Phoenix stifled a groan as she stared out at the valley just beyond Tranchet's Pass. They'd finally exited the maze of mountains, and this was what awaited them?

"You can't be serious. Is that what I think it is?" She spun around to the others, all of their expressions reflecting how she felt.

"An Army encampment," Maverick grumbled, glaring down at them all. "I didn't realize there was a base so close to the eastern entrance of the pass."

"It's new," Finny said with a sigh. "They set it up after everything that happened in Treywick. Not to worry, a real bumbler runs it. We'll get by just fine."

"We never get by anywhere just fine." Phoenix folded her arms, peering through the camp. "What is that anyway?"

"What's what?" Roman squinted beside her, and he wasn't alone. Maverick, Noelle, and Youlden all searched for something their eyes couldn't see.

"Oh for the love of-" Phoenix turned to Finny. "You can see it, right?"

Finny pursed her lips together, peering down at the camp. "Oh I see it. Hells."

"What is it?"

"It's not good, that's for certain."

"Enough of the cryptic," Noelle whined. "What is it you two can see?"

"There's a platform down there," Phoenix said, clenching her teeth. "Just like the one they had in Treywick."

Beside her, Mav paled. "An execution platform? Who are they executing?"

"There's not many towns near here," Youlden said, searching the map Maverick had. "The closest one is Dwen, and the second is-" he paused, swallowing.

"Is?" Roman asked, the single syllable shaky.

"Osha." Youlden whispered the word and it sent a shiver down Phoenix's spine.

"Then whoever it is definitely isn't from Osha," Roman said. "I heard they have their own permanent execution platform. Plus, Army soldiers are always stationed in Osha. Do you think they actually removed people from Dwen?"

"Dwen's smaller than Treywick," Finny said. "I'm not sure there'd be many there who would be contrarians to the throne. I suppose they could be travelers on their way to the Militia."

"Just like us?" Noelle asked.

"Or us," Phoenix said. "How do we know they aren't waiting for us? For the heir?" She jerked her thumb toward Maverick. "After all, they showed up after the letter and the executions in Treywick. They're waiting for the heir to arrive. Unless there actually is another one, then Mav's it."

"No, look." Youlden pointed down, his whole face scrunched up as he squinted down. "There are already people being led to it. Four? Five? I can't tell."

Phoenix and Finny turned back. Sure enough, five people were being led up to the platform, their hands tied behind their backs. Three of them were either crying or being dragged, but the two in the front held their heads high, shoulders straight back.

One of them, a young woman with strawberry blonde hair, had a regal look about her - strength that Phoenix admired. Something about her felt familiar, but Phoenix knew she'd never met the young woman.

"We have to do something," she said, not even looking back at the others as she started down.

"Phoenix, wait!" Roman zipped around her, blocking her path. As she opened her mouth to argue with him, he held up a hand. "We need a plan."

Five minutes later, Phoenix strode alone up to the platform. A wiry, weasely man in Army garb addressed the crowd of soldiers.

"We are here to observe the execution of these traitors to the crown. It is believed they are conspiring with the Militia. They are hereby charged with treason and sentenced to death." Unlike any execution Phoenix had witnessed, the soldier turned to those condemned and addressed them. "How do you plead?"

A woman on the far left sobbed, unable to stand on her own. She dropped down to her hands and knees, her shoulders shaking as her body wracked with grief. The man beside her stared off into nothing, face blank. A child stood beside the man, eyes wide with terror.

The young woman caught Phoenix's eye, her brow quirking as her gaze roved over Phoenix's unique features. Without looking at the soldier, she responded to his question.

"I am innocent of all charges. The only thing I've done is upset the queen by breathing." Anger flooded through her words, and Phoenix could hear the woman's heart racing. She wasn't lying.

Before the final man, one somewhere in his fifties who also stood tall and resolute, could respond to the soldier's request for a plea, the man in charge caught sight of Phoenix.

"You there," he said, pointing her out. The soldiers all around her turned, noticing her for the first time. "This is an Army base. What is your business here?"

