Her Fate
She leant against the wall, her eyes closed, knowing there was no use in opening them. The air around her was humid and heavy, it didn't move around her, didn't settle anywhere, it just hung motionless.
She wondered where she was, wondered why this woman who called herself her grandmother kept her locked up in a lightless room. As if her thoughts reached outside, the door opened and she felt a slight wind as the elder woman stepped inside.
Minx said nothing, she was starting to hate this confinement, "You've been in something called Priming Time for five months, it's a usual practice. But now the time has come for the second part."
She felt a tiny twinge run through her stomach; she couldn't help but feel like things could only get worse. "Stand up and follow me. You're leaving confinement today."
"Leaving to my execution?" Minx retorted sourly, glaring into the darkness, fore she didn't know exactly where the elder woman was.
"Of course not. Quite the opposite actually." She could hear the smirk in the elder woman's voice as she blindly walked forwards. Suddenly she felt a hand gently grasp her arm and pull her, then her feet met a soft floor made of the planet's soft soil.
She wobbled for a second as dim light hit her eyes; things went from blurry to lines of shapes as she stood still for a long moment. The elder woman seemed to wait patiently, then as Minx began to move she put her hand to her arm again to slow her down, "There is no benefit in rushing." The elder woman advised her.
They walked down something of a narrow hall, the walls passed at an even pace, they too seemed to be made of soil because they took on a brown tint. They kept walking and she felt the air lighten up more and more, her breaths became deep once again, and her head no longer felt heavy.
"Just breathe." The woman said soothingly, then abruptly stopped her before something solid, by the looks of it, it didn't look like the walls around them, it's steely appearance made it look like thick metal, like a vaulted door to the outside.
As she kept her eyes on it she noticed faint wisps of white steam arising from the crack of the door, almost like slim ghosts the steam danced toward her then faded into the air around them. She felt the elder woman's eyes on her profile and turned her eyes to meet the gaze.
She found the woman younger looking than she thought her to be, her white robes stood out against the brown black surroundings and made everything seem even darker. Minx blinked and noticed for the first time the extreme worry on the elder woman's face, and if she wasn't completely insane, she could've sworn the older woman had tears in her eyes.
The older woman continued to grip her arm, only this time a little gentler, "In a moment you're going to pass through those doors." She told her steadily, her voice very quiet and calculated, "All I can tell you is to keep your eyes open, do not close your eyes."
Before she could realize what was happening the metal doors were thrown open and a firewall of heat raced up her skin and encased her completely. Her eyes blurred with tears and all she could hear was her own screaming.
She closed her eyes for a split second and felt her head pulse in pain, a pain she'd never known. She reopened her eyes and could see nothing but gold against a blur of blue. She heard screams far in the distance. She felt her chest shudder, making her throat close and choke.
She felt hot tears spill down her face as the pain was fading slowly, but the screams didn't stop. She felt her breath leaving her in heavy gasps, felt the wind around her whip around her ears, her neck, her face, and her limbs.
Her head was spinning, and her eyes that were barely open couldn't look away from the blinding light. Then suddenly her eyes rolled and her world went black.
Aereon entered the quiet room, the maids bowed to her in recognition then knowingly left. A gentle breeze whipped through the open windows and rustled the material around her.
She approached the bed in the center of the far wall and saw Minx lying asleep beneath the covers; her breathing had steadied in the hours that followed after she'd passed out. "Last time she was passed out, she was on my ship, funny how that time I needed her help." Hocks said easily, appearing next to her, "Now she's here with you, and you need her help."
Aereon looked at him, her eyes searched over his face, after a moment she looked him over again, disbelieving he was truly real, "Hocks?" She asked faintly, watching the man nod and smile.
"The Council sent for me." He said easily, a loving sparkle in his hazel eyes, "I brought what you asked."
They heard the sheets rustle softly as Minx came to and looked at the both of them, herdazed gazewent from Hocks to Aereon, then she rolled her eyes, "How come my family always has to knock me unconscious?" She asked sourly.
Hocks laughed at her and shrugged, "I donno kid, but it always seems to work out that way."
She looked at him and smirked. But Aereon had more important things on her mind, "So you finally believe that I am your grandmother?"
Minx nodded softly, "Yes."
Hocks straightened, "I'll see you around Minx." He said lightly, "Don't growl too much." He paused to laugh, "It kind of ruins your frail air."
Minx narrowed her eyes, then smiled slightly, "Bye." She looked down as the doors closed behind him, a sad look coming to her face, "Please tell me why I'm here."
Aereon came forwards, "We need your help." She said simply, "You've heard of the Necromongers?"
