The Banished

Chapter 30

Gregor's head was still pounding when he awoke. He just laid there for a few minutes in the darkness before slowly moving to click his tongue.

There. They had left him a tray with something on it by the door. In a usual situation, Gregor would have forced a hunger strike, as if not to give them the chance to see that he needed them. Because he didn't…except for at the moment. He really did need that food and whatever was in that cup.

It was not until he had actually taken a sip of it that he worried that they were poisoning him or drugging him. At that point, he truly figured that it did not matter. According to Luxa, his sentence was death anyways. Whatever. He was so done with all of them in that moment that he could not care less about what happened to them and their stupid city.

They had cuffed him in the front this time, allowing him to use his hands to eat. They had given him bread and water. Eh, it was better than nothing, which was what his other option was. No, he would definitely take it over nothing.

"Damn Luxa," he mumbled under his breath. That was probably who he was angry with above all. There was no part of him that did not hold her personally responsible for the situation he was in at the moment. They had done some bad things to each other, fine. He'd admit that. He had been awful to her before, just as she had been to him. That was whatever. But this? Locking him up? Putting him on trial? Sentencing him to death? That was completely unforgivable.

Not to mention, how freaking hard was it just to tell each other something? Huh? Like, seriously. She couldn't tell him that this was the plan because…why? It made no sense. He was sure it went back to all that bull that she had given him before, about how much she loved him and how their relationship was undying and that no matter what happened, she'd always care about him. That sometimes her choices wouldn't make sense to him, but she would doing them for the better of both of them, for the better of the entire kingdom.

Well you know what? There was no such thing as undying love. Love was a very mortal thing. And after what she had done, not only was Gregor's dead, but it might as well have never existed. She could call him whatever she wanted, she could embarrass him in front of everyone in existence, she could attack him, she could even take his job from him, but she could not publicly betray his trust. She couldn't destroy his dignity. Not only did he no longer love her, but he was certain in that moment that he completely hated her.

The water wasn't enough. His throat was still dry and his head was still pounding. The bread wasn't stale like they fed most prisoners, perhaps Luxa's sign of peace or maybe the guard's show of some form of respect. Still, it hardly filled him. He was extremely hungry for some reason and was most annoyed at that. He didn't really think for a moment that Luxa was actually going to let any harm to come to him. It never crossed his mind for a minute.

…Until it did. And once it did, it just snowballed from there.

What if this was all a part of her plan from the beginning because it pissed her off that he was a general? Or what if she had heard about how Stellovet had snuck into his room and was getting back at him for that? Or how about that time that she brought up how she always remembered things and reminded him about how he pushed her into the waterway that time? It couldn't be that, could it? He put nothing passed the she-devil anymore.

He gave up his world for her, to save hers. Even when he thought it meant certain death. Even when everyone else in her world hated him. Even when she hated him. He stayed. Because they loved each other. That's what she said. That's what he said. And now here she was, throwing all of that back in his face.

"Love me forever, yeah right."

He almost wanted her to lose the stupid war then. He wanted Usha and Vlad to take over. Because you know what they had never done? Lied to him. They were rotten and crooked to their cores, but they never flew any other colors. You knew that about them from the moment you met them. It was just a given. Luxa though was a snake. She played dirty and she had no conscience. It was despicable almost, the way that she acted. Why did he not see it first? She was a backstabber. Maybe he had known it all along. Maybe he just never expected it to happen to him.

He was ready then, in that moment. Ready to do whatever was in those stupid prophecies. He was prepared to not only find out what they were, but go through with them no matter what. If it meant taking Luxa out of power, good. She was a rotten queen. She was a rotten human being! There was no reason to leave her in power any longer.

"No reason at all."

Rolling onto his back then, Gregor stared up at the darkness above him, clicking randomly. He remembered his break through in the art of echolocation that time. Not to mention he remembered hating Solovet just as much as he did Luxa in that moment. There he was, only days before, fearing he had become the old witch and Luxa was Vikus. No way. Na-ah. Vikus would never have locked him up. Solovet though? She'd done it before! Luxa was most certainly her grandmother in all of this and Gregor was just the innocent bystander.

"Overlander." The door was opened slowly and light flooded the room, causing Gregor to blink harshly. "Do not make a sound. It is I. I have come for you."

"M-Mareth?"

"Shhhh." The man slipped into the cell quickly making his way over to Gregor. "I have effectively knocked the guards out, but who knows for how long?"

"Y-You knocked them out?"

