Ripred pads through the hallways, looking for Ben. They needed to talk, even though Ripred was sure that Ben wouldn't want to. It seemed that Gregor attracted stubborn friends, which was good-because Gregor sure seemed to try and push them away as best he could. It seemed like with these he hadn't succeeded, which relieved Ripred (not that he would ever admit that).

Ripred could hear laughter and smell food coming from one of the dining rooms, and he pokes his head in, startling the four pups sitting around the table. Gregor gives him a suspicious look, which he ignores completely in favor of giving his attention to Ben.

"Ben. I need to speak with you."
Ben glances to the others, looking slightly worried. Ripred watches as Eli grabs Ben's hand for a second, before letting go as Ben stands.

"What's it about?" Ben asks.

Ripred glances at the others, fighting a surge of irritation. "Just hurry up."

Backing out, Ripred stands in the corridor, waiting for him to come out.

"What do you want?" Ben asks, stepping from the room.

"Walk with me." Ripred orders.

Ben looks miffed, but nods. "Okay."

They start down the hallway, Ripred's nails clicking against the stone; a sharp contrast to the soft scuffs of Ben's shoes.

"What did you want to talk about?" Ben asks.

Ripred sighs, and swishes his tail. "I wanted to apologize to you."

Ben halts, staring at him like he was crazy. "You want to apologize to me?"

Ripred can't help but snarl at him. It's not like he liked apologizing. "Yes. So shut up and listen."

Ben side-eyes Ripred, scooting away slightly.
"I wanted to apologize for the tunnels, and when we rescued Gregor. I know that that was difficult. You are not nearly as resilient as Gregor. Mentally or physically."
Ben stares at Ripred, slightly appalled. "Thanks."
Ripred clicks his teeth slightly, growing irritated. "I simply mean that for what you saw, I wish to apologize. Because it was something that you did not need to see, and because of my inability to protect you, it has likely been something that has been weighing on you."
"Ripred...that's. Thank you." Ben says.

He doesn't mention that Ripred mentioning it brings it all back up, because he was pretty sure Ripred would bite his head off. Better not to enrage him.

Ripred sniffs slightly, his tail curling slightly at the end. "Of course. I know when I'm at fault. I can admit my failings.

Ben bites the inside of his cheek. "I know. Is that all?"
Ripred glances to him. "That's it. Be safe once you return to the Overland." he says gruffly.

Ben nods, before hesitating. "Ripred, don't like, take this weird or anything, but I think you would've made a good dad."

Ripred blinks, before pushing Ben back towards the dining room. "Just go eat."

Ben smiles, giving Ripred a small wave. "Goodnight, Ripred."

Ripred watches him go, before padding towards the guards station. Mac is standing behind their desk, studying a map of Regalia. They look up when Ripred enters, and a brief smile flits across their features.

"Ripred. I think we have got them. Or at least the head of it all. We have been looking at the meeting places-the constants within that from the intel, and have narrowed down the leader to who we believe is behind it all."

Ripred pads closer, looking to where Mac has their finger jammed against the map. Right on the palace.

"It's someone here, you think?" Ripred asks.
"We believe it is Trexon. He has been at all the meetings. Apparently at first our moles thought he was a mole as well, but he is not. He uses other members to talk, but he is behind most of it, it seems. If we get rid of him, then we can easily rip apart the rest of the Interfectores."

Ripred bares a smile, flattening his ears against his head. "Then where is he?"

"We are searching for him. It appears that he has fled the castle as of now. But there are limited places for him to go."

"I'll let the relevant people know. Does the queen know?"
"Not yet. We were going to present the information at the meeting tomorrow."
"I'll tell her tonight."
Mac nods. "Very well. I bid you good luck, then."

Ripred nods, turning and leaving the room.

"Gregor." Luxa calls across the air, "Can we touch down? I need to talk to you about something important."
"Uh...Yeah?"
Phobos and Aurora find the nearest touchdown point, and Gregor and Luxa slip off their fliers backs. Luxa sits on the edge of the ledge, and motions for Gregor to join her. He does so carefully, still wary of the drop-even if he knew that Phobos would be there to catch him.

"Firstly," she says, "I need to return this to you."

She reaches to her belt, and pulls a sheathed dagger from it, handing the knife to Gregor.
"A dagger? Why?"
"It is the one that you had when Ripred saved you. It is okay to give it back now, I believe."

Gregor stares at the knife in his hands, and then back to Luxa.

"Have you been holding onto this this entire time?"
"Yes. I did not...I did not want to give it to you sooner lest it dreg up unpleasant memories for you again."

He swallows back the lump in his throat, but nods slightly. "Thanks."
"As well as...Gregor. You have said that you will be leaving. Soon. Is...is there nothing I can do to sway you to stay?"

