Enmity

by Paul J Fowler

  After a moment, Seth broke the silence.

  “Father is right. Let us now speak to these kings about their false gods and their threats against us,” Seth stated with cold anger, fiercely gripping the shaft of a spear as he spoke.

  Adam anointed the graves with purification oil. Then they prayed the war prayer of their people. Without words, they gathered their weapons and horses and marched to the location Seth selected to rendezvous with the kings of the lake people.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Caravan of Kings

  “Mica, your craftsmanship is amazing. I cannot see them at all,” Seth stated with admiration. “Sons, step away from the obstruction.”

  Instantly Loran and Lethan became visible. Each one stepping to one side of the camouflage that Mica had constructed from the wings of the angel that had attacked Lyssa and Jathan.

  “They helped, Chieftain,” Mica said graciously, referring to the twins. “As you suspected, they still retain their ability to mimic their immediate surroundings.”

  Loren and Lethan both nodded towards Mica, signaling to Seth the praise for its effectiveness belonged to him. Bows in hand, the twins then ran south, taking the broad path within the valley towards the intersection of two routes. They expected the caravan of three kings to arrive soon. The road as it headed north broke east towards the spring and the western path towards rugged hills and deep valleys. Seth suspected the stronghold of the Fallen Prince must be westward.

  Seth’s attention returned to Mica’s improvised camouflage. The wings had been extended to their full length and lashed to an inner framework improvised by Mica with cut saplings. Placed next to a green bush, the wings began to mimic the color and even the texture of the vegetation. Both archers could stand behind the screen and be entirely invisible from several paces away. Only upon getting closer did the illusive effect begin to disappear. Mica proceeded to give a detailed explanation of the six individual wing joints, but Seth, with a smile, cut him short.

  “Apologies, Chieftain,” Mica said contritely. “You have many things in mind right now. Oh, you will need this.”

  Mica held out a cloth bundle that contained the head of the Fallen.

  “I changed the cloth...” Mica said, his face evidencing disgust.

  “Thank you, Mica. Kenan will be proud of your service. Your excellence honors your fathers,” Seth stated.

  Mica smiled, nodded humbly, and joined Adam, who was standing nearby.

  Seth walked to the middle of the broad path. To his immediate left, perhaps thirty paces was the camouflaged position where the archers would be hiding. At that range, the twins would be deadly.

  “We will demand conference here,” Seth explained.

  Demand for conference was usually made between two parties, tribes, or nations in dispute. A spear would be lifted high, then lowered and placed on the ground. The tip of the weapon pointed away from both groups signifying a desire for communication, and practically the spear served as a dividing line between parties. The parties would stand at least the length of one man away from the spear. Parties could retain all arms except spears or bows but must remain open-handed or empty of weapons. Drawing a weapon, sword, or otherwise was considered breaking the parley and hostilities could commence. It was deemed to be dishonorable to break a conference, but it occurred frequently.

  “We will offer them mercy,” Seth explained to Jathan and Dinak as they gathered to him. “But having dealt with men such as these, I expect this to escalate quickly.”

  Adam would stand behind Seth to his right. Mica behind him, also one step to his right. Jathan was instructed to stand behind Seth to his left, Dinak behind him and to his left.

  “I will speak for Har Shalem until Adam chooses to speak,” Seth further explained.

  “Seepha, to me,” Adam snapped his fingers. The dog obediently took her place next to Adam. “Be still!” Seepha remained in place, but her body language indicated she knew something eventful was happening soon.

  Seth watched Adam’s eyes return to his own. Adam revealed a faint grin. Seth smiled at the private joke between them. Both men knew having a dog present at a conference with warlords was a minor insult, at best. Adam, sarcasm still evident on his face, pulled his cloak over his head.

  “This is a free fight, Jathan. We are outnumbered and cannot form a proper battle line,” Seth explained to Dinak and Jathan. “Your job is to stay on your feet. Cut a man down if you can, but defend yourselves. This is not our last fight. If I can take the kings down quickly, most of the men will break ranks. Stay close to each other so they can do their job effectively,” Seth said, motioning to the left flank where Loran and Lethan would be hidden.

