Seto threw down his sword and glared at Tiran. His brown hair dripped with sweat and his blue eyes burned with anger. He couldn't understand how Tiran had beaten him again. He was tired of getting his ass kicked. What the fuck was the training supposed to prove anyways. That's what he wanted to know. But obviously no one would ever tell him. Didn't matter that he was the second strongest in the group. He saw Tiran grin and it only made him angrier. The leader of the group, Tiran, was about five six, with dark black hair and fiery green eyes. No one knew his age, but that wasn't significant. He had been leader of the group for years, leader of the Mystics; his power in the group was the control over fire. Seto knew this but it didn't matter to him. He wanted to be leader, and he knew the only way to do that was to beat Tiran in this odd training session. Unfortunately no one had ever been able to beat Tiran. But Seto was determined to find a way to do it. He was the president of Kaiba Corp. back in his own world, but in this alternate dimension he was of lower standing even as second strongest in the group, all because he hadn't been with the group the longest. There were five people in the group and he was at the bottom of the chain. That didn't sit well with him. He needed to be first, be on top. Even if he beat Tiran, he would only move up in status, he still wouldn't be first, wouldn't be leader of the group.

"Come on Seto, it is ok, maybe next time you'll beat me," said Tiran, big grin forming across his face.

"Yeah, whatever," said Seto, "I need to get back to my world, call if you need me."

With that Seto closed his eyes and disappeared from the room. Tiran shook his head and looked at the door of the room as the other three walked in.

"Why is he so determined to be the best?" asked Ray, who was tall with blond hair and blue eyes.

"I think there is more to it than what meets the eye," said Keith, a guy with short spiky silver hair and violet eyes.

"I agree," said Tiran, looking at the spot that Seto had been standing in just a minute before.

"I don't like him, he's going to get us killed by the Darks one of these days," said Javen, a boy who could almost be Seto's twin.

"Javen, just because you don't like him doesn't mean you can rag on him all the time, the only one who is going to get anyone killed is you. Mr. I Can't Control My Element," said Keith.

"Hey!" said Tiran, "All of you knock it off, now. The last thing we need is to be fighting amongst ourselves, especially when the Darks have been attacking more lately than ever."

Everyone looked down, knowing their leader was right. A shrill cry went up in the air. And all knew the Darks had come to attack once more. All four of them grabbed their weapons and headed out, everyone forgetting to call Seto to help them; all of them thinking they could handle it.

"JAVEN! NO!" Tiran yelled as Darsha's dark ice blade slide through Javen's abdomen. Tiran called upon his ancient magics and summoned a Fire Phoenix. As it materialized before everyone's eyes, Darsha summoned an Ice Cerberus to challenge. As the battle between ancient magic summons took place, the Mystics ran in and retrieved their fallen comrade before retreating back into The Forest of Time, their safe haven.

Tiran laid Javen down on a bed, and quickly began attending to his member's wound. Javen coughed, spitting up blood as his friends tried to help him. He knew they would try, but it was in vain, anyone who was stabbed by Darsha's blade, died within a day or less. He could feel his body taking in heat as he began to burn inside. His vision blurred and he felt hot tears falling down his face. What was he going to do? His mother and father knew nothing about this world and if he died here he would die there too. His body would materialize back there and they would just find him dead. He was only sixteen; this wasn't the way he wanted to go. "Save me, please," he sobbed, before blacking out.

Tiran slammed his fist into the wall, tears streaming his face. He was the leader. He was supposed to be able to protect the group, protect every member. But he had failed. Now one of his members lay dying and there was nothing he could do to save the young boy. He felt his body tremble as he fell to the ground. He looked up at Javen, who was just laying there, barely breathing, and bleeding like crazy; just dying before his eyes. Tiran knew what he had to do. It was time to relinquish his post as leader. Keith would take his place, and Keith would find the new fifth member, even though Seto was fairly new, and taking someone on this early would be hard. Two new fighters within a year was almost too much. But Tiran knew that Keith could handle it. He got up and walked over to Javen, laying a hand on the boy's hot sweaty forehead he began to cast a Soul Spell. His green eyes glowed brightly. Moments later he fell to the floor, never to get back up.

Keith felt the spell and rushed to Javen's room, he cursed as he walked in. Knowing exactly what Tiran had done. "Dammit Tiran, there had to be another way. Dammit!"

"Keith..." came Javen's weak voice, "You are leader now, watch over Javen, keep him safe. Summon a new warrior, one to take my place. Then summon the others. You five must defeat the Darks. Only then can I return. If you lose, then I can't come back. Keep my body safe, my friend, for I will be with you always."

