To reign among the pale
folder
M through R › Pitch Black
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
5
Views:
9,845
Reviews:
27
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
3
Category:
M through R › Pitch Black
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
5
Views:
9,845
Reviews:
27
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
3
Disclaimer:
I do not own Pitch Black, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 1 - The Sentence
Title: To Reign Among the Pale
Author: Flaim
Pairing: Riddick/ Vaako (well in chapters to come, this is just the beginning)
Rating: NC 17
Slash
Warnings: Angst, violence
Status: unfinished
Beta: Many, many thanks to Lady Vaako, for taking this much work all on herself.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Riddick and Vaako, nor do I make profit with this story.
Summary: As Riddick starts his rule of the Necromonger army, he also deals out revenge to Vaako, intending to crush him. Or does he?
A/R: here we go again. I lost all the nice reviews and came short of never posting here again. But I'll try for a second time. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me so far.
Chapter 1 - The Sentence
Vaako stood at the side entrance of the great Necropolis, waiting. He tried not to show any sign of stress or nervousness outside, even as he had no idea at all what beast might lie in store for him today. Or what weapons he would be allowed to use.
Six month ago, when the former Lord Marshal fell by the hand of the Furyan, Vaako, first among commanders then, had led the Necromonger to kneel before their new Lord Master. In a split of a second he had seen then, that whether the Furyan died or led, and the choice was not the Furyan's but his. All Necromongers had looked to Vaako for a decision, whatever it would be. Honestly, Vaako had not expected to see the end of that day.
Now, about six month later, he was still here and the swift death he had been silently hoping for, denied to him. The new Lord Marshal had decided against killing Vaako right away. Instead he had vented a lifetime’s worth of revenge down on him. Not only had Vaako lost his rank of ‘First among Commanders’ that very day, he had lost his rank of a normal commander as well. The troop he led today, was a wild hotchpotch of the worst elements found in Necromonger society. Vaako had always known that even among Necromongers there was scum, but he had never imagined how much scum there was, and what it would be to lead such a troop into battle. And there were many battles these days.
As the Necromonger army moved on, there were new worlds, battles and dangers ahead. The new Lord Marshall had issued a new course for them to take, leading them into other parts of the galaxy, but war remained war all the same. Vaako did not complain about the fact that he and his bunch of misfits were given the worst assignments, the most dangerous tasks. The risks were numerous, death was certain and survival rare. In a way the Lord Marshal was right, these tasks needed an experienced commander and the misfits did as well. Vaako gave his very best, not only to accomplish every new task handed down to them but also to train and drill his troop, to make them fitter for battle, more dangerous, more reliable. The last six months had taken a high toll on his strength, nerves and manners, for he could not afford a single moment of weakness. The grudging respect of his troop was won on knife-edge and even if they were not likely to jump at him right now. There was another duty he was assigned to regularly. The duty he was right now waiting for.
As the Necromonger army commenced its crusade through the universe, fighting battles on many planets, they encountered any number of wild and dangerous creatures. Under the Lord Marshal’s orders, at least one specimen of them was caught alive on every new planet and brought to Necropolis. Every celebration of a new victory was crowned by one event, which the Lord Marshal enjoyed immensely: the former First among commanders fighting the beast.
Vaako leaned against the doorway; he could hear laughter and voices from the Hall. The court was enjoying the festivities. Well, even Vaako had to admit that conquering Minerva’s System had been a major victory, supplying them with recruits and resources for many months to come. Which meant that the feast was to continue for some time before…. No, here they came.
Two Guardsmen were advancing towards him. “It’s time, off you go,“ one said in a cool tone. The troop, taking their tone from their masters, regarded him icy cool at best and disdainfully at worst, but still a little better than did his former peers at the court. Vaako’s wife had divorced him on the very day of his fall and was now wife of the new first Purifier. She led the court in most of the sneering, snickering and mocking. Vaako braced himself when he entered the great Hall; it was dark in there, darker than it had been in former times, but most Necromongers had by now adjusted to the Furyan lighting. A dozen gestures, mock – greetings and sneers greeted him, when he entered and crossed the Hall. The fighting ground was in the centre, right before the throne, where the Furyan had fought the former Lord Marshall. Vaako strode towards the centre of the fighting circle, ignoring the sly comments and mocking laughter surrounding him. His eyes went to the man on the throne. Riddick sat there, his moonlight eyes shining in the semi–darkness of the hall.
