Ride the Fury
Chapter 7 – Red Sand
They had passed through the marsh lands and the crow people and could see through the haze of heat Immortan Joes War Party on the horizon. Furiosa thought it strange that they were still camped out in the desert lands and wondered if Immortan Joe had been injured when his car had flipped.
They were speeding along the hard packed and dried out earth, Firebird and Valkyrie were zigzagging between each other, outpacing the War Rig and holding Fire Sticks in their hands ready to throw them.
A War Vehicle was headed towards them, it was curiously alone. Nux narrowed his eyes against the glare off of metal and almost lost his balance when he saw the white banner of peace tacked across the bonnet. He regained his balance and then leapt away from Old Shot and ran across the top of the rig, over Capable and Seed Keepers heads and onto the cab. He hung upside down to poke his head into the window.
"Stop the Rig, they come to speak with us." Nux said, he pointed his arm out towards the oncoming Vehicle.
Furiosa narrowed her eyes to better look, the white peace flag was easy to make out. It was a way to communicate across distances so that they would not attack each other. Slamming on the breaks she turned to the women inside of the cab.
"Do not move from here until we tell you it is safe." She ordered, "If they start to shoot at us, shoot them back."
She then hopped out of the cab, Nux beside her. Firebird and Valkyrie came to a stop next to them and dismounted. Their weapons held tightly in their hands and they walked away from the Rig and towards the oncoming Vehicle.
The War Vehicle stopped a few meters away and two War Boys got out and hurried over to them. Nux was able to recognise Valdarx and Hard Head.
"You have returned." Valdarx greeted, he was smiling brightly and it confused both Furiosa and Nux.
"What has happened?" Nux asked taking a step forward. Furiosa may be a good leader when at War, but she was not good at holding back her impatience or anger.
"We have rebelled against Immortan Joe who is not as immortal as he claimed to be. We have killed him and his spawn and the Bullet Farmer. Some of the Hot Shots tried to protect their leader, they were put down."
Furiosa and Nux shared a look between them. Something terrible must have happened for War Boys to turn against Immortan Joe, their loyalty and zeal towards their leader was legendary.
"What of Tempest Serene?"
The two War Boys closed their eyes and bowed their heads bringing their hands up into the respectful triangle before changing it to a V. Nux clenched his fists tightly and took an aggressive step forward. Furiosa was trying to be patient, but if the two War Boys before her didn't speak up soon she was going to bring her fist to their faces until they would.
"Speak." Nux ordered, his voice angry.
Valdarx turned away from Nux to look back at the camped out War Party behind them. Hard Head looked from Nux to Furiosa before taking a step back.
"We will show you." Hard Head said, he could read the aggression in their stance and knew that if they told the story now then both he and Valdarx might receive bodily harm. The War Boys had been aware for a while now that Nux was attached to Tempest Serene, his attention to her, the way he spoke of her and how she sought him out had told them that the attachment was strong. They had always held Tempest Serene in high standing among them, she cared for them all, remembered their names and spoke to them like their half-life meant something.
Nux followed Hard Head and Valdarx back to the War Vehicle while Furiosa ran back to the War Rig to follow them. Firebird and Valkyrie had stayed silent the entire time and they escorted the War Rig through the War Parties encampment towards Immortan Joe's War Vehicle. Once they had stopped, everyone got out and hurried after Head Hunter and Valdarx.
The back of Immortan Joes War Vehicle had been transformed into a tent, Organic Mechanic stepped out from the tent and hopped down to look at the group gathered.
"So you finally came back then." He said as he looked over Furiosa and then Nux. "She's inside and stable but I need to get her back to the Citadel, so let's pack this up and go."
"Is this from when the War Vehicle flipped?" Furiosa asked. Organic Mechanic shook his head and turned to the two War Boys that had gone out to meet the War Rig.
"What did you tell them?" he asked. The two War Boys shrugged and moved forward to pull open the tent flaps.
"We waited until we got back to show them." Hard Head said. "Tempest Serene was tortured when People Eater failed to return. She died the bad death and defeated it. Immortan Joe ordered Organic Mechanic to continue to torture Tempest Serene."
Nux pushed past both the War Boys and pulled himself into the altered back of Immortan Joes War Vehicle to see Tempest for himself. She lay still, her breaths shallow and pained. She was wrapped almost head to toe in blood spattered bandages. A rough blanket covered her legs and she was pale and covered in sweat. Goshawk sat beside her and was wiping the sweat from her skin with a cloth dipped in clean water. Nux snarled and grabbed the other War Boys hand in his own to stop him.
"Out." He ordered and when the War Boy tensed his arm Nux forcefully pulled him up and threw him out of the tent. Nux followed after him, his blue eyes hard. Goshawk scrambled across the dusty ground and tried to gain his feet.
