FlyYouHigh: yea, I understand where your coming from, let me explain more.

About Gregor: Gregor is not only rusty, but Brad is a more advance fighter than he is, Brad spent his life fighting (or at least learning how to fight) when his old kingdom was at war. He has also learned not only to fight with a weapon, but without one. And Brad has learned to control his rager side more than Gregor has. Gregor is a good fighter, but Gregor is much weaker than Brad at this time...I can't say anything more to not give away parts of the story.

About Luxa: I also understand what you mean here, the thing I'm trying to say by all of Brad's outbursts (which not many have been shown) is that his #1 weakness is his anger. When he gets angry, he often says, and does things he doesn't mean to do. And also, You're right, brad doesn't know Her life, but at the same time, she knows little of his as well, they are starting to learn each other, so, Luxa felt the need to apologize because of the rude things she said, not because she wanted to. You just have to put yourself in the characters shoes. (Plus, I couldn't have them hating each other forever :P )

Chapter 10: Small time heroes

Gregor POV

Twitchtip! She was alive! After all this time, he thought she was dead, but she wasn't! "Oh Twitchtip! I missed you!" he blurted out before he could stop himself. She just laughed, "and I you overlander, come, sit, we must talk.". He did so and sat a little bit off to the side of the room, she began to speak, "Gregor, the Guards have spoken about you going to the kingdom of Angelos Theou...I must warn you, the cutters did indeed attack that kingdom, but the humans there survived. It is only a matter of time before the cutters go back there with their full army, to completely destroy the kingdom." she said urgently. "What? They survived? How?" was all Gregor could say. "I am not sure, but I do know that the cutters first attack wasn't anything but a test. They wanted to test the strength of the Humans there, and they did. Now, they will surely destroy that city." she said. "but...why test anything? Why not just destroy it?" Gregor asked, confused. "Because they want to keep some humans alive, to strike fear in the cutters enemies eyes. They want the humans to tell tales of how the cutters destroyed the humans cities and collapsed them to the ground. They want power. However, to do this, they must leave the weaklings alive, the people who wont pose any threat to them, wont challenge them." she explained. Gregor was baffled, but he had to admit, it was a great plan to get power. The humans in the underland were the strongest race, feared by most creatures, they were called "killers". If the cutters destroy almost all the human race, they would dominate the underland with fear. "So" Gregor swallowed, "they are smarter than we thought..." he said surprised. "Yes overlander, they are much smarter, and they have the biggest army in the underland numbered more than 10 thousand cutters, and trust me, they would use every cutter in the colony if it meant that kind of power ." Twitchtip said quietly.

Brad POV

He went strait to the soldiers, every human counted at this moment, and he wanted to persuade them to join the Regalian army. He saw a Field of people training to fight, and saw a man who looked like he had been through one to many battles, he stood on a crutch, was missing an eye, had one hand, and that one hand only had 3 fingers on it...yea, he should have cut his loses a long time ago. Still if he was in charge, he was the man Brad needed to talk to, and as he walked up the man turned and smiled. "Greetings, you must be the man I have heard about. I am Ambrosius, commander of the Iugum's army." he said proudly. "Greetings, I am Bradley, King of Regalia, I have come to ask your help in the humans war against the cutters." he said without delay. The man's face turned solemn. "You need our help? With all due respect, our army isn't trained well, and Is small. We have nothing we can offer you." he said sadly. "You can offer me people, men ready to give their lives for others. This is all I ask, all the warmbloods and are threatened. We need everyone." Brad said strongly. The man's face changed into a much less formal one and he asked a question that Brad had to really think about to answer. "Where will we go? I know we will go to your army, but the cutter will come here and nest here once we leave, our homes will be destroyed. We will have no where to go..." the man said sadly. Brad was quiet as he thought, he didn't know if he could do this, but they needed the people. "I can offer you homes in Regalia, it will be a much safer, and easier place to live." he said. The old man thought about this for a moment and shook his head. "How much time to I have to think about this offer?" the man asked. "until we leave for the kingdom of Angelos Theou tomorrow." Brad replied. The man shook his head and said, "Tomorrow, I will have an answer, for now. I cannot decide the fate of my army.". Brad understood, and walked away calmly. After all, he couldn't expect everyone to be so willing to risk their lives for a kingdom they didn't even know...

