Jathan’s heart sank. He wanted to draw close with Dinak to aid him, but more spears were approaching from his right and closing fast. Seepha rejoined Jathan, darting underneath thrusting spears, biting at ankles. Her savage growls and barks further added to the chaos and confusion.
Jathan glances left to see Dinak fiercely engaged with the skilled, Khazin commander. Their sword strokes are a frantic blur when suddenly Dinak disarms the commander, delivers a killing stroke. The commander’s body seems to fall slowly to the earth as Jathan sees four spearpoints closing upon him from the right. Dinak parries a lunge and kills the second soldier, his counterattack a bloody blur. Adam’s last son sees Dinak’s mouth speaking but realizes he cannot hear his words. Jathan shifts to his right and crouches low, preparing to turn away as many spears as he can before he is overcome.
Seth and Mahalalel had told Jathan that time can seem to slow down during combat, the brain overwhelmed with stimulus and adrenaline. As Jathan prepared to defend himself against what appeared to be impossible odds, he saw arrows flying in slow motion. Soldiers fall before him, clutching the wooden shafts. Now men seemed to be moving in every direction. Suddenly Lethan flies into Jathan’s view, dropping his bow and tackling one of the spearmen charging him, his right arm rising and falling.
Now only two spears are facing Jathan; he blocks one with his buckler and attempts to parry the remaining thrust with his sword. Suddenly Dinak wades into his view, cutting down one of the onrushing spearmen.
Stay on your feet!
Jathan turns the thrusting spearpoint. In response, the final warrior charges forward, drops the shaft of his spear and leaps, drawing a dagger in mid-air. Jathan feels the man’s body crashing into his.
I’m going down...
Jathan, instinctively, drops his sword and grabs the man’s weapon arm. They both tumble and roll, struggling against each other. Without conscious thought, Jathan did precisely as he had been taught. He isolated the soldier’s weapon arm, avoided taking the weight of the man’s charge, and pivoted – using the man’s momentum to take him down. After breathing a few breaths, Jathan realizes he has drawn a thorn from his handguard and has already stabbed his opponent repeatedly.
Jathan could hear the man dying beneath him. Suddenly Jathan’s head began to swim, and he felt like he was going to pass out. He started shaking and could barely breathe.
He rolled away from the man. Jathan tried to take his feet but could not. Suddenly Lethan was there, then Dinak.
“That’s it!” Lethan says. “Breathe, Uncle - no more to fight. We have won the field!”
Jathan looks about as he tries to compose himself. Jathan was grateful to be alive, and thankful he had not failed Dinak or himself, but seeing the carnage in front of him is overwhelming. The smell of blood was thick in the air, and Jathan hears the gasps of men crying out in pain. Jathan looks again at the man he just killed and becomes sick. Coughing and heaving, he empties what little was in his stomach onto the ground.
Lethan and Dinak keep their hands on his shoulders. After a few moments, Jathan’s senses slowly begin to clear.
“There is no shame in it, Jathan,” Lethan stated reassuringly. “You have been asked to do a terrible thing. Striking down a Fallen is different than this.”
“The first time is difficult, it stays with you...” Dinak confided, soberly. “It was not so long ago for me, Jathan.”
Dinak was kneeling next to Jathan. He tore a strip of cloth from the bottom of his linen tunic and pressed it underneath his armor to staunch the bleeding in his shoulder.
A few days ago, Jathan would have expected jesting from Lethan, but he found none. Instead, Lethan was kind, composed, and instructive. Lethan had mentored Dinak through his first battles just a few short years ago, as he had other young soldiers. Lethan stayed with Jathan, one hand on his shoulder, his presence alone reassuring as Jathan struggled to process the grim rite of passage warriors undergo.
Lethan pulled Jathan’s helmet off so he could breathe better. Taking in the air helped, and Jathan began to recover himself.
“We intercede because we love our people,” Lethan said gravely, as he saw Jathan become more composed. “We sacrifice here in the hope that our children will not see bloodshed. This is no easy thing we do.”
