Chapter Text
"Come on!"
Octavia looked back over her shoulder at Maya who was watching with an open mouth as she pulled her blade from the guard's chest. She did wish the girl didn't have to witness it but they didn't have the option of avoiding violence right now.
"Maya we don't have time to waist," Octavia nodded to the corridor ahead, "Any second now those alarms could go off. We have to get to the control room before they start lockdown. Clarke will be on her way with the army now and we need to get there so we can open the main doors for her."
Willas and Tris were on edge watching the two with blank expressions. Neither looked impressed with the distraction.
"Maya!"
The girl seemed to finally register Octavia's voice as she met her eyes, "The moment you open those doors everything will be redirected to level 5. If I go with you the radiation will catch me in the control room and I'll die."
Octavia froze and realised she was right… but if Maya didn't go with them then they may not be able to open the doors. She was the only one that knew how the mountain worked.
Maya seemed to have the same realisation because she bit her lip and looked over her shoulder at the stairs. Octavia's shoulders drooped but she nodded in understanding, "I won't ask you to risk your life for us… We're not your people. Go. We'll figure this out."
Maya looked back to the stairs then back to Octavia. She shook her head slowly and took a deep breath, "This could go anyway but what my people have done to yours is wrong… This is what I owe."
Octavia shook her head before stepping closer, "You don't owe this… You don't have to pay for what your people have done."
Maya smiled thankfully, "You're wrong. I have to do this and there's nothing you can do to convince me otherwise… we all have our part to play."
"But you're innocent…" Octavia protested meekly with wide eyes. She couldn't believe that Maya was even suggesting doing this for them after everything.
"None of us are innocent," Her eyes watered as she smiled, "Just do me a favour?"
"Anything."
"If I don't survive this then tell Jasper I'm sorry?"
Octavia nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat, "Of course."
"Then lets go."
XoXoXoX
"What's taking so long?"
Clarke glanced over to see Bellamy pacing irritably. She stood with him Anya, Indra, Raven and Monty waiting outside the doors to mount weather. Unless Octavia got those doors open she didn't know how they would get inside so she understood his frustration still, even she was beginning to get irritated.
She heard a scoff to her right and turned to see Anya glaring at the elder Blake, "Branwada."
Clarke snorted. She recognised the word from Lexa's brief explanations on Trigedasleng and she couldn't help but agree, "He's anxious to see his sister."
"I am anxious to see my own people Sky Girl but I am not pacing like a child. It will not make those doors open any faster," She narrowed her eyes again, "He needs to stop before Indra drags him off."
Clarke switched her gaze to the general who stood with Lincoln just behind the boulder cover growling and gnawing her teeth at Bellamy. She caught Lincoln's gaze and silently thanked him from keeping an eye on her. She didn't trust Indra not to do just that if Bellamy continued.
"How are you not jumping on the balls of your feet right now?" Clarke furrowed her brow at Anya. She wasn't pacing like Bellamy but the feeling of anxiety was still building in her chest and Anya looked completely unaffected by it all.
"I see no point in worrying over what I cannot control," Anya crossed her arms and raised her chin, eyes fixed on the still closed door, "It takes as long as it takes."
Clarke nodded and turned her eyes back to the door. She kept her eyes trained on the light… The moment that went off they could begin pulling the door and then the real fight would begin.
"Can I ask you something?"
Anya grunted and the blonde rolled her eyes, "Why don't you like me?"
"I never said that."
"You don't exactly like me."
"I don't not like you," Anya growled, "You're just annoying."
Clarke grinned, "I'll take that as a compliment."
Anya merely grumbled in response as suddenly the light went out. Instantly Clarke dropped her smile and turned to the general, "We need to hurry."
"Sha," Anya turned to the army and shouted her orders causing them to begin moving forward in preparation.
Clarke's hand tensed against her gun as her friend's moved closer an she narrowed her eyes on the door, "They just need to hold on for a bit longer."
XoXoXoX
Octavia eyed the security on the front door and watched as the shapes of the grounders moved to open the door. A radiation alarm was sounding but she payed it no mind knowing everyone would soon be redirected onto that level.
"We need to go down and meet them… Help release the Trikru in the cages."
She turned to leave but her eyes were instead distracted by a monitor lower down. The room showed a single figure tied down to a table with two people walking around their tied body. Even from this distance Octavia could work out who it was, "Lexa," She whispered in shock.
She shared a look with Willas and Tris, "We need to get her out."
The two young warriors nodded their agreement and Octavia looked to see which floor she was on, "Maya where is that?"
"That's the lower sectors. The general public aren't allowed in there," Maya came to stand beside her, "It only three floors down but I couldn't tell you which room."
"That's fine we just need the floor."
She looked up again to see the previously empty corridor outside filled instead with five soldiers running directly for the control room. Swearing she quickly ordered Willas and Tris to block the door.
