Chapter 3

Training

At the end of the day they all had a small reunion. Vikus, Hazard, Howard, Ripred, Luxa, Mareth, Perdita, Aurora, Andromeda, and Euripedes were there. They all talked about what had occured in his absence. They had three short wars with the ants, though they weren't really at war but never did have peace.

"So what has brought you back to us Gregor?"Vikus asked halfway through the meal.

"My parents... are no longer with us."He said.

"I am sorry for your loss. Though we all have lost our parents here it is different for you. Up above deaths are not as common as they are down here?"

"No they are not. Deaths above happen often but not in as great ammounts as they do here."He said sadly."On the bright side there was nothing stopping us from coming here."

"Yes that is a one up boy. We all missed you."He said then turned his gaze to Luxa."Some more than others. Well boy you best go get some rest. I will be training with you tommorow."

"Yes you are right. Only problem is I do not know where we shall be sleeping tonight."

"I will show you to your room, Gregor." Vikus offered.

"Thank you Vikus good night everyone." He began to follow Vikus down the halls. He walked into a hallway and felt something familiar about it."Was this not the room I stayed in the first night I was here?"

"Yes it was your sisters will be in the rooms on either side of yours."

"Thank you."Margaret said and walked into the room Vikus had indicated for her. She was average height for an eight year old but was stronger than she looked.

Lizzie followed suit after into her own room. Gregor walked into his room and laid down on the bed. Within minutes he was asleep. Tonight he had no dreams . These nights were the most blissful nights he could have.

He woke early in the morning, not many people were moving through the halls yet. He got up and started walking towards the dining area they would eat at in his past. When he got there he was greeted by Vikus."Morning Gregor."

"Morning Vikus, what are you doing up this early?"

"I am always up this early. I have duties to attend in the mornings but today I am free. Here come eat with me." He motioned for Gregor to sit next to him. When Gregor took a seat Vikus motioned for a servant to get some more food for Gregor."Training will begin in an hour or so. After you eat might you bathe?"

"Yeah I will be bathing, Then I shall make my way down to the arena."

Vikus nodded his head and stood to leave."I have nearly forgotten a meeting starting in only minutes from now. I shall see you soon." With that he left the room. Not short after a servant walked in with food. Gregor thanked him and began eating.

When he finished he walked out of the room and to the bathrooms. He walked in and stripped from his clothes. He walked to the spa like tub and walked in, allowing his body to adjust to the heat of the pool. He ducked his head under and washed his hair with the underland version of shampoo.

When he got out his muscles were acing to relax but he walked to the high hall instead. When he got there he found the creamy white fur of Daedalus."Hello Daedalus, how are you today?"

"Hello Gregor. I am good. I am heading to training now would you care for a ride there?"

"Thank you." He said and climbed onto the beautiful bat.

They arrived to the arena to find Ripred waiting for him."There you are boy now hurry to the weapons rack and get a sword." He said in his usual grumpy way.

Gregor jogged over to the weapons rack and began a search for a good sword."Overlander here, this should do well for you."Gregor turned to find Mareth with a sword held out to him.

Gregor took the sword and felt the even balance of the sword and was able to hold it as if it were a feather. It didn't even way three pounds."Thank you Mareth, it is perfect."He began running back to Ripred who motioned for him to go to the cannons for blood ball training. When he got there he waited in a line of beginners.

Most got decent scores of six and eight. When he got up for his turn he began letting the rager feeling hum inside him. He had spent much of his spare time perfecting his control on his rager abilities. When the cannons fired he felt the world slow down. He watched the blood balls coming. He slashed this way and that and when it ended he was covered in the red goo, fifteen blood balls broken at his feet.

He turned to leave when Ripred began calling out."Set up three more cannons for the boy."Gregor stopped and went back now six cannons surrounding him.

The cannons fired and he felt the rager side coming back. He slashed this way and that again and it ended with thirty bloodballs at his feet. With an ooh from the crowd he walked back to the old rat. "Well done boy now are you ready for a spar with me. But be warned I won't hold back just because this is your first time holding a sword in over five years."

Gregor nodded and got into a sparring stance. Soldiers around them stopped what they were doing and began to watch. They began circling each other looking for and opening to attack. Ripred was the first to make a move. He came charging at Gregor. Gregor barely side stepped out of the way.

He turned and put his sword up stopping Ripred's tail from hitting him in the head which would have been enough to end the match right there and then. Gregor lunged at Ripred as he began to turn to come back and him. Gregor reached up with his left hand and grabbed Ripred's tail. He used the force of the rat's tail pulling away to swing behind him.

They went at this for nearly forty minutes until the rat got his tail stuck in Gregor's hand and wipped the young man behind him. His back was left wide open Gregor used the opening to run up the rat's back he jumped to avoid the rat's claw and came down trying to hold his sword to his throat.

The rat shook before he could get there. He went flying to the ground and found a claw at his throat.

"Nice try boy. But you won't get me with such a simple move."

"Well I nearly had you. That has to count for something."

"Yes that is true. There is are a few that can only Luxa and a man named Perist came close. But they didn't last anywhere near that long."

With that Gregor went to do some more training thinking on where he went wrong to beat Ripred.