When The Princess Fell

The Kingdom of Heaven was a beautiful one. A series of fertile islands amidst a sea of fluffy white clouds. Many Angels fluttered around on their feathery wings, enjoying their peaceful day. 

At the far side of Heaven, many Devils flew in from the neighboring Kingdom of Hell. They flapped their leathery bat wings as they went to join the Angels. The different races greeted each other with smiles and pleasant words, and flocked together in harmony.

Some would fly to the capital island, Luxuria, which hovered in the center of the realm. It was one massive city of pure white buildings, some small and some tall. Angels and Devils went to and fro, with some chatting together beside the streets. Others sat down at taverns or restaurants, some as friends and some as lovers. Overseeing the city was a magnificent white castle with blue-tiled roofs.

Standing on the balcony, watching the people go about their morning, was the King of Heaven.

He was a middle-aged man wearing a formal white suit, with four golden-brown wings on his back. He had a slightly weathered face behind a shaggy blonde beard, and his great volume of golden hair waved in the gentle breeze. His blue eyes were bright as he gazed out at the kingdom with a smile, proud of this peace that he and many others had fought for.

Suddenly, he heard the playfully stern voice of a woman behind him. 

"Dear, it's time to go. I won't let thou keep us waiting."

The King turned around, and his smile turned soft as he saw his Queen of Heaven and a baby held gently in her arms. In front of her, a young boy and a girl were waving at the King. This was his family, the greatest treasure of his entire life.

"Daddy, don't forget about it!" The girl said with a pout.

"Thou promised to show us Earth, Papa." The boy said in a more reserved manner.

"I know, I know." The King said with a chuckle. "I haven't forgotten, no need to nag me."

As the King of Heaven went to join his family, he thought about his life before now. Before he became the King of Heaven, when he was just a Human like any other. It was fifteen years ago when his life was turned upside down, on the night that Princess fell into his life.

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It was a normal Monday morning for Wesley Goldsworthy.

He had been woken up by the insistence of his alarm clock. With an annoyed groan, he reached over to the nightstand to turn it off, then spent a minute still on the bed. He didn't want to get up, but work was calling for him. So he slowly got up and stretched his body, then started getting ready.

After getting his work clothes from the closet, he went to the bathroom to refresh himself. After showering and getting dressed, he looked at his pale face in the mirror. His blue eyes, like always, had slight purple shading under them. It gave his youthful features a bit of a gaunt look, but he didn't really care. Or at least, he had gotten used to looking like this since his high school days.

Wesley combed his bush of blonde hair so it was neat enough for work, then brushed his teeth before walking out of his apartment and onto crowded streets of Homebrew City. He grit his teeth as he narrowly avoided countless people, and passed by the coffee shop and the convenience store. He arrived at the bus stop, just in time to catch the ride.

He sat down on a bench and waited for the bus to arrive at the next stop. Across from him, a child was in the arms of his mother, who was leaning against the father. The father had an arm around the mother, and they were both smiling in content.

Wesley sighed and lowered his gaze, feeling a burning of envy in his heart, along with a cold sadness. He hated seeing families like that, as it only reminded him of what he didn't have. Thankfully, it didn't take long for the bus to stop at the next place, so he got up and left the pain behind.

____________________________________________________

Wesley worked at the local Mal-Mart as an Item Stocker. He had been at this for four years, ever since he graduated high school. He was pretty good at it too, being able to keep products organized and priced correctly.

It was the only thing he really cared for these days. It wasn't a particularly well-paying job, but he made enough to live, and that was all he really needed. When he got to look at those shelves of perfectly arranged goods, he could forget about all the things in life that had him down.

After topping off a pyramid of canned green beans, Wesley stepped back to admire his handiwork. He treasured this little bit of pride he had in his life, the only thing that could make him smile just a little. He had nothing else in the world except this job, and didn't want to lose it.

His smile would immediately shift into a grimace as an obnoxious Southern voice spoke from nearby.

"Feelin' quite full of yerself, aren' ya?"

Wesley looked to see one of his most annoying coworkers standing beside the cans of corn. He was a redneck sort of guy, with short reddish orange hair and a heavyset body. His round face sported a smug look as he tossed a can up and down.

"What is it this time, Eric?" Wesley said with a lack of amusement.

Eric put the can back and shrugged. "Oh, nothin'. Just wonderin' who ya think will get that big promotion this month."

"Don't bother asking me. I've never been interested in that."

The redneck glowered at the blonde, and stepped over to leer down at him. Wesley returned it with a glare of his own, not budging from the attempt at intimidation.

