"It's five days with the boat." Henry sat across Thanatos with a torch next to them and his notebook, in which he had sketched a map of the Underland with the waterway and the route, in his lap.

"Flying usually more than halves the time of ground travel, so it's going to be around two days – maybe longer, depending on the wind, and your own speed. Ares and I came to the conclusion that the best estimate is around fifty hours."

Thanatos sighed. That was more than he had anticipated, but he shouldn't be surprised. "You realize that the longest I was ever in the air was around thirty hours maybe, and that was a very long time ago. I don't even remember how I did it back then."

"That's far longer than I have heard from most fliers. Ares' time was about the same, we were training for it and that was his limit." Henry told him, then pointed at the notebook.

"If we follow the river until the waterway is in sight and rest there, you could save an hour or so. And once we reach them, we'll probably have to seek somewhere to land anyway. We can stay close to the west coast if you like, there is jungle there but I'm guessing that won't matter too much."

"So we aren't crossing it in one go after all?" Thanatos sighed. "I won't even be able to say I crossed it –"

"Hey, hey – someone's getting conceited! Just think of it as – you know – a test run. If you find you can imagine continuing on, even after we caught up, we can try for real some time later."

"Ah..." Thanatos was still not convinced. "And... what exactly do you plan on doing as soon as we "catch up to them", like you said?"

Henry pondered. "I... I want to... see. Help, if possible. Luxa will be there, and..." He had no words to express what he wanted. All Henry knew was, that he wanted to be there. Just one last time. Even if they spotted and chased him away, even if it meant risking his life. But suddenly he realized, he wouldn't just be risking his own.

"Look", Henry sighed, "I... I really need this. For myself. But... as much as I want to, I can't force you to risk your own life for me. Not again, and not for such a hard-to-grasp reason."

Thanatos was silent. He understood that this was his chance to draw back, to cancel everything, and Henry wouldn't hold it to him. But at the same time, he knew it was far too late. His own ambitions had awoken, and his adventurous spirit had slowly but surely taken over his former caution, that came from experience and age.

He felt like he was ten years younger again, barely more than a pup, like Henry now – full of life, and spirit, and optimism, so hopeful, bold, and daring, always up for every challenge. And he understood that no, he had no choice. He never had, the moment Henry had first mentioned it. Not as long as he was himself.

"Let's do it", was all he said, and realized, when he looked at Henry's expression, full of mischief and audacity, that in the end, the two of them weren't so different after all.

Quite the opposite actually.

They did as Henry suggested – fly to the border of the waterway – and found a nice cave, about a hundred feet above the foaming sea. Thanatos said he'd need to rest at least an entire day if he would be flying across almost the entire waterway later. They had calculated they wouldn't be able to catch up to the quest until far past half of their journey, so they expected a flight of around forty hours.

Before he went to sleep, the flier told Henry to keep watch for when the currents above the waterway would activate, and wake him in around a day, when they just started up.

Henry wanted to ask what for, but Thanatos had already disappeared inside the cave, and the exiled prince shrugged it off. Maybe, he thought, Thanatos can use them somehow to conserve energy. He had never heard of any flier attempting to fly with the currents, normally, they were a deterrent for any sort of airborne travel – but then again, he had never heard of any flier attempting to cross the waterway either.

Henry sat around keeping watch for many hours, he spent the time thinking, doodling in his notebook and making first attempts at a design he had in mind for Thanatos, it would be a set of bags they would tie around his body with a belt. They had agreed to make something like that while resting at the nibbler colony, as an alternative to Henry's backpack.

It wasn't easy finding the best way to design the straps so that it wouldn't hinder him while flying and was still accessible even in mid-air, so it took Henry a while.

Then, after having a quick meal, he pulled something else out of his backpack. It was the skull of a rat he had picked up during their last trip to their land, it had lain together with the rest of the skeleton in one of the prison holes, and he had taken it with him.

