"Mom, Dad, Anders? Is that you? Hi! I thought you had died from the spidrens!"
"Oh honey, we're safe here. Come, come here!" called her mother.
"Mom, I cant!"
"Honey, honey, save us!"
"Kel, Kel, wake up" called Thom. Kel was stuck between her dreams and reality. Reality won and she was awake.
"Keladry, this is my house. You will be staying her until you recover. You've been in a coma for 3 days. Your temperature has been very high. This all happened because of your grieves," said Alanna.
This brought back memories of her dreams. She could hear her parents calling her, begging her to save them. It was terrible. Kel felt herself being pulled back into her dream world, and felt Thom grab her hand and scream her name. Then her dreams returned.
Kel was sitting in the library of Fief Mindelan, reading a book. Suddenly, shouts were heard, and a few warning bells. Kel jumped up and grabbed her sword from the armory. Then she ran outside to see what the ruckus was.
When she got out there, she almost screamed. There were spidrens and centaurs outside, and were attacking the guards and citizens of the fief.
Kel saw her mother running out of the castle behind her. She looked worried. "Kel, I want you to go back into the castle and take cover. The guards can take care of this," her mom said.
"But Mother, they need my help!" Kel protested. Why couldn't she fight?
"Kel, I order you to go inside and take cover!" demanded her mother.
"No! They need my help! They can't do it without me!"
"Keladry, GET IN THE CASTLE!" her mother shouted.
Kel took a step back, surprised. She couldn't recall a time when her mother had spoken to her in that tone. She quickly turned around and ran back into the castle.
There she stayed for a quarter of an hour, watching worriedly out of a window. Then Kel heard her oldest brother, Anders, cry out.
He needs help! Kel thought, I'd better go help him!
With that Kel grabbed her sword and ran out to help her brother.
When Kel got outside, she saw that her brother was fighting four spidrens. He was not doing well against them. Kel jumped into the battle with a fierce war cry.
A few minutes later the four spidrens were dead. Anders was sitting on a rock, taking a quick drink from his water flask. Then he started walking towards the castle. Kel was picking spidren web off her boot, where it was dissolving because the spidren who'd shot it was dead. Kel was just standing up when an arrow whistled past her face. She looked around wildly for the shooter. It could only be centaurs, she thought. Kel heard a rustle in the bushes and a second later an arrow plunged into her shoulder. She cried out.
Her older cousin, Seth, heard her cry. Seth was twenty-nine and the Shang Griffin. He was a very good fighter.
Seth rushed to the aid of his cousin. She appeared to be hit. He charged in with an animal-like roar. He stopped abruptly, listening. Seth heard a slight rustling in the bushes about twenty yards to the left, so he ran with amazing speed, heading for the sound.
Kel heard some more rustling, grunts, and then finally something heavy falling down.
Seth walked out of the bushes, wiping blood off his hands. He looked calm yet slightly worried. He scanned the area for more creatures and saw Kel bending over, breathing heavily. He rushed over to her when he noticed a deep shoulder wound that was bleeding freely.
"Kel, are you all right?"
"Yes I'm fine. It's just a little cut, but I'm fine."
"Well you better clean your little cut. It is rather fatal looking."
As if on cue, Kel fainted. Seth laid her on the ground and bandaged her wound. When he was nearly finished, Kel woke up.
"Okay, I'm gonna try to carry you back to the castle. Don't move too much," Seth said.
Kel obeyed, and was picked up by strong arms.
Seth heard a strange sound in the bushes to his left, up about twenty yards.
Kel was lying in a bed, mumbling words that Thom couldn't understand. He was so worried for his friend and, though she didn't know it, love. Thom had stayed up all night, holding her hand and putting cool cloths on her head.
Suddenly Kel shrieked, and opened her eyes. She sat up, looking around her wildly. Then she yelled out something about her cousin, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. Thom could oly understand part of it.
"Seth, no…bushes…leave me…"
Then Kel fell back onto the bed, her eyes closing once again, putting Kel back into her fitful dream world again. Thom paced the room worriedly. He had never seen Kel like this before. Then Thom sat down and held her hand.
Kel cringed and started to weep know what was coming next.
Seth didn't even have time to react—Kel was in his arms. Sure enough, just a few seconds later, six centaurs bounded out of the bushes, which were now about five yards in front of them. Two of them carried swords, (AN: I don't know what weapons centaurs use so bear with me here) one of them carried a longbow, and the other three held spears. Seth stumbled over to a tree, resting Kel up against it. Then he positioned himself between Kel and the centaurs, who were advancing on them. Seth got in battle stance, ready to defend himself.
The centaur with a sword engaged in battle wit Seth. After a few seconds of fighting, Seth disarmed the centaur, grabbed its sword, and ran it through. He looked at Kel to make sure she was safe when two of the centaurs carrying spears charged at him. They battled for a few minutes when he noticed he was getting further and further away from Kel. He quietly retreated and ran to his cousin.
When Seth reached Kel, he saw she was in trouble. Two of the centaurs with spears were getting ready to kill her. Seth snapped the spear in half and delivered a blow to the head to its owner. He engaged in battle with the second centaur, not noticing the centaur with a bow was stringing it, getting ready to shoot. Seth continued to try to disarm the centaur without much luck.
Soon the spear was in Seth's hands, and the centaur was lying on the ground in a bloody heap. Seth yelled out for help from any other warrior that was nearby that could help them. By now Seth was sweating and breathing heavily.
The centaur with the bow had finished stringing it and had it aimed at Kel. Seth saw that Kel was in danger and stepped in front of Kel right as the arrow was shot. It hit Seth in the heart and he died instantly.
"Seth, noooooo!!" Kel screamed.
A soldier then came and killed the remaining centaur with one swift stroke. The soldier grabbed her and took her to safety before removing his helmet. It was Neal! But how could it be? Neal is dead, Kel thought.
"Seth, Neal, nooo! No, no, no!" Kel screamed as she woke up.
"Shhh, it's alright," Thom soothed.
"They died, they both died to save me." Kel said as she ran out of the room.
Alanna, who had been standing quietly until that point ran after her.