Chapter 9

Emeric was silently guided back to his cell where the guards dumped him before locking the cell gate behind him.   Emeric didn't move...He stood where the guards had left him, not really registering that he was back in his none too comfortable cell. 

His mind was being tormented by new and old memories alike.  When the guards had slit his opponent's throat, the day of his mother's murder had resurfaced with detail...The horrendous event kept playing over and over in his head...It kept pummeling him with newfound grief and continued doing so with no respite.

After a few seconds in the cell, Emeric's mind started playing tricks on him.  Instead of the young man being murdered in the Dome, it was Emeric's mother.  Her face replaced the one of the opponent.  And Emeric felt as hopeless as he had been on that horrid day nearly a dozen years prior. 

"I see you survived your first kill." An irritating voice stated from behind, stealing Emeric from his memories.  Emeric ignored the voice...the last thing he needed was someone reminding of what had happened because of him...

"From your none existent reply, I take it things went as you planned..."  The words rang with sarcasm...Once again Emeric refused to reply.  "Ok..." The young man from the opposite cell mumbled, "I guess silent treatment is acceptable, considering what you are...Rogue."

Anger surged up in Emeric as he angrily turned around and slammed his palm against the bars of his cell, "Don't call me that." He stated angrily.  The man opposite him looked amused, "It talks..." he joked in an animated tone of voice.  But he trailed off when he saw the death glare Emeric was sending his way. 

"Alright, Rogue...What should I call you?  It's not as if we've taken the luxury of exchanging names..."

"What about this, Chayran..." Emeric said the name with the same distaste that people spoke the name, Rogue. "I'm not your buddy, so why can't you just mind your own damn business and leave me to my own devises..."  As the words left Emeric's lips, he turned his back to the all too friendly Chayran.

A few of the other prisoners grunted agreement...They too, had obviously suffered the receiving end of the non stop talking.

The Chayran shrugged, "Oh well, in case you change your mind, I'm Axel..." He trailed off with an expectation hanging around him...But if he expected Emeric to tell him his name...He was placing his expectations way too high.

Emeric sank down into the shadows in the furthest corner away from Axel...he needed to escape the torment of the memories in his mind, but he didn't quite want to seek that distraction in Axel's conversations.

Minutes turned into hours as Emeric mulled over everything that had happened.  The blame of the other man's painful death hung thick over his head like a condescending cloud.  He remembered the relieved surprise in the young man's face as he had turned away.  He must have expected to see his wife and child once more, only the have it ripped away from him a few moments later.

The grief only grew...He needed a distraction...

"Emeric." He stated with extreme hesitation.  Axel looked up with perked interest, "That your name?" He questioned.  Emeric nodded his head.  "Emeric..." Axel said, testing the name, "Cool." he stated after a while.

Emeric cocked his head sideways as he took in Axel for the first time.  Even though the young man found himself in a highly undesirable situation, he seemed to be able to stay positive.  But it was just a mask.  Now that Emeric looked more closely, he could clearly see the strain that stress had on Axel.  He had sickly dark circles under his eyes and a pale color to his skin. 

When he thought that no one was watching, Axel let his fear show from beneath his false identity.  He despairingly stared down as his lap as his mind traveled to the future and past.  Emeric realised that talking was Axel's way of relieving the tension that had built up in him.  For some strange reason he felt sympathy worm its way to his heart. 

With a reluctant sigh Emeric asked, "How many battles have you been through?" Axel looked up in surprise... He was too stunned and was only able to reply after a few moments of thought.  "Ten." Emeric felt surprised at the number for some reason.

"What's the point?" Emeric questioned.  "Do we just fight till we eventually come up against someone who we can't beat?" Axel shook his head, "No way...If that were the case I would have given up long ago." he paused for a few seconds before continuing, "One hundred kills." He stated after a second or two.

Emeric shot him a questioning glare. 

"One hundred kills, then you earn your freedom again...Your crimes are forgiven and they let you go." Axel explained. 

Emeric failed to see the logic in what he had been told.  If criminals had to kill one hundred men before being able to earn their freedom, they would be professional murderers by the time they got out.  They would most likely just go and kill more people outside the Dome walls.

Axel interrupted Emeric's critical thoughts, "So I just need to make it long enough, then I can go back to my life."

Emeric glanced at Axel, "What did you do to end up here?"

"Well, if I'm going to tell you, I might as well start at the beginning."

Emeric didn't realise what he had done by asking that question...Axel's whole life story had been laid out before him.  And he had no choice but to listen...There was no escape from Axel's storyteller's voice.

But what Emeric also hadn't realised was that by their constant talking, a friendship had started to form between the two of them.  It wasn't long before cell life became slightly better than what it had been.

Emeric enjoyed to listen all the tales that Axel told him...Whether he was telling the truth in all of them was yet to be confirmed, but Emeric didn't mind.  The tales distracted him from the misery of his life. 

*****

Emeric woke when he heard his cell gate unlocking.  He blinked his eyes open and was met by the judging eyes of two guards.  "Get up." One ordered.  Emeric stood up reluctantly, knowing what was coming.  "Don't try anything." The other added as his hand hovered over his sword. 

