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Chapter Text

The gleaming white walls of Beast Palace glimmered in the afternoon sun. Perched atop a noble hill overlooking the rocky bay, the palace stood as a beacon of Auradon's strength and unity, its round turrets and regal spires soaring proudly into the sky. Yet, inside Belle's sunny parlor—painted buttercup yellow with white trim—dark clouds hung heavy over the hearts of Auradon's leaders. Cushy floral couches and fresh bouquets of roses did little to ease the tension in the air.

King Ben stood beside his fiancée, Mal, as they faced Belle, Adam, and Fairy Godmother. The weight of the kingdom seemed to press on all of them, their expressions tight with worry.

"I think we all know why we're here," Adam began gravely, his bushy brows furrowing behind his black-framed glasses. His voice carried the authority of someone who had spent years ruling a kingdom. "The people are in a panic about Hades. He almost got out."

Fairy Godmother nodded, her face etched with concern. "Who knows what havoc he would have unleashed if he had escaped?" She clutched her hands tightly, as though willing it to hold Auradon together.

Adam crossed his arms. "We can't risk another villain escaping. Not again."

Mal shifted uncomfortably, her arms crossed tightly over her violet wrap dress. Guilt gnawed at her. "I feel like this is my fault," she said softly, her voice tinged with shame. "I'm supposed to protect Auradon, and I—"

Ben immediately stepped in, his voice firm and reassuring. "Mal, you do protect Auradon. This isn’t your fault."

Adam, however, was unrelenting. "The problem isn’t Mal. It’s the barrier. Every time we open it, we’re exposed to danger." He ticked off names with growing frustration. "Maleficent. Uma. Hades." His voice hardened. "This is exactly why I created the Isle and its barrier in the first place—to keep our enemies out."

The tension in the room thickened.

Beeeeeeep!

Ben’s phone vibrated sharply in his pocket. He pulled it out, his eyes narrowing as he read the message. His face paled.

"Maleficent’s scepter and the Queen’s crown have been stolen," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The room collectively gasped, the weight of the revelation hitting them like a tidal wave.

Mal’s breath caught in her throat. "My mother’s scepter—the Dragon’s Eye? That’s not possible. Anyone who touches it will be cursed to sleep for a thousand years!"

"Uma," Adam growled.

Ben shook his head, though doubt lingered in his voice. "We don’t know that, Dad."

Mal frowned, shaking her head resolutely. "It can’t be Uma. And it can’t be my mother—she’s still a lizard."

Belle, clutching Adam’s arm tightly, glanced out the bay window, her face pale. "When people hear that such important objects are missing, they’ll panic. They’ll never come out of their homes."

The sunlight streaming through the gauzy curtains did little to brighten the somber mood inside the room. Everyone turned to Mal. Belle’s voice trembled with urgency.

"Mal, what do we do? How do we keep evil out of Auradon?"

Mal felt their eyes on her, the pressure mounting. She swallowed hard, knowing the solution she was about to propose would change everything.

"I think..." She hesitated, her voice breaking slightly. "I think we have to close the barrier. Forever."

A heavy silence filled the room. Slowly, Adam, Belle, and Fairy Godmother nodded in agreement.

But Ben—Ben shook his head. "No."

"Son," Adam said, his tone empathetic but firm.

"No!" Ben repeated, louder this time, his voice trembling with frustration. Disheartened, he turned away from the group, running his hands through his brown hair.

"Ben," Mal called softly, stepping toward him.

"No, no, no, no, no," he muttered, pacing the room like a caged lion. His chest tightened as he thought of the kids on the Isle—the ones he’d promised a second chance. He turned back to face them, his voice thick with emotion. "I’ve spent two years working to make my decree a reality. Two years. And now you want me to give up? Just like that?"

Mal followed him, her heart breaking at the anguish in his eyes. "I don’t want to take your dream away," she said gently. "It was my dream too. Because it was so beautiful and pure. And it's why I fell in love with you. You didn't give up on me, Evie, Jay, Carlos and countless VKs. Even Uma wherever she may be. But as king and queen, what’s our duty?"

Ben’s voice faltered. "To protect Auradon. Do you know what that would mean?" He shook his head, torn between his ideals and the mounting fear around him.

Mal took his hands in hers, her green eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know what this means," she said softly. "I know how much it will hurt. But we have no other choice."

Ben pulled his hands away, stepping back as if her words had physically struck him. "No. There is another choice," he said firmly. He turned to the others, his voice resolute. "I’ll negotiate with Zeus and the Greek gods about Hades. There has to be another way."

"Ben," Adam began, but Ben cut him off.

