The Living Dead

Chapter 2

"I wish she would just get on with this. Waking up early is not something I find enjoyable."

Barrett sneered at the other man as he taunted, "Getting old, Mareth?"

He only narrowed his eyes. "You-"

"Enough. Both of you." Perdita was still just standing there, watching the doorway. "You said she would be soon, Gregor?"

"Yeah. She was just getting ready."

Mareth turned his attention to the table then, frowning slightly. "What has she done to the map? Or has Zander done this?"

"She stayed up late last night," Gregor said then. "To work on this."

"She has used an odd color code," Barrett remarked, glancing at Gregor. "The gnawers are divided into new groups then?"

"I do not know. She did not tell me much."

"If this is about her damn nibblers, I am going to be annoyed," Mareth said with a shake of his head.

"What exactly were you woken from?" Barrett asked. "Or from where, I suppose, is the better question?"

"Do not make me send one of you away," Perdita finally said. "Because you know who I will choose, Barrett."

He looked off then as Mareth only shook his head.

"Good. You are all here."

They all glanced up then, as Luxa came into the room, Zander following along behind her. No one made a fuss over it though, as it was so early that the nursery was still closed. There was nowhere else for him to go.

Luxa sat him in a chair, making sure it was too far from the table for him to reach the map markers, before she took her place standing with the rest of them. Zander still looked pretty sleepy and only waved at Gregor before taking to sucking on the ear of his tiger, who just had to come along. He just had to.

"What is it that you wished to speak with us on?" Perdita finally asked. It was rare that she was out of the loop and it was clearly bothering her. "Luxa?"

"Starting around last month, I began getting reports from scouts about a cell of gnawers that began conjugating in rarely used caverns, here," she began, pointing out a spot on the map. It meant nothing to Gregor, but he tried his hardest to stay interest. It was proving difficult though, as Zander making faces at him. "This would not be of concern if it was elsewhere, but we all know of this area."

When all the others nodded, Gregor only looked to Luxa for help. She offered none, only continuing right back on with her speech.

"It is a good hiding place," Perdita remarked. "Hard to get to. Perhaps-"

"It is," Luxa agreed. "But who would they have to hide from? We are not at war. We are being rather peaceful. And it is not the main gnawers there."

"Meaning what?" Mareth asked.

"None of their top fighters. They are still conjugated in their normal sectors." She pointed out the distinct groups that she had set the markers in. "Except for Ripred, but most assume him dead at this point. But regardless, none of the rats that have gathered in the forgotten caverns are thought of as any importance. They-"

"Then why are we concerned?" Barrett asked with a frown. "I mean-"

"Do not cut me off again, Barrett, less you can join them." She gave him a hard stare before looking back at the map as if thoughtful. "It is not so much that they have returned to this place after so long. I honestly do not care. It is the messages that they are sending to one another."

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged slightly. "They have not had a good code since the Prophecy of Time. They have not been bright enough to think of one so easy for their simple minds to remember. The scouts, if they are to believed-"

"They are," Perdita told her, as if annoyed. It was her job to handpick scouts and she always did so with care. Luxa had reprimanded her pretty badly, when the whole banished stuff proved to have traitors among the ranks. "I assure you."

"Very well," Luxa said, nodding her head. Barrett only frowned, as he had been reprimanded when he cut her off. "They tell me that the gnawers there speak of a new leader. They do not name him, else the men have not been able to figure out his name. Instead they simply call him the Reclaimer."

That caused Perdita to pause before frowning deeply. "Why have you not mentioned this before? This could be-"

"I know what this could be," she told her with a frown. "I could not just go telling everyone. I had to wait, until-"

"If it is the Reclaimer-"

"I know the implications."

"That means that we have a new prophecy to busy ourselves with and-"

"Perdita," Mareth sighed. "Do you not think that the gnawers would not expect this reactions from us?"

"What do you mean, Mareth?"

"They would expect us to get into a frenzy. The Reclaimer, the Reclaimer." He shook his head slightly. "They know that we would associate such a name with the prophecy. They-"

"Uh, what prophecy?" Gregor spoke up finally. "Is there some sort of-"

"We can talk later," Luxa dismissed him before addressing the others once more. "Yes, Mareth, they could be tricking us, but what if they are not? The Reclaimer is very much a real thing. You have read the prophecy."

