The Forgotten Rogue

Chapter 42

"You need to help my friend. He's in trouble." Kedo desperately pleaded as he was lead into a building. He barely got time to glimpse the settlement around him before the door shut him off from the outside world. He grit his teeth with frustration. No one was listening to him.

Kedo gazed at the circle of men who surrounded him. After running into them in the woods, they had instantly taken him to their village, which was well hidden in a fortified part of the forest. He gazed up at the man who appeared to be in charge. He was tall and well built for his apparent age. His blue eyes glinted with a knowing look.

"Please..." Kedo whispered softly, trying to keep his voice steady as emotions surged through him.

The man stayed quite for a few seconds before gesturing at a bench. Kedo hesitantly sat down, keeping a weary eye on the older men who stood around him.

"I'm Radclyf. What name do you go by?" The man Kedo had signalled out as the leader earlier was the one who had spoken. Kedo stayed silent for a few seconds, but he was reassured by the men's features that mirrored his own, and finally, he gave in.

"Kedo." He stated softly.

Radclyf nodded. "And your family name?" Kedo was instantly dropped by the mention of his family, but he replied nonetheless. "Kalinore." Radclyf nodded once again as recognition came over him, "I fought with your father in the war. Where is he now?"

Kedo lowered his gaze as tears threatened to spill over his cheeks. "M...My parents died a few years ago."

Radclyf lowered his head. "Sorry kid." he paused for a few seconds before adding, ''Your father was a good man." Kedo only nodded agreement.

Not wanting to delve deeper into the issue of the kid's dead parents, Radclyf changed the topic.

"Where did you come from?" Radclyf asked in a plain tone of voice. Kedo, irritated by the time they were wasting instead of looking for Emeric, replied sarcastically, "From the woods." Radclyf kept his cool and elaborated, "And before that?"

Kedo didn't reply, he simply raised his tormented eyes to Radclyf's. "We need to help my friend. The Elites were chasing him and he's hurt. I need to find him." Kedo's voice grew louder as he explained.

Radclyf glared at Kedo in a measuring manner. "I already sent men to look for him, but I'm afraid that if he was injured with the Elites on his tail, it might be too late." Kedo shook his head, "No...No, not Emeric, no. He's still out there, I know it." Kedo spoke with conviction, although, deep down he wasn't sure if his words were anywhere near the truth.

Not for the first time, Kedo realized how much he needed Emeric. Emeric wasn't only like a brother to him, he also played the role of a fatherly figure in the young Rogue's life. Kedo wasn't sure what he would do if Emeric really was gone once and for all.

He shook his head...No, Emeric wasn't gone, he couldn't be. He was undefeated and unchallenged by anyone. Not even the Elites would be enough to wipe him out...Kedo told himself that as he clung to the last bit of hope that he would one day see his brother again...

*****

Emeric let out a yell of frustration as the trail of footprints once again lead to nothing. The footprints vanished and the trail ended very unceremoniously. After finding the spot where Kedo had been ambushed, Emeric had followed each set of footprints one at a time to see which one would lead him to the young Rogue. However, after limping down three of them, which had ended up being false trails, Emeric was back to step one.

It dawned on him that the trails were false and served the purpose of throwing people off. And, they also wasted a lot of valuable time...It had succeeded, a notion that thoroughly tipped him off.