"As long as I am king," Ben said, his voice ringing with finality, "the only thing that will happen to the barrier is it being taken down or modified. It will never be closed off. Not forever. Not while I’m still alive!"

Mal shook her head, her voice pleading. "Ben, think about this, please."

Ben’s jaw tightened, his frustration boiling over. "Closing the barrier means condemning every kid on that Isle to a life they don’t deserve. It means pushing Uma into a darker path if she gets word of this, when all she wanted was to help her people." His voice cracked, and he shook his head bitterly. "And it means more problems for me to deal with. More hate. More division. Is that really the right thing to do?"

The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in.

Ben looked at Mal, his eyes filled with pain. "I’m the king, right? My word is law. And as long as I’m on that throne, I won’t let this country turn its back on those kids. Not again."

Without another word, he turned and left the room, the sound of the heavy door closing echoing behind him.

Mal stood frozen, her heart aching as she watched him go. She tugged at her purple pendant, the enormity of the moment pressing down on her.

Belle, Adam, and Fairy Godmother exchanged uneasy glances. The divide between Auradon’s king and his council had never been so clear.

Chapter Text

Evie sat in her seat of her starter castle, her fingers tracing the designs on her notebook as she listened to Mal, who was pacing back and forth, her expression tense with worry. The news she had just shared was shocking, and it sent waves of anxiety through Evie.

Mal had just finished explaining the break-in at the museum, the theft of Maleficent's scepter, and the Queen’s crown. Her voice was heavy with the weight of the situation.

"Who else knows about the Queen's crown and your mom's scepter?" Evie asked, her tone sharp with concern as she stood, folding her arms over her chest. Her polka-dot top and wide-leg trousers, though stylish, suddenly felt inadequate in the face of the gravity of the news.

"No one," Mal answered quickly, but the words seemed to hang in the air. "I mean, think about it. People are scared enough as it is. We can’t let them know about this. We have to come up with new safety measures, completely overhauled plans."

Evie’s heart dropped as the implications began to sink in. The whole kingdom was already on edge, and now this? It wasn’t just the theft—what it meant for everything they had worked for.

"Will this delay our bringing over more VKs?" The question had been gnawing at her since Mal had started explaining the break-in. She felt the weight of the uncertainty press down on her chest.

Mal hesitated, the guilt creeping into her eyes. She avoided Evie’s gaze, the words coming out slowly, as though each one weighed more than the last. "The Royal Council is leaning toward closing the barrier for good." She winced, her voice cracking slightly. "I—I hated how I fell under pressure. I never wanted this."

Evie froze, shock flashing across her face. The room felt smaller, the weight of the decision pressing on her heart. "But… but you and Ben are the reason they haven’t done it yet," she said, her voice rising in disbelief. "You both fought for this. You fought for them. What happened to that?"

Mal closed her eyes, feeling the sting of regret. "I thought about it," she confessed softly. "After what happened with Hades… I got scared. Everything in me screamed that we couldn’t let it go on like this. That we couldn’t risk it anymore." She took a shaky breath. "But now I feel like I’ve betrayed everything we were working toward."

Evie’s heart broke as she saw the turmoil in Mal's eyes. She understood what Mal was feeling, even if she couldn’t fully agree with the decision. "I mean, we’re living the dream now," Evie said, her voice faltering. "We finally get to share this with the people who matter, the kids who need a second chance. What could be more important than that?" Her eyes searched Mal’s, looking for the old spark of determination, the fierce spirit that had never backed down before.

Mal’s voice rose, almost in frustration, her emotions bubbling to the surface. "I know, Evie, I know! I get it," she snapped, doing her best to match Evie’s outrage, though her heart wasn’t in it. "Maybe it’s for security, or maybe it’s about peace of mind for everyone in Auradon. But it feels so… cowardly, like we’re running away."

Evie pressed her lips together, fighting back her emotions. "Is that what they’re thinking? That no one will ever go in or out of the Isle ever again?" She shook her head, the thought of it too much to bear. "I mean, what—what about us? What about our parents? We promised the kids they could go back and visit." She paused, her voice catching in her throat. "And Ben… he said no, right? It’s final? He won’t close the barrier?"

Mal’s shoulders slumped, and she couldn’t bring herself to look Evie in the eyes. The guilt was suffocating. "Yes. Ben’s word is final. He’s made it clear." She clenched her fists at her sides, as if trying to hold herself together. "But I—I just got so scared when I thought about what would happen if Hades escaped. And then everything felt like it was falling apart. I thought if we closed the barrier, we could protect everyone. Protect everything we’ve worked for." Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper. "But now I don’t know what’s right anymore. Stupid Auradon and their mind games..."

