Gregor and the Hidden Prophecies
Chapter 11
Luxa stared straight ahead, not even acknowledging him for at least ten minutes. When she did, she asked, "Do you follow me everywhere?"
"No." Gregor didn't look at her either. He just stared out from the view they had from the top of the cave. Most people had already been taken back. Luxa was waiting to leave, however, until everyone was there. Gregor had spent most of the day with Nash but, when it was time for his family to leave, he went to find Luxa. Many people did not have bonds so all the Fliers were busy that day with taking people back to Regalia. Aurora had just gotten back from her fifth straight trip and took Gregor to Luxa before going off on her sixth.
"Mostly everyone is back." Luxa told him.
"Yeah. It only took two days." Gregor thought about how long he had been down here. A week at least, maybe two.
Luxa shook her head. "You should have seen when we had to leave Regalia."
"It was hectic?"
Luxa nodded. "You are going to leave once we get back?"
"I don't know."
"We will still need you."
"For what?"
Luxa had her legs dangling over the edge but Gregor, still slight afraid of heights, kept his pulled to his chest. Luxa, however, had never had a fear of heights. If anything, she was more afraid of the ground. "Those Gnawer's that attacked us are not the only ones who are bitter about you beating them. If you leave, there is a great chance that they'll overpower us again."
"I don't want to leave but what choice would I have?"
Luxa shrugged. "You'll be back, regardless."
"Why?"
The queen glanced at him. "You are the Hero, Gregor. You have prophecies to fulfill." Then, in a mocking tone, she added, "Unless you're scared."
"Scared? I'm invincible, remember?"
"It would please me greatly if you would stop saying that."
"Why? I'm a blazer. I don't get hurt."
Luxa glared at him. "You are not a blazer, Overlander."
"Yeah I am."
"No."
"Yeah."
"Gregor." She sighed. "You should not take pride in being a blazer, if you were one, which, I might add, you are not."
"I know, I know. I heard. You guys will kill me or something. Whatever."
She shook her head. "Whatever? Is that what you say when you don't know what to say? Because, if it is, then you must not be very intelligent since you use it a lot."
He looked at her, hard. "I'm smart enough not to get my people kicked out of Regalia."
Her eyes flared but she said nothing. He didn't care though. They always fought. They would be talking again in a couple of minutes. The ex-warrior looked down at the ground and saw that necklace she had before sitting on the ground. He picked it up.
"Wh-"
"Give me that!" She took it back from him.
"You never told me what it was."
"You do not need to know everything about me."
"No, but I want to."
She looked down at the piece of jewelry in her hand. "A Gnawer was clutching it and, when they were clearing out the dead body's, someone noticed it and knew that it was mine. They returned it to me. It is normally kept in my room at the palace but one of them must have taken it."
"Where'd you get it?"
She looked at him briefly before turning to look back at the jungle below them. "It was Judith's."
Gregor raked his brain before realizing the only time he had heard that name was when Hamnet told mentioned his twin, Luxa's mother. "Oh. Sorry."
"For?"
"Asking."
"You had a right to ask, Overlander. If I did not want you to know, I would not have told you."
He shrugged. They sat there in silence again. After a few minutes, Luxa reached over and took his hand. Gregor didn't look at her but did squeeze her hand slightly. They watched as Flier's came in and took off, taking people who were probably very happy to be home but also scared of what they would find. Many of their homes were no doubt damaged, their belongings taken or destroyed. But, they all knew, at least they had lived and were finally able to go back.
After an hour of complete silence, someone from behind them spoke, interrupting Gregor's thoughts on what he was going to do about his mother.
"Luxa, are you leaving today?"
Aurora. Luxa turned to look at her. "You are no doubt tired. We will stay here for tonight."
Aurora nodded before closing her wings. "Nike is with your sisters, Overlander."
"Lucky her." He made a face.
Luxa smiled a little. "Where did that boy go?"
"What boy?"
