Chapter 46

Emeric reluctantly drew his sword from its sheath with a metallic scrape. "Are you sure about this?" He questioned, the uncertainty and reluctance rang in his voice. Hunter grinned, "I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't" He replied light heartedly.

Emeric failed to feel the same emotion. The scab on Hunter's neck was a constant reminded of what he had done the previous day. Of how close he had come to killing a family member. The idea of having another duel sent his nerves on edge. They were alone on the far side of the camp, which meant that if Emeric went haywire again, there wouldn't be any one to save Hunter.

Hunter had suggested the dual earlier the day, claiming that fighting was the only way Emeric would learn to control the flare. He hadn't taken no for an answer.

"Very well, but don't blame me if I kill you." Emeric warned with a mild grin. The words were supposed to ease his nerves, but the only drove more doubt into his racing heart. Hunter chuckled softly, "Likewise..." With that, he drew his own weapon and stood poised and ready to block any attack that was thrown his way.

Emeric took a deep breath to calm himself and then attacked with a swift combination of strikes. Hunter stood his ground and blocked each blow with deceptive ease. The expression on his face made it evident that he was enjoying himself.

Hunter saw an opportunity and threw blows of his own. His attacks were swift and precise. They forced Emeric onto the defensive side and one particular effort drove him back. Hunter inwardly rejoiced in the small victorious move. It was obvious that he up against a master swordsman and that meant that any victory, no matter how small, was worth celebration.

Although, Hunter too was brilliant with his blade and the two of them sparred for a considerable amount of time. It'd be a long battle before one of them would be defeated...They both knew that.

Emeric increased his efforts, determined to come out victorious over the duel. As the thought crossed his mind he felt the distant chanting grow up in the back of his mind. He grimaced and pushed it back, but his efforts were futile. The red haze was already starting to cross over his vision.

He knew that if he continued, there would be an unfavorable outcome. He stepped away from Hunter, lowering his weapon. He shut his eyes tightly as the chanting grew louder and louder until it felt as if the ground beneath his feet were quivering.

"Reaper! Reaper! Reaper!" The words kept repeating over and over again without respite. Emeric grit his teeth and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying but failing to ward the noise from his overwhelmed mind.

"Is it happening?" He heard Hunter's concerned voice ask, but he could barely make out the words over the tedious shouting.

"Blood...Blood...Blood..."

Emeric slowly nodded his head, afraid that any movement would make him lose total control. He opened his eyes, but the red haze was obscuring his vision. Hunter was simply a dark silhouette. Emeric took a step away from him, afraid that he might attack his cousin.

"Um..." He heard Hunter mutter...But his other words were drowned out by the chanting. Emeric felt his breathing pick up and knew that he was about to lose it. "Get back..." He muttered. He wasn't sure if Hunter had heard him. He hoped that he had. A voice reached his ears. "...hear me?" Emeric blinked his eyes a few time. The red haze didn't fade.

"Can you hear me?" The voice echoed again. Emeric slowly nodded, but fear was starting to form in his chest. "Don't think about it, okay? Think about something you like, something that calms you." Hunter instructed. He could see that Emeric was suffering mentally, and there wasn't much he could do to help.

Emeric did as Hunter had instructed. He was surprised though, that the first image that sprang to his mind was Aire's smiling face. He did his best to focus on her face as memories of her soft, kind voice came to mind. Gradually, he felt the tension leave his body and the red haze faded from his vision. He looked up in surprise at Hunter when the chanting suddenly died down and vanished, leaving as quickly as it had come.

Emeric breathed a few deep breaths of relief then smiled, "It actually worked." He said joyfully. Hunter grunted with amusement. "I'm glad it did. You looked just about ready to come at me."

Emeric laughed with relief. He wanted to sink to the ground, but then Hunter spoke.

"So? Are you ready to go on?" Hunter inquired. Emeric shot him a glare. "Are you being serious?"

Hunter grinned, "Yes. You've learned to control it, so there's no reason not to."

Emeric sighed reluctantly, but somehow he knew that Hunter had a way of always getting what he wanted. "Fine." He muttered softly.

They instantly attacked, both had the ferocity of a bear. Emeric's arms burned as he blocked blow after blow. Hunter's attacks were swift and once he was on the attack, he barely gave the defender a chance to throw attacks of his own. He came at Emeric with and overhead strike. Emeric knew that if he wanted another chance to attack, he had to change his tactics.

