The Banished

Chapter 24

"Alright, listen up and listen well. Mareth is going to the Fount and will not be coming back for the foreseeable future. And Namus is forever gone. So now you're stuck with me." Gregor came to stand in the middle of the room, where his men (and two women) were gathered, suiting up for their first meeting. Everyone had been talking when he first walked in, but when he began to speak, only the clanking of metal and weaponry could be heard.

"They've sent the Overlander," one man started up almost immediately. "A man not from this land to teach us how to drive others out from this land."

He got a few laughs, but also a few groans, whoever the man was. It was no shock to Gregor that he knew very few of the people in the room. Honestly, he only knew one of the guys, but both of the women. For women to rise in the ranks was always something of interest to Luxa and Perdita and they always invited them to most events. He tried to tell Luxa once that that was reverse sexism, but he only got blown off and told if he had a problem with his queen, then perhaps he should realize that she also has a problem with him. And you do not want your boss to have a problem with you.

"We shall meet in an hour in the arena. I have had it sanctioned off. It shall only be us," Gregor said then, unconcerned with the looks or snorts he was getting. These were his men (and two women). Perdita had told him it was his job to earn their respect and damn if he wasn't going to do just that. "Bring your armor, your flier, your weapons, and anything else that you would use in true combat; and I shall bring all I need as well."

And with that, Gregor turned his back, not even reprimanding the snickers and hushed whispers. He had more important things to worry about in the hour before he had to get down to the arena. Way more important.

"Must you wear your armor constantly? It does not even suit you well. Honestly, I dislike it to the point that I-"

"I'm assume you've heard?"

"Heard?" Luxa stared blankly at him for a moment as she lifted her wine glass up. "There's many things going on currently, Overlander, you must-"

"You know what, Luxa. About…Zander."

She shrugged slightly. "Hazard explained the situation, yes. And I heard from many others that that woman was quite hard to console. Apparently, they had feared the child dead. I do not-"

"Not 'the child', Luxa. Zander."

"I wonder at times, Overlander, about your priorities. The whole purpose of taking him in was to get him back where he belonged. And now he is there. He can be with his wretched parents till the end for all I-"

"What happens when they are on the march, Luxa?"

"I do not-"

"What happens?"

She gave him a long look before looking around the room she was in. It was clear to Gregor that only some time before there had been a gathering in the dining hall. Gregor assumed she had been eating with some of the higher ups, as there were a number of plates and such. The room had emptied out however and then it was only the two of them.

"There are no other children outside the walls, Gregor. I am sure that they shall send him back to the Dead Lands, where the other children-"

"Back to the cannibals then, Luxa? Is that so much better?"

"Keep your voice down, General Gregor," she said simply, taking another sip of wine. "We are not alone."

"I'm tired of being alone with you anyways."

"Watch your tone."

"You watch yours."

"Overlander-"

"Luxa, I'm not trying to be difficult, alright? But…" He looked around before slowly approaching the table. "Forget everything between us. Forget it. For now, it's done. Whatever. I don't care. But we can't knowingly send Zander off to his death."

"Perhaps they shall leave him behind," Luxa offered up then. "Perhaps-"

"After Usha thinks that he was stolen?"

"Surely the story has been explained to her by this point."

"Not to mention," he went on. "Why would they think to do that? They think that they have been given the Fount. They think they've won. They're going to take him, their prince or whatever he's supposed to be. They'll take him along and he'll die."

"Gregor, I do not-"

"What are we going to do?"

She just stared at him for a moment, there at the head of the table, before sighing. "Is one life worth-"

"You're not even you anymore," he said then, taking a step back from her. "You're not-"

"What do you want me to do, Gregor?" She sounded actually emotional there for a moment, which was probably the only thing that stopped him from walking out the door. "You wanted them to be killed this way. You not a few hours ago told me this was the way it must be done. I did not want to, but you told me to. And now you go back on it and think I can just snap my fingers and fix it all? It does not work that way, Overlander."

"There has to be-"

"I could stop this whole thing, yes, I could, but for what reason?" She stood then, staring hard at him. "For what reason?"