Minx nodded again, "I heard they were even tougher than Mercs, that they were indestructible; conquiring whole planets, killing generations of people."
Aereon looked at her and took a breath, "Riddick has destroyed them."
She watched Minx's eyes grow wide, "Riddick?" She whispered, her eyes holding the same fire that Aereon had seen in Riddick's.
Aereon nodded, "He's now their leader. A Furyan leader."
Minx looked up, "I knew about the Furyans, a friend of mine." She stopped suddenly and looked down, "Riddick." Her voice came out as a whisper.
Aereon could tell that Minx was reminded of another time, but couldn't let her get too far away, "Being that Riddick is the Lord Marshall, he'll be expected to visit the Underverse. We're thinking that if he can go to the Underverse, maybe there might be a way to purify it, make the Necromongers individuals once again."
"Where do I fit into all of this?" Minx asked knowingly.
"To purify something means to balance it. The only race of true balance is Elementals. Fire to water, Earth to air. You are an Elemental, you could rebalance it." She explained.
Minx shook her head, "Hold it!" Aereon looked at the girl's face, her features were suddenly livened, "I'man Elemental?" There was a harsh edge in her voice.
Aereon nodded, "Yes." She said patiently, "Funny fate, a Furyan in love with an Elemental." She brought up again, hoping to shake her.
"I don't know anymore. Its been 5 years, and there's someone else he loves more." She said hollowly.
"Jack is dead." Aereon broke to her; Minx's head shot up and tears immediately filled her eyes.
"Jack is-" She stopped, her youthful eyes searching her's desperately.
"She died trying to save Riddick." Aereon responded.
Minx sat for a moment, hergazeblank,then sherolled over in bed and hit it with her fist; Aereon could hear her muffled moans and sobs as she tried to understand what Minx was saying in between screams.
With all of her strength she pulled Minx from the linens to look at her worriedly, "Explain." Aereon whispered, not used to such emotion from another.
"One night 3 years ago Jack was taking to me, over a video phone. She was angry and frustrated, she started speaking quickly, started asking me questions about Riddick, if I'd heard from him," She paused to wipe a gush of tears from her cheek and push her hair out of her face, "I said no, butshe accused me of lying, saying I knew, that I wanted him to myself, she told me she was fleeing New Mecca, told me she was going to be with Riddick. She told me she couldn't be without him."
Aereon watched as Minx shook with tears, her breath came in half gasps as she rapidly shook her head, pain contorting her face, drops of tears fell from her eyes to the linens under them, with every blink came more tears. She gasped again, another quake of her body and more tears, "I knew she would sign with Mercs, knew she could get slaved out, I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen…she wouldn't listen to me!" Minx sobbed, "Oh God! Why didn't she listen to me?"
Aereon shook her slightly, "Avolene! It was her fate! She decided her fate!"
"Fate can me changed! I could've changed that!" Minx put her hands over her face and continued to sob, "Jack. Why her? Poor Jack!"
Aereon wrapped her arms around the shivering girl and closed her eyes; she smoothed her raven hair as if she was a child and tried to console her, "Avolene. The girl wouldn't even listen to Riddick." With that came another round of rough tears, Aereon stood from the bed and took Minx's face in her hands, Minx opened her eyes and looked Aereon dead in the eyes, Aereon took a breath and held her gaze along with her face, "You are so much more than this Avolene."
Minx looked down as the tears continued to leak from her blood shot eyes, the light from the sun lit them on her face, "Why do you keep calling me that?" She whispered, sounding like a small child, suddenly looking 10 years younger than she really was.
"Avolene is what your mother named you when you were born here." Aereon explain, "Your mother picked it for you."
Minx looked less confused as her eyes took on a glowing light, "My mother was an elemental?"
Aereon nodded, "She was a pure elemental, it was your father who was human." She explained, "He was a visitor here, your mother and father met, they fell in love and pretty soon she decided she wanted nothing to do with this place. So she took you with her and left."
"She never told me." Minx echoed hollowly.
Aereon shook her head, "Our guess is that she took you to a doctor that altered you, took away your elemental qualities, then he changed you to be normal."
Minx looked up, "You mean, I was like you?"
"Yes you were." Aereon studied her for a moment before touching her hair softly, "With an operation and time, you will be again. Riddick needs an elemental to go with him to the Underverse, and you're the only one that can."
I just wanted to thank FitMama and Lady Knight19 for their reviews, thanks you guys so much!
There's a little more waiting for Minx before she can see Riddick again. She has some things to learn. As for Riddick, we'll deal with him later.
Happiness + Freedom, Anne