Persphyni : I am Death

37

I stopped just before I whistled to get Gideon to release Erebus. My heart dropping as I saw my brother being escorted by guards. His head down until he sensed me looking and met my eyes.

Leave. I shook my head, I wouldn't leave him.

I'm not leaving my brother behind. I mouthed back.

Your dad will explain. You have to go.

Pike looked up at the gate just as I went to pull my pistol out. I had one bullet left. One that I would embed deep into his idiotic skull.

"Persphyni Atlys Kane." He scanned the dead men at my feet. "The killer." He nodded his head and a herd of guards surrounded the area, leaving my only escape behind me.

"Gonot raun nau, Persphyni." Lincoln spoke. His voice raspy and sorrowful. His eyes held ghosts of tears.

"Nowe, ai nou na ban op yu." I felt my eyes begin to water. I forced the tears away. I couldn't cry now, I had to save Lincoln. And I had to kill Pike.

"Yu souda. Beja Strisis." Lincoln pleaded.

"Persphyni Atlys Kane." Pike interrupted our conversation. "You've been charged with murder. Guards." I saw them begin to move towards me, guns trained on me in case I went to make a move. "Surrender now." I calmly put my hands up in the air, away from my weapons. "Good."

"There's one thing you forgot to research." I spoke up, stopping the guards as they paused. Dropping their guns for a split second. I whistled lowly, my signal to Gideon. I smirked, masking my sorrow, as I saw my boy come racing around the corner. "I never surrender." I turned and started to run in order to pick up speed. My feet propelled me forward to gain the momentum I needed in order to make a running ground mount.

"Stop her!" I watched one of the guards attempt to close the gate but it was too late. I reached out and grabbed ahold of Erebus's neck and the saddle, then spring boarded off the ground and landed on his back gently. The two of us slipping through the crack in the gate.

"Fly, Erebus! Fly!" I shouted, the wind blocking out noise as we raced away from the gunshots that began to fall. The bullets chased us as we flew across the green ground.

My heart beating in time with Erebus's. My hands found his mane and I held onto it like a lifeline. My eyes beginning to blur as I continued to flee.

I ran. I ran. I ran from him. I didn't save him. I couldn't save him. It's my fault.

A cacophonous roar filled the air as I bellowed. The sound echoed through the air and silenced every living thing as they felt my despair and anger. My heart bruising internally as I blinked back the tears that threatened my vision. My hands grabbed the wood of the bow and I began untying it.

I made Erebus charge up the hill side that overlooked our camp. The hill side all of us were supposed to meet at before we ventured to Octavia's small cave she found. The hill side where Lincoln was meant to be.

Slowing Erebus down, I turned him to face Arkadia. The sight made me want to scream again. I wanted to barrel back down this hill and charge through the metal gate with no mercy.

No mercy.

I watched Lincoln as he dropped to his knees. All emotions left me as I pulled my flame arrow from the quiver. It's weight heavier than the other ten.

Lincoln's death is on my hands. I left him.

It's my weight to bear, my punishment to hold. I was the Bearer of the World and the Bringer of Death.

I was Persphyni Atlys Kane. And Lincoln kom Trikru is my brother. Who I wasn't able to save. I failed.

I grabbed my lighter and lit the arrow on fire after I notched it. My breathing steady as I pulled back on the bow string and aimed to the sky.

This arrow wasn't to kill. This, this arrow was a send off. An apology.

Any last words?

I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath inwards. A flash to the night when all of this madness started. The night when Pike became the Chancellor. The night Pike slaughtered three hundred Trikru warriors with only ten men and ten automatic weapons.

The night Pike officially became my enemy.

Not for you.

My eyes snapped opened and I released the arrow. The bow string snapping the covered skin of my forearm.

Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim.

"Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim, biga bro."

The arrow streaked across the sky. A beautiful orange and red against the mournful grey. The sky threatened to rain as though to shed tears for the scene it bore witness to, but held up as the light crossed its path.

A signal we all saw, a signal Lincoln smiled sadly at. But his smile held a small vision of hope.

"Nestam Lincoln." I whispered as the wind softly caressed my face. Comforting me and carrying a message.

"Nestam Persphyni." I heard his whisper, my smile growing as tears welled in my eyes. It wasn't the end, it was only just the beginning of his next great adventure.

The gunshot rang out. Smoke flowed from Pike's pistol as Lincoln's body crashed to the ground in the muddy puddle. Red swirled around him in the murky water that rippled when he fell. His body still and unmoving.

"Take care of him, old friends." I whispered to Darkness and to Death.

A red bullet wound kissed his skull. His arms bound in silver and his eyes forever frozen with the image he last saw in his memory.

A family. With a burning red flame to protect and guide it home.