The Forgotten Rogue

Chapter 30

The second Emeric dropped back to the ground, he knew that he was as good as dead. Being unarmed and defenceless against the approaching Deepdale Domer, his fate seemed as clear as day. In his defenselessness, Emeric felt his skin prickle as a certain set of eyes landed on him.

He turned to the stands and immediately spotted Hyatt. He seethed with anger as he realised it was the horrid Dome Keeper's doing...

"What are you waiting for?" Nedes called urgently as he gestured at Emeric's chain. Emeric met him with fearful, wide eyes, "I can't get off. There's no key and the hook has been tampered with." Emeric explained hauntedly.

Nedes, just as shocked as Emeric had been, sent a demanding gaze at the guard who stood at the end of the cell, "Aren't you going to do something?" He questioned harshly, but he got no answer. The guard ignored him without even the slightest hint of acknowledgement. The guard, obviously, was in on the foul play.

Emeric faced the approaching danger with something similar to hopelessness, but he remembered Kedo and his promise to the younger Rogue. He had to live, no matter what.

As the Deepdale opponent came within reach, he thrusted a vicious blow at Emeric's abdomen, but Emeric had predicted the blow and easily stepped off to the side. As the Domer drew back, he swung the hook at Emeric's chest. The Rogue barely dodged the attack as his chain painfully pulled taunt and jerked him back.

Escaping only by chance, Emeric knew that he had to change his tactics if he and any hope of living to see another day. He backed up as far as the tedious chain allowed. Putting all his strength into it, he leapt as high as he could and grabbed hold of the chain. He swung forward and kicked his opponent squarely in the chest...The Domer went flying backwards.

Although the attack had been successful one, Emeric knew that his rival wouldn't fall for the trick again.

The Deepdale Domer came striding forward, a furious glint in his eyes. He was nearly within reach when he suddenly stopped...An idea had come to mind. The rivaling Domer stooped down and retrieved Emeric's weapon, now holding two hook spears...

Emeric swallowed nervously. His face had turned even paler and an unwanted fear was pounding through him with each heart beat.

As the Domer attacked with a side cut, Emeric tried tangling the weapon in his chains. The tactic worked for a few seconds and halted the Domer's attacks, but the rivaling Domer realised that Emeric had blindly tangled himself too. He jerked back on his weapon, throwing Emeric off of his feet.

The Rogue desperately scrambled to his feet, but a blow was already on its way...All he could do was brace himself.

Emeric crossed his arms diagonally over each other in front of him as he scrunched up, protecting his torso. The hook spear hit him hard across his bare arms and a resounding crack snapped through the Dome, followed by a cry of pain from Emeric.

He teetered back from the blow and the horrid pain that had claimed his left arm. It only took a glance to realise that the ulna was broken and the radius badly cracked. Blood gushed from where the bone protruded through the skin...He grimaced, but did his best to ignore the pain. He had more pressing matters than a broken arm to deal with.

His opponent swung again, a powerful arching blow. Emeric tried moving out of the way, but his chain had reached its maximum range and prevented him from retreating any further. The hook spear sank deep into Emeric's right shoulder as the attack made contact.

Once again a cry of pain escaped Emeric's lips as the hook caught deep into his flesh. Emeric fell to the ground with a hard thud as pain beyond imagination betook him. After firmly placing a boot on Emeric's bare chest, the Deepdale Domer ripped the weapon free.

"Aaaaarrgghh!"

The pain was worse than anything that he had ever experienced. For a few dragged out seconds, Emeric lay gasping as he clinched his eyes shut. Reluctantly, he gazed sideways at his destroyed shoulder. Emeric was nauseated as blood seeped out of the treacherous wound and the assortment of torn flesh that marred the injury.

The opponent watched him critically, but made no move to attack further. Emeric, writhing in pain, summoned all his strength to regain his feet. He rocked unsteadily from side to side as he started getting a tunnel vision.

His vision doubled and he thought he was about to faint...He was loosing too much blood.

"Blood...Blood...Blood..." The crowds were going wild.

Emeric, in his disoriented state, never saw the final blow coming.

The Deepdale Domer drove the hook spear into Emeric's back, just shy of his spine. The Rogue was sent sprawling into the sand with a silent thud. He could barely breath, the pain was just too much. He blinked through teary eyes as he realised that there wasn't a chance for him anymore.

He thought of his father and the promise he would be breaking by dying, the promise that he had made to Axel would also be forgotten. And Kedo...At the thought of the young Rogue, Emeric nearly tried getting to his feet. His limbs however, had been drained of their last reserves of strength.

Emeric lay paralysed by grief and guilt as he thought of what he would be leaving behind. What fate would Kedo be destined to? Would he also be forced to kill in the Dome? Emeric winced at the thought. The kid would never make it.

Emeric groaned in pain as he was turned onto his back. He lay staring into the ghastly eyes of his rival...Soon to be his killer. At that moment, Emeric realised how sick the man was. He wasn't planning in giving Emeric an easy release from the world, he was going to wait for the Rogue to slowly bleed out...to suffer.

Emeric coughed. The action raking his body with even more pain. He groaned, shutting his eyes tightly as he tried to rid the horrid sensation from his body, but it was to no avail.

'I'm sorry.' Emeric thought as his mind traveled to his parents. 'I let you down...' The thoughts were nearly as painful as his wounds. 'But...' He concluded reluctantly, 'At least we'll all be together again.'

A spasm of pain took him and set off another coughing fit. As the fit slowly faded, Emeric head lulled to the side. His empty eyes taking in the cheering crowds, however, he could not hear a sound besides the beating of his heart, which was gradually growing dimmer...

With a soft sigh of release, Emeric allowed himself to fade away into complete, silent darkness...