"To save Zander, Lux-"

"At what cost? At what point is it not worth it? I do not know what the outcome of this shall be, Overlander, but I know that I cannot keep delaying. I could play the waiting game, yes. I could never take any actions. They would kill us all then, but I could do that. Is that what you would like?"

"No, I-"

"Tell me what you would like then. Not just that you wish for me to save the child. Tell me flat out, Gregor, what it is that you want me to do? What would you do?"

"I don't…" He couldn't look at her then and looked at the ground. "I don't know."

"Then stop telling me that I am wrong. You all need to stop telling me what I am doing wrong. Should you not be able to tell me what is right, then you have no right to tell me what is wrong."

"I'm not trying to," he told her softly then, turning his head back up to look at her. "I'm only trying to-"

"You left me, Gregor."

"I- What?"

"You left me," she said simply, her voice becoming hard once more. Reaching down, she picked her glass to take one last long gulp before dropping it back down to the table. "You left and when you returned, you came back with a self-absorbed persona. You believe that you have done no wrong. And perhaps you have not. Perhaps you have done no wrong to anyone. But I know for a fact you have lied to me. You lie now, as you think of a reason to tell me where you were. You took the one person I loved the most and turned her against me. You-"

"You turned Aurora against you! You did that, Luxa. Not me. I just-"

"You took my bond from me. Used her against me. You have no bond. You have no one. That does not mean that you can take from me. While you were gone, I made sure that your sister got home okay. What did you do for me while you were gone, Overlander? Huh?"

"I did more for you than you know," he hissed at her, his anger finding its way back. "I cannot tell you everything, Luxa, but-"

"Then why are we talking, Gregor?" She shook her head then before walking past him. "Why do we continue to discuss this? I do not see the future, Overlander. I do not know if Zander shall die. You are speaking to the wrong cousin."

He hated her in that moment. He truly did. Perhaps that is why he could not let her have the last word, the one thing she loved the most.

"Just so you know, Lux, when this is all over? I'm gone. I'm done with Regalia after this. More than done. I don't care if I have to go to the Fount, the Overland, or hell, even go rough it with Ripred, but…I can't do this anymore. I don't want to do this anymore."

He thought she would stop, get that one last jab in. Something about how she didn't need him anyways. Something about how she had wanted him gone for a long time. Something about how much she hated him and hated Ripred and hoped that they both died in the Dead Lands together. Something.

Instead, all he got was her walking away. Leaving him behind. Her back the last thing he saw of her that day. And in that moment, it could have been the last thing that he saw of her ever. Because that was what Luxa did. When things got complicated, especially a relation with another person, she just ended it. Severed it. And it was that simple for her.

And slowly, he was learning that it could be that simple for him too.

"Thank you, Andromeda," Gregor said as the flier dropped him in the arena. "I know that you are not-"

"You are a general now," Mareth's bond told him coolly. "You made a request of me. That is all."

He sighed. "Well, thank you anyways. And tell Mareth that…when this all over…I'll help you guys with your army, okay? If he wants me to. In the Fount?"

"If that is what you wish, then I shall do it, General."

Okay, so fixing things with Mareth would have to be put on the backburner for awhile. Gregor only sighed when they truly landed in the arena and the flier took off. He had so much to do anyways, that he was sure his time for Mareth would come much later. Much, much later.

"Alright, alright, shut the heck up already," Gregor complained as he walked over to where his men had gathered in the arena. One, a brave one apparently, immediately smarted off because, well, duh.

"You forgot, Overlander, to bring us any equipment. No blood balls, no meat carcasses to attack," the man kept up, much to the enjoyment of some of the other soldiers. "What is it that you plan for us to do?"

"Ha," Gregor snorted. "It is foolish of you to believe that this is all about you."

"Then what is it about?"

"Myself. You shall learn soon enough that I am a rather selfish general. Selfish person in general." Gregor easily pulled his sword from its sheath, standing there in front of them. "You all? I plan for you to all die in the attack. You're weak. That is why you were given to me. Therefore, I have no real desire to train any of you. At all. The real soldiers? They are with Barrett or even Helix. You were the ones left with Mareth, the cripple, and Namus, the young hotshot that even the queen hated. You are rejects."

