Here is one very short chapter, sorry about that. Thankyou to TheGirlScholar and Erytha for reviewing.

This chapter is dedicated to TheGirlScholar. :o)

Arrows soared overhead, hitting everything. Grabbing her armor and glaive, Kel ran to see what was going on. Scanrans were attacking on all sides of the castle. Huge metal monsters climbed over the wall; each had Blayce as a face. Picking up her spyglass, she found Merric. He was fighting three men on horseback. Cutting one down, he turned to face the other only to be stabbed right through his chest.

"Oh bloody hell, these stupid dreams!" Kel screamed.

"My lady!" Tobe looked impressed.

Turning to stare at him, "Oh Tobe, I'm sorry, I shouldn't really talk like that."

"It's ok, but why were you screaming for Sir Merric?" he asked with what looked like a rather evil grin.

"Excuse me?"

"Sir Merric, Lady. You seemed awfully upset, something about him not leaving you?"

She stared at the ceiling angrily. "I don't know, Tobe, I honestly don't."

Suddenly loud thumping sounded at the door. Quickly pulling on some breeches, she opened it and four soldiers brought in a stretcher with a man on it.

"Tobe, fetch the healer," she whispered.

"I'm here," a short wheezing man at the door gasped.

This was Lukas who had been sent to replace Neal.

Kel looked down at the paling Merric. He had a huge gash down the side of his arm and one across his chest.

"Help me get his armor off," said Lukas. "Quickly, he's already lost too much blood."

Three of the men who had carried the stretcher went and helped him, the fourth turned to Kel.

"We were attacked by a small band of raiders. We finished them off easily. However, one of the raiders got a few lucky shots at Sir Merric when he was shouting orders," he sighed.

Kel had to think rationally. "He'll be fine," she told herself.

"Are any of the other soldiers hurt?" she asked.

"Not as bad as Sir Merric, we can wait."

"Send Sergeant Jacut here, Tobe." Kel was pacing.

Tobe ran off and a few minutes later Jacut came in.

"Sergeant, I need you to take a squad out and check all the forests around here. I want to make sure there are no more raiders hiding, waiting for a chance to attack. In fact, you had better take two, just in case," she said, watching him run out the door.

Saefas came in the door. "Anything you would like us to do, Lady?" he asked.

"Yes, post people around the wall with bows and arrows, I'll be there soon."

Finally she was able to turn to Lukas.

"He'll be ok won't he?" Worry was etched all over her face.

Sighing, Lukas looked up at her. "He lost a lot of blood, but he should be up in a few days. I think it would be best if we didn't move him."

Kel sighed with relief.

"That's fine," she replied, "He can stay here till he's better."

Putting on her armor, she grabbed the glaive and went out to the wall. Jacut and his men were coming through the gates.

"No one out there," he called. "Just a lone bunch of raiders."

Kel frowned. That was weird. Totall was winning the war now that Blayce had been killed, why would a few enemy raiders try their luck on New Hope? It just didn't seem right.

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