"We have all read it," he agreed softly. "But do well to remember that they have as well. The gnawers know that we follow Sandwich's teachings closely. It would not take a too intelligent rat to use one against us."

Gregor thought suddenly of Ripred and nodded his head. Yeah, that made sense. It made a lot of sense. But still, if that were true…why then? Why that moment? Why were they deciding to pretend there was this Reclaimer guy if there was not? It made no sense for them to suddenly chose then to do it. The gnawers and humans were at peace, for lack of a better term. It was truly just bad planning.

"That is all fine and well, Mareth, to think, but that does not help us in knowing if it is true or not," Luxa remarked in a pinched tone. "We must-"

Zander started yelling then, though Gregor could tell from his tone that he was just happy and wanted attention. Luxa only stepped forwards to pick him up before continuing.

"We must be certain," she finished as Zander settled in her arms, sniffling slightly. He was probably hungry; it wasn't even time for breakfast yet. "But I do not wish to instill panic. Barrett-"

"I will go and investigate for you, yes?"

"…You now get to stay behind. Gregor will be taking some of his men." She gave him a look then. "I warned you about speaking out."

Barrett's face set then, hard, while Gregor only stared at her for a moment.

"I-I get to go?" he asked.

"Do you not wish to?" She gave him a look then, but it was ruined as Zander was also looking his way while smiling.

"I haven't, you know, done anything since the banished, but…yeah." He smiled slightly then. "Except I do not know anything about the Reclaimer, so I won't know what to look for."

"See? He does not know what he is doing. I should go," Barrett argued then. "I can-"

"Do not annoy me further, General," was all Luxa told him. "If Gregor cannot go, then Mareth, would you like to? One of you? I have tired of this discussion as it is."

"I want to go," Gregor argued. "One of you just needs to tell me about the Reclaimer."

Barrett snorted, looking off. Luxa only continued to stare down at the map for a moment before shaking her head.

"Go, Barrett, then," she finally decided. "Take a few of your soldiers. Be gone no more than two days. Try not to drawl attention to yourself."

"Thank you," he said, bowing his head then. Gregor only made a face, annoyed that he had taken the job from him.

"Lucka!" Zander reached up and hit her in the head, causing her to immediately put him on the ground, hissing something harsh at him as she bent down. Perdita only shook her head before looking at Barrett.

"Are you certain of the location?" she asked skeptically. "It is not somewhere that I imagine you would have ventured before."

"I am not incompetent," he told her with a frown. "I can read a simple map."

"The caverns and tunnels are extensive," Mareth said with a nod of the head. "I-"

"So you think we should send the Overlander then? Who has a hard enough time figuring out how to get to the Fount?"

Gregor frowned. "You know, I never do anything to you for the most part, but they you sit here and act like a douche-"

"Enough," Luxa said, standing up straight once again. "All of you. I am tired of the fighting. You boys and your egos have finally cracked me. None of you shall go. Perdita, you shall."

"Me?" She paused for a second before nodding her head. "Yes. Of course. Solovet left the capital far more than I do and she was the best general-"

"Do not start about her again," Mareth groaned. "Please. I have heard enough about Solovet and how much you loved her. It is almost disgusting."

Perdita took to glaring at him while Luxa only rolled her eyes.

"Then we are done here. Perdita shall go and the three of you shall reflect on your poor attitudes. It is not about playing favorites or who gets exactly what they want; it is about what is better for my kingdom. Do well to remember that. Else I will remember to review your job statuses."

When Luxa turned to leave, Zander headed out to follow her, but Mareth called out to the boy.

"He has tumbling today, yes?" Mareth asked as Zander cautiously headed over. "In an hour or so. I shall keep him until then."

"He must be fed," Luxa said wearily. Gregor knew she did not really want him anyways. And Mareth did watch Zander for them sometimes, when Gregor was too busy and Luxa wasn't in the mood.

"As must I," he said as Zander came to a stop in front of him. "Come, Perdita."

"Me? I do not wish to feed him."

"Yes, well, you must decide on men. I can help."

"Oh, can you?"

"Most certainly. Name me someone more qualified."

"Myself."

"Hardly."

"Mareth-"

"I am the man, after all. It is only commonplace that I be better-"

"The man of what?"

