The Descent of the Gods

Message

Horns blared all over the city. Now even those who had not dared open a window shade during the attack and descent came timidly out into the open and joined the throngs of Cainites streaming towards the arena. Their eyes grew wide with disbelief as they heard about the events of the last few hours. 

In spite of the crowd's best efforts to convince them, the day's hermits were convinced their tales were just some exaggeration born out of everyone's intense relief at the miraculous repulse of the enemy.

That is, until they reached the lip of the arena and stared down to see two hundred beings assembled there - men more than men, maybe gods? The last few in Nod that had not been witness to the descent now knew the faces of their saviors. 

The noisy masses scratched desperately for a view of the mysterious and stoic men who had fell in fire to rescue them. The Cainites jostled for space on the massive rock outcroppings that formed a rim of staggered elevations that encircled the arena. Naamah led Enoch through the mod to a particularly large rock jutting above the rest. Enoch immediately noticed that everyone on or clinging to this particular stone was dressed in upper class garments - this must be the patrician's viewing area. Enoch could see Lamech standing front and center among the city leaders atop the stone. 

Naamah led him to the base of the stone. Enoch smiled when she stopped there, and went no further - her feet planted in the ground of the commoner, yet as near her family as possible. 

Suddenly, the people shushed. Enoch saw that Semyaza was motioning for silence as Azrael stepped forward. 

"In heaven's name, I greet you, sons and daughters of Adam. We, like your ancestor Adam, were not born of flesh and blood as you. We are Sons of God - direct creations of His hands and born to His purpose.

"You may call me Azrael, which means 'The Help of God'. My true name, you do not need to know. God's help is what I offer you today. It's why we have come.

"From a world beyond yours, we have watched and guarded you for more than six centuries. And yet, you have not listened to our warnings against the growing evil inside! Instead you have made wars and taken slaves, while only pursuing your own lusts and debauchery. You worshiped a murderer, and sent the most beautiful of your daughters to be consorts in his harem. What was clean, you have made filthy!

"You have exalted cruelty and rewarded the unjust. And today, what you have sown would have been reaped in blood. The savagery you met out to your neighbors had come full circle. Heaven did not bring this attack upon you - YOU did!"

Azrael whirled to the altar, where Cain's image had been repaired that very morning. Now only the altar remained, the dust around it stained with the blood of Cainites whom had resisted the Herabites who had been intent on tearing it down.

"Here it was only last night that one girl spoke the truth to you. She put our warnings into words. It was our last desperate attempt to make you see the error of your ways. If only you had clamored for heaven's help instead of an image made of dust! But instead of listening to her, you struck her down!"

He stopped speaking a moment. His eyes found Naamah's in the crowd before he continued. 

"So we have come, for nothing was left to save you. And now you wonder what sentence we will bring for you? We have sacrificed much - risked things you could not comprehend - to stand before you today."

A terrible silence reigned in in the arena. The people waited, petrified. Had the angels saved them for a more horrific judgment?  

"A new day for mankind is dawns today. Heaven and earth have come together and we will show the world what that can mean. And we will start here - in Nod. And the nations shall look in wonder at what heaven can look like on earth!" 

The people murmured in relief. The angels were not bringing judgement, but a chance to make Nod truly great!

"Can you hear me now?" Azrael whispered. 

"Yes." The crowd, timidly and haltingly replied.

"Will you listen?" Semyaza said, his voice harsh. "Pledge it with all the breath within you!"

Nod shouted back their affirmation. The roar was deafening as they shouted Azrael's name over and over. 

Semyaza looked at Azrael with a knowing smile.

"They know your name."

Azrael had to smile at that. Anonymity was a thing of the past now.

Conflicting emotions filled Enoch as the crowds howled their allegiance to the Watchers. Thrilled to hear Nod held responsible for their crimes and yet almost heartbroken to hear that it would be here, of all places, that the Watchers had chosen to bless. Nothing good ever came from Nod! Yesterday the Cainites were crying out to an image to save them - today, they were praising beings they had little concept of. Surely these were not the people to enact Azrael's noble plan!

But he could not doubt that the messenger had come just as Caleb had warned. And this was his message - Nod would become a beacon to the world of righteousness and piety. Seth would be astounded.

But then Enoch saw the tears streaming down Naamah's face unheeded. For her, surely this day was a dream come true. Enoch forgot his own doubts for the moment, and truly felt happy for this girl who had risked so much to save her people.

Below Enoch's feet, prisoners held captive in Nod's dungeons could hear as well. Azrael's words boomed across the arena, bounced down crevices and filled the ears of the men from Eden as they still lay chained in the rocky caverns. 

Caleb's face was uplifted, every word from the foretold messenger soaking into his memory for later relating to his master - Adam. As Azrael's speech ended above them, he lowered his gaze and looked at his companions. 

"So there is new hope for the children of Cain," Caleb said. "I wondered how any messenger could possibly be found in Nod, seeing how the Cainites had driven the faithful into exile or silence. Now all is clear. It was as Adam foretold and more! Even evil men fear angels from heaven!"

"But our chains remain!" Jehuda said, shaking his shackles violently. 

"Our task is not over yet," chided Caleb. "You remember the second half of the prophecy, the part we have spoke of only among ourselves?"

"And how do you propose we discover its meaning?"

"Patiently," Caleb said firmly. "These chains may very well be the path needed to uncover the significance of the next part of Adam's dream."

"How so?"

"The city was devastated today in the fighting," Caleb explained. "As terrified as Herab's army was at seeing beings fall from the sky, they may attack again while Nod is weak - their fear of the angels is great, but their fear of their own god's wrath surely is stronger. You know they worship the serpent of Eden. 

"If I were this angel, Azrael, my first priority would be repairing the city's defenses. For that, they will need all the manpower they can muster. I guarantee that tomorrow the entire prison will be emptied, the captives put to work on repairing the defenses immediately. That will include us. Who knows what we will discover then? And once we find the answer we seek, our freedom is at the time of our choosing. So we will watch..."

"And work!" Jehuda groaned.