Well, it looks like I did update in a day. I am sure this may upset a few of you, but I think I will take a month to collect everything. BUT! That does not mean I will not update before a month is up. I might have my occasional insomnia and work like hell one night or something. Also, regarding the Hazard/Lizzie story, it will be a side story…set in the Overland.

But wait…that's not all. This chapter may contain some m-rated content, depending on how you divide ratings and such. I stand by my promise from the last actual chapter by saying that Larry and Angelina are back for a bit, but the biggest news is that this is where I reveal the prophecy. I actually completely rewrote the prophecy before I put this chapter together. I am more proud of this one, though, so it was definitely worth the extra time. Before I bore my amazing readers to death…

Gregor's eyes widened as he read the paper, in shock of what it was. "What is it boy?" Ripred urged. "Spit it out!" Gregor looked toward his mentor in disbelief and sadness. "It's another prophecy."

All but Vikus and Ripred stood appalled at the unfortunate news. Ripred, accustomed to tragedy after many years on the front lines, was not deterred in the slightest.

"What does it say?" Gregor swallowed the little liquid in his dry mouth, and spoke. But not before Vikus interrupted him.

"Why do we not return to the Palace?" Vikus said in an appealing voice. "I am sure we can all use refreshments and baths. The Prophecy can wait until morning."

No one said so, but they all silently agreed. Ripred and Vikus stayed behind to talk while Aurora flew Luxa and Gregor back to the Palace. Luxa had herself wrapped tightly around Gregor, as if she was afraid he would vanish out of thin air. Normally, Gregor would have been fine, but with Howard's judgmental eyes burning holes in the back of his head, Gregor flew a little uneasy.

Thankfully, Aurora had the sense to land on the balcony in Luxa's quarters, preventing Howard from scolding the young couple. "Thanks Aurora," Gregor said. "Howard would've probably chewed my head off back there." Aurora gave one of her rare bat laughs huh-huh-huh. "He should refrain from being so quick to call you dead." She then flew off, sensing that Luxa and Gregor wanted to be alone.

"Luxa?" Gregor asked her, shaking her shoulder. "After they had dismounted, Luxa had just stood by, her head buried in Gregor's shoulder. He was about to try again, but he heard her respond.

"I thought you were dead." Gregor held her and stroked her hair soothingly.

"I know, I know." Gregor consoled. "I'm sorry." Gregor thought he felt a teardrop on his shoulder, but wasn't sure, as Luxa stood up before he could make sure.

Even though he had seen her so much in the past few days, he had never really gotten an honest, quiet moment with her. In that second, Gregor realized how important Luxa was to him. He had always known she was important, since the very first day he saw her, but now he could comprehend it.

She was always there for him, and he would always be there for her. That girl with the drop dead violet eyes, and the perfectly pronounced high cheekbones covered by that translucent Underland skin, and sealed by those voluptuous pink lips was all he needed. As long as he had her, he knew he would be ok.

Having the amazing epiphany he did, he rushed forward and kissed her without holding back. Even Luxa, who was known for speed and acrobatics, could not keep up. He ran his hands through her hair and down her back, stopping right above her rear. Luxa slowly began to make up ground, holding Gregor's head in her hands. Their tongues dueled for superiority in their mouths, fiercely combating each other for territory.

Maybe it was because Gregor was dead earlier, or because another prophecy was looming over their heads, or because it was about damn time, but Luxa slowly began to push Gregor back. Realizing he was going to lose, Gregor began his new tactic by pushing his hands even further down Luxa's body. She paused for a second, taking in the feeling of being groped for the first time. Quickly deciding she liked it, she went back to kissing Gregor.

Gregor could tell Luxa was enjoying his touch, as she had trouble keeping up to her past tonguing abilities. Chuckling in his mind, he laughed at her innocence. She wouldn't last five minutes in the Overland. He thought.

He was wrong. Luxa broke the kiss and took Gregor's hand, leading him into her bedroom.

"Oh no…Angelina…what is happening?!" Larry screamed. "I have to get out of here and find her."

