Luisa

I was escorted out of the palace and back to the bar where my people were, waiting for my return. Once I entered the building, we were locked inside which resulted in Octavia and Bellamy banging on the door.

"What happened?" Kane asked. I don't even look at my father when my head finds Jordan's face. I march towards him and use the back of my hand, striking him across the cheek.

"What the fuck!" Murphy yelled. "You stupid bitch," I state in a tone so terrifying that no one moves. "You can't keep your mouth shut for the slightest second. I come to them with peace and they bring up my entire history because you've told them as if my life is a story. Your dad said to do better and the first thing you do is jeopardize the entire process. Now, they think I want to wipe them out and take over because of my past and that's not what I want to do. They won't let us stay at all and we'll have to travel light years to find the next survivable planet. All thanks to you, Jordan."

"I-I didn't know she was going to tell them," Jordan uttered to say. "Who?" Clarke asked. "Delilah," he whispered, his eyes glazing with water. "She must be a spy," Echo told me. "I saw them go out last night and she must've begged you to tell her everything."

"You should know that he hasn't had too much human interaction," Bellamy said. "It's not his fault." "Yes, it is," Jordan's voice cracked. He quickly glanced at me and went upstairs. I knew he had gone to cry.

"Are you serious, Luisa?" Kane stated. "Don't even, because you know I'm right," I said. The door swung open and Russell and Simone entered.

"You are not a prime," Russell stated. "If your mother was here, I'd allow it but no, not you. And by the looks of it, you and your people cannot stay here." "Okay," I said, nodding. "Come on, let's leave." "I'll have guards take you safely to your ship."

"Chit yu dula? (What are you doing?)" Octavia asked as we began leaving the main ground. "Ai gaf in dis tof (I want this land)" I reply. "Nowe!" Bellamy called. "Ai nou gonen" (I'm not fighting). "You will now."

I attacked the guard on my left, grabbing his long staff and tearing it from his grasp. I chose not to kill him but used the end to whack him down. A guard came behind me and scratched my arm and Octavia used it as a signal to put him down and Echo and Miller did the same to the others.

"Are you serious, Luisa?!" Kane shouted at me. Bright headlights came to us and we covered our eyes from beams. We were surrounded by a militia and I held my hand up so that they wouldn't fight. The leading guard handcuffed me and the others and we road back on their motorcycles back to the palace.

"Welcome back, Wanheda," Simone greeted with a smile. I was shoved in a seat and chained up and I noticed her grin fade as she looked at me. Russell had the same expression. He approached me and crouched down, swiping the dry blood on my skin.

"I'm guessing Becca made you like this?" he asked. "I was born this way," I responded. "It became a hereditary gene in my clan. Just not recently since they've died off. As you know, it's for radiation reasons." "Yes, our primes have it."

I sarcastically gasped, "Does this make me a prime?" "We don't know yet," Russell said. "We don't want a killer as our leader." "I'm sure you've killed someone," I said. "Tell me, what's that scar on the back of your neck? It's okay, I have one too."

His head tilted and he walked around pulling my hair to the side to see the healed stitches. "What are you?" "What are you?" I reversed. "Not telling you until you tell me. Whatever is in your head, can only be there with the blood alteration."

"I'm-" "Russell!" Simone exclaimed. "It's fine, Simone," he said. "I have killed. I kill people with black blood to continue my life. I am Russell Lightbourne the seventh."

"Wow," I said, actually shocked. "You've preserved your life for quite some time. I mean, you don't look the same, so how do you body snatch?" "With the drive your mother made to record everything we saw on our expeditions, a doctor and I re-engineered them to download an entire mind," he explained.

"And you've created an entire religion so that people dedicate their lives for your life. Wow." "So tell me your secret." "So..." I trailed off, crossing my legs.

"Bring him in!" Russell called out. A guard barged in, dragging in my father who was tied up, and put him on his knees. Russell drew a knife and held it to his neck. "Tell me."

I looked between my father and Russell with daring eyes but I didn't want to play games with his life. I took a deep breath in and said, "I have an AI in my head." He withdrew the knife but kept it out, not afraid to use it. "Becca created it so it could co-exist with humans, unlike her previous AI that burned the world. This AI would enhance the host's mind. In my case, see the past hosts. Sometimes I see and hear them, including Becca. Other times, they can even come back and obtain my body only if I allowed them to. We call them nightbloods and whoever is worthy to bear the flame will become a Commander. Or just die in a fight against other nightbloods and the last one standing gets the chip."

"Magnificent," he whispered. "Is it removable?" "Not without a passphrase," I said. "Is yours?" "Not without death." "Are we done here?"

"I've changed my mind, Luisa. You and your people can stay," he said. He motioned to a guard and he came to me and removed my and Kane's cuffs. "We're going to make you into one of us."

"No, you're not," I denied. "Well, I mean just to give you a title," he assured me. "If it's anything other than that, we'll have problems," I said. "And if you tell your people, we'll have problems," he responded. I glared at him as I squeezed my father's hand and watched as he left the room.

"When do I ascend?" I asked. "When you give me nightblood," Russell said. I raised my eyebrows. "Jordan mentioned that some children in a bunker were injected with the serum but it was never tested if they could withstand the AI." "And nightblood can only be created in space," I concluded. "Which we have access to."

"Why do you even need it?" "Our hosts are becoming rare," he explained. "And if we can create them, we can live longer." "You give us nightblood," Simone began, "and we give you a spot on this hierarchy." "And my people." "And your people."

"Good," I nodded. "Now, we make a blood oath." I grabbed the knife in Russell's hand, causing the guards to draw their weapons, but I only wounded myself before returning the weapon. Russell looked at me then at my bleeding hand and slit his palm.