Evie’s brow furrowed as she absorbed the weight of Mal’s confession. She walked slowly toward Mal, her face softening with empathy. She placed a gentle arm around her, pulling her close. "Mal," she said quietly, her voice full of sincerity, "I’m so glad you’re going to be queen. You will be part of these conversations. You’ll stand up for the VKs. You’ll be their voice."

Mal looked at her in confusion, as though the words didn’t quite register. "But how can I? I’m the one who even suggested closing the barrier. I betrayed everything we were trying to protect."

Evie shook her head, pulling Mal into a tighter hug. "You didn’t betray anything. You’re still fighting for the right thing. I’m proud of you for being honest, for not just crumbling under all the craziness from Auradon. Thank you for telling me. Thank you for trusting me."

Mal leaned into the embrace, the weight of her guilt still heavy on her shoulders, but a small part of her found solace in the warmth of Evie’s words. She knew that the path ahead would be filled with hard decisions, and the kingdom was divided. But for the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of hope—hope that they could still fix this, together.

Evie pulled back slightly, her hand resting on Mal’s cheek, her eyes steady. "We’ll figure it out, M. Whatever happens, we’ll do it together. Don’t forget that."

Mal nodded, the smallest smile tugging at the corners of her lips. The road ahead would be difficult, but for now, she knew she wasn’t alone. Not with Evie by her side.

Chapter Text

Mal and Celia slipped back into the Isle’s crumbling Bridge Plaza, where Jay, Carlos, and Evie were already waiting. The place smelled of rust, rot, and rain, the same as it always had.

“Alright, let’s get in and get out,” Mal ordered, her voice clipped with urgency. They needed to open the barrier, sneak through, and avoid drawing trouble.

Jay clicked the remote. The barrier flickered open in a ripple of shimmering light, and the five darted through with practiced stealth.

Mal clutched Hades’ ember tight in her palm as she crossed onto the bridge to Auradon, silently begging it to respond to her as it had to her father. The moment it touched Auradon’s magic, the ember burst into life—dancing blue fire licking across her fingers. Then, with a flash, the glow shot straight into her.

The change was instantaneous. Her signature purple hair streaked with blue, her leather vest darkened into midnight shades, and blue flames licked up the sides of her wedge high-tops and gloves. Mal stared in shock at her transformed reflection in the railing, twisting a strand of her hair between her fingers as though confirming it was real.

More of daddy dearest lived in her than she’d ever realized.

Her friends circled her, marveling.

“Man, that thing packs a punch,” Carlos muttered, eyeing the ember.

Before anyone could speak further, Jay gasped and pointed back toward the Isle side of the bridge. “Look!”

Mal turned—and her relief at the distraction soured instantly.

Harry Hook and Gil tumbled through the closing barrier, landing in a heap on the bridge.

“We made it!” Gil whooped, eyes wide with wonder. For the first time, he was standing on Auradon’s side of the water.

“Bro!” Harry and Gil slammed into a triumphant hug. Then Harry looked up, grinning. “Hey, guys,” he chuckled. “Just came for a wee visit.”

Jay and Carlos moved fast to block their path, colliding with the pirates mid-bridge. Celia hung back, cool as ever, treating the scuffle like ringside entertainment. Her father had taught her well—never pick a side until it’s clear who’s winning.

Mal tried to intervene before it escalated. But Harry shoved Carlos aside, knocking him into her. Mal staggered, fumbling—and the ember slipped free of her grasp.

Her heart lurched as she reached for it, but Harry’s hook swung in and clipped her hand. The ember sailed high into the air, glowing dangerously.

“No!” Mal screamed, helpless, watching its arc toward the dark water below. If it touched the sea, Auradon’s last hope would vanish.

But no splash came.

Instead, a long, sinuous turquoise tentacle broke the surface and snatched the ember out of the air. The ocean heaved, and Uma rose in all her glory. Half-octopus, half-girl, she towered from the waves, tentacles spiraling around her like banners. She wore a turquoise bodice that framed her mother’s golden shell necklace, and her crown-braided hair fell in a wet cascade down her back.

“Drop something?” Uma teased, balancing the ember in her grasp with infuriating ease.

Mal’s chest tightened. Relief and panic warred inside her. Of all the scenarios she had imagined for Uma’s return, none had involved her rival cradling the one object that could save Auradon.

“Uma!” Harry and Gil shouted together, delighted.

“That’s my name,” Uma cooed, flashing them a coy wave before wrapping her tentacle around the ember. With a swirl of seawater, she sank beneath the waves.

Mal staggered forward. “No!”

A great burst of water erupted upward, drenching everyone on the bridge. They scrambled to the railing, braced for Uma to rise again—but the ocean stilled.

“Hi, boys,” came a voice behind them.

They whirled.