"The one that you've been helping."
"Nash? He's family left."
"Nerissa will be going back with us. I do not want her going with someone else."
"She doesn't like flying?"
Luxa shook her head. "She hates it."
Gregor nodded. "Has Isaac gone back yet?"
Luxa groaned. "No. He is determined to go back with us."
"I don't see why you don't like him."
"I have told you, he is just adding st-"
"How? I haven't seen any."
Luxa let go of his hand. "What would you know?"
"I know a lot."
Luxa shook her head. "I doubt it.
"Oh you do?" He turned to face her.
"Yes." She didn't look at him.
He rolled his eyes, moving closer to her. He slowly wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He expected her to move or push his arm off but she didn't. She just sat there, not leaning into him, but not leaning away either. Aurora ruffled her wings, as if to let them know that she was there and did not wish to see anything else. That was fine with Gregor though. This was close enough for him.
"Overlander?" Luxa whispered after awhile.
"Yeah?"
She leaned against him. "I don't think I want to go back."
For Luxa, going back meant dealing with the people who betrayed her, who thought that she wasn't good enough to lead them, dealing with all the death and destruction that had come from the Gnawer's attack. Here, she just had to come up with attack plans and rule of half of what she did there. Here had become a safety net for her. Going back meant back to all the things she was able to put off.
For Gregor, it meant something completely different. Going back in his head was going back home, or what once was his home. He couldn't even get attached to it again because they would be leaving it soon too. He was having everything taken from him. All his friends down here, his friends up there, his home, everything he loved and lived for. And why? Because his mother wanted him to be safe. He shook his head.
"Me neither." He whispered back, looking straight ahead.
Gregor got onto the future bat queen after setting his youngest sister up there. Hazard climbed up there too. Gregor looked over at Luxa, who was helping Nerissa onto Aurora before getting on too.
Luxa looked at Hazard. "Get off of Nike, Hazard. You and Lizzie are riding with Isaac."
"No. I'm not riding with her."
Lizzie glared at him. "Well I don't want to ride with you anyways."
Gregor sighed. In a way, he decided, he should be glad that Lizzie was fighting with him. Before she came to the Underland, if someone at school talked about her or said something to her that upset her, she would break down and have a panic attack. So, in a way, her fighting with Hazard is a great improvement…sort of.
The queen shook her head. "Fine."
Lizzie climbed up there with Isaac. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a deck of cards. Gregor was almost sure that they were from the Overland.
"Alright, Lizzie, as you are the lucky one that gets the joy of accompanying me on this trip, I will show you a few card tricks."
"Are those Overland cards?" Gregor asked.
Isaac smiled at him. "Very observant, Gregor. No wonder you are the Hero."
Oddly enough, if anyone else would have said that, it would sound as if they were mocking him. Coming from Isaac though, it sounded honest and true…and slightly scary.
"Where did you get them?" Gregor asked.
The man just smiled. "A good magician never reveals his secrets, right?"
Luxa just rolled her eyes. "I told you to stop taking things from the museum."
Isaac continued to smile as the bats took off. Gregor had turned his attention to Boots but he could hear Isaac shuffling the deck.
"Pick a card, Lizzie, any card." A second later he said. "Know which one it is?"
"Yes."
"Place it anywhere in the deck." The man turned his head. "Alright, is this your card?"
"No."
Luxa smiled at Gregor. The Hero just shook his head.
"It's not? Let me see it." He took it from her. "Catch Gregor."
He didn't know why but he caught it. "Okay."
"What is it?"
"The two of spades."
"No it's not! It was the queen of hearts!" Lizzie looked over at him.
"Is that one your card?" Isaac smiled.
"Yes! How did you do that?"
"As I said before, a good magician never reveals their secrets."
Nerissa smiled a little while Luxa's face went back to normal…void and empty. Gregor shook his head.
"Get Temp?" Boots asked, uninterested in Isaac's magic trick.