"Everything I am ever involved in."

"The most annoying man, maybe, but-"

"She kids now, does she?"

Zander willingly went with them for some reason, though Gregor assumed it was because he had just been reprimanded by Luxa. No way he wanted to hang around her after that.

"You should go spend some time alone, Barrett," Luxa told him then. "Away from me. Please. I cannot stand to look at you currently."

His gaze hardened on her for a moment before he nodded and gave a slight bow, heading out of the room right after that. Then it was just them.

"Meet me in the prophecy room in about two hours," Luxa told Gregor then.

"What are you gonna do until then?"

"Me? Nothing. You, though, are on just as much punishment as Barrett. I do not wish to see you either."

"Luxa-"

"Leave."

"How come I only have to stay away two hours and he has to the whole day?"

She gave him a look for that. "Because it was a complete lie about playing favorites. Is that what you wish to hear? Now go."

Rolling his eyes, Gregor headed out of the room as well, though he really had no purpose. He had training late in the day, like usual, but other than that he was free. He had planned to do some gambling, but with his meeting with Luxa only being two hours away, that was an out. He couldn't be late for that, after all, and did not trust himself not to get carried away.

It was still early and, with little else to do, he just headed back to bed, hoping he would not oversleep.

"Nerissa. I was not expecting you to be here."

"Ah, Overlander, but I was expecting you."

Frowning, he came further into the prophecy room, slightly shocked to find Nerissa huddled up in one corner, covered in blankets though she shivered regardless. He had not seen her out of her room in a number of days, after all.

"Oh?" he asked before looking around. "I was expecting Luxa."

"You wish to know of a prophecy, yes?" She looked up at him then. "Who better to tell you of it?"

Vikus. Always Vikus. But that option was no longer on the table.

"What does Luxa have to do that she couldn't come here?"

"I do not know, Gregor. I merely saw her an hour ago and she told me to meet you here."

Hmmm. She was up to something. Again. Really, it was getting to where it wasn't even fun to figure her out.

"So come closer then, yes?" Nerissa was looking at the wall again, the lamp lighting up a specific section of the wall. "And let me read to you the Prophecy of the Reclaimer."

Coming closer to her, Gregor sat down as well, feeling rather uncomfortable, but figuring he should just get the whole thing over with.

He followed the etched text with his eyes, hardly listening as she spoke. Nerissa actually wasn't even looking at the words, just leaning forwards to rest her hand against the stone, eyes closed, as she whispered the words from memory.

"When the darkness falls over the land

A champion must learn to stand

Else Regalia will be forced to play into another's hand.

With enemies once more aligned in packs,

All the weight of the Underland drops on our backs.

Can we stop the Reclaimer in his tracks?

Death's embrace never beckoned quite this way.

If the champion falls none will wish to stay.

Finally the gnawers' shining day.

Chances are slim, so hunt them down.

The Reclaimer cares for only one crown.

Life is bleak for one without love around.

Now the champion faces the Reclaimer.

Can he be the Underland's savior?

Cut him deep, do Death a favor.

Should the champion fall, welcome in a new reign,

As the Underland loses all that is sane.

And slowly pleasure becomes pain."

They both sat there for some time afterwards, Gregor rereading the words silently to himself, Nerissa in some sort of a trancelike state as she mumbled softly to herself.

"Now," she began suddenly, lifting her head. "Do you understand who the Reclaimer is?"

"Not exactly, no," Gregor said slowly. "I'm more concerned with the champion, though."

"The champion means only that we will have a new person fighting for Regalia, yes? Like when you were Luxa's personal guard. You were her champion, yes? If you were killed by Barrett, he would become take your place. If we were still so barbaric, I mean."

He blinked before glancing at her. "I wasn't her personal guard. I was-"

"You are still her champion, for all intents and purposes," Nerissa told him softly, pulling a blanket tighter around herself. "You fight for her, yes? If Luxa would only explain away your relationship in that method, then-"

"I think we should focus on the prophecy."

Nerissa glanced at him before reaching for his hand. When he gave it to her, she only made him reach out and run a finger across the first line of the prophecy, then the second, and then the third.

When the darkness falls over the land

A champion must learn to stand

Else Regalia will be forced to play into another's hand.

