GRIM REAPER¹, bellamy blake

076 ━━ rush of adrenaline

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WHEN IONA thought of returning home, a massacre was not what she expected to return to. Chaos had somehow been brewing right under her nose, and exploded as soon as she left, creating a swirling storm of infinite chaos in the field beyond Arkadia.

A field that, a few days prior, was home to Trikru troops attempting to defend Skykru from a surprise Azgeda attack whilst the nation was in shambles without a commander, where they would surely make rash decisions.

A field that now lay barren, littered in dead bodies.

Children, teens, elders- everyone was dead.

There appeared to be no survivors, and within seconds, Iona had dropped lifelessly to her knees, hands grabbing at the dirt and watching the pieces fall between her fingertips. She was unable to hold it in her hand, and her eyes closed sadly.

She wondered where she had seen this before, and then an image so vivid popped up into her head that it had her spinning.

Bodies everywhere, blood staining the Earth.

Green grass lay flat and lifeless, darkness already overtaking the leaves as they wilted. Weapons, some broken, some in perfect condition- clearly the wielder died before they could use them- and some dripping blood, abandoned on the ground.

Ah, yes.

The massacre.

This was so similar, so familiar, to that which had happened in Iona's past. The massacre she started, she fed, she grew, and finally, she ended. The massacre that killed innocents and guilty alike, and spilled blood into her homelands sacred soil.

Rising from her place on the ground, Iona swallowed a guilty heap of air; despite seeing the ruin in front of her, she couldn't help but wonder how Skykru was doing.

If Azgeda did truly attack, Trikru would've been the forces they'd have to break through in order to get to Arkadia. Were they okay, she wondered, as she said one final, lonesome goodbye to the field of death and marched onward.

She had to get to Arkadia and make sure everyone there was safe.

She had to make sure Bellamy was safe.

Octavia too, actually. Iona's been missing the woman ever since she stormed out of one of their lessons, angry at Lincoln- that had, sadly, been the last time the pair had a conversation just between the two of them.

Either way, Iona needs to protect the Blake siblings.

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"Hey!" Iona yells, standing outside the gate to Arkadia. A gate that is currently closed and refusing to open for her. "What's going on? I was literally in there yesterday morning! Guys, let me in!"

Suddenly, the gate opened, and Abby came sadly sauntering out.

"Iona..." She said quietly. Glancing back, she signaled for the guards to close the gate, before taking the woman's wrist, and walking her away from the gate so they could talk in peace.

"Abby, what's happening?" Iona said, furiously blinking in confusion. "The- the camp... it was completely destroyed- butchered. That camp was supposed to be protecting you guys. Is everyone alright?"

Abby heaved a sigh, "Pike killed them all."

Iona blinked.

It took a long- very long moment for the words to register within her brain. Then, instantly, she was hit by a wave of frustration, vengeance, and, overall, confusion.

"I don't get it. If he slaughtered all those people..." Iona trailed off, and it slowly started to piece together.

Iona felt her heart dangerously speed up. Pike killed them all. He killed her people. She didn't bother trying to understand why, because Pike's hated her since the moment he first set eyes on her.

He hates all grounders, and to him, she's just another one of them.

It doesn't matter what she's done to help then, or what she's sacrificed. All that matters is that she has Trikru tattoos and speaks a language that he cannot understand. In his eyes, those are the signs of danger.

She'll show him danger.

Without thinking more on it, she instantly held up her katana and cried out, "Pike!"

Her voice shook Abby to her core.

Fighting back angry tears, her voice held so much raw emotion that Abby closed her eyes, shaking her head sadly. She couldn't fight the woman on this. She couldn't stop her. She could hear how much it hurt her.

"Come face me, you murderer!"

Ironic; the pot calling the kettle black.

When she screamed, at the top of her lungs, all panic ensued.

Guards from within the walls immediately saw her as a threat, opening the gate and marching forward, weapons drawn. Iona didn't care, though, as she drew a shaky breath and merely held up her katana with much more determination.

Surging forward, she could've sworn that was her greatest moment.

Her steel colliding with padded armor, her body dodging their blades and daggers. Iona fought as if she was entangled in a passionate dance, swapping between guards as she continued her rapid assault on the men.

Her katana sliced through the guard's gear, an evil glint in her eyes as she felt the tip draw blood on the skin of his thigh. The man cried out, collapsing to the ground as her katana stabbed straight into his thigh.

With a devilish smile and a sickening laugh, she twisted the hilt; his screams merely egged on her chaos within and spurred her to keep fighting.

Just as she got back in position, her katana in one hand and a small throwing dagger in the other, a shot rang out throughout the camp. A shot that, had she not been full of adrenaline and pure red-hot anger, would have made its presence in her stomach known.

Instead, she halted, swallowing thickly as she glanced down at her abdomen.

Her jacket- one that Bellamy had given her- was stained a dark red with her blood posing as the pigmented ink coloring all of her clothes. She groaned quietly, dropping her katana to bring her hand over the wound, and pulled her hand back.

Instantly, she was shoved forcefully to the ground, leaving her only to stare at her now bloodied hand in front of her as she faded in and out of consciousness.

She didn't even get to kill Pike.

What a pity.

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