Chapter 5

Emeric lay on the ground staring wide eyed as the sword traveled down and impaled the ground a centimeter away from his head. He shut his eyes and swallowed to try and rein in his nerves that were running wild. The laughter of the Elites only made it worse. They were just messing with his head.

Emeric calmed his breathing as they turned their backs and walked back to the rest of the group. He felt anger rising up inside of him...These men were more like beasts than they claimed the Rogues to be.

"Emeric?" His father questioned in a concerned voice. The young Rogue remained as he was. "Emeric!" His father said more urgently...

Emeric opened his eyes again and turned his head towards his father, "I'm alright." he said in a deflated voice.

They didn't get much rest that night. Sleep was slow coming with there arms uncomfortably tied behind their backs.

The Elites were up before dawn and started preparing for the journey ahead.

Emeric watched them with scrutinizing dislike as the moved about gathering their sleeping rolls and other camping materials.

When everything was packed, they came for Emeric and Rayhan. The leader stood by, keeping a strict watch on events as the Elites got to work retying Emeric and Rayhan's hands in front of them. Emeric winced as his shoulders complained against the sudden relief of tension.

They also untied the binds that were tightly bound around Rayhan's ankles.

And with that down they started moving off into the woods with Emeric and Rayhan in tow.

Emeric did his best to ignore the hammering in his head that reverberated against his scull with each step he took. He had a bad limp, his injured ankle could hardly carry any weight.

When the thick bush started swallowing the group, Emeric gave one last look back at his burnt down house. He had grown up there and it was the only bit of civilization that he knew. So many memories had been formed in that single building. Leaving it behind felt like leaving a part of himself behind. He felt out of place and incomplete.

With a weary sigh he turned forward and limped hesitantly with the group of Elites that was escorting him.

The traveling hours were grueling. They barely rested and walked from dawn till dusk. Emeric would have been able to match the pace easily, but considering that by noon he wasn't able to put weight on his ankle anymore, things got a bit complicated.

After unrelenting urging from Rayhan, he had been allowed to walk next to his son and was able to help him get along.

Emeric made slow progress, much to the dislike of the Elites. He had to lean heavily on his father's shoulder in order to take even the smallest step.

Finally after a dozen horrendous hours, the Elites halted the journey to rest for the evening.

Emeric gratefully sank down to the ground and examined his ankle. It had an off blue tinge and the swelling had worsened. He frowned, wondering if it would be able to heal if they kept up the fast pace.

Rayhan looked over his son with concern. Not being able to help him in his struggle was the most depriving feeling he had ever experienced. "Are you holding up alright?" he questioned cautiously. Emeric didn't answer, his eyes were downcast. After a few seconds he lifted his eyes to meet his father's, "Why haven't they killed us yet?" Rayhan frowned at the question. He had been wondering the same thing for most of the journey.

"I don't know." He muttered after a while.

After long silence Emeric spoke again, "Can you do me a favour?" Rayhan considered his response,

"If it involves you getting yourself in trouble again, the answer is no." Emeric grinned despite the situation he was in. "My nose needs to be set again, it's broken." Rayhan nodded his understanding. "It'll hurt." He said as he moved closer to Emeric to do the deed.

Emeric only nodded. He shut his eyes with anticipation as his father placed a thumb on either side of Emeric's nose. With out any warning, Rayhan gave a well calculated jerk that realigned the bones. Emeric only just managed to contain the painfilled grunt as blood dripped from his nose once more.

He nodded his thanks towards his father.

Both Rayhan and Emeric were grateful that their hands hadn't been rebound behind their backs. Sleep came effortlessly for both of them as they laydown and shut their eyes.

Emeric's last thoughts were of escape, but he realised that in his current state he would be unable to go through with any of the plans that were forming in his mind. He fell asleep while begrudgingly cursing his luck.

*****

The days were all the same. They got up at dawn and walked at a brisk pace till dusk. Each day went better for Emeric as his ankle slowly started healing and the hammering in his head gradually died down to a gradual throb that was more a nuisance than a form of pain.

On their fifth morning, Emeric came up to his father and softly spoke, "We need to escape." Rayhan looked at him with some contempt, "Not yet, your still limping. How far do think we'll get before they catch up with us?" Emeric was shaking his head, "But..." Rayhan cut him off, "You're lucky to be alive after the beating you received last time. We can escape when you are completely healed...besides, that hard head of yours won't take another beating."

