October 31, 2009

Sarah Jacobs had been in labor for nearly ten hours. Her back cramped with excruciating pain and her legs trembled, sweat running down her brow. The nurse at her side held her hand, talking softly to her, encouraging her. She was nearly there; the baby was coming any moment.

The doctor looked up from between her legs and smiled encouragingly, "Alright Sarah, big pushes now." Sarah nodded and took deep breaths before bearing down, feeling like her body was going to split in half.

Ten minutes later the nurse and doctor let out a shout of excitement- her daughter had been born. The nurse quickly took her and began cleaning her and clearing her airway. The doctor massaged Sarah's abdomen, working on getting the placenta out.

Sarah anxiously looked over the doctor's shoulder, waiting to hear her daughter's cry. Her fingers clenched the bed tightly—Why isn't she crying? What's wrong?!

Sarah looked down at the doctor, "What's wrong? Why isn't she crying?" she demanded. The doctor looked over her shoulder and the nurse smiled at them both, shaking her head.

"She's fine, her airway is clear, she's breathing just fine. Seems like you just have a quiet baby Sarah. I'll bring her over in a minute, okay?" the nurse reassured her.

Sarah took a deep breath and nodded.

Her daughter was okay.

A few minutes later the nurse brought her over and laid her against her chest and Sarah's eyes welled, exhaustion and emotion overwhelming her. The nurse smiled warmly at her, "Do you have a name for her?" she asked softly.

Sarah smiled at the small bundle of human cradled against her, watching as her daughter snored. She nodded and whispered, "Devery. Devery Jacobs."

The nurse nodded and wrote the name on the wristband before snapping it around Devery's wrist. She smiled at Sarah, "I'll leave you for now. I'll be back in a little bit to take her to the nursery so you can sleep."

Sarah nodded but could hardly imagine ever taking her eyes off the sweet little face in her arms. When the nurse came back fifteen minutes later, she could barely keep her eyes open. Her heart ached to see her daughter being taken, but she was grateful to close her eyes.

Sarah smiled down at Devery, watching as she nursed. A specialist had come by to make sure things went well but after just a moment Devery latched and began feeding. The specialist raised a brow and smiled, "Well, it seems you've both got the knack! That'll save you a lot of headaches."

Sarah nodded, "She's a special girl."

When Devery had finished eating, her breathing slowing as she fell asleep, Sarah set her in the crib beside her hospital bed, watching her sleep before her own eyes grew heavy. She curled on her side and kept her hand on Devery, anxious to feel her.

Sarah woke abruptly; something was wrong. She looked at Devery's crib and her heart stopped; it was empty.

She sat up and looked around, her stomach clenching when she saw an unfamiliar man holding her daughter and rocking her.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded. She struggled to her feet and lurched towards him, her heart pounding.

The man stepped back and to her amazement held up a hand, "I'm not here to hurt you or Devery. I'm here to protect her. She's incredibly important."

Sarah felt fear clench her heart. "No she's not. She's just my daughter." She shook her head and stepped forward, reaching for Devery. "Please, please give her to me" she plead.

The man sighed and stroked Devery's cheek, "She is special. She's going to save the world. If you let me help you both, we can make sure she learns how to do that."

Sarah stared at the rugged man before her, wondering not for the first time if he was crazy. Either way, she wasn't staying silent any longer. She turned towards the door and started screaming for help, her voice high and shrill.

The man frowned and shook his head, setting Devery down in her crib before walking to the door, pulling a ball cap out of his back pocket and sliding it onto his head. Sarah snatched Devery out of the crib and cradled her close, her heart racing.

Her daughter didn't seem startled in the least by the commotion in the room as doctors and police came and went, but Sarah demanded that they be let go. The police advised against it and Sarah told them if they wanted to protect her they could put someone at her house, because she wasn't staying there.

The man watched from across the street as Sarah and Devery got out of a police cruiser and went into their small double wide. He sighed; it was going to be a long life, for them both.

