Hello everyone! Hope y'all have had a good weekend so far. For those who reviewed Chapter 24 of my story, thank you so much! Please continue to review my story. For those who didn't or couldn't get a chance to, please try and review this chapter! Like I've said before, I really appreciate the reviews that come in. Anyway, here goes thanks to the following people who reviewed my story: A happy reader, AWarriorReborn, Ssi'ruuk, AresTheUnderlander, a guest reader, LightningAres(it's been a while!), MarbleSky, Clytuis, HumanicHedgeHog, Alpha Death and mcmlxxvii!
Anyway, I know most of you are quite disappointed you haven't seen anything of Gregor for the last three chapters, but please don't get upset with me and quit on me now. This chapter features Gregor, so I hope you are satisfied, even though it seems to feature some anti-Gluxa moments. Let me clarify that Gregor and… never mind, you'll see for yourself. I'll clarify this in my afterword.
This chapter is from Gregor's perspective.
Chapter 25: Staying Alive
Gregor's eyes slowly opened, and he found himself staring at a bright and aggressive ray of light. He reacted immediately, shutting his eyes again to prevent the light from entering his eyes. "Gregor," came a voice that sounded distant and far away, "Can you hear me?"
"Just about," he replied, bursting into dry coughs. he clearly hadn't used his voice in a while. "Who are you? Where the hell am I?" he asked as he attempted to open his eyes again, shielding his eyes with his right hand as he did so.
"Gregor, I am Susannah, Howard's mother. Do you still remember me?" she asked him.
"Of course," he replied, "You were in the hospital with me. During the War of Time. I still remember you."
"That's wonderful! I'm so glad you still remember me, and I'm so glad you made it here just in time. You were losing your light quickly. There were too many open wounds and there was too much blood leaving your body… Some of the other doctors thought you wouldn't be able to make it. But I knew you well. I remembered your fighting spirit during the War of Time and I knew you would fight to stay alive here as well. And you proved me right," Susannah said cheerfully.
"Susannah… Are we in Regalia? Or are we in the Fount?" Gregor enquired.
"We are in the Fount, Gregor," she told him gently, "Your flier Apollo brought you here as fast as his wings could carry him. Your battle was not far from our city, so he brought you here so that you could receive immediate medical attention. If he tried to fly you all the way back to Regalia, I highly doubt that you would be breathing now. He has, without a shadow of a doubt, saved your life."
"Where is he?" Gregor asked, still shielding his eyes from the light.
"I have moved the light away from your face, Gregor. It was merely designed if you still react to stimulus or not. I've moved it away now that I have confirmed that your muscles are functioning well again. You may open your eyes now, Gregor. Apollo is here in the hospital room with us," she informed him.
Gregor slowly moved his hand away from his face. It took some time for his eyes to adjust to the presence of light, but his gaze finally settled on Apollo who was perched in a corner. He shot Gregor a radiant smile, instantly making Gregor feel much better. "Thank you Apollo," he said gratefully to Apollo, "I owe you my life."
"No, Warrior," Apollo replied, bowing his head, "You saved our lives during the War of Time. This is how I show my gratitude and repay you for what you did for us."
Gregor turned back to face Susannah. She handed him a glass of water, which he downed almost immediately. He let out a sigh of relief as he felt his throat moisten again. It felt good to no longer feel the dryness of his throat. He knew it would eventually come back, but at least for now he could speak normally. "Give me the breakdown of the injuries I have suffered, as well as what I can or cannot do," Gregor requested.
"You have three major injuries," Susannah responded, "But none of them have harmed your bones significantly, so that's a good thing. Your recovery process won't take as long. Your first major injury is down your back. There are three claw marks, all about twenty-five centimetres long and four centimetres deep. It is not a pretty sight. Your second injury is a stab wound on your right side. It is about six centimetres deep and I suspect that the right side of your body will hurt when you shift the weight over to your right side or if you lean too much to your left. You may struggle with mobility for a while if you don't take care of that injury."