"No." Gregor smiled at her. "We're going back home soon."
Boots clapped her hands. "See Mama!"
"Yeah." Gregor wasn't nearly as enthused.
Hazard looked at the ex-rager. "Gregor, can you do magic?"
"No."
"Oh." Hazard looked over at Luxa. "I guess Isaac will just have to teach me."
Queen Luxa glared. "No, Hazard, he will not."
"Why not?" Isaac smiled at his queen. "I would love to."
"Hazard does not need to learn."
"Told you she doesn't let me do anything." Hazard mumbled to Gregor and the blazer was inclined to agree.
When they got back to Regalia, Luxa had things to do. Hazard immediately wanted to go see what his room looked like, so Gregor and his sisters when with him. As they walked there, Gregor noticed the people that lined the hallways and it brought him back to the war he lost Ares in. He shook his head.
"Look!" Hazard ran over to the claw marks on his walls. "Isn't this great, Gregor?"
"Uh…yeah, I guess." He looked around the room. It was a mess. As was all of Regalia, he supposed. He left Lizzie was Hazard, as they had started being nice to each other again, and took Boots to go find something to do. He was walking down the hall when Nike flew up to him.
"Hello Overlanders."
"Hi!" Boots smiled at her.
"Hey Nike, what's up?"
"I am looking for Howard. Have you seen him?"
"No, sorry. What do you need him for?"
"I was asked to go to the Fount and do not wish to go alone. I thought that he would want to go, as his family is already back there." Nike looked at Gregor. "I must leave now. Would you care to go with me?"
"Yeah sure." At least it gave him something to do. They went to the High Halls and then took off. They were already outside of Regalia when Gregor realized that no one knew where he was. He decided that it wouldn't matter. The Fount wasn't that far…was it? Gregor had never been there.
"Nike, is the Fount like Regalia?"
"Yes, in ways, only much smaller." Nike told him. "Most there have been killed. No one there, save a few soldiers, had ever seen a Gnawer. It was horrific, honestly. And then they burned most of the city."
"How far away is it?"
"Not far. We will be there in a few minutes."
"See Temp?" Boots asked.
Nike laughed. "No Boots, not today."
"How did the Gnawer's get to the Fount?" Gregor asked. "I thought that they were upstream?"
"They are. But once the Gnawer's took Regalia, they were able to go through the south gate and from there it is but a few hours to the Fount."
They flew in silence after that. Once they got to the Fount, Nike flew straight to a stone building. It was similar to the palace but a lot smaller. She landed in the High Halls.
"Hello Overlander."
Gregor turned and saw that girl…what's her name? One of Howard sisters…Luxa doesn't like her, that's not saying a lot though. "Oh hey."
"This is the package?" The girl went over to Nike, taking a box off of her back.
"Yes. I was supposed to deliver it to your father-"
"He told me to give it to him!" She reassured.
Nike seemed unsure. "If you say so."
"Goodbye." The girl walked off. What was her name?"
"Goodbye Stellovet."
Oh yeah, that's her name. Nike took off again. "What was in the package?"
"I do not know. Luxa asked me to deliver it, as she thought Howard would wish to go home, or what's left of it."
Seemed more like that Luxa wanted Howard gone and to stay gone. "Nike, do you remember that Flier that took me to the jungle the first time?"
"Agron?"
"Yeah. What's wrong with him?"
"What do you mean, Overlander?"
"Luxa said something about me needing to stay away from him but Aurora came back and she didn't finish."
Nike was silent for a moment. "Luxa was going to tell you?"
"Yeah."
"Then I guess it would be alright if I tell you." Nike sighed. "Agron and Aurora were to mate."
"Were to?"
"They did not."
"…Why?"
"Agron thought that if he were to be a mate to the bond of Queen Luxa, it would make him an important Flier of some sorts. Then, he decided that Aurora was not as good of decision as…me."
"Why you?" Gregor asked. "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with you. It's just…how would you help him?"