Gregor turns his gaze out into the darkness, a weight settling across his shoulders. "I can't. I...There's too much in the Overland I need to do. There's people I need to be there for. I wish that I could stay with you, though."

Luxa is quiet, but her hand moves to rest on his shoulder.

For some reason, it makes Gregor want to cry.

"I wish I could stay. I want to stay with you." he whispers. "Where I don't have to worry about...about too many things. But…"
"I understand, Gregor."

He looks to her, and can just make out her face. Her mouth is set, but her eyes look sad.

"I love you." Gregor says.

The words sit heavy between them, and for a second, Gregor thinks Luxa is going to leave it at that.

"I love you, too."

Gregor bites his lip to keep it from trembling, and squeezes his eyes shut.
"So what are we supposed to do?" he manages.

Luxa sighs softly; her hand dropping from his shoulder. "We move forwards. I will...I will be expected to marry soon. Within the next few years, I imagine."

There's a sudden ache in his chest, and he wipes at his eyes. "Oh."
"I wish you would stay. I wish it were you. But I understand. You have obligations to your family. I do not think your mother would think of me fondly if I stole her son away."

Gregor looks to her, and finds her smiling slightly.

"If I had a choice, I would stay." he says.

"I know." Luxa says. "I have done what I can do give you light. I just hope that it was enough."

Gregor finds her hand, and holds on tight. "It's always been enough."

##

Luxa strides into the dining room, her eyes finding Gregor immediately.
"Ripred has informed me that we have discovered who the supposed head of the Interfectores is."

Gregor blinks. "Who?"

"The man named Trexon."

Gregor's face drains of feeling, and his stomach plummets. "You can't be serious."
"Yes. Ripred has said that Mac will be leading the hunt for him. They will capture him, and he will be executed."
Gregor can't muster up any sympathy for him. "Will they find him quickly, do you think?"
"We have established a citywide announcement that anyone who can aid in the finding of him will be compensated greatly for their troubles."

He can't help his laugh. "So you've enlisted the city as well."
"Of course. This is a threat to all of us-if they continue to damage our reputation with the gnawers, it could have lasting consequences."
Gregor nods. "Fair enough."
"I will be joining them as well."

At this, Gregor straightens with indignation. "What? No!"
Luxa gives him an amused look. "Gregor, it is my duty to protect this city and the people. Of course I will be partaking in the hunt."
"But won't it be dangerous?"
Luxa laughs, shaking her head. She sits down across from Gregor, pulling a plate towards herself. "No more dangerous than any of the quests we went on."

"But. But…."
Luxa shakes her head. "Do not worry, Gregor. I will be safe."

"You have to be safe. For...us."

Luxa raises an eyebrow, a slow smile spreading.
Gregor flushes, not sure why he was so embarrassed. "I mean us. Like, Hazard and everyone else here in the palace. Us."

Luxa laughs, and Gregor slumps in his seat.

"Where is 'us', anyway?" Luxa asks, eyes sparkling. "Should they not be with you?"
"Ben and Eli had to talk about something, so they left for a bit. They've been getting along well, which is good, I guess. I was kinda worried they wouldn't like each other."

Luxa gives him a weird look.
"...What?" he asks.

She blinks, but shakes her head. "Nothing. You have grown closer with them, yes?"
"...Yeah. I think we're friends now. I don't want to ask because I feel like Ben would make fun of me."
"I do not believe that he would make fun of you, Gregor. They both seem to care for you an incredible amount."
"Yeah. I guess so. Wouldn't they have run screaming by now if they didn't?"
"Perhaps." Luxa says, helping herself to the fish. "I was speaking with Aurora earlier," she starts.

"Oh, yeah?"

"She mentioned that Phobos has been wishing to talk to you."
"Oh. Yeah. I've been meaning to talk to him too. But that's besides the point right now. When are you going to search?"
"In an hours time." She says, eating quickly. "I still must prepare, but I wished to tell you before we left."

"I should come with you." Gregor says, pushing his plate away. "I can help."
"No. You need to stay with Josephix. Work on getting things settled."
"But I would be helpful!"
"Gregor!" Luxa snaps. "I said no!"

Gregor jolts back, clenching his jaw. "I'm not useless." he grinds out.

Luxa glares at him. "I never said you were. But I am more concerned with you being better than you helping in finding Trexon. Have you forgotten what he did to you?"
"No!" Gregor snaps. "I haven't forgotten, and I never will!"

"Then you should understand why I do not want to risk having you run into him!"

Luxa's face is red and angry, with Gregor's being much the same. They sit in fuming silence until they finish eating, and Luxa is the first to stand.
"I must go now. I will bring you news as soon as there is news to be had."
"Fine."
"Goodbye for now, Gregor."
"Bye, Luxa."

She walks from the room without a backwards glance, leaving Gregor alone in the room.

Seconds after she left, Eli and Ben come back, collapsing onto their respective pillows.

