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

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

When they stepped through the door they were all a little surprised to find themselves in a modern city. Instead of the glistening bright city that Auradon was this city was gray, foggy and abandoned. Shops and streets were empty and in the distance only the skyscrapers stood out above the mist. Although, Drac was happy it was cooler then the desert.

"Magic created all this?" Evie asked looking around. "That's crazy."

"How are we supposed to find the Ring of Envy in all this?" Mal asked.

Carlos looked at the maps again, "According to Yen Sid's research it should be in a place called the House of Horrors."

"What does the ring look like?" Drac asked as they made their way down the street. He hadn't realized before that Cruella even had a talisman, she had no magic after all. But apparently – from what the others had told him Yen Sid said – Cruella's ring made everyone who looked at her feel inferior in her presence.

"It's the big green one my mom used to wear." Carlos explained, "I've actually never seen it in person. Only in the portraits of her that hung around the house, next to old newspaper articles about how she was greater than the Baroness."

As they walked the scenery seemed to become more and more familiar and Drac wasn't the only one to notice.

"Are we going in circles?" Mal asked.

Evie looked around, "No. If we had made all right turns we might have but I know we took some lefts. Maybe it's a maze."

Drac noticed Carlos was looking around with that calculating look in his eye. Like when he was installing hacks to the video game system in their dorm, or picking a lock on the Isle back when they would mess with Uma.

"I thought the House of Horrors would be. . . well. . . a house. But. . . "

"What?" Drac asked and Carlos pointed behind him. They all turned and saw what looked like a fur shop and when they got closer and peered through the dusty window they saw a sign that read. House of Horrors: Sale Today!

"Well." Drac began as he pulled back from the window, "Have fun shopping."

Carlos swallowed nervously and nodded. Then he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Drac wished he could have gone in with him. He knew how much Carlos was afraid of his mother and anything that brought back the memory of her. Since they were closer in age then the others he and Carlos had been tight since a very young age and when Jay and Mal, being older, would get to go off and have fun he and Carlos would often stay in Dragon Hall and cause mischief. Since it was a school they knew the teachers wouldn't let anything too horrible happen to them, thanks to their parent's reputation. And it kept the other kids from making an example of them until they were old enough to stand up for themselves. Thinking of the parents that taught at Dragon Hall and Cruella and Maleficent Drac couldn't help but let his mind wander to his own father.

Drac had been eleven when Mal had first told him she knew who their father was and while Mal let her anger at Hades keep her from ever seeking him out, Drac had always been curious. He would hang out at the Souvlanki shop, when Mal would run off with Jay and Carlos was busy doing his mother's chores, hoping to catch a glimpse of the ruler of the Underworld with his blue flaming hair. He didn't know if Hades even knew he existed until the one day he did see him strut through the shop and through the back door which led down the stone steps into his cavern. Eleven year old Drac had followed, still innocent enough to believe that he was safe around even the baddest villain on the Isle. He used everything his big sister had taught him, how to creep, how to sneak, how to duck and hide, but it hadn't been enough. When Drac had turned the last corner at the bottom of the stairs he'd smacked right into Hades standing there waiting for him with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Drac swallowed nervously and took a step back realizing he'd bitten off more than he could chew and his sister and mother weren't there to protect him.