"I'm here to bring judgment," Phoenix called back, continuing her approach. Many of the soldiers reached out to prevent her passing, but their leader held up a hand, allowing her through.

"You pass judgment on these criminals?" he asked, gesturing to those on the platform. The young woman still hadn't taken her attention away from Phoenix.

"I pass judgment on the guilty," Phoenix replied, taking care in choosing her words. The plan was, admittedly, hastily made and very flawed, relying on timing none of them had practiced. Even as Phoenix kept their attention, she could sense Maverick and Youlden just out of sight, blades drawn as they waited for any sign of her needing them. Roman - though she couldn't sense him - she knew to be somewhere to her left, waiting to make a show. Noelle and Finny waited a bit further off, preparing bandages in case they were needed.

"And who are you, traveler?" the head soldier asks. "Why do you grace the mighty Lieutenant Barto and his men with your presence?"

The mockery in his tone sent a laugh through his audience, and Phoenix's lips curled up as well.

"I," she paused for dramatic effect, "am Phoenix Knight, daughter of stars, protector, defender, and Guardian." She winced inwardly - it didn't sound quite as magnificent when she said it out loud.

Barto's brows arched, migrating toward his receding hairline. "A Guardian?"

On cue, Roman dashed out, running too fast to see if you didn't know where to look. He knocked several men to the ground as he passed by, none of them knowing what hit them before he was out of sight again.

"What in the hells?" a soldier called, struggling to get up from his place in the cold dirt.

Roman rushed by again, knocking more men off their feet. Phoenix bit her lip to keep from laughing and turned to stare up at Barto. His eyes were wide, nostrils flaring as he tried to figure out how she did it.

"Let them go," Phoenix said, pointing at the prisoners, "and no harm will come to the rest of you."

"This is Army territory," Barto said with a sneer. "You don't frighten us. Seize her!"

The men still standing rushed Phoenix, but she leta ring of fire blast from her core. Most of the men ducked or dropped to their knees to avoid her flames. She realized she could hold the fire steady, the ring blazing around her as she continued forward to the platform.

Barto stared down at her in opene mouthed horror, his weight on his back leg as though he might flee.

"I said let them go." Phoenix dropped her flames, glaring up at him. "Are you listening?"

Barto's face shifted from horror to proud glee. "I am, but are you?"

Something hit Phoenix in the shoulder, knocking her off balance. Her knees hit the ground and she looked around wildly. An arrow protruded from her left arm, pain licking at the nerves, slicing into her.

"Phoenix!" Roman returned, this time visible as he gaped at her wound. 

"You're surrounded now," Barto said, gesturing to the men who had risen to their feet, all of them bearing down on Phoenix and Roman. "Looks like we'll add a few more to our executioners list."

"No!" Roman leapt up, pulling his blade free. "You'll never take me alive."

The faintest flicker of a frown crossed over Balto's face. "We don't exactly plan to take you alive. We're going to execute you."

"Not if I execute me first," Roman said, holding the blade to his own throat.

Again, Balto glanced around in confusion. "Why would we care if you do that?"

"You wouldn't. I'm just distracting you."

Youlden barreled into Barto from behind, he and Maverick coming in from the north. Soldiers drew their swords the moment their leader went down, and Roman faced three at once with his speed.  

Maverick dashed across the platform, leaping into the middle of the chaos next to Phoenix. "You need to get out of here - back to Finny."

"I'm not going anywhere," Phoenix hissed back. "We have to get to them." She gestured up to the platform where several soldiers now stood, guarding the prisoners. Phoenix gestured to the arrow. "Pull it out."

"Lain-"

"Pull it out!"

Maverick grimaced, but grabbed the shaft of the arrow and pulled. Phoenix let out a screech of pain, and Maverick's hands flew to cover his ears. Most of the others did, too, giving Phoenix an idea.

"When I say duck, duck," she said, leaping up. Maverick nodded and joined her, both of them pulling their swords free and engaging in battle. 

Roman, while doing well holding his own, was outnumbered and forced into retreat. Phoenix moved to his side, blocking a swipe from an Army soldier.