Larry traced the wall with his left hand, walking around the perimeter. The Cell, as he eventually began to call it, was a twenty foot by twenty foot rock chamber, with the occasional stalactite or stalagmite. The troubling part was, after hours of tracing every inch of his surroundings, he could not find an exit. Sealed perfectly on all sides, not even a small gust of wind from where a possible entrance might be.

"How am I going to find her," Larry said, voice rising in frustration. "If I can't even find the damn door?!" This anger carried on for endless hours, maybe even days, but time is difficult to tell when darkness rules the air. Larry passed his time by doing simple things, like push ups and sit ups. His workouts started to diminish as he had no energy to work with. Larry took it that his captors refused to give him food so he wouldn't find the door, but it was an excellent tactic for weakening your prisoners as well.

Larry was slowly decreasing in determination. "Maybe Gregor will…" His look of shock at the mention of his friend's name contorted into a snarl, directed at himself. "No!" he growled. "Quit relying on your friends! You can figure this out!" Finally calming down, he began to try and unravel his dilemma on his own, for the first time in his life.

Angelina dragged herself off the rugged, cold stone floor. Grunting from the pain of disused muscles, she rolled into a sitting position against a nearby wall. "Ugh…" she groaned, pressing her palm to her forehead, trying to suppress the oncoming headache. "What…happened?" she asked the emptiness surrounding her. She leaned against that wall for hours, waiting for the nauseating headache to pass. Once it did, she slowly began to remember the events before she regained consciousness.

"Larry and I were looking for windows in the palace," Angelina reminisced groggily, regaining control of her brain. "We found one in a room down the hall and then…" Angelina's eyes shot open in fear. "No!" She screamed. "No! Please! No…" terrifying images flashed through her brain as she remembered the face of her attacker, scared and deformed from a blow to the head.

Her fragmented memory gave her one more vision. After being abducted, she had slipped in and out of consciousness whilst being moved somewhere. She remembered that there was no turbulence, and that she would've been quite comfortable had she not been bound and confined inside what seemed to be a wool bag. Angelina remembered voices, obviously conversing around her, but she couldn't discern what they were saying.

"Damn it!" Angelina screamed, throwing her fist against the jagged stone wall, hurting herself terribly. She was almost too busy moaning about her possibly broken hand to hear the movement of stone. Moving slowly, Angelina pushed the stone she had hit with her fist previously. It gave way with some push, and Angelina opened what seemed to be the dungeon's door. Edging her head around the corner.

Standing amassed, stood hundreds upon hundreds of rats.

Morning came upon the great city of Regalia, as there was no sun to rise and dictate it. "Daytime" life slowly stirred and brightened as the thousands rose to return to their accommodations or schedules. Farmers went to the fields, teachers and students went to school, and librarians went to the library. Everything was at peace for the time being.

Vikus, having already read the prophecy, understood the grim undertaking that was to befall them soon. Gazing out over the magnificent city Vikus wished that his eternal dream of peace could be realized, so even hope would not be so constantly demanded.

Too old to be turned to, Vikus had reluctantly let power slide to Luxa since she was twelve. Luxa was a prodigious Queen, having pulled Regalia out of the economic and emotional hole it had fallen in to. Despite her healthy appearance, Luxa was everything but on the surface. Vikus had not been the only one to notice Luxa was struggling with not only the burden of a monarch, but the burden of someone who has lost. Her age only added to her troubles; as she is the youngest leader in Regalia's history, and at only twelve, lost nearly all family and very many friends.

Vikus sighed heavily under the burden of his own. "It is not your fault." A voice said from behind the old man. Not even bothering to look over, Vikus responded.

"Why do you say that, Ripred?" The rat stepped out of the shadows and stood by his old friend, gazing out over the city as well.

"What could you have done? Luxa bears the duty of a Queen whether you like it or not. It is your duty to stand by her and teach her." Vikus smiled a bit, running a wrinkled hand down a similar face. "Even so, she still continues on with struggles beyond her age. How is it I have done so much, but when Time decides my granddaughter is on the line, I fail?" Ripred sighed in a knowing expression.

