Chapter 2

Gregor rolled over in the air currents, he could see the square of light above him, it was growing smaller, but not as fast as one would imagine. The currents made falling much less frightening than it would be without them to slow his fall somewhat. Suddenly, the light from the laundry room was blocked out and Gregor swore under his breath as Knight called down words that Gregor didn't hear.

"I'm sorry! Go home!" Gregor yelled, but he knew he was probably too far down now for them to distinguish his words.

Then he heard another loud curse and there was that square of light again, Gregor dug a small keychain flashlight from his pocket. He hadn't left the house without a flashlight for years, he clicked it on and saw that Knight was now falling too, still several feet above him, but the currents were now carrying his friend down and he heard Anna's voice call from above, although he couldn't hear her words. And then she was falling too.

Gregor had done it again. He had entered the Underland, and he was bringing his friends with him.

"Gregor, what the hell is going on?" Knight shouted, he was flailing about in the current, making him fall faster.

Gregor caught his friends backpack and said, "relax, just ride the current and you'll be fine. Don't fight it."

Above him, Gregor could hear Anna crying, "Anna?" he called, "Anna, if you can hear me, I want you to know you're going to be fine. Just don't fight the current and you're going to be fine."

Knight was still fighting, but much less. Gregor could see the restraint it took and he couldn't blame them. He remembered when he'd first fallen down the shaft with Boots. He had been sure they were going to be crushed, but they hadn't, they had fallen just as gracefully as they now were.

"Gregor, what is going on?" Knight asked, "I thought you were committing some kind of suicide, but I knew that's not like you. But what is this? What is this silvery stuff?"

Gregor shined his flashlight down toward the ground and he saw that they were approaching. "Knight," he said directing his friend's attention, "See, there's the floor. Just put your feet out and be ready to land."

"Gregor, what is going on?" Knight demanded again, but he did seem to be preparing for landing despite the panic in his voice.

"I'll try to explain when we get to the bottom," Gregor said, feeling exhausted at the possibility of telling the tale of the Underland. "How did you find me?"

"Can you just keep your light on the ground?" Knight barked, bracing for the impact. It was gentle though and both landed like they were large and graceful cats.

"Anna, you're almost to the bottom," Gregor called up to the girl. "We'll catch you."

Knight ended up catching Anna, she landed cradled in his arms while Gregor dug around his backpack to find the extra flashlights.

"Well," Knight said to Anna, "I always knew I could sweep you off your feet."

She giggled, despite the apparent fear on her face, "Put me down, Knight. Where are we?"

Knight set Anna on her feet and then sat down on a large rock on the cave floor, "Well, I know, but pull up a seat; I think Gregor was just going to tell us."

Gregor pulled the two flashlights free of his backpack and handed one to teach of them, they both clicked on the beams and looked around the cave curiously. Gregor was tempted to tell them to remember to save battery life, but then decided against it. He could see in the dark if it came down to it, but only habits die hard and he had always worried about having light.

"Okay, well I wasn't planning on this being a group field trip," he said as he tugged his backpack shut and hoisted it on, "But we'll have to go into Regalia before we can find a way to get you two back up to the Overland."

"Gregor," Knight said, standing up now. "Have you gone mad? We are in a cave in the middle of the earth! We're going to get burned up in here or something. Tell me what is going on?"

"Honestly," Gregor said, "I think we need to walk while I try to tell you. You never know what could be in these caves."

"What could be in these caves?" Anna asked nervously, shining her flashlight into the darkness.

"Well, I mean, or who." Gregor said with a shrug, he turned toward Regalia, the Underland City inhabited by pale, violet eye humans.

He didn't turn back, but he finally heard hesitant footsteps behind him as Knight and Anna followed, and then he spoke. "When I was eleven, Boots, well, Maggie, fell down that very same grate when I was putting some laundry in. Just like you two, I decided to go in after her and we discovered this place. They call it the Underland."

