Chapter 59

Emeric fought desperately for consciousness as he fumbled to draw his dagger from its sheath, but his fingers were turning numb...much like the rest of his body.  He knew he had mere seconds before the dark would envelope him and he would be at the mercy of their attacker.

Clutching the hilt tightly, Emeric drew the gleaming blade, holding it firmly in order not to drop it. 

Hunter was struggling against the rope that kept him suspended in the air, but the trap had been laid by an expert hand and despite all his efforts, Hunter didn't manage to get lose. He too knew that they were in deep trouble. The most plausible explanation was that they had stumbled into an Elite's trap.

Emeric gripped the blade by its tip and drew back his arm.  Emeric's vision swam and he had to squint to see the dark from of the Elite.  In one fluid motion he threw his dagger in the direction of the assailant who ducked to the side, unscathed. 

A dark chuckle came from the woods, "You missed."  It mocked Emeric. 

The young Rogue swayed slightly, his eyelids drooping, "I never miss."  He managed to say, barely louder than a whisper before his eyes tilted back and he fell unconscious.

Hunter and the Elite gazed at the dagger simultaneously...They both came to the same realisation, except one rejoiced and the other swore darkly...

The dagger had hit the rope which held Hunter suspended in the air...Only a few fibers remained, they creaked under the weight.

Hunter tugged at the rope desperately, thrashing around, trying anything to break the remaining twines. That last strand that would give him freedom.

The Elite saw what he was planning and instead of securing the rope, he rushed towards Hunter.

There was a loud snap and Hunter fell to the ground, knocking the air out of his chest. However, he didn't waste any time moaning on the ground, he instantly jumped up and drew his sword.  It saved his life and the Elite attacked him with a twin set of daggers.  Apparently the man's weapon of choice.

They fought hard, but Hunter soon noticed that  even Emeric would have had a hard time against the swift opponent.  He grunted as one of the leen blades slashed his side.  He tried deflecting the second attack, but the Elite outmatched him with a dodge and kick to the liver.  Hunter fell to his knees gasping. The kick's effect was instantaneous and trustworthy.

A blade tickled Hunter's throat, forcing him to let go of his sword..With it, any hope of escaping.

"Hands."  The Elite demanded, the blood lust evident in his voice.  Hunter ignored the order, but instantly regretted it when he felt a deep sting followed by the warm trickle of blood.  It swiftly flowed down his neck and chest, the cut was deep, but not deep enough for him to die, yet. 

He reluctantly brought his hands above his head, still on his knees.  The Elite instantly grabbed his wrists and bound them.  He did the restraints tight enough that Hunter thought his shoulder's might pop out of their sockets.

The Elite shoved him sideways, against a tree.

"Stay put." 

There wasn't much Hunter could do as he watched the Elite drag Emeric's body to an adjacent tree.  He bound Emeric to the trunk, hand behind his back, feet tied together.

Hunter was unsettled by the sight.  This wasn't the first time this man had done this.  How many Rogue had he harvested before them?

When the Elite finished, he dusted off his hands, as if he had simply been sweeping the floor.

"What a score.  Three of you suckers in one day.  Father will be pleased."

Hunter frowned as he heard the accent.  It was far from Chayran.  He felt his blood run cold.  He looked at the Elite's face for the first time.  The first thing that shocked him was the apparent youth.  He couldn't be older than Hunter.  His hair wasn't black, but quite close.  A very dark brown, but his eyes were certainly blue, a pale blue, but blue indeed.

The young man wasn't an Elite he was Etreshian.  A deserter. 

*****

Emeric woke with a grown, as he blinked his heavy eyelids open.  A horrid throb claimed his head, a feeling that reminded of receiving a blow to the scull.

He tried lifting a hand to rub his temple, but with horrid realisation he found that his hands were tied behind hiss back.  As he drew closer to full awareness he noted the rough bark digging into his shoulders and arms.   He gazed down at his feet, they too were tied together.

He gazed around at the lonely woods around him.  No sign of the bastard who had attacked them...And no sign of Hunter.

He swore when he remembered what had happened...The attack...the trap Hunter had stepped in...The blade that had hit him.  The blade had apparently been retrieved, but the blood that stained Emeric's shoulder was proof enough that the attack had indeed happened.

He struggled against the ropes, but once again he noted that the man had expert hands when it came to knots and rope work.

