I stepped into the darkness of the preparation room, unease sitting like a rock in my stomach. For a moment, I stared at the Blake siblings sitting on a bench, locked in quiet conversation.
I cleared my throat, and they both turned their heads in my direction. "It's time."
Octavia nodded. When she reached me, I put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. You got this."
The corner of her lips twitched, acknowledging my concern. Then she pushed past me, heading for the courtyard arena. I sigh.
"You really think she has a chance?" Bellamy asked, when he approached me.
I nodded solemnly. "Right now, she needs to believe it."
And so did we. I took Bellamy's hand in mine, and followed Octavia outside where a crowd gathered.
"Octavia kom Skaikru," Gaia said from an elevated stage at the front of the crowd, "step forward."
I pulled Bellamy through the crowd until we were at the front. Octavia strode up the steps and stopped at Gaia's side.
"Accept the sigil of your clan and fight with honor as their champion." Gaia strung a necklace bearing the symbol of Skaikru around Octavia's neck. Bellamy's grip on my hand tightened as his sister took her place in a line with the other champions, beside Roan.
The next - and last - champion to step up was Ilian kom Trishanakru, the man who destroyed our last hope of survival. I clenched my jaw. The past was the past. All that mattered now was that Octavia won the fight.
"Conclave," Gaia announced, "A battle to the death within the walls of Polis. These warriors will fight until only one remains. When that warrior collects all the sigils from the fallen and delivers them to me, they will be declared the victor. This final champion alone will tell us which clan is meant to survive in the crypt of Bekka Pramheda, and which clans are meant to perish in Praimfaya." In Trigedasleng, she said, "We honor those who fall by the sword but follow the One who wields it the best."
"Daun bilaik ai!" A voice shouts from the back of the crowd. That would be me. I turned to see a familiar face weaving through the parting crowd. Luna. Darkness and anger flared in her eyes. I'd never seen her so enraged. It was terrifying.
She stepped up to the stage. "I am Luna kom Flokru, and I'm the last of my clan."
"We know who you are," Gaia replied, disdain written across her face. "The natblida who ran from her conclave."
"I'm not running from this one."
Reluctantly, Gaia handed her a necklace. "Accept the sigil of your clan, but with your clan gone, who will you fight for?"
"I fight for no one. I fight for death."
Murmurs spread through the crowd. Well, that's generally not what you wanna hear.
Luna addressed all of us, nothing but a longing for vengeance on her face. "When I win, no one will be saved!"
As the champions retreated into the battle prep room, the crowd dispersed. Bellamy and I reconvened with my father, Jaha, and Clarke. I couldn't bring it upon me to talk, or even listen to the heated conversation. I knew Luna. I knew she meant business. She could win. I held onto the hope that Octavia would come out victorious, but with Luna as a wildcard, it's a little harder to hope now.
Gaia approached our little group. "Three advisers to the worgeda. The rest of you report to your designated safe zone. Now."
"Come on," Dad said, nodding towards Bellamy. "We have to get her ready."

YOU ARE READING
The End of the World (Bellamy Blake x Reader)
FanfictionThough Alie is long gone, the world is far from safe. It's a race against radiation as Y/N Kane and her friends try to save the rest of humanity before inevitable demise. Welcome to Season 4 of the 100.