"What'd you do to piss her off this time?" Ben asks.

Eli smacks him from across the table, and Ben yelps, glaring at Eli.

"Don't be mean, Ben. Did something happen, Gregor?"
"Luxa says that they found out who the leader of the Interfectores are. And they're hunting him down tonight. Now."

Ben glances from Eli to Gregor. "Well...don't be dramatic. Who is it?"
"Trexon."

Eli pales slightly. "Trexon?"

"Yeah." Gregor says. "Trexon."

"Well, do they think they'll get him?" Ben asks.

"I don't know. Luxa seems pretty confident about it all. But I guess we'll have to see."

"Gregor," Eli says, glancing to Ben. "When do you plan on going back? To the Overland, I mean. You...you do plan on going back, right?"
Gregor stares at the tabletop. "Of course I do."

Eli doesn't seem terribly convinced, but let's the topic slide.

"Oh, right!" He says, "Look at what I got."

He scoots over next to Gregor, ignoring Gregor's protest about his personal space. Eli pulls his phone from his pocket, and taps around for a second, before shoving it in Gregor's face. Gregor squints and pushes it back slightly, seeing a picture of Hazard on the display.

"It's Hazard."

"I know! I showed him pictures of everyone. Of my mom, and Sara. He was happiest to see the ones of Sara, I think. But I told him I would take pictures of him and bring them back to my mom to show her!"

Gregor takes the phone, and swipes through a bit, seeing different silly poses by Hazard and Eli. There's one where it's the two of them standing at the far end of a room, and Gregor tries to think of how Eli described all the technology to him.

Gregor startles suddenly, a thought occurring to him. "Wait. How'd you keep this thing charged up down here? There's not exactly electricity."
"Oh, yeah." Eli says, taking the phone back and scooting away. "I brought like. Five or six portable chargers. And I just kept the phone off most the time. Except to take pictures."

"That's…"
"Genius?" Eli suggests.

"I was going to say ridiculously overprepared. But sure, I guess genius works."
"Yeah. I know it, too. I got voice recordings of Hazard and stuff and plenty of pictures and videos and junk. I'm gonna show it all to my mom, so she can meet him, in a way."
"That's great, Eli."
He grins, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "I've taken way too many pictures, I think. But it'll be worth it. I mean, the Underland is an incredible place."
An incredible place that I'm leaving behind, Gregor thinks bitterly.

"It is." Gregor says. "Hey. I need to uh, I need to find Josephix. I need to do my check in with him."
"I'll come with you!" Ben says, hopping up. "I saw him pass us in the hallway."
"Ok, let's go."

They find Josephix in his office, staring at something on the desktop.

"Josephix?"

He looks up, smiling when he sees them. "Gregor! Ben! How are you? I'm glad you're here, I was about to come looking for you!"
Gregor smiles awkwardly. "Well. I'm here."
"Hey, good luck, man." Ben says, giving Gregor a clap on his shoulder. Gregor watches him leave, before turning his attention back to Josephix.

"I'm leaving soon." Gregor says.

Josephix sighs, but nods. "I know. I do not like it, but you are one to be stubborn once you have made up your mind."

Gregor shrugs, looking around the room. There wasn't much in it, aside from a couple things hanging from the walls, and a few torches.

"Let us walk," Josephix says.

"Yeah. I need to get my notebook, too. There's things I need to write down."

"What?"
"What you're going to tell me to write down."
"About what, exactly?" Josephix asks as they start to walk.

"About how to stay better. In the Overland."
Josephix is quiet for a beat. "I see. Very well, then. I will write it down for you. Is this the same notebook you have talked about before?"
Gregor shrugs, walking a bit faster. "Maybe. I doubt you'd be able to understand it, though."
"Because it is written in the Code of Claw, yes?"
"Yeah."
"We never talked about it-why do you think you wrote it in code?"
Gregor gives him a confused look. "What? Obviously because I didn't want others to read it."
"Is that all?" Josephix asks.

"What other reason would there be?" Gregor asks, stepping into his room. He grabs his backpack, and rummages through it to find his pen and notebook. Tossing the bag back down on the bed, he joins Josephix back in the hallway.

Josephix sighs. "Maybe you wrote it like that in order to cement a tie to the Underland."
Gregor shakes his head. "Have you seen me? I think I have too many permanent ties to the Underland."

"But those are not ties that you chose, right? Making a conscious decision to write in the code let you choose to acknowledge the Underland. Your scars and dreams are not things you chose to have."
Gregor makes a sound of acknowledgement, shrugging. "Whatever."
Josephix looks at him for a moment longer, before sighing. "Very well. I will write down some points for you to remember. I wish that you would stay longer so we could work more. I still do not feel comfortable with you going out there to deal with it all alone."
"I won't be alone. I've got...I've got Ben. And Eli. And my family."
"That is good; that you have a support network already figured out. But I mean that it is not always easy to talk about these things to them. You may not want to talk about them-and your friends and family may not be in the right headspace to help you. Then you would only cause them more worry."
"That doesn't sound like something you should be saying to me," Gregor says with a laugh.

