A/N: I'm sorry it's been a while! back on a role thanks to a friend of mine. you know who you are ;) enjoy!


Chapter 7: Fight for Life

"Get up, you dogs!"

One of the guards in Olmstead's ship bullied the prisoners up by hitting their legs with his gage. Fisher and Faith hurriedly stood, their chains rattling, as Olmstead strolled down the line of prisoners from the cockpit to head down the gangplank. Fisher watched the self-appointed lord stroll past him, his eyes burning with hatred and his teeth grinding against each other and he strained to keep from attacking. He could have done it easily too. He still had his shivs and the throwing knives he'd been able to get on Lupus Five. But he fought against his urge to attack. He' have to wait for the perfect time.

Olmstead waved a hand forward, telling his men to march the prisoners after him. The guards smacked the barrels of their guns on the arms of several prisoners to get them going, shoving them forward for affect and making them stumble as they shuffled along. One man went to grab Faith as she walked in front of Fisher, but the boy let out a low growl he'd been practicing since he met Riddick and the guard froze, staring at him with wide eyes before pulling his hand from Faith.

Fisher glanced around at the people they were being shuffled past. Inhabitants of Capernium, no doubt. This must have been a main street by the look of the shops. This place was far more advanced than his home planet of Kalos, and when he looked ahead, he realized just how advanced. His eyes shot wide at the fortress they were being marched toward.

The palace of Uri Olmstead was make completely of metal, with several towers, and it stood so high, the tip of the tallest tower was lost in the clouds. From the windows he caught sight of long barrels of sniper rifles of some kind, but he had a feeling there was far more protection beyond the citadel ahead. He turned his attention to the archway they were being led into when he noticed holographic static light up beneath it.

Holographic scanner for weapons, he reasoned, glancing toward the guard next to him. He'd heard such a thing existed on Capernium when he was a kid. They had everything here. I gotta get rid of my shivs. But I need a distraction.

As if on cue, someone burst from the crowd with a knife raised toward Olmstead, sending all his guards to his aid. Fisher smirked as he quickly pulled out all the knives and shivs he had on him, then glanced around the crowd milling around them, the prisoners having been stopped in the road.

"Hey, mister."

Fisher frowned as he looked down at the little voice that had called out next to him to find a little boy standing next to him, staring up at him with wide eyes, filled with wonder.

"You're Riddick, huh?" the boy grinned, his sea-green eyes shining through strands of black hair falling in front of them.

"Sorry, kid. I'm just a look alike," he smirked before he had a thought and glanced toward the commotion up ahead. "You wanna meet him though?"

The little boy grinned and nodded vigorously as Fisher glanced ahead again, then held his shivs and knives toward him.

"Hold onto these and stay right around here, ok?" Fisher explained as the boy took his things. "He'll be with a girl with red-hair. Can't miss her. You give these things to her when you see them, ok?"

"Ok!" the boy grinned as Fisher glanced ahead again.

"Alright, go hide! Don't let anyone find you!" Fisher urged, turning the boy and pushing him back toward the crowd. He watched the boy disappear and sighed in relief before turning to face ahead again just as the guard came marching back.

"Alright, you maggots! Move along!" the guard shouted, shoving Fisher to walk with the barrel of his gun.

Fisher shuffled behind Faith who looked back at him in wonder at why he'd given up his weapons but he only shook his head, making her face forward again. He glanced up at the archway as he was shuffled through it and gave a small smirk when he was found clean by the scanner. His head was jerked sideways when his goggles were yanked off and he shot his glare to his right where one of the guards held his goggles in his hand with a smug smirk.

"Give those back!" Fisher snapped, reaching up to grab them back, but the guard pulled them out of his reach and another guard came up to hit him in the gut with his gun. Fisher grunted in pain, doubling over but staggered as he was able to stay on his feet and glare at the guard. "Give 'em back."

The guard said nothing as Olmstead sauntered up, making Fisher turn his glare on him as the lord took the goggles to examine them.

"You won't need these where you're going," Olmstead smirked, keeping the goggles as he turned to head toward the entrance of his palace.

One of the guards yanked on Fisher's chains around his wrists to get him moving with the rest of the prisoners as he kept his head down, Faith shuffling up in front of him, trying very hard to ignore Fisher being picked on behind her. Fisher shuffled forward, his fists pumping in rage, but his eyes scanned everything as they were led through a tall door. His eyes widened at the grandeur before him. A huge, open, marble room with a skylight above letting the glow of the sunset fill the room.