Uma stood on the Auradon side of the bridge now, human again but looking no less commanding. She wore scale-patterned leggings and aqua cowboy boots with golden crustacean flourishes, her outfit beaded with shells and sea glass. In her hand, still glowing strong, was the ember.

Harry bounded over, circling her with a wicked smile. “Welcome back.”

Gil’s face crumpled with hurt. “You swam off and forgot all about us.”

“Planning her revenge, no doubt,” Mal muttered darkly.

Uma’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not all about you.” She turned back to her crew, guilt tugging at her features. “I was looking for a hole in the barrier, to let everyone out. And guess what, boys? I found one. Out here, there are these things called coconuts—like furry rocks you can drink. And fish so big you could dance on their backs.” Her gaze sharpened as she pointed accusingly at Mal’s group. “They’ve been keeping it all for themselves.”

Mal cut in, refusing to waste time. “I need that ember to break a spell.”

“Cast by Audrey. Sleeping Beauty’s daughter,” Carlos blurted, immediately regretting it.

Uma’s eyes glittered with delight. “The good guy’s the bad guy. I might just keep it and see what happens.” She held the ember aloft, soaking in the power of the moment.

“People’s lives are in danger!” Mal snapped.

Uma looked from the shining towers of Auradon to Mal’s desperate face. She made her demand. “Guarantee me every single kid on the Isle gets off. All of them. Not just you idiots, Freddie, Celia, Dizzy, the Smee twins, Diego, Jade and the Anti-Heroes Club."

“I can’t do that,” Mal said firmly. “Ben’s the High King. Evie runs the program with him as his royal advisor.”

Uma dangled the ember over the railing, threatening. “Really? Princess Blueberry’s in charge? Thought she's more into making pretty outfits and potions."

Exasperated, Evie stepped forward, her patience gone. “Every VK will get a chance at a better life. That’s what Ben and I planned. Uma, I care about the Isle just as much as you."

Uma studied her closely. She had no reason to trust the daughter of the Evil Queen. After all, her mother was the infamous Sea Witch, Ursula, alias of the sea goddess Calypso, the most notable alias alongside "Tia Dalma". Witches backstab each other, who's to say Evie won't keep her word?

“Evie’s word is good, Uma. You can trust her." Mal insisted.

Uma held her gaze. What she saw there must have been enough. Slowly, she opened her golden shell necklace, placed the ember inside, and snapped it shut. “I’ll keep it safe. Because if you think I trust you clowns to save the world on your own, think again.”

She flashed a grin at Harry and Gil. “This is a job for pirates!”

The three reunited with a raucous cheer, hooting in triumph.

Mal grimaced. Jay leaned close and muttered what they were both thinking. “We can always go back to hating each other after.”

“Fine,” Mal growled, arms crossed.

Jay turned on Harry and Gil, his stride full of menace. “Where are our bikes?”

Gil brightened. “We crashed them.”

Harry pantomimed the fiery wreck with glee. Mal’s hands glowed with purple energy while her green eyes glow emerald, her temper sparking—but Harry held up his hands. “Easy, girl.”

Evie broke in with false cheer. “Here’s a thought: we try being friends. Put the past behind us. Ben says we’ve got to respect each other. No more headbutts, no more witch fights.” She jingled her red wristlet, which rattled with blue gum spheres. “Who wants gum?”

Everyone just stared at her. Seriously? Gum?

“Let’s go,” Uma ordered her crew.

“No,” Mal stopped her. “I’m in charge. Audrey’s rampage is my fault, and it’s on me to stop her.” She hesitated, then gave her command. “Let’s move.”

And so the strangest alliance Auradon had ever seen—villains, pirates, and frenemies alike—began their march across the magical bridge toward destiny.

Chapter Text

Ben paced his palace bedroom, cell phone clutched in his right hand, his left hand raking furiously through his hair. He was trying to project full king mode—commanding, decisive, untouchable—but his movements edged closer to his father’s infamous beastly pacing. Every order he gave carried both authority and a tremor of desperation.

“No, no! I want the Auradon guard handing out gas masks. Not everyone is asleep!” he barked into the phone. He didn’t wait for a reply before hurling it onto his bed, frustration boiling over. His gaze darted to the royal attendant standing stiffly at the door.

“Find out if anyone’s seen Audrey,” Ben ordered, his voice dropping into a low growl.

The attendant bowed his head in acknowledgment and rushed out, leaving Ben alone with his fraying composure.

The room suddenly felt suffocating. Ben tore open the collar of his blue-and-yellow leather jacket, loosening the constriction at his throat, then collapsed into his chair with a long, angry sigh. He leaned back, staring up at the gilded ceiling, the weight of the kingdom pressing hard on his chest.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck… Audrey,” he muttered, each word sharper than the last. “Seriously?”

