PART I
THE RETURN
The huge black bat suddenly banked left, to hook around the rock formation, but Gregor managed to hold on. They were nearing the canyon-and the rats. Gregor drew Sandwich's sword in preparation. He could see them now, not with his eyes, it was much too dark for that, but with his ears. The echoes of his and the flier's breathing sang pictures into his head of the massive army. At their head was a great white rat with a small human crown dangling off of one ear. The Bane.
This isn't what worried Gregor the most, though, and neither was the huge army behind him. What worried him was the figure, who was slightly smudged in Gregor's head, yet unmistakably Henry.
The rats laughed as the Bane jumped up and caught the bat's wing with his claw, which threw Gregor off and into the gorge. Before he hit the ground, which his echoes told him was rather far away, he heard an intense battle scene which lasted for no more that a few seconds.
The Bane pulled the bat in, locking its massive incisors around the black bats head. Henry pulled out his sword and drove it into the massive white rat, screaming, "Ares!" while the Bane smacked Henry across the back with his tail, knocking his lower ribs in a few inches too far.
The ground loomed closer, Gregor could tell even without echolocation. The last thing he saw before impact was Photos Glow-Glow's bright blue light, saying in Ripred's voice,"What's your plan?" Then there was nothing.
Gregor was jolted awake when he hit the floor of his bedroom on their farm in Virginia. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. He had never really gotten adjusted to waking up on the floor because of his nightmares, despite the fact that the floor was where he'd wake up six days of the week. It still felt like it was last week that he'd been fighting the Gnawers with Ares, that he'd slain the Bane, that Ares was killed, that peace was made.
It seemed like just last week he'd said good bye to the place that had consumed his life for a year, but, it seemed as though it would follow him forever. He fingered the five scars on his chest. As he'd predicted, they had gone nowhere, even after four years. Shutting his eyes, he still saw every detail of that moment. It played in his head like a mix between an annoying song and a horror movie.
"Get out of there, Ares!" Wing snagged. Pulled in. Teeth on neck. Sword through heart. Claws on chest. "Ares the filer, I bond to you." Pure blue light…
Gregor forced himself to open his eyes. He had seen it, heard it, relived it enough in the past four years. He stretched, put on a shirt, and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. At least there was no school, since it was winter break.
"Good morning, Gregor!" Boots called from the table. She hadn't asked to see Temp in almost a year, but Gregor could tell she still wondered about him, though thankfully she hadn't spoken Crawler in two years, which had resulted in a phone call home from her kindergarten teacher, who was utterly confused when Boots had half the class clicking at each other. Gregor smiled, but his thoughts quickly shifted elsewhere.
I have my license now, why don't I just take a road trip?
Ask first, a voice in his head pleaded, they might understand.
No, they would just take my driver's license.
The argument Gregor was having with himself kept up for several minutes, broken when Lizzie sleepily drifted into the kitchen for some toast.
"I miss Ripred," she said suddenly. This was the first time the Underland was brought up openly in four months, since Gregor had woke up one morning asking who took his sword.
Their parents stared for a few seconds before dismissing the comment.
"I miss him, too," Gregor told her. "I miss everyone."
Lizzie nodded. She was twelve now, the same age Gregor was when he'd killed the Bane. Older than he was when he'd found out he was a rager, and way smarter. After all, she was barely older than Boots is now when she'd broken the Code of Claw.
"Mom, Dad, I want to go back," Gregor announced, "At least for a visit."
Gregor's mom's initial reaction was shock, followed by a large amount of refusal and rage.
"Absolutely not! Do you think I'm just going to let you go and drive back to New York by yourself, just to climb down an air vent and…and start another war or get kidnapped by bugs? That's completely absurd! No, Gregor, absolutely not!"
"But Mom-"
"I will not let you go! That's final!"
"Listen-"
"No, Gregor. No."
"JUST LISTEN TO ME!" Gregor didn't want to have to shout, but he saw no other choice. "I won't be starting another war, it's peaceful there now, and the crawlers only took Boots to protect her that one time. Besides, I won't be alone, I'll take Lizzie with me."
"NO!" Gregor's mom had completely lost it when he mentioned Lizzie. "ABSOLUTELY NOT! YOU WILL NOT JUST TAKE HER ALL THE WAY TO NEW YORK!"
"But Mom-" This time Lizzie spoke.
"NO! THAT IS FINAL!"
Told you not to ask, a voice inside Gregor smirked.
Shut up, His other head-voice replied.
Disclamer: I do not own the Underland Chronicles (I wish I did), though I do own the characters that I made up. Also please review. I'd like to know how I can make this better.