Gregor and the Hidden Prophecies

Chapter 10

"Bye Temp!" Gregor called as they walked out back over to Aurora. "I'll see you later."

Gregor got on before Luxa this time but she did not object, just got behind him. Aurora took off.

"To the others?"

"Yes." Luxa told her.

"Hey Luxa?" Gregor asked after a moment. "Remember what Nerissa said? About us getting back to Regalia? She said that you guys needed the others to do it."

Luxa sighed. "Gregor, I have told you, Nerissa sees many things. She could be talking about some point in the future or even something that does not have to do with us that has happened in the past. If it concerns you, talk to Vikus while we are with the others. I am sure that he would know if we were ever forced out of Regalia before."

"So you really believe in her?"

"Nerissa?"

"Yeah."

"Yes. You do not?"

Gregor shrugged. "I guess I do."

"She does see things Gregor."

"Luxa, look at it another way. If you were me and did not know her all your life, would you believe her?"

"Yes because it is true."

Gregor groaned. "You're hopeless."

"And annoying too, right?"

"Yeah, of course."

"And jealous?"

Gregor nodded. "Yep."

"And mention me being queen too much."

"Yeah."

"Did I miss any?"

"Just two. You forgot that you're bossy and that you are cold."

She sighed. "I am not loving you right now."

Gregor smiled. "But all those things make you great…or alright at least."

"I am not deaf and do not wish to hear this." Aurora commented.

Luxa laughed, wrapping her arms around Gregor from behind and hugged him. Against his back, she mumbled, "I love you."

"I love you t-"

"I was not joking."

Luxa sighed. "Alright Aurora."

Gregor shook his head. "Are you going to let me go now?"

"Nope." Luxa moved so that she could put her head on his shoulder. Where as Gregor had to lean down slightly, as he was taller than her, she had to stretch. They flew in silence for awhile before Gregor spoke.

"Luxa, see that land down there?"

"Yes."

"…Can we stop on it?"

"Why Overlander?" Aurora asked.

He mumbled something that only Aurora heard and caused her to laugh. Luxa frowned. "What did you say?"

"I sort of have to pee…now."

Luxa rolled her eyes. "You are like taking Hazard on a trip."

"Well can we stop?"

Aurora angled her wings downward. Luxa unwrapped her arms from around him. As soon as they touched down, Gregor ran over to the side of the cave. Luxa sighed, also getting down.

"Hurry up Overlander!" She yelled.

"I can't go with you yelling at me." He mumbled, knowing that she couldn't hear him. After he was done, he zipped up his pants and went back over to them.

"Are you finished now?"

"Yeah." He blushed a little. If he hadn't had had to go so bad, he wouldn't had brought it up. It's not like he wanted to bring up his bathroom issues in front of her. Luxa laughed when she saw his reddish cheeks and kissed him.

"I apparently was not clear. I do not want to hear or see you too." Aurora clarified.

Luxa rolled her eyes. "Then don't watch."

"Don't we need to go now?" Gregor asked.

"You mean that you do not like it when I hold you?"

"No, you smell."

"Gregor." She moved from him and pushed him. Gregor was not expecting that and fell backwards.

"Luxa!"

"What?"

"You are so getting it now." Gregor got up.

"Overlander-"

He lunged at her but she moved. When she did, he fell down, landing on his right arm in an awkward position.

"Damn." He mumbled, rolling over onto his back.

"Gregor, are you alright?" Luxa asked.

"My arm. I think you broke my arm."

Luxa glared at him. "I did not. You were the one that jumped at me."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Queen and her little boyfriend."

It was dark and Luxa could not see well but she did see the outlines of the Gnawers. There had to be at least twenty, if not more. Gregor jumped up. He couldn't move his right arm without raging pain. That was the arm he held his sword in! Luxa looked at him before the Gnawers and lastly her bond. Luxa was on Aurora in seconds, know that they could not take this, not with Gregor's arm hurt. Not to mention, Aurora's wing was injured recently. She was not risking it.

"Gregor!"

The Overlander, however, did not care if he had to use his left arm. He had wanted a fight and here it was. He drew his sword, facing them. He could take them, he knew he could.

"Aw, the Warrior wants to fight, how nice."

"We are at peace with the Gnawer's, Overlander. Now let's go." Luxa glared at him.

