Arms around Axel brought the silver-eyed flying off the car and falling toward the ground when Callon grabbed Axel just as the demon was about to sink his teeth into Axel's neck. Hitting the hard surface of the road with a thud, Axel gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of him.

Dark orbs stared down at Axel as Callon shielded him from the ravaging demon. Being that close to the half-demon, Axel realized that Callon's eyes were a dark forest green instead of black. Only seeing Callon from afar, one would take his dark eyes as being black, but in reality, they were a deep green.

Upon making sure that Axel was alright, Callon retracted his hand from behind Axel's head, which he used to cushion the silver-eyed's fall, and turned to blow fire toward the demon as it reached the two. While the demon was blinded by the bright flames, Hakken seized the opening to wield one of his daggers across the back of the demon's neck, severing the attacker's cervical cord.

Axel stared at the demon with wide eyes as it dropped to its knees. Its mouth was opened, and its clawed hands were stretched out toward him as if it was trying to complete its kill even in death. A kick in the chest from Callon completed the demon's fall, and it lay on the ground lifeless as Hakken and Eryx rushed to Axel and Callon.

"Are you alright?" Hakken asked Axel as Eryx helped the silver-eyed to his feet. 

Nodding in response, Axel thanked Hakken for saving him with a tilt of his head before turning to Callon who was observing the dead demon. The half-demon's brows were furrowed as he studied the multiple gunshot wounds covering the ravaged demon's body.

"I thought the bullets were supposed to make demons stronger..." Eryx voiced as he, too, studied the wounds.

Hakken shook his head as he looked at the gunshot wounds. The black veins that covered the demon's pale skin originated from the gunshot wounds, and the black haze that surrounded the attacker had oozed out of the wounds. 

"We've got it wrong," Hakken said as he knelt and pulled up the deceased demon's shirt to get a better view of the wounds. "The essence of Hades doesn't make other demons stronger; it turns them into monsters."

"It's the dyre state." Callon's observation drew the attention of the other three.

"You think so?" Hakken asked with wide eyes. Callon nodded in confirmation. "Damn," Hakken sighed as he ran his fingers through his sky-blue hair. "If more demons who are residents of Earth get shot with these and their dyre forms take over..."

"All hell will break loose," Eryx finished.

"More than it already is?" Axel inquired. He could not imagine how it could get any worse. Forces from Hades were already rampaging the city. How much worse could it get?

"A lot more worse...." Eryx voiced in response to Axel's thoughts.

Aish...I'm still not used to that... Axel jumped slightly in reaction to Eryx's out-loud response.

"Sorry, I haven't quite been able to shut it off. I just unlocked it..." Eryx apologized with a small nod. "Anyway..." Clearing his throat, Eryx explained, "Unlike angels, demons don't have different classes. Instead, they have something called their 'dyre state.' It's basically a darkness that is locked deep within them. Some learn to control it and can harness it. But if demons who have not learned to control it suddenly have it unleashed within them...it would cause them to turn savage."

The four turned their eyes to the demon on the ground. Axel's eyes roamed from the gunshot wounds to the black veins that crawled through the demon's skin. So, that's what's happening. 

Axel now understood how things could get worse. If Earth thought battling forces from Hades was bad enough, defending the surviving citizens from not only Hades but their savage neighbors as well would quickly prove otherwise.

"Nice save, Callon." Hakken's praise of Callon's quick intervention between Axel and the demon brought the four's attention away from the body on the ground to the survivors at the scene. The family had quickly run away the moment the demon had charged Axel, so it was just the four students once again.

"Thank you...for saving me," Axel thanked with a dip of his head as Hakken and Eryx roamed around the street searching for any weapons that could be scavenged. 

Callon simply returned Axel's thanks with a silent nod before joining Hakken and Eryx in searching the street.

"District 17 should be just a few blocks over," Hakken said as the four regrouped and continued making their way through the war-torn streets of Dexys.

Axel and his three new companions remained as quiet as possible as they neared the border between districts 18 and 17. The once colorful city vibrant with life and music was now cold, grey, and covered in smoke and fire. Axel was reminded of the bustling streets that the city once held just the day before.

