Halo keeps his head down, blinking back his tears. He had to be strong. He looks up slightly when the woman talked, somewhat understanding what she said. He takes a breath then looks at John. His eyes widen. If John didn't get help…
“Get this man a nurse, we aren’t barbaric. He’s a better bargaining chip alive, anyways,” The lady commanded, in English, but the words were lost of John’s ears as he clutched his wound tightly, and finally fell, tumbling towards Halo with a deep groan.
(Gtg)
Halo catches him gently. Holding him he close, he willed the wound to stop, but enough that it wasn't apparent. He looks up, holding John close. "Stay back." He growls. He had whimpered and cried enough.
John felt a slight tingling near the wound, which made it feel better. He let himself lean into Halo, despite all his instincts screaming to protect. John was just so tired… The woman glared at Halo and spat, “Demon.”
The little girl, the one scrawling notes, tugged at the woman’s arm, “Dejaj?” Probably the woman’s name, “Quek fasd cine lek leff?” The girl asked in the other language.
The woman looked down at the girl, eyes somewhat softer, “Gi.” The little girl ran out of the tent swiftly, leaving them alone with Dejaj and the guards. Dejaj looked disdainfully at John, “How much you worth to them? You young, yet still you captain of the army. You must be important to enemy.”
Halo holds him closely and runs a hand through his hair. He looks up, wincing at the insult. "Guardian, miss." He says, his eyes narrowing. He had been called demon enough today. He watches the young girl leave and looks down at John. "Is now really the time to question him? The man has just been stabbed." Halo says, glaring at the woman.
Dejaj looked plainly at Halo, “I am not idiot. Nurse is coming,” The woman flicked out a dagger and walked closer, narrowing her eyes, “What’s his name?” John tightened his grip on Halo when the knife appeared. If Halo got hurt because of him…
Halo glares at the woman, still holding John. "He needs more than a nurse." He growls. He flinches at the knife, holding John closer, shielding him. His wings shoot of his back and shields them. "Why should I tell you." He hisses.
The woman sneered at Halo, “Demon. You our prisoners, you tell.” The woman prodded the knife at Halo’s wings. John just needed to… get Halo out… Small black spots dotted his vision, and despite how the bleeding slowed, he had bled so much on the way here… John looked up at Halo, whispering again, “Get out…”
Halo snarls, "Cut an angel, you pay the price." He growls. Not caring about the knife. He looks down at John, his eyes caring and gentle. He smiles thinly when John tells him to get out. He takes a breath and looks up at the woman. "I'll make you a deal." He mutters, looking up at her, "Give this man medical care and release him. I'll give you everything." He says quietly, running a soothing hand through John's hair.
“No,” John breathed, fear leaching into his voice, “No no no no no no-“
“Deal.” The woman’s words were cold and sharp on John’s ears. He clung to Halo. If he was stuck here with the enemy, John couldn’t protect him, John would just scratch another name to his arm. He pleaded to Halo, “Please, Halo, let them take me instead, you have to get out, Halo-“
“Get the medics, now. Diemacs, gi.” Dejaj ordered to two guards, you bustled out.
Halo smiles softly at John, "What's worth the life of a demon?" He whispers, gently brushing some hair from John's face. He nods to the woman, a small smile gracing his lips. "It's alright." He looks up at the woman, "I will know if you lie to me." He growls. "If he doesn't make it out of the camp alive and well, the wrath of hell will be upon you." He slowly lowers his wings and looks down at John. "Be safe, John." He says quietly. He places his forehead on John's. "Go home and live." He whispers. "Don't look back."
Dejaj paled at the possible consequences, but medics had already come in. John held onto Halo, “No, please, I don’t want to write another name on my-“ John’s face screwed up as he couldn’t go on with the sentence, “Please, Halo, please, I’m expendable, let them take me,” Anything to get Halo to get out. Anything to protect him, the guy who saved John’s life when they met. But the world seemed to spin, and John couldn’t protest anymore when the medics grabbed him and he couldn’t focus enough to fight them off, so rather he said through tired breaths, “I’ll come… back…”
Halo gently rests a small hand on his cheek. "Be safe. And live." Was all he said to John. He bites his lip and watches as the meodcs come and take John from his grip, a small, delicate tear running down his face as he watches the other go. He bites his lip harshly. He was a guardian. He had to protect the one he saved. That was the arrangement. Even if it meant death.