He was on their nerves then, he knew it. Most though were more intrigued; where was he going with all that?

"So what the hell are you going on about then, Overlander?" Most had pulled their weapons at that point, more than ready to reject their new 'general'.

"I am the only hope for the Underland. Once again, it is my job to save Regalia." He assumed a stance. "So you are going to fight me. Kill me if you so choose. The way my life is going currently, I would welcome it greatly. Now! All of you, none of you, pairs of you. I do not care. Fight me. And should any of you win…hehe. Well, we will get to that if it happens. And believe me, it shall n-"

The first attacker came at him then. A young man, wielding a battle axe, aiming it straight at his head. Gregor easily sidestepped the assault though, the man's wild attack missing by a large percentage. He had put so much into his swing that he fell flat on his face, his axe getting buried in the dirt floor of the arena.

"That, my soon-to-be-dead soldiers, was the worst performance I have seen thus far. However, as it being the only one I have seen thus far, it is also the best." Gregor spit on the ground, purposely missing the disoriented man's head, but also proving a point. "Now…who's next?"

"Overlander. Look at you! All bruised and bloodied. But, oh, wait. What is it you say in the Overland? I should see the other guy, yes?"

Gregor just continued into the room. "You wished to see me?"

"Ah, is that what they told you?" Vlad shook his head. "I was hoping they would say I demanded your presence. That I would not speak with the wretched queen, but instead the true brains behind the operation!"

Gregor bowed slightly, his hands clasped behind his back. "Vikus is napping, currently, but I-"

"You joke, Overlander, but you know as well as I that you control as much as anyone."

Gregor sighed slightly. "Today is a busy day for me, Vladimir. If you have no real business with me-"

"Oh, no, I have business with you. That is why I invited you to this nice little sitting room your little queen gladly lent to me. She's a trusting woman, that one is."

"No," Gregor said dryly. "She is not."

"Hn. Well then." Vlad gestured to the couch. "Shall we sit?"

"No," he repeated. "We shall not."

"Ah. Men doing business. It is how you wish. I do not have such furniture in my home. You know, the Uncharted Lands? Where I live a nomadic lifestyle?"

Gregor only sighed. "If this is about your son, I-"

"Ha. That boy is not my child."

That got Gregor's interest. "No?"

"No. That is Usha's son, fine, but not mine."

"I am confused," Gregor readily admitted then. "I thought you and her were-"

"We are."

"Then-"

"It is very…open in the Uncharted Lands," he said with a slight shrug. "I know for a fact the child is not mine."

"…How?"

"We are nomadic, I have told you, in the Uncharted Lands." Vlad sighed, taking small steps around the room then, looking around. "I am gone much. A king in our lands is expected to bring home meat. Sustenance."

"I thought you were cannibals?"

"You think that's all we eat then, Overlander? You are carnivorous, yes? Enjoy your meat? And yet I am sure you can enjoy some well cooked vegetables."

Gregor rolled his eyes then. "So what then? Zander isn't your son?"

"Zander?" Vlad said it as if it were a foreign name, which, Gregor was pretty sure it was to most anyone. "That is what you call the boy?"

"What is his given name?"

"It is unimportant." Vlad grinned then at Gregor. "I was gone, you know, when she fell pregnant. Off, fighting off the…monsters of the Uncharted Lands. I return to her pregnant by another man."

"That angered you?"

He grunted slightly and threw down a shrug. "She is merely my key to a kingdom. No different than you and your queen, eh?"

That angered him for some reason, which was odd, considering he had sort of kind of broken up with Luxa earlier. Kind of. Maybe. If things didn't work out in the coming days or weeks, then they'd need to seriously talk about some stuff. Or something. …Right.

"That is nothing like what Luxa and I-"

"Calm down, Overlander. Quite honestly, I care not for any of this conversation. This is not why I have called you down here."

Gregor wasn't so easygoing however. In a tight voice, he asked, "What is it that you want then?"

"I merely wished to discuss the state of the union with you."

"State of the union?"

"That is an Overland term, yes?" Vlad sighed, moving to sit down finally on one of the couches. "I am sure that you have heard the news."