The line of prisoners were steered to the right of the room and through another door. Fisher heard Faith's breath quicken as they went through the door and into a darkened hallway that led to a set of stairs leading down. Fisher counted the steps and the breaks between to figure out which level they were being taken to. After the first set of steps he heard familiar sounds. Snarling, scratching, growling. Captive animals on the first lower level. If he hadn't known it from the sounds, once his yes adjusted in the dark he certainly noticed when one of them roared and jumped at the bars they were walking past. Faith screamed and reflexively turned toward Fisher for protection and he pulled her close as much as he could.

"Move along!" the guard next to them snarled, shoving them forward and down the stairs.

Fisher held onto Faith, not caring what Olmstead saw now since he already knew they cared for each other. They helped each other down the steps, and he still counted before they were stopped at the second level. The jingling of chains and keys could be heard in the darkness, and he realized some of them were being separated.

"Faith, let go," he whispered, but her grip tightened on him and she shook her head with a whimper. "They'll hurt you if you struggle. Just let go and I will find you. I swear, I'll come for you when we get out of here."

Her grip finally loosened on his and his hands were yanked in front of him to be unlocked form the chains. He was shoved forward and the slam metal echoed behind him, making him whirl around and face the door to see Faith being dragged away. He gripped the bars separating him from the hallway, watching Faith disappear, and once she was out of sight, he sighed in exasperation at the situation. He turned around to see where he'd been locked up.

The other men he'd seen among the prisoners he'd been brought in with seemed to mill around, not knowing what to do, but Fisher was on high alert, looking for an escape route to use later. He frowned around at the people lying along the floor, coughing and shivering, but when he looked down at the floor, he realized why. Blood puddles were scattered over the floor and blood seeped from the clothes of the prisoners on the floor.

Fisher swallowed, hard, knowing for certain why they were here now. He'd had an idea from the conversation of the mercs around him, and from what Olmstead had told him, but now he was certain. He could only imagine what these people had been through…and what Faith would be put through is he didn't get them out of there as fast as he could.

He jumped when the sound of a scream was heard and echoed off the stone walls, unable to help himself. He felt his heart thump in his chest, panic rising, but he fought to suppress it. It wouldn't do him any good to panic now. He had to keep calm if he was going to get them out of there.

"You get used to it."

Fisher jumped again and whirled around to see a man sitting against the stone wall in raggedly, blood and mud caked clothes.

"Huh?"

"The screaming," the man replied before coughing and shifting in his spot on the floor. "You get used to it."

"Uh-huh," Fisher nodded, slowly in understanding before glancing around his new prison, the only light coming from the flickering lights from the stone ceiling above them. "I guess."

He suddenly gave a strangled shout when something metal was clapped around his throat from behind. His hands instantly shot up to grab at the metal thing as it pulled him back toward the cell door and his back slammed into the bars, making him grunt in pain but he still struggled. He was able to turn himself around to glare out of the bars at the man at the end of the pole holding Fisher hostage…and Olmstead next to him.

"Yes, that one," Olmstead smirked, evilly with a slow nod. "Perfect. Chain him up in the arena."

Olmstead walked away to head down the stairs as another guard came up to unlock the door, the other man keeping Fisher pressed against the bars, even as it opened. Fisher stepped backward to keep in pace with the door as it opened, two more guards coming up to him, one to keep any of the others from escaping, and the other to lock more chains around Fisher's wrists when his hands were forced down from grabbing the collar around his neck.

"Quit struggling kid," the guard warned when Fisher tried fighting back. "Save it for the arena. You'll need it."

Fisher frowned, but stopped struggling to let his hands be bound with chains around his wrists, a longer chain to be used as a leash by his captor. The collar came off and Fisher was yanked by the chain toward the stairs again. Once they reached the next level, he caught sight of Olmstead standing next to another cell door with one of his guards…and Faith. He felt his blood boil when he saw Olmstead's hand stroking Faith's cheek and Faith jerked back, whether in disgust or shock, but he didn't care. She lifted her head from staring at her feet and met Fisher's gaze just before he was yanked out of sight and down another set of stairs, then another.

He frowned when he was stopped at another door made of bars and peeked beyond them as the guard leading him starting unlocking the door. He guessed this was the arena Olmstead had been talking about, and he could only imagine why he wanted him here. The sand on the floor was filled with tracks, man and animal, though he couldn't tell what kind of animal, even under the bright light that shone down in the arena.

