The creature had the basic appearance of a dragon, covered predominantly in black armour with two metallic wings which feathers resembling swords. Its neck, legs from the knees down and long tail were not armoured and were covered in a golden fur. Two short arms, far shorter than its bulky legs were tucked neatly against its chest, and its face was obscured by a black faceplate, but its intense turquoise eyes could be plainly seen and were glaring fiercely at the Pharaoh who dared not move for fear of angering the beast who towered more than ten feet over him.

(Just in case you're wondering this is Raptordramon, I just chose a random Digimon from a list for this part.)

The creatures gaze didn't leave the Pharaoh's, and neither blinked. None of the soldiers dared move in case the creature struck out at Atem. Then the creature shifted its gaze to Seto, tilting its head from side to side before slowly extending its neck towards him giving Atem the chance to sidestep to safety.

Seto didn't move a muscle when the great beast's face stopped right in front of him, or when it started tilting its head from side to side again before taking a deep breath and sniffing at him.

Not even Atem dared move, for now the creature was dangerously close to his cousin and when the great beast growled deeply everyone held their breath . . . until it backed away from Seto and kept on backing up until it was almost at the edge of the clearing.

Atem and Seto both took this to run to their horses and got ready to flee, until the large creature lowered its head to the ground and held it there.

After ten seconds it still hadn't moved, and Mana laughed nervously.

"Is it too much to hope it's sick?" she flinched visibly as her elder brother shook his head.

"I don't think it's ill Mana," Shada looked hard at the creature trying to figure out what was happening.

Seto stood alongside his cousin, wondering the same thing. It was then he noticed the creatures gaze did not leave Atem's; it was as though it was waiting for something . . . something like:

"It's bowing to you Pharaoh," Seto's tone was one of wonder.

Atem's eyes widened slightly, before he stepped away from Seto and stood directly in front of the still-frozen beast.

"Careful my Pharaoh!" Isis called.

"It's okay Isis," Atem said calmly meeting the creatures gaze with his own, and slowly, so as not to spook it bowed his head in turn to the great beast.

The dragon then raised its head quickly, so fast that it caused the soldiers to brandish their weapons.

"This way" a deep voice spooked the already scared humans.

"What was that!" Mana shrieked, nearly falling off her horse.

"Must you make that horrid noise again?" the same voice asked sarcastically.

"Was that you?" Atem asked the great dragon.

"Do you see any other standing before you?" the dragon asked, again without moving his mouth, "I was sent by my king to bring you to him."

"Your King? I must speak to him as soon as possible!" Atem exclaimed. "An infant was just spirited away by-"

"I will take you to my King, also," it craned its neck to look at Atem from a different angle. "I assume you are the one called 'Pharaoh'?"

"I am the Pharaoh of Egypt, but my name is Atem, son of the previous Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen," he said proudly bowing his head to the giant beast.

"Then let me be the first to welcome you to the Digital World Pharaoh Atem, son of the previous Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen," the dragon bowed its head back respectfully, "I am known in this world as Raptordramon."

"We are honoured to be guests in your world Raptordramon, please take us to your King."

"This way," Raptordramon turned and started stomping away through the trees.

Obviously relieved the creature had no interest in devouring them, Atem and Seto mounted their horses and together the convoy followed Raptordramon through the trees.

Slowly as they travelled forward the trees seemed to recede and as though by magic a wondrous sight suddenly appeared before them.

The thing that caught their attention instantly was the majestic castle standing hundreds of feet tall and a dazzling white in colour. Between them and the castle was a large village, with many houses similar to the ones in Egypt which were also a dazzling white in colour and the whole village and palace was surrounded by a twenty foot tall wall which was only accessible by entrance through two enormous white doors.

"What is the name of this place Raptordramon?" Atem asked the reptilian guide.

"This place is known only as Supremedramon's Valley, in memory of our first King, and our God" Raptordramon replied, the last part making the humans' eyes widen before pacing forward towards his home followed closely by the Pharaoh and his associates.

Outside the white doors, Raptordramon called out.

"Hello there! I have returned with the guests of King Silverbolt!" he bellowed out.

"King Silverbolt," Atem repeated, knowing soon he would meet the king of these unusual creatures.

"Open the gates!" one voice yelled.

"Open the gates! Raptordramon has returned!" another yelled in turn.

SWOOSH!

The gates blew open, sending up a cloud of dust in the human's faces, of course with Raptordramon being much taller, the dust barely came to his chest so he just walked through the gates as the Atem, Seto and the others coughed loudly before following him as the great doors slammed behind them. But when Mana looked back:

"ARGH!" she screamed falling off her horse.

"What now Mana?" Seto looked down at her distastefully as he dismounted his horse.

