Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Gorgeous Carat (YGO version) ❯ The Dragon of Maghreb Part 13 ( Chapter 20 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

“Wow this place is huge!” the spiky haired boy said in awe as they looked around the ancient castle for Noir. “Why don’t we climb one of those watch towers so we can get a better look?”
He started to head for the nearest tower when his taller and older look alike jerked him back. “Hide!” he hissed upon hearing footsteps and drawing them deeper into the shadows. Yugi shook nervously, not wanting to be caught by ‘that man’ again.
“Why didn’t you tell us there were people here?!” the blond Egyptian hissed back at the detective.
Atem said nothing as he watched men scurry past them, grateful that luck was on their side and yet to be spotted. “Those were definitely the Black Hand… Ezhdar’s men,” he finally said once it was safe, “So he’s alive after all.”
The white haired boy who had been leaning against a patch of wall that had been poorly repaired over the long years suddenly let out a gasp as he felt the wall behind him give way, several stones clattering to the floor loudly.
“Who’s there?!” shouted one of the men, turning around and causing his comrades to follow.
“Just what are you doing?!” Atem hissed in anger.
“Way to go clutz!” added Malik
“Hmph!” Noir’s cousin spat indignantly, “In case you haven’t noticed, this place is falling apart!”
“Quit it!” ordered Yugi, surprising them by the sudden aggressiveness, “Now’s not the time for this! We’ve gotta run!”
“Hold it right there!” cried one of the Black Hand, having spotted them.
Noir’s would be rescuers dashed down the hall, the thugs hot on their heels. “This way!” Malik said, turning around a corner that could have easily been missed in the dim light. They startled at the sudden loud crack of a gun going off. Malik winced as he felt something bite hard into his shoulder. Desperately trying to shake off the blinding pain, he failed to notice the figure looming at the end of the new hall and promptly crashed into it.
“Malik!” Ryou cried, also failing to see the figure smirking at them. “You ok?”
“It’s noth…” The Egyptian froze like a deer caught in a car’s headlights. ‘Oh no! Ezhdar!’ he moaned silently, realizing they were doomed now.
“Malik?” the white haired boy whimpered, feeling just as uneasy as his blond companion. That single blue eye unnerved him immensely.
“Where is he?!” shouted Malik, pounding at the mob boss’s chest futilely, “Where’s Noir?!”
“He fell into the sea,” was all the evil man said, never ceasing to be amused at the shorter blond’s shock and pain.
Malik had reached the end of his rope. Now that the news of Noir’s possible death had been added to the never ending pain in his shoulder along with the slowly seeping red fluid, his overly stressed body could no longer hold him up. The last he saw was a grinning Ezhdar and that single soul piercing icy blue eye.
“Malik!” Ryou yelled, dashing forward and catching the slightly taller boy before he crashed into the hard, cold stone floor.
“Malik!” Yugi cried from another branching hall that the Egyptian had missed due to the pain.
“I know how you feel,” Atem whispered, holding the distraught boy back, “but don’t be a fool Yugi. Malik would never forgive you if you let yourself get caught too.” Yugi hung his head in defeat, knowing that his taller look alike was right. Once he saw the boy wasn’t about to do anything rash, Atem led him further into the castle.
“Sorry boss,” a thug said, carefully approaching the tall brunet. “The other two got away.” That earned a glare from Ezhdar, causing him to nearly make a mess right there and then. “Get after them you idiots!” the thug bellowed at his fellows and scurried off along with them.

