Astra's pov

The Isle of the Lost felt heavier than ever, the air thick with an oppressive energy I couldn’t shake. Each step toward the decaying castle at the Isle’s center felt like a death march. My powers pulsed under my skin, a storm barely contained, and every spark reminded me of the stakes.

Hades. Maleficent. Two of the most dangerous beings trapped on the Isle, united with one goal: me.

Nova’s betrayal had left me raw, but there was no time to recover. My friends were counting on me to put an end to this madness, to stop them before they broke free. But how do you face two beings who have spent lifetimes wielding power far beyond your own?

“You don’t have to do this alone.” Harry’s voice cut through my thoughts, calm and grounding. he walked beside me, her brow furrowed with worry.

“Yes, I do,” I said firmly. “They’re after me. If you stay, you’ll just be another target.”

He shook his head. “We’re in this together, Astra. Always.”

I wanted to believe her. But deep down, I knew the truth: this fight was mine, and mine alone.

We reached the gates of the castle, their iron bars warped and twisted, as if the place itself had been scarred by the darkness within. Flames flickered through the cracks in the stone walls, and the faint hiss of magic made the hairs on my arms stand on end.

“They’re waiting for me,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Harry touched my shoulder. “Then make them wait a little longer. You’ve got this.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat, and pushed the gates open.

---

Inside, the air was suffocating, heavy with the scent of brimstone and decay. The grand hall was lit with an eerie green glow, courtesy of Maleficent, who stood at the far end, her staff glowing ominously. Hades lounged on a crumbling throne beside her, his flaming blue hair casting flickering shadows across his sharp features.

“Well, well,” Hades drawled, his voice echoing through the hall. “If it isn’t the little thunder goddess. Took you long enough, kid.”

“Let them go,” I demanded, glancing at the bound figures of my friends—mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie chained to the walls on either side of the room. They looked battered but alive, their eyes wide with silent warnings.

Maleficent smiled coldly, her green eyes gleaming like shards of glass. “Oh, Astra. This isn’t about them. It’s about you. Your power. Your destiny.”

I stepped forward, the storm inside me roaring to life. “You’re not getting anything from me.”

Hades chuckled, leaning forward. “Oh, come on. Don’t be like that. We’re family, after all. I mean, Zeus is your dad. I’m your uncle. Shouldn’t we be bonding or something?”

“Funny,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I don’t recall family trying to steal each other’s powers.”

He shrugged, his grin widening. “Depends on the family.”

Maleficent slammed her staff into the ground, the sound reverberating through the hall. “Enough. Astra, you have a choice: surrender your powers willingly, or watch your friends suffer.”

A bolt of lightning crackled across my hands as I clenched them into fists. “You’ll have to kill me first.”

Her smile widened. “If you insist.”

With a wave of her staff, Maleficent sent a surge of green fire hurtling toward me. I barely had time to throw up a shield of electricity, the flames colliding with a deafening roar. The impact sent me stumbling backward, but I held my ground, gritting my teeth against the strain.

“Is that all you’ve got?” I taunted, hoping to mask my fear.

Maleficent’s eyes narrowed. “Hardly.”

Hades stood, his flames flaring brighter. “My turn.”

He thrust his hand forward, and a wave of searing heat surged toward me. I dodged, rolling to the side as the floor where I’d been standing melted into molten rock.

“You’re quick,” Hades said, smirking. “But you can’t outrun us forever.”

I rose to my feet, electricity sparking around me. “Maybe not. But I don’t need forever.”

I unleashed a blast of lightning toward him, the air crackling with energy. Hades caught it with his bare hand, absorbing the electricity like it was nothing.

“Nice try, kid,” he said, flicking his wrist.

Before I could react, Maleficent was on me again, her staff glowing with dark magic. She slammed it against my shield, the impact sending shockwaves through my body.

“Give up, Astra,” she hissed. “You can’t win.”

“I’ll never give up,” I growled, pushing back with all my strength.

The storm inside me surged, desperate to be unleashed. But I hesitated. What if I couldn’t control it? What if I became the monster they believed me to be?

“Stop holding back!” Harry’s voice cut through the chaos, her eyes blazing with determination. “You’re stronger than them, Astra. Show them who you are!”

His words ignited something inside me. I wasn’t just the daughter of Zeus. I was Astra, and I wasn’t going to let them win.

With a roar, I let the storm loose. Lightning exploded from my body, the force of it shattering the chains holding my friends and sending Maleficent and Hades reeling. The hall shook, cracks spreading across the walls as the power surged through me.

Hades staggered, his flames dimming. “Not bad, kid. Not bad at all.”

Maleficent snarled, her staff sparking with desperation. “This isn’t over!”

I stepped forward, the storm still crackling around me. “Yes, it is.”

I raised my hand, and a bolt of lightning struck her staff, shattering it into pieces. Maleficent screamed, the green glow around her fading.

Hades watched, his expression unreadable. “Looks like the kid’s got some bite after all.”

“Leave,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “Before I change my mind.”

He smirked, raising his hands in mock surrender. “You win this round, thunderbolt. But don’t get too comfortable. Family always comes back.”

With that, he vanished in a swirl of blue flames, leaving only the faint smell of sulfur behind.

Maleficent glared at me one last time before disappearing in a burst of green fire.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Harry rushed to my side, his eyes wide with concern. “Astra, are you okay?”

I nodded, though my hands were still trembling. “Yeah. I think so.”

Jay clapped me on the back, grinning. “That was epic.”

Evie smiled, though her gaze was tinged with worry. “You were amazing. But... what now?”

I looked around the wrecked hall, my heart heavy. “Now? We figure out how to make sure this never happens again.”

And for the first time, I felt a spark of hope.