Axel could feel the heat of the fires on his face as Makio flew him over the burning trees. The fires spread quickly as the horde of demon warcraft raced toward the three. They had been spotted, and it was only a matter of seconds before bullets were being shot all around and ribbons of flame flew toward them.

"Hold on, Axel!" Makio shouted as he swirled out of the way to evade a string of bullets.

Go Makio! Seraphines' voice in Makio's mind caused the angel to whip his gaze to the pink-haired angel. Take Axel away from here. Regroup with the colonel.

Makio's eyes widened at Seraphine's words. No...

That's an order, Lieutenant! After giving her command, Seraphine turned from Makio and Axel and drew her sword from her back. 

"Captain!" Makio called after Seraphine as she began flying toward the oncoming demon warship.

"Go now!" Seraphine shouted as she lifted her blade and deflected a string of bullets.

Gritting his teeth, Makio shut his eyes and quickly lifted a prayer. May the Heavens protect you. A tear escaped the angel's eye as he then closed his wings and began diving toward the trees. Axel watched with wide eyes as Seraphine flew to be between him and Makio and the forces of Hades.

The moment the two flew beneath the treetops, Makio's wings scraped against the rough bark due to their great reach, but he continued flying. He needed to get Axel to safety. He had sworn to protect the hangel, and so he would. It was his duty.

"Makio, your wings!" Axel called out in warning as he watched the angel's wings continue to be scraped and slashed by the sharp branches.

Makio ignored Axel's warning and continued to fly through the woods. He was desperate to reach the colonel. He was certain the base was aware of the danger that was already upon Nature's Reserve, but he hoped he would reach the camp before the demons did. 

"We're almost there," Makio said as he continued to hold Axel and fly as best he could in the restricted space of the forest.

An orange light began to shine through the woods as Makio flew Axel through the trees. Turning to his right, Axel's heart dropped when he saw the raging fire quickly spreading in the direction of the camp. It would soon be upon them. 

Sensing impending danger, Makio did his best to quicken his pace. Within the next minute, Makio broke through the trees that served as the border of the base where he saw the unit already engaged in battle. What Makio, Seraphine, and Axel saw was only the air raid flying above the forest. What they had failed to discover were the ground forces that were pushing through the forest ahead of the air raid. 

Upon setting down, Makio and Axel immediately drew their weapons. When Axel was not training, he would carry a few guns and a set of daggers as his means of defense. Since he was now comfortable with using telekinesis, Axel preferred to use his two daggers as he could control them with his mind and have them fly wherever he needed.

The sound of silken fabric rustled past Axel's ear as Makio extracted his weapon. Makio was famous for not having chosen a traditional blade as his weapon of choice. Instead of a sword or dagger set, Makio fought with a ribbon. While a piece of ribbon may seem harmless to many, Makio's weapon was one of the far more dangerous ones. 

The edges of the light green ribbon were razor-sharp and could cut through even the toughest of steel. It was also great for defense as Makio could wield it to surround him in a spiral and deflect any bullets aimed at him. It also had amazing reach due to its incredible length, making it an efficient weapon for offensive maneuvers. The ribbon was also quite agile and could twist, pull, bind, sever, pierce, and capture.

Makio sprung into action, his ribbon a flash of green as he rushed into the chaos of the fight. Using his daggers to create a protective barrier around him, Axel followed Makio into the battle scene and began fighting the foe of the universe.

Makio and Axel stayed close to each other as they aided their unit in fending off the demon troop. While the two fought toward the edge of the unit, Rae immediately started toward the hangel upon spotting him. Using Genyr to carve a path for him, Rae quickly made his way through the fight just in time to slay a demon that would have stabbed the hangel from behind. 

Hearing a body fall behind him, Axel turned around to see a bloodied colonel hurrying up to him. "Colonel," Axel greeted between pants as he bowed his head to the commanding officer.

"Are you unhurt?" Rae asked as he reached the hangel, sighing in relief when Axel nodded in confirmation. 

"Colonel, there is an air raid incoming!" Makio quickly informed as he spotted his commanding officer. "They are coming from land and sky."

Rae furrowed his brows at the information. Then, we cannot fly out. Rae's eyes flitted to the hangel standing before him. First, he needed to get Axel out of there. But he could not fly him out, or they would be easily shot down. There was only one other solution.

Kilo. The colonel linked the captain of R-10. I have a mission for you and Castyr.

Ae, Colonel.

With the confirmation from the purple-eyed angel, Rae then turned back to Makio. "How many are coming?"

"At least two hundred," Makio answered according to what he had observed.

Two hundred against seventeen, no, fourteen. Rae's heart sank when he ran the numbers. We just need to give Axel enough time to get out of here.

After deciding what he was going to do, Rae said to Axel, "Follow me," before turning and walking away from the border of the camp.