Jathan looked at Lethan then Dinak. He found understanding in their eyes. Adam’s last son nodded to them, acknowledging that he understood Lethan’s words.
Loran appeared, bow in hand with an arrow nocked and ready, scanning the area relentlessly as was his habit. He quickly inspected his twin and the younger men for injuries. Pulling strips of linen from his bag, he rapidly repacked Dinak’s wound. Loran cast aside the first cloth, which was entirely saturated with blood, and removed Dinak’s chest armor. Lethan rose and helped his protégé stand, then pressed his hand over the wound’s new dressing. Dinak winced, was unsteady on his feet, and looked pale. Loran quickly bound the new dressing with a length of rope to maintain pressure on the wound, looping the line under his arm and cinching it tight over the bandage. Lethan kept Dinak on his feet until his balance was regained.
“You did well, brothers!” Loran said as he finished binding Dinak’s wound. He then offered his hand to Jathan, bringing him to feet. “Now, let us see what Father Adam has found.”
Mica was very apologetic to Seth. It seems Mica was watching Adam’s young prisoner when Kinna awoke, rose, and grabbed a spear. Seth had already moved to interrogate the Nephilim. Though Kinna was not particularly near to Seth or Adam, Mica instinctively threw his spear at the King and killed him.
When Mica realized it was the Kinna, the King of Khazin, he
was mortified.
“Chieftain! My deepest apologies!” Mica interjected. “He was yours to dispose of. I am out of place...”
Seth tried to brush it off, even compliment him, but Mica was still upset.
“We will have to let Kenan know that Mica is guilty of impulsively killing foreign warlords,” Adam said with the faintest smile. “Serious oversight, indeed.”
Mica nodded in agreement, then realized Adam was toying with him. Adam put his arm around Mica’s shoulder and hugged him.
“Mica. You are an honor to your people,” Adam said warmly, his attention now drawn to the intended sacrificial offerings. “Now it seems we have young women and children with us. I think they will need our attention.”
Mica smiled as he accepted Adam’s complement, then rushed away to aid the sacrificial offerings. Mica, as usual, was energized by responsibility and was pleased to be directed towards a new duty.
Adam and Seth rejoined the rest of their party. After exchanging greetings and thanksgiving, Loran and Lethan went to dispatch any dying wounded, and provide aid to any injured soldier who had not fled. Then they would set up a perimeter.
Seth looked around the field of the pitched, but short battle. After Seth’s kick, Ramazza never rose again, Igo lay near him felled by his own lance. A few paces away, Kinna was face down, transfixed by Mica’s spear. Seth pulled the crown from Kinna’s head, a gaudy circlet ornament of upright steel tines, dressed in gold. The other two crowns were more tasteful but still crude.
“Enoch’s vision measured their souls, not their adornments,” Adam mused aloud.
Seth agreed. Three false crowns, easily broken. A stone crown remained.
Adam directed Seepha to stand guard over his prisoner while he tended Dinak and Jathan’s wounds.
Seth had retrieved Adam’s healing bag. Dinak’s spear wound required sutures. Jathan only needed wrappings around two cuts.
“Seth,” Jathan inquired as Adam wrapped his arm. “Lethan told me three to one odds against us were acceptable to Adam. Forgive me, but they had twenty-seven armed fighters, and we had but seven.”
“Well, that is true,” Seth replied. “But Father counts twice, and we had Seepha. Clearly, she w
as as good as one man.”
Seepha, several feet away, heard her name and barked in reply. She obediently stayed in place but was curious as to why her name was brought up. Her ears remained up and alert.
“So that makes nine against twenty-seven,” Seth replied with a smile. “Still acceptable – three to one against.”
Jathan had been outwitted, he shook his head and returned his older brother’s smile. Seth walked close to his younger brother and placed his hand on his shoulder. Seth said nothing but gave him a knowing glance. Jathan had made an important, but terrible, step forward in his journey as an intercessor. Seth then left to join Mica as he cared for those designated as sacrifices. Jathan remembered his father’s words spoken days earlier about the shedding of blood, some being harder to forget than others.