"Aye," he said, nodding his head as he came to kneel beside the man. "Let me see your hands. I have a key-"

"Why would you do that?"

"To save your life, Gregor," Mareth hissed then, as if he were crazy. "They are preparing to murder you. You do get this, yes?"

"Luxa isn't really-"

"Luxa has lost her mind," was all Mareth said. "I give my life for the crown and she does this? No more. Since she has done this, even the Fount has sent word that if she goes through with this that they shall secede."

"W-What?"

"And I shall go to join them. York is to be here tomorrow to discuss it. I am going to take you there."

"Mareth-"

"I am almost certain that I can get most of the soldiers to head out to the Fount as well. And Perdita is hardheaded, but I will not leave without her either."

"You can't-"

"Word has even reached the gnawers and scouts report that a group led by who we assume to be Ripred is steadily headed this way."

"Seriously?"

"The queen is trying to kill the only thing that has ever kept the Underland together in the last decade. What does she think we are going to do? No one will stand for this!" Mareth was having trouble with the key and it was obvious. Finally, he just sighed, shaking his head.

"Come, Gregor," he said then, pulling up to his feet. "Forget the chains. We shall deal with them in the Fount, yes?"

"Mareth-"

"I have had my most trusted messenger send word there. They told me that if I was able to get you, they would gladly harbor you. Come."

"All this for me-"

"Do not let her words and accusations fool you, Overlander. There are few outside of Regalia who do not revere you. Even Queen Athena has sent word of her displeasure."

"Really?"

"You saved her daughter and the queen is going to kill you on the words of fools?" Mareth snorted. "I regret anything I ever did for her."

"How many days has it been?" Gregor asked then. He knew how many times he had been fed, which was pretty close to ten or so. "Since I was thrown back in here?"

"Many. Enough for unrest to occur. Over a week. Luxa's guards are on high duty."

"And what of Helix? And Barrett?"

"No one has seen Helix, but Barrett is with her most always." Mareth spit on the ground, as if to show his distaste. "They have betrayed us all. Luxa shall see, when she feels the full wrath of York and Ripred both at the same time without you there to weed through them, she shall see. What did you do to her, Gregor?"

"Nothing!" He made a face at Mareth. "You do not honestly believe that I-"

"Did any of that filth they accuse you of? No. Of course not." Mareth shook his head. "But you must have done something to piss her off. She-"

"I have had ample time to think in the passing days. I have come up with nothing that would qualify for my death. Less it be Barrett."

"Barrett?"

"Aye. If she has become…taken by him, then I do not know why she could just not let me go back home, to the Overland. Why must I die for this?"

"You shall not," Mareth assured him. "We shall take you back to the Fount and from there you can decide if you want us to take you to the stairwell back to the Overland or if you wish to stay and fight with us."

"I guaranty you that if you go to war for me that I shall not forsake you like Luxa has us all."

Still, the second they walked out of the cell door, someone that had been hiding in the shadows jumped out, delivering a direct blow to Mareth's head. It was not enough to knock him out, but it did stun him into stumbling down to the ground.

"Sorry, Mareth, but I can't let you do this." Barrett stood there, staring at Gregor. "Come with me, Overlander, and he won't be hurt."

It was Gregor's turn to spit as he stood there in the torch light, staring at Barrett. More like glaring.

"Screw that," he said, not able to keep the contempt out of his voice. "You versus Mareth and I? No way. Stand down, Barrett."

"Let's see. There's you in chains and Mareth who- oh no, Mareth, it seems like when you fell your prosthetic messed up."

This was true. It had twisted slightly and the man was busy trying to fix it. Gregor just moved to stand in front of him.

"If you're going to kill me anyways, Barrett, do it here, do it now." Gregor spit. "Coward. You won't even face me in true battle. Kill me, fine. But when York comes from the Fount and Ripred comes from the Dead Lands, you had better hope that you lived up to your title. Elite of the elite. You're not even worthy of wiping my ass."

Barrett drew his sword at that, grinning at Gregor. "Go ahead then. Let us battle. But oh, you seem to be lacking a weapon. And should you turn to grab Mareth's, why I'm just as liable to stab you in the back."

"Too late for that," Mareth remarked hotly.

"You are killing me anyways," Gregor told him. "What difference would it make if you did it now?"

"Because, Overlander, after I kill you here, I'll kill your friend Mareth here. You don't want that on your head, do you?"

Gregor frowned at him. "You wouldn't."