Gregor POV

He walked away from the small hut with Twitchtip at his side. "Gregor, I will try to persuade the chieftain to join Regalia, me and him have a past together...short but strong. Much like ours." she said. Gregor just smiled down at her and said, "That's not what's bothering me...even if we get all the armies, me, Ripred, Brad...every rager we can find...how are we supposed to fight a whole colony of ants?" Gregor said worried. "I...do not know Overlander..." she said, lost in thought. They walked on for a few minutes before something clicked in Gregors head, "Hey Twitchtip, I thought you hated the smell of humans...how can you live here?" he asked. She looked away, ashamed, "Well I guess I have...gotten used to them" she said, Gregor saw right through her lie and his heart stopped. "You...you can't smell anymore?" he asked. "Of course I can!...kinda, I can smell...just not well, when the serpent crush my nose he ruined nearly all the receptors in my nose, I can barely smell, and can't feel anything in my nose anymore." she said looking broken. "I am useless now" she whispered to him. Gregor just stopped and put his arms around her. "you will never be useless to me, you are an amazing friend.". She smiled up at him and that's when Brad found them. "Gregor I have asked the head of the army here to join us in the war against the cutters, so far, they are considering the deal." he said. "Cool, so when will we leave?" he asked. "Get some sleep, once we get an answer tomorrow. We will be leaving.".

Brad POV

He and Twitchtip and Brad headed back towards the small hut that had been given to the new arrivals when they had shown up. "So, may I ask your name?" Brad said to Twitchtip. She looked up and him and said, " My name is Twitchtip, scent seer...well, I used to be anyway.". After the story about what happened on the journey in the Prophecy of Bane. Brad looked surprised, "wow, I had never know about such hardships I'm sorry that you lost your abilities, but I am sure you can always find a home in Regalia, if you wish.". Brad needed to calm down, soon he would offer all the underland a home in Regalia...but for her duties to help the kingdom, he was sure she could have a home there. When they got back to the hut, Luxa's eyes looked at if they were going to pop out of her skull. "Twitchtip! You live!" she cheered happily. "Yes, yes I do, and it seems you do as well" Twitchtip said with a grin. They then started to swap stories about their past and what had lead up to this day, so Brad left the hut to let them talk in peace. He took with him his journal, and his pen, and as he sat by the river he began to clear his head, and write.

"Month 5 of my 18th year.

I was glad to see the village was alive and well, and surprised when Gregor had found an old friend in it. About this friend, Twitchtip, she seems lost, finding life out here somewhere whether it be alone or with a friend. She seems like me... When I heard the story of how Gregor had saved Her life, when no one else wanted to, I saw a different part of Gregor. He wasn't like the underlanders, he fought for good, no matter what side this "good" was for. This says a lot about a person, to put all the suffering aside, and realize that even rats have good people among them...he seems like Vikus. As for Luxa, she has apologized, however I do not feel I have earned it, I was extremely rude, I don't know her life...but I do know one thing about her, she is a great queen, and I was wrong about what I said the moment I said it. ...sometimes it's hard to believe she is my sister, it's hard to believe I had people who cared about me...I have been alone so long, been hated all these years...it seems I don't know how to truly love, but I can always try to change...I asked the army here to join us, they are thinking about this deal. I hope I didn't do anything wrong, the last thing we need now it to lose allies. I have not seen the fliers since we landed, but I am sure they are fine, I heard they had been bathed, and are resting. I think I will Bring Twitchtip to train with me and Gregor, she has known him longer than I. ...I have no more to write."

He wanted to write more, but couldn't think of anymore to write, so he ended it this way. He then slowly walked back to the hut, to find Twitchtip was gone, and Luxa was curled up in Gregors arms. They seemed like an old married couple, people who had searched through everything together only to find out that what they really wanted was each other. After what he heard about Gregor today, Brad was sure he would make a good king...but that was a future event, and not important now. But he had found the words to write, so he opened and crossed out the last part, and rewrote, "Gregor will make a Great king one day, of this I am sure." and then he slowly drifted to sleep.

The Dream was terrible, more to his nightmare involving his mother. "Athena, please take him, take him somewhere, somewhere safe, somewhere no one will know his name! Please!" his mother begged. Athena purred, "If this is what you wish, come child" he was put on Athena's back and he felt her flying, and flying, and flying. His cries became whimpers and soon, he fell to sleep. He awoke drenched in sweat and both Gregor and Luxa by his side, worried. "Are you ok Brad? You seemed to be having a nightmare..." Luxa said worried. "Yes...I suppose I am fine, do we have an answer yet?" said Brad not wanting to talk about his dream. "They have agreed to help us only if we can promise them a home in Regalia...all of them, I think we can do it though, the village is not big." Luxa said, obviously doubting herself. "We shall be fine, they can certainly be counted as heroes" Brad said as he started to get ready. He didn't want her to worry, They finally found the bats in a special house designed for fliers, and then they told the people how to get to Regalia, however Twitchtip, was coming with them. Soon, every house in the village lay deserted, and a whole new army was headed for Regalia. They finally made their way to the First major city they had seen since they left Regalia. They flew on in silence...and soon they heard the sound they were fearing, the sounds of war. As they all flew into sight of the kingdom, they saw it, below them, were thousands of cutters, and even though the humans had done a tremendous job of keeping the creatures away from the city walls, it wouldn't last much longer. There was no choice anymore, The small party had to help. And as they realized, they all flew into battle.