November 21st, 2013

"Devery, please hurry, we need to get to school!" Sarah called down the hall. Devery was now 4 years old and attending pre-school regularly.

"Coming momma!" Devery called back, her soft voice sweet. A moment later she skipped down the hall in a pair of jeans, a tshirt and a beat up pair of sneakers. Sarah smiled at her, feeling a brief flash of shame at the worn condition of her daughter's clothing.

She worked three jobs to make ends meet and still had to shop at thrift stores. Devery reached up and tugged on her mother's shirt until Sarah bent down, allowing her daughter to kiss her on the cheek.

"Love you momma" she whispered softly.

Sarah smiled and kissed Devery back, "Love you too baby" she murmured.

She quickly ushered her down the hall and out to the car, coaxing it to life with a prayer and a wiggle of the key. Sarah drove quickly, keeping an eye on the sky above, watching the growing dark clouds.

As she turned onto the street for Devery's school the clouds above ripped open and white mist began pouring out. Sarah stared in awe as the mist began flowing down, splitting into individual pieces.

She slowed and watched as a piece of mist swirled towards a woman walking hand in hand with her child down the street. Her heart pounded and her stomach churned…this wasn't right…this wasn't normal.

The mist slipped into the woman and she stiffened, stilling. A moment later she turned to her child with large black eyes and began attacking her viciously. Sarah stifled a scream and pulled away from the curb, making sure her windows were closed tightly, despite the warm Wyoming air.

Pulling her cell out she dialed her father, praying.

"Papa! Something is wrong. The rain…it's making people attack each other. I'm coming home, it's not safe here!" she cried.

"We've seen it too Sarah. Hurry! Keep Devery safe."

"I love you Papa" she murmured before hanging up, her fingers trembling. She looked in the rearview mirror at Devery and took a shaky breath. Her daughter didn't seem to be as frightened as she was.

Then again, Devery had always been a resilient child.

"Are we going to see grandpa momma?" Devery asked from the back.

Sarah nodded, gripping the wheel tighter. "Cover up with that blanket baby."

Devery frowned, tugging the blanket off the seat beside her and looked at it, then her mother. "Why momma?" she asked.

"Because we're going to play hide and seek with the other people. You have to hide under it."

Devery looked out the window at the people running and screaming, hitting and attacking each other and then sighed, pulling the blanket over her head.

Sarah sighed in relief, "Thank you baby, good hiding!" As they sped out of town she brought her hand to her lips, trying to breathe normally, trying not to cry.

What the hell was happening?

Little did she know it had little to do with hell and everything to do with heaven.

November 23rd, 2013

They had been travelling for two days, hiding under the cover of night and deep brush on the side of the road, keeping away from large groups and anyone that Sarah thought looked remotely dangerous.

At one point she thought someone was following them, but when she tried to check, she wasn't sure. It was more important to get to the reservation and get there quickly. They only had another hour and they would be at the Wind River Reservation.

Normally it was a trip that would take around 5 hours, but this was no normal trip.

Sarah was exhausted and badly in need of food that wasn't scrounged from abandoned gas stations. Devery was doing slightly better, her lunch had been packed with her, but that had been a day ago.

Sarah had also had to learn to siphon gas—all the machines at the gas stations had been broken. She ran a hand over her hair and grimaced; she smelled like gas, looked like shit and felt like worse.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, her expression softened. Devery was fast asleep, her chin tucked into her chest, her breathing soft. Sarah said a soft prayer that nothing terrible had happened to them yet.

An hour later as they rolled up to the reservation gates she was amazed to see men and women with guns and crossbows pointed at her car. She raised her hands slowly and waited for them to approach.

A man around her age came forward and she smiled tiredly, "I'm Sarah Jacobs, my father is here—Bill?"

The man nodded and waved them forward. Sarah watched the gate close behind them and felt her shoulders hitch and then release a weight of tension. She sighed and parked the car, closing her eyes for a moment, trying not to cry.

