I Am The Last Nightblood (the 100)

I Will Follow You Into The Dark

By the time we step onto the bricks of the town, the moon is faded , and the first signs of day peak and spill over the wasteland that used to be called earth. I've been gone for three days, and already my home looks nothing like it did when I left. A horrendous smell fills the air as we grow closer. We move quickly, but not soundlessly through the empty decaying buildings, quickly taking notice of the vacant streets. Not a echo of chatter. No sound of footsteps, no sound of children running and playing, no sound of the people and crowd of the market, which at this time of morning would be at full swing, occupied by store takers prepping for the day.

"I don't like this." Miller half whispers.

"Where is everyone?" Bellamy asks. I shake my head, peeking through the shattered window.

"No clue." I peer at the tower, which at this point isn't too far away. My limbs ache to go alone and pass through the remains, as it would be so much quicker. I huff and nod. "Cmon let's get going." Every second I waste standing is a second more that Lexa could be in danger.

We flow through the streets, alert and wary, Clarke and I bring up the back. the sun and the blue sky promptly shifting to gray. We grow closer and closer, and I stop, placing my hand on her arm.

"Wait." I say quietly to her. She stops and I dig in my pocket, my fingers grasping the Flame and I give it to her. "They know I'm a natblida, im a target. Promise me you'll keep this safe." I hand the flame to her, wrapping her fingers around it. She looks at me and nods.

"I swear." I smile softly and I resume walking. My legs begin to ache and I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. We all smell it before we see them.

Bodies lay lifeless and decaying on the stained dark red bricks, the walls and doors covered in splatters. Hundreds upon hundreds are stacked up, their eyes empty.

"Holy shit." Miller lowers his gun.

I walk slowly through the piles, my eyes drifting over them. I resist the urge to gag, the smell strong and prudent as ever. Men, Women, children. Husbands, wives, spouses, sons and daughters, infants, cousins, relatives, loved ones. My thoughts rush, a swirl of endless vacant realities. The only thing I can process is that I failed. I failed them all. I was supposed to protect them. And I failed.

'You're dead because of me... I failed you, I should've saved you... I could've saved you.. I could've done better.' Echos endlessly through my brain. My eyes scan over them, not really seeing until my gaze falls onto one young girl, and I stop without thinking.

Her face still resembles youth, and the faint blush still resides lightly in her cheeks. She looks to be a teen, her soft yet bold cheekbones and features even in death are striking. Her carefully braided brown hair splays around her head in a ray, almost hiding the blood spilling beneath, but not able to hide the bullet wound in the center of her forehead. Her pale hand is outstretched, seeking help, or hope maybe. Her hazel eyes stare empty at something in the distance, her green tunic stained in crimison. She was a daughter, maybe a sibling, a big sister or little. She had potential, a life, chances, choices. That I took away from her. She could've grown and had kids of her own. And then I see it, why I stopped. I suck in a breath too quick, and I fall to my knees, painfully unaware of the red puddle seeping into my armor. I look at her all as one, and the bubble in my throat almost releases as a cry. She looks identical to Lexa when she was a teen. And for a second, it is her, the puddle of blood around her head is a dark inky black, and the hole in her head drips of night. Her familiar eyes stare at me now, watching me, unblinking, almost scolding. 'I did this... I could've-"

I'm snapped out of my vision by a hand on my shoulder. I have no control of my body, I don't tell it to do anything, I don't wish it to do anything. It turns on its own and the next thing I know, my body is tense in a defensive position, the weight of my sword is in my hand and the blade is against his neck, my eyes locked onto his. They're wide, afraid, afraid of me. They should be afraid, look what I did to them, I can't save anyone-

"It's okay, you're okay, it's just me." Bellamy fades into view slowly, his voice speaking his reasoning. I stand, frozen, and I slowly feel my body thaw. I unlatch my fingers from their frozen state, and my sword falls into the puddle beneath me. I step back, retreating slowly.

"You're okay, I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that." He carefully raises his hands, taking a step towards me. He opens his mouth once more but before he could speak a word, a gun fires in the distance. We all stop and stare in the direction. Clarke turns and runs towards the sound, grasping her own gun in her hand without a word.

"Clarke!" Miller calls. He runs after her. Bellamy and I look at each other in shock and I quickly snatch up my sword and run in their direction, Gaia's footsteps light behind us.

We run following the faint sound of footsteps, stopping when we see movement, and lots of it. Miller pulls us into a dark alley, the stone crushing beneath my feet. Clarke isn't behind him.

"Where's Clar-" he cuts me off by pointing. I follow the direction of his finger, and I see her blond hair in a circle amongst other alive, moving people. A body lies on the ground, in the pools of red and a dark skinned man still holds the gun at the body. No doubt the source of the sound.

"Jaha." Bellamy curses.

"We have to do something! She will die!" I insist in a harsh whisper. Miller takes out his gun and aims, and Bellamy does the same.

"I don't have a clear shot, there's too many damn people." Bellamy huffs in frustration.

We watch in horror as a crowd of people continue to gather around her, their faces empty, their eyes not seeing.

"We need her alive, take her." Jaha orders. And at once the people flank her, tugging on her and pulling her back inside before we can utter another word.

"Shit!" Bellamy punches the wall. "What the hell do we do now?"

"We need to go after Clarke, she has the flame. So we use the gas in the remaining crowd and go to the elevator shaft. There is a ladder that leads up to all the floors, we climb and we go find her." I insist.

"How do we know which room she's on?"

"They have probably set up their main fortification in the throne room, one of the highest rooms. I know the tower well, trust me." I speak quickly and quietly. I look at the tower from the distance. This isn't gonna be easy.

~

Clarke's POV

I'm dragged into the throne room, the rope binds rubbing my skin raw. Jaha walks in front of me, his posture full of pride. No doubt ALIE's doing, even through the tiniest of things she manages to always find a way to get to me. I protest and fight against the strong clamped hands on my shoulder, guiding me in. Out of the corner or my eyes I see movement. My mom. She walks towards me and a spark of hope ignited in me, which quickly distinguishes when I look into her eyes. I'm looking for the familiar covered deep thinking, love and consideration that always shines through her eyes, but instead I am gazing on glossy, empty ones. I resist the stab of pain I feel in my stomach and watch as she robotically walks towards me, hugging me. "Clarke, I've missed you." Her voice is empty.

The familiar pressure isn't in her embrace, and I threaten to break. Now isn't the time for weakness, I remind myself. I need to get out and get back to the others.

My eyes scan the room and I feel my stomach drop. In the center of the room, on the ground, lays Lexa, the wires hooked up to her, still fluctuating. Tears spring in my eyes and I choke.

Please hurry.