Hello all, long time no see! Well, this is my Gauntlet Legends fanfic (N64 version- mostly) possibly with some other elements and when I remember what they are, I'll let you know. Well, I think the rest is pretty self-explanatory, so please read on!

Edited! Woo!

Disclaimer: I wish I did but I don't. Sorry...

Prologue: Torn by the Ice

Chapter 1

"Caleb!" The woman screamed hysterically, salty tears pouring down her face only to freeze on her wind-bitten cheeks. Her body racked with sobs as she hammered her fists on the sheet of ice under her. She couldn't see him. He was probably already dead, crushed beyond recognition by the sudden appearance of the ice.

"Archer, we have to leave now! We're going to either freeze or get swept off the cliff!" The Valkyrie's call came to her again, but the archer ignored her. Their voices were soon driven away by the wind. Still, she hated it. It clawed at her garments and flung daggers of ice and freezing slush at her body. Its drone would not give her own ears piece or let her lament be heard by the mountains. Snow gathered about her thermal furs, and her cold-pinched face, entangling itself in her long, thick, brown hair. But despite her burning hatred the weather was quickly being forgotten. Her heart was turning to stone where she sat, freezing like everything around it. It wouldn't have mattered if she died right then and there. At least then she could see Caleb. And the way things were going that might have been the case.

A powerful hand grasped her at her elbow and hauled her to her feet.

"No! Caleb-"

"Isn't any better off with you turning into an ice crystal." The gruff voice of Jarred reached her ears, his huge, rough hand gripping her tighter. Half carrying, half dragging, the powerfully built warrior eventually got the fur-covered young woman to the rest of their snow-sick group. Once they were gathered they continued on their way. It was a rough climb, but if the rag-tag team could get to their destination atop the mountain before the legions burying through the rock, they would have a chance to escape this frozen hell- albeit, one short than when they started the expedition.

The wind blew and beat against them mercilessly, tearing at their fingers as they groped for one another and for another ledge to hang on to. Each minute seemed like an eternity, especially for the archer, whose mind still lingered in the frosty prison under the ice sheet that held their comrade. So close yet so far, only feet away, but without the hope of passing through that which stood between them.

Jarred stood behind her, his huge form wrapped in furs. In an attempt to make certain that his smaller friend didn't try anything stupid, he had tied an extra rope to her waist, attaching it to his own. It was a pity, but they would have to figure out the details of the accident later. Right now the only thing that mattered was getting out of the cold. His stomach rumbled and his dry mouth watered. Hot food wouldn't be so bad either, although he wondered if, when the reality of this whole business had set in, he would have the stomach to eat.

Ahead of the elf, a jacka- like character scrambled for a handhold. His name was Ankah Tier Shalem and he wasn't enjoying the cold anymore than the warrior somewhere behind him. He halted for a moment, adjusting his scepter, a golden, rune covered item which hung from a black leather belt. He rubbed his hands for a moment before continuing. Not that it mattered. They froze almost instantly anyway.

Leading the group, Tieralinoraine var Shoal climbed quickly, ignoring the biting and beating and howling of the wind. She had been raised in similar conditions and as such, had learned long ago not to inform the weather of how well it managed to provide you with discomfort. It often only got worse.

Her fiery red-gold curls were being thrown in every which way while shards of ice as sharp as needles struck at the covers over her face. Even with so much protection she felt one particularly hard piece jab at a place directly above her right eye and draw a thin stream of blood that was quickly scattered about in a most unholy fashion by the winds. Tiera- her nickname- scowled and tried to blink the pink blur away. Normally, Luconia would be here in the front, spying out their route and searching for any traps along the road. Not this day. Today they were trying to stop her from running back down the edge of the cliff or perhaps attempting to cast herself off the side. She had been weary before they even ventured here, but the past events seemed to have crushed her spirit. It was best that they just find the exit and then decide on their next course of action.

It happened so suddenly that Tiera, for many disliked using her full name, didn't know what was happening until after it had happened. The edge of the cliff vanished and she fell face first on the ground just around the corner, only to receive a most unwanted mouthful of snow. Ankah panicked for a moment, fearing that their route had in fact led to a needlepoint, but when he didn't feel the resulting drag on her rope, he relaxed a little and rounded the corner. Barely twenty feet away from them was the exit, an ancient hoop of steel lying on the ground, rusted from years of disuse. Tiera struggled to her feet, relief etched on her normally hard features. A moment later she was thrown to the ground again, a low rumble shaking the side of the mountain. The others landed either on top of her or next to her. Jarred, thankfully, was in the later group. The rumbling grew and a loud scratching could be heard nearby. That could only have meant...

"Run!" Springing to her feet, Tiera rushed about dragging her comrades up by their collars and urging them onward. "Move it!" Her voice was commanding, like a horn that summoned soldiers to battle. An obvious gift for disastrous times; a second later the sound of shattering ice was heard on the other side of a granite wall. It was only a matter of time. And time they did not possess. Struggling for all they were worth, the group hurried to the portal. Stepping within the giant hoop of metal they all looked down- all except one.

"Where's Luconia?" Tiera glanced about, panick-stricken. Ankah shook his head bewildered. Turning back, they saw her standing by the edge of the cliff, looking back down the ledge, seemingly deep in thought.

"Luconia!" Jarred bellowed, the sound of his deep voice rumbling over the mountain. She stood for a moment longer than turned back to look at them. They were sheltered from most of the blizzard where they stood in the protection of the hollowed out crevice, but the look on the elf woman's face was hard to tell. The sudden explosion of ice and rock certainly made things no easier. Unearthly screams filled the air, causing it to vibrate.

For a moment there was silence, except for the constant howling of the wind. Then they came. Small pricks of blue light slowly ascended from the pits of the mountain, like frostbitten demons coming up from a frozen hell. The group could only stand and wait for the frosty undead to arrive, unable to leave Luconia behind. Suddenly she burst out of the dust that still floated in the air and sprang onto the portal.

"Sorry it took me so long." She croaked, her throat constricting. Tiera nodded and looked down at the portal. Within the steal hoop was a mirror that seemed to have been made of a very clear gold. In it was the face of a very old man, frowning up at them in question.

"Hurry up you old goat!" The Valkyrie nearly screamed out of irritation. "Unless you want us torn to shreds!" The old man nodded. A moment later the group was gone, just as a clawed hand, the white flesh wearing thin at the bones, reached for Ankah's cloak.

At first there was a feeling of nothingness that enveloped them. Then, a sensation of falling through an endless shadow. For Tieralinoraine, the feeling was welcomed. She got so little rest as it was. The valkyrie wisely took the time to sleep- a rather confusing concept as technically no time passed at all. Ankah often followed suit, letting his mind clear and drift through the darkness. But this time it was different. No one could sleep this time. Jarred, who often spent his time deep in thought over things that few others among his piers ever dreamed about, was preoccupied this 'falling' as well. He often entertained thoughts of building places of learning, for those strong in arm and strong in mind. A beautiful place that represented a fortress where the people of the many lands could come to in times of need. But now, the only room in his mind was taken up by thoughts of Caleb. His thoughts were followed by Tiera's, a mind that marched forward and only forward. The Jackal's prowled on the outskirts of both, sniffing at the memories and unable to turn away from the stench given off by a thing of such great sorrow. Surprisingly, the only person not thinking of him was Luconia Terenthi. She was staring out into the darkness, unable to think at all.