Tobey prayed to all that was sacred that this bridge would support them. He had seen some odd things in his lifetime. He had seen the Second Ghost Dance by the spirits, immortal souls of insects, and even the start of genetic engineered super mages. But walking on a bridge made of a rainbow took the bloody cake! He helped support Leman, who toted multiple gashes in his body, many of them would appear to be fatal. This was one tough son of a bitch, not even trolls could survive such wounds. Ike however, was walking the line where he could be off to join his ancestors at any moment. Tobey tried to heal him, but the poison on the blade prevented his magic to be of any use. It was a very strong poison, greater than anything the corporations could haul out.

Lucas was next to him all the while, looking out with awe at the space around them. Stars shined brightly and galaxies spun at a glacier rate. It was a breathtaking sight, more so then the Final Destination stage they used for brawls. Ganondorf walked not far behind the rest, likewise taking in the entire sight. Marth and the stranger helped carry Ike. His wounds had not stopped bleeding and his pulse was getting gradually weaker. Whatever was at the end of this rainbow had best make itself known. He wasn't to particularly fond of going on the limb, even when necessary.

"Look!" Link pointed out, his Hylian eyesight aiding him. "Someone up ahead." He squinted again and tried to get a better image. "It looks as if he is standing watch at the end." The pace of the group picked up a decent amount. Leman rushed ahead to the front ahead of them. It was evident that his wounds were holding him back slightly. He had a limp in his stride and light crimson droplets of fell in rapid precession in his way. How he managed to survive them were a testament to his enhanced endurance. Apparently, he was something more than just a human.

Leman approached the massive man who stood in his way. The man was far older then Leman was, though it was not shown upon his skin. Where Leman's beard was thick and with yellow braids, the guard had a short, yet puffy dark hazel beard. A massive sword the size of a claymore was held in one hand, glowing an ethereal blue. From the side of the watcher was a twisted ram's horn, stained yellow with the weight of ages upon its bone. "Leman." The guardian said to him. "You have been missed from the halls. Coming back so early with wounded is never a good sign."

Leman bowed his head in respect to his elder. "Indeed. All is not well. I have a wounded comrade who is ready to join our hall if he is not given our fruit. Something has happened and we must gather." The guardian smiled weakly and murmured something under his breath about Leman was more like his father then he ever knew. He raised his horn to his lips and an earsplitting blow echoed through the space. Many of the smashers instinctively planted their hands against their ears to shield their eardrums from the massive noise. It was a long and low note that carried itself.

When the note began to echo, a mystical fog began to part. Leman walked through the fog and the others, with hesitance evident in their strides. When they did step through the fog, they gasped involuntarily. What could only describe the land was majestic, and that was an understatement. Mountains grew as high as the eye could see, but the rolling highlands beneath them were almost pure green. The crisp, cool mountain air brought relief to their tired lungs. Of all the smashers, second to Leman of course, Ulfric felt the greatest sense of peace from this landscape.

Almost as if on cue, three figures appeared as if from nowhere. One was an aged one eyed warrior, a pair of ravens on his shoulder. In his hands he held a massive spear which radiated energy untold. He appeared to be the oldest and perhaps the leader of the group. He was, in every sense, a jarl according to Ulfric's deductions. Strong, more than likely wise and a faint glow of magical energies were hidden beneath the surface of his skin. He had a long snow white beard and impossibly thick with muscle. There was a faint amount of comparison between him and Leman, but not too much.

Next to him stood a man who bearded a striking resemblance to Leman, clearly they were related in one way or the other. The blond hair was of an identical color and the muscle build was almost a mirror copy of them. From his side was a massive hammer, like a blacksmithing hammer but far more ornate and seemed to cast a slight glow over all it had. Peach felt herself being attracted to the well toned build, causing a fraction of a scowl to pass upon Marth's face. Ganondorf smiled slightly, only to get slugged by Marth on the shoulder for such a thing.

The last one was a young maiden. One with such beauty that all of the male smashers had to bite their tongues, lest they were to fall out of their mouths. She bore a small wicker basket that seemed to be carrying something. She was dressed in simple, yet elegant handspun robes. They were of earthy shades of tans and browns, humble colors yet she did them justice. Tobey cursed himself inwardly; something was familiar about these characters. Yet he couldn't lay an exact finger at it. Several of the other Smashers felt the same, though their questions were soon to be answered.

