Planet of Tygeria: Falox Saga - Chapter 19 of 21

By Scrooge

When Riddick entered Falox's quarters he found him there already sitting on throne, his sword next to his side with a huge smile on his face. His quarters were already dark with the lights off. Riddick removed his goggles to see better.

"I don't see what's so funny. This is part where you die."

"Do you like what I've done with the place, Richard? I wanted the place to fit to your needs."

Riddick kept his cold stare as he walked in further. "It's perfect." He said with a low tone.

Falox paid him no mind as he only spoke. "Kill him." Confused Riddick looked to his immediate right and saw a guard not too far away with his sword's point aiming directly towards his neck. "And make it quick. I have a war to end."

The guard, obviously not on Riddick's side, had a frightened look on his face as he hesitated to deliver the final blow to Riddick.

Riddick spoke. "This is it, kid. This is where you make your decision on how you want your future to progress." He continued to look at the guard through his goggles. "One, you can either put down the sword and take a chance on letting me kill this bastard. Or two, you can kill me, then watch this fucker kill or rape your wife right in front of your eyes, just for his own little celebration."

The guard hesitated, though he never lowered his sword. Falox stood from his throne. "Stop stalling and kill him!"

But Riddick quickly spoke making sure the guard kept his attention towards him. "Or maybe you would rather, end up like Tienbooks and have your head hanging outside of the palace."

"I said kill him now!"

"Look at how blood thristy he is. You think he's done fucking with people. Make your choice, kid. He's not going to wait forever."

The two stared at the guard. One was hoping that the point would pierce through the neck, while the other hoped that he would have one final fight before his last day. It was a few seconds before the guard lowered his sword, passing a cold look to Falox.

"What are you doing?"

The guard ignored Falox and looked at Riddick. "Here, you're going to need this." The guard said as he handed him his sword.

Then instantly, Falox pulled out a combat knife stashed in his waistband and threw it at the guard, stabbing deep into his spine. Riddick caught the body before it collapse. The guard uttered his final words. "Please. Kill him."

Riddick eased the body down. "You see Richard, I am the all-powerful one. If he would've listened to me, he would've still been alive. If you would've followed your place here, I might would've let you lived a little longer." Falox retrieved his sword. "But you think you can intimidate me. You think you can scare me. You think that I will bow down to you."

Riddick slowly stood from the dead guard's body, removing the knife from his spine, and held it as his second weapon. "I only wanted to be left alone. I never gave a fuck about you."

Falox readied his sword. "Are you sure you're ready for this, Richard?"

Riddick only readied his sword and knife without answering. With that, Riddick charged in as well as Falox, when their swords clanged each other, they held their positions staring at each other face to face.

"Like I told you before, Falox. You're a dead man."

Instead of answering, Falox spat in the face of Riddick which cause them to put a few feet between each other. Riddick wipe the mucus from his face has he heard Falox give a loud laugh. "You are very pathetic, Richard."

This only burned Riddick more as the fight officially begun. The swords clanged, at each slash. Each of their muscles ripped as they both tried their hardest to out-power the other. Finally, Riddick was able to get in the first strike with the secondary weapon, as he cut Falox's stomach. Falox gave a small retreat, grabbing his stomach in pain, seeing the ounces of blood coming out. Then he gave a laugh. "You know what's so good about the being a Tygerian lord with warlords, Richard?" He removed his hand from his wound to show Riddick he was completely healed. "You can never die."

Riddick looked in shock. Valor could've sworn she killed the warlords. Falox immediately charged in with his sword again, as the fight continued. The battle was consistent as both fighters fought with their swords in hand with the exception of Riddick's secondary combat knife. He thought to himself as he fought. The warlords are dead, how can he still have these powers.

Finally, Riddick learned this wasn't going to be an easy fight, when Falox kicked Riddick away and threw his free hand up. The lights immediately came on completely blinding Riddick. A sharp pain was then felt across his chest as he fell, never letting go of the sword nor the knife. The lights went out again as he heard Falox yell. "Did you actually think this was going to be a fair fight, Richard?"

Riddick stood and saw a slash across his chest as blood slowly oozed from it. Good it wasn't too deep. "I could've killed you, just now, Richard. You are at my complete disposal."

