Hello everyone and welcome. If your reading this then it means you've decided to give my new story a shot and I truly do appreciate this and sincerely hope you all like it, especially if your reading it because of the notes about it from my other work. :)
I would like to thank all my friends who have helped and given me support with this new story and all of you who are taking the time to read it! I would like to especially thank my good friend Mystichawk for all her wonderful help with going over this and making sure everything was as perfect as it could be before publishing! Thank you so much my friend!
A quick note on just what some of this story is inspired on. If any of you have seen my profile page then you know that I am a complete Otaku. This story is all my own however it has some key aspects from two of my favorite animes and mangas 'Vampire Knight' (from which some of the lines in this chapter are inspired by) and 'Elfen Lied.' So if any of you know those two titles then you might understand the story just slightly better but if you don't then don't worry, I promise you aren't missing any important facts or details. :)
There are also mentions and brief appearances of multiple characters from the book, so those of you who haven't read those (you should ALL go and read them they are AMAZING) just a quick heads up. Plot lines and back-stories from the books are also being used.
Another note, any and all religious mentions of God, hell, etc are only used to emphasize the descriptions of the story and do not reflect the overall views or points of the plot. If you have a problem with this I am very sorry but again please know it is just being used for descriptive purposes. Oh! And before I forget! Though that may seem like that is where this story is headed there is not yaoi and this is NOT meant to be an mpreg story. It may seem like it and there is a good chance you will all be able to draw connections to that but believe me when I say that this is NOT the direction the story is taking.
I do not own Rise of the Guardians or The Guardians of Childhood. They belong to William Joyce and DreamWorks. I also do not own Vampire Knight or Elfen Lied. I only own this particular fanfictin and it's story line. So without any farther adieu, please allow me to present the first chapter of;
Frozen Tears and Nightmares
Prologue
White.
That's the first thing I remember. That's the first thing I ever saw. And even though I could never have known it…it was the last thing I would ever see.
An endless sea of blinding white stretched out from one distant horizon to the other. Ice cold winds slashed through the frozen air like a steel blade and echoed like the howls of ravaging wolves far below a hidden black sky that was concealed behind thick clouds of gray fog.
Like white paint being slowly mixed with drops of obsidian the sky continued to darken as the light from the gleaming stars and pale moon were shrouded behind a thick blanket of ashen clouds.
Shadows were cast and crawled along the ground that pooled from every dark crevice and bottomless pit that plunged into the ice in deep, jagged slits that opened like the fanged mouths of demons buried deep within the earth - hidden far away from the watchful eyes of God at the bottom of the world within a vast expanse of the frozen tundra of snow and cold, serving merely as dark cages to imprison the evil of the unknown and the monsters that lived in every child's nightmares.
Dull, lifeless white snow fell from the sky and scattered to the harsh winds of the raging blizzard in which not a single living thing could ever hope to survive.
Pointed glaciers rose from the storming Antarctic sea into the air like skyscrapers of towering ice that stood strong against the battering and merciless winds that ripped through the frozen land of seemingly eternal whiteness forming this empty world of endless snow and ice.
It was a kingdom of isolation that was forever stuck in place, immune and uncaring to the whims of time.
However, contained deep within this barren wasteland and at the heart of the ferocious storm that made the earth tremble and the sky scream out with deafening shrieks of nature's raw and unbinding power, there stood a single contrast of color against the constant background of gleaming snow and dull gray clouds.
Spikes of blackened ice shot out into the air from a pillar that stood like a beacon of death at the edge of an ominous cliff looking out over the distant sea, though it remained invisible behind the thick veil of fog and falling snow.
Spears of frozen sand rose up from the ground in a sculpture of colliding powers and magic that had come together like two armies at war on the battlefield in which there was not a single survivor. The razor-like points reached up to the sky like the clawed hands of a demon, grabbing for those glistening stars that shone and twinkled brightly above the earth against a backdrop of unending darkness to extinguish the light and beauty which forced the shadows to flee in fear.
