9 years ago
It has been 1 year since he killed the Bane. 1 year since Aries was killed. 1 year since he had won the war. 1 year since he almost died. 1 year since he told Luxa he loved and had to leave her. Just shy of a year since he and his family had moved to Virginia.
He walks the house, restless, unable to sleep yet again. Nightmares. He walks by his sisters' room and looks in. Lizzie is tossing and turning, fighting her own nightmares. Boots sleeps soundly, most likely dreaming of bugs and bats he thinks.
He walks past his parents room and hear muffled fighting. "No! Never! Underland. That girl!" is all he can make out.
He shakes his head as he walks outside. To look at the stars. Luxa would have loved them, the sky is so clear here.
8 years ago
The winters in Idaho are cold. Not the same cold as New York, dry and cutting instead of snapping. But the snow is beautiful. The school is offering snowboarding lessons and his parents have signed himself and Lizzie up, since his dad is able to work again.
Lizzie has become less nervous since they moved here, and her nightmares are more manageable. Not his though. And he has accepted they never will be.
He and Lizzie rarely talk about what happened there. And she only seems to remember the good bits, even seeming to forget the fear she felt.
Boots will start preschool this fall, and has forgotten much. It has been months since she has even said the word bat or bug.
His parents fight less, the distance calming his mother, but she still bans all talk of the Underland.
Himself, though, is only getting worse. No friends, no allies, means he is bullied. And he still struggles to control his rager abilities, so that mean he gets beaten regularly, willingly.
7 years ago
Nevada. It's hot. And if Gregor is being truly honest with himself, he prefers the Spinners in the Underland to the tarantulas.
Boots, well she goes by Margaret now, has started to wonder why they move all the time. No one tells her but everyone else knows it's because of him. Or rather that their mother is scared he will somehow find a way back.
It hurts Lizzie most of all. The constant changing of schools, in curriculum, is hurting her grades. And she hates herself, and him, because of it.
Gregor, for his part, has started to grow. In height as well as bulk. No longer the slim boy the tumbled after his sister, he has started running more and lifting weights. His parents tried to get him to try out for the football team, but it just triggered his rager sense.
So they gave him an outlet to help control that. They put him in a Tai Chi class. And it seemed to help calm him, even though his nightmares still kept him awake most nights.
6 years ago
Colorado. Cold, and high. And clean. Gregor takes Margaret with him when he runs, packing her on his shoulders when she gets tired, just so she can see it. The whole family spends weekends going on little trips to the mountains, finally getting to be a family.
His dad was a teacher at a community college, his mom worked there as a secretary so they finally had enough money that they didn't have to worry about food.
Margaret is now 7 and longer mentions anything weird that came from the Underland. She is a happy child and has discovered a joy in the frequent moves.
Lizzie has come to peace with her time in the Underland. Not that she still doesn't have nightmares and other troubles, she can just deal with them better. At 13 she is in middle school and has grown fond of the challenge of new schools every year. It helps distract her.
Gregor is 15 and in high school. He competes in the long distance running events in track as well as cross country. He decided to take a more aggressive form of martial art and convinced his parents to let him try Muay Thai, the flurry of disorientating punchs and bone shaking kick appealed to him…reminded him of Aries. The breathing and meditation skills learn through Tai Chi helped to keep his rager urge down and he learned how to truly fight.
5 years ago
Oregon. Wet and humid. Gregor hated it. The wet seemed to sink into his bones, making it hard to move. But even he can't deny it is beautiful, in its way. From the deep forests to the windswept plains, a land of extreme differences.
Margaret has taken a fascination with the animals of their new home, seeming to focus on insects and bats to their mother's horror.
Lizzie is brilliant as always. In fact she has asked her parents for therapy. And they were told she suffers from PTSD. The therapist was concerned that a young child was suffering from it but didn't dig too deep when she learn the history they told everyone. Though Gregor could feel their eyes on him he never asked, and in truth his parents were thankful. Because how could they explain what happened….
As for Gregor, it has taken a toll. He has started getting in fights. But he is careful, as his Arjan taught him, for he knows that his blows could cripple and kill. So he fights in the style of school boys, untargeted punches to the body and face. And it works, he is considered defending himself and never seriously hurt anyone. He also joins a HEMA school and starts to learn saber, the fluidity of the movements appealing to him.
4 years ago
Montana. Big Sky Country. And it is lives up to its name. Gregor is constantly amazed at just how much sky there is, how clear it is, even the smell in the air. They lived right outside of a national park and the amount of wildlife was absolutely staggering. And it seems like his parents were ready to stop moving.
Margaret is 9 and has found a pack of other children to run wild with. She is definitely going to be tall, she's already taller than Lizzie.