"You!" Nux pointed to Capable, "Care for Tempest." He didn't wait for the wife of Immortan Joe to follow his command but he was aware of the five women move cautiously up and into the tent. "No War Boy is to enter alone." Nux said. He then swung around to face Furiosa and pushed her toward the tent. "Get inside and see to Tempest." Nux dodged Furiosa's lazily swung fist and then marched toward Organic Mechanic and glared at the man.
"Continue." Nux said turning to face Hard Head. The War Boy nodded.
"I intervened." Hard Head said, "I asked her questions. While they had tortured her we watched, while he fought for her life we watched." He turned his pale eyes to Nux and blinked back tears. "She has never watched us and not helped us but we did." He looked to the other gathered War Boys for a moment and then back to the waiting Nux. "I asked her where Imperator Furiosa was, and I asked her if she knew me. She remembered my name." he said with a smile.
"Mine too." Goshawk said and then recoiled when Nux snarled at the War Boy.
"Quiet." He ordered.
"I made an oath as she came back from the bad death, I would protect her and I would kill the evil one who had ordered her hurt and pain." Hard Head gestured to the gathered War Boys, "I did not know they would follow."
Nux paced for a moment, his eyes glaring at the ground, "Where is the body of Immortan Joe?"
"This way, follow me." Valdarx said and moved through the camp, the War Boys making a path between them. They walked through the War Camp to the centre where three bodies were laid side by side, a fire pit where the remains of War Boys who had died in the fight burned to ash to release them to travel to Valhalla.
Nux went up to the Body of Immortan Joe and looked down at him. His mask had been ripped from his face, he had multiple stab and bullet wounds and blood covered his large body. Nux pulled his long hunting knife out of his boot and lunged down, stabbing the knife into Immortan Joe's eye and into his brain. He then spat into the dead man's face and kicked dust on his body, disrespecting their once great leader and cutting all ties that he had with him.
"We need to get back, but we also need to secure Gas Town and Bullet Farm." Hard Head said. Gathered around them were the leaders of each war party and also the remaining leaders for the Hot Shots and Men Eaters.
"The below people like Imperator Furiosa and will follow her when we bring back the body of Immortan Joe." Valdarx said.
"The War Boys will follow Tempest Serene." Balder offered.
"What of Bullet Farm and Gas Town?" Nux asked, he knew there would be more discussion needed for the Citadel. He was also aware that Immortan Joe's wives would want a large part of running the big cities and would argue a lot.
"Gas Town has been run by Reaver for the last seventeen thousand days. People Eater used to just watch the city being run and have last say on decisions. He will be happy that People Eater is dead and the city will continue to run." A Men Eater said.
"Will they still trade?" Nux asked the Men Eater.
"Yes, you give us water and fresh food."
"Good, and Bullet Farm?"
A tall strong Hot Shot stepped forward and bowed, "I am Gutshot and I lead the remaining Hot Shots of Bullet Farm, we will continue trade for I have seen strength and loyalty in Tempest Serene and her War Boys."
Nux felt the blood rage threaten to overtake him at the look of reverence in the Hot Shots eyes, Tempest was his and he did not want others to think they had any claim to her. Calming himself Nux clasped hands with the Hot Shot and Gas Town Men Eater.
"Let us go back to share with Imperator Furiosa." Hard Head suggested and Nux led the group back to Immortan Joes war Vehicle.
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Furiosa held her sisters hand and watched Capable wipe the sweat from her brow.
"Do you think she will be alright?" Splendid asked, she looked worriedly from Tempest to Furiosa.
"I hope that she will be. Organic Mechanic seems to be confidant she will wake." Furiosa said quietly. She was shocked that Tempest had been tortured. She had expected her sister to avoid any sort of pain and give up the little information that she had. Seeing her sister in pain was not something Furiosa had had to see often at the citadel.
"What is to happen now?" Capable asked.
"I'm sure that the War Boys are talking it over now." Toast said, she ruffled her short cropped hair and swung her legs back around to hand them out of the tent.
"Do you want to go back to the Citadel?"
Toast looked at Capable and then the other women in the tent and shrugged, "I think I might like to go and travel to the other cities. Being out and away from the Abode has shown me there is more to the world than what we have experienced so far."
"I agree." Capable said with a smile. Toast turned to Cheedo and held out a hand.
"Come on, let's go and find food for the others." The two women left the tent.
"I'm off to talk with Seed Keeper, I think we can grow her seeds at the Produce plant and maybe grow different food. If we make a plan I want to look after the growing things." The Dag rubbed her slightly swelled belly before following the other two girls out of the tent.
Furiosa watched her sister for another few minutes before letting go of her hand and getting ready to leave. "The quicker we get back to the Citadel the better for Tempest. I'll go and find out what the plan is."
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In the end Capable went with Gutshot back to Bullet Farm, Furiosa sent Goshawk and Old Shot with her to make sure she arrived safely. The four of them were to set up the farms new hierarchy and then report a month later to share their progress and organise trading timetables.