"The last injury," Susannah continued, "Is probably the one that you don't feel hurts, but you could easily have died if your enemy had been a little more ruthless. A three-centimetre deep wound stretching across your chest. Doesn't sound very significant, but if your assailant chose to dig deeper, he could have punctured the pulmonary artery and vein closest to your heart while damaging the right and left atrium of your heart. In simple terms, you could have died. Whoever you were fighting chose to keep you alive. I do not wish to hazard a guess why, but you should know that you are very lucky to be here talking to us right now."
"I know that," Gregor replied softly, "I know he could have killed me. But I'm still here and alive for a reason. And I think I'm going to make the most out of it."
"I'm so pleased to hear you say that," Susannah said to him, smiling at him yet again, before her expression darkened, "I don't know much about your fight with the schemers, but I suspect it wasn't very successful. Apollo tells me the ground was littered with dead bodies, but there were humans too. And he tells me that you weren't the only Overlander in that cave."
"I wasn't," Gregor confirmed, "These Overlanders are here for a different purpose though. And the humans who were killed all tried to kill me. It was a set-up by Conrad and Mareth. They had me surrounded by Flavius' forces and the royal guards. The plan was to kill me. Conrad has his reasons but I choose not to believe them until I'm sure of it."
Apollo nearly fell out of his resting position and Susannah gasped. "They tried to kill you?" she asked in shock.
"I'm afraid so," Gregor said grimly, "Which is why you can't tell anybody I'm still alive. It's not that I don't trust the people here, Susannah, but if Conrad finds out alive and here in the Fount, you can bet I won't be alive for much longer especially since I'm nursing all these injuries."
"But I just sent a message out about ten minutes ago," Susannah realised out loud, "The Regalians sent us a letter telling us about your death. We just sent out a message back to Regalia to tell them that you're still alive and in our care!"
"Call them back right away!" Gregor exclaimed frantically, "Get them back NOW!"
"Apollo, go and call them back! Call for the fastest fliers possible to follow you out and get those messengers back at all costs. News cannot reach Regalia that Gregor is still alive!" Susannah said urgently to Apollo.
Apollo immediately bumbled his way out of the hospital room and charged down the hallway, yelling at the top of his lungs for fellow fliers to follow him. "I hope that they can get to the messengers in time," Susannah said concernedly, "I'm really sorry Gregor, I didn't know about this… development."
"It's fine," Gregor said, although he wasn't quite able to keep the anxiety out of his voice, "It's not your fault. How can anyone blame you? You had no idea."
"Is there anything else urgent you need to tell me?" Susannah pressed, "Literally anything that you think might have a chance of affecting your survival whatsoever?"
"I don't think so," Gregor replied, frowning slightly as he tried to recall his last few memories, "The foxes. They intend to launch an assault on Regalia soon, if I recall this correctly. The Fount may also come under heavy assault, but I'm not quite certain whether Flavius mentioned this city at all when he was talking to me. I believed they have attacked this city before."
"They have," Susannah stated simply, "We were just able to fend them off for a while, but we have never really recovered following their attack. The nibblers are still quite far away and we haven't called for a military alliance yet. I don't think we have the capacity to handle a second assault by the schemers. They have the most devious plans up their sleeves and I don't see us having any chance against them this time."
"Maybe they won't," Gregor said optimistically, "And if they don't, we need you to send troops over to Regalia to help out. We need every last man possible in order to defeat the foxes. If you were willing to send some troops over, then Regalia would definitely have a chance of holding out against the foxes. We are still humans, and your royal family here is bound by blood to the royal family in Regalia. I think that they would expect you guys to join in and fight the foxes."
Susannah looked a little uncertain. "I don't think York would approve. He is still infuriated that Conrad hasn't provided him the support and help needed to rebuild some of the infrastructure within the Fount. We aren't as rich as Regalia, after all. But Conrad seems more intent on building his own reputation and empire within Regalia. York still views Regalia as having abandoned the Fount. He would probably be very reluctant to help out Regalia, even in this time of crisis."
