1Chapter 1

He saw images, visions of many things. A group of knights and soldiers, battling an enemy in what looked to be like a valley. A woman in a desert, glowing purple as she threw fire at the charging men on horseback. Then the same woman, dressed in armor, battling her foes with the aid of an older soldier. A king, glowing with the magics of many, holding a jewel that shined brightly, and radiated a aura of powerful magic. Finally, another woman, with a face too perfect to be truly real, who stood there without fading as the other visions had. Her voice was like a pack of hounds belling at the hunt ,a great and terrible sound to behold.

"Accept your quest, Chosen Ones..."

Ryou bakura woke with a start. He'd been having the same dream all week, and he had no idea what it meant. /No use worrying over a stupid dream, hikari./

Ryou sighed. /I know, but I feel as if this dream is important, somehow./

/Worry about it later. Right now, you have to get to school./

Ryou sighed again, and got ready for school. As he was walking to school, he was joined by Malik. "Hey Ryou, what's up?"

"Nothing much, but I've been having these strange dreams lately..."

"Really? So have I, and I can't help feeling that they're important somehow."

"My dreams are the same way. I wonder what it means?"

The irony of this statement was, just as Ryou said it, both of them felt like they were being swallowed by darkness. They could see nothing but each other. "What the hell is going on!" said Bakura, as he materialized next to Ryou.

"You think that I know?" answered Malik. "What is this, the Shadow Realm?"

"This is the world between realms. I have brought you here so that I can explain to you everything that you will need to know, before you are sent to the other realm."

The voice was the same one from the dream, so great and terrible that it drove Ryou and Malik to their knees. "Who are you?"

"I am known as the Great Mother Goddess. I have called you from your world to help a country during troubled times. While you are in this realm, in the land of Tortall, you shall be disguised in the bodies of two ten-year olds. You will be known as the children of the Lord of Pirate's Swoop, who is a frail and sickly man who will die soon. You will be able to shift into you own bodies when you wish it. While you are here you must undergo the training of knights. You will watch over, and if need be, protect this mortal."

An image appeared in her hand, and grew. It was a boy with flaming red hair and bright purple eyes. As they watched, he was surrounded by a group of young, curious faces. Out of this group, a boy of about fourteen stepped forwards, and there was a harsh exchange of words between the two, before they began to fight, only to be stopped by a boy with jet black hair and sapphire eyes. The image faded.

"How long is this going to take?" asked Bakura.

"You will be in this realm for as long as it is necessary. Almost no time shall pass in your own realm. Your original bodies shall not age, though your false ones shall age appropriately. At the end of this time, you shall be returned to your world."

Ryou considered this for a moment. "What happens if we die?"

The Goddess smiled. "If you are killed, you shall return to your realm. But do not try to use this as a way to leave the realm, or you may find that your death is permanent. Do you accept?"

"Do we even have a choice?" said Malik. The Goddess smiled once again.

"You will see me again, but only when it is necessary. Do not disappoint me, young ones."

And with that, the Goddess disappeared. Bakura moved back into Ryou's body. They then found themselves in an old castle. As soon as they became fully aware of their surroundings, their forms began to change, first Malik, then Ryou.

Malik's face became younger, and he shrunk until he was the size of a ten year old. His skin lightened until it was the same shade as Ryou's. His hair turned black and grew shorter. The only part of him that didn't change was his eyes. They were still purple, and grew wide with shock as he looked into the nearest mirror

Ryou also shrank until he was the size of a ten year old. His hair turned black and short. His eyes were still a bright green. There were a dozen other small changes to his appearance. He looked in the mirror. "I hate short hair..."

Their clothes had also changed, from their ordinary clothes into shirts, breeches, and boots. "I hate long sleeves, and these clothes are itchy..." complained Malik. Bakura was about to reply, when a harassed-looking man-at-arms appeared. "There ye are! As if I haven't enough t'do already, escortin' ye two t'Corus! Ye were s'pposed to be at th' stables an hour ago!" The two followed him to the stables, where they saw three horses, ready for travel. Ryou was able to get on the horse with ease, thanks to Bakura, who had ridden horses before in Ancient Egypt. Malik, however, had not. He eyed the horse warily. "Malik just get on the damn thing!"hissed Bakura

"How?"

"Oh, come on, Malik! You can ride a motorcycle, can't you? It's not that hard to ride a horse!"

After much argument, failed attempts, and cursing, Malik got on his horse. Luckily, the horse was not very temperamental, or it would have been a much longer ride to Corus. As is was...

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No!"

"Are we there yet?"

"NO!"

"Are we there yet?"

"FER TH' LAST TIME, NO! BY TH' BLACK GOD, IF YE DON'T BE QUIET I'LL - I'LL -"

"Malik, maybe you should be quiet," said Ryou. Malik sulked for the rest of the ride. As a result, the rest of the ride was peaceful and quiet. It was almost sundown when they reached Corus. Malik and Ryou were in awe of the city They saw merchant and shopkeepers everywhere, and there were people who looked to be desert men, black men, ordinary people and all manner of appearances. Bakura noticed a particular young man watch them with a shrewd and calculating look in his eyes. When he saw Bakura was watching him, he grinned and winked, then vanished. "This place is amazing," said Malik. Ryou agreed. He had never seen anyplace like it.

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There's chapter one. Next chapter, they will meet all the other characters. The man-at-arms isn't going to stick around, he'll be gone most likely by the next chapter. I am trying to think of a name for this story, but I have no ideas. If you have any ideas, review and tell them to me. I know that this may seem confusing for those of you who have never read the books, but it will be less confusing later on...I hope. Please Review!