AN: New story! And more crossover! Though unlike what I promised last time, this is a crossover with Lord of the Rings. Odd choice, I know, but I already did one LOTR/YGO cross, so it's not that odd now to cross with YGO 5DS。:) This story will feature significantly less dueling than my previous stuff; there is still some dueling, just not as much and not as prominently. The central idea of the story is kinda like what I was trying to do in (the now abandoned) Power. Anyway, hope you enjoy! Please review and let me know what you think!

1. Destiny Signal

An eye blinked outside the window.

It was an enormous eye, taking up the entirety of the window frame, a ball of deadened white, with a single point of black that roved around, searching, peering, and looking.

Aki put a hand to her mouth, but no scream escaped her throat. She wasn't really afraid, rather she felt like she was drowning in sorrow. You didn't have to do this, Misty, she thought despondently, we are all just victims of one man's twisted ambition, and our own love. Curse the Earthbound Immortal! Curse the evil creature that would abuse the most fervent love of a sister! Let those enemies of all that is good and fair sleep, sleep forever, sealed deep beneath the earth! It was her duty to defeat the Earthbound Immortals as a vassal of the Crimson Dragon.

But that fight was long over, wasn't it?

Aki just realized that she couldn't possibly be standing in the Arcadia Movement headquarter, looking out of the window at the roving eye of Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua; Arcadia Movement did not exist anymore, and Ccarayhua was returned to slumber long ago. What was going on?

She looked around and saw that she was standing in a very old-looking hall. The floor and the walls were made of large blocks of stone, smooth and white but without the expected plastering. Pillars of gleaming black marble rose to greet the high vaulted ceiling, decorated with gold leaves and colourful insets. At the end of hall a tall throne sat at atop a flight of stairs. Does a story book king rule from this seat? Aki wondered with faint amusement.

As she studied this strange place, the eye outside the window blinked with rapidity. Then slowly, slowly the eye moved through the open window and into the ancient hall, just that single eyeball, trailed by shadows like black fog. The hall darkened, and the white marble floor seemed to turn into a black pool. The eyeball moved closer and closer to Aki, and this time she could not stop the scream of fright that escaped her throat.

"Black Rose Dragon!" She called, "Come to me, defeat this evil!"

A wind swept by, fire and black petals danced before her, and Black Rose Dragon materialized in all his glory, red and black, the storm of mid-summer. Black Rose Gale washed over the entire hall, but the shadows did not disperse. Aki heard a sinister laughter, and a cold voice that said, "I cannot be destroyed, I cannot be destroyed! But I shall destroy you!"

Black Rose Dragon screamed, and his head drooped, the petals of his wings seemed to lose colour. Her dragon was dying before her, Aki realized. So her enemy cannot be destroyed? Well then, she still had answers. "From your wintry abode rise and greet me, Brionac, Dragon…"

Aki did not quite finish, for a red light suddenly pierced through the black mist, and at the same time, Aki felt the familiar stinging sensation on her right arm. She heard a thunderous dragonic roar, and then saw a pair of wide, wide crystalline wings unfolding from the shadows and filling up the hall, poking through the windows. Silvery-blue those wings were and glittering with an icy light, a little like the wings of her own Brionac. Aki strained her eyes and tried to see the dragon's entirety, but all she saw were wings and the shadows.

A man emerged from the shadows and walked towards her. He was exceedingly tall, even taller than Jack Atlas. His hair was dark threaded with silver, his eyes the piercing silver of an eagle's eyes, and his face, while no longer young, was still breathtakingly beautiful to look upon. "Thank you for everything, my lady," The strange man said, "Now come away from the shadows! Come with me, back to the world of living and light, where a young and noble soul like yours belongs. Come."

He extended a hand towards her, and Aki saw that his arm was glowing with the familiar crimson outlines of a claw—the signer of the claw.

What?! Is that—is that the same as the mark on my arm?

In utter confusion Aki woke from her dream, and the first thing she noticed was that her room being choke full of the overwhelming fragrance of flowers and leaves. The single long-stemmed rose left in the vase on her dresser table has grown into a rose bush, reaching to the ceiling; the carpet was nearly buried in petals and leaves. That's why one should never summon Black Rose Dragon in a dream, Aki mused with annoyance, but at least she did not bring out Brionac in her dream; flowers were still better than an iced-over room.

She pulled open the drawer of her nightstand and fished out a card, twirling it between her long fingers. "Come out now and do your magic," She murmured, "Summon, Morphtronic Vacuumen."