He sat there in that heavy silence, chest heaving, when the hairs on the back of his neck rose. Something was wrong. His beast instincts—usually buried beneath his calm royal exterior—flared awake. He straightened in the chair just as a figure emerged from the shadows behind him.

Audrey.

Her transformation stole his breath. She looked like some vision out of a twisted fairytale: elegant, lethal, stunningly evil. Her smile was too wide, too cheerful for the darkness that cloaked her.

“I’m here to offer a deal,” she purred, stepping forward. “I’ll wake everyone up right now—under one itty-bitty condition, Benny-Boo.” Her fingers trailed slowly up his arm until she cupped his face, her nails grazing his skin. “Make me your queen, and we’ll rule side by side.”

From Audrey’s perspective, this was destiny. She belonged on that throne—it was her birthright, not Mal’s. She had been raised for this life, bred for royalty. This was the culmination of everything she’d been denied.

Ben froze, staring at her. The crown, the power, the venom dripping from her voice—it wasn’t her. At least, not the girl he had once known. Carefully, he reached up and removed her hand from his cheek.

“Did someone cast a spell on you?” he asked softly, still searching her eyes for some trace of the old Audrey. “Just tell me who, and I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” she snapped, her tone sharp but her grin unyielding. “Marry them? Try to win them over like you always do? Be part of the solution?” She tilted her head, venom gleaming in her gaze. “Most people get dumped because they’re not good enough. I wasn’t bad enough. How do you like me now, Benny-Boo?”

She twirled, showing off her new form with almost theatrical flair. The sugary pink frills she’d once worn were gone, replaced by dark mauve satin, black lace, and a flourish of feathers. The Queen’s crown glittered atop her head, sealing her rebirth. She was no longer a princess of perfection—she was an sorceress of shadows.

Ben exhaled, slow and steady, meeting her eyes. “I like the old Audrey better,” he said earnestly. “The Audrey who wouldn’t hurt Auradon—or anyone.” He extended his hand, his palm open and steady. “Just give me the scepter. I owe you an apology. A real one. For a very long time.”

Audrey faltered, her smile twitching, but he pressed on.

“I’m sorry for humiliating you, for dumping you publicly while under Mal’s spell. I should have apologized long before this. My life, my position—it’s left me so little room to truly see people. But I see you now. I mean it. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I just want you to know you matter. You’re better than this, Audrey.”

For a split second, something broke in her façade. His words pierced straight through the armor she’d built. This—acknowledgment, apology, validation—was what she had wanted from him all along.

But her grip on the scepter tightened. She had the power of Maleficent in her hands, and surrendering now felt impossible. Her lips twisted back into a snarl.

“No! It’s too late, Ben! Sleeping is too good for you!”

Her eyes burned with malice as she thrust the scepter forward. A crackling surge of violet magic shot toward him.

Ben’s instincts saved him. With a burst of beastly strength and agility, he vaulted out of his chair, narrowly dodging the hex as it scorched the wall behind him. He lunged for the door, muscles straining, claws of adrenaline tearing at him.

Audrey shrieked in frustration, the sound echoing in the cavernous room. To be defied by him—her weakest victim, the pampered king-puppy—was unbearable.

“You can run, but you can’t hide, Benjamin!” she roared. “Not when your country is at my mercy!”

She stormed to the balcony, the scepter blazing with dark energy. Her eyes swept across the kingdom below, glittering with mad delight.

“Sleeping is too good for Auradon!”

She thrust the scepter skyward. A violent flash burst across the horizon, a wave of malevolent power flooding the kingdoms.

At that very moment, Fairy Godmother sprinted up the museum steps, reaching for her wand—her last defense against Audrey’s chaos. But the curse struck her like lightning. In an instant, she froze to stone, her face locked in shock and fear.

Across Auradon, hundreds of others met the same fate, their bodies petrified mid-motion, turned into cold statues under Audrey’s dark enchantment.

Audrey lowered the scepter, her chest heaving, a cruel smile curving her lips as she surveyed the devastation from the scepter's green orb.

“Let’s play, Ben,” she whispered to the day, her voice dripping with wicked delight. “We’ll see how long you last.”

Chapter Text

The ragtag band of villain kids crossed the glittering bridge, the magic fading behind them as their boots hit solid ground on Auradon’s side. They hiked along the rocky coastline, salt spray misting the air, then wound their way up the road that curved toward the famous gates of Auradon Prep.

Nothing could have prepared them for what awaited.