"Duck when I say," she said as she continued past him. He grunted in understanding.

Phoenix kept working until she was once again in the middle of the melee. Roman and Maverick were backing toward her, being penned in by soldiers.

"Duck!" she said when she knew they were close enough to hear her. Both Maverick and Roman dropped. Phoenix sucked in a breath and let out a high, pulsing screech. 

Men dropped their swords in effort to cover their ears, and as soon as they were distracted, Phoenix let loose a single blast of fire, enough to blow them all backwards.

Men dropped on all sides. Before Phoenix could take pride in her accomplishment, she rushed to the platform. The soldiers there had also dropped their swords, but they recovered quickly.

"Come and closer and we-"

The soldier was cut off as Youlden came bellowing from the side, bull-rushing the lot of them and throwing them all off the platform.

"Quick!" he shouted to the prisoners. "With us!"

The young woman and the man in his fifties jumped into action, accepting Youlden's help in cutting the ropes free from their bound hands. Once the man was free, he scooped up the crying woman, supporting her as he forced her down the platform stares. 

The prisoner with a vacant expression on his face didn't react, and Youlden lifted him up into his arms and barreled off, leading the way for the others.

 The young woman hadn't left, she pulled at the little boy's arm. "Come with me. It's time to go."

The little boy wouldn't budge, eyes wide as tears shone bright. "Ma-mama."

"We'll find your mama," the woman said as Phoenix came up beside her. "Just come with us now."

Below them, the men who'd been thrown from the platform were groaning, getting up. As were the men whom Phoenix had blasted down.

"We don't have time for this!" Roman moved to the boy's side, hefted the child into his arms, and bolted away. 

Phoenix, Maverick, and the young woman all fled the platform. The sound of a cry pulled Phoenix up short. She turned and saw the young woman had been grabbed by Barto, his gaze murderous as he yanked her backwards into him.

"Let her go!" Phoenix stepped forward, blade still in her hand. Maverick moved with her, his eyes calculating. 

"I'll let her go when -" 

He didn't finish his sentence. The woman clawed into his arm, stamped down on his foot, and thrust her head back, smashing the back of her head against Barto's nose. The Lieutenant cried out in pain, slashing out with his dagger as the girl moved away, catching her in the side.

She grunted and fell forward, but Maverick caught her, pulling her up into his arms.

"We need to go!" he said, backing away.

"Go. I'm right behind you." Phoenix made sure he had turned to run before she faced Balto and his men. Standing over him, his nose bleeding as he struggled to his feet, Phoenix punched him hard across the jaw.

"Never cross a Guardian," she said. Forming a fireball in her hand, she hurled it at the platform. It caught fire, and she hurled another, then another, until the whole thing crackled in a bright, blazing bonfire.  "Never."

She turned and ran as fast as she could away from the base, purposefully taking the same route the others had - the wrong way. It'd take longer to double back and regroup with Finny and Noelle, but they'd at least confuse any followers.

#

They caught up with Finny and Noelle half an hour later, Roman already there with the child.

"Bring the wounded," Finny said, beckoning Maverick forward with the young woman. Phoenix joined her, wondering if her tears would work on herself.

"This isn't good," Noelle said, peering at the girl's wound as she hissed in pain at Noelle's touch. "Phoenix?"

Tears were already pooling, Phoenix wiping them away and dropping her moist fingers to the wound in the girl's side. A sizzling sound let her know it was working.

"Looks like you're a force to be reckoned with," Roman said with a grin, patting Phoenix on the back. "That was amazing."

Phoenix flashed him a smile and turned her attention back to the stranger. The young woman still watched her with open curiosity, a flash of recognition in her eyes.

"Have we met?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"I don't think so." Phoenix frowned down at her. "What's your name?"

"Abigail."

Yes, THE Abigail. She and Phoenix have crossed paths. And who knows Phoenix's biological brother better than the love of this life? This could be interesting...

I've been on planes ALL DAY so this took awhile to get up, but I can't wait to hear what you thought! Star this and comment below!