Stopping at the entrance to the relief camp, the two officers turned to look at the students, and that was when Axel remembered where he had heard the female's voice. Seeing the hazel eyes gazing at him, Axel realized it was the same soldier who had caught him when he stumbled and told him to keep his head on straight.

The officer's eyes softened when she saw Axel. Glancing at the three other students before scanning the group of survivors, Maelynn observed their conditions before turning her head back to the camp where she saw a doctor hurrying toward them.

"Lieutenant Mage," the doctor greeted as she reached the border between the military base and the emergency camp.

"Dr. Reed," Maelynn returned with a nod of her head. 

"More survivors?" Dr. Reed assumed as she looked past the two officers and peered at the group standing at the border to the camp.

"Ae," Maelynn responded before adding, "We'll escort them to Dr. Cho. Please, lead the way, Doctor."

Dr. Reed took one more look at the group to ensure none needed immediate aid before nodding. "Very well. Follow me."

Axel and the others were silent as they followed the doctor and two officers through the bollards into the campgrounds. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics were racing between tents administering aid where it was needed while soldiers and citizens rested and healed from their wounds. 

One angel who was of the healer class and happened to be on Earth at the time of the attack was busy giving aid to whomever she could. Her blue and silver uniform caused her to stand out from the forces of Earth who were dressed in black and grey camouflage.

Dr. Reed led the group through several rows of tents until they arrived at a large tent positioned in the camp's center. The group was instructed to wait outside the tent while Dr. Reed went in to request the head doctor's presence. After a few moments, Dr. Reed emerged from the camp with a middle-aged woman walking beside her.

"Dr. Cho," Maelynn greeted politely. 

"Lieutenant," Dr. Cho responded as she looked beyond the officers and at the group of people waiting patiently. "We seem to be seeing each other quite often these days."

"Ae. Too often for my taste," Maelynn responded before gesturing to those standing behind her. "We have twenty-one survivors in need of sustenance and water. Seven need medical assistance. Please look after them."

"Ae, Lieutenant," the head doctor responded. "Thank you."

The two officers who had led the group through the camp then inclined their heads to the two doctors before turning and walking past the group back toward the base. Once the officers had left, Dr. Cho addressed the survivors, "Welcome to District 17's emergency camp. You will be provided with food and water and a cot on which to sleep. Those in need of medical aid will follow Dr. Reed. You will be expected to abide by the regulations set by the camp's authority during your stay. And most importantly, do not harm any medical staff or fellow patients. Any questions?"

The doctor's introduction was short and curt as she had many more patients to tend to and trusted her subordinates to properly care for those who did not need emergency aid. When no one objected to receiving food and water and a place to sleep, Dr. Cho motioned for Dr. Reed to take over and show the survivors to their respective tents.

Bowing to Dr. Cho as she retreated inside the large tent, Dr. Reed turned the group before sectioning them based on their needs. By this time, several nurses had joined Dr. Reed and were awaiting her instructions. "Group 3, follow Dave to your tents, Group 2, follow James, and Group 3, follow me."

With those who did not need medical aid following Dave and James, Dr. Reed led the seven injured survivors to a different row of tents where they were dispersed among nurses. Axel, Hakken, Eryx, and Callon were tended to by a nurse named Sharyn before each being given a packet that contained dried food, bottles of water, and a blanket.

Once the wound on his arm had been properly cleaned and wrapped and he had a packet in his hands, Axel followed the three students from Dawning High as the four were led to a tent stationed toward the back end of the camp. The sun was high in the sky by the time the four reached the tent they would be sharing with sixteen other survivors. 

Ten sets of bunkbeds filled the tent, and Hakken and Eryx claimed one while Axel shared the last open one with Callon. Taking the top bunk, Axel opened his packet and spread the blanket over the mattress before opening a bottle of water and carefully sipping from it.

Now that the four were finally out of the deadly streets of the city and in a safe zone, it did not take long for them to fall fast asleep. Their wounds had been cared for, and they finally did not have to worry about keeping their eyes and ears peeled for any dangers that could assault them.

The four slept for ten hours straight, and the sky was dark by the time they awoke. Hakken and Callon were already awake when Axel opened his eyes. The camp was even quieter than it had been earlier that day. Minimal lights were on to keep their camp's location hidden for as long as possible, and survivors were encouraged to remain in their tents to minimize the amount of movement that could be observed from the outside.

Hakken was sitting up on the top bunk next to Axel's and looking at a message that had been sent by his mother moments before the attack. His expression had fallen, and his eyes were wet, so Axel left him to sit in silence. He, too, had much to think about.

Axel's mind traveled to his father. Where could he be? Was he safe? Why did he leave the apartment? Was he...even alive?

Axel swallowed dryly as he let the daunting worries consume him. He was safe and away from harm, but he could not say the same for his father. And Jay...there was so much he felt and needed to think through. He knew he was bottling everything up inside and that it would all come pouring out someday, but he also knew he could not afford to be vulnerable. Especially when danger could come busting in at any moment.

