[4] Phoenix | Descendants 3

TWENTY: Forward to Fate

"How?"

"I don't know," admitted the daughter of Maleficent. "I don't know what to do anymore."

Mal ran a hand through her hair to relieve frustration. She glanced around the forest, only to do a double take when she spotted something. A gasp left her mouth at the sight of a small, fiery blue light floating in the air just a few feet away.

"What is it?" asked Ben, following her line of sight to see the flame. His hand reached out to grab his fiancée upon seeing her take a step forward. "Mal, I think we should -"

"No, Ben. It's okay," She replied, keeping her eyes on the light in front of them. The dark fairy let go of the king's hand and took small steps forward, afraid that the light would disappear if she dared move faster.

But instead of fear like her fiancé, Mal felt a sense of reassurance. She recognized the light, it was the same one from her dreams. But here it was in real life as bright and clear as ever. There was just something about the flame that was so compelling, so mesmerizing that it was drawing her in the longer she stared at it. The flame was practically calling out to her, beckoning the young girl to come closer.

"Mal..." The light said in a whispery voice when the daughter of Maleficent finally stood in front of it. Whether it was truly speaking to her or if it was all in her head she wasn't quite sure. But she knew that voice. It was the same voice that's been haunting her dreams. The voice of her father.

She reached out to the flame, to her father, only for it to disappear in a flash. But soon, other fiery lights appeared one after the other, seeming to form some sort of trail that would take them further in the forest.

"I think this is where we have to go," the dark fairy said firmly, but the king didn't share her confidence.

"Mal, I don't know about this."

She turned her head around over her shoulder to look at him. "It's okay, Ben. This is what I've been seeing in my dreams. This is how my dad's been talking to me," She explained, gesturing to floating blue lights.

"He's a Will O' the Wisp?"

"A what?" 

"From Queen Merida's tale." The king stepped forward, joining the VK at her side and slowly letting go of her hand as she did so. "You know, some say that Will O' the Wisps can lead you to your fate."

"Then forward to fate we go" Mal said as she took a large step forward once again, watching her fiancée carefully. "Besides, we don't have any other options."

"I hate how that's true," muttered Ben with a sigh before he walked forward as well, jogging a little to catch up with her. With the king at her side once more, the couple settled into a comfortable pace as they walked together through the forest with Will' O' the Wisps as their guide.

Though neither had said it aloud, both Mal and Ben were apprehensive as they followed the wisps. Neither had any idea where the wisps were taking them or what they would face when they finally arrived at their destination. But regardless of what the location was, the Will' O' the Wisps led Mal and Ben to one thing they couldn't escape: their destiny.