Chapter 62

Emeric gestured at Kedo to get down as he gazed over the clearing below.  The young Rogue dropped down next to Emeric as she glared at her childhood home. 

Emeric and Kedo hadn't spotted anyone as they tailed the group, but they had both agreed it would be smart to hide their trail that lead away from the house. 

However, the previously quiet house was now bustling with activity as Elites moved about.  The distress and anger seemed clear in their body languages as the searched the house and shed basement.  The Rogues were gone and so were their profits.

Emeric met Kedo's shocked face "I've never seen so many of them here.  They were probably expecting a large entourage."  She whispered. Emeric nodded as he let his gaze drift back to the activity below.

"It's only a matter of time before they find our trail.  We should go warn my father."  However, as Emeric made the suggestion, his eyes landed on a familiar face.  A Rogue was having a heated discussion with one of the Elites.  Even from the distance, Emeric recognized Sarthen.  The man who had not only beaten him for no good reason, but was also responsible for the deaths of many fellow Rogues.

Without realizing, Emeric had pulled his bow from his shoulder and was drawing an arrow from his quiver.  Kedo's voice dragged him back to reality as she uncertainly asked what he was doing. 

Emeric's mind was racing as he calculated the number of Elites below and their positions.  He  also took careful note of the amount of arrows in his quiver and his perfect vantage point over the unsuspecting group below."Oh no," Kedo muttered, knowing the glint in Emeric's eyes, "Emeric, they're too many.  You won't be able top handle them all."  Emeric shook his head, "Not alone, but with your help we can finish this once and for all."  Kedo shook her head uncertainly, "I'm no good close up against Elites.  And we only have one bow.  I'm not much of a help."

Emeric grinned slyly at her, his eyes seemed almost to shine with a mad lust for action.   "Here's how we're going to do this."  He leaned in closer, explaining his thoughts.  Gradually, the uncertainty left Kedo's gaze as she nodded once, confirming that she was in on the plan.

*****

Sarthen was berating the Chayrans, scolding them for the inconvenience that all the prisoners had escaped.  It didn't occur to him that they had also been at the meeting during the raid.  It was evident that the Elites weren't keen on listening to his whining anymore as they turned away...Three of them grunted and fell to the ground in quick succession.  Dead before they hit the floor.

They're comrades gazed at them in puzzlement, but as their eyes landed on the long arrow shafts protruding from the chests of the fallen Elites, cries of alarm rang through the crowd.  They were cut off swiftly as four more men dropped to the floor, two dead, two maimed.

Sarthen ducked behind an Elite, using him as cover as more arrows rained down on them.  "Don't just stand here you fools, get them!"  A group of half a dozen Elites started racing up the hill as more came running from behind the house. Two fell, crying out in pain as arrow shafts hit them. However, their comrades turned a blind eye on their agony as the continued racing up the hill.

More and more arrows rained down dropping Elites like leaves in Autumn. However, as the Elites raced into the woods, the raining arrows halted. The warriors gazed around wearily, searching for their attackers. They were spread out, covering a large amount of ground when a grunt met their ears. They turned towards the source of the noise just barely glimpsing a sword protruding from a comrade's chest. The sword was drawn back and the Chayran fell forward, dead.

With cries of fury, the Elites who had seen the murder raced forward. However, as the reached the tree where the attacker had ducked behind, there wasn't anyone. It was as if the assailant had simply vanished off into thin air.

As they inspected the ground, searching for footprints that might aid them in the search, another Elite member fell to the ground, dead. No one had seen what had happened. The man's throat had been slit. A few Elites cried out that they were being attacked by a ghost. That they were up against the supernatural. The fear swiftly spread through the group.

Another man fell with a cry, but he was dead in an instance and once again no one had witnessed the attack. The Elites wearily backed away from the tree, their gazes whipping around to spot an eminent attack. One Elite was too slow at moving away from the tree and paid the price.

A sword fell on him from above, like a spear. The man fell to his knees with a sucking breath as he registered the unexpected pain. His comrades turned toward him, their eyes growing wide as they saw a dark figure drop from the branches.

Emeric retrieved his sword from the corpse and charged towards his next opponent with a look that would set grown men crying. The Elites, however, swiftly recovered form their initial shock and met his attack with an expert level of swordsmanship. They weren't called the Elites for no good reason.

