Marlos

Hope

The perpetual twilight of the Isle deepened into an eerie darkness, broken only by the flickering glow of scattered fires and the soft, golden light emanating from the protective barrier Carlos had erected. A fragile sense of peace had settled over the small group of children and mothers within the barrier, their faces serene as they slept, their bellies full for the first time in days.

Carlos and Mal stood watch just outside the barrier's edge, their silhouettes outlined against the shimmering golden light. The air was still thick with the stench of decay and despair, but it was now mingled with the faint, sweet scent of the burgeoning vegetation within the sanctuary.

"It's... incredible, Carlos," Mal murmured, her gaze fixed on the sleeping figures within the barrier. "What you did... it's like a miracle."

Carlos shifted slightly, his expression a mixture of exhaustion and a quiet sense of awe. The exertion of wielding his divine power on such a scale had taken its toll, but the sight of the people's relief, their newfound safety, filled him with a profound sense of purpose.

He looked out at the rest of the Isle, the darkness stretching out before them, a vast and daunting expanse of suffering and despair. The small sanctuary they had created was a beacon of hope, but it was just a tiny spark in the overwhelming darkness.

"It's not enough," he said, his voice filled with a quiet frustration. "I can't protect everyone. I can't heal everything."

Mal placed a hand on his arm, her touch grounding him. "You did what you could," she said. "You gave them hope, Carlos. You gave them a chance. That's more than anyone else has done for them in a long time."

"But what about the others?" Carlos asked, his gaze sweeping across the darkness. "What about the people who are still suffering, who are still hungry, who are still afraid? I can't just leave them to rot."

"We won't," Mal assured him, her voice firm. "We'll find a way to help them all. We'll find a way to bring light to this darkness."

Meanwhile, back in Auradon, the palace was quiet and still. Evie and Jay lay asleep in their respective rooms, the soft glow of enchanted nightlights illuminating their peaceful faces. They were far removed from the harsh realities of the Isle, from the suffering and the hope that played out under the perpetual twilight.