"Once you kill the Overlander, I do not see why anyone would be shocked if I killed a disgraced general that was planning a mutiny against his queen." Barrett shrugged slightly. "Your choice. You come with me and live or you stay here and you both die."

"Do not go with him, Gregor," Mareth said from the ground. "Take my sword. You shall win, even chained, you shall win. I know that you shall. And even if you do not, what is my life worth anyways?"

Gregor stared at Barrett for a long minute. He knew that soon the guards that Mareth had subdued would come running, but for who would they fight? The elite general or the escaped convict? That paired with one other factor made the decision relatively easy.

"Your life means much to many, Mareth," Gregor sighed. "Tell York not the fight for me. And have Ripred head back home. There's no sense in more lives being lost just for mine. And Regalia will win. It will beat the Fount and the gnawers, just like always. With or without the dead warrior."

Mareth was having trouble standing with his leg then, though Gregor was pretty sure it was the other one that was giving him problems. He had probably sprained his good ankle in the fall.

"Overlander, do not go with him. He's going to kill you!"

"And even if he does, so what?" Gregor bowed his head then, walking over to Barrett slowly. "Your life is worth a lot, Mareth. Do not-"

"You have a family, Gregor. Here and above. I have no one. I-"

"Aye, I have a family. And, aye, I have a lot more people that care about me than I realized, hearing your words only moments ago, but one life isn't worth a thousand, a hundred, or even another. I have cheated death too many times."

"Gregor, please, just take my blade."

Gregor didn't even flinch when Barrett grabbed his arm, pulling him roughly along. "Head to the Fount, Mareth, with your bond. And I'm sure that Perdita will follow you. You will be safe there. You've been a good friend."

"Gregor!"

Barrett led him away then, down the halls of the dungeon. They walked quickly, as Mareth's yell had no doubt disturbed a few people. Clearly, wherever Barrett was taking Gregor was meant to be a secret.

"I want safe passage for Mareth. No matter what."

"Silence, Overlander," Barrett sighed. "Just keep walking, huh?"

"Perdita as well. She did not know about this, did she?"

"Straight as an arrow? No, she was not told about this."

"I want Mareth and her to be able to head out to the Fount. And I want Luxa to leave them alone."

"As it stands, Overlander, we are about to be involved in a very nasty civil war as well as a battle with a rouge set of gnawers. So if you would kindly kill the drama-"

"I think I'm allowed to be a little dramatic, here," Gregor complained. "I am being sent off to be murdered."

"Oh, do tell me that you're not seriously thinking that we'd actually kill you."

"Huh?"

"What? Did you really think…oh, Overlander." Barrett sighed then, tightening his grip on the guy with one hand while putting his sword back in his sheath with the other. Then, from his pocket, he produced a gag.

"Blinding you would do no good. You are better without your eyes," he said simply. Then, forcing Gregor to turn and face him, he said, "You can either let me gag you or I can force it down your throat. Your choice. But if you bite me, I'll-"

"Fuck y- Arh!"

"There." Barrett shoved the cloth in his mouth with a smile. "All better. Now come. There is much to do, more to explain, and even less time."

Gregor was annoyed then, as relief flooded over him. Mareth was laying back there, thinking he was good as dead. York was coming to march in protest and he wasn't going to die? And what about Ripred?

He tried to fight then, but Barrett had a good hold on him.

"Believe me, Overlander, I like this no more than you do," he growled as he forced him to keep walking. "You think that I want the scorn of the Underland on me? I was going to be a king once Luxa died and now I'll be lucky if I keep my head once this is all over. Calm yourself. Honestly, you are the first man I have ever met to be more upset by staying alive than being sentenced to death. Overlanders, I suppose."

He really wanted to be happy. It was a relief, honestly, knowing that you weren't being marched to your execution, but still. So it all had been some kind of elaborate scheme. Gregor didn't know which was worse, your girlfriend basically tricking you into believing you were going to die or her plotting your death.

…Well, duh, he actually knew which was worse, but still. It should also be pointed out what a horrible relationship they must truly have for him to honestly think that she was willing to sacrifice his life for…what exactly was this all about, anyways? He had no idea.

It wasn't like he could ask Barrett though, as the man just kept hustling him alone, not caring at all about the fact that the gag was nearly chocking Gregor. Still, he wasn't a whiner…mainly because he was certain that it would do no good.

"What took you so long? We-"

"Oh, be quiet," Barrett sighed as they finally made it to a set of stairs. Gregor only had to look up at the man standing at the top of them to know that whatever was going on was a lot more complex than he though.