"God damn it, Susannah, we don't stand a chance!" Gregor sighed in exasperation, "We just endured a civil war in which I've been branded as a murderer for killing a kid. There is an army of spide- I mean spinners, crawlers and diggers making their way towards Regalia as well. Then now we have the foxes to think about. And to make matters worse, there is a freaking Overlander mercenary army who is working with them! We need your help."
"Overlander army? What do you mean, Overlander army?" Susannah asked.
"Remember the Overlanders Apollo saw? The ones I was talking about? They're part of this group called Operation Claw. Their intention is to destroy the Underland to create space for the Overlanders to use. They also want to experiment on you guys. Their plan is to kill and capture all the Underlanders if possible. And they're allying with the foxes to do it. Look, the point is we don't stand a chance if we stand divided. They'll pick us up one by one using simple divide and conquer tactics. I know the technology and power the Overlanders possess, Susannah, and I'm telling you that we don't stand a chance in the world if we don't ally together," Gregor reasoned with her.
Susannah seemed to be experiencing conflicted emotions. She sat in her seat for a while, before saying, "We'll seriously consider it. But wouldn't a better plan be to try and escape?"
"Where else are you going to run where we don't have our enemies closing in on us? There's only one other place to go and that's the Uncharted lands. The foxes are familiar with that territory. Again, you don't stand a chance. Anyway, the humans are expert trackers now. They will track all of us down and have us killed," Gregor explained to her.
"Like I said, Gregor," Susannah said patiently, "Give me some time to think about it. Similarly, you should give yourself some time to recover before getting worked up and expecting to get back into the swing of things. You lost a lot of blood. You will need a certain period of time to recover."
"Conrad is still back in Regalia. I need to stop him," Gregor said, trying to push himself out of bed, "He'll kill all those he deems as a threat. he'll kill Calvin!"
Susannah pushed him down firmly, causing Gregor to wince in pain. "I'm sorry for hurting you Gregor," she said apologetically, "But you definitely need some time to rest. Your body isn't prepared to take this kind of punishment, even for a young man like you."
"When's the earliest I can get discharged?" Gregor asked her, feeling restless and frustrated.
"A week from now," Susannah answered him immediately.
"Maybe I should be more specific," Gregor said with a hint of annoyance in his voice, "When is the ABSOLUTE earliest I can get out of here and travel back to Regalia? I'm not talking about full recovery, I'm talking about being strong enough to fly on Apollo back to Regalia where I can continue my recovery process. Look, Susannah, it's absolutely vital I get back to Regalia to stop Conrad."
Susannah seemed to hesitate. "You only need one more day," she revealed reluctantly, "Then you should have the strength to make the trip back to Regalia. I will let you make your return, as long as you promise me one thing. You must promise me that you WILL not engage in any fighting for the next one week or so. You will go straight to Howard and resume your recovery with him. I will be thoroughly disappointed if I find out you have done otherwise."
"I promise," Gregor declared.
Susannah looked a little bit more relieved. "That's good to know. I will hold you to your word."
"Don't worry, Susannah," Gregor said, "I don't plan to fight anymore anyways. I do intend to stop Conrad, but through nonviolent means. I'm done with all the fighting here in the Underland. I may still be labelled as the Warrior, but I won't fight anymore. Enough blood has been spilt by me."
"What do you mean?" Susannah asked immediately, "What happened back in Regalia? Why are you suddenly deciding to stop fighting? Does it have something to do with why the Regalia's brand you as a murderer?"
Gregor nodded his head miserably. "I killed a child back in Regalia during one of the riots. I lost control of my rager abilities and lost all remaining common sense. And in the heat of my rage I claimed the life of an innocent child who should never have had his life taken away from him," Gregor said softly, "That's a sin that can never be forgiven. I cannot look at myself in the mirror anymore without feeling guilty about my actions over the past few days. Susannah, do you know what it feels like to wish that you never existed? To wish that you died in a battle instead of remaining alive?"
"I can't say I have," Susannah replied just as softly, "I can't imagine who would feel like that. York has fought in many wars, but he has never displayed such emotions."
