Persphyni : I am Death

50

I was loading up my pack on Erebus when Bellamy walked passed me and outside of the gates. His gate and silence told me he was on a mission so I let him be. To my right, the rest of them were loading the Rover or adding ammo and other items into boxes to be loaded.

I was about to walk back when I heard Bellamy grunt just a few feet away. My feet having a mind of their own took me outside the gates where I saw what he was doing. My eyes softened, my curiosity disappeared, and I gave him a small smile.

"I guess it's time she gets to say goodbye." My voice soft as he started walking over towards me. He gave a nod but didn't say anything else as he focused on carrying Lincoln's body.

As we passed by Erebus, I grabbed Lincoln's bow and an arrow as well as pocketed my lighter. Making me late to the gathering as Octavia revealed Lincoln's face. Her tears and cries soon followed as she leaned down to her dead lover's face.

His knees were still bent from when he was set in the puddle, his face still dirty with dry mud and blood. His entire body was wrapped in a canvas type material to preserve him and keep the scent of death in so no animals would try to make him their next meal.

When Octavia had finished saying her visual goodbyes, Bellamy picked Lincoln back up again to bring him to the pyre where Sinclair already laid. Our feet slow and tired as we made our way there. None of us truly wanted to believe this had happened, but it did, and this was reality now.

They needed to learn to let go. This was Lincoln's and Sinclair's next adventure, and we needed to let them take it.

I wrapped the arrow in some cloth and dipped it in a can of oil to preserve the flames I would soon light on it. My feet walking over to Octavia as I lit her torch with my lighter and took a step back to get ready. My hands gripping the bow as my right fore finger and middle held the arrow to the string.

As the others finally gathered around, we began our small ceremony. Raven starting it off as she walked up to her mentor, employer, and father figure.

"May we meet again." Her voice rough and filled with sorrow as she placed a hand on his shoulder. As soon as Raven stepped back, Octavia quickly lit the pyre. Probably afraid if she didn't do it right then she might not ever.

"Yu gonplei ste odon." My jaw clenched as I remembered when he had told me what the phrase meant. My throat tight as I glared at the flames, the others echoing Octavia's words as she finally set the torch underneath the two and her and Raven stepped back on top of the stones surrounding the fire circle.

Dipping the cloth portion of the arrow into the flames, I took a step back so my calf was touching the stone and drew my weapon to the sky. My eyes tracing over the Big Dipper as I pointed directly at the constellation.

"Nestam." I whispered as I shot the arrow high into the sky. My hand gripping the wood of the bow as I shrugged Lincoln's quiver from off my shoulder and walked up to the fire. The heat burning my nose as I soaked in the intense flames.

With a small smile, I tossed the bow and quiver full of arrows into the fire. The roaring flames eating them up as warrior and weapon reunited in death.

Quietly, I walked over to the large empty space between everyone and stepped up onto the stone. My hands in my pant pockets as my cloak billowed behind me in the wind. The smell of ash, blood, sweat, and forest carried through it as it blew in a circle around me.

Caressing my face, my covered arms, playing with my hair by lifting it and swaying it from side to side. The wind comforted me as the fire entertained me with visions of happier times. Even the ones where I was being mentally challenged by Sinclair and Raven in a sarcastic battle. Or where I was being physically beaten by Lincoln.

Each one was happy, each one I was learning, each one was a memory of easier days. Before Pike, before Alie, before Hell opened its gates and sent out the terrors for us to fight.

But we'd be ready, I'd be ready. No one else in my family would die.

"It's time to go!" My head turned to Octavia who looked away from Bellamy. Her voice husky as she continued, yelling over the flames. "I'll get the map." She turned and began to walk away.

My feet following her as she went from a walk to a jog. The jog turned into a sprint shortly afterwards making me chase after her.

"Via!" I finally shouted as we entered the metal walls. Waiting for a moment of privacy to get her attention. Her feet slowed down giving me the chance to catch up. "Via," her sob cut me off and I wrapped her into a hug. "Shh. Let it out." I whispered in her ear as she wrapped her arms around me and squeezed tightly as if I'd disappear if she let me go. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here." I whispered again, bringing my chin on top of her head and comforting her by completely cocooning her. Just like Lincoln used to do.

"I loved him." She whispered in between sniffles. "He was my everything." I gave her a squeeze and slowly pulled away from her. My hands on either side of her arms.

"Just because he's gone doesn't mean you have to love him any less. He will always be with you, in here." I told her, placing my right hand over her heart. "Whenever you want to talk to him, go outside and look up to the sky and whisper into the wind. When he hears you, he'll whisper back." I smiled and dropped my hands. "I call it the breeze service." I earned a watery laugh at my dumb joke, her hands wiping her eyes as I grabbed the item from my pocket that she had attempted to go get.

"Here. It's yours now." She gingerly grabbed the leather out of my hands and ran her hand down the front cover.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"Turn to the last page." I started to walk away as she looked at the book confused. "He left you something."