Now that we're back with Meilin, what did you guys think of the dream with Jhi? It kind of hurts to think about, but this chapter is the last time that Meilin and her father get time to talk together.

I am officially done writing my other story, so this AU is my main focus once again! I have only two chapters of Fire and Ice to finish, then on to Against the Tide!

-owl

For the first time in a while, Meilin had woken up well rested. Certainly the fact that she had gotten food and water the previous night had helped, but she also wondered if the dream where she had gotten to speak with Jhi was part of it. Meilin wondered if the others who had called the Four Fallen got to speak with them in dreams, but part of her secretly hoped that they didn't. That this was something special, that only she and Jhi shared. Yes, Conor had mentioned quite a few prophetic dreams that had to be the result of bonding with Briggan, but he had never once mentioned speaking to him.

Meilin followed Xue through the maze. The old woman either had a very good idea of where they were, or she was very good at pretending that she did. They had been walking all morning, pretty much since they had woken up. Or, at least, since Meilin had gotten up. Xue had already been awake.

"How do you know your way around the maze?" Meilin asked.

Xue didn't even turn around when she answered. "Practice."

"How soon will we reach the South Fort?"

"Later."

It was clear that Xue was not a conversationalist, and Meilin stopped trying to force it. As much as it was nice to not be truly alone, Meilin still felt lonely. Jhi was in passive state, as, now that she didn't need to lead, she would rather get a ride to the South Fort. But even with the other kids and the assorted Greencloaks that accompanied them, Meilin was the odd one out. Rollan would always be open to chatting, and so would Abeke or Conor. But Rollan seemed to prefer talking to Lucette or Tarik, and Conor and Abeke often spoke to each other, though both were friendly to Finn, Barlow, and Monte. She missed the other three kids, traveling with the Greencloak group was never dull.

The sound of an ax thumping into bamboo was sudden and unexpected. Every so often there was a crack before the shuddering crash of the bamboo hitting the ground.

Both Meilin and Xue stopped walking. Xue's eyes were troubled before she waved Meilin along with her. They crept closer to the chopping sound, and it was all Meilin could do to watch in horror as the Great Bamboo Maze was being destroyed right in front of her. Xue gave the impression that she didn't care.

"How are you so calm?" Meilin asked in outrage. "They're destroying the Maze!"

"The Maze is already dying, Meilin. There isn't much we can do. Even if we try to stop these soldiers now, there will eventually be more with the same goal. It is the way of the Devourer; if you can't think through something, it's easier to destroy it."

There was no more time for talking, as they were suddenly surrounded by Conquerors that had been wearing bamboo-colored camouflage. Meilin quickly dropped into a low fighting position, her quarterstaff ready to strike.

Xue also prepared to fight. She dropped her pack on the ground with a loud thumb and pulled out the sharp chopsticks from the night before. They glinted dangerously in the sunlight. "If we get separated," Xue said, striking at one of the Conquerors, "Jhi knows the way to the South Fort."

"How? Has she known the entire time I've been wandering the Maze, and just chosen not to show me?" Meilin walloped one of the men on his head, sending him to the ground.

"I told her last night while you were sleeping."

It seemed that for every one man that went down, another took his place. Xue's chopsticks were bloody blurs as they poked and stabbed at their adversaries. Likewise, Meilin's staff spun through the air

Eventually though, Meilin and Xue began to be pushed back, and they were on the defensive instead of the offensive. At least until Jhi grabbed a bamboo stem from where it was growing and proceeded to swipe it left and right, along the ground. All the Conquerors that had been still standing were forced to join their colleagues on the ground. The panda pulled down more bamboo and made a blockade between them and the fallen Conquerors.

Once they were two turns away from the impromptu battle field, Meilin launched herself at Jhi, hugging her as tightly as she could. "Thank you," she whispered to the panda. Then she turned to Xue. "How close are we to the South Fort?"

"Take the next two rights, then a left and you'll be there."

Meilin frowned. "Won't you be coming with me?"

Xue shook her head. "I need to go back for my pack."

"But, the Conquerors!"

"We'll go around them."

"We? Wait, are you one of the Marked?"

Xue smiled. She opened the top of her silk shirt to reveal a small, hidden pocket. In it was a small, white jumping mouse. "Zap!" With a flash the mouse disappeared, reappearing as a mark on Xue's collarbone. "Well met, Meilin and Jhi. Perchance we will meet again."

Meilin bowed her head, and, when she looked up, Xue was gone.

The South Fort wasn't much further from where Xue had left her. Meilin had taken Jhi back into passive state, and was making good time. She followed Xue's instructions exactly, not wanting to get lost in the Maze once again. When she reached the South Fort, she found two guards at the entrance.

"I am Meilin, daughter of—"

"Kneel and drop your staff!"

Meilin bristled with annoyance. "I will not! Who is in charge here?"

"You will, or we will have no other choice but to kill you."

Still Meilin did not kneel.

Apparently out of patience, the lead guard tried rushing her. Meilin evaded his attack with a neat side step, then tripped him with her quarterstaff.

"What are you waiting for? Attack her!" the fallen guard yelled.

The other guard took a step back, watching Meilin warily. "Who did you say you are?" he asked after blowing a long low note on a horn. "An officer is coming now."

"I am Meilin, daughter of General Teng."

Both guards' faces paled as they put two and two together. "Come with me, mistress, your father is in here. I'll bring you to him."

Meilin nodded with a demure smile. They traversed winding hallways as they made their way through the fort, until finally they entered the room that General Teng was in. This was the first time Meilin had been in the South Fort, but the familiar architecture was comforting after being away from home for so long.

"Father?" Meilin asked, almost unsure of herself.

Her father turned at the sound of her voice. If he was surprised to see her, he hid it well. He took a few steps forward and for a second Meilin thought he was going to embrace her, but he didn't. "Meilin? What are you doing here? Where's Jhi?"

She showed off her hand, Jhi's tattoo starkly contrasting Meilin's unmarred skin. "She responds well to me. I am here because I left the Greencloaks. I want to help you and the freedom fighters!"

Her father shook his head. "Walk with me."

Meilin nodded and followed her father as he led them from the room. They strolled along the halls together.

"You will go back to the Greencloaks. We have heard that there is a group of them in Pharsit Nang," her father commanded. "I know you want to help, but you can do that better by going back to the Greencloaks."

"But—"

"No, Meilin, you will listen to me! You need to go back."

Meilin nodded in defeat, pressing her lips together so as not to say something she would come to regret.

"We've been discovered!" General Chin's voice echoed through the halls.

Her father's eyes narrowed at Meilin. "Were you followed?" he demanded.

She shook her head. "No. We were careful."

He frowned. "We?"

"A woman named Xue helped me find my way through the Maze."

Then General Chin approached. He was panting and looked stressed, though whether that was from the stress of the current situation or the state of stress from however long that they had been camped out here was anybody's guess. "They're coming from the east, there isn't much time!"

General Teng whipped around to face General Chin. "Take Meilin to the West Entrance of the Fort. Give her the directions she needs to get to Pharsit Nang."

The other man nodded and grabbed Meilin's arm, dragging her away from her father. When they reached the West Entrance, he let go and gave her a list of directions. "Now, go! I need to go help you father and the other fighters. You are a strong and capable girl, I know you'll find the Greencloaks."

Meilin nodded and ran from the South Fort. In her stomach there was the feeling that she would never talk to her father again.