Emeric dove past Hunter as he brought his sword down. He rolled swiftly and sprang to his feet. He didn't give Hunter a chance to attack again. His attacks were too fast for an eye to follow, but Hunter's experience was enough for him to manage to keep up. As they brawled, Emeric felt the haze coming and the chanting threatened to rise up again, but he instantly thought of Aire. All memories of the Dome disappeared and he was able to fight without losing control under the haunted memories.

As minutes dragged on, the two young men fought for all they were worth, but neither seemed to have the upper hand. Hunter was used to winning the battle when the older men, who didn't have his stamina, would lose their speed and strength. But Emeric was fitter than he was, and to his own dismay, he realised that he was tiering.

A crowd had formed around them, watching the intense battle that was transpiring. Rayhan stood among them. He watched Emeric critically, but by the determined smile on the young Rogue's face, he knew that Emeric wasn't fighting to kill like last time. The two young men were simply enjoying a brawl.

Finally, after twenty-five minutes of constant attack and parrying, Emeric finally managed to defeat Hunter. They stood breathing heavily, although Emeric's breaths were slightly more controlled. Emeric's sword was pressed against Hunter's chest, right over his heart, but as soon as Hunter lowered his weapon, Emeric sheathed his own sword.

He grasped Hunter's hand when he offered it. They shook as a sign of peace. Both of them had satisfied expressions on their faces.

"It's been a while since it took me that long to defeat someone." Emeric muttered softly. Hunter chuckled as he wiped precipitation from his brow. "I don't think I've ever fought that long in a single duel."

The crowds had applauded when Emeric had claimed the victory, although some of the older men still shot him weary glances. The younger men hadn't seen through his intentions the previous day. To them it had appeared as if he as simply playing dirty. However, the older, more battleworthy men had seen the dangerous glint in the young man's eyes. They knew he had tried to kill Hunter. Although he was nearly half their age...They knew he was a man to be weary of. The fact that he had just defeated Hunter...twice, only proved the point.

Hunter and Emeric strode off to get a refreshing drink when Rayhan called Emeric. They both turned to the chief, inquisitive looks on their faces. "A word?" Rayhan asked Emeric in a conversational tone of voice. Hunter put an expression of mock horror on his face and backed away from Emeric. "Good luck." He whispered.

Emeric grinned and rolled his eyes. He hastily strolled over to his father who stood waiting a few meters away. "That was quite a battle." Rayhan mused. The pride he felt for his son shone brightly from his eyes. Emeric smiled gratefully, "Thanks Dad." He said and lowered his gaze as a strange shyness came over him. He felt as if the years apart had divulged a distance between them. He almost felt like a stranger when he was with Rayhan. He hated the notion and swore that he would do everything in his power to renew the bond they had.

"You've really improved. As if that was possible, you were practically unbeatable before...then..." Rayhan sighed sadly at the memory of their separation. He also felt the detachment from his son. It felt like an empty hole inside of him. The only way to fill that hole would be by spending time with his son. He wasn't bothered by the thought. He still had hundreds of questions and thoughts that he wanted to voice.

Emeric grinned "I didn't improve that much." Emeric stated, trying to stay modest, but Rayhan wouldn't allow it. His son's talent was something to be proud of. His skills were beyond superior to anyone in the rebellion camp. It dawned on Rayhan that if they ever had to face the Elite, he wouldn't mind Emeric having his back. A thrill went through him at the thought of fighting beside his son. They wouldn't go down easily again. There was no way he would let anyone ever hurt his boy again.

"I want to show you something." Rayhan announced ceremoniously as he strode back into the settlement. Emeric followed behind him eagerly. He constantly needed distractions. After his busy, eventful days in the Dome, they calm life in the camp became rather underwhelming.

As they entered a rather large building, a pungent stench terrorized Emeric's nose. He couldn't help but put a hand to his nose and mouth. Rayhan chuckled softly as he saw his son's reaction. He on the other hand didn't seem to be bother by the reak at all.

"I know it's bad. You'll get used to it over time." Rayhan reassured. Emeric raised his eyebrows, "Bad? Are you sure you don't mean suffocating?" Rayhan smiled once more and then gestured Emeric to step forward.

Emeric came to a halt next to his father and saw the reason for the awful reek. On the far side of the room, half a dozen hawks sat perched on stands. They had hoods over their eyes, however, they tilted their heads to work out where the men were when they heard the Rogues enter.

