"Mom, Dad we're home!" Briella called out as the entered the castle. "And Henry's here to work on our science project!"

King Ben and Queen Mal entered the main hall and smiled as they embraced their children in a hug.

"Briella, Mason how was school?" Mal asked, hugging her children.

"Great!" Briella replied.

Mason sighed. "Boring."

Ben and Mal shared a look as they chuckled. They had discovered early on that their children had very different personalities, and it showed.

"Well either way, go get your homework done. Once you're both ready we'll start family game night." Ben replied.

The two nodded as Mal moved to envelop Henry in a hug as well. "And you are more than welcome to join us Henry. How was your day?"

"It was good Aunt Mal." Henry smiled. "I got a 100% on my math test."

"That's wonderful sweetheart, congratulations." Mal beamed proudly before turning to her daughter. "So what did you get?"

Briella groaned and sent Henry a playful glare as she replied. "An 80%. I stink at math okay?"

"An 80% is not bad." Ben encouraged. "Don't be so hard on yourself."

"But Henry doesn't even study. It's not fair!" Briella pouted.

"Hey!" Henry whined. "Don't blame me! I offered to help you study!"

"Alright you two that's enough." Mal chuckled. "Go get your project done."

"Yes mam." They chorused.

Briella grabbed Henry's hand dragging him away from her parents and into her bedroom. She grabbed their animal cell model from her desk and sat it on the floor between them.

"Alright, so we finished the paper. Now we just need to add the parts to our cell model. I've got pipe cleaners for the Golgi Apparatus and Endoplasmic Reticulum. And different kind of beads for the Ribosomes, Lysosomes, and Mitochondrian. Everything else has already been put on and labeled." Briella explained, laying out the supplies.

"You've really been busy." Henry complimented, picking up a bottle of glue. "Well let's finish this. I can't wait to see Holden's face."

"Why's that?" Briella asked.

Henry smirked. "Because he and Ethan did a plant cell and it is nowhere as good as ours. Let's just say I got the brains and he got the brawn."

Briella laughed as she started laying out the Mitochondrion. "I can't believe you just bashed your own twin."

"Just speaking the truth." Henry admitted. "That's why I don't partner with my brother. Too much extra work."

Now it was Briella's turn to smirk. "You sure their wasn't another reason?"

Henry's cheeks tinted pink. "No, I don't think so."

"You're a terrible liar." Briella laughed.

"Shut up Princess." Henry huffed.

"Make me." Briella teased.

Henry rolled his eyes. "Let's just finish the project okay?"

She sighed. "Fine."

After about an hour of gluing and labeling the project was finally complete. The two cleaned up the mess and placed the project safely on Briella's desk.

"Ready for game night?" Briella asked.

"Yup." Henry grinned. ""Are you ready to get beat in Uno?"

"You're so on!" Briella laughed, racing from the room.

Henry followed in pursuit. "Get back here!"

Briella raced into the parlor with Henry hot on her tail. "Daddy help!"

"Whoa! Slow down you two!" Ben laughed as Briella ducked behind him. "I'm guessing we're ready for game night?"

"Yes!" They cheered.

"Alright then, I'll shuffle the cards and your mom will be here in a moment with snacks." Ben announced. "You're brother has already picked his spot."

Henry and Briella walked over and joined Mason at the table as Ben went to get the cards. He glanced up at them from his plate of grapes. "When dad passes out the cards, don't pick them up until mom sits down."

Briella furrowed her brow in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"If you pick up your cards, mom will see them when she walks in the room." Mason explained. "Haven't you noticed how much mom has been winning lately? She's been cheating."

"You're being ridiculous." Briella scoffed. "Why would mom cheat?"

"Have you seen her lose?" Mason retorted, mimicking the face of a very angry Mal.

"Whatever." Briella sighed. "Let's just play, looks like dad found the cards."

Ben came and sat down at the table, holding a deck of Uno cards proudly in his hand. "So who's ready to play?"

"Me!" All three kids shouted.

Ben grinned and began shuffling the cards before passing out seven to each player. Just as he finished, Mal walked in with a tray of snacks. "I hope you're not starting without me."

"Of course not." Ben chuckled. "Just getting ready, come sit."

Despite not quite believing Mason's accusation, Henry and Briella waited to pick up their cards until she was seated.

"May the best player win." Henry announced.

Everyone nodded and the game began. The color started as red and Henry put down a red six and Briella followed it with a blue six.

"Gotcha." She giggled.

"Oh yeah?" Henry smirked. "Cause now I know you have no red cards."

Briella grumbled as Mason took his turn, placing a change a color card on the pile.

"Seriously?" Briella groaned. "What are you changing it to now?"

"Blue."

"Blue?" Briella questioned."But it's already blue!"

