Descendants: Gladiator's song part 3

Here's my continuation, hope you enjoy it.

CHAPTER 5

1. RETURN TO THE UNDERWATER KINGDOM

The water closed behind me like a curtain announcing the start of a play.

Swimming toward Atlántica no longer felt like escaping… but like returning to a place where my presence now carried a different weight.

I was no longer just “Ariel’s son.”

I was a messenger.

A warrior in training.

And someone marked by an enemy still unseen.

As I passed through the coral gates, the guards greeted me with respect.

Almost reverence.

I wasn’t used to that.

And I also wasn’t used to the curved sword strapped to my belt.

A marine saber, a gift from my father.

Eric gave it to me when I turned fifteen, saying,

“A prince must know how to use more than magic. He must know how to protect those he loves… with his bare hands.”

Gripping the hilt gave me strength.

And now, more than ever, I needed that strength.

2. I BRING NEWS FROM THE SURFACE

I found Mom in the main room, surrounded by current maps, sea scrolls, and seashells that vibrated with magical messages.

When she saw me, she smiled… but her eyes were still tense.

“Adrian… Ben and Mal? What did they say?”

I floated over to her side.

“They’ll accept the alliance,” I replied. “Ben is already warning the other kingdoms. Mal is preparing magical defenses for the coasts. They said that when Atlantica is ready… Auradon will be too.”

Ariel nodded, proud but worried.

“Good. Then the union between surface and ocean will be real… as it always should have been.”

“Mom,” I took her hand, “I won’t be able to stay here long. Auradon is going to need me soon.”

Her gaze trembled. Hurt. Protective.

“I know,” she whispered. “But just for a few days… I want you here. Where I can see you. Where I know you’re safe.”

I remained silent.

I didn’t want to argue with her.

Not after what I’d been through.

And not after seeing the shadows move beneath the sea.

“I’ll stay a few days,” I finally said. “But then I’ll have to go back.”

Ariel hugged me tightly.

"That's all I ask."

3. THE CORAL WARRIORS

That same day, my training began.

The warrior mermaids of Atlántica were legendary: the Coral Guard. They carried triple-pointed spears, bracelets made of hardened shells, and reinforced tails for combat.

Their leader was Nerida, a mermaid with purple scales and a gaze as sharp as a harpoon.

"So you're the prince who fought in a coliseum of villains," she said, sizing me up. "Your fame came before you, boy of the sea."

My aunts—Attina, Alana, Arista, Aquata, Andrina, and Adella—watched from a raised platform.

Attina murmured,

“Our nephew… a gladiator?” Aquata brought a hand to her mouth. Arista smiled as if she loved the idea. Adella looked ready to write a song about it.

Nerida clapped her hands.

“Well, Prince. Let’s see if you can swim as well as you say.”

She handed me a coral spear and pointed to a combat course.

—Attack. Defense. Spins. Singing. And stamina.

Here we train for real war, not for dancing with dolphins.

I raised my spear.

—I'm ready.

My aunts blew excited bubbles.

4. THE TRAINING

Nerida moved like lightning.

She launched the first thrust.

I blocked it. I twisted my tail and counterattacked.

The clash of coral echoed in the water like a metallic note.

"Good," she said. "But it'll be better."

She increased her speed.

The water around us became a whirlwind of impacts, pressure, and swift currents.

My arms ached.

My tail burned.

But something inside me… was awakening.

My body remembered things I'd never been taught. Fluid, precise, almost instinctive movements.

As if the sea itself were guiding me.

"Adrian!" Arista shouted from the stands. "Show them what you did with the Hydra!"

"Don't tell her that!" Aquata said. "She'll want to replicate it!"

Nerida raised an eyebrow.

"Hydra?"

"It was a good day," I replied, dodging one of her lunges.

She smiled.

"Interesting."

She lunged at me with renewed force.

My sailor's saber, the one I wore on my belt, gleamed.

I drew it underwater.

The silver blade seemed made for movement in the sea.

I blocked the attack.

I spun.

And the tip of my saber lodged in her neck.

Nerida's eyes widened in surprise.

"That... I didn't expect that."

The Coral Guard erupted in cheers.

And my aunts nearly burst with pride.

Attina even murmured:

"My nephew, the gladiator warrior prince... Dad's going to faint!"

5. REST WITH MY FAMILY

After training, I floated with my aunts near a coral garden.