Now Henry started by cutting the back off, then removed any unnecessary or hindering parts and polished and washed it thoroughly. He increased the size of the eye sockets and sanded the surface until it almost shone.

After he was done, he proudly gazed at his work and finally held it over his face to see if it worked.

He had to adjust the eye sockets a couple more times, but in the end, he held a decent-looking mask in his hands. He had had the idea already when he found it, but now that he would go and see old friends, that weren't supposed to recognize him, it had speeded up the creating-process. And besides, Thanatos already had a skull face – why shouldn't Henry as well?

He finally tied two strings to the earholes, to be able to fasten it around his head. It would be nice to wear this on missions, to seem more threatening than the sixteen – or was it seventeen already – year-old human that he was. Henry stopped for a second to think if his birthday had come and gone yet. He knew it was around this time of year, but he was unable to tell what day exactly it was so he couldn't be sure.

He shrugged finally and decided to just go with seventeen for now. Even if he was wrong now, he wouldn't be for long anymore.

When he next checked outside to see if the currents had activated yet, around twenty hours in, he was almost blown out of the cave. Henry barely held on and disappeared inside again, to at last wake Thanatos. It was time.

"You ready?" He finally asked, after they had eaten and drunk, as well as packed some supplies for on the fly for Henry. Thanatos could fish and eat in mid-air, but the exiled prince would need to take his food with him if he didn't want to eat it raw.

"As I'll ever be, I suppose." The flier stretched his wings. "Let's just get it over with. I'm sure I'll feel better once we're flying."

Henry mounted up, made sure his things were all secure and extinguished the torch. Thanatos would find his way without light, and besides, the faint glow of the waterway allowed him to see shapes anyway. That was more than enough.

When the flier leaped out of the cave, the strong currents almost threw Henry off his back. Thanatos experienced difficulties as well at first, trying to find the right current to ride, and the first few minutes were a crazy up-and-down-and-all-around that, had it been any other rider, would have surely made them throw up a couple times.

But the exiled prince mostly even enjoyed it. He made a mental note to ask Thanatos to practice stunt flying from time to time like they had ages ago at the top of the cliff he had fallen from. Ever since then, all their flying had been practical, which was a shame, so Henry thought.

Eventually, the flier caught a good current that propelled him forward, much faster than he would have been able to fly without it. He didn't even need to use his wings for the most part – the first few hours of the journey he simply glided, using the current, and the exiled prince decided to go to sleep soon, he was exhausted from keeping watch.

Henry was incredibly bored. He had no idea how long they were flying already, but it must certainly be more than half the way already. He was lying on Thanatos' back, outstretched, trying very hard to come up with something to do.

Earlier he had worked on his design more, then doodled a little for fun. Most recently he had eaten some of the food he brought, and now he was out of ideas.

The flier was holding on fairly well, not a single time had he complained or shown any signs of tiredness – though that didn't mean much. The Thanatos Henry knew would rather drown in the endless depths beneath them than show any sort of weakness.

"Hey, do you have any idea how far we're in?" Henry asked, trying to not sound too bored.

"About half-way if I'm not wrong. You dying of boredom already?"

Henry groaned. "You have no idea. What am I supposed to do, all I can do is wait – AND I HATE WAITING!"

Thanatos scoffed. "Oh please, I'd like to have your problems."

They were quiet for a while again, and Henry had almost fallen back asleep when Thanatos suddenly turned sharp-right as if dodging something. Henry was almost thrown off his back as he didn't expect anything of the sort, he was barely able to hold on.

"Hey – what the hell was –" but before he could finish his sentence, Henry saw exactly what it was, and had to duck to escape the giant, slimy tentacle that reached for him from below the surface.

"– SQUIDS!" He screamed, unsheathing his sword. There was no time or real need to ignite it, he simply hacked away at the tentacles that now came from everywhere.

"They've been following us for a while I think", Thanatos did his best to dodge them, "I was wondering when they would finally attack."

"Well, less wondering, more height! If you fly at the top of the cave they can't reach us!"

