Vaughn Heppner - Giants

However, not all offspring were of this ilk. To understand why this was so, one must first realize that although the bene elohim were the masters of the world, still they despaired. They were chained to corporeal forms, imprisoned to a worm-like existence, where before they had been the princes of the air. They possessed great powers but wondered at their limitations. So began the days of fiendish investigation. It was a blasphemous time, and as much from these experiments as the subjection of humanity, did the Shining Ones above become wrathful.

Moloch the Hammer was a grim bene elohim . He, like Azel, once served in the Temple of Elohim in Heaven. Evil Moloch knew the heights from which he had plummeted, and yet he wished to descend even farther. To him were brought many animals, and many things of which it is not right to speak or sing of. Yet one dreadful day, a female sabertooth of monstrous proportions was left in his chamber. Moloch the Hammer then knew the savage beast in ways that are not natural. After the harrowing ordeal, the grim lord of sin-flame waited to see what the female would propagate.

It was known even then that the union of horses and asses would give forth mules. And it was known that such unions would produce offspring unable to reproduce its own kind. The bene elohim had awful powers, however. One such power was that of their seed, to give life in unrecognized forms. If cunningly conjured, such blasphemous life was able to reproduce its own kind. In the days of their power, the bene elohim investigated many avenues. The sabertooth was simply one of Moloch’s.

Before wicked Moloch saw his begotten the Shining Ones descended from the Celestial Realm and began the Thousand Years War. The female escaped Moloch’s palace and bore her brood in secret. Only one of that evil union survived. His name was Tarag. Moloch captured him with beaters and nets and tried to train him in the arts of war. But the loathsome Tarag was not like other bene elohim offspring. He was uncontrollably savage and given to bizarre modes of thought. Several times Moloch almost slew him. In the end, the Hammer drove his spawn into the wilderness. There Tarag has lived ever since, waxing with evil wisdom, and growing with dark age, counting each century as men count the single years. To Tarag was given the power of control over sabertooths, for they are as much his people as the bene elohim ever were. The nature of the sabertooth is one of savagery and unrelenting fury. It is one of destruction and haughty might.

The music changed to one more serene and melodic.

“This too should be known,” Adah chanted. “Mammoths are sensitive creatures. They, like holy prophets, hate the smell of corruption that permeates the First Born. Mammoths cannot stand the smell of them. In the same country, the two will not abide. If the mammoths have fled, then First Born have arrived.”

The singer slowed the tempo of her playing. It had been a strange song. The poetry wasn’t there, although the horror had been. The song’s very lack of rhythm showed the hideousness of the terrible acts.

With her dark hair plastered to her forehead, Adah set aside the golden lyre. She drank palm-wine and dried her face.

Herrek stirred, drawing his brows together as he shifted his spear onto