Gregor lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. the air was humid, as the end of summer was rolling around. He couldnt go outside, because his dad was asleep on the couch, and the floor creaked when he went into the living room. He couldn't wake up Boots, or she'd start crying. He didnt want that, plus, he didn't have the energy to get put of his bed to wake Lizzie.
Really, all Gregor was doing was creating a distraction from the dreams that kept swimming through his brain. He woke up this morning covered in cold sweat, his heart beating out of his chest. That same dream again, over, and over. He dreamt that he was back in the Underland. Gregor raced down the halls of Regalia, looking frantically for something. He couldn't figure out what, just that he wanted it/them so badly, that it heart his heart. He paced the council room, empty. Papers scattered all over the floors and counters. The map of the Underland on the center table. He remembered Solovet had often used this map to plan the Regalian army's next move.
Of course, Solovet wasn't here anymore. She had been ambushed by the rats months ago. Gregor could still see Vikus's weeping face, as he fell motionless to the ground. His stroke rendering his right side useless. Or at least, it had been. He hadn't see the old, violet-eyed man in a month. So, he still didn't know if Vikus had recovered. Many had left Gregor over the past two years, along with Tick, Twitchtip, his bond, Ares, Frill, and Hamnet, (Hazard's father, and Uncle to Regalia's 13-year-old queen, Luxa.)
Gregor stopped, the mention of her name went straight to his heart. Luxa, not only a young queen, but the only girl he ever loved more than his family. They had been separated, Gregor having to live in the Overland, were he didn't feel he fit in. Luxa, stuck in the Underland, forced to be the Queen. The thought haunted him. Sure, he had it better than Luxa, but he still didn't feel right about living a care-free life, when she was down there, fighting who knows what!? He hadn't told his parents either, he didn't belong here. Being a rager, a natural born killer, he would never feel normal here again. He missed the Underland, he missed his friends, he missed Luxa. "Luxa!" He screamed, but the darkness seemed to absorb the noise from his mouth. He remembered all their memories together, standing with her hand outstretched with Boot's old ball in her hand. That half-smirk on her face. Leaving her in the maze thinking she was dead, or close to it. Finding her in the jungle, with the nibblers while he was about to be killed in quicksand. Watching her run after the nibblers, who where being killed by the Bane and his army in the pit of a volcano. And yet he couldn't go with her. The air became thin, and hard to breathe. Volcanic ash filled his lungs again, he was back in the Firelands. Carrying Luxa up to Ares, as the girl struggled to keep breathing. All Gregor wished is that between him, and Howard, that he could keep her alive just long enough. In Regalia, She lay in the hospital, wheezing. Back in the museum, looking through Hazard's birthday party photos. she caught his lips, but only for a moment. Then vanished, almost like a wisp of smoke. Gregor ran down the halls once again looking for her, when the ground disappeared underneath his feet. Falling. The shrieks of Ares's dying breath filled the air. "Ares!" He cried, but once again, the words evaporated from his mouth. Falling, the ground getting closer and closer. "Ares!" But Ares wasn't coming.
Ares had been dead for almost the same time as Solovet. The great white rat, the Bane, or as his mother called him, Pearlpelt, had killed Ares. Gregor had almost thought he himself was dying too, from the huge holes in his chest left by the Bane's ginormous claws. Turns out the bright light he thought was heaven, was the butt of Photos Glow-Glow. One of the most annoying creatures in the Underland. The second one would be his firefly buddy, Zap. They never stop complaining, and all they care about was food. They'd even sold Gregor and his crew out to the rats, when they were searching for the Bane just for the sake of their stomachs! They had found Gregor, his hand clutching Ares' claw. Gregor's grip was so tight and cemented with blood, that they ended up having to gnaw Ares' claw from his body to bring Gregor to Regalia. Gregor cried one last time, "Ares!" Gregor was inches from the ground, and awoke, shaking head to foot.
He couldn't get up, he couldn't go back to sleep, fearing his dream would repeat itself. Gregor was dreading the day ahead, his parents were making the final decision whether to move to Virginia today. He had told them in the past, that he didn't care where they lived. But that decision was weighing on his mind. He did care, he cared about Luxa, he cared about the Underland. In fact, for what it's worth, even seeing Ripred at this point would be nice.