Thanatos did what Henry said and left behind a couple disappointed and hungry squids. They continued their flight high enough so that nothing from within the water could reach them.

"I always knew the waterway was treacherous, but giant squids – really?" Henry shook his head.

"You'd be surprised what other creatures lurk down there. Be glad it wasn't a Leviathan."

Henry thought for a second, and then decided he didn't need to know what exactly a Leviathan was. He was fine with the squids for now.

Soon after the attack, when his adrenaline had settled, Henry decided it was a good time for another round of sleep. They would catch up with the quest soon, and he wanted to be rested for that.

The last thing the exiled prince noticed, after having stretched out with his backpack as a pillow, was the endless, faintly glowing water beneath him, flying by much faster than he had ever seen before.

Gregor stared into the faces of his fellow travelers unbelievingly, trying to comprehend what was going on.

The giant whirlpool was still roaring beneath the boat that was carried by all bats again after Pandora had returned from saving Howard. And down there, desperately clinging to what remained of the second boat, was Twitchtip.

They had refused to save here as Howard had been saved – as anyone would have been saved. Anyone but her.

"It's because she's a rat," he said. "You're just going to sit here and watch her drown because she's a rat, right?"

Below him, Twitchtip's boat snapped in two. She clung to the wreckage for a few seconds, and then it was swept out of her grasp. She clawed her way through the water, fighting to keep from going under, but she wouldn't last long.

The life jacket was on the floor next to Boots. He shoved his arms through the straps and buckled it with shaking hands. The small flashlight, the one Mrs. Cormaci had given him, was in his pocket. He flicked it on. Maybe he could hold it between his teeth. Hands grabbed him as he climbed up the side of the boat. "Do not be a madman, Overlander," said Howard. "You cannot help her!"

"You make me the sickest of all!" said Gregor. "You were just down there a minute ago. You got rescued! And what about what you swore? About saving anyone in water trouble! In peril! What you said! What about that?"

Howard's face flushed. Gregor had touched a nerve.

"Gregor!" Luxa had his hand. "I forbid you to go, Gregor! You will not survive."

"Not with you guys as backup!" said Gregor. He was so furious, he could have thrown her over the side of the boat. See how she liked it down there. "Ripred brought her for me. He brought her to help me, so I could help you guys and your whole stupid kingdom!" he said. "That's why we're doing this, right?"

He stood on one of the seats and shone his light down in the water. Man! Was he really going to jump down into that? They were right, it was insane. Even if he'd been the best Olympic swimmer in the world, he'd never swim his way out of that, especially pulling some big old rat. But he knew something else, too. He knew that the Underlanders needed to keep him alive at all costs. If he went in, they'd come after him. And if he could get to Twitchtip, they'd have to save them both.

And if nobody else – Ares would come. He would certainly come. They were bonds – Luxa's words from one of their very first conversations came to his mind – what bonds do, is, keep each other alive.

The last thing Gregor heard was Howard yelling something after him when he closed his eyes and jumped. The shock of the cold water occupied him for about a millisecond before all his attention was on the current. He was nothing — a twig, a gum wrapper, an ant, being carried along by the immense force of the whirlpool.

Only now he saw Twitchtip. He had tried to aim for her when he jumped, and he hadn't even landed in a completely ridiculous spot. There she was, only a ring away from him, her head bobbing in and out of the water. They were on the inner rings of the vortex. Maybe one, maybe two times more around, and then she was gone. And Gregor after her.

An icy arrow of fear pierced his heart. What had he been thinking? What if they wouldn't get to him in time? What if Ares wouldn't be able to let go of the boat to save them?

Twitchtip had now noticed him and made a few weak attempts to swim in his direction. She was finally able to grab onto one of the straps of his life jacket and they smacked into each other when she pulled him in her direction. Gregor naturally opened his arms, he encircled her neck, his legs wrapped around her body. Twitchtip dug her claws into the front of the life jacket. They spun around the whirlpool again. The current locked on them, pulling them down, not wanting to let them go.