The voice vanished and Javen woke up, fully healed and fever gone. But as soon as he saw Tiran on the floor, he freaked. It took all of Keith's strength to hold the boy down, to try and calm him.

Elsewhere in another dimension, Seto Kaiba was on his way to school. A place he hated to go but had no choice, he knew he needed an education, and it wasn't something he was going to throw away. His limo pulled up to the school and he stepped out, briefcase in hand. Up the stairs he went into the building. It took but a minute to get to his destination, English class. Early as always he took his seat in the back and pulled out a book. And also as always within moments The Dog would walk in making noise and causing distractions; that Dog being Joey Wheeler.

"Oh look it's Kaiba-boy," said Joey as he took his seat next to his best friend Tristan.

"Shut it Dog," said Seto, blue eyes burning a hole into Joey.

"Oh, I'm shaking in my shoes Kaiba, why don't you shut it," Joey dared to challenge.

"What did you say Dog?" Seto growled.

"You heard me."

Seto wanted to pelt Joey with one of his Mystic spells, but it was forbidden to use any of his abilities of that world in his. It was forbidden even to mention the world, or he would forever be banned from it.

"What's wrong Kaiba-boy, have I stunned you to silence?" teased Joey.

"After school Dog," was all Seto said.

Joey walked out of school confidently later that day. Not expecting Kaiba to do anything to him. What he didn't expect though was to have Kaiba waiting for him in the alley next to the school he used as a shortcut to get home. He didn't see Kaiba's fist until it was fully planted in his jaw. He landed on the ground, and the next thing he knew Kaiba was on top of him, beating the shit out of him. Had he been able to fight back he would have, but Kaiba kept his arms pinned to the ground with his knees. About twenty minutes later, Seto stood up, wiped himself off and left. Joey lay there battered and bruised. It took everything he had to get up and walk the rest of the way home.

He shut the front door to his house and immediately went and got in a hot tub. Kaiba had pummeled him good this time. But it was nothing compared to what his father did to him.

An hour later, Joey got out of the tub and got ready for bed; he lay down in his bed, ready to fall asleep when he heard the front door open and slam close. "No..." he whispered to himself.

His father entered the room, the smell of alcohol so strong on him that Joey could smell it from his place on the bed while his father stood at his door. "So boy, did you go to school today?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you bath?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do your homework?"

"Yes, sir."

"Liar!"

Joey rolled off the bed as his father lunged for him. He wasn't going to take his father's abuse today. He hit the floor and ran for the front door. Before he reached it though his father grabbed his hair and drug him back the master bedroom. "NO!" yelled Joey, "Leave me alone!"

He was forced down on to the bed as his father tied his wrists and ankles to the bed posts. "NO!" Joey cried, struggling against his bonds.

"I think I'm going to try something new on you tonight boy," said his father.

"Stop..." said Joey weakly.

His father pulled out a needle from the drawer in the bedside table. There was some type of fluid in there that Joey didn't recognize, but he knew it was some type of drug. The needle slid into his arm and he winced. The fluid slowly drained into his body. And a weird feeling came over him.

"Hope you live to see tomorrow son," said his father as the man declothed his son, and proceeded to rape him.

Back in the hidden world, Keith searched Kaiba's world for a new warrior, one with strength beyond any other. He searched for days, until his magical gaze fell on a blond haired, brown eyed boy; a boy who withstood the worst abuse possible. Keith now knew he had found the fifth member of the team. And he began the summoning process.

Joey woke up in pain and drugged. He looked around. He didn't recognize anything. And the person sitting on the bed next to him didn't seem familiar. "Where am I?"

"You, young one are in the world of Mystics and Darks, a world called Merlin's Crystal."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Keith; I have chosen you to be the fifth member of our team. You have the power of fire. And you are now a Mystic."

"I...I don't understand."

"I don't expect you to right now. For now all I want you to do is get some rest. I will return with food and tea later. Just rest."

With that Keith left the room and Joey fell back into unconsciousness.

A few days later back in Kaiba's world, Yugi and friends were getting worried. Joey never missed school this long without calling one of them or the school itself.

"Where could he be?" asked Tea.

"I don't know," said Yugi.

"Well I'll go over to his house today and check on him," said Tristan.

"Ok, give us a ring when you find out what's going on," said Yami.

"Will do."