"Of?"

"The Fount. They are giving me the Fount."

Gregor stared the man in the eyes as he nodded. "I am a general now. It was told to me, yes."

"And what are your thoughts then?"

Gregor shrugged slightly. "It does not matter to me. Once all this business with you guys is done, I'm gone."

"Gone?"

"Luxa and I are not on good terms. The Fount was the only place I cared for. With that gone, I am good as gone as well."

"Ah," Vlad smiled. "That is good news to me."

"Why? The second I leave you'll stab her in the back?" Gregor snorted. "Go ahead. Do it in front of me if you wish. I am no longer her head guard. Her safety is not of my main concern."

"Treason," Vlad laughed before sobering so quickly that it was slightly shocking. "You enjoy the Fount? Then you shall come with me to the Fount."

His voice caught for a moment. "I don't-"

"You shall help me rebuild the city and take it as our own. And then, when wee have risen up, you shall help me destroy Queen Luxa and her Kingdom of Regalia."

It took Gregor a moment to speak, but when he did, it was a rather dark tone.

"And why the hell would I do that?" he asked the older man who just smiled at him.

"Because, Overlander, we have prophecies as well. And your little stint as warrior might be over, but," he started before leaning forwards in his seat to stare Gregor in the eyes. "Your dealings with us have only just begun."

"I heard you fought valiantly today."

Gregor made a face as he came further into the room. "I was fighting a bunch of young men that have seen very few battles in their time. And two of them were women."

"And you were just a boy when you killed King Gorger," Vikus said simply. "We all must start somewhere."

"I didn't kill Gorger. I was just there when it happened."

"You leaped. Never forget that. The Under fell and the Over lived. And I thank you every day for that." Vikus smiled at him then, though it was rather grim and there was some moister in his eyes. "Now, Overlander, what is it that I can do for you today?"

"I have requested much from you as of late, I fear."

"Not nearly as much as I wished. My granddaughter is too busy for me these days and Nerissa is rather sick. I am not allowed around her for fear that I might catch something from her or give something to her. I have no one anymore, Gregor."

"I am very sorry for that," Gregor assured the man who only shook his head.

"What is your business then? We can die in my sorrows another time, yes?"

Nodding slightly, Gregor went to grab the chair in the room before pulling it up t the old man's bedside.

"Tell me then of what you can of prophecies?"

Vikus laughed then. "Overlander, you do not-"

"Not ours. Not prophecies of Regalia." Gregor looked around then, which was perhaps a tad too dramatic considering they were most certainly alone. Still, what Vlad had spoken to him about earlier had him on a slight edge. "What do you know of the Forgotten Prophecies?"

Vikus stared at him then, for a long moment, his enjoyment dying right from his face. "Where did you hear-"

"What do you know of them?"

Vikus let out a long sigh. "Sandwich was not the most…noble man. He saw many things. Many dark things. They drove him mad. You know this. And…and…towards the end there, things got much worse."

"Vikus," Gregor said, frowning. "Just get on with it. What-"

"He started to think…I honestly shouldn't be telling you this. I-"

"The banished have this knowledge."

"Wh-"

"Vladimir, their supposed king, has sanctioned me to join their side, as is told in their prophecy. What the hell is he talking about? You are the only one that I can go to with this. Please-"

"We do not speak of it much, Overlander, you know. For our society to thrive, we need the people to have faith in Sandwich. Even Luxa does not-"

"What?"

"He went…mad simply put. As his visions became clearer, he began to think, at least in part, that he could control them."

"Control them?"

Vikus nodded slightly. "He thought that he could not only predict the future, but actually control it."

Gregor just stared at him for a moment. "And those are the-"

"Yes. They are."

"Why would he wish for the downfall of Regalia?"

Vikus shook his head then. "He did not. He thought that eventually the line would become…corrupt. If you know the Forgotten Prophecies, then you know that they are very vague. More so than the prophecies we live by. They are dismissed by those who know about them as fallacious."

"Not the Banished."

"The Banished hold out hope for anything they can, I assure you."

