A/N:
A special thanks to Linda who keeps giving the love.
CoF93, glad to see you are still reading.
If you found this story from a link posted on FaceBook, would you drop me a note and let me know either here in the comments or on Facebook itself (Ividia Kt) along with who shared the link.
The last delivery, four cases of assorted alcoholic beverages, arrived as they did. With the help offered by Blake and his kids it did not take long to get their purchases stowed on the ship. Masala settled their account with the mechanic and tucked in a bit extra. Soon the ship was up and away and out in space, headed for the elemental home world, with both occupants settled into cryo, each with their own reasons.
They say your brain shuts down in cryo-sleep, all but the primitive side, all but the animal side, all but the Furyan side...
Riddick opened his eyes to a world he did not know, yet it seemed familiar. The softly undulating hills were covered with lush grasses and dotted with scattered copses of trees and bushes. The light seemed dim enough to not blind him so he raised his hands to push ups his goggles, and found they were not there. He turned, scanning the surrounding countryside and saw a figure standing atop a nearby rise.
As he approached he saw that it was Masala. She had her back to him. Her arms hung loosely but her hands were clenched into fists. Her attention was riveted on something beyond. As he came up beside her the vast bustling city caught his attention as well though he did notice the tension in her jaw.
"What is this place?" he asked.
"Etna, capital city of Furya" she replied, then turned her emerald green eyes to him. "As it was in my youth."
"Did you bring us here?"
Before she could answer a small girl ran by them, hair flying, her expression intense. She had a dagger clenched in her tiny fist. They watched her vanish into a stand of trees. A group of older children came running by, the boy in the lead called out, "I'll find you, Gorgy, and then I'm going to kick your little ass."
When Riddick moved to intervene Masala stopped him.
"You can't help. This is the past," she said then shouted at the sky, "Why, Shirah? What's the fucking point? I don't need to see this. I know what happens."
But there was no answer, and the scene continued to play out. The chasers did a brief inspection of the trees she had disappeared into before continuing on, all except one. Several minutes later she jumped from one of the trees and headed back the way she had come.
The leader had apparently been expecting something of the sort and had hung back. His longer stride enabled him to catch up and tackle her to the ground. She twisted as she fell and struck out with the dagger, catching the older boy across the face. He cried out in pain and anger but loosened his grip long enough for her to scramble to her feet. She did not continue running but turned to face him. The two circled each other then struck simultaneously.
Then everything about Riddick and Masala shifted and changed. Now they were in a city amongst towering columns and stone archways. The people they saw were all staring skyward, confusion plain on their faces. The pair followed their gaze to ships above.
"What city is this?" Riddick asked, something about the buildings striking a chord within him.
"Helene I think," Masala answered.
There was a large explosion in the distance, and the hovering ships began to disgorge fighters that strafed the city killing many. Then troops landed and began to slaughter the remaining populace. Men, women and children fought valiantly against the invaders, but their numbers were too great. A woman far into her pregnancy stumbled past them and fell.
Riddick tensed at a sudden sense of foreboding as he watched the woman pull herself to her feet, one hand placed protectively over her swollen belly. The enemy soldiers tromped towards her and caught her. A voice called out for them to hold as they prepared to strike her down.
He knew that voice. He growled.
A young Zhylaw appeared. A evil smile twisted his face as he drew his blade and approached her. She struggled against her captors to no avail, but she did not beg or plead to be spared. Her eyes flashed with anger and sorrow. She cried out as his blade sliced through her clothing and abdomen. He reached in and pulled child free and inspected it, then took the umbilical cord and wrapped it around the boy's neck choking him.
Beside Riddick, Masala gasped and wrapped her arms tightly around her own stomach.
Zhylaw turned as another handed him a rag to wipe the blood from his hands. He clapped the other on the shoulder and waved him to come along. As the future Lord Marshall moved away, the man came into full view. His face could be seen beneath the open helmet. He had eyes like Masala, and a scar bisected his face crossing both cheeks and the bridge of his nose.
"Bastard," she spat.
Another shift, and they were standing in the massive graveyard where Shirah 'lived'. These graves were freshly dug though. And that graveyard was overlaid with many others. Burial sites from all over Furya were shown to them. The sun and moon cycles sped by, aging the graves until they were as Riddick and Masala had seen them before beginning this journey.
"What the hell?" Masala wondered.
Riddick had no more idea than she, perhaps even less, and only shook his head.