  The twin sons of Seth and Ahavva returned swiftly. With a nod, Lethan indicated the caravan would round the bend near the intersection of pathways. Soon they would make their way to them. The Sethites watched with curiosity as the twins disappeared from their sight, each man comforted knowing their deadly skill could quickly be utilized if the parley was broken.

  “You two fight well together,” Seth said to Jathan and Dinak with a smile, his pride in the men evident. “That is a gift. Stay close to each other, defend each other, and you will do well.”

  Jathan nodded in reply, wondering how his brother could bear a smile when armed conflict was likely. Jathan turned and looked at Dinak, finding his face sober too. Dinak returned his glance, both men reflecting on Seth’s words.

  Jathan felt better knowing Dinak was close when he realized he had never gone into battle against the sons of men. He had helped strike down two dangerous angelic warriors, but not one of his own kind. He had little time to reflect on this as two soldiers appeared around the bend in the distance. The soldiers, scouts most likely, argued amongst themselves for a moment.

  Seth lifted a spear aloft, then pointed the tip to his right. Among men, this was a near-universally understood demand for conference.

  The soldiers then disappeared behind the bend in the road. Presently more soldiers, marching in formation, slowly made their way up the road. The soldiers parted left and right, in step, and stopped. Three crowned men walked between the soldiers, followed closely by a tall, hooded figure dressed entirely in black.

  “Nephilim,” Adam noted softly. Seth nodded in agreement.

  Seepha bared her fangs in anger, her body quivering as she growled.

  “Seepha,” Adam said curtly. “Be polite.”

  Seepha whimpered in protest but complied. She dropped to her belly, but her eyes retained their savage glare as she inspected the group, her weight shifting slightly front to back as she anxiously waited for her next command.

  Seth took three steps forward and placed the spear in the road, the tip of the spear pointing to his right.

  Jathan counted the fighting men, and to his disappointment, the soldiers Seth interrogated were correct. Twenty-one fighting men were present. Each group of seven led by a captain who was easy to distinguish. Each king was fully armed and, by Jathan’s estimation, carried themselves as experienced fighters. He recalled Lethan’s word’s in the training yards the morning they left Har Shalem. Including the kings, Jathan counted twenty-seven armed men. This was almost four to one odds against them.

  Jathan’s curious mind could not help but catalog the differences between the lake people and the Sethites. The arms and armor the soldiers of the lake people carried were coarse and unrefined compared to their own, though he did not doubt their effectiveness. The weave of their tunics and garments was rough in comparison to the textiles of their people. While some of the soldiers were robust and healthy, Jathan also saw the unmistakable evidence of malnutrition and disease among them. Being raised by the most gifted healers among men, Jathan could not help but observe the consequences of scarcity, ill health, and poor hygiene. Among Adam’s people, food was plentiful, sickness was almost unheard of, and finely-woven cloth
ing was freely available to all. But among this group, only the kings and the Nephilim sorcerer wore costly garments.

  The kings strolled without urgency, chuckling and smiling amongst themselves. It was a practiced effort to appear without fear, common to kings of the day.

  Jathan watched as Seth remained motionless and silent. His brother’s blue cloak was swept back over his shoulders, making his tall and muscular frame easily seen; fully armed and resolute, Seth was an imposing figure. Jathan remembered Mica’s description of his brother, a hawk that watches from above – waiting to strike. As he observed his brother’s steely gaze, Jathan began to feel sorry for the men standing opposite him, though the feeling passed momentarily.

  Seth appraised the kings quickly. He had endured many skirmishes with warlords and self-appointed kings; appraising threats was a skill that had contributed to his survival for almost five centuries. The middle king, bearing a cruel, arrogant demeanor, was undoubtedly Kinna. Seth deemed him ambitious, but not particularly intelligent, and measured him typical of warlords who consolidate their power through violence and fear. In short, Seth detested him instantly. His assessment proved right when Kinna held a spear aloft, point towards his right, and placed it next to Seth’s spear. It was a pointless gesture attempting to show strength; as he set the spear down, he arrogantly endeavored to stare Seth down. He found Seth’s ice-cold stare unwavering. Seth had already contemplated five ways to kill him.