Josephix shakes his head. "You are my main priority, yes. But the other people in your life are important too. They are an extension of you in a way, and making them worry excessively will do no good to anyone in the situation."
"I guess you're right. Can we talk about something else? I don't want to talk about the notebook or anything anymore."
"Of course. How have your dreams been?"

Gregor hesitates. "Fine."
"Are they fine or are you just telling me that?"
"I mean, they're the same. Just, you know, different topics. Got a lot of new material with my stay here. Gotta find some way to use it."
Josephix doesn't laugh. "Have they made sleep difficult?"
Gregor shrugs. He turns onto a balcony, sitting crisscross in the center of the platform. Josephix sits next to him a moment later. Gregor hands him the pen and notebook, and Josephix opens it to a new page. He only has to show Josephix how to open the pen before he starts to write.

"Of course, they have." Gregor says. "They make nights the worst time. I'm glad I can still use echolocation."
"And why is that?"
"Because they kept me in a pitch black cell. Or whatever the hell it was. Just because I can use echolocation doesn't mean that I don't need the light," Gregor takes a deep breath, "I...I don't like the dark so much anymore. Which is stupid, isn't it?"

"Of course not. You have had a horrible experience within the dark, if you did not dislike it a little bit, I think I would be more worried."
"It's just. I don't like waking up and everything is dark. I keep thinking I'm back there. And it's…" Gregor closes his eyes, letting out a shaky breath, "Suffocating."

##

That night Gregor lays in bed, waiting for sleep. He rolls onto his side, thinking about what Ben had said earlier in the hallway.

"Gregor, I know you don't plant on coming back here and all, but…"

Ben scuffs his shoe nervously against the stone, biting the inside of his cheek.
"Me and Eli have been talking, and we think we would come visit. I want to see Orbona again and talk to her and Luxa and Ripred and everyone else again. Eli wants to be able to be there for Hazard-he was talking about even bringing his mom sometime if Luxa would allow it. And I just-I understand why you can't come back again. But I want you to know that if you want to stay in contact with them, we can bring letters or something."
Ben sighs, scratching at his head.

"It's selfish of me. I want you to be able to keep the relationships you have. I don't want you to throw it all away."
"I'm not throwing it all away. I had to make a decision. And this was the end result in that."

"But are you sure it's the best? I mean-Luxa-"
Gregor gives Ben a heartbreakingly sad smile. "Luxa and I have already talked about it. We know it won't end well. We're both too tied up in our respective lands to want to give ground on it."
"But-"
"Ben. Thank you, but I've already made up my mind. I have to go."
They're about to turn into Josephix's office.

"Then-at least consider the letters and stuff."
Gregor opens his mouth to give a negative response, but Ben shakes his head.

"Don't answer me now. Answer me when we've left, and you've really thought about it."
Now, he sighs, and shoves his face into his pillow. It would all work out. It had to. He was getting better, and now he had it in writing what to do to improve. He would beat this. He had to.

##

"Phobos!" Gregor calls over the wind, "Where are we going?"
"I need to show you someplace, Gregor!"

Gregor huffs a laugh, laying down on his back, hugging him as best he could. He can hear the wind rushing in his ears, until it gradually starts to quiet. He looks up from Phobos' back, and blinks. They were on an outcropping that overlooked the Waterway, but covering the rock was a kind of moss that was glowing slightly.

Gregor turns to Phobos. "What is this?"
Phobos shakes his head. "I honestly do not know. I stumbled across it by chance. I believe the humans have not found it because they often use torches, and us fliers rely on our echolocation. We do not look for these things."
"It's incredible."
"I thought you might like it."
Gregor brushes his hand against the moss, surprised at how soft it was, even here.

"Phobos. I...Can I ask you something?"
"Of course, Gregor."

Phobos flutters around, and it takes Gregor a moment to realize that he put himself between Gregor and the drop.

"I don't exactly expect an answer, and I know that I'm leaving, and that it's selfish of me to even bring this up, but...You said once that people could have more than one bond in their life. And I…"

Gregor swallows hard, staring hard at the moss on the wall.

The silence is crushing. The water rushes on down below; the sound filling Gregor's ears to an almost unbearable point.

"Gregor, I cannot…"
Gregor forces a laugh, but it sounds strained even to his own ears. "I know. I said it was selfish, didn't I?"
"If you were not leaving…"

Gregor turns to Phobos, who looks upset.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just. Would you have said yes?"
Phobos hesitates, before nodding. "Yes. I would have been honored to have you as my bond, Gregor."

Gregor smiles, even as he feels tears well up. "I'm sorry I can't stay."
"I understand why you have to leave."