Emeric knew that arguing with his father was no use. They both were hardheaded, it was father son thing. "Fine." Emeric said in defeat.

They trudged further in silence until Emeric took the leisure of disturbing the pleasant quiet once more. "Where do you think they're taking us?" Rayhan seemed to know the answer without having to think about it. "Were heading North-east which means their planning on taking us to Deepdale. It's the closest city in that direction." "How long till we reach it?" This time Rayhan took a few seconds to consider his response. "Probably a day or two."

Emeric frowned, "Are you just accepting defeat?" He accused. Rayhan turned his head towards his son with a questioning look. "What makes you think that?" "I don't know, maybe the fact that you are not doing anything to try and get away. How can you allow them to just take us to our slaughter?" Emeric's voice became louder as his emotions got worked up.

Rayhan seemed hurt by Emeric's words, "Emeric, if we just run blindly without a plan we are just as good as dead. If we try to escape but fail, they will kill us on the spot." Rayhan paused for a second, "We need to bide our time...Appear docile. That way, they will loosen their guard after a while, and when they least expect it, that's when we act."

Emeric sighed, "I hope you're right about this." Rayhan smiled, "Trust me, son."

Hours flew by with the birds and by noon, the woods started thinning out. They kept traveling, but the pace increased as they reached a road that carved through the rugged terrain. As they walked, Emeric watched his father's expression grow grimmer. When they took a short rest to drink water, Emeric asked, "What's wrong?" Rayhan answered in Etreshian, "We're closer to Deepdale than I thought. If we keep going at this rate, we might reach it by night fall.

Emeric distinctly felt the color draining from his face. Once they reached the city they were done...There wouldn't be any way of escaping and the inevitable would happen. Emeric forbade his thoughts of traveling down that road. "We need to act now." He stated with urgency. Rayhan nodded agreement.

They took in the men who stood lazily around them, drinking water and resting in preparation for the journey up ahead.

"Come here." Rayhan said softly. Emeric walked closer. "I'll see if I can undo the knots." Rayhan stated as he gestured to Emeric's wrists. They tried too look unsuspicious as Rayhan started fiddling with Emeric's binds, but it wasn't long before the leader of the Elite's moved closer, "Wha' are you two up to?" he questioned threateningly.

Rayhan and Emeric didn't move, but as the Elite rushed forward, Rayhan nodded at Emeric. When the Elite was only a meter away, Emeric suddenly spun around. He swung his fist at the Elite. His binds falling to the ground. The Elite barely managed to duck the swift fist, but he failed to dodge the left hook.

It struck him hard against the temple, throwing him off his feet. As he pushed himself up, Emeric swung his leg in a blinding kick. The Elite tried catching Emeric's ankle again, but the force of the kick prevented the Elite from gripping his foot. The Elite was out cold when Emeric's heal hit his jaw.

Emeric turned to his father to untie his restraints, but just as he turned he heard his father say his name in a warning manner and then he felt the cold sting of a blade against the back of his neck. The blade moved so the it hovered over his carotid artery. A centimeter deep cut and Emeric was dead.

The rest of the Elites had moved closer, weapons drawn, they surrounded Rayhan and Emeric.

Emeric met his father's eye. His eyes showed the question he was asking, "Attack?"

Rayhan was tempted to nod his head, but he was not willing to gamble with his son's life. Emeric was an exceptional warrior, he knew this, but he didn't know what Emeric's chances were against 11 infuriated Elites.

He shook his head.

Emeric hung his head and then slowly raised his hands in defeat. The chances of them living had dropped to zero. Once they reached the city, they were dead. And now any chance of escape had been obliterated.

Emeric's hands were roughly bound again, behind his back this time. Emeric and Rayhan were also separated after their little show.

After an hour, the Elite leader woke up from his slumber. He looked ready to kill Emeric there and then, but instead of doing anything against the defenseless young man, he ordered the jolly party on its way again.

As Emeric limped on, his thoughts were whirling at full speed. Once again he'd failed. Once again he had let his father down. He tried telling himself that he was outmatched and that there was nothing he could have done, but a small inkling of doubt still clawed at him.

The sun set and the group set up camp. They would reach Deepdale early in the morning, which meant... that with the rising of the sun, their last day would have dawned. Emeric tried calming his emotions, but as he sat alone, guarded by five Elites, his hope fell into his socks.

It was over.

Life, as he knew it, was about to come to a rather abrupt end...