Gregor and the Hidden Prophecies

Chapter 4

"We are coming up on the Arch of Tantalus. Are you ready Gregor?" Howard asked.

"Ready? For what?"

"To attack. We do not know what will be waiting for us." Howard said. "Be prepared for anything."

"Oh, right." Gregor got his sword in position, ready for whatever laid before them. "You don't think that the others would attack us…do you?"

"I am not sure. But we are also unsure if they really have gone there and do not know what is really there."

"Temp there?" Boots asked. Gregor was starting to regret ever bringing up the crawler.

'No Boots." Gregor shook his head. "Is Hazard there, Howard?"

"Yes. And Mareth is there too." Howard stared straight ahead, not once looking at Gregor.

"What happened Howard?" Lizzie asked after a moment. "Why did the Gnawers attack the humans?"

He sighed, looking at her. "Because Lizzie, they never really wanted peace. They wanted land."

"Weren't you guys going to give it to them?"

"Not as much as they wanted. And you have to remember, it was Luxa that was in charge. As stubborn as she was, there was no negotiating. It was her way or else the deal wasn't going to happen." Howard finally looked at the ex-warrior. "Ripred tried to talk to her but she just wouldn't listen. The other Gnawers decided not to wait around for Ripred to decide things and planned and attack. We were still healing for the last war and were not able to defend ourselves. Then they figured out a way to attack the Fount. Mostly everyone there was killed."

Gregor stopped himself from defending Luxa. Besides, what would be the point? Nike spoke after a minute of silence. "We are here."

As soon as the Fliers touched down, there were Underlands surrounding them. Gregor held onto his sword, unsure if they were going to hurt them. Boots, however, had no fear of the people she once knew. She just began to climb off Agron.

"Boots." Gregor tried to grab her but she just jumped the rest of the way, landing on her feet.

"Hi!" She called the people.

Howard sighed, also getting down. He put he sword away, to show the others that they meant them no harm. Gregor followed suit before also getting down.

"We are here to see-"

"Howard! Gregor! Boots and Lizzie! And Nike too!"

They watched as a Halflander pushed his way through the crowd. Once he was in front of them, he spoke again.

"I told Luxa you would come Gregor."

Boots ran up to Hazard, excited to see him. "Hi!"

"Hi Boots."

Howard looked around before looking at his cousin again. "Hazard, we have come to see Luxa. Can you take us to her?"

Hazard nodded. "Yes. Follow me."

He lead them through the crowd as people murmured about the warrior being back. Gregor just concentrated on making sure that Boots didn't run off.

"You see Temp?" She asked her Halflander friend.

"Temp is with the Crawlers, Boots." Hazard told her as they came up on a cave. "Luxa! Gregor and the others are-"

"Hazard, I am busy. Go play somewhere else."

Gregor could see her talking to someone, though she did not turn to look at them. Hazard tried again. "But Luxa-"

"Go Hazard."

He shrugged. "Come on Boots, lets go play. You can come too Lizzie."

That finally got Luxa's attention. She looked at them for a moment before back at the person in front of her. She said something to them before walking out of the cave while the person she was speaking too went further in.

"Wait Hazard." She called to him as she came to face them. She looked at her older cousin. "I am shocked that you would come here Howard."

"The Overlander need someone to take him here and Nike agreed."

Luxa didn't even look at Gregor. "How are things with the others?"

"Better than here."

"What makes you say that?"

"They don't have you to rule over them."

Luxa finally looked away from Howard and at Gregor. "You are late Overlander."

Gregor found words hard for a moment before he was able to speak. "I didn't even know what was happening. I can't be late for something I didn't know about."

Boots looked at Luxa. "Do you have Temp?"

Everyone in the group held in a groan as Luxa just smiled. "No Boots. But I sure that you'll see him later."

Boots, finally giving up on her friend for the time being, looked at Hazard. "Play now?"

Hazard looked at Luxa for an answer. When she nodded, he and Gregor's two sisters ran off. Agron got tired of being silent and spoke up.

"Now that he is here, are we going to leave?" The bat asked Howard.

Howard looked at Gregor. "Are you going to stay here for now?"

"I-" He started but Nike stopped him.

"Why don't we stay, Howard? I sure that the others could use another medic."

Howard looked at the striped Flier. "I must get back, Nike. I have duties."

"Then go." Luxa told him. "The Overlanders are fine here. If they need to go back, I will have a Flier take them."

Howard nodded, walking off with the bats. Gregor almost said bye to the but stopped himself. Luxa walked back into the cave.

"Come Gregor." She called. He looked on last time at his friends before following her. There were many Underlands and Nibblers study maps by firelight and talking to each other. The looked up at him as Luxa lead him deep into the cave. She stopped when she came upon her bond.

"Overlander!" He heard someone call. He turned and saw Mareth walking towards him from somewhere deeper in the cave. He hugged him tightly.

"Hey Mareth." Gregor hugged him back.

Once the man let him go, Luxa spoke. "I am sure that you have been to Regalia, Gregor."

"Yeah. I went to the arena." He looked around. "How long have the Gnawers had control of it?"