Octavia slammed against the door alongside them as the soldiers on the other side attempted to do the same on the other side. She turned back to Maya desperately who was scanning the controls in front of her.
"Maya is there anyway to stop them getting in?!"
The girl shook her head desperately, "I don't think so… It'll be seconds before the radiation reaches us anyway but I don't know whether those soldiers had the marrow treatment or not."
Octavia glanced around the control room, "Is there any other exit?"
"The ventilation shaft but you won't get up before they open the door."
She looked up and groaned. There was no way they were all getting out of here.
"I shall stay."
Octavia looked up to Tris who was watching her with a determined expression. The girl cut her off the moment she opened her mouth to protest, "You need to go and release Heda and our people. Someone must stay behind. Allow that to be me."
She shared a look with Willas and Maya came to press against the door next to them, "I'll stay too."
"Maya no-"
"Octavia!" She furrowed her brow, "Once the radiation reaches us I'll die anyway. Allow me to stay here and do this."
Octavia shook her head but a hand to her arm caused her to meet Willas' gaze, "Octavia we have little time to release Heda and our own people. If she is offering allow her to make the sacrifice but let us not waste anymore time debating it."
"Maya…" Her voice cracked as she met the girl's eyes, "I'm sorry…"
Maya shook her head as she struggled to hold the door close, "Don't be… Go. Now."
Octavia turned to Tris but the girl held her gaze with a stern one of her own, "Say nothing Sky girl this is what I was born for. Go."
She nodded and moved with Willas to climb up to the ventilation shaft.
XoXoXoX
It was chaos.
The moment the doors opened all hell broke loose and Clarke didn't know which way to turn. At first the mountain men dressed in hazmat suits open fired on the army but soon it became clear that they outnumbered them easily despite the guns. Things changed with a sudden war cry from the forest and the next thing Clarke knew half the Trikru army turned to meet their new foe head-on.
She barely registered the cry of, "Azgeda!" from Anya's lips before the warrior was gone leading the charge. It was an assault from both sides and now Clarke and her people were caught just inside the mountain fending off the last few mountain men shooting at them. They still had to get up to the harvest chamber and release the grounders but it seemed impossible to move without taking out the shooters.
Clarke ducked down behind a metal staircase and heard the bullet she dodged ricochet off the metal.
"Clarke!"
She turned to see Bellamy duck down beside her.
"We can't wait for the army to help us… they've got their hands full with the Azgeda army."
Clarke signalled for Raven and Monty to join them, "We need to get to the harvest chamber now."
"How?" Raven ducked as another round fired upon their hiding spot, "We can barely move here."
"How long until they run out of air in those suits?" Bellamy asked.
"Hours," Monty said grimly and shook his head, "We can't wait that long."
Clarke growled and bit her lip, "We need a way to get around them, or at least to cut them off."
"Lincoln!"
Clarke turned and looked up to see Lincoln leading a small party of grounders through the entrance. The fire redirected to them but they only caught two grounders before the guards were caught by the end of the Trikru blade's.
Lincoln turned to Clarke at the last second and screamed at them, "Go!"
She didn't wait before jumping up and leading their group towards the service stairs in front of them. Bellamy went first, his gun at the ready to clear it. At the last second Clarke turned back and met Lincoln's gaze.
She opened her mouth to thank him but suddenly his eyes widened in shock. Clarke's mouth opened in a silent scream as he crumbled forward, an arrow sticking out of his back.
"Clarke!"
She ignored Bellamy's cries and stared at the entrance where a few Azgeda warriors were breaking through and approaching quickly. A hand grasped her arm and yanked her back just as an arrow flew towards her.
It was Raven that snapped her out of her daze, "Clarke come on we can't save everyone!"
Fighting back the tears burning her eyes she turned her back on the fight and began the accent to the harvest chamber. Bellamy was there when she pulled herself up the other end and he grasped her shoulders with a slight shake.
"Clarke?"
She shook her head, "Bellamy, Lincoln he…"
"I know Clarke," He was watching her softly, "I know I saw."
"Octavia is going to hate me."
Bellamy shook his head, "It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you have done… He might still be alive, we don't know but he did that so we could get away. Let's not let that be in vein. We still have a job to do."
Clarke nodded quickly and took a deep breath to calm her nerves, "Right. Lets get them out."
Together then forced open the doors tot he harvest chamber and he let out a cry of happiness at the sight of Octavia int eh middle of releasing a female grounder from a cage.
"Bellamy!"
She pulled him in for a tight hug and Clarke scanned the room for any signs of Lexa, "Where is she?"
Octavia met her gaze with a reassuring smile, "She was being kept separately. We went there first but she's gone to join the army at the main door-"
"Unarmed?" Clarke's eyes widened.
"No," Octavia shook her head, "Her things were being kept in the room over. She knows what she's doing Clarke."
The blonde surprised both of them when she pulled the youngest Blake in for a hug, "Thank you… For everything."
Octavia shook her head, "I didn't save her for you Clarke, she's my friend too."