Black and glistening blue icicles cut into the air and harsh winds like solid mountains that the ferocious gales slammed into with pointless brutality as flakes of crystalline white fractals fell from the frozen air in a blizzard that mirrored that of the last ice age.
CRACK!
A sickening crack echoed out through the storm resonated off the towering glaciers of ice like the screams of a madman through the padded walls of an asylum. A single fracture appeared in the center of the pillar's flat wall from the swing of an invisible blade which sliced through the air as time itself seemed to freeze in place.
The wind, the snow and the raging storm that stretched on for miles upon miles in all directions suddenly stopped as if Father Time had willed the world to stand still. Deafening silence fell across the motionless snow beneath a shroud of ghostly clouds in the place of the animalistic howl of the storms gales.
As the storm calmed, the silence that settled across the lifeless landscape was reminiscent of a photograph, forever capturing this tundra of snow and ice.
However, the serine calm lasted no more than the blink of an eye before a second CRACK erupted through the air and a second round of winds came screaming through as yet another storm, without warning, exploded with the force of a sonic blast and a ferocity that was equivalent to a raging hurricane. Its size and strength grew with every passing second as snow fell from the sky and was flung in all directions by the wind that turned the frozen crystals into small, needle-like blades which cut through the air and penetrated the icy ground like flying razors.
Small, spider-like fractures climbed up the side of the frozen pillar that looked out on to the abyss of the frozen ocean from the side of the glacier's cliff. With every crack that crept along the wall of frozen sand the strength of the storm seemed to increase until it sounded like the screams of the devil himself were echoing through the ice.
High above the raging blizzard that could very well make anyone who witnessed it believe that the pits of hell were not full of the burning flames so many believed it was, the pale moon shown down its radiant light onto the tops of the clouds. Moonbeams fought desperately to break through the gray fog that shrouded the earth in a blanket of cold and icy death to no avail.
The light of the luminous orb trembled and shuddered, darting through the air in all directions in search of any sort of break in the clouds that it could penetrate, their actions hasty and seemingly anxious as if MiM himself were looking down on the storm in distress as more and more descended down from the night sky and the spire of shrouded ice continued to fracture.
Crack after crack rapidly shot up the spikes of the pillar until the whole of the structure began to tremble and groan under the strain of the winds' force and the hard pull of gravity that dragged the crumbling spire towards the core of the earth.
And then, as if the forces of darkness had come to life and the sharpened claws of the demons that lurk in the shadows had gained the power to maintain corporeal form, obsidian fingers began to rise from the ice like the servants of death himself.
Tendrils of living shadows rose from the faults in the pillar of frozen sands and from all of the bottomless crevices that stretched out over the land and reached to the sky above. The clawed hands and limbs of pitch black shadows lashed out against the raging winds and contrasted against the snow like ink on a white canvas and towered into the gray sky.
Cold and dark combined in writhing magical strength that made the air tremble between the clashing powers that radiated off of the ice like waves and made the shadows quiver and lash out like whips laced in the venom of poisonous snakes. Flecks of nightmare sand fell from the shadows and the faults in the ice, dropping to the snow like glittering specks of blackened blood. It tainted the white landscape and stood out with the rest of the shadows, as if they were spots of hot crimson falling from the slit throats of the wolves that howled to the moon above and created the storm of screeching winds.
However, as quickly as the shadows had appeared, beams of glistening blue light radiated into the darkness.
Shining lights of mixed shades with vibrant blues, whites and silvers poured from the cracks and wove themselves into the tendrils of shadows like braids of glowing hair and danced through the wind like the ribbons of a graceful ballerina. The braids which made up thin arms and legs extended as she leaped and spun through the air before landing in an elegant pirouette and dancing across the sky on snow white wings that extended from her back like a swan in flight.
A mix of brilliant blues and blacks that were highlighted in a shadowy violet glow twisted and swirled together and interlocked like the fingers of two brilliant dancers as they waltzed across the ballroom floor in furious passion.