He tried feeling for a loose strand of rope that he could pull to release the knots, but there was none.  He wished that the man had some lack in brains, that way he might have forgotten to tie Emeric to a tree, allowing him to wobble his way back to the camp, but the man's mind was clear and he seemed to have covered every possibility of escape for the young Etreshian.

Emeric turned to the last resort that remained, his voice...

"Help!" 

"Anyone?"

"I'm over here...I'm trapped!"

His voice echoed far and wide through the woods, but he didn't get any reply other than the frantic scurrying of forest rodents who hadn't taken note of him before and the cries of birds as they took flight.

Emeric swore again, just for good measures.

He glanced up through the trees, gazing at the sun's position.  It was in its decent towards the horizon.  Half a dozen hours had passed since they had left the camp.  Surely Rayhan would have noticed something was wrong by now...

With that thought Emeric wondered where the hawks had taken off to.  His hadn't come on the call back.   Perhaps they had  taken flight back to camp on their own.   Emeric relished the thought.  If they had, Rayhan would already be out searching for them.

Emeric  tried calling for help once more, but a rustle of bushed hushed him immediatly.

He tried twisting to see who it was, but the thick tree stood planted in the way.

"Wow, what a travelling voice  you have. Do you always cry like a baby when you're in trouble?" The voice was filled with mockery. 

Emeric could think of a dozen curses that he could hurl at his captor, but with the uncertainty of the moment he found it wiser to remain silent.

Emeric expected an Elite to emerge from the woods, but instead an Etreshian came to a halt in front of Emeric.  At first confusion clouded Emeric's memory.  He thought it might be someone from the camp who had heard him, but the deadly glint in the young man's eyes set Emeric's skin prickling.

Seeing that he wasn't gauging a reaction from Emeric with the mocking, he walked closer, the deadly glint in his eyes staring to drive unwanted fear into Emeric.  He'd never felt this before, but something about the stranger drove more fear into him than the Domes ever had. 

It came to him...The Etreshian was ill minded.  The glint in his eyes was there because he relished in the suffering of others...

Emeric clenched his fists as the deserter drew closer, dagger in hand.

He tried to hide his fear, but he was sure that the paleness of his face gave it away.  The uncertainty of what was going to happen only added to his worry.

With a single, well aim slice, the young Etreshian cut through the ropes that tied Emeric to the tree.  The Rogue's body was still under the effect of the sedative.  He fell to the ground, to his own displeasure.  With his limbs tied, he  struggled to prop himself back into a sitting position.

The stranger came to a stop next to Emeric before grabbing him by the hair and hurling him to his feet.

Emeric grit his teeth to keep the groan of pain from escaping his chest. 

Pinning Emeric to the tree, the Etreshian looked him in the eye, that deadly glint, ever present.  "So this is how this is going to work."   he started, "I'm going to untie your legs and you're going to come with me.  If you struggle, it will be painful.  But luckily for you, our buyers prefer you guys alive...they just never specify how alive.  You can be on the brink of death, so consider yourself carefully."

Emeric paled at the word buyers met his keen eras. He would be property once more...belong to someone so that they could do with him as they wished...

He felt his heart rate pick up distinctly.

The Etreshian cut through the ropes around his ankles, but Emeric allowed him to do little more than that before he brought his knee up into the older youth's groin with enough force to break out of a prison cell.

The breath blew out of the deserter as if someone had nailed him in he gut. He folded over, cupping the aching jewels. His dagger lay discarded on the forest floor. However, before he could fully recover, Emeric's heal hit his jaw in a perfectly executed flying kick.

The Etreshian fell back with a crash, groaning in evident pain.

Emeric didn't waste a second as he awkwardly stooped down and took hold of the dagger. He struggled to cut through the binds around his wrists, taking care not to cut his flesh.

The Etreshian, although still in mountainous pain saw what he was doing, and rushed to Emeric to halt his attempt to free his hands.

Emeric ducked and dodged out of the Etreshian's reach, the whole time still sawing at the ropes, not caring of he cut skin and flesh anymore...his sole focus was to get lose.

Just as the Etresian grabbed hold of Emeric's collar, Emeric managed to free his hands. He held onto the dagger, his only weapon.

Face to face with a bloodlusting creep, Emeric clenched his fist and punched his jaw once more, hoping that he would fall unconscious...

The Etreshian ducked the blow and came at Emeric with two daggers which seemed to have just materialised out of nowhere...

Emeric dodged the razor swift slashed that seemed to arch towards his ribs. He fought back ferociously, managing a few cuts on the opponent's arms, but they fought like a lion and a tiger trapped in a cage...Only one would escape...They both refused to come out at the bottom.