The identical, save slightly older, version of Leman walked forward and the two embraced each other. "Leman! I scarcely thought you would be back so soon." He had a voice truly like thunder, and it carried it's own weight through the open air. His gaze turned to a heavily bleeding Ike and he spoke quickly to the young maiden who nodded and approached Ike. She knelt down to him and opened the basket. Inside the basket was one bright red apple. The smashers, save Leman, were momentarily confused. How exactly an apple was to save Ike's life was beyond them. The maiden took a knife and carved a slice out of the apple and placed it in his mouth. Closing his jaw, she waited a few moments. Almost instantly, Ike's wounds were healing. While it was not sealing off the wounds entirely, the bleeding stopped. Ike's skin also began to tighten across his body, as if time itself was being reversed. This made them all exhale a breath they had unknowingly been holding.

The older, one eyed man spoke. His wisdom was evident in his words. "It would appear that my grandson's habit of finding trouble never leaves him. But I feel that you are in need of introductions. My name is Odin. I think you may have heard of me." The old man smiled as faces that preceded a dope smack flew across everyone's face. How could they have been so blind? "This is my son Thor and his son, Leman, who you already know of. This young lass is known as Idun."

Tobey shook his head. He of all should have recognized them. He came from a world where myths were real things and this should have been no exceptions. He looked around himself, taking in the whole scene. So this is where the Viking warlords believed their souls would go in the end times. He was the first of the smashers to speak. "Milords and lady." He offered a slight bow to them and continued. "A wave of reckoning has come across our neck of the woods. I have a feeling that you may be affected by it sooner or later. It was with giants and a man dressed in red and black."

Thor nodded, "I feared as much. My son is more like me then I expected so." He slugged Leman on the shoulder in a fatherly gesture. "I will make sure your wounded comrade will be safe as he heals. Our apples of eternal youth could heal him entirely. But if we were to give him too much, time may have been reversed too far. Father, will you gather the others to assess the situation?" When Odin nodded, Thor turned to Leman. "Leman, would you please direct your accomplices to their housings for the time being? The long house will do."

"It will be done my father." Leman bowed despite his injuries, in which he was passed another apple by Idun. The gods took their leave and Leman turned back to the other smashers. Needless to say, he received some hard glances. He shook his head and the smashers followed him up a sloped mountain pass. "You won't get any answers if you remain tight lipped about it. If you want to ask me something, you had best do it now."

Ganondorf, the tallest and as such the wan closest to Leman asked. "Why did you hide your ancestry from us? You posed as something that you weren't, and that doesn't speak highly of yourself."

Leman sighed and replied. "How would that have sounded? 'By the way, may father is the god of thunder. I hope that it isn't a problem.' I have no remorse for deceiving you. It was for your own survival that I did such a thing. To have my name spoken into the air in such a way like that would have placed you all in harm's way. I am more like my father, looking out for humanity and the other mortals with a humble pride. It wouldn't have been soon after then those whom attacked the Mansion would have caught word of it. That was a risk I would not have gambled on."

Ulfric was the next to raise his voice. "What were those things that attacked us? They were unlike anything from my homeland of Skyrim."

Leman nodded, "That they should be. They were frost and fire giants. Their names I hope should be self explanatory. But their leaders, Surtur for the fire giants and Thrym for the frost, are monsters to be reckoned with. The bastard who took Zelda was one of ours. You know him as Loki. He himself has associated himself on multiple occasions with the giants and has never been on good speaking terms with us. "Leman's face curled into a scowl as he felt the urge to spit. Loki had so much potential, but in the end he had chosen the wrong side to throw his lot in with. There was noting more to say, or at the least on what Leman would say about Loki or any of the giants. He felt something tug at his leg and he looked down. He saw Nana not far behind him, arms outstretched. Stooping while he walked, he picked her up and placed her on his shoulders.

She asked him a question then. "Why did the bad men take Zelda away? Why didn't they take me or you?"

Leman shrugged carefully. "It was because she is a very powerful sorceress. The giants are not tuned into the arts of the arcane. What sorcerers they have a few in number as is their power. Like Tobey, they are more apt for bending the elements to their will. All that is good will shutter at what they could do with such an accomplished mage at their side."

