The Conclave
Once they arrived at the designated place for Lexa to wait for the summon and for the battle, the young nightblood immediately started to change her clothes into her battle armor: a dark green long-sleeved shirt, black pants, knee high boots and the armor with the sigil of her clan in the front of it. Every nightblood once they pass the age of eleven are eligible to fight the conclave, so they must choose their outfit and Lexa designed her own. Inside of the arm's piece she wears, there are three small knives in each side. Just in case, she loses her main weapons and can't grab another in time, she had the secret compartments made so she could surprise however was attacking her and kill them before they could kill her.
Anya just stood to the side and watched her. She had no been thrilled when she had been called by Indra to meet a nightblood child the Commander had directed to be her second. She had not wanted one, at least not that time but it was a direct order she couldn't go against it and when she entered the room, there it was a small looking child who stared her dead on the eyes with a strength she had no seen in many of her fellow warriors. The girl definitely intrigued her but she kept her cold posture so she could teach the girl what she needed to know and as she stood by now and watched Lexa prepare herself for this life changing moment, she couldn't be more sure that she was in fact standing before the next Commander.
"So what is your plan, child?" She asked and Lexa, once ready having finished tying the last straws of her clothes and fixing the braids on her hair, turned to her.
"My plan is to win but if you are asking about my battle strategy, I will not speak of it here. Who knows if the walls have ears? You know I don't trust Azgeda to play fair, better not give them any advantage. Isn't that what you taught me?" Lexa asked the woman and Anya smirked and nodded.
"And finally, it seems you have actually learned something," Anya said and Lexa smiled back at the woman she came to consider almost like a big sister.
"In any way, I will do my best and do you proud as I said I would the day you took me as your second," Lexa said and Anya sighed pushing herself away from the wall she was leaning against and coming to stand in front of the young girl.
"Of that, I have no doubt. You are a great warrior and most importantly, you fight for your people, all of them. There is nothing else you need to be able to win. You have the skills and the motive. You will win, I know it and once you do, it will be my honor to serve you as Commander," Anya said and Lexa hugged her.
There were many times during her training when Anya would beat her for no reason while teaching her some lesson she didn't understand the necessity of, during those times she would doubt if the woman had come to care for her at all, especially since she had come to care for her first. Lexa had always admired Anya as a warrior since the moment they met and was delighted to learn she would be her second. She gave her best, did almost everything Anya asked of her, only questioning her when she disagreed with what the woman proposed.
But at moments like this, in the brink of a battle when she would be visibly worried and concerned or at night when, she would lay on the woman's tent and she would let Lexa crawl on her bed to hug her to sleep, Lexa knew that Anya cared for her and she considered the woman part of the family she didn't have. Anya was the big sister she never had and she would always have a place in her heart for the woman.
"Fight, Lexa. Fight," Anya said and she nodded as they started to hear the crowd that was gathered and Titus' voice as he made his speech.
He started calling the names of the other nightblood and Lexa knew she would be the last one given her age but she looked at Anya who nodded at her, trying to convey encouragement for what was about to happen to which Lexa couldn't help but be thankful for and they started to make their way out and towards the podium.
"Lyon kom Floukru," Titus called and the boy came forward, "Accept the sigil of your clan and fight with honor as their champion," Titus said and put the necklace on the boy and motioned for him to take his place besides his sister before he called her name.
"Alexandria kom Trikru," He called as she made her way through the crowd and went up to the stage. "Accept the sigil of your clan and fight with honor, as their champion," He said and put the necklace around her neck and she went to the banner of her clan as Titus faced front and the crowd made silence to hear his words.
"In this moment, we shall start the Conclave. A battle to the death within the walls of Polis. The novitiates will fight until only one remains, when that novitiate collects all the sigils from the fallen and deliver them to me, they will be declared the victor and ascend as our new Commander," He said as Lexa focused her attention on her people, the reason she would win.
"We honor those who fall by the sword but follow the One who wields it the best," He finished before he turned to them, "Now, you will go and choose your weapons, while we prepared the battlefield for the start. Once is ready, you will be called and only then will the battle begin. Go," Titus said and they nodded as they left the podium going to the weaponry and training pit followed by their mentors. Luna and Lyon went for the spears. Bron chose an axe, Tabitha chose bow and arrows, Dylan chose the two daggers and so on.
