“I wronged him greatly once, long ago,” Adam explained. “Now, he is tired. His queen is gone. He has no pride to govern. He was roused by our interlopers.”
Seth again found it hard to contain his own emotion as he watched Adam attend the animal.
“The One God has brought old friends together to remember better days and say farewell,” Adam whispered, smiling through tears as he stroked the great beast. “Someday all will be as it once was my friend. We will both be young, and the plains will be before us. The lamb will lay at your side once more. The New City will welcome us...we can run as we once did,” Adam spoke as he stroked his golden mane.
“Seth, take the men to just inside the edge of the clearing below the peak. I will stay here.” Adam instructed. “You must finish your task. In the thicket below the peak is a yearling antelope. Send Lethan to collect him. He is separated from his herd and will not last long here. Bring the rear haunch for my friend. Keep the rest – I pronounce it holy. You know what to do with them,” Adam said, pointing to the peak.
As Adam said, a yearling antelope was stuck in the thicket below the peak. Lethan dispatched it, dressed and quartered it, hanging their portion in a tree near the horses. Seth returned with the rear haunch and gave it to Adam.
“He watches the peak; his gaze returns to it. He stalked them there,” Adam said quietly as he looked toward the peak. “You’ll find them.”
Seth watched as his father consoled the animal. He heard its labored breathing. The lion’s eyes brightened at the sight and smell of the meat Adam offered it. The great cat rose and licked some blood from the haunch. After stripping away a few bites of flesh, the beast released a deep sigh and dropped down again. Then he settled his great head against Adam’s side once more.
“Father,” Seth, leaning close, whispered to Adam. “If we must show this great beast mercy, I would spare your hands the memory of it. I can see your bond was great once, my heart is grieved for it.”
“Seth...my faithful boy,” Adam smiled, then dropped his head and sighed deeply. “He has a few hours yet. We will see what is best for him,” Adam then said softly, “Return after your task is done.”
Seth pulled a trunk of a fallen tree towards his father. Adam smiled, relieved to have something to lean against. Seth looked at his father as he cradled the head of the noble animal, gently stroking its mane. Then Seth turned away, tears in his own eyes, and made the quick trek toward the edge of the valley.
Chapter Fourteen
The Trap
Seth’s eyes were fixed on the hiding place within the stone and earth that towered above them on the valley rim. The peak was on a knoll that overlooked the valley below and the plains beyond. Looking back, far across the valley, Seth could see the boulders that formed the crude altar they had inspected earlier in the day. Dusk was setting in. Everyone was in their place. The trap was set.
Loran and Dinak, equipped with nets, had crept up the cliff and positioned themselves near two openings they believed the Fallen to be hiding in. A large stone was wedged against another massive boulder forming an overhang at the top of the cliff. It was not a deep cave, being open on two sides, but enclosed enough to provide shelter. The position was high, defensible, and had excellent views of the valley and beyond. Lethan was positioned below one opening, near Seth, bow ready. Jathan was situated below the other opening several feet from Seth, armed with a spear. Mica had tethered the horses and Seepha and was hidden in the brush at the base of the valley.
Seth looked towards Mica below him and dropped his hand in a signal to him. He could hear a faint metallic ticking. One, two, three clicks, then silence. A few moments later, he could smell the smoke. Any second now, the madness would begin. Mica now appeared at the base of the valley slope. He pitched a branch, bundled with dried grass and already smoking, uphill towards Seth. A good toss, not perfect, but almost silently executed. Seth grabbed the bundle and moved upward. Blowing furiously into the straw, it suddenly burst into flame. Seth gave it more breath and then heaved it uphill into the cliff opening. After the smoking bundle entered the dark passage, Loran swiftly slung his net over the entrance.
Nerve-racking silence and inactivity persisted for nearly a minute, just long enough for some in the group to wonder if they had missed their opportunity. Perhaps the Fallen were not there?