‘Noir can’t be dead!’ Yugi silently cried as he desperately tried to keep up with his older look alike. ‘You said you’d come back for me! You always… came back. Please don’t let that be true! It can’t be!’
Meanwhile, Atem’s thoughts were on a completely different subject. ‘Damn that bastard’s goons are here too,’ he swore, ducking back into the shadows. He was about to yank his smaller companion away as well when said companion let out a gasp as he felt someone grab onto him and pull him into the shadows.
“Yugi!” Atem hissed, drawing his gun and aiming at the hidden figure.
“Whoa, not so fast,” the boy’s captive said releasing Yugi but making sure the boy was hidden in the shadows and out of sight of Ezhdar’s men.
‘I-It can’t be!’ Yugi thought, not believing his ears. ‘That voice! It’s...’
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about me already,” the man whispered stepping out of the shadows, his silvery white hair glowing in the dim light. He couldn’t help smirk a little at their shocked faces.
Yugi felt an immense rage rise up in him. ‘I don’t believe him!’ he silently fumed. ‘How dare he make me think he died!’ Before any of them knew what was going on, there was a loud smack of flesh hitting flesh as Yugi’s tightly clenched fist struck the thief’s face. “Why didn’t you tell us you were still alive!” the boy shouted, tears streaming down his anger reddened cheeks.
“You didn’t have to hit me,” groused Noir, rubbing his aching cheek, “Yeesh you’re violent when you get mad.”
“Serves you right,” Yugi humphed, jerking his head away and pouting, “I thought you were dead… he said…”
“Dummy,” the white haired thief scolded jokingly as he ruffled Yugi’s soft spikes, “You should know by now I don’t die so easily. Besides, you haven’t paid back what you owe me yet.”
“I should have known that’s all you’d care about,” the shortest of the three grumbled, “See if I worry about again you heartless bastard.”
‘It’s like they’re in their own little world,’ Atem mused, ‘I’d hate to interrupt them, but this isn’t exactly the safest place to be right now.’
“Guys,” Atem started, but neither of his companions paid attention.
“Oh ho, you were worried about me weren’t you?” teased Noir.
“Bastard!” spat Yugi turning away again, but he really was relieved the thief was alive. He didn’t know what he’d do if Noir were really dead.
“So how did you…” Atem asked stepping between the thief and Yugi to get the slightly taller man’s attention.
“If that bastard Ezhdar believed I died, then he’d lighten up on the security around here. I snuck in right under his nose. I knew you’d chase after us. Anyway, do you have that ring Yugi?”
“Here!” the boy grumbled, still miffed and shoved the knight’s ring into Noir’s face.
“Good boy. You keep it for now, that’s our trump card.”
“Just what are you up to Bakura?” Atem asked, eyeing the thief suspiciously.
“I’ve got a score to settle… by myself. This ends with my own two hands.”
“Wait!” Yugi called as Noir headed back into the shadows and depths of the castle.
“Stay out of this Yugi,” he hissed, shoving Yugi back toward Atem, “This is my problem. I won’t let anyone get in my way, even if it’s you.” With that he disappeared into the castle.