The wind roared, and the great pack of wolves which had given the wind its howling scream were suddenly devoured by a pride of furious lions who stalked the spire of dancing magic in a vicious cyclone that whipped through the air and rose into the gray sky. One final crack shot up from the base of the pillar to the tip of the highest spike which climbed upwards towards the gleaming moon above. This last fault cut directly through the center on the entire structure of ice in an unwavering line that was very different than the rest of the lightning-like cracks which covered the pillar, as if it had been sliced with an invisible sword of razor-sharp air.
The center of the crack split up through hundreds of the smaller fractures to form the appearance of a tree from which more breathtaking blue and black light burst forth. The once clear and pristine surface of the spire that reflected the world around it like a hauntingly beautiful glass mirror, thinned with the cracks to become a transparent sheet.
In what was less than the blink of an eye after the final crack broke through the ice and echoed through the air, a single sliver of the black ice broke away from the structure and fell to the ground in silence, leaving behind a deep hole in the spire, revealing the form of a human eye.
As if a single card had been ripped from the heart of a towering structure of swaying Jacks and Kings, the rest of the frozen spire suddenly began to tremble as piece after piece of crystalline fragments of beautiful black ice began to break away from the pillar and fall to the snow and the blue and black light began to fade.
It's cold… white snow…
As the falling ice clattered to the ground against its siblings of frozen sand, more and more of the thin, pale form that the ice concealed began to reveal itself from within the cocoon of black and blue crystal.
What is white?... What is snow?
The face of a young girl was revealed first. Her small, pale face still and her eyes closed gently as if she were trapped within a deep, peaceful sleep. Like a chain reaction, more and more ice began to quickly crumble and then fall away from her body to land like a veil on the soft snow around her.
It is something that is not black...
Long, thin, bare arms and legs stood out against the blackened ice behind her small form, as the front of the pillar fell with the echoing sounds of tinkling glass that resonated beautifully like a wind chime in a cool summer breeze, before they suddenly buckled forward.
So then… what is black?
The body of the girl fell forward in almost slow motion, breaking away from the pillar of ice that crashed down behind her. She fell to the ground, landing in the pile of shattered crystal that broke into smaller pieces beneath her slight weight. The lights of beautiful black, blues and whites scattered in the winds as the whole of the structure finally collapsed.
And then, in one swift movement, it was all over. The howling cries of the lions lost themselves and the great blanket of clouds which had hidden the glittering stars vanished from the arctic world, leaving all still and bright.
Moonbeams, which had been trying in vain to break through the resilient wall which covered this small part of the world, finally found their way through as the clouds dissipated and they covered the girl's small body like a beautiful gown of silver light, pushing back the remaining tendrils of shadows that reached up to the sky from the trenches which ran deep below the ice. The warm moonbeams seemed to make the girl's pale skin glow beneath their radiant light as it covered her like a beautiful blanket.
The wind that had only moments ago been the very definition of violent was now blowing gently over the frozen tundra. Flurries of snow kicked up into the air before they fluttered back to the ground like soft feathers around her small frame. The caressing gusts blew around her, running through her hair like gentle hands as the cold snow fell over her sleeping form, gleaming like brilliant diamonds below the moon's light.
The cool breezes that surrounded her, almost as if in concern, brushed away the strands of black and white hair that covered her face as the small girl moved for the first time since she fell from the spire of ice. A pair of two brilliant blue eyes slowly fluttered open as she began to awaken from her deep slumber.
The girl stared off into the white horizon in a foggy haze; her crystalline blue eyes blinked open and closed as they tried to adjust to the pale light of the moon that was harshly blinding after living in a never ending peaceful darkness for what felt like an eternity. Her eyes were like deep pools of crystal clear water that broke up into small white and silvery ripples that shot out in streaks from her pupils and formed what looked like some kind of beautiful snowflake that flickered up to look at the blackened sky and the shining stars around the beautiful moon above her.
