Disclaimer:
I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!... So I am obviously just a fan who wholeheartedly loves the amazing original show and writes fanfictions (such as this...duh!...and all my other stories that have the said disclaimers on them), for fun, gaining no monetary profit whatsoever...


The Dominion's History

There was nothing around her. Nothing but darkness that swirled and swirled like ribbons in a mass of empty space.

"Where am I" She asked. Her voice echoed many a times as though mocking her question.

Other than the sound of her echoing voice, all was silent. Too silent. Perhaps even the slightest movement, like a butterfly's wing beat, would be heard loud and clear.

She shuddered. This feeling of emptiness was creeping into her skin like maggots digging into her flesh. What was this place? How did she end up here? She did not know. The last thing she remembered before opening her eyes and seeing the darkness that was now all around her was when she touched the Sealing Essence.

Wait... She thought. The Sealing Essence! She stared at her hands. Her bare hands. Frowning while flexing each finger, she began to scan her surroundings. She knew she had it. She distinctly remembered grabbing it. But as she thought and thought, her eyes had widened, hands had fallen limply to her sides. If she did touch it, how come she could not recall what it felt like. She should have felt something when she held it.

"YOU WILL NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS"

She flinched, her heart racing so fast when the strangely familiar voice invaded her ears. Before she could even ask a question or find the source of the voice, another one rang through the dark air.

"I already did. And there is nothing you and your friends could do to stop me, Timaeus"

What? She was so confused now. Where was she? Who were these voices? And who was this Timaeus? As though trying to answer her questions, the darkness stirred, revealing an ebony sky tinted with sickly green glows and ominous clouds that continued to swirl and swirl around her.

"This great power has revealed to me the darkness within all humanity. And I have been chosen to eliminate this darkness. Perhaps that sword in your eye has completely blinded you. If not, then you should see that resisting me will end in your painful destruction"

The voices were all around her. And it felt so strong from beneath. Looking down, she gasped.

She was levitating above a ragged terrain. Barren hills, dead trees, black misted rocks. It was a sight that would bring a ghost town to shame. Groups of creatures were doing battle atop the miserable place. She did not have to look twice to realize that a war was occurring. Much like the one in the Dominion. But this was different. More brutal if it were possible.

An army of dragons and other Shadow Creatures were facing against a strange army of behemoths she had never seen before. Both armies were mercilessly tearing at each other.

Something caught her eye. Turning to her left, she watched as a shadowy serpent loomed behind the army of behemoths. There was a roar that made her turn the other way. She braced herself as three bulky dragons flew passed her, preparing to fire at the shadowy serpent.

"YOUR REIGN OF TERROR ENDS HERE" Roared the blue green dragon in that familiar voice she could not believe came out of its mouth. After another mighty roar, it soon released a golden blast from, aimed at – what Mana had suddenly realized – a man atop the serpent's head.

"Foolish Timaeus." The man atop the serpent chuckled, not even flinching when the dragon's blast was absorbed by a strange eyeball like creature that came out of nowhere. With his blue green hair billowing all over his face, he swiped his sword in the air, creating a shock wave that blew the three dragons away. "You have all doomed yourselves."

The serpent's bright emerald eyes shone menacingly as it roared and released its own powerful blast. A blast that cut through the opposing army like a heated knife would to butter. While the man's shrill laugh echoed in the air, two people and a Silver Fang rushed to the fallen dragons' side.

A girl and an elderly man. Both reviving the fallen dragons by making the creatures smell a strange concoction. Stepping back as the dragons got up, they all turned to look behind them, regarding the tragic scene with a loss of hope.

Not one of their troop remained standing strong. Most had perished. Some were on their knees or down the ground, exhaustion and grave injuries taking such a toll. If it was possible for breaking an already broken heart, then Mana would have experienced it with the scene that took place before her. The little girl had made a mad dash towards the serpent.

"STOP THIS MADNESS, FATHER" The little girl yelled amidst her flowing tears.

The man did not reply. Only a stare was given to the little girl. It was soon followed by a blast of energy from the serpent. Luckily, the fuchsia colored dragon had scooped up the girl just in time when the blast created another crater.

"We have no choice" The fuchsia colored dragon gasped as he released the girl in the arms of the elderly man. "We have to retreat."

"Are you mad, Hermos?" A dark dragon hissed as he took a careful glance back at their enemy. He was about to continue when a claw grasped his shoulder.

"Hermos is right, Critias." The dragon called Timaeus said in a grave tone. He looked over his shoulder, watching the retreating troops. Mana followed his gaze, only to be surprised at seeing a walled city in the distance, probably where the troops were retreating to. "We must protect the people. That is our first duty as the Royal Knights"

In a swift movement, the three dragons had swept from the battlefield, the Silver Fang, elderly man, and little girl safely in each dragon's arms. All closed their eyes and tried so hard to ignore the maniacal laughter of their attacker who soon trailed after them.

Sensing a sudden churn in her very surroundings, Mana gazed around her, watching with awe as the scene literally shifted in a dizzying wobble. The next thing she knew was that she was within the walled city where hundreds of people and Shadow Creatures were running around frantically as the behemoths approached, shattering everything within their path.

"We have no choice."

It was that voice again.

"We cannot defeat him. Not even with the Beast Fusion. We must find a way to escape."

"But that is cowardice. The Serpent's power is weakening. It has used up most of the energy from all the souls it has contained. We can use that to our advantage."

"But even if we destroy the serpent, he can find a way to bring the it back. And I am afraid to say that he is too powerful for us to stop. Perhaps we will defeat him someday. But not today. We have no choice, Critias. For the sake of the people, we must run."

