The medics led John across blood stained fields. The battle had come to a halt. Maybe it had been the letter the little girl had delivered… John didn’t even realize the group waiting to receive him until they were right in front of him. His medics, gentle hands guiding him to the stretcher. He just followed them wordlessly, an empty stare on his face. They told him he needed rest, that the general needed him ready to fight. He just let them take him wordlessly. I had let Halo die. It’s all my fault.
Dejaj came not too long later in front of the cage, this time with a spear of her own. She spat at Halo and coldly asked, “What can you do, demon? What can you give my army?”
Halo looks up weakly, "My main blessing is of healing." He says softly. "If that is what you mean." He replies in a soft voice. "I can heal wounds quickly, stopping fatal wounds, replace limbs, and heal the smaller cuts." he mutters, his white hair falling into his face. "Otherwise, I have nothing but wings." He had sworn to tell her everything. In return for John's safety. He was bound by that promise. That made him smile a little, but it looked like a grimace. John was going to be okay.
“Tomorrow. I want you ready to heal my army. You’ll be in the middle, the second line. You heal my people as they fall,” The woman commanded, and a medic came in, “You let him tend to you, ja?” The medic nodded, and Dejaj walked out briskly, leaving it at that.
“Captain,” The word shook John out of his inner haze. He made a weak salute, almost sitting up but a medic kept him down. The general walked beside John’s stretcher, “At ease. Ford, I want this battle done. The Senate is getting antsy. We need a new plan, one that will shut down those barbarians.” John nodded his head. He felt like a zombie, just going through the motions, “We attack tomorrow. Strike the heart of their army. I want your input after you’ve had time to rest, Captain.” The general walked out briskly as John was carried into a separate tent. He only let himself sleep after he made his request to the medic.
Halo looks at her weakly. "I told you I'd give you information." He says weakly. He sighs softly, shaking his head. His wings flutter uselessly as he glances around. "Please… I can't heal on the cost of anothers life." He mutters.
“You said everything. You give us everything. So you will take lives from enemy, give lives to my people. So we win.” The woman said, tapping the spear on the edge of the cage, “So you will go and fight for my army.”
Halo bows his head, he couldn't take lives… he just couldn't do that. He nods, and shakes his head. He was quiet, but nods. "V-very well…" He whispers. He closes his eyes. *As long as John is alright." He thinks, breathing slowly and unevenly. He didn't want to take lives, but he made a promise.
“Good. Get rest for tomorrow and let the medic take care of you,” Dejaj ordered before walking back to her own tent finally. The medic slowly approached with an assortment of salves.
He looked at Halo with careful eyes, “What hurts?”
Halo motions towards his wings with his eyes. "Wings…" He says softly. "J-just make sure you don't pull feathers." He mutters, looking back at the bottom of the cell.
The medic took his time with dabbing the thick salve onto the male’s wings, making a shiny coat over them and he glanced at Halo curiously, “You will fight with us tomorrow?”
John’s dreams were haunted by people. Faces. The reaper. Guilt. All of the above. Just reliving it again and again and again like a loop, nightmares that wouldn’t leave him for his entire life. Normally he would’ve taken pills to help, but had forgotten this time. So he slept with Halo’s face watching him through his nightmares like a phantom.
Halo looks away, swallowing back a lump in his throat before saying softly, "I have no other choice." He whispers, barely managing that. He desperately wanted freedom, but he had a feeling that would not happen without a cost… but so was staying. He could only pray that John would be alright. That he'd make it.
“What about the other?” The medic tilted his head to the side as he applied the salve, “The man who was trying to get to you. What about him?” The medic started applying a different, drier paste to the little cuts on Halo’s back.
Halo bites his lip, "I don't know." he says quietly. "I can only hope that his is alive and well." He replies, relaxing at the soothing paste. It helped a little. He releases a tired sigh.
“But-“ The medic paused in his work, “He will be at battle tomorrow, will he not? He is the captain of the opposing army,” The medic leaned in, his voice turning into the quietest whisper, “Save us. She is not a queen, she is a tyrant.” The man walked briskly out, acting as in nothing happened, only pausing to say, “I’ll leave the salves for you.” Then he was gone like the breeze.