"Who is 'they'?" Knight asked from behind him.

"The people who live here; the Underlanders. They've been down here several hundred years. Their original leader had visions of the world ending and he felt the only way to survive would be under the earths surface, so here we are." Gregor turned to look at them with a half smile, "Their city is called Regalia, but there are many other lands down here, with many different creatures."

"Creatures?" Anna squeaked, obviously terrified now.

"I'm just going to pretend I'm still sleeping and having one of the most realistic dreams ever," Knight told her as he put a comforting arm around his friend.

"We're having the same dream?" Anna asked him, then quickly put a hand over his mouth, "And don't you dare use any of your lines about me being in your dreams."

Knight just grinned back at her, shaking his head, "Yep, its one realistic dream."

Gregor picked up his pace, "Let's just hurry and get to the city."

The walk though the turning and twisting tunnels was easier to navigate than Gregor had thought it would be, although Knight voiced several times that he thought they were probably going in circles, Gregor was confident that they were not. Half an hour later, he saw dim lightness up ahead and he picked up his pace to a jog, right though the curtain of moths that provided a warning barrier for those in the arena.

Gregor looked back at Knight, who still had an arm around Anna as they ducked through the curtain, both turning to look and see what the fabric was. Gregor didn't watch to see if they discovered it was months instead of fabric.

There wasn't a large crowd in the arena, in fact as Gregor looked around he thought it looked like they were packing up for the evening but a couple people did turn to look at the three strangers who had emerged onto their training field.

"Overlander!" Gregor turned at the voice and a huge grin broke out on his face.

"Mareth!" Gregor called as he recognized the man.

Soaring in for a landing on a giant bat was war-wearied soldier who was one of his most trusted Underland friends. Mareth was usually in charge of training in the arena, and Gregor was glad to see the familiar face.

"Hello Andromeda," Gregor greeted the bat as it fluttered down beside him.

"Greetings Overlander," Andromeda answered in her purring voice. "You have grown much since last you were here."

"I should hope so," Gregor said with a grin, his gaze turning to Mareth who slid off the bat, his cane to balance him on his good leg.

"Overlander, I never thought we'd see you again," Mareth greeted him as he swept Gregor up in to a tight, rib cracking hug.

"I wasn't so sure myself, Mareth. But I found myself in New York City with a couple spare flashlights and so I thought I would drop in."

Both of them turned when they heard a whimpering behind them and Gregor again remembered his friends, "Mareth, these are my friends, Anna and Knight."

He realized he probably should have better prepared them for meeting not only the giant animals, but the silver blond haired, violet eyed and pale, almost transparent skin. He had gotten so used to it during his time in the Underland that he hadn't had a second thought about it.

"More brave Overlanders?" Mareth asked as he walked to Gregor's friends, his hand extended. "Most are not so brave as your friend Gregor, I am glad to meet you, friends of the Warrior."

"Is that," Anna managed to shriek out, "A giant bat?"

Andromeda cringed at the tone and fluttered back a little, "They are not natural ambassadors as you and your sister, Overlander."

Mareth put out a hand to his bat, "Meet you my flier, Andromeda." He said to Knight and Anna, "She will not harm you."

There was an awkward silence in the air, Knight and Anna obviously did not know how to greet the giant bat politely and so said nothing.

"How fairs Regalia, Mareth? The Queen?"

"Oh my," Mareth said, looking at his bat, "we must be getting to the palace, there is a wedding feast this evening and you must come, Overlander!"

"A…a wedding?" Gregor stuttered over the words.

Mareth smiled, "Oh yes, things are finally starting to look up after so many years of war, but we need not speak of that now. Let me find you a flier to take you and your friends to the palace so you may bath and prepare for the festivities. Queen Luxa will be so glad to have you as her guests."