"The Reclaimer is the darkness. The champion is no doubt young, yes? He will have to find his footing."

"Or," Gregor said slowly. "He stands behind another."

"Hmmm?"

"Like one of our soldiers. Like Barrett's men or mine. They stand behind us, yes? If one of them were champion, they would have to stand on their own."

Nerissa nodded slightly then, as if tiredly. "I suppose so."

"And if they don't, or we don't let them, Regalia will be at the mercy of the gnawers, because our new champion must be around to defeat the gnawers."

"See? I am not even certain you need me."

She ran his hand over the next stanza then.

With enemies once more aligned in packs,

All the weight of the Underland drops on our backs.

Can we stop the Reclaimer in his tracks?

"More proof that it is the gnawers," Gregor said then. "Packs, tracks."

"And we always protect the less fortunate," Nerissa added. "The crawlers, the nibblers. Even the fliers need our help with the gnawers. All that is a heavy weight for Regalia."

Death's embrace never beckoned quite this way.

If the champion falls none will wish to stay.

Finally the gnawers' shining day.

"We would rather die than live under the reign of a gnawer king with more power than ourselves."

"It has happened before?"

"King Gorger, of course, was the closest in recent times," Nerissa said softly. "Especially when he killed the King and Queen. My parents as well. Everyone thought that we would fall. All our allies thought that we would fall."

"But you did not," Gregor reminded her softly. "And Luxa fears no rat."

"Oh, but she does, Gregor. She always has. Less now that she is older, but she still very much so fears another siege. I am sure it was very traumatic for her."

"You too," Gregor said then. "You were there too."

Nerissa paused for a moment before dragging his finger across the wall again.

Chances are slim, so hunt them down.

The Reclaimer cares for only one crown.

Life is bleak for one without love around.

"No doubt the Reclaimer will be much like the Bane," Nerissa told him then. "Born and bred to defeat us. You remember when the Bane was a pup, yes? No one cared for him. He has been told that he only wants one thing so now he believes that."

"Luxa's crown," Gregor agreed softly, nodding his head.

Now the champion faces the Reclaimer.

Can he be the Underland's savior?

Cut him deep, do Death a favor.

"They will face off, our champion and the Reclaimer," Nerissa told him softly then. "But when do the hero and villain not clash? He is to save the Underland. You have been in that position before."

"Why is Death capitalized?"

"Hmmm?"

"Look. It's not in the first of the line. That's why it is before. This time it is capitalized."

"Some refer to Death as a being," Nerissa said with a shrug of her shoulders. "You know this."

"I know this. But it just seems out of place. Sandwich normally is very consistent. I have never seen him refer to Death in such a way before."

"I wonder, Gregor, why you care so much?"

"What do you mean?"

She looked at him then. "You do not believe in it anyhow. What difference does it make to you?"

"Wh-What?"

"You have said it enough, before. Your worst kept secret. Other than Luxa." Nerissa only moved to drag his hand over the last stanza.

Should the champion fall, welcome in a new reign,

As the Underland loses all that is sane.

And slowly pleasure becomes pain.

"Of course, if the champion loses, then the Reclaimer wins," Nerissa went on. "He reclaims the-"

"Reclaims," Gregor repeated slowly. "That would imply that he has held it before. That Regalia was his first."

"Of course. Parts of our land did belong to the gnawers. Others the diggers. They were killed or pushed back for our cities to be built. Many, many gnawers lived in the Fount. The streams are best there for fishing, yes? Now they have to go through Regalia to get to it and cannot. I am certain if they took us over, many would move to the Fount region."

Gregor just sat there for a moment after Nerissa let go of his hand. "Hey, Nerissa?"

"Hmmm?"

"How will we know that we have found our new champion?" He glanced over at her. "The prophecy doesn't really tell."

"It is well known among those who study the prophecies that sometimes Sandwich left things unclear for a reason. The prophecies you were in, warrior, were different, yes? We knew you immediately. But most are not so. The champion will reveal himself when the time is right."

"And if he does not? If he does not stand up?"

She smiled at him then before saying, "Then I hope that our dead warrior is enough to hold the Reclaimer off until he does."

"No."

"Zander-"

"No."

"Put it-"

"No!"

