Escaping the Cataclysm

by Keith Robinson

  The trip to the city seemed to take forever. Finally, after an hour of walking, they drew near enough that they could begin to make out the details. The sheer enormity of the metropolis stunned them.

  The twenty-foot-tall, grey walls of the city stood out in stark contrast to the vibrant green of the surrounding grasslands. From where the group stood on the road about a mile from the city, it appeared that a wide, fast-flowing river came from the west and bisected the city before exiting to the east. The portion of the city built along the southern banks of the river was divided into three clear sections by massive stone walls. Based upon what they had learned from Noah, they knew that the southwestern area belonged to the Nephilim, the humans controlled the middle section, and the area to the southeast belonged to the alfheim. According to Noah, the Blood Drinkers that had attacked them were part of this group of genetically altered humans.

  The northern section of the city was built upon a plateau that rose several hundred feet up from the river and stretched out for miles. In size, color, elevation, and splendor, the northern section’s majesty left no doubt as to which portion of the city housed the rulers, and which housed the servants. Magnificent buttresses, towers, and domes—each reflecting dazzling hues of color from the gemstones that were set into their surfaces—littered the landscape. A large but beautiful wall of shimmering blue split the city down the middle, and to the eyes of the visitors, it appeared that the eastern and western sides of the majestic city were locked in a never-ending contest of vanity to see which side could build the most glorious buildings and temples.

  Despite the beauty of the northern section of the city, a bitter chill stole the warmth from Rebecca’s body. It was not the weather itself that provided the chill, but rather it was the knowledge that the outward beauty of the shining edifices housed beings of pure evil and concealed unspeakable acts of wickedness.

  Hawkers announcing their wares drew her attention back from the northern portion of the city to her immediate surroundings. As Rebecca and the others traveled the last several hundred feet toward the gate in the outer wall, groups of vendors stationed along the edges of the road called out to them, inviting them to taste and examine various foods and items of interest.

  Ignoring them, Rebecca kept her focus on studying the people around her, looking for any signs of danger. The closer her group got to the gates, the thicker the crowd of people became. More and more vendors were spread out along the wall, selling to both those leaving and entering the city. Shouts rang out as vendors sought to outdo each other, snippets of conversation, and short spurts of laughter mixed with the sounds of rolling carts and animals braying, squawking, and squealing. The din was overwhelming.

  Ahead, Goliath shouted something as he nodded toward a group of men standing near the wall. Or at least, they had the form of men. However, as Goliath led Rebecca and the others closer to the group, she could see that they were more than just men.

  They were monsters.

  For a moment, even Goliath slowed his pace as he got a better look at the mercenaries, surprise and shock registering on the holographic image that obscured his real face. Still, the shock that the giant felt paled in comparison to that which was experienced by his companions.

  The soldiers stood nearly nine feet tall, with broad shoulders and rippling muscles. Each was clad in metallic armor that at one time had probably been beautifully decorated and impressive, but which was now dull, scratched, and dented. Each mercenary either held a long spear in his hands or had it resting against the wall nearby. Holstered short swords were strapped about their thick waists by heavy leather belts. The bare thighs and legs which extended down below their armored skirts and into their animal hide boots were like massive tree trunks.

  The main sources of the visitors’ shock, however, were their faces and hands. Although their basic features were human, each had unmistakable characteristics of different animals. Some had the pointed ears and rounded snouts of a cat, others had reptilian influences, including skin that looked almost scale-like. Sickly yellow spikes stuck out from the arms of two of the mercenaries, and another pair had horns protruding from their heads. In place of hands, each of their long arms ended in powerful, animal-like claws. Sharp nails that looked strong enough to slice easily through flesh protruded from the ends of each thick finger.

  It was not the disturbing appearance of the mercenaries as a whole that caused Rebecca and the others to stare in shock, but rather a particular handful of the animal-like men that drew their attention. This group had course hair of various dark shades covered nearly their entire heads, except for the immediate area around their eyes, noses, and mouths. The animal-like influence of this group was clearly mammalian. In particular, two of them displayed ape-like features, while the other three had pointed ears and elongated snouts similar to a wolf.

  “Oh my Lord,” Jerome breathed in alarm. “They look just like…like…”

  “…like Goliath and his buddy Hercules,” Jeffrey finished, his own amazement reflected in his voice. “But…but how?”

  Rebecca and the others stared at their giant companion in confusion, hoping for an explanation. Stopping their party while they were still several dozen feet from the beastly men, Goliath turned to face his companions, a look of impatience on his face. “I am just as confused as you are. How should I know why there’s a resemblance?”

  Mack suddenly inhaled sharply. When the others turned to look at him, they noticed his gaze was fixed on Goliath. “Because you know that they were made the same way you were.”

  “What are you talking about?” Jeffrey asked.

  Still not taking his focus off of Goliath, Mack continued. “You aren’t a cyborg or a Naphil. You’re one of these creatures. That explains why you were so interested when Shem talked about how the Fallen Ones had perverted life with their technology.”