Toast, Cheedo, Firebird and Balder left with the Men Eaters back to Gas Town with the same determination to meet with Reaver and set up the city. They would return with Reaver in the months' time for their summit meeting.
With Immortan Joe strapped to the front of his own War Vehicle and Rictus on the trailing War Rig, the War Boys with Furiosa, Splendid, the Dag, Seed Keeper and Valkyrie returned to the Citadel. Nux rode in the back curled around Tempest and refusing anyone else from entering the tent.
Nux traced a finger over the scar on her cheek, trailed it over her split lips and then up to the jagged and sewed cut on her forehead. He moaned low in his throat and clutched the still sleeping girl closer to his chest. Knowing he had come close to losing her was tearing at his heart. He did not know when she had become so important to him, but he could not deny the strength of his feelings.
Nux pressed his lips to the top of her shaven head and closed his eyes, listening to her breath and counting each one. He was surprised when her breathing changed and she shifted next to him. Pulling away slightly he held his weight on his forearm and looked down at her face.
Tempests eyes fluttered opened and they were blurry from being closed for so long. There wasn't much light but she could see someone's face above her own. Blinking rapidly to try and clear her eyes she looked again.
"Nux?" she asked, her voice croaked and sounded hoarse.
"Yes." He said and cupped her face in his warm hand.
"I dreamed of you." She said softly and closed her eyes again, a soft smile graced her lips, "we were in the Green Place with Furiosa and it was so peaceful there." She opened her eyes and looked up at him, "am I still dreaming?"
Nux stared down at her and found himself unable to pull away from her. He came closer to her his breath ghosting over her face and he brushed his fingers against the shell of her ear. "yes." He whispered and then kissed her. He was gentle and only pressed his lips against her, mindful of her injuries and of the fact that this was new for the both of them. He pulled back slowly leaning over her and stared into her eyes.
"This is a good dream." She said with a smile. Nux smiled back and continued to caress Tempest as she slowly went back to sleep. Nux shifted himself closer and wrapped his arms around her, keeping his blue eyes trained on her the entire way back to the Citadel. He placed soft kisses on her bruised skin a few more times.
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Their triumphant return to the Citadel heralded a change never before seen in the Citadel. The Mothers Milk Women released the water pipes to give the people water. The War Boys that attended Fade, Immortan Joe's second son was killed once Immortan Joe's body was revealed. Nux carried Tempest to the Workshop and stayed with her while Organic Mechanic started his work on fixing her. The remaining leaders quickly set up a system and gave each area a director who would report to the council of leaders.
It took them a long time to get things running properly. The citadel was opened up to the below people but guarded by the War Boys. Those who started trouble were cast out and marked. A large market sprung up almost overnight and the people traded and bartered with each other. The water flowed and was collected, new plants grew and the Citadel flourished.
Tempest woke up after three different surgeries and needed a long time to be able to walk around without support. Nux was with her most days but on the days he was raiding she had her own appointed guards that all War Boys wanted the position of.
Max returned every now and then to see the Market and to speak with Furiosa but the man was a nomad and he travelled the Desert Lands to find new lands and report to Furiosa if there were any warring tribes heading their way.
Splendid had a boy that she called Hope and later the Dag had a little girl (slightly ugly) that she called Freedom.
It was months after the summit where peaceful trading timetables were negotiated that Tempest and Organic Mechanic found a miracle. Seed Keepers seeds had contained a beautiful deep red flower that they had been experimenting with. It was a cure to the War Boys sickness and their half-life. They were able to start harvesting the flower, having the Dag germinate more flowers for them. Organic Mechanic and Tempest gave the War Boys a full-life. The War Boys called the flower Valhalla and they loved Tempest Serene even more.
With everything running smoothly and with contact between the three cities still strong Tempest and Furiosa were able to repair their relationship. They had spoken at great length each night to share their stories and to hold each other as they cried out their fears and frustrations and their apologies.
Nux had become a strong leader of the War Boys, with his personal relationship with Tempest Serene putting him in high standing among his people. He had moved into her Sleep Rooms when Furiosa had moved out to be closer to the Sun Spire for the various meetings she needed to be present at. Tempest and Nux had spoken of their feelings for one another and when Tempest had smiled and placed her hands on either side of his face to say 'I love you,' before kissing Nux, he knew that he had found happiness in his life. Nux loved his Tempest dearly and he would enter into Valhalla with her when they were both old and grey, surrounded by many of their children and their children.
Nux looked over at his sleeping Tempest and placed a hand over her swelling belly and smiled smugly. She had become with child shortly after he had been cured. He nuzzled into her neck and placed a quick kiss to her skin before going back to sleep, they would have many days left together and he was going to enjoy every one of them.
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The End
Hope that you all enjoyed the story. I like happy endings