The Raynor's Raiders infantry led by Swann, the rest of the Swarm led by Zagara and Stukov, the Aiur Protoss led by Artanis, and the Purifiers succeeded in escorting the people when one of them said, "At last! Helm's Deep."

"There it is, Helm's Deep."

"We're safe!"

"We're safe, my lady," a young woman said to Eowyn.

"Thank you."

"So, this is Helm's Deep we've been hearing about," said Talandar as a fortress was in sight.

"This castle looks formidable, therefore it is the right place to seek shelter during a war," said Karax

"I see, Theoden decided to take the fight to this place," said Artanis.

The gates were opened as the people from Edoras entered joining the other refugees. The refugees who arrived to the fortress earlier were horrified to see the zerg and the infested terrans causing the guards to ready their weapons. The people of Edoras who got to know the zerg reassured the other refugees telling them that they were fighting on their side.

The refugees who were in the fortress earlier were staring at the Protoss and Raynor's Raiders infantry. The people of Edoras brought word to the other refugees that the creatures and strange men were allies.

Stetmann smiled watching the two young children reunited with their mother.

"Mama!" the little girl cried.

"Eothain! Freda!" their mother hugged them.

"Where is the rest?" Eowyn asked.

"This is all we could save, my lady," an old man replied.

"Take it to the caves."

"Make way for the king. Make way for Theoden. Make way for the king," she heard a captain shouting and rushed over to them. Swann, Stetmann, Artanis, Karax, Talandar, Zagara, and Stukov followed.

"So few. So few of you have returned," she said.

"Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives," said her uncle.

"I take it that the riders of Rohan took casualties," Swann noticed that all of the vulture bikes and hellions had survived.

"Those nasty riders aren't so tough," said Alarak as he lost none of the Tal'darim to the warg riders.

"That is one battle where we did not lose any minions," Zagara noticed that the hydralisks and roaches had survived.

"We collected no essence," Dehaka spoke in disappointment even though he did not lose any of his pack to the warg riders.

"Where's Aragorn?" Artanis asked.

"Killed in action," Jim replied. Eowyn, Swann, Stetmann, Zagara, Stukov, Artanis, Karax, and Talandar were saddened to hear the answer. "Get the medics to treat the wounded," he ordered.

"Now we have to defend this place," said Kerrigan.

"How?" Karax asked.

"Draw all our forces behind the wall. Bar the gate. And set a watch on the surround," Theoden ordered his men.

"What of those who cannot fight, my lord? The women and children?"

"Get them into the caves. Saruman's arm will have grown long indeed if he thinks he can reach us here."

"Helm's Deep has one weakness. Its outer wall is solid rock but for a small culvert at its base which is little more than a drain," Wormtongue informed Saruman who was pouring black powder into a huge spiked ball. "How? How can fire undo stone? What kind of device could bring down the wall?"

Saruman grabbed Wormtongue's wrist so that the flaming point of the candle would not touch the hugged spiked ball and began walking to the balcony, "If the wall is breached, Helm's Deep will fall."

"Even if it is breached, it would take a number beyond reckoning thousands, to storm the Keep."

"Hundreds of thousands."

"But, my lord, there is no such force."

There was a horn and Isengard was crowded with Uruk-hai infantry that let out war chants. Saruman quieted them with a gesture and began his speech, "A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand." The Uruks cheered and the treacherous wizard continued his speech after quieting them down, "This night the land will be stained with the blood of Rohan! March to Helm's Deep! Leave none alive! To war!" There was a tear in Wormtongue's eye and Saruman muttered, "There will be no dawn for Men. My army of 100,000 Uruk-hai will overwhelm James Raynor and his allies." The Uruk-hai army began their move.

After Elrond sent his daughter to the Grey Havens, he was approached by Galadriel. She gave a speech, "The power of the enemy is growing. Sauron will use his puppet Saruman to destroy the people of Rohan. Isengard has been unleashed. The Eye of Sauron now turns to Gondor, the last free kingdom of Men. His war on this country will come swiftly. The Dark God Amon of the void is backing him. He senses the Ring is close. The strength of the Ringbearer is failing. In his heart, Frodo begins to understand. The quest will claim his life. You know this; you have foreseen it. It is the risk we all took. In the gathering dark, the will of the Ring grows strong. It works hard now to find its way back into the hands of men. Men who are so easily seduced by its power. The young captain of Gondor has but to extend his hand take the Ring for his own and the world will fall. It is close now, so close to achieving its goal. For Sauron will have dominion over all life on this Earth and the galaxy, even unto the ending of the world and universe. The time of the Elves is over. Do we leave Middle-earth to its fate? Do we let them stand alone?"

Frodo, Sam, Tosh, and Vorazun were dragged by hooded men to their hideout. The spectre and the Dark Templar eavesdropped on a conversation.

"What news?" the leader of the hooded men asked.

"Our scouts report Saruman has attacked Rohan. Theoden's people have fled to Helm's Deep. But we must look to our own borders. Faramir, Orcs are on the move. Sauron is marshaling an army. Creatures that are not of this world are bred. Easterlings and Southrons are passing through the Black Gate."

"How many?"

"Some thousands. More come every day."

"Who's covering the river to the north?"

"We pulled 500 men at Osgiliath. If their city is attacked, we won't hold it."

"Saruman attacks from Isengard. Sauron from Mordor. The fight will come to Men on both fronts. Gondor is weak. Sauron will strike us soon. And he will strike hard. He knows now we do not have the strength to repel him."