  The remaining two kings looked a bit older. Seth was convinced their slightly less influential regions had made an alliance with the stronger Kinna a political necessity. Doubtless, they too had been lured into the Watcher’s enticements of power and riches. They were both hard, seasoned warriors though probably more cautious and less headstrong than Kinna.

  Seth’s eyes never left Kinna.

  Your pride will likely cause the death of many today.

  The three kings lined up a couple of paces behind their spear with Kinna in the middle. The Nephilim called the “Voice of the Gods” by the soldiers earlier, stood behind Kinna, ready to speak into his ear. Three commanders held their place a few steps behind them, each in charge of seven soldiers.

  Jathan could see the end of the caravan. Three scantily clad young girls, barely teenagers, were bound together at the wrists. They were led by an unarmed servant who had a rope tied to one of their necks. The girl’s blank expressions and awkward movements confirmed they had been pacified with narcotics. Two servants led very young children, a boy and a girl, by their hands next to the virgins. Lastly, one servant carried a bundle, customary for an infant. Jathan recalled images of Adam’s discovery at the first high place they found on their journey. Jathan began to burn with anger, and he could sense it rising in Dinak behind him.

  “I am Seth, son of Adam, Chieftain of the people you threaten in your city square!” Seth declared with authority. “I would have words with you!”

  The Nephilim, already pale, grew even paler. The three kings bore an expression of slight confusion. The Voice of the Gods urgently began talking into Kinna’s ear.

  Jathan knew Seth did not care to speak publicly in Har Shalem. He understood Seth did not consider himself a gifted teacher or orator such as Adam, Enosh, or Kenan. But as Seth rebuked the leaders of three city-states, Jathan himself felt fear when he heard the authority with which his brother spoke. As Seth’s commanding challenge was given; Jathan decided that though outnumbered, he was safer behind his brother than to be numbered among the many before him.

  As the Nephilim spoke into the king’s ear, a curvaceous woman, wearing far less clothing than Jathan had ever beheld in Har Shalem, sauntered seductively forward from the rear of the caravan. Black-haired, dark-eyed, and mysterious, she stood a step behind the kings opposite Jathan. Apparently, this was the Witch, the attendant to the sorcerer that the soldiers spoke of. Identified by the soldiers as a powerful medium, she reputedly could summon powerful demons within her body who used her as a vessel to speak or perform spells. She had black make-up crossing her face in an unusual pattern of thin lines. Silver bracelets adorned her wrists, and she wore a necklace of three silver moons upon which arcane symbols were engraved. Jathan watched as the witch’s eyes appraised Seth, then Dinak, and finally her eyes settled on him. When she finished her perusal, she smiled seductively and stared at Jathan as if quite intrigued by him. Her attention made Jathan uncomfortable. Jathan averted his eyes as best he could, focusing instead on his Chieftain.

  “Arrogant fool! We are three kings! We have almost thirty men with us!” Kinna stated forcefully. “We should kill you for your presumption, how dare you address us this way.”

  Seth, unmoved, did not speak but continued to stare at Kinna.

  “Chieftain, I am King Igo of Rasha,” Igo stated more diplomatically. “This is Ramazza, King of the City Ir.”

  Igo and Ramazza bowed slightly towards Seth and Adam.

  “Clearly, you are a person of wealth and importance, but the Gods of the mountains have spoken of one named Seth,” Igo continued. “We were told that Adam is dead, and his son Seth has allied with Cain near the great city of Enok. It is well known that Adam would be many centuries old, the man with you carries wisdom but is clearly a man of strength and vigor. Your words confuse us.”

  Seth pondered his words. Undoubtedly, they had been fed lies by the Watchers and their surrogates.

  How deep did this deception go? How many cities have they allied against us?

