Author's comments: This first chapter is just introduction, so it's much shorter than the later ones will be. This is my second try at writing fanfiction, after a disastrous attempt a few years ago I quickly lost interest in; I'm hoping this won't happen here. Canon Z-one, so not future Yusei. Rated T in case I decide to get a little darker later on. All comments greatly appreciated.

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of its spinoffs, cards, or characters.

The first thing Z-one saw as he opened his eyes was blinding, brilliant light, followed soon after by a searing flame that threatened to burn him to mere dust. Before the flame could fully consume him, however, it vanished, replaced by a massive red suit of armor, a grinning face projected onto the chestplate.

"Metaion", Z-one growled, his voice somehow synthesized even in whatever afterlife this was, his body still fused with his mechanical exoskeleton. "I suppose that I am now to pay abusing your power and nearly?"

"Not for me to decide." smirked the mechanical angel. "All I can say is that the big man himself wants to talk to you. He'll give you the story."

"Sephiron himself?" asked Z-one. "Given the magnitude my crime, I suppose it only appropriate, but it's nevertheless rather surprising that he would address me directly."

"Yeah, well, he's the boss. His orders." replied Metaion. "Now then, if you'd follow me?" finished the angel, in a tone suggesting the conversation was over.

Z-one dutifully followed Metaion through the white abyss, noticing very little change in the environment until suddenly noticing three rings stacked on the ground - "Ain Soph Aur, the Infinite Light", thought Z-one.

Upon arriving at the sacred artifact, a giant beam of energy shot from the rings, forming a tree in the sky. Metaion floated into the tree and rose to the very top as the other Temporal Machine Gods appeared in their respective places: Tzaphion and Razion below Metaion, Camion and Zadion below them, Raphion below them, Michion and Hairon below Raphion, Gabrion below them, and Sandaion, most powerful of the ten, at the very bottom. As the ten were absorbed into the Tree of Life, a light shone forth from the center of the tree, and from it emerged the most powerful Duel Spirit ever known, Sephiron, the Ultimate Temporal Machine God. His blue-and-gold armor emerged first, his face a blur melding into its proper form. When his face finally settled, he began to speak.

"Z-ONE. THE ONE WHO USED OUR POWER. THE ONE WHO ABUSED OUR POWER NOW STANDS BEFORE US."

"What you say is true. I will accept whatever punishment you offer."

"PUNISHMENT? YES, I SUPPOSE I SEE WHY YOU WOULD THINK THAT. HOWEVER, MY PLANS FOR YOU ARE FAR DIFFERENT. I WISH FOR YOU TO RETURN TO THE LIVING."

"To the living? I, by my own hand, nearly inflicted a dire wound on humanity, yet you would send me back?"

"YOU DOUBT ME, MORTAL? EVEN NOW? WHAT YOU SAY IS INDEED TRUE. YOU FOUGHT TO DESTROY HUMANS, YES, AND THAT WAS WRONG, YES, BUT EVEN SO, YOU HAD A REASON. YOU SAW ONLY DESPAIR, AND ACTED IN WHAT YOU BELIEVED WAS THE ONLY COURSE FOR HUMANITY. BUT, IN THE END, YOU SAW HOPE, A HOPE THAT ENABLED YOU TO ABANDON YOUR PLANS. THAT IS WHY I HAVE CHOSEN YOU FOR THIS TASK, AND NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, FUDO YUSEI, THE GUARDIAN OF HOPE. YOU ALONE HAVE SEEN BOTH CRUSHING DESPAIR AND BRILLIANT HOPE. YOU ALONE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP HUMANKIND ON THE CORRECT PATH. ALTHOUGH HUMANITY HAS NOT USED THE CORRUPTIBLE POWER OF MOMENT FOR MANY DECADES, THEIR GREED NONTHELESS THREATENS TO CONSUME THEM. THEREFORE, I WISH YOU, AND YOUR EMPERORS, THE ONLY AMONG MANKIND TO KNOW DESPAIR AND HOPE IN EQUAL MEASURE, TO ONCE AGAIN STEER HUMANITY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION."

"You... you would restore not only me, but my comrades as well?"

"INDEED. THEIR POWER WILL BE OF USE TO YOU. I ALSO HAVE ONE MORE GIFT - A NEW DECK. USE IT, UNLESS OUR POWER WILL BE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY."

"As... you wish, Lord Sephiron."

"VERY WELL, THEN. RETURN."

With those final words, the light faded. When Z-one opened his eyes again, he saw his chamber, his constant place of repose in Ark Cradle.

"Even my fortress is restored to me?" thought Z-one to himself. Noticing his voice, he further mused, "However, it appears my humanity has not been. I am still as much machine as man. Though, I suppose that is of little importance, all things considered."

Looking around further, Z-one saw three bodies standing at the edge of the room. As he approached, all three opened their eyes at once, the middle one beginning to speak?

"Z-one?" asked Aporia. "What are we doing here?"

"Aporia. Antinomy, Paradox. We have been givin a second chance. Yliaster has been reborn."