Percy the Overlander

Chapter 4

      Percy walked down the hallways with the three Gnawers. Flyfur introduced herself and her brother Sixclaw. Ripred led the way into an enormous room with a ceiling as high as a cathedral's. Large windows encircled the dome man-sized bats swooped in and out ,one landed at a long table positioned in the middle of the room where various species sat.

       He saw Mareth who greeted him with a smile when Percy sat down, then he saw him throw Ripred a warning glance. As he looked around he noticed another bat besides the one that landed, two other gnawers (or were they mice? he never could tell the difference), a four- foot tall cockroach, and a dog-sized spider that would make Annabeth jump out of her skin. 

        "Percy," Mareth smiled, " I introduce to you the members of the Council of Time. Temp the Crawler," he nodded towards the cockroach, " Nike the Flier," he nodded towards one of the bats, "Reflex the Spinner "( the spider ) " Heronian the Nibbler" ( apparently one of the other rodents was a mouse) " Lapblood the Gnawer" ( the other rat) and I am the representative of the humans. Then, last but certainly not least, Her Royal Highness, Luxa, Queen of Regalia." he look towards the head of the table, a girl about fifteen.

 " We welcome your presence, Overlander." She said with a smile that Percy was pretty sure was fake. "We all hope your life here is peaceful and prosperous, Mareth will give you a tour of our great city of Regalia."

    "Excuse me?" Percy asked, " but did you say 'life' here?"

     The young queen paused for a second and explained, " Yes... you see Percy Jackson, our founder Bartholomew of Sandwich..." 

Who names their kid that? Percy wondered,

 "... in the year of our Lord One-thousand, Six-hundred, and Sixteen..." 

Why does everyone here talk like that? Much easier to say "Sixteen, Sixteen".  

" ...by the native humans and later..."

I wonder what kind of eggs are these, they're not from a chicken, I think. 

" So you see why you must live out your days here ,yes?" She finished.

" You didn't understand a single word of that did you?" Ripred questioned,

        Percy thought for a moment, "Something About sandwiches right?" Everyone at the table laughed, except for Reflex  who just gave his (or her?) back legs a shake which Percy assumed was a laugh. Percy continued, " Anyway, I was really kinda hoping I could actually, you know, leave after I do my job. You see I was sent here becau-...what?"

       He suddenly noticed everyone had stopped laughing and was staring at him, mouths open. Mareth started to speak slowly, " Did you say that you were sent, Overlander?"

     "Yeah... I guess.."

      Ripred growled, " you mean to tell us that you came down here on purpose ?"

     " Is that bad?" Percy asked in an uncertain voice. Mareth replied also in an uncertain voice,

       " That... really depends Percy, who sent you? and why?"

       "Well, this man had a heart attack in my apartment building's laundry room. He told me to find his son who was in this land behind a grate. The kid's name is... Gregor... so.. seen him around?"

        No one said anything, but Ripred  and Mareth slowly turned their heads towards Luxa, everyone else eventually  did the same. When Luxa noticed that everyone was staring at her, she turned red. Really red. Her entire body turned a bright shade of pink.

     "No... Percy Jackson.. we have not... meeting dismissed." she stood up and walked quickly out of the hall. Everyone looked back at Percy,

      "Sorry, I er... "

      "Do not  blame yourself, Percy," Mareth tried to sound comforting but Percy could tell he was still in distant thought.  Then he momentarily snapped out of it to say, " Come, Duclet here will give you the Grand tour of the city."