Emeric seemed to forget about the stench when he lowered his hand. He gazed at the birds in wonder. "Real beauties, aren't they?" Rayhan stated. He was amused by his son's reaction. Emeric simply nodded. He took a weary step closer to the birds, admiring the majestic aura they gave off.

"What are they for?" Emeric asked curiously. Rayhan pulled a thick leather glove on and then answered, "We use them for scouting. They can show you if there's someone in the vicinity and they also get the warning back to the camp faster."

Rayhan took the hood off of one of the hawks and perched it on his gloved arm. The hawk had aylmeri anklets on with leather field jesses attacked. The anklet reminded Emeric of the cuff he had worn for years, but it was evident that the leather anklet was designed to fit comfortably without hurting the beautiful bird. The field jesses were thin leather strips that were attacked to each anklet. Rayhan held the end of the jesses, preventing the hawk from flying off.

"Put a hood, scarf and glove on." Rayhan instructed in a conversational tone of voice as he gestured to the rack where the gloves and spare hawkery equipment were stored. Emeric also recognised the clothing that the scouts had worn when they had found him in the woods. He'd hastily did as he'd been instructed. He felt a thrill wash through him at the prospect of having a hawk perched on his arm.

After ensuring that Emeric's glove was correctly placed, Rayhan perched the hawk on his arm. At first the predatory bird seemed skittish, but he soon settled down when Emeric took hold of the field jesses.

Rayhan led the way out of the cabin, "Make sure you hold the jesses tightly. He might try taking off once we get outside." Emeric nodded and tightened his grip on the leather strips. When they exited the building, the hawk tensed as if it was preparing to take off, but it remained perched on Emeric's arm. He was already feeling its weight as the strode through the camp to the gates that led into the thick woods.

Emeric frowned when they passed through the open gates. "Where are we going?" he questioned. "You're going to do some scouting work. I can see that you're bored." Emeric once again felt a shiver of excitement go up his spine, but he also felt appreciation towards his father for recognising that his son needed something to do.

They came to a stop deep in the forest, a few kilometers from the camp. "Alright, so if you want to send it to scout from above just say 'search' and send him off by thrusting your arm into the air. If he spots someone he'll circle three times and return to you... Just remember to let go of the jesses before sending him off." Emeric nodded and grinned at the thought of sending the hawk of but still holding the jesses. Things could turn out badly. He was amused because his father wouldn't have warned him if someone else hadn't made the mistake before.

"Or, if you keep him with you, you can send him back to the camp by saying 'return' and sending him off. They all have unique aylmeri anklets, so we'll know in which area the sighting was if a hawk returns...But you'll only need to do that of you actually spot someone. There hasn't been a lot of sightings in this area, so it'll be ideal for you to practice." Emeric nodded once more as he took in everything that Rayhan said.

"Lastly, if you sent him out to search, the call back is two short whistles and one long one. Hold out your arm when you see him and he'll land on the glove."

"Alright." Emeric said but frowned when his father turned and started walking back in the direction of the settlement. "Wait, aren't you staying?" Emeric called after Rayhan. The older Etreshian turned back to his son with a knowledgeable smile, "The best way to learn is by doing it yourself. I'll see you in a few hours. Radclyf will send someone to relieve you." And with that said, Rayhan left.

Emeric frowned and looked down at the bird. "So I guess it's just the two of us then." The hawk turned his head slightly to get a better view of his handler, but then settled down, waiting for a command. Emeric pulled his hood up onto his head and made sure that the scarf sat snuggly over his nose and mouth, hiding his features. He walked to a large tree that cast a long dark shadow across the ground. He settled against the rough bark and stood without moving. That way, he'd be much harder to spot.

As minutes drew by slowly, Emeric felt a nagging sensation to move, but he knew he had to stay still. However, it didn't take long before boredom took him. He glanced around and then stepped out of the concealing shadows. He looked down at the hawk, "You ready?" He asked. The hawk shook its feathers and then opened his wings wide, stretching them out. He settled down and puffed up his feathers.

"I'll take that as a yes." Emeric said. He let go of the jesses and then smiled expectantly. "Search!" he commanded and sent the predatory bird off. It only took one mighty push of his wings to send the hawk into the air. It quickly disappeared beyond the canopy as it took to the sky. Emeric had a moment of panic when he realised he couldn't see the bird which meant he wouldn't see him circle if he spotted someone.