"I am princess of the Flier's, Gregor. He believes that he can become king, if he could just convince me of how great he is."
"You don't think so?"
"Aurora and I have been close since we were pups. She cared greatly for him and he betrayed her." It was one of those few moments that Nike sounded serious, more grown up. "No, Gregor, I do not think so."
"Oh."
"He also is not reliable in time of war. He is afraid to fight." Nike laughed. "I would not have had him take you that day if someone else was around but he was the only Flier without something to do."
Boots ran her hand down Nikes fur. "Ni-ee.'
The bat laughed again. "Yes Boots?"
"Ni-ee princes, Boots princess." Boots smiled, leaning against her brother. The rest of the flight back, Nike talked to Boots. As soon as they landed in the High Halls, Gregor saw Luxa standing there, arms crossed, Howard with her.
"Overlander." Luxa glared at him.
"Nike, why didn't you get me?" Howard asked. "Why did you take Gregor?"
"I could not find you and did not wish to go alone."
Gregor got off of Nike, taking Boots with him. "What's wrong Luxa?"
"I did not know where you were and-"
"You don't have to know where I am all the time."
She rolled her eyes. "Trust me, I could care less. The reason it matters is that your parents are here and are upset that no one knew where you were. A few of my guards told me they saw you leave with Nike."
"My parents?" Gregor felt his stomach drop.
"Yes. Apparently, Vikus sent a note to them during the war and told them something that kept them away but, now that we are back, he sent a note saying that they can come down…and they have."
"Great." Gregor mumbled.
"Come, I shall take you to them."
Boots smiled. "See Mama?"
"Yeah." Gregor sighed, following Luxa. Finally, they came to a room and Luxa went in. Gregor took in a breath before following.
"Mommy!" Boots wiggled in her brother's arms, wanting down.
Grace took her baby from Gregor. "Oh, Margaret."
Boots giggled. "Hi!"
Lizzie, who had her arms crossed, glared at her mom. "Can we go now?"
Her father shook his head. "Shush, Lizzie."
Luxa looked at Grace. "We can have Fliers take you to the stairwell tomorrow. We cannot today as they are helping remove trash and such."
Gregor's father nodded. "Thank you."
Luxa turned and started out of the room, Gregor about to follow. His mother stopped him though. "You're not going anywhere Gregor."
He cringed. Luxa smiled at him before walking out. Gregor glared at her. She was so enjoying him getting in trouble and he knew it.
"What made you think that you could just take your sisters down here?" His mother looked at him, hard. Gregor, however, didn't care at the moment.
"I just came to say goodbye." He looked her in the eye. "I didn't know that they were at war."
"It doesn't matter what you thought. The point is that you left without permission and took your sisters with you."
"I wanted to go." Lizzie interrupted. "Gregor wasn't going to go, he just followed me."
"It doesn't matter who followed who."
"Grace, calm down." His father sighed. "I think that we should wait until we're back home to discus this."
"I'm not going back home. Not yet anyways."
His mother looked at him. "Excuse me?"
He felt bad. His mother was just concerned for him. "I have prophecies to-"
"You think that I care about prophecies?"
"Grace."
She looked at her husband. "What? He can't just run off."
"She's right, Gregor." His father looked at him.
"Fine, I won't run off anymore, okay?"
"Alright."
"That's all?" Grace glared at her husband. His dad shrugged.
"We'll talk to him when we get back, remember?"
His mother sighed. "Fine."
He waited for them to say something else and when they didn't, he walked out. Luxa was waiting for him, smirking a little.
"Don't you have something to do?" He asked, not even wanting to deal with her.
"Not at the moment, no." She followed behind him. "Where are you going?"
"I don't know." Why wouldn't she just leave him alone?
"So you're just going to walk around all day?"
He shrugged. "Why does it matter?"
Luxa rolled her eyes. "Tomorrow, you are back in the Overland."