The sprawling green lawn—usually alive with chatter, song, and music spilling from the quad—was now eerily silent. Dozens of students lay scattered across the grass, curled like children in an enchanted sleep. A girl’s pom-poms lay beside her limp hand, a tuba gleamed in the sunlight, abandoned mid-parade. A book rested face-down on the lap of a boy who hadn’t finished the page.

“They’re asleep,” Evie whispered, her voice hushed with awe and fear as her eyes swept across the motionless bodies.

Phones were drawn immediately. Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos each tried theirs, hoping against reason for a signal, for some explanation. But the screens stayed stubbornly blank.

“I can’t get Ben,” Mal admitted at last, her tone sharper than she meant it to be. She forced her face to stay hard, though inside her heart pounded. Ben had to be Audrey’s target—him, and her. Especially her. The memory gnawed at her: that stupid love-spell cookie she’d slipped him once, a desperate scheme for Fairy Godmother’s wand. She had been the beginning of this tangled mess, and Audrey’s fury burned straight back to that betrayal.

“Nothing from Dizzy or Doug either,” Evie added anxiously. “I tried Ally, Lonnie, Freddie, Jordan—no one.”

Carlos glanced down at his phone, shaking his head. “Signal’s gone. Not Jane, not Aziz, not Herkie… it’s like Auradon’s gone dark.”

Jay’s brow furrowed, his voice grim. “Even the Anti-Heroes Club isn’t answering.” He shook his phone as though the act might change reality, but the silence remained.

Mal exhaled, pressing her fingers to her temples before lowering them again. “Then we have no choice. We need to find Ben,” she said firmly. “He’s still out there. And with Audrey… who knows what she’s done to him.”

Celia, who had wandered a few steps ahead, wasn’t listening. Her wide eyes bounced from tower to tower until her jaw dropped completely. Before her loomed the largest, most spectacular building she had ever seen: the shining spires and stonework of Auradon Prep itself.

“Is that… Auradon Prep?” she gasped.

“Yeah,” Carlos said, his lips quirking into a smile despite the tension. “And when everybody wakes up, you’re going to love it here.”

Celia clapped her hands together, excitement bubbling through her fear. “Yes!” For a fleeting second, her troubles melted. She was going to school. A real school. In Auradon. She drank in every window, every polished stone, every banner snapping in the breeze.

Carlos’s ears perked. He spotted something familiar under a picnic table near the quad. His face split into a grin. “Dude?” he cried.

Sure enough, his trusty mutt was perched beneath the table, happily gnawing on a hot dog still clutched in the hand of a snoring student. Dude paused mid-chew, belched loudly, and looked up guiltily.

“Dude, really?” Carlos asked, fighting laughter.

“He wasn’t eating it,” Dude barked drily, licking ketchup off his muzzle.

Carlos crouched, serious now. “Dude, do you know what happened here?”

The dog’s ears twitched. “Yeah. Audrey threw a tantrum, put everybody to sleep, and went looking for Ben. Oh, and then some of them—”

“Guys!” Evie’s sharp cry cut him off. She was pointing toward the edge of the quad.

They turned.

There, only a few feet from Dude, stood Hannah—frozen in solid stone, her marching band uniform captured in perfect detail. She had been petrified mid-step, drum major baton locked in her hand.

A chill swept the group.

“Alright, everyone, stay on your toes,” Jay warned, scanning the lawn, hand on his weapon. Sleeping students, stone victims—the message was clear. Audrey’s magic was growing stronger.

Uma’s eyes lingered on the looming doors of Auradon Prep. “Since we’re here, we should check the school,” she suggested briskly. Without waiting, she strode toward the entrance, Harry, Gil, and Celia trailing her.

“No.” Mal’s voice rang with authority. She stood tall, Evie, Carlos, and Jay flanking her. “Dude said Audrey was looking for Ben. That means the palace. If she finds him first…” Mal’s throat tightened. “Who knows what the scepter will make her do to him.”

Uma whirled around, eyes flashing. “Says who?”

“Says me.” Mal stepped forward, her jaw set, her body language daring Uma to challenge her.

Uma did not flinch. “And that’s supposed to mean something to me?”

The air between them sizzled with tension, two leaders nose-to-nose, neither willing to bend.

Evie slipped between them, her voice steady, her expression imploring. “Stop it. Ben’s life is at stake. We owe it to him. After the love spells, after the kidnapping—he has every right to hate us. But he didn’t. He believed in us. He chose to believe in us. We have to be worthy of that. Just this once, put your differences aside.”

Uma’s lips pressed into a thin line. Her gaze flicked from Evie’s desperate sincerity to Mal’s stubborn glare. At last, with a sigh, she yielded.

“Fine,” she muttered.

Mal exhaled, exhaustion showing in her shoulders. “Then it’s settled. To the castle.”

