Underland Chronicles: 2 - The Reaper's Gate (A Gregor the Overlander FanFic)

Chapter 20

~ PANDORA

As Pandora entered the war room, she quickly became very confused.

"Pan? I thought you were staying the in fliers' lands," she said. The little bat stood next to Aurora. Luxa sat at the table.

"I could either stay there and be safe or go with you and be of some help. I'd rather do the latter," Pan answered.

Pandora sighed and didn't argue. "So, who else is going?" She asked Luxa.

"It is a very small group," she said. "Just you and Pan, me and Aurora, and two scouts. We will meet them later on. I didn't want to give them very many details."

"Good thinking. Any idea on where we're looking for the queen?"

"I thought you may know."

"I... I..." Pandora started to shake her head, but then her gaze fell on the map of the Underland that was painted on the wall. She could tell where some of the map had been repainted, when she had taken it upon herself to write over it. "Call me crazy," she began, "but I'm getting the weirdest feeling that we should be heading to the Dead Lands. I feel... pushed almost. Do you feel it?"

Pandora turned around to look at Luxa. She could tell from the expression on her face that Luxa did not feel whatever it was Pandora was feeling. The queen looked somewhere in between concentrating and trying to convince herself to believe her. "No. But it's as good a lead as any. Do either of you have any objections?"

She opened the floor for input from the fliers. Pan shook his head.

"I have none," Aurora answered.

"It's settled then," Luxa said as she got up from the table. "Prepare as quickly as you can. Eat some food. Bring only what you can carry. We are leaving soon."

Pandora nodded in agreement, and then followed the queen and her bond as she exited the war room. Walking a few paces down the hall, Pandora stopped and turned to Pan, who was right behind her. "Want to come with me somewhere before we have to leave?" She asked him.

"Sure," the bat said. "Where?"

"Well, I need some supplies and I know a pretty decent spot where we might score a couple flashlights," Pandora said with a small smile.

"The Overland museum?" Pan asked, a bit of excitement entering his voice. Pandora was happy her friend was able to remain so true to himself, even after such devastating news.

Pandora nodded. "Hopefully it'll be a little less crowded down in that part of the palace, too."

The duo went down a few flights of stairs, and although the floor was just as crowded as the others, Pandora was pleasantly surprised that everyone steered clear of the little supply room where the Underlanders put everything that had fallen from the Overland.

"Wow," Pan said in awe as he scampered inside. "Look at all this stuff!"

"I'm glad to see they're still trying to keep it organized," Pandora said as she glanced around. "I've spent a lot of time in this room. It helped me think. It was a good... distraction. Oh, a few new pieces."

Pandora laughed as she picked up a lamp one of the Underlanders had placed on the floor. She could tell they had great difficulty wrapping up the cord. At least they had tried. Pandora re-wrapped the cord and placed it on a shelf.