He sniffles, wiping at his face. "Even if we're not bonds, I hope you know that everything in the promise stands from me to you."
"And I to you."
"Can I hug you?"
"Of course."
Gregor steps forward, and hugs him as best he can, misery twisting around his heart. "I'm sorry, Phobos. I'm sorry."

He feels wings wrap around him, and he tries not to cry harder. He wasn't very successful.

"I am sorry, Gregor. I wish that it could have all gone differently."

"But it didn't." Gregor chokes out.

##

As soon as they return to the palace, Gregor and Eli search for Luxa. They eventually find her in her study, and she looks up as they enter. When she sees Gregor she stands, and hurries over to him.

"Gregor? What is wrong?"
He shakes his head, his heart heavy.

"I talked to Phobos."
"Oh." She says. "Gregor…"
"It's fine, you know? I knew what the answer would be. It just. You know."
Luxa nods, grabbing his hand and leading him to a cushion. She gives him a little shove to get him to sit, and gives a curt nod to Eli. Eli takes it as his dismissal, and speeds out, probably going to find Ben.

"Guess what I found in the museum," Luxa says, after giving Gregor a look.

She grabs a small box from behind the table, and sets it in front of Gregor. He stares at it blankly, before turning to Luxa.
"It's a box."
She rolls her eyes. "Look inside."
He opens it carefully, before a smile splits his face. It was a camera. More specifically-a polaroid. Just like they had played around with all those years ago. Gregor laughs, and takes it out of the box, checking the film. There was an entire roll.

Gregor sets the camera down, before reaching into his pocket, and pulling his picture out. He unfolds it, smoothing it down against the table. Luxa's face softens when she sees it.
"You kept it."
"Of course I kept it. It was my one picture of you."

Gregor picks the camera up again, running his finger over the ridge of the button.
"Did you guys find Trexon?"
Luxa is silent, and Gregor looks up to her.
"Luxa?"
She shifts slightly, shrugging. "We found him."

Something wasn't right.

"Luxa? What happened? Everyone...everyone was okay, right?"

She purses her lips, looking away from him. "It's getting late."
"Luxa." Gregor insists.

She glances back to him, and then away again.

"We found him."
"And?"
"He was...in the tunnels. He...there were gnawers, with him. He said it was his last act of cleansing."
Gregor feels cold roll through him, and his mouth goes dry.

"What did he do."

"He-along with what he said were others-went into the gnawers lands and I suppose they convinced them there was a fest to be held in Regalia. They followed them into the tunnels."

Gregor didn't want to hear the rest of this. But he needed to, didn't he?
"They killed entire families. We found the bodies littered for miles in the tunnels. I am sorry, Gregor."
He couldn't think. There was a ringing in his head, and everything felt wrong.
"He's here, isn't he?"
"Yes, but Gregor-"
"I do not think that would be wise-"
"Luxa!"

She clenches her jaw, but gives a quick nod. "Very well. Ripred is currently there."
They move quickly through the halls, moving lower and lower in the palace, until there's almost a slight chill in the air. Gregor spots Ripred standing by one of the doors, and he runs ahead.
"Ripred!"
Ripred whirls, squinting when he sees Gregor. "What the fuck are you doing here?" He looks past him to Luxa, and he snaps his teeth in irritation.

"Let me see him." Gregor demands.

Ripred shakes his head. "No. Luxa, why are you here?"
"I am only delivering him. He wished to visit. I will come back in a time."
"Right. Great. So now I'm on babysitting duty. Will you-" Ripred glares at Gregor, who had been trying to weasel past him, and smacks him hard with his tail. "Stop it!"

Gregor glares at him, cracking his knuckles absentmindedly while he tries to think of how to get past.

"Gregor, will you be alright?" Luxa asks.
"Yeah. You can go."
She hesitates, but nods, her footsteps fading as she goes. As soon as Gregor can't hear them anymore, he shoves Ripred, glaring. Ripred only looks annoyed, whacking him with his tail again.
"Stop it, Ripred! Let me see him. Do you know what he did?" he spits, "He killed families! He's a cold blooded murderer!"
"Calm down!" Ripred snarls, getting up in his face. "What do you think you can do about it now? Bring them back? You are no god, Gregor. You are a child with the expectations of an adult thrust upon him, and you try desperately to fulfill those expectations. This time there's nothing for you to fulfill."
Gregor grits his teeth, and pushes Ripred's face away. "Fuck you!"

Ripred scoffs. "How eloquent."
"You don't know what they did! What they do!"

"Don't I, pup? What awful thing did they do that I cannot imagine or haven't already seen?"
Gregor screws his mouth up, and scrabbles to push past again. Ripred grabs his shoulder, claws digging in painfully, and he shoves him back. And then he lays down across Gregor's chest, sighing. Gregor groans, shoving at him desperately.
"Will you calm down? Or will I need to sit here until you suffocate."

