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chapter twenty-six, Another day on the ground

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MILLER AND BRYAN EXIT THE ROOM and Nova and Fio release each other from the hug. Bellamy rushes out of the throne room and sees only Miller and Bryan as well and it clicks for Nova.

"Wait... did you leave Octavia alone in there with Pike?" Nova asks and Miller shrugs his shoulders as he holds Bryan.

Nova pulls out her sword and her, Bellamy and Fio rush into the room and see Octavia slice Pikes leg. "O! What are you doing?" Bellamy asks as Pike screams in pain. Three grounders climb up and one rushes towards Pike while the other two are still climbing but Bellamy shoots the two Grounders and Pike breaks the third ones' neck.

Bellamy rushes over to Pike and helps him stand, "Come on. Can you stand?" Bellamy asks as Pike groans in pain.

"She cut me!" Pike screams and Octavia walks over to Nova and stands next to her at the same time Iris rushes into the room.

"They're coming up and they're coming quick!" Iris shouts as everyone looks to the window and see more chipped people coming through.

"We have to go now!" Nova shouts as she rushes to the door and holds it open for everyone and is the last person to leave the room shutting the door behind her. Pike, Fio, Iris, Nova, Octavia, and Bellamy start piling furniture in front of the door, forming a barricade.

"Iris! Find more stuff so we can cover this door!" Nova shouts and Iris rushes off. Nova, Fio and Octavia push against the door so no one can get in.

"I told you. You need to get yourself under control if we're going to survive this" Pike says as he leans up against the door looking to Octavia who doesn't pay him any mind as the Grounders and people of the Ark continue to try to break down the door.

"Now is not the time for a lecture we have to keep this door closed!" Nova shouts as Octavia's breathes heavily. "You guys keep it closed. I'll get more for the barricade" Octavia declares, sending a nod to Bellamy as she rushes off with Iris.

After a while, the chipped Grounders and people of the Ark still attempt to get through the door. Pike, Fio, Nova, Bellamy, Octavia, Bryan, and Miller all keep trying to hold the barricade.

"This isn't going to hold for long!" Bryan shouts and Miller groans in pain as he continues to hold the barricade.

"How the hell did they even get in here?" Miller asks and Nova shakes her head. "Not important but sooner or later we have to fight back" Nova states.

"Sounds like there's a lot of them. Maybe time to use the guns" Miller suggests and Pike shakes his head.

"We've got something better than guns. Surprise" Pike states as he looks to everyone and pulls out his shock stick.

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THE CHIPPED CROWD FINALLY BREAK THROUGH THE DOOR and move past what was left of the barricade, Kane leading them. They walk into a corridor with water on the floor, and Octavia and Nova standing at the end with their hands up in surrender.

"Okay! We're done! We'll take the damn chip!" Nova shouts and Kane nods slowly. "Good. No one else has to die. Maybe you can convince your mentor of that" Kane declares, looking to both Octavia and Nova.

"Indra's alive?" Octavia asks as her hands slowly move down. "Yes. On the cross suffering needlessly." Kane states and Octavia and Nova looks to each other and Nova sends her a nod.

"NOW!" Octavia screams as she grabs Nova's arm and they both jump onto a box as Miller and Bellamy throw shock sticks into the water, electrocuting Kane and the rest.

"Hurry up. Let's get their weapons" Pike states and Nova and Octavia jump down off the boxes and grab some of their weapons.

Nova finds a couple knives and puts one in her boot and hands three more to Iris, Fio, and Octavia.

"Can we get back to Clarke now?" Nova asked, her voice edged with worry.

Bellamy nodded, and everyone began to follow him to the throne room. As they walked in, Nova's heart sank at the sight of Clarke with black blood dripping from her nose and Murphy frantically pumping Ontari's heart with his hands.

"Is she okay?" Nova asked, turning to Abby with wide, anxious eyes.

"She will be as long as Ontari's heart keeps beating," Abby warned, glancing at Murphy, who looked flustered but didn't stop his lifesaving efforts.

"This is it. We need to keep Clarke safe! Give her time. They're unarmed and they won't feel pain. They won't stop until they're out cold," Bellamy stated firmly. Nova, Fio, and Octavia moved up to stand beside him, their eyes fixed on the door, ready for the imminent threat.

