The Killing Moor

Part 14
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There was a moment as gazes locked, wills warred, time ground to a stop … a moment when the past and present folded into one. Riddick stood, his imposing form poised on the brink of attack, but was halted. There was a space of time, the space of a heart beat's echo, he was jolted into memories that came unbidden to his mind. An awareness, pre-cognizance, that would only be a genetic link. It could only be a memory wrapped around an eternal DNA strand, surfacing for him and only him.

"Oh, but you think you've won, Riddick. You have done nothing more than set me free, sent me to my destiny. Given me the means to slowly feast upon your kin and clan. Make me the god I seek to be, Riddick. That's all you've done this day."


Those words rang heavy in Riddick's ears, ringing like the curse they were, the intended damnation of his bloodline. And here he stood, the fate of generations hinging on this one moment.

"Riddick..." Damon hissed, voice low but penetrating. "You'll have to cleave his head from his body. It be the only way to kill the creature."

Duncan turned a hissing fanged smile at him. "The trick is to keep me for the blow." He made a leap for the window but never saw the seal, never touched anything but air as the blade whistled through the aDuncDuncan's head went spinning off into the wall as he body fell lifelessly to the floor.

The grimace on Jack's features followed the stiffening of her spine, her fingernails digging deeply into Daniel's forearms gaining strength from a man other than Riddick for the first time in her life. Leaning her head back onto his shoulder she breathed words audible only to his ear. "You'll tell me, won't you? I'd sure as hell like to know what the bloody hell just happenede."e."

He was quick to nod his agreement. "Aye, I'll tell you just as soon as I have a word with, the Laird." His smile light the night as he looked down at her, falling more and more in love with the strong angel before him.

She continued to stare, her head bobbing in understanding. "I'm sure he'll want more than just 'a word' with me." A raw, true smile tugged at her lips as she shifted her body from the hard planes of his to allow him movement.

Jennifer took that moment to shove past Damon and run toward Riddick, needing affirmation of his well being. She skidded to stop just before him feeling a strange, almost mystical, aura take her over. "Are you hurt, my lord?" Her voice was softly frantic, her eyes wide with fear for him.

"No!" He barked, and turned narrowed eyes on Damon. "She was suppose to be kept away. Ksafesafe."

Damon shrugged. "Hoch sch safer could she be than right here with you protecting her. Aye?" He turned away from the other man and knelt down beside the body turning it. "Like marble, it is," he commented absently.

Riddick turned his attention back en aen and allowed the flow of pumping adrenaline to drain away. He opened his free arm to her and drew her against his chest. "Is Jack okay?"

Her arms wrapped around him tightly as she allowed her body to sag against his, reveling in his warmth … his life. "Aye, Riddick," she whispered reassuringly. "She's not harmed." Her face lifted to meet his gaze. "It's over?" The hope in her eyes spoke tomes.


"Yeah, far as I can see it is. Not likely a corpse will be resurrected without a head," he replied, glancing down to her and turning from the room. "Come on, I could use some sleep."

Damon whistled back to Riddick and smiled as he glanced over his shoulder. "Leave the sword, Laird Riddick, I'll see to it."

Jack was unsure why, but as her eyes met the intense look of Riddick's features, she felt as if her world were spinning out of control. She held her body straight and tightened her grip on the lapel of the borrowed overcoat. "He didn't want me, did he?" It was spoken not as melancholy angst, but merely as a fact she wanted affirmed.

Riddick flexed his hand around the hilt of the sword for the last time, his
eyes locking to the blood and bits of flesh that clung to the blade. His
satisfaction was mirrored in the smile that he turned up to the stars above,
his laughter echoing throughout the sleeping village.

Daniel turned his eyes down to Jack, an understanding smile hovering at his
lips. "No, lass, he wanted to fulfill a prophecy set to the heavens hundreds
of years ago. He wanted a vengeance that was already served." He glanced to Riddick, shaking his head he pointed. "He wants." ." Eyes of glacial blue bore into hers willing her to understand his words. "Enough to risk eternity for you, enough to risk a fate worse than the fires of hell. You take that, Jack, and always honor him and his love for you."


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Standing with feet spread, arms folded behind his back, he shook his head in amusement. His luminous eyes taking in the happy family like scene from a distance no human could. "Well, there is one bur from my arse removed, and not a moment too soon. Poor Duncan, old and careless.." With a stomp of a booted foot the creature turned. "I believe the phrase is, out with the old
and in with the new. So be it."