Disclaimer: The concept for this story came to me well before the Japanese episodes of Yu-gi-oh ended and well before the English dubs came out with Capsule Monsters the mini series with Alexander the Great. I wrote this story back when I was working on Hidden Hearts 4 and some ideas are in this story however they have no relation to it. However this story is completely new and I am trying a different way of writing with the help of my editor who is my muse of inspiration and can't seem stop bugging me about this story that only started because I typed it out so it would leave me alone lol. However bless her heart for keeping it going and growing. Thanks sis. I don't own Yu-gi-oh, I am just a fan who likes to try to write interesting stories for people so enjoy

The Essence of the amulets

Chapter 1

The Guardians

The Legend

A Long time ago in the ancient times, two great nations were at war with each other. They created amulets with special powers and abilities. The amulets were given to the most trusted warriors of the two great nations, and they fought to protect there capital cities using the strength of the amulets which contained the powers of monsters. Over time the battles ended and the amulets met their match against more powerful items, eventually one nation had a bigger gun.

In the future

A figure stood on a hilltop her long hair flying against the wind as she stood with her outline against the setting sun. "I will bring you back'' she thought she cut herself little with her dagger just enough to draw blood, "I will find you all again, I swear by my own blood!"

5 years before

A girl and her friends were walking down the street, you would normally think of them as regular teens, but that is fair from the truth, for destiny has made a plan's of it's own for them all.

Kohana Muto, short but not very tall, teenage girl with long red hair and eye-catching features, looks that match her mother Tea Gardner Muto.

Josh Wheeler, need we say more, Josh is Joey's son, a good looking, and tall like his father, same hair cut and all almost a duplicate of his dad as a teenager but with a bit more brains that he got from his mother Mai.

Leo Devlin, son of Duke Devlin, had green eyes like his dad looked and dressed like him too, except Leo had short black hair looking like your average person.

Ryan Taylor, son of Serenity and Tristan, he has short brown hair and golden eyes, almost the same height as Josh.

Finally, the last of the group was Orion Muto who looked very similar to the famous duelist Yugi Muto, except with a very light tan, he dueled outside a lot.

The group was walking home from school as they did everyday, when they heard a woman crying for help. Orion and Kohana immediately recognized the call for help it was the voice of their own mother. "Kohana you stay here," yelled Orion grabbing Josh and Ryan to investigate. Kohana followed as well, even though her brother told her to stay put. Leo ran after Kohana since he was left behind to watch the girl, "Kohana, come back here," he said running after the young teen.

"Shut up Leo, I am going to help, so try to stop me," said Kohana running away from him.

Tea held against a wall by a beastlike soldier, "Give me the amulet armor you wench!" commanded the beast.

"I have no idea what are you talking about, what are amulet armors?" asked Tea.

The beast moved closer to Tea, he gave Tea a good whiff of its, bad breath causing her cringe. "Don't play dumb with me, I know you have them, give me the Dark Magician amulet armors now!" he ordered "I don't have time for games."

A voice from behind the beast soldier, yelled, "You want some amulet armors you got them,"

The creature turned as he was suddenly blasted by a light from a large sword, "Well, well it seems like you decided to use the amulet armors after all, and this will be child's play Yugi."

Yugi stood there with a confident smirk on his face, he was very grown up now, and he was dressed up like Black Luster soldier. "Step away from my wife, Zore," he said.

Just tell me where you are keeping the amulet armors, I need the armors of the magicians, give me what I want and perhaps I will let you little dancing wife live," said Zore pulling out a knife.

"HELP ME!" Tea' peeped sounding helpless then under her breath she said "Kick his butt Yugi."

"Don't start without me," said another voice coming from the sky, "White lighting attack!" yelled a guy in blue eyes amulet armor.

Zore moved quickly, however he was not quick enough and was stuck by the lighting of the blue eyes dragon warrior, "AHH! I will get you for that Kaiba!" he snapped, disappearing in a gas form.

