When they resumed travel the next day, Gregor couldn't help to notice that Luxa was avoiding everyone's gaze. She must've been thinking about what Howard had told her before.

"There is no foreseeable happiness between you two. He will end up having to go back to the Overland, even if it is through no fault of his own, leaving you to shut yourself in your room for days again."

Unsure of where to go, Hazard asked a small party of Gnawers in rat in they knew where the rebellion was hiding. They were given the information 'somewhere in the Firelands'.

Going to the Firelands, however, was not helpful at all. Despite the foul air and volcanoes, it was a really good place for a Gnawer hideout. The volcoanes glowed a bit, but all of a sudden, more light flooded in, a bright yellow and an orange bit of light, somewhat above them.

"Greetings. I am he called Photos Glo—"

"This time, it's MY turn!" another voice wailed.

"No, it's not!"

"Greetings. I am she called Zap, and this is Photos Glow-Glow."

"Gah! It was clearly my turn to make the introduction," the first voice, that of Photos Glow-Glow called out.

"You made it last time, though, and the four times before that, so it was obviously not your—"

"It is okay, shiners, we know who you are. We have had dealings in the past, usually dealings that ended up with us being sold out to the Gnawers for some free food," Howard spat.

"Ah, yes, I do remember this one," Photos Glow-Glow said.

"Oh, yes, that one over there, too! We saved his life, I remember," Zap replied, gesturing to Gregor.

It was true. The last time Gregor had heard of the shiners was that they had rescued him from the cave where he lay bleeding to death after fighting the Bane. But all the times before that when they had met, the Shiners sold them out to the Gnawers for some food.

"We have no food for you, shiners, and we would appreciate you leaving," Howard said, trying to not lose his temper with the bugs.

This time, unlike in Hades Hall, Luxa agreed with Howard.

"Yes," she told them, "get you gone. We have no food for you, and cannot have you go sell us out to the Gnawers."

Unhappy that they were not fed, the shiners left their company, grumbling.

Run-ins with the shiners were always entertaining, if not annoying. Mareth told Gregor once that he had seen a pair try to fight to the death over a piece of cake. Try had been the key word there, though. They ended up accusing each other of cheating, and both spent several hours fuming.

It was not two hours after they left the shiners that they were ambushed by a party of Gnawers.

"Shiners," Howard groaned, as ten Gnawers leapt at them. "Stupid shiners."

Gregor drew his sword in preparation to fight the Gnawers. He felt the Rager sensation begin buzzing through his veins.

They began diving at the rats. It was much easier to fight a rat on the ground as opposed to another human in the air. Gregor was more used to it. He had managed to slay four rats unscathed, but on the fifth, the gnawer landed its claw on his left shoulder. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he and Ergane swung back around for another attack. As he ran his blade through the rat, Gregor looked up to see Howard get torn from Nike, a Gnawer's tail around his arm. Howard was pulled to the ground, the Gnawer about to tear him open, when Luxa stabbed the rat right through the back. The rat toppled forward, landing sideways on Howard.

There were still three rats living, and three Humans conscious, one with no sword, one not trained to fight. The rats were agile; quick and could jump high. Luxa still had her dagger, though it would be very hard to kill a rat with it.

Gregor managed to run another rat through, evening up the sides a bit. His shoulder burned where the rat had clawed him, blood running down his arm. Ergane circled around the rat, allowing Gregor to get through its defenses from the front, cutting an artery in its leg. His work on that work done, Gregor turned to se how Luxa was doing with just her dagger.

Luxa jumped from her bond, hurling herself at the gnawer, landing on its back. Stabbing the rat where it's heart was, she seemed to have succeeded. However, it took another ten or so seconds for the rat to die. Thrashing about wildly, it threw her from its back, slamming her into a wall.

Gregor's vision swam. His wound was draining him. Draining him of energy, draining him or blood, draining him of light. He flickered in and out of consciousness while Hazard took charge.

Gregor remembered Ergane putting him on the ground. Watching the fliers move the dead rat off of Howard. Flying through the air…

Gregor awoke highly confused. They were in a familiar looking tunnel, but why? And where were they exactly? His shoulder hurt less than he would have expected. He glanced at it, finding it to be tightly wrapped in a bandage. He sat up, blinking a few times. Hazard was walking over to him.

"Gregor? You are awake now?" The boy asked.

"Nope, I'm still unconscious, Hazard."

Hazard smiled.

"Where are we?"

"In the spinner lands. I convinced the spinners that it would be in their best interest to give us food, shelter, and medical aid. We have only been here a few hours. Luxa and Howard are still unconscious, and the fliers rest."

Gregor went to get up, but a spider sat him back down. It began making some drumming and vibrations, which Gregor took to be spinner language.

Hazard translated. "Arrox requests that you lie down, or else she will need to tie you down. You need rest."

Gregor had no choice but to lie down. Tired and bored, he quickly drifted off to sleep.