They can't do it, Ares can't do it – thought Gregor. We're going under! He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, waiting to be engulfed.

Instead, he felt something digging its claws into his life jacket. No, not Twitchtip – the grip came from above. One giant tug later and they were both out of the water – Gregor realized it was the claw of a bat that did not only hold onto him but luckily Twitchtip as well. The bat had enclosed its other claw around her arm and Gregor knew that was the only reason why he was able to hold onto her.

It must be Ares, Gregor thought meekly. He must have found a way to let go of the boat and come after us. He rejoiced internally – his plan had worked. They had come for them. Both of them.

"Don't – let – go!" Twitchtip choked out suddenly, clinging to him even more desperately.

Gregor couldn't free his teeth from the flashlight, he had bitten down so hard. He managed to open his mouth enough to say "No."

They were carried over the water for a while until they were out of the whirlpool's reach.

Gregor almost thought Ares didn't know where to set them down, then he realized that was indeed somewhat of a difficulty. The remaining boat was being suspended by the bats – and where else would he...

All of a sudden, Gregor noticed they won altitude. Ares was visibly struggling with Twitchtip's weight, he could hear him heaving, and it almost seemed as if he had trouble moving his giant black wings. Wait – no, something about that wasn't right. Ares could easily carry a rat, what in the world was wrong with him?

They now approached the boat, Gregor could make it out beneath him. But something wasn't right back down there either – everyone on board seemed to be in some sort of frenzy, Gregor could even make out a few drawn swords. And... only now his gaze met the bats that were still holding the boat in the air. Dazedly Gregor started counting them. One. Two. Three. Four. It was four bats – four... bats?

He clearly saw Ares' black color among them, twisting his neck to look at Gregor. But... if Ares was back down there, holding the boat... who in the world was the bat currently carrying them?

A wave of panic indulged Gregor, but before he had time to think about it more, the unknown bat let go and he and Twitchtip fell – maybe six or seven feet – before hitting the floor of the boat with a loud and painful thud.

Every single inch in Gregor's body complained about the landing and the now painfully throbbing shoulder that the bat had clutched when carrying him to safety.

After regaining control over his arms and legs, Gregor slowly lifted himself to all fours. Temp scurried over and on his back Boots, whom he immediately wrapped his arms around.

The rest of the questors didn't spare him a single glance. Instead, Howard, Mareth and Luxa were staring out to the sea, swords drawn and yelled something.

When Gregor raised his gaze at last, to see what they were so agitated by, all he could see was a dark silhouette, zooming by the ship from time to time.

It's the bat, he thought. The one that saved us. But Gregor also saw that his flight pattern was irregular and he almost lost balance multiple times in mid-air. There was just about enough time to ask himself what the matter was with him when he saw the bat approaching the boat.

Howard screamed "Wait!" but the bat seemingly didn't care – or couldn't care. He hovered above the boat for a second, before dropping on the floor like a stone. The entire boat rocked and the bats, that carried it, were barely able to hold it.

The moment he had landed – very ungraciously for a bat – on the floor, he was surrounded by three drawn blades. Gregor stretched his head to catch a better glance. Only when Photos-Glow-Glow and Zap approached the newcomer too, he noticed the bat – who, as he saw now, was black as Ares, only with a distinctive white stain around his face, that almost looked like a skull, and a giant scar through his right eye – wasn't alone.

On his back actually sat a rider – though the first moment he saw him, Gregor doubted whether he was human. Only at second glance, he noticed his face was covered by a mask made from a rat skull. It almost glowed ghastly in the sparse light and mirrored the skull-shaped mark on the face of his flier surprisingly well.

Gregor had just enough time to ask himself who the hell they were and where they had come from when Mareth suddenly lowered his blade, completely aghast. "... Thanatos...?"

The flier, who had had his eyes closed, apparently overwhelmed with exhaustion, opened them now, Gregor could see their distinct amber glow. "It's... been a while, hasn't it?"