The midday sun blazed overhead as the mismatched alliance—villains, pirates, and one very chatty dog—set their course for the palace, a strange and fragile unity binding them together. In the distance, the spires of Auradon’s heart gleamed, and somewhere inside, Ben waited. Or suffered. And Audrey, drunk on power, was still on the hunt.

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Mal’s boots pounded against the polished marble floor of the palace, the echoes of her footsteps carrying down the vast, glittering hall. Her breath came fast, her pulse quick, and her thoughts raced even quicker. Behind her, the rest of the mismatched crew followed, their own footsteps filling the silence like a frantic drumbeat.

“Ben could be asleep anywhere,” Mal muttered, her voice tight with panic.

“Or turned to stone,” Celia piped up, her voice squeaky with fear—until Evie swiftly clamped a hand over the younger girl’s mouth, shooting her a warning look.

“Don’t even say that,” Evie whispered sharply.

“Ben!” Mal shouted, her voice echoing from wall to wall. The empty hall threw her desperation back at her, but no reply came. Just silence.

Dude, nose to the ground, sniffed vigorously before his ears perked up. “I’ve got someone’s scent,” he said between snuffles. “Not Ben, but close. Really strong cologne. Kind of… pungent. Easy to follow. This way!” His tail wagged once before he darted ahead.

“Hold up,” Uma said suddenly, halting in front of a wall. Her dark eyes narrowed as she traced her fingers across deep claw marks gouged into the stone. They ran jagged and violent, the kind of marks no normal blade could leave. Her hand paused at a shredded tapestry and then at a framed map of old Auradon—“Beast’s Castle” written at the top—that had been sliced clean in half.

Carlos swallowed hard. “Uh, any chance that was already there?” His voice cracked slightly as he glanced around the wreckage. The royal-blue curtains hung in tatters, shredded as though by massive claws. The scratches in the wall stretched far down the corridor, a violent breadcrumb trail.

Evie’s eyes went wide, horror dawning on her. “If it’s not Ben,” she whispered, “then it’s his dad…” She trailed off, her breath catching. “Audrey turned him into a beast.”

A heavy silence fell.

“…Crap,” Jay muttered flatly.

“Crap,” echoed Carlos.

“The Beast,” Harry said with an odd gleam in his eye, “is the Beast again.”

Mal’s heart clenched. “We have to find Ben. Now.” Her tone was urgent, commanding. “My gut says Audrey turned his dad back into the Beast just to hurt him—maybe even sic Adam on him. She’s cruel enough to do it.”

“We’ll get to him before she does, Mal,” Jay said firmly, determination shining in his eyes.

“Follow me,” Dude barked, already bounding down the hall.

The group hurried after him, weaving through corridor after corridor until they spilled into the palace’s hall of armor. Sunlight filtered through a domed stained-glass ceiling, scattering fractured rainbows over rows of gleaming knights standing at attention. Murals of ancient battles stretched across the walls, knights charging into war, banners raised high.

Harry lingered, his eyes catching on the rows of glittering relics—shields embossed with golden lions, jeweled hilts, and swords sharpened to deadly points. His fingers itched. A few small treasures could vanish into his coat pocket, and no one would know.

“A can feel ye hingin’ aboot,” Harry muttered without turning when Jay appeared silently behind him.

“Good,” Jay growled. He gave Harry a rough shove to keep him moving. He didn’t trust the pirate for a second, and he vowed to keep his eyes glued to him.

Across the hall, Uma smirked at Mal, her arms folded. “Bet you lost a little sleep thinking about me running free.”

Mal didn’t even blink. “Nah. Dragons don’t really lose sleep.” She tilted her head, feigning thought. “Though I have always wondered what fried octopus tastes like.”

Uma’s smile vanished into a scowl.

Evie groaned, stepping between them and planting her hands on her hips. “Okay, why don’t we not do this?”

“We’re celebrating our differences,” Uma said sweetly, her sarcasm dripping like poison.

CLASH!

Everyone froze.

One of the suits of armor clicked its heels together on its pedestal. Slowly, with creaking metal, the knight turned to face them.

“A reckon we’re gettin’ a challenge,” Harry said, his hook glinting as he raised it into the air. A feral grin tugged at his lips. Finally—something he understood.

But Mal and Uma were still too focused on one-upping each other.

“Let’s all split up and look for Audrey,” Uma suggested, her eyes sharp.

“That makes no sense,” Mal shot back immediately. “Unless you want to hand me the ember. She’ll spell you if you go off alone.” Mal’s patience was thinning. How much longer could she deal with this?

Harry coughed loudly. “Lasses! We’ve a bit o’ a pickle here,” he interrupted, jerking his head toward the armor.

