"Go over it one more time please?" Maren said, rubbing her temples.

"The clay soldiers are called Sentinels." Trace explained. "They used to be the defenders of a city called Nemurnal, which used to be located on what we know as Mount Tanji. Roughly five hundred years ago, the city was leveled from within by these soldiers. No one knows how or why they did this, but historical documents talk about the screams, the ash, the fire, and the death, calling it the greatest tragedy of our time. They have been active ever since, roaming the world seemingly at random, though never have they moved in such large numbers. I have looked through my library a few times, and found that they have in fact been active ever since, with the most sightings near Keidran settlements for some reason. If these are the same soldiers as the ones from Mount Tanji, then it would be worth going and investigating, sooner rather than later." Karen, Keiren, and all the Basitins listened in a fugue state, still in shock from the ambush.

"OK, but that doesn't explain one thing." Madelyn said, sitting on the arm of a chair. "Why did these soldiers look so much like the ones you had here last autumn?"

"I'm not sure." Trace rubbed his chin. "It could be mere coincidence. I had though the same thing, but then again, we also know Barret and Haelith, and they look a bit like the stone guardians, though the shape is a bit off. I remember that I modeled my guardians after dragons, or at least had tried to. Whoever made these, they seem to be modeled after Ishtaer, but slightly larger."

"The one they remind me most of is Stoney." Flora said, holding Trace close. She, like everyone else, still wore her wedding outfit, though it was slightly disheveled from the fight. "They looked like they were hollow, but had armor plating on top of their outer shell, while Stoney was a single solid piece."

"Nora is the one who made Stoney, not me. Next time we talk, I'll ask her about it."

"They're hollow." Sythe said, scratching his chin. "I wonder why? Maybe they're just a protective shell for something? Or they might be intended to be used as a suit of armor?"

"I doubt that, but we'll find out soon enough. We're going to have to clean up out there." Trace frowned. "We just finished getting the last few holes in the greenhouse patched up too. At least we're not putting a shroud over anyone today."

They all sat in silence for a few minutes. There had been no talk of the wedding. Not a single word. Richard stared out the window, looking north. King Adelaide had sat down, her wounds thankfully were only surface deep. Keiren held Maeve close, who had been gently crying since they got inside, and hadn't left his side for over three hours. The Basitin soldiers hadn't come inside, but were sweeping the grounds, searching for any more soldiers that might have slipped past them. "How's Zen?" Karen asked. She had never been so down-trodden, so somber. Her usually cheerful demeanor was gone, even her bright orange and yellow dress seemed to be dull and pale.

"I'm not sure." Lynn was the one who answered. "Miss Kathrine Vaughan has been attending to his wounds since he was brought inside. General Keiser and young Master Natani have yet to leave their side."

"Madelyn, you are the fastest among us." King Adelaide said, sitting up straighter. "Please, go down to Edinmire and fetch one of the healers. That wolf fought valiantly today, and I will not see him fall." Madelyn nodded, and made for the door, running once she was clear of the group.

"We should go check on him." Trace said, pulling Flora up.

"If only Haelith was here." Maren said, sighing. "She'd patch him up in no time."

…

Kathrine pressed another cloth against the wound, tossing the old one aside. Natani picked it up, and took it over to Keith, who furiously scrubbed out the blood, before throwing it into the pile of cleaned cloths. They had been at this for hours, and the bleeding had barely slowed. "His fever is getting worse. Ice!" Kat said, putting her free hand on the summoning rune. A bowl of ice appeared in front of her, and she had Natani wrap it in a cloth. "Hold it here, that should help reduce the swelling."

"Is he going to make it?" Keith asked, not able to hide the worry in his voice.

"I don't know. That weapon was made of clay, and pieces of it broke off when he got attacked. There's thousands of flakes of clay in the wound, and they're all shifting around, cutting him back open. I can't get them out, they're too small and too numerous. All I can do is help keep it clean to prevent infection and keep the fever down. We need a surgeon." Kat could barely keep the tears back as she talked, reaching for a clean cloth, the one she had was already beginning to soak through.

"He's tough." Natani said. "He'll live. He has to. He has to live!" Tears poured down her face as she held the ice on his head. Her heart was breaking, her brother was bleeding, and there was nothing she could do about it. The only person left alive in her family, the only one who knew every secret, the only one who was willing to risk their soul for her, now lay before her, on death's door. "He has to live…"

Kathrine and Keith could say nothing. There were no words that would be able to bring comfort to her. Outside the room, Trace and Flora watched and listened in silence. For several long, agonizing minutes, they remained at the doorway, unsure if they should go in. Ultimately, Trace pushed Flora away from the door, leaving them in peace. They had no words of comfort either. For the entire afternoon and evening, they continued, moping up a never-ending amount of blood, as the color slowly drained from Zen's body. Tears fell heavily from Natani, and then Keith, and as dusk began to fall, even Kathrine began to lose hope. There was a light knock on the door, and Madelyn walked in. "In here!" she said, waving at someone.

"Oh my!" the Basitin doctor said, running over to Kathrine. "What happened?"

"We were attacked. He was stabbed by a clay pike, and a piece broke off in the wound." Kathrine explained, not moving the rags. "I've been trying to slow the bleeding, but he's running a high fever, and it's only getting worse."

"I will handle it from here. Go and rest, you will be of no help when you are exhausted yourself. Miss Adelaide, you will help me." the doctor said, pulling Kathrine away from Zen, and setting a giant bag down with a heavy thud. From inside, he pulled out a pair of glasses that he put on, as well as a dozen other implements, which he laid out beside him on the bed. "The wound is severe, and there are flecks of clay within the wound itself. You will assist me by moping the wound of blood where I tell you."

"I'm staying too. He's my-"

"No you are not." The doctor cut off Natani. "Go and rest. You have done enough, keeping him alive this long. But there is nothing more for you to do. I will work until he is healed, or he is dead. I have forty eight years of experience, but I cannot do anything while distracted. Now, leave. Go. Rest. Madelyn, we must begin."

Kathrine, Keith, and Natani left the room, but Natani did not go far, sitting down just beyond the doorway. Keith turned back, and went to join her. "He'll be alright. He'd made it this far. Now, it's up to him and the doctor to go the rest of the way."

"I know. But what if he doesn't make it?" her voice broke, heavy tears rolling down her face.

"Then we will carry on." Keith said, pulling her close. "We will carry on, because he would want us too." Natani cried, leaning heavily on him. As night fell, Natani fell into a dreamless sleep on Keith's lap. He didn't mind. He tried to sleep, but his ears picked out every little noise from inside the room. The slow breathing of the doctor and Madelyn. The gentle plink as a clay fragment was dropped onto a metal tray. But it was his own heartbeat that kept him up. He could still feel the adrenaline from the battle when he thought about it. His mind replayed the battle dozens of times in his mind. What if he had gone to help Zen? It would most likely be Natani that was overwhelmed, and they might not even be able to do anything about it, because maybe they would have taken her instead. What if he destroyed one, and then went to help him? No, he wouldn't have made it in time. What if, what if, what if? Every time, his mind went to the worst possible outcome, each worse than the last. Sighing, he leaned against the wall. He pushed the thoughts from his mind, and looked down. Maybe this was the best outcome. Maybe this was the only outcome. What's done is done. He couldn't change it, no matter how hard he tried. Even in her sleep, she sobbed, her heart broken. Keith put his arm over her, holding her close, and wishing that he could make it all better.