"Well, you don't want to know how it feels like," Gregor said grimly, "Pray you never have that feeling running through your blood. It is the worst thing feeling in the world and is the worst pain I've faced. Not the scars I received from the Bane, not the scars that I'm sporting now, but that feeling I have. I don't know why I'm a monster, but the fact is I am one, and nothing can change that. Sometimes I wonder if Sandwich's prophecies have an ironic twist to them. In the Prophecy of Time the monster's blood may have been spilled, but a new monster has risen in the Underland, and the worst part is that he is adored like a god."
"Oh Gregor," Susannah sighed, "You make me feel heartbroken. Not because you have done something terrible, but because it hurts to see how far you have fallen. I know life hasn't been easy for you, but it still surprises me to see you detest yourself so much. Don't hate yourself for who you are, Gregor. That's the first step towards destroying your life forever. You may think you're trying to hold yourself back, but it never works that way."
"What will you have me do?" Gregor asked in mild frustration, "I can't be a hero. Not after what I've done. I don't intend to take my own life anymore, but there really is nowhere else to go for me. I can try and help out where I can, but I cannot let myself run into battle again. It wouldn't be good for anyone, whether it's me or the people around me. I am a threat to all these people. What happens if I lose control? What's to stop me from hurting my friends?"
"Gregor," Susannah said slowly, "Something you must come to realise is that the hero never gets a happy ending like he or she does in fables and the tales of old. In fact, there are very few heroes in the Underland today. And more often than not they have a tragic ending. It's something quite unavoidable because the world isn't designed to help those who fight for good. In the Underland it's generally kill or be killed. You are a hero, Gregor. And although as your doctor I must encourage you to believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, as your friend I must also warn you that the journey will probably not end perfectly."
When Gregor didn't reply, Susannah went on, "The truth of life for a hero is that you must make an ultimate sacrifice in the end, and that often costs your life. My husband is no hero, which to be frank with you, is the reason he is still alive. All the great heroes of Regalia are gone. Both of my siblings were heroes, and now they're dead. Howard may be a hero in a hospital, but he's no hero on the battlefield. Luxa has disappeared for months on end from the eyes of the public. Conrad is definitely no hero, and your report on what he did confirms it. Ripred isn't a hero either. Vikus is long past his prime. You're the one great hero still alive, Gregor. Which means that you're going to have to make a huge decision in the end."
"What decision would that be?" Gregor asked her.
""To choose whether you will fight for Regalia or not," Susannah said solemnly, "If you choose to spend the rest of your days lying inside the palace as your friends out there fight and die for you, you will feel even worse and you will hate yourself even more. But if you go out there and fight, you may lose your life, but in the process you would have saved the life of thousands of Regalians. It can still be a happy ending for everybody else. Would you rather die on your bed with a thousand regrets, or would you charge out into battle to fight for Regalia?"
"Either way I die," Gregor mumbled out loud, "That's a wonderful dichotomy for me to choose from."
"Sorry I'm so pessimistic," Susannah said with a smile, "I've lost so many of my loved ones in war that I've learned to accept the harsh truth of reality. You can still prove me wrong, of course."
"I don't know what I want to do," Gregor confessed, "Your words make sense to me, but I'm still afraid of hurting the ones I love. That is far worse than sitting back and watching them fight and die."
"Is it really?" Susannah questioned, "I personally do not hold the same belief as you do. But I leave it up to you, Gregor the Overlander. In the end, the decision is still in your hands. You will make or break Regalia eventually."
"That's not very comforting," Gregor remarked.
"Like I said before, dear Warrior, the life of a hero is hardly comforting," Susannah said gently, "And the reward at the end is never truly yours to celebrate or keep. You fight the hard battles for others to celebrate. Another harsh truth that I have come to accept."
"So what now for me?" Gregor asked her.
"Now, you just sit there and relax," Susannah said in a strict tone, "I will take no nonsense from you, young man. You have suffered a lot and you should be spending as much time as you possibly can over the next day or so to relax and recuperate."
