Black Feathers

This chapter starts everything.

We introduce Rafeleu (Rah fey loo)

And a hell of a lot on Sepharin's past, as to why she isn't an angel

And a lost about Yami, Seto and Yugi will be revealed.

I will note, for the record, that Phoenix and Firebird are NOT the same thing.

Phoenix is a bird that spontaneously combusts at the end of its life before being reborn.

Firebird is an eternal bird composed of flame (I did a fic on this and the relation with Yugi...more will tie in with this.)

Michael returns

Seto returns

The Ruined Gallery and the Ruined Nursery come.

The Ruined Fountain doesn't descend until later.

Neither does the Reflecting Pool.

And Hell is coming!

They want to attempt to get Yami back.

(smile)

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Black Feathers

Rafeleu

Touched
You say that I am too
So much of what you say is true
I'll never find someone
Quite like you
Again
I'll never find someone
Quite like you

Like you

The week after the ceremony, it was morning. Sepharin had grown accustom to waking up with Yami cuddling next to her for warmth. She had done the same with Yugi when Seto had been a real asshole. Sepharin gently rubbed Yami's back and he slowly opened his eyes. Sepharin smiled.

"I have a meeting with Seto today; we have to move things around in the Ruined Gallery. Is it okay if you spend the day with Raibain?" Seph asked.

"Sure."

Seph picked out some clothes, showered and waited outside for Raibain. She showed. Sepharin waved good-bye to them and said one thing before she went off.

"If Rafeleu comes, keep him away from Yami. I don't want history repeating itself." Then she vanished from sight.

Yami was puzzled, she had done the same thing over and over, warned about "Rafeleu". So, he decided to ask.

"Raibain, can I ask you a question about Sepharin?"

"Sure. Her measurements are a secret."

"Who is Rafeleu?"

Raibain stopped cold. She sighed and took Yami's hand.

"Come with me."

Raibain took him to the wisteria behind the temple. They both sat down and faced each other.

"Sepharin is not a divine being, in fact, she is a dragon. The last of the fabled Cyber Dragons...you know...ones who had the power to unite the worlds. I had been no more than a young cherub, when I found her in their abandoned Heaven Hatching Ground, now called the Ruined Nursery."

"Yes? Go on."

"When, she was born a dragon and the Almighty sealed her into a human shell. Her body aged differently, and now we are about the same age. But when she was growing up, she was wild and unbound. The Almighty issued her a tag collar, much like the one you have, and Rafeleu was her master."

Yami leaned forwards, listening intently.

"Every day and every night of the two years he had her, she was raped, beaten, abused, you name it. Everything under the sky happened to her. Rafeleu always wanted to show off her body more than her. Michael noticed how tame she was acting, and took it to the Almighty, exposing Rafeleu."

"Yes?"

"It took us another two years to undo everything that was done, and even now, he is the only thing she fears. The Almighty just slapped Rafeleu on the wrist and said 'no more'. He's still running around, and he swears revenge. He is convinced that Sepharin is his."

Yami sank back, absorbing what had been said. He felt sorry for Sepharin now. No one in Hell ever went through that, and here it was, having happened to someone Yami possibly considered his...

...friend?

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Seto landed at the archway to the ruined Gallery. He was a little late, and he hoped Sepharin wasn't mad. He would never admit it, but ever since the nekkid party, he had become a little softer. He called out for Sepharin, but no one answered. He stepped through the arches and walked down a corridor.

Then...he heard a voice that he knew shouldn't be there.

"You BELONG to ME Sepharin!!!!!!!!!!"

Seto cupped his hands together and released Phoenix, his totem.

"Tell all that history is repeating!" He shouted before racing down the hallway.

He slid into the room to see a familiar black haired, broken winged Archangel trying to strip Sepharin of her clothes. Sepharin was in too much pain to speak. Her hands had great nails driven thought the, her blue-silver blood leaking everywhere. Seto felt rage boiling inside him. It exploded.