Miller, Bryan, and Pike slowly approached, guns in hand, prepared to defend Clarke with their lives. Iris pulled out her crossbow, standing at the other end, her weapon aimed at the door, her expression steely with determination.

Abby cocked her gun and looked at Bellamy with a small, tense smile. "Just in case they get past you," she said.

Bellamy nodded slowly as the sounds of Chipped Grounders and Arkers trying to break down the doors to the throne room grew louder. The tension in the air was palpable, every second feeling like an eternity.

The doors finally gave way, crashing open as the Chipped Grounders and Arkers poured in. The defenders braced themselves, knowing this could be their last stand. Nova tightened her grip on her weapon, her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced at Clarke, silently vowing to protect her at all costs.

The battle for survival had begun.

Nova gripped her sword tightly and glanced over at Fio, giving him a resolute nod.

"Fight!" Fio shouted as the Grounders and Arkers charged at them with alarming speed. Two chipped Grounders lunged at Nova. She ducked their wild punches, swiftly drawing a knife from her boot. With a quick, precise move, she stabbed one in the eye and spun around, slashing the other's neck.

More enemies surged towards Nova, but Iris and Fio intervened, cutting them down with ruthless efficiency. Nova acknowledged Iris with a respectful nod before diving back into the fray.

Abby fired a shot, dropping a Grounder who was sprinting towards Clarke. Pike dispatched another who was attacking Octavia. In the chaos, a chipped Arker knocked Nova to the ground, kicking her sword away and wrapping his hands around her neck. Struggling for breath, Nova kicked her legs frantically. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, and the Arker collapsed beside her with a bullet in his head.

Fio helped her up, and Nova saw Bellamy with his handgun still smoking. She gave him a grateful nod just as Kane grabbed Bellamy from behind, choking him.

Nova quickly retrieved her sword from the ground and moved towards Kane, but before she could intervene, Jaha stormed into the throne room. Pike charged at him, but Jaha deftly deflected the attack.

Abruptly, the chipped Grounders and Arkers stopped fighting, their cries and groans of pain filling the room. Kane released Bellamy, stepping back, disoriented. Nova turned to see Clarke stirring on the throne, awakening from her unconscious state.

"Clarke. You did it" Nova worships as she turns around and looks at her with a slight smile on her face. Abby helps remove the Flame from Clarke's neck and gives it to Clarke, prompting Murphy stops pumping Ontari's heart.

"Thank you" Clarke states and Murphy sends her a tired nod. "John..." Some girl calls out and Murphy runs to her and hugs her as she begins to cry. Meanwhile, Bryan and Miller hug in relief, Bellamy and Octavia nod at each other and Kane begins crying, Abby looking towards him with a look of sympathy and Abby walks over to him, putting her hand on Kane's shoulder.

Nova looks over to Iris and Iris walks over to her and puts her hand out. Nova looks down at her hand and places her hand in hers. Nova looks back over to Clarke and rushes over to her and hugs her tightly.

"Oh... Clarke" Nova breathes out as Clarke hugs her back tightly. "Nova, are you alright?" Clarke asks and Nova chuckles as she nods her head.

"I should be asking you that, but I'm fine," Nova says as they pull away from the hug, their eyes locking. "You're not acting like someone who just saved the world," she observes, noticing the sadness lingering in Clarke's eyes.

"Because we didn't. Not yet," Clarke replies, her voice tinged with resignation. Nova's smile fades as she turns to look at the others, just in time to see Octavia confront Pike. Without hesitation, Octavia plunges her sword into Pike's stomach, the blade piercing through him. He collapses to the ground, dead. Without a word or a backward glance, Octavia strides out of the throne room.

Nova's eyes widen slightly as she glances at a stunned Bellamy, who watches his sister leave in disbelief. Clarke and Nova exchange a look, both grappling with the shock of what just transpired.

"Just another day on the ground... right?" Nova asks, her voice shaky as she tries to find some semblance of normalcy. Clarke clears her throat, her eyes still fixed on the spot where Pike fell.

The room is heavy with tension, the echoes of battle still lingering in the air. Outside, the sky begins to darken, casting long shadows across the broken and bloodied landscape. The silence is oppressive, filled with unspoken fears and unresolved conflicts. Nova takes a deep breath, feeling the weight of their uncertain future pressing down on her.

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END OF SEASON 3