Lexa has an idea of which weapon she would choose but before she could move to get them, Anya stopped her. "My First gave this to me as a gift after my first battle as a warrior along the advice to always wield it for the greater good of my people and now I do the same to you," She said and removed the two swords she had on her back and offered them to Lexa who looked at them and at the warrior for a while before taking the weapons offered.
"How did you know I would choose two swords instead of one? Even I wasn't sure about it until a few moments ago," She asked and Anya smirked at her.
"I trained you for more than five years. While most warriors that choose a sword can only handle it with their dominant hand, you can do it with both very well, the best I have seen in a while, it was an obvious choice," She answered the question and Lexa nodded.
"Thank you, Anya. This means a lot to me," Lexa said and Anya nodded before she continued, "Can I ask you a favor?" Lexa said.
Anya nodded intrigued that she would ask her anything given how independent the girl always seem to be. "Yes. What is it?"
"I know it is not part of the tradition of the Conclave but I would be honored if I could use your war paint?" Lexa said and this time Anya was shocked. Lexa was right, no novitiate wore war paint from their clan at the Conclave, only the nightblood who won would wear the Commander's war paint design but Lexa had already broken tradition once today during the purification ritual, what was another?
"The honor would be mine, little Commander," Anya said and went to prepare it and once she did, she painted Lexa herself. "May this give you the strength to do what needs to be done and win," Anya said and Lexa nodded at her just as a member of the Order called out.
"Mentors, to the tower. Novitiates, to your flights," He said and walked away.
"Your fight is not over, little one. It has only just begun," Anya said with certainty in her voice.
Lexa nodded as the woman left along with the other mentors before the novitiates walked out and towards the streets of Polis and they all were separated to go to their starting places. Lexa's was in front of the tower. As she got there, she looked at the sigil of her clan and pulled out her swords as she turned towards the front and awaited for what seemed like forever but it was only a few second before she heard the horn sounds indicating that the conclave had started and that in the next few moments her destiny would begin.
She took a deep breath and twirled her swords before she took a step forward and started running towards the left. She was not very tall yet so she knew she could hide if she wanted to but they deserved better than for her to hide out and wait for them to slaughter themselves. If she would win this, she would do so with honor. She continued making her way through the streets, always checking her surrounding when she made a turn and was faced with Marlo who stopped also when he saw her.
"So we meet, little sister," He said to her using a nickname he had given her when she first got here and she nodded \t him.
"We do, stupid," She said in turn using the nickname she had given him which didn't fail to bring a smile out of him before they both took a fighting stance.
"Are you ready to die?" He asked her while she just stared at him.
"I will make it quick," She answered him and he nodded before he yelled out and moved towards her with his sword and swung at her but she dodged to the side and cut his leg as he swung his sword back and cut her arm. They stared off again before she made her move and attacked him again and again as he defended with his shield and hit her in the face with it, breaking her nose as the blood started dripping.
He moved to swing his sword at her, to strike her but she was prepared for him this time and at the last minute, she dodged, sliding forward on her knees through the ground while swinging her sword and cutting him on his stomach as she passed by him coming up to stop behind him, running her sword at the back of his knees making him fall to the ground. Then, she stood up and moved to stand in front of him as he looked at her with blood dripping from his mouth.
"Your fight is over, brother. May you find peace in the next life," She said and he nodded at her as she ran her sword through his heart, removing it as he breathed his last breath.
He fell to the ground and she took his necklace putting around hers before moving forward as she noticed the member of the Order who was watching them left, probably to announce the death of one of them. She continued walking and soon she came to a clearing and noticed something was not right about it, her senses were alerting her that danger was near so she waited and soon enough, she felt someone come from the back and jump on her as she deflected only to have an arrow struck her near the hip and she knew she was fighting more than one person at a time so she managed to roll away and hide from them.
She then gritted her teeth and broke the tip of the arrow that had come out in front and pulled the arrow as she heard voices say, "Come out, come out, wherever you are Lexa. You swore you would kill us, now is your chance. Come and fight us for your people."
She heard Tabitha's voice, took a deep breath, gathered her weapons and walked out and into the open and she saw three of them facing her. Tabitha, Daren and even Trini. Lexa walked further as they closed in on her forming a triangle around her.
"We didn't want this Lexa but none of us wants to die today," Trini said and Lexa nodded.
"I know. Maybe one day, I can change the Conclave and we no longer will have to slaughter each other," She answered to the older girl with kindness in her voice as it was also painful for her having to kill them so she could survive.
"You really think that you are going to win, don't you? Bron is still alive and is out for your blood. There is no way you can win," Tabitha said sarcastically and Lexa just titled her head but said nothing in return.