A knock at the window made her jump and she placed her hand at her heart, shaking her head at her father who gave her a sheepish smile. She quickly jumped out of the car and hugged him tightly, her body shuddering as she wept.

Bill hugged his daughter and gave thanks that she and his granddaughter had made it safely. From the reports that they had been receiving from other reservations and the news, things were bad.

He gently pulled her away and smiled, "How's my granddaughter?" he asked.

Sarah smiled shakily and wiped her cheeks, "Good, she's sleeping."

Bill shook his head, "Not anymore." He pointed and Sarah turned to see Devery waving fiercely at her grandfather. She laughed and quickly opened the door, unbuckling her so she could launch herself at her grandfather.

Bill grunted as Devery jumped into his arms, her small arms winding around his neck. He smiled and held her close, his eyes closing in joy. Sarah smiled and stepped close, wrapping an arm around her father's waist.

They were safe.

A scream pierced the night, sending a shock up her spine.

Sarah looked up at her father, eyes wide in fear. Bill quickly unwrapped Devery's arms from his neck and handed her to Sarah. "I have to go see what it is" he murmured.

Sarah shook her head, stepping forward, "No, don't go." Her heart pounded and she gave him a pleading look.

Bill rested a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile, "It's ok, I have this-"he pulled a gun from his waistband and showed it to her before nodding and making his way towards the gate.

Sarah held Devery close as the sound of screams grew louder, accompanied by gunfire, and other more horrible sounds. Her stomach lurched in terror and she turned, opening the car door, bending to put Devery in her seat, locking the door.

Devery watched as her mother went to the trunk and got out a metal stick, wondering what was happening. Everyone was upset and the air didn't smell right. It smelled like…pennies.

Lots of pennies…it made her belly hurt.

Her mommy stood in front of the car, watching down the road. Devery watched the road too, knowing that it was where Grandpa Bill had gone.

Eventually she saw him walking up the road and she felt better. If grandpa had come back, things were ok.

Her mommy took a step forward and said something to grandpa, but he didn't say anything back. Instead he lifted something…she forgot the word for it…it was bad…why was grandpa doing that?

Devery flinched at the loud noise, covering her ears, watching as her mommy fell to the ground. There was red on the windows of the car.

Her belly hurt.

Grandpa Bill looked at her and she could see his eyes were black. She didn't like it. He walked over slowly and pointed the thing again at her and Devery kept her hands on her ears…she didn't want to hear the loud noise again.

Red covered the windows.

Devery frowned, where had the noise been?

A moment later the door opened and a man was standing where Grandpa Bill was, holding a long metal stick like mommy had. He stared down at her. He stuck his hand out, "Come on Devery, I'll keep you safe."

Devery stared at him for a moment before grabbing her backpack and sliding off the seat. She walked out of the car and looked over at her mother, frowning. She looked up at the man, "What happened?" she asked, pointing to her mother.

He frowned and then crouched down. "She's gone. She died. She can't protect you anymore. But I can."

Devery stared at her mother's still body and frowned…her mommy was…dead? She looked at the man. He didn't have black eyes. She reached out and touched his face. A moment later she nodded.

He opened his arms and she stepped forward, allowing him to scoop her up, carrying her away.

As they walked through the burning ruins of the reservation, Devery clutched her backpack, holding the last and only picture of her and her mother.

October 31st, 2025

"Rise and shine birthday girl." Miles' voice was the first thing that Devery heard on her 16th birthday, and without fail, she knew that they were going to train. It didn't matter if it was her birthday. Miles was relentless.

She rolled over and found said taskmaster standing over her bed, a smile on his face, hands behind his back. She frowned, "Why are you looking at me like that?" she demanded.

Miles affected a shocked face, "Can't a teacher just be happy for his student that she's survived to 16?" he asked.

Devery shook her head and rolled out of bed, tugging her hair up into a ponytail. "Not you. You're evil."

Miles sighed, his face exaggeratedly wounded. "I'm sorry to hear that. I guess you don't want your present then?" he asked.

