Gregor and the New Race

Chapter 12

The world around Gregor slowly came back into focus as he stared at the lifeless body before him. He had stopped crying now and just sat there staring at the body. Howard was no longer yelling commands, but was silent now. Everybody was quiet except the large grey bat that was sobbing quietly. Most of the underlanders weren't fazed because they had all seen it before. Gregor had too, but for some reason that he didn't know, Gregor was sad and angry. He didn't even know this boy, but somehow he felt responsible. No, that wasn't right. It wasn't his fault. He didn't kill him. Then why did he cry? Gregor looked at the boy with confusion and anger. The sadness had gone, and now he felt his
rager sensation gnawing at his insides. He clenched his fists to contain it. Gregor placed the boy's head gently on the floor and stood up. They all looked at him. Anyone that could see could see that he was angry. His face was a cold glare. He looked over to Dr. Nyles, staring into his eyes.
"I am going." He said, seriously. "I am going to go to the Drylands, get the Slitherers help, and fight. This is my war now." He said. They all were silent as he spoke.
"It's all of ours now, boy." Ripred said. "This boy will not die in vain. We should begin our journey at once if we want to get help before it's too late." Ripred was now taking charge. The Overlanders were still in shock about the events that had just occurred.
"I'm coming with you!" Abigail shouted.
"Me too!" Henry said. Gregor wanted to protest, but if the "New Race" was already here, then it might be the safer option.
"I would usually advise against it, but given the circumstances, I believe that it would be wise if all of you joined." Ripred said. "However, it is up to the queen." They all looked at Luxa now. She cleared her throat.
"The Overlanders will join us on the journey to the Drylands. However we will need another flyer if we are to carry them all." Before she could ask, Ioke spoke up.
"I will go." She said.
"Good. Howard, Gregor, Overlanders, Ripred and Flyers prepare yourself for the journey. We will meet in the High Hall as soon as possible." She said, authoritatively. They all scattered, each going separate ways. Gregor went over to the Overlanders, who were trying to make sense of what was happening.
"Follow me." He said to them. They obeyed and he led them through the halls to the museum. Once they arrived, he told them to split up and look for flashlights, batteries, small snacks like candy bars, and tape. They all went in different directions grabbing the items that Gregor had told them. Gregor found a couple of flashlights, a few candy bars and some batteries. Harry and Abigail each found a roll of duct tape, and Harry's dad found a bag of batteries. Dr. Nyles came back with two flashlights as well.
"What about you?" Abigail asked as Gregor handed each of them a flashlight. There was only four, but he didn't need one.
"I'll be alright. I can see in the dark." He said. The excuse was good enough for now. He quickly scanned the room and saw a backpack on a shelf. He grabbed it and put the supplies into it.
"Find an underlander and ask them to escort you to the High Hall, I have to go somewhere first." Gregor said as he started off in the opposite direction of them. He jogged through the halls, getting strange looks from some of the underlanders he passed. After a few minutes, he entered a door that had been familiar during his last visit. He walked in and heard a female voice come from the room.
"Overlander! What brings you here?" Miravet said.
"I need a sword." He said, trying not to take time with greetings. She grabbed a sword from a nearby racks and handed it to him.
"Anything else?" She asked.
"A dagger would be nice." He said. She gave him one, and he thanked her. He left and quickly made his way to the High Hall. The Overlanders, Nike, Aurora, Ioke, And Luxa were already there. Vikus was also there to see them off. Howard came a little later with a medical kit. There were some underlanders loading about three baskets of food and water onto the bats also. The four Overlanders were standing awkwardly together, not knowing what to do.
"Were not gonna ride on those again, are we?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. That's the fastest way to travel down here. Plus, they can see in the dark so we don't have to pack so many torches." He said. "It's okay. You'll get used to it." But he could tell that it didn't reassure them.
"We're ready to mount." Luxa said. "I will ride with the girl and the young boy..." she started, but Harry's dad cut her off. "If were gonna ride one of these things, I will ride with my son." He said.
"I want to ride with Gregor." Abigail said. Gregor could sense Luxa's frustration. She kept cool.
"Very well. The boy and his father will ride with me on Aurora. The girl and Gregor will ride on Ioke, and Dr. Nyles will ride with Howard on Nike." She said. No one complained and they all went to their bats."
"The girl has a name. Her name is Abigail." Abby said as she struggled to mount the big grey bat. Luxa ignored her.
"Where's Ripred? Isn't he coming too?" Gregor asked.
"He will meet you at the river. Fly you high!" Vikus shouted after them, as they rose into the air. Abigail grabbed onto Gregor's waist tightly as the ground fell out from under them. She closed her eyes tightly. Gregor chuckled. He remembered when he had felt the same way when he was first learning to fly on the bats. It was now almost second nature to him. The three bats rose out of the High Hall and over the city. The torches were lit and the city glowed in the firelight.
"You might want to open your eyes for now." Gregor said back to her. He heard a small gasp from behind as she gazed at the city.
"It's beautiful!" She said. The three bats  soared over the city. Soon they had left the light of Regalia behind and were heading southwest. The light faded and the darkness surrounded them. Gregor could feel Abigail squeezing him hard. She was also squeezing Ioke's neck hard too. Gregor sighed.
"Relax. Let go of your legs. It's easier to stay on." She forced her legs to relax a bit and Gregor could hear Ioke give a sigh of relief.
"Good. Now you should probably get some sleep, it's gonna be a long trip."