A/N: Here we go again. School starts back on the 23rd, so I probably won't be updating a lot, but I will definately work on my stories during the weekends. School, to me, is more important than fanfiction (sorry, but that's the truth). One day I hope to be a surgeon and knowledge is the key to success! I had to write in Derrick's POV again so you can officially understand what's going on. But for now, the battle begins! P.S. I think this story is going to, regretfully, end soon. Enjoy! Also, I listened to Two Steps From Hell while writing this chapter. Talk about getting motivated! I really recommend Two Steps From Hell! Their music is absolutely EPIC!

*Three Days Later*

(Derrick)

I was placed in the infiltration group and our job was to destroy most of the town around Castle Redmont. The torches weren't lit yet, but they soon would be. Will my plan work? I had thought for a few days on what I could do to stop this, then realized I couldn't. However, there was one thing I could do, but I knew I would be put in the line of fire. We walked toward Redmont Fief in the darkness of the night with only the moon lighting out path through the canopy of the trees. I walked as quietly as I could while praying there would be no casualties. We finally made it to our destination, in the woods just outside of the town. From there, we split into smaller groups, twelve groups with four people in each group. I held an unlit torch in my hand and followed the three people I was with around the tree-line. I looked at my territory, my home and tried to imagine the terror the citizens were about to face. I knew I couldn't save everyone, but I was going to save as much as I could. A series of whistles pierced the air; that was when the chaos began. People screamed in the distance and the sky turned a pale red from the fires. The infiltration team had placed members inside the town just two days before and now my hometown was being attacked from the inside. While everyone was focused on the fires, we climbed the walls with ladders and infiltrated our target within a few minutes. After lighting my torch, I looked around to see fires were raging, screams pierced the air, and people attempted to flee the chaos. Luckily, I was able to slip away unnoticed by anyone, simply because they were too focused on the task. I ran as fast as I could to the castle, telling people along the way to gather around the castle and to spread the word. My torch was lit and most people stayed away from me, not knowing my intentions. Before I knew it, I was slashed with a knife. I whirled around, looking for my attacker. Somehow, my attacker managed to slip behind me and slash my back. I grabbed a knife I had in the scabbard and turned to face another attack. When I saw nobody was there, I was confused. Then, I followed my instincts and turned around just in time to block the strike that was aimed for my neck.

"Derrick?" The attacker asked, suprised.

In a way, I was suprised too. "Gilan. Look, I don't have a lot of time. You have to take me to King Duncan, I have important information to tell him."

"You're on their side, Derrick?" He asked, angry.

"No, I'm still on your side. Please, Gilan, I have to get to King Duncan right now, before somebody catches me talking to you." I stated.

Gilan shook his head, "I don't know where your loyalties lie anymore, Derrick. I'm sorry, but I can't take you to the king. The best thing you can do is get out of here."

"Gilan please! Look, I'll explain everything once King Duncan can hear me. I'm not a traitor, I'm still loyal to Araluen, you just have to trust me on that." I could see I wasn't really convincing him, "Please! Look, I know you don't trust me at all right now and you have every right not to, but if I don't see King Duncan right now, a lot more people are going to die!"

He looked at me and I could tell he was torn between trusting me or protecting the fief. "Alright, I'll take you there, but if you make one wrong move, I won't hesitate to kill you."

I nodded and followed Gilan as he broke off into a run toward the castle.

(Alyss)

I was with Sarah when the attack first started and we quickly took cover in the castle. King Duncan had sent out the knights to help his people and was preparing for battle himself along with Baron Arald. Everything in the castle was chaotic, until the doors opened revealing Gilan and a person I thought I wouldn't see in a long time. "Derrick?" I stared unbelievingly at my son. His face was serious and the first thing I noticed were the cuts and bruises that covered his face, neck, and arms. He looked over at me, a worried expression on his face.

"King Duncan, I don't have a lot of time here, so listen to every word I say and don't make me repeat myself." He stated and King Duncan nodded in agreement, then motioned for him to continue. "This attack in only the beginning; the real battle is in two days. They plan on using hostages as human shields on the frontlines."

The king interrupted, "Who are the hostages?"

"The Rangers and the children taken from the fief." Derrick replied.

I heard Sarah gasp in fear and sadness, "Melody is one of the hostages." She said and I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. Then, I turned my attention back to my son.

Derrick continued, "They're going to attack head on, but I don't know the exact time. I need you to take me as a hostage, so I can be on your side when they attack."

"What about the hostages?" Baron Arald asked. "They'll just use them as shields."

"That's why we attack from behind. The way that army works, if the leader dies, his followers become confused. They have to have his orders. With him dead, hopefully, they'll just surrender." Derrick reported.

A knight challenged him, "How are you not one of his followers?"

"I was, at first. They injected me with something that made me loose my memory, but I managed to get mine back. I've been trying to find out as much as I can, but I'm not one of the top ranking officials. In that army, I'm just a warrior and infiltrator." He turned to look at the king, "They don't operate like the Rangers. They're strong because they have no emotions; they act on instinct and training alone. They don't protect each other, they won't even help you if you're wounded or nearly dying. That's the main difference between them and the Rangers; they don't trust anyone."