The scenery changed again, and they were once more on the rise where he had first seen her. The foliage was not as dense, some appearing freshly planted. Prefab buildings were out the outer edge of the ruined city bordering the fields. People moved about the structures, but it was too far for their actions to be clear.
The noticed Shirah climbing the hill towards them. Neither welcomed her presence.
Riddick spoke first. "What the fuck do you want?"
She addressed him more than Masala. "Our people wish to thrive again. Will you not help rebuild your world?"
"Not my fight."
Shirah gave him a steely gaze, then turned to Masala. "And what of you, Master Assassin?"
"I have accepted my part in Furya's revival," Masala answered.
"Not _all_ of it."
"Just what do you mean by that?"
Shirah opened her mouth to respond...
Masala jerked awake as she came out of cryo sleep. Damn it all. It had appeared that she was going to get a straight answer out of Shirah for once. The locker door opened, and she stepped down to the deck then turned to look at the man in the next locker. She had a nagging feeling that whatever Shirah had meant had something to do with him.
He was not due to wake fully for another hour or so. She put her hand on the plexi-glass separating them and spent an unguarded moment wishing things were different. With a heavy sigh, she turned away and went to her cabin.
The vision released him as soon as he turned down Shirah. He opened his eyes in time to see Masala step out of her locker. He was not sure why he had woken early, but stayed still as she came to his cryo locker. He saw a wistful expression cross her face as she pressed her hand against the glass. He watched her walk away with curiosity and waited until she was out of sight before releasing himself from the locker.
His footsteps were quiet as he moved through the ship to the cockpit and settled down to make the atmospheric entry calculations. His mind was only half on his task as he thought back over the vision. He wondered if that had actually been a shared vision or if it was another one of Shirah's tricks.
They were entering the atmosphere when Masala appeared in the cockpit and sank into the co-pilot's chair.
"Have you requested permission to land or are we just going to barge in?"
His response was a devilish smile which she could not help but answer with one of her own, and she wisely buckled her seat belt. As to be expected, they were challenged by the local craft. Not one to back down from a challenge, Riddick outmaneuvered them and left them chasing their own vapor trails.
Masala laughed and pointed out a structure of towering spires. "There, that should be their primary government building."
With only a small bit of showboating Riddick landed the ship right in front of what appeared to be the main entrance point. Elementals swarmed the ship from every direction.
"Now that you've got their attention," she told him. "I'll go win their hearts...or cut them out."
As she unbuckled and rose, he turned his chair noting the different garb she wore. It was functional like her other clothing yet the fabric, though still black, was finer and had intricate patterns woven into it. Her only visible weapons were the black blades. His eyebrows rose but he said nothing.
At the hatch, he stood back out of view as it cycled opened, content to watch the show. She took one step out of the hatch and stood at the top of the ramp. Her voice was strong and carried easily across the gathered crowd. "I am Gorgona Masala, Master Assassin and Blade of Furya. I seek the one called Aereon."
A ripple of disbelief passed the the elementals. A fire elemental came forward, the edges of him flickering orange.
"Impossible," he challenged. "Furya was destroyed. Her people are no more."
She speared him with her coldest gaze. "If all Furyans were destroyed, who buried our dead. You, the elementals, who caused our destruction with your calculations and prophecies? I think not. Where is this Aereon?"
A white haired woman glided forward to the foot of the ramp. "I am Aereon. What is you want of me, you who claim to be Furyan?"
Masala walked down the ramp to come face to face with the air elemental. "You have met another Furyan, Aereon. Look into my eyes, you will see in me what you saw in him. Know that I _am_ Furya."
Aereon did study her face and eyes and slowly nodded, then asked, "You have seen him, met him?"
"I have. I understand a bounty was issued for him from Quintessa. Was it you who issued it?"
"Yes. Have you brought him to us?"
"No," Masala replied, smiling at Aereon's falling countenance. "He brought me."
Recognizing his cue, the Furyan male appeared in the hatchway and came down the ramp to stand behind the assassin. His deep voice rumbled, "Who does she need to kill to get this bounty off my head?"
Masala's black blades were at Aereon's throat. "Yes, who?"
Aereon smiled and put her hand to the blades. "There is no need. The offer will be rescinded. We found something of yours, Riddick."
"You couldn't have just sent a message?" he asked.
"Would you have responded?"
He shrugged. "You may have a point. Masala."
She lowered her blades, sheathed them and stepped back.
Aereon looked to Riddick. "If you'll come with me, I will show you what it is. Blade of Furya, I believe you have business you wish to discuss with our council."