"Wowar'?" he asked through his gag.

"Really, Barrett?" Howard asked, making a face. "You had to do that to him?"

"I almost did worse to him just to get him from the cripple. Now help him up the steps."

Gregor just stared wide-eyed as Howard as he slowly walked up the stairs, not sure what else to do. Now, Luxa had had some harebrained schemes before. And yeah, so Gregor was involved in them. But Howard? Howard? Howard didn't do bad things, like try to get the best warrior in all of the Underland killed. Hell, the guy didn't even drink!

"Yes, hello, Overlander. And for the record, I was added on quite late in the game," he assured Gregor as he reached out to help him climb the steps. "By which I mean I was told of this only four hours previous, as I was heading out to the Fount to be with my family. Get out of dodge is what they say in the Overland, yes?"

He tried to reply, but it was muffled again.

"You have more love than you shall ever know. My father is prepared to wage war for your life," Howard told him as he finally made it to the doorway at the top of the stairs. "And Ripred, that old bastard, he is coming for Luxa's life. Though this isn't exactly anything new, it is the threat to your life that is the stressor this time. And-"

"Yes, yes, the Overlander is well loved. You do not know what you possess until it is take from you. Just get a move on, eh? We do not have much time to spare," Barrett complained, shoving Gregor through the door.

"We would have more time had you not taken forever," Howard snapped back at him. "And you and Luxa are lucky that I am even getting myself involved in this. Why I have half the mind to-"

"What did you want me to do? The cripple was-"

"What cripple?"

"Mareth, who else? He came to free the Overlander and take him back to the Fount." Barrett sighed. "This is one plan that I do not think Luxa thought through fully."

"She seems to think that she is quite the mastermind," Howard replied with a roll of his eyes. "I wonder at times if she really is the right leader for the Underland."

Gregor was still working on trying to force that gag out of his mouth, but to no avail. He had forgotten for some reason that his hands were chained in front of him and he could easy reach up and remove it himself. Still, his lack of brainpower at the moment should be understandable, given the pain his head was in and the lack of human interaction he had been given recently. Honestly, even if he got it out in that moment, he'd have merely told them that Howard as very much right as far as he was concerned. He was pretty sure that they would have expected it though and that it didn't matter much if he said it or not. It was well understood.

"And this is why you are merely a doctor and not anything of importance."

With an air of sarcasm that Gregor rarely saw from the older male, Howard simply looked Barrett dead in the eyes and replied, "Merely."

Still, they were both right in a way. They appeared to be on a very tight time schedule, which was understandable. Gregor was sure that Mareth had been on one as well.

Mareth… No matter what happened, Gregor just hoped that things turned out okay for him, above all else.

The palace was eerily still as they led Gregor through it. Though if Luxa was behind it all, Gregor was sure she had sent all the guards and sentinels away. That in itself would get rid of a lot of clutter. If it was late at night, then that would alleviate it even more.

He was led to the nearly empty High Halls. The only one in there was Barrett's bond, Eos.

"Where is your flier, Howard?" Barrett hissed at him as he got onto his bond before helping Gregor.

"I am deeply troubled by this, warrior," Eos told him softly. "Please, I beg of your forgiveness and should it ever come before Queen Athena, I say only that I must do as my bond-"

"Oh, hush, Eos," Barrett quipped, annoyed by her attitude about the whole thing.

"As if I could ask Nike to help me kidnap the person that rescued her from the same thing? She'd have flown straight to Athena and told her the situation," Howard argued.

"Well all three of us cannot fly on-"

"We're going to have to."

Gregor had had some uncomfortable flights before, but that had to be about the worst. The whole time, Eos kept begging Gregor for forgiveness until Barrett finally told her that he was gagged and there was no way for him to accept at the moment. She finally relented from her requests, but Gregor knew the second he got a chance, he'd have to tell her that he didn't hold her responsible for any of it; only Luxa and Barrett.

"How far out of the city limits are we going?" Howard asked softly. "And why are there no guards?"

"Luxa was in touch with Gregor's friend. Matthias, I believe is his name. Yes, Overlander?"

What?

Barrett glanced at Gregor before shaking his head. "It was only mere hours ago that she was. He had nothing to do with this."

