Ximh and I walked to the Dining Hall to meet up with the other members, and to find Xait and Amaterasux. Everyone was gathered, all twenty some-odd of us, except for a few…like RaXi, and Triskix, and Lexian. But Xait and Ama were easy enough to find.
Ximh gave them the black balls that Tamex had made, explaining that they were cloaking devices, and then Kyxsha addressed us all.
“Ladies and gentlemen, now is the time to FIGHT. After your missions, I know some of you are tired, but I assure you, this fight is NOT to the death; it is simply a battle to see which side has the upper hand in this WAR, the war to rule the worlds. So please, go to The World that ALWAYS was and show them. WE ARE NOT TO BE TRIFLED WITH. WE ARE ORGANIZATION THIRTEEN, AND WE WILL RULE THE WORLDS!”
I snorted a bit at her fanfare, leaned over to Ximh, and whispered, “In her overzealous haste, has she forgotten that we are not Org. XIII, but Organization Oblivion?”
He pouted. “Hey, leave her alone,” he whispered back.
The Leader, standing behind Kyxsha, opened up a huge portal to the Citadel. This was it; we were going to go through with a plan that I completely opposed and just knew from instinct was going to fail. I sighed, travelling through the portal with everyone else.
As we arrived in front of the Citadel, she called out, “WE COME HERE TO FIGHT! DO YOU ACCEPT OUR CHALLENGE, OR FORFEIT?”
I nearly slapped a palm to my face. Talk about obtrusive.
Organization Zero’s members came out of the Citadel’s main doorway. My eyes darted quickly across the ranks, searching for a ponytail of ice blue hair, but finding none. I narrowed my eyes in annoyance, and wondered where the dragon could be.
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He finally found what he had been looking for: a pair of golden armlets studded with beautiful tiger’s eye stones. He hadn’t believed the seer who had given them to him when she had foreseen his future need for them, but now, Pashnirix couldn’t have been more grateful. They would make perfect…gifts for his mate. He smiled ruefully.
“I am not so sure how well she will like them, though,” he mused to himself. Pricking his ears, he heard the call of Organization Oblivion outside the Citadel. Polishing his blade one last time and stowing the armlets in his pocket, he made his way up to the roof through a secret passageway and, hiding behind a spire, watched for his tigress.
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Kyxsha engaged in battle first, with someone who clearly knew how to push her buttons. Wasting no time, I grabbed Ximh by the arm. “Let’s go,” I said.
As I ran, I pulled into my element, feeling the feline ears forming on my head and my tail swishing around my legs. I hadn’t bothered wearing my boots, and I could feel the claws on my feet-turned-paws digging into the ground. Entering the Citadel, I quickly called on my camouflage, and watched the others as they used the balls that Tamex made. I had to give it to him, they worked pretty well. Had my other senses not been enhanced as they were, I probably wouldn’t have found them at all.
“Okay,” I whispered, “you know the plan. Ximh, you take the Central Tower. I’ll take the North and West Towers, Xait, you take East, and Ama, you take South. Understand?”
Everyone nodded, and Ximh said, “Good luck,” as we all set off. Carefully holding the bombs, I scampered off in the direction of the North Tower first.
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Pashnirix watched as Rexikat entered the Citadel. He had heard their plan, of course, and slipped from the roof to proceed to the North Tower. On his way there, however he met an obstacle…
“Serix,” sighed Pashnirix in annoyance. The man was ridiculously silent, only speaking with good reason, but he was terribly observant, and if anyone would have figured out his dealings with Rexikat, it would have been him.
“Pashnirix,” replied Serix, eyed the other man coldly. “You have been meeting with the enemy.”
The Dragon Duelist laughed him off. “Oh, that. You needn’t worry yourself, Serix. The Leader already—”
“The Leader knows of your plan,” Serix interrupted tonelessly. “He knows you were planning on running away with the Chained Rhapsody, their IX. He sent me to stop you.”
Pashnirix narrowed his eyes. “Running away? I would hardly call ‘kidnapping’ running away,” he taunted, folding his arms, still refusing to draw a weapon.
“Your antics will not sway me, Pashnirix,” answered Serix. “I serve Xerebus. He is my master, and his word is law. I will stop you, or die trying. You are not to leave with that Nobody.” He summoned forth a large sword, and Pashnirix could already feel the drain on his own energy. He would need to end this quickly.
Drawing his scimitar, he said, “Very well, Serix, but know that your fading will not disturb me in the least.”
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I reached the North Tower without incident. Quickly hurrying down the stairs to the base of the tower, I arranged the bomb exactly as I was instructed. My skin prickled as I worked, but I tried to ignore the feeling.
I couldn’t help but keep looking over my shoulder, not only for enemies, but for Pashnirix as well. Despite our arrangement to make it look like a kidnapping, I didn’t want to be caught off guard yet again. Finishing the job, I took one last glance around, and then hurried onto the next tower, the West Tower. Hopefully, the others would get theirs down just as fast and without incident.
Only one more tower to go…
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Part 1 of Rex's part in the Citadel Attack...