Makio continued to fight the demons as Rae took Axel away from the battle. Before long, Kilo and Castyr hurried up to the colonel, ready to receive their mission. Rae led the three to one of the rovers they had commandeered from the rangers' station at the entrance of the preserve where the fighting was at a minimum.

"An air raid will be here soon," Rae informed the angel and star as the four reached one of the rovers. "Take Axel and bring him to safety," Rae said to Kilo, who nodded and quickly boarded the rover.

The group did not have any time to waste, so Castyr quickly followed his guardian angel and hopped into the rover. However, Axel remained where he was. "Colonel..." Axel voiced, drawing Rae's attention. "Let me stay and fight."

"Get on the rover, Axel," Rae returned. 

Axel's heart was pounding in his chest. He hated that he was being sent away from the unit. He had trained and practiced for this moment. He knew he was ready. He had spent endless hours unlocking his abilities and growing stronger, and he would hate himself if he just turned and left the unit to fight by themselves. 

"I can fight!" Axel protested. "Please, le-"

Axel did not get to finish his sentence as at that moment numerous demon ships flew overhead and dropped bombs all around. The ground shook from the multiple impacts, and Rae immediately covered Axel and brought them both to the ground as a bomb landed just behind them. 

Ringing filled Axel's senses as he came to. His vision was blurry, and pain pulsed on each side of his head. Shaking his head did not bring his hearing back, but hands on his shoulders helped Axel focus his vision. Blinking his eyes rapidly, Axel finally saw clearly enough to see Rae kneeling over him. The colonel's lips were moving, but no words were coming out. At least, no words that he could hear.

Realizing that Axel's hearing was temporarily impaired from the explosion, Rae pressed his forehead against Axel's and closed his eyes. The colonel breathed in deeply before attempting to speak to the hangel telepathically. Rae was aware that the hangel had yet to master his telepathic abilities, so he was unsure whether or not Axel would be able to hear him. But, he had to try nonetheless. 

A...xel...A...xel!

What began as crackling and static slowly became clearer as Axel gazed into Rae's cool blue eyes. The colonel seemed so calm, and his stare was captivating. Fire and dirt fell all around the two as Rae and Axel continued to lock eyes.

Axel was slightly aware of Kilo and Castyr currently fending off demons that had reached them, but his senses were completely filled by the colonel once again just like they had been that one night. He could smell the colonel's breezy scent and see every emotion that filled his blue eyes.

Axel...Axel!

Hear my voice, Axel.

Axel's eyes widened when he heard the colonel's voice in his mind clear as day. His gaze focused as Rae continued to speak to him telepathically. You must leave this place.

Axel's heart sank once more at the colonel's words. Why...? Why must I go? 

Because the universe needs you.

But I can't leave the unit.

Don't worry about the unit. I will stay with them.

Tears entered Axel's eyes at Rae's words. Colonel...

Seeing the single tear that escaped Axel's eye made Rae's heart ping with pain, but he pushed past the pain and stood to his feet while scooping Axel into his arms. "Deliver him to safety," Rae said to Kilo who had returned to the rover after eliminating several demons. 

Axel shook his head in protest as Rae placed him in the rover, and he attempted to jump out of the vehicle, but Castyr held him back by wrapping his arms around the hangel. Colonel, no, please. Don't send me away.

Demons began to drop from the warcraft in the sky, and Rae shouted, "Go, now!" before turning around to fight those who had come to stop the three from escaping. 

Colonel!! Axel shouted out for Rae in his mind as Kilo began driving away from the camp. Tears fell from the hangel's eyes as he saw the entirety of the base on fire, and his fellow soldiers fighting for their lives.

Pain assaulted Axel's mind as images flashed before his eyes. Images of a silhouette gazing at him through a crowd of demons filled Axel's view. A bright light shined behind the man who was turned toward him blocking the view of his face, but Axel could tell the man was smiling at him sadly. It was the same silhouette from his nightmares. The same silhouette that tried to pull the sword out.

Why these images flashed through Axel's mind, he did not know. But what he did know was that he had felt this despair before. He had left someone precious to him to fight for their lives alone. He had abandoned someone close to him before. 

The pain of leaving him alone clutched at Axel's throat until he could not breathe. Guilt consumed him. Guilt for not being strong enough, guilt for not being able to stand and fight, and guilt for being weak caused Axel to cry out and try to go back to the base. But, no matter how hard he tried, he could not seem to find his way back. He was enshrouded in darkness. His mind was foggy, and his vision was filled with the silhouette from his dreams. 

This was not the first time he had felt this way, but how? How was this possible? He had never experienced something like this before. He had no memory of these visions, but it felt as if he had lived them before. They were not his memories, but they felt so real.

The pain and emotions that came with the visions felt just as real. Why he felt these emotions as if they were his, Axel could not say. Why must I go through his torment?! 

Tears streamed down Axel's cheeks as he watched the base fade into the night. There was nothing Axel could do except cry, cry for the unit he was leaving behind, cry for those he would lose, those he had lost, and for those who did everything to keep him safe.