Gregor felt his heart drop right through his stomach and down to his feet at Mareth's words. He wondered if it would be too rude to ask it the flier could just carry them back up to the Laundry room. Gregor, he thought this is what you came here for. To find out what life is left for you. You want Luxa to be happy and you knew it wouldn't work when you are an Overlander.

Mareth looked up to the few bats who remained in the arena, "Aw, yes, Elpis!" He called. "Would you give the Overlander and his friends a ride to the High Hall?" as the large bat circled and dove, Mareth also called to the others, "And let us keep the Overlander's arrival here a surprise for the Queen."

"Jump, Overlander," A voice said from behind Gregor and without thinking, he jumped spread eagle and the bat dove under him, flying up and circling the arena. Gregor couldn't help the grin the spread across his face at the flying sensation. It took him a moment to get over the sense of Déjà vu and remember that this large bat was not Ares. It was not the bat who had saved his live on so many occasions.

"Overlander," the bat purred and he realized the higher pitch of her voice that she was female. "I am called Elpis. Ares was my brother."

It took Gregor a moment for her words to register, "I did not know Ares had a sister."

"To us, family is something different than it is to you, but I do remember Ares favorably."

"So do I," Gregor said softly. "Hey Elpis, my friends have not flown on fliers before, do you think you could land so they can get on?"

"Yes, Overlander." She dove in for a landing near to where Knight stood glaring with Anna half hidden behind him.

"We aren't riding a bat," Knight said, "What is this place!"

Gregor sighed, trying to remember how he had been when he had first entered the Underland; none of these was natural as it now felt. He had unwittingly lead two of the people who hadn't questioned his oddness into this odd land full of things that were terrifying.

He slipped off the bat and walked to his friends, "I'm sorry that you were dragged into this with me, but I promise you, no harm will come to you if you're with me or my friends here. There are things here that are unusual but if you give it a chance, you'll see that they aren't that different than you. All the same, in order to get home, you'll have to fly on a bat. It's really not that bad…it's like riding a horse." He glanced back at Elpis, "Well, a horse with wings."

"I will not let you fall," Elpis assured them in her soothing voice.

Gregor took Anna's hand and pulled her toward the black bat, "Anna, this is Elpis."

"How do I get on?" Anna asked, taking a brave deep breath.

Gregor showed them how to climb up on the bat, he took the front while Anna settled on behind Gregor, her arms wrapping tightly around his waist with Knight behind her and Elpis took off, her powerful black wings taking them up and over the arena walls and giving the bats eye view of the City of Regalia.

"Oh!" Anna gasped, "It is beautiful!"

"What is all this made of?" Knight asked, not able to conceal his own wonder.

"The city is carved out of stone," Gregor answered, looking out over the stone city lit by thousands of torches.

"Sandwhich," Elpis began, "Was a master stone craftsman."

"Sandwhich?" Knight asked confused.

"The guy who founded the Underland," Gregor said by way of explanation. "I'll try to

explain later."

When Gregor had last seen Regalia it had been war torn and devastated from the Rats invasion. As the palace came into view, Anna again gasped at its beauty, "Oh, I love it. It's everything a fairy tale castle should be. Did you say we are going to a Queen's Wedding?"

Her words dug a knife into her heart, "Um…yeah."

"I'm wearing this to a wedding?" Anna asked, gesturing to her holy jeans, t-shirt and flip flops.

"You're worried about your clothes right now?" Knight asked incredously. "I'm worried that this isn't a dream and we will have to fly a bat home."

"You're dream theory is out, Knight," Anna said, "if it was a dream, I'd be wearing a princess dress to a wedding at a castle."

"Overlander," Elpis interrupted, speaking to Gregor. "Would you like me to avoid the High Hall until you are bathed and dressed?"

"Yes, please, Elpis." Gregor told her gratefully; glad he didn't yet have to face Luxa.

She swooped down to the river side of the palace and flew them up the river to the back entrance of the palace, she landed at the bottom of the stairs and let them off while a young guard at the door looked at them questioningly.