  “The mighty winged-messengers of the Gods have spoken! Jeru-Adamah is weak with Adam’s passing. Seth forges an army with Cain,” Ramazza now spoke, his tone growing less diplomatic and more malicious. “The man Kenan, their king, is a slender reed compared to those who have gone before him. Our Gods have decreed it is ripe for the taking, and great will be our reward. Leave us while we are charitable.”

  “I assure you that I am Seth, and Adam is alive and well,” Seth stated. “And he can speak for himself.”

  Adam dropped his hood and stared at the Voice of the Gods, ignoring the three kings before him.

  “Tell me, Nephilim,” Adam asked. “Who is your father? Your height must be a disappointment to him. What is his name, perhaps I have killed some of his children before?”

  The Nephilim hissed in anger and began to push past Kinna to approach Adam.

  “Lord rebuke you, Earthborn!” Adam thundered.

  When Adam spoke, the tall, pale figure froze in place. The Nephilim began trembling slightly, his dark-clad form struggling to keep his feet.

  “I have seen the Face of God in both mercy and anger!” Adam addressed the sorcerer forcefully. “I do not fear you or your masters!”

  The Nephilim priest now remained frozen behind Kinna, hiding his face.

  Adam now addressed the three kings before him, posing three questions.

  “Have I moved your boundary stones?”

  “Have I stolen your daughters to give to my sons as wives?”

  “Have I taken from your flocks or fields?”

  Igo and Ramazza exchanged sideways glances then looked at Kinna suspiciously. Kinna shifted angrily but did not respond.

  “Then how has Adam wronged you that you would march against his city?” Adam continued. “You who claim to be rulers of men? March against Kenan’s city at your own peril, you will find he has a gracious welcome for you!”

  Adam waited for a response but received none.

  “How cheaply a crown is gained these days,” Adam lamented, insulting the kings before him. “A slip of the knife in the dark, perhaps a timely cup laced with poison? A true king would heed our warnings. Think of your subjects, surely your treasury is better spent on your people.”

  As Jathan heard his father speak, he was genuinely surprised to hear a note of mercy in them. Waiting for the conflict to begin was excruciating for Jathan. The longing stare of the dark woman a few feet away fro
m him made the situation feel even more unbearable.

  Igo raised then closed his hands, gave an insincere smile, and motioned for the three kings to step back and confer amongst themselves. This was an acceptable custom during a conference. The Nephilim, with great effort, moved with them. Adam had somehow humbled the dark priest, and though he was burning with anger, he was unable to look at Adam or Seth. The three kings spoke quietly together with the Voice of the Gods. The witch also joined their circle.

  Seth took a deep breath but said nothing. His eyes never left Kinna. The King of Khazin would occasionally smirk and glare at Seth before returning his attention to the conversation.

  The Voice of the Gods was speaking with anger and urgency. The heads of the three kings were nodding together. Though partially obstructed from view, Seth observed the Nephilim snap his fingers, producing a small glow of blue and orange flame. Seth suddenly smelled the sharp, bitter aroma of a narcotic being consumed by the fire. Though partially obscured, Kinna and the witch could be observed inhaling deeply.

  Seth glanced back at Jathan. He gave a short nod that was his signal to be ready.

  The Kings returned to their places. The Nephilim stood behind them. The witch returned to her position. Kinna had an arrogant smirk on his face and was about to speak when Seth cut him off.

  “We burned your high place! There will be no sacrifices at the Springs tonight!” Seth declared. “Raise a hand against us, and there will be no mercy shown. We have those who fight for us that you cannot see.”

  Seth’s eyes never left Kinna. He knew Kinna would be most likely to draw a weapon and dishonor the demand of conference. The Nephilim was whispering furiously in Kinna’s ear as Seth spoke. Their soldiers shifted nervously on their feet, tension rising. Igo and Ramazza bore expressions of outrage as Seth spoke.

  “Your gods have lied to you!” Seth declared.

  Seth picked up the cloth bundle at his feet, undressed it, revealing the head of the Fallen that they killed in the Great Lion’s valley.