With slow, hesitant and unsteady movements the small girl began to push herself upward off the ground, her head raising out of the cold snow and tilting upward as her gaze locked on to the luminous orb above her.
She startled suddenly and her head shot downward at the sounds of chiming glass-like ice as the crystals of frozen sand moved below her. The girl stared down at the icicles, gently running her thin hand over the cold fragments, listening intently to the pretty sounds they made as they touched one another.
Her already wide eyes widened even more as she looked from the ice crystals to her thin, pale hands. She opened and closed her fingers as she blinked down at them in confusion before running the tips softly over her bare arms, trailing them down her skin and slowly moving them down to her stomach and legs. A light gust of wind suddenly blew from behind her and pushed her hair back over her face, making her gasp in surprise before she slowly reached and ran her hands through the silky black and white strands.
The gentle moonbeams that shined down on her suddenly brightened just slightly, making the ice and snow glitter, causing the girl to tentatively look back towards the sky. She tilted her head curiously as she looked up at the beautiful moon, its elegant light reflecting off of her eyes like little twin mirrors.
She stared up at the luminous orb for a very long time and watched in confusion as the moonbeams around her flickered and danced before a beautiful, deep, kind voice suddenly echoed through her head.
Do not be afraid little one.
The little girl flinched back in shock at the sudden noise, her head whipping around to try and find the source but she couldn't see anything other than the never ending sea of white around her before looking back up to the moon in shocked confusion.
You have nothing to be afraid of, I promise that no one is going to harm you, the voice said, and again she tilted her head curiously while narrowing her eyes. She didn't understand what was going on. She didn't know what was happening in her head or what it meant. But she liked the voice.
It was kind and warm in a way that didn't hurt, and somewhere, deep within the depths of her mind she almost… recognized it.
You cannot understand me, can you little one? The voice suddenly got slightly higher, almost as if it was shocked at this sudden revelation, and what sounded like an almost sad sigh echoed through her mind that made her frown. She didn't understand, but the sound of the voice now made her feel strange…
She dropped her head and looked away from the pretty light.
The tone in the voice became light again and a fond laugh filled the air. She looked up once more, the gentle kindness of the voice making the strange feeling in her chest disappear. Do not worry my dear, everything is going to be just fine. I am going to have an old friend of mine take you to someone who will keep you safe and be able to help you.
Again the small girl tilted her head and narrowed her eyes in confusion before they suddenly went wide as she felt a strange sensation covering her body. Her head shot downward as she saw the snow below her begin to glitter and shine as the light of the moon intensified and she felt herself being slowly lifted from the cold ground.
Her legs extended out from below her as she was lifted to her feet before she was gently set back down on trembling legs, only for her weak knees to suddenly buckle forward.
With a scared scream the little girl again began to fall to the pile of ice crystals below her, her hands shooting out to protect her face in reflex as she fell forward and her eyes closing tightly in fear. But just seconds before she could fall back into the pile of black icicles, a sharp blast of cool winds shot out and her small body was sent flying into the air like a weightless doll, along with small fragments of the shattered ice.
With a sharp gasp the girl's eyes again flashed open, air coming in and out of her lungs in quick, panicked breaths as her eyes flickered back and forth and she tried to understand just what was happening.
Her scared blue eyes darted around before they locked onto a small glittering object just inches in front of her. She blinked curiously at the single glimmering ice crystal of frozen black sand before her that shined like a beautiful jewel. With a hesitant hand she reached out for it, however her arm was just too short to reach it.
She let out a sad whimpering sound as she reached out for the crystal, but no matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't grab it. Her arm and gaze dropped with a sad sigh as she gave up in her attempts before a small gust of wind suddenly blew towards her, and she raised her head again at the sound of what seemed like a soft whisper entered her ears and she gasped as yet again, the fingers of the wind brushed through her elegant black and white streaked hair and caressed her pale cheek.
The girl leaned into the touch, sighing as the cool wind wrapped around her like a soft blanket, holding her in the air like the loving embrace of a mother holding her baby as her body was rocked back and forth in the air.
