Author's Note: Basically, I am set on finishing this story but I'm posting the end war in chunks. The ending of this one fit so well for an end of chapter so I took it. Now, there is one more part to this war, and then the aftermath, which will conclude this story. There will be an epilogue however so there is two to three chapters left counting the epilogue. How many chapters will really depend on whether I come up with yet another obstacle for the characters because going into this chapter you think you know what is going on... but you don't.

Happy Reading.


Chapter 38

Once Clarke and Happy were back on ground level, they were met with Riku and Yuki with a cart full of what looked like parts.

"Did you figure it out?" Happy asked, excited.

Clarke looked at them confused as she looked into the box that just looked like a bunch of junk, "What did they figure out?"

Yuki nodded, "Yes, we did. I wasn't sure it was going to work, but I think it will. Which is why we need your help to set it up."

"Well, let's go then," Happy said, excited to see how this thing was going to work.

"I don't understand," Clarke said to no one in particular.

Riku walked up next to Clarke, "You'll get used to it." Clarke looked over at him confused. "You see Yuki and Happy started working on a project a few weeks back when we had discovered the bomb in space. Well, we didn't know it was a bomb at the time. Anyways, these two were trying to create a shielding for the device. A shielding that would not only keep things in, but would be capable of transferring the energy out. Honestly, I thought this wouldn't be possible and yet.."

"Here we are!" Yuki shouted, walking in front of Clarke and Riku but talking loud enough for them to hear. "Think of it like this, if the device would have been in this shielding when it went off, then the energy from the blast would have been transferred elsewhere. We'd all be fine, and there would have just been a black mark in the room."

"I don't understand how this helps us now," Clarke pointed out, feeling a little lost at the current moment.

"After coming up with the electrified mines, and then while the bullets concept didn't work because it would interfere with the mechanics of the gun, we came up with an arrow alternative. We decided to play with this idea Happy and I had been working on. Based on our tests, we should be able to reverse the transference and send electric waves into the area that this is shielding," Yuki explained, which caused Happy to jump up and down.

"You have to tell me how you got it to work," Happy asked excitedly to get a better understanding of how this would work.

"Well you see-"

"Yuki, maybe save it for later?" Riku suggested.

Yuki nodded, "We'll talk later," He whispered to Happy, who nodded excitedly.

"So will we be able to adjust the size of the shielding?" Clarke asked, thinking she was starting to understand what was happening.

"Well, the size was meant to be quite small so we have made some adjustments to essentially spread out, so theoretically when the transference of electricity goes through, it should affect a wide range of people," Yuki explained, using his hands to indicate just how big it should be. "The only thing is that, we can't have it inside the fence because it could set off the mines, and we can't have it outside the fence because we might not get a connection."

"Wait, why wouldn't you get a connection?" Happy looked over to Yuki a little stuck now.

"We can't say for sure if it'll work with interference coming from the mines, and the electric fence, so we'd rather not take the chance, so we had a better idea," Yuki said as they arrived in the main area just inside the gate.

"Where are we going to set it up?" Clarke asked, not sure if she was fully understanding what was happening.

"Here," Riku answered, looking over at Clarke. "We think that if the enemy, or our friends, are able to gain access to the gate, then we will wait for them to collect inside and then-"

"WHAM! All of them are knocked out," Yuki exclaimed.

Riku shook his head at Yuki's excitement, "Can we just build it now? What did I say about time?"

"Right right, yes. Happy, let's get to work," Yuki agreed, pulling pieces from one of the containers on the cart.

"Clarke, you and I will set up the mines," Riku said, as he picked up the box with the mines in them. "We don't have many so we will have to be strategic."

XXXXXX

For a few minutes Raven twirled around in her chair, not sure what she should be doing at this moment. "What do to, what to do?" She asked herself, unsure of what her purpose was while Lexa wandered around in her mind.

She got up from the chair to look at the whiteboard that had some formulas on them. "Why would they decide to create such an intelligence?" She asked herself, not expecting an answer.

"The human race was in pearl. I was created to help find a solution."

"I understand that, but you destroyed the world because you thought that the problem was mankind," Raven argued the point. "I was born in space because of you."

"Mankind is the reason that the human race was in pearl. The solution was clear. Change the course of the human race, to save the many."