"Enough talking. We do this now," Daren said to his two companions and Lexa nodded her head at them to let them know she was ready as she took in a fighting stance.
"Shall we?" Lexa said to them and Tabitha was the first to move to her and swung her sword at her but Lexa dodged it as she ducked down and rolled out of the way to avoid Daren's hammer and raised her sword to defend from Trini's spear, pushing it away and using her other sword to deeply cut through Trini's belly while her blood splattering on Lexa's face. And as Daren came running towards her, the youngest nightblood used the column in front of her to step on it and flip backwards as she raised her swords and slashed Daren in his back before twirling around and meeting Tabitha's sword holding it steady as the girl put pressure on it.
Lexa noticed that Daren was getting up so she used her strength to push the girl back as Daren swung at her again and she defended before kicking him in the leg and slitting his throat as Tabitha attacked her again tackling her to the ground as her swords fell out of her hands. Tabitha straddled her and started throwing punch after punch on her face. Lexa raised her arms to protect her head but then the girl just moved to punch her in the chest and ribs which ended up breaking one or two along with it.
So while the girl was busy rotating where to punch between her chest and her face, who was bloodied now, Lexa quickly held one of Tabitha's arms breaking it as she punched the girl in the face and changed their position, straddling her as she threw the punches now and when the girl did the same as her and protected her face, Lexa went for the neck and grabbed it with both her hands putting pressure on it. Tabitha moved her arms from her face and tried to swing at Lexa but the lack of oxygen made the attacks sloppy so the younger girl was able to defect them, putting more pressure and soon enough, there was no more life in the girl's eyes.
Lexa let go then but to be sure she took one of the knives she had and drove on the girl's chest, pulling it back. She stood up, clutching her ribs and her wound and looked at her fallen friends. "Your fights are over. May the Spirit guide you in peace to the next life," She said before she grabbed their sigils, her swords and continued on moving. The sun was beginning to simmer down when she came to a scene she had hoped she would not see.
Luna and Lyon were fighting each other. Brother and sister. Twins. Lexa knew that whoever won that fight would never be the same again. The two of them were really close and Lexa knew how hard this would be for either one of them, especially to the one who survived and had to live with the guilt of having killed the other one. She was watching them go head to head when she heard a noise and hid out of view as a member of the Order came close to observe who would win the fight to report to the Flame Keeper as it was his duty. From where she was, Lexa could see the fight too but she already knew the winner.
Luna was a much better fighter than Lyon and Lyon was much more compassionate than Luna. He would never be able to kill his sister even if he somehow bested her so she knew Luna would win and as Lexa watched her run her spear through her brother's body, she knew the girl drove one on her own as well. He let go of his spear that fell to the ground with a thud and he fell down along with it but into his sister's arm as she caught him and lowered them both to the ground as she held him whispering what Lexa could only judge was an apology filled of regret.
The member noticed when Lyon breathed his last breath and left Luna to her grieving and as he left, Lexa came out of hiding and headed for the girl who didn't even look up as Lexa kneeled down beside them and swiped her hand on his face closing his eyes, as Luna continued to cry.
"I should have let him kill me. I should have died. Not him," Luna said with tears falling freely down her face as Lexa looked at her.
"He never would have killed you because he had always wanted for you to live. If he could have chosen, I know he wouldn't have changed this outcome and deep down, you know that too," Lexa said to her friend.
Luna and Lyon were the closest one to her in age so when she first came to Polis, they were the first one to try and get closer to her and she let them, they were her friends and she was always sad about the possibility that they would have to kill each other but she always knew it was worse for them which made her feel sorry.
"Those were his last words. That I had to live or his death would mean nothing. I can't stay here but I don't want to die either, Lexa. I have to leave. I have to go," Luna said to her and Lexa nodded understanding her.
"I know. You should go to the Boat People, the Order will try to hunt you down but I won't let them. You can make a life for yourself there, one where you can honor him," Lexa said and Luna nodded at her.
"Promise something, that when you're Commander, you will be different. That you will fight to end the bloodshed, that you will show them a better way than this," Luna begged of her as she held Lexa's hand in hers and squeezed it.
"That is exactly what I plan to do, you have my word. I will find a way to end this and to have peace instead of war, no matter the cost," Lexa vowed and Luna nodded looking once more at her brother before ripping his sigil and giving to Lexa as well as her own.
Lexa took them and secured around her neck and helped Luna put her brother down and they said goodbye to him together before they stood up. They heard noises and looked at each other.
