A/N: Hey guys, this is my first story and I want to let you know that I am willing to listen to all comments, good or bad. I currently don't have a beta, so if anyone wants to beta this story, PM me. This story is obviously a cross between Ranger's Apprentice and Skyrim. I chose them as they are both set in medieval periods, although one is more fictional than the other, but it won't be that hard to have "certain" RA characters go to Skyrim and help the Dragonborn. I am going to be updating this every couple of weeks hopefully. So without further ado…

Chapter 1

Araluen: Castle Redmont

"Kurokuma!" a voice called that sounded vaguely familiar to Horace, although he couldn't quite place it.

"Who's there?" Horace shouted back. As he spun around, he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. 'This is so not good…' the young warrior thought to himself, 'How does this person know my na-, hold on, this person called me "Kurokuma", not "Horace", so that must mean…', as he reached the conclusion, the unknown person stepped out from the shadows of the trees and walked towards the shocked younger man.

"It has been to long Kurokuma-san." Lord Shigeru said to his younger friend. He looked the oakleaf knight up and down, liking what he saw in the knight, and remembering the adventure that had happened the last time they had met.

"Lord Shigeru, you are looking better than the last time I saw you. How is Nihon-Ja?" A sudden thought hit Horace, "Has there been another revolt? Do you need Araluen's help again?"

Shigeru let out a short bark of laughter. "No my boy, my home country is at peace, and everything is as it should be… or so the people believe." There was a note of worry in the older lord's voice that had Horace on edge.

"When you say 'or so the people believe', what do you mean?" the question hung on the air for several seconds as Lord Shigeru pondered whether or not to tell the young man standing before him. He had intended to talk to Will and Halt about this first, but had seen Horace walking along the path and decided to test the warrior. The response and look on Horace's face had been, amusing, to say the least. As the older man came to a decision, Horace saw the fear and worry pass across the normally calm and collected lord's face. "Perhaps we should send for Will and Halt, I'm assuming you have some truly awful news to come to Araluen at such short notice." Shigeru look at the well-built man in front of him, smiling in gratitude.

"You have my thanks for your foresight, Kurokuma-san." The elder man said to his companion.

Within minutes, a page had been sent to the cabin that Will lived in, and another to the suite of rooms that had been laid aside for Halt and Lady Pauline's use when they stopped by Castle Redmont. About ten minutes later, Horace's room was full of people, but Shigeru noted that Will looked distraught over something. Deciding to let the fact go for the moment, the lord launched into the explanation of why he had come to Araluen in such a rush.

"So the reason that I have rushed here from my homeland is that some kind of portal has opened up in the fortress of Ran-Koshi. The mountain dwellers sent word to me at once, as I knew a little of what this portal was from the old texts in the library at my palace. I never believed them until I saw it with my own eyes, a breach in time and space, a blue breach, the size of a man, and with an image of an old palace at its centre." The sound of Shigeru's voice and the worry that gripped it showed how uncertain the emperor was. The cowled figure sitting in the corner behind will was quivering with fear, and Shigeru decided to get some answers. "Before I go on, I would like to know who this is, and why they are here." He said as he pointed to the cowled figure.

"This is my apprentice, Madelyn." Will spoke up suddenly, but with a voice that was a flat monotone, which startled the emperor, who remembered Will having a bounce in his step and a voice filled with joy and curiosity. This new, grim Will unsettled him deeply. 'What happened to turn him this cold and grim', Shigeru pondered quietly. He wondered why the others hadn't commented on it, and then realised that he must have been like this for a while, as Halt kept looking over at his former apprentice and quite obviously hated seeing him like this as much as the emperor did.

"We will come back with you emperor. In the brief meeting this has been, we can tell this has unsettled you deeply, and even though I haven't known you long, but my father and my mentor are old comrades of yours aren't they?" Madelyn asked the older man. Shigeru nodded in confirmation and gratitude. The fact that it had been Maddie that had said that had smiles on most of the assembled group's faces, except for Will, who stayed as stony faced as ever. Everyone in the room knew that the most scared would be the young girl standing behind her mentor, and to hear that she would accept this mission along with the rest of them showed that she was made of the same stern stuff that was expected in Rangers and apprentices alike, because, not matter what the situation was, their duty was to protect the kingdom, and by the sounds of it, this portal was a threat to not only Araluen, Nihon-Ja and Skandia, but potentially the entire world.

"Well, I suppose I should start training again." Halt said, startling everyone present. Only three of the people present understood what he meant, and none of them like the idea much.