Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh…because I cannot draw to save my life.

My Notes: Had to thrown in the cliché villains discussing plans part. Not that I wasn't already teasing you readers enough. Anyways I've had some disturbing thoughts about this story. I mean, why do I continue to write it? It's not an original work; its use as a writing exercise is winding down; doesn't appear to be any new readers; and honestly I thought I'd be done by now (at least written through all the scenes I had originally planned). I'm sorry for whining but I do fear my future: there's not a lot of room in the business world for an aspiring fiction writer, especially in this day and age. I'm just scared and depressed. And reminded how lonely I am (Accused Valentine's Day!). Anyways I'm sure most of you will skip all this and continue to read this story and demand an update which I'll eventually provide. (I truly wonder how you readers actually 'see' this story? Does it really work, the fictional magic? It's hard to reverse engineer in my mind since I know what's going on but how do you see what I see? Perhaps you don't..) Guess some things won't change. Well I'm off to go and see how I can cheer myself up. And to anyone not familiar with Frank Herbert's Dune Series, go and read those wonderful books. You won't be disappointed. They were one of the reasons why I wanted to be a writer.

Hidden Changes

Sethos' intuitive sense perked when he and his company of troops entered into a lush mess of green vegetation. The sharp contrast from tan barren wilderness into an emerald palace seemed almost unreal, except for the experienced traveler. Tall trees, their leaves like fans, branched out to soak up the sun's rays as the small group marched forward.

"Must have a water source nearby," one of the High Priest's guards stated.

Sethos turned his face upwards. "Obviously." He glanced at his map, as his camel stopped and tried to take a bite out of a leafy green. "We should inform the villagers that suitable farming land is available for cultivation." A crack of his whip sent his camel forward.

"Do you think there's something here?" One of his guards asked.

Another responded before Sethos could. "The High Priest wouldn't drag us out here if he hadn't had his suspicions."

Yet another voice asked. "But what could be out here?"

Yes, what could be out here, Sethos thought to himself. There has to be something those rogue wizards I investigated earlier want me not to discover. He felt the cloth of his cap move around the back of his neck, as a mosquito buzzed around his head. Just need something out of the ordinary.

Shade and shadows weaved patterns upon their faces as they traveled deeper inside. Before long it got to a point where they needed to dismount and walk their pack animals on foot. Their walking thundered in the silence that would have pervaded. An unnatural silence.

One of his men found unusual footmarks scattered on the ground. A cautionary glance, though, did not reveal the type of creature who could create such a mark on the earth. This incident raised the eyebrow of the High Priest, though he did not reveal his thoughts.

A few hours in, Sethos found what he knew was here; what the sorcerers wanted to protect. "Amazing," he whispered. The unnatural pattern of the trees growth was a telltale sign. The animals were far from dwelling from this place.

"What is it, your Eminence?" the chief guard asked.

"A doorway," he answered. Not just a doorway, a gateway, a nexus. But it is unprotected. The High Priest thought to himself. Why? Or are there defenses I have not noticed?

As if to confirm his greatest doubts, a roar was heard fifty meters within the spiraling green. His guards drew their spears, while Sethos reached for his scroll codex. The Millennium Rod was also clutched in his hands.

It too was green, as it moved among the plants. It ran on all fours, swift but nosily, as if not yet adaptive to the current environment. Sethos' eyes darted left, right, trying to get a glimpse of the beast. Nothing was forthcoming, save the growl and the rasping of its claws against the earth.

"There!" one of his guards shouted.

"No! Here!"

"Remember your training and do not give in to your fears," Sethos yelled as he griped his badge of office. "There may be more than one," he added as two trees shook, each in opposite directions. He paged through his scrolls, hoping to find a monster could rival this unknown. His eyes honed in on one that he thought would be suitable and allowed them to close as he let his trained powers take command. His mouth began chanting.

"I see it!" his chief guard cried. "There are its wings! Steady your spears!" An antagonizing moment passed before the creature leapt out at the soldiers. Its wail shuddered the most hardened, the most battle experienced, gave way to fear. A claw swiped at one of the men, bringing blood to the surface of his chest, causing him to cry out. The camels and the mules tried to escape, longing to survive, kicking up dirt.

"Bring forth from the realm of earth, my One-Eyed Giant!" Sethos cried out. As if appearing from a fold in space, a massive man-like being stretching its limbs. Its one eyes dominated the forehead of the beast, blinking in its new environment. Its pale green skin differed from the lush green of the plants. Still it readied itself towards Sethos' command. "Obliterate my enemies!" the High Priest ordered his summoned monster, though both were mind-linked in a special way.

Though lacking depth perception, the giant rushed towards the other clawed green beast. The trees swayed as the giant pushed them away, hunting. The men were tending to the wounded. The smell of blood called the other creature forth, it howling as it reached for attack. The cyclops was ready and swung its fist into the face of the long-eared monster, sending it hurling into the trees. Battered but not killed, the little minx creature hurled itself back, scratching its claws into the Sethos' beast. Both High Priest and his summoned monster cried out in pain, a momentarily distraction that let the smaller lean beast a chance to escape their vision.

A growl emerged from the right. Turning too late, another lithe green beast clawed the flesh of Sethos' behemoth, doubling the pain they both received. Only two options lay open to his mind, as his fellow soldiers readied themselves for attack. I either summon a stronger monster or I assist my ailing giant. Sethos began paging through his codex in search for something handy.

