Descendants 4

14

They reach Lerna an hour later and are deep into its forest in about thirty minutes. They don't know exactly where to look and like the other isles they've separated into searching parties. This time however all the Auradon people are together with Victoria, Daniel and Uma. Gil and Harry stayed on the ship and some of the Lost Boys are scouting the other side of the island.

Carlos is also with them despite Jane worrying over him ever couple of feet, he's holding up quite well. Jay and Lonnie walk near him while mal and Victoria lead the party.

"Wait" Mal whispers and they all stop, their hands reaching slowly for their swords, the pause with their hands on the handle "I can feel my dad"

"Lead the way princess" Uma says behind her, Mal tries to hide the smile and heads to their left. They walk a bit faster and as quiet as possible. Thankfully the first isn't that lush so there's plenty of space to walk through and there are no dry leaves to make their footsteps crunch.

"He's getting closer" Mal says and Victoria can start to feel him as well, there's definitely a godly presence nearby. Uma is no expert on gods but the presence feels too big to belong to just one person and assumes Persephone is with Hades.

"I can see the clearing right behind those boulders" Daniel whispers and points ahead of them. Right behind two moss covered boulders there's a ring of trees that line a beautiful garden, even from here Evie is stunned and breathless at the beautiful flowers she can see through the leaves.

"What now?" Jay asks "do we make a surprise entrance or kidnap Hades? Can you kidnap a god?"

"Yes, but why don't you just come and say hello?" A voice says behind them, scaring them so much they jump at the voice. They turn with swords drawn but quickly lower them as they behold the goddess before them

"Lady Persephone" Evie whispers and bows, the others follow her lead and Persephone laughs, it's sounds like springtime and feels warm and gentle

"Come, we've been expecting you" Persephone steps past them, without hesitating they follow her making sure not to fall behind because she's is most definitely not waiting for them.

"Husband, your guests are here" Persephone says stepping into the garden and grabbing a pear from an nearby tree which bends down to dangle the fruit before her. Aside from pears the garden has many pomegranate trees which is what It's know for in the first place. They smell sweet and heavenly and so tempting to eat but they all restrain themselves and instead turn their attention to the god they've been searching for. Hades looks completely different compared to the last time they saw him.

For starters his leather jacket is gone and so is his Mohawk, instead he's wearing a fancy black toga with silver and gold lining, the bottom hem has a simple flame design. His hair is still blue but now it lays messy atop his head and looks as soft as flames. Physically he's changed as well, it's small details but his jaw is sharper and slightly longer, his nose is pointier and his limbs are slightly longer with hard muscle underneath his skin, giving him a much more toned look than before.

"Dad?" Mal asks a bit hesitantly, Hades laughs ... he laughs, Mal doesn't even know if she's ever heard him laugh before, it sounds strange, somehow earthy and makes her feel a bit as if she were underground.

"Mal you've come" Hades smiles and stands from a wooden chair which straightens up into a blueberry bush

"You expected us?" She asks slowly still processing her fathers new look

"For some time now yes" Hades nods and turns his now sad eyes toward Carlos, he nods at him as a greeting and maybe a farewell he can smell death upon him