June 30th, 2038
The stars sparkled overhead in the night sky, the cool night air sending small animals into their burrows. The smell of roasting meat wafted through the air, but any predators that would have been lured near were kept at a distance by the flames of the fire and the scent of the larger predator.
Devery lifted the spit from the fire and cut another slice of meat from the lizard, chewing it gratefully. She hadn't found much to eat since leaving the aerie, and every scrap of food was treasured.
Her powers were growing again, but still not nearly as strong as they had been. She needed to meditate, but out here in the wilderness where it was so very likely that she could be attacked by 8-balls or even humans, she didn't dare.
She was only a day's ride from Vega now, and she was eager to finally be within its walls. 13 years of waiting was long enough.
She was surprised by how nervous she was at the idea of finally going to Vega and meeting the people there. Especially Michael. She had no idea how they would react to her, and the information she would bring them about Gabriel.
Sighing, she finished off the lizard and lay down on her sleeping mat, staring up at the stars. Most people would consider sleeping with guns and swords strapped to your body uncomfortable, but Devery only saw it as a necessity.
If she hadn't been so exhausted she would have just ridden through the night to Vega. As it was, she had been half asleep on her motorcycle, and she knew she needed rest.
The good thing about having powers like hers, Devery thought as she pulled her coat tighter around her, was that they would alert her even in her sleep to danger. It was something she had learned the hard way, years before.
As she began to fall asleep, she drifted between sleep and reality…remembering….
Devery had just gotten back from a supply run. She had Mile's truck…her truck now; she supposed, parked in front of the bunker and was unloading it slowly. She had managed to find a few large box stores that hadn't been overrun, and had picked them clean.
When she finished she drove the truck back to the other bunker and locked it up. She pocketed the keys and went inside, searching out a beer. It had been a long three days of scavenging, fighting 8-balls, and driving.
She sank down on her bed, flipping through one of the new books she had grabbed. Whenever she went out she tried to grab as many books as possible. She had taught herself Spanish, but it didn't really matter…there probably wasn't anyone around to speak it anymore.
As she sipped her beer and read, the exhaustion from the long hours on the road caught up to her. Her fingers on the bottle loosened and she almost dropped it. Cursing, she rolled over and set it on the bedside table.
Rubbing her eyes, she turned the lights off and kicked her boots off, collapsing back against the pillows. She was asleep within minutes.
She dreamt of her mother, her soft smile and gentle hugs. Her mother was stroking her hair, telling her how proud she was when suddenly she stood, staring off into the distance. Devery looked up at her mother, shaking her arm.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Her mother turned and looked at her, and Devery scrambled backwards. Blood covered her face. Her mother reached up to touch her face and then held her hand out, showing it to Devery.
"You need to wake up. You're not safe."
Devery stared at her in horror. Her mother reached out with her bloody hand, reaching for her arm…
Devery woke with a gasp. She lay in bed, heart pounding.
A scuttling noise broke through her fears and she sat up, all of her senses telling her something was wrong. She heard the noise again and knew it for what it was—an 8-ball climbing the walls. She didn't know how they had found her, but they had.
She rose from the bed, reaching for her swords.
Devery's dreams devolved into blood, violence and screams.
July 1st, 2038
Devery stared up at the gates of Vega as the hot summer sun beat down on her. The guards had been at first combative, then startled to see she was human. They were staring at her with suspicion and were demanding to know where she had come from.
"Ma'am I'll ask you one last time; where are you coming from?" the guard demanded.
Devery tore her eyes away from the walls and smiled politely at him, "I've already told you, that's something that the angel Michael needs to hear. Why don't you get him." She watched as his face turned purple at her tone of polite indifference.
It seemed the guards of Vega were not used to having their authority questioned or ignored. A smirk crept across her lips. The guard's eyes narrowed at her.
"No one sees the archangel. Least of all some wayward whore who doesn't know her place."
Alex's smirk grew wider. "Of course, I understand. Well then, why not take me into custody if you don't trust me?" she offered.