Lizzie has been doing better in therapy and has been helping Gregor as much as she can. And she has honestly been surprised at the amount of smart children here, people who can truly challenge her.
Gregor is almost 18. He is a decent student and a track star. The status of this mean he is no longer bullied, but still has few friends. And he still practices martial arts, as much for the relaxation of controlled movements and to keep his mind clear.
3 years ago
The questions were easy he thinks. Lizzie taught him the answers in her attempts to help. Just enough to get him into the armed forces.
6 months ago
He stood in front of a door he hadn't seen in years. He had to mentally prepare himself before he knocked on the door. There is the sound of someone walking slowly toward the door.
A small woman answers it "Yes?" She looks up at him. "Is that you Gregor?"
He gives her a small smile, the first in years, "it is, Mrs. Cormaci."
She smiles in shock. "Come in, come in."
A few hours later they were still talking. "So you made corporal. But I thought you had to serve for 4 years?"
He nods. "I was fast tracked for special forces. But the examinations are much better for that. They finally found out."
"Found out what dear?"
"I have PTSD, the same as Lizzie. Much worse actually. Combat overseas did not help. I had dealt with it for so long it had become a part of me, easy to hide. But they finally found it. Honorable discharge. I got back from there last week."
Understanding lit in her eyes. "So that's why…"
He nodded. "I'm going back. I can barely function here, everyone is a threat, I have no peace, no time, no light. But there, in Regalia, human is good. I don't have to worry about being shot, or getting a knife between my shoulder blades."
"But how will you get there?"
"The currents under the building. It will take time before they are right so I can use them. They seem to be random. I was hoping to stay here until the currents are right. I can pay, I've enrolled in an EMT training course."
The old woman nodded. "Of course Gregor. But how will find your way, defend yourself?"
"Ripred taught me how to echo locate years ago. And," he pats a long package he brought, "I have this."
He opens the package and she gasps at the sword. "Gregor…"
"This is a custom made Szbala, a Polish saber. Made from shock steel, it cost me more than $5000 mostly due to the maker not heat treating the tough steel right leading to the blade shattering after a few good sword on sword blows. With the blade being curved the different fighting style should be enough to throw opponents until I can have some practice to perfect my skill. I trained in saber use for almost a year."
"What about your family?"
"They know. They've always known. Nothing would keep me from there forever."
Today
It was his third trip to the laundry room that day. Something deep inside told him it was time. He pulled on his pack and belted on his sword, leaving a letter for Mrs. Cormaci and the last of his money in cash, asking her to send half to his parents.
He felt it as soon as he stepped inside, that pull, a smell of…home. He slid the dryer out of the way, lifted the grate, and slid through. His stomach flipped as he dropped those first few feet until the currents caught him.
His eyes were closed as his feet hit the ground and even that slight sound sent reflected images into his mind. He smiled as he was glad he hadn't lost the skill.
He didn't know where he was so he started walking, knowing he would come across someone sooner or later. It was only a handful of minutes before anything happened.
He heard the crawlers before he saw them. They came scuttling from a side passage and surrounded him, sitting up right.
"Be you Overlander be you?"
Gregor nodded. "I be Overlander I be. I be Warrior I be."
A softer voice rose up. "Be you Gregor be you?" an older roach came into view.
But even before he saw it Gregor knew who it was. "Yes, Temp." he put a hand on the brave roach.
"Remembers me the Warrior remembers me!"
"How could I forget?"
"Where be the princess where be?"
"She stayed home she stayed. She be with mother she be." The roach nodded in understanding. "Could you guide me could you to Regalia?" The roach nodded again.
Gregor was awestruck when they entered the arena. Not a thing had changed. Suddenly a dozen people on bats swept down toward him. They took up the classic circling formation as on landed in front of him.
"Who are you? And keep your hands away from that sword."
Gregor held his hands up at chest height. "I am Gregor, the Warrior."
The young man scoffed at him. "The Warrior has been gone for years."
He walked forward, aware that the bats circled tighter. "It has been years since I fought to the death using a sword, but I could take you and half the rest of them without even drawing my blade. Quit the posturing and take me to the guard captain. Unless something horrible has happened they should remember me."
The soldier stammers slightly. "W-will you allow me to take your sword?" Gregor nods and the man slowly drew the blade before staring at the foreign design. Then he motions for Gregor to follow.
A long and winding path leads them to the castle. After taking the platform up head leads Gregor through the winding passages to a room he is sure is need the war room.
"The captain is in there. He has been briefed of your arrival." Gregor nods and walks in.
He gives a small cough as the big man at the table looks up at him. Gregor smiles. "It has been a long time, Mareth."
He smiles as recognition fills his face and he hobbles over. "Overlander!" He pulls Gregor into a hug.