Adam directed Jathan to bring water to the prisoner while he sutured Dinak’s spear wound. As he brought the soldier water, Jathan realized how young he was. The young man was even a few years younger than himself, seventeen at best.
“I’m not sure why my father did not kill you?” Jathan asked aloud. “Drink, don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you – unless you try to leave.”
The young man glanced at Seepha, who growled when he made eye contact with her.
“You are right to fear her more,” Jathan said, compassion growing in his soul. “What is your name?”
“Beza,” was all he offered, looking away. “From Khazin.”
Jathan left him to check on Dinak.
Dinak winced but said nothing as Adam sewed his skin together. The wound was deep and bled freely when Adam cleaned it. Fortunately, the spear pierced muscle between his chest and shoulder and nothing more. Except for the spear wound, other than a few cuts and bruises, Dinak was whole.
Adam had offered Dinak a cut green sapling to bite on as he closed the flesh and sutured it. Dinak had refused it. When Jathan returned, Adam directed Jathan to place the wood in Dinak’s mouth, who now readily accepted it.
“Almost done, Son,” Adam said to Dinak, intently focused on his work. “No shame there, Dinak. It’s painful, I know.”
Adam carefully completed the knot on Dinak’s suture. As he trimmed the loose thread, Adam instructed Dinak to drink some water and eat something. Dinak, after thanking Adam, set off to the supply horse to find tools to mend the hole in his chest armor. Adam asked Jathan to join him while he spoke to the young soldier he had spared.
Adam asked the young man a few questions about his family and background. The boy was, in essence, an orphan. His father left his mother when he was young. Beza scavenged and begged before he was conscripted two years ago; he had no other options. Adam deemed him intelligent. When Adam asked him what he longed for, even dreamed of becoming, the boy was dumbstruck.
It was here Jathan heard his father begin to teach, in a simple way, the faith of their people. The boy listened intently, absorbing everything Adam said. Finally, when told that man, though sinful, was created in the image of the One God above all other gods, the boy wept.
“Your gods are cruel,” Adam explained. “You will learn there is a God above all other gods. All knees, in heaven and earth, will bend the knee to His supremacy. Most importantly, you will learn that the One God is good.”
“Even if there were no God at all,” Beza pleaded. “I long to serve your people rather than return to Khazin. My people are cruel, and our gods even more so.”
“You will be a servant, but not a slave, to my people for two years,” Adam explained. “You will be free to leave at any time. You will be fed and provided for in every way. Live among us, learn the Laws of Adam, and work diligently in any task we give you. After two years are complete, our elders will welcome you into our nation. You will be a servant no more – then you will be part of our family.”
Beza looked in the direction of the virgins and children. Mica was attending them; they were peacefully eating. Mighty Lethan stood nearby, watching over them.
“They will be offered the same, we will not abandon them. I will be a grandfather to you. You will find a home among my people if you are loyal to me. But first, you must complete this task I give you,” Adam said to the incredulous young man.
“Speak, Father, and I will obey,” Beza replied.
“You will take these young ones to a place of safety until I complete my work in these mountains,” Adam asked. “Will you do this, and protect these little ones with your own life?”
“Yes, Father,” Beza replied. “With my life, I am a soldier, and I am yours to command.”
“Very well,” Adam said. “I hope to rejoin you in a few hours.”
Adam embraced the young man, who tried not to weep. Beza dropped to his knees and kissed Adam’s feet. Though it was not the custom of Adam’s people, Adam accepted the show of humility from Beza. First Father pulled Beza to his feet and kissed both his cheeks.
“Now joy, Son,” Adam stated. “No more tears. This is Jathan, my son, and now your brother.”
Jathan embraced him. When he tried to kiss Jathan’s feet – Jathan stopped him.
“We don’t really do that...” Jathan said awkwardly.