  “What are you saying?” Jerome said, glancing nervously in Goliath’s direction. “Do you mean to tell me that Goliath is some kind of…of genetically altered creature from this time period?”

  Goliath, who didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered by Mack’s accusation, was continually keeping a wary eye on those around them. Leaning over slightly to bring his eight-foot frame closer to his companions, he said, “Think what you want about me, but I really don’t think this is the time or place to be having this discussion.”

  Trying to be indiscreet about it, Rebecca and the others looked around them to see that a few members of the crowd were beginning to take an interest in them. Wanting more answers, but understanding the delicacy of their situation, Jeffrey conceded. “Fine. But as soon as we get a chance, we need to discuss this further.”

  “If you’re done, I suggest we get moving,” the giant said. “Oh, and one more thing: these people are going to be like Nimrod. They’ve never heard any other languages, so we need to let Mack do all of the talking. Do not talk to each other except in the softest of whispers. Mack and I will approach the mercenaries to hire them, the rest of you wait several feet behind us. And keep your eyes open and your weapons handy.” Turning to face Mack, he stared at him intently. “Whatever you think about me, put it out of your mind for now. You’ve got a job to do. Have you ever haggled before?”

  Clearly nervous, Mack simply nodded affirmative.

  “I hope it was about something more important than just a comic book or something,” Goliath added with a sneer. “Show no fear. Remember, they’re standing here because they want to be hired. The only thing you have to do is tell them where we want to go and negotiate a fair price. Offer half of the payment now, and half when we arrive. Just follow Noah’s instructions and everything should go smoothly.”

  With that, Goliath straightened up and gestured for Mack to lead the way. With a quick glance at Rebecca and the others, Mack shot them a lopsided grin, ran his hand through his curly mass of hair, and headed off toward the mercenaries.

  Following Goliath’s suggestion, Jeffrey, Jerome, and Rebecca waited w
hile Mack and Goliath approached the group. Rebecca held her breath as the two made initial contact with the men. When it appeared that all was going well, she relaxed somewhat and offered up a quick prayer of thanks.

  “I hate this,” Jerome whispered harshly. “Goliath obviously doesn’t want us to know who he really is. If he’s one of these things, then how did he get to our time, and what’s he really up to?”

  Jeffrey shook his head, his own frustration evident. “I have no idea, but I don’t think he’s from the past.”

  “What makes you think that?” Jerome said, frowning.

  “Because he speaks our language, for one thing,” Jeffrey replied. “And, he knows too much about our culture. For instance, just a minute ago he mentioned a comic book. Somehow I don’t think someone from this time would know about that.”

  “But that doesn’t necessarily mean anything,” Rebecca countered. “We’re talking about time travel. Maybe he and Hercules came to our time period and lived among us for awhile, learning our language and culture.”

  “And, it would explain why they have greater technology than us,” Jerome added.

  Seeing the wisdom in their arguments, Jeffrey swore softly in frustration. “This trip just keeps getting better all the time. I just hope lack of knowledge doesn’t come back to bite us.”

  “It looks like they’re almost done,” Rebecca said.

  Jeffrey and Jerome turned toward Mack to see him doling out coins to a pair of the wolf-like mercenaries. A moment later, Mack and Goliath walked toward the rest of their companions, the pair of mercenaries beside them. When they were close enough to the others, Mack made an “okay” sign with his hand. Without speaking, one of the newly acquired bodyguards moved to the front of the group with Goliath while the other one took up a position at the rear of the group.

  The mercenary in front led them toward the line of people entering the city. They were forced to wait for nearly half an hour before they reached the front of the line. Remembering Noah’s instructions, Mack handed Goliath several coins to be distributed to the guards at the gate. Since the bribe that Goliath offered was triple what the guards were used to receiving, they smiled at the group and let them in quickly without asking any questions.

  As they passed between the thick, oaken set of gates, Mack leaned close to Rebecca. “It almost feels like we’re being dishonest,” he whispered. “We’re giving them all of this money, but in a day it’ll be worthless to them.”

  “Don’t feel too sorry for them,” Rebecca replied. “I wonder how many people they abused and cheated over the years.”

  Mack didn’t reply, for at that moment, they left the entranceway and began walking down the wide main street of the city, their attention captured by what lay before them.

  16

  The Wickedness of Mankind

  The buildings that made up the city were a tapestry of architectural styles. Some blocks contained houses that were not much more than huts, while others were walled mansions that were beautiful to behold. Oddly enough, the mansions appeared almost futuristic, showing that at least some in this culture had a highly advanced knowledge of construction. In the wealthier sections of the city, wondrous marble statues of heroic figures and spectacular frescos painted in vibrant colors covered the smooth surfaces of the buildings.

  However, all of the beauty and grandeur of the city was completely lost upon the visitors, for the actions and behavior of the city’s many occupants demanded attention. Although Rebecca could see more of the animal-like, giant soldiers stationed at various points around the city, they seemed so accustomed to the violence surrounding them that they ignored most of it. Many of the citizens who travelled the streets were accompanied by bodyguards. Those that weren’t, were either warriors themselves, or were desperate enough to risk their lives.

