Slave Planet: WAR OF THE BLOOD FIENDS!

The new morning was bright and sunny. Everyone got moving early, eager to leave the mysterious ruins behind. Riddick's back was sore as hell but otherwise he felt great. The fever that usually came with serious wounds didn't happen thanks to O'Kain's mystery medicial gunk. No one was very talkative, they gnawed their way through a hastily prepared breakfast and departed, making the main trail shortly after sunrise. O'Kain walked beside Riddick, he appeared bothered by something.

"What's the problem O'Kain?" Riddick asked in a matter of fact tone.

"I don't be a'liking overmuch the idea of falling in with them that trade in human flesh. Although we fought side by side I feel the Allmighty would must be frownin' on our likes for this slave business."

Riddick shrugged before speaking, "look O'Kain, I'm not really to proud of what I'm doing right at this moment myself. I only took this crappy assignment because I was bored as hell and just because I'm on my way to deliver slaves to market dosen't mean I finish the job. The last leg of this trip is my call cause Banin is scared to go into Merryville, not that he would be much of a problem anyhow. Thing is you need to remember why you came here O'Kain, if I were you I'd think about finding this Vlad dude and wouldn't worry about changing a centuries old tradition like slavery. Yeah, buying and selling people sucks big time but if you really want to end slavery you should go back to 16th century earth and get started there. As I recall from the little bit of history I know, slavery was one helluva lot more widespread there than on this thinly populated planet." Then Riddick added, "and for what it's worth, based on my experiences on Tronas, they might be better off as slaves, so long as they get to leave this place."

Solemnity O'Kain walked on in silence, musing over the words Riddick had said. Finally he spoke, "yes, it be true enough that slavery and other foul institutions flourish mightily on earth. Perhaps, there is some widom in what ye say and I'd best be about the business of finding that monster that caused me to come hereabouts in the first place. I'll keep my peace for now at least and in truth, I sense that one I seek is very near. Even now I feel strange vibrations in this ancient fetish stick I be a'carrying."

O"Kain held the stave out from his body and Riddick could almost sense the power within that mysterious piece of wood. The anubis head seemed to stare into the distance at something only it could see and occasionally a dim blue light faintly glowed for a moment or two. What is fuck was that thing Riddick wondered. He didn't say anything to O'Kain but that freaky walking stick had to be the product of some advanced super technology. Yeah, no question about it. The dark clad puritan seemed human enough except for those freaky steel-cold eyes. Course Riddick had his own issues with eyes as he absent-mindedly adjusted his goggles. One thing about O'Kain though, he didn't ask many questions, just always looking about with those restless hard eyes.

Overall, the mood was optimistic. Everyone was glad to see some blue sky and sunshine after the horrific storm of the night before. Unfortunately, the mood didn't last long. About an hour after they'd broke camp a strange stench began drifting downwind towards the travelers. As they followed the trail, it became stronger and stronger. It was truly a nasty odor, the smell of decaying flesh. "The smell of death," O'Kain commented. "It be one I know only to well!"

Soon there was a meeting about what to do. O'Kain volunteered to go ahead as a scout. His long legs quickly carried him out of sight. He returned about twenty minutes later. "Foul murderers are about, and despite all my travels I scarce can recall such depraved bloodletting as be going on hereabouts. It's best the women stay behind while the men take a look."

Christina was armed so she was left to guard the others. "Can you handle it?" Riddick asked. She quickly shot Riddick a hard look with blue eyes that peeked out from beneath blond curls. "Damn right, I can handle it. Anybody or anything that shows its face around here will get a bullet in the head." To emphasize the point she grabbed the bolt of her rifle and jacked a cartridge into the chamber before slamming the bolt forward. Riddick nodded, "let's move!" He said.

Riddick, Banin, and O'Kain broke into a trot to cover ground more quickly. In a few minutes that broke into a opening in the forest. Eight bodies lay littered on the grass, each one had been horribly mutilated. Almost every shred of flesh had been stripped away, leaving only gruesome skeletons grinning hideously at the trio of shocked newcomers. Blood was everywhere. "This damnable murder has not been long since the doing," O'Kain said.

"What in fuck did this shit?" Banin asked dumbfounded. "Was it Jpottes?"

"I don't think so," Riddick said. "It would have took a bunch of them to do this much damage." Then the bald outlaw reached down to pick up what looked to be a woodman's axe. "Besides, these people had weapons on them, something ain't right about this."

"Look to the stave!" O"Kain declared, raising his voice.

The stick glowed bright with the strange blue light. It also vibrated noticeably despite O'Kain's iron grip. The ancient anubis head seemed to voice a faint hum.

O'Kain's eyes took on a truly frightening glazed appearance as he held the stave high. "The one I seek is close. This be his work, only the right hand of Satan himself could commit crimes this foul and decadent. One that craves human blood to fill his belly and walks the earth, though in truth he be dead, has struck again. But bewares mad demons of hell, I Solemnity O'Kain swear that I'll do all in my power to send you back down to the flames of burning damnation! And let it be known my power comes not only from this ancient bit of wood but from a force all knowing and all powerful!"

Even Riddick felt the hairs stand on the back of his neck as the puritan spoke. Still, his expression never changed. "Let's get the others and keep moving, it's best we make as much time as possible today. With a little luck we can reach Merryville before we run in to whoever did this. Regardless, everybody better start watching that ass!"

The three returned for the others and Riddick led them through woods and away from the trail for a short time. Best not to get everybody worked up over what the men had seen.
Still, Christina and the others could sense something bad, really bad had happened. Everyone walked briskly after Riddick brought them back around to the well worn pathway. O'Kain walked on ahead with a pistol in one hand and his magical stave in the other. Riddick brought up the rear with Christina. "Keep moving," he shouted. "Let's get the fuck out of these damn woods!"

They walked long and hard all day, not even stopping for lunch. They continued for some time even after darkness fell. Finally satisfied that a reasonable amount of distance had been put between them and whatever horrors lurked "back there", Riddick called a halt and they made camp. They huddled about with Jelli and Giella putting together a meal while O'Kain and Riddick scouted the area. Eventually they returned and everyone ate in silence, to exhausted and nervous to talk. There was no denying a strange dread that held in the air, the ghostly reflections of the campfire against the forest seem to warn of something impending, something to horrible to speak of.

Solemnity O'Kain was especially quiet, he checked his pistols and cleaned the long rapier. With a keen eye he scanned the length of the blade as if seeking an answer to some vague riddle. In time everyone fell into a troubled slumber but O'Kain remained alert and watchful. His large body reclined against a tree and rested but his eyes never closed entirely. A couple of hours before dawn Riddick approached him.

"I'll take the watch from here O'Kain, try to get some sleep. I should have relieved you sooner but I guess I didn't realize how tired I was. Take a sip of this, it will help you relax." Riddick handed the puritan a flask of trunk. O'Kain nodded and thanked him before taking a very long draw and a few moments later his steel grey/blue eyes finally closed.