"Turn around, hands behind your back." The first guard ordered. "Now!" He added hastily.  The slight trickle of sweat running down his forehead indicated that he was stressed. 

Emeric reluctantly complied.  He knew that messing with the guards would not make his life any easier.

The guards roughly bound his wrists.  They grabbed him by his elbows and led him out of his cell.  "Good luck." Axel mouthed as he was taken to the Dome to face his fate.

The crowd fell silent once again as Emeric was led into the arena.  But he had expected it.  He glanced at the man who was being led into the arena on the opposite end.  This man didn't show the fear and hesitation that Emeric's previous opponent had.  This man was bulky and had a threatening air around him.

Emeric swallowed.  This opponent was not going to be easy if the man managed to get free from his chain. 

There was a silent click as the lock was attached to Emeric's cuff and his wrists were released.  He shifted his eyes to the stand where the weapon would be placed.  It looked like a simple sword.  A reassurance swam through Emeric.  He was good with a sword.  After the thought went through him questioned himself. 'What good does that do you?'  He thought when he considered the fact that he refused to murder.

The horn sounded.  Its low, mournful cry sent Emeric's nerves on end.  He shot a glance at his opponent.  He was flicking the chain with such might, it looked as if he was about to shake the pole out of the wall. 

With a hesitant swallow, Emeric grabbed hold of his chain and climbed to the top.  He unlocked the lock on his wrist the same way he had done the previous week. He was about to climb down when an idea came to his attention.

He clambered onto the pole and sat perched with the balance of a stealthy cat.  Emeric pulled his chain up so that his pole wasn't reachable from below.

Emeric smirked as he turned to watch Hyatt's furious expression.

Emeric's opponent managed to get the chain off of the hook and unlocked his own wrist.  He charged at the sword and then once he reached it, he charged to Emeric. 

Once he spotted the Rogue sitting comfortable, yet safe on the pole he came to a confused halt.  He shot a questioning glance at the crowd...Not sure what he had to do. 

Now that the man was close, Emeric realised that what the man had in bulk made up for what he lacked in height.  If Emeric had been on the floor, he would have easily been a head taller than the man. 

The Domer was way to short to reach Emeric.

"You coward.  Come down here." The man demanded.

Emeric glared down at him, but didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing Emeric's anger at the words.

No one knew what to do.  Guards had tried to reach Emeric with ladders, but he had simply kicked the ladders away from the pole each time the guards neared the top. 

Hours went by...Spectators left the stands with irritated grumbles...Hyatt was fuming...Yet, Emeric remained on his prized throne...

To put things bluntly.  He was enjoying his victory over Hyatt. 

Last time, Hyatt had struck a nerve in Emeric, but Emeric had just done much worse for Hyatt.  The Dome Keeper had lost his reputation and many spectators.  Most would be reluctant to come to the Dome again in case of a Domer refusing to fight once more.  This was the second time in a row now.

Finally, Emeric's opponent had been taken away as the last of the spectators left the stands, leaving only a furious Dome Keeper.  Emeric had climbed down and had allowed the guards to take him back to his cell. 

When the gate locked, Emeric was met by the questioning look directed from Axel, who was assessing him.  "Where did you go?" he asked.  "Where do you think?" Emeric simply replied.  Axel raised his eyebrows, "You were gone for six hours...What happened?"

Emeric shrugged, "I sat on the pole."  It was a blunt answer, but it told enough for Axel's imaginative mind to work out what had happened.  He was shaking his head with wide fearful eyes, "He's going to kill you." he stated in a hissing voice. "No, scratch that, he won't kill you, he'll just nearly kill you so that he can send you back to the Dome for..."  Axel was cut off as a bellow could be heard from outside the cell hall's door. 

A few seconds passed before the door burst open.  Hyatt, escorted by three guards came striding down the hall.  Axel shrank back into the shadows of his cell, "You shouldn't have done that." he whispered, giving Emeric a last sympathetic look before Hyatt reached Emeric's cell.

The fury in the older man's eyes made Emeric take a step back.  The gate was unlocked.  The three guards entered with a deadly confidence that made Emeric shiver. 

Emeric shoved one guard's hand away as he reached out for him, but after he made the offensive move, all three guards threw themselves at Emeric. He was slammed against the back wall in his cell.  The air left his lungs with a painful gasp.

The three guards grabbed him and pulled him out of his cell.  He wasn't able to break their hold on him, and judging by the deadly looking cudgel in Hyatt's hand, Emeric had a painful idea of what was about to happen.

The guards pinned him against the bars of the neighboring cell, yet at the same time making room for Hyatt to get closer.  He stopped a foot away from Emeric, looking down at him.  Emeric felt fear and anticipation grow inside of him as he clenched his jaw. 

"You think you can defy me?" Hyatt asked as he struck Emeric in the gut.  Emeric grunted with pain. He wanted to double over, but the guards held him upright. 

"Think again." Hyatt said in a deadly whisper as he hit Emeric against the side of his head.  Another grunt escaped Emeric's lips. 

But it was not the last...More and more blows fell on Emeric as the guards pinned him down.  He wanted to shrink away from the pain, but he was trapped... Hyatt struck with mighty blows as he let out his fury...