"And?"
The queen shook her head. "Forget it."
Gregor sighed, turning to face her. "Did you want to do something?"
"No."
Great, now she was mad at him. Rolling his eyes, Gregor shrugged. "Fine."
Luxa narrowed her eyes at him walking past him. He groaned, following her. "What Overlander?"
"What? I was walking this way first." He fell into step with her. "What are you going to do?"
"Find Aurora."
"Why?"
"What do you care?"
He shrugged. "Hazard thinks that his room is cool."
She glanced at him. "What do you mean?"
"There are claw marks and stuff."
Luxa rolled her eyes. "He is easily entertained."
They walked in silence for awhile before Gregor spoke again. "You're not…worried about me having to go back home? We'll probably leave for Virginia as tomorrow."
"No." Smiling at him, she continued. "You are in the prophecies Gregor. You will be back."
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, alright."
Luxa ignored his comment. "Are you in trouble? For coming?"
"They said that they would talk to me when we get home. Which probably means I'll get grounded."
"Grounded?"
"Yeah, like…I can't do anything but stay home and do chores. No different from the rest of my days."
"Then why do they do it?"
"They think of it as punishment." Gregor looked at her. "Didn't your parents ever punish you?"
Luxa thought. "No, not that I remember. Solovet would ban me from things but most of the time, I would do them anyways."
Figures…
"And…and…it's just not fair!"
Gregor was wrong before. He liked Lizzie better when she was quiet and had panic attacks. This Lizzie was loud and repetitive. Hazard, however, seemed to feed off of her anger, as if it brought him some sick and twisted joy. Hazard was rare to smile and yet he was now, very big.
"I get it Liz. But you knew that we were going to get in trouble."
They were sitting on some couches in the royal wing of the palace. Luxa was off doing something that had to do with the Gnawers. She had told him but he didn't listen. Boots was with his parents. He didn't really care what they were doing or where they were doing it.
"Yeah but..." She was out of things to say. Actually, when Gregor thought about it, she had run out about three minutes ago. But did that stop her from griping? Nope.
Hazard laid down on the couch. "You complain too much."
Lizzie looked at him. "Shut up. You don't have to listen. Leave if you don't want to hear me."
He shrugged. "At least I'm supposed to be here. You shouldn't be. You leave."
"Guys, stop." Gregor leaned back. This was not his idea of fun at all. He lazily listened to them fight for awhile before getting up. They didn't even notice that he left. God they're annoying. He walked down the halls, look for something, anything, to do. That's when he ran into Nash. The ten year old was sitting against the wall, his mom next to him. When he saw his hero, his face lit up.
"Gregor!"
The teen turned his head. "Oh, hey Nash."
"Can I go with Gregor?" He turned to his mother.
She looked at the Hero. "…you don't mind?"
Gregor shook his head. Other people were watching them. He hated having attention on him. "No."
"Alright."
Nash stood up and walked with Gregor down the hall. "So you're going on that mission with the queen?"
Gregor looked at him. Boy, he was always excited… "Yeah, I guess."
"That's so cool."
Gregor had never heard any other Underlander use the word cool except for Nash. Then he realized, besides Hazard, no one had had been around was under the age of fourteen or either were royal and were not around many other kids except ones in their family. Maybe kids in the Underland talked similar to the Overland…or maybe it's only Nash.
Gregor shrugged. "It can be."
"I wish I were you." Nash smiled. "You're so cool."
If Gregor ever feels bad about himself, he decided, he would just hang out with Nash. "Thanks."
They were still walking around when they walked past a room that had it's curtain open. There were no people around this area…except for the two in the room. Gregor knew he should watch but he couldn't help it.
"Luxa, I do not see why you cannot just let it go."
"Let it go?" She glared at him. "You chose…them over me! You could not even trust me to take care of things? Fuck, even Emmett in trusted me with that much!"
Gregor raised his eyebrows. He had never heard Luxa curse. Howard was unfazed.