Gregor only sighed before looking over the side of Eos. She was flying so high up that he wasn't certain that he would land safely, should he jump, especially with his hands cuffed. Part of him wanted to risk it, but the other part of him feared that she would only blame herself further should it not turn out alright. Besides, part of him really wanted to find out how the whole thing turned out. Curiosity killed the cat, fine, but Luxa had already apparently decided not to kill him. So what was wrong with finding out what the whole thing was all about? It must be some plan for Luxa to go through all the trouble. God, she was about to cause a civil war over the whole thing. Gregor was sure that in itself would put her down in the history books as one of the worst queens, no, leaders in general of all time. That almost put her up there with gnawer kings. She must really believe that the outcome outweighed the setbacks.

"Where are we headed, I asked," Howard repeated. Barrett only rolled his eyes.

"To some caves. Luxa says there is medical equipment there. You can check him out when we get there."

So that was why Howard was brought into the mix; to check him for injuries before they moved on to the next phase. Well that was some relief, as Gregor's head was not feeling any better even though it had been a few days.

When they finally landed, Gregor was not shocked to find Aurora and Luxa awaiting them. She had that hard, cold look on her face and Gregor was sure that his matched. The second he was helped off Eos, Gregor stalked over to her.

"You reek," she said, making a face at him before reaching out to remove the gag from his mouth. "Though, I do not know exactly what I was expecting. You-"

"Shut up."

"WH-"

"Shut up," he repeated, glaring heavily at her. "How dare you even speak to me after-"

"You do not even know what-"

"Oh, I don't know? I don't know? You know what, Luxa, I don't know. And you know why I don't know? Because you-"

"Calm down," Barrett sighed, coming over to them. He quickly moved to unlock Gregor's chains. "You-"

"No, screw both of you. How dare you guy try to plan something behind my back-"

"Oh, stop being dramatic, Gregor," Luxa said with an eye roll. Howard had disappeared into the cave, probably in search of those medical supplies Barrett had mentioned. Gregor wasn't too concerned with him. Oh, no. The only two people he had any concern with were the ones that all his animosity was directed at.

"Me? Stop being dramatic? You stop being so stupid and-"

"What choice did I have in all of this? I-"

"What is all of this anyways?"

She rolled her eyes then before crossing her arms and looking off. "Our scouts have been horribly compromised by traitors. We need to get someone into the mix with the banished, as well as someone to destroy them. While you were in the Fount, Barrett and I discovered a few things of our own about their…prophecies. Things that I failed to mention to you."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Like what?"

She didn't answer. "I needed someone that the banished would accept without fail. They need you to fulfill their prophecies, yes? You understand that much. So they would easily accept you into their group should we, the humans, oust you. So I had Helix and Barrett-"

"Why did you not tell me about this, Luxa? Huh?"

She glanced at him before holding her crowned head higher and looking off once more. "It is as you said with Nike, yes? Not everyone can know everything."

So that was it. It wasn't about her grand plan or any of that. She would have told him, she knew deep down as well as he did that she would have, had he not kept the Nike rescue a secret. And just knowing that made Gregor so angry.

Luxa let out a sound of shock at his hand made contact with her face. He could not help it. After hearing that, the snarky way she said it, Gregor could do nothing to stop himself from just slapping her.

Never before in their entire relationship had Gregor ever struck Luxa. Not really. But in that moment, he just couldn't help it. And who could blame him?

"You locked me the fuck up to prove a point?" He was ready to hit her again, honestly. "You little bitch. What the hell is wrong with you, Luxa? You did this to…to…establish what? Dominance?"

When he moved to strike her again, not only was Luxa ready to defend herself, but Barrett was also ready. He beat her to it, quickly shoving Gregor to the ground. It was not hard. He was rather weak at the moment, after all.

"You dare strike your queen?" Barrett quickly pulled his weapon as Gregor rolled onto his back with a groan. Holding the sword towards Gregor's neck, Barrett repeated his question.

"I have no queen," Gregor retorted, turning his head and spitting towards Luxa. "I have no loyalty. I am told men march on your lands soon in my honor. You had better hope you have a better champion than him to fight for you, Lux, 'cause I'm joining them. And when I find you, because I will find you, I won't only kill him. I'll do things to you that-"

He stopped speaking as Barrett pressed the tip of his sword harder against his neck. He would soon draw blood.

"Leave him be, Barrett. He speaks out of anger and exhaustion." Luxa finally looked Gregor in the eyes. "Allow him to stand. He will do no harm."

Barrett narrowed his eyes at Gregor, holding a gaze for a moment before retreating back a few steps.

"What are you guys doing?" Howard complained as he came back out of the caves. Aurora ruffled her wings in agitation at the situation. "Knock it off! He is already injured."