"I wasn't talking about that. You've done so much."
"I know," Octavia smirked and pulled away, "But you can thank me properly later. Right now we need to get moving."
Clarke nodded and moved to help release more of the grounders. Octavia nodded to the girl she had been helping when they enter and introduced her, "Clarke this is Echo. Echo… Clarke's our leader."
Echo focussed her eyes on Clarke and gave a single nod then stretched out her arm, "I owe you a debt for releasing me."
"Octavia did that," but she grasped the girl's arm with a nod, "we need to hurry and help the army."
"What do you mean?" Octavia paused midway opening another cage.
"Azgeda attacked from the outside. They're being cornered in from both sides."
Octavia's eyes widened and flickered briefly to Echo. Clarke looked up at the girl who was watching them with unreadable eyes, "What?"
"Clarke… Echo's Azgeda."
Clarke faltered and stared as Echo narrowed her eyes, "My people stopped the rescue?"
"Well they weren't helping it," Raven growled from a few rows down and Bellamy nodded his agreement.
Echo raised an eyebrow and she scanned the cages filled with the remaining Trikru warriors, "I will help you."
XoXoXoX
Lexa looked up from the mountain man on the ground and pulled her sword the rest of the way splaying blood across the ground. Her eyes scanned the battle in front of her.
It was a blur of blood, furs and black leather of the Trikru. She could make out Indra battling two Azgeda warriors. Her eyes scanned for any signs of Octavia but not finding her she realised the girl must still be releasing the army.
"Heda!" She turned to see Ryder running towards her, "The Azgeda are coming from the trees. They ambushed us before we were prepared."
"How many?"
"Less than our own but they had the element of surprise and got the upper-hand quickly."
Lexa nodded and spun the blade in her hand, "Have you seen Anya?"
Ryder nodded to somewhere behind her head and she turned to see her first breaking away from the fight to join her. She turned back to the warrior and hardened her features.
"I received word that the Ice Queen is leading this fight," Anya narrowed her eyes searching Lexa's face, "What are your orders?"
Lexa took a moment to look between the two and made her decision, "Ryder go to Indra. I want her to lead the assault and force the Azgeda back into the woods. They can't be allowed to corner us into the mountain before we have our people safe."
"Sha, Heda," Ryder nodded and took off in her direction.
Lexa turned to Anya who was watching her expectantly, "Lexa?"
"Come with me. We're going to find the Queen."
XoXoXoX
Clarke looked behind her to see the injured Trikru following them closely. They had covered as many as possible in blankets but a few were struggling to walk. She had no idea how they would get them safely past the fighting but they had to try… They couldn't afford to spend another moment in the mountain.
She turned the corner and was faced with a blood bath. Mountain men, Trikru warriors and the occasional Azgeda littered the ground of the tunnel leading to the exit. Blood plastered the walls and Clarke swallowed remembering Lincoln was amongst them.
"Come on!" Clarke turned back to Octavia who was assisting Echo with an unconscious young grounder, "We need to move."
She stopped short at the exit and watched as the injured Trirkru passed her. Clarke watched Octavia go with a nod, no doubt she would want to find Indra and join the fight. Bellamy, Raven and Monty came to a stop beside her.
"We need to go Clarke."
"Not until the last Trikru passes through this door," She growled.
Bellamy nodded.
Clarke kept her eyes fixed on the back of the line that was steadily approaching when an alarm pierced the air. She looked up to see a flashing light and a loud metallic scraping noise drew her attention to the door. It was closing.
"Clarke we've got to go!"
She shot Bellamy a panicked look then turned back to see the last warrior pass the door. A sense of relief washed over her, "Okay lets go!"
He nodded and turned to push Raven and Monty in that direction. The crowd at the entrance parted and shock washed over Clarke as her eyes met Lexa's.
Green widened and blue watered in relief. She could see bruised skin littering her face but she was okay. She was alive. Clarke felt as if she had been punched in the gut as the air was sucked out of her.
"Lexa…" She breathed.
"Clarke!"
Her eyes met Bellamy's and she realised she needed to move. Only he shook his head and pointed to something over her shoulder. Turning around her heart dropped.
One of the grounders had fallen behind. They wouldn't make it alone.
"Clarke No!"
She bit her lip but didn't think twice before running over to help, ignoring her friend's panicked calls. It was Tris. The girl looked up and Clarke could barely see her underneath the blood covering her face.
"Leave me," She growled.
Clarke ignored her and lifted an arm over her shoulder. She was heavy and Clarke thought she wouldn't be able to carry her but suddenly her other arm was moving and the blonde barely registered Bellamy helping. Raven and Monty were there a second later. Clarke looked up to see Lexa racing towards her but she wouldn't make it, not in time, her eyes wide in panic.
The door was inching closed and Clarke's heart sank in realisation. It dropped even further as the light from outside was cut off along with the heartbroken emerald green.
XoXoXoX
"Clarke!"