"But where?"

She turned around, finally seeing the three dragons with the old man and little girl. Her heart ached as she watched the elder man hug the little girl as though she was his very lifeline while the little girl cried

"There is one way" The elder man stated as he gazed at the three dragons. He pulled something from his cloak. But before it was revealed...

"WELL WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?" Came a booming greeting. Mana and the rest of the beings beneath her looked up to see the serpent looming over them, its slithering body coiled around the circular walls. She frowned when the man smirked. "I see you are trying to escape." He chuckled. "But that is no use. Wherever you will run, wherever you will hide, I will catch you." His smirk widened, enjoying the looks of the three dragons. "My Knights, you would have been fine servants of mine in this quest. Since you have refused, I shall have you as sacrifices instead."

The three dragons bowed their heads. They were defeated. They knew that they were not powerful enough to stop such a madman. They knew their limits. Gazing at each other, they also knew that they would never allow the people to perish in the hands of their now tyrant king. Sharing a determined nod, they looked up, eyes shimmering with bravery and confidence. They gave one last look at the elder man, the little girl, and the cowering beings all around them.

"Take care, My King Ironheart. And be strong, My Princess" Timaeus said as he turned away. Together with Critias and Hermos, he looked up. "You shall have what you ask. Just leave the people be."

The man atop the serpent laughed again. "You fools. You think you can ask favors of me?" The serpent opened its mouth. "I shall have you and all the people as the Leviathan's energy." A powerful stream of white light erupted from the serpent's mouth.

"NOW, MY KING" Timaeus roared as he released his own blast, shielding the people and the beings behind them. "RUN"

The elder man made haste. Taking out a glowing orb of bright green, he raised it into the air and quickly smashed it onto the ground. No sooner had the act been done, a dark hole appeared, engulfing everything. People and creatures were dragged into it in a heap of screams and struggles. Mana noted how the people glowed and changed into what must be their akh the moment they were sucked in the hole.

The sound of the rushing wind was so strong that it threatened to deafen the young mage. She closed her eyes and braced herself as the strong wind ruffled her form.

"NO" Came a shriek that she had now recognized as the enemy of this land. She watched as the man atop the serpent made its steed swish its tail against the three dragons. He brandished two swords, intent on stopping them.

"I don't think so." Hermos growled as he and Critias charged towards them.

Mana gasped as two objects flew through the air. The next thing she knew was that the two dragons had fallen with pained shrieks. She gasped when she saw two swords. One pierced the dark dragon in the jaw and the other pierced the fuchsia colored dragon in the claw. The sword must have some magical property for both dragons were weakened and paralyzed.

Exhausted and out of power, Timaeus collapsed when the serpent had stopped its blast. His two companions had fallen unconscious on either side of him. He watched as the man loomed over him, looking far beyond livid.

Timaeus smirked, his good eye narrowing. "You will never achieve your dark goal. You will never take the Atlanteans for your evil needs."

With a cry of frustration, the man atop the serpent made his steed fire a blast. But the blast disintegrated in midair before it could even touch the dragons. The serpent had used up all its power. The man released another cry as light beams tore the serpent from the inside out, cloaking him in a powerful explosion.

With the serpent exploding near them, the shock of the blast threw them into the hole that vanished the moment they entered, leaving nothing but the barren land soon to be engulfed by the giant wave that became the aftermath of the power burst.

It was darkness once again. Just like before. It was no less than frightening and eerily silent.

"What is going on?" Mana asked shakily, inwardly cringing from the ominous feeling that continued to creep up to her. She had no idea what just happened.

"You just witnessed how the Dominion of the Beasts came to be."

She spun around, coming face to face with the little girl and the elderly man she had seen a few moments before. She froze. Not knowing how to react.

"You see, The events you have witnessed happened seven thousand years ago." the elderly man stated. "The beings inhabiting the Dominion are none other than the descendants of the Atlanteans all those years ago."

"Unfortunately." The little girl added. "As time passed within the Dominion, history has been forgotten. And because of that, this war happened." With a wave of her hand, an image of a Blue Eyes White Dragon trying to incinerate a Black Luster Soldier appeared before them.

"So..." Mana started, trying to process all the new information that was flooding her. "So, you fused yourselves with your Ka in order to stop an evil monster. And escaped in another dimension because of that attack. And the dimension you escaped to made you stay in you akhs"

The little girl locked eyes with the elder man in confusion while the man simply chuckled.

"They call it Ka. We call it the Power of the Beast. They call it akh. And we call it Beast fusion. " The elder man said to the little girl who nodded in understanding. "But that is not the point." he continued as he focused his gaze on Mana. "Your understanding is correct. But do you see a deeper meaning to all we have revealed?"

Mana's eyes widened. She had not thought of it before. But when the words left the elder man's lips, the ideas immediately entered her senses. She looked up, determination lighting up her face.

"I understand." She said in a confident tone.

"Good." The elder man said. "Now, I think it is time to return you to your companions."

A blinding light came from behind the elder man and little girl. She shielded her eyes as she felt her surroundings change.

In the midst of the Palace-now-turned-battlefield, the Wights and Ferals continued to tear each other apart. It was only when an explosive light from the midst of the three dragons did they all pause to stare at the being that gracefully floated down the source of light.

As the light faded, Mana was revealed, gazing at them all with eyes enhanced by wisdom.

She watched them, her eyes lingering on the paused forms of Seto and her companions. Everybody seemed to be waiting for her, keeping all eyes on her every movement. Taking a deep breath, she readied herself for what must be done.