"Peace, huh? You kick us out, kill our pups-"

"No one harmed any-" Luxa started but the Gnawers attacked Gregor and he fended them off pretty well, seeing as his arm was broken. Luxa had Aurora fly up and fight from above, cursing the stupid Overlander the whole time. They had almost finished up when, with only three Gnawers left, Gregor got distracted by two of them and the third took it time to hit him in the head, taking a good chunk of his skin with him.

When he woke up, he didn't feel well enough to open his eyes. So he didn't.

"He can fight in a battle and win that you had no hope of winning but he gets injured fighting twenty some Gnawers?"

Ripred. Where was he?

"He had a broken arm."

Luxa. She must have taken him somewhere.

"How? And why were you stopped there?"

That voice. He knew it but…his name started with an e…and Luxa hated him…Emmett.

"The Overlander needed too." Luxa was defending him. She did not sound happy.

"What did he need to do?" Emmett asked.

"It is none of your concern!"

"It is of my concern when you decided to go out and be stupid with our greatest weapon!"

"Gregor is not a weapon."

Gregor groaned. They were too loud. Another voice spoke up. "You are disturbing him. Could you not continue this somewhere else?"

Howard. Were they in the Jungle or with the others?

Emmett ignored him. "Luxa, you can not let whatever is going on with you and the War- Hero interfere with-"

"You should best to watch what you say to me Emmett. Now that we are back in Regalia, I have to choose to either keep you in your current position or bring Perdita back up."

Regalia? What were they doing in-

"We are not back yet."

"Many are."

So they weren't but they were moving back there. Howard spoke again.

"You can go argue somewhere else. The Overlander needs rest."

"Yes, you can go, Ripred, Emmett."

"You too Luxa." Howard ordered.

"You thought that I was not leaving? That I would stay here with you?"

After a minute of silence, Howard spoke again. "You can open your eyes, Gregor. They have left."

He groaned, opening them. "Where are we?"

"The camp to those oppose to Luxa." Howard smiled at him. "You took a nasty wound to the head."

"Yeah." Gregor looked down at his arm and saw that it was in a sling. "Is my arm broken?"

"Yes." Howard shook his head. "Luxa mentioned that you broke it before the fight?"

"Yeah." Gregor didn't elaborate, Howard didn't ask him too. After ten minutes, Ripred and Luxa returned.

"Howard-" She started but then saw that Gregor was awake. "Overlander, you have greatly set us back."

"How?"

"You should have listened to me and left. There was no need to fight them." Luxa stared at him. "What was it that you said?"

"When?"

"When I was taking you here on Aurora, while you were injured."

"I don't know, I don't remember." Great, what did he say?

"That you could not control it. That you had to." Luxa looked at Ripred. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, now my bond wants my help. Not when it my benefit her people, only her-"

"Ripred." Gregor glared at him.

The rat shook his head. "It could mean multiple things. That you are crazy is my guess."

Gregor shook his head. "Just let it go Luxa."

The Gnawer looked at the Overlander. "Gregor, I wish to speak with you…alone."

Luxa looked at Ripred. "And? That does not mean that you can."

"Luxa-" Gregor started.

"Look, your highness, I have had to deal with you since you got here and I am just about tired of it." Ripred got in her face.

"Again, that does not mean anything." Luxa never backed down.

"I am two seconds away from ripping your stupid royal head off!"

"Hey." Gregor sat up. "Leave her alone Ripred."

"And, you, Overlander, are also getting to me. You think that you're such a great fighter now, then prove it. But wait, you can't, you've broken your arm. How can you save anything when you and the queen are always running off together?"

Gregor was tired of the old rat. He reached for his sword…with his supposedly broken arm. He broke the sling, pulling the sword out. The others looked at him in shock.

"What?" He asked, tired of them.

"Your arm, Gregor. I thought that it was broken?" Luxa looked hard at him.

"It is." Gregor looked down at it. "Or I thought that it was."

"This is what I wanted to talk to you about." Ripred sighed. "It would seem that you have not only moved up from Warrior but, you have also become a blazer."

"The jacket?" Gregor asked.

"No!" Ripred shook his head. "A blazer-"

"He is not a blazer, Ripred." Luxa seemed angered that the Gnawer would even suggest that.

"Luxa, you have never been in the presence of one." Ripred looked over at her. "Now go do something-"

"No. You go."