Devery stood up from the sink, patting her face dry. She eyed his hands behind his back, "I could be convinced."

Miles smiled and brought a teak box out, handing it out to her. Devery stepped forward and took hit, surprised by its heft. She set it down on her bed and sat to open it. A soft gasp escaped her.

Inside were matching revolvers with mother of pearl grips, a hip holster, thigh holsters and shoulder holsters. She could wear them anyway she liked. She looked up at Miles, her smile lighting up the room.

"Thank you so much!"

She leapt from the bed and hugged him tightly, ignoring his whuff as she knocked him backwards. Miles patted her on the back, smiling softly. "Well, you've done good kid. Now you need to get dressed and eat. We're still training today."

Devery stepped back and laughed, "Of course we are."

Devery panted, sweat running down her brow. It may have been October, but she and Miles were running down a mountain with weights strapped to them, practicing sword fighting. She was getting better, but she secretly thought she would never be as good as Miles.

She whirled around a tree and lunged at Miles, forcing him back towards a dip in the ground. He remained cool and composed, parrying back, making her step back until her heel hit a tree root and she stumbled, sprawling to the ground.

Miles lunged forward and a second later his sword point was at her throat. He shook his head, "Sloppy."

Devery's eyes closed and she sighed. Definitely never as good as him. Miles nudged her foot with his, "Get up."

Devery rolled to her feet and they circled each other slowly, trading cautious blows until Miles forced her back with a sharp, heavy blow. She skipped backwards and out of the corner of her eye saw a rise in the ground.

She made her way there slowly, allowing Miles to drive her up it until she had the high ground. When she stood above him she began to edge away, towards the cliff's precipice. Miles watched her with cautious eyes, wondering what she was up to.

She had been a quick study with the blades, but she wasn't as skilled as he was—and wouldn't be for years. What she was though, was cunning. She would use tricks and traps to gain the upper hand on him when she knew she was losing.

As he stepped forward Devery kicked out, smashing his knee with her foot, dropping him down, pain flaring like a sunburst. He swore and rose, lashing out at her. She grinned and sidestepped. A moment later he felt the ground shift underneath him, the cliffside crumbling away, sending him tumbling to the ground fifteen feet below.

Devery quickly scrambled down, light on her feet as a mountain goat. She circled him like a bird of prey and pressed her sword to his throat, grinning. Miles glared.

"Does this mean I beat you?" she taunted.

Miles sighed and smiled faintly. He lunged and snatched her sword out of her hand, watching as her eyes widened. He whirled to his feet, the blade at her throat seconds later.

"No. You can't be cocky, and you can't hesitate." His tone was firm, even as his eyes were gentle. He flipped the sword away and held it out to her, waiting for her to take it. Devery sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"I'll never be as good as you" she murmured, reaching out to take it. Miles chuckled and patted her shoulder.

"It's just going to take time" he assured her. That and…No..she's not ready. He sighed and shook his head, watching his apprentice as they made their way back to the bunker. The afternoon was warming up and they both needed showers before lunch.

As Devery prepared lunch for them both, a task that Miles had long ago given her so that she would know how survive without him, she listened to the radio. Most of the time it was static, but occasionally there were transmissions on how the war against the angelic invaders was going.

"Today word comes from Vega—what was once known as Las Vegas. The walls have been fortified and militarized. All humans are welcome, and those who are able bodied will be given work, food and shelter. All humans are welcome."

Devery stared at the radio, her hands stilling. All humans are welcome…We could go! We wouldn't have to live here alone anymore! We could help people! Devery slowly began to prepare their lunch, imagining a world in which she and Miles lived in Vega, defending the city. Her chest tightened at the thought of living under the open sky, in a house, with other people.

A sound from behind her alerted her to Miles' presence. She turned and smiled brightly. "I just heard amazing news on the radio."

Miles raised a brow, already knowing what she had heard. He nodded and she continued. "Vega's walls are fortified and the city is safe! We could go live there, help defend it! We…we could be heroes!" she exclaimed, her cheeks pink from excitement.