Adam rejoined Seth and Mica, Beza and Jathan followed him. Adam gave Mica instructions about Beza and conferred with Seth about what would be done with their new charges. Though a battle had raged only a few minutes ago, both Seth and Adam were urgent to return to their mission.
“Father, walk with me,” Seth said. “I have seen something in the sky.”
Adam agreed, and leaving Loran in charge, the men walked southward towards the intersection of paths. As they rounded the bend and began taking the road heading northward, Seth and his father skirted the open pathway and blended into the brush along the edge of the trail.
The road that broke west and north cut through rugged hills on both the left and right. Most of the region had similar, rocky terrain, and Seth did not like the exposure of the valley roads. This path had infrequent travelers, but anyone roaming here would likely be affiliated with the Nephilim. Seth could not recall traveling here before, though the springs were close by, this region he could not remember. Neither could Adam.
They settled into some dense brush off the road and waited, looking northward. The trail was a valley path at the base of two towering ridges. Basalt stone and clumps of trees dotted the hillsides.
“There!” Seth said quietly but urgently, Pointing into the rugged hills.
A distant winged figure moved quickly over the hills to their east, perhaps even close to the springs. The form glided over the tops of the mountains and dropped quickly into the valleys north of their position. Seth surmised it had been watching the group for some time, avoiding the open skies to circumvent being seen.
“Do you see him?” Seth asked quietly.
“I see them,” Adam replied. “A Holy One, too.”
Adam explained that he had seen a white figure appear, standing on the road far ahead, beckoning him to come further. The Holy One had materialized only for a minute, immediately after Seth had identified the winged Fallen.
“The Messenger, your old friend?” Seth asked.
“I believe so, Son,” Adam replied.
“This winged Fallen may be one of the two who came to Har Shalem,” Seth ventured aloud. “And I long to settle his debts with us.”
“It seems we are all moving toward the same place,” Adam said as he looked ahead. “Angels, humans, and Fallen alike...”
Chapter Thirty
Ahavva in Har Shalem
Ahavva completed the knot that held a bundle of arrows, twenty-one to be exact. That was the standard for their archers. She had spent the last four hours inspecting shafts and fletchings, then producing bundles for the potential conflict ahead. Having raised two archers, she was quite knowledgeable about all aspects of the discipline. The Armory training yard was alive with activity;
armorers were sharpening weapons, repairing breastplates and other gear, as well as stockpiling weapons. Kenan was a taskmaster concerning inventory and accurate information of stores and weapons. He was mindful a siege could be upon them soon. Ahavva was worried about Kenan, who had worked tirelessly since Seth and the hunters left four days ago. Ahavva was resolved to find Kenan after her tasks were completed.
Mahalalel was observing the training of some young archers in the Armory training yards. Their trainer was frustrated with their progress. Doubtless, the instructor was tired; everyone in the city was. Harvest had been underway when the war preparation was begun. That meant everyone was working daylight to dusk. Eve herself had been in the fields, as was her custom during harvest, she and Adam strongly believed in leading by example. Harvest was so joyful, Ahavva knew Eve did not consider it a hardship. Indeed, Adam himself always worked in the fields during harvest. He deemed it their highest priority. Nevertheless, duties had increased for all. Fatigue inevitably would set in, causing frustrations to rise. Ahavva refused to count how many sieges she had endured. Her thoughts briefly turned to Seth and her sons, but she wisely did not linger on them long. She prayed a silent prayer for her love and her twins, as well as the whole party. Her heart was encouraged as she recalled the steadfast nature of her husband and the tireless strength of Father Adam. There were few tasks this side of heaven that those two could not accomplish together, and thinking of them brought a smile to her face.
As she rose to leave the yard to visit Lethan’s wife, a cheerful voice called to her.
“Mother of our finest archers!” Mahalalel called to Ahavva. “Please join us!”
Ahavva paused tentatively, attempting to smile. Maha, as her husband sometimes called him, had a persuasive nature that was hard to resist. Ahavva loved him deeply, as family of course, but even but more so as a loyal friend to her husband and sons.
Enmity Page 24
