• tab I sat in class staring at the board. I hoped it looked like I was paying attention because my mind was elsewhere. Not like it mattered. It seemed like it was just review and getting A's in the class was not hard. Of course as soon as my mind started wandering I heard her familiar voice in my head
    tab "Hun, aren't you supposed to be learning right now?"
    tab "It's just review, M'lady. I swear it. I know this stuff. Besides, even if I did poorly on the next test, it's not like it'd matter. This is only the fourth grade..."
    tab "Fine Aaron. Enjoy spacing out I guess. We need to talk tonight though. Don't count on getting much rest."
    tab I sighed. "Yes, Lady Fate. Whatever you say."
    tab To explain: Fate was a voice in my head I'd been hearing since an incident in the second grade when I drowned in a public pool and miraculously came back to life after medical intervention had failed. While I was dying I saw a form appear before me, steering me toward a bright light. The form said she was my guardian angel and that it was my time to pass. It felt right, so I followed. However, I felt a hand on my shoulder that pulled me back. When my guardian noticed I wasn't following she turned around and screamed "No!" Then it all went black. Another form appeared before me. She told me to call her Fate and that she was to be my new guardian. She was similar to the previous angel, except her wings were tattered and her hair was long and blond and somewhat less cared for. She snapped her fingers and that's when I came back.
    tab From that day, living felt wrong. It was like I was supposed to be dead. Like it was god's will. I'd been raised catholic and strongly believed in the Almighty God. Church felt like an alien place. I convinced my parents to let me stop going. I felt like I didn't belong anymore. Like my very existence made me a heretic and that I couldn't repent. Then, exactly one year later, the dreams started coming. The first one I didn't recognize. I was in my grandfather's truck, he was telling some story and wasn't looking where he was going. The next car was a decent distance in front of us. It stopped, my grandfather didn't. We hit the car hard enough that both cars were totaled. I felt myself dying from blood loss. Then I found myself standing before Fate again. She said "He wants you dead, but you can avoid it. You can beat God. That's why I chose you." The next evening my grandfather was driving me home and I saw the dream replaying. Except this time, I knew what was coming. When the car stopped I yelled out and he hit the brakes. a small crash, no one was injured.
    tab Over all I'd say I experienced my own death through these precognitive dreams 37 times.
    tab Every time I managed to avoid dying in real life.
    tab This wasn't always why she appeared in my dreams. Sometimes she'd tell me things. Things like that she was a renegade angel, why she wanted to use me to rebel against god, how there were others she'd saved and others that knew of her. She told me that the others who she saved knew who I was and would follow me, because I was important. I was supposed to lead a revolution against god himself. I guessed tonight was to be one of those conversations.

    tab "Hey Aaron, do you want to come over today? I got some new action figures!"
    tab I turned to my friend Jason. "Sorry, my parents want me to do some chores. I know they won't let me."
    tab He sighed. "That sucks. Maybe we could on Monday?"
    tab "I'll ask."
    tab It was after school. I walked toward where I knew my mom would be waiting to pick me up. On the way I saw my friend Sarah. She was carrying a bunch of books that looked really heavy. She normally got picked up by her parents near where I did, so I decided I'd go over and volunteer to help her carry them.
    tab "Hey Sarah, those look heavy."
    tab "Yeah... they kinda are..."
    tab I took a couple and she gave me a look of gratitude. "I'm assuming Fate wants to talk to you as well tonight?"
    tab I gave her a look of surprise. She was the one other person I knew who had been saved by Fate. Occasionally we shared dreams, but normally it was just me. If it was both of us, it must be something big.
    tab "Yeah, she told me during math. Wonder what's up..."
    tab She shrugged. "Well, I guess I'll see you tonight. Sweet dreams." We both laughed.

    tab I opened my eyes and saw the usual darkly lit void that was where I normally saw Fate. Sarah and Fate were already standing there. Fate smiled. She was in a good mood. That automatically put me in a bad mood. Fate happy meant danger for me.
    tab "Welcome little ones. Now I realize I've put you two on a very dangerous path. The ultimate war, in fact. A war that you are poorly prepared for. However, tonight I want to give you something. Something that will make this war on god into more than just dodging bullets." She pulled out a shining golden staff. "Aaron, I grant you this. A weapon of God's own creation. One which, as you will soon discover, is more than just a weapon for you. It is a weapon for all those involved in the war. It holds power beyond that of even the Arch angels. It is said that this staff created the universe..."