Smoke was now lazily drifting out of both ends of the overhang. Without noise, a white blur swiftly careened out of the opening above Seth. The form moved so fast it was hard to see if the net had retained its target. The wings were now recognizable as they beat furiously. The awkward motion of the wings indicated the net had been effective. The struggling Fallen lurched downward into the valley, losing altitude.
“Mark him!” Seth instructed Lethan, realizing this was the unwounded angel of the pair.
Lethan released an arrow. The shaft passed through a wing. Seth overheard Lethan grumbling, plainly unhappy with his first shot. The Fallen had realized its wingbeats were not freeing itself from the net and opted to glide, creating more distance from his pursuers with outspread wings. Lethan moved slowly downhill, readying himself for another shot. The winged shape was losing altitude and would soon disappear into the jungle brush of the valley.
The second opening had already been netted by Dinak before Seth threw the smoking bundle into the cave. Confident in his son’s abilities, Seth remained focused on that entrance, expecting the Fallen he had battled hours before to exit there. Seth could hear a bowstring release behind him, followed by his son’s smug laugh, which indicated the second arrow hit its mark. Lethan’s footfalls moved downhill, leaving the rocky slope and entering the brush below.
A flurry of wings frantically exited the second opening. The Fallen, clearly struggling, managed to remain aloft for a moment. Dinak scrambled to catch the trailing net to drag the target to the ground. He dove unsuccessfully towards the dangling cords, lost his footing, and began rolling down the valley slope. Dinak was quickly back on his feet, sprinting to the place the Fallen would likely land. Loran now had his bow and was following Lethan, eager to acquire a shot. Seth trod carefully, eyes aloft, hoping to gauge the spot where the creature might fall.
The angel never gained any height past its launch. Although it had eluded Dinak, it quickly sank downwards into the valley near the brush line. The Fallen landed almost gracefully, remaining on its feet. It struggled with the net but freed itself almost immediately. It turned to attempt flight, orienting itself towards the valley. Its body language was hopeful, at least for a moment.
In a flash, Jathan was there.
Desperate hope faded quickly in the Fallen as Jathan lunged with his spear. Jathan’s strike was swift and well-executed. The attack was delivered with the strength of Jathan’s arms and legs, a fundamental thrust he had practiced countless times in the armory yards.
The Fallen felt the shock of the blow as he was run through. Recognition was evident in the angel’s face as he gripped the shaft of the spear, pushing against it in a futile effort to undo this unthinkable turn of events. The same boy he had cast aside so effortlessly yesterday was now before him, angry and dominant.
Jathan observed the cold face before him, he knew the Fallen remembered him. Angrily he pushed forward on the spear, driving the creature to its knees. Adam’s last son was amazed his opponent still drew breath. Jathan released his hold on the spear and took a step back, drawing a thorn from his tunic.
Dinak had closed the distance, as had Seth. The Fallen hissed at them like a snake. In shock from the blow, it still managed to keep eye contact with Seth. He was broken but somehow clung to life.
The Fallen looked at Jathan, then to Dinak and finally Seth. It coughed and struggled to find breath. Upon gaining composure, his gaze returned to Seth. Slowly a smile formed on the angel’s face, an evil cold smile, its handsome features oozing arrogance and disdain.
Smack!
&n
bsp; Jathan, angry at the angel’s insolence towards his Chieftain, had slapped him fiercely with his open hand.
The Fallen was surprised by the blow, gasped, and coughed again. No smile returned to his face; his gaze now downcast. Seth had encountered earthbound Fallen many times. While they often looked at least partially human, they all carried the vacant, soulless, and blank expression reminiscent of a snake. Rage and arrogance were the only emotions of which they seemed capable. Seth marveled that a creature so beautifully formed could have the demeanor of a cold-blooded reptile.
“You trespassed on our home,” Seth spoke forcefully. “You would kill our sons, and you would steal our daughters.”
The Fallen refused to look at Seth, condescension still evident on its face.