Adella watched me as if I were a living treasure.

"So you fought hyenas, tigers, and a hydra?"

"And you won," Aquata added.

"And you escaped from a coliseum full of villains!" Andrina shouted.

"With a princess in your arms!" Arista chimed in.

"And two new heroes following you!" Alana finished excitedly.

I covered my face, embarrassed but laughing.

"Yes… yes. That happened."

Attina swam toward me and touched my shoulder.

"We're proud. Not just of how you fight… but of how you protect. That's what makes you a son of Ariel."

My eyes softened.

"Thank you, aunts."

6. THE NIGHT AND THE HIDDEN TRUTH

That night, when I returned to the room I used as a child, I found Mom waiting for me in the doorway.

She had the same expression she'd had when she stayed awake while I trained as a child.

"Are you tired?" she asked, swimming beside me.

"Exhausted," I replied. "But it's a good kind of tired."

She smiled.

"I know you'll be leaving soon."

"Mom..." "I won't stop you," she said, touching my cheek. "But at least stay two more nights. I want to feel the sea is whole again."

I took her hand.

"Two nights," I agreed.

She hugged me, gently, almost like the caress of a calm wave.

But when I pulled away, I saw something in her eyes.

Fear. Dark.

Deep.

"Mom… what's wrong?" I asked.

She hesitated.

And that froze me.

"There's something I haven't told you," she whispered. "Something about the person who's looking for you."

My heart stopped.

Ariel continued:

"You don't know him… but he knows you."

And it won't stop.

I felt a chill run down my spine.

"Mom... what do you mean?"

She closed her eyes.

"Adrian... the enemy... is family."

End of chapter 5

CHAPTER 6

1. A SECRET AS HEAVY AS THE SEA

I had never seen my mother like this.

Ariel, the mermaid who sang against a witch, who faced storms, who defied kingdoms for love… now trembled as if the water around her had turned to ice.

My room was lit only by the blue glow of bioluminescent seaweed.

The current slowly moved the coral curtains.

And Mom, her reddish tail shimmering as if it held a lightning bolt, was breathing rapidly.

“Mom,” I began, “what did you mean? What do you mean, ‘family’?”

She closed her eyes… and a shadow passed across her face.

“I didn’t want to tell you so soon,” she whispered. “But I can’t protect you by hiding it from you anymore.

Not when he… he’s already awake.”

My heart pounded as if it would burst from my chest.

“Who is it?”

Ariel clenched her fists.

“Be prepared, Adrian. Because this name… the ocean fears it.”

2. THE NAME ERASED FROM HISTORY

Ariel swam to a deep seashell, sealed with ancient magic.

I'd only seen her use it once, when I was little and had nightmares about a dark figure under the sea.

She opened it.

The current suddenly lowered the temperature.

Inside were ancient engravings: Not of Ursula. Not of Morgana.

Another merman.

With yellow eyes.

With a cruel smile.

Ariel held the shell with both hands.

"Long ago… before I was born… before Ursula fell from grace… there was another son of the sea. A prince."

My eyes widened.

"Another… son of King Triton?"

"Yes," she replied. "Your uncle."

I felt as if water had been drained from my lungs.

"An... uncle? Why was he never mentioned?"

Ariel swallowed.

Her eyes welled with tears.

"Because my father erased him. He banished him from the ocean.

And he had his name removed from all the scrolls."

"What did he do?" I asked hoarsely.

Ariel looked directly at me.

"He wanted to control the ocean.

Not like Ursula.

Not with possessions, or contracts, or storms."

He wanted to absorb the living magic of the sea. Its very essence. The spirit that connects every tide, every current, every creature.

My heart was racing.

"That power…" "It's the same as your necklace," she finished. "A fragment of the ocean's magical core. A fragment that was denied him."

And then he said it.

A name that seemed to lower the temperature of the water:

3. THE VILLAIN WITHOUT A THRONE

"His name is Mor'dryn.

The prince who wanted to become a god."

A cold current ran through my body.

Mor'dryn.

I felt the weight of that name like an anchor sinking.

"When my father learned what he was trying to do," Ariel continued, "he gathered all the guardians of the sea. He, Morgana, Ursula… even creatures that no longer exist.

Mor'dryn was defeated.

But not destroyed."

The water trembled, unnerved.

"What did they do with him?" I asked.