"No, look!" Mason replied, pointing behind his parents. "The fireplace, the flames are blue!"

Everyone turned and sure enough, bright blue flames were filling the fire place. Mal's eyes widened and she jumped up from the table as dark smoke began to drift out of the fireplace. "Everyone get back!"

The kids jumped up, running to the other end of the room as Ben and Mal stood guard in front of them. The black smoke swirled and a figure emerged from the darkness.

"Names' Hades, Lord of the dead. Hi, How ya doin'?" The figure greeted, leaning against the fire place as blue flames flickered on his head.

"What are you doing here?" Mal growled. "I don't know how you got off the Isle, but you're going right back!"

A dark chuckle escaped Hades lips as he took a few steps towards them. "Oh I don't think so. I've waited a long time for this moment. Who would have thought that young love could lead to the destruction of a kingdom?"

"Are you proud Hades?" Mal seethed. "Are you really proud that you almost took the lives of two teenagers? Of your own son? Have you no shame?"

Hades smirked. "I deal with death everyday. Do you think watching two teenagers die would really affect me? They're just two more souls in the underworld."

"Just tell us what you want." Mal snapped. "You don't deserve to be called a god."

"Oh, that's easy." Hades replied. "I want your kingdom and your souls."

He lifted his ember and shot a blast at the small group. Ben shoved the kids to the ground as Mal sent her own blast at Hades. "Ben get the kids out! I'll hold him off!"

"But Mal--"

"Run!"

Ben ushered the kids from the room and they ran down the hall, away from the fight. When they reached his office Ben grabbed a book from the shelf, revealing a secret room. "Get in the safe room!"

The kids didn't argue as they ran inside. Briella turned around and her eyes widened when she saw her father still standing outside. "Dad get in here!"

Ben smiled sadly as he placed the book back into the shelf. "I'm sorry little dragon, but I can't. I have to help your mother. You stay here where its safe."

"Dad no!" Briella and Mason shouted, but it was too late. The door slid closed with a click and the three were left alone.

"No!" Briella cried, pounding on the door. "Dad! Dad come back!"

"Briella stop!" Henry pleaded, grabbing her hands. "Banging on the door and screaming is not going to solve anything."

"Then what do we do?" Briella asked. "We can't let them fight alone!"

"We have to get to Ulma." Henry replied. "I heard my mom and uncle talking with her one night. They said she would have to face a great battle. I think this is it."

"But its only been a week since she left the hospital." Briella argued. "Can she fight?"

"She can and she will." Heney promised. "But we have to warn her."

"Then let's get out of this room." Briella decided. "Niw what was that spell I heard mom use? Oh yeah,

Make it easy, Make it quick
Open up without a kick!"

The door slid open and Briella cheered as she raced over to the phone on her dad's desk. She picked it up but when she went to dial, she frowned. "Theres no dial tone! Hades is blocking the communication signals!"

"The how are we going to get to Ulma?" Henry asked worriedly.

"I have an idea." Mason offered, beckoning them to follow. "Come on!"

Briella and Henry ran after Mason as he rushed through the castle. They could hear cracking, crashing, and shouting coming from the other end of the castle. At least the sound meant they were still alive.

Mason lead them to the basement just outside the dungeon. He walked over to a small tunnel blocked off by steel bars.

"What is that?" Henry asked, walking up behind him.

"The old aquaduct system for the castle. It's how they got running water to the castle before they invented pipes and wells. This aquaduct leads straight to Lover's Lagoon, where King Eric and Queen Ariel almost had their first kiss." Mason explained.

"Yeah except that halfway in you'll be completely underwater!" Briella reminded him. "We'll never make it!"

Mason sighed. "I know, that's why we're staying here and Henry will go."

"What!?" Henry and Briella cried simutaneously.

"I'm not leaving you guys here!" Henry argued. "No way!"

"We have no choice!" Mason shot back, surprising them with his assertiveness. "Henry you're the only one who can transform and breathe underwater. You have to go get help while Briella and I try to find a way to help our parents. Please!"

Henry sighed, knowing he was right. This was their only chance of getting out without getting charbroiled by Hades Ember. He had to take it. "Alright I'll do it. Just don't die before I get back."

"Be safe." Briella whispered, pulling him into a hug.

He wrapped his arms around her, wondering if this would be the last time he'd see his best friend. "I'll try."

The two broke apart and Henry fist bumped Mason before stepping into the water. He clutched his amulet, not having taken it off since Hayden returned it, and whispered the magic words.

His legs turned to tentacles and without another word, Henry dove into the darkness.

Author's Note

Got home late last night so I didn't finish the chapter in time to post it before I had to go to bed. Hope you enjoy!

                 -Meloetta246