Seth gripped the shaft of the spear that protruded from the Fallen’s body and twisted it slightly. The Fallen groaned in pain and now returned Seth’s stare.
“Do I have your attention now?” Seth asked, his face grim. “You have plans, don’t you? But you won’t reveal them – will you? Let me ask you, can your kind hear you? Can you connect to them far away?”
The Fallen looked at Seth, puzzled. His face betrayed alarm that Seth might understand the abilities of his race.
“You were cast down from a great height, and your arrogance is your weakness. We are the Sons of Adam. We are the Seed of Woman,” Seth stated, pointing to himself and Dinak and Jathan. “I told you I would find you. Now tell your kind we are coming for them!”
The ancient being’s expression finally betrayed fear. Dinak offered Seth his sword. Eve’s appointed son, for a moment, enjoyed the terror evident on his enemy’s face. Then, in one swift stroke, the Fallen’s head left its body.
Almost two hours later, Lethan, Loran, and Mica emerged from the brush. Smiling, Lethan held an arrow stained with dark blood.
“I drew blood on the second shot,” Lethan boasted, holding up the arrow for Seth to see. “He bleeds, Father!”
“You almost missed the third, though,” Loran said, laughing. “I have been rescuing your efforts for two centuries. Father, my arrow remains in the target!”
They explained that the Fallen had landed in the brush. It had removed Lethan’s arrow before traversing the valley on foot until it reached the valley slope near the stone altar. As the angel retook flight, both twins released arrows. Lethan’s arrow pierced the shoulder, Loran’s shaft also made its mark, penetrating the creature’s thigh. The trio crested the slope of the valley to confirm the Fallen’s flight path. It flew east for some time, resting on what they believed to be the second peak that Adam’s party was searching for earlier in the day. Though the light was dim, both were confident they saw something take flight from there, heading northward.
“Assured that any ferocious beasts had been calmed by Father Adam, our passage through the brush was much easier this time,” Lethan remarked, still smiling.
“Good work by all today. We are favored. Come and see a revelation we have made about our quarry.” Seth said to Mica and his sons.
Seth led the men to a small tree inside the brush-line. The Fallen’s headless body was draped over the lower branches.
“Did you cut him down, Father?” Loran asked.
“No, Jathan struck him. It was his blow that incapacitated him,” Seth replied.
“Little Uncle wins the day!” Loran said approvingly. Lethan put his hand on Jathan’s shoulder, congratulating him.
“It happened quickly,” Jathan replied awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
The wings of the creature had slowly changed color, the white now blending into the green leaves of the tree. Even the edges of the wing adjacent to the trunk of the tree had begun to darken to grayish brown.
“Fascinating...” Mica voiced aloud as he inspected the phenomenon carefully.
“They started to turn the color of the earth after Seth dispatched him. So, we moved him here to observe him,” Dinak informed the newcomers.
“The ability is active after death. I wonder if it remains potent after the wings are removed from the body? We could use this to our advantage,” Seth postulated.
The grisly work was done quickly. As Seth had hypothesized, the wings continued to camouflage themselves after they were removed. Seth directed them to retain the head and wings then burn the body. A camp was made for the night, which was now upon them. Mica began preparing the antelope while the other men dragged the Fallen’s body away to be burned.
While the men attended their assigned duties, Seth went to visit Adam and his kingly friend. Quietly approaching, Seth remained at a distance until he saw Adam signal to him. The great cat was stretched out on the ground, its head nestled against Adam, who was seated. The lion’s breathing was now very shallow. Occasionally it would fitfully struggle a bit, and Adam would soothe it. It would then return to its resting state.
“Your healing supplies, Father,” Seth said as he laid the bag next to Adam.
“You read my mind, thank you, Son. Something unwelcome grows in his lungs, he is having trouble breathing. His great heart will fail soon. Peacefully, I pray,” Adam said softly. “I can ease his pain with one of Enosh’s distillments.”