Emeric grunted when the rivalling Etreshian managed to slash his ribs open. The cut hurt, but hadn't hit any organs.

Before the Etreshain could attack again, Emeric sprang forward and hit him with a head-but. There as a satisfying crunch as the Etreshian's nose shattered. His eyes teared up, a reflex reaction to he broken bone. He reeled back, but never saw Emeric's follow up strike coming. It hit him in thr sternum, leaving him breathless and blind.

Emeric swiftly swept his opponent's feet out from under him and dropped down on top of him. The rival tried to buck Emeric off, but Emeric pinned his head under a knee and then held his blade over his opponent's spine. One shove would sever the spinal cord, killing him or leaving him paralysed forever.

The struggle ended.

"It's over." Emeric said harshly, pressing down on his rival's temple. "So stay down."

Emeric forcefully removed the blades from the clenched fists of his opponent. Keeping him pinned down, Emeric ripped his scarf into strips to bind his captive's wrists. The Etreshian struggled again, one last effort to get lose, but a strike to the back of the neck left him stunned and helpless and Emeric tightly bound his wrists together.

He pulled him to his feet and shoved him against a tree.

"Where'd you take my friend?" Emeric demanded. The rival watched him with stalwart eyes. He didn't say a word.

Emeric's anger took control of him and he punched the youth in the nose once more. He cried out as broken bones grated against each other with intense pain, but refused to say anything.

Emeric punched him again, and again...

"Where is he?" Emeric demanded.

An evil chuckle rose deep within the Etreshian's chest and rose like the evil cackle of a hyena. He spat, blood and spittle landing on Emeric's cheek. "He's probably already been sold off. He's gone forever." The words were dark, uncaring...

Emeric clenched his teeth as he wiped his face with a sleeve. He then roughly jerked the Etreshina around and started heading off in the direction of the camp.

*****

The torches were lit when Emeric manhandled the prisoner into the camp. The last rays of the sun painted the canopy red, mirroring the two bloodstained men as the walked into the rebellion's heart.

Emeric prodded the prisoner from behind with a dagger to keep his feet moving and to discourage any thoughts of escape.

The Etreshian was displeased. His face marked it all too clearly. Not only because Emeric had turned the tables, but also because he had snuffed out the 6 daggers on the Etreshian's pockets and the other two hidden in his boots.

Now, as they strode into the camp, Emeric heard cries of alarm and relief. Rayhan and most of the council members rushed towards them.

"Here's the scum that has been kidnapping our men." Emeric declared as he shoved the Etreshian to his knees.

Rayhan regarded the young man with something between confusion and disgust. But he lifted his gaze and peered at the empty forest behind Emeric.

"Where's Hunter?" Rayhan asked, the concern evident in his deep voice.

Emeric's expression hardened, "I've been trying to find out, but this one has a tight tongue. I was hoping Malrick could loosen it up a bit."

"With pleasure." The comment came from behind Rayhan just as Malrick popped his knuckles in anticipation.

Rayhan nodded slowly, letting things set in. He gazed at Emeric and the multiple blood stains that marked his body, "Are you alright?"

Emeric nodded, "I need water. He hit me with a sedative, it's still in my system. Take care of him so long?" It was more a question than a suggestion.

Rayhan nodded consent, "Malrick, he's all yours." Rayhan said as he turned away from his son.

Emeric sighed tiredly as the men took the prisoner away to one of the far away tents for interrogation. He didn't want to be part of it. The day had already been draining enough.

As he made his way into the camp he spotted Kedo and Aire standing to one side, watching the proceedings.

Emeric made his way to them, feeling worse than he looked, which said quite a lot.

Aire greeted him with a friend-like hug, short and sweet, before pulling away, her medical eyes already examining the apparent wounds that he wore.

"Are you alright? You look a bit roughed up."

Emeric snorted, a feeble grin breaking out on his face, "I feel a bit roughed up." He admitted.

Kedo had an angry frown marking his face. He gazed in the direction that the prisoner had been taken off to. He seemed miles away, in another world.

Emeric turned back to Aire as she spoke, "Hunter? Is he...?" She gazed behind Emeric as if expecting him to emerge from the woods at any moment.

"I'm sorry Aire. We got separated. I was unconscious and when I woke the, guy, had already taken him away. They're trying to figure out where he was taken now."

