Waves and Embers

Love Conquers All

Henry and Holden climbed put of the aquaduct and transformed back into their human forms. The two boys looked around, but the area appeared to be empty.

"Briella! Mason! Where are you!?" Henry called out, hoping his friends were okay.

"We're in here!" Briella's voice called back from the other end of the castle basement.

The boys took off running in the direction of her voice and soon found themselves inside the castle's dungeon. Henry spotted Briella and Mason kneeling in front of a cell at the end of the corridor and immediately ran to their side.

"There you are!" He cried. "I was worried something had happened to you!"

"We're okay Henry, but Hades has our dad." Briella replied sadly.

"I know." Henry replied gently, pulling her into a hug. "We'll save him, I promise."

"Grrrrrrr."

Henry jumped back in surprise as something growled behind him. He looked and saw that the cell they were in front of held a giant lizard. "Crocodile!"

"Henry it's okay!" Briella promised, grabbing his arm to keep him from running. "She's not a crocodile, she's a lizard, and she's our grandmother."

Henry stared at the lizard with wide eyes. "That's Maleficient!?"

Briella nodded, reaching through the bars to rub the lizard's head. "It's okay grandma, these are our friends, Henry and Holden, they're here to help."

The lizard released a content hiss before moving towards Henry.

"What is she doing?" Henry asked nervously as the lizard pressed her head against the bars.

"She wants you to touch her so she can talk to you." Briella explained.

"Talk!?" Henry and Holden yelped in surprise.

Briella nodded. "Grandma can use her magic to create a telepathic link, but it only works if someone is touching her. It's okay, she won't hurt you."

Henry nodded and slowly reached his hand through the bars. Immediately, Maleficent pressed her head into his palm. "Hello grandson of Ursula and Hook. Henry, was it?"

"That's me." Henry responded as his brother stared at him with wide eyes.

"You can hear her?" Holden questioned.

Henry nodded. "It's like she's in my head."

"Listen carefully child." Maleficent spoke. "You must get back to your family, they will need you and your brother to end this battle."

"What? What do you mean? Ulma is the chosen one." Henry argued.

"The dragon and shell must come together as one." Maleficent recited. "They are not two people, but two families. All of you must be together."

"But what about Briella and Mason? How are we going to get them out?" Henry asked.

He did get a chance to hear her answer as a loud screech and thud from outside shook the castle. Bits of debris fell from the ceiling and Henry grabbed Briella to shield her.

"Mom!" Briella cried, pointing at the window above them.

Henry could see Queen Mal in her dragon form laying on the ground outside the window, she had been hit. Purple smoke blocked their view, and then they saw her on her knees, struggling to stand.

Henry watched as she was helped up then moved out of sight, however the blasts continued shaking the castle around them.

"He's going to kill her!" Briella sobbed. "Please make it stop, make it stop!"