"Get away from her Rafeleu!!" He shouted, releasing his sword from his hand and knocking Rafeleu aside. He stood over Sepharin protectively, praying that Phoenix would return soon.

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"That's Phoenix! Something must have happened!" Raibain shouted.

Yami looked up to see a great red bird with a long blue tail snaking behind it. It was screaming in warning. Moments later, a bird completely composed of flames rose behind it and headed West. There was a flash of light and Raibain was seated atop a black Pegasus. She pulled Yami behind her and they headed as fast as they could to a ruined temple.

The two of them rushed down a corridor and into a room. Yugi had already arrived, backing Rafeleu into a corner with his two swords, whereas the archangel only had one. Seto was removing nails from her body, wrapping her in his cape. She was clinging to him for dear life, afraid.

Yami and Raibain dashed to her and Seto.

"Sepharin, are you...are you okay?" Yami asked, fear slipping into his voice.

"Yami...? I'm okay..." Seph said, trying to cover how weak she sounded. She cringed away from Yami, and clung tighter to Seto.

Like Seto, rage began to boil inside of Yami. There was a sound of metal hitting metal, and bothe of Yugi's swords went flying to the ground. Yugi had been backed up as far back as Seto and co. Yami rose to his feet, glaring with eyes that made him look like the Hell's Angel, Epsilon Omega that he was. Rafeleu laughed and advanced.

"Well, my dragon has a tagged one of her own. Then you belong to me as well." Rafeleu reached for Yami...

Rage exploded inside of Yami, he lunged at Rafeleu, tag collar not activating because he was serving justice. Rafeleu dodged his easily with a sadistic grin on his face. Yami wheeled to face him, eyes blinded by his rage. Rafeleu looked at him with a playful evil in his eye.

"Activate restrict level one." He said as Yami lunged at him again.

The tag collar glowed and tightened instantly, breaking Yami from his rage-charge and bringing him to his knees, one hand at his throat and one on the floor. He coughed, trying desperately to get air. Refeleu knelt down and forced Yami to look at him. Though he lacked oxygen, Yami wasn't about to give in.

"Release restrict." Relefleu said, releasing Yami but still holding his face parallel.

Yami glared, now wanting to be in the position he was in.

"I guess I have to teach you some respect. Activate restrict level one."

The instant the collar tightened, pain exploded in Yami's right eye. He tried to scream as it got worse and worse. There was a horrid flesh-ripping sound and Yami shut his right eye, blood pouring from it.

"Release restrict."

Rafeleu released Yami, who dropped to his stomach and gasped for air. Rafeleu's foot slammed down on the middle of Yami's back.

"Stay down, Damned One. You are lucky I don't take you as my own. You'd be tamed in a week."

Rafeleu turned to the horrified and enraged looks from Yugi, Seto and Raibain.

"Let this be a warning to you..."

Pain exploded in Yami's head as Rafeleu kicked him as hard as he could. Yami went flying back into a broken pedestal covered in tree roots.

"Do not get in my way. Heaven and Hell will fall and the Chaos Faction shall rise."

Rafeleu turned back to Yami.

"You, Damned One, are going to be the first of my...donors...and your eye is very beautiful."

Rafeleu laughed and showed Yami's beautiful ruby-red eye to the archangels before vanishing in a cloud of smoke. Seto handed Seph to Raibain just as Michael and Gabriel came running in.

"Yami, are you okay?" Seto asked.

Yami's eye was shut tight, blood pouring out of it. He coughed before looking up with one good eye.

"Is she okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, we're taking her somewhere to get healed. We'd better do the same to you."

Yami didn't answer. He tried to get up twice, but fell each time. Seto aided him.

"Michael, can we take them both to the Reflecting Pool?" Raibain asked.

"Yes, and you'll have to tell us everything that happened."

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Meaning-full and long.

Reflecting Pool is next!!