And the little vacuum appeared out of thin air and cleaned up her room in a jiffy, such efficiency would be the envy of any vacuum cleaner created by mankind's technology. Rua had been baffled when she asked for this card, for it was too weak even for a Morphtronic deck; he probably never imagined anyone would ask for a duel monster card for the purpose of doing chores. But not just any chore, Aki sighed once more, most people probably don't have to do her kind of gardening.

Her powers have returned.

At first she didn't mind. Most of the time she had perfect control, and she didn't duel all that much either way, so there was no danger of inadvertently setting the Black Rose Dragon on someone. And if sometimes she lost concentration and let loose her power, it was no more than reviving a dead flower arrangement, or making plates fly to the dinner table on their own, so it hardly mattered. But then the dreams started. She had been seeing strange things in dreams: a fantastic land, with knights and kings, horsemen and dragons, a tall and stately man with the eyes of the eagle and the mark of the Crimson Dragon on his arm, and shapeless enemies. In dreams she had little control, and waking up to find a room of mess was never any fun. And her power kept growing with every passing day, until she could defy gravity, change the pace of seasons, give life and end it, until it seemed there was nothing she could not do if she so desired.

How did they say it again? Absolute power…

The sudden alarm song bursting out of her cellphone snapped her out of her pondering. Aki moaned and rolled out of the bed. She better get ready now; she did have two hundred miles to go to that press release dinner tonight.

Being a member of the now disbanded but still world-famous Team 5DS, Aki had always received invitations to this dinner party or that charity ball, and she almost never bothered attending. But this particular event was different. Last year, an archaeology team unearthed a fully-preserved temple dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, also known as the Crimson Dragon, in the La Malinche mountains in Mexico, and within that temple they discovered stone tablets depicting never before seen deities—deities that looked remarkably like the signer dragons.

The signer dragons of Team 5DS were some of the most mysterious cards in duel monsters; even the developer of the game, Industrial Illusion, could not recount the history of those cards, neither the set they were released in, nor the designer or the artist, and certainly no back stories, nothing about why these cards were one-and-only. It is perhaps the mystery and the uniqueness of these dragons that added to the fame of Team 5DS. So when the new findings from the La Malinche temple came to light, the entire dueling world was abuzz with excitement. To add more to the excitement, the archeology team announced that they also found ancient records recounting the myths of these deities, and they will be releasing the details of their findings at the press release.

This time Industrious Illusion was quick to snatch up a great business opportunity. The developer of duel monsters announced that they will be creating a new set of cards based on the La Malinche find, both reprints of the once-unique signer dragons, as well as new monsters based on those newly-discovered Astez artifacts. The company even managed to negotiate with the archaeology team to host a joint release on the same date, turning a simple academic press release into a high-profile dinner party. That was why Industrious Illusion invited Team 5DS to dinner; all the original signer dragon cards will be on display there, and the company promised them all special edition set of the cards to be released. It took some convincing for Aki to agree to loaning out her Black Rose Dragon for display, but in the end she was glad she agreed; she was rather curious about this newly discovered temple, and it was a good opportunity to see all of her friends, scattered across the globe as they were.

Once there, Aki only found herself besieged by a sea of reporters, fans, or just curious onlookers. She looked around desperately, trying to locate her friends and former teammates, but she saw that they were similarly surrounded. Sighing, she tried her best to forget the others for a while and deal with the people that surrounded her. When she eventually escaped the crowds and into the display room, she found the large room to be almost completely empty. Ironic, but at least she can enjoy the display with no one to interrupt her.

Twelve large glass cases lined the walls of the room, each holding a stone tablet depicting a deity, and also the corresponding duel monster card. Aki first stopped at the display case holding her Black Rose Dragon, the sight of her most steadfast companion brought a smile to her face. Stardust Dragon's case occupied a central place in the room, as was befitting of the leader of the 5DS and the mightiest of them all. Another case held Yusei's Scrap Dragon, and next Ruka's Ancient Sacred Wyvern, past which was her own new champion, Brionac. Aki stopped by Brionac's display to read the descriptions.

"In this age he is known as Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier. Aztec myths call him 'Lesser Dragon of the Ice'," So the exposition went, "Like the other lesser dragons in records, he is a gift to Quetzalcoatl from the other three Tezcatlipocas, an ally in the common struggle against the Earthbound Immortals. While he is not a signer dragon, he is held by the chosen vassal of the Crimson Dragon, and his power is also unleashed against the Earthbound Immortals. Lesser Dragon of the Ice emerges from the south, where the blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli the glorious God of War, presides. Legends say the Lesser Dragon of the Ice has power over time and can return any creature to an earlier, weaker state."

