A low rumbling hum rolled through the swarm of devils as each of them picked up on the same summons. Amon was aware of it but ultimately uncaring, he swept through the flock of demons feverishly on his own means. He roared a call every here and there, but it was fleeting in such a thick horde. Even trying to pick up on any specific devil's radar was a chore with how heavy the interference in the air was. The other surrounding demons noticed Amon and murmured amongst themselves but didn't dare approach him themselves, he personally couldn't care less.

Eventually Amon began to settle into a defeated slump. This was hopeless, and he knew if from the start. He knew she'd never partake in such an occasion anyway, she wasn't the type, and neither was he really. It was then he had decided to turn back, there were much better places to find her, but a second glance halted him.

The glow of a livid flame illuminated in his eyes. Beneath that fire Amon could begin to see small buildings and homes that were being fully engulfed. His features creased in confused disgust. It made no sense, these were the homes of civilians, the weakest of humans, there was no honor nor point in such a raid. At the very least it didn't seem to be a worthy enough endeavor to possibly risk exposing demon existence, even if it was such a small area. Amon was sure that had to have still been a high priority to the demon council, so what was the gain?

His morbid curiosity sidetracked him. He didn't travel with the group instead he landed at more of a distance and observed quietly. He slinked his way through the darkness, making himself practically one with it, avoiding the fire's light at all costs. He watched like a stalking panther as he got a better look at the chaos. The demons were invoking fear in the tiny human village and thus sowing disorder. Amon noticed a pack of human warriors had been called in to counteract the demon's rampage, but they were confused.

He observed irritably as the human fighters would often go after their own innocents instead. He didn't understand it, but he looked on in frustration. His claws gripped at the ground and his tail swished frantically. Eventually he could no longer allow himself to lay still and had begun pacing impulsively.

An honorable fight between warriors was one thing but watching them fire at their own helpless kind stirred his blood. He wanted to turn away and ignore, why should he care, he was a demon after all, so what a few humans die. He grit his teeth, no matter how hard he tried to rationalize he just couldn't convince himself deep down. The atrocities wouldn't stop nagging at him.

Just as Amon thought his irrational internal turmoil was at its worst, fate had a way of putting him to the test. His sights found a small girl no more than three caught up in the carnage. She was alone and separated from her parents, crying curled up in a corner of her burning house. She seemed as if she was stiff with fear and clinging perilously to a doll in her arms.

His face grimaced in what looked almost like pain, "Oh, you can't be serious." He muttered trying to disregard her, but out of the corner of his eye he lingered.

Amon's face softened and just as it did, he shook himself like a dog trying to dry himself. He wanted nothing more than to expel these feelings, he wanted to look away, but he couldn't, he just couldn't. He felt a yearning to comfort her, to save her. He stared on with saddened and conflicted eyes.

When he saw the human troops coming towards her a part of him felt relieved, but something wasn't right. The humans weren't even investigating to find her, as a matter of fact they weren't questioning at all. All they needed to see was a demon swoop by what was left of her house to aim their weapons at it.

Amon's posture leapt up, if seeing her plight was too much for him already then this was torture. The humans didn't know she was there, they didn't care to check, they were going to fire at the house and kill a mere child.

"Ah..." he groaned disapprovingly, tossing his head. This was all too convenient a coincidence, but it didn't matter anymore. Amon didn't have a rational explanation, his wings lifted him off impulsively and he rocketed himself after the young girl.

He moved swiftly, fast enough that the humans wouldn't even register him. He darted downward and plucked up the girl. It was in the nick of time he grabbed her up and got her out of the way. She was shuttering in his arms and that only got worse when the explosion finally took up what was left of her once pleasant home.

When Amon was at a comfortable distance away, he placed her down under a tree in what used to be a garden. She seemed petrified, her eyes were shut tight, never even looking to him, which was probably for the best. He felt wrong just leaving her. What was this sense of righteousness that suddenly plagued him, he huffed.

Scampering up the tree he scoped out the area for any nearby humans that might be of better help. He could see plenty of other soldiers, but he didn't trust them as well. His hopes rose again when he observed an older woman searching frantically for something, she sounded like she was calling a name. Amon figured it was as good a chance as any, and the girl wasn't responding to anything to really tell for sure.

Gliding over the rooftops he rushed towards her, hoping she wouldn't see him. From his perch above her he kept his belly low to the house top and allowed his tail to snake down the side. When his tail had reached far enough, he whipped it at some nearby crates, creating a startling crash. The woman jumped holding a hand to her bosom as her attention was stolen and redirected to see the young girl. She stood there with wide eyes until a gasp escaped her throat. She spoke a name, much more assured this time. She called it again now yelling as she hurried over to the girl. For the first time the little girl seemed positively responsive to something perking up to view her. They finally met in each other's arms, staying there together nearly on the verge of tears.