Gregor frowned as he came into Luxa's sitting room to find Zander standing in the center of the room, standing in front of his toys while glaring up at Luxa. Other than her name, there were only a handful of words that Zander knew. His second favorite?

"Zander-"

"No!"

"What's going on?" Gregor asked, causing Luxa and Zander to both look at him. "Lux?"

"He won't put up his toys."

"Zander," Gregor sighed, going over to the boy. "You gotta clean up, buddy."

"No." He shook his head at Gregor. "No."

"Yes." Gregor stared hard down at him. "Put them up. Now. You want help?"

So Gregor helped the little boy, Luxa only standing by silently. She was clearly still upset, but Gregor didn't address her until all the toys were put away in Zander's room.

"Seriously, Lux? Was it that hard?"

She wouldn't look at him though. "I told him to do something. He-"

"He's a baby."

"He is not. He is-"

"He might as well be," Gregor argued. "You just need to stop yelling at him all the time. Arguing. You're not-"

"You never punish him, Gregor. You only-"

"Why should I? He didn't do anything wrong. So he didn't listen to you. Big deal. He just wanted to keep playing with his toys. That's what little kids do. They-"

"What if something happened, Gregor? And I needed him to do as I said? If someone was trying to hurt him?"

"That's simple, Luxa. You would just pick him up and-"

"But what if I couldn't, Gregor? What if I was trying to fight-"

"It's still different. And it won't ever happen, Luxa. No one's going to-"

"Someone did, Gregor. Someone came into my home when I was a child and killed both of my parents. Now the Reclaimer-"

"And I killed that person, didn't I? Huh? Didn't I?"

She looked off again. "Well, his own actions led to his death more than yours did, but-"

"Luxa."

Sighing, she said, "He has to learn to listen to me, Gregor. When I tell him something, he must do it. It is the only way he will stay safe."

At the moment, Zander had taken to climbing up on the couch, his little tiger with him. It was the only toy that never got put up. It went everywhere with him.

"What are you guys doing in here anyways? And where were you this morning? You totally ditched me and put Nerissa in your place. Then you didn't eat lunch, you weren't in the war room-"

"I was outside of the palace."

"And you never thought to mention it to me?"

"No."

"Luxa-"

"Lucka!" Zander wanted attention again now that they were done fighting. "Lucka."

She gave him a look that shut him up before looking back at Gregor. "I had business to attend to that was more important than you."

"You met with someone," he finally said, reading her face and stance. "Didn't you? Who?"

"Whom."

"Luxa-"

"If you must know, first I picked Zander up from his tumbling class, and then I went to meet with some of the retired political men around Regalia."

"Why?"

"It has to do with the area that the gnawers are gathered, Gregor."

"Okay, well, what about it?"

She glanced at Zander then, who had taken to sitting silently while watching them, waiting for one of them to give him some attention. He was a very needy child at times.

"It used to be a heavily populated area of tunnels. There is access to a cleaner area of the stream there," she told him with a shrug. "But then there was a…problem."

"Problem?"

"The head of the army at the time-"

"Solovet?"

"No," she said with a frown. "It was before she was in power, even. The head of the army ordered that the streams be poisoned. And they were. Even the Garden of Hesperides was not as graphic. The poison did not take immediate effect. It was a slow death. They continued to use it for some time after the original poisoning. Most all the gnawers populated there died.

"Even now, many gnawers do not go there, just for fear of contamination. Knowing that they are conjugating there causes me much fear. Either they are foolish or there really is something there. The Reclaimer. Why else would they be there?"

Gregor only stared at her for a moment before saying, "Did this happen under your father? The poisoning?"

"My grandfather."

"Hmmm."

"I was not doing anything secretive, Overlander. Or at least not a secret to you."

"I didn't say you were."

"You always accuse me of-"

"I don't accuse you of anything, Luxa. When you do something though, I do you call you out on it."

"You-"

"Why are we even fighting, Lux? Huh? Think about it."

Instead, she only went over to the couch to pick up Zander. "I do not wish to eat tonight. Take Alexander and get him fed, as well as yourself."

"Lux, you have to eat."

"I am not hungry, Overlander."

"Luxa, you never eat. Did you eat at all today? I mean, you hardly ate yesterday. Why-"

"I ate with Zander today, during lunch. I do not hunger again."