"You didn't. You are the result she is as successful as she is, whether she is young or not." Vikus shook his head in an ironic form.

"Why the young, Ripred?" Vikus pleaded to existence, if it had shape or form. "Why not you or I?" Ripred looked to the old man.

"Because it's too fair." Ripred stood up and turned around using his tail, tapped Vikus' shoulder. "Let's head to the Prophecy Room. It's high time that we decipher this calamity."

Gregor slowly sat up and stretched. He had awoken to a knock on the door. Going to the door, Gregor felt a little cold. That's strange. Gregor thought. Never been cold here before. It was then that he by strange luck looked down. "Shit!" he exclaimed. Gregor scrambled around the room to find his clothes. The knocking persisted.

"One second!" Gregor called, waking Luxa. She dramatically rolled over and faced Gregor, and smiled. "Hey." She said seductively. Gregor smiled and stopped for a second to mutter a seductive greeting as well, before scurrying to find a scrap of clothing.

"What are you doing?" Luxa asked, a mildly confused expression on her face, quickly covered by a grin and waggling eyebrows. "We could continue from where we left off…?" Tempting as that sounded, Gregor had to stick to immediate problems.

"Hey, umm, Luxa?" he said. "There's someone at the door, and we," he gestured to their naked bodies. "Aren't exactly ready for company!" Luxa took notice for the first time that morning, and threw on training clothes from her closet. Gregor found his clothes thrown almost off the balcony. Quickly making himself presentable, he answered the door.

"Oh! Hi Howard!" Howard did not look happy. You could read the expression on his face as many things, but contempt rang loudest. "Overlander. Mind if I come in?"

"Well, yes… Ok then!" Gregor said as Howard pushed past him. Luxa stood in her bathroom tying back her hair. Everything was set neatly back in its original place from the night before. Wow, she's amazing! Gregor thought. "Luxa?" Howard asked. "Did you and the Overlander—"

"Oh, Howard! Wonderful you're here! Are we to discuss the prophecy?" Howard stood, fuming still, but responded. "Yes, but—"

"Very well! Gregor?" Luxa strode over to Gregor with a confident smirk and looped her arm through his. "Shall we?"

Gregor smiled deviously at Luxa. "Yes we shall."

Down in the prophecy room, The group of Humans, Bats, and a Rat sat in a lopsided circle around Vikus, who read the prophecy aloud.

"Well?" Vikus said, finishing the last line. "What say you?" Gregor replied first.

"Sounds like we have another quest. Just like the good ol' days, huh gang?" Meeting silence, he shrugged. "Sorry, Overland joke." Ripred spoke next.

"However, he speaks the truth. Shall we decide on who?" Vikus agreed.

"I think the most suited are in this room. Do you agree?" Vikus was enlightened with a round of nods.

"Good! Should we dissect the prophecy? It is called for, correct?" Vikus smiled, revealing that abnormal twinkle in his eye. Without a reply, Vikus read the poem again.

Meet me where it all began

Come and open my door

What saved shall save again

After many fall to the floor

Go to the City of Old

With high promise foretold

You must be very bold

Or your heads will be rolled

Warrior, you know where to go

To get a needed possession

Not only for enemies; oh no,

To fight off love's transgression

Once all is collected,

And my prophecy dissected,

Go fight the one neglected,

Secondly resurrected.

Bodies are not the only dead,

But so are minds, filled with dread.

The final battle lies ahead;

Will the Warrior lose his head?

The Choices are always near

Affecting those that are dear,

But it is you, Gregor, they should fear,

For your likeness to me is unclear.

Vikus cleared his throat. "Shall we start with the first stanza?"

Well there you have it! Don't forget to review! At least ten please! Guys, just let me know how you felt, what you think, anything! Also, if you guys have any predictions on what the prophecy entices, PM me, then we can talk about it if you want. I usually answer them pretty quickly, because I check my email when I get home everyday. Anyways, until next time you guys.