“You won’t get away with this!” screamed Ryou. He had been tied up along with the blond Egyptian whose injury had stopped bleeding only because the fabric of his shirt was now glued to the wound and keeping the flow at bay. “The world will know of your foul deeds Kaiba!”
“Hey boss, ya want us ta shut ‘em up?” one of the brunet’s thugs asked, fingering his gun eagerly.
“Leave them alone,” Ezhdar snapped, “We need them to lure out the other rats we seem to have attracted. There’ll be plenty of time for that later. Now get your lazy asses moving and hurry up!” The thugs then scurried about and went to do whatever it was they’d been assigned to do.
Ezhdar ignored the hustling going on around him and pulled out a rather ancient piece of paper. ‘According to this,’ he said, his single visible eye pouring over the map drawn on it, ‘There should be a secret door in this chapel – modeled after Solomon’s temple.’
He began searching along with a few of his men and came upon two enormous pillars that were set aside from the others that were aligned at the chapel’s entrance. ‘This is it,’ he almost cried out in his excitement. ‘These are the pillars of Jachin and Boaz. The door should be… yes!’ The outline of a hidden door could be faintly seen in the torchlight.
“You find something boss?”
He slipped the knight’s ring into the barely visible depression and turned it. Nothing. No creaking of ancient neglected hinges, no unexpected booby traps. Absolutely nothing.
“Bring those two over here,” Ezhdar demanded, furious that he’d been duped.
“If you’re going to kill us, just get it over with!” snapped Malik, glaring at the thug latched onto his uninjured arm.
“Malik,” Ryou whispered in shock. Was he really that willing to die? In a place like this?!
“Such bravery,” sneered the taller brunet. “That boss of yours is really something,” the brunet said, leering over the blond, “He actually managed to trick me for once in his pathetic life. I can’t believe I let him make a fool of me with this fake!” He then threw the false ring to the floor with such force that it bounced slightly before rolling off into the distance.
“Alright, I think you’ve gotten far enough,” Ezhdar said glaring at the henchman still holding onto Malik. “Take that stupid disguise off. I should have known you’d sneak yourself in with my men Bakura.”
“Now who’s ‘really something’?” the man said ripping off the costume to reveal the white haired thief. “You really don’t miss a thing Ezhdar.” He jumped out of the way when one of Ezhdar’s men fired a shot at him, pulling Malik out of the way with him.
“Hold still Malik I’ll get you untied,” the thief said, poking at the knot with the barrel of his gun.
“Y-You’re alive Noir!” the Egyptian cried in a mixture of joy, relief, and disbelief.
There was another gunshot, which missed of course, and Noir shoved the blond toward the chapel entrance. “Run!” he ordered, “I’ll keep them busy here.”
Malik looked between the entrance and his master, unsure of what to do. He knew he should do as told and run, but he couldn’t bear to tear himself away, fearful for the white haired man’s safety.
Ezhdar growled and aimed his gun at the still hesitating Egyptian. Noir let out a growl of his own and put all his might into one bone shattering kick. The brunet let out a shout of pain, dropping the gun, his hand aching immensely. He was lucky that that kick hadn’t actually broken any bones.
“Nice try old friend,” Ezhdar hissed venomously as two thugs quickly latched themselves onto the now glaring and struggling Malik.
“Damn!” the thief snapped back.
“Now be a good boy and give me the real ring.” Noir spat at his former friend’s smirking face.
“You want it, you can have it!” cried Yugi barging into the chapel.
“Yugi!” scolded Malik, angry to see the boy he’d come to see as a friend or even a younger brother put himself in danger. Yet again.
“You can have the ring, but let them go first!”
“You damned idiot!” bellowed Noir, utterly furious now, “Why did you have to be so damned reckless?!”
He made his way to an old arrow slit and held the ring out over the pounding sea below. “You’d better let them go,” he warned, praying his fear of the man wouldn’t be easily seen on his face. His nails dug into the skin of his palm making sure he wouldn’t drop the ring due to the uncontrollable shaking of his hand. “or I’ll drop it. That water looks pretty rough down there, it’ll be pretty hard to find one little ring.”
“Yugi watch out!” Noir cried, seeing that the now irate brunet was now hell bent on charging the boy. Poor Yugi just stood there like a scared rabbit unable to move. He flinched as the sudden whoosh and crack of the thief’s whip sailed by him.
While the two once friends were busy fighting, one of Ezhdar’s thugs decided to sneak up behind the white haired thief with a raised piece of lead piping. Seeing that his master was about to get the drop put on him, Malik bulldozed himself into the much larger man. The two went down in a tangled heap of limbs, both struggling not to only untangle themselves, but to gain possession of the now dropped lead pipe. The Egyptian finally managed to grab hold of the discarded weapon and conked the thug soundly on the back of the head, knocking the criminal out cold.
“Malik!” Ryou whined, both grateful and angry at the same time for being ignored. “Untie me already!” The blond glared at Noir’s look alike cousin, but quickly and begrudgingly rushed to fulfill the whiny brat’s request.
“You’re hurt!” Yugi gasped noticing the red staining his hand when he had grabbed onto the thief’s arm.
“Forget about it! Just run already!” Noir shouted, forcing the boy to stumble in the opposite direction from the steadily advancing Ezhdar. The white haired thief then deftly dodged yet another pistol shot from the brunet’s gun.
“Noir! It’s a dead end this way!” the boy called.
“Use the ring!” Noir shouted back, desperately trying to ignore the pain of his wound while staying one step ahead of the Mafioso. “Put it in that hole in the wall!” he instructed once he saw where he had shoved Yugi to.
Remembering what the older man had done back at the ruined church in Tunisia, Yugi hurriedly twisted the ring open then rammed it into the depression Ezhdar had tried to open scant minutes earlier.
“Hurry Yugi!” Noir called again dodging another bullet.
“My hand’s slipping!” the boy yelled, barely able to keep his hand steady as he hurried to turn the ring. There was a faint click like the last time and he thanked whoever was listening as the hidden door swung open, though with quite an amount of protest due to lack of maintenance.
Seeing his escape, Noir dashed over to the spiky haired boy and pulled him along as he ran through the now opened hidden passage.
“Noir!” Malik shouted hurrying after his master, barely making it as the door started to shut itself.
“Malik don’t be a fool!” Atem protested, having finally reached the chapel after chasing down his reckless look alike. He had been about to latch onto the blond when the door finally shut firmly, separating the group yet again.
“It won’t budge!” Ryou whined, trying to figure out how it had opened in the first place.
Noir winced as the pain of his wound finally won the battle for attention now that Ezhdar was out of the way. “You need to get that treated!” Yugi said, worried for the thief for the umpteenth time.
“I said to forget about it,” griped Noir, “Quit being such a worry-wart.”
“But…”
“Yugi!”
The boy let out a terrified squeak as he felt himself yet again grabbed from behind.
“What I’d like to know is,” said Ezhdar, making sure his little prize couldn’t get away this time no matter how much he’d struggle, “when did you get so soft Bakura?”
“Let him go you bastard!” The white haired man didn’t wait for the Mafioso to respond. He sprang at the much taller man and managed to land a punch to Ezhdar’s gut, causing the man to stagger back loosing his grip on the boy slightly.
“Must you insist on resisting me to the very end, Bakura?” the brunet queried tiredly.
Noir’s chocolate brown eyes narrowed and darkened to almost pure black coals. He was beyond furious now. This monster had dared touch not to mention threaten what was his for the last and final time. Much like an angry viper, he struck out with his whip with lightning speed.
Yugi let out a startled cry as he found himself up against the wall. “You’re in the way,” growled Ezhdar after casting the boy aside like a rag doll. “Now die by your own incompetence!” he snarled cocking his gun and raising it toward the thief’s head.
‘Great, just great,’ Noir grumbled, finding himself unable to keep himself steady due to the increasing blood loss of his wound. ‘I’m starting to fade here.’ The thief started slightly when he heard the gunshot, but felt no pain, no sudden loss of life.
“I can’t believe I missed!” groused Malik, pouting. The Egyptian squeaked and jumped away as Ezhdar brought out his own whip and lashed at his would be assassin, snatching the gun away from his tan hand.
“Malik,” Noir moaned, stumbling toward the blond, concerned.
“Stay there Noir!” Malik shouted, seeing that his master had been wounded pretty badly. “Don’t move!”
Using the distraction, the taller brunet for the umpteenth time that day, fired a bullet. It ricocheted off the stone walls and grazed the Egyptian’s foot as it went flying by. “That hurt,” whined the blond. He was about to spout quite a few colorful curses at Ezhdar when a moan by the wall drew his attention. Choosing to chew out the brunet another time, he rushed over to Yugi’s side.
“Noi…” the shortest one began.