The knight raised its sword and spoke with a chilling echo. Audrey’s voice dripped out of the hollow helm.

“Greetings, my subjects,” the suit intoned. “Sorry about King Adam—he isn’t feeling himself right now. And as for Ben? Well, he’s somewhere on a wild goose chase.”

Mal’s fists clenched. “What did you do to him? Audrey, if you laid a finger on him, I swear—”

“You’ll what?” Audrey’s mocking tone cut her off. “Turn into a dragon and destroy everything? Just like Mommy wanted?”

Mal’s jaw tightened. Audrey had struck a nerve, but she wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing it.

“You like a grand prince, Mal?” Audrey cooed. “How about a knight in shining armor instead? Or… knights?”

With a swift swing of its sword, the lead knight signaled the others. One by one, every suit of armor rattled to life, swords sliding from their sheaths. Metal clanked as the entire hall filled with the sound of marching steel.

Mal and Uma exchanged a look—equal parts fear and fury. Then, as one, the VKs spun toward the exit—only to find two armored knights already blocking it, blades gleaming in the fractured sunlight.

Gil grabbed two swords from a nearby rack, tossing one to Uma. Jay followed quickly, pulling several more from their mounts and tossing a blade to Mal with unerring precision. Harry snatched the very sword he’d been eyeing earlier, a grin splitting his face.

Uma leaped onto a tall platform in the center of the room. “Fall back! Let me lead!” she barked.

But Mal vaulted up beside her, raising her sword high. It shimmered faintly, as if humming in resonance with her magic. “Swords in the air if you’re with me!”

Uma didn’t move. Instead, she smirked, stepping forward with a spin of her turquoise hair. She would not be Mal’s soldier.

Evie, exasperated, shoved herself between them. “Not now! We are outnumbered. The only way we win is if we work together. Three witches, one demigod. That gives us an edge—if we stop fighting each other.”

The enchanted knights moved with eerie military precision. In one sweeping motion, they charged.

The hall erupted into chaos. Steel clashed, sparks flew, and magic lit the air in streaks of green and gold. Mal’s eyes flared bright emerald as she fought, Evie weaving her magic into defensive bursts while Uma’s necklace glowed with divine light. Jay and Gil swung with brute strength, Carlos darted between knights with nimble speed, Harry laughed maniacally as he parried, and Celia ducked behind a fallen shield with Dude barking ferociously at her side.

But the knights were relentless. Their swords moved so fast they blurred, their attacks coordinated and merciless. One by one, the VKs began to stumble, exhaustion dragging at their limbs. Mal’s chest heaved, her grip slipping as her sword arm trembled.

Then—an idea.

“Uma!” Mal shouted, pushing through the chaos.

Their swords met in the center of the hall as a knight lunged at them. At the same instant, Mal channeled the full force of her fairy magic while Uma drew power from her golden seashell necklace. The two energies collided, green fire and oceanic gold intertwining as their blades struck.

The impact sent a shockwave ripping through the hall. One by one, the knights froze mid-strike, their armor rattling before crashing lifelessly to the floor. The hall fell silent, the only sound the VKs’ heavy breathing.

Mal lowered her sword slowly. “Audrey knows we’re here. She’s taunting us. We have to move—fast. We need to find Ben. And his dad.”

“Where do we hunt this cheerleader bunk down? If she's not here, we can find where she's holed up somewhere else.” Uma demanded, still gripping her sword.

“She’s still in the dorms,” Evie said quickly.

“Because of summer school,” Mal explained grimly. “Audrey likes to stay ahead of everyone.”

Harry wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Summer school? Ha! No wonder she’s wantin’ revenge.”

Mal turned to the boys—Jay, Carlos, Gil, Harry, and Dude. “I need you to find Ben and his dad. If you can, find Jane and Fairy Godmother too. We’ll need FG’s wand if things go bad with Audrey and the scepter.”

Carlos hesitated, eyeing her suspiciously. “You sure about this, M?”

“Yes,” Mal insisted, her voice urgent. “The ember, the wand—they’re our only shot against my mother’s scepter. Two hours. Meet back at Evie’s place.”

Uma smirked, arms crossed. “Sounds like we’re going with my plan.”

“It was the obvious plan,” Mal muttered.

“Uma said it first,” Gil piped up cheerfully.

“Right, so my plan,” Uma declared, smirking proudly. She high-fived Harry and Gil.

Mal threw her arms in the air. “Fine! Your plan. Whatever.”

Together, the battered but unbroken group left the hall of fallen knights, the echo of their footsteps fading into the palace’s depths as the sunlight dimmed overhead. Somewhere in the castle, Audrey waited—with Ben caught in the crossfire.