WARNING, THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF A STORY I STARTED LONG AGO. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ GREGOR AND THE PROPHECY OF DEATH, BY GODLYFAN227, PLEASE DO SO.
To my fans who have waited so long (hopefully they're still fans, if not I hope they'll reconsider) .
You probably know me by the pen name "GodlyFan227". This is a continuation of the fanfiction I started oh so long ago. Those of you who have not read the previous chapters, here's the link .net/s/4678759/1/ (Copy and Paste) . Those of you who read my story, I hope you can forgive me for the belated update. To tell the truth I haven't thought about this fan fiction or ANY fan fiction for a long time (I started this when i was 11/12 years old). So without further ado, let us begin.
-AeZmN
Chapter 14
Gregor stared blankly into the glowing embers of the small fire. Around him his companions sat awkwardly, all of them uncomfortable. All of them grieving. Gregor started, then realized the image of Luxa in the flames was his imagination, desperately grasping at the few shreds of his heart that remained. He couldn't believe that she was gone. Luxa, who had been his enemy, his friend, and his lover. Everything in the small cave, from the dripping stalactites, to the smell of mildew on the pockmarked walls and the ash drifting from the noxious air outside the cave felt like a dream, a nightmare.
Lapblood padded over, her paws making soft scratches in the dusty ground. She rested a scared and calloused paw on Gregor's shoulder. He vaguely heard the others stirring out of the singular reverie that seemed to have taken hold of them all. He took comfort in the familiar feel of Lapblood's presence.
"I know what it's like, to lose one you love." She said softly.
"Get some rest, Lapblood", Gregor replied, his voice wearier than his age warranted.
"I'll take first watch."
The gnawer hesitated, her liquid black eyes looking to Ripred for guidance. He nodded back. The message was clear.
"Let the boy be alone for a while."
Lapblood helped the others set up their sleeping spots, taking any excuse to do some work. A swipe there to clear some pebbles. A kick there to get rid of a pile of accumulated ash. Then she returned to her resting place of choice in a small corner of the cramped cave, walking past Ripred as he set to work cleaning the ash and blood that matted his ragged fur. She walked in a circle, then flopped down with a sigh. She gave herself a quick grooming, then drifted off the sleep.
Boots had mercifully drifted off to sleep, sparing the small company of friends the burden of explaining where Luxa had gone. Temp had lain down beside her, his shell reflecting the light of the gloomily flickering fire, shielding her from any drafts. The fliers hung upside down with their wings folded in, clawed feet digging into the hard rock and brittle limestone. Aurora's normally gleaming coat of golden fur was now a dull yellow, and her eyes were glazed over in grief. Atlas attempted to comfort her, but soon realized that giving her some time alone was the best way he could help. Nike too realized this and soon they had both closed their eyes to the pain of reality and drifted off to sleep.
Gregor sat at the mouth of their small shelter, staring out into the Firelands with unfocused eyes.
"It's my fault. If only i had realized..."
His thoughts swirled in his head in a tumultuous cyclone of chaos. He should have been on his guard, he should have listened to the prophecy, he silently screamed. He should have been there to save her. He knew that he would never have gotten to her in time to save her. But that didn't matter. All that matters is that Luxa had fallen, and he could have been able to stop it, if only he'd been better.
A distant light glimmered suddenly, it's small light barely decipherable in the consuming darkness.
Gregor blinked, his eyes focusing, but there was nothing. Just his imagination again, trying to believe that Luxa had survived, was coming back at this moment. But the he he was met with impenetrable darkness and the hope that had kindled momentarily fluttered and died.
Hunched like an old man, not a youth of barely thirteen, he woke Ripred for next watch. The grizzled old warrior briefly rested a paw on Gregor's shoulder, dispersing the ash that had gathered there, then moved to the entrance of the cave and sat on his haunches. The gnawer knew the boy was in pain, and his mind wandered briefly back to that time, back before... - He yanked himself of the past, marveling at how painful memory can be after so many years. He gave a weathered sigh, letting down the image he had worked so hard to maintain. He relaxed and leaned his back against the cave wall.
Gregor lay thinking about Luxa, unable to escape the memories of her. Her mocking smile, the pale violet of her eyes, and the shining silver of her silk-like hair. His mind jump briefly to the light he'd seen, but then dismissed it. He knew that his mind was attempting to hold on to her, trying to pretend that Luxa had survived, and was coming back to him even at this moment. He knew it was hopeless. He felt hot tears scorching a path across his right cheek, traversing the bridge of his nose and dripping off his left cheek onto the ground. She was gone. He had lost her.
They woke at first light, or at least as close to first light as you can get in an underground world. The memory of the battle still haunted all of them.
Boots, however, was for the most part unaffected by the melancholy of the group, singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" at the top of her lungs. Her Tellytubby outfit was miraculously clean, with just a few smears of ash to show for the distance through burning smoggy air they had traveled and the horrific battle they had gone through.
"Gregor, where is Luxa?" inquired Boots curiously as she cast her big brown eyes around the group.
"Well Boots, Luxa's-" Gregor began wearily.
"Pst, quiet!" hissed Ripred.
Everyone froze, looking fearfully at the mouth of the cave. A shape landed there, framed by the harsh red light of the Firelands. It appeared to be a flier-sized hawk? No, that was wrong. Although it looked liked a hawk it had several striking qualities that stood out. First was the color, an odd mix of fiery red mixed with dull grey, that blended almost perfectly with the walls of the large tunnel they were traveling through. And second, it had an odd horn-like protrusion at the peak of it's head that looked as if it was made of bone, and was probably hard as steel.
Something, no someone descended from it.
"So it is true." breathed the golden eyed man that had been riding the hawk.
"The war has begun."
To anyone who has read this far
If you are one of those who read this fan fiction so long ago, I thank you for reading this. I do not expect anyone who had waited so long for an update to continue with my story, but if you do, you will not be disappointed.
-AeZmN