Miles regarded her for a moment and then very softly, shook his head. Her crestfallen expression was something he had expected, but it still hurt. He sighed, "Devery, we can't. It's not safe there, no matter what they say. The archangel Gabriel will continue his war, and the people there won't be safe as long as he is looking for this Chosen One. His 8-balls attack them nearly daily."

Devery's chin lifted and her jaw tightened her expression defiant. "But that's why we should help!" she exclaimed, her voice louder.

Miles frowned, "You can't beat me, how do you expect to stop an archangel?" he said coolly. Tears leapt into Devery's eyes and he cursed himself. Sighing he shook his head, "Devery, you're not ready, and neither is that city. We're staying here."

She glared at him for a long moment, her chest rising and falling heavily with emotion. Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides, knuckles white. She whirled back to the counter and snatched up their plates, turning to slam his in front of him.

She stalked out of the room and back to hers, ignoring him. Miles shook his head and went to the fridge, cracking open a beer. He had never wanted a kid.

Fate and a higher power had decided that he should have one. He ran a hand over his face and said a prayer that he wasn't fucking it up.

Miles watched Devery closely for nearly two days after their argument, sure that she was going to try running away. She was standoffish, angry and sarcastic, but she didn't steal supplies or give any other indication that she was trying to leave.

After two nights staying up to make sure she didn't leave, he finally relented and went to bed, though his gut told him she was still angry enough to try something.

He was right.

Devery waited until Miles was in bed and nearly three hours had passed. She had wanted to leave two nights earlier, but he had been watching her so closely she knew she couldn't. She eased out of bed and tiptoed to her closet, stuffing her clothes into a duffel bag before lacing on her boots.

She had lined her bag with snacks while Miles was in the bathroom or training, not in the past two days, over time, replenishing them as they ran out. She had dried fruit, nuts, jerkey and bottles of water.

Slinging her bag over her back, she strapped her gun holster onto her waist and tiptoed out of the room, down the hall, and out to the front of the bunker. She had greased the hinges of the doors for years, keeping them from rusting, so when she pulled the door open, it barely made a noise.

She ran through the woods until she reached the other bunker where the cars were hidden. Tugging the door open, she tossed her bag into the passenger seat of the truck and put it into neutral, easing it out the doors and down the path until she was certain Miles wouldn't hear it start.

As the truck rumbled to life, she looked in the rearview mirror, her heart clenching with regret. Why couldn't Miles just understand? She wanted to be with other people. She wanted to help.

As she drove, the sky lightened into dawn. She yawned, tired. Her eyes grew heavy and she shook her head, she couldn't sleep, she was almost there.

The sky turned pink and she grinned; she could see the walls of Vega!

As she approached the city walls she slowed, eyes widening at the ruins of cars and buildings surrounding the city. She heard a loud noise and looked in the rearview mirror, her stomach clenching.

Figures were appearing from the ruins.

She sped up and honked, desperate to get inside the walls. There was a loud sound from inside the walls, like a siren. She screeched to a halt and stared up at the gates, heart pounding, waiting for them to open as the figures rushed towards her truck.

There was a rush of air and another, larger winged figure circled overhead, landing fifty feet away. Her heart spasmed—Was this the archangel Michael that supposedly protected Vega?

The figures running towards her didn't slow.

Her stomach sank. She reached for her swords beside her and shoved the truck door open, blinking into the early morning light. Each of them had black eyes and terrifying faces.

The roaring of an engine caught her attention. She looked past the onslaught of 8-balls and saw an incoming truck—Miles! Her heart leapt.

One of the 8-balls closed on her and she turned her attention back to it, lifting her sword to thrust into its chest. She tore it free with a sucking sound and turned to the next, nearly beheading it with a swift motion.

Miles threw the truck into park and leapt from it, flying into motion. The sight of Devery fighting the 8-balls made him simultaneously proud and terrified. She wasn't ready.

