The Mountains

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Nina

The mountain was on fire. Not metaphorically, not in a dream, the mountain was actually on fire. How it was possible, she didn't know. What she did know was that it burnt.

When she and Inej had reached the river, Nina had tripped, and those pretty looking green plants growing by the river had latched onto her. She had spent about a minute there, unable to move, while Inej looked for her (The plants had grown all over her). Finally, she had been discovered and cut loose, but she was covered in a purple rash, and welts where the plants had touched (Basically everywhere). As they had moved back up to the mountains, the air had gotten colder, until there was snow around them. In their clothing designed for mild weather, Nina was actually contemplating what dying of cold would be like. On top of that, her skin throbbed, and the rash itched. 

When the sun rose, they had all been relieved; the snow began to melt. They had seen the mountain and thought it was the sun reflecting off. They had kept moving until the flames, moving unnaturally fast, had reached them.

Now, they were racing down the mountains, tripping and stumbling, trying to avoid the fire that seemed to follow them. The heat burnt her back, her face. Even though it was a hundred meters away, her skin was hotter than she had ever thought was possible. They were already past the cornucopia, when Matthias tripped, falling face down. Nina tried to stop, but the momentum was pushing her forwards, down towards the river. By the time she had stopped, the fire had already nearly reached him. Running back up, the smoke suffocating her, tears evaporating from her eyes before they had even reached her cheeks. Her body burning, she kept going till she reached Matthias, then, unable to move him, she rolled him down, then chased after.

She had burns all over her body, but that was her last concern as she rushed towards Matthias. His legs were- awful. She could see the bone clearly. In Ketterdam, she had seen her share of terrible wounds, but it was so much worse when it was Matthias. So much worse when she could do nothing about it. 

"I'm so sorry, Nina." She hadn't even noticed Inej next to her. "It would be cruel not to end it. Do you want to-" She broke off in a sob. Yes, Nina would do it. Inej had left, giving her privacy. Gently, Nina pressed her lips against Matthias's. It wasn't a passionate kiss, as she had imagined, but a mournful kiss. Saying goodbye to him, to the future they had imagined together. She needed it for courage, or she wouldn't be able to do it. To kill him.

She drove the dagger into his heart. Matthias was gone. She was empty, emotionless. She doubted she would ever feel anything again. So she pushed the dagger into her own heart.

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