Ariel lowered her gaze.

"They sealed him in an abyss.

A place where neither light nor magic reaches. An eternal silence."

"Then… how did he escape?"

Ariel shook her head.

"I don't know.

But I feel his magic in the water. That yellow shadow that spoke to you… it was his presence.

And if he managed to awaken…"

She remained silent.

I finished the sentence for her.

"He wants his power back. The power I possess."

Ariel reached for my necklace.

"That fragment is the last thing he needs to regain his full strength.

If he gets it… the ocean won't be able to contain him again."

4. WHY ME?

The question came out on its own.

"Why me, Mom? Why did you put that fragment in a necklace for me?"

Ariel took a deep breath.

"Because you were my son.

Because I wanted to protect you even before you were born."

And because I thought that if Mor'dryn ever awoke… he would be less likely to seek his magic within someone so young.

Someone the evil world didn't know.

"But he is seeking it," I said.

"Because now they know your name," she whispered. "They know you're strong. That you can fight.

And that makes you a threat.

And a target."

I remained silent.

My heart pounded like waves crashing against a rock.

"Mom…" I looked at my marine sword. "Then I have to stop him."

Ariel grabbed my arm, desperate.

"No! You're not going to face him alone."

Not this time.

Not anymore.

Her voice trembled.

"Adrian… your uncle Mor'dryn isn't just a villain.

He's a prince of the sea with centuries of knowledge. Ancient magic. Pure darkness.

And a resentment that has festered for generations."

My hands trembled.

Ariel came closer, resting her forehead against mine.

"I love you, my child. But if he touches you… if he takes that fragment from you… I will lose more than my son."

“What would you lose?” I asked, barely a whisper.

Ariel closed her eyes.

“I would lose the ocean.”

5. A REVELATION THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

I felt the water around us grow heavier.

“Mor’dryn knows who you are,” she continued. “He knows about Auradon.

And he knows the surface protects you. That will only make him more dangerous. More impatient.”

“Mom,” I said calmly, “Ben and Mal are going to help. Auradon is preparing. And the warrior mermaids…” “You don’t understand,” Ariel whispered. “Mor’dryn doesn’t want to rule the ocean. He wants to break it. Unleash it. Make it chaos again. Like it was before Triton’s civilization.

Before the tides had order.”

A chill ran through me that even the warm water couldn’t soothe.

Ariel took my hands.

“Adrian… you’re not just a prince.

You’re the piece he needs to break everything.

And I won’t let you become that.”

A tear mingled with the sea.

—That's why I brought you here.

That's why I asked you to stay a few days.

Because I don't want to lose you… like we lost Mor'dryn.

6. MY DECISION

I remained silent for a long time.

I could feel my uncle's shadow at the bottom of the ocean. An ancient presence. Hungry.

Watching me.

But I could also feel something else:

My mother's hand. My lightsaber, a gift from my father. The sands of Auradon awaiting my return. The voices of Ben, Mal, Ty, and Snowy.

I wasn't just a fragment of magic.

I was a bridge between two worlds.

I gently lifted Mom's face.

"I'll stay here these next few days, like I promised.

I'll train with the warriors.

I'll grow stronger.

I'll learn all the magic I can."

She smiled, though her eyes were moist.

"Thank you..."

"But afterward," I added, "I'll return to the surface. Auradon needs me.

And this enemy... I won't face it hiding."

Ariel hugged me with both tails, enveloping me like when I was a child.

"Then we'll train together," he said. "Until neither the sea nor the land can touch you without your permission."

The current gently surrounded us.

And I knew the battle had only just begun.

End of chapter 6

CHAPTER 7

1. REUNION IN AURADON: THE RETURN OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SEA

My tail transformed back into legs as I touched the damp sand, leaving a trail of scales like a memento of the ocean.

Ben and Mal were waiting for us.

The peace lasted a few seconds.

The wind changed.

So did the sea.

And a figure emerged walking from the surf, surrounded by green water that evaporated as it touched the sand.

Uma.

2. THE NEWS THAT SHATTERS ALL HOPE

“Before you get too excited,” Uma said, shaking out her wet hair, “I have bad news.”

Mal crossed her arms.

“It’s always a pleasure to see you, Uma,” she said sarcastically.

Uma ignored her and looked directly at me. Her eyes held urgency.

And fear.

