Chapter Three

"Oh, how kind all of you are!" screamed Gregor into nothingness. The world lit up for a second, and then repeatedly faded and came back as the echolocation kicked in. But it didn't matter. He'd been in here before. "So kind! You let me see the Queen! Who apparently hates me! That's just wonderful! And then you send me to the dungeon! Amazing service!"

Gregor knew this screaming was getting him nowhere, so he shut up. But he'd been in here for a long time, possibly a day or more. And he was getting tired of it. He hadn't slept a wink. Luxa kept invading his thoughts and dreams, and without Ares there he had begun having the falling dreams again.

The door to the cell cracked open and the light seeped in ever so slightly. Gregor looked at it, trying to get his eyes adjusted to it.

And then, the door swung open so abruptly that the light seared Gregor's eyes. "Ah!" he cried out, stumbling backwards. He proceeded to run into a wall.

A shape entered the room. But Gregor didn't know who it was. The light hurt too much. It was as if the sun had dropped in and said hello right in front of him.

"Gregor. Gregor, it's me," said a voice.

Gregor stopped screaming. He slowly and delicately opened his eyes. The figure was blurred, but it slowly came into focus. "L…Luxa?"

The figure nodded and closed the door. "I have limited time. Listen carefully."

Gregor nodded.

"When I called you a traitor back there, I was forced to. What with Jezebel there and all. If I didn't follow her direction and opinion, then I would be here right next to you," Luxa said.

"Which would be just fine with me," thought Gregor.

"Jezebel thinks that you organized the second rat resistance that happened while you were gone," stated Luxa quietly.

"What? That's ridiculous! Why would I have—" Gregor began, but he was interrupted by Luxa.

"Sh. Listen. If we are overheard, we will both be killed. Your response is precisely the reaction Jezebel needs. If the representatives from each species find you to be in denial, then that's great for them. It proves that you respect your reputation over Regalia. Rather, you need to be concerned about the second rat rebellion."

"There was another one?"

Luxa nodded. "Led by a different rat—Twirltongue's daughter, Blandine. Different rat. Better skills. She rallied the rats behind her with such force and quickness that we were almost taken over. Unfortunately, they attempted a rather amateur code and we quickly broke it, and they fell apart."

So that's why no one was out. Because a war had just ended. "And what happened to the remainder of the forces?"

"They all disappeared into the Dead Lands. The results were much as from the first war. But worse, and they spread the gnawers even thinner. The current situation that your sister helped set up has been reestablished, however."

Gregor smiled. Lizzie would be happy to know that she had helped set up an age of peace in the Underland—if you minus the war, of course.

There were footsteps down coming down the hall. Luxa looked back nervously. "I love you," she whispered, giving him a short kiss on the lips. "Fly you high."

Suddenly, the person who had been coming arrived in the doorway just in time for them to see Luxa slap Gregor across the cheek. It was genuine, and the pain was genuine. "Traitor!" she said through gritted teeth, and skulked out of the room.

The guard smirked, threw some food and drink on the table, and left.

Gregor fell. He kept falling. He didn't know when he would stop, until suddenly he looked down and saw the rocks, the jagged edges, and then he was on top of them, the point of the sharpest and most horrible one just piercing through his shirt…

"Gregor!" a voice whispered at him through the darkness. "Gregor, quick, we have not much time!"

Gregor sat up immediately and followed Luxa out the door of his cell. "What are we doing?" he whispered.

"Do not speak," Luxa commanded. Gregor shut up.

She led him through many hallways, and finally she led him to the Prophecy Room. The key was inserted into the wooden door.

Once inside, Luxa locked the door and leaned against it, out of breath.

"You have a key to the Prophecy Room? Since when?"

Luxa smiled. "Since I stole it from Nerissa."

Gregor laughed a bit. "Wait—Nerissa—"

Luxa turned sober. "She's gone, Gregor. She died in the attack."

Gregor stopped smiling. His head turned to the floor. Sure, Nerissa may have been popularly branded as overly thin, mad, and probably just weird, but she had helped Gregor many times, and he knew it wouldn't be the same without her near.

Luxa's hand was on his shoulder, and Gregor looked at her. They both looked to the corner of the room, where a single prophecy was etched into the wall. A few flowers were laid out to dedicate the area to Nerissa.

The Peacemaker had always been a favorite of Nerissa's. And now, as Gregor walked over to it and read it again, he finally knew why.

On soft feet, by none detected,
Dealing death, by most rejected,
Killed by claw, since resurrected,
Marked by X, two lines connected.
Finally, they intersected,
Two lines met, one unexpected.

Gregor smiled. He thought he had understood when Ripred had bonded with Luxa, but he had only a piece of the puzzle. He finally understood why this single prophecy gave her so much comfort.

It was because she was rejected by the common society. And the Peacemaker would be as well. Whoever it was would finally be the last string to be attached. Whoever it was, they would bring peace. And tranquility. And they would treat everyone equal. Even an outcast like Nerissa.

Suddenly, Gregor was reminded of Twitchtip. And Ares. And Ripred.

All of them, rejected by society and yet they stayed the course and ended up all playing their parts in the most important time in Underland history.

A tear dripped down his cheek and onto the floor. Which brought his attention to a different prophecy, on the opposite wall in the corner next to The Peacemaker.

Luxa rushed over to him. "That is not for your eyes. This is what I want you to see," she said.

He was staring at a prophecy engraved horizontally, and just about his height. He read.

After the second uprising,

There will be a beast.

He will be like nothing ever seen,

On the Underland's blood he feasts.

But yet the Warrior, he returns

And is met with adversity

But sets off on the quest

To find the one he pitied.

A land where dead come back to life,

A land where dead bonds roam free,

A land where all are rid of strife,

Travel the warrior and the other three.

"So, another warrior prophecy?" Gregor asked. "This seems pretty straight forward to me."

Luxa nodded. "We must go on a quest to some place where dead people roam."

"Like…zombies?" Gregor shivered.

"No, Gregor." Luxa was surprisingly serious. "The Land of the Dead."