"Get-off!"

"I guess it's option number two."
"You overgrown rat-! Get off of me you asshole!"
"That doesn't sound like 'Yes, Mister Ripred. I'll calm down and stop looking like I'm about to rip Trexon's throat out' to me."

"Get off!" Gregor wheezes.

"Your lung capacity amazes me." Ripred says.

"Fine! I'll calm down! Get off!"

Ripred sighs, but slowly clambers up. Gregor gasps, rolling to his side and taking a deep breath.

"So glad you managed to see reason. Your bony little knees were painful."
"You're terrible." Gregor mumbles, getting to his feet. "Let me see him."
Ripred eyes him up and down, before nodding to his belt. "Take that off first."
Gregor glances down-having almost forgotten about the dagger. "No."
"No?" Ripred asks, staring at him. "Why no?"
"Because."

"Fine." Ripred sighs, moving from the doorway. Gregor goes in, his hand migrating to the daggers hilt. He draws it, holding it tightly. He's not sure why he felt he needed it, but it was better than nothing. He stops in the middle of the room, staring at Trexon. His face was bruised and bloody, and he had what looked like sword or knife cuts on his arms and legs. Turning his attention to the knife, Gregor stares at the dagger in his hand. The same one that Trexon gave him that day to kill the gnawer-the one Luxa had returned to him. He glances back to Ripred who's now standing in the doorway, and his chest suddenly feels filled with molten fire. He had done too much to ever deserve what he would get.

"Ripred. He's going to die anyway, isn't he?" Gregor asks, completely calm for once.
Ripred gazes impassively at Gregor. "He is."

Gregor can't help the slight smile. "It's my turn for once. Isn't it? Not the Warrior. Not the Rager side of me. Me. Gregor's turn."

Ripred's tail flicking is the only movement from him. The silence is punctuated only by groans from Trexon as he starts to wake up, the beating from the guards and his injuries finally starting to register with him.

"It is." Ripred finally says, turning, and the curtain fluttering shut behind him.

The torchlight wavers slightly in the wind, and Gregor tightens his grip on the dagger. He tightens his grip on the dagger that killed seemingly countless gnawers; the grip stained with dried blood that's unerasable.

Gregor turns to Trexon, who's now mostly woken up.

"W-Warrior…" he murmurs. "Have you come to save me?"
The fire coats his throat and burns it's way through his body. He moves towards Trexon, kneeling down next to him. The chains on Trexon's wrists jingle slightly.

He smiles at him. "You have come to free me."

Gregor's not sure what happens between that moment and this one, but the knife is suddenly buried hilt deep in Trexon's thigh, and all Gregor can hear is his short scream.

Gregor leans in slightly, twisting the knife.

"I will never. Never be on your side." He snarls. "You took me and used me like a weapon."

"Please, Warrior-I-I am sorry. I…"

Gregor yanks the dagger out, blood dripping down the blade. He presses down hard on the wound, hot blood coating his hand.

"You forced me to kill pups. Pups."

The same boiling rage and the knife is in his leg again.

"You made me kill children! I'm a kid, you know! I already had time taken by this place!"

He twists the knife, pushing it deeper into his leg. There's a sudden resistance, and it registers in Gregor's brain that he's just hit the bone.

"Aren't you going to say that you're sorry?" He hisses. "You took my time away from the people here and made me a murderer."

"P-please, I am sorry." Trexon sobs. "I am sorry."
Gregor can't help his incredulous laugh. "No you're not! You're not sorry, Trexon. Sorry would be never having kidnapped me in the first place."
He grinds the dagger deeper.

"Sorry would be never having made me kill children. It would've been letting me out of that fucking cell once before you had control over me. You have never-ever-been sorry."

"Overlander I cannot feel my leg-ple-" Trexon wails as the dagger twists again.

"You killed families."

Gregor rips the knife from his leg, bloody dripping onto his knuckles. "Did you kill them like you liked to? Kill the pups in front of their parents? Gutting them? How do you think that would feel, Trexon?"

"No, no, no-! Please, please-!"
He can't hear anything but a dull roar in his ears as he sticks Trexon with the knife. He can feel the blood coat his hands, accompanied by Trexon's sobs.

"You deserve every second of this," he growls, "You deserve so much worse."

Trexon gurgles something that's lost in translation.

The knife is slippery in Gregor's hand when he pulls it out again.

"This is what I'm doing." Gregor whispers, barely heard over Trexon's whimpers. "This is what I'm doing for all those that I killed. This is our revenge."

He rips the dagger from Trexons leg, and positions it to slip through his ribs.

"I am not the Warrior anymore. He died with Ares. He died in a hospital bed after you ruined me."

"Please, please. Do not do this, do not-"
He shoves the dagger in, pushing, pushing, until he can feel it pierce his heart.

