The Descent of the Gods

Antediluvians

A prologue - (enjoy the music track above, composed specially for The Descent of the Gods!)

This story takes place around one thousand years before Noah's flood. The world before Noah's flood was not quite like our own - the worldwide destruction of that event changed many things.

The Antediluvian age was a time of discovery for ancient man. Although created in perfection, Adam and Eve had succumbed to the temptations of a much more intelligent and malevolent entity in the Garden of Eden. They lusted for more than what their Creator had given them freely and without ill intent. The world that had been formed to be an example to the entire universe of the possibilities when finite creatures with a free will choose good. Sin fractured that world for Adam and Eve.

They had to leave the paradise of the Garden of Eden, and enter a world where pain and death had dominion. Little did they know the plans their Creator had to see their Paradise Restored.

In that time, as Adam and Eve raised their family, they retold their children stories of God and of their beginning. There were no holy scriptures. Their children and the generations to follow had to trust their word alone.

According to tradition, when Cain and Abel become of age, they married their sisters. Although that seems shocking to us, it was not until the time of Moses that marriage between family members was forbidden, some 2,500 years later. 

Cain raised crops, and trusted in his own two hands to provide for the growing settlement in the land surrounding the forbidden Garden of Eden.

Abel raised sheep. Their wool was used to make clothing. The best of the flock were never sheered, though. Instead, they were kept until they were offered to God as a sin offering. Their meat was not eaten - no animals were ever consumed at that time. Not until after the flood did God permit mankind to eat meat, although not all of the Antediluvians followed a vegetarian diet, as we will soon see. 

Beyond the physical dimension, angels watched over mankind - guardian angels called the Watchers. These angels were referred to as the sons of God, since they were directly created by God himself. At that time, only Adam was called a son of God, since he alone among mankind had been directly created by God. 

Azrael and Semyaza were Watchers over the inhabitants of Eden. They drove back forces of evil that wished to cause destruction and pain in the lives of the people.

One such demon was Moloch. On the night of Abel's wedding, Azrael taunted Moloch by pointing his attention to Abel - an honest man, with a heart to please God. Azrael asserted that over such a man, Moloch had no power to work evil. 

But Moloch saw the jealousy already building in Cain's heart against his brother Abel. And so to spite Azrael for his taunting, Moloch fanned the flames of Cain's pride and bitterness against his brother.

One day, when Cain and Abel went to make an offering to God, Cain did not select a lamb from Abel's flock as he had in the past. Instead, he brought basket loads of the most succulent fruits from his fields. 

Abel warned his brother not to offer up the work of his own hands in pride, but rather to take a lamb, so that God would bless them both. Cain refused. He lit his offering, and instead of burning gently, the entire altar shattered as lightning fell from the sky and disintegrated it.

Moloch appeared behind Cain at just that moment, screaming words of hate and rage that Cain could not hear, but could feel. It was all the encouragement Cain needed. Cain picked up a shattered stone from the ground and killed his brother.

Moloch gloated as Azrael realized too late - Abel was overcome by death, and death is hell's victory. Azrael's taunting had proved fatally flawed. Both demons and Watchers could influence mankind to carry out great evil or good in a world they couldn't otherwise touch - through mankind.