“The villains are on the move. Not just the ones who control the coliseum. Others too. And they’re taking more children of heroes.”

“How many?” Ben asked, tense. “Seven more,” she replied. “Seven kids ripped from Auradon and taken to that garbage-strewn arena where you three almost died.”

I felt my blood boil.

“Who?” I asked.

Uma mentioned names.

Each one was a blow.

Each one, a loss.

Kids I knew. Friends. Training partners. Innocent.

“They’re not being given a choice,” Uma continued. “They’re being forced to fight monsters, just like you.” Ben frowned.

"How do you know all this?"

"Because I was there," Uma replied, her jaw clenched. "The pirates who serve the coliseum are old allies of mine. And when I heard they captured their Prince of the Sea..." She nodded at me. "I started investigating."

Mal raised an eyebrow.

"And why help us? What do you get out of it?"

Uma looked at her with a coldness that chilled me more than any deep current.

"Because something far worse than a coliseum is awakening beneath the ocean.

And it's looking for this one," she said, pointing at me.

The waves crashed louder, as if someone had thrown a giant rock into the sea.

“Because something far worse than a coliseum is awakening beneath the ocean.

And it’s looking for this guy,” he said, pointing at me.

The waves crashed louder, as if someone had thrown a giant rock into the sea.

I took a deep breath.

“Uma,” I said. “I need to talk to you alone. Now.”

Mal opened her mouth to protest, but Ben raised a hand.

“If Adrian asks for it, we respect that,” he said calmly.

“It’ll be quick,” I promised.

3. A CONVERSATION BETWEEN CHILDREN OF THE SEA

I led Uma a few meters from the pier, where sea spray covered our footprints.

She watched me with her arms crossed, a mixture of distrust and… guilt?

“I didn’t expect you to want to talk to me,” Uma admitted.

“You have answers,” I said. “And I need to understand why someone like you knows something about him.”

Uma lowered her gaze to the water.

“Because my mother knew many things that should never have been told.”

“My uncle Mor’dryn…” I whispered.

She nodded.

“Ursula had an ancient pact with him,” Uma replied. “Before your grandfather banished her. She told me herself.

Not to frighten me.

To warn me.

To tell me that there were powers so old that not even the gods dared to touch them.”

I felt a deep chill.

“Mor’dryn wants to take the fragment of the sea that I guard,” I said, touching the necklace.

“He wants more than that,” Uma replied, her voice deep. “He wants to break the balance between sea and land.

And according to my mother’s stories… you are the key.”

I closed my eyes for a moment.

Then I breathed.

“I’m going to be honest with you,” I said. “I find it hard to trust you.

You’re the daughter of the witch who almost killed my mother… and who tried to take her voice… and her life.”

A wave lapped at our feet.

Uma looked straight at me.

“I’m not my mother. And you’re not responsible for the mistakes of your family.”

“I know,” I replied. “And I’ll tell you something you might not expect. I don’t hold a grudge against Ursula.”

Uma blinked, surprised.

“What did you say?”

I looked at the horizon.

“If she hadn’t made that deal… Mom wouldn’t have met my father.

And I wouldn’t be here.

So… in a way, I owe her my existence.”

Uma didn’t smile, but her shoulders lowered, as if an old tension were dissolving.

“I guess it’s… the strangest and kindest way to look at things,” she said, without sarcasm.

4. AN EXCHANGE THAT CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

“Now you tell me what you know,” Uma asked. “I need to understand what we’ll be facing if we go after those kids. What did you see in that arena? What are the beasts? The mechanisms?” The corridors?

I nodded.

"I'll tell you everything," I promised. "But in return, you'll tell me everything you know about Mor'dryn. Everything."

Uma took a step closer.

"Fine. But what I'm about to tell you... you won't like it."

"I can imagine."

I took a deep breath and began.

"The first section was a tunnel. Narrow. Dark. Hyenas come in from above. There are holes in the ceiling..." "Hyenas," Uma repeated, nodding. “Then come Shere Khan’s tigers. They have nets on the walls to attack you from above. If you move slowly… you die.”

Uma swallowed hard.

“And the hydra? It’s rumored they used it more than once.”

“It’s not a rumor. The hydra is chained in the center… but it can break its chains if the coliseum wants an extra show.”

I continued explaining everything: the corridors, the traps, the hidden mechanisms.

The smell of blood in the arena.