They reached the top of the after a while of silence. The long house was as it said on the label. Made of planks of thick oak, the house was long he it had some depth. Two massive doors were at the front and Leman pushed them open in no time. The interior was grand, despite the humble outside. The pelts of many animals; deer, bears, wolves, and other monstrous creatures acted as rugs while a massive fire burned in the center of the long house. Weapons of old adorned the walls and the pillars themselves were made out of the shafts of spears. A massive table with a feast was set before them. Leman gestured them in. "Relax while you can. Our conclave will meet within a few hours, from there we will make our battle plans."

Leman took his leave and almost every one made their way to the chars, just to sit down and contemplate on all what has happened . Each of them thought of different things. Marth was still shaken about that he almost lost one of his oldest and most trusted friends, and Peach was still shuttering on what was happening to Zelda. Snake and Samus were just glad to be alive. Lucas wondered what was next, and was this what the elements told him about. The twin Ice Climbers were just plain shaken. Ulfric thought about his homeland and was this going to turn toward it. Link's emotions were centered around hatred against the giants and whoever else was with them. Tobey tried to find that inner sense of calm and tranquility he had on many occasions, but he could not seem to find it.

Ganondorf broke the silence. "After all these years, there really is something out there that can turn our worlds upside down in a matter of hours. I thought that threatening the future of Hyrule was my job." It was a weak joke, but a few gave a laugh. Tobey nodded and pulled out his revolver to begin on cleaning it. It was one of the things that allowed him to clear his mind. Snake followed in suit and some of the others began to do something to vent their frustrations. Link began to sharpen his blades, the constant shhick, shihick of his whet stone running over his blades was pleasing to his ears with the bloodlust running through his veins. Samus massaged her temples, a sudden headache suddenly forming on her. The younger ones decided to look around the long house to clear their heads, peach decided to go along with them, partially to clear her own head and to be sure that the kids didn't play with anything sharp.

Tobey finished his revolver and looked at in the fire. "Link, why did you let Zelda go?" Link looked over his sword for Tobey to elaborate the question. "Well, I have heard some things through the mansion, and I was wondering… did she just ditch you or vice versa? Or were you just and abusive asshole?" The reaction was what was expected. Link leapt over the flame, his Master Sword in his hands. Tobey raised his staff and parried the blow. Tobey quickly holstered his revolver and focused on defending himself with his staff. Tobey needed this, he could smell the anger radiating from Link. If he didn't get it out of him, it would leave him bitter and resentful.

Marth looked over to Ulfric, who was only smiling. "Should we separate that two?"

Ulfric shook his head. "Let them fight this out. Both need to blow some steam off so it would be best taken out at each other during this interlude rather than when our lieges come for their meeting." The seated watched as the Hylian battled it out with Tobey, each one of them never giving in. Tobey was always parrying all the blows that came towards him. Link slashed out with blade and shield, landing many blows against Tobey and his own magic was used as a shield.

Link threw and punch and slammed it into Tobey's face, sending his shades flying and Tobey falling down to the ground. "What about yours? Link shot back with some malice. He wasn't referring to Cherry Bomb, Link would never stoop that low, Tobey thought. "How do you know she isn't sleeping behind your back with your dead friend?" Tobey exhaled sharply and looked back to link. Unlike his standard emerald energies that bleed under his veins, dark crimson with hues of violet now took its place. Link was caught off guard and was soon sent sprawling by a bash across the jaw line with a staff blow. It soon was quite clear that Link said something that made Tobey loose his self control.

Tobey rose from the prone position he was and stood over Link. He looked down unto Link and snarled. Dark black energies bled from his fingers and they draped themselves over Link. "You have best apologize for your words. Or perhaps you would like it if I introduce you to the feeling of your skin being ripped from your flesh?" Marth got between them and placed Tobey's shades back on him. Tobey convulsed and stumbled back. He tripped over his own feet and pulled himself away from everyone. Weeping slightly. Link's senses pulled back into him and he suddenly felt terrible. The other smashers looked at him, most importantly was Lucas with a look that said 'what the hell did you do to him?' Lucas walked past Link, though not after giving him a hard smack over the head, over towards Tobey. All were surprised that the hardened shadowrunner was traumatized by what some would take as a very hash insult. Apparently there was something more to this elf then running the shadows.

