This Could Not Be

The battle seemed to slow down to a halt. Rubble covered the ground, the majority of the jade palace destroyed within the fight. The dark clouds swirled above, almost threatening to strike down upon them with heavenly lightning.

Eerie silence filled the air. The only sound was Taehyung's fast beating heart, his shallow breaths breaking the silence.

He didn't know what to do; he had barely gotten used to this world. What happened next depended on his choice. If he chose wrong, he would fail his mission.

From amongst the shadows, a figure dressed in muted green came out, slowly clapping.

Taehyung's eyes widened when he saw him.

The Gu Wen had an ornate bow strung across his back, with a similarly designed quiver at his hip. His peaceful face was now tinged with corruption; his eyes glimmered from greed. He snorted at Jin Tong's fallen body, and ignored Guan Gong. Finally, his eyes went over to the Jade Emperor.

The Gu Wen faced against all of them, on his own side.

The force hiding behind the scenes, the one who was truly manipulating the strings. So secretive was he, that not even the Jade Emperor had known, nor would he have guessed.

The Gu Wen, the advisor of the Jade Emperor, had decided to show his true nature.

The Jade Emperor's face blanched, and he shot a glance at the Gu Wen. "Why?" he uttered softly.

Somehow, everything made sense. How many years had the Gu Wen been planning this? Plotting behind his back, plotting for his seat.

The Gu Wen chuckled. "The Jade Emperor, like the Gu Wen, is only a title. It is time for a change of who sits on the throne."

The Jade Emperor spat out, "Traitor. We would have never guessed it was you all those years ago."

The Gu Wen swiftly drew an arrow and fired it at the Jade Emperor, who sliced it in half with his sword.

"You stole the Spiritual Bow," the Jade Emperor accused.

The Gu Wen let out a mirthless laugh, sharp and cold, ringing out through the tense air.

"I am the Gu Wen. I ask, and they give."

The Jade Emperor's stone face contorted in anger.

He leapt, not giving the Gu Wen any time to respond. The clash of sword against fan rang out throughout the air as shockwaves crushed more of the crumbling palace.

All this happened within a few seconds, Taehyung still frozen in place. Guan Gong snarled, one hand on his chest, panting heavily as the poison raged on inside him. This poison was strong enough to kill even the strongest of Gods, let alone a God who had already lost half his Godhood.

Taehyung was torn to go to Guan Gong, who looked so similar to Jimin, or to go to Jin Tong.

Jin Tong, the one who had been with him all along. Jin Tong, who's personality reminded him so much of Jin-hyung.

Taehyung's soul trembled at the thought of his kind Jin-hyung.

A voice sounded out inside his head.

"Go to Jin Tong. He is the one you seek for," Jin Tai Heng said.

Taehyung's head snapped up, looking towards Jin Tong.

"How…" he began to say.

Jin Tai Heng sighed. "Your souls are connected, by a string of fate from what I can see. There are five other strings along with it too, but they are not from this world."

Taehyung's whole body seemed to jump up in trembling anxiety and excitement. His vision seemed to focus on one thing, and one thing alone: Jin Tong.

He ran over to Jin Tong.

Jin Tai Heng's voice faded from his mind, leaving a small, "Good luck," before he left.

Taehyung crouched by Jin Tong's deathly still body. Hands shaking, he picked up Jin Tong's wrist and waited. His mind seemed to go into overdrive, hope shattering like fragile pieces of seashells tossed by the raging storm. He lowered his head to Jin Tong's face and placed a hand on his chest.

Had the worst happened?

Panicking, Taehyung held onto Jin Tong's hand.

This couldn't be it.

Crystal tears started rolling down his cheeks.

"Seokjin, I'm so sorry I didn't come earlier. We were meant to sing together and perform as a group, but now I'm too late," he said as unbreaking waves of pain and despair rolled over him.

"I was so lonely."

Taehyung clutched at Seokjin's hand, drawing it closer to his face. Cradling a cold and lifeless hand. Seokjin's body had a deathly pallor, all signs of life gone. Unresponsive, no matter how hard Taehyung wished.

He cradled Seokjin's hand even closer to his heart, hoping to send some glimmer of warmth into the cold hand. He squeezed the hand, hoping for Seokjin to squeeze back, and tell him that everything was alright.