"Wait. Why is my broken arm healed?" Gregor asked, looking at the rat.

"Blazer's can be injured but it is usually healed within that same day-"

"He is not a blazer." Luxa looked at Gregor. "If you are well enough, we can get back to the jungle now."

"No, his head-" Howard started but stopped when Ripred went over to Gregor.

"Take the bandages off your head." The Gnawer ordered.

"Ripred, that is not advised-" Howard tried but they ignored him. Gregor unwrapped them and, sure enough, there was no wound, just a scar.

"What else can a blazer do?" Gregor asked, having given up on the chance that he wasn't one.

"You have a thirst to kill, constantly. You will be a more skilled fighter than anyone in the Underland. You are practically invincible."

"Then he would not have been hurt." Luxa concluded. She really didn't want him to be a blazer apparently.

"I did not say that. I said that he was practically invincible. If he makes stupid moves like he did, then yes, he will get hurt."

Luxa huffed. "Can we leave now?"

"It is late, Luxa. You two should stay here." Howard suggested.

"And I also have more to talk about with Gregor." Ripred walked out.

Gregor stared at the fire. "So why aren't you a blazer?"

"It's not a choice, Overlander."

"Yeah but, Ripred, you're a better fighter than me."

"Not now." Emmett laughed. "Guess we don't need you anymore, Ripred."

Luxa had been talking with them, more like glaring at them, but she eventually fell asleep. Now, her head was in Gregor's lap. Aurora, Nike, and Eros were behind them, talking. Howard sat a little bit away from them, half listening.

"Just because he is a blazer does not mean that he is the ultimate fighter." Ripred looked at Emmett.

"How many more blazers have there been?" Gregor asked.

"Not as many as ragers but there have been a few."

"Any humans?"

"They are mainly humans."

Emmett looked at him, changing the subject. "Why did you and Luxa stop there?"

"I…sort of had to pee."

Ripred rolled his eyes while Emmett burst out laughing. "Then how did you break your arm? Because there's only one thing to do with your hand with your pants down."

"Emmett!" Howard looked over at him. His bond, Eros, shook his head while Nike and Aurora rolled their eyes. Luxa, who apparently wasn't really asleep, opened her eyes.

"Emmett, you are in the presence of your queen. You should not speak like that."

Ripred rolled his eyes. Gregor looked at Emmett and noticed for the first time that he wasn't as old as he thought he was. He always thought that he was as old as Mareth but, looking at him so close, he was able to see that he was only about nineteen or twenty, maybe even eighteen. Honestly, if the others hadn't commented on the joke, it wouldn't have effected Gregor. In the Overland, he heard worse jokes than that. Actually better, depending on how you looked at it. Emmett's joke was actually very mild.

"I fell." Gregor told them. "Why are you here anyways, Emmett? Don't you need to be in the Jungle?"

"I came to find out what you two were doing. Howard came with me."

"It's late, Overlander." Howard said. "You should all go to sleep. Emmett, aren't you going to Regalia tomorrow to help with clean up?"

The general nodded. "Luxa, are you coming?"

"I have to take Gregor back to the jungle to be with his sisters." Luxa removed her head from Gregor's lap

"I can take him." Nike offered. "You do not need to go anywhere, do you Howard?"

"No."

"Alright." Nike looked at Gregor. "I will take you."

"Okay."

Ripred walked away as Howard put the fire out. Emmett got up and went over to Eros. He said something to him before they took off. Gregor laid down next to Luxa. She rolled over, her back to him.

"You really don't like Emmett, huh?"

He knew that she rolled her eyes, even though he couldn't see. "I do not enjoy him, no, but he is a skilled fighter. Not as good as you though."

Howard looked at them for a moment before shaking his head and walking away. Gregor closed his eyes.

"How long have we been here?"

"I got you here sometime after dinner and then you stayed knocked out the whole day."

"Thanks, for getting me out of there."

Luxa shrugged. "I would not just let you die. You were foolish though to think that you could handle those Gnawers. You could have hurt yourself, Overlander."

"You heard Ripred, I'm practically invincible!"

"You are not a blazer. Ripred is an idiot."

"Why don't you want me to be a blazer?"

"You're not and I'm not going to pretend that you are."

"Whatever Luxa."

"Why do you always say that?"

"Why are you always annoying?"