Seto landed next to Yugi, after watching him change from Black Luster soldier. Seto changed back into his normal attire, hearing the voices of a group of teens approaching.

Tea looked at Yugi and Seto, "You better take off the armors guys, the kids are coming," she said to Kaiba.

Seto nodded, he used his ability from the amulet, which engraved with a blue white dragon, that he had hidden under his shirt to make him self reflect light and become invisible. Yugi walked over to Tea, "Are you ok?" he asked concerned. Tea nodded and kissed Yugi, just as the teens arrived.

"MOM!" said Orion in shock, "You're not in danger?" he asked once he ran in to sight range of his parents.

"Oh no it was just your father scaring the day lights out of me," said Tea, seeing Josh, Ryan, then Kohana, and Leo.

"Oh man we missed it?" asked Kohana running up to her mother.

"Missed what? Dad was just scared the living day lights out of Mom," said Orion to his little sister, "Wait a minute didn't tell you to stay put?"

Kohana shook her head, "Hey I may be 13 years old Mr. 15 year old don't be making me a cheerleader, I wanted to help too," she said. Tea looked at Yugi as trying to play complete clueless to anything happening other then just the two arguing as usual like siblings.

Tea and Yugi took the two kids while the rest of the group walked back to the game shop. Seto was sitting on the steps with Joey, they were both arguing as they usually did everyday about who was the better duelist and had more brains. Seto's daughter who had arrived earlier stood against the door, trying to make them stop arguing. "Well it isn't Kisty" said Josh with a smirk.

Kisty had long blue hair with white highlights; she had attracting pale complexion with blue eyes. She looked exactly like her mother in fact the only thing she probably inherited from Seto was his not so friendly attitude.

"Don't even think about it Josh," warned Seto's stuck up, Kisty as she walked between the arguing adults.

Ryan and Leo shook there heads, "Well, aren't you a site for sore eyes," said Leo.

Kisty smiled, "Hello Leo, nice to see you it's been a while, however what are you doing hanging with the old rag tag Team?" she asked him.

Leo crossed his arms, "No reason, except to teach how to help the pity cases here on how to snag a girl," he laughed.

Kisty shook her head and looked at Tea, "Would you stop my Dad for me, he hasn't stopped fighting with Joey since he got here," she asked.

Tea nodded as she walked over to Joey and grabbed him by the ear, "Don't make me tell Mai you're fighting with Kaiba again, you two have a peace agreement for now," she said.

Yugi stood next to Seto, "Don't make me tell Alec either," he warned.

Seto shook his head at Yugi, "OH no don't tell my wife," he said in a sarcastic tone, "Please Yugi, that doesn't work on me like it does Mutt Boy."

Joey heard it, "WHAT! I'LL SHOW YA, MUTT BOY, YOU PAIN IN THE…."

"JOESPH BARNEY WHEELER!" yelled Mai as Joey was about to insult Seto.

(Editor note to author: I made one up for him since I didn't know if he had one)

"There are children are present," she said.

Leo, Ryan, Kohana, Josh, and Orion just looked up at the sky acting, as they were not paying attention to the incidents happening in front of them.

Seto snickered "your middle name is Barney, were you named after the purple dinosaur"

"Shut it money bags," said Joey.

Kisty just rolled her eyes, "Could we just get this over, with I have work to do!" she snapped, "I didn't graduate early from high school for kids' stuff like this."

"Work, work, work, you are starting sounding just like your Dad, Kisty," said Orion.

"Like you would know anything, about…" spat Kisty just as she caught the protective glares of Joey, Yugi, Tea, and her father, "Never mind Orion, you just wouldn't understand," she said walking over to her father.

Yugi and Tea let everyone into the game shop as well as the house; the teenagers excluding Kisty went to the living room to do their homework while everyone else went into the kitchen where they all could talk privately.

"Ok so what happened out there?" asked Joey surprised to hear that Zore attacked Tea in broad day light.

