The Descent of the Gods

Lamb

The horn of Nod was sounding, and people were streaming towards the arena.

About to start their work on the mountain, Caleb, Jehuda and their companions paused in their morning meal to look towards the sound. Caleb nodded to Jehuda, who left the group to spy out what was happening in the city. He made his way around the guards easily.

Semyaza exited the citadel, his contingent of angels and slaves scurrying behind him, trying to keep up with his pace. His men had spent the entire night looking for Enoch. Guards were posted along the shoreline with orders to detain him on sight. This matter was a delicate one, and he needed to have complete control of the situation before Azrael's return.

Then Semyaza saw Tubal in the crowd of people clambering onto the stones that circled the altar. So Tubal hadn't ordered the horn to be blown. Had Naamah?

When he arrived, his worst fears were realized as he saw Enoch standing in the sand of the far below. A lamb lay on the altar - it's feet bound by cords.

Enoch was already speaking, not waiting for the masses to fully assemble. He was angry. He trembled with rage that such powerful beings had come and had dictated righteousness to them in the name of the Creator - while lying to them. His rage stood in stark contrast to the innocence of the little white lamb laying beside him on the ancient pile of stones. It cried out, it's voice pathetically helpless.  

"Guards! Arrest him now!" Semyaza shouted. But there were no guards to be seen. Where were they?

"Hear me, people of Nod!" Enoch was shouting. "I am not one of you, but we all owe worship and obedience to our Maker, as does all creation - including the angels among us - his own sons, made by his hands in the beginning."

"What's happening?" Naamah had just arrived. She saw Enoch in the arena, and looked worried and confused.

"...the Watchers condemn you for your sins," Enoch's voice rose loud enough to be heard. "But they themselves fornicate with Cain's harem in secret! Under the cover of darkness, they take the daughters of men for their own pleasure, defying what is right and good for that which they lust after!" 

There was an audible gasp from the whole assembly at that statement. For a moment, Nod stood still. The words had been uttered. There was no taking them back. 

Semyaza sighed - things would get out of control quickly unless he contained the situation. That angels could be overcome by men and be made to bleed had been dangerous enough for mankind to learn. But that angels were subject to mortal desires and propensity for deception? They would have a revolt to stamp out before the week was through. Enoch had to be silenced - but in a way that would only reinforce man's awe and fear in the angels. Semyaza knew what he needed to do. Convincing Azrael to join them now would be much more difficult.

Naamah was at a loss to process Enoch's words. Here stood Enoch - a man she trusted - accusing the angels of a grievous deception. If true, they were deliberately using Nod's crisis to fulfill their own base desires. Nothing forbidden to them was safe, and it was prudent that they hide it to keep up their facade. How could this be true? If it had been anyone else making the claim, she would have dismissed it as lunacy. But this was Enoch. 

"This is blasphemy!" Tubal shouted, breaking the shocked silence.

"It is the truth," Enoch replied coolly. "I have seen it with my own eyes in the tunnels under the citadel." Then the crowd overcame their initial surprise. Voices rose - some in anger, some in confusion. 

"Where are your guards?" Semyaza hissed at Tubal. Tubal didn't reply, instead launching himself into the crowd toward Enoch, intent on silencing him.