Yet she was cutting through them like hot butter, her long black hair flying like a flag, her mouth set in a grimace.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a winged figure watching them, a hood covering its face. He swiftly cut down three more of the 8-balls, bringing him closer to the figure.

Devery pulled her sword from the last 8-ball and turned to Miles, watching as he dispatched three 8-balls neatly. He turned to face the winged angel and when she stepped forward to join him he held out a hand, warding her off.

"No! Get in the truck! Now!" he commanded. For the first time in her life Devery heard a tone of worry in Miles' voice, and it scared her. She backed away, watching as he stepped closer to the angel.

Miles lifted his sword and beckoned to the angel, "Come fallen son."

The angel laughed and unsheathed his own sword, circling Miles, "You confuse me with my brother. Lucifer is long gone."

Miles frowned, "You have fallen from your purpose. You may not be Lucifer, but you are fallen."

The angel lunged and Miles lifted his sword, the sound of the blow ringing through the air. Devery clutched her swords, desperate to help. The men circled each other, trading blows, their skills nearly matched.

Miles lunged out and scraped across the breastplate the angel wore, leaving a long welt in the metal. The angel laughed and nodded, "Very good human! You are nearly as good as my brother and I!" He cocked his head to the side, looking at Miles questioningly, "Who are you?"

Miles shook his head, "Someone whose purpose it is to right the balance of Heaven and save humanity."

The angel laughed loudly, "You fool. No one can do that. They've been abandoned." He lunged forward and swiped his sword across Miles' abdomen, opening a long wound.

Devery screamed, dropping her swords and running forward. Miles dropped to his knees and clutched one hand to his stomach, his face white. The angel stepped forward and stood over him, watching him.

Miles breathed heavily and stared up at Gabriel, able to see under the hood now. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the life flooding from him with each breath. He opened his eyes and in one last rush of energy thrust his sword through Gabriel's thigh.

The angel howled in pain and stumbled backwards, cursing. Devery rushed forwards and fell to her knees, cradling Miles' head in her lap, tears streaming down her face.

Gabriel ripped the sword from his leg and tossed it aside, glaring at the fallen warrior and the young woman who now cradled his head. He stalked forward and lifted his sword, placing it at her throat, watching as the edge nicked her skin.

She glared at him, her eyes defiant. "I thought Michael was the angel who defended this city. Why would you do this?" she demanded. She lifted Miles' head gently, "Why did he call you fallen?" she yelled.

Gabriel lifted his hood back and smirked, "Because I'm not my brother. I don't want to defend this city, I want to destroy it. I'm Gabriel love." He watched as her face paled, her jaw tightening.

He pointed to her fallen swords and the dead 8-balls, "Who are you that you can handle a sword so well and kill the dogs of heaven?" he demanded.

Devery glared up at him and then answered, "Nindayaa."

The sound of large wings beating in the air cut their conversation short. Gabriel turned and grinned maniacally. His brother had come out to play.

Devery jumped at the touch of Miles' hand on her arm. She looked down at him and saw that his skin was ghostly, his wound was barely bleeding. He was dying. He smiled softly at her, "You can't stay here, it's not safe Devery. You have to go home. Do you understand?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Devery nodded, tears in her eyes again. Miles squeezed her arm, giving her a soft smile, his eyes fluttering, "Take my swords. You need to keep practicing until you're ready."

"Ready for what?" Devery asked, tears running down her cheeks.

Miles shook his head, "When you get back…look in the bottom desk drawer…in my room." His breathing became weaker and his eyes closed.

Devery shook him, her fingers shaking, "No! Miles, why do I need to look there? What do I need to be ready for?" she sobbed.

Miles went limp in her arms, his breathing ceasing. Devery cried out and clutched him close, rocking him, heedless of the blood and the battle of the angels behind her.

She sat up a few minutes later, her training kicking in. She needed to get somewhere safe—home. She tucked her hands under Miles' armpits and drug him slowly to the truck, struggling to get him into the bed, her back aching.