"I MUST BE GOING MAD! I SWEAR WE JUST WALKED THROUGH SOME DOORS!" she screamed before pointing back.

Seto looked back and gasped, indeed the white doors were gone! By Ra the entire wall around the village and castle was gone!

"What sorcery is this?" Atem gasped as he too dismounted his steed and tried to think how an entire wall could vanish.

"Humans, so easily spooked," Raptordramon shook his head, "Our King put a spell on all the villages of our world. No one can enter unless invited to do so, but the Digimon who live in the villages are free to enter and leave at their will. The wall is only visible from the outside you see, which is why you can no longer see it now."

"Amazing, your king must be very powerful," Atem commented to Raptordramon.

"As he is wise," Raptordramon nodded respectfully.

Then:

"My husband! You've returned safe!"

"Wah!" Mana yelped as another Raptordramon charged past her and towards the male who guided them to the village.

The female wore the same black armour as her mate did, but her fur was a pale topaz colour instead of gold (in my story the males and females of the same Digimon species are different colours).

The male and female nuzzled each other affectionately, as Mana looked on with a funny look on her face.

"Um, you're married?" she asked the pair.

"For your information our kind was getting married long before yours mastered the written word!" an indignant female voice remarked.

Mana jumped not being able to see the speaker.

"Down here!"

"WAH!" she wailed jumping behind Atem.

Atem gasped in wonderment as he too gazed upon the speaker, who was (for you Digimon Season 1 and 2 fans) a two foot tall white cat, with purple stripes down her long tail and short arms, green gloves covered her paws as she was standing upright on her back legs. She had long whiskers, tall ears with purple tips and big blue eyes.

"Aw! A kitty!" Mana squealed running and hugging the small creature.

"HELP ME! I'M BEING ATTACKED!" the white cat wailed trying to squirm out of Mana's grip.

Instantly the empty streets were filled with dozens of different creatures, some smaller than Gatomon, others that easily dwarfed the humans. But the one thing they all shared was that one of their own was apparently in danger and they would not hesitate to strike down these human intruders.

Mana instantly dropped the white cat that ran over to a larger winged cat, which to the amazement of Atem, Seto and the others had the face of the great sphinx in Egypt. Her body was that of a large white cat, silver gauntlets covered her front paws which had a ruby on each one. She shared the same long purple/white striped tail with the younger cat creature, but unlike the smaller one this one had two large wings folded neatly behind her back. But her face was obscured by a mask in the shape of a woman, which wore an Egyptian-style head dress.

"She tried to squish me Nefertimon!" Gatomon wailed as she hid behind the larger Digimon.

"You dare attack my sister!" the older cat snarled crouching low to pounce.

"PLEASE DON'T!" Atem jumped between Mana and the angry beast and when the cat stood up to meet his eyes, "She meant no harm; she didn't know the small one was your sister. Please believe me she meant no harm to your sister, none of us mean harm to you or your people."

"Sorry," Mana bowed her head in embarrassment.

"If she never meant any harm . . . fair enough, come sister," Nefertimon said as the two disappeared into the crowd.

Atem breathed a sigh of relief as the large cat stalked away with her sister in tow, but it was then that they realised that every single creature was now staring their way. Many whispering words like 'trouble' and 'can't be trusted'.

"I don't like this Pharaoh," Shada mumbled as the creatures continued to watch them warily.

Then:

"Da da da dum," a scratchy male voice hummed amidst the silence.

Seto looked behind him in time to see a small grey furry creature carrying a large box in his arms (Gazimon) walk into him.

"Oh! My sincerest apologies sir-" the grey creature started to apologize before actually setting eyes on who he had bumped into. Then after a few seconds: AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" the small creature shrieked before diving to the ground, "Please don't squash me Sir! I had no idea who you were!"

"And who do you think I am?" Seto asked obviously confused.

In a terrified voice while pointing at the golden snake on Seto's head dress he wailed, "You carry the mark of the Grand Dragon of Light! In a different colour mind, but still I'm so sorry for any disrespect your priestness!" the distraught creature begged for mercy.

"The Grand Dragon of Light?" the crowd instantly went wide eyed and they all fell to their knees begging for forgiveness like the Gazimon was.

Atem, Seto and the others looked on in stunned amazement, before Atem decided to inquire about why the crowd was so afraid.

"Please grey one," he said to the Gazimon who trembled at Atem's voice, "What is this Grand Dragon of Light?"

"She's one of a trio of great beasts created by the Goddess Phoenix before our world was created that keep all things in balance, she lives in the light, giving live, health, love and all things good to us. Her twin the Great Destroyer of Darkness resides in . . . well, darkness! He brings death, chaos and all things terrible to our world! Had we known you humans worshipped the Grand Dragon of Light we never would have been so disrespectful! I should be smote where I stand!" and he began sobbing.