"The many? You killed hundreds of millions of people, and left the planet full of radiation. You call that saving the human race?" Raven asked, not sure if she wanted an answer.

"Yes."

"Then you and I have very different definitions of the word saving," Raven shook her head at ALIE's answer. "Answer me this, why are you different?"

"I do not understand." The voice sounded genuinely confused.

"There is a form of your programming out there right now, coming here to destroy you because you hold the key to ending her programming," Raven answered, confused that this form didn't know what she was referring too. "We are here to enter the codes to shut her down, so that she can't try to control anymore of us."

"My programming was not built for such an action. I was created to find a solution for the growing numbers, which I did, now I sleep. There is no other version of me."

Raven turned away from the whiteboard thoroughly confused now, "Wait what? Then how do you account for the chips, and this other you trying to control everyone?"

"I assure you, that is not my programming. However, one of my creators had cordoned himself off in what is known as the lighthouse. If he happened to take my programming there, he could have inadvertently created a virus of my code. Which would account for what you speak of."

Raven shook her head not sure if she was understanding properly, "Are you saying that if we entered the kill code into your system that it won't kill her programming?"

"If there is a mainframe of her code there, then that is exactly what I am saying. While this location is the site of the original programming, it may not reach her programming if she has her own base of operations."

"Do you know where the lighthouse is?" Raven asked, hoping it wasn't too far away.

"Yes. It is about two hours from here in the southwest direction. It is easy to spot because it is on an island reachable by boat."

"Okay, I have to go tell the others," Raven moved to leave, when she realized Lexa was still sitting on the ground. She looked back and thought about waking Lexa, but didn't want to feel that wrath just in case she was close to speaking to the other commanders, so she decided to just leave Lexa. If Anya felt it necessary to wake her, then she can do it.

XXXXXX

By this point, they were at about hour nine, it wouldn't be long before people controlled by ALIE would be arriving at this location. Raven walked into operations looking for Anya to explain what she'd just learned.

When she arrived, Yuki, Riku, Happy and Clarke were talking about their plan with the fence, the mines and the shielding device, and how it'll work for them. All of this is theoretical because they couldn't waste time to test them first.

"We have a problem!" Raven shouted, causing them to stop their conversation.

"What is the problem?" Anya asked, confused because she was just starting to think that they might win this war.

"I was talking to ALIE-"

"Why were you talking to her, Raven?" Clarke interjected wanting to know why Raven would be so foolish.

"What was I supposed to do? Sit there and twiddle my thumbs while Lexa tries to speak to the commanders?" Raven asked dumbfounded at the question. "Exactly. Anyways, it's a good thing I did because she had mentioned that destroying the mainframe here might not kill ALIE's entire code."

"How could that be?" Anya asked, wanting to understand why, but hoping the solution was easy.

"The short of it all is that there is another location called 'The Lighthouse' and ALIE believes that her co-creator had taken her code there to work on. She believes that if there is another her walking around, then he may have accidentally created a virus, and if that's the case then-"

"Her code would be there," Yuki connected the dots. "So you think we need to get someone to this lighthouse to enter the codes once they are found as well?"

Raven nodded her head, "That's what she thinks. Yes."

"If that's the case, wouldn't ALIE have just destroyed the coding there so that this couldn't happen?" Clarke asked, because ALIE tried to destroy this one so why not that one.

Raven shook her head, "I don't think so. What we have here is the mainframe for the ALIE system, whereas what's there is just her code. If she were to destroy it, she would probably just incapacitate herself. I don't think it would destroy her, so we need to give her the kill code to fully ensure she's dead," Raven explained her thought process. "If we just blast it, I believe she'd just find a way to grow again."

"So someone needs to get there?" Anya asked, finally understanding what was happening.

"ALIE said that the lighthouse is about two hours southwest from here," Raven advised. "It'll be cutting it close but if that's what we need to do…"

Anya nodded, "You're right. What will you need?"

Raven shrugged, "I don't know. I don't know if there will be minions there protecting the doors, I don't know what we'll need to get in, I just don't know."

Anya nodded, "Okay, I want you to teach Clarke on what she needs to do to enter the codes into the computer below us. Then I'll send you with Riku, and a couple warriors to go to the lighthouse. If there is resistance, you'll have the muscle and if you need explosives to get into the lighthouse, you'll have that as well."

"What about Happy and I?" Yuki asked.