"He knows our names," Tea said as she sat down at the table.

"Well what's to stop him from attacking us for the amulet armors, since he knows who we are now," said Kisty a little worry hinted in her voice at first but it disappeared quickly.

Seto shook his head, "quiet down Kisty, the other kids can hear us," he said

"Look," Kisty said quietly, "We need help; Zore is getting more powerful with each time we encounter him and we still don't know who is pulling his strings."

Tea and Yugi looked at Kisty, "The other kids shouldn't be involved in this, protecting the armors amulets it's our jobs now, not Josh, Ryan, Orion, or Kohana's, got that," snapped Tea.

"I am just trying to help," Kisty spoke while leaning back in her chair crossing her arms, "Stupid amulets," she muttered.

Seto shook his head, "You know that we need to keep an eye out, and not get to worry about those four they can take care of themselves."

Leo stuck his head in the door, "Umm, you might want to hurry this up, Josh and Kohana are about to start dueling they already started challenging other," he said.

"Look, we stick to the plan, we protect those amulet armors, and souls within them, it's just what we have to do," said Yugi.

Kisty and Seto rolled their eyes, "Fine, however next time you run in to Zore. Tea make sure you don't scream for help," Seto spat, getting up to leave.

"Watch it Kaiba," Tea snapped at him.

"Will you update Alec for us?" asked Yugi trying to show a little a bit of gratitude to Kaiba for helping since that didn't happen very often. Seto and Kisty nodded and headed out the door.

Leo stood there with his head still in the door, "Let me guess you didn't get much done?" he asked.

Tea and Yugi nodded, as Joey stood up, "I don't get it why would Zore go after you Tea?" he asked.

Tea shushed Joey just as Josh and Kohana broke into the kitchen, pushing Leo away from the door. "DAD WHERE IS MY DECK I HAVE TO TEACH JOSH a thing or two about how to duel with heart he isn't following the duelist code of honor," Kohana said.

"Code of honor, I will show you code of honor, you wannabe prodigy," said Josh sounding like a younger version of Joey ready to challenge Seto back in the old days.

Tea shook her head, "Oh brother, some things never change," she sighed.

Yugi pulled Kohana's deck that he kept hidden from his daughter, "Done with your homework?" he asked.

Kohana nodded, "Yes, please can I have it now," she asked. Yugi nodded and handed it to Kohana as she took Josh and ran out the door.

Leo walked in, "Relax they didn't hear anything," he said seeing Tea' worried looks.

meanwhile in the Kaiba Limo

"I thought we agreed not to get involved Seto, Yugi and his friends can take care of themselves like they have been over the last 15 years," said Alec as she spoke to her husband on a lab top.

"Yes we agreed, but I was in the neighborhood besides I got one up on him I owed Zore a beating," he said trying to keep Alec from biting his head off.

"Mom, he was just protecting the amulet armors," said Kisty who was looking out the window of the limo not truly paying attention too much to the conversation but looking over every now and then as they rode home.

Alec shook her head on the monitor, "Don't tell me you were helping him?" she asked.

Kisty shook her heard, "NO, even if I was able to, you know Dad would be more worried about me more then anything, after…what happened," she answered looking away from the screen.

"Look, just be careful you two, I don't want to lose another family member to this whole situation it was bad enough we lost two so far and they are getting more people involved this is our fight not the Mutos, Wheelers, or Devlin's fight," said Alec.

"You won't lose Kisty, Alec," said Seto, "I know you worried about her."

Alec shook her head at the camera, "I wasn't just talking about Kisty, I meant you Seto Kaiba gosh some times I think your don't even realize that I care about you," snapped Alec in an angry tone.

Seto nodded, "Fine I will be careful," he said, where approaching the mansion, Alec I will see you inside." The three Kaibas met inside the mansion, where the debates continued about being involved in the battles when it involving Yugi and his friends.

