Do What You Gotta Do - a Descendants fanfic - Hades Maleficent

Chapter 32

But his laughter died down shortly after, the thrill of wreaking havoc just wasn't the same anymore. "Yet year after year, it's the same routine. And I grow so weary of the sound of screams. And I, Hades, the Underworld's King! Have grown so tired of the same old thing."

He continued to walk until he came to another alley, this one on the fringes of the Isle and allowed him a direct view to Auradon. The city shone brightly like a beacon promising joy and happiness. Hades had never felt the allure. . . until Auradon became the place where his children were. "Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones, an emptiness began to grow. There's something out there, far from my home, a longing that I've never known."

He turned from the sight and headed back into the shadows and grunginess of the Isle. He popped out at a new market and people screamed and scattered as he laughed loudly. "I'm the master of fright, and a demon of light. And I'll scare you right out of your pants. To a guy in Kentucky, I'm Mister Unlucky, and I'm known throughout England and France. And since I rule the dead, I can ignite my head, while reciting Shakespearean quotations. No animal nor man can scream like I can! With the fury of my recitations."

At the end of the road was a poster displaying a drawing of Mal and her king. Another one nearby had writing that declared the end of the embargo, courtesy of Drac. And Hades once more felt his joy from destroying others day dissolve as an emptiness filled his heart.

"But who here would ever understand, that the Underworld's King with the skeleton grin, would tire of his crown, if they only understood. He'd give it all up if he only could."

He placed his sunglasses over his eyes, not to shield them from the sun, but to hide the sadness in them.

"Oh, there's an empty place in my bones, that calls out for something unknown. The fame and praise come year after year, does nothing for these empty tears."

- - LONG LIVE EVIL - -

The quiet held all the way across the bridge Mal stayed reserved and to herself, which Drac and Evie noticed. After they returned the limo to the garage the five of them were walked across the lawn back to the dorms. Noon had come and gone and many of the students were outside at tables or on picnic blankets talking or studying. Lonnie left to return the swords and Drac remembered that he was still carrying around a scepter that he absolutely was not supposed to be in possession of.

Then Jane walked over to them and pulled Ben aside. When she started going on about Cotillion stuff again it gave Drac a reality check. After all they'd been through in the past twenty four hours and life in Auradon was as normal as ever. Tea parties and sporting events. Who beat who and who wore what. Ben seemed to be hit by the shock too and turned to Mal and asked if she wanted him to cancel the whole thing.

"Ummm." Jane said overhearing his sentence, "You know what? I can come back but like, really, really soon."

"No, no, now's fine." Ben said when Mal gave no answer and he clearly didn't want to keep Jane waiting. The poor girl looked frazzled enough as it was given that she'd been stuck with the majority of the party planning.

Ben turned to Mal and whispered, "Do what you need to do."

The words resonated with Drac and he remembered getting similar advice from his father, along with the reminder to follow his own dreams and not get caught up helping Mal chase hers.

When Ben left with Jane Evie pulled Mal away from the group.

"We need to talk."

"Yeah."

"No." Carlos called to her.

"No?" Evie asked turning around to him.

"You guys are always going off in a huddle, whispering your 'girl talk' stuff or. . . whatever. Or you and Drac disappear for hours without letting us in. And Jay and I are tired of it."