The shouts of the villainous crowd.

Uma listened in silence.

Finally, she spoke.

"Thank you. That... that can save lives."

"Now it's your turn," I said.

Uma turned toward the sea, as if she needed the strength of the water to speak.

"Mor'dryn doesn't just want your magic, Adrian. He wants to do something bigger.

He wants to absorb your mother's power."

My breath caught in my throat.

"What?"

"If he takes Ariel's magic, he can manipulate the entire ocean. He wouldn't need artifacts, rituals, or allies anymore. The sea would be his slave."

My hands clenched into fists.

“I won’t allow it.”

“That’s why I came,” Uma replied. “Because to face him… all the children of the sea must stand together.”

I was surprised to realize that those words… felt true.

Uma extended her hand.

“Allies?”

I looked at her.

I remembered the coliseum.

I remembered the shadow on the sea.

I remembered Mor’dryn’s voice in my mind.

I shook her hand.

“Allies.”

5. BACK TO MAL AND BEN

When we returned to Ben and Mal, both couples looked at us suspiciously.

"Everything alright?" Ben asked.

"We have a plan," I replied.

And a new ally."

Mal snorted.

"Ally is a strong word for—" "For someone who knows how to save our friends," I interrupted.

Uma lifted her chin.

"Whether they like it or not… they need me."

Ben looked at her seriously.

"So tell us, Uma. What should we do?"

5. BACK TO MAL AND BEN

When we returned to Ben and Mal, both couples looked at us suspiciously.

"Everything alright?" Ben asked.

"We have a plan," I replied.

And a new ally."

Mal snorted.

"Ally is a strong word for—" "For someone who knows how to save our friends," I interrupted.

Uma lifted her chin.

"Whether they like it or not… they need me."

Ben looked at her seriously.

"So tell us, Uma. What should we do?"

She looked at me.

I nodded.

Those were the first words of a war.

"First," Uma said, "prepare.

Because what's coming..."

She looked me in the eyes, and I felt a cold shiver run through me.

"...it's not just a rescue.

It's a storm.

And it's already begun."

End of chapter 7

CHAPTER 8

1. AURADON FEELS STRANGE WHEN EVERYTHING IS CALM

The castle was too quiet.

After escaping the coliseum, after talking with Ben, Mal, and Uma… after thinking about all the children of heroes who were still trapped…

My mind wouldn't shut up.

That's why I jumped when Snowy approached me in the hallway.

"Adrian… can we talk for a moment?" she asked in a voice so soft it almost melted me.

I nodded, unsure what to expect.

We entered a small room off the corridor.

The wind drifted in through the window, stirring the strands of her dark hair.

There was something about her expression… something I'd never seen before.

Something that made me tremble slightly.

2. THE THANK YOU I WASN'T READY TO HEAR

Snowy took a deep breath and looked me straight in the eyes.

"I need to tell you something," she said. "Something I've kept to myself since we left the coliseum."

I tried to speak, but she placed a finger to my lips.

"Thank you."

I froze.

"Snowy… I only did what I had to—"

"No, Adrian. You did more. Much more."

She took another step closer.

“You freed me from the mast.

You caught me when I fell.

You sang to protect us.

You carried me across the water when you could barely stand yourself.

And you fought… you fought to the very end so that Ty and I could get out of that horrible place alive.”

I looked down.

“It wasn’t enough. I was about to—”

“Adrian!” she interrupted, touching my arm. “It was more than anyone would have done.”

My heart leaped.

And before I could say anything else…

She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

Slow. Soft. Warm.

And then…

IT GLOWED!

I felt a spark run across my skin.

When I pulled away from her, Snowy covered her mouth, horrified and red as a tomato.

“Oh no!” she exclaimed. “I think… I left a mark!”

I touched my cheek.

And yes. There it was. A pink, magical, luminous lip print.

“W-was that… a spell?” I asked, almost stuttering.

"I-I don't know..." she replied. "I think I inherited more emotional magic from Mom than I realized. I'm sorry... although... well... I don't completely regret it."

My heart decided to stop beating for a second.

3. WHAT WEIGHED ME INSIDE

I wanted to thank her, but instead, I ended up saying what I'd been holding back for days.

"Snowy… I'm not as strong as everyone thinks."

She looked at me, confused.

"What do you mean, 'not'?"