"Please don't!" Atem pleaded, placing his hand on Gazimon's head. "We are sorry for causing you any distress, the golden snake on Seto's head dress is a cobra. It is nothing to do with your people, but ours do respect it like you do this Grand Dragon of Life," Gazimon's shoulder instantly untensed in relief, "We are here on a mission of peace to meet with your King."

"Of course! Of course! Please allow me to escort you there!" he bowed quickly and gestured to the palace.

"If you would small one," Atem stood as did the grey Digimon.

"Please Sir, I am known as Gazimon," he then cast a fearful glance at Seto and bowed his head, "Sorry again your . . . uh, 'King Cobraness'!"

Seto raised his eyebrow as the small Digimon started leading Atem up the path to palace then he noticed the soldiers trembling at the many different digimon.

"My Pharaoh, I doubt our guards wish to accompany us."

"They may remain behind if they wish Seto."

If I may, Raptordramon stepped forwards. New portals to your world open and close all the time, I can escort these humans to one and make sure they return safely.

"Thank you Raptordramon. Soldiers! Follow Raptordramon and DO NOT under any circumstances stray away from him until you are at another portal!"

"Yes Pharaoh!" the obviously relieved men yelled before following Raptordramon back into the forest.

"The poor creature looked like he might have died of fright when he saw you Seto," Isis commented.

"Our Pharaoh told him we're here on a mission of peace, he should know better than to fear someone who has done him no harm."

"Funny," Mana whispered to Isis, "He hasn't done anything to me and I'm scared gutless of Seto too!" causing the two women to giggle, Seto to frown and Atem to laugh heartily.

"Guards!" Gazimon suddenly called out as they stopped outside the palace steps.

"There's no gate to stop us, why are we stopping?" Shada asked.

"Yeah! They know we're coming!" Mana started to run.

"No! Don't go-"

ZAP!

"ARGH!" Mana yelped instantly ducking behind Atem.

"Will you ever learn!" Shada scolded her.

"You never said!" she accused Gazimon.

"Well you refused to listen!" Gazimon finally lost his patience before whirling back around, "HEY YOU GUARDS!" he yelled as loud as he could.

Instantly, two creatures: one a large black-armoured creature easily eight feet tall and the other a silver suit of armour suddenly landed on the ground with a thump.

The tall black one's entire torso was covered in black armour; the chest armour was bright silver though. The face was obscured by a silver helmet, though two bright amber eyes could clearly be seen. His scaly skin which was visible on his exposed underarms, legs and feet was as deep black as his armour. Two gauntlets covered his arms ending in wicked metal claws. His legs from the knees down were covered by silver leg guards, his feet themselves each had three large clawed toes, and a shock of golden hair flare out from the back of his helmet.

The second, about six feet tall was covered from head to foot in silver armour. But when Atem looked at his exposed neck and middle he was amazed to see nothing! It was as though the creature underneath the armour was invisible! He held a large shield in one hand and a large silver sword in the other. His face like his friend was covered by a silver helmet, the part that covered his lower face though was golden, and a golden piece much like a crown sat atop his head. But even though his face was obscured by the mask his bright yellow eyes were clearly seen.

(For those of you who couldn't get it from my descriptions this is BlackWarGreymon like the one from Digimon Season 2 but NOT the same one and General Durahan of Monster Rancher, but in my story he is a Digimon called a 'GrandKnightmon').

"What are you doing here Gazimon?" BlackWarGreymon sighed warily, as though used to hearing from the smaller Digimon before he noticed the humans standing behind him.

"Raptordramon escorted them to the village as King Silverbolt asked, and the one called 'Our Pharaoh' asked me to bring them here," he said the last part proudly.

"Yes very good Gazimon, we shall be sure to tell King Silverbolt of your part in escorting our 'guests' here," Durahan assured him, then, "Please come with us, our King is waiting for you."

"Thank you," Atem bowed his head, "My name is Atem I am the Pharaoh of Egypt, Son of the previous Pharaoh, these are my Sacred Guardians: Seto, Isis, Shada, Siamon Muran and this is our young magician-in-training Mana."

"I am he who is called BlackWarGreymon," BlackWarGreymon replied bowing at his hips, "I am the husband of the second Crowned Princess of the Digital World and a protector of the Digimon Royal Family."

"I am he who is known as GrandKnightmon, I am wed to the third Crowned Princess of the Digital World. But my king nicknamed me 'Durahan' long ago; it means 'Invisible Warrior' in our tongue. Highly appropriate given the circumstances!" he laughed long and loud. Then he cleared his throat, "Please follow us Atem, Son of Akhenamkhanen," and with that the two large beasts turned and paced away up the grand staircase.