Helion Prime:
Imam entered his home like usual but something about walking in this time wasn't right. It didn't feel right. He cautiously made his way deeper into the house eventually coming across someone, a man wearing a brown cloak. All became clear when the disguised man spoke, hearing that familiar deep voice.
"Did you know all your doors were locked?"
Riddick's voice chilled Imam to the bone, stopping him dead in his tracks for a second before bravely rounding a corner seeing Riddick better, watching him shave that messy long hair and beard until it was no more. Riddick wasted no time in getting right to the point of his visit.
"Four months ago I took three people off that planet. A kid named Jack, who everyone else thought was a boy. A holyman on his way to search for New Mecca and Rynn." Riddick paused for dramatic effect and to let Imam become more uneasy around him. "The only reason I saved you two was on count of her."
"Where is Rynn now, Riddick? Is she with you? We would love to see her." Cheer heard in his voice along with caution.
Riddick turned his head to look at him with cold glowing eyes. "Does it look like it?"
Imam swallowed hard, uneasiness running through him. "Than where is she?"
"Taken by mercs."
"Where were you?" Imam regretted those words as soon as they left his mouth.
Riddick stalked closer to him and thrusted his shiv under his throat making contact with enough pressure to let Imam know he meant business.
"I just meant you two are always together." He swallowed hard before continuing. "How can this be? How could that happen? She is a lot like you. She knows how to defend herself."
"None of that matters now, does it? She's gone."
"Than why have you come here?"
"The bounty on my head has grown."
Imam's eyes grew wider.
"I heard Helion Prime was responsible. You are responsible, holyman." Riddick's voice turning lethal. "I showed trust to one man. I showed trust to someone other than Rynn." Riddick cocked a smile but was still deadly serious. "Did I make a mistake, Imam?"
"There is no simple answer-"
Riddick added more pressure to the blade that was still comfortably pressed to Imam's throat.
"Whatever was said was meant to give us a chance. A fighting chance. If it wasn't for the threat of invasion I never would have betrayed you-"
Riddick was about ready to slice his throat but a little girl's voice stopped him.
"Riddick?!"
Imam's wife, who just stepped out of the shower, stood next to her daughter protectively.
Riddick's glowing eyes looked over his shoulder at the two.
"Your daughter..." Riddick withdrew from Imam and made his way to the foot of the stairs where they were. "...Who's name would be?" He prompted.
"If you have issue with me. Let it be with me. You need not know their names."
"Ceaser. My name is Ceaser."
"Pretty name for a pretty girl." Riddick gave her a comforting smile. "Rynn would fall in love with you." 'If she were here'." He added silently. Riddick's attention went back to Imam. "Your life is spared, on count of Rynn. Consider yourself lucky." A pause before continuing. "So tell me, who do I have to kill to get this payday off my head?"
Imam was talking to Riddick looking up into the sky seeing the comet above.
"It is said the comet always proceeds them. These world emperors. Come to destroy and take over."
"Who are they?" Riddick asked dully.
"Necromongers."
"Who?" Riddick had no clue who the Necromongers were. He was too busy not caring as long as they left him alone while dodging mercs hunting for Rynn.
All of the sudden the candles in the room blew out without any wind, Something or someone miracusouly appeared. Riddick sensed her and quickly brought out his blade and brought it to her throat, even before she fully revealed herself. "And whose throat is this that needs to be cut?" A hint of dark amusement deep in that voice.
"If you cut my throat I'll not be able to tell you my reason for appearing."
Imam introduced her. "This is Aeron. She's an elemental. She means you no harm. Lower your blade."
"The blade comes off when the bounty comes off." Knowing the reason now why Imam raised the bounty on his head. Aeron.
She vanished out of the way from Riddick and his blade and glided behind him to the other side. "Necromongers is a name that will convert or kill every last human life."
"Maybe you should pretend to talk to someone who has been educated in the penial system. In fact don't pretend."
"The worlds' need re-balancing before it is too late. The Lord Marshal needs to die."
"Not my fight. Don't care about the worlds' or this Lord Marshal. Only care about one world. Rynn." Riddick gritted his teeth his shiv still in his hand. "My fight is getting Rynn back."
"We need your help, Riddick. That is why I brought you here."
"Your bounty is what brought me here, holyman."
"You help us and I can personally make the bounty go away." Aeron said.
"What makes you think I can take down a whole army of them?" Riddick asked.
"Because your you. Your Riddick." Imam giving him a big compliment.
"So agree. Come out of hiding-"
"Wasn't hiding lady!" Riddick making that very clear.
"..And the bounty goes away."
Riddick did think about it but decided on. "No deal, Imam. Rynn comes first."
"But-"
"NO DEAL LADY!"
Aeron backed off and vanished.
"Your making a mistake, Riddick."
"So be it."
Suddenly Imam's wife rushed into the room. "Did anyone see him come here?" She asked frantically talking about Riddick. The assassins of the Necromongers were searching houses for a ghostly man.
They rushed in and held Imam and his family at gun point, finding what they were after. Finding Riddick in a dark room with just two candles burning. "Your not afraid of the dark, are you?" With that famous line Riddick snuffed the candles out with his hands and got to work on killing the men in the darkness. When Riddick was finished he found one more shaking in his boots holding a knife to Imam. The intimidating sight of Riddick at the top of the stairs made the guy go in his pants before dropping his knife and taking off.