"You were your own undoing, Trexon." Gregor murmurs.
Giving the dagger one last shove, Gregor rocks back from Trexon's body, staring blanky at it, his head quiet. The magma in his chest has cooled to a dull throb that slowly subsided the longer he sat there.

It feels like he sits there for hours-unmoving. Until he can hear tapping footsteps, and the torches flicker again once the curtain is flung open. He turns to see Luxa in the doorway, and she runs to him, before looking at the body. She flinches, turning to Gregor, looking horrified.
"What did you do to him?"

Gregor's voice is scratchy when he finally speaks. "What he deserved."

##

Eli bangs his knee against the table when he tries to get up too quickly, eyes widening at what Luxa was telling them. His eyes water, and he grimaces, but ignores it as best he can.
"Gregor did what?"

"He killed Trexon."
It didn't sound any more believable the second time.

"How? No-I-What happened? Weren't you with him?"
"Ripred was."
"And Ripred let him do that?" Ben asks quietly, looking sick.

"Apparently so," Luxa says uncomfortably. "Josephix is with him now."

"He's not gonna like-kill anyone else, is he?" Ben asks.

The look Luxa gives him is pure fury. "Do not speak of things you do not understand, Overlander."
Ben shrinks back, looking slightly guilty. "I just...I-"

"He will be fine." Luxa says stiffly. "I only came to inform you about it."

"Uh. Well." Eli starts. "Can we see him then? I feel like this is something we need to talk about. Morally."
"Josephix has that covered."
"Does he cover Overland morality?" Ben asks. "Because I have a feeling those are two very different things. You don't exactly seem. Torn up that he killed a human."
"Trexon was set to be executed regardless. I do not agree with how he was killed, but it has already passed."
"See! That's fucked up." Ben accuses. "You can't just kill people even if they deserve it in the Overland."
"Josephix is very good at what he does," Luxa says cooly. "But I suppose you may talk to him. Josephix should be done, I would imagine."

"Luxa, we need to get him out of here. Okay? Like. Today."

Luxa raises an eyebrow.

"Ok, two days. Let's give him two days, alright? And then we need to go, because sometimes I can't tell if this place isn't messing him up more rather than helping him."
"Fine," Luxa says. "Two days."

She looks sad for a moment, before she turns and leaves.

"Gregor?" Ben asks, starting to stand.

Eli nods, and grabs Ben's hand to help him up, before they run from the room.

Gregor's sitting on his bed writing in his notebook when Eli and Ben come skidding in.

"Gregor!"

He looks up, and smiles slightly. "Hey."
"Uh, there something you want to tell us?" Ben asks. "I dunno-you know-maybe a little something to do with the guy you murdered earlier? What the hell is that about?"
"Oh." Gregor says, as if he had somehow forgotten. "He deserved it. He did horrible things."
Eli lets out a long breath, while Ben sputters next to him, seemingly saying something, but it being largely unintelligible.

"Gregor," Eli finally cuts in; his hand on Ben's shoulder effectively shutting him up, "I think you're missing the part of 'you killed another person.' You. I agree he was awful but…"
Gregor lays back. "I don't really care."
Ben looks to Eli, eyes wide.

"We're leaving. In two days." Eli says.

Gregor sits up at this. "What? No. We can't leave yet."
"Gregor," he starts, "We've been down here for a long time. You have to leave eventually. If this is what's gonna happen...I'd rather we left now."
"But I would never hurt another human! He was the only expectation!"
Eli shakes his head. "Two days."

##

Two days passed faster than he thought they would. Eli spent most of the rest of his time with Hazard, and the other time with Gregor and Ben or Caerus. He promised Hazard and Caerus that he would be back to visit. He made sure not to promise any time frames-because he didn't want to break any promises to them. But he promised to be back; because that was something he could promise. He knew Gregor spent most of his time with Phobos and Luxa. He knew that they were who he would miss most. It was obvious, even if he denied it. Two days. Not enough time to say goodbye.

Their bags were packed, and they were standing in the High Hall, saying their final goodbyes. Eli gave Hazard a tight hug, mumbling various promises of return to him, just in case he forgot. Ben stuck mostly to Orbona, and Gregor thought at one point he saw him give Ripred a hug. But he couldn't be sure, because then there was Luxa. She smiled, and reached into her pocket, bringing out the small photographs. She hands him one that's just her; smiling at the camera. She must've decided to keep the one of him, then. They had both gotten new ones of both of them together-taken within those short two days. Gregor knew it wouldn't be enough; even with three pictures. But it had to be. Because this was goodbye.

"Luxa."
"Gregor." She says, her lip wobbling.

He gives her a quick hug, before turning to Phobos, and the others who were waiting by the fliers.

"Fly you high," she says.

"Ready to go?" Eli asks.

Gregor nods, risking a glance back towards Luxa. He can see her blinking hard, but still managing to maintain a smile, as she waves and turns to follow the dispersing crowd.

