Chapter 30

Nedes stood speechless as the bleeding and broken body of the Rogue was dragged out of the Dome.

The Dome attendants dumped it in the waiting cell to await disposal. Nedes watched in horror as the injuries that had been gruesome before became even more brutal at close quarters. He had never seen such a barbaric murder in the Dome, and was sickened by the sight. His face turned a shade paler as the realisation that he was next, came over him.

Since Emeric hadn't been able to get off of the chain, the guards wouldn't have to go up and check that everything was in order...Nedes knew that, he too, would be left defenseless against his opponent.

As the guards brought in new weapons, the door to the waiting cell burst open and Calvert stormed in, followed by his personal guards. His eyes landed on the Rogue and he swore harshly. Although he would never admit it, Emeric had been his best Domer and he had hoped that the Rogue would become his annual Victor...That hope was now evidently discarded.

Nedes took an uncertain step closer to the Dome Keeper. "What?" Calvert demanded harshly as a fowl mood came over him. Nedes lowered his gaze respectfully, unsure if he could blatantly talk to the man of higher status.

"Before the battle started, he said that the chain had been sabotaged, Sir." Nedes explained quickly, knowing that he would soon be ushered into the arena. "What are you saying Domer, that someone purposefully tampered with his chain so that his death would be certain?" The words came out almost mockingly.

Nedes swallowed nervously, "He said that there wasn't a key and the hook was faulty."

Calvert considered Nedes critically for a few seconds before gesturing for his guards to check. They hastily jogged to the pole. A ladder was brought in and the guards checked the chain and hook.

From the top of the ladder, a guard turned a shocked face down at Calvert who stood below, "The Domer speaks the truth." he said formally, "There isn't a key and it appears that the hook has been driven into the pole."

Calvert sadly shook his head. If it had been a fare fight, he would still be in possession of the best Domer Scoalgeoc had ever seen.

Even without proof, he knew who had done it. Hyatt had bet nearly all his previous winnings on the battle between Emeric and his own Domer...At the time Calvert had thought the rivalling Dome Keeper had been out of his mind, but now the reason was all to clear.

"Lock the gates. No one leaves the stands. And get me that rat of a Dome Keeper." Calvert ordered angrily. The guards instantly set to work. As he strode back to the waiting cell, his eyes landed on Nedes. "Take him to his cell. There won't be any more battles today."

Before leaving the cell, Calvert's eyes involuntarily drifted back to the still figure of the Rogue. He had put a lot of money on the Etreshian's victory. With a soft sigh he addressed one of the last guards still present, "Take him to the back to be prepared for disposal."

*****

Aire was examining her notes on various diseases when a hollow knock from her door drew her attention. "Come in." She said invitingly. Darius entered putting a smile on the young physician's face, "Darius," She said in greeting, "What can I do for you today?" With a grave nod of greeting, Darius stated, "The body is here for disposal." Aire lowered her eyes at the news, "Right..." She said softly.

Prepping the bodies for disposal was the only part of her job that she hated. As a physician, it felt wrong to be around corpses. She always wondered if there might have been something she could have done, but...there never was.

"Alright, bring it in." She instructed softly. Darius nodded and then ushered two guards who were carrying the body. Aire gasped when she saw the black hair on top of the subject's head. Not for a second had she thought that the Rogue would be killed in the Dome. He was simply too skilled...She had

expected Nedes...

She turned pale as the guards placed the fallen Etreshian on her working bench. His wounds were atrocious. "How...How did this happen?" She asked softly. Darius gazed at her with sympathy. He was aware of her hidden feelings towards the Etreshian "He didn't get off of the chain in time." He said as bluntly as he could manage. "Although, there is word that the chain was sabotaged. We are searching for the accused presently." Darius stated formally.

Aire sighed sadly as she walked closer her bench, her eyes scanning the injuries and imagining the pain that they had caused the Etreshian. A frown crossed her face as she observed the blood that was sprouting from the shoulder wound. Instead of slowly leaking out, the blood came at regular spurts. Something similar to a heart beat.

She hesitantly took hold of the Etreshian's wrist and felt for a pulse that would certainly be absent...However, as seconds passed, Aire's eyes grew wide with shock. "What is it?" Darius questioned. Aire met his gaze as her heart started thundering in her ears, "He's not dead."

As the words left her mouth, she sprang into action.

"Get me the gauzes...A lot of them!" She ordered as she pressed down on the wound. She wasn't leaving any room for argument. Aire now noticed the faintest rise and fall of the Rogue's chest, it was so shallow that even a trained eye could easily miss the motion.

Darius hurried over with multiple gauzes in each hand. He handed them to her. Aire instantly applied them to the bleeding wound, "Put pressure on that." She ordered. Turning to another guard, she instructed, "Feel for his pulse, tell me when something changes."

Time seemed to stand still as Aire hastily started working on the complex wounds. It was almost beyond her ability to treat them, but she followed her instincts which rarely let her down. She treated the shoulder wound first before moving on to Emeric's back. She stopped the bleeding and then cauterized the wounds.

The Rogue would be scarred for life, but at least he would live. That's all that Aire told herself as she worked diligently. When the major wounds were taken care of, Aire set the broken bone in Emeric's lower arm. She cauterized it and then applied a splint to keep the bones from moving out of alignment.

She stepped back, eyeing her handiwork. Emeric was deathly pale and Aire feared that he might have lost too much blood to recover. Her gaze unconsciously turned to the guard who felt for Emeric's pulse as he kept moving his fingers into a different position, a frown crossing his brow.

Aire shot him a questioning gaze, not trusting herself to speak. He shook his head, "I can't feel the pulse anymore." He simply concluded.

"No!" Aire demanded as she placed his fingers against Emeric's neck, feeling for the beating of his life line...But it was still...No pulse...No life...

Aire simply couldn't accept it. She interlaced her fingers and started doing chest compressions on the Rogue...There was no way she was giving up without doing everything she could. After 30 compressions, Aire bent over Emeric. She pinched his nose shut and blew two long breaths into his lungs before continuing with the chest compressions.

"Aire..." Darius started hesitantly, but she cut him off, "Don't you dare try and stop me Darius..." And with that said, Aire completed her series of chest compressions before blowing air into Emeric's lungs again. She paused to feel for a pulse, but when she was met with nothing, she continued the revival process.

"Come on Emeric. I didn't spend hours treating you so that you could just die!" Aire yelled desperately as she beat his heart for him...

"Please..." She whispered in a silent prayer...