《BTS Imagines》The first chronicle: Babel
Advertisement
Inspired by the song ''Babel'' by Mumford and Sons. Listen to it whilst reading for the optimal experience.
The blue clear sky overhead, white clouds dotting it with incoherent patterns, signifies another beautiful day in this year. It is the day of his homecoming.
Though it has a grave side to it, for the young man knows that time has numbered his days, he does not think of that and will go along with everything the God of Light tells him. Especially since he visited the youthful fugitive one night in his tower far away from the city on the plains and granted him the courage to return to the place he once called home.
Whereas the horse's hooves at first had sounded infernal and caused a great ache in his heart as he rode away from the only place he had ever known, they now give joy and throughout the ride home the boy is laughing.
Look at me now. Beaming and eager to go back to the very people that once loathed me.
He remembers how they had cast him out, accusing him of delusions and witchcraft whilst all he tried to do was protecting them from disaster. Their king - Namjoon - would bring the kingdom to ruin, but they would not listen to the warning.
He fled the city and holed himself up in a tower located in a strange village in the Desolate Valley at the edge of the realm. However, when its walls came crumbling down and his ears heard the calls of his unborn sons, he knew it was Hope trying to get him to return.
'Thank you, Hope. Because of thou I now know that my choices color all I've done,' he silently thanks the Light once more, reminiscing on the time he had felt as if he had lost all comprehension and purpose.
'It is good that thou knowest that now,' the god answers. 'Go forth, Jungkook, and spread my word again. Bring them back from darkness.'
'I shall, but I'll explain it all to the watchman's son first. Certainly I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love.' His affection for The Light is what has kept him going, but it is shared with the only friend he has left: Jimin.
He will be the first to be brought back. As long as he is by my side as well, I can bring down the broken crown.
Advertisement
A sudden sense of doubt comes over him as the city walls come into sight, because he knows his weakness. Knows his voice and the danger it will impose. Yet he believes in grace and choice, the two vital elements that will grant salvation from oppression.
Perhaps he knows that his heart is fast, racing with the longing for justice, but the Light said he will be born without a mask. A man who does not hide, is the man who shall be the saviour.
Another memory resurfaces as the last bit of the last disguise crumbles, the old him dying and almost breathing his last breath. The ghosts of his former greed and pride haunt him briefly as the crimes he committed in his former life as a thief come back to him.
He was the best. If you needed to smuggle anything or desired a certain very valuable object, you would go to him and pay a big amount of money. The prices for his services kept rising as it was never enough.
This lead to his downfall, as with each raise his credibility lowered and his recklessness heightened. It is this carelessness that caused great mistakes and made nobody no longer believe him, not even when he wanted to save them in a rare moment of compassion as he saw his line of work threatened with the rise of the new king.
Now as the city that nurtured these feelings stretches out before him, Jungkook stretches his arms towards the sky where two sparrows fly side by side in a graceful flight.
'Babel, Babel, look at me now,' he calls out in happiness. 'I have become a better man, for the walls of my tower came crumbling down.'
Approaching the heavy dark wooden gates, a tall broad-shouldered knight blocks the way into the world of the sinners. He is either new or the fugitive is forgotten, because Jungkook is not attacked when he comes closer. Now that he thinks about it, he has not seen any affiches promising a reward on his journey.
'Ho, there.' As he walks over to the horse, the intricate dragon pattern on his armour becomes more visible. He is not just a knight, he is the captain of the guard. 'Who goes there?'
'Just an adventurer on a quest who wants to stay the night in this splendid settlement.'
The young man gets a look of distrust as a reply. 'If that is so, then where will we stand in the winds that howl as all we see will slip into the cloud?'
Advertisement
A test of loyalty to the emperor. Hope had warned him for this, so he came prepared. 'What a curious question, but I have an answer nonetheless. We shall stand tall nevertheless for the king is the shield that protects us and the law is his sword, slaying the monster of the Forgotten One.'