Emeric turned when he heard a cry of pain echo across the camp.

Aire also gazed at the tent where the cry had come from, but for once Emeric saw remorse in her eyes. He squeezed her shoulder in a comforting manner, "We'll find him." Emeric promised, hoping he wasn't spreading false hope.

Aire thanked him before walking away.

Emeric turned to leave too, but noticed Kedo was standing, staring in the direction of the tent where the interrogation was being held. The anger was plastered on his features quite clearly, yet fear seemed to be present as well.

"Kedo?" Emeric tested. There was no reaction.

"Kedo, are you alright?" Still no reaction.

Emeric placed himself in-front of the youth and gripped his arm, "Kedo, what's going on?"

Kedo seemed to wake from some sort of daze as he looked up at Emeric, "What?" He questioned, innocently.

Emeric frowned, "Are you alright."

Kedo still seemed disturbed. But nodded his head, "I'm..." he paused, looking past Emeric at that one tent, "I'm just going to take a walk."

Emeric wondered if it was haunted recognition that he saw on Kedo's face, but he didn't want to push for answers.

"I'm going to see how things are going." Emeric stated while walking off to the interrogation scene.

*****

Emeric leaned against one of the tent't support beams, almost lazily as method after method failed to work on the hard willed Etreshian.

Malrick had done his best, but it hadn't been worth anything. The man refused to talk no matter what happened to him.

The only thought that echoed through Emeric's head was that their time was running out. Each minute that passed slimmed their chances of finding his cousin, he had become more like a brother.

"Damn it TALK". Malrick boomed as he punched the prisoner in the ribs. Emeric thought he heard the crunch of bones, but he couldn't be sure.

After gasping for breath, the prisoner chuckled, teeth blood red, some missing.

'He's a total loony.' Emeric mused to himself.

He turned when he saw movement from the corner of his eye. He turned and paled when he saw Kedo duck into the tent, his eyes set on the prisoner.

Emeric stepped into Kedo's path, "You shouldn't be here." Emeric warned in a low voice, knowing that Kedo's soft soul wouldn't be able to take the harsh treatment. But to Emeric's surprise Kedo didn't seem to flinch at the site of the bloodied and beaten figure at the opposite end of the tent.

"I know where they took Hunter...And why." Kedo spoke loud enough to address the entire room. Kedo's words seemed to wipe the amused look off of the prisoner's face as he gazed at the youth in angered consideration.

Rayhan frowned and gazed at Kedo in wonder, "Do you know him?" he gestured at the beaten figure.

Kedo nodded his head to Emeric's surprise.

"His name is Zerret Kalinore, son of Ariam Kalinore. They track down and capture Rogues to sell them to the Elites. It's their sick way of earning freedom."

Everyone was silently shocked, no words broke the silence that followed the disturbing news.

The fury in Zerret's eyes grew with fire as recognition clicked on in his brain. He looked ready to murder Kedo.

"You son of a...". He was interrupted as Radclyf spoke, "Kalinore." He shook his head in saddened wonder, but then turned a deadly gaze at Kedo, "You're family name is Kalinore. are you?" Kedo nodded, "But I'm not with them." Kedo declared as if suddenly fearing that everyone would consider him an ally of the Kalinore lineage.

Emeric was too stunned to talk. He frowned when he gazed at Kedo. In the Dome, Kedo had said his family had died by a disease, yet now...

Rayhan adressed Kedo, "Can you show us where they operate on a map?" Kedo nodded hastily. He caught Emeric's gaze, saw the hurt in his eyes and hastily turned back to Rayhan.

At word from Rayhan everyone left the tent, leaving an aching Zerret behind. Emeric stood frozen for a few seconds, trying to work out why Kedo would have lied to him. What else was the young man hiding?

Emeric sighed and turned to leave as well when Zerret spoke.

"You know she's going to betray you. She always does. It's in her nature."

Emeric turned to Zerret, frowning.

He continued, "She'll stab you in the back as soon as she disagrees with you values..."

Emeric's frown deepened, Zerret wasn't making sense...Speaking in riddles.

"Who the hell are you talking about?" Emeric asked, irritated. He was tired. His emotions had already been rattled too much that day. He needed a warm cup of coffee and a crackling fire to sit around. He didn't want to talk to a deserter about who know who...

Zerret smiled that sharklike grin of his, teeth still red with blood.

"My sister, of coarse."

Emeric's face was still uncomprehending.

Zerret elaborated...

"Kedo."