The guard snarled and grabbed her arm, pulling cuffs out and snapping them around her wrist tightly. Devery inhaled sharply as they cut into the marks that the shackles had left. The guard tugged her into a truck and tossed her pack in beside her, slamming the door shut.
As they sped through the city Devery stared up at the broken buildings in the distance that used to be Las Vegas. She had seen pictures of the city from before the angel invasion; now it seemed a blasted ruin in certain areas while others looked to be the thriving city from the pictures.
They approached the city center and a massive marble building. When they came to a screeching halt Devery was thrown forward, slamming hard into the mesh divider between the front seats and the back.
The guard gave a nasty laugh and came around to yank her out of the vehicle. He marched her up the steps and inside the building where dozens of men and women in uniform walked around. The people stared at them as they walked by and Devery had the distinct feeling that she was not just someone new, she was an outsider.
The guard towed her to an interrogation room and forced her into a chair. He stood over her and smirked, "You want to be smart? Try that with the angel corp. You won't have much to be funny about when they're done with you."
Devery smiled, "Thanks, so much."
He glared at her and stormed out, slamming the door shut.
Devery sighed and lifted her cuffed hands, brushing her hair back from her face. She could have told the man where she had come from, but she doubted it would have gone well. In fact, she was fairly certain her brains would be splattered all over the sand outside the walls if she had.
She tapped her fingers on the table, waiting for someone to come.
The door opened nearly twenty minutes later and a tall redhead man strode in. He glanced over her and turned to murmur something to someone. A moment later he shut the door and came over, unlocking her cuffs.
Devery stared at him in surprise as she rubbed her wrists. Being set free was the last thing she had expected. The man sat across from her and held up a hand, "Before you start to think you're free to go, I need to ask you some questions first."
Devery nodded, "I understand."
The man smiled faintly, "I understand you were giving the guards at the wall a hard time about where you were coming from. You understand why we need to know that information?"
Devery nodded, "Of course. You're worried Gabriel is sending spies into your city. And he is. But I'm not one of them. I'm here to help you all. But I need to talk to Michael." She watched as the man across from her frowned, regarding her.
He leaned forward, "I'm still not finding a reason to trust you enough to let you loose in our city, let alone give you time with the archangel."
Devery smiled. She had one last card to play.
"Tell the archangel that I've seen Gabriel recently, and I know what he wants. I can help Michael stop him."
The man rocked back, his brows rising sharply.
"Why should that make me believe you can be trusted? If anything it makes me trust you less."
Devery nodded, "Yes. But trust me when I say this; if Michael were to find out that you had someone with my kind of knowledge and you killed me, or sent me out of the city without telling him…I can only imagine his wrath."
The man paled beneath his freckles and Devery saw him swallow.
After a moment he nodded and stood, walking to the door. Rapping on it he murmured something to the person outside. When they argued, Devery heard him snap, "Just inform the archangel!"
He pulled his head back and slammed the door shut, leaning against the wall, watching her.
They stayed silent, staring at each other until Devery grew bored and closed her eyes, slumping down in the seat. She heard the man make a noise of disbelief and ignored him. She wasn't about to engage with him.
The door opened and Devery heard the man make a soft noise of shock. "Archangel" she heard him whisper.
There was a moment of silence and then a soft cultured voice murmured, "Leave us."
"I-are you sure archangel?" the man stuttered.
"Leave. Now."
The door opened and closed.
Devery opened her eyes and looked at the man standing across the table from her. If she didn't know better, she would say he was human. He tilted his head, staring at her, studying her. It was then she saw something alien in his gaze.
He was trying to understand her.
Devery stared back, studying him. He was slim, but muscular, with an angular face. A sword hung by his waist and Devery wondered if he was as skilled with it as his brother was.
"Who are you?" Michael asked softly.
Devery crossed one leg over the other, considering what story she was going to tell him. Start at the beginning, or just recently? She swirled a finger over the surface of the table and then looked up at Michael.
