Saya swung her sword in a long arc, blood flying from the tip. The Chiropteran dodged, barely evading the blade, only to have its back sliced into by Haji's dagger. Haji landed smoothly on the ground, eyes flickering to Saya quickly, assessing her for wounds, awaiting a command perhaps.
Saya held her sword in front of her as the Chiropteran roared and charged her. She raised the sword, finding an opening, and stabbed it upwards in an efficient, precise stroke. The Chiropteran was skewered for a second, unmoving, then it raised a long arm and Saya saw claws descending upon her. Metal flashed and the Chiropteran reared away from her, stumbling backwards and falling. Haji was crouched before her with the Chiropteran's blood on his face, more of it pooled on the ground. He straightened and moved out from in front of her in one practiced move, opening her venue of attack.
"Haji, try and hold him down!" Saya cried, her shoulder aching from where the Chiropteran had clawed her earlier.
Haji frowned then suddenly flattened against the ground, spinning, as the Chiropteran glided over him. He slashed with his bandaged hand and blood rained down on him. Saya took the opportunity to leap at the beast while it was off-balance, hearing a cry of warning from Haji.
The creature turned in midair, landing on its back, making Saya nothing more than a target as its claws gripped her sword. Her controlled jump became a fall towards razor teeth, the creature's jaws widening and eyes glinting with bloodlust.
A strong hand gripped her shoulder, pushing her away, and she hit the ground hard and tilted. Her ankle twisted and hot blood sprayed her, then she heard the Chiropteran scream with rage. There was a loud, bodily noise next to her and as she rose to parry the swipe of Chiropteran claws, she saw Haji climbing to his knees from where he'd been thrown. His jacket had been torn at the shoulder and upper arm, and the white shirt underneath was darkening with blossoming crimson. He'd been bitten, torn, when he'd deflected her from the beast's maw.
"Haji, hold him down! Now!" Saya cried, feeling how tired her limbs were becoming and alarmed at the amount of blood seeping from Haji's wound, dripping plentifully to the ground.
Haji regarded her for a second, looking as if, for the first time ever, he was going to undermine her demand. Then he leapt up gracefully, coming down on the Chiropteran and gripping one of its arms as it crumpled from the sudden weight. Saya swung her blade and missed as the beast thrust backwards, causing Haji to slip beneath it. The Chiropteran howled, a massive arm driving downwards to pin Haji to the ground. Claws dug into his stomach and Saya screamed, bringing her sword up and driving it down in a long arc. Too late, she saw the clawed, long fingers snaking towards her now unprotected abdomen, at the exact time the drooling jaws were descending towards Haji's throat. She felt her mind screaming out as she realized she would be too late to protect herself, then blinked when the arm was suddenly flying limping past her. An arc of red sprayed around her, distorting her vision and making her back a few steps away to recover. Something clattered at her feet and she glanced quickly to it, heart stopping as she realized it was Haji's bloodied dagger.
The Chiropteran fell to its side, squealing and trying to drag itself towards the open door of the warehouse, towards open sky. It revealed the darkly clad figure beneath it, the puddles and puddles of blood that seemed to flare out every millisecond like blooming flowers. Saya felt blind rage and a surge of protectiveness overwhelm her as she cried out in an enraged voice, hurtling towards the badly damaged beast. Her sword flashed as she cleanly lopped off its head, it claws barely scratching her when it tried to block the blade. The large body fell heavily to the ground, head tumbling a few yards away before it came to rest. Breathing hard, Saya turned to speak to Haji.
"That was a strong one. Why did you hesitate, Haji?" she asked, confused and breathless from the battle.
She frowned when she saw that Haji had not moved. She took a faltering step towards him, then ran to the still man.
"Haji!"
She fell to her knees beside him, hands gently turning his face towards her. His breathing was ragged, eyes tightly closed and face speckled and streaked with both his own blood and the Chiropteran's. Saya's eyes widened when her eyes fell to his neck, gasping in horror. A huge, gaping wound was gushing blood, part of Haji's throat and shoulder torn completely away.
"Haji!" she screamed, trying to shake him into consciousness and pulling away sharply when heated stickiness gripped her palms.
She felt sick when she saw his stomach torn into, as well, bloody holes where the Chiropteran had dug its claws in to prevent him escaping. Tears stung her eyes as Saya realized that her Chevalier hadn't tried to prevent the beast's teeth cutting into him, instead stabbing his dagger at the arm that would have injured her. That was why his dagger had been thrown to her feet; the force of the bite, of the tearing flesh, had loosened his grip and jerked him, hard.
She looked up to see David rushing in, speaking into a radio receiver, others following behind him.
"David… he's hurt, he won't wake up!" Saya cried.
David stood above her, face paling, then he turned and signaled to those behind him.
"Get Julia! We need medical help, now!"
Kai was suddenly at her side, looking nauseated. Saya stroked Haji's hair from his face gently, speaking soothing and quiet words. He couldn't die, he'd survived more than this hadn't he?
"Saya, call him," Kai suddenly said, looking uncertain and anxious.
Saya looked up at him, confused and bewildered, terrified that her Chevalier might not wake up.
"Call him, like when you wake up. Haji told us that, remember? That when you wake up, he knows because you call out to him. That's what he said, wasn't it?"
Saya swallowed thickly, letting out a scared moan when she saw the blood flowing slower from Haji's throat. She clamped her hand over the wound, cursing herself for not doing it sooner, for her stupidity in making herself a target and forcing Haji, again, to sacrifice himself for her.
"Haji, come back to me. I need you," she whispered, closing her eyes and resting her forehead against his much cooler one.
She tried to reach out, tried to feel around for him, but she couldn't feel anything but his skin getting colder. She sobbed, trying harder, thinking of his cello and how that one song drew her so, almost like moths to a flame. Stirring, fluttering like swallow's wings, then Haji shifted every so slightly.
Saya sat up quickly, looking down at him.
"Haji?"
His eyes opened, blue-grey and unfocused as they settled on her.
"Saya," he whispered, voice sounding so tired, "Are you unhurt?"
Saya sobbed again, part relief and part fear.
"I'm fine. Haji, you're hurt… you have to stay awake, alright? Stay awake for me."
A small smile tugged at Haji's lips, making his paler-than-normal face brighten slightly.
"You called me. I felt it."
"Haji, why did you do it! I would have been okay. You always get hurt because of me," Saya wept, then felt cool fingers wiping away tears.
"I'm fine, Saya. I will not die. I promised you, I'll be with you always."
The soft words made Saya smile despite herself, holding Haji's un-bandaged hand tightly in her own, pressing it against her cheek.
"I know…" she whispered to her Chevalier, but this time she believed it with all her heart.