Gregor the Overlander and the Ghost of War

Chapter 7

They ran towards each other and kissed without a moment of hesitation between them. He was taller than her now, so she had to stand on tip-toe to wrap her arms around his neck. After what felt like eternity, their lips parted, and they just gazed into each other's eyes. Her pale blonde hair hung loosely around her shoulders in beautiful locks, and her gown was a dusty blue, complimenting her vibrant violet eyes.

"Luxa," he began. "You look—"

"Gregor!" Gregor twisted to find the source of the familiar voice, and his heart warmed at the sight of Hazard. His black curls bounced as he ran to embrace Gregor. Gregor laughed and ruffled the eleven-year-old's hair. "Hey, Hazard. How are you?" Hazard grinned. "I am very well! I'm in training to be a translator for the different species!" Luxa laughed. "Yes, he is fluent in crawler, gnawer, nibbler, spinner, and hisser now." Hazard nodded. "I'm studying digger and shiner at the moment, and I am also trying to learn the fliers' language, but it is very high." Gregor grinned widely and hugged the kid again. Man, he'd missed them. "That's awesome, buddy. You're so much taller!" Hazard laughed lightly and pulled from the hug, his eyes flicking between Luxa and Gregor. "I will leave you two to catch up." With a smile he turned and retreated from the room, walking into the hallway and shutting the door behind him.

Gregor turned back to Luxa, and they embraced again, Gregor smelling her hair. It smelled like lavender. "I missed you," he whispered. "I as well," she replied softly. They gazed into each other's eyes, Gregor not wanting the moment to ever pass.

After a minute, Luxa looked at him with slight worry in her eyes. "Vikus tells me you have come to us because you have been... disturbed, since the war." Gregor looked at the floor. Right. He'd forgotten about that. "Yeah, I... get nightmares and stuff. I had a hallucination during school today, and it really messed me up." She put her pale hand on his cheek, and he leaned into her touch. "Gregor, you look exhausted. We will talk more tomorrow. Come, I will show you to your quarters."

She took his hand and led him a short way through the apartment-like area to a large, fancy room. A large bed with an ornate bedspread lay in the middle of the far wall, with a couch facing a window, looking out over the gorgeous city. Curtains hung, tied, on either side of the window. A huge wardrobe sat opposite the bed. "Jeez, Luxa, this is way too fancy, even for me," he laughed. "I'm not even the warrior anymore." Luxa smiled softly. "Even so, you are the queen's guest, and we treat you with the highest respect, after what you did for the Underland." Gregor shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "You guys were there, too..." he mumbled. She laughed, kissed him on the cheek, and went to stand in the doorway. "I recommend you bathe before sleep. The Underland may now a peaceful place, but it is still a precaution to rid you of your scent. The bathroom is down the hall to the right, and my quarters are opposite yours, so if you require anything at all, just knock." Before shutting the door, she smiled at him, eyes bright with emotion. "I am glad you have returned." He returned her smile, and she shut the door, leaving him in his room.

Gregor immediately crossed the room and pulled the curtains shut; having them open made him feel exposed. He turned and found a pile of Underland clothes, crisp and neatly folded, on the foot of the bed. He gathered them in his arms and opened the bedroom door, heading to where Luxa had said the bathroom was. When he turned, the doorway split into two different directions, one leading to the left, the other to the right. He walked into the right one, entering the bathroom that so resembled a high school locker room. He poked his head into a smaller room that had a large circular opening cut into the floor. Gently rushing water flowed through the bath, and a few stone jars lay near it.

Gregor undressed and lowered himself into the warm water, sitting on the bench on the outer area of the bath. The last time he was here, the water had lapped at his ears, but now his whole head remained dry. He scrubbed every inch of his skin with a rough sponge-like thing, leaving him red with blood-blush. He lathered his curls with the fragrant shampoo-like substance in one of the stone jars, rinsed it out, and then just lay against the edge of the bath and closed his eyes.

He was back.

Gregor couldn't wait to see everyone. He felt like he could talk to each of his friends for hours, even though there wasn't that much to talk about. "Hopefully I won't have to talk to anyone about the PTSD," he groaned to himself, eyes still closed. "Can't everyone see that I'm fine now that I'm back?"

He wasn't sure what made him open his eyes. Maybe it was a drop of water. Or a sound from down the hall. But when he did, he froze in horror. In the few seconds that he'd closed his eyes, the warm bathwater had been replaced with gushing, thick, hot blood.