Ok y'all... possible spoiler, but it's technically not a spoiler... i mean....

also, if you hate me for this, i can't blame you.....

"Wait!" Jaidie hissed, turning on us. "We need you for backup, for plan B."

"And what is plan B? And plan A?" Fleck asked, confused.

"No time. Just wait for our signal." Jaidie said. i got it, the signal was the one she had used back in the shrubbery.

"Got it." We said. Meeker and i raced into the clearing, but Meeker had to drag Fleck, loyal to the end, with us. We slid into the bushes.

The fight was terrible. Jaidie's ragtag army fell one by one, Jaidie and her brother Andrew tied to the ground.

"Such bravery." Garten sneered. i looked at my friends, Meeker was tightly grasping Fleck's arm. There was a look of terror on Meeker's face. Fleck was fuming, he wore a glare and tightly clenched his teeth. he was trying to break free from Meeker.

He succeeded, sending Meeker flying intro the dirt.

"NO! FLECK REMEMBER PLAN B!" Meeker and i yelled. Too late. Fleck had grabbed a sword and was in the fight.

"C'mon Meeker!" i yelled. we darted into the war, myself grabbing my new knife.

I fought desperately, finding myself no match for my enormous opponent. i was pinned.

I looked around. Meeker was pinned. But Fleck wasn't. he was free, free and fighting. but not for long. Garten had soon tied him up as well, sword about a foot out of reach. Garten faced him, taunting.

"So so brave, young one. but you have failed." Garten sneered.

"STOP IT! LEAVE MY FRIEND ALONE!" i yelled.

"SILENCE!" Garten barked. I backed down, but watched Fleck's face.

He wasn't nervous. or at least not showing it.

"I took an oath, Garten, just this Friday. would you like to know of that oath?"

"I know the King's Arm oath." Garten laughed.

If Garten was trying to hurt Fleck with words, it wasn't working.

"No, you don't. MY ARM FOR THE CAUSE AND CROWN!" Fleck began. Garten's face turned red.

"MY ALL FOR THE CAUSE AND CROWN!"

"IF YOU DO NOT STOP, I WILL KILL THEM." Garten said, gaining control of his anger.

Fleck fell silent.

"Kill them!" Garten commanded. my heart sunk, all hope faded. i was going to die, i would never see Sarah or mother or father or Whit again. i glanced around. Jaidie and Andrew struggled to free themselves, the Jovesons were resourceful. Meeker was sitting still and crying quietly. Helmer was screaming "NNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" Wilfred was looking away, or trying too, and Kiowa was also trying to free himself.

"Wait!" Fleck said. he was the only one Garten wasn't going to kill.

"What?"

"Kill me instead of them." Fleck said. i gasped in horror.

"NO!" Helmer yelled.

"My pleasure." Garten said, cutting Fleck free and tying him to the ground,

"No Fleck!" I cried.

"Even if you kill me, we will still win." Fleck said defiantly. He didn't look scared at all.

"Nonsense."

"FLECK!" It was all i could say. tears choked my throat.

"It's what i have to do. If i must die for the cause, i will." Fleck said.

"NOOOOOOO!" Andrew and Jaidie yelled in unison.

"SILENCE!" Garten barked, "OR I'LL KILL YOU TOO."

"Fleck, your life means more than you think. you would give it up in a heartbeat to save another." Jaidie whispered, tears streaming from her eyes like she would lose a brother.

"What... do you mean?" He asked.

"Silence! there is no time for chatter!" Garten said.

"I want to know, Wrongtreader." Fleck spat the words. i started to worry for him.

This enraged Morbin. "YOU WILL SAY NO MORE." Morbin commanded.

"Who's to stop me?" Fleck jeered the great bird.

"SILENCE!" Morbin jolted forward, jabbing at Fleck with his scythe. Fleck dodged the blow, the blade sinking into his middle.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" i yelled. no no no. this wasn't happening. it was all a bad dream! how i wished....

"Kill them." Morbin ordered. My heart sank. This was the end. Fleck was dead. we were next.

heh. sorry. [also, can you find the potential spoiler?]

-Fleck Cove.