Gregor let out a long sigh then, running a hand through his hair. "Vlad told me that-"

"Ignore what he says, Gregor. He is only-"

"He is only what, Vikus? Trying to manipulate me for his gain? I think that's what got me so tied down in the Overland to begin with."

The older man looked appalled for a moment and Gregor felt kind of bad for snapping at him. Taking a deep breath, he let his head hang for a moment before speaking again.

"I'm not joining them, Vikus, if that's your fear."

"It never was."

"I'm just trying to, you know, understand all this."

"That's fine."

"He told me that when I join them, he would take me in the Uncharted Lands. That there is a stream there. I shall strip myself once n that stream and swim to the bottom. There are to be stones and I shall unlock a dark force, one that cannot-"

"And you believe this?"

"I didn't believe in a gigantic white rat or huge bats or purpled eyed pale people and look where that got me."

"I assure you, Overlander, that they are merely grasping for straws. Have them take you to that stream. Become naked. Dance in it for all I care. It shall do nothing. I know this and you know this. Those, mind my language now, fools have no idea what they are doing. They have been depraved, out in the unbearable elements for far too long. They have put their faith in valueless stories made up by a mad men."

Gregor snorted then, standing up slowly. "Yeah, well, a wise man once told me the same thing about you guys."

Vikus did not look pleased, but he did not look upset either as he said, "And tell me, was that the same man who will put his trust in the father of a man who killed his entire family? They treat me a fool, Gregor, but I have never led anyone into a worthless battle. I have never led you wrong, have I? I have never led any of them wrong. And yet as I have no bloodlust, they leave me to rot in this room."

"There is nothing I can do for you now," Gregor told him as he headed out. "I thank you for the information, but as it stands, I think I must do my own digging in this."

Vikus sighed rather audibly. "There are scrolls. They are kept hidden away. They contain the prophecies, if you are that concerned with them. Go then. Fill your mind with fiction if you so wish."

"I need unbiased opinions, Vikus, is all. It is not that I do not trust you. I-"

"Tell me, Gregor, have you ever believed in the prophecies? Or have you been lying to us this whole time?"

He glanced back at the man then before saying simply, "I have always gotten the job done, have I not? With as few casualties as I am able. You should wish nothing more from me and expect nothing less."

He left the room then with that, glad that Vikus did not call him back. Because as hard as Gregor tried to act some times, as cold and uncaring as he was able to feign as times, he was not. Had the old man so much as mad a slight coughing noise, Gregor would have rushed back to his side. He did not though and he kept on.

"Ah, Gregor, here you are." Howard smiled when he saw the man progressing down the hall at a quick pace. "I have yet to…congratulate you on your new position. I-"

"Much thanks, Howard. Really."

"Yes, well, I just- Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Gregor stopped then. "Nowhere in particular. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. I was only-"

"Then I must-"

"Were you just coming from my grandfather's room?"

That caused him some hesitation. Slowly, Gregor nodded. "Yes. Why?"

"How was he then? He has recently refused to take most of his medications and Luxa has send down orders that should he not resume retaking them tomorrow, they are to be…forcibly given to him."

Gregor paused. "He was…well…he was Vikus, I guess. Talkative. Coherent. And does Luxa have that authority anyways?"

"The pills are for his own good, Gregor."

"That's not what I asked."

Howard smiled at him then before bowing slightly. "I have much to attend to today, Gregor. Besides, as you know, Luxa is a queen. There is not much that she does not have the authority to do."

"Yes, well," Gregor said, before heading off again. "Good day to you, Howard. And if I do not see you before we set out-"

"Set out?"

He only shook his head at the man. "Till we meet again, brother."

Howard gave him a look for that one, but just reached out to pat him on the shoulder. "Until then."

"Fancy meeting you here. I mean, you did tell me to meet you here, but still."

Aurora sighed as she landed on the ledge. "Dionysus just left you here then?"

"He did."

"Then how shall you get home, Gregor?"

"You shall take me back."

"I do not-"

"Why did you have Dionysus tell me to come here, Aurora?"

"Rhea has told me of the plan to trick them into going to the Fount."

