*Chiara

As an angelic warrior, Chiara had one goal for her life—to fight for Heaven and the angels living there, and if necessary, to die fighting. This desire infused her every bone, strengthened every muscle. Spine straight and shoulders back, she strode through the Garden of the Fountain of Life, eyes on the shining white temple that covered the Fountain's source.

The waters made life possible, for Heaven as well as for the human realm, the Midlands. Little streams of the water trickled through cracks between realms and tiny portals, spreading life to everything it touched.

Muscles tense, she ascended the short flight of marble stairs and noticed a familiar figure walking out to greet her.

Chiara lifted her sword in salute to her captain, Daviid, relief flooding her veins despite her cold self-assurances that she needed no friends at the Fountain. She was there to protect the garden and grounds from enemies, nothing more. Making friends or falling in love didn't interest her in the least.

Daviid smiled broadly and the last remnants of her stiffness melted.

"I knew we would see each other again soon, out of the training arena," he said. He motioned for her to follow him into the marble temple. "You've come just in time."

"I was given my orders hours ago, I didn't even have time to say farewell to my class or send word to my brother."

"Not to worry, Chiara, he'll hear of it. Gossip runs rampant among the greatest fighters."

"What news of the upcoming attack?"

Daviid sighed, still smiling. "The usual. The demons are grouping to send a few legions our way to test our defenses. They use these skirmishes more to weed out the weak in their own ranks more than anything else, although, they'd be happy if they caught unaware. Make no mistake, they'd love nothing more than to slaughter us all and take the Fountain for themselves. From here, they would have a direct line of attack on Heaven, itself."

She nodded. None of this was new information, but hearing her captain talk, explaining, reexplaining, was a balm on her nerves. He had been there through most of her training with the recruits of her class, his voice was often the first and last voice she heard in the day.

They entered the cool shadows of the Fountain temple and the gurgle of water filled the air. There was a hazy mist hanging in the great, cream and white marble hall, that with one breath chased away every ache and bruise.

Unbidden her wings unfurled, expanding to their full span.

Daviid laughed.

Heat stung her cheeks. Only children couldn't control their own wings.

"That never gets old," he said. "Don't worry, it usually only happens the first time you walk in here."

She folded them primly, telling them mentally to behave. The other time wings had that reaction was at the height of sexual pleasures, another reason not to let anyone see her do that again. More than likely, she was the only female angel at the Fountain.

She reminded herself again, she had no time or interest in any romantic entanglements. She was there to fight.

As if reading her mind, Daviid continued. "I'm still amazed you wanted so badly to be a fighter, Chiara, and not a council member, like your mother and aunt, or—"

"We've had this conversation before," she said. "Fighting is what I have always done."

"Thanks to your brother, yes, but you could be so much more. You've such a keen mind and great heart. So many warriors fall to the demons when they first begin to fight. I don't want to see that happen to you."

"It won't."

"But you are smaller, lighter than any other male—"

She scoffed. "Really? I'm the tallest, strongest female I've ever seen, and can take on the strongest, male sparring partners."

"But not a demon in full daemonium."

"Then I will face the demons in full angelii," she said. At the words, her angelii coiled tighter in Chiara's chest, rearing upwards, confirming her statement. She was ready to shift and fight those beasts.

"Even shifted to your angelii, you are half the size of a demon."

"I'm at least two-thirds of a demon, please." She bent her arm over her chest and flexed for him.

"This isn't a joke, Chiara. You don't know how the angelii drains your energy during a battle. For a short fight, it's a massive advantage, for a long one, it will leave you on the end of a demon's sword when it returns to its sleep."

"Why are you doing this? Do you want me to turn around and run back home like a scared little bunny? That's not who I am."

He drew her to the side while a line of warriors passed for the changing of the guard. Despite regulations that they were supposed to keep their eyes strictly forward when walking in formation, several glanced at her from the side, surprise at seeing a female in armor painted in their expressions.

Females in the angelic world almost always used their minds and hearts to lead, guide, and fight in their own way. Males used their muscles.

Chiara could use her mind and her muscles, though, and she only felt whole when there was a sword in her hand. Admittedly, she didn't have much use for her heart.

"I know who you are," Daviid said, "but you've never faced demons in battle, so this first time, please, stay near me where I can watch out for you. Or better yet, wait it out in the barracks."

"You are more overprotective than my brother, a thing I didn't know was possible."

He shook his head ruefully. "No one is more protective of you than Ythaniel, but if someone comes close to him, it's me. You remind me too much of my own daughter."

"Does she want to be a fighter, too?"

"May the Sleeping King of Heaven watch over me and my poor heart, yes."

"You sound like my mother. Daviid, I'll be fine. I'm not afraid of those things. They deserve the death I will give them."

Two days later, those words echoed bitterly in her head while she screamed at the advancing demon hordes, the endless waves of death and destruction, spreading like a cancer through the beautiful garden around the Fountain.

By then, she was very much afraid of the demons.

Daviid shouted orders. "Where are my reinforcements? Send two of the fastest flyers back to Heaven—we have to have reinforcements, now!"

He took her arm, dragging her back from the front lines. "Chiara, you must go."

"I won't leave the Fountain, you need me."

"I need you to fly for me, Chiara, you are the fastest I have here."

Two other angels were already in the air, though, spiraling over the Garden towards the clouds. Out of nowhere, winged demons rained from the skies and cut them to ribbons. Chiara turned her head.

"They will come. The first flyers had to have gotten through," she said, more to herself than to Daviid. He said nothing as he returned to the battle.

Fear knifed her belly. If no one came, they would be overwhelmed.

She gritted her teeth—if no one came, then she would die fighting and defending this sacred ground.

*** Thank you so much for reading. This chapter is part of my editing work and has been inserted here to introduce Chiara. Whether you are just now discovering this story or you have already read later chapters,  this one should help explain who she is before she is taken to the dungeons in Hell. ***