Aki looked at the ancient stone tablet thoughtfully, eyes tracing the carven outlines of a stylized sea-serpent with wings of ice. Team 5DS's connection with the ancient god ran deep, so it seemed; but as much as it was destiny, the bond they all shared and the love they had for each other was genuine, born in this age and this time and nurtured to maturity by their shared adventures. Ai, how she missed them so!

She finally stopped at the last display case housing a brand new card. "Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier", the card says. And the description reads, "Religious texts hail him as 'Trishula, Great Dragon of the Ice'. He is the most powerful sorcerer among all signer dragons, whose ability can bend the very fabric of the universe. It is said in the last struggle against the Earthbound Immortals, Trishula used his magic to banish two enemies into another world, but the dying anger and vengeance of these Earthbound Immortals dragged Trishula away also, and the Great Dragon of the Ice was lost. Bitterly the people mourned the passing of Trishula, and Quetzalcoatl too greatly rued the loss of his beloved vassal."

A signer dragon?! Aki stared at the stone tablet, mesmerized. A lost signer dragon, no less! Was that why none of them received this dragon? But those crystalline wings of Trishula seemed so familiar. Was this her innate connection to a signer dragon? Or was she simply reading too much into ancient religious babble?

"Aki." A familiar voice interrupted her daydreaming.

She whirled around and looked right into the blue eyes of Yusei Fudo. She smiled, feeling happiness welling up, and stepped near him. Yusei leaned in and gave her a little peck on the forehead, almost shyly; they have had an understanding for a while, but it was also difficult to move things along when they lived separate lives in different corners of the world.

"It is so good to see you, Yusei," Aki murmured.

"Same here; I have missed you."

They stood in companionable silence for a while, admiring the carving of Trishula together. Finally Yusei remarked, "He certainly is a powerful creature."

"You mean the vassal of Quetzalcoatl, or the duel monster?" Aki asked with a teasing laugh.

At that Yusei let loose a smile also. "Ah, you know me too well; I admit I am talking about the duel monster and not the mythical demi-god. I suppose there is much more duelist than signer in me. You know, Aki, if it weren't for your and Ruka's power, I would have had a lot more difficulty believing in this whole thing about the Crimson Dragon and struggles against ancient gods."

At the mention of power Aki's eyes clouded, but she kept her smile and said, "And if it weren't for you, Yusei, I would not have been able to believe that my powers could be meant for something truly good. Thank you, Yusei, truly and again."

Despite her casual words, Yusei caught the faint shadows in her eyes and his expression sobered as well. So he said quietly, "Aki, I meant to talk to you about…well, about you. I heard you took a six-month leave from medical school? I don't mean to pry, but did something happen? What is troubling you?"

"It's just that my powers have come back, and they have been growing stronger," Aki replied, keeping her eyes on the display case instead of looking at Yusei, "But don't worry, Yusei, I can control it. I just wanted a short leave so I can get used to handling and controlling my powers once more. I just started doing my practicum at a hospital, and I cannot afford any mistake, which is why I needed some time off to really perfect the control of my power."

There was another silence, and then Yusei said, "You are afraid, Aki."

That wasn't a question; Yusei was simply making a statement. Reluctant but unable to hide anything from Yusei, Aki nodded.

"But why, Aki? If you have control, what are you truly afraid of?"

Aki blinked, hesitant, and even more she was confused. What was she truly afraid of? After a few ponderous moments she said quietly, "I don't really know, but I have been having strange dreams lately, where I would call on my dragons to fight strange enemies. In dreams I have less control, and I often wake up to find my room buried with flowers, or iced over."

"Is that it?" Yusei's eyes gained a new penetrating intensity as he pursued his questioning, "I mean, have the dreams become more intense, or more frequent over time? Are you afraid you might one night do more harm than simply make a room of flowers?"

Aki shook her head slowly and said, "It is not that the dreams have become more intense or more frequent, but it seems my powers have become… stronger and stronger, in a sense."

Yusei's face twitched into a wry smile, and he said, "You were always very powerful, Aki, I can attest to that personally. You could bring down the roof of the stadium, quite literally, do you not remember?"

