“Intruder Alert.” DiZ’s head snapped around; he stared at the red screens behind him, each one flashing every second on the second. “Intruder Alert.” A map flashed onto the screens with a few simple key strokes. Whoever they were was in the foyer and quickly climbing the stairs.
“Ansem!” A second later a hooded man sprinted into the room, took a look at the screens, nodded, and was off again.
DiZ attempted to assess the situation calmly. They’d entered through the main door which meant that whoever it wasn’t the most secretive of people. And seeing as they entered there it would only make sense for them to be after Naminé. It could always be a teenager who snuck into the mansion on a dare but he really couldn’t afford to take that risk. It was the right decision to have Ansem go. Behind him another door opened.
“Riku, go to Naminé.” It looked confused and frowned slightly at the older man’s tone. “She is in danger.”
“I’m off!” DiZ rolled his eyes as he watched it run off to its precious Naminé, the fool. He looked at the map again, watching Ansem on the stairs with the intruder, Naminé in a corner of the White Room, and Riku running up the concealed stairs in the library. Of course their other three guests were still in suspended animation.
DiZ couldn’t help but to scoff as he noticed Naminé latching onto Riku as soon as he entered the White Room. The intruder bypassed both Ansem and the White Room and found its way into the library. It hadn’t found the staircase however when Ansem met up with it again. While DiZ had all the confidence in Ansem, it didn’t stop him for raising the barrier that protected the computer room from the staircase. DiZ now could only assume that the intruder was after Sora. The boy had plenty of enemies and while he knew Ansem would fight tooth and nail for him, DiZ knew he would be no match for a select few of the Organization’s members. That is, if it even was the Organization…
Whoever -whatever- it was it was an enemy, there was no doubt about it in DiZ’s mind. He sealed off Sora’s room the best he could, closing the heavy metal doors from the computer room to the training room and from the training room to the slumber chamber. Sora was the most important thing here, second only to Naminé. Or had he miscalculated?
DiZ jumped in his seat and turned to face the door to the stairs. Even if they broke down the doors the barrier should stop them. Ansem would have to catch up to them at least by the time they tore the door down. With a few more taps on the keyboard he activated the PA system to the White Room.
“Riku! Assist Ansem. Naminé, follow at a reasonable pace. We might need your…talents.” DiZ was sure that Riku wouldn’t be happy about it, though Naminé knew when DiZ was serious. If anybody could persuade it, it was Naminé.
A horrible noise echoed through the room, the screech of metal on metal. DiZ was absolutely stunned when a new batch, at least a dozen, new figures appeared on the map. It could only be one of two things if they were summoned that quickly, Heartless or Dusks. DiZ was suddenly convinced that it had to be a Nobody. As far as he knew there was no force large enough to round up this many Heartless.
Had an Organization member really found them? Who was strong enough to get this far, but also disposable enough to take on this job? There was no doubt in DiZ’s mind that they knew about Ansem and how he had kidnapped one of their premier members. Ansem had taken down the Key of Destiny single handedly, but did they know he was in cahoots with him? Who would they risk sending here of all places? Who would want to take on this job, was the chain of command in the Organization so well structured that members would take on a deadly mission without any complaints?
The door was torn free of its track and crashed to the floor. DiZ was finally able to see what he was dealing with. He’d been right of course, an Organization member, one who’d be strong enough to fight off Ansem, yet insignificant to them. One who wouldn’t mind licking the boots of his superiors, an assassin of assassins.
Axel.
He looked positively frightening. DiZ had only seen him one other time, when he was vacating the Castle Oblivion. He’d caused the death of five members, three of which had been DiZ’s own students. He was defiantly a formidable foe, yet hazardous enough to the Organization’s health that if he faded, it would be no major lose. DiZ would’ve chosen him for the job as well.
Above in the library Naminé was screaming. Ignoring Axel’s curses and the wall of flame that was ineffectively consuming the barrier, he switched the screens to the camera in the library. Riku was single handedly fight off the Dusks. Riku was formidable; he had outwitted Zexion after all. Still, he was no match for Ansem. Ansem’s hood had fallen off and was attempting to blast through the flames that separated him from Axel. Naminé continued to scream.
“Break it Naminé! Break his memories!”
“I-I can’t! I can’t!”
“Do it now before he destroys us all!”
“No! Please, no!” Ansem advanced on Naminé, his keyblade pointed at her empty chest. Riku destroyed yet another Dusk and quickly got between the two, pointing his identical keyblade back at Ansem.
“Stay away from her!”
“I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t…”
“Don’t make me do this Naminé; I won’t hesitate to force you.”
“I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t. He saved me! I’d still be locked up in that awful place with Ma-,” She shuddered and lapsed back into repeating herself.
“Don’t make me fight you Ansem.” Riku bit out, practically growling at the man.
“You should pick your fights more carefully, Riku.”
Meanwhile Axel continued to attack the barrier. DiZ leapt back in his seat, as he noticed the fine spindles now radiating through the clear barricade. While the two upstairs bickered Axel was getting even closer to his goal. DiZ knew he would not survive if Axel got inside. He was a simple scientist; he had no magical powers to save him now.
“ANSEM, RIKU! LEAVE HER! PROTECT SORA!” Identical silver heads turned to face the staircase and quickly left the still sobbing Naminé. DiZ didn’t even notice four Assassin Nobodies rise up from the floor as they turned their backs on Naminé. The flame hadn’t died down yet and Axel stood framed in them. DiZ couldn’t help but be astounded at the range of emotions Axel was feeling. DiZ had doubted he’d ever seen such ferocity in another human’s face. It made him look otherworldly; it made him appear to be the soulless wretch he really was. He was wrath personified.
DiZ had never believed in hell or heaven. He barely grasped concept of ‘hearts’ and ‘souls’, so heaven and hell seemed ridiculous. Kingdom Hearts did not care about what state the heart arrived in. Had he believed in hell, he would’ve mistaken Axel for a demon. Engulfed in flame as red as his hair made his green eyes stand out even more predominately. They burned through DiZ’s very soul.
Axel would kill him.
He didn’t even hear Naminé’s pathetic scream above him and Riku’s equally loud yell of fury.
Axel was through the barrier and DiZ knew no more.
