Riddick stared out across the mass of armored Necromongers kneeling before him, only half-understanding the implications. He glanced down at Kyra — at Jack. He never even knew her real name. He wasn't even sure if she had one.

Then, still looking at her body, he began to feel anger rising within him. He gritted his teeth. These people were the reason she died, and now they wanted him to help them conquer the universe? Fuck that.

Vaako stood up, looking almost as lost and confused and Riddick. He spoke as solidly as he could, his voice wavering only a little to betray his shock.

"Hail the new Lord Marshal. Supreme warrior of this verse. Sole envoy to the Underverse. Leader of-"

Riddick stood up and cut him off. "Tell your flunkies to get the fuck out of Helion Prime."

Vaako nodded uncertainly, then turned and looked across the hall to a man standing in the far corner. "Do as he says," he commanded. "Withdraw the weapon and retreat our forces." The Necro nodded and marched off.

Riddick closed his eyes, rubbing with with his left hand. He felt wasted. Stepping down from the throne, he waved one dismissive hand towards the kneeling horde without even bothering to glance at them. "I'm not your leader," he muttered.

"You keep what you kill," Vaako countered.

"Riddick... "

Riddick finally looked up towards the sourceof the familiar voice. That elemental woman — Aereon — stepped out from the crowd.

"This is a singular opportunity," she insisted. "Do not turn a blind eye towards the fate of the universe by abandoning it."

"Everything I cared about in your universe is gone now," he replied. "I'm done caring."

Aereon shook her head. "Not necessarily."

Riddick smirked at her in disbelief. "Sister, I think I'd know if I'm done with something."

Aereon actually smiled back at him. "That's not what I meant," she said. "I meant that the things and people that you cared about are not necessarily gone."

Riddick raised a skeptical eyebrow at the elemental. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the Necromonger belief in a world of the dead known as the Underverse," she explained. "And now, as Lord Marshal you now have the unique opportunity to do what few men have ever done. To cross over into this Underverse and become something more than you are, a being with abilities so powerful that you would truly be a force to be reckoned with. A force, hopefully, for good."

But Riddick wasn't listening to her anymore. His face had gone cold. "The Underverse... " he muttered.

"Yes," Aereon answered softly, eyeing him suspiciously.

Vaako broke in. "Only the Lord Marshals have ever crossed the threshold," he said. "No other Necromonger knows how it is done."

Riddick looked over to where Kyra lay dead on the floor, and he set his jaw. "We're going to find out." He walked towards the spot where Kyra lay.

"Riddick... " Aereon continued, "I know what you mean to do. But no being that resides in the Underverse has ever crossed over to this world."

Standing before Kyra's body, Riddick kneeled down and put his hand against her cheek. "You said people can get there from here. Door's gotta swing both ways," he finally told Aereon.

He stood back up and turned, looking out over the Necromonger troops. All of them, save Vaako, were still kneeling. Good. Let them worship him as their supreme what-the-fuck-ever. That just meant they'd have to obey when he told them to stop their sick little campaign. And, more importantly, they'd have to help him get to this world of the dead and get Kyra out. Because she was definitely getting out. No matter what it took, he wasn't going to abandon her. Not this time.

Riddick actually managed a small smile. "This should be interesting," he mumured.