Fangs of the Dragons

Prologue: Fall of the Protector

Seto Kaiba smirked to himself as he watched his prototype D-Wheel soar around the track. The "D-Wheel" was a small vehicle similar to a motorcycle only with side locked handle bars, a built in duel field and a holo-imager. He locked his gaze on the driver, an eighteen year old girl with bright amber eyes and long black hair. She was one of the few he actually called a friend.

He continued to watch as Tsumaru Yuki tore around the Kaiba Dome's track, placing test card after test card on the field, allowing the tech support to run a complete systems check. Seto narrowed his eyes as the vehicle increased in speed, going far over the set speed. Pressing the logo on his white coat's collar, he spoke quickly, "Tsu-chan, you need to slow down. The engine can't take anymore. If you crash, you might not survive,"

"I'm trying, Seto, but it's not responding." A pause before, "Crud! Seto, I'm gaining speed, not losing it! I can't control it anymore!" the girl shouted into the mike and the KaibaCorp CEO could see her wrenching at the handles, failing in attempt to steer away from the fast approaching wall of the stadium.

The brunette man watching her felt a rush of fear as he watched her. "Jump, Tsumaru! It's your only chance!"

At that moment, mere feet from the wall of the stadium, the D-wheel exploded.

Seto found himself jumping the protective barrier along with Yugi, Jonouchi, Honda, Ryou and Marik to reach the young female duelist. They ran, seeing a sight that would haunt them all for years to come.

Lying almost six meters from the charred remains of the D-Wheel was Tsumaru, her blue and black racing suit nothing but shreds, her body littered with deep gashes and large bits of metal sticking out of her torso, no doubt piercing most of her vital organs.

Yugi was the first to reach her, his small hand immediately going to her neck to search for a pulse. His large violet eyes gaining a hopeful gleam. "She's alive."

As the others traded whoops of joy, the tallest brunette of the bunch sent word for an ambulance to come quickly, then knelt, ripping off the bottom of his trench coat to press against one of the larger lacerations to stem the flow of blood. "Don't celebrate just yet, geeks. If she's going to live, then we need to stop this bleeding."

"Good idea, Kaiba." the blond said, slipping off his green jacket to press against yet another wound as the others, minus Yugi, followed the blue-eyed man's actions.

The star-haired boy meanwhile continued to monitor the girls pulse, which was slow and shallow, as was her breathing. His mind, however, was far away, remembering that she had a younger brother that really looked up to her. Just what were they going to tell Judai?

Yugi and Seto sat next to each other with Marik and Ryou across from them, all four preoccupied with their own thoughts.

Moments later, a doctor in a long white coat walked over to them, his hands clasped tightly behind his back and his head of salt-and-pepper colored hair ducked low. "Mr Kaiba, Mr Muto, Mr Bakura, Mr Ishtar, I'm afraid I have some bad news."

The four teens jolted, all leaping to their feet simultaneously. "What kind of bad news?" Seto asked, his voice cool and even.

"I'm sorry to say that we don't have the technology to save young Miss Yuki at the moment."

Yugi took a shuddering breath, attempting to calm his nerves slightly before asking, "So, that's it? Tsumaru's going to die?"

The doctor shook his head. "Not necessarily, Mr Muto. We could cryogenically freeze her until the technology was made available." A pause. "Though it is a tad expensive."

Ryou looked at the doctor with teary doe brown eyes. "I'm sure that if we work together, we could get enough money to pay for it."

Marik nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Seto stared at the two for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I'll pay for it. I owe her for saving Mokuba anyway."

"You sure, Kaiba?" Yugi asked, tears spilling from his amethyst colored eyes.

The CEO nodded, turning to the doctor. "Get it set up immediately." With that, Seto Kaiba turned on his heel and stalked off...though it wasn't as imposing without his signature white trench coat billowing behind him.

~Ten Years Later~

Judai Yuki stared sadly up at the large tube that held his sister's frozen body. Ten years and they still couldn't save her. In his hand he held Tsumaru's deck, one last reminder of everything she's done.

He felt Hane Kuriboh nuzzle at his stomach and Yubel placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she'll be back soon, my Prince." the hermaphrodite whispered.

The brunette nodded, placing his empty hand against the glass. He locked his chocolate colored eyes on his sister's closed lids, telling her softly, "I won't be back for a while. I'm going to travel the world to get stronger, like you used to, sis." One crystal tear rolled down his cheek.

"I know she would be proud of you, Judai." Yubel said quietly, gazing awe at the frozen female. "Heh, she's beautiful even like this, ne?"

The little brown furball with wings nodded, flying up to be level with Tsumaru's face. Kuri Kuri!

Indeed, she was beautiful. Her pale skin glowed under the dim lighting in the room, the wounds she had sustained in the crash now only crossing red lines. On her back was a large scar that looked almost exactly like the one spanning across Marik Ishtar's back, though Tsumaru's told not of the Pharaoh's memories, but of the Legend of the Crimson Dragon. Both Judai and Yubel had heard it plenty of times before the accident. The brunette teen could still hear his sister's voice whispering the legend in his ear.

In the ancient world, during the reign of Pharaoh Atem in Egypt, a war raged on between the god of the sky, The Crimson Dragon, and the Earthbound gods that served the god of the Underworld.

The end result however, was a five thousand year stalemate. Now, until the battle is won, every five thousand years, five people will be born with a special birthmark on their arm. These five will be called the Signers.

Another group shall come forth to oppose them after falling prey to the darkness hidden in their hearts. This group shall be known as the Dark Signers thanks to the marks on their arms, marks that resemble the Nasca Lines, and they shall serve the Earthbound gods.

In the battle between light and darkness, bonds, hopes and the very nature of the Signers hearts shall be tested.

A sigh escaped the brunette a he shuffled through the girl's deck, glancing at each of her monsters before stopping to stare at her rarest, and coincidentally her most powerful, Gandora, The Dragon of Destruction. The black and red dragon had been, according to Dark Magician, asleep ever since his mistress was frozen.

Judai put the deck away, looking one last time at his older sister. He whispered a final farewell before leaving her alone in the room once more.