Gregor the Overlander

Gregor flies with Mareth back to the Underlander shore and becomes their prisoner. He lets them lead him into a diamond shaped room with a table in the middle of it. The guards eye him like a hawk as he waits beside a roaring fire for some kind of sentencing or punishment: “He was soaked in river water up to his waist and shivering from the wind and horror of what he’d just witnessed” (93). Gregor wonders what’s happened to the wounded bats and to Perdita, knowing if they die it will be his fault. 

Luxa bursts into the room, full of fury, and strikes him across the face. “No hitting” (94) Boots cries, Vikus comes into view and admonishes Luxa, making it clear that her behavior is unacceptable. She yells “two fliers are down, and we cannot awaken Perdita because the Overlander must escape!” (95). Vikus confirms that both rats are dead and says that the council is not pleased. Luxa says she doesn’t care what the council thinks, but she avoids Vikus’s gaze. Gregor realizes that Luxa wasn’t supposed to be there on the beach and that she’s in trouble now too because of him: “Luxa had saved his life taking out Shed. He owed her one he guessed, but he was still stinging from the slap, so he didn’t bring it up” (95). 

Vikus asks if Gregor ran or helped them fight. Luxa admits he fought, and this seems to please Vikus, who says Gregor has much courage. He then tells all the guards to leave him, Luxa, Gregor, and Boots alone. Vikus undoes the bindings around Gregor’s wrists and says Luxa shouldn’t have struck him “but your fight invited horrible death to those she loved. This is greatly felt by her, as both her parents were killed by rats” (97). Luxa is immediately angry at Vikus for revealing such a deeply personal aspect of her life. She says it’s not his business, but Vikus says he suspects that Gregor himself lacks a father. Gregor is shocked and asks how Vikus knows this; Vikus says he only guessed and wants to know if Gregor recognizes something. He pulls out a keychain with a “roughly braided loop of red, black and blue leather that made Gregor’s heart stop” (98). Gregor made it for his father, who never went anywhere without it. Gregor understands all at once that his father must have come down into the Underland.

Gregor tells them the keychain belongs to his father. At this, even Luxa gasps and says, “Vikus, do you not think he…” (102). Vikus says the signs are strong, and he has thought of little else since Gregor arrived. Gregor doesn’t know what they’re talking about, but the way Luxa looks at him starts to change. Vikus says that his father also tried to escape one night, but the rats got him. Gregor is crestfallen, believing his father dead, but Vikus says “so we assumed. But then came rumor the rats had kept him living […] our spies confirm this regularly” (103). Gregor is stunned and wonders why they didn’t kill him. Vikus surmises it’s because Gregor’s father was a man of science, and the rats must have seen some advantage to keeping him alive. 

Gregor gets angry and says there’s no way his dad is making guns or bombs for the rats, but Vikus says there is no telling what someone will do in the caves of the rats: “To keep sanity must be a struggle, to keep honor a Herculean feat” (103). Vikus says his wife has another theory, that Gregor’s father is trying to make them thumbs so they’ll have more maneuverability. Usually, the rats are their bitter enemies, so only the hope of a great advantage would keep a human being alive. 

Vikus then says he has something of grave importance to share with him and leads Gregor, Luxa, and Boots to a special room. The room is full of carvings, and not just on the walls, but the floor and ceilings too. Vikus tells him that these carvings are the prophecies of Bartholomew of Sandwich. Gregor is skeptical, but Vikus says some have already come true. He foretold the death of Luxa’s parents. 

Vikus reveals the most important prophecy, the Prophecy of Gray. Gregor begins to read the prophecy. The beginning says: “The Hope of the Hopeless resides in a Quest, An Overland Warrior, A Son of the Sun,

May Bring us back Light, He May bring us back None…” (109). 

Gregor doesn’t understand the prophecy, so Vikus breaks it down for him simply: “It calls for a journey, not just of humans but of many creatures, which may lead either to salvation or ruin” (110). He also tells Gregor it will be a journey led by an Overlander—and that this prophecy is the reason the rats hate Overlanders so much. Gregor asks when the warrior from the prophecy is coming, and Vikus fixes his eyes on Gregor and says, “I think he is already here” (110).

Gregor is sure Vikus must be mistaken: “‘You’ve got the wrong guy,’ Gregor had said. ‘Really, I promise I’m not a warrior’” (111). Vikus doesn’t agree, he finds it uncanny that three people from the same family made it to the Underlander alive, when the journey is so treacherous. He tells Gregor that each person has their own destiny, and Gregor’s destiny, whatever it is, will require him to take an active role. 