"My name is Devery Jacobs. I was born before the angel invasion, but I've been fighting it nearly my whole life."
Michael said nothing, he only continued to stare.
She tapped her fingers softly and continued, "After I was born a man came and told my mother I was special, that I would save humanity. She thought he was crazy and screamed for the police. We went home and for four years we had a normal life."
Devery smiled, "We were on our way to school when the angel invasion happened. My mother drove us to my grandfather's reservation, thinking we would be safe there with fewer people."
She shook her head, "We weren't. An 8-ball possessed my grandfather and he killed my mother right in front of me before trying to kill me. The man who had come to see my mother and I at my birth intervened, saving me. His name was Miles."
She sighed, "He raised me until I was 16, training me in how to fight, how to survive." Devery looked up at Michael, "I don't know if you remember, but 13 years ago, Miles and I were at the gates. We fought Gabriel and his 8-balls."
Michael stared at her, his eyes fathomless. Devery let the silence hang until finally Michael nodded. "I remember."
"What you don't know is that we weren't here to fight Gabriel. That wasn't our purpose. I ran away from home after I heard a radio transmission saying that Vega was safe. Miles tried to tell me it wasn't, that Gabriel would keep attacking the city, but I didn't want to hear it."
Devery stood suddenly and shook out her hands, "Miles followed me, and we fought the 8-balls together. But his skills weren't enough against Gabriel. He was killed."
Her hands clenched and unclenched as she continued, "I took his body back to our home and found a note that he had left for me. It explained that he hadn't just been training me to survive, but because we are—or were, in Mile's case, part of an order known as the Knights of Heaven."
She sighed and turned back to face Michael, "I trained for another two years, learning to use nearly every kind of weapon that Miles had, and the powers that had passed onto me upon his death."
Devery leaned against the wall and waved a hand towards her empty gun and sword holsters. "These are just part of what I learned how to use in my battle to save humanity and restore the balance in heaven." She fell silent, waiting for him to say something.
Michael stared at her, his expression curious. "What sort of powers do you have?" he asked inquiringly.
Devery stared thoughtfully at him. She had strong powers, but they were limited. Turning to the chair she had been sitting in, she lifted a hand and focused her power. A moment later the wooden chair went up in flames, burning hot and fast.
Within moments the fire had burnt out, leaving a smoking pile of ash.
Michael stared at the pile of ash and then at her. His brows arched upwards and his mouth pursed, "Interesting."
Devery laughed, shaking her head. Of all the reactions she had gotten, that was probably the best.
Michael appeared to ponder something for a moment and then asked, "What happened between you and my brother?"
Devery sighed; it was going to take a bit of explaining. She leaned back against the wall and proceeded to tell him. When she had finished Michael was leaning forward, hands resting on the table, staring at her intently.
"He intends to kill the Chosen One."
Devery nodded.
"But he doesn't know who it is."
Devery shook her head, "Neither do I. My assumption is that he's hoping I'll lead him to the Chosen One by coming here. I can't convince you to believe anything I've said, but I can only hope that you'll believe me when I say that I'm not here to kill the Chosen One or harm him in any way. I am called to save humanity and help you restore heaven."
Michael stared at her and Devery wished, not for the first time, that she could understand what he was thinking. Long minutes passed until he finally nodded, "I believe you. However, you cannot stay here. Too much interest has been raised by your arrival."
He moved away from the wall and walked to the door, knocking on it. The redheaded man from before stood outside and looked in the room, his eyes widening at the pile of ash on the floor where the chair had been.
Michael stepped into his eye line, "We are leaving. She's coming with me."
"A-are you sure archangel?"
Michael's spine went impossibly straighter, his gaze firm. The man flinched, "I-I'm sorry, of course."
Michael turned to Devery and nodded. She took that as her indication to follow him, and they walked out of the room. Michael glanced at the redhead, "Give her her belongings."
The man nodded and scrambled to hand them over. Devery strapped her weapons back onto her body and slung her pack over her shoulder, following Michael down the hallways until they emerged in the hot sun.