John was brought into a tent, and the next parts became a haze for him as the medics worked on him. The last clips he saw were the doctors preparing their tools and a mask being slipped over his head to knock him unconscious gently.
Dejaj gave a cruel smile, then asked sharply, “So how do you exist?” She tapped her knife on the desk, a clear threat.
Halo looks at the woman then slowly stands, willing his wings completely into his back. He rolls his shoulders and sighs softly, groaning in pain. He looks at the knife then towards Dejaj. "I survive based off of the hope of mankind, or the fear, depending on each personality." he shrugs. "As long as a human lives, I live."
The woman huffed a breath and snarled, “What are you going to do, demon?” She crossed her arms, but kept the knife at ready, “What do you want from us?”
Halo simply shrugs. "If I had wanted something, I would have already taken it. I didn't start this war, that was among your people and theirs. I have no ruler, I am loyal to no one. I was simply taking care of a man who needed my assistance before your people captured me and the man." He growls.
“His people! His people gave us no choice but to attack! To defend ourselves!” The woman screeched, then shot a look at the guards, “Tresain demone, chsalkles,” Dejaj snarled, and the guards jumped into action, grabbing Halo’s arms and tugging him roughly towards the exit. Towards a tent across camp, which held a cage. It had been meant for the general of the army, but now it was for Halo.
Halo starts, but allows himself to be dragged away. When he sees the cage he winces, throwing his wings out he struggles against their grip, crying out furiously. He hisses and screeches, trying desperately to get away from the cage.
John awoke with a start. They had taken the mask off him, yet they were still doing minor stitching on his andomen. He heard a screeches, a cry that made his eyes go wide. A cry that fueled him to ignore the pain. A cry that made shoot up off the the table he had been laid on, and run, shoving over medics. A cry. He charged out of the tent, medics looking at him in shock. John saw him, trashing and shoving against the guards. Next thing he knew was that he had shoved into one, his bare chest taking the bulk of the force against the man. The tumbled down, John already searching for a knife to incapacitate the man. He didn’t even notice anything going on around him though, most likely because of the medics and his injury, so he couldn’t stop the second guard who jerked him up roughly. John’s Head spun as his frantic eyes found Halo, “Go! I can get out on my own!”
Halo was beaten and bruised by the time John had managed to reach him. His wings were bleeding profusely. He looks at John with a defeated look in his eyes. He wasn't going to die. He knew that much. An angel couldn't die if people were still alive. John… he was mortal. "S-stop fighting." He whispers. "I made a promise John. So you could be safe." He whispers, his breathing raspy, his voice hoarse.
John jerked out of the man’s grip, stumbling toward Halo and grasping the other’s arms, “You aren’t safe then. You’re bleeding.” He tried pushing Halo, gently towards the edge of camp, pleading for Halo to leave. The guards had spears out pointing them threateningly at Halo and him. John stood, swaying slightly, in front of Halo defensively.
Halo screeches in pain when he's moved. Oh god… he releases a quiet sob. His tears fall to the ground, the ground turning dark and burnt where the tears land. "J-john.. just go.. I made a promise… I can't break it." He whispers, looking up at the other. He raieses a trembling hand. "S-survive… please…" He whispers.
“N-No,” One of the only times John had ever spoke so shakily, “Halo-“ He wrapped his arms around Halo, as if to protect him and hold him at the same time. A guard pulled John away roughly, which made him yelp, but the sudden movement made the world spin and he stumbled. A medic had finally gotten to them, taking John forcefully. John looked at Halo with slightly teary eyes and he breathed the words, “Don’t go.” But John was already being tugged towards the edge of camp, towards his own army. He tried to escape, to run back and defend Halo, but was too weak.
The guards forced Halo into the cage roughly, slamming it shut with words only being, “Dejaj will meet you later.” Then they were gone.
Halo could only smile weakly at John as he's held by John's strong arms. He gently holds the other before John is wrenched away from him. He bites his lips as he watches the other is tugged away. He lets his head fall down in a defeated way and lets the guards drag him and force him into the cage. He felt numb despite the burning pain in his wings. He knew one of them was most likely to be broken, meaning he couldn't fly. He gives a quiet sob, watching as red stains the cage around his body.