Warnings: heights; christian religious images (ig?)
Summary: you have been deemed unworthy to remain among your kind; for loving someone, unlike what you'd been told.
the last moments before your fall are filled with the sound of ringing bells and someone reaching out to hold your hand
The wind whipped around you, tugging on your sash and pulling mercilessly on your wings. A reminder you were no longer welcome here.
You felt the celestial plane trembling under the soles of your bare feet as you closed in on the edge. Where gold ended, stormish grey descended into spiralling pits of darkness.
Earth lay below, somewhere. Far, far down; blocked by the winding tunnel weaving back and forth.
It would be a long way.
The air smelled metallic as you stepped up to the ledge. Lightning zigzagged through the mist, lit up parts of it and gave the area a ghostly hue - nothing like the eternal glow of the lampions lining the walkways, the shine every wall gave off.
This one was unpredictable and harsh; flaring up once and then submerging the clouds back into darkness.
There had never been coldness in the celestial planes but stood here, with nothing but pain waiting for you, with the darkness beckoning you closer, you thought this might be it. This feeling of anticipation, of dread worming its way through you, that made you shiver.
The wind turned and carried the sound of ringing bells over. You lifted your head.
Once they had fallen silent the bell of the hour would ring, twelve times, and after the last tone had rung out you were no longer allowed here. It was time to go, if you wanted to receive punishment freely, and not risk more than three times seven human lives, riddled with sin and hardships.
Still you waited a bit longer, closing your eyes to take in the heavenly sound, to bath in the soundwaves one last time.
Did they have bells on Earth as well?
It was getting close now.
This portal was one of the very infrequently used ones, it wasn't even guarded. It spared you the humiliation of having anyone witnessing your fall.
There was still time, the bells had only begun their main song, but you steeled yourself. You had never felt pain, either. Would it hurt?
Yelling disturbed the sound of wind and music, a voice you thought you recognized. Taken by surprise you turned your head.
He had to fight against the strong currents in the air, more than you had. It was another grim reminder your time here was running out. The abyss stretched out its hands towards you, eager fingers ready to pluck the feathers from your back, break the bone and damn you.
It was mesmerizing to look down upon in.
Warm hands caught your own. Your eyes flitted from the edge of the walkway to him, and your hand in his, and how his skin was warm. So warm.
"You're so cold." He breathed out, rubbing the palm, trying to work eternal life back into it.
You shook your head at his antics, smiling, sad.
"It is no use, Sehyoon. I know my destiny now, and I have accepted it. I shall dwell among the humans, experience pain, experience sin. It is just."
His eyebrows twitched together, his expression changing to one you would have rather not seen on him anymore.
"But it is not fair only you were punished. If all, it is as much m-"
You took a step towards him, even if it was strainous, and covered his mouth with one hand of yours.
"Hush. Don't you remember our parent-eternal is all-seeing?"
His shoulders relaxed but his eyes continued to scream at you.
Not fair.
Not fair.
The bells started to fade and even the wind around you calmed.
Your eyes slipped around him, to the entrance of stone not far down the wall. But there was noone coming for you yet.
"Byeongkwan and me got placed on guarding one of the heavenly gates." He spoke up, taking your hand off his face and into his second palm. "I will wait for you. Every lifetime you absolve, I will greet you at the gate before you'll have to go back. I will be there."
"Sehni..."
"It is decided." He spoke with determination, yet you could see the tears pooling in his eyes. He took a resolute sniff. "It may be your punishment to fall. But it will be mine standing watch by the gate, anticipating your return."
The bells fell silent, left behind a droning nothingness. Nervosity stirred in your middle, a fluttering as if of wings but within your body. You felt heavier by the moments that passed.
"It is time." You announced to him, smiling despite the uncertainty lying ahead.
Three times seven human lifes. Live without sin, and you shall be granted your return. That had been the sentence.
You parted from him, stepped closer to the edge once more but his hold on your hand wouldn't lessen.
"I will think of you, every time the bells are singing." You spoke to the abyss, raising your shoulders and braving the fall. Three times the hourly bell had chimed already.
"Do you regret it?" He asked, and you looked back once more. "Loving more than only their highness-eternal?" Loving me?
His face was unreadable.
"I shall live, so I shall love." You answered.
Ten times now.
"Farewell, Sehyoon."
And then you let go of his gaze and stepped over the edge.
author’s note: my first a.c.e. fic :’) let me know if you liked it?
When I made that post on liking that it’s Belka again, I actually meant it.
Heavy Ace 7 spoilers
Ok, Ace 7 sets up the framework to pass some secret conspiracy, anti-”American Styled Imperialism” [which is not] crap. It sets it up hard, and lure you into to believing that’s the way it’s going to go.
It starts off with the player dealing with an attack on forward Osean bases, launched by Drones. You learn of the penal unit, and the Global presence of the Osean military. This is topped off by the Space Elevator which is there to “exploit Eursea”. That stinking undercoat of a modern “America actually is bad” story, topped off by civilian killings that are said to be accidental, but in the fog of war may have not been.
You then get framed for killing Harling. You deal with corrupt commanders, and there’s this possible incident of your AWACS having your wingman murder another of the unit. It certainly seems like there’s a set up for uncovering some conspiracy on how Osea’s really at fault.
Then... you don’t. You don’t at all.
You save your corrupt CO, who tries to throw you under the bus, and are recruited into the LRSSG. There’s a “Nothing is cool and we really did ~~send Blaze’s waifu to the asteroid belt~~ put a man on the moon” approach to the potential conspiracies. The plot with Bandog and Full Band? Dropped like a hot coal- it probably WAS an accident. The war? It was all lies [by Belka]. The Elevator? It wasn’t supposed to exploit Eursea. It wasn’t going to be the only one. It does a lot of set up, and then denies it. Because the concept is wrong.
You never flip sides. You fight alongside everyone against the Drones, but are still flying for Osea the whole way through the game. Because, wait for it, Osea aren’t the bad guys. At all.
