The snow fell in thick white flakes across the isolated and nearly barren icy tundra in the Northernmost section of the Mushroom Kingdom. The two bravest heroes and defenders of said kingdom; Mario and Luigi, trekked through the knee high snow as they began searching for a rumored, if not all out mythical, warp pipe. A warp pipe that could possible connect the Mushroom Kingdom to a new world!

Mario tightened the red scarf around his neck as he put his hand over his eyes, struggling to see through the near whiteout conditions of the environment. "I think we're getting close, Luigi." He called out to his younger brother. "Just a little further."

Luigi pulled his trademark green cap down over his eyes and his green scarf up to his ears to shield himself from the stinging cold. "I hope so, I don't think I'll be able to hold out too much longer." Putting his hands to his mouth he breathed warmth into his cold palms. The thin white fabric of his gloves did little to protect his fingers from the stinging chill. "I don't want to get lost out here!"

"Don't worry Bro, we'll have our answer soon enough and be on our way back home." Mario subtly rubbed his own hands together to try to ease the painful cold that was making his fingers tingle.

"Hey Mario," Luigi rubbed his hands along his arms in an attempt to warm himself up further. "why'd we have to go looking for this pipe during a blizzard? This is crazy!"

Mario paused at the top of a small peak to scan the horizon. "Because according to Toadsworth this is the only time of year where the fabled Crystal Caverns are supposedly accessible. We have no choice!"

"I hope Toadsworth is right." Luigi grimaced a little as he breathed a second warm breath into his still icy hands. "I'd hate to think we could've made this climb during the summer months instead!"

As the two brothers continued their trek the wind howled louder and stronger, sending a nearly debilitating chill through their very cores. The snow fell heavier and thickened considerably, to near whiteout conditions. In the distance a herd of snow Yoshis, dubbed 'Snowshis' by many explorers, grazed on small frozen berries in snow covered shrubs growing out of the icy, rocky terrain. As the gentle herbivores gathered to graze they sand a somber song the echoed peacefully through the ice covered mountain peak.

Keeping his eyes on the horizon Mario spotted a shiny gleam amongst the snow in the distance and pointed to it. "Look at that! I think it's a crystal."

"Or it could be more ice. After all, we're in the middle of a blizzard." Luigi cynically commented as he joined his brother on the snowy peak.

"Could be. But there's only one way to find out."

"I was afraid you were going to say that..." Luigi hated the cold, but he hated the idea of his brother walking around in a blizzard all by himself even more. "Alright, let's go. Lead the way."

After choosing what seemed like the best and most direct route to the targeted object in the distance, Mario set out with Luigi following close behind. The brothers trudged slowly but determinedly through the thick snow as it continued to pile up higher and higher. A fine sheet of ice coated the top of the snow, making it more difficult to walk, and made it all that much colder.

Mario kept his eyes focused on the distance, paying no mind to his immediate surroundings. "I think if we-" A loud crunch and echo filled the air as Mario suddenly disappeared from sight.

"Mario?!" Luigi fell to his knees as he watched Mario fall through the snow and into a large cavern far below. "Mario!"

The thick and heavy snow had hidden an ancient wooden bridge that had been weakened by time and neglect. The weight of Mario's body was too much for the aged timber to bear. Mario fell through the wooden planks of the bridge and into a deep crevasse below. Snow and ice fell downward, partially burying Mario in a tomb of white coldness.

"Mario! Hold on Bro!" Luigi looked around the opening that Mario had fallen through and spotted multiple small ledges lining the interior of the pit. Carefully reaching down Luigi grabbed ahold of the icy, slippery ledges and began a slow descent down to his brother. The ledges acting as a makeshift ladder providing the only way down into the cavern without falling. "Mario? Can you hear me?"

Silence. An eerie, foreboding silence.

"Just... hang on! I'm coming for you!" He flinched at his own echoing voice.

Luigi's grip slipped only once, but he managed to regain his hold on the ledges and climb down safely. Reaching the bottom of the crevasse Luigi jogged over to where Mario was laying beneath the layer of snow and ice.

"Mario!" Luigi put his hand on Mario's head gently. "Bro! Wake up!"

Mario didn't budge, he didn't even react to Luigi's voice or touch.

"Mario?" Luigi dusted the snow from Mario's face and found a large cut under his eye that was beginning to blacken into a painful bruise. "Oh no..."

Dusting off the rest of the snow and ice that covered Mario's body, Luigi took inventory of the rest of Mario's injuries. His right arm was clearly broken based on the unnatural angle in which it was resting. His right leg was also injured, thankfully nothing was broken, but his knee was obviously and painfully sprained thanks to his very rough and unexpected landing.

"Don't worry Bro, I think of a way to get you out of here." Luigi looked around the gloomy dark crevasse and upward at the gaping maw above. "Some how..."

..to be continued...