Chapter Twelve

I opened my eyes and sat up, taking in a deep breath. It felt as if I had been drowning. I coughed and sat up carefully. I placed my hand to my side and felt the hole in my shirt. Beyond that was my skin, unflawed? I looked down to see small stitxhing areas around the skin. I looked down at my leg and the gash in the jeans. I saw more stitching.

"It appears that even though you are not human, you body is accepting the new tissue. Both in your side and lungs as well as the skin under the feathers of your wings." I turned to look at the human. She was wearing a long white coat.

"Where am I?" I looked around before reaching for my swords. They were nowhere to be seen. "And where are the Sangheili?"

"They were upset when one of them saw a marine running off with you. They didn't lower their weapons until they were positive that you were in good hands." I stood and walked forwards, seeing my combat boots and weapons sitting in a corner. I grabbed them all and pulled on my boots before replacing my weapons and walking out. I heard the doctor yelling at me but ignored her. Instead of finding the ship I found a room filled with books.

I walked to one shelf of older looking books and picked one off of the shelf. I read the title out loud. "The Phantom Of The Opera. By Andrew Lloyd Webber." I sat in a nearby chair, curious about the book. Before long I was completely submersed. The book was so gripping and stunning that I didn't want to put it down. I finally pried my eyes away when I felt someone watching me. I turned my head to see a human looking through the books. She looked down at me.

"Good book. I love the story line. It's so thrilling."

"I agree. This book is captivating and amazing." I nearly stumbled over the two words and she looked at me.

"Where your from kid?" I opened my mouth but quickly closed it.

"I...I don't remember." I had forgotten the name of my home world.

"Where was the last place you lived?" That was an easy question.

"High Charity." She looked at me with an eyebrow raised. "Covenant city. But they turned against me so I was forced to leave."

"Oh. You're the Covie girl?" I looked up at her and nodded, putting the book down. For some reason I felt the same as Erik, The Phantom, did. Alone and different.

"Yes. I am." I stood and went to put the book up, remembering where I was for another day. The human grabbed the book and looked at me.

"I do believe..." She looked back to the shelf and grabbed another book. "Yes. There are two." She handed the one I had been reading to me. "Here. If there's more than one copy then they don;t notice if one is missing."

"Thank you." I took the book and walked out of the room. 'Maybe Humans aren't to bad after all.' I silently thought as I made my way down the corridor. I finally reached the ship and looked around.

"Hello? Is anyone in here?" I was glad I didn't have to speak English anymore. I turned to see a carbine aimed at my head. I dropped the book and grabbed my energy swords fromm my boots. I activated them and bared my fangs, just in case. The carbine was lowered and I lowed the swords.

"Welcome back Darkchild. Are you well?" I looked closer and saw the Arbiter. This room was just to damned dark.

"Yes. I am. Still a little sore but able to fight." I really didn't care what they had done for me. I no longer had any honor. From being an idiot and trusting a traitor to allowing the humans to help me.

"Good. Then let us go to the surface of Earth. I nodded and deactivated the swords, seeing no idetiate danger." He walked towards a phantom and I followed. After most of the others boarded the phantom it lifted off. I leaned back against a wall, my sight far off as another memory crossed my throughts.

100,004 years ago

I overheard the council leaders as I stood outside the door. We were to be leaving Earth. I sank to the ground looking at the grand moutnains rising in the distance. I opened my wings and ran as fast as I could, hearing my father calling my back. Instead I pushed my wings down as hard as I could, bending the grass and some of the nearby tree branches. I rose swiftly into the air and flew fast towards the mountains.

I could hear wingbeats behind me and I pushed myself to fly faster. I soon landed on the tallest mountain and slipped into a small abandoned structure. I looked to the one who was flying behind me and relaxed when I saw it was only Bloodheart.

"Darkchild? Are you here my freind?"

"Yes Bloodheart. I am here."

"Why did you fly away so fast?" He asked of me as I walked out of the building. He was ten with a strong build. His wings, like those of protectors generations before, were as red as freshly spilt blood. His eyes as blue as the sea. I walked forwards and my voice dropped to a low whisper.

"Because I do not wish to leave Earth."

"But we must. You and I both know that. We are to find a new home so that the infection does not find us here." I nodded and opened my wings, looking to him. He opened his wings as well and we flew back towards the city.

Present day

I returned to reality when I felt the phantom stop. For some reason as I left the ship I couldn't help but find myself glancing down at the book in my hand. I looked up again and saw we were in a human military base. I decided to find a darker, out of the way corner and finish the book. As I finished the final page I stood. I guessed I had less in common with the Phantom then I thought. But then again. I would have done anything for Bloodhearts happiness. If only he were still around.

My hand shot up to my eye and I wiped away a small tear. I blinked and stood there for a little while. The Flood would definatly pay for what happened to him. I walked forwards and placed the book on a table that was filled with amoo and weapons. From there I followed the strongest of the human scents to a main room where many of them were standing. Some were laying in corners and out of the way places, wounds covering them. Some were blinded. Others had broken limbs. But one of them had a set of long gashes running from her left shoulder to her right hip.

I carefully walked to her and looked at the markings. I guess my wings and ears were folded close enough to my back that they were unseen. Because a marine walked up to me and handed me a box with a strange symbol.

"Help out kid. And watch your claws. I don't want you adding to her scars." Okay. So he had seen my wings. I opened the box and looked to the human. She turned her head slightly and looked at the box.

"Use this to clean the wounds and then this to bandage it up." She pointed to a small package and then to a roll of cloth. I first found out how to open the package and then grabbed the cloth out of it. It was covered in some kind of foul-smelling liquid. I carefully cleaned the gashes and then looked from them to my claws. These gashes were fairly larger, showing that the Jiralhanae had gotten to her. I carefully used the roll of cloth to cover the wounds and then she showed me how to fasten it.

Once I had finished with that I stood and helped her to her feet. "Thank you." I nodded and bowed my head slightly.

"You are welcome." I turned my attention to the front of the room and hid in a dark corner, curling up and watching the humans with curiousity.