29 (XXIX) Arrival

Samael swam to the top of the river, taking a deep breath and looking around as Khrista slowly rose out of the water beside him. She slid her long, serpentine body between his legs, pulling him onto her back. 

She slithered easily across the river, rising onto the waterfront pathway as the muscles of her tail contracted underneath him, awakening a strong urge within him, shock spreading across his eyes. 

"Oh my, Master!" She smirked as she slid out from under the young man, covering her mouth with her hand as she blushed, "Again so soon?" 

Sam rolled his eyes, ignoring her comment as he walked past her. He shook his arms, flinging water onto the decorated promenade stoneworking. 

'Return.' He thought as Khrista nodded, closing her eyes as she slightly bowed, vanishing as she slithered beside him while he walked, his tattoo becoming vibrant underneath his sleeves. 

He stared up at the morning sun brightly illuminating the destruction that fell upon his hometown and sighed dejectedly as he experienced the devastation once more. 

'Cheer up, Master!' Khrista's voice appeared inside his mind. 

Following the completion of the Spirit Pact, their consciousness had become shared, and he could speak to her telepathically while she had access to his active thoughts but could not read the memories contained within the recesses of his mind.

'What's there to be cheerful about?' He asked her, shaking his head as he ran through the streets of the destroyed city. 

'If it were not for the convergence, we never would have met!' She answered cheerfully. He smirked, the image of her smile and gleeful expression appearing clearly within his mind. 

'But at what cost..?' He asked, shaking his head at her sullen manifestation, sighing as he increased the pace, 'I'm sorry, you're right, and I'm glad you're here.'

He rapidly made his way through the city, racing toward the park. Arriving at the entrance and looked around, not seeing anyone. He walked around, noticing the rock holding a piece of paper as it flapped in the wind. 

He walked up to it, ripping it out from underneath the rock, flipping the note open as he read it before dropping it as lightning jumped from his feet, and he burst across the park toward the underground bunker. 

***

"State your name and intentions!" The military police officer shouted as he and his partner ran up to the woman as smoke rose from her sweaty and soot-covered body and aimed their rifles at her. 

"Well..." Serenity sighed, panting heavily, pointing at the destroyed and melted blast doors behind her with her thumb, "I tried knocking, but no one decided to answer!" 

She stared down at her chest, noticing the two red dots on her chest circling around in miniature circles as flames erupted from her eyes, yelling as she stomped her foot, "Don't you guys know to not leave a woman waiting?!?"

"Get down on your knees and put your hands behind your head, interlacing your fingers!" The other soldier ordered, stepping forward as he motioned with the muzzle of his automatic rifle. 

"Serenity!" Ichiko shouted as she ran down the ramp with the rest of the group, "We heard shouting, are you alright?"

"Freeze!!" The soldier in the back yelled, frantically moving the aim of his gun between the remaining people as they slowly stopped and raised their hands. 

"Don't move!" Kyle ordered to his son in a hushed tone as he stood up, observing the altercation and slowly approaching when the soldier noticed the katana in Ichiko's hand. 

"Drop the weapon!!" He shouted, stepping forward and focusing the red dot scope on the shrine maiden, "Do it right now!" 

"Hold on, officers..." The mayor said as he approached the two soldiers and patted their shoulders, passing them as he pointed at Camille, "You're Remy's little girl, aren't you?" 

"Yes, I am..." Cami answered coldly as she stepped forward, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, wiping them away as she pointed at him, speaking angrily, "...and you're the man that used deceitful tactics to beat him during elections last year since you couldn't it fairly!"

"Woah there!" Kyle exclaimed defensively, looking around at the gathering crowd behind him as he adjusted his tie, "That was a fair election! I would never stoop to underhanded tactics!"

Camille looked behind him, noticing Dora finishing the procedure for Sarah, and glared back at the mayor, "And now you're using soldiers to terrorize citizens in a time of need?"

She walked past him, intentionally grazing her shoulder against his, "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"Now look here!" He growled, returning the angry look, stepping forward as he pointed at her, "I've done nothing but protect these people."

Cami ignored him as she knelt next to Dora, leaning forward and hovering her hands over Sarah's gunshot wound before she closed her eyes. A bright, warm light flowed from her palms, washing over the unconscious woman. 

The crowd burst into a panicked chatter, gossiping amongst themselves as some boldly pointed at the young girl and the magic she was exhibiting. 

"Hey!" Kyle shouted, snapping his fingers as the soldiers turned around and pointed their rifles at Camille. 

Suddenly, the muzzles of their guns clanked against the ground as Ichiko appeared beside them with her back turned, returning her uchigatana to its scabbard. 

Both soldiers exclaimed as they stumbled away from her, dropping their rifles as they quickly withdrew their pistols and aimed at her. 

Jijo and Kaitlyn stood behind Serenity and Nathan as the two produced fireballs in the palms of their hands. The soldiers started to tactfully retreat slowly, creating distance as they rapidly swapped their aim between the three. 

"See!!" Kyle shouted, turning to the crowd as he pointed at the unfolding scene behind him, "I told you we shouldn't have opened the doors and let them in!!" 

The crowd started backing away, growing fearful as a few screams rang out from the onlookers as the mayor continued, "They are not friendlies!! Officers, you have permission to engage!!" 

"Sir..?" A soldier asked, glancing back at the mayor and Ichiko. 

"They... They're just kids!" The other soldier added, his aim going between Nathan and Serenity. 

"I don't care if they're infants!!" Kyle shouted, "They're demons and will bring death upon all of us!!" 

The military police officer aiming at Ichiko glanced over at Camille as she finished healing Sarah and watched as she slowly opened her eyes before dropping his pistol and returning it to its holster, "No, sir..." 

"You would risk a court marshall?!?" He yelled, growing red in the face as he stomped toward the soldier, "That was a direct order!" 

*BANG!*

The other soldier had a scared look on his face as he pulled the trigger, aiming at Serenity. She raised her hands, trying to block the bullet, closing her eyes as she flinched. 

*clink*

She slowly opened her eyes, staring at the ground at the bullet lying there before looking around, confused. Ichiko drew her blade, taking a step toward the soldier when he pivoted his hips, aiming the pistol at her, firing another three times. 

The bullets flew halfway toward her before stopping in midair and falling to the ground, the clinking of the bullets hitting the ground reverberating in the silent bunker.