Emeric fought hard and cut down an Elite just as another reached him. He parried a blow that was aimed at his heart. The two blades met with an metallic ring that traveled up Emeric's arm. The sensation was a familiar one, one that reminded him of the Domes. He had to push the unpleasant memories away as he deflected another blow. Emeric saw a slight gap as the Elite overextended. A second later he lay dead and Emeric was fighting a new opponent.

He cut down one after the other as more and more Elites rushed towards him. They streamed into the forest in waves that never seemed to end. Emeric wondered if he would be able to take them all once they reached him. At the moment they were spread out, but once they clustered around him and took him on at once, he would die. He knew it was the truth. Arrogance had driven him into making rash choices.  

He dropped another and then another. A swift throw of his dagger took care of yet another Elite, but the others had reached him. They started circling around him, searching for an opening. However, Emeric was like a wolf pressed up in a corner. Whenever an Elite ventured to close he cut the man down.

Emeric winced as he felt a sting on his back. He knew the feeling all too well. He whipped around and drove his sword into the chest of the man who had managed to land a blow on him. The man fell, but before Emeric could retrieve the sword an Elite barreled into him. The both fell to the ground, but Emeric manged to twist himself out from under the attacker. As they hit the ground, Emeric struck the man's jaw, rendering him unconscious.

A hand fell on the back of Emeric's neck as another Elite tried pushing him down. Instead Emeric dropped the man as he twisted away and attacked in turn with a with a knife hand strike to his throat.

Emeric was grabbed from behind as an Elite managed to pin his arms behind his back. He grunted as he tried to free himself, but the Chayran was much larger than Emeric and consequently much stronger as well. Emeric cried out as a second Elite struck him with a lethal liver punch.

Emeric's legs crumpled as his body failed to fight the affect of the horridly effective punch. As Emeric was held down in a kneeling position an Elite strode forward with a sword. His intentions were all too clear. Emeric struggled against the hands that held him, but they were too strong...There were too many for him to fight.

A boot to the stomach made Emeric double over as he gasped for air. In his peripheral vision he saw the man raising the sword, preparing for a killing strike. Emeric desperately tried to free himself, but despite his hardest efforts, there wasn't anything he could do to escape the hawk like grip of the men that forcefully held him down.

Emeric shut his eyes tightly as he saw the sword starting to fall, fearing death. However, a voice interrupted them as it bellowed in between the trees.

"Don't kill him! We can get useful information from him."

Emeric wasn't sure whether he was relieved by the timely interruption or if he rather wished the blade would have done its job.

Sarthen stepped into the circle of warriors.  His malicious eyes gazed at Emeric with evident wrath and recognition.  "Oh I see.  Daddy's little boy is trying to be a tough guy.  Trying to kill us off alone?  I didn't take you as the smart type, but gosh that's stupid, even for you." 

The mockery was evident in Sarthen's voice.  He was trying to gauge a reaction from Emeric, but the younger Rogue wasn't falling for it.

"What makes you think I'm alone?"  Emeric challenged.  Sarthen paled involuntarily, turning to search the surrounding forest for any sign of further attack. 

Emeric scoffed, "Coward."

The words earned him a punch, but Emeric was an ex-Domer.  A punch was a mere tickle compared to what he had experienced in the Dome.  

Although he did a good job at hiding the uncertain fear he felt, Emeric wasn't looking forward to the upcoming events.  'Come on Kedo.'  He muttered in his head.  If the Elites managed to get him back to the house, there wasn't any way Kedo would be able to get to him...He'd die in the dark cell below the shed.  He knew it wouldn't be a swift, painless death.

"Bring him."  Sarthen ordered as he turned and started heading back to the house.  Emeric was roughly pulled to his feet.  He thought of running, but he was being held too tightly.  All thoughts of escape was hopeless.  With more than a dozen Elites surrounding him, he was outmatched and outnumbered.  His situation brought up unwanted memories of the day he and his father had been captured.  

His heart gave a sudden lurch when he thought of the likely possibility that he would never make it back to the others.  He would never see his father again.  Rayhan would live with the thought that he had sent his son away and by doing so, sent him to his grave.

They neared the edge of the forest just as Emeric's doubt started growing.  Kedo should have attacked by now.  Emeric turned his head and searched the forest for any sign that she was preparing to attack.  All he saw was the stretch of never ending trees. He was about to turn back when a swift movement caught his eye.  A moment later one of the Elites fell with a pained cry...An arrow pierced his back.  The others turned in surprise.  A few seconds later the Elite who held Emeric fell as well.  The arrow had hit his shoulder and wasn't enough to kill the man, but he was maimed and out of the battle.  

