Guiltless Sin || John Murphy

47

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Byrd sat perched on a roof of a taller building, a perfect view of the main part of the arena; but still in a position to move to different buildings around her if needed. She listened to the horn sounding over and over, the yells of the competitors echoing throughout the air. Roan and a large man were the first people she saw, the pair quick to begin fighting. Her eyes flicked down to movement amongst the rubble, smirking when she watched Octavia run through the rat race. A man came after her, yelling before he jumped up onto a pylon; Octavia no where to be seen. 

Roan let out a yell as he sliced the tall man to his knees, taking his weapon as he turned to his next competitor. He turned and slammed the mace into the fallen man's skull, sending his body to the ground with a thud before he turned and awaited his next fight. The Delani girl nodded to Octavia when she appeared, hidden underneath rubble; receiving a nod in reply before they turned back to the fight at hand. 

The smaller grounder, his face half covered in a tattoo, used his height to his advantage against Roan; disarming the man of one of his swords. Roan panted as he stumbled back, blocking the next blow that the Trikru grounder sent his way. And as the man went to take his next shot, Roan turned and jabbed him in the heart; a yell leaving the smaller man's mouth as he fell to the ground. She winced slightly, casting her gaze to the throne room high in the tower.

'Trikru don slip daun!' Roan yelled as he thrust the sigil into the air. 

Byrd cast her eyes to Octavia, barely able to see her as she ducked down. The Blake girl waited until Roan was gone before she moved, and she followed on the roof tops. She clambered into a window of the building Octavia disappeared into, staying out of the light to keep herself hidden from the ground; her shadow no where to be seen. Octavia stood over a fire, rubbing her hands together over the flame to keep herself warm until Luna strode into the other end of the building. 

'You were smart to come back here and hide, but not smart enough,' The woman drawled as she made her presence known; 'For Lincoln's sake, I'll make your death quick.'

'How could you even say his name?' Octavia turned with her sword held ready; 'Lincoln would be ashamed of you.'

'Lincoln was a fool.'

'He believed that we were all the same. One clan, one people.'

'And where did that get him? Look around you. This is what mankind chooses to do with its final days. Another battle? More blood?'

'You used to believe that people were worth saving.'

'I was wrong. Skaikru taught me that people are cruel and violent and selfish to the core.'

'Not Lincoln,' Octavia took a step forward; 'He believed that we can do better, and I loved him for that.'

'And yet here you are, killing for your own clan, just like everyone else. Lincoln would be ashamed of you.'