"For over two months." Mareth told him. Aurora looked at the Overlander,

"Were are you sisters? Did they not accompany you?"

"They're with Hazard." He told her.

Luxa sat down, her back against the wall. Mareth smiled at Gregor before walking back to where ever he had come from. Gregor couldn't help but notice that he had gotten better at walking without his real leg.

"Did you see Vikus?" Luxa asked after a moment.

Gregor nodded, sitting next to her. "Yeah."

"And he is…alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine." Gregor looked at Luxa. "Do you guys know what you're going to do about the Gnawers?"

"If we did, Gregor, do you think that we would be here?"

"Right. Sorry."

She just sighed. "Do your parents know that you are here?"

"No. I mean, by now they probably do but no, they didn't give me permission to go."

"I thought that you went to…that place." Luxa had forgotten the name.

"Virginia?"

"Yes."

"We're leaving in two weeks. We stayed until my Grandmother…passed away."

"Oh." Luxa looked at him. "I am sorry."

Gregor shrugged. "Whatever."

"Why was Agron with you?" Aurora purred out. Gregor looked at her, noticing the slight change in her pitch.

"Oh, we just needed a Flier and Nike asked him."

A few people walked by, looking at the three of them. When their future queen sent them a look though, they turned the gaze away and went on their way. When the guy that Luxa was talking to before walked over to them, Luxa stood. Gregor got up too because she did.

"Emmett." Luxa looked at the other Underlander. "Did you take care of it?"

"Yes." He smiled at her. "People are wondering what the warrior is doing here."

"It is none of their concern. Inform me when the Spinners arrive."

Emmett nodded before walking off. Luxa sat back down so Gregor did too.

"Why are the Spinners coming?"

"To discuss some things. They have stayed neutral for too long. We would help them and yet they do not help us."

Gregor nodded. "What about the Crawlers?"

"They are on our side, but there is not a lot they can do." The girl pulled her knees to her chest. "I will have a Flier take you and your sisters back tomorrow. You can go through the stairwell."

"What?"

"You don't want to be here. There is no point for you here either. There's not a prophecies about this."

"I want to be here though."

"You will be moving soon, right? What do you care what's going on here."

Gregor shrugged. "I just care and want to help."

"What about your sisters?"

"If I go to take them back, I won't be able to come back. Besides, the Gnawers aren't attacking you here, are they?"

"No. They just want Regalia and the Fount. We are safe here."

"So what are you going to do?"

Luxa sighed. "We can attack them again but the last few attacks haven't helped any."

Gregor was silent for a second. "Maybe you need to get back with the others and then fight them."

Luxa's posture changed. "You think that I chose for them to not go with us? It was their choice. I cannot control what others do."

"I know that. I just meant-"

"Gregor!" Boots ran up to them, Hazard and Lizzie following.

"Hey Boots." Gregor pulled her into his lap.

"Luxa, Nerissa wants to see you…and Gregor." Lizzie said.

"Yeah." Hazard agreed. "She by the water with that man."

"What man?" Luxa asked, standing.

"That one that thinks he can control water with his mind." Hazard sat down while Lizzie giggled.

"He's funny." The eight year old said.

Luxa didn't seemed as amused by him. "Come on Gregor."

Gregor sat Boots down before following her out of the cave. "Who's the guy Hazard was talking about?"

"His name is Isaac."

"You don't like him?"

Luxa looked at Gregor. "He is just adding more stress to Nerissa's life."

Gregor didn't say anything else, just walked with her to the edge of the water, were Nerissa was sitting with a man, laughing at something he had said. Even though they were out in the Jungle and not in Regalia, Gregor thought that Nerissa looked better than he had ever seen her. Maybe Luxa was wrong...

"Ah, let me guess, this is the warrior?" The man stood up. "I must see the future too, eh Nerissa?"

Luxa's cousin smiled. "Not quite Isaac."

Luxa ignored Isaac. "You wanted to see us, Nerissa?"

"Yes. I wanted to tell you about something I saw yesterday." Nerissa looked at Gregor. "I told Luxa you would be back today. Remember Luxa?"

Luxa sighed. "Yes Nerissa."

The older girl smiled. "I didn't tell you the other thing."

"What is it?"

"That Gregor is right."

"About what?"

"We will not get back to Regalia without reuniting with the others. Even then, it won't be over."

"What won't be over?" Luxa sat down, across from her cousin.

"Everything. The Gnawers will not ever except peace unless they get what they want."

"And what is that?"

"Good land, our land."

Luxa nodded. "Is that all?"

Nerissa smiled. "For now. Isaac was about to practice. Would you and Gregor like to watch him?"

"No thank you." Luxa stood back up. "We are very busy."

Gregor walked next to Luxa this time instead of behind her. "What does he do to practice?"

Luxa smirked a little. "He talks to the water."

Gregor made a face. "Does it…talk back to him?"

"So he claims." Luxa laughed a little.

"Nerissa seems like she likes him."

Luxa shrugged, smile fading. "She likes everyone."

Gregor said nothing as they walked back to the cave.

Man, it's almost been a year since I messed with this story. I will try not to let that happen again.