Return of the Guardians
The Bonds of True Love
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN RISE OF THE GUARDIANS. RotG is owned by Dreamworks.
Another disclaimer, this is a cupid story that ISN'T OCxJack related! Hoorah!
Prologue:
True love is often associated with the bond of two lovers- a passion untouched by any opposition. This is indeed a form of true love, but there are many more ways to view it. Love is comfort, protection, promises, and above all, dedication.
It is a power so strong that not one force of nature could possibly control it all. Hidden in the stratosphere, a temple crafted of clouds and mist moves constantly with no stop. There thrives mysterious messengers, or cupids that have one sole purpose- protect the bonds of true love. They are constantly sent to the Earth below to protect the relationships and ties between families, future families, and even friends.
Every cupid is strong and willing- they know nothing about resistance. Each one is raised and brought up by their leader to be strong and wise- for they carry the magic of love in their wings. They are also taught to beware of Hatred, Lust, and Envy- three forces that alone can tear the bonds of love everywhere. Cupids are described to be armed with bows and arrows and are fueled with a fighting spirit.
The temple in the sky moves with no rest, such as love. Before cupids are sent to Earth, they are reminded of one phrase,
"Remember, my messengers, love is nothing you can force upon a being. Love will only emerge when the bonds between children, teenagers, and adults alike are evident. Your job is only to enforce and protect these bonds, for they carry peace throughout the world. Without it, Hatred, Lust, and Envy would immediately cause turmoil.
So, my cupids remember your place and calling- love will never fail, but it can be manipulated. Protect the bonds and protect yourselves."
Chapter 1:
The pink hued sky welcomed another dawn as the morning sun began rise, awakening the birds in the trees as they ascended into the air. The clouds appeared to have moved slowly, but in reality sped all around the Earth in a never ending trance.
Rays of light beamed through the rosy clouds, and the lake below them reflected its beauty. A trickle of morning dew seeped from the grass and dipped lightly into the water, causing gentle waves to expand over the shimmering lake. Within the reflection of the water, a cupid was seen gliding upward into the sky at a high speed, causing the wind to brush the formally peaceful leaves of the trees- one losing it's grasp on a branch and delicately landing on top of the lake.
The wings on the apparently female cupid nearly matched the appearance of a cloud. The silvery gray hair on her head stretched longer than her height and waved frantically as she swiftly flew into the morning mist.
She wore robes of white and gold, and perched on her back was a carefully crafted bow. Slouching over her shoulder was the bows that firmly rested inside a cylindrical pouch. The feathers that lined the end of the arrows appeared to be her own.
Her golden eyes were glued forward in concentration as she surveyed the area. She carefully navigated herself in a specific direction and accelerated, where a temple of clouds quickly greeted her vision. Many other cupids like her flew back and forth from the largest structure in the center of it all.
It appeared to be a temple of sorts, only it was completely molded from clouds and mist. The details of the temple would baffle any mortal, mostly because the buildings and the temple itself almost looked like concrete, only hued with pastel yellows, pinks, and of course white.
As she noted the concern plastered on the faces of others, the female's expression on her own went from content to anxious. "What's going on?" she asked herself absently, "Is there something wrong?"
A male cupid quickly caught sight of her and flitted nervously in her direction. "Grace!"
Grace's uneasiness became even more apparent as she quickly acknowledged him, "Tris! What's the problem, everyone looks so distressed!"
"It's Valentine," Tris responded almost desperately, "The bonds are being corrupted! He can't control it!"
Grace's face screwed in attention as she dove for the temple, her wings folded tightly against her back as she rushed through the corridors. Eventually the cupid landed onto the cloudy surface and ran, searching for her leader.
Her pursuits landed her inside the largest room in the temple, where Valentine appeared sickly and distant. The leader was adorned in robes of gold and purple, and his wings stretched far from his slender body. His golden hair curled to about his neck, and at his side was a large, equally golden staff.
Grace attempted to approach him but was stopped by two cupids larger than her. They were notably nervous, however instructed her calmly, "You cannot see him."
"O-okay," she obeyed, "But I want to know what's going on, if I may."
Before the guards could protest, the largest cupid of them all weakly beckoned her. "You, young one, please come here."
Grace's face flushed at the sound of his voice as she glided to the feet of her leader and bowed. "Valentine," she humbly greeted, "What troubles you?"
A smile creased Valentine's previously frowning lips, and he slowly gestured for her to stand.
"Young cupid, you know well the struggle between love and hate," Valentine's voice seeped lowly, "At this point in time, Hatred, Lust, and Envy have stricken the bonds of love worldwide."
Valentine lifted his silvery eyes, where a giant, web-like diagram hung brilliantly on the ceiling. For the largest part, the interconnecting lines were crested with gold, with only a few veined with a sickly green color.
Grace felt herself shrink when the golden lines temporarily flickered with the mucky green color. "Are… are you holding them?" she asked with noted concern.
"Yes, I am. The impact of this attack was far beyond I could've ever imagined, so I am using my power to temporarily hold the bonds closely," Valentine explained, "In this day and age, even with the cupids power combined the three oppositions are stronger."
"What should we do?" Grace asked with a fiery spirit, "I will do anything in my power to protect you and the bonds!"
Valentine smiled at Grace once again, only this time with a little more strength. "Thank you for your dedication," the leader responded calmly, "You will be appointed an assignment from not only me, but on behalf of Man in the Moon as well."
Grace's eyebrows lifted in attention. "Man in the Moon?!" she echoed, "It's this drastic?!"
Valentine's head dipped forward in response. "Yes," he replied with a sudden purge of weakness, "Man in the Moon has spoken to me in the recent hour, and told me to wait for you."
The cupid before him was lit with determination, "Anything," Grace challenged attentively.
"He said to me that because we are so vast in numbers and forced live in the limitless sky, we are desolate and apart from other options of assistance," Valentine explained, "He told me there are five guardians that protect the hopes, dreams, memories, wonder, and delight in children- which all together is combined leads to the earliest form of love."
Grace nodded her head, acknowledging Valentine's words.
"I need you, young cupid, to bring them here. Man in the Moon told me he will bring them to the North Pole, and needs you to guide them here."
Grace carefully registered his words and smiled confidently. "I will," she said with determination. Then a small thought came to her, "How will I bring them here, though?"
"Man in the Moon told me they can join together on a flying vehicle called a sleigh." Valentine answered feebly.
"How convenient… a little weird, but convenient!" Grace chuckled gingerly.
Valentine heaved a dry cough, and he looked at Grace gratefully. "Thank you, Grace," he said sincerely, "Once you bring them here, I will further instruct you."
"Yes! Understood," the young cupid bowed before her leader once more, "Thank you, as well."
"You are dismissed," Valentine told her gently as he slouched in his seated position.
Understanding that there was no time to lose, Grace stretched her wings and flew out of the room. She zipped through the corridors and exited the temple. She glanced around for a few seconds in midair before spiraling downwards, pushing through the mists and haze of several clouds that concealed the temple.
Soon enough Grace found herself gliding over the now late morning sky, where the sun had already turned into the vibrant shade of golden yellow. She quickly coordinated herself and began flying west. Knowing that if the morning sun was soon to disappear, the moon would soon shine over the North Pole is she didn't pick up her pace.
With that mindset, the cupid accelerated in pursuit of the five guardians.
A/N: This is so far an idea splat. I'll continue if there's interest, so feedback is appreciated. (:
Tried to take the overuse of cupid and make it unique~ hopefully it comes off that way!