"My mom always says I inherited my grandfather Triton's energy for swimming long distances… and even so…" I swallowed hard, "I got tired. I couldn't get them to Auradon alone. My arms were shaking.

And if my aunts hadn't arrived… I wouldn't have made it."

Snowy took a step toward me, her gaze as soft as a warm wave.

"And that embarrasses you?"

I couldn't answer.

I didn't want to admit it.

But she cupped my face in her hands, as if she could read my thoughts.

"Adrian… that doesn't make you weak. It makes you human.

And a merman, too.

And someone who gives everything for those he loves. Families help each other. Yours do too. Here in Auradon, that's what we do."

I looked down.

And I saw the scratch on my arm. The one Shenzi left when she rammed me.

Snowy touched it gently.

"She did this to you, didn't she?"

"Yes," I admitted. "But it hardly hurts anymore."

She rolled her eyes.

"You always say that.

But I know it hurts."

I chuckled softly.

She was much more perceptive than she seemed.

4. INTERRUPTED

And then…

BANG!

The door burst open.

“Adrian!” Ty burst in, panting. “Your sister Melody’s here and she wants to see you. She’s worried, and I—”

He stopped.

First, he noticed how close we were.

Then he saw the shiny mark on my cheek.

His eyes widened.

“Oh… uhm… okay… I… nothing… forget I exist.”

He backed out of the room as if he’d seen a ghost.

Snowy and I remained silent.

I touched my cheek again, desperate.

"Snowy! What if someone sees this?! What if Mom sees it?! What if Melody thinks I hit myself with a love potion or something worse?! What if—"

Snowy let out a soft laugh.

"Don't worry. You can say it was… a magical accident."

"Accident?"

"Yeah, we have tons of those in Auradon." Sounds totally believable.

"Snowy…"

"Go to your sister," he said, touching my hand. "Then… we can talk more." I stood still for a moment. So did she.

She seemed to want to say something more. So did I.

But she only said:

"And Adrian… if anyone asks you about the mark…"

My heart leapt.

"Tell them the truth. Tell them it was from someone very grateful."

I couldn't help but smile.

I went out into the hallway trying to cover my cheek…

But part of me never wanted the mark to disappear.

Ty was outside waiting. "It's not just Melody." He added. "It's all our families coming to see us."

Snowy hurried out of the room as well.

5. TY AND HIS PACK

Later on, Ty was surrounded. Literally surrounded.

Jane wasn't the only one to receive an emotional reunion.

Tarzan's gorilla pack had come with Tarzan and Jane Porter from deep within the Auradon jungle. Five enormous gorillas beat their chests with pride, celebrating the boy who had escaped the coliseum and survived Shere Khan, hyenas, and other horrors.

Ty laughed like a child, though he tried to look tough.

"Stop, stop, they're going to crush me!" he laughed as one of them lifted him up like a breeding ape.

Tarzan placed a hand on his shoulder, a proud look on his face.

"You fought. You endured. You made it home. That makes you worthy of the pack."

The gorillas roared in unison.

And Ty, who always tried to hide how he truly felt, brought a hand to his face.

He was crying.

But they were good tears.

6 SNOWY AND THE TRUTH HER PARENTS NEEDED

On one side of the garden, Snowy was reunited with her parents: Snow White and Prince Florian.

She spoke so fast she could barely breathe.

"And then Adrian used his siren song and the pirates froze! And then Ty killed the hydra, Dad, a real hydra! And Uma helped us escape when the guards surrounded us! And Adrian carried us both when we couldn't swim!"

Snow White clutched her chest, weeping uncontrollably.

Florian hugged her, trembling.

"Thank you," he said when Snowy pointed at me. "Thank you for bringing our daughter back."

I didn't know what to say.

I didn't know how to receive praise.

I only knew that anyone would have done the same for them.

7 MY SISTER

She was the last person I met after the rest of the families came to see us.

Her long, dark hair was completely soaked from crossing the shore to greet me. Her eyes were clouded with tears, but her smile was as bright as a rising sun.

“Adrian!” she shouted before throwing herself on top of me.

I hugged her tightly. Her weight, her warmth, the way she clung to my back… It was real.

I was alive.

She was safe.

“Mel, I’m okay,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

She pulled away just enough to look me up and down.