They stand there in the embrace and Gregor feels warmth spread through him, for the first time in years. And even though he expected it, it still worries him that he feels so at home here, in this place, than with his family. The scars run deep.
"What are you doing here?"
"I…I am hoping the queen will allow me to move here."
"The Queen…Gregor…."
Gregor stops him a wave. "It's been 9 years. And time rushes on. And I will learn of that in time. Before you tell her, though, does Vikus still live?"
"Indeed. Would you like to see him? He gets few visitors these days." Gregor nods and Mareth leads him through the castle.
They stop in front of an entrance near the hospital. "Here you are. I must tell the Queen but I will leave you here."
"Thank you." He walks in.
The old man is sitting in a chair, book in his lap. As he hears the footsteps he looks up and Gregor feels the pain at the droop of the left side of his face. He struggled to form the words. "W..ho are y..you?"
Gregor drops to one knee before the old man. "It's Gregor."
Vikus drops his book and grabs Gregor's face. "What are…you doing…here?"
"There is no place for me in the Overland. My time here has changed me too much. I hope there is a place for me here."
"What…do… mean?"
"I suffer from, I think a name you might recognize is Nostalgia." Gregor sees sorrow flood the man's face. "I spent 3 years as a part of the military where I live and it only made it worse. I can't function above. I barely sleep and every moment I am away from where I live is torture, everyone is a threat. Here the rules are…easier. Human good, human not kill."
Vikus nods. "I know…this term. I..am sorry…for you. Your…sisters?"
"Lizzie, but her case not as bad as mine, and the lie easier to hide so she was able to get help. She also wanted it. Boots was too young, doesn't even remember here so she is fine."
They talk for a while before Mareth comes in. "Brace yourself, The Queen is here." Gregor just nod to show he heard.
In a whisper of skirts she comes into the room. And stops, waiting.
Vikus answers. "Greetings…granddaughter. It has…been a…while."
She flushes a pale pink at the implication. "You know how hard it is to run a kingdom. To say nothing of when…but enough of this. I wish to see the Overlander."
Gregor stands and faces her. The woman who was one of few lights in his nightmares. And he nearly falls over.
She has grown beautiful. Completely different from anyone he has seen in 9 years. It is as if she has stepped out of a painting. His heart stops, and it takes all he can do to not gasp. She is still slim, but had filled out into a woman. And she has grown powerful, in presence as well as form.
He bows as the waist. "Greetings, Queen Luxa."
"9 years Overlander. You waited 9 year to come back here. And what do you expect?"
He straightens slowly. "Merely a place to call…" He sees her face, tears in the corners of her eyes, body tense. "Home."
She strides forward…and pulls him into a hug, muttering something into his chest. The only word he catches is "…late." The hug is tight, comforting.
Suddenly a voice booms from the hall. "What are you doing?" A tall man, at least as tall as him but heavier built and a head, maybe even shoulders, taller than Luxa. "I say again, what are you doing with," and Gregor had almost guessed right, "my fiancé."
Gregor slowly released her, smell of her hair still in his nostrils. "I am greeting a friend."
The big man sneers. "If that is how Overlanders greet their friends," he reaches into his belt, "then this is how Underlanders greet their rivals." He strides over and drops a dagger at Gregor's feet.
Luxa gasped, Mareth sighed, and even Vikus looked pale. Gregor bent and picked it up. "A pretty piece. Similar in style, I belive, to the Queens late grandmother. But I cannot accept this…gift."
The man sneered and Gregor suddenly realized they were the same age. "It is no gift, Warrior, but a challenge."
Luxa sighed. "Gaxen…" Gregor cut her off.
"Very well. How should we settle this?"
"Swords, in the arena. This evening."
Gregor smiled. "Very well. Spread the word. Tell all of Regalia the Warrior has returned." Gaxen flushed pink, realizing this had not gone the way he wanted, and left.
"Gregor, you do not have to fight him." Luxa was looking at the floor, the red patch on the back of her neck slowly spreading. "I am queen, I can stop it."
Gregor gave a laugh. "I am not the boy you knew, my Queen, with a few weeks of training. I have become a warrior, served in a military in the Overland, trained in 3 different styles of fighting without weapons, and learned more of the sword as well. And I have learned to control my Rager impulse as well, so you need not fear for you love's life." Luxa looked up, eyes flashing, and flushed a deep purple down to her fingertips then swept out of the room.
As soon as she was gone the smile left Gregor's face and he slumped into a chair. Vikus tried to walk to him but Mareth held him down with a hand. "Gregor…I…I would have told you but…"
"I know, old friend."He gave a painful smile. "9 years. It's a long time."