"You two have an understanding of the devices here, so you two will be here monitoring the devices here. As well, I need you to ensure that whatever communication device is being used that it can transmit from long distances," Anya pointed out. "We cannot have this plan fail because Raven cannot hear what the codes are from Clarke."

"I actually had a thought about that," Raven interjected. "I might be able to communicate with Clarke from the two systems but that is a long shot."

"Let's focus on the radios, and then we will go from there," Anya heard the information but wanted something more concrete.

XXXXXX

It didn't take long before Raven, Riku and a couple warriors were off via horseback with explosives, just in case in hopes of finding the lighthouse. It wasn't like they knew where they were going either, but they were hoping they would be able to find it.

Meanwhile Clarke went back down into the hole, ready to get the codes and enter them into the computer. She sat down in front of Lexa, "I hope you are speaking to them right now Lexa. You are literally our last hope on this front." She placed her hand on Lexa's knee just for a moment before getting up and going to sit on the chair.

Lexa felt herself wandering around in a void of darkness for what seemed like forever. It had been difficult for her to speak to them in the past, but this seemed like something else. For some reason it was as though they were testing her.

The question was why?

What did she do that would require such a test? She just wanted their help to get out and back to the people she cared about. Back to the woman she fell in love with.

"You Leksa Kom Trikru, you are the commander now, why did you remove the flame from yourself?"

Lexa squinted her brow, "I didn't remove it by choice. It just happened." She shouted into the void.

"It just happened, how can this be? Only the fleimkepa knows how to do this."

"We discovered a lab, and in the lab they spoke a foreign language, and before I knew it the flame came out of my neck." Lexa tried to explain, even though she didn't have much of an understanding of what even happened to begin with.

"You found the mainframe?" Another voice questioned.

"Yes, we did. I am looking for Becca Pramheda, I am told she has the codes to access the system so that we can input the kill code," Lexa answered, not sure if she was speaking to the right person or not.

"You have found her, why do you hope to enter the kill code?" Becca questioned.

"ALIE is trying to control our people, for what purpose we do not know but she is not allowing a choice. We are trying to stop her," Lexa answered, hoping to convince Pramheda.

"I understand why you are here. You must be at The Horizon then," Becca stated knowing that was where the mainframe was. "I am not sure how you are going to stop the war upon you, even with my codes."

"What do you mean? The mainframe told us if we got your codes, then we could enter it into the computer and it would kill your program," Lexa pointed out the obvious error in Becca's words.

Becca's ghostly form appeared in front of Lexa, "You are correct. It would do exactly as you describe but there is one fault to your plan."

"I do not understand," Lexa couldn't figure out what she was missing.

"The ALIE system that you seek is not at The Horizon, it is at a site called The Lighthouse. If you put the kill code into this system, then it will merely destroy the original system I built. Chris had taken the ALIE code and tried to fix it, but based on what is happening created a monster instead. If you wish to destroy her, you will need to go there," Becca stated clearly.

"Okay, I can do that, but what of your codes?" Lexa asked, wanting to finish this conversation sooner rather than later. She was exposed sitting on the floor of an unsecure location, waiting for a war. She didn't want to know what would happen if she died stuck in her mind.

"That's the thing, you are the codes," Becca stated.

"What?" Lexa looked at her confused. "How can that be?"

"After I created ALIE, she had shown signs of adapting and while I was busy trying to figure out a more advanced technology to advance one's mind, I built in a fail safe, for her just in case. She told you of the latin phrases to remove the flame, and to insert it, what she doesn't know is that that technology can be used to destroy her," Becca explained. "You say the phrase to remove the flame, once out you use the activation code to connect it to the computer effectively destroying the code."

"I am the code," Lexa made the connection.

Becca gave a slow nod, "That is correct. The flame and ALIE are connected, without one, the other cannot be destroyed. If ALIE ever got ahold of the flame, she could use it to upgrade her system into an unstoppable force, but to destroy her, the flame is required."

"Does the mainframe here at The Horizon still need to be destroyed?" Lexa asked, wondering if there was an order to the destruction or not.

"If that is what you want to do, then you can but I suspect that she is the reason you are here now. She is helping you. So you can decide if destroying her is worth it or not," Becca explained. "The Lighthouse is where you need to go."

Lexa let go of a breath she wasn't aware she was holding, "I understand."