The sun beginning to rise highlighted the destruction and carnage that now decorated the city streets. Its golden light did little to warm the hearts of those who had managed to survive the chaotic night. Those who had been able to remain hidden now slowly began to peer out of their shelters at the arrival of the sun.

No news had been broadcast for fear of emergency camps' locations being leaked to Hades, so the knowledge of the camp was passed around by mouth to survivors in the area. A few stragglers began to appear and trail behind the students when they saw the group making their way through the quiet streets.

Soon enough, about ten others began following the students as they led the survivors to District 17. By the time they reached the border, the group had grown to be around twenty in number. Why the people had decided to follow the four, no one could say for sure. Perhaps it was because they had weapons and appeared confident in their journey, or, perhaps, it was because they were the only ones who had dared to travel through the destroyed city. 

The four leading the group slowed as they reached the border of districts 17 and 18.  Huge barricades lined the intersection of the two avenues that met to create the demarcation line. Much like the other barricades Axel had seen, these also showed signs of having been blown up in some sections. However, unlike the other ones, these barricades had evidence of repairs and patchwork.

There really is a camp here. Axel furrowed his brows as he began scanning the intersection for signs of movement. Intuition told Axel that they were being watched very carefully. Someone had to repair the barricades, and who would waste time and effort to repair something that they were just going to abandon?

"Guys," Axel whispered to the other three. Upon attracting their attention, Axel motioned toward the barricades and was about to explain his theory when a voice announced, "On your hands and knees!"

The command was loud and domineering causing everyone in the group to immediately drop to the ground. 

"Slowly remove any weapons from your persons and carefully set them in front of you." The four students were quick to adhere to the commands. Axel set the gun in front of him before lifting his hands above his head and clasping them behind his neck. Hakken brought his knives to lie on the ground ten feet before him while Eryx tossed away his bat.

Several moments passed where the twenty-or-so survivors remained on the ground while the ones giving the commands through a megaphone surveyed the group. After a few minutes of silence, footsteps sounded from all around. Soldiers from Dexys' defense center had been watching the group slowly approach District 17 and waited for them to arrive before taking action.

Once the group had been surrounded, two soldiers broke off from the rest and approached the four students who had been leading the rest of the survivors. "Who are you and why are you here?" A feminine voice sounded as an officer inquired about the group's identities.

Recognizing the voice, Axel tried to place where he had heard it when Hakken answered, "We are students of Dawning High and Dexys High. We heard about a camp with emergency aid in District 17. We need medical aid. One of us has a gunshot wound. Please, help us."

The two soldiers scrutinized the teens before asking further, "How did you hear of the camp?"

Axel swallowed before speaking up, "An angel named Destil told me about the camp and said to go there to receive aid for my wound."

The female soldier looked down at the dirtied and bloodied bandage wrapped around Axel's arm before quietly discussing the situation with her subordinate. After engaging in close conversation with her fellow soldier, the woman motioned for the soldiers surrounding the group to lower their guns.

"Rise slowly and leave your weapons where they are. You will be searched and escorted through a base before reaching the camp within where you will find emergency resources. Make no sudden movements. If you do not wish to proceed, turn back here. Understood?" The woman commanded careful control over the situation and was able to orderly guide the survivors into the base after searching each of them.

The soldiers who brought up the rear collected the students' weapons before disappearing with the group behind the barricades and blending into the guise created for the base's entry point. The two officers in charge of escorting the group of survivors through the base and to the camp remained in front of the group with their guns ready for fire at all times.

Axel, Hakken, Callon, and Eryx followed behind the two officers silently as they were led through the military base. Axel spotted a few angels from heaven by recognizing their uniform to be the same as Destil's, but the angelic presence was minimal compared to the soldiers of Earth. 

The base was busy with soldiers going about their duties. They must have seen several survivors be escorted through to the camp as not many soldiers stopped to watch the group pass. Rows of tents had been set up to house the soldiers, and this is where the base transitioned into the camp. A line of bollards had been set up to demarcate where the base and camp ended and began, and at the line is where the majority of the escort disbanded, leaving the survivors with the two officers at the entrance to the camp.