When she had slammed the tailgate closed she gathered up his sword and hers, avoiding the dueling angels. She ran to the truck and climbed in, starting it with shaking, bloody fingers. She tore away from the walls of Vega, only looking back to make sure she wasn't pursued.

Tears streamed down her face, leaving white streaks in the blood smeared on her cheeks.

The flames of the funeral pyre burned brightly in the night. Devery stood before it, drinking a beer that Miles would never have allowed her to normally drink. It tasted terrible.

When she finished it she opened another, sitting on the ground, watching as the fire burned. Her head began to swim.

She sank down and stared up at the stars, her head swimming. She closed her eyes and everything spun, her stomach heaving. She opened her eyes and rolled over onto her knees, her stomach heaving until it was empty.

She wiped her mouth and grimaced. She wasn't ever drinking again. She rose unsteadily to her feet and walked into the bunker, making her way slowly to Miles' room. She sat down in the chair at his desk and began to go through it, jimmying open the locks.

Inside were maps, GPS machines, walkie talkies, stacks of letters, and one specifically addressed to her.

She stared at it for a long time, scared to open it. Finally, she pulled the letter out of the envelope and began to read.

Devery,

If you are reading this it means I have died before your training was finished. I am sorry I was unable to protect you and left you. I want you to know how much I loved being your friend, your protector, and hopefully, your parent. I never wanted to be a parent, but when it was required of me, I was blessed with you.

I know you will probably never think of what happened to your family as a blessing. It wasn't. What it was…was inevitable. You and I are members of an order known as the Knights of Heaven.

We are only called upon during times of great turbulence and distress for humanity. You were chosen from the moment of your birth, and I was chosen to defend you until you were ready to train.

The Angel Invasion was our precipitating moment that led us together, and changed everything. Had that not happened, things would have been so different. You could have trained, and had a family, much as I did. But the hosts of Heaven had other plans.

I was the last of our order until your birth, and until another is born, you will be the only of our order, that I know of. I have scoured the Earth trying to find others, with no luck.

For now you will need to finish your training yourself. I know this seems like a daunting task, but you are a clever and strong woman. I expect you to do well. My powers will help you to excel. Upon my passing they will come to you, and you will need to learn to use them.

You must understand that these powers come with consequences. They should not be used in anger, or hate. You must rid your heart of those emotions. Our task is to help humanity and right the order of Heaven. You must not hold anger in your heart for those angels who have erred.

They have made mistakes, just as humans have. Just as you and I have.

Now. Go to my closet and push aside the clothing. There is a door, and past it, a hallway that will take you to a training room. There you will find nearly every weapon that you could ever use. Train with them, and practice with your powers as you discover them.

Remember, life is more precious now than before. Be who I trained you to be.

Miles

Devery stared down at the parchment in amazement. Knight of Heaven? Powers?

"Holy shit" she whispered.

She looked across the room at his closet and stood slowly, walking over hesitantly, pushing aside the clothes and inhaled sharply. A door.

She turned the handle and peered into the darkness. She groped along the wall until she found a light switch, illuminating the hallway. She walked down the hall until it dumped out into an enormous room, the walls lined with guns, bows, swords, knives and other weapons she had no idea how to use.

She lifted the letter and stared at it, then looked around the room.

"Huh" she murmured.

Her lips twitched in a faint smile. If she was going to train to be a Knight, Miles sure had everything she needed. She looked around the room and nodded, satisfied.

She would do this. She would be a Knight of Heaven.

AN: Okay, so I had posted this story under the same title once before and it wasn't so well received. I've pretty much completely rewritten it, the title is the only similar thing. That and the female character is Native American, just as she was before. So when she tells Gabriel "Nindayaa"-it means "I am nameless" in Ojibwe-a Native American language. The actress that I'm using for a face for Devery when she's older(not 16) is Cara Gee. She's gorgeous and badass. I truly hope you all enjoy this story, and I hope to get some good feedback! Let's have some fun and let's have some reviews! Thank you for reading!