“You were kidnapped… they made you fight monsters!” she burst out indignantly. “Mom practically moved heaven and earth to find you. And Dad… Dad’s holding three diplomatic meetings a day. He’s going crazy. He didn’t want to show it, but you can hear it in his voice.”

I smiled wearily.

"Dad always does more than he should."

"And so does Mom," Melody replied proudly.

She took my arm.

"They maintain the balance between both worlds, Adrian. She in the ocean, he on the surface… but if you're gone… that balance breaks."

I felt a lump in my throat.

Because she was right.

And because I still didn't know how to tell her that Mor'dryn… the abyssal magic hunter… was coming for me.

And he would come for our parents if necessary.

Melody stared at me.

"What aren't you telling me?"

I swallowed.

"Later, Mel. I can't yet."

She squeezed my hands, not insisting.

"Okay. But I'm not going to let you carry him alone."

I loved her for that, even though the fear was still there, hidden behind my ribs.

8 A TRUTH I DIDN'T EXPECT

"There's something you don't know either," Melody said suddenly, glancing to the side.

Only then did I notice Jane, the Fairy Godmother's daughter.

She was sitting on a garden bench, her hands clasped over her stomach.

She seemed calmer than usual… but also more fragile.

Melody lowered her voice.

"I've been looking after her since you… disappeared. I didn't want her to be alone."

"Why?" I asked.

Melody took a deep breath.

"Because... she's pregnant, Adrian."

I froze.

My throat went dry.

"Who...?"

Melody looked down.

"Carlos."

My heart clenched.

Carlos De Vil... the boy who had gone from being the most scared in Auradon to one of the bravest... the one who had defended Ben, Jay, Evie... and all of us...

Carlos wasn't alive to see his child.

Melody touched my arm.

“For Evie, for Jay, for Ben… that baby means something enormous. Something Carlos left in this world.”

“And Jane?” I asked.

“She’s broken,” Melody whispered, “but strong. Like Mom when she lost her voice… and got it back. Like you… when you came back from the coliseum.”

I looked at Jane. She gave me a soft, tired, but genuine smile.

She didn’t know that I knew.

She didn’t know that I was already vowing to protect her child… her future.

9 UMA AND THE ALLIANCE

While everyone gathered, Uma remained silent. Observing.

Thinking.

I felt I should approach her.

"Uma…" I began.

She raised her hand.

"We'll talk about it later. What I know about the villain of the sea… it's best to discuss it in private."

I nodded.

She trusted me.

And I was beginning to trust her.

Even though our families had a difficult past.

10 WHAT I STILL CAN'T SAY

Melody came back to my side.

"Ready to tell me?" she asked gently.

I shook my head.

Not yet.

Not while Mor'dryn was so close.

Not while danger loomed over everyone I loved.

Melody didn't press the issue.

She just hugged me.

"When the time comes, I'll be here," she whispered.

I hugged her back.

Because she was my anchor.

My other half out of the sea.

And even though I didn't know it yet…

the enemy that threatened our family… the magic of the ocean… and me…

was already watching us.

End of chapter 8

CHAPTER 9 (3rd person narrative)

1. THE ENCOUNTER NO ONE WAS PREPARED TO FACE

The sunset in Auradon was a soft, golden hue, as if the entire castle were breathing a sigh of relief after the recent chaos.

But for four people—Mal, Ben, Evie, and Jay—that sunset felt different.

Evie was the first to stop.

"Guys… look."

On a garden bench, beneath a tree laden with blue blossoms, Jane rested with her hands on her stomach. Her skirt was stretched a little more than usual.

Her breathing was deep and calm.

But there was something else.

Her pregnancy… had progressed.

Far more than anyone remembered.

Ben let out a breath as if the blow had taken him by surprise.

"Wow..." he whispered.

Jay lowered his gaze, arms crossed, swallowing hard.

Mal took a step forward, and another, and another... as if something were pulling her toward Jane.

Evie was already crying, though she tried to hide it by quickly wiping her cheeks.

Because everyone knew the truth. They had all kept it silent, protecting Jane as best they could.

Carlos wasn't there. He wouldn't be.

And he would never meet the son he had left behind.

2. JANE REALIZES

Jane lifted her head when she heard footsteps, and a soft smile formed on her lips.

"Hi…" she said, with that trembling, sweet voice she'd always had.

Evie was the first to hug her.

"Jane… look at you… you look so… so…"

"Real," Jane finished with a small sigh. "Yes, that's what Melody said last time."