"How do we know we can trust you?" A knight asked.

Derrick looked at him, "You don't know, but I'm here to tell you that you can. I'm not an enemy, why do you think I've risked my life telling you all this information? Why do you think I trained to learn their way of fighting?"

"Why didn't you try to rescue the hostages?" The knight asked.

My son shook his head, "It would be impossible. There are too many hostages to get out at once. If one went missing, all of them would die."

"You probably didn't even try!" The knight yelled.

King Duncan interrupted them, "That's enough! I'll have to think about this. Until then, Derrick, you're going to be a hostage to make sure you don't go back to the enemy's side."

"I understand." Derrick and nodded his head respectfully.

Then, King Duncan started giving some of the knights orders as to what to do about the current situation. Sarah and I walked over to Derrick, but Sarah got to him first. "Derrick, how's Melody? Is she safe? Have they hurt her?"

"She's fine. I kept check on all of them." Derrick replied.

Sarah's voice cracked in sadness. "Will I get to see her again?"

"I promised her I would get her out and I'm not going to break that promise. I'll go through hell to make sure she comes home safe." Derrick smiled at her reassuringly then faced me.

I hugged him before he could say anything, then I pulled away and put my hand on a cut above his eye. "What happened to you?"

"A lot has happened, but I'm fine." He stated. "I'm sorry, but I have to talk to Gilan."

(Gilan)

When I saw Derrick, I knew he had been through hell. The first words out of his mouth were, "I'm sorry."

His words confused me, "For what?"

He sighed, "Look at the trouble I've got into. Look at all the people that are dying simply because I didn't think of a plan to get here sooner. If only I'd-"

I cut him off in midsentence, "Derrick, it's not your fault. If you came to us earlier, they may have found out you betrayed them. They would kill you on the spot."

"Better one life then dozens." Derrick stated.

The way he said it made my heart grow cold in fear, "What do you mean?" He turned his head, but I placed my hand on his shoulder, "Derrick, what else are you planning to do?"

He smiled, "Please, don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

"Derrick Treaty don't you dare tell me to not worry about it. You're like a son to me and I know you better than this. You're planning to do something reckless, aren't you?" I guessed.

His eyes became serious, "I have my own plan, but I have to do it on my own. I'm right in the middle of this war and I'm the only one who can end it."

I started shaking my head, "No, don't you dare."

"I know it's reckless, but I'm the only one who can do this." He stated.

"Have you even thought this through?"

Derrick nodded, "Like I said, I have a plan. When the leader dies, the battle will be over."

I shook my head again, "You'll be slaughtered."

"Araluen won't let that man take over. If I fail, he'll have the rest of Araluen to deal with. I'm sorry, Gilan, but if I die, I want to die knowing I done my best to protect everyone. I wanted to be a Ranger, I still do, so please let me be the person I want to be. If I die, let me die knowing this war will not last. I promise I'll do my best to make it back, but if I don't, I want you to do me a favor." He looked at me for a minute, as if he was saying his final words.

"What?" I asked.

He sighed, "Tell the ones close to me that I done this to protect them, so they wouldn't have to go through what I did. Tell mother, father, and..." He paused for a moment, "And Melody that I love them. Please, Gilan."

I shook my head, "No."

Derrick looked sad, betrayed, and angry. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"You make it back here and tell them yourself after the battle." I stated.

"But what if I don't come back?" The boy asked.

I sighed, "Derrick. I'm only going to say this one more time: make it back here and tell them yourself after the battle. I'm not going to give them your final words, I refuse. Either you do it or nobody does." I knew it sounded awful of me, like I was betraying him, but I also knew his loved ones were the only way he could survive this: the only way he would even try to come back. "If you loose, we're all dead."

Derrick clenched his hand into a fist, the relaxed. "I won't loose. If I die, it will be after I kill him."

I smiled, "Now you're starting to sound like the Derrick Treaty I know. You're starting to sound like your father."

"They do say 'like father, like son'." Derrick replied, breaking the serious tone in our conversation. "Thanks for everything, Gilan."

I nodded, "You're welcome, even though I haven't done much. Just be careful and try to come back in one piece, kid."

"I will." He stated and left the room.

*Hours Later*

(Will)

Some guards stepped into the room and grabbed me by the arms, dragging me into an empty room. I stood there, struggling to not avail. A man came in with a syringe, "You're kingdom has caused me many problems. Now, they have one of my men hostage and they're going to pay. Your mission is to kill as many people of Redmont Fief as you can."

"What makes you think I'll accept?" I asked stubbornly.

The man smiled, "I have my ways." A second later, the syringe was buried in my skin and my veins felt like they were on fire. That was the last thing I remembered before loosing consciousness.

*Two Days Later

(Horace)

I was on the frontlines with other knights, ready for the upcoming battle. In the distance, I saw hundreds of figures appear. This is it... This is what we have been preparing for... This is war. I noticed a man, the enemy, appear out of his frontlines. This man must be the leader. He yelled for some of his men to step forward and nearly fifty did. My heart fell into my stomach when I realized who we were facing. In front of us stood the Rangers and they seemed to be ready to fight and kill us.