ASCENSION: BOOK 3- APOCALYPSE.

Chapter 28: Blood On The Earth.

I sat and watched as Lexa paced backwards and forwards inside the cave, the frustration of our situation weighing heavy upon her shoulders.
It took an hour for the acid rain to cease. It was precious time we couldn't spare, but as the wind from the storms had died down, we noticed it had slowed the progression of the wave of fire in the distance. A small mercy given what now lay ahead of us.
From our location we'd estimated we were just over half a days hike from Arkadia, Polis would be a least a full day without horses. Given all the factors involved, travelling to Skaikru territory was the only logical option left for us.
I hoped the members of my Clan that remained behind had managed to finish sealing The Ark against the radiation and that our long range communications were still operational in order to contact Octavia's radio in Polis.
We swiftly moved as fast as we could towards Arkadia. Both of us were already exhausted from combat and the increased levels of  radiation were proving to be difficult to deal with even for the immunity of our Nightblood.
I had begun to come to terms with the notion that these may be our final moment upon this Earth. I knew Lexa was thinking it too, but she remained silent about the prospect of our fate.
After hours of travel I spotted the great arch of Arkadia in the distance, a welcome sight for our weary bodies. As we slowed our  approach, I turned to Lexa, aware of how she must be feeling leaving behind her home.
"I'm sorry we couldn't make it back to Polis, Lexa," I sympathized.
"Don't be. This was always about the survival of The Clans, of the human race. Whatever happens, I'll happily pass from this life knowing we did everything to save our people,"  Lexa humbly spoke.
Her humility always warmed my heart, but as we walked through the open gates of Arkadia my heart shattered at the sight of the devastation before my eyes.
Blood cover the earth as the bodies of my people lay dead upon the ground. The cause wasn't the acid rain or the radiation, but a massacre at the hands of Queen Freya's assasins.

I dropped to my knees, overwhelmed by the anguish at seeing the slaughtered bodies of people I'd known all if my life.
They never stood a chance against Freya's warriors, outnumbered and alone. This was The Queens last painful insult to our people. Even in death her cruelty echoed from the grave.
Lexa dropped to one knee and held me close, shielding my eyes from fixating on the gruesome sight before me. I was overwhelmed by exhaustion and loss of so much life.
"I'm so sorry, Clarke. This is not how you should have returned to your home," Lexa said with empathy.
I caught my breath and looked up at her, "All they wanted was a chance, even the slimmest of hope to survive with those they loved," I replied.
Lexa helped me to my feet and offered me the words I needed to carry on, "Then let's honour the same for those who seek that same hope in Polis. We're leaders you and I, born for this, all of this, the pain, the sorrow. We bear it so they don't have to. Your burden is my burden, remember."
She cupped my face with her hand and wiped away a tear that ran down my cheek with her thumb. I recalled those words we would often say to each other during difficult times. We always stood strong for each other when we most needed it, The Trikru Commander and her Skaikru Warrior.
I kissed her gently upon her lips before speaking softly against them, "Until the stars burn out."
She smiled back at me never once taking her eyes away from mine. That intense look she had about her when we were alone, telling me how her heart felt, how much she loved me.
The world was about to end, our lives now at the mercy of the fates, but in that moment I'd already found my peace. I knew from the moment I'd met Lexa Kom Trikru she would forever be my home.

I gathered my composure, knowing we had a duty to warn those left in Polis about the imminent arrival of the death wave.
We'd looked to into the distance and seen its progression across the land. A change in wind direction meant that it would hit Arkadia within the next couple of hours before reaching The Capital.
As I led Lexa to Arkadia's Operations Room, we looked over the internal structure of The Ark. Most of the work that needed to be done in sealing any gaps had been completed, but as Raven predicted it probably wouldn't have been sufficient enough for those members of Skaikru to survive the radiation. Maybe a quick death at the hands of Freya's warriors was an inadvertent kindness, given the horrific effects of radiation poisoning.
Lexa and I were already getting sick from our exposure, we had to move fast to contact Polis.
It was a relief to find Arkadia's Communications still operational. I quickly set to work contacting Octavia's frequency at The Skaikru Embassy.
"Octavia! Bellamy! Do you copy? This is Arkadia calling Polis, can anyone hear me? Over!"
The radio crackled but no answer came.
I tried repeatedly but only the sound of interference returned. Our last hope was an SOS transmission to any available frequencies still active out there.
Tension filled the room as seconds turned into then minutes without a response. We'd almost given up hope until a familar voice sounded across the airwaves.
"This is Polis, do you read me? Over!"
I sense of relife filled our spirits as we replied,
"Good to hear your voice, Reyes."