"That's not healthy. I thought we talked about-"

"Then it is not healthy, Gregor. It does not change the fact that I do not hunger." She bounced Zander slightly in her arms, who only buried his face in her neck. "I am going to go over some more scrolls. Then-"

"Lux, if you're not going to eat, at least go to bed."

"I do not-"

"Tire. You do not hunger. You do not anything. If we're really on the brink of a new prophecy, Luxa, then don't you think that maybe you should try and stay in good health? Or something? Because drinking wine and not eating isn't helping you. This-"

"Do not lecture me, Gregor. I will not stand for it."

"I am not lecturing you, Lux. I'm trying to help you. I care about you and-"

"You've said this all before and-"

"Then fucking listen for once. I mean, God, Luxa, just-"

"Leave," she cut him off, her voice cutting through his tone. "Now."

"Luxa-"

"Go. And do not come back here tonight."

"I-"

"You will not yell at me or be profane. Leave." She rubbed Zander's back, holding him to her. "This is what playing favorites gets me."

Gregor was understandably pissed when he left the royal wing, though he only went to the mess hall to drink and get something to eat. He figured that he'd go see Luxa again later, when she calmed down some. She was always on the defensive about every little thing. It shouldn't have to be that way.

When he went looking for her later that night, he found her in bed, like he figured. She really hadn't been feeling well recently.

"Did he have another bad dream?"

Luxa did not move as Gregor stripped down and got into bed. "No. After I fed him, I just wanted him in here with me."

"'cause you were so mean to him today," he reasoned.

"No," she told him. She was curled towards him, Zander sleeping between them with his little tiger under one arm. "I was not mean to him, Gregor. One of us is going to have to teach him to mind and it's clearly not going to be you."

"Well," Gregor began slowly. "You were certainly mean to me today."

"I was not." She made a face at him. "And I thought I told you that I did not wish to see you again?"

"You did, probably. But I don't care. I sleep better when I'm in here. When you and Zander are with me." He glanced down at the little boy before correcting himself. "Or at least when he's in his room. Really, Luxa, him sleeping in here happens too much."

"It is my room," she argued with a frown. "And I think that it is you that is here too much."

Zander whined slightly at the sound of their voices and Luxa only sighed before pulling him closer to her.

"When does Perdita leave?" Gregor asked softly.

"We both agree that she shall leave in two days. My scouts continue to give me information, however."

"I really think that I could have gone," he mumbled, shifting to lay on his stomach.

"I offered it to you and you-"

"Why did you offer it to me anyways? You rarely let me do anything fun. I have to fight you to go anywhere."

"I thought that you might like to get out of the capital. And out of all of them, you have the most experience in dealing with something like the Reclaimer."

"The Bane, you mean."

"You killed him," she said with a nod of her head.

"You think that I am the champion?"

"Most certainly not. You are supposed to be dead to the Underland." Luxa shook her head. "If it was not for me, you would not be here."

"Don't I know it?"

Making a face, she warned, "Do not make me force you out again."

He just yawned, closing his eyes. "Lux?"

"What?"

"…You know that I just want to keep you safe, right?"

"Gregor-"

"Just eat more, Luxa. And sleep more. I just want to protect you, you know? Even from yourself." He shut his eyes. "I know you get stressed out and I know that I don't really help with that, but just eat something, okay? I worry."

"You worry for no reason."

"I'm allowed to be concerned, Luxa."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I'm your…boyfriend or whatever," he said, frowning. "And I know how sickly Nerissa is. I don't want that to happen to you."

"It won't. Nerissa is weak minded. She-"

"And you are strong minded. Yeah, I know. But still, Lux. I just…I don't want anything to happen to you, okay? Ever. Never ever." He shifted on the bed, trying to get comfortable while also not bothering Zander. It was hard at times. "I love you."

She shifted on the bed then, just staring at him. "Yes, well, I… I suppose I can eat more. If you're that concerned."

He'd heard that lie before. Still, there was nothing more he could do really. He was tired from training that day, honestly, and having the thoughts of the new prophecy on his mind wasn't helping anything. He just wanted to sleep the whole thing off.

"Greg?" she whispered after a moment.

"Mmmm?"

"I love you too."

Smiling finally, he just let out a long sigh. "Yeah, I know."

If you guys only knew how much I hate writing prophecies. Ugh.