‘You look tired, my Lord.’ Vaako thought, seeing the subtle signs of exhaustion in the Lord Marshall’s face. The piercing eyes met his, and Vaako hastily averted his gaze and knelt. “As you summoned me, my Lord, I come.”
***
Riddick’s fist clenched as he regarded the man kneeling in the battle circle’s centre. The mere sight of Vaako was likely to anger him most of the time. “I have another fight for you,“ he rumbled. “See that you make it worth my while.” Vaako looked up, again their eyes met for the split of a second. “As you order it my Lord, so shall it be.”
Leaning back in his seat, Riddick observed Vaako readying himself for a fight. The former First among Commanders had changed much; from the way he looked six months back. Back then he had been wearing an ornamented Necromonger armour mostly, his black hair being attended to, and held in place. Now he wore no armour at all, his clothing for the fight consisted of some dark pants, fitting skin tight, and an equally dark sleeveless shirt, made from simple material. The rough living conditions he had experienced had not ruined his condition in any way; on the contrary, he was more muscular and hardened than ever before. The sides of his head were still shaven, but the middle hair had grown longer, forming a wild mane brushing his broad shoulders. The wilder sides of him had become more apparent; to Riddick, he looked more vibrant then ever.
Finding his thoughts reaching this point, Riddick sat up, straightening himself. ‘No.’ he thought. ‘I hate you. You took Kyra from me. Why is it, that always when I look at you, I think you are… gorgeous? Why this hurt look in your eyes, just before you avert your gaze?’ Looking sideways, he caught sight of Menion, the new Purifier and waved him to come over. “What do you have in store for him this time?“ Riddick asked.
“A most fearsome beast, my Lord.” Menion replied. “The natives on the planet call it ‘the Judge of Fates’, a dangerous nocturnal predator. Honestly, I am not sure if one man can take it down.”
The purifier’s wife, ex Dame Vaako, smiled. “The name is Grazo’Rahn. Vaako met them before he became a Necromonger. He’ll face his nightmare, today,“ she added, her voice betraying her appreciation of the event.
Riddick frowned at her. ‘You enjoy this, don’t you? You lead the court in any new cruelty you can devise for him. He’d deserve some loyalty, at least from you.’ Impatiently he waved the woman to back off. “Then let the fight begin.”
The Grazo’Rahn was all the Purifier had promised and even more. It was a nightmare. Having sprung from a line of predatory lizards, it was about ten feet tall, swift like the wind, with a whip like tail that was as dangerous as the huge mouth. Vaako, only armed with a long, curved knife had a difficult stand against the fearsome beast. When the creature had been led into the circle, Riddick had seen a flicker in Vaako’s green eyes; there had been something, not fear, but a painful, feared memory that had seared towards the surface to be replaced by… hope. Riddick could not guess what Vaako was hoping for but he was sure he had seen it. Settling back again, he enjoyed observing Vaako fighting. He seemed to move nearly as fast as the lizard itself. A fast somersault backwards, bringing him out of the spiked tail’s way, giving him an opportunity to strike, even as his knife only scratched the lizard’s scales.
It was somehow like a dance of two very different partners. The lizard, fast and deadly; Vaako, agile and focused. More than ten times he dodged the murderous tail's attacks, escaping the gaping mouth even more often. Riddick was sure that most other Necromongers would not have lasted that long. ‘They said you met such beasts before. Is this were you acquired that catlike graces of yours? Is this where you learned to move like a Tiger?’ He thought while Vaako jumped from another tail attack, landing right on the back of the Grazo’Rahn.