"Don't play dumb, punk." Eric growled. "Everyone knows yer the shoe-in for Assistant Manager. Mark my words, that spot is mine, and I'll do whatevah it takes to get it."

Wesley scoffed. "I know, and I don't care. Like I said, I am not interested in promotion. You can be Assistant Manager if you want, just leave me to my stocking. Nothing else matters to me."

The men continued to stare each other down for another moment, until a third one cut in.

"Hey dudes, break it up. Do you want me to call the Manager?"

The two looked to see another of their coworkers, a skinny dark-skinned guy who looked around college age. His black curls were short, and his cherry-red eyes had a worried look to them.

Eric grunted and shoved Wesley back, then turned and walked away.

"This isn' over yet, boy." The redneck warned.

Wesley watched him until he was out of sight, then went and adjusted the can that Eric mishandled. After that, he sighed and turned to the other coworker.

"Thanks, Cherry." He said tiredly.

Cherry rubbed his neck awkwardly. "No prob man. Want to talk about it at Sandwich Queen after work? It's on me."

"...Yeah, I guess."

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At 8PM, Wesley and Cherry clocked out of work and went to the Sandwich Queen on the other side of the road. After they ordered their food, the blonde told his coworker about the confrontation with Eric. Cherry sighed and shook his head, then spoke with a tone of worry.

"I dunno man…I wouldn't put it past that guy to try something."

Wesley rolled his eyes. "I don't know why he's wasting his time with me. I'm not interested in promotion, at all."

"Even so, the Manager has been interested in you. You seriously haven't noticed? He's always telling us to be on top of our work like you."

"So what? If I'm not interested in being promoted, I won't get promoted. Eric can be Assistant Manager for all I care."

Cherry frowned. "I guess…I would still watch out, if I were you."

They were silent for a minute under a heavy mood. Then Cherry smiled and spoke with more brightness.

"Oh dude, here's some better news. Lucy and I are getting hitched!"

Wesley tilted his head, a little surprised by the news. Lucy was Cherry's highschool sweetheart, and they had been together since their sophomore year. Even with how long they had been together, it was still kinda early to be getting married. Wesley couldn't help but question it.

"Aren't you guys only in your second year of college? You couldn't have waited a couple more years?"

Cherry blushed and glanced aside. "Well, that was the plan…but then something unexpected happen."

Wesley raised an eyebrow. "And that was?"

He flinched when his friend chuckled and laughed in excitement.

"She's pregnant!" Cherry exclaimed, pumping a fist. "We're gonna be parents! I'll be a dad soon! I know what I wanna do, and that's to take care of Lucy and our child for as long as I live!"

Wesley blinked. "Parents…Well, congrats."

"Heh, thanks! And uh, I was wondering…could you be my best man at the wedding?"

This was another surprise to the blonde. Why him, of all people?

"...Are you sure?" He asked quietly.

Cherry grinned. "Of course man! You've been my best buddy, ever since we met! There's nobody else I would think of!"

Wesley thought about that day, back when they were in junior high. He had been sitting at the far end of the cafeteria, away from everybody else. He was never comfortable around other people, and always stayed out of everyone's way, not wanting to be noticed. But on that day, he had been approached by Cherry.

"Hey, uh…could I sit here?" He asked awkwardly.

"...Can't you sit somewhere else?" Wesley grumbled.

"Well, there's nowhere else. Uh, sorry, am I bothering you? I can try to find another spot…"

Cherry was so pitiable back then…so Wesley ended up allowing him to sit at that lonesome table in the corner. And somehow, from that day forward, they became friends. It wasn't unpleasant to hang out with Cherry, so Wesley just stuck by him, even joining him to get a job at Mal-Mart.

And now, after being invited as the best man for Cherry's wedding, Wesley felt something he seldom ever felt. He was…happy, and it made him crack a slight smile.

"Eh, why not?" He said nonchalantly. "I'll be there, I promise."

Cherry chuckled and held out a fist. "Alright, it's settled! You don't know how much this means to me, dude!"

Wesley bumped his friend's fist with his own. At the same time their order was brought over, so they did a toast with their sodas before digging in.

________________________________________________

As Wesley walked home, his light mood gradually returned to its normal heaviness. He sighed and slumped a little, thinking about how Eric threatened him. Even though it wasn't likely…what if something did happen to make Wesley lose his job? Or what if he did end up being promoted to a different one?

Either way…those were futures he could not be comfortable with. Keeping products organized by his own hands was the one thing he could do right. The one thing he could be proud of. The only thing that could make him smile every day, even if just a little.