Deep in a dark and dank place

"Damn I almost had the Dark Magician Amulet armors," said Zore punching a near by wall.

"However you keep failing," said a man in black, "why do we let you run around as a general when you should be a slave like the rest of the monsters in these caves?"

Zore turned toward the man "What would you know about stuff like that you soul slave?" asked Zore.

The man stepped into the light, "I am not slave," he said pulling out a sword on to Zore's neck that showed flesh blood.

"That's enough," said a voice in the darkness, of the cave.

"Lord Pegasus," said the man kneeing, as well as Zore.

" You two, have no idea what the Master's real plan is, so what's the point of going alone?" asked Pegasus stepping into the cavern room. "Trying to concentrate on getting the amulet armors okay or actually follow orders, like men," he continued.

Zore looked up at Pegasus, "I am no man," he said, "I am a Sphinx," he spat looking over at the man in black.

"Mokuba, get off the ground, you as well Zore," said a deep and commanding voice.

The man in black who could be identified as Mokuba stood up, and Zore did the same. "Master," they both said bowing with their heads down.

"Zore, you almost got caught by the chosen guardians, do you know that?" asked the Master, Zore nodded his lion like head at his so-called Master.

The Master had on a bird like helmet with the millennium eye on, however his face was hidden in the shadows, he was wearing a golden suit of amulet armor with beautiful golden wings hanging from the cape and strange teal colored amulet engraved with a dragon on it hang from his waist "we need them to remain oblivious to this war," he said, "especially my son."

Pegasus looked at his Master, "What's your plan, my Lord?" asked Pegasus.

The Master turned, "In good time Lord Pegasus, in good time, we will have the armors that are trapped within the amulets, we need, but first I need you to take Mokuba and go to your family members, and bring me the other two blue eyes white dragon amulet armors, that Kaiba and his little wife have," he said.

"What about my niece?" asked Mokuba as he changed from the black amulet armor to his casual clothes, "We can't just leave her there to warn the others," he said.

The Master nodded, "Indeed we can't let her be around to do that, bring the girl to me," he said, "Alive, and unharmed, we need her to bring my son to me, she will be the bait, when the time comes to have him at my side, tonight the plan to being expanding our empire begins," he said.

Mokuba nodded, "As you wish my Master," he said as he and Pegasus disappeared.

Zore looked at his master, "What about me?" he spoke, "How may I serve you my Master?"

The Master smiled, "Zore I want you to take some soul monsters and slaves and do a full attack on the Muto, Wheeler and Devilin homes they must be taken out. I want those amulets for my new generals, oh and if you fail me, don't bother even coming back," he said.

"I will not fail, you Master," Zore said bowing and left to find some slaves to take on the attack.

The master turned and walked into his chambers, the on way a woman in shadows was leading against the wall, she was looking at him, while balancing a dagger on her index finger.

"My love, I was watching the whole time, and Zore needs to go, you need a general that will not fail you" he went into his chamber removed his cape the women followed him.

"Perhaps you are right my daring" he said sitting down by a pool, "King of the Swamp come to me, I as Pharaoh of the shadows, I call on you," said the man.

A slim creature crawled out of the pool, as a pile of slim with a skull and two arms it bowed to him with respect, "What is thy bidding Master," he asked in a slow dippy voice.

"I want a new General a smart one this time," he said.

The swamp king nodded, "Very well, Master," he said returning to the pool.

The water of the pool began to glow, and a large blob formed, and took shape, of a woman, with angel wings. "My Master let me present Lady Joan," said Swamp King.

While this was happening the women started massaging his shoulders which he seemed to enjoy.

"Do you approve?" the creature said coming out of the pool as Lady Joan.

The master nodded looking at the angel monster, "Yes, she will do nicely as Zore's replacement," he said with a dark smirk, "My Queen let our empire begin to rule."

The woman smiles glad that her husband had taken her advice, the return of their empire was now beginning.

TO BE CONTINUED