"Now you see first hand what we are up against." Imam said but Riddick didn't reply to that. He changed the subject still having one thing on his mind. Imam's wife and daughter joined them once the assassins left.
"I know you've heard where Rynn might be?"
"How?"
"Heard you mummbling when those fucks bombarded in here. So talk."
Imam still shaken gathering his breath told Riddick what he has heard.
"They are just rumors, Mr. Riddick. Nothing concrete."
"Cut it with the formal shit, Imam and talk!"
"A female convict who has ended up...I don't remember where but it is a world so hot you could not survive on the surface. She has been there a few months."
"Crematoria." Riddick mummbled as he came down the stairs. "What makes you think this female convict is Rynn?"
"From what I have heard she is quite impossible to handle at times."
"That's her." Riddick said with a smile.
"And what of Jack? She will be home soon she would love to see you before you go."
"She needs to stay away from me. You all do."
Just as Riddick got to the bottom of the stairs he heard her voice.
"Riddick!"
Jack rushed over to Riddick throwing her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. "God, I missed you!" She looked up at him with such love and joy on her face but Riddick just stared down at her, his face unreadable like usual. He didn't even return the hug.
Jack let go of Riddick and took a few steps back. She had really grown up over the year. Beautiful long brown hair, brown eyes and a figure that men would soon be drooling over. Jack was looking around. "Where's Rynn?"
No one knew what to say to her. They kept quiet and Jack feared the worst. "She's...she's..." Jack began to sob, almost going into a panic attack, but before she fully moarned the not so dead Rynn Imam comforted her and told her that Rynn wasn't dead. "Well than where is she?" Jack looked to Riddick for the answer. If anyone would know it would be him.
"Crematoria." Riddick muttered with a bad taste in his mouth. Rynn was in one of the worlds' most harshiest slams out there.
"Jack-" Imam began.
"The names Kyra now. God, Imam! How many times do I have to tell you? Jack...Kyra was annoyed by that.
Riddick kinda liked her new name.
"How did she end up there with you here?" Kyra's sobs quieting down.
Riddick placed a hand on her shoulder, letting her in on the short version of what happened. "Rynn never liked my idea of dropping you and Imam off here-"
"I never liked it either." Kyra inputted, mummbling under her breath. Riddick sighed with annoyance, yet again not being able to win. Having to hear that but he shrugged it off and continued.
"We had an argument about it. She went for a walk. I fell asleep and awoke to no Rynn. She got captured by mercs." Sadness in his voice. Something hardly anyone heard from him.
"You just let her leave, huh?" Kyra accused and the accusation was right. He did let her leave that night. Maybe this was all his fault. He should have just tied Rynn to the bed. If he did she would be with him right now and not in that slam.
"Don't blame yourself, Riddick." Ceasar walked up to him despite her mothers best efforts to keep her next to her side.
'Cute kid.' Riddick thought.
"Your wasting time, Riddick. Go get Rynn!" Kyra made Ceasar jump at her outburst.
Riddick just stood there.
"What are you a coward now?"
"Watch your tone kid."
"No, Riddick. I want her back!" Kyra ran up the stairs crying.
"You should be going before they come back to see if you are still here." Imam's voice geniune.
Riddick headed for the door but was stopped by Kyra yelling out.
"Not without me you won't!" She came back down stairs with a suitcase in hand.
"No child. It could be dangerous."
Kyra cut Imam off by holding her hand up to him, her plam facing him. "It has been months since I have seen Rynn and no matter what I am going with Riddick. I miss her. I miss you both." She turned her attention to Riddick on that last part.
"Than I come too." Imam spoke.
"No, Imam." His wife wasn't going to allow that.
"I go alone!" Riddick's voice stern and chilling as he put the hood over his head and stepped out of the house but he didn't get far as a stunning and disturbing sight captured his attention.
Necromongers were still there, taking over. Riddick managed to flow through the rush of the people that were trying to escape. The Lord Marshal sent his men out of his ship and started killing the locals and capturing them for conversion. Riddick watched from a darkened corner that was until one man caught his eye. Imam. He was running for his life, trying to find his family. Trying to hide but Riddick got there too late. He looked over a bridge only to find Imam dead on the ground below.
Once the Necromongers vanished Riddick made his way to the body of Imam. He actually offered his condolences, mostly morning Imam for Rynn. Riddick kept silent until Imam's wife and daughter came into view. Riddick picked up Imam's necklace before standing up offering it to his daughter. The two were both in shock. They didn't know whether to scream or cry.
"I'm sorry." Was all Riddick said. Those two words hardly ever spoken by him. He added this. "Kyra NEEDS to stay with you. Understand?" He told her.
"Y-yes." She nodded and Riddick vanished having a bone to pick with the Necromonger who killed Imam.
Not sure if I will be keeping Aeron in this or not and I am trying to have Riddick come across like he does somewhat care for Imam and Kyra, somewhat, mostly cause of Rynn whom will be back in the next chapter or two. :)