Gregor frowned. "Rhea? How-"

"Bonds share everything." Then she paused. "Most bonds."

"Aurora, Luxa is-"

"I asked him to bring you here so that I could find out for myself. Is that the plan?"

"It is."

"Good. Many of us have grown restless with Queen Athena and wish to return to our true home."

He clicked in the darkness, but of course there was nothing around. Dionysus had taken him far, far from Regalia.

"Tell me, Aurora, of what goes on in the flier lands? And of the Dead Lands?"

"There is much turmoil there. They know that Nike was taken, but not by who. Many speak of the warrior there, the rats and the banished, but they have their own problems. Ripred and the other gnawers have grown to be trouble some."

"Meaning?"

"They know now that all the real fighters are here, in Regalia, bothering Luxa. The gnawers have begun to attack the women and children, the old. It is turning out to be quite the mess."

Gregor frowned then. "Then we cannot send Zander back there."

"Meaning what, Overlander?"

He looked at her then. "As it turns out, Zander is the child of Usha, the queen of the banished."

Aurora paused. "And you are certain?"

"Quite."

"How-"

"I do not know. I have my own theories though."

"Do share."

"He is not Vlad's son, or so I have been told. Vladimir has told me of some kind of…prophecies that the banished follow. I have a sinking feeling that he was left there on purpose. Not necessarily for me to find, but for someone to."

Aurora was silent for awhile after that and Gregor reflected some more on their current turn of events. How was it that everything went wrong all at once and yet nothing good ever coincided with other good things?

"If you are attacking them anyways," Aurora finally began, "and Nike is for sure safe, I shall tell Queen Athena, or rather suggest to her, that the alliance with the banished be severed."

"Luxa won't take them back so easily. Her pride and all."

"Gregor," Aurora said slowly. "At this point, I do not think that Luxa has much of a choice."

"Perhaps not. And I think the place to start is with the two of you forgiving one another."

"Overlander-"

"Look, Aurora. I got chewed out by Luxa today, trained a bunch of soldiers by having them hold a contest to see who could essentially kill me, was told that I am supposed to be in another prophecy in which I basically kill everyone I care about, and had to hear about a very, very nice old man that I've known since I was a kid is really, really close to dying and is lonely, but I can't spend time with him because I'm too busy cleaning up everyone else's messes. So if you're about to argue with me on this, don't even start. I do not have the time nor patience for that kind of thing today."

She was silent then and Gregor just started clicking again, more for something to do than anything else. He knew that Aurora was going to do what he said. She really had no choice, the way Gregor saw it. He had put his job on the line to run off with her and save Nike. They both owed a lot to each other, truly.

"I suppose I could send someone else to explain the situation to Queen Athena. Perhaps Dionysus."

"You seem rather fond of him."

"No more than any other."

Gregor grinned at her then in the darkness. "We shall go then? Now?"

"If you so wish, Overlander."

"You two making up and us getting you guys back on our side will lighten the moods at least somewhat. Bonds reuniting and all. Not to mention, Regalia is not the same without fliers."

"I am sure it is quite a dull place. After all, humans are quite dull creatures."

He just smiled then as she moved to allow him to climb aboard her. "Is that so?"

"That is so."

"I'm going to miss you, Aurora, when this is all over."

"Where shall you being going, Overlander?"

"Don't know yet, but thinking about the Fount."

"Don't count your eggs before they hatch."

"Meaning?"

"Things change quickly here. At the end of the battle, you could be dead, I could be dead, Luxa could be dead. Or worse."

"What would be worse than that?"

"Many things, Overlander, which I'm sure you already know."

He let out a long breath, but said no more on their flight back to the High Hall. It was once they were there though that he told her she was on her own with Luxa.

"I'm going to find Dionysus and send him off."

"You wish for me to see Luxa alone?"

"She can't handle more than one make up at a time," Gregor said simply. "And besides, currently, I don't care to see her much anyways."

"And you think I do?"

"I think that she can't do this without you. You two are bonds. Close bonds. You're meant to do this together." He shook his head as he climbed off her back and back onto the ground. "Besides, I have something that I need to take care of before the banished march on the Fount. And it starts with finding some scrolls."