Riddick said nothing as he glared back at Falox. Ignoring the pain in his chest, Riddick readied his sword again.

"Why don't you just join me, Richard? You know you can't beat me." Falox said with a smile on his face.

"Or you going to fight or talk."

Falox readied his sword. "Suit yourself."

They both began to charge into each other until Falox threw his hand up again, turning on the lights blinding Riddick again. As Riddick then felt a force hit his back as he fell to the ground. Riddick reached for his googles and placed them on his face. Falox gave another laugh. "You actually think that's going to help you?" Another movement with his hand turned the lights off as Riddick had to remove his goggles to now see. "Don't you get it now, Richard?" He then emphasized on every word he spoke. "You - can't - beat - me."

Riddick thought to himself as he stood. The warlords must be alive. Not if he still has his power, not if he's still this strong, but he wasn't ready to give up just yet. He stood and readied his sword again. "Bring it."

Falox gave a smile. "This is going to be so much fun."

They charged into each other, as Falox used to lights to his full advantage. Turning them on and off, when Riddick least expected it, sneaking in a cheap shot when Riddick was at his disposal. It was no doubt that Riddick was fighting a lost fight.

Riddick stood from his last encounter. His body now cut and bruised from Falox's treachery. "You know what I like about you, Richard. You don't give up." Riddick wiped the blood from his mouth. "You have the strength of 10 men and the determination of 20. If I didn't have to hate you so much, I would love you."

"Feeling's mutual." Riddick replied.

Falox made an awkward maneuver as he grabbed his head in pain. "Whoa, what was that?" He asked himself.

Riddick studied his movement as he watched Falox tend to his headache.

He thought to himself. "What are you waiting for Riddick? Attack."

Riddick immediately charged Falox with his sword ready to make the final blow. But Falox manage to use his powers to turn on the lights to blind him as he dodged Riddick's swipe. Riddick noticed the Falox didn't immediately turn off the lights. He put his goggles on his face and found Falox on one knees. Holding his head aching in pain. Riddick understood what was going on.

"What's wrong, Falox? Powers are slipping from you?" He said with a smile

"What did you do to me?"

"I was wondering why you still had your power." He gave a slight laugh. "Your warlords are dead, Falox. They were dead even before we fought." Falox looked at him with slight shock. "The little bit of power you have left, is what the warlords left you with."

Falox gave a little laugh as he turned of the lights again. He stood and watched Riddick remove his goggles. He then said with a smile. "So, I guess this is going to be a fair fight after all."

Riddick dropped the knife and kept only the sword in hand. "Yeah, now let's see how strong you really are."

Riddick dealt with the pains of his cuts and bruises and Falox dealt with the pain of migraine as they both charged into fight. Once again, you could hear the clanging of swords, and the contacting of fists and feet as the brawl continued. It finally came to an end when Riddick gave a strong knee to the stomach of the Tygerian lord, sending him falling to his own knees. Riddick dropped his sword and retrieve Falox's. He watched as Falox held his stomach with one hand, and leveled himself from the ground with the other. He coughed and wheezed as he was out of breath, he looked up and saw Riddick holding his own sword. Falox knew the fight was over as he gave himself a little laugh. "I gotta admit, Richard. You are one hell of a fighter."

Riddick raised his sword and spoke his final words before delievering the final blow. "They call me Riddick."

He swung his sword down, slashing the head off Tygerian's former Lord Falox's body. When he saw the body fall to the ground, all the pains, cuts, bruises and burns hit Riddick all at once as it made himself also collapse. "I told you, you were a dead man." He said before he closed his eyes.

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Outside, everyone noticed that all got quiet. Valor and Johns stayed outside along with a good number of guards and villagers awaiting for the door to open. Every man prayed that it would be the convict to step out of the doors, and were terrified to predict what would happen if Falox remained the victor. Then the doors opened, but all could be seen was darkness, until Riddick stepped into the light with the goggles on his face. All was still quiet as they watched him with pleading eyes, in hopes that Lord Falox was indeed dead. Just then, Riddick raised Lord Falox decapitated head to the crowd as they saw the blood drip from the head to the floor. The crowd cheered as Riddick continued to hold the head as his trophy. Valor quickly climbed the stairs and saw Riddick covered in blood as he dropped the head and hugged his wife.