The Forgotten Rogue

Chapter 10

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.