm just happy> she said, pulling away from him.She turned to look at the room, the look of amazement on the faces of the Beast and the Fairy expressed that of the entire room.<Are you up already?> the Beast's voice reached their earsHades smiled <As you can see><And are you okay?> Belle asked<Why can't it be seen?> he said sarcasticallyThe Fairy approached him <you should rest, what are you doing here?>Hades shrugged <I heard you screaming as if all hell had broken loose>Ben smiled <maybe I exaggerated><So, what's this about you having the entire population of Auradon stuck in the bunkers?><Nurse, take him away> said the officer <he's a known criminal who was bitten by zombies><We didn't wake him up, he did it all by himself><Wasn't he supposed to be tied to the bed?><He was under sedation sir, we didn't think it was necessary...> the anxiety of the infirmary was as palpable as the fear of those present.Hades' chest began to move in fits and starts, letting out a disturbing laugh <you didn't think that some medicine would be enough to stop me>The officer swallowed some saliva <Take him away> he ordered<I can oppose this> Ben stepped in the middle <he saved us and helped us, he deserves our trust and then he never turned into a zombie despite the bites. He's staying here>The officer bowed in attest to such firmness <yes, sire>Ben took Hades' arm, accompanying him and giving him his place <so this is the situation>The Beast ran up to her <Ben! You don't want to entrust the fate of our people in the...> there was a pause of disgust <...in his hands?!><No one in this room has tried to find a solution, no one, except him, of course I want to give him this case><Ben> the Beast began with a grave throne<Hey Beast> the deep voice of Hades reached everyone's ears <if you still want to be king tomorrow morning, you better listen to your son or you will no longer have subjects or castles or a kingdom to call such>The Beast immediately fell silent, he probably wanted to bite his head off but Ben took the initiative. In Mal's eyes the stubborn, good and stupid prince of Auradon appeared as the best king that had ever existed, that's why he had fallen in love with him.Ben began to tell with the officer's specifications while Hades listened attentively waving his fingers in the air as if he was calculating everything.When they finished explaining Hades cleared his throat <now your death scenarios are around 100%, with such a sophisticated tool you could barely reduce them to 70. The Fates are sadistic but they can be predicted with statistics. In light of this, drones, unless you build huge drones, will not be able to carry plenty of food and water.> Ben fell into his chair at Hades's statements defeated by the evidence that mirrored the previous ones.<As I said sire...> the officer began, immediately interrupted<But...I have a solution> Hades said crossing his legs <I can't teleport around. Teleportation is too dangerous for humans but...> he said raising his index finger upwards<...I can load you and defend you better than any of your innovative machines>Mal's eyes widened <how can you carry so many people at once?>Hades smiled <one bunker at a time><But it's more than a million per bunker> the officer repliedHades's smile only widened <it's not a problem>The Beast looked at him <Ok...how?!>Hades stood up <let me out. Do you have cameras to look out?> the officer nodded <Project them here><Hades!> he turned to Mal <don't strain><Don't worry> he replied with a winkA soldier accompanied Hades outside the facility while the cameras were projected into the room, everyone sat down waiting for the miracle that was supposed to save Auradon.Hades walked out of the door outside and walked away into the snow, he walked until he reached the center of the white valley. Blue flames came out of his shoulders completely surrounding him in a blue tornado that grew uncontrollably, the snow was lifted from the ground joining the tornado without melting. The flames occupied the entire valley rising meters above the mountains that protected them. The tongues of fire seemed to compact almost forming an enormous wing made of flames.<What..> the Beast squinted<We've never seen this magic in the war we fought against him> Belle said, clutching her sweater sleeve<What is he doing?> the Fairy watched intentlyThe tornado of blue flames kept growing, it seemed endless, the cameras couldn't even capture it all. At a certain point they began to disappear from the ground, twisting and shrinking until they disappeared completely. When they disappeared, nothing could be seen...<What...he's gone! You're not telling me he ran away!> the Beast shouted at BenThe officer's chair fell to the ground with a thud <you better not look away>The cameras rose to the sky. Mal opened her mouth and almost screamed. An immense black figure, a huge black dragon, was floating above their heads.<How big is it!!!!!> screamed BelleThe dragon landed in the clearing folding its wings on its back, it occupied the entire valley, in fact its tail went beyond the mountains<Everyone upstairs!> screamed the officerThey jumped up as if a celebrity had arrived that they couldn't miss. Everyone present joined in the frantic race towards the exit, they were called back by everyone with the shout of <you have to see it>They opened the door and what they saw was darkness. Above them a layer of black scales, more than a black hole, covered them canceling out the light.<Incredible> commented Evie quickly before the ground began to shakeThe scales above them moved backwards, the paws fell next to them... one of its claws was bigger than the planes she had seen in the bunker below. First the paws and then the neck that still blocked the light and then there was the muzzle that stared at them from above its enormous height. He bent his neck closer to them. It felt like the ground had to push on him to stay still.<Sir> a lieutenant approached the officer <he can carry more people than all our Airbus A400M Atlas combined><I can see that>The dragon's snout touched the ground and yet they couldn't even reach his teeth.<If that's not enough I can get even bigger> the ground shook as the dragon vibrated his vocal cords.<What??> Belle fainted<I'm the son of Titans have you forgotten?> the ground shook once more
<Then shrink yourself, you show-off> the Beast shouted at him<As you command> the flames engulfed the dragon's body, shrinking more and more. When they disappeared in front of them they had a dragon twice as big as Maleficent but much smaller than before that was for sure.<Hades> said Ben <let's go save some people>