"If you want to escape you need to go now, I will find Bron and fight him, that should draw the others away from you and you can get out unnoticed," Lexa said and Luna nodded offering her arm, Lexa gripped it.
"The Spirit chose wisely. May it guide you," Luna said to her and Lexa nodded.
"May you find peace too, my friend," Lexa said and as the noises came closer.
They both ran in different directions as Lexa made sure to draw the attention to herself so Luna could escape. Lexa was mentally wishing that Luna would be okay. It would be hard but she had confidence that the girl would honor Lyon's wishes and live her life, help others. And with that Lexa ran. There were only two people left besides her, Dylan and Bron. She would hate to kill the former but the latter, she was ready for him.
And she found the two of them fighting in the middle of Polis near the tower and the sun was fading away faster and faster. As Lexa watched them, she realized that she had almost killed them all, except three of them, the rest were her kills. She felt bad about it but she would honor their deaths, even Bron's. He didn't deserve it but they spent ten years living together, it was the least she could do. She focused back on the fight in time to see Bron swing his axe and cut of Dylan's head that rolled out and ended up by her feet as she looked at it.
"Your fight is over. May the Spirit guide in peace to the next life," She said to him hoping the next life would be better for him.
"I knew it would be you and me in the end, kid," Bron said as she looked up to see him looking at her with a smirk on his face. "I knew you would come for me last so I waited for the others to die so it would be just you and me," He said as she walked toward him.
"Did you have to cut off his head?" She asked him referring to Dylan.
"Well, no but I wanted to," He said and smirked as he pointed his axe at her before twirling it around as he spoke, "They are all watching us, the last novitiates. The last showdown."
Lexa looked around the place they were in and indeed, a high number of the members were there as she expected them to be. She hoped Luna has escaped the capitol and their crutches already. "So what do you say, kid? Shall we end this?" Bron asked her and she nodded.
"I am ready," She said and raised her sword as did he.
"Very well." With that, they started circling each other, waiting, watching, studying. Lexa knew he was stronger and Bron knew she was faster so they knew that they would have to kill the other quickly, the problem was neither was willing to make the first move. Finally, Bron decided he had enough and moved towards her and their weapons clashed together in a series of attacks and defenses as they both tried to end it quickly however they couldn't.
Lexa dodged out of the way after he delivered a hard blow, he turned to her and attacked again as she defended herself before a change in position and direction allowed her to begin to attack him, quickly, in fast speed while he tried to defend himself as fast as he could but he knew that he would lose that way so he made a choice and was able to throw both of their weapons away as Lexa had no choice but to step back.
"We will do this the hard way." He said out of breath raising his fists as she did the same.
"Andso we shall." Lexa agreed and within no time at all, he came at her.
He swung his arms but she ducked and punched him hard in the stomach and moved out of the way from his next punch, delivering one of her own on his ribs but unfortunately she didn't duck the next one fast enough and he clocked her right at her arrow wound, so she hissed out in pain. After that one got in, Bron was on a roll and punched her in the face as she fell to the ground, hard, at the same time it started to rain on them.
"You know. You fought well, kid. But it was a delusion to think you would win against me. I will be the Commander as it should be. Don't worry, it will all be over soon for you," He said as he came to stand above her and she looked up to him.
Before he could do anything, she kicked his legs making them buckle, forcing him onto his knees and in the time that it took him to fall to the ground, Lexa twirled around on the floor, got up on her feet, got a good grip on his neck and broke it as the big figure slumped forward towards the ground as she stood above his now lifeless body.
"For the first and last time, I will agree with you, Bron. It is over," She said as she grabbed his sigil and Anya's swords, putting them on her back as she made her way to the tower.
She rode the elevator and walked out of it and into the room with the pose of the title she would soon bear until her last breath. She walked inside the throne room and past the candles and the leaders as she came to stop in front of the throne and Titus. She looked at him and pulled the necklaces from around her neck and gave it to him who counted the numbers and nodded. "Alexandria of the Woods Clan is victorious," He said and she looked at the throne.
And making her decision, she climbed the steps and came to stand in front of it, thinking of all those that died for this moment, for her triumph, before she turned around to face the crowd and sat down on it, on her throne. Soon enough, Anya was the first one to call her Heda and kneel, Titus was the next and slowly everyone was on their knees and she looked out at them. Now, she was responsible for them and she would honor the promises she made. She would lead her people to a better future. She steeled her gaze. Her life started now.