"Luxa, I lost my family. I thought that my whole family was dead."
"I am family too, Howard."
"Since when? You have treated me like trash your whole life. Just because you play nice in to me when we are out fulfilling prophecies does not mean that I can just throw out your past transactions." Howard sighed. "I am not trying to argue, cousin. I am trying to make you understand. You have lost family too, Luxa."
Luxa stared at him. "You dare compare my parents to your wretched siblings?"
Howard bit his lip. He was trying to keep his anger down and it was obvious. "Luxa, I thought that I had lost my parents too. Not only that but my brother and sisters. No matter what you think of Stellovet, Kent, or Hero, Chim never did one thing to you." Howard looked at Gregor. "You thought that you had lost Boots at more than one time during your stay here. You understand. Help her understand."
Gregor didn't know what to say. When Howard said it like that, it made so much sense. "I-I-"
Luxa didn't even look at him. "Chim may have been a loss to you but that does not mean that you can turn your back on me. You blamed me for all their deaths. I had nothing to do with it. I would have felt sorry for you, if you had not judged and made your decision without me. You did not. It was your choice."
The older boy shook his head, thinking for a moment before speaking. "Henry, Luxa."
"What?"
"Henry was twenty times as bad as any of my family. Even if Stellovet thinks of you and Nerissa dying, it does not mean anything, not when put next to what Henry did. He was ready to not only sacrifice you but also his sister. And yet you morned him like a brother." Howard looked her in the eyes. "I am sorry if I hurt you, I truly am. Looking back on it, I should have trusted in you but I did not." Howard looked into her eyes. "I have apologized. Now it is your turn. Do you forgive me?"
Luxa never even blinked. "Never."
Howard shook his head. "That is fine. But, know this, you will need me, cousin. And when you do, I will be there."
"I needed you when I was kicked out of Regalia. I needed you when half of my people stabbed me in the back and refused to stay with me." Luxa turned away from him. "I will never need you again."
Luxa walked past Gregor and Nash, eyes locking with Gregor's for a moment. He didn't follow her though. She walked on. Gregor wasn't concerned with Luxa. She would be fine. He was worried about Howard.
"Howard-"
The older boy just smiled. It was a tired, exasperated smile. "It is fine Overlander. Luxa is very stubborn. All I ask is that you help my case with her."
"How?"
"She listens and respects you. That is a lot more than I can say about myself right now."
Gregor nodded before walking away. "Alright."
Nash, who had been silent the who time, followed behind him. "So I guess you want me to go?'
Gregor looked down at him. "What? Why would I want that?"
Nash smiled at him. "Because, Gregor, you're going to find Luxa, right? And tell her that that guy in there isn't that bad? Right?"
"Nash-"
"It's okay, I'll find something else to do." The boy ran off in the direction they had come. Gregor groaned. Now he felt that he had to go and at least try to get Luxa to forgive Howard. How could he face Nash if he didn't? It was then that he realized the down side to having an admirer. True, you get praised constantly, but you just couldn't let them down. Then you'd feel horrible.
"Luxa, wait!" Gregor ran into the High Halls. Aurora, who was taking off, stopped, hovering over the ground.
"What is it, Overlander?" Luxa asked, clearly annoyed.
"I want to go with you."
"I wish to be alone."
He glared at her. "You're not the only one who has things to deal with, okay? Besides, it's not like I want to have to go with you. I have no other Flier to take me out of here, do I?"
Luxa sighed. "Fine."
Gregor climbed up onto Aurora. "Thanks."
"Do not thank me Overlander. I am doing it because-"
"Luxa, stop. I don't care why you're doing it."