The captain nods in approvement and gestures to the watchmen to open the gates, letting the messenger of the Light through.
No sooner has Jungkook brought his horse to one of the many stables of Babel or Hope speaks again. 'You are now here in the city of Sin and must set to work at once in spite of your desire to see your friend right now. There is no time to rest yet and perchance it is better if you were to speak to the mass first. Go and start spreading the word. Do not worry about any adversaries, for I shall stand with you.'
Though it hurts him to not be able to see his long lost companion yet, Jungkook does not argue with his ally. 'With all the trust we have put in each other I can see that your promise is true, so I shall set to work feeling safe in your hands.'
And thus he finds his way to the main plaza where he ascends the stage which normally functions as a podium to exact justice upon criminals like the one he used to be. The castle on the hill looks out over it, so the emperor cannot miss the often gruesome trials.
'People of Babel, hear my voice,' the former delinquent starts. 'Your monarch is nothing but a lie, an imposter who has corrupted your very lives.' In a swell of sudden courage Jungkook turns towards the immense palace where he can see a figure standing on the balcony, knowing it are Namjoon's watchful eyes that regard him. He addresses him, sounding as mighty as he can. 'So come down from your mountain and stand where we've been. Where we continue to linger day by day until our dying breaths, in this perverted version of reality. The one of your making. You know our breath is weak and our bodies thin. These people deserve better!'
The royal bystander shows a faint sign Jungkook has pressed his nose up to the glass around the ruler's heart, but just as briefly it disappears and Namjoon returns to his slightly disgusted yet amused expression. He sees himself untouchable and as a result of that, invincible. It is this fierceness that instills a crippling doubt in Babel's prodigal son.
I should've known I was weaker from the start.
In spite of a sinking feeling of failure somewhere deep within his being, Jungkook knows he cannot yet lose hope, because his mission to free the world of this swindler's darkness has become his life. Coolly he does not avert his gaze from the ruler.
You'll build your walls, and I will play my bloody part. To tear, tear them down.
'I see what you are thinking, young one. Are you sure about this?' When even a god has his doubts, it means the enemy is not an ordinary one.
'There are many ways to remove an emperor from his throne. One is by destroying his defenses. And well, I'm gonna tear, tear them down. Because I know my weakness, know my voice. Yet it is also my strength, for it will free these innocents. I'll believe in grace and choice, for your word provides them as salvation and they will be my weapons in this battle. Lastly I perhaps know my heart is fast, but as you said I'll be born without a mask. Like every divine messenger before me.' Justice runs in the boy's blood in spite of his unlawful past and he has found something new to believe in.
'I knew I picked the right person to do my bidding when I chose you. Alright then. If this is what you make of the meaning of my words, then I will stay by your side to see them executed.' The god sounds pleased and immediately is no longer hesitant in any way.
This is the beginning of the young man's journey and the fall of an empire. Darker times are ahead, but somewhere, albeit faintly, one can discern a tiny light amidst the blackness and know it is the one the prophecy spoke of.
Babel will be free once more.
The wicked king will be brought to his knees in the ruin that was once his castle and the one to make him do this will be a man with a god on his side.
The golden prophet has come.