The first smile Amon had ever seen on the child's face brought a small smile to his own. He didn't notice he was doing so at first, but immediately composed himself when he had, sheepishly trying to turn away.

The pair didn't hold still much longer, the mother soon took off again, heading out of the village with the tiny girl in tow. The girl's face peaked out from her mother's shoulder to finally look upon her rescuer, her face was wonder filled. Amon was surprised, normally he was a rather fearsome beast but to this young girl he was comforting. Her hand crept out and waved shyly. As much as he scolded himself not too, he returned the subtle gesture. He watched her off until they were gone out of sight, and once they were, Amon brought his beefy hand to scrape down his face.

"Ugh, how humiliating… Hopefully no one saw that," he berated himself and yet even more than that he despised how pleased it actually made him. He took a hearty breath but the mayhem around him still raged on. He returned to the ground, and it was then he felt a blunt, muted pain. It started in his gut and spread to his face and other various parts of his body. The feeling was vexing but not intolerable. He began to get a bit more unnerved; he listened around and regained a sense of his bargains. What he discovered struck fret into the ancient demon.

The carnage before the two teens was overwhelming to say the least. The sounds of gunfire and roars of monsters were all encompassing. The air was thick and blacked with smog, but the pair pressed on. Once Ryo came to a screeching halt Akira hurdled out of the car, staring on, and hearing the cries of the village people brought on crying of his own. The despair they felt poured out of him, but he wiped it away. It was already hard enough to see and he needed to be capable of doing all he could for these people.

"Akira go ahead but be careful, this is very dangerous. I'll watch your back but I'm not going too far. If anything gets too much for you, you turn and run away you understand? You'll be dead in a minute otherwise!" Ryo ordered hauling one of his heavier duty weapons with him.

"I-I know, Ryo," Akira's cowardice could be heard quivering in his voice. He was having second thoughts, but he knew he couldn't turn back, not being so close. He figured the quicker he remerged with Amon the quicker he could help fight off these demons.

He picked up his pace to the best of his limited ability and ran into the heat of combat. He saw soldiers and did all in his power to avoid their vigilance, sneaking by in a hast.

Doubt and fear were obvious on his face and in his heart, but he kept on anyway. The sounds around him were loud and abrasive; the screams of devils and the pop of gun fire were inescapable. The scenery wasn't any more pleasant, what was once a quiet and tranquil village was now smoldering into rubble. It was so hot Akira felt it on his eyeballs and the hefty air reeked of sulfur. Overall, it looked like a demon's playground. Akira nearly collapsed feeling woozy from the overwhelming environment.

He had to stop behind a house that seemed to be in slightly better condition than most, just to catch his breath. He chastised himself over in his head, how could he already be overexerted, he'd barely done anything. The cruelty of reality pressed into him, if a demon were to show up before he and Amon could reunite, he would likely die. He knew this he always did, but it never felt so real. His fingers draped around behind himself just to feel the outline of the weapon Ryo had given him, hidden in the back of his pants. Knowing it was there alone helped calm his nerves. He just needed it long enough to get back to Amon and then all would be fine, he told himself. However, all was certainly not fine.

Akira jumped when he heard a blood chilling shriek. It was so close it sounded like it was only around the corner, and when he saw a man fall back onto the ground, he knew this was its source. Impulsively Akira ducked behind some debris in the alley and watched on as the man in his hysteria wrestled to escape a large devil. Akira stared on, shouting over in his head that he needed to move, he needed to do something, but his body was locked in mortal terror. He couldn't stand it, he felt this man's suffering as if it were his own, yet his body and fear impaired him from doing anything.

The devil's abuse was getting to its climax as it's picking at the man was becoming more and more lethal. Finally, with one last barbaric kick to the head the man became completely unconscious, flopping to the ground in a heap.

The teens trembling hands suddenly balled into ridged fists, and his teeth clasped. His features became harsher and he looked on with forceful eyes. Something miraculously awakened in him that unhitched his frozen posture. There was no clear answer why, but Akira despite his feeble body, felt as though he was compelled by a brave will to intervene. He marched forward keeping his target deadest to the demon toying evilly with the defenseless man.

"Hey you!" he demanded it's attention. The demon's head sprung up at once to see the silhouette of the small male standing firmly before it. There was a pause as it eyed the area until it erupted with laughter.

"Are you serious?" the grotesque devil started to approach the measly boy.

"You ain't even big enough to be a snack!" it chortled. Akira heard it snicker but stood there stubbornly, keeping his guard up.

"Good, because you aren't going to be eating anymore people tonight!" he snapped. The devil looked utterly stunned but completely amused.