"Then you need to go," Becca pushed Lexa.

She fell backwards, and just as she was about to hit the floor, her eyes opened up looking straight toward Clarke.

"Lexa, you're awake!" Clarke noticed on her last spin around in the chair, she got up and walked over to Lexa. "Did you get the codes?"

"We need to get to the lighthouse," Lexa said, without answering Clarke's question.

"Yeah, we figured that out about an hour ago when you were still meditating. Raven, Riku and some warriors are headed there to be prepared for when you provide the codes required to access the mainframe for ALIE. So do you have them?" Clarke asked, not sure if she was liking the look on Lexa's face currently.

Lexa nodded, "I do."

"Great, tell me what they are, and I'll enter them into the computer now." Clarke picked up the radio, "Raven, come in!"

"Go for Raven," She answered.

"Lexa has the codes," Clarke told Raven through the radio. "Okay, go ahead." She clicked the talk button for the radio for Lexa to speak.

"I am the code," Lexa answered.

"Wait did I hear what she just said, correctly," Raven asked from the other side.

"Uh, yeah, give me a second Raven," Clarke said to Raven, before sitting down in front of Lexa. "What do you mean you're the code?"

"Becca told me that the flame is required to destroy the code for ALIE, and it must be done at the lighthouse because that is where her coding is. This one, here at The Horizon is harmless because it is not connected to the one at the lighthouse. Becca thinks that the reason ALIE tried to destroy the mainframe was because she did not want this ALIE to tell us how to destroy her," Lexa explained, based on the information she'd been told.

"That actually makes a lot of sense," Clarke nodded her head in agreement. "Well come on then, let's get up to Anya and let her know what's going on." She brought the radio up to her mouth again, "Raven, come in."

"What are the codes Clarke?" Raven asked.

"We've got a problem here Raven. Lexa says that Becca made the code the flame, keep riding to the lighthouse. Lexa and I will be leaving soon, so make sure you get into the lighthouse, okay?" Clarke asked, hoping Raven got all of it over the radio.

"Understood," Raven agreed. She looked over to Riku, "Why am I not surprised that it's even more complicated than it already was?"

Riku nodded, "What I want to know is why we aren't used to it by now?"

Raven nodded, "You make a good point there."

Back at The Horizon, Clarke and Lexa walked into operations where Anya and Abby were speaking. "Clarke, is it done?" Anya asked, noticing Clarke walk into her peripheral.

Clarke shook her head, "No."

"Becca has said that the flame is the key to destroying ALIE and that it can only be done at the lighthouse where her code is," Lexa jumped in and answered the question before Anya asked it. Time was a factor here, there was no use waiting for questions to be asked when answers were known ahead of time.

"Well then, get some horses and go now," Anya commanded, thankful that Lexa got right to the point. Her forwardness was one of the reasons she had chosen Lexa as her second years ago.

"Understood," Lexa turned and left. "Clarke, are you coming?"

Clarke turned around and ran after Lexa, "You want me to come with you this time?"

Lexa nodded, "Of course, not only would staying here put you in more danger but if something were to happen to me again, I need to ensure someone gets the flame there."

"Don't talk like that, nothing is going to happen to you," Clarke refused to believe that she was going to lose Lexa today.

"Besides, I really do not believe that I could ride a horse very fast. My wrist is killing me, both from the extended pressure I put on it from lifting and moving rocks, to the ground coming down on me," Lexa admitted to Clarke as they arrived at the horse stables.

Clarke chuckled, "Are you admitting you're weak to me?" She asked, pulling herself up onto the horse, putting her arm out for Lexa to grab.

"Do not tell anyone," Lexa tried to sound threatening but it came out more playful, after she was helped onto the horse behind Clarke.

"Your secret is safe with me," Clarke admitted, walking the horse out of the facility with Happy's help to avoid all of their traps. "Make sure the place is standing when we get back, okay Happy?"

Happy put her hand to her head and saluted Clarke, "You destroy the bitch!"

With that they were off.

XXXXXXX

It was hour eleven when a warrior came running into operations where Anya was standing with Abby. They were in a discussion about what to do with the people that were going to be unconscious from being electrocuted. They were fairly certain the numbers would not be small.

"What if we set up a triage area just inside the gate?" Abby suggested, thinking back to her medical training.

