Phoenix flew down the stairs of the inn, Roman and Noelle on her tail. She ignored their calls of confusion as she headed for the door, cursing herself under her breath.

"I knew it. I knew I sensed him. I thought - I can't believe I'm such an idiot!" 

She'd sensed something last night - something that almost felt like Maverick's signature. She'd convinced herself she was wrong, because it felt just different enough to make her second guess. With Roman and Noelle gone on errands, she'd figured it was whoever Altair had warned her about trying to draw her out of safety.

"Altair!" she shouted as soon as she hit the street. "This is all your fault!"

She didn't earn a reply, not that she expected to. With only the slightest hint of guilt, Phoenix took off running toward the mountains. They were just beyond the city, stretching into the sky, grey and ominous in the early morning light.

Noelle will be fine. She's with Roman. She'll understand. 

They didn't catch up to her until she exited the city limits. Their calls didn't slow her down as much as her own frustration. Whatever she'd sensed the night before had disappeared, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find it again. Her necklace, which had escaped when she ran, slowed its flopping as it rested against her shirt.

"What the hells is going on?" Roman asked as he caught up to her, Noelle riding piggyback with a glower fixed on her face. With Phoenix stopped, Noelle let go of Roman, dropping to the ground.

"You left us!"

"I had it. I had it and now it's gone." Phoenix dug her fingers into her hair, fighting back tears. "He was right there, and I lost him."

"Who are you talking about?" Roman asked, his brows nearly vertical in his anger and confusion. 

Phoenix ignored him, closing her eyes as she tried to pick up even the faintest hint of Maverick's signature. "He had to come this way."

"Who?" Roman's shout echoed down the road. Noelle glanced around, wringing her hands as though she thought someone might hear him.

"My brother!" Phoenix stared up at the Tranchet mountains, arching high into the sky above them, the road leading right into the pass. Just a few more steps  and she'd be on her way to the Militia - just like she and Maverick had always planned. Now, he was somewhere in there, and she couldn't seem to reach him.

"Ares?" Roman's question hung in the air as Phoenix moved forward. 

The other two followed, still calling out to her as she jogged ahead. The moment she passed the base of the first mountain, she sensed it.

"There it is! Can you feel it?"

Noelle spun around, staring up at the mountains. "They're so big. I don't know why I thought they'd get smaller when we actually were in them."

Roman marched over to Phoenix, grabbing her by the shoulders and giving her a little shake. "Hey! Phoenix! Ares is here? What's going on? Are we finding the Militia or your brother?"

"Both," Phoenix said, not sure if she meant both brothers or both the Militia and Maverick. "I have to find him." She started forward again. "We need to hurry, it's fading." 

"That's great, but how can you be so sure he's out here?"

"He saw Noelle! They spoke - it had to be him. I thought I sensed him, but-"

"Noelle spoke to Ares?" Roman rounded on Noelle, who frowned and shrugged. "How did you know it was him? I thought he's been missing since you were a baby."

"I'm losing it! Come on!" Phoenix sped up, but Roman grabbed her by the arm.

"Phoenix, stop running and answer my questions. How did you know it was Ares if he's been missing." 

"Not Ares, Maverick." Phoenix jerked her arm away, her necklace bouncing up and down as she pointed further down the Pass. "If we don't go now, I'll lose him again."

"Maverick?" Roman repeated. "I thought your brother's name was Ares?" 

"We have to go!" As Phoenix turned once again, Roman reached out to snatch her shirt. His fingers caught hold of both her sleeveless tunic and her necklace. When she pulled back, the silver chain snapped.

With a gasp, Phoenix's hand shot up and she caught the chain and its charm, but the damage was done. The force of her signature knocked both Roman and Noelle down to the ground, flat on their backs, winding them.

"You broke it! What have you done?" she stared down at her protective charm in horror.

Roman coughed from somewhere near her feet. "What the hells?"

"Oh Phe," Noelle groaned.

"My parents gave me this. Both of them." Tears welled in Phoenix's eyes once more as she stared down at the charm. "Selene and Elyo made it, but they kept it for me. They always made me wear it - they made me promise."

Noelle pushed to her feet first, blinking away the after affects of the shock. "Phe - what was that?"