"Fine, fine," Gregor laughed, holding his arms up in mock surrender, "I can wait for a day."
There was suddenly knocking on the glass door. Gregor looked out of the glas to find himself and a gorgeous young woman with lush silvery-blonde hair. For a moment, he actually believed that her beauty rivalled that of Luxa's. She had gorgeous cheekbones, full lips and a slender boy which would make any young man drool over and yearn for desperately. The girl then turned to Gregor, causing his heart to flutter for a second.
Then she winked at him, and he remembered who she was. Stellovet. Who else had the audacity to knock on the door of his hospital room while he was conversing with Susannah. Almost instantly his heart beat dropped as he remembered her greedy and power-hungry nature. It actually reminded Gregor of Conrad's own hunger and lust for power. The difference between the two of them was that Stellovet was much easier on the eye for Gregor.
He instantly felt guilty at his reaction to Stellovet's appearance. Sure, she was breathtaking in appearance, but there was only one woman Gregor truly cared about. And he had almost let his male instincts get the better of his love for Luxa. Anyway, Luxa was much better-looking than Stellovet. Wasn't she?
Stellovet shot him another brilliant smile, causing blood to rush up to his face. He shook his head vigorously, trying to prevent himself from succumbing to the temptation of falling for Stellovet. Such a temptation shouldn't even have existed. Gregor had spent the last nine years rejecting all kinds of attractive girls out of his love for Luxa. She was the one and only woman that Gregor truly loved. He saw her giggle at his reaction just as Susannah left the room to speak to her daughter. Seeing Stellovet giggle made Gregor feel a little nervous again.
Was it his injuries messing with his head? Maybe Apollo had slammed his head against something, which was why he was feeling so… weird about the whole "Stellovet and him" thing. Whatever the reason was, the idea of another good-looking girl being attracted to him really got him feeling… more masculine.
Gregor sighed and closed his eyes. What was going on with him? Why was it so hard for him to just ignore her? He then thought back about Luxa and all the moments they had together. He thought back about their dance together. The picture in the museum. Their first kiss. Fighting together. Asking for her to be sent to the dungeon. Being hated by her. Having a "picnic" at Ares' cave. Gazing at her picture for nine long years, awaiting the day he could set eyes on her again. Seeing her again, but with another man. Meeting her on the stroke of midnight. Sharing a kiss together again. And then just as Gregor was about to take his own life, he remembered how she had saved him.
Any thought about Stellovet was quickly banished. He only had eyes for one girl, even though she was technically already taken. Stellovet was nowhere near Luxa's level. He relaxed on his bed and closed his eyes. Just then, Apollo came bundling back into the room. "Good news, Warrior," he said brightly, "The messengers hadn't taken off yet. We were able to delay them just in time. They were packing in the rum for the long journey and we passed on the message to tell them not to go and report the news of your survival to Regalia."
Stellovet just ended her conversation with her mother, and shot Gregor another wink. This time, although Gregor didn't have any physical reaction, he still felt a little uneasy at the way she was behaving. He no longer quite fancied the idea of her trying to seduce him. "Thanks Apollo," he replied to the big bat, "You're a godsend."
"Now what do we do, Warrior?" Apollo asked him as Susannah re-entered the room.
Gregor took in a deep breath. "Now we wait for a day. Then it's time to get back into the swing of things," he told Apollo, "It's time to save Regalia and stop Conrad."
This chapter wasn't particularly long, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. I am aware that some Gluxa fans might not be pleased with the Stellovet and Gregor scene, but c'mon. A guy's got his urges ;) Even the mighty Warrior can be tempted. And anyway, he did "return" back to Luxa in the end, so I hope you liked that. Let me now clarify that Gregor and Stellovet are not going to be together at all. Oh, and do remember to review my story!
Many of you guessed that Apollo had been shot but he hasn't. So yea, Apollo and Gregor are fine!
Question: How did you guys react when Gregor was alive again? Let me know your reactions in the reviews section? Oh and a second question. Do you think Gregor was right to request for the messengers not to inform Regalia of his survival?