The Descent of the Gods

Slave

Naamah pushed through the throng angrily as they shouted their bids or simply jeered at the unfortunate captives.

Zillah stood on the platform, scanning each captive Tubal led onto the platform. She would check them before the slave merchant was allowed to begin the public auction. If the captive met her specific criteria, she would reserve them for Cain's service and no bidding took place. Cain always got the strongest and most beautiful of the female captives for his harem.

Naamah pushed and squeezed until she arrived next to the platform, just behind where her mother stood.

The slave merchant lifted his arms and the crowd shouted as another captive was sold to the highest bidder. The newly acquired slave was jerked off the platform and Tubal led another onto the platform - Maori. Naamah watched her, thinking that this girl was probably her own age.
Maori stumbled up the steps, and Tubal yanked her upright. Her shirt ripped. The crowd roared in approval as she desperately tried to cover herself from their eyes. The slaver laughed as the crowd cheered for more.

"You will need to pay her full price tag to see more than that," the slaver cried. The crowd shouted even louder, but Zillah signaled to him that this girl would be chosen to serve in the palace. The crowd booed their disappointment.

"Never mind, she's to be Cain's," The slaver said. "So I guess you can have one more look for free!" He smirked as he reached for Maori's shirt. Naamah's heart sank.
His hand never reached her shirt, for her fist crashed into his fat face with a smack that resounded across the marketplace. Tubal leaped for her, but not after she landed another punch in the slaver's gut. The crowd roared even louder - entertainment like this was not to be missed, and no one particularly liked the slavers.
Naamah paled. This girl would die right now, before her very eyes. Slaves had been killed for much less. Tubal seized Maori and pulled her back from her victim. The slaver stood reeling for a moment. He pulled his hand away from his face, it was bloody. His face twisted in rage, and he marched toward Maori, murder in his eyes.

"Mother," Naamah cried, "Stop him! He will kill her!"

"We don't need slaves we can't control," Zillah replied.

As the slaver's first strike knocked Maori off her feet, Tubal let her fall and backed out of the slaver's way.

Watching from behind the veil, Sariel snarled at the sight unfolding before the angels. In a flash, he was kneeling at Maori's side as the blows rained down on her.

"STRENGTH young one, STRENGTH!" He spoke to her. He raised his face to the slaver, and saw the bitter rage in the man's face. Sariel stretched out his hand to hold back the blows, but the slaver's fists simply passed through Sariel's own strong arms over and over, crushing the girl with each impact.

"LET ME TOUCH THEIR WORLD!" Sariel shouted to the heavens. But the blows did not cease. Sariel's strength had no power to stop them.

Azrael was watching Naamah as the beating started. He had seen the pity there. Now he flashed to her side.

"MERCY, Naamah!" Azrael whispered to her. "Make it stop now!" Naamah scrambled onto the platform and seized her mother's arm.

"Mother!" Naamah pleaded.

"Stay out of it, child," Zillah replied, busy scanning the captives remaining to be auctioned. Naamah turned to her brother.

"Tubal, stop this!" Tubal just motioned her to stay back. Just then, as the slaver's blows slowed for a moment as he tried to catch his breath, Maori summoned the strength to strike back. Her foot landed in his belly hard, and she took the opportunity to scramble away.