"Claire said I always had to wear it." Panic filled her as she tried to repair the broken link, but the chain kept slipping through her fingers. The freedom that came with not wearing the necklace nearly overwhelmed her, her signature pulsing with strong abandon.

"What is that - is that coming from you?" Roman's long hair splayed over his face, the force of the blow having knocked it free from its tie. 

She gritted her teeth, holding up her broken necklace. "You have no idea what you've done."

#

Maverick couldn't shake the feeling of oppression in the mountains. He and Youlden had entered the Pass the night before, just after he had met the young woman who reminded him of Aundreya. As much as he knew it couldn't be possible, he'd almost thought it was her twin sister. But Namartha couldn't be the same girl - Aundreya's sister was back in Treywick with Laina, trapped in her own home and presumed dead.

"We've made great headway," Youlden said, oblivious to Maverick's train of thought. "I think you were right about resting last night, though - I'd think traversing this place at night might be a bit, uh, hazardous."

"You certainly didn't think that way last night," Maverick said with a smirk. Youlden had practically thrown a fit, insisting they continue into the late hours of the night.

"I was wrong, I admit it." Youlden grinned, but it faded almost at once, and he turned sharply to look behind him. "Do you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Maverick asked, turning as well. He barely finished his sentence before he was hit with a signature so strong, it knocked him off his feet. He gasped for breath, flat on his back. It felt familiar - too familiar - but also strangely foreign. "Laina?"

Youlden frowned down at him, offering a hand. "No. I'm Youlden - did you hit your head?"

"No, that signature...it feels almost like Laina's." 

Youlden's eyebrows arched. "Strong girl. What do you mean, almost?" 

"It's different. I don't know. It's not exactly like hers, but it's close." Maverick, now on his feet, stared in the direction they'd come from. "We should go check it out."

"Uh uh. No way are you checking it out. What if it's dangerous?" Youlden shook his head. "We can't risk you this close to finding the Militia. You stay here and I'll go check it out. Give me just a few minutes."

Maverick opened his mouth to argue, but Youlden had already stalked off. Something inside Maverick led him to caution.

You don't know who or what you can trust - trust Youlden. Listen to him. Why did he feel this way? Had someone said this to him? It felt almost as if he'd dreamed it, but Maverick hadn't been able to remember his dreams lately. 

Instead of following, he spotted a niche in the rock face - a shallow cave - and made his way to it. He'd stay there until Youlden returned.

# 

Avoiding Groschen had cut their time considerably, reaching Tranchet's Pass and bringing them into the mountains.  Eric stared out from one of the upper caves cut into the mountain centuries before. The Army had camped the night before in two large caves they'd found up in the mountains above the Pass. 

Stretching his arms up high, Eric sucked in the morning mountain air - crisper than anything that could be found in the lowlands. Most of his men were still sleeping, the sun just cresting the horizon, casting an eerie grey light on the mountains. He sensed more than heard Samson's approach behind him.

"I feel the sense of homecoming," Eric said, almost smiling as he glanced at his Second. "We're leaving the west behind us. We'll take Tyrella back to Bainon and Narissa."

"And what of the Militia and the heir?"

"If we find them on our way, that would be best, but I'm not going to waste my time in this maze for something we now know so much about. With Tyrella, we'll have more information than we could ever dream. Narissa will have a way to make her talk."

"What brought on this change of direction, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I know I had a dream last night, and while I can't remember it, I woke with a feeling of certainty that staying in the Pass too long will only cause undue harm to my men. We know the Militia is out there, and we know their intent with the heir. They don't know about me, nor that we know so much about them. We have an advantage - even if it may not seem like it."

"I understand. Playing the cautious hand can sometimes be - " Samson cut off, turning his head sharply to the right.

Eric knew why. Hit by the same powerful signature, he, too, turned his head as the sensation pulsed through him. He'd never felt anything quite like it.

"What in the hells was that?" Samson whispered. His Second's eyes were wide, his face tense and alert.

Impulse and instinct took over, and Eric bolted off down the path to the main road through the Pass, Samson close on his heels. 

Dun dun duuuuuuuun.

Collision course coming our way. Comment - now. Speak your thoughts!

Also, Merry Christmas! Hope it was lovely for you and yours. Love you all!