Enosh had identified the narcotic properties of certain flowers like the poppy. It was something Adam and his grandson had recognized together when Enosh was a boy. Their love of nature and its mysterious gifts was something they shared, as did Mother Eve. Combining natural elements to heal the body or ease pain was a pursuit of knowledge that had bonded Enosh and his grandparents in days past.
Seth gave Adam water and dried fruit. He also rearranged the log he leaned against. At Adam’s request, he prepared a small fire a few feet behind Adam.
“Your face is at peace. You have had some success, I surmise,” Adam inquired softly.
“Jathan struck down the wounded Fallen,” Seth explained. “Loran and Lethan marked the other and determined its path.”
Adam nodded, obviously pleased with the information. A faint smile at the mention of Jathan’s deed was noted by Seth. Adam stroked the great beast and stared into the distance. Seth assumed his father was lost in thought when suddenly Adam spoke, though still looking away.
“I need to tell you everything soon, Seth. You must know certain things I have withheld about my origins; before Eve and I had conflict with the Serpent and before we moved into these plains...before we founded Har Shalem,” Adam stated, still staring into the night.
Adam, suddenly present, looked at Seth.
“Your war against the Serpent could consume your soul, Seth. You take too much upon yourself,” Adam said quietly. “I worry about you, Son.”
Seth listened without question. It was not uncommon for Adam to discuss matters seemingly discordant to one another. It was merely how Adam’s mind worked.
“This great cat was from those days long ago. I long for the Earth to be so again. Things were different then. We were so young, and all creation was so beautiful...” Adam said as he resumed his absent stare into the distance.
Seth obliged his father’s strange musings of days’ past. Clearly, he was deeply grieved at the soon-passing of this magnificent animal. His father’s cryptic ramblings were nothing new to him. The promised revelation would happen when it needed to. Seth had no need for the disclosure as it was evidently painful for Adam to discuss. If it was never disclosed, Seth was content, as he hated seeing the pain it caused his father.
“I fear we spoke too much of Cain’s failure in your presence. We had hoped Cain could undo our mistake, that he would crush the Serpent when we could not. Perhaps Cain would redeem our mistakes. His sins broke your mother and me deeply, in many ways....” Adam explained in a low voice. “I grieve we burdened you with fulfilling God’s word to the Serpent.”
“We both waged war against the Fallen, Father. What choice did we have?” Seth responded, becom
ing uncomfortable with the topic. “I could not wed Ahavva knowing we would be under constant threat. I had to fight - we had to fight!”
“Finally, I had a man to set my back against!” Adam said without dejection, his mood suddenly changing. Adam smiled as he looked at Seth. “I told Eve that so many times.”
The great beast shifted, as it settled again, Adam began searching through the bag. Finding a sealed vial, he then closed the bag.
“Son, I had to find God’s mind about my mistakes. I had to find His mind about my purpose. As you must find His mind over the burden you carry,” Adam finished.
Seth listened intently. He was not one to speak just to fill a quiet moment. After five hundred years, the pair had learned to communicate profoundly with few words. And neither man felt the need to fill the silence.
After a few minutes, Adam spoke again.
“This great king here is a sign and wonder to us - a fulfillment of little Enoch’s vision. We will prevail over the Serpent, this He has spoken. You must fulfill your part, Son, but God’s strength will complete it,” Adam said, his gaze returning to the night skies.
Seth looked at the lion’s magnificent mane and considered Adam’s words. Seth agreed; an aging king with a golden crown, surely Enoch’s vision was fulfilled before them. Three false crowns and a crown of stone remain.
Seth returned to the encampment, pausing first at the brook to wash. The roasting antelope smelled delicious, Seth suddenly realized how hungry he was. The Fallen’s remains had been dragged away by Jathan and Dinak and burned. Loran and Lethan had washed thoroughly after packing the Fallen’s head and wrapping its’ wings. Jathan had then helped Dinak refresh the horses, then refreshed themselves at the brook. All of them were gathered by the fire now, Seth overheard their conversation as he approached.
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