Oso soulou // Bellamy Blake

Flaming Fire

Alina

"Sonheda," the harsh voice of Ryder, one of my guards, filled my ears, "en's ogud. It's ready."

I nodded dismissively, "ait, kom ai of nau, en ai na kom yo op dena. Alright, leave me now, and I will join you all soon." Without another word, Ryder left me to the comfort of my tent. The dim lighting from candles illuminated the space, fire hazards if you asked me, but there wasn't much more to work with. Piles of fur and stuffing laid a few feet away from me, the shoulder armour of power taunted me. No. I reminded myself. I am their Heda along with Lexa. This whole concept is still confusing for me. After years of living with my people, the grounders, on the ground. Groups of people from the sky just drop-down and act like they own the place.

Why now? It's all too confusing. I dragged my hands over my eyes, the black substance staining my skin. It left an all too familiar soothing feeling on my face. I turned away from my cot and stared at the thin fabric of the tent. On a hand-carved table laid my headpiece, it was practically the same as Lexa's, but silver and with a slight change in pattern. I sighed as I pushed away my bewildered thoughts, shaking my head slightly and grabbing my shoulder armour. I rested the slight weight on my shoulders, letting the metal rest on the thick layers of our traditional fabric. A cape-like fabric draped behind me as I turned again and reached for my headpiece. I pressed it on my forehead behind my eyebrows, I let a deep breath of air fill my lungs as I stepped outside. Ryder, being the loyal guard he is, was waiting outside.

"Heda," he nodded, "ripa ste ogud kos yu na frag op. The murderer is ready for you to kill."

I nodded and started walking towards the centre, "ait, tsa dula disha klin. Alright, let's get over with this."

Ryder walked by me as I made my way to Lexa, who was already by the pillar waiting for the murderer to be escorted. Through the uneven grounds, we stride with pride. I walked past my people while some nodded and others gave glances of approval. "Let her pass," Lexa nodded to Indra as I arrived by the pole. I nodded Ryder off as I stood next to Lexa. Looking at what was happening, I saw them. One of them. One of the sky people. Blood was dripping from her stomach as Indra stopped pushing the spear. "Hod op Indra. Stop Indra." I added to Lexa's words.

"Sha ai Heda. Yes my commander." She nodded to both my and Lexa, dragging the spear away from the sky girl.

The sky girl took a breath of relief as she stepped forward to me and Lexa. "You bleed for nothing," Lexa shook her head.

"You cannot stop this," I add in, motioning to the raging crowd around us.

"No," she breathed, "only you, both of you, can." Tears were clouding her eyes, it was as if she was hanging to a strand of hope, a strand that snapped a long time ago. "Show my people how powerful you are," she was begging now. She's going to break, "Show them you can be merciful. Show them you're not savages."

"We have nothing to prove to your people," I growled, but who could blame her. She had only seen the war side of us. Not the calm and peaceful side of us, she hasn't seen children running around the streets of Polis laughing and playing, carefree.

"And Finn is guilty," Lexa added, keeping her calm posture.

"No. He did it for me. He did it for me," the sky girl cried, her now glassy eyes stared into my soul, begging for anything, begging for a chance.

But I stayed emotionless, speaking in a monotone, "then he dies for you."

The girl shook her head with tears streaming down her cheeks, "can I say goodbye?" Lexa nodded, the grounders around us stood watching, glaring with a thirst for blood. As the girl shifted, I saw a glimpse of light in her sleeve. It was a blade, no doubt. She wasn't going to kill us, and I knew it. The girl was the leader of the sky people, she wouldn't dare risk the fate of her people on one boy. The look in her eyes is clear as well. Too easy to read. Conflict of choice is going on clearly. But the way her head moved up slightly as her eyes widened ever so slightly when she asked showed that she had made her choice. She was going to kill that filthy murderer. But who am I to judge.

Lexa and I stood still, I studied carefully as the girl approached Finn. She hugged him and mumbled a few words, she was ready to kill him. Sorrow was leaking from her eyes along with his blood. Her hand moves slightly in a stabbing motion. Finn is dead. As the blonde backed away, revealing the blood on the boy, my people raged in anger, shouting about how blood must have blood, how it wasn't justice. But they didn't know, guilt will follow her for the rest of her life. She will never be able to get through this. First kills are always the hardest.

~

I shut my eyes at the sound of my knife piercing through his skin. The flesh tearing made me nauseous. "You bitch," he groaned in pain. The red liquid was pouring onto my hands, I twisted the blade when he complained again, causing more blood to spill, "why are you doing this? I don't even know you, you sick bitch." Tears spilt from my eyes like rain from the sky.

"I have to," I choked out, "for them, I have to." The man seemed to have given up on talking, occasionally giving weak moans, I doubt he could even hear me through all his pain. My hands left the knife as the voice in the coms startled me, though my bloody hands were away from the weapon, they were still shaking non-stop.

"Finish the job faster doll," I could practically hear him smirk, "finish it and you'll get their rations and they'll be safe." I nodded shakily, with my unsteadiness I dragged the knife out of his chest.

"Stab it in his neck doll," the voice in the coms chuckled, "that'll finish the job soon enough."

I sobbed directing the knife at his neck. "I'm sorry," I said through tears, it was all so blurry I could barely see. I jabbed the knife at his neck, piercing through his skin once again causing him to groan out in pain. "I'm sorry," I repeated, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise doll," the voice of the demon rang through the coms, "he deserved it." I nodded even though he couldn't see me, I backed away leaving the knife stuck in his throat. "Now clean up and head back to Shumway and me, doll," the voice continued, "you'll get your prize."

~

"It is done!" I roared at the growing crowd. She had killed him, it has been done. "Ryder, Quint, hod emo op, disha ste odon. Ryder, Quint, stop them, this is over." The two nodded while I turned my attention back to the sky girl. The girl was staring at her bloody hands, letting occasional gasps and sobs leave her mouth. I felt bad for her, but Finn took 18 lives, we only took one. I shook my head and whispered more to myself than to them, "it is done."