Emeric dodged the hands that tried grabbing at him.  He dropped a man with a well coordinated punch.  As the Elite went down, Emeric drew the man's sword and finished him off.  He instantly blocked a blow that would easily have ended him.  He deflected the opposing sword with a hard shunt.  He swiftly followed up with a low strike that met with his opponent's thigh.  The wound was deep and left the man crippled for life...if he survived the wound.

Emeric cut a different opponent down just as another was dropped by an arrow.  Against any other man, the Elites would have been able to put up a disheartening fight, but Emeric was on a different league than them.  Few people would ever be able to fight with his efficiency.  

A sword arched at him horizontally.  Instead of blocking the blow, Emeric ducked under it.  he felt the air rush over his back as the blade missed him by millimetres.  Emeric instantly stepped in close to his opponent.  He drove his sword through the man's vitals.  The Elite fell with a mournful groan.

Kedo hit another target, effectively reducing the numbers of their opposition. Emeric counted five Elites and Sarthen.  The cowardly fool was hiding behind a tree, avoiding the deadly arrows that Kedo ushered. 

Emeric's instincts warned him of movement from behind.   He spun around and just barely managed to deflect a deadly strike, however, he didn't escape unscathed.  He winced as he gazed down at the red line that gradually grew on his arm as blood welled out of the wound.  

He was forced to bring his blade up once more as the Elite attacked with growing fury.  Emeric understood the furious glint in the man's eyes.  Emeric had killed and maimed his comrades.  He wanted to cut the Rogue down before he could further increase the numbers of fallen warriors.

Their swords locked up as they glared at each other with fueled hatred. However, just as Emeric was about to attack once more, the Elite surprised him with a savage kick to his knee.  His knee hyper-extended, spraining the ligaments.  Emeric fell as his knee gave way under him.  The deadly glint of the sun reflecting off of a blade warned him just in time as he saw the Elite striking down at him.  Emeric threw himself to the side, just barely escaping an attack that would have easily killed him.  

Before Emeric could get up, an new Elite threw himself onto the helpless Rogue.  His knee pressed into Emeric's chest, restricting his breathing as he pinned Emeric's hands down above his head.  The earlier Elite's sword was stuck in the ground after the forceful strike.  As he tried free it, Emeric muttered, "Here's a piece of your own medicine."  With that he kicked the Elite's knee, however, he added just enough force to rupture the ligaments.  

He fell with a cry, but Emeric had already turned his attention to the larger man who was still holding him down.  "Kedo."  Emeric called in a carrying voice.  A second later the man was thrown off of Emeric as an arrow hit his side with immense force.  He let out a pained groan as the last few strands of life left him.

Emeric took a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart.  His eyes gazed at the scene around him.  While he had been fighting, Kedo had dropped another two warriors, leaving a single Elite and Sarthen.  They stood together, weapons drawn, seeking safety in numbers.  

Emeric turned when he heard the rustling of leaves behind him.  He turned to see Kedo approaching.  She swiftly helped him up and supported him as his knee nearly gave way once more.  zit took all he had to ignore the pain that welled up in the joint. 

He held a hand out, keeping his eyes on his enemies up ahead.  After years together, Kedo understood what he wanted without words needed.  She placed the strong bow in his hands and handed him the last remaining arrows.  He moved faster than an eye could follow as he drew an arrow and shot the last Elite in the shoulder.  The man fell with a cry of pain.  Sarthen was pale, but he stood defiant despite his evident show of cowardice earlier. 

Emeric drew another arrow back, readying for another shot.  "It's over Sarthen, drop your weapon."  Emeric's anger was evident in his voice. Sarthen glared at Emeric, "Nothing's over while I'm still standing."  He roared back at Emeric.  The desperate anger was evident in voice.  Emeric regarded him, "Very well..."  Emeric shot him in the leg. 

Sarthen fell with a cry of agony. 

"Now it's over."  Emeric muttered as he made his way to the traitorous rogue.

*****

Rayhan was pacing.  They'd reached the rebellion camp early that morning, but Emeric and Kedo were nowhere to be found.  They should have arrived sometime close to midday, but now the sun was setting and they were still somewhere out there.

The worry was haunting Rayhan as he gazed at the dark, foreboding forest.  His hands were shaking involuntarily.  It was all reminding him of the time he had lost Emeric.  When he had been forced to give up looking.  It had been the worst time of his life.  It had hurt more than when he had lost his wife.  