Halo stared at the medic, his eyes widening. He looks down, before gently reaching towards the medic, "You have my blessing." He whispers. "Go amongst your people, and heal them." He says quietly. "And their wounds will only be memories." He with draws his hands before leaning back. "I will try." Halo replies, watching the medic leave. He had a new purpose now.
(Timeskip to next morning?)
John awoke with a start at dawn. A heavy sweat beaded down his face as he panted. John’s eyes darted around the room for his request he had made. There. A slip of paper. John snatched it, unfolding it before he would get to nervous. A list. A list of names. A list of people who’s families John would write to, a list of names he tattoo to his arm. Too many. He bit back a reaction. He just closed his eyes and let the sweat evaporate for a few moments.
Halo woke slowly, wincing a little as the memories flashed over him. He slowly sits up and sighs softly. But his eyes narrow. He looks at the guard, and his memory from last night, made him smile a little. He needed to finished off the queen. Maybe… maybe if he did that, then he would finally be able to find John and protect him.
“Captain,” John opened his eyes to a nurse, “Are you alright?”
John swallowed the lump in his throat, “Yes, yes, just forgot my medicine last night,” The man gave him a sympathetic look he chose to ignore, rather he asked, “What do you need?”
“The general requires your presence,” The nurse replied, “Do you need any pain relievers or anything? You were put through a lot and-“ John cut the man off with a hand and stood. The nurse took him to the general’s office.
“Captain Ford,” John saluted the general, “At ease. I want you to look at these plans, tell me what you think,” The general usher at the battle plans on the table. John ran his eyes over them, grateful for a distraction from his nightmares and faults. He looked up at the general.
“So we attack the heart of their army and try to divide them?” John furrowed his brow, “But we’ve been trying to do that all this time, General.”
“This time is different, Ford. Our spies indicate that they’ve moved inexperienced and weak soldiers to the center of their army. One of the stupidest decisions I’ve ever heard, but that’s what they did. I want you near the front lines, leading our charge into the heart of their army.”
Dejaj entered the tent after getting a notice from a guards that the demon had woken up. She looked disdainfully at Halo, “Demon. You be ready for today. I want you in the center of our army, healing my people. They are weaker, but I only put them there since you will be healing them. I don’t intend to lose this battle.”
Halo stares at the woman. "Let me out. And I will do my part. I cannot heal if I am in a cage, your majesty." He says. His wings flutter a little. He was healed for the most part. He glances at the woman, his clear blue eyes seemjng to pierce into hers.
The woman looked carefully at Halo before glancing at a guard, “Lounck. Paprere demone tatble,” Dejaj looked at Halo, “You will wear our armor. Listen and obey to my guards.” Then she walked out without another word and a guard slowly unlocked the cage.
John went to his tent, finding a new set of armor for him. He slowly, tediously, clipped it on. He would fight. John would avenge Halo, he’d kill those people. He’d get back to Halo, John vowed.
Halo raises a brow as the door is opened. "All due respect, majesty. I fight better without the armor and I heal better when my body is not trapped by metal." He glowers. "besides. I have armour of my own." His wings harden, turning a soft shade of grey.
Dejaj frowned from in the doorway, “Fine then,” The woman looked at the guard, “Elad demone ot noriture. Take him to get food.” The guard watched Halo carefully, then slowly walked out of the tent, waiting for him to follow.
Halo was emotionless. He looks at the guard, sneering a little before walking past him. He was not going to walk behind someone with his head bowed. He was going to walk first with his head high. John. Please be safe.
The guard glared at Halo, snatching his arm and trying to drag Halo, probably so he would look in control. It was clear which tent he was going to, the large one at the end of the camp.
John went out of his tent, nerves buzzing from anticipation. He sheathed his longsword at his side, taking a deep breath. They would fight very soon, he would be on the battlefield, getting back to Halo.