  Even though what they had seen outside the city had sickened and disgusted the travelers, the sights that awaited them within so shocked and horrified them, that forever afterward the images became seared into their minds and haunted them in their dreams. Several times Rebecca, Mack, Jerome, and Jeffrey felt their bodies convulse as bile threatened to expel itself from their stomachs.

  As they traversed the city, it seemed to Rebecca that the sole pastime for these people must be the pursuit of new forms of wickedness. On several occasions, the two mercenary bodyguards that Mack hired had to intervene to protect their charges from the unruliness of other pedestrians.

  Violence permeated the city. Despite the fact that evening was still several hours away, drunken men brawled in the streets. On occasion, one of the two brawlers would wind up dead with some sharp object protruding from a vital place of his body. At one point, Rebecca watched in horror as a man was mercilessly beating a woman on an adjoining pathway. Even young children did not escape the ruthless brutality of the adults around them.

  Gangs roamed freely. From time to time, the lead bodyguard detoured Rebecca’s group from the main thoroughfare to avoid a large confrontation that was occurring between rival gangs or between the gangs and the city guards. Catching glimpses of the competing groups, Rebecca’s heart threatened to burst from pain as she realized that many of the gang members were barely more than children. In addition to their genetically altered appearances, the pure lack of compassion and utter viciousness that she saw reflected on their faces disturbed her greatly.

  At one point, as they passed a house, they were startled as three children erupted from a doorway screaming at one another. They couldn’t have been more than four years old, yet two of them grabbed the other and proceeded to attack him until blood ran freely.

  Still more horrifying than the violence alone were the sexual perversions. The sounds that filled the air as people committed indecent acts with each other nearly drove Rebecca to her knees. The denizens of this city seemed to know no shame as they sought out their sick pleasures freely in doorways, alleys, and even in the streets.

  If she had been riding in a vehicle, Rebecca would have closed her eyes for the remainder of the journey, but since she was walking, she was forced to settle with keeping her eyes focused on Goliath’s back. Her stare was so intense that it almost seemed that she was trying to burn a hole in his back.

  Although she no longer looked at her surroundings, the images that she had seen replayed over in over in her mind, torturing her with images of suffering and pain. The sounds of present suffering contrasted sharply with those of perverse pleasure, caused sickening mental pictures to flash through her mind.

  More than anything else she had seen, it was the faces of the children that pounded against her psyche. Vacant stares of children whose entire existence consisted of nothing more than serving as a punching bag or plaything for vile men and women. In contrast were the hate-filled and pitiless eyes of other children, who would soon cease to be the prey and undoubtedly become the predators.

  The sudden sound of laughter, cheering, and pleasant music broke through Rebecca’s mental turmoil and drew her gaze. To her left, a city park was filled with elegantly-dressed people who were cheering a happy couple who stood at the end of a long aisle. Although the sight of the wedding procession amidst so much evil shocked her, that shock intensified when she noticed that the scantily clad couple was not even a man and a woman, but two men, one of which had lizard-like features.

  Crushed by grief and outrage, Rebecca fought a losing battle against her emotions. Remembering Goliath’s warning, she shut her eyes tightly for a moment, hoping to stem the tide of burning tears that threatened to flood her eyes. Praying fervently, Rebecca struggled for control.

  The sound of rushing water mingled with the noises of a market to create a deafening cacophony. Opening her eyes slowly, Rebecca noticed that her group had now entered what could only be the center of the city. The mighty river that they had seen from a distance flowed from west to east directly in front of them. A wide-open plaza formed a semi-circle with the river as its northern border and numerous shops and other buildings fo
rmed the perimeter. People streamed into the plaza from three thoroughfares: one to the west, one to the east, and the one on which she currently stood that led to the south. Across the river, the northern portion of the city rose impressively, seeming much larger and more intimidating than Rebecca imagined. Along the southern bank of the river, in the center of the plaza, stood an enormous tree, its lengthy branches stretching out to cover nearly the entire mile-wide area.

  The plaza was filled with people of various shapes, sizes, and degrees of genetic modification. Tall, pale figures with pointed ears that bore an unmistakable resemblance to the vampire-like creatures that attacked her group earlier congregated near the eastern edge. Other ‘humans,’ who appeared to be the least genetically altered or polluted, stayed mostly to the center of the market. The western side of the plaza, off to Rebecca’s left, was dominated by creatures that were yet a head or more taller than even the mercenaries that Rebecca’s group had hired.

  “The Nephilim!” Jerome said, speaking the name with both fear and awe, for the beings deserved both.

  Standing roughly twelve feet in height, the Nephilim were truly imposing. Their bodies were broad and muscular, and, although they were hairier than the average human, they had less hair than the genetically altered animal-like mercenaries and city guards. In fact, to Rebecca’s surprise, she discovered that every one of them was strikingly handsome, despite their rugged appearances. Many of the giants had thick manes of hair and beards that were intricately braided. Their skin was bronzed, making them look like great statues of gods, sculpted from polished metal. Wherever they went, crowds parted in fear and awe.