Joey opened his eyes and sat up, looking around. His body didn't hurt anymore, but his heart did. He felt warm tears roll down his face and he wiped them away. The door to the room he was in opened and he turned to see the same guy who had been with him earlier. But this time the guy had food and drink. Something Joey was dying to have.

"How are you feeling?" asked Keith.

"Better," answered Joey, "But I'm still confused as to where I'm at, and why."

"You have been chosen to be a warrior in this world. You are able to return to your world when you please and return to this one whenever you need to. That means for important reasons, assuming we summon you or you need to escape something that causes you pain. But you must never mention this world to anyone. With that you control the power of fire. You can summon it at will and when you need it. Other thing is that you cannot use your power outside of this world. You have now been chosen to be on the side of the Mystics. We fight those called the Darks. You will learn about them later. Now I think I have overloaded your poor mind with information you aren't ready for. So how about we get some food and drink into you," said Keith as he sat on the edge of the bed and handed Joey the tray of various exotic foods.

Joey took the tray thankfully and began to eat; he hadn't realized how hungry he really was until he began to eat.

"Then if I'm here...what about my body in the other world?" Joey asked.

"You aren't in the other world right now. You are fully here. Your body, yourself, only returns to your world when you wish or if you die here. Another plus to being here is that you will age in your world but never here. On top of that, even though you age in your world you will never die there until you die here. You could live to be three hundred years old and never die until you are killed here. But that normally doesn't happen," answered Keith, a smile on his face.

"I see. So when do I get to meet the rest of the team?" asked Joey as he took a drink of hot herbal tea.

"When they all get here. Javen though is still healing from our last battle. You two might now be able to meet for a while. But that's okay, because you will meet eventually. You up to taking a walk?"

"Yea," said Joey, getting up slowly from the bed, basking in the feeling of strength that coursed through this body. It had been awhile since he had felt this good.

"Ok then I'll give you the tour of the place. If you are ready follow me."

Tristan arrived at Joey's house after school and knocked on the door. The door opened and Joey's father looked out at Tristan. "Do you need something?" the man asked.

"Yeah, my name's Tristan, I'm Joey's friend from school. I haven't seen him at school lately I was wondering if he was sick or something," said Tristan.

"Haven't seen him in days. Think he ran away. But if you see him, tell him that when he gets home he's going to get it good, you hear me boy," said Joey's father.

"Yeah sure I'll tell him," said Tristan. The door slammed shut and Tristan walked away, back to his house to call the others.

Seto felt Keith's summon and left his office in a hurry. What could this be about? he wondered.

The members of the Mystics gathered in the lounge room and waited for Keith to speak.

"I know you all know that Tiran hasn't been here for a few days, the reason for that is because he took his own life to save Javen. Now before you all start getting worried about us missing a member I've taken care of it," said Keith.

"Who is the new member?" asked Ray and Seto.

Javen just looked at the floor, he didn't want a new member he wanted Tiran back.

"You can come in now," said Keith.

The door to the room opened and Joey walked in. He stopped dead in his tracks though as his eyes locked with Seto's icy ones.

"What is he doing here?" growled Seto.

"He is the new member of the team Seto and you will learn to deal, is that understood?" Keith snarled.

"I will not participate on this team any longer if he is allowed to join," said Seto.

"You cannot leave the team Seto, you know that," said Ray, "We don't care what kind of relationship you have with the new guy in the other world, but here you will work with him as a team, like you work with us. Hash out your guy's shit in the other world. Got it?"

Seto just grunted and left the room, bumping into Joey on the way out.

"He'll get over it don't worry," said Ray getting up to great the new member, "Anyways, my name is Ray. And that's Javen on the couch. Nice to have you join the team."

"My name's Joey. And I guess I'm glad to be on the team. Though I'm not quite sure as to what we will be doing?"

"You'll learn in time," said Keith, "For now take a look around. You need to learn how to transport yourself back and forth between the worlds soon because you can't stay here forever. Sorry kiddo."

"It's okay," said Joey as he turned to go and look around the place some more.

Seto stormed back into his office, furious. How could Keith pick Joey to be the new member of the team? Joey could barely hold his own in a Duel Monsters match, let alone this new world. Seto just shook his head. He knew that one of them if not all were going to get killed because of Joey being on the team. And there was no way for him to quit the team unless he broke one of the rules of the world, which he wasn't going to do.

Joey arrived at school the next day, his friends asking him where he'd been. He told them that he had just needed a vacation. And that next time he would tell them before he took off.


So i thought i would go through and edit what i have thus far and then continue on with chapter 3...If this takes away your review of my story please re-review if you can...THANKS

~Sishyu