Yells came from his spearmen as they dodged and weaved the foliage in hunt of their two aggressors. Like hawks to a rabbit, the swift winged green monsters quickly began picking off these would-be attackers. The One-eyed Giant stood as a sentinel, a silent witness to the onslaught, yet duty bound to protect his master, despite clutching its bleeding chest.

Sethos growled, but his eyes found a monster worthy. He thrust his Millennium Rod out, shouting, "Let your essence flow into my new creature, The Blade Wielding Ox-man." The wounded giant let not a sound emerge from his mouth as it was converted into a white light. Hovering and void of form, the light buried itself into the earth, rupturing the ground. But a shadow creature emerged from the depths, a red helmet clearly visible, two white horns were punctured through. Matching gauntlets and body armor adorned the bovine-like man, though it didn't hide the distinctive nose, tail, and cloven feet. A slender blade was gripped in its unusual hands.

The two lithe creatures scurried in haste for their combined attack. One darted high while the other barreled low. The Ox-man was able to strike the leaping green mass with a clean strike of its blade, but the other got past him. Sethos' breathing stopped as he braced for attack; the impact sent him back into a tree while the green monster slashed at his chest with its claws. Pain and warmth bled out of the High Priest as he tried to fend himself. Fear of deeper wounds was silenced as the Ox-man brought its sword down the center of the monster's head.

The lone human slumped down, panting heavily. This turned out well, he thought.

As evening descended, Sethos was hastily finishing the building of pyres for his elite guard. Managing while injured was a difficult task, but resolute will kept his mind focused and away from the pain. His compatriots' clothing made impromptu bandages; the only choice since their pack animals had long since fled from the scene.

Sethos walked up to the five piles, composed mainly of fallen lumber. Interning the bodies by fire will hopefully remind their spirits of Ra's grace and mercy. He uttered a small prayer, before reaching for his codex and reciting the fire spell inscribed. As if the heavens were blessing their ordained minister, a scorching red meteorite flashed across the sky before impacting itself among the five honored dead, causing fires to ignite. As the pyres caught fire, mischievous little sparks struck a small trail of conveniently placed leaves and other flammable material. Within moments, the entire area was beginning to be consumed by one of nature's natural elements. While I doubt this fire will actually affect the gateway portal, it will send a clear message to these Sorcerers: Do not mess with the forbidden powers!

Of course the High Priest was being watched, remotely. A grin was upon the face of Gehaji, second in command after Bakura, and loyal follower of the Aswad-Lukman, the 'Black Prophet.' In the place of grey shadows, the young lean man watched, waiting for his emissary from the future. He ran his fingers through his white hair, a short tangled web that tried to reach to all points in space, yet not. He was proud of his heritage, the genetic mark that allowed the bearer unfathomable potential in things man was not supposed to know. Once there had been a village where all descendants had been concentrated; a village that now stands outside of time, its populace having been decimated. Gehaji growled as he remembered when the few survivors found out who was responsible. Many swore revenge and began wearing their most notorious prizes around their necks, in mockery of those who had commanded the slaughter. Bakura rose through their ranks by actually stealing the Millennium Ring, clearly showing his defiance to the priests of Egypt.

"You are woolgathering," an icy voice called out.

Gehaji merely shrugged to his unknown visitor. "I was merely planning for the future."

Yami Bakura stood clearly in front of his fellow kinsman, eyeing him with his one good eye. "Don't you know? The future's been decided. We are only actors on the stage." He gripped Gehaji's arm from the inside, a sign of token trust between survivors.

"You never did strike me as a fanatical believer," Gehaji said, locking eyes on the white-haired demon.

"The Aswad-Lukman speaks true, so why shouldn't I believe?" Bakura gave the same self-assured shrug the other had given. "Soon we will all have what we all that we want." The Millennium Ring chimed, its pointers clashing.

"I see your trip was successful." A simple statement of fact.

Yami Bakura grin widened. "Yes, now with two Millennium Items in my possession and the Puzzle safely out of the way, Kaiba won't be able to make a proper move against us." His eye locked on his colleague's trophy, tracing the odd and unusual curves the blade made.

"The odds are not in his favor," Gehaji reported, "but he possesses the High Priest's cunning. And there are still the Scales in questionable hands."

Yami Bakura licked his lips at the sound of the Scales. "If what I've discovered is true, then they lie in the hands of one of our kin-sisters."

"Is that true? Who would it be?"

"Kisara." A look of acknowledgement passed through both young men, each knowing the danger she had represented.

"But she died," Gehaji said quietly. "Surely she cannot pose that great a threat."

"Strange things happen when people truly die. But I wouldn't know." The sly grin returning to Yami Bakura.

The second in command remembered why they were here. "What are your orders?"

A momentarily thoughtful look appeared on Yami Bakura's face. "There should be more sibling rivalry. Send Mokuba back to his brother. That should keep the future lot busy." He stroked his chin. "I will be spying on Yugi to make sure he doesn't learn too much," he said as he momentarily exchanged his demonic appearance to that of his innocent naïve host. "You should try to cajole Kisara into our service. One final attempt before her untimely departure will not hurt in the least."

"And what shall I tell our brothers and sisters?"

"Prepare for our rapture. Our ascension is near!"