He gazed at the fires that were scattered around the camp.  His eyes fell on Hunter and Aire.  The young man was holding his side, evidently still sore after what he'd been through, yet Aire was there for him.  Her mere presence comforted him and helped him heal.  They had each other.

Rayhan only had his son.  And now he wondered if that too would be taken from him again.  His pacing resumed.  He knew it was a bad show of leadership, yet he didn't care.  He only cared that his son had to come home.

He had sent scouts out earlier, they had returned without spotting anything or anyone. 

Radclyf joined him, "He'll be fine Rayhan.  Probably just out site seeing."  The words were supposed to bring comfort to the chief, but it didn't.  Emeric would never go site seeing.  

Rayhan paced a bit more before sitting down on a fallen tree next to Radclyf, "I just can't lose him again.  I'm the one that sent him to tail us.  What if he was caught again?  What if they are stuck in a trap?  We'll never know." 

"He volunteered to go, Rayhan.  And besides, how do you know your son.  He's undefeated in battle.  If he somehow managed to get himself caught, it's only matter of time before he frees himself again.  He'll come back."  

As if on cue, an all too familiar bird call echoed from the deep woods.  Rayhan instantly let out the return signal.  He gazed expectantly and a few moments later Emeric and Kedo stepped out of the thick woods.  "See?  What'd I tell you?"  Radclyf remarked, but Rayhan was already rushing forward, having noticed the clear limp in his son's step.

"Are you alright?  You guys had us all worried.  Why did you take so long?"  Rayhan bombarded Emeric with questions.

Emeric smiled at his father's evident relief.  "Hello to you too, Dad."  he joked.  Rayhan brushed the remark away.  His gaze traveled over Emeric, spotting the numerous blood patches that marked his clothing.  "You're bleeding."  He remarked, his voice slightly more serious.

"It's just a few scratches, I'll live."  Rayhan raised an eyebrow, seeing that the wounds were clearly more than scratches.  "And the limp?"  He asked almost strictly, his fatherly care overruling any other emotion.

"Sprained my knee, but It'll heal." Emeric replied, but Kedo watched him critically. Rayhan noted the look in the younger Rogue's eye and grinned secretly, "Kedo, seeing that my son is so reluctant to tell me what happened, mind filling an old man in?"  

Kedo shot a victorious look in Emeric's direction.  It seemed to say, "Hah!  He chose me!  In your face, chief's son."

"Sure thing, chief."  Kedo replied, "We went back to the house to hide the trail so that they couldn't track us till here, but when we got there a large group of Elites were searching the surrounding area.  We were going to come back and warn you and the rest of the group, but a certain someone thought it would be better to just take care of the Elites there and then." Kedo shot an accusatory, yet playful look at Emeric who simply rolled his eyes in return.

"Always getting himself in trouble, that certain someone."  Rayhan remarked as if Emeric wasn't standing right next to him. 

"We had a good plan, but you know how plans are.  They work until they don't.  Anyway, a certain someone managed to get himself caught.  You'd swear he actually enjoys it by how often it seems to happen." Kedo grinned at the look Emeric was sending him.

Emeric interrupted, "Can I just add that if a certain someone,"  he glared at Kedo, "Had followed the plan, I wouldn't have been caught on the first place."

Kedo shook her head, "No, that was all on you.  Nevertheless, we managed to defeat the Elites and get Sarthen.  We locked the survivors away in the shed basement as well as Sarthen.  I'm sure that when more Elites show up to investigate the disappearance of their comrades, they won't be too pleased with Sarthen for sending them into a battle that only had one clear outcome.  So he isn't our problem anymore." 

Rayhan regarded Emeric and Kedo, "And you're sure no one followed you here?"  Emeric nodded, "Yeah, they're all either locked away or dead.  Kedo's mother was also nowhere to be found. But we'll be long gone by the time she gets back to the house and finds her little surprise."

Rayhan nodded proudly, "Well done, you two.  I'm glad you're alright."  Rayhan met Kedo's eyes as he said the last sentence, the deeper meaning reaching her.  She smiled and nodded her thanks.  If it hadn't been for Rayhan, she would never have had to courage to confront Emeric.  They would have drifted further apart, until their friendship finally fell to ruin.

"Alright, now there's the matter of what we do with the captives." Rayhan declared.