Mareth enters and informs Gregor that the Underland council requests his presence. He bathes and follows Mareth to the Council Room, on his way, he asks if everyone is okay. Mareth tells him Perdita has finally woken up, and the bats are both recovering. Gregor is relieved. 

The council welcomes him: “The council, a group of a dozen older Underlanders, had gathered at a round table in a room off the High Hall” (115). Gregor notices Vikus and Solovet among the council members with Luxa also present. They ask Gregor many questions about his life in the Overland and put it to a vote as to how many people believe he’s the warrior—ten of the twelve raise their hands. Vikus says they believe him to be the Warrior, and if he wants to go rescue his father, they will follow his call. Gregor is overjoyed and says he’s ready to leave—he just has to get Boots. More arguing ensues, as the Council debates whether Boots is in the prophecy. Vikus says: “The prophecy warns that four of the twelve will lose life. It may be wisest to leave Boots here” (118). 

Gregor weighs what to do. He sees Luxa avoiding his gaze and asks her what she would do if it were her sister. The council doesn’t want to her hear opinion, but Luxa speaks up anyway. She says that she has no sister “‘But if I did and I were you,’ she said passionately. ‘I would never take my eyes off her!” (119). Gregor thanks her and says that if Boots doesn’t go, he doesn’t go. The room is suddenly in an uproar until a bat with a dying woman bursts through the door, landing on the council table. With her dying breath, the woman tells the Underlanders that two of their people are dead, and the rats found Shed and Fangor. The rat king, King Gorger, has launched his army and many, many rats are coming to destroy them.

Vikus shouts for the council to sound the alarm: “[T]he place exploded in frantic activity. Horns began blowing, people rushed in and out, bats swooped in for orders and disappeared again without taking the time to land” (120). Vikus tells Gregor to prepare himself and that they will leave shortly to rescue his father. Gregor realizes all at once that the Underlanders are at war and asks if it’s safe to go. Vikus says he doesn’t believe it’s just any war but the one foretold in The Prophecy of Gray: “pursuing the quest for your father is our best hope of surviving it” (121). 

Vikus tells Mareth to take Gregor to the museum to find items to bring with them on their quest. The Museum is a room full of miscellaneous items from the Overland. Gregor decides the thing he most needs in the Underland is light, so he locates a flashlight and collects all the batteries he can find. He also grabs a construction hat with a light on top and a can of root beer: “He knew it was an extravagance, that he should only take the essentials, but he had to have it. It was his favorite drink. Plus it made him think of home” (123). Gregor goes back to the nursery and finds Dulcet, who gives him a supply of “catch cloths” or diapers for Boots. He heads with Boots to the High Hall.

Gregor sees Henry hugging a teenage girl goodbye “she was weeping uncontrollably despite his efforts to comfort her. ‘The dreams brother,’ she sobbed. ‘They have worsened. Some terrible fate awaits you’” (124). Gregor learns that this is Henry’s sister, Nerissa. Henry tries to calm her by saying he doesn’t intend to die, but she says there are evils beyond death. She then comes up to Gregor and hands him a paper with The Prophecy of Gray. Gregor is surprised because he’d inwardly hoped for this very thing. He asks aloud how she knew what he wanted. Nerissa has a special gift of psychic knowing. Gregor notices that Luxa has cut off all her hair for the quest. They begin the journey; Gregor and Boots ride with Vikus, and Solovet, Henry, Mareth and Luxa take to the air too. 

Vikus tells Gregor his wife is forming a plan of attack, and she’s going with them to see how much support they’re going to get from their allies. Gregor is shocked, all this time believing Vikus to be in charge. Vikus says: “I am but a humble diplomat who spends his spare time trying to teach prudence to the youth” (131). He tells Gregor that Luxa will ascend the throne when she turns 16, and until then, The Council is in charge of Regalia. 

Gregor and Vikus discuss the prophecy in some detail, and Vikus says that Sandwich could never see clearly if Gregor succeeded or not in the quest: “The possibility that Gregor might fail made the whole prophecy more plausible” (135). They arrive at the place of the bats to officially ask permission for the bats to accompany Gregor on their quest: “We humans know you to be the warrior, but other creatures may have doubts” (136). They meet The Bat Queen, Athena, who asks Gregor if he is the Warrior, he who calls. Gregor realizes she won’t send her bats along on the quest unless they truly believe he is the warrior, so he says “I am the warrior. I am he who calls” (137).