Luxa said nothing. After ten minutes, Gregor figured that she fell asleep. He laid there for awhile but got bored so he got up. He was walking away when Aurora called out to him.

"Where are you going Overlander?" She asked. It was rare that she and him would speak but recently, it seemed like they were talking more and more.

Gregor shrugged, noticing that Nike had fallen asleep. "I don't know."

"I could fly you somewhere." Aurora offered. Gregor was about to say no but he stopped himself. Why would she want to take him somewhere?

"Alright." Gregor went over to her and got on her back. Once they were in the air, Aurora spoke.

"You should stop mentioning being a blazer."

So that's what she wanted to talk about. "Why?"

Aurora hesitated. "It displeases Luxa to think of you as one."

She wasn't going to tell him. "But why?"

"There are many down sides to being a blazer."

"Which are?"

Again, she hesitated. "You have already felt the need to kill, correct?"

"Yes. So?"

The bat flew in silence for a moment. "Blazers' are used in time of war and are very important to us. When the war is over, many times they are put to death or, more often than not, put out on their own until they are needed for war."

"Why?"

"If you have a need to kill and can not get it from the enemy, as there is no enemy, you find it another way."

Gregor didn't say anything else. When they touched back down, Luxa was still sleeping. Gregor found sleep hard that night. If he's going to kill people because he doesn't have anything else to kill, he can't go back to the Overland…he can't stay here either.

When Luxa woke up she rolled over to face him and found that he was awake, as he hadn't slept at all that night. "Where did you and Aurora go?"

"What?"

"I awoke and you were both gone. Where did you go?"

"Nowhere."

She shook her head before sitting up. "Are you going to take your sisters back today?"

"I don't know. I guess I should."

"You could wait." Luxa stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"To find Vikus."

"Why?"

Luxa looked back at him for a moment. "Is it any of your concern?"

Gregor rolled his eyes as she walked away. Emmett walked up a few minutes later.

"Where is-"

"She went to find Vikus."

Emmett nodded. "When are you and Nike going to leave?"

"Whenever Nike is ready."

"I am ready Overlander." The striped princess spoke up.

"Okay." Gregor stood up and got on her. Then they were off. Where as with Aurora, Gregor always felt awkward, with Nike he felt…good. Aurora was more silent around Gregor, except for recently, he had only heard her talk a few times. Nike though was very lively and loved to talk.

"How is your mother?" The bat asked after they were flying for a few minutes.

"Fine. Well she was."

"Was?"

"She didn't know that we're here."

"You did not tell her?"

"She would not let us come. She hates it here."

"Oh yes, she is trying to move away, right?"

"Yeah, to Virginia."

"She will not leave."

"What makes you say that?"

"Aurora said that you found new prophecies. You will be back here to finish all the ones with the Hero in them."

Gregor rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."

"You do not think so?"

"I think that…I probably will never come back after this. My mom will be very mad about this."

"Was she not mad before?"

"She was but this time…I just think that this'll be the last time I am here."

"That is for the better if you are a blazer."

"Yeah, Aurora said that I'll be sent to live on my own."

"That has happened before but only if you are too far gone to be kept in Regalia. Don't worry, Overlander, I do not think that you will ever lose control like some have. I think that you'll always be in your right mind." Nike laughed that weird Flier laugh. "I trust that you will never hurt anyone you do not have too."

"Thanks."

"You do not have to thank me for it, Gregor. Everyone should be like you instead of as angry and thoughtless as others."

"Like who?"

"I should not talk about others behind their backs." Nike was silent after that.

"Where's Luxa?" Hazard asked as Gregor walked over to them.

Gregor picked up Boots. "She went to Regalia."

"Go home?" Boots asked. Gregor sighed.

"We will."

"When?" Lizzie asked.

"After I make sure that everything is okay in Regalia, I'll take you guys back."

"And come with us to Virginia."

"Lizzie-"

"Are you staying with us, Nike?" Hazard asked.

"Yes. Until Gregor needs to leave."

"Doesn't Howard need you?"

"No, Hazard." Nike looked at Gregor. "Do you want to go back to Regalia now?"

"No. I think Luxa's coming back here later."

Nike nodded before flying away. Gregor was watching them play hide and seek, having to help Boots count when she was it when he saw that boy from before, Edward's brother. What was his name?

"I'll be right back Hazard." He told the boy who was counting before running over to the boy. What was his name? Nathan…Nat…Nash.

