Please note that Yu-Gi-Oh! is the property of its respective owner/s. Not me

AN:
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Writing style

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- Slightly inspired by something on Famous Fault's profile

WARNINGS: Immature Valon and Amelda.

Touch Me Not
Chapter 1

"NO!"

The bikers winced as a huge slam accompanied that cry. Only one didn't look away when the enraged individual stomped towards them, frightening eyes set in a serpentine glare.

"What is this?" Dartz growled, his eyes making headlong collision with sky blue irises. "Did I not give clear instructions that it is the Pharaoh I want up that wall?"

Rafael frowned. "I defeated him in the duel, master. So his soul sho—"

"CLEARLY YOU HAVE BEEN MISINFORMED!"

Rafael looked away, not wanting to enrage his lord any further. It was a wise move on his part. Dartz took a breath, his anger knocked down a peg or two.

"The Pharaoh's spirit inhabits a boy's body." Dartz started. Head lowered while he rubbed his temples, he slowly walked towards the altar. Upon reaching his destination, he looked up, eyes still angry though not as much as before. "You were not going against just one spirit. But two." He gestured for Rafael to approach him, which the latter did without hesitation. As soon as he reached his side, he gestured to one of the many slabs adorning the wall before them. "It was not the Pharaoh that you captured. Rather, it was the boy whose body the Pharaoh inhabits."

Rafael took a moment to study the slab designated for the Pharaoh's soul. It held a boy. Though he looked similar to the Pharaoh, he could tell that he was not the one they sought. He took a deep breath before turning to his lord, his head lowered in submissive apology. "I apologize for this mistake. Give me another chance. I will defeat the Pharaoh and bring back his soul."

"No..."

Rafael looked up, wanting to insist. But stopped short when he saw the stoic glare his lord was giving him.

"Bring the Pharaoh to me. Body and soul." Dartz said, keeping his eyes glued to the slab dominated walls. "I will personally strip his soul from the body."

"Bu—" Rafael was silenced by a glare. He let out a sigh. "Of course... Master Dartz" He turned to leave without even a glance back, ignoring Valon's hesitant call.

…

"He is near, I can feel his power. Stay close to the trail. And do not fail me again"

Rafael rubbed his temple, feeling the aftereffects of Dartz's telepathy. Skidding his bike to a perfectly timed halt at the edge of a cliff, he scanned the area. A train station was up ahead, near enough for him to see anyone but not enough to distinguish any faces. However, seeing the spiky head disappearing through a soon-to-be departing train was enough to confirm that he has found his target.

The train blew its whistle, his bike roaring not long after.

…

Rafael had, long ago, learned to expect the unexpected. That anything could happen at any given time. But he was never prepared for what just happened. Unintentionally ignoring Dartz's shrieks inside his head, he watched, wide eyed and in immobilizing terror, as the train plummeted off the tracks. He could hear the few occupants screaming. So far that was all he could hear. A young man and a young woman screaming in terror. He barely registered the sickening, bone chilling crash as the train was reduced to a pile of crushed, broken, and dented metal.

It took an entire minute for his senses to return to him. And when it did, he immediately rushed into action. Sliding down the angled side of the cliff, he reached the bottom under a minute. He started combing through the wreckage, eyes and ears alert for any sign of life.

And then he heard it...

It was faint. So weak that he almost dismissed it as a trick of the river that ran close by. But it came again. A quiet moan, the owner clearly in agony. He carefully approached where he believed he heard it, his ears straining to hear any other cry. Pushing what was once a door, Rafael bit his lip upon seeing what—rather, who lay beneath.

The pharaoh's eyes were half closed, teeth weakly clenched. His lower half was buried beneath the wreckage. He had cuts and welts all over. And judging from the red liquid staining the metal crushing his hip, his lower half was in worse shape. He stared at Rafael who began pushing the metal off of him

"Is he still alive? Good. Bring him to me"

Rafael made quick work of the metal that pinned the king down. He frowned upon seeing the legs and an arm twisted in all the wrong places. As the Pharaoh turned to face him, their eyes locked, his own widening upon contact with hurt and despaired wine colored orbs.

"I have sent Amelda and Valon to your location should you need any help in restraining the Pharaoh."

"I don't think there is a need for that." Rafael mumbled to himself, his hard gaze tenderized by sympathy as he watched the Pharaoh trying—and ultimately failing—to hide his tears. He shuffled closer to his injured target, carefully stepping over some dented metal in the way.

The Pharaoh flinched as Rafael loomed over him. He kept silent as his eyes remained glued to Rafael's. He made an attempt to move away as the latter bent to pick him up. But it was futile. To his surprise, the man he had identified as an enemy handled him carefully, making sure not to aggravate any of his wounds. Despite that, the Pharaoh remained alert and tense, as he was too weak to put up a struggle. His arms were pressed to his chest, knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists, and frightened wine colored eyes turning a shade of fierce, battle-ready crimson as he regarded his captor/savior. There was no way he would consider dropping his guard in the enemy's presence. Even when said enemy was holding him like a newly wedded groom would to his bride.

Rafael just stared at his thrall, not knowing what to say. He couldn't assure him that he would be alright. Not with what Dartz planned to do to him. "You can relax. I won't hurt you." He said evenly.

The Pharaoh's eyes narrowed in distrust and exhaustion. His vision was going in and out of focus and he could only hear every other word Rafael was saying. He was vaguely aware of the sudden gust of wind that blew around them and the beating sound of spinning blades before he fell unconscious.

A helicopter had arrived, landing a few meters from Rafael and the Pharaoh. Opening the door and taking a rather exaggerated exit, Valon trotted towards his comrade and the now unconscious man in his arms. "'uh boy... Tha' doesn't look too good" He murmured upon scanning the Pharaoh. "Doesn't look so tough now." He added playfully. "Anywho, we need to get going. Dartz wants to see him for himself"

Dartz was livid. No. He was beyond that. Never before had he felt so angry and held back as he glared daggers at the Pharaoh's unconscious form, his eyes finding it difficult to steer away from the mangled limbs. He grit his teeth, then opened his mouth for a retort, but he stopped short. He had seen from Rafael's eyes that the train had fallen. He knew the Pharaoh was injured from that fall, but he did not know that it was to this extent. How was he supposed to duel him when he's in no condition for it?

"Master Dartz?"

With a growl, he turned away with a flare of his robes and swept through the entrance of Paradius, leaving behind his three dumb founded swordsmen with the unconscious monarch.

"Master Dartz!"

Dartz stopped with a sigh. The first one was Rafael. Now. "Leave me be, Valon"

"What about—"

"Keep an eye on him and make sure he recovers soon. I can't possibly duel him like that." Dartz said irritably as he turned to glare at his henchmen

With that, he vanished down the hall.

Silence had fallen upon the three Swordsmen until Valon turned to his fellows, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Did he just order us to be babysitters?"

And there you have it. When will this be updated? I don't know. I'm rather busy. But one thing's for sure: If I can't continue, I'll take this down.