27 (XXVII) Hidden Quest
*BANG!*
The barrel smoked as the bullet exited from the gun in Kyle's hand as he was restrained by the military police. He didn't even struggle as they quickly removed the weapon from his hands.
He stared off into space as he watched Sarah turn around. Countless gasps could be heard from the crowd behind them as a dull murmur erupted from their whisperings to each other.
Sarah placed her hand on her chest, her eyes revealing shock as she stared at her red-stained fingertips and then back at the restrained mayor before falling to the ground.
One of the soldiers released Kyle as he ran over to the downed woman, quickly rolling her onto her back as he grabbed his combat knife from the holster on his leg and cut her shirt and sweater, revealing the bullet wound and applying pressure.
"Is there a doctor?!?" He shouted, looking around but received no response, causing him to click his tongue in frustration.
"Shit!" The other military police officer cursed under his breath, holstering his gun and running over to assist. He leaned her forward, inspecting her back and sighing in relief at seeing the exit wound.
"I need bandages or any thick clothing!!" He shouted as Isaac grabbed his mother's medical bag and ran over, kneeling beside them.
"Here!" He said excitedly, handing it to the officer as he grabbed Sarah's hand, "Hang in there, Ms. Sanada!"
"That's good, keep her talking, son!" The soldier said, opening the bag and ruffling through its contents, nodding, "This will work... Stay with us ma'am!"
"Here..." A woman in a robe said as she approached and knelt beside Sarah, coughing into a bloodied rag as she grabbed the bag from the soldier, "I was a surgeon before I was forced to retire..."
"Mom!" Isaac exclaimed, staring at his mother and then back to his dumbstruck father, anxiety building within the young man.
"It'll be alright... Isaac, just let me help..." Dora said as she pulled out the gauze, antiseptic, and surgical supplies and started dressing Sarah's wounds.
"Dora!!" Kyle shouted as he ran over, snapping out of his daze and placing his hands on her shoulders, "Stop, you should be resting!"
"Shut it!" She coarsely yelled, shaking his hands from her shoulders, "I wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't lost your temper!"
The military police officers stood as they placed their hands on Kyle's chest, asking him to give the doctor room to work as she started to expertly stitch the bullet wounds closed and apply bandages.
"Look!" A voice exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention as they pointed toward the blast doors as sparks started flying from the center.
"Someone's breaking in!" Another voice screamed, eliciting panic as everyone started running toward the back of the bunker.
Chaos broke out as people started tripping over the cots, not paying attention to where they were going, and others trampled over them as everyone attempted to get as far away from the entrance as possible.
The blast doors started glowing orange as they continued to melt. Parts of the doors began breaking as they melted, the military police running ahead as they pointed their guns toward the entrance, sharing glances with one another.
"Dora!" Kyle shouted again, grabbing at his wife as she struggled to fight against him, wanting to finish the procedure, "We have to get back!"
"Dad!" Isaac yelled, grabbing Sarah's feet, "Get her arms and help me move her!"
"No, Isaac, get away!" The mayor ordered as he forced his wife to stop her operation, wrapping his arms around her chest as he dragged her away from her patient, and she thrashed, trying to break free.
"Kyle!!!" Dora screamed, flailing her arms and kicking her legs as she attempted to break free, "Get your hands off me this instant!!"
"Mom!" Isaac yelled, running up and helping his mother, breaking her free from his father's grasp as she crawled on her hands and knees back to Sarah.
The young man pushed his father violently as he shouted in his face, "What the hell has gotten into you? Have you lost your mind!?"
Suddenly, a massive explosion blew the blast doors apart, causing everyone in the bunker to scream. Kyle wrapped his arms around his son and covered him as both knelt down, and Dora flung herself on top of Sarah.
The military police officers quickly knelt, turning their backs toward the explosion as smoke and debris filled the bunker. As the smokescreen slowly cleared, they pulled down the goggles on their helmets, noticing a figure through the dust.
They pulled their rifles to their shoulders, aiming at the entrance as they unlocked the safety on the guns and activated the red dot scopes, aiming at the figure standing in the dust.
"Halt!" The soldier shouted, running forward as his partner followed before they glanced at one another as he muttered, "Huh..? A girl..?
***
Samael's eyes widened as he stared down at the Naga Priestess, "W-wait... You can talk..?"
"Of course, I can talk; are you stupid?" She hissed, "I used to be human!"
"Tch!" Sam clicked his tongue and removed his boot from her wrist as he stepped back, glancing at the timer.
╔══01:12:65══╝
"I don't have much time left..." He muttered, deactivating his weapons and returning them to the scabbards on his back, kneeling forward as he extended his hand to the naga, "I'm Sam; what's your name?"
"Huh..?" She muttered under her breath, unsure whether to believe this human. Hundreds of thousands of people had entered her prison with the intention of slaying her, and none had succeeded.
Her mind raced through thousands of scenarios in an instant, hesitating before reaching her scaled hand out and taking his, not caring any longer if it was a trick to end her life or not.
"Khrista..." She replied as Sam took her hand and pulled her up, her tail quickly coiling underneath her. Despite sitting on herself, she was still a head taller than the young man.
Near pitch-black scales appeared around her waist and ran down to the end of her long tail. Her skin was a deep purple, almost indistinguishable from black, and she had cream-colored ventral scales starting below her belly button.
She brushed her long, straight, pure white hair behind her long elf-like ears, adorned with numerous golden earrings. The tattered remains of her priestess gown covered her ample chest.
Now that Samael was staring at her without the desire to kill him, he found her soft and round cheeks were cute, and she had beautiful eyes.
"Nice to meet you, Khrista." He said with a smile, "Are you going to be alright? I'm sorry your shrine was destroyed, how did you end up like this?"
"Yes." She answered, a slight blush flashing across her cheeks as she held her hands before herself, "It's fine... Long story short, there was a God who became fancied with me... His... spouse grew jealous and turned me into this..."
"Sheesh!" Samael exclaimed, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared at her with a sense of camaraderie with the naga, "I'm sorry all of that happened to you... Can we let bygones be bygones and start over?"
"S-Sure!" Khrista replied, and Sam started to reach his hand out but was suddenly stopped by the appearance of a series of windows.
╔══The Naga Priestess has been defeated.══╝
╔══Reward: Jade Magatama Pendant of Dualism══╝
╔══Defeating the Naga Priestess has satisfied the challenge of surviving for ten minutes.══╝
╔══Reward: Pouch of Infinite Tears══╝
╔══Hidden Quest Completed! Congratulations, you sly dog you! We didn't even think this was a possibility!══╝
╔══Reward: Naga Priestess══╝