"Hey Nash." Gregor called, running over to him. The boy looked over at him and smiled.

"Hi Warrior."

"Not Warrior, Hero." Gregor smiled at him, falling in step with ten year old.

Nash smiled at him. "So are you still going to teach me to fight?" His smiled faded. "I always asked Edward but he never did."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about your brother."

Nash shrugged. "It's okay. My dad says that he should be lucky that he lived through the first war. He's a hero too."

"Yeah, definitely." Gregor looked down at him. "You want me to help you now?"

"Yeah! I'll go get a sword." Nash ran off. Gregor stood there waiting for him. When he came back, he was smiling again.

"You've fought with a sword before, right?"

"Yeah, we have to learn. But I'm not that good."

"It's okay, I wasn't that good at first either."

"But didn't you hit all the blood balls on your first day?"

Boy, this kid new his stuff. He was like those girls…except less creepy. A lot less creepy. "Well yeah, but that was luck."

"Oh." The boy held his sword out in front of him. Gregor took that as a sign to begin. They spent well over two hours practicing. They would have probably done more if a woman didn't approach them. Nash looked at her.

"Hello Mother."

She didn't say anything to him. She just looked at Gregor. "Greetings, Warrior. I would hope that he is not causing you a burden."

Gregor was shocked. "No. He's fine."

She nodded. "Come Nash."

He frowned. "Bye Hero."

"Bye Nash." Gregor gave a little wave as he was led off by his mother. Gregor shook his head, going to find his sisters and Hazard. When he did find them, Boot talking to Nike and it looked like Hazard and Lizzie were mad at each other.

"Hey." Gregor looked at the two of them, taking in Lizzie's crossed arms, and Hazard's scowl. "What's wrong?"

"Hazard being mean."

"Am not! You're just a stupid girl. What would you know?"

Gregor groaned. "Forget it. I don't even want to know. What are you doing Boots?"

She just giggled. Nike looked over at him. "She is explaining to me how Mary acquired a lamb."

Gregor just shook his head. "Boots."

"Luxa's back." Nike told him.

"Already?"

"It's been like four hours since you went away." Lizzie told him.

"Yeah, you said that you would be back!" Hazard glared at him.

"What were you doing for four hours?" Lizzie asked.

"Helping somebody with sword practice."

"For four hours?"

He heard Luxa's voice but did not see her. Finally he looked up. There, perched in the vines and oversized plants was Luxa. He immediately flashed back to that day when they found her while they were looking for the cure for the plague, when she had taken the painkillers. At the moment though, Luxa was sitting up there, watching them. She had something in her hand but he could not see what it was.

"Yes." He rolled his eyes. "What are you doing up there anyways?"

She shrugged. Her hands moved slightly and he saw that she was holding a necklace. "Who were you practicing with?"

"Nash."

"Who?"

"Just someone I know." Gregor stared at her. "Are you going to come down?"

She seemed to think about it for a moment before speaking. "No."

"I thought that you were helping with clean up?"

"No. I was there to check on things. I did and stayed for awhile before leaving."

"Of course, because helping is beneath you."

Even from way up there, Gregor could feel her eyes narrow at him. "Why don't you go back to what you were doing, Overlander?"

"I can't hear you."

"I said- Gregor." She shook her head.

"What? I can't hear you. You're too high up."

"Stop it Overlander."

"I can't hear you, Luxa. You should come down here."

"No." She looked at the necklace she had in her hands. "Go away."

He rolled his eyes, giving up on getting her down. He sat down next to Lizzie. "You know that we're dead when we get back home, right?"

Lizzie nodded. "And we have to go to Virginia."

Gregor sighed. He didn't even want to be reminded. That's when he realized something. For him, leaving would be hard. But he would make more friends. Lizzie though only had one as it was. What would she do at a new school? He shook his head. His mom was being selfish. She shouldn't take Lizzie away from Jedidiah. But was Gregor not selfish too? He brought his sisters in to this, all so he could see Luxa one last time. That in itself speaks volumes. But Lizzie was going anyways, so why does it matter? No, he should have stopped her.

Luxa landing on the ground in front of them brought him out of his thoughts. He watched as she sat down next to him, laying her head on his shoulder. Shaking his head, he looked at the necklace she held.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Nothing." She pulled it into her fist, hiding it from him.

Gregor didn't say anything else about it.