Her eyes slowly fluttered open and widened in a look of wonder as the beautiful ice fragment was slowly brought closer and closer to her small form. The girls hands slowly extended outward and hesitantly grabbed onto the crystal of ice, pulling it close to look down at the sparkling gem, the cool glasslike texture held securely in her small hands and giving off a beautiful black and blue sort of glow.
The crystal shined and glistened in her hand and her eyes widened as it seemed to pulsate in her grasp, as if she were holding onto a living, beating heart.
An unknown power radiated off of the ice like rippling waves, soothing her small form as it poured into her. Her eyes slowly began to flutter closed, the gently caressing of the wind that was rocking her back and forth and its soft whispers that sounded like a beautiful lullaby lulling her into a peaceful sleep before the cool gales began to lift her higher into the air and carried her off high above the water of the frozen ocean.
High above the snow-covered landscape, deep within the walls of a gleaming white palace, stood a short man in a beautiful golden suit and a single springy, cowlick of golden hair atop his head. The normally happy and gentle look of carefree and childlike kindness had fallen from his face, his normally bright and gentle smile replaced with a small frown and his deep brown eyes closed with a look of confused concern and utter exhaustion etched in its place.
Tsar Lunar the XII held his arms across his chest as he remained still and silent, contemplating and trying to rationalize just what on earth he had just witnessed as his oldest and dearest friend Nightlight looked on him in anxious worry.
"Nightlight…" The tall, thin, glowing boy almost jumped back in surprise at MiM's voice when he suddenly spoke. He had never heard his old friend sound so tired before, and in that voice, shrouded deep below clear signs of anxiety and concern, there was just the faintest hint of something that nearly made his heart stop.
For the briefest moment, he could have sworn he heard just the slightest inkling of fear...
"Prepare the silver moon crystal for a transmission to the Guardians. I believe we may be in need of it very shortly." He stated evenly, his eyes still closed as if in concentration.
Nightlight immediately nodded, his eyes widening slightly at the realization of just how important this must be if a message was going to be sent to the Guardians on earth. Without hesitation the light spirit took to the air on a nonexistent gust of wind, the moonbeam in the diamond tip of his staff trembling in nervousness and excitement as he shot out the door to go find Kathrine and Ombric and prepare the crystal for communication that had last been used only nine months ago when Jack Frost had been chosen as the newest Guardian.
In mere moments MiM was left on his own in the large room, the moonbeams that had been in there with him having left to follow Nightlight to go see Kathrine and Ombric.
Slowly opening his eyes, he looked up to the glass ceiling supported by beautiful marble pillars with elegant carvings of Golden Age starships and planets that existed long ago to look down on the beautiful glowing blue and green orb far below. An almost inaudible sigh escaped his lips as his eyes trailed over the white mass of land at the bottom of the world before flickering away from the earth to look out at the beautiful, glittering stars that formed his parent's constellation.
"Mother, father…" He said, his voice light and almost whispering. "Please forgive me. But all we can do now is pray this all turns out right."
With one last brief glance at the frozen white tundra of Antarctica, Tsar Lunar turned his back on the window of glass and made his way to the double grand silvery doors that Nightlight had just left though. Off to try and figure out just how in the name of the great ancient stars any of what he had just witnessed could have ever possibly happened.
His mind swirled with thoughts and concerns for the fate of the small child he knew could very well hold the key to either ending the millennium-long war that had waged between the darkness and light for longer than could even be remembered…
Or to beginning an entirely new war that could rip the very fabric of reality itself apart at the seams.
And there you have it! I really hope you all enjoyed it and please review to let me know how I did! Please also feel free to leave suggestions and requests for the story!
I would like to once again say though that THIS IS NOT A YAOI OR MPREG STORY. I would just like to make that point explicitly clear for everyone here so please do not because if you do then you will be disappointed.
Until next time everyone! Ha! Keep calm? I'm a fangirl. We don't DO calm.
REVIEW!