"He attacked the queen. He-"

Luxa held up her hand then, though she kept her eyes on Gregor. Slowly, she moved closer to him while he only stayed on the ground, watching her. Falling gently to her knees, she stared down at him with such intensity that he almost looked away.

Almost.

"Now," she whispered softly. "We are even. You shall go do as I have asked with the banished and when you return, you can go to the Fount like you wished. It is all I ask."

"Yeah, well, I'm not too keen on doing what you ask."

"I do not understand why you are being so difficult. I-"

"You locked me up," he told her harshly. "You led me to believe that you were going to kill me. You humiliated me, Luxa, above all. And why? To get revenge? Do you have no respect for me at all? After all these years, this is what I mean to you? A stupid pawn?"

She only rolled her eyes. "That performance you gave in the court room? That could not be reproduced. You are horrible at acting. You have many tells. It has sparked such a commotion through out the Underland that there is no doubt that even the banished have heard of it. My own uncle is ready to call war on me on your behalf. The filth that is Ripred is ready to attempt a breakout for you. You convinced millions that had I not only betrayed you, but also that you were in immense peril at my hands. That could not be replicated by the most talented of actors."

He stared right into her purple irises and could not think of a time that he hated her more. "You're psycho, you know that?"

She merely stood, shaking her head slightly while keeping the eye contact. "You have found out nothing that you did already not know."

Walking off then, she signaled to Aurora before adding, "Barrett will fill you in on the rest. I must get back before my absence is noted. Oh, and Overlander?"

"What?" he snarled.

"The next time you lay a hand on me will be the last time you have a hand."

Aurora opened her wings then, but not before looking at Gregor and saying simply, "I am sorry."

He nodded at her because he understood. Kind of. He and Aurora were closer than they had ever been, but they would never be as close and she and Luxa. That was just a given.

Howard came over to him after Luxa was gone, ordering Barrett to grab one of the stick from the fire Luxa had lit to use as a torch so he could see better. The man seemed at first like he would not take commands from someone he considered as lowly as Howard, but then found better of it and then went to do as he had said.

"My cousin is-"

"Your cousin is nothing to me," Gregor told Howard with a roll of his eyes as he moved to sit up. "She has done not only the unspeakable, but also the unthinkable. The unforgivable."

"Under a normal circumstance, I would agree. Most men would have done far worse to her than you had," Howard said. "Considering, however, that it is the two of you that we are speaking of, I expect you to be sneaking right back into the royal chamber once this is all over."

Gregor only shook his head slightly. Annoyed, Howard reached out to grasp it, forcing him to hold still while he checked his pupils.

"I am more done with her than I ever have been."

"That might be," Howard agreed. "But there is one thing that you have not done yet."

"What's that?"

He nodded over at Eos. "She would take you to the stairwell. You know that she would, I know that she would. She feels like she is doing a horrible injustice to the entire Underland by being a part of this."

"What's your point?"

"You have not asked to go home. To return to the Overland. That would put a stop to this all."

"I haven't asked to go home because I was home," he told Howard darkly. "At home, they ridiculed me, locked me in chains, turned their backs on me. I am tired of home. I am ready to burn my home to the ground."

"Ah, you are far better at acting than I thought." Barrett came back over then, sounding more like his old self, though Gregor could see it in his eyes that he was still pissed. Good. "The story goes as this. We will drop you near where the banished are. They are going to discover you and you are going to tell them that you have run from Regalia and are in search of the gnawers. They will take you in, of course, as they need you for their prophecy. From there, you shall destroy them from the inside out. Preferably though, you shall go with them to the Uncharted Lands first. See what they are doing out there. Go to their base, as Luxa said you mentioned. That would be good. And you would also be able to save that child like you wished. Win-win, yes?"

"You're forgetting one thing."

"And what is that?"

"That I have no intention of going through with this." In what world would he? They had basically just enslaved him for no freaking reason and they expected him to help them? Seriously?

"Oh, I know for certain that you not only intend to, but also that you will."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Because, Overlander," Barrett began as he came closer. "You care about the Underland. You want to see these banished perish as much as the next and this is our best option. Not to mention, you care about that boy. If you do not do this, you might never get him back."

Gregor hung his head then, not paying any mind to Howard. Then, after a moment, he lifted his head again.

"When this is all said and done, you had better hope that I have found a way to forgive you," Gregor told him simply.

"When this is all said and done," Barrett retorted. "You had better hope that you are still alive."