"We bind ourselves with blood," I said, shaking his hand. "We bind ourselves with blood," he replied. Our black palms separated and I wrapped my hand with a piece of cloth.

"Simone will be in charge of the process," he said. "Take me to your ship," she beckoned. I smirked as if she was calling the orders and I moved along, walking out of the room. I could see my people waiting at the bottom of the palace stairs and we went to them.

"I need Raven and Abby," I said. "Sinclair, is on the ship, correct?" "Yes. Why?" Abby asked. "I'm making nightblood," I told them. "No more questions."

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The two separated from the rest and we took motorcycles to the woods and boarded the dropship. Raven took us up and we docked onto the Eligius ship. Indra and Lincoln welcomed me and I gazed around at the awoken people. Madi had come and greeted me and I only had her follow me into the medical room.

"You need to do something for me, little commander," I said. "I've made a deal with these people. They want our blood because we're special natblidas. Don't worry about how much they'll take because Abby's in charge of that, okay?"

"What do you have to do to complete the deal?" she asked, looking at my hand, knowing I made a sacred oath. "I have to join them," I said. "It's the only way I can put the rest of our people on the ground. Do you understand?"  "Yes, heda."

Through the glass, I knew Gaia was watching me take off my shoulder plate and set it on the table. I put my chip on top and laid on the gurney. Abby and Sinclair came in and gave me and Madi anesthesia so we could fall asleep and they could drill us peacefully.

————————

My eyes fluttered open and I looked at the white light hovering over me. I groaned, pulling myself up but Abby slowed me down. I looked over to Madi who was awake, staring at me. I looked at my bandages drenched in black blood and Abby changed them. My body was weak.

"Leave us," I said. "But bring Gaia in." Abby and Sinclair retreated from the room and Gaia came in after. "I want you to help Madi act like the Commander. The same way Murphy helped Ontari... even if she didn't have the Flame."

"Why?" Gaia asked. "Do it," I said. "Because... because I might not be the same person when you see me again. Okay? I'll still be me... just not." Gaia nodded and glanced at Madi who agreed. The Flamekeeper grabbed the Commander clothing and put it on Madi. I leaned in Gaia's ear and whispered, "Ai laik Bella Franco." She looked at me, immediately understanding that it was the passphrase in case of emergency. She would die before giving it up because that was her life's dedication.

"Simone!" I called out. The prime came in with a jug of nightblood and had a smile on her face. "I'm ready." Her guards came in and took me by the arms and I was too weak and they carried me out. Indra reached for her sword but Madi raised her hand.

"Hold," she said. Indra eyed her and her clothing, and watched as I was dragged away. Madi, Abby, and Raven followed us into the dropship and we returned to Sanctum.

It was the night of the next day and my people who soon wouldn't be mine, had rushed out to see me being dragged. With the wounds, it didn't make the situation better and they had already started heading towards me, ready to fight for the life of their commander. Especially my father, who I could hear screaming.

Madi

"Kane," I spoke. "Madi," he replied. "What's going on?" "I am your Commander." He glanced at Gaia who nodded.

"No!" he shouted at me. He moved past him and started running towards his daughter who was taken into the palace. He didn't make it on time as the shut the doors on him and he began banging on it.

"I don't know what's going on," Bellamy said. "Let me explain it to you," I said. Octavia led us into the shed where they sat down and I sat at the head of the table. The door swung open and Kane sauntered in, slumping in his chair.

"It was nice for you to join us," I stated. "Speak," he ordered. "Your former commander has sacrificed herself for our people," I began. "With her life, our people can stay on Sanctum. She has given me her power; the Spirit of the Commanders have chosen wisely. Her spirit chose me."

"Say the lineage," Roan demanded. "Only the commander can recite it." I cleared my throat, remembering the order Luisa told me on our way down. "Becca Praimheda, Reese kom Trikru, August kom Azgeda, Kena kom Boudalan, Malachi kom Sangedakru, Aura kom Delfikru, Lexa kom Trikru, Luisa kom Wonkru, and myself, Madi kom Wonkru."

"Oh my," Clarke muttered. Kane fell into a fit of sobs and others were too stunned that she was dead. "I'm surprised she's sacrificed herself," Murphy commented and I glared at him.

A chair scraped and Octavia stood, approaching me. She towered over me for a moment before falling on her knees and bowing. "I serve any commander who bares the flame."

"So what the fuck are they gonna do with Luisa?" Raven questioned. "I don't know," I said. "She just gave me the flame and gave them her blood and that was it." "Then what is happening behind closed doors?"

Luisa

I was put on another gurney and rolled on my side. Russell was talking behind me along with Simone. They talked about the AI in my head and the passphrase.

"No one knows it," I whispered and they stopped talking. "They don't know it except for me. And if you force it out, there will be severe damage: brain and nerves."

"It's fine," Russell responded. "Josephine can override it." I softly chuckled at his remark when I felt a pinch in my neck and it surged through my head. It was like a massive headache and my mind had to outrun it. The only safe place I could hide was in the flame. That's where the rest of the commander's were hiding too.

"What's going on?" Becca asked me at the table. "They're killing my mind in order to put in another," I responded. "We can't die," Lexa said. "You have to fight because you're in control, Luisa. You have to fight."

Josephine

"Another prime has returned," my father's voice boomed on the microphone. "My daughter, Josephine Prime." The doors swung open and I stepped out onto the balcony to see the people of Sanctum, clapping. It was prettier than before and it made me smile. My eyes trailed to the people in all black, not clapping and staring in disgust and confusion.

"I would like to say," I began, twirling my hair, "thanks to all of you. Now, I am back."