***
The Grazo’Rahn’s back jolted beneath Vaako’s feet, as he attempted to keep his balance up there. With the knife in his left hand, he made his way up to the lizard's head. Another jolt nearly threw him down, but he managed to go on. An old saying from his long forgotten homeworld wandered his mind: Whoever fights the Grazo’Rahn, loses his soul at the moment of the kill, for no Grazo’Rahn will wander the vale of darkness without his killer at his side.’ They were the Judges of Fate, and today he would kill one. Deftly balancing another jolt, he reached the lizard's head. Taking up the dagger with both hands, he plunged it down to sever the spine of the creature. But the blade never struck home, with a painful shriek the Grazo’Rahn rose, tossing Vaako down, before the blow could reach its target. Vaako fell, was smashed on the floor, the blade falling from his hand, cluttering on the marbled grounds.
From the corner of his eye he saw one of the commanders, kicking the blade outside the circle, irretrievable now. A cold pain rose in Vaako’s chest as he realised that he had just lost the chance to win this fight. This had happened before, and the Lord Marshall had always ended the battle before Vaako could have been killed. But his contempt had been worse than any wound Vaako had suffered in the ring so far. He could live through all the cruelties the court held in store for him, he could take the sneers and snickers, the disdainful glances and cruel words from them, but he knew that he could not take any more from Riddick himself.
Vaako jumped to his feet, advancing towards the lizard, before anyone could end the battle.
“Here I stand, Grazo’Rahn!” he shouted. “Here I stand to be judged! I was born into the fires of Kal’tar, and I lived even though there was no one to speak for me! I walked the ashes of Kal’tar and I walked them proudly! I walked on the path of death without fear! I rose with the fire and I fell with the wave! And now I am standing here to be judged! To receive the sentence you alone can pass!”
His voice rose with every word, became steady and more confident.
Vaako’s eyes met the eyes of the lizard. The cold, golden eyes seemed to scan him. He was shaking, remembering the last time he had seen them. ‘End it.’ He thought. ‘I can’t take much more. At least not from him. I don’t care for the rest, but him…’
The lizard's eye blinked, and then it turned slowly, marching off the circle peacefully. Exhausted and shaking Vaako fell to his knees. The sentence had been passed. And the sentence was: life.
Author: Flaim
Pairing: Riddick/ Vaako (well in chapters to come, this is just the beginning)
Rating: NC 17
Slash
Warnings: Angst, violence
Status: unfinished
Beta: Many, many thanks to Lady Vaako, for taking this much work all on herself.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Riddick and Vaako, nor do I make profit with this story.
Summary: As Riddick starts his rule of the Necromonger army, he also deals out revenge to Vaako, intending to crush him. Or does he?
A/R: here we go again. I lost all the nice reviews and came short of never posting here again. But I'll try for a second time. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me so far.
Chapter 1 - The Sentence
Vaako stood at the side entrance of the great Necropolis, waiting. He tried not to show any sign of stress or nervousness outside, even as he had no idea at all what beast might lie in store for him today. Or what weapons he would be allowed to use.
Six month ago, when the former Lord Marshal fell by the hand of the Furyan, Vaako, first among commanders then, had led the Necromonger to kneel before their new Lord Master. In a split of a second he had seen then, that whether the Furyan died or led, and the choice was not the Furyan's but his. All Necromongers had looked to Vaako for a decision, whatever it would be. Honestly, Vaako had not expected to see the end of that day.
Now, about six month later, he was still here and the swift death he had been silently hoping for, denied to him. The new Lord Marshal had decided against killing Vaako right away. Instead he had vented a lifetime’s worth of revenge down on him. Not only had Vaako lost his rank of ‘First among Commanders’ that very day, he had lost his rank of a normal commander as well. The troop he led today, was a wild hotchpotch of the worst elements found in Necromonger society. Vaako had always known that even among Necromongers there was scum, but he had never imagined how much scum there was, and what it would be to lead such a troop into battle. And there were many battles these days.