"You've been by my side since the beginning. How could I have been so stupid?" With that, another wave of tears overcame Taehyung.

Something in his soul shook and reached out towards Seokjin, but Taehyung was too distracted by the crashing waves to notice.

The pain inside his heart was like thousands of knives, telling him of his mistakes, of his uncertainties, of his fear of this world.

He should've been more reckless.

He shouldn't have forgotten his mission.

He made a mistake, and this was the price he had to pay.

Taehyung cried. In between heaving gasps, he kept apologising and talking to Seokjin.

"Please, come back. I don't mind your dad jokes, I'll listen to all of them if you just answer me."

The cheerful memories of all seven of them playing together now tore at his heart.

"Please, just let me taste your cooking again, to feel your love again."

The seven of them, bonding over Seokjin's amazing cooking. Learning to cope with each other's quirks, even when living together so closely when they were still trainees.

"Please, I miss your windshield wiper laugh, your confidence."

Taehyung remembered the first years of their debut, how much hate they had gotten. How Seokjin had gotten hate as well, but he still stood up, strong and confident. His back unwavering, his heart steady.

"You are Mr. Worldwide Handsome, the one who takes care of all of us."

All their little inside jokes, the little quips made to each other that could make them burst out in bright laughter in no time. Taehyung missed them so much.

His voice had grown hoarse from his sobs. Softly, he whispered against Seokjin's fingers.

"You are my Jin-hyung, so please, come back?"

Had he truly failed the very first mission? Would BTS ever come back together again, united as a group of seven?

The jade palace had collapsed to pieces, parts of the floating island beginning to crumble as the foundation of the power which kept it floating began to dwindle.

The Jade Emperor was dead.

The Gu Wen had easily cut down the weakened Guan Gong. Silver blood covered the shaking ground, shining like glittering coins. Rain poured down from the sky.

The Heavens mourned for the loss of two of its own. The rumbles in the sky almost mimicking baleful wailing.

The Gu Wen paced closer to Taehyung.

"I planned on killing you later. I should have killed you all those years ago, right after the war," he said coldly.

Taehyung ignored him, his mind taken over by grief and pain.

The Gu Wen looked curiously at Taehyung, who was sobbing like a child over a person who was already dead. "Technically, you should be the one taking over the throne."

Taehyung ignored him.

Why should he care? He had already failed his mission. He might as well die here with Jin-hyung. Let the crumbling island fall to pieces as he tumbles through the sky, hand in hand with Jin-hyung.

Let his soul die in this world. He would rather die with Jin-hyung here than go back to live that world where he was by himself; the loneliness was unbearable.

Rain drenched his clothes and Seokjin's unmoving body.

The Heavens cried along with him, sending their tears of grief throughout each of the Heavens. People stopped and stared, shock written over their faces. Silence seemed to claim everywhere as its home as people came out of their homes and stared towards the darkened sky.

A gong rang out throughout each Heaven, it's mournful sound sending shivers down people's spines and leaving an aching feeling in their hearts.

A cold voice announced, "The God of War, Guan Gong, is dead."

Another mighty gong rang out, spreading throughout the whole land.

Eyes widened and shock filled hearts. One death of a God was enough, but there was one more? Gods and Goddesses were hard enough to find, and they were practically unkillable in the eyes of the other Heavens. They were their final defenses against the Demon Gods, and they were the pillars of Heaven.

Losing one God could mean disaster.

The cold voice announced slowly, "The Jade Emperor is dead."

Time seemed to freeze.

The death of the Jade Emperor could only mean one thing. The Heavens were furious, and now it would be the end of the world. The Jade Emperor was the most powerful person in the Heavens. Their power held up the majority of the 9th Heaven.

When the Emperor dies, the 9th Heaven dies along with them until a new Emperor comes along.

The fruit trees and the floating islands of 9th Heaven were all crumbling to pieces.

Time slowed around the figures of the Gu Wen and Taehyung clinging onto a dead body.

The Gu Wen stands above Taehyung, channeling his power into his fan, ready to deliver the final strike.

Taehyung could not care less now. The Gu Wen could kill him for all he wished.

He had failed.