The door swung open and the guard shoved Fisher into the ring before shutting the door again and linking the long chain he was still attached to around one of the bars. Fisher stumbled in then looked around at the guard but knew it was useless to demand why he was here and what was about to happen. He looked around the ring and noticed a few more doors leading into the arena, wondering where they led.

"Well, isn't this nice."

Fisher whirled around to find Jared the merc sauntering toward the door with a smug smirk over his lips. Fisher glared at him as Jared leaned a hand on the bars, still grinning.

"Liking it here so far, ya little twerp?" Jared wondered.

"Oh, it's been a laugh," Fisher shot back. "Why don't you step in and let me thank you."

"I told you it would be worth the wait," Olmstead's smooth voice called from beyond the bars just before he came into view, Faith stumbling next to him as he kept his hand clamped down on her neck. Fisher tensed as Faith grabbed onto the bars to catch herself when Olmstead shoved her against them, coming up right behind her and grinning at Fisher over her shoulder. "Isn't she a beauty, Jared?"

"Oh, yeah," Jared smirked, looking at Faith and lifting a hand to fondle a lock of her hair. Fisher sneered when both men took in deep breaths near her hair and Jared resumed, "Why do you think I tried to get a piece of her on the way here?"

"Good thing you didn't, or not only would you have gone unpaid, but I would've killed you," Olmstead retorted, making Jared look to him with wide eyes but said nothing as Olmstead kept his gaze on Fisher, his smirk never wavering.

Fisher let out a growl that rumbled deep in his chest and echoed off the stone walls, making Faith and Jared stare wide eyes at him, but Olmstead's smirk only grew wider before he gave a whistle. Fisher frowned in wonder but whirled around when he heard metal scraping against stone from the other end of the ring…then a snarl that followed. A sound he now recognized.

"Fisher!" Faith cried desperately just as an animal stalked out of the shadows from beyond the door that had just opened. He stared at the thing, huge with shining eyes and recalled a story Riddick had told him about Hellhounds on Crematoria.

"Well…this is nice," Fisher muttered, shifting into a defensive stance as the animal began circling the ring.

"Why don't we have a little wager, Fisher," Olmstead called, still holding Faith against the bars, making her whimper and Fisher felt his blood boil at the sound, but he kept his gaze on the animal, knowing it was getting ready to attack. "If you can live through this, I won't let Jared have his way with this pretty little thing of yours."

"Bastard!" Fisher snarled, yanking on the chain that was still linked to the bars where they stood, making the animal in front of him snarl as well. "I swear, when I get out of here, I'm putting a shiv in your throat. You too, Jared, you asshole!"

"Getting ahead of yourself, aren't we?" Olmstead smirked before whistling again.

The animal lunged at Fisher just as the boy roared at it, planting his feet, firmly in the sand, ready for the attack. He watched the jaws come at him, open and baring its teeth before he held his arms up…perfectly catching the animal with the chains between his wrists, the creatures jaws clamping around them to get a bite out of Fisher.

"Not today, mutt!" Fisher snarled before twisting his wrists and shoving the animal's head downward, snapping the chains linked between his wrists on its teeth.

He backed away as the hound's head smacked into the floor and Fisher yanked the chain from the bars, watching the animal shake off its dizziness from hitting the ground with its head.

"Very impressive, young man," Olmstead called as Fisher doubled the chain in his hands to make it heavier when he swung it, his eyes on the hound, his blood boiling hotter with every word Olmstead spoke. "Riddick would be proud."

"I think the little cutie here is getting excited, aren't you, babe?" Jared smirked, grabbing Faith's arm and pulling her toward him to shove her back against the bars in front of him to pin her there with his body.

Faith cried out before struggling against Jared and Fisher looked to her at the sound, distracting him long enough for the hound to lunge at him with a roar. Fisher snapped back toward the animal just in time to dodge the attack and swing the chain at it, smacking it in the head.

"Swear to god, merc, when I get outta here, I'm ghosting you first," Fisher growled, keeping his eyes on the hound as it shook off its dizziness once more from being smacked by the chain.

"Bit confident, aren't we?" Olmstead smirked as Faith squirmed to be free of Jared's grasp. "You honestly think you can get out of here?"

