Opening
In the aftermath of the quest, Gregor faces a choice that defines who he is: warrior or peacemaker. He saves a condemned friend in front of the entire Underland, reunites with his dad, and finally returns home—just as a new prophecy hints he’ll be called back.
What Happens
Chapter 26: The Warrior's Choice
In the Regalian hospital, Gregor debriefs Solovet, recounting the spider attack, Tick’s death, the discovery of his father, and Henry’s betrayal. He visits Boots (Margaret), who is recovering from “damp fever,” then checks on his sleeping father, whose color and breathing look stronger. Solovet tells him the ordeal will change his father, but she believes he will mend. In the corridors, Mareth beams: the quest fulfills the prophecy. With King Gorger dead, the rats fall into disarray and the humans push them back—“light” returns to the Underland.
After a long sleep, Gregor wakes to Luxa dragging him through the palace: Ares is on trial and faces banishment. They burst into a stone arena where the council, led by Vikus, debates Ares’s fate. He’s accused of treason for Henry’s plot—or, failing that, the unforgivable crime of breaking his bond. Gregor and Luxa insist Ares knew nothing. The crowd splits, anger rising. “Who among us could ever trust him again?” someone cries.
Gregor answers. “I could! I trust him with my life!” The arena falls silent. Knowing what it will cost and what it will save, he walks to the despairing bat, takes his claw, and begins the ancient pledge. With Luxa whispering the forgotten words, Gregor formally bonds to Ares. The council and spectators stare, stunned; the condemned becomes the warrior’s partner.
Chapter 27: We’re Home
Gregor’s unprecedented bond ends the trial; as Vikus points out, no law exists to banish a bat tied to the very warrior who just saved Regalia. Free of the immediate danger, Gregor races to the hospital and finds his father awake, laughing as Boots tries to feed him cookies. Their reunion is joyous and raw. His father explains how, two and a half years earlier, he was sucked down an air duct in their laundry room. Captive among rats, he survives by promising advanced weapons, all while sabotaging his own designs.
Later, Gregor meets Vikus, who quietly confirms the war is receding. Ripred works to gather rats who want peace. As a reward, Vikus presents the jewel-studded sword of Bartholomew of Sandwich. Gregor refuses. He says he doesn’t want to be a warrior after so much death; he wants to be like Vikus, a diplomat seeking peace. Vikus smiles and tells him the greatest gift he can claim is hope, then says it’s time to go home.
At the dock, goodbyes ripple across the gathered Underlanders. As they mount Ares, Luxa mentions “The Prophecy of Bane,” the next in Sandwich’s line. Gregor panics, asks if he’s in it. Vikus evades and urges them onto Ares’s back. As they lift off, Gregor thinks he hears Vikus call, “See you soon!” Ares carries them over the dark sea and up a stone cone into a concrete tunnel. A slab shifts, and they rise into Central Park. A cab takes Gregor, Boots, and their father to their apartment, where their mother sits alone in the kitchen. Gregor steps into the light. “Hey, Mom. We’re home.”
Character Development
Gregor rejects a bloody destiny and writes his own code. He acts decisively to save Ares, then refuses the ceremonial sword, choosing peace over glory.
- Gregor: Bonds publicly with Ares, risking reputation and safety; rejects the warrior’s trappings in a clear Coming of Age moment; chooses hope over the protective “rule” of avoiding disappointment; centers family above prophecy.
- Gregor’s Dad: Shifts from victim to survivor; reveals ingenuity in sabotaging rat weapons; anchors the book’s emotional resolution through reunion and recovery.
- Vikus: Emerges as true mentor; affirms diplomacy as strength; withholds details about the next prophecy, positioning himself as guide and gatekeeper.
- Ares: Rescued from disgrace; regains status and purpose through the bond; becomes the warrior’s equal partner rather than Henry’s abandoned mount.
Themes & Symbols
Betrayal and loyalty collide, and loyalty wins. Henry’s treachery almost destroys Ares, but Gregor’s public declaration—sealed by the bond—redefines trust for the entire arena. The moment reframes power: not force, but fidelity. Gregor’s refusal of the sword crystallizes his Coming of Age: he resists the identity others impose and chooses his own, pushing back against Prophecy and Destiny by valuing peace, relationship, and home.
The sword of Sandwich gleams as a symbol of sanctioned violence and expectation. By turning it down, Gregor rejects the path of perpetual War and Conflict and embraces diplomacy. Luxa’s casual mention of “The Prophecy of Bane” works as a narrative beacon, signaling unfinished business and ensuring the Underland remains bound to Gregor’s future.
Key Quotes
“Who among us could ever trust him again?”
This cry voices the crowd’s fear and desire for certainty. It frames trust as a communal verdict—until Gregor intervenes and makes it a personal vow.
“I could! I trust him with my life!”
Gregor’s line turns the trial into a testimony. It’s both defense and pledge, collapsing debate into action as he initiates the bond and redefines what the prophecy’s “warrior” means.
“See you soon!”
Whether invitation or warning, Vikus’s parting words foreshadow Gregor’s return. They also reveal Vikus’s gentle orchestration—guiding Gregor without forcing his hand.
“Hey, Mom. We’re home.”
The final line grounds an epic in a kitchen. It restores the story’s emotional center—family—after tunnels, battles, and prophecies, and it makes the extraordinary feel human.
Why This Matters and Section Significance
These chapters close the immediate quest and open the larger saga. The family’s reunion fulfills the core arc of Family Responsibility and Sacrifice, while Gregor’s bond with Ares forges a vital alliance for what comes next. By rejecting the sword, he reframes heroism around empathy and negotiation, even as “The Prophecy of Bane” promises that destiny—and the Underland—will call again.