While Hakken and Axel's minds were heavy with thoughts of their family, Callon was lying on the bunk beneath Axel's with his eyes closed as he rested in silence. All was quiet in the camp, however, Callon could not help but feel a sense of uneasiness creeping into him. Opening his eyes, he looked over at the sleeping Eryx on the bottom bunk next to his before looking up at Hakken and then Axel above.

Making sure everyone he cared about was present, Callon closed his eyes and returned to trying to rest. However, a rustling reached his ears that sent chills down his spine. It was faint but haunting. 

What is that? Callon slowly sat up and looked around the tent. Most of the sixteen other survivors who occupied the tent were either asleep or silently staring into nothingness. The sound could not have been coming from anything or anyone inside the tent. 

Then, Callon remembered that he had heard the rustling before. When was it? Callon racked his brain as he tried to remember where and when he had heard the haunting sounds. Wait...no, it can't be...

Callon's eyes widened when he suddenly remembered the first time he had heard the rustlings in his mind. He had been on his way to after-school practice with Hakken and Eryx when he had first the sounds. An attack is coming. I have to get everyone out.

The moment Callon stood from his bunk to warn everyone, a loud explosion sounded at the end of the tent. Another one followed just a split second later, lighting up the tent as the bomb hit just outside it. The force from the explosion caused the bunkbeds to overturn. Callon was quick to catch Axel as he fell toward the ground. 

Eryx was ripped from his sleep as Hakken was thrown off the bunk, and they both landed on the hard ground. Callon set Axel on his feet before going to help Hakken and Eryx to their feet and dragging the three out of the tent.

"Another attack?" Eryx assumed as the four looked to the sky.

*Hellic aircraft were flying over the camp and base, dropping bombs and demons who began to raid and swarm the camp. Axel watched in horror as those who had survived the deadly night were now being shot effortlessly by demons in the sky. Axel's throat tightened as he heard screams and shouts and blood began to fill his vision all over again. Will this ever end...?

"We have to get out of here!" Hakken's voice ripped Axel from his despairing thoughts as Callon grabbed him by the wrist, and the four began running for the camp's border.

Right, get your sh*t together, Axel! You're still alive, and you need to remain so, so you can find your father! Axel berated himself for being filled with despair when he had been much more fortunate than most. He had found people he could rely on and trust to help him get through another moment of horror.

Bringing his focus to the task at hand, Axel began scanning his surroundings for any weapon that he could potentially use. Hakken had picked up a soldier's blade and a swiss-army knife along the way and was telepathically controlling them to guard the group as the four raced for the camp's border.

When they were nearing the border, a scream from their right brought the four's attention to a mother fighting to protect her young child from two demons of Hades. Not wasting a moment, Hakken and Eryx broke away from the four and raced to the mother's aid. At the same moment that Hakken and Eryx left to help the mother and her child, a net was shot down from above.

Callon was quick to push Axel to the side as the net landed on him, its immense weight immediately bringing him to the ground. Quickly recovering from being tossed away from the danger, Axel instantly tried to free Callon from the black net.

"Callon!" Axel shouted in horror as the weighted net kept Callon trapped on the ground. As much as he tried, Axel could not lift the net. "Ack!" Axel cried out in pain as the weights that kept the net on the ground suddenly became electrified and zapped his hands with a jolt of electricity.

"Leave it," Callon said with a grimace as the electricity coursed through his body. "Run, Axel."

Callon's plea caused Axel's world to slow as he locked eyes with the half-demon. Jay's bloodied face suddenly appeared over Callon's as Axel remembered Jay begging him to run. The pain and despair that filled Axel turned into a hard resolve. Determined to not let another friend die, Axel returned, "No, I'm not leaving you."

Axel continued to try to free Callon, but to his horror, the net began to close as the weights magnetized together. Then, a harpoon with a chain was shot down from a Hellic craft that had come to hover above the trapped half-demon. The harpoon shot through the net, barely missing Callon, and entangled itself in the net. So, when the chain was recoiled, the net began to lift into the air.

Grabbing onto the net, Axel tried to keep Callon on the ground. But the force at which the net was being lifted was immense, and thus, the net was ripped from Axel's grasp. Axel watched with horror-filled eyes as the net was lifted towards the hovering Hellic craft and the hatch opened to absorb the net.

Looking around to find someone who could help him, Axel watched in terror as several other nets had been shot down and multiple citizens were being kidnapped by the demons. Wait...no, not just citizens. The demons of Hades were capturing demon citizens of Earth.

What is going on? Axel barely had time to grasp the situation when a bomb exploded beside him and flung him into the air. Landing on the ground with a thud, Axel lost consciousness the moment his head hit the hard surface.

No, I can't...I have to stay conscious. I have to...I have to save them...

Hellic: Term describing anything of Hades. For example: American aircraft, Korean aircraft, Canadian aircraft, Indian aircraft, Hellic aircraft | Columbian coffee, Hellic coffee | Human words, Hellic words | etc.