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I was just thinking about the concept of 'Heaven' in In Nomine. For those who aren't familiar with the game world, whether a human goes to Heaven or Hell is based on whether they meet their destiny or their fate.
Destiny: (working definition) An unselfish act which creates the most personal good that an individual can accomplish in their lifetime.
Fate: (working definition) A selfish act which results in the most personal harm that an individual can accomplished in their lifetime.
Most people don't achieve either, and thus get reincarnated or their souls simply dissolve. Sometimes people achieve both, and the same happens. But regardless, this means that you don't have to believe in any particular religion or god, or even be an all-around good person. There are no specific sins you have to avoid (although the more selfishly a character lives, the more likely they are to achieve their Fate and the less likely their Destiny). So Heaven...is kind of a mixed bag of people. Thinking about that, I wrote a quick little storyblurb.
Warning. One bad word.
Heaven is...
...the holy silence of the penitent cell. Maria, in life, had been a sister and recluse, living her life out behind the walls of a convent, in the freedom of the quiet halls and bookcases. After death, she asked Laurence for a quiet cell to continue her meditations, and it was granted. Angels and other Souls occasionally come to listen to her prayers, or to bring her books from the library. She quite likes comic books.
Heaven is...
...the clash of swords and the shouts of triumph on the battlefield. Sarah and David had once fought on the lines of the Crusades, Sarah hiding her form under thick armor so that she might follow her husband into battle. They loved, fought, and died together, protecting a settlement from bandits that wore English standards. In death, they discovered that the war still called for them, and now they train other Souls and relievers in sword and shield.
Heaven is...
...love. Joshua holds his beloved close, watching the angels dance and sing in voices divine. There's always a party here, but it's not like the ones he used to know. No more shame or guilt or hasty fucking with strangers in the men's restroom. Ryan shifts a little in his embrace and looks up at Joshua, a curious lift to his eyebrow. “I love you,” Joshua whispers fervently. His reply is a kiss, and the Angels of Flowers smile.
Heaven is...
...knowledge. No longer do the words scramble themselves in front of Melody's eyes. Since dying, she understands concepts that had seemed incomprehensible in life, the severe mental retardation that had once shackled her mind dropping away with her earthly flesh. Her Cherub rests by her knee, as she reads him poetry in the sweet, slippery tongue of the angels. A tear slips unheeded down her faintly luminous cheek and the Library whispers.
Heaven is...
...the glorious revolution. Vasily and his cohorts stand outside the Council Spire, protesting the War. They have signs, quickly co-opting the peace symbol from the more recent arrivals, as well as the idea of 'civil disobedience'. Tomorrow, they're holding a sit-in in the Judges' Quarters to show their support for Eli. Next week, it's a rally in support of Jordi, which is rumored to bemuse the Kyriotate to no end. He has been heard to inquire about what s'mores might be. There are no gulags, and last month, a Mercurian of Judgment gave Vasily a smile as she dodged the picket line. Although the proletariat must always be on guard from the bourgeoisie's attempts to bribe them into silence, he doesn't really think that taking her out for a cup of Novalian coffee after the protest would count.
Heaven is...
...Heaven.
Destiny: (working definition) An unselfish act which creates the most personal good that an individual can accomplish in their lifetime.
Fate: (working definition) A selfish act which results in the most personal harm that an individual can accomplished in their lifetime.
Most people don't achieve either, and thus get reincarnated or their souls simply dissolve. Sometimes people achieve both, and the same happens. But regardless, this means that you don't have to believe in any particular religion or god, or even be an all-around good person. There are no specific sins you have to avoid (although the more selfishly a character lives, the more likely they are to achieve their Fate and the less likely their Destiny). So Heaven...is kind of a mixed bag of people. Thinking about that, I wrote a quick little storyblurb.
Warning. One bad word.
Heaven is...
...the holy silence of the penitent cell. Maria, in life, had been a sister and recluse, living her life out behind the walls of a convent, in the freedom of the quiet halls and bookcases. After death, she asked Laurence for a quiet cell to continue her meditations, and it was granted. Angels and other Souls occasionally come to listen to her prayers, or to bring her books from the library. She quite likes comic books.
Heaven is...
...the clash of swords and the shouts of triumph on the battlefield. Sarah and David had once fought on the lines of the Crusades, Sarah hiding her form under thick armor so that she might follow her husband into battle. They loved, fought, and died together, protecting a settlement from bandits that wore English standards. In death, they discovered that the war still called for them, and now they train other Souls and relievers in sword and shield.
Heaven is...
...love. Joshua holds his beloved close, watching the angels dance and sing in voices divine. There's always a party here, but it's not like the ones he used to know. No more shame or guilt or hasty fucking with strangers in the men's restroom. Ryan shifts a little in his embrace and looks up at Joshua, a curious lift to his eyebrow. “I love you,” Joshua whispers fervently. His reply is a kiss, and the Angels of Flowers smile.
Heaven is...
...knowledge. No longer do the words scramble themselves in front of Melody's eyes. Since dying, she understands concepts that had seemed incomprehensible in life, the severe mental retardation that had once shackled her mind dropping away with her earthly flesh. Her Cherub rests by her knee, as she reads him poetry in the sweet, slippery tongue of the angels. A tear slips unheeded down her faintly luminous cheek and the Library whispers.
Heaven is...
...the glorious revolution. Vasily and his cohorts stand outside the Council Spire, protesting the War. They have signs, quickly co-opting the peace symbol from the more recent arrivals, as well as the idea of 'civil disobedience'. Tomorrow, they're holding a sit-in in the Judges' Quarters to show their support for Eli. Next week, it's a rally in support of Jordi, which is rumored to bemuse the Kyriotate to no end. He has been heard to inquire about what s'mores might be. There are no gulags, and last month, a Mercurian of Judgment gave Vasily a smile as she dodged the picket line. Although the proletariat must always be on guard from the bourgeoisie's attempts to bribe them into silence, he doesn't really think that taking her out for a cup of Novalian coffee after the protest would count.
Heaven is...
...Heaven.
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Share it with the INML?
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Thankee! And I may, at that. There are a couple of edits I want to make to it, first, though. I kinda just banged it out. :D I'm glad you liked it.
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*hands over Essence*
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Do you mind if I friend you, by the way? :)
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I assume I may reciprocate?
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