But it also became very apparent that there was something else that Tobey was hiding from them. Runes and symbols on the sunglasses were pulsing colors, and it soon became apparent that the elf required these sunglasses for more than the standard reason he gave Lucas. "Sam Watts." Tobey said the name and for a moment it looked as if he was about to break down again. He gathered some courage and confidence to tell his tale with the others around him. "He was a good friend of mine, my mentor actually when I first got into the shadowrun business. We fought our way through several jobs, until a botched job on the waterfront where we were the only survivors. I said this was the only life I knew so I was to stay in the business and he decided that it was time for him to leave the life. He told me that it was more than likely that he would wind up in a gutter dead"

He chuckled despite the attitude he had a few minutes before. "It was until a few months ago that I heard from him again. He activated his dead man's switch, telling me that if I found the one who killed him, hundred grand would end up into my credstick. I headed to the Seattle to find his killer…" He stopped, looking for the best way to paraphrase it. It was more likely then not that if he continued on his story, he would break down again. "… Long and the short of it I found out his killer. He was killed by his sister who ordered an assassin to come after him to gather his organ her dead mother gave him so she could be buried in one piece. I followed her to bring justice, but I found something else." Tobey shuttered as he conjured the memories. "Those events left something capped into me." He rolled up his sleeve and revealed a intrinsic runic scars and tattoos. "One last curse from those bastards. My emotions are massive compared to that of a normal person. So powerful that they take over my ability of control from time to time just as it had done just recently."

He shook his head and rubbed his glasses, reassuring him that they were still there. "These were crafted to keep my emotions in line. The runes keep them from overpowering and sending me out of control. If I can prolong a peace of mind long enough, I can go on for a while without them. But when they aren't, this piece of the arcane will help me." Tobey exhaled sharply and hugged his knees close to his body. Lucas looked at Tobey in wonder, realizing they had more in common then he first realized. He laid a friendly hand on Tobey's back and Tobey cleared his watery eyes. "Sorry about that, I can't control myself when this happens."

Link slugged him on the shoulder. "Save your breath, it should be me that should be apologizing for my actions. I understand what you were doing and I would have done the same. Unfortunately, my own rage took control of my word choice. It was wrong of me to use that against you, but the same could be said about your own." Tobey was forced to admit such a thing.

The smashers drifted away from him to pass the time in some other ways. Ulfric practiced with his battle axe against the training dummy at the far north corner of the building. Link and Marth practiced sword play with each other, while Samus and Solid Snake disappeared off somewhere but nobody was unsure of what exactly they were going to do. Ganondorf decided to pass the time mixing elixirs and other potent fuels of the arcane. Peach tried to find something to do while Lucas along with the Ice Climbers stayed with Tobey, helping him regain some of his lost inner calm. Whatever they did, it did pass time.

The door opened and many massive figures came into the long house. Odin and Thor led the way and several other gods. Many recognized some of the major figures of Nordic legend, some more so then others. Tyr, the god of battle and justice strode forth, a stump where his hand once was covered with coils of a golden metal and a sharpened one handed blade was grasped in the other. Another god Balder, the god known for his charisma, walked in. Tobey passed out pair of darkening shades to Peach, Samus and Nana. The god's affect on women was widely known, even in cases of them throwing themselves to his feet in adulation. Sometimes a physical means of preventing an arcane one was all that was needed. Few lesser known gods came through the doors. Frey, god of sunshine and the elves along with Modi came through the door, the latter radiated berserker rage and courage. Magni, god of strength and another son of Thor came with Leman. Forseti was Odin's voice of reason in the most trying of times, and along with him came Vidar, the ever silent god.

The goddesses were not far behind, though they were fewer in number. The most notable one was Frigga, wife of Odin. She was followed by two other goddesses Freya, goddess of love and fertility and Sif, the goddess of young aspiring warriors. The gods took seats around the fire, just enough for everyone to take a seat. The smashers sat on one side with Leman and Vidar flanking them. The gods and goddesses took their own seats on the other side. Odin spoke his voice of authority carrying with it. "Everyone is here, let us begin. Troubling times have come before us, and it will not be long before Loki and his damned accomplices will bring whatever they have to us. Leman, will you tell us what events have come to pass?"

Leman rose from his seat and spoke in a cool as well as calm voice, taking many by surprise. It remained as calm, though it broke at certain parts. He was talking about the battle against the leader of the frost giant when Freya spoke up. "Leman, what of Lithia? What has happened to her?" The resemblances began to show themselves between Lithia and Freya. The eyes, their face build and the long flowing blond hair. Tobey bit back a curse in the elven tongue.

