XF → Harry Hook [2]✔

Blade

They made a strange pair, walking side by side along the bridge that linked the Isle to Auradon – the forgotten princess of Auradon, and the feared villainess of the Isle. One of each from the new generation of good guys and villains willingly in each other's company. It was a sight that the Auradonian king would have no doubt loved to see, if only the two weren't working towards a goal that endangered the country's citizens.

"I'll never understand why Ben decided to build an actual bridge," Audrey shook her head. She was a symphony of sound: Her heels clicked loudly against the grey stone, the end of the scepter making a similar noise, serving as a walking stick, while the cape that billowed around her produced a swooshing noise. "The magic worked just fine."

"And I'll never understand how you have such a slender grasp on diplomacy, despite growing up with the royal family." XJ said bluntly, her own movements not making even the slightest whisper. Years of practice allowed her to subconsciously move like a specter, and even her shadow seemed ready to sink into the darkness of the night at a second's notice.

"Alright, Know-It-All; why do you think he went to all the trouble, then?"

"It's a symbol of good faith towards those on the Isle." XJ answered. "Building a physical bridge represents an attempt at rebuilding the relations between Auradonians and those who've been locked up."

"But the magic worked just fine."

XJ gave her a sideways glance. "Now that you've been introduced to magic, you seem to think that it's capable of solving everything. There are things that can't be fixed with pixie dust."

The curtains of clouds were rolled back in the sky above them, revealing the sparkling backdrop of countless twinkling stars. It was rare that Auradon didn't have weather reminiscent of a Van Gogh painting, but tonight's moon stole the show. Glowing brighter than Audrey had ever seen, it seemed restless and full of anticipation, eager to begin pulling at the tides that were currently still.

As they approached the barrier, invisible until someone provoked it. XJ took a step closer, feeling the tingly warmth of magic on her skin. She closed her eyes, taking in the scent: freshly washed cloth and sweet frosting – it was Fairy Godmother's signature alright.

"It's clever."

"What?" Audrey said, watching from the side as XJ examined something she couldn't see.

"The barrier's design. The thing's feeding off the Isle's magic."

Audrey's eyes widened. "The Isle has magic? I thought it was powered by Auradon."

"What do you think, with all of the world's most powerful villains put together? Only a handful of your crowd use magic, and they gave it up the second Auradon was put together, thinking that it was unfair to use a natural gift." XJ snorted. "For us, it's survival of the fittest, and the fittest are usually the most magically inclined."

"Wait, so you mean..."

XJ nodded. "If everyone on the Isle stopped using magic, the barrier would come down. That's why none of us could ever bring it down, not when we were feeding it with more fuel every time we tried."

She peered through the barrier into the dark. The archway leading into the heart of the Isle obscured the dingy streetlights' rays from beyond. Even after being on the other side for so long, XJ couldn't help but feel strange that her lifelong dream of escaping the Isle had come true.

"How can you see anything?" Audrey squinted. "It's all just pitch-black."

"I've lived my whole life in the dark – I had to learn to adjust."