Stolen Waters (Descendants Jay x OC)

Chapter 43

A defeated Jay, Carlos, and Evie returned to the Isle's destitute Bridge Plaza a few hours later. Although frustrated, Jay was glad that Mal had gotten Hades's Ember. Now they could leave the Isle and defeat Audrey once and for all. Everything would be normal again.

"All right, let's get in, let's get out," said Mal. They needed to open the barrier and sneak through without any trouble.

Jay clicked the remote, and the barrier flickered open, and they darted through. Jay saw Mal squeeze the ember tightly in her palm as she crossed onto the bridge to Auradon, and he knew that she was desperate for the ember to work for her. And it did. The ember ignited into dancing blue flames the moment it hit the magical land. Then, with a flash, the glowing power shot straight through Mal. Its effect on her was instantaneous. Her signature purple hair became streaked with blue tones, and her purple vest turned midnight blue. Even her high-tops and fingerless gloves boasted painted blue flames. Mal twirled a strand of her bluish hair with fascination. "Huh."

Jay and the others examined her clothes with fascination.

"Wow," Evie said, impressed.

"Man, that thing packs a punch," said Carlos, nodding toward the glowing ember.

Nervously, Jay looked back toward the isle and gasped. "Look!" he shouted urgently.

Harry Hook and his sidekick, Gil, somersaulted through the closing Isle barrier and landed safely on the bridge.

"We made it!" exclaimed Gil, his eyes wide with amazement. Jay knew what he was feeling, the exhilaration of being off the Isle for the first time was something they had all felt.

"Bro!" yelled Harry as he and Gil hugged, excited that their plan had worked. Harry turned away from his friend toward the VKs. "Hey, guys," Harry said, chuckling. "We just came for a wee visit."

Jay and Carlos moved at the same time to try and block the pirates' path. The two groups collided mid-bridge, but before anything could happen, Mal tried to intervene.

"No, no, no, no, no," she uttered, hoping to keep the pirates from going any farther. As Jay tried to stop Gil, Harry shoved Carlos in an effort to get by. His push sent Carlos tumbling into Mal. Mal staggered off-balance, causing the ember to jostle free from her grip. She desperately tried to grab the escaping ember, but Harry's hook scooped around her fumbling hand before she could grab it. Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing and turn as the bright blue ember sailed high into the air and out of Mal's reach.

"No!" screamed Mal. She watched helplessly as it plummeted toward the deep dark water below. Jay didn't know what was happening, but he knew something was wrong, as they waited for the telltale splash of the ember hitting the water.

The dreaded splash never came. Instead, a long slimy turquoise tentacle emerged from the sea. It stretched to its impressive full length and skillfully snatched the ember out of the air. With a whoosh, Uma, in her part-octopus form, rose grandly from the rough waters and gripped the powerful ember.

Uma looked magnificent, wilder, and more in her element than she had at Cotillion. She wore a turquoise sweetheart necked bodice that perfectly framed her mother's golden shell necklace. Her tentacles swirled through the water with grace and ease. She tossed back her long turquoise hair, which was braided at the crown of her head and fell loose below her waist.

"Drop something?" she asked with a wry smile. The ember sizzled, dulled, and grew weaker in her dripping grasp.

"It can't get wet. Give it back before it goes out," yelled Mal, and Jay finally understood why she had reacted so desperately when the ember almost fell into the water.