"Oh really?" it chuckled. "You're gonna stop me, huh?" it shoved him forcibly, leaving Akira to thump against the ground on his back. He grunted feeling his worry push its way to surface again, he choked it back. Something in him simply refused to let him back down. There was a phantom instinct that drove him to retaliate, even when hearing it make fun of him. He wanted to fight, he wanted to punish this wicked demon, to feel the thrill of a just battle and conquer evil. With heavy, growl-like breaths, Akira returned to his feet.

He stared the monster down with clenched teeth and the reflection of the raging fire in his eyes. The demon didn't seem too impressed, only surprised he was foolish enough to try again.

"Now that's a special kind of stupid," the devil sneered as it went in for an easy blow. Amazingly Akira hand managed to slip by the attack and weaved in behind his opponent. The demon was baffled as he whipped himself around to see the stern boy. He was hunched into a readied position; his muscles may not have been as dense, but they did carry memories.

The demon's head tipped down as an irritated look overtook its expression. It hissed and bit at him, each time missing as the teen predicted the demon's movements. The beast was becoming frustrated when finally, with its full body, it lunged forward and grasped it's enemy. Akira couldn't dodge this one; he was caught in the monster's arms and he felt its dagger-like claws dig into his side. He stifled his screams from the pain as the demon crushed him harder and harder in his grasp. It laughed gleefully knowing the damage it was causing.

"Not so tough now are ya? This will teach you, ya pathetic little human, you are nothing but prey!" it said opening its mouth to eat him. Just then Akira saw what he had been waiting for, he wrung his arm out from the demon's and in his hand was the gun Ryo had left him. In a flash Akira fired two rounds into the devil's mouth, blasting open its head. He felt the beast's body writhe and go limp as he bathed in its blood. The high was still zipping through his blood, he wore a huge smile relishing in devilish delight. It was like for a mere blissful moment he was repossessed by his warrior spirit, by Devilman's spirit. His body soon reminded him of its vulnerability however, the aching started in his gut and throbbed throughout all the rest of his being.

The daunting feelings of woe Akira had been oppressing suddenly began to weigh him down along with his pain. His legs now void of tension turned to jelly under him. He caved falling into a pile on the ground. The gun he had fell away from him, but he hardly thought about it. All he could think of was the warm sticking feeling of his clothes puddling from his torso. He held his hand over it, he was afraid to look but when he forced himself to his worries were confirmed. The demon had left three huge slash marks over his stomach, his blood was gushing everywhere, he wheezed trying to calm himself. What would have normally been a few scratches to his former body was now a baneful wound.

Akira was scared but mostly discontent with himself. He still heard all the people around him in torment and there was nothing he could do. He couldn't help but feel it was his fault, he was supposed to be a hero not another victim. His body was just too weak.

A soft moan pulled Akira out of his musing; he could only lift his head a little, but it was enough to see the sound's source. It was the man; the man Akira had done all this for. He was alive, Akira's face was awestruck. He had saved him. Against all odds, Akira felt a tug at his lips, he smiled letting the tiny touch of pride come through.

"Hey, what's going on over there!?" he heard a grizzly voice yell overhead. Akira's body became like stone.

"What happened here?" another one added in. The demons began to examine their comrade's carcass, in bewilderment. They scanned the nearby area only to find what looked like a dead man laying there and another measly human that appeared like it was on the brink of death. They began to close in on him. Akira's flight or fight response was going off, he had to find the gun he'd be doomed otherwise. A part of him wished he hadn't gotten so far away from Ryo, he wanted backup and the weapon he needed was out of reach. He tried propping himself up on his elbow but even that was excruciating.

"This little thing? That can't be right," the devil scoffed.

"Wait a minute?" one of the demons pushed through the others to the front. He had a suspicious glower as he put his nose up to the boy. Akira tried to inch away but he couldn't make much ground especially now that his consciousness was beginning to fail him. It snorted on him and shook its head away rapidly.

"I think it's that Devilman kid!" it declared repugnantly. An uproar swept over the other devils as they reacted with shock and disgust.

"It can't be, it's so tiny!"

"Yeah, but Amon's abandoned him, I saw him!"

"That's right! He's helpless! How does it feel little boy!"

"What, not so brave anymore huh?!"

They all piled on with their jeers, Akira could only lay there masking his humiliation with a severe face.

"Don't worry we'll end your suffering, but not before we get in a little bit of our own!" a demon with a raspy voice goaded as it pulled back its claws to strike down. Akira squeezed his eyes shut waiting for what was to come, and yet it never did.

When he reopened his eyes, he was dizzy from his injuries, but he made out a large foreboding silhouette standing over him. He could hear the other demons object and plea but the only thing that followed was a dominating roar. The next thing Akira knew the nauseating stench and yellow grime of demon blood was pooling all around him. He strained himself to see clearly and focus but he just couldn't, all he could really think was how grateful he was that anything came to his rescue at all.

The last thing he saw was the imposing red blur setting in front of him protectively before everything else around him faded away.