Leman turned to her with a face set in grim stone. "She fought against us. Weather it was willfully or under someone's control, I do not know. Your daughter has become lost to us." He finished just before she began to wail, the relationship between the two became known. Leman finished his story and sat down. Placing her face in the shoulder of her twin brother, Frey, and wailed aloud.

Tyr growled and rose from his seat. "The fat of Lithia will be determined later, we have a much greater threat to deal with right now. Loki has in his fold a sorceress that has the ability to open a way o the rainbow bridge. The end times will come eventually, but I do not wish to see it for thousands of more years." The gathered gods and goddesses nodded. Link placed his hand over his lips and thought about it. While it was true that Zelda was very powerful, the power to face a demigod and open a portal into here was beyond her abilities alone. She would need several items to draw power from.

As if to answer his question, Sif spoke from her seat. "Though I am unfamiliar with the ways and cycles of magic, she will need much more than just her powers alone to achieve such a thing."

Odin nodded, "She will need several artifacts of power. Represent in the elements and other items that hold vast power reserves. Even then it will be pushing the limits."

"What artifacts will be needed?" Samus asked.

"Hmm, perhaps an elemental heart, the soul of a dragon, blood from one who resides here, and several other items of power." Odin responded. Tobey now swore audibly, knowing full well how to get the hands on one of them. Ulfric nodded slowly as he knew where to find another one of them.

"I know where an Elemental Heart is." Tobey spoke up and others turned to him. "They are rare, and unheard of, one existing in each city at most. Though in my runs, I sensed the powers pulsing beneath the emerald city known as Seattle. If I can find it, it will be one that we can have for us. I know not exactly where it is, but I know where those who believe it are. We can make our way to Seattle and there I and track it down."

Ulfric spoke next, "As can I with the soul of a dragon."

Balder nodded and looked to the rest of the gathered council, "I believe that we should best go after the Elemental Heart first and for most. With the powers of the elements, we can strike back against them."

Frriga objected. "But what about the soul of the Dragon? Surely that would be placed best use against out foes. The gods and goddesses argued amongst each other in over welming voices

Vidnar spoke up after banging his iron shoe three times on the ground, "Why not allow the Smashers to decide. We had best not leave." He used as few words as possible, such was his character. The Smashers argued and debated with each other for a while. After it all, the answer was clear. Tobey knew contacts and he could find them the heart of the elements. Even the Ice Climbers along with Lucas would come along with. Tobey smiled slightly and said that he knew someone who would look after them. They gathered their items of belonging and turned to the rainbow bridge to take them to Seattle. They shared a word with Leman, who told them that he would be there personally when Ike awoke along with Peach. Tobey, Ulfric, Link, Marth, Ganondorf, Samus, Snake, and the children followed Tobey through the bridge to his homeland.

Zelda screamed again but like all of the other screams, they were muffled by the silver cloth. The pain began again, and the circle around her began to glow. She had so stubbornly refused to give into their demands that hey were using her arcane against her. Loki was smirking with the two giants not far behind him. "I will give you one more chance Zelda." Loki demanded. "You will cast the spells that we tell you to. If not, we will tear your soul in two." Zelda shook her head furiously, she had seen the spells and they were clear for transportation to the high heavens. It was somewhere where she never wanted to go with evil in tow.

Loki sighed and the runes flared to life, and pain unlike any other flared across her body, into every fiber of her being. She prayed for blessed unconsciousness to claim her, but it never did. A dark entity approached her and stuck it's hand into her chest and pulled out a white orb. With a whisk of the wrist, the white orb was flung away from them and Zelda collapsed and Loki came over and untied her."Are you ready to cooperate now?"

"Always was… my love." She opened her eyes, which now were pure, baleful red eyes. "I just needed to get rid of what was good and decent from my soul." She rose and flicked off the chains and laid her lips upon Loki. One of the first parts of the way to open the portal was a strong emotion.

There were few emotions stronger then lust.

Rain poured down all around her, cold and unrelenting. She opened her eyes and shuttered at the cold. She looked down on her clothing, wraps of cloth covering her body. Who was she…. More importantly, where was she?

Well, that was certainly an eventful chapter. Off to the Emerald City of Seattle to find the hearts of the elements. Remember to review.

Flame Falcon