silence and sound → the 100 ²

[ 017 ] my fight. . .

— CHAPTER SEVENTEEN,
my fight. . .

"HELL, NO!" Four voices hit her ears.

Ruby's jaw falls. "Why not? It's the best bet we have at saving the human race!"

"You're not doing it," Clarke shakes her head. "I'm not risking it. We'll find another way."

"One life compared to thousands, Clarke." Ruby argues. "If I die to save everyone else, I'm okay with it."

"Well, we're not!" Ryland pipes. "You're not doing it, Ruby."

"Then what?" Ruby throws her arms out. Murphy's fall onto the dirty bandages around her wrists for the first time. His brows furrow. "What the hell are we gonna do? Pump Ontari's blood into someone and turn them into a temporary Natblida?" Nightblood.

Clarke stops. Her eyes cut up to Ruby. "That's not a bad idea. We can use the tubes to pump Ontari's blood into my veins and I can take the Flame."

"What!?" Ruby almost screams. "No, Clarke! My life isn't worth the risk but yours is? I can't lose you, Clarke!"

"I bare it so you don't have it to." Clarke tells her friend softly with tears in her eyes.

Ruby shakes her head furiously. She turns and leaves the throne room.

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Ruby stands on the balcony. She stares down at the side of the tower where chipped men and woman climb up the sides. "Oh, my God." She mumbles. "What the hell?"

"They'll do anything for ALIE." Ryland shakes his head. "To be free of their pain."

"Marcus is chipped." Octavia looks to Ruby. "And I don't know if Luca is alive."

Octavia watches her friend carefully. She has no reaction to Octavia's words. She just stares down at the people.

"Both of them are too good for their own good." Ruby whispers. Octavia watches as Ruby composes herself. She then turns to Octavia and Ryland. "Grease the balconies. The windows. Anywhere they can get in. No one is getting on this goddamn floor."

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An hour later, everything is greased expect for the one window in the Commander's chamber.

Just as Ruby suggested, by accident, Clarke sits in the throne with the tubes connecting her and Ontari. It reminds Ruby all too much of Mount Weather.

Ruby takes her place beside Clarke. Without hesitation, Clarke takes Ruby's hand. She knows Ruby will always be there. Murphy grabs the Flame, "lean forward." He instructs Clarke. She obeys. "You ready?"

"Yeah." Clarke nods. "Do it."

"Ascende superius." Murphy whispers to the Flame. Blue tendrils shoot out of the small disc. Ruby watches with bunched eyebrows.

Murphy begins to lower it to the back of Clarke's neck. As soon as it can reach her skin, the tendrils reach out and grab hold of her. It burrows itself deep into her skin. Blood shoot out of her neck. Her scream pierces the air.

And then Clarke's hand goes limp in Ruby's.

"No, no, no." Abby panics.

"Is she alive?" Ruby asks in terror.