Aki blushed furiously and was rendered speechless; she could only mumble something inaudible beneath her breath. So Yusei collected his expression and said with all seriousness, "Are you saying your power has become even stronger than back then? How would you know? Is there any particular incident? Aki, please tell me everything, let me help you figure it out."

There was another long moment of silence. Finally Aki began her story in a troubled voice, "There was this one incident… It was only the third week into my practicum, we had a major emergency at the hospital. It was a serious car accident, and a young boy, only eleven or twelve, was rushed into the emergency room. He had severely damaged organs and massive internal hemorrhaging. Though we were trying everything, there was no hope. The doctor in charge of that emergency operation, Doctor Heinlein, my advisor, I could tell he thought it all hopeless—he had tears in his eyes. And indeed the boy's heart stopped and we could not revive him; he was clinically dead. I was terrified and desperate. It was my first time seeing any patient dying, never mind a boy, so young, so undeserving of it all. I wanted him live, that was the one and only thing that occupied my mind, I just wanted him to live. So he came back alive, and his internal injuries were nearly all gone, just like that, within a matter of a few minutes. Everyone was overjoyed, but the next day Doctor Heinlein asked for leave. He said he needed a long break after something so completely contradictory to all of his knowledge and learning."

When the story finished Aki looked truly miserable, so Yusei put his arms around her. "It seems to me that you did a very good thing, Aki," Yusei said softly, "You saved the life of a child. You saved two parents from a broken heart and a broken life that would never truly heal. Why do you seem so miserable that you have accomplished something so good?"

"I am terrified," Aki murmured and snuggled closer in Yusei's arms. She paused for a long time, as if pondering her words, before saying, "I suppose when I was young I never really thought about my power and just how much liability it is, angry as I was, barely sane. And by the time I could think about it, the battle was over and my powers gone with the sign of the Crimson Dragon. But now… What am I supposed to do with this power, this ability to decide life and death? No one should have that kind of power. Even if I can control my power, for now, even if I only want to help others, how do I know that I wouldn't inadvertently do something terrible? I don't trust myself with such power."

"But if it weren't for such power, the Earthbound Immortals would have taken over the world long ago, or Zone would have won, erasing everything as we know it. Power can serve every purpose, and that purpose is always freely and deliberately chosen. You must not think the worst of yourself, Aki."

"I do not know if I can always make the right choice."

"Of course you can," Yusei said firmly, "Because as you said before, your most fervent wish is to save lives. Believe in the strength of your purpose, Aki, and take care of everyone you meet on your way, and you won't get lost. You will make a great doctor yet, Aki. So that means," Here Yusei added with a smile, "Try not to take too long a break, okay? I still hope to see you back in Neo Domino General after you complete your practicum."

At this Aki finally laughed again. "Thank you, Yusei, thank you so much," She said, "You always show me the way." She leaned it as if wanting to offer a kiss, but suddenly her motion stilled and a strange, confused look stole her face once more.

"What is it, Aki?"

"Do you hear something?" Aki asked with furrowed brow, "I think I hear someone chanting…"

"Aki, we are the only ones in this display room," Yusei said slowly.

"Do you really not hear anything, but…!"

Aki looked around wildly, for she heard clearly a strong and deep baritone voice chanting, "From the foundered land, from the flowing sea, from the light of the north and the fury of the deep…"

A sudden pain assailed Aki's right arm, and to her utter surprise, she saw the mark of the Crimson Dragon, a single sharpened claw, glowing on her arm. The display case in front of them was ignited by an explosion of golden light; the card depicting Trishula glowed white and vibrated. As if answering Trishula's call, a few more display cases also lit up.

"Aki!" Yusei called and tightened his arms around Aki, for he felt something pulling at the girl in his arms, as if trying to wrestle her away from his embrace. He held on to Aki with all his strength, but to no avail. The display case in front of him glowed so bright that he had to close his eyes momentarily, and when he opened his eyes again, Aki was nowhere to be seen.

Aki did not know where she was either. One moment she was still in Yusei's arms, and the next moment she was somewhere else, with no solid ground beneath her, weightless and falling. The chanting of the baritone voice grew louder, and she heard, "From your wintry abode arise, rise and greet me!"

Someone is dueling? Summoning a monster? That was Aki's last thought before everything turned black.

Note: Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier actually made a brief appearance in 5DS anime. But let's pretend, for the sake of my story, that it is a never before seen card and only made after that archaeology discovery, blablabla, lol.