As the Necromonger army moved on, there were new worlds, battles and dangers ahead. The new Lord Marshall had issued a new course for them to take, leading them into other parts of the galaxy, but war remained war all the same. Vaako did not complain about the fact that he and his bunch of misfits were given the worst assignments, the most dangerous tasks. The risks were numerous, death was certain and survival rare. In a way the Lord Marshal was right, these tasks needed an experienced commander and the misfits did as well. Vaako gave his very best, not only to accomplish every new task handed down to them but also to train and drill his troop, to make them fitter for battle, more dangerous, more reliable. The last six months had taken a high toll on his strength, nerves and manners, for he could not afford a single moment of weakness. The grudging respect of his troop was won on knife-edge and even if they were not likely to jump at him right now. There was another duty he was assigned to regularly. The duty he was right now waiting for.
As the Necromonger army commenced its crusade through the universe, fighting battles on many planets, they encountered any number of wild and dangerous creatures. Under the Lord Marshal’s orders, at least one specimen of them was caught alive on every new planet and brought to Necropolis. Every celebration of a new victory was crowned by one event, which the Lord Marshal enjoyed immensely: the former First among commanders fighting the beast.
Vaako leaned against the doorway; he could hear laughter and voices from the Hall. The court was enjoying the festivities. Well, even Vaako had to admit that conquering Minerva’s System had been a major victory, supplying them with recruits and resources for many months to come. Which meant that the feast was to continue for some time before…. No, here they came.
Two Guardsmen were advancing towards him. “It’s time, off you go,“ one said in a cool tone. The troop, taking their tone from their masters, regarded him icy cool at best and disdainfully at worst, but still a little better than did his former peers at the court. Vaako’s wife had divorced him on the very day of his fall and was now wife of the new first Purifier. She led the court in most of the sneering, snickering and mocking. Vaako braced himself when he entered the great Hall; it was dark in there, darker than it had been in former times, but most Necromongers had by now adjusted to the Furyan lighting. A dozen gestures, mock – greetings and sneers greeted him, when he entered and crossed the Hall. The fighting ground was in the centre, right before the throne, where the Furyan had fought the former Lord Marshall. Vaako strode towards the centre of the fighting circle, ignoring the sly comments and mocking laughter surrounding him. His eyes went to the man on the throne. Riddick sat there, his moonlight eyes shining in the semi–darkness of the hall.
‘You look tired, my Lord.’ Vaako thought, seeing the subtle signs of exhaustion in the Lord Marshall’s face. The piercing eyes met his, and Vaako hastily averted his gaze and knelt. “As you summoned me, my Lord, I come.”
***
Riddick’s fist clenched as he regarded the man kneeling in the battle circle’s centre. The mere sight of Vaako was likely to anger him most of the time. “I have another fight for you,“ he rumbled. “See that you make it worth my while.” Vaako looked up, again their eyes met for the split of a second. “As you order it my Lord, so shall it be.”
Leaning back in his seat, Riddick observed Vaako readying himself for a fight. The former First among Commanders had changed much; from the way he looked six months back. Back then he had been wearing an ornamented Necromonger armour mostly, his black hair being attended to, and held in place. Now he wore no armour at all, his clothing for the fight consisted of some dark pants, fitting skin tight, and an equally dark sleeveless shirt, made from simple material. The rough living conditions he had experienced had not ruined his condition in any way; on the contrary, he was more muscular and hardened than ever before. The sides of his head were still shaven, but the middle hair had grown longer, forming a wild mane brushing his broad shoulders. The wilder sides of him had become more apparent; to Riddick, he looked more vibrant then ever.
Finding his thoughts reaching this point, Riddick sat up, straightening himself. ‘No.’ he thought. ‘I hate you. You took Kyra from me. Why is it, that always when I look at you, I think you are… gorgeous? Why this hurt look in your eyes, just before you avert your gaze?’ Looking sideways, he caught sight of Menion, the new Purifier and waved him to come over. “What do you have in store for him this time?“ Riddick asked.
“A most fearsome beast, my Lord.” Menion replied. “The natives on the planet call it ‘the Judge of Fates’, a dangerous nocturnal predator. Honestly, I am not sure if one man can take it down.”