************************************************************

“Would you believe it?” Atem said coughing as he and Noir’s cousin made their way through the enormous amount of dust the detective had caused. “All I had to do was kick that door hard enough and it crumbles like paper.”
“Well, this place has been exposed to sea air for seven hundred years,” Ryou quipped annoyedly, “So of course it would deteriorate.”
“Whatever. Let’s go, that sounded like a gunshot just now.”
Ryou’s eyes widened at the shorter man’s words, “You’d better be okay Malik,” he whispered under his breath.
It wasn’t long before they were able to catch up with the others. Atem dashed over to the slumped thief while, said thief’s cousin rushed over to Malik.
“Are you okay?” they both asked their respective targets.
“Ezhdar!” Noir cried, spotting the brunet running off deeper into the passage.

~TBC~

Sakura: Yeesh. I think Shikamaru may be rubbing off on me. I just haven’t been able to get off my lazy kiester and finish this thing. This is all your fault Jade!!!

Jade: I don’t seem to recall twisting your arm to play that game, Sakura.

Sakura: It’s your fault for being sooooooooo amusing!!!

Peony: She does have a point there. You are a fun guy to be around Jade.

Jade: Your majesty, I’d hardly consider myself ‘a fun guy.’

Sakura: But you are!!! Anyway I’m reeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllyyyy sorry for not getting these parts out sooner. -.-‘’’’’’’’’’