Dokwocha

Chapter 22

Both sides called out their battle cries, as they charged. Their goals were the same, kill. Stiles had only gotten three grounders in the first wave who had managed to make it past the Reapers, Stiles remained completely emotionless as he slit their throats ending them quickly. Their blood sprayed up coating his jacket as they dropped to the ground.

"Bellamy!" Stiles' head snapped to the left as he heard Miller yell. He scanned the area around the front gate and found no one, so he ran. He ran faster when he saw Bellamy being pinned to the floor. Just to the right of him, Miller was too. He reached down, grabbed a sword from one of the dead Grounders, calculating his steps, and came in flying, one sword to the throat for the grounder on Miller, one slice of the arm to the grounder on Bellamy as Octavia came from the other side. Stiles figured she'd want to save her brother, so he saved the kill for her.

"Stiles?" He didn't respond as he turned around and swung his swords deflecting the arrows as they ran back toward the gate. Getting to the gate just in time to be met with a herd of grounders. Stiles twirled the swords in his hands, gripping the hilts as the grounders ran his way.

Stiles held his ground as the first wave came, meeting them head-on. Five versus one as he ducked under an outreached sword, slicing the thigh of the grounder then spinning and kicking another in the chest. Stiles had the five grounders who got to him first in a heap on the ground by the time the next few came. Another three dead. He dodged an arrow as he sliced a grounder's neck while kicking another back as he came with his own small knife.

He wouldn't let them get to the gate. He couldn't. Blood covered him as he killed. He ducked low, dropping to the floor and spinning as he tripped one grounder, the other two who had tried to stab him thrust the end of their sword into the other. Judging from their warrior-like lifestyle, they aren't very battle smart. Stiles leaped and spun in the air, dodging an arrow as it bounced off his shoulder and crashed down swords aimed at a pair of Grounders.

He was surrounded by grounder bodies. Covered in grounder blood. Caked in his own sweat and the blood of his enemies as he stood tall and strong in front of the gate. His once silver katana was covered in red, his hands stained with blood, his face painted in deep red, and his clothes soaked. All he cared about was keeping them away from this gate. And he would until his last breath. Stiles watched a hoard of grounders slow down as they saw him standing amongst their fallen, his cloaked figure covered in black and red.

Stiles had become a Reaper, he felt the bloodlust, the need to kill. And yet the fire in him burned so bright that everything was so clear. He watched grounder after grounder file in behind the first group that had stopped. He scanned the large gathering as they waited. The first wave of the new batch came. Stiles flipped the katana in his left hand and met them in the middle. Gunshots rang out from inside the wall. The gunners. He didn't spare a glance as he sliced his way through, leaving some to the gunners as he made his own path.

The second wave came and he did the same. Swing, slice, dodge, block, kick. The second wave was demolished by the time the gunners shot down the last of the first group. There was an explosion that stopped everyone in their tracks. Stiles took the time to back up towards the dead bodies and the front gate. His eyes hesitantly drifted up to the sky where a spacecraft was entering the atmosphere. The Ark? He didn't let himself stand and watch amazed; they were in the middle of a battle. He flipped his sword in hand and turned back to the waiting grounders.

"Take down the gate! Archers! Aim towards Ripheda." That has to be Tristan. Stiles scanned the woods just as the third wave came, the fourth following close behind and the fifth right behind it. He held his ground. His knees bent and hands at the ready as the first of the third wave reached him. He was the one who commanded Death. Every grounder he touched died. Blood spilled from their necks and limbs as he cut them down. One by one.

"We can't get a clear shot!" A gruff voice shouted from the woods.

"Fall back to me!" Tristan again. The remaining of the fifth wave dropped back, but Stiles was still occupied with the last of the fourth. Then the arrows came. In sets of ten, all aimed for him. The gunners above continued to do their job as Stiles fought, moving around the arrows when he could and deflecting them out when he couldn't.

"Who's next?" Stiles' voice was quieter than a yell but loud enough that it flowed through the forest.

"Take the gate!" Stiles grabbed his katana and another one he found, meeting the approaching warriors. This would be his final stand. And so, he charged, letting out a loud battle cry of his own.

A monstrous roar turned all of our heads, the fight between Stiles and the grounders stopping as they stared. 'I don't know what that is but I don't care.'

"Kripa!" Tristan's voice boomed through the forest as the roaring got closer. Suddenly a samurai dressed in black with a mask on appeared with smoke pouring off of his body. Stiles instantly recognized what it was thanks to Abyss' teachings, An Oni. The grounders moved away from the gate and ran towards the demon. The battle was now between them and the samurai, giving Stiles enough time to run over to Bellamy and Octavia whom the former was carrying.

"What the hell is that?" Stiles heard her ask as he sprinted over.

"I don't know, but while they're distracted let's move," Bellamy said as Stiles came from around the tree.

"I can clear a path." he breathed as he wiped the blood off his sword, taking the time to breathe.

"Octavia." Stiles watched Lincoln round the tree on the opposite side.

"Lincoln?" Stiles smiled at their embrace, his eyes drifting towards Bellamy. Their eyes met before snapping back to the two lovers.

"It's deep." Stiles looked back down at Octavia to see an arrow in her leg. His adrenaline still pumping.

"We need to go, now." Stiles didn't look at them as he bit his lip and straightened up.

"Lincoln?" Stiles and he made eye contact as he silently asked him the question. He nodded already ahead of him.

"I can help you, but you have to come with me now." He directed toward Octavia as he looked around. Bellamy stared between his sister and Lincoln.

"Go." He nodded towards the grounder. Stiles pushed off the tree and looked towards the grounders who seemed to be holding their own against the Oni, only due to their increased number. Stiles knew that he would need to get back soon.

"Let him help."

"No way. I have to see this through." Stiles looked down at Octavia.

"Octavia, you have an arrow to the leg, you aren't staying. I can clear a path but it would take too long to get you to the dropship. You're smart enough to know you have to go." Stiles turned to look down at Bellamy.

"And you need to get to the dropship."

"He's right," Lincoln added. The three of them try to convince the girl to go with him.

"O, O, listen to me. I told you my life ended the day you were born. The truth is, it didn't start until then." Stiles looked back at the grounders still seeing a fair few of them remaining.

"Go with him. I need you to live."

"Besides, I got this." Bellamy finished, chuckling slightly. Octavia and he embraced while Stiles and Lincoln shared a look. They needed to go now. The Oni couldn't keep the Grounders busy for much longer

"I love you, big brother." Stiles needed to get to the gate, but he had to make sure Bellamy was safe first.

"May we meet again."

"May we meet again." Stiles' left leg felt numb as he stood watching the tearful goodbye and keeping an eye on the grounders.

"Keep her safe." Stiles watched as Lincoln ran with Octavia in his arms, turning back to see Khan retreating back into the forest.