The next morning a servant came in and woke Gregor up carrying a bundle of clothes which he set on his bed. As usual all of his nightmares had disappeared in the Underland.
He stretched and got up, guessing it was about six o'clock. He put on his clothes and went to get breakfast. He was about to get to the dining hall when Ripred materialized
out of nowhere and pulled him away.
"Get off me." said Gregor, struggling in vain to get breakfast.
"We have training remember?" reminded Ripred.
Gregor sighed. Not only did he have to get up early but he had to starve himself. He followed Ripred to the stadium and met up with everyone going on the quest (Except for Boots).
"Alright let's get started." commanded Ripred.
"I thought I was the queen." said Luxa grumpily.
"You're not sixteen yet and you have to be alive to be queen." said Ripred.
Luxa and Howard (Gregor learned that Howard and Nike were bonded a few weeks after he left) got on their bonds and Gregor got on Atlas.
"Where's Lapblood and Longweb?" asked Gregor.
"I'm right here Warrior." said a voice to his right.
He turned and nearly jumped off Atlas in surprise as Lapblood came springing down from the spectator seats. She had a black and red spider on her back which jumped
off when she reached the ground. Temp came crawling over and greeted them.
"Humans and fliers start air maneuvers Temp practice whatever fighting tactics crawlers use, Longweb practice web aiming and Lapblood spar with me." growled Ripred.
Gregor was relieved to learn that Atlas fought almost exactly like Ares. When they stopped Ripred came over and said
"Good job Atlas, Gregor, I don't think anyone's ever gotten in sync that fast with they're bo---flier."
"Was that a complement?!" exclaimed Gregor in mock amazement.
"Don't get used to it," growled Ripred while Luxa chanted,
"Ripred gave someone a compliment Ripred gave someone a compliment," over and over again.
"Good bonds, you would be, good bonds." commented Temp.
"Really?" said Gregor.
"I think so too." said Lapblood.
"Do you want to?" Gregor asked Atlas.
Atlas nodded and Gregor nearly jumped in joy. However he managed to just smile and say,
"We'll be the best bonds ever."
"My brother has a bond!" exclaimed Nike as she did a flip in the air.
Her words registered and he remembered what she had said in the laundry room.
"Queen Athena had Atlas"
"You're a prince?!"
Atlas nodded, slightly embarrassed by Gregor's reaction.
"Athena will be so proud!" exclaimed Nike.
"Can we focus on training?" interrupted Ripred.
Gregor and Atlas nodded sheepishly and they began practicing evasive maneuvers, Gregor telling Atlas some of Ares' moves.
When they were done they told Vikus about the bonding and he arranged for a ceremony to be held.
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It was time for the ceremony, Queen Athena herself had heard of it and come. Gregor nervously waited until it was time to bond. He walked up to Atlas
and held out his right hand. Atlas grabbed it with his right hand and Gregor said:
"Atlas the flier I bond to you
Our life and death are one, we two
In dare, in flame, in war, in strife
I save you as I save my life"
Atlas responded and said:
"Gregor the human I bond to you
Our life and death are one, we two
In dark, in flame, in war, in strife
I save you as I save my life"
Everyone began cheering and food was brought out. The ceremony lasted for hours and finally ended when everyone was too tired to do anything else.
After everyone left Gregor stayed behind to see that Luxa had fallen asleep. He tiptoed over too her and gently shook her awake. She jerked awake and reached
for her sword before seeing who it was and relaxing.
"It's over?"
"Yep."
She got up and they walked to the exit. When he reached for the door she stopped him and kissed him he responded when suddenly the door opened and Howard walked in.
"Luxa are yo--- WHAT IN THE NAME OF SANDWICH?!" he yelled
Angelina and Larry came running down the hall.
"What's wrong?" said Larry, eyes blazing with excitement.
Howard ignored him and ranted on.
"Gregor do you have any idea how much trouble you could get in?! The Warrior can not fraternize with the queen-in-waiting! The Regelians will not stand for an Overlander or
Halflander ruler!"
"Howard we're not even sixteen!" exclaimed Luxa.
"He is still fraternizing with you." said Howard as he calmed down.
"What happened?" asked Larry again, obviously not paying attention to what Howard was saying.
Angelina sighed and rolled her eyes. Larry looked around with a confused before seeing that Gregor and Luxa were holding hands.
"Ugh don't tell me they were going at it again." groaned Larry.
"Again?" said Howard.
"Seriously they'll end up in b---."
"Maybe you should go to bed." Howard hastily.
They nodded and set off to their quarters. They said goodnight and went into their rooms. Gregor fell asleep the moment he hit the bed.
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The rest of the week went by quickly. They woke up, trained their butts off ate and went to bed every day until finally it was time to go. As they got ready
Gregor realized a big flaw. He didn't have a sword. As if reading his mind Vikus told some servants to go get something. When they came back they had a sword
At first Gregor thought it was Sandwich's sword. Then he realized that the jewels were a different color and that it was a bit slimmer and longer. He took it
and swung it a few times. It fit in his hand perfectly.
"You made another sword?" he asked.
Vikus nodded.
"It is the Warrior's sword."
"I can't wait to try it out."
"Fly you high Gregor."
"Fly you high Vikus."
They got on their bonds (Boots rode with Gregor and Ripred and Lapblood were running beneath them carrying Longweb) and started on there journey.