The purifier’s wife, ex Dame Vaako, smiled. “The name is Grazo’Rahn. Vaako met them before he became a Necromonger. He’ll face his nightmare, today,“ she added, her voice betraying her appreciation of the event.
Riddick frowned at her. ‘You enjoy this, don’t you? You lead the court in any new cruelty you can devise for him. He’d deserve some loyalty, at least from you.’ Impatiently he waved the woman to back off. “Then let the fight begin.”
The Grazo’Rahn was all the Purifier had promised and even more. It was a nightmare. Having sprung from a line of predatory lizards, it was about ten feet tall, swift like the wind, with a whip like tail that was as dangerous as the huge mouth. Vaako, only armed with a long, curved knife had a difficult stand against the fearsome beast. When the creature had been led into the circle, Riddick had seen a flicker in Vaako’s green eyes; there had been something, not fear, but a painful, feared memory that had seared towards the surface to be replaced by… hope. Riddick could not guess what Vaako was hoping for but he was sure he had seen it. Settling back again, he enjoyed observing Vaako fighting. He seemed to move nearly as fast as the lizard itself. A fast somersault backwards, bringing him out of the spiked tail’s way, giving him an opportunity to strike, even as his knife only scratched the lizard’s scales.
It was somehow like a dance of two very different partners. The lizard, fast and deadly; Vaako, agile and focused. More than ten times he dodged the murderous tail's attacks, escaping the gaping mouth even more often. Riddick was sure that most other Necromongers would not have lasted that long. ‘They said you met such beasts before. Is this were you acquired that catlike graces of yours? Is this where you learned to move like a Tiger?’ He thought while Vaako jumped from another tail attack, landing right on the back of the Grazo’Rahn.
***
The Grazo’Rahn’s back jolted beneath Vaako’s feet, as he attempted to keep his balance up there. With the knife in his left hand, he made his way up to the lizard's head. Another jolt nearly threw him down, but he managed to go on. An old saying from his long forgotten homeworld wandered his mind: Whoever fights the Grazo’Rahn, loses his soul at the moment of the kill, for no Grazo’Rahn will wander the vale of darkness without his killer at his side.’ They were the Judges of Fate, and today he would kill one. Deftly balancing another jolt, he reached the lizard's head. Taking up the dagger with both hands, he plunged it down to sever the spine of the creature. But the blade never struck home, with a painful shriek the Grazo’Rahn rose, tossing Vaako down, before the blow could reach its target. Vaako fell, was smashed on the floor, the blade falling from his hand, cluttering on the marbled grounds.
From the corner of his eye he saw one of the commanders, kicking the blade outside the circle, irretrievable now. A cold pain rose in Vaako’s chest as he realised that he had just lost the chance to win this fight. This had happened before, and the Lord Marshall had always ended the battle before Vaako could have been killed. But his contempt had been worse than any wound Vaako had suffered in the ring so far. He could live through all the cruelties the court held in store for him, he could take the sneers and snickers, the disdainful glances and cruel words from them, but he knew that he could not take any more from Riddick himself.
Vaako jumped to his feet, advancing towards the lizard, before anyone could end the battle.
“Here I stand, Grazo’Rahn!” he shouted. “Here I stand to be judged! I was born into the fires of Kal’tar, and I lived even though there was no one to speak for me! I walked the ashes of Kal’tar and I walked them proudly! I walked on the path of death without fear! I rose with the fire and I fell with the wave! And now I am standing here to be judged! To receive the sentence you alone can pass!”
His voice rose with every word, became steady and more confident.
Vaako’s eyes met the eyes of the lizard. The cold, golden eyes seemed to scan him. He was shaking, remembering the last time he had seen them. ‘End it.’ He thought. ‘I can’t take much more. At least not from him. I don’t care for the rest, but him…’
The lizard's eye blinked, and then it turned slowly, marching off the circle peacefully. Exhausted and shaking Vaako fell to his knees. The sentence had been passed. And the sentence was: life.