"Gregor," mumbled Vikus. "I think…she still…loves…you. It has…come up…from…time to time. But with you…gone, a…royal alliance…with The Fount…"
"I understand. I had hoped…9 years. How long…"
Mareth answered. "4 years Gregor."
"So there wasn't a chance. I was still 2,000 miles away"
"She…still…"
"There is no more room for hope, Vikus. I will win this duel. And then I will come back here. You have much to teach me. How to earn money for housing and food, or how to earn my keep in a communal system. There is so much I never learned in my time here. I know little but fighting but I would like to try…maybe farming. And where to find Howard, I've yet to run across him." Vikus nodded, pain still in his eyes.
Gregor sat in the middle of the Arena, sword across his lap, waiting as the crowd started to fill the seats. He heard the murmurs, the voices of people wondering if it was really him. He smiled 9 years.
Soon the stands were full and Gaxen walks out, dressed in a trim fighting tunic, swinging his sword. Longer than average, he wasn't worried about the reach but rather the leverage and power from a longer swing.
"You can still surrender Overlander."
Gregor gave a smile, savage from the Rager sense flowing through his veins. "So can you."
He started forward but a woman clad in armor stopped him. "Wait for me to start the match." Gregor recognized the voice.
"Perdita, is that you?"
She smiled. "Greetings Warrior. It has been a time."
He nodded. "It has. I'm glad your light hasn't been dimmed."
"With these days…" she shakes her head and turns to face the crowd. "Behold! On This Day We Welcome Our Warrior, The Savior Of Our Light, On His Return! With A Duel Between Himself And The Future Price Consort! It Shall Continue Until One Of The Fighters Is Incapacitated!" She faces the fighters. "At you Leasure."
Gaxen immediately lashed out with a lightening thrust, which Gregor pushed aside and replied with an even faster cut to the head. Gaxen managed to dodge, though not without the hair on the left side of his head being shorn to almost the skin. He drew back and gave a massive blow from above and Gregor was sure he heard the wind whistle from the tip of the blade. But he merely had to step back for the blade to miss him. As it hit the ground he stepped on it, forcing it from his opponent's hand.
He smiled, "Again?" Gaxen picked up his blade and took a half step back, starting to circle.
Gregor matched his speed while twirling the tip of his blade in a halting pattern, in an effort to distract the bigger man. Suddenly, as if agreed upon, they darted forward an exchanged 5,6,7 blows before breaking apart to circle again. A few second later it happened again, and again.
Finally Gregor landed a solid blow. In a move that made it seem like he was wrapping his blade around Gaxen's, he slammed the back of his saber hard on Gaxen's main sword hand causing him to drop the blade. Gaxen immediately swung a fist at Gregor's head. Gregor caught the blow on his left forearm and, dropping his own sword, swung at Gaxen's head. The blow jarred both of them and Gregor swung his other fist. As Gaxen staggered back, Gregor pivoted on one foot and kick Gaxen hard on the left thigh with his shin.
He fell but was immediately back on his feet though he favored the kicked leg. "Surrender Gaxen. This won't end well for you." Gaxen merely swung again.
Gregor took the blow on his right cheek as his leg lashed out again. The whole arena was quiet at the sound of Gaxen's femur breaking rippled out. He dropped to the ground and clutched his leg, screaming. Suddenly a bat was in front of him and 2 people carefully lifted Gaxen on and flew off.
"I see you have finally learned something." A voice came from the tunnels. "Little harsh under the current situation, causing a 6 month or more injury." Gregor turned and saw Ripred leaning against the wall. "Couldn't be about the Queen, could it?"
Gregor gave a small smile as he picked up his sword. "Maybe just a little."
The rat chuckled. "Didn't even use your Rager abilities did you"
"Didn't want to kill him."
The rat grew deadly serious. "You might have well as with the…" Suddenly horns sounded across Regalia and a voice roared down from above "CUTTERS ARE ATTACKING THE CITY!"
Author's Note: So...this happened. I was just Rereading the books, and then I wanted to see what kind of fanfiction there was, and then I didn't see a single one that covered what I wanted. So here I am, tackling this with my typical style. I hope someone who likes these book as much as I do finds this and like it. I have no plan, no end goal, so this might be 3 chapters or another bloated carcass like The Dragonborn Comes Home. Speaking of The Dragonborn Comes Home, I have started a new job. I am currently in the training process to be an long haul truck driver. I am out, right now, 5 days at a time. And I'm with a trainer, in his truck, so I have just brought clothes and snacks. So I can't write most of the week. I only got this done because I was tired of being tortured by the chapter. Next weekend I have to get some house work done, visit some family, stuff like that so I don't know if I'll work on anything. But anyway, I hope you enjoyed.