Fisher kept his glare on the animal as they circled each other in the ring. He tried hard to ignore the sounds of Faith's struggling, knowing they were using her to distract him from focusing on the fight. The animal snarled, making Fisher snarl back, unafraid. He remembered what Riddick and Deirdra told him when fight an animal…act like an animal right back. Look it in the eye, snarl and growl, and don't back down…ever.

"Come on," Fisher growled, softly, swinging his chain as he circled the animal that circled him back. "If you're gonna do something, do it, ya mutt. Let me hit something."

The animal growled back at him before lunging toward him again and Fisher dodged quickly to hit its head with the chain, Faith giving a short scream when the animal stumbled into the bars Jared was holding her against. Jared stumbled backward from the bars as the hound hit them, taking Faith with him as he still held her, tightly but Olmstead didn't so much as flinch as he watched the fight. Fisher ran toward the stunned hound and threw himself onto its back, wrapping the chain around its neck and tightening it as much as he could. The hound reared back with a roar, buckling and thrashing trying to get Fisher off its back but he held on, trying to choke the animal out.

Fisher frowned when he caught the sound of a whistle, but was focused on what he was doing. The animal thrashed, trying to buck Fisher off as it turned to face the other wall, and Fisher caught the sound of a faint growl, making him look to the door where the animal had come out from…his eyes widening when another hound came stalking out of the door. He cursed as he watched the hound stop and crouch down, eyeing him and the hound he was trying to choke.

"Fisher, no!" Faith screamed again, racing toward the bars to grab at them, Jared right behind her and making her scream and thrash when he threw an arm around her waist to pull her off her feet.

"What does a little priss like you think you can do to help him, huh?" Jared growled, straining against her thrashing.

Fisher managed to straddle the animal and dug his heels into it to rear the hound back just as the second one lunged at them, making Faith scream. The animals slammed into each other, sending the three toppling to the ground, dirt flying up around them in clouds before it settled to reveal one of the animals leaning on the other, glaring down at Fisher as he lay on his side with his leg pinned against the ground.

"Well, this is a turn for the worse," Olmstead smirked, smugly as he stepped closer to Faith to breathe into her ear. "Do you think they'll rip him to shreds while he's alive? Or will one sink its teeth into his neck and make it quick?"

Fisher struggled under the beast that was now unconscious from the knock down, then looked to the bars where Faith, Jared and Olmstead stood, his anger spiking when he saw Olmstead's face near her ear and his evil smirk as he looked back at Fisher. The teen growled and turned back to the hound perched up and snarling down at him from the other side of its companion. Fisher quickly yanked the chain from around the unconscious animal's neck and hit the hound in the head with it. Dazed, the animal pushed off and stepped away to shake the rattling from its head as Fisher braced his free foot on the animal pinning him and tried pushing himself out from underneath it with all his might.

He kept his glare on the animal as he managed to wriggle his leg out from under the unconscious beast and cursed himself for not trying to keep one of his shivs. He started twirling the chain as the disoriented hound turned back to him and started circling him, both holding each other's gazes. Fisher tried his best to ignore Faith's whimpering. The best thing he could do for her right now, was win this. He was ready when the hound leapt at him and he swung the chain so that it hit the animal's head, dazing it again. He backtracked and stepped behind the body of the other hound as it still lay unconscious, his eyes on the hound circling him.

Fisher watched as the animal crouched, ready to pounce…just what he wanted. Just as the animal pounced, he ducked, lifting the chain above his head and catching the front paw of the animal. He pulled down on the paw and the animal went heels over head as it still went forward, toppling into the door of bars. Faith screamed as she was pulled back from the bars by Jared and Olmstead when they stumbled back…the door coming off its hinges and slamming to the ground.

"Shit!" Jared spat, shoving Faith out of his way to reach for his gun as Fisher shot up and bolted toward the door.

Jared aimed his gage at Fisher, who easily hit the thing from his hand with the chain he still held, and in one, swift movement, he marched behind him while wrapping the chain around his neck and began choking him. Jared gave choking sounds as his hands went to the chain to try pulling it from him, his face slowly turning purple from the lack of air to his lungs.

"I told you I'd kill you if you touched her, didn't I, merc?" Fisher growled into his ear as Jared sunk to his knees, still choking.

"I'd be careful, if I were you, boy."

Fisher shot his gaze ahead at the sounds of Olmstead's voice, and his wide-eyed stare turned to a glare when he saw him holding Faith against him from behind, an arm around her waist and his other hand holding a knife to her throat. His eyes met hers as she stared at him in terror, but his eyes turned back to Olmstead, who stared back at him with a smug smirk.

