The Descent of the Gods

Attack

A misty dawn brought light back across Nod. 

Lamech burst into his home. Tubal lay on the table still, Zillah by his side, sleeping but his hand in hers. Adah was rinsing out bloody clothes in a wash basin.

At the sudden sound of Lamech's entrance, Zillah snapped awake. Lamech stood over his son,. laying a filthy hand on his son's chest, which rose ever so slightly with his weak breathing.

"You haven't slept," Adah said. Lamech shook his head.

"Has he improved?" Lamech said wearily. The women did not answer. 

Sounds from outside drew Lamech's attention, and he looked outside where Cain's image stood, still surrounded by imploring supplicants, many of whom had spent the entire night praying for Cain's protection against the Herabite hoards descending on Nod. The horror stories of yesterday's battle had spread to every corner of the city, and the despicable cruelties that the Herabites had inflicted on their captives were now common knowledge.

Lamech was filled with rage by what he saw - workman repairing the cracks in the statue. He rushed out to the porch.

"What are you doing?" He shouted at the workmen. "All able-bodied men were ordered to work on the city's defense! Disobedience will be punished!"

"How can Nod be saved while Cain is dishonored - by your child?" one of the workmen replied. The workmen turned their backs to him, and continued their work to repair the cracks in the base of the image. Lamech turned away helplessly and re-entered his home.

"Maybe Naamah was right," Zillah muttered. Lamech could not tear his eyes away from his son.

"Naamah!" Lamech spoke her name in a desperate whisper.

"My lord Cain, we have worked through the night," Lamech said, shortly bowing before Cain's throne. "The city is ringed with defenses, and every man and boy and many women are positioned to repel any Herabite crossing."

Cain did not answer, only blankly stared past Lamech. Lamech moved closer, his voice changing as he made his plea.

"Please don't let both my children die today," he said. "Tubal is breathing his last breaths this morning. There is nothing more we can do for him. But my foolish daughter, release her to me!"

"All is being taken from me, don't you understand?" Cain said bitterly. "The son that would reign in my stead has been cut down. The army I led has been defeated. The city that I built will be erased from the earth. When all that I have built is gone, my life will be reaped as well."

"Your life? Who would dare touch Cain." Lamech's voice was hard.

"You never believed my curse to be true," Cain accused.

"It doesn't matter what I believe. The people do. The tribes do."

"But for Herab, there are worse things to endure than the wrath of any god," Cain said. "Injury to one's own ego. No curse will stop Herab's hate today."

"But not if our defenses hold! Herab will have to..."

"Herab has nothing to do with our fate today, fool," Cain spit out viciously. "It is the God of Abel that will purge my name and my people from the earth. He never truly let me go. I should have died that day instead of beg his mercy."

"There still may be hope for..."

"It is time to reap what we have sown, Lamech. You have done more than anyone to advance the brutality of Nod past our border. You will not escape His vengeance either."

Lamech whirled around, fists clenched. Just before he strode out the door, he turned back.

"If we lose Nod today, it will not be my doing." And he left the room.

Lamech strode the railing of the porch that overlooked the city. Beside the rocky outcropping at the north edge of the island, the citadel was the highest point of the city. Here, he could see the entire city - even the workmen repairing Cain's statue could be made out.

Adah came up behind him, laying one hand on his back. 

"Her faith will save her, Lamech," she said. "If not in this life, than in the next."

"If Herab does not kill Cain today," Lamech said. "Then you can be sure that I will."

"Lamech! He is protected..."

"Stop it! Superstition has kept our people captive long enough. Faith will not save Nod today."

Just then, Lamech's keen eyes noticed the glint of sunlight on weaponry across the river. A few Herabite warriors emerged from the treeline, brandished Cainite weapons and severed heads of their captives. 

Lamech rushed down the steps towards the defenses, and Adah could only watch him go.

"Whatever fate he suffers, let me join him, that his journey to the afterlife will not be alone," she prayed.

Lamech arrived at Nod's shoreline just as the Herabites began howling and beating drums in the jungle across the river. Herab could hear them well, but could not see them. A low mist rose off the water, obscuring sight of the opposite shore. Lamech hoped it would lift soon.

He surveyed Nod's hastily constructed defenses. Carts, boxes and anything else that could be found had been arranged in a long line all down the shore. Cainites of all ages and sizes manned the defensive positions, with any weapons that could be found. There were not enough swords or bows for everyone. 

The Cainites had never thought that any major defenses would be needed, beside the natural barrier of the river itself. The bridge that spanned the river had been burned down the night before. So the only way the Herabites would reach them would be across the open water. 

Just then, someone cried out, pointing upriver. Lamech looked for a long moment before he saw what he feared to see - prows of dugout canoes emerging from the mist. At first he saw five. Then there were twenty. Then one hundred. And they were approaching faster now that they could also see Nod straight ahead.

"Archers! Ready!" He cried out, even as the Cainite defenders wavered. Those that had bows hastily drew back. Lamech waited until the boats were in range.

"Shoot!" Arrows were loosed as fast as the defenders could notch them. Lamech could not tell how effective they were. 

He watched intently as the canoes slid one by one into the shallows thick with reeds. The Herabites were so close now, he could see the bloodlust under the warpaint on each face. The Herabites in the boats readied themselves to leap out of their boats as soon as they touched the shore. Just before they did, Lamech gave a signal.

At his signal, Cainites hidden in the reeds lept up, overturning canoes and leaping onto their attackers, taking them by surprise. Boats flipped and for a moment, the forward momentum of the Herabite first wave was stalled. 

"Forward!" Lamech shouted to his defenders. If they could keep the Herabites in the water, they just might stand a chance. Leading the charge, the Cainites swarmed down from their line of defense to the river's edge. 

"For TUBAL!" Lamech screamed as his blade met the body of a Herabite warrior. 

The battle for Nod began.