He led her through the city, down winding streets, until they arrived at a tower that seemed to touch the sky. Michael led her inside and they stood inside an elevator that rose, taking them higher and higher.
The doors opened with a soft ding, and Michael stepped out followed closely by Devery. Michael walked through his quarters until he came to his study, pushing the doors open. Devery gasped softly at the sight of so many books.
She had faint memories of libraries, but this…this was as close as she had come in years. She stepped forward and ran her fingers over the spines of the books, inhaling softly. Michael stepped forward and pulled out a scroll, taking it to a table and unrolling it.
Devery looked over and recognized the writing on the scroll; it was the same as the writing on the scroll that Gabriel had shown her. Stepping over she peered at it, and then up at Michael.
"Is this the prophecy about the Chosen One?" she asked softly.
Michael nodded, "You've seen it before?"
She had told him that Gabriel had shown her a scroll, but it didn't surprise her that he didn't believe her. She reached out and touched the scroll gently, "It was written in this language too. Gabriel translated it for me. He said that the prophecy also says that if the Chosen One falls to darkness, it is the end of humanity and heaven."
She glanced up at Michael who looked troubled. He shook his head, "I know the man. That will never happen."
Devery paused as his words sunk in. "You…know him? You mean he's here? In Vega?"
Michael sighed and nodded. "He is a trusted member of the guard."
Devery frowned, "I hope he's not like those assholes I met earlier."
"He is in no way like those men. He is a good man. I trust him with my life."
Devery's brows shot up. That was interesting. "Well, that's good." She lapsed into awkward silence, staring around the room at the books.
"How do you plan on saving humanity? Or stopping Gabriel? You're just one woman."
Devery nodded, inspecting the books. "True. But I plan on ridding this planet of as many 8-balls as I can. I imagine this Chosen One could help me. You as well." She pulled a book from the shelf, looking through the pages for a moment.
"I've trained for this my entire life. I have no doubts that I can help you, if you let me. But I do know that it's going to be an uphill battle." She looked up at him, her gaze serious.
Michael's faced was creased into a frown and he stepped around the table, watching her closely. "I will wait to introduce you. I need more time to get to know you, and your abilities."
Devery tilted her head, "What did you have in mind?" she asked.
"Meet me here tomorrow morning, and we will proceed."
Devery nodded, "Where do I go from here? This place doesn't seem like it has rooms to rent."
Michael shook his head, "Indeed not. For now, you will be a guest here, within my tower. Take the elevator down three floors and you will have a suite to yourself."
Devery would have thought it was generosity that prompted the offer, but she knew in reality it was a desire on Michael's part to keep her close, to know what she was up to. Her association with Gabriel was already paying off it seemed.
Sighing, she gathered up her pack and followed Michael back to the elevator. She hit the button for the floor three below his and waved a hand as the doors slid shut. His sea colored eyes watched her until the very last moment, leaving her uneasy.
When the doors slid open moments later, her unease passed.
Before her was splendor she had never seen before. Couches, chairs, tables, beds; and all of it was in good condition. When she wandered into the bathroom and turned on the shower, she gasped in shock at the hot water that came out.
It had been years since she had taken a hot shower.
Quickly stripping she stepped into the shower, humming in pleasure.
"I could get used to this" she murmured.
When she had scrubbed every inch of her body and she had used all the hot water—it seemed, she stepped out, wrapping a plush towel around her. Walking out to the bedroom, she pulled the curtains shut and flopped down on the bed, sighing at the sensation of having a plush mattress beneath her.
"I could really, really get used to this."
AN: Hello dear ones! I hope you are enjoying the story so far! We've made it to Vega and had the first encounter with Michael! Things are only going to get more exciting from here-I know this chapter was a lot of conversation, but Devery's got some meeting and greeting to do, so we'll move forward with action in the next chapters! I hope to get some reviews from you guys, I would love to know what you think! Thank you for reading! Updates might be slow, I'm working on four stories right now, check out my profile for all my active stuff and give them a read! Thank you!