Chapter 2
The ship creaked and groaned as Riddick fought to land. The terrain on Furya was much like that on Earth. Finally a clearing appeared, and Riddick drove the ship into it, burying the nose, and getting knocked unconscious.
From the bushes, little pairs of silver eyes watched the crash site eagerly.
"Do you think the driver survived?" A little boy whispered. He was quickly hushed by the others. From the tree line a young teenage girl emerged, her crimson hair braided down her back.
"Arty, get back here. You don't know what the hell is in there." Another boy called from the bushes. Arty raised her hand, and everyone hushed. Slowly Arty climbed the wreckage, flinching every time a wire sparked. Finally when she reached the windshield, which had been blown out in the crash, the boy who had chastised her appeared out of the bushes.
"My lady Artemis, it is in your best interest to get down from there this instant. There is no way anything could survive that crash, and the darkness is closing in. We should…" He was cut off by another wave from Arty's hand. The girl disappeared into the cabin for almost three minutes, before poking her head out once more.
"He's alive. We need to get him back to the dome." She said. Immediately five boys came out of the bushes to help drag Riddick (for it was he) away. When Artemis climbed down from the wreckage, the boy was there to yell at her.
"My lady, you must be crazy. This is an outsider. There is no reason fro him to get involved with our problems. We should just leave him for dead." The boy said. Artemis smiled.
"I know you are concerned, Exavier, but I think your wrong about this one." Artemis followed the group, leaving Exavier to catch up when he had regained composure.
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Riddick woke in a strange, cave like room. The walls were made of steel, but they were rounded, and there was a hole where the door should be. The hall outside was brightly lit, and Riddick approached it cautiously. When he stepped out, he realized the hallway was really a ramp way, with openings into the center of a large hole in the ground.
"Kind of amazing, huh?" A female voice said on his right. Riddick rounded on the figure. She was somewhere around eighteen, with crimson hair braided down her back, and silver eyes like him. She wore a leather skirt with a brown long sleeve shirt. Around her waist was a belt that held sheaths for two very large knives. She approached the holes that gave view to the center of the holes.
"Of course it's nothing like Furya in her prime." The girl extended her hand. "My name is Artemis." Riddick looked at her hand for a moment before taking it.
"Richard B. Riddick. Can I speak to someone in charge?" He said, looking around.
"Shoot." Arty said, hands on her hips.
"I mean an adult." Riddick said looking back at her. Arty smiled.
"Well, all the adults went out one night, nine years ago to try and destroy the beasts that attacked our nation, and none have come back. So I guess that leaves the princess, who would, in fact, be me. So Shoot." Artemis was amused at Riddick's slight frustration.
"That's what I was worried about." Riddick commented.
"So what brings you to Furya, Richard B. Riddick?" Arty asked, leading against a pillar holding up the ramp.
"A dream." Riddick commented. Suddenly a boy around sixteen with chestnut hair and silver eyes came running up wearing a male version of the outfit Arty wore.
"Your majesty, the prayers with Isis will conclude momentarily. Then you may have the throne room in peace." The boy bowed to Arty, and she nodded.
"Thank you Exavier. You may rest with the others tonight. I will take watch." Artemis sounded tender with her words. The boy nodded, and ran off.
"That's your idea of a bodyguard?" Riddick asked.
"He may be young, but he means well." Arty commented. "Come, let's walk." Arty began to walk away, and Riddick hovered for just a moment before following her.