Anya nodded, "That could work."

"Commander!" The warrior exclaimed running into the room, semi out of breath. It was clear the warrior had run a great distance to get here.

"What is it?" Anya asked, concerned that she was about to hear what she didn't want to hear.

"They are here," The warrior huffed from having just ran from the outskirts of their facility to this room

She turned to another warrior in the room, "Have we heard back from Clarke or Lexa yet?"

The warrior shook their head no.

"Give me the radio," Anya demanded. The warrior handed the radio to them. "Clarke, come in?"

Clarke handed the radio back to Lexa to speak so she didn't have to stop.

"This is Lexa, go ahead Anya," She answered.

"How close are you?" Anya asked, hoping they were already there and were just trying to figure out how to get this to work.

"Unclear," Lexa answered. "We're still riding by horseback. Pramheda is directing us in the most direct path, but even she says it could be another hour until we get there. Why?"

"Warriors have reported that the army has arrived at our outskirts, it will not be long before they are at the electric fence," Anya explained. "Get there as soon as you can."

"Understood."

Clarke heard the whole conversation, and put her heels into the sides of the horse to try and increase the speed of the horse. They were essentially the key to winning this war now, and if they didn't get there in time, it could mean the end of their people.

Anya looked to Abby, "We need to inform Yuki and Happy to get ready! Warriors, spread the word. Get your armour, and arrows ready. We have a war coming. A war that is full of our friends and family."

It took a few minutes before she arrived in the main area that Happy and Yuki had set up their device, "Is it ready?"

Happy nodded, "We believe so, but until we use it we won't know for sure if it's working, why?"

"The army is here," Anya stated. "I need you to ensure the fence is operational, get the arrows you were able to create to the archers, and make sure the mines are active, understood?"

"Yes Commander," Yuki answered for both of them. "Happy, you check the fence and I'll get the arrows to the archers."

Happy gave a nod, "I'll see you one the other side."

"You will," Yuki answered. "We'll meet up back here afterwards so we can make sure this thing works."

XXXXXX

Jaha looked around to the people he was walking with, the woman in the red dress walking next to him. "We are almost there ALIE."

"Yes, and when we arrive, the mainframe should be below their lab, once it is destroyed nothing will stop us," ALIE said to Jaha looking straight forward as The Horizon was coming into view.

"How can you be sure that this will end your weakness," Titus asked, walking up from behind ALIE.

While he was out looking for the messenger that had requested Clarke to Polis, he had been struck with an arrow turning him into one of ALIE's minions.

ALIE who had made herself known to Jaha and Titus answered with, "My creator created my programming at this location. If they were to access this mainframe, they would learn of how to destroy me. Not only are you to find out what can kill me, but then it must be destroyed."

Titus gave a nod, "Understood. I will have my best warriors on this task."

"You better," ALIE demanded. They had one task, and this was it. Some were going to converge on the mainframe, the rest were meant as a distraction. She hoped that this plan would work as she could not have someone destroying her code.

XXXXXX

Anya stood just inside the gate, "Close the gate now!" She shouted as Happy ran back into the compound. "Is it operational?"

Happy nodded, "Yes, they all appear to be working correctly. Based on my calculations the fence should hold for quite some time but then again, I am not sure how it will work with multiple people hitting it."

Yuki dropped down from the ladder that led up to the archers stations around the top of the reinforced gate around the compound. "I have provided them with as many arrows as Riku and I were able to create. They have been instructed to only use them if they get past our traps or have found a way into the compound."

"Good," Anya nodded. She turned around just in front of the gate where all of their warriors that weren't already stationed somewhere were standing. "We are about to go to war, but unlike the other wars we have all fought, this one involves our friends and family, people that may have no idea what they are doing. First and foremost we are to do everything in our power not to kill them, but if you get into a situation where it's either their life or yours… just take it. You are not to let their survival outway your own survival. They will be going for the mainframe, so I would let as many warriors as we can spare stationed at the mainframe, on the ground and above it. We cannot let them get to the mainframe. We have no way of knowing if destroying the mainframe will prevent the commander from completing her task, so we are to protect it as long as we can. Let's go to war!" Anya pulled out her sword, pointing the tip into the air above.

A crowd of shouting erupted the second she pulled out her sword. They were ready for battle, whatever might come from the battle. Whether it be death, or not. They were ready.