Emeric swiftly climbed a tree and sat perched above the canopy. He could see for kilometers in each direction, though he could only see the canopy of the vast forest. It stretched out like an uneven, green carpet.

It didn't take Emeric long before he spotted the hawk. He was flying in large sweeps, searching a large perimeter. Emeric followed the beautiful soaring motion for many minutes and wasn't bothered by the fact that he wasn't doing much. He felt at peace when a soft breeze blew over his face.

Emeric grinned when the hawk soared back to him. It passed by him with only a few meters between them. However, the bird swiftly turned back letting out a sharp call. Then it started circling above Emeric. Emeric shook his head, "It's just me." He muttered thinking that the bird was circling because it had spotted him. That was when he heard a twig snap somewhere below him on the forest floor...

Emeric gingerly peered through the branches and spotted a man at the base of the tree where he sat perched in the branches. He couldn't make out the features of the man below him, but the light hair on his head marked him as Chayran.

The Chayran spotted Emeric's footprints and then warily gazed around him. When he didn't spot anyone he silently started moving into the woods.

Emeric wasn't sure what to do. He gazed up at the hawk who was waiting to be called back. Instead of calling the bird to him, Emeric pointed back towards the settlement, "Return." He spoke loud enough for the keen bird to hear him. The bird left silently and flew off in the direction of the rebellion camp.

Emeric hastily climbed out of the tree, yet he made sure not to rustle any leaves that could give away his position. When he dropped to the ground, Emeric drew his sword. He wanted to be prepared for anything. He couldn't see the Chayran, but he knew in which direction he had gone by the disturbed leaves on the floor.

Emeric's heart thundered in his chest as he tracked the man down. But after fifteen minutes there still wasn't any sign of the Chayran. Emeric had been moving at a swift jog and should have caught up with the Chayran by now. He came to a halt when his skin prickled. It was a familiar sensation and he was instantly alert.

He spun around when his instincts warned him of motion from behind. He barely managed to bring up his weapon in time as a blade came arching down at him. The two swords met with an echoing clang. Emeric grit his teeth and deflected the blow before swiftly attacking with deadly strikes. His opponent blocked and parried them all. He was good with a blade.

Emeric increased his efforts and felt the red haze rising in him. He pushed it away with a single thought of Aire and then attacked with even more ferocity. However, as he fought he started to recognise the fighting style of his opponent.

Emeric gazed up into the Chayran's face. The face as dirty with mud and his hair hung down over his eyes, but Emeric recognised it nevertheless.

"Nedes?" He said as confusion washed over him. Nedes paused his attack and gazed at Emeric, but Emeric's hood and scarf hid his features. The Chayran tensed and tightened his grip on his weapon, ready to attack, "How do you know me?" He demanded. Emeric slowly pulled the hood back and allowed the scarf to fall from his nose. Nedes took a step back as he realised he stood face to face with a Rogue, but then he too recognised Emeric.

"Emeric." Nedes said. It was hard to tell if he was relieved or despising. "What are you doing here?" Emeric asked with a challenging tone of voice. Nedes grunted, "Getting as far away from the Dome as possible. What do you think?" Emeric glared at the Chayran, not sure what to do. "You can't be here." He stated after a while.

Nedes frowned, but before he could reply Emeric kicked his feet out from under him. He hit the ground with a grunt then gazed up furiously at Emeric, "What was that for?" he demanded. But then he saw the arrow quivering in a tree right where he had been standing. He paled and glanced to the side. Half a dozen hooded men were striding closer, all of them armed.

Nedes was about to get to his feet when Emeric hissed, "Stay down, I'll handle this." With that said, Emeric ripped the weapon from Nedes's grip and tossed it into the woods. Nedes watched cautiously when he saw that three of the men had bows drawn and arrows aimed at his back. He watched as one of the men walked up to Emeric and gripped his shoulder, "Are you alright?" he asked with concern. Emeric nodded, "Yeah I'm fine."

The man turned his gaze to Nedes. His blue eyes were even more chilling than Emeric's. "Ty him up. We can't have him spreading word out about us." Nedes wanted to bolt, but the man's steal like gaze kept him still. He sighed wrathfully when he felt his wrists being bound together behind his back.

As two of the hooded men drew him to his feet, Nedes met Emeric's eyes. The young Rogue seemed uncertain about what was going to happen. That drove fear into Nedes. The older men had been part of the war, they hated Chayrans. They wouldn't hesitate to kill one. Nedes knew that and the fact drove terror into him.