"Shit."

Eli sighs, rolling his eyes. He accepts the backpack Gregor shoves into his arms, and Gregor turns back to her, starting to run.

"Luxa!"
She turns, and blinks in surprise, before Gregor stops in front of her.
"Luxa."

He grabs her hands, desperately trying to ignore that they had an audience; and that she was a queen.
"I love you." he says. "And I know it won't work, but I love you to the moon and the stars and back and I know," he laughs, "That you probably have no idea how far that is, but I love you."

She smiles, tilting her head slightly. "And I love you."

And he kisses her.

He hears a "Jesus, finally," from what sounds like Ben, but he doesn't much care.

Luxa laughs, squeezing his face in her hands. "Gregor, I will miss you terribly."

He kisses her once more, struggling not to cry.

"I won't forget you." he promises.
"I would hope not," she says. "You have three photographs of me now. And I three of you."
Gregor laughs, hiccuping slightly. "I have to go."
"I know."
"Goodbye."

Goodbye, my Overlander."

##

The walk up to the entrance is quiet. They said their last final goodbyes to their fliers at the entrance to the tunnel, before leaving for good. The tunnel is cold, and they all pull their jackets a little tighter around themselves. When they manage to get the rock moved, the cold air bites bites at their faces-the night air shining dimly with moonlight.

They all climb out, and shove the rock back into place, before standing there. And looking. At the world of skyscrapers and electricity-the entire city buzzing with life even at the late hour.

"Let's go." Gregor finally says.

Eli nods, digging the keys out of his pocket. "We've got a long drive ahead of us. Either of you guys able to drive?"
"I crashed my moms car into a tree after I made it a couple miles down the road," Ben says.

"Gregor?"
"I can kinda drive a truck."
"Alright. Know any good coffee shops around here, Gregor?"
Gregor smiles. "Yeah. Let's go."

They sit in silence in the parked car for quite a while. Ben eventually slaps his knee, sighing.

"Alright then! Let's get this show on the road, fellas. Nothing like a healthy dose of trauma to spice up our already disastrous lives, but we gotta get a move on."

Eli lets out a shaky laugh, before he glances in the rearview mirror to Gregor, who's got his mouth all mushed up trying not to laugh. At that he bursts into laugher, and Ben giggles nervously.

"What the fuck is wrong with us!" Ben laughs.

Gregor snorts, but is smiling when he opens the door to the frigid outside world. "Let's go. They've been waiting long enough."
"Yeah, yeah." Ben sighs, getting out.

Eli follows them to the door, where there's a light on in the kitchen, even though it's already pretty late.

"Are they still up?" Eli asks.

"I hope they haven't been loosing sleeping or anything…" Gregor mutters, knocking at the door.

"Dude," Ben says, poking his side. "Don't you have a key?"
"I didn't bring one. Didn't think I'd need it. Guess I was wrong."
Ben groans, his breath steaming in the air.

But the door opens a moment later, and a tired looking Lizzie greets them. She blinks slowly, taking them in-as if she wasn't quite sure what she was seeing.

"Hey, Lizzie." Gregor finally manages.

Lizzie's eyes fill with tears, and she crushes Gregor into a hug.

He grunts, but returns her hug.
"Hey, I missed you." He says.

"Lizzie! Who's there?"
Lizzie releases her hold on Gregor, instead holding on to the corner of his sweatshirt tightly, her hand bunched up in the material.
"Helen! Helen!" She shouts, voice thick with tears.

"Lizzie, honey what's wrong-oh!"

An older looking woman Gregor recognizes as Eli's mom steps into the hallway. Her eyes first land on Gregor, and then to Eli, and Ben.

"Eli...You're back!"
"Hey, mom."
As Helen rushes towards Eli, Gregor hears a panicked, "I'm already meeting his mom?" from his side, and he doesn't really have time to figure out why that would be important.

Helen hugs Eli tightly, before letting him go, ushering them inside. "It's cold out. I'll make us hot chocolate. Everyone, hurry in."
The door shuts behind them with a dull clunk, and then the warmth of the house starts to seep its way into their bones. Gregor manages to kick his boots off before Lizzie drags him away and follows her into the kitchen, where he sees his mom asleep at the counter. He can distantly hear Eli and Ben talking to Helen, though about what he can't make out. Lizzie goes up to Grace, and shakes her shoulder gently.

"Mom. Mom, wake up."
Grace groans, but her eyes creak open, blurry with sleep. "Lizzie…Gregor...What time-" her eyes widen, and she sits up quickly, turning to Gregor.

"Gregor. Gregor. Oh, my baby-!"

She stumbles slightly getting up from the chair but quickly has him wrapped up in a hug that feels like home.

He hesitates for just a second, before returning the hug, letting his head rest on her shoulder.

"I'm home, mom."