"What business have you at the back door of the palace?" He asked, holding his spear in front of the door.

"Outta the way, incompetent pup," came a sarcastic and yet familiar voice from behind the door as it opened.

"Ripred!" Gregor said before the rat even came into view. He glanced back and Anna and Knight who were still standing, "By the way, there are also giant rats, but Ripred won't hurt?"

"And the others will?" Knight asked outraged.

"It depends how annoying they find you," Ripred said as he dragged his large rat body down the stairs. "Boy, do you know how late you are?"

"Late?" Gregor asked, "I wasn't even planning on coming, how did you know I …" His voice trailed off as Narissa appeared behind him.

"Come Gregor and friends, we must have you ready in time." Narissa said to them as she beckoned them into the palace.

"I can't believe you had to ask how we knew you were coming," Ripred said, flicking the back of Gregor's head with his tail.

"Don't tell me there's another prophecy about the warrior."

"Oh no, you killed the warrior, but Narissa has been developing her gift and I'd almost place money on her these days." In Ripred's language that was a compliment. "How's Lizzie? I see you didn't bring my favorite member of your family. You never think about me? Who are these Overlanders?"

"My friends, Anna and Knight."

"Obviously not close friends, as they have no idea about the Underland. I think the girl is about to pass out from the sight of me, so I'll see you upstairs. And be quick about it!"

Ripred took off with a quick backwards glance at Gregor before they were left alone with Narissa, who looked better than she had since…well, ever, if Gregor was being honest. She was not only dressed nicely with her hair done, but she actually looked as if she had been eating a little bit.

"How are things Narissa?"

"Things are well, Gregor." She gave him a somewhat pitying smile, " We talk later though. If you would show Knight into the bathroom, I will escort Anna. Oh and Gregor," Gregor turned back to her as two guards came down the hallway with large baskets, "Some clothes for you."

"Seriously? Maybe this is Anna's dream," Knight said as he looked at Gregor in the mirror. "These clothes are awesome, what are they made of anyway?"

"Spider web," Gregor said absently.

"Ug!" Knight began a string of complaints and protests but he didn't hear, he was too busy looking at himself in the mirror, surprised at the clothes he had been given. The ones Knight wore were more like the clothes Gregor had worn on previous trips to the Underland, they were a somewhat dressier, the pants were dark, but top lighter with an embroidered sash and military belt. He felt like it was something a war general would wear; or maybe a Warrior.

"Well if it isn't Prince Charming," Ripred sneered as he came into the room, he wiggled something off his back and onto the floor, "Don't forget this."

Gregor picked up the sheathed dagger and held it for a long moment, fingering the ruby encrusted hilt. Solovet's dagger, the one she had given him to protect his left side; his weak side.

"I'm not here as a warrior, Ripred." He said softly, "I'm not sure I should even be here."

He felt the tail knock him in the back of his head again, "Oh, a pity party, these are fun. Snap out of it. We've got a wedding to get to, we're going to be late and everyone will stare at you. Out in the hall, out!"

He pushed both Knight and Gregor out into the hall and Anna came out moment's later, looking beautiful in a pale purple dress that would never work on any Underlander. Narissa's vision must be getting better if she had ordered the clothes made for him and his friends.

Gregor saw Anna talk a half step toward him but then Ripred's tale snaked around Knight's legs and pushed him forcefully toward her, "Sorry, the Warrior has a reputation to maintain. I'm sure you'll understand if you have to escort the pretty lady for tonight, as Gregor will be taken by the attention of so many others."

"Why do they keep calling you the Warrior, Gregor?" Knight asked him softly as they followed Ripred toward the High Hall.

"Because," Ripred said, obviously able to hear the barest of whispers, "Gregor killed out greatest enemy."

Both his friends looked at him in shock and confusion, "Uh…it's a long story."

"I'm beginning to think your scares aren't from a car accident."

Ripred snickered ahead of them and urged all of them forward with a flick of his tail.