Advertisement
- In Serial41 Chapters
Gods & Monsters (The Reaper Chronicles, #1)
Ever since the last battle against Primordial—Earth's immortal alien foe—Ava has been living in a constant nightmare. She will never forget how heavy the sword feels in her palm, how her abilities take over. She will never forget the moment she kills her best friend, the moment before she lost control. Attempting to fix herself, Ava ventures off into the demon-infested world in search of her missing birth record. She will do whatever it takes to find it, even if that means breaking the laws and committing treasonous acts. But once Ava is caught, she quickly finds out it will take more than thievery and violence to stitch herself back together. It will require dark magic, a pair of alien princes, a pompous man whose hair is as white as snow, a blue god's threat, and the perfect stage set for secrets to unfold. Science Fantasy || Action || Romance
8 221 - In Serial6 Chapters
An Id of Primal Chaos
TAG DISCLAIMER: The tags 'Portal Fantasy / isekai', 'High Fantasy', and 'Non-Human Lead' do not take place until later on in the novel. Probably mid-way through the first volume. The 'villainous lead' tag is a very loose tag. Some of the things the mc does can be considered villainous to those with a staunch moral code, however, I have not made the mc out to be overtly villainous. True Title: Advent of the Silent Storm (I came up with the original title a while ago, before I had even written a single chapter. It still kind of fits but this new title fits a lot better. I would change it but I don't know if it would screw up the recommendation algorithm.) Excerpt: My mind wanders through the soup of unconsciousness, still startlingly awake despite my physical form’s stasis. Electricity completely paralyzes the air around me and lightning flashes in a constant strobe of blinding light. The ground, thousands of feet below my being has been wiped clean of all manmade artifice and natural beauty; leveled, through absolute power. My power. Synopsis: Tetal Faelen, a very successful businessman with lofty goals, is introduced to an omniscient being through less than pleasant means. This being has an irresistible offer for Tetal with next to no downside. Tetal can’t help but wonder, “What’s the catch?” Additional Notes: Second novel I have started within the Web of Interconnected Realities. My other novel is not posted on this site so don't bother looking for it. I might post it here in the future.
8 210 - In Serial233 Chapters
Cosmic Plague
In this world, everyone is cursed with a single fate: Become the most powerful. But those who do become powerful, they hate it. Power is misery and death is the solace. လလလ Nazar, a weapon of mass destruction created by the ancient God of Destruction revolted against his creator a long time ago. While he did defeat his creator, the power he was given is still within him. He is cursed with infinite power, standing at the top of the celestial hierarchy. He has more power and wealth than he needs. But even then, he craves one thing; death. He wants to die. Power is misery and death is the solace, but he cannot achieve his only goal. He cannot die. Perhaps that will change when one day, an ancient cosmic Goddess rises from her grave? Perhaps she will finally kill him? Or will she fall short before his awesome yet terrible power? Only time will tell. This is a high cosmic story about the hypocritical life of the protagonist and how it affects everyone (and everything) around him. Naturally, it features very overpowered characters with a lot of high stakes battles roaming across the cosmos. Warning: Swearing, some suggestive sexual gestures/words, gore. Feedback is highly welcomed. (The story was originally named, God's Return, but I wanted to change it.)
8 145 - In Serial25 Chapters
It's Hard Being A Background Character
Just after being transmigrated into a world of immortal cultivation, Zhang Wei naively believed he'd struck gold! But who could blame him? All those web novels he read depicted that after an average Joe with no attachments to his previous world transmigrated into a body with the same name, he'd become the greatest legendary being after countless thrilling adventures alongside the assistance of a mighty System! And... he fulfilled all those criteria! Unfortunately, those wishful thoughts vanished after seeing his reflection in the water. No...it wasn't because his looks remained impressively unimpressive. It was due to the two words in block capitals that hovered just above his head: [BACKGROUND CHARACTER]
8 269 - In Serial35 Chapters
The Shattered Heavens
"Escort the Federation team. Keep them out of trouble." Those were Octavia Tiberius's first orders out of cryosleep. As a Guardian of the Amaranthian Empire, it was her duty to represent and protect her people. She expected it to be just like the simulations; guns, ships, explosions and the like. What she didn't expect was to fall in love. How does a cyborg soldier find a shoulder to cry on in the middle of a war? Is there room for a heart within the suit of armor? What is a person if not their soul? And what will it take to end this war once and for all?
8 250 - In Serial8 Chapters
Mesmerized // The Goonies
I sat on the beach pulling the blanket closer around my arms as the ocean breeze from the Goon Docks blew gently against my arms. I couldn't stop thinking about how I had never had a real relationship. My friends all had found someone I was the third wheel every where now. I started dreaming up my dream guy. Then he walked up. I never knew dreams came true.
8 57