Without that…what could he do? What could he do, if everything he had ever lived for…was taken away?

A memory of Wesley's childhood flashed in his mind. He was in the back seat of a car, hanging from a seatbelt. He could barely see due to the blood dripping over his eyes…

He shook his head to snap out of it, and went to rest on a bench near a bus stop. He took deep breaths to calm himself down, though it took a few moments, then scowled and hit the bench.

"Dammit…" He growled.

Wesley then sighed and slumped back, feeling a wave of lethargy wash over him. He looked up at the bright full moon in the sky, and wondered if one day he could just…leave this world behind. Leave the world, and all its pain and sadness. To finally rest in peace, after living such a bleak life.

He was jarred from those thoughts when a sphere of golden light suddenly appeared in the night sky, illuminating the city below. Other people looked up and let out cries of shock, confused by this mysterious phenomenon.

"What the hell…" He muttered.

Then something popped out of the light, and descended upon the city. Some kind of glowing figure…and it was headed straight for Wesley. He got up and froze, staring at the mysterious figure as it came closer and closer to him. Then an instinct took over, making him open his arms to catch whatever was coming for him.

The impact whacked the wind out of his lungs and knocked him back onto the bench, which broke from the force of the collision. He wheezed and coughed as he got his breath back, then winced and groaned from the pain in his chest. Finally, he looked at the thing he had caught.

The glow around the figure gradually faded, revealing it as…a girl unlike any other Wesley had seen. She had skin that was white like snow, and her shoulder-length hair was like pure silver. She was built like a doll, with a slender figure and an eerily beautiful face with small lips.

She looked up at him with eyes that shined like gold, her expression one of confusion and suspicion. Then she spoke in a soft voice that held a tone of authority, with an old fashioned feel to her words.

"Will thou let go of ve?"

Wesley tilted his head. "Uh…What?"

The girl pushed him away, then stood up on her golden slippers, showing that her full height was a head shorter than his. Her dress, which was made up of white fabric and gold accessories, swayed in the gentle breeze of the night. And on her back, the most incredulous thing…was a pair of white-feathered wings.

"I thank thou for catching ve." She said with a brush of her hair. "But thou must not lay thy hands on ve again."

Wesley's eyes twitched, as he was already starting to feel annoyed by this weird girl. But before he could make a retort, two more figures came out of the glowing sphere and crashed in the middle of the street, causing people to scream. They ran away in fright, while cars swerved onto the sidewalks.

The girl narrowed her eyes, and two objects flashed onto her person. In her right hand was a short leaf-shaped silver blade, with a slender white grip. On her left arm was a golden buckler with a silver laurel insignia.

"Hmph, the Devils made it here." She murmured.

Wesley raised an eyebrow. "Wait, Devils?"

As if to answer his question, the glow around the new figures faded to reveal them to the onlookers. They were two men with grayish skin and jet black hair, standing at over seven feet in height. They were reminiscent of vampires, with their blood red eyes and sharp fangs. They even wore black suits and had large bat wings on their backs.

They immediately focused on the mysterious girl, and growled at her like mad dogs.

"Little Princess, we have you now!" One said angrily.

"We can't wait to tear you up!" The other declared with glee.

The girl scoffed. "Thou shall pay for thy crimes toward Heaven. Now give ve thy lives, vile Devils."

Eager for the challenge, the Devils sprouted black claws on their fingers and rushed toward the one they called Princess. In kind, she dashed forward to meet them, her sword glinting from the moonlight above.

Wesley could hardly believe what he was seeing. Well, from what he could see. He could barely follow the movements going on, just catching glimpses of the Princess as she danced through every strike the Devils threw at her, utilizing her smaller stature to her advantage. Wesley saw streaks of blood fly, and one of the Devils stopped to howl in pain as his hand was chopped off. His voice was quickly cut short as the girl leaped up and slashed his exposed throat, and he burst into black flames.

The second Devil yelled with rage and attempted to grab her out of the air, then stopped as she wasn't there anymore. As quick as lightning, she reappeared behind him and aimed at his back with the tip of her sword. A harsh beam of light was fired from it, going through him completely and leaving a burning hole behind. He let out one last scream of anguish before collapsing and becoming a ball of dark fire.

Wesley was speechless, wondering if what he just saw was real. There was no way it could be real…

Yet, as he stared at the so-called Princess, who stood like a proud knight amidst the blazing remains of her foes...he knew that what just happened was reality. When she turned her head and her golden eyes met his blue gaze, he knew that his life would never be the same.

On this night, when the Princess fell, Wesley Goldsworthy's destiny would begin to change.