It doesn't seem like a dream anymore.

Or something impossible.

Mal took a deep breath.

She felt an unexpected lump in her throat.

She wasn't one to cry in public.

But this… this was different.

"How are you feeling?" Mal asked, in the soft tone she only used with those she loved.

Jane ran a hand over her belly.

"Good. Sometimes… very tired. Sometimes, very happy. And… sometimes I still find it hard not to cry. I feel like… like he already knows me.

Like he knows who his father was."

Jay sat beside her, resting his elbows on her knees.

"He knows," he murmured. "And he'll be proud."

Jane smiled, and in that moment, she looked stronger than ever.

3. THE WEIGHT OF A MEMORY THAT STILL HURTS

Ben knelt before her.

"Jane… may I?"

She nodded.

Ben gently placed his hand on her stomach. He said nothing for a few seconds. He just closed his eyes.

Evie and Mal watched in silence. Jay did too, but he looked away when a memory struck him.

Carlos's laughter. His inventions. His Dalmatian costume. His adorable clumsiness. His bravery.

His kindness.

Ben opened his eyes as he felt a movement beneath his hand.

"It moved…"

Jane laughed softly.

"It always does that when it hears familiar voices. I think it recognizes everyone Carlos loved."

Mal pressed a hand to his chest, right where that thought hurt the most.

Carlos had been his friend. His chosen family. His brother in every way.

And now… he was gone.

But a part of him still lived on. In Jane.

In that baby.

In the promise they all once made:

“We are VKs. We are family. No matter what.”

4. EVIE AND THE NAME

Evie sat down next to Jane, trembling slightly.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" she asked.

Jane shook her head, a sad smile playing on her lips.

"I don't want to name him without... without talking to you all. Carlos was more yours than mine. You were his pack, his team... his family."

Jay clenched his jaw.

"And you were, too. You are."

Jane blinked, surprised by the firmness in her voice.

Evie took Jane's hands.

"When he's born... you won't be alone, okay? I'll be with you. Ben too. Jay. Mal."

Mal took a deep breath, swallowing her emotion.

"And if anyone tries to hurt him..." Mal said, her voice firm, almost trembling, "they'll have to go through me first."

Jane nodded, tears now falling freely.

"Thank you... really. I don't know what I would have done without you."

5. JAY AND THE PROMISE

Jay stood up slowly and placed his hand on the head of the unborn baby.

"When he grows up, I'll tell him who his father was," he said. "I'll teach him to run, to climb, to defend himself. I'll teach him to be part of something bigger.

Like Carlos taught us."

Jane wept openly.

Jay never said things like that. Never.

But he was saying it now.

For Carlos. For her. For the little one who would come.

6. MAL: WHAT SHE STILL HASN'T SAID

Mal finally approached. Her steps were slow. The air trembled.

Jane waited, her gaze gentle.

Mal leaned toward her, unsure how to speak.

"Jane…" she began.

A profound silence fell.

Ben, Evie, and Jay stood still.

Mal took a deep breath.

"Carlos… he was my friend. He was… he was a part of me I didn't know I needed until I lost him."

Jane took her hand.

Mal continued:

“I want your son to know that.

I want him to know that Carlos changed my life.

I want…” Her voice broke. “…for him to know that he doesn’t have to be afraid of anything while we’re here.”

Jane nodded.

And when Mal leaned down—gently, respectfully—and placed her hand on her belly, they all felt something otherworldly.

A tiny kick.

As if the baby were waving.

As if he recognized the magic. The promise. The legacy.

7. CARLOS'S' LEGACY

The four of them stayed there, gathered around Jane.

The Auradon breeze blew softly.

The flowers fell in petals that seemed to celebrate new life.

"Charles would be happy," Ben finally said.

"Charles would be giving nicknames," Jay laughed.

"Charles would be crying about everything," Evie added.

Mal added:

"Charles would be saying he's a mess... but that he'll try."

Jane laughed through her tears.

"Yeah... that's how he was."

The four of them looked at each other.

And solemnly, without uttering a word, they made a silent pact:

That this baby, Carlos's legacy, would never be alone.

He would never be a victim.

He would never be unprotected.

He would never grow up without knowing who his father was.

Because the four of them would be his protectors.

The four of them would be his pack.

The four of them would be his family.

End of chapter 9