Luxa said nothing else. Gregor hesitantly laid his head on her shoulder. Luxa let him. Once they were outside the gates of Regalia, Gregor figured that they would head to Ares's cave but they didn't. Aurora flew to another one, one that was about ten minutes away from Regalia. When they landed, Luxa and Aurora went into the cave. Gregor sat outside it, looking into the darkness. Maybe that's why he liked it here. All the darkness. The dark hides things, secrets, feelings, scars, lies…love. Up there though, everything comes to light eventually. Here, death happens so fast that many of your secrets die with you. Here, things might not seem easier, but they are. He fights and wins, people love him. Luxa gets made, they make up. Ripred tells him something that will probably benefit him later in life, he doesn't listen. When you really think about it, life down under is…better.
Could that be the reason it is so hard to leave behind? He always thought that it was the people, the friends, that he had made. But if that were true, then why is it so easy to leave Larry and Angelina? Is it that he had gone through more with those down here? Sure, he, Larry, and Angelina had gone through some stuff but nothing like things down here. In the Overlander, there was death and things but not like here. Here death was a constant thing. What was it Nash said that his dad told him? That you should be thankful you made it through the first war. For a second, Gregor pondered if that's what life was like for those in other countries. Maybe the Underland was not so different from the Overland just the part of the Overland he was in.
"Why are you out here, Overlander?" Luxa sat next to him. He shrugged.
"You wanted to be alone."
Luxa looked at him. "Do you want to be alone?"
"No."
"I don't either. Not now."
He nodded, looking behind him. He figured Aurora would be there to tell them that she did not 'wish to hear or see their affection' but she wasn't there.
"You should forgive Howard." If Gregor knew that he would be there to talk with her about it later, he would have timed it better. But he was leaving tomorrow and would not let Nash down.
Luxa nodded, shocking him. "I know."
"Then why don't you?"
Queen Luxa shrugged. "I do not know."
"He's hurt, Luxa. Even if his parents and Stellovet are alive, he still lost three of his other siblings. Imagine losing Hazard and then multiply the pain by three."
The girl shook her head. "It is not that simple."
"Yeah, Lux, it is. Some things are just simple. You can try and make them as complex as you want but it doesn't change anything."
"You don't get it Gregor. You have never lost-"
He glared at her. "I have lost Ares and my grandmother all in the same year, so don't tell me I have not lost. Yes, Luxa, you have lost more people than me and yes, you have been through more than me. And if we were throwing a self-pity party, you would win by a land slide. But lets not, alright? Because tomorrow, I'll be back in the Overland and do not want fight with you on my last day here."
Luxa looked at him before laying her head on his shoulder. "You did not call me by my name."
"What?"
"Before. You called me Lux."
"Oh…sorry."
"Do not be sorry." She mumbled, closing her eyes. They fell into complete silence. Then the noise started. It sounded like…rattling.
"Luxa-"
"Shhh." She listened for a second before standing up. She ran into the cave and returned with a torch. Gregor, though, using is echolocation, had already realized that there was something with them…something big. He felt that sense to kill kick in. Please let this be an enemy, please let this be an enemy.
Luxa hopped on Aurora, Gregor getting on as well. As they flew over, they could see them. Rattle snakes. Big rattle snakes. Gregor had only seen one once, while he was in Texas, visiting some of his relatives. And, as always, the Underland just loved to make things super sized.
"Luxa-"
"Shakers." She told him. "Enemy to humans as long as the Gnawers. My father's father forced them into the Uncharted Lands right before he died. We assumed them dead. Of course, the prophecy told otherwise."
Gregor smiled. "I have my sword, do you have yours?"
"Gregor, we are not fighting them."
"What?"
"Aurora, take us back to Regalia. We must warn others."
"Luxa, I can fight them."
"Overlander-"
They were right over them. If he could just… Before he knew it, he jumped. Aurora didn't make any move to catch him. He heard Luxa yell at her but she still didn't even try to catch him. She knew what he was doing. He landed on ones back. It was not a comfortable fall but he didn't brake anything. He immediately pulled his sword. The oversized snake whipped it head around to get him but his sword was waiting. He chopped the head clean off. This would be fun.