"That's right," Olmstead drawled, pulling Faith a little closer. "I'll kill her. And you know I'll make it as painful as possible, don't you?"

Fisher glared at Olmstead, still holding the chain around Jared's neck, but when his eyes turned to Faith and he saw the terror on her face, the chain loosened. Jared took in a wheezing breath as he fell to the ground on all fours, Fisher keeping his glare on Olmstead. Jared staggered to his feet, panting for breath as he grabbed his gage and hauled himself to his feet, aiming it at Fisher.

"Good boy," Olmstead smirked, still holding his knife against Faith's throat. "Well, since you survived the arena, I can't very well go back on my word, can I? Your precious little tart is safe for now."

Three of Olmstead's guards ran down the tunnel to find the scene as the animals in the arena regained consciousness and shifted to stand.

"Get that door up," Olmstead ordered them. "And one of you chain this dog up."

One man stepped toward Fisher and used the chain to bind his hands as he only glared at Olmstead as the two other men went to the bars. The men had the door halfway up before they were stopped.

"Hold," Olmstead called, making the two men freeze as he only stared back at Fisher with a smug smirk. "I said I wouldn't let the merc have his way with her. I never said I wouldn't let my dogs have their way."

"No!"

As Fisher screamed, Olmstead shoved Faith through the open door of the arena before marching toward it and slamming it shut. Fisher made for the door, but the man that bound him kept him from following her into the arena as Olmstead looked to the two men holding the door up.

"Hold this up," he told them as Faith ran to the bars to try getting out of the ring, the hounds shaking their daze away. "Don't let her out of here."

"Sick bastard!" Fisher seethed, still trying to get to the door as Olmstead turned to him with an evil smirk. "Let her out of there! You know she won't stand a chance!"

"Isn't that the point?" Olmstead smirked, before reaching through the bars and shoving Faith away from them. "None of you stand a chance here."

"No!" Fisher shouted, seeing her stumble and fall to the ground on her rear, her eyes darting between the beasts that were now recovered from their dizziness.

Olmstead fisted Fisher's tank top and dragged him toward the bars and stood him in front of them, between the men holding the door up, his knife held up to Fisher's throat to keep him from trying anything, Jared pointing his gage at him as well. Fisher stared in horror as Faith slowly stood, her eyes darting between the animals that were now snarling at her. He could see by their body language they were both going to attack her, and his fists clenched in rage that he was helpless to do anything to protect her. It made him so sick, he felt like he was going to puke. Their eyes met and he put all the apology he could into them, and it seemed like she read his look because she swallowed and gave a small nod as she bit her lip, but he could see her trembling.

She glanced between the animals again when one of them snarled and she started backing toward the only exit allowed to her…the tunnel the animals came in through. She backed toward it as the animals closed in on her, her heart pounding in her chest, her breath coming in shallow. Fisher wanted to shut his eyes to it, but he knew this guy would force him to watch what was coming. He frowned when he saw her freeze and she glanced over her shoulder with a flick of her eyes, and he could tell she was going to try to run. On cue with his revelation, she turned and bolted into the tunnel.

"Faith!"

Fisher grabbed the bars as the animals jumped into the dark after her, but he froze when he heard her bloodcurdling scream, followed by the sounds of crunching bones and snarls and chomps. He let out a shudder, his heart shattering to a million pieces as he sank to his knees, tears threatening to pour from his eyes but he somehow held them at bay. His stomach turned and clenched, and before he could stop it, its contents spilled from his mouth and onto the dirt.

"Certainly entertaining," Olmstead smirked, nodding to one of his men to get him up. The man looped an arm around one of Fisher's to stand him up as Olmstead stepped next to him to smirk smugly, "I bet you're wondering why I chose this route instead of having my own way with her, yes? Well, the truth is, from the moment I saw the two of you, I knew she would be easy to break, but you…you would be a challenge. And I adore a challenge, Fisher. So much so, that when our friends Riddick and Deirdra get here, I'm going to lock them up and do things you could probably only imagine to them and to you."

Fisher stared at the ground for a moment before turning his gaze to Olmstead. The lord's smirk fell only slightly at the look in Fisher's eyes. They were dead and dark as Fisher glared at him before he muttered one phrase in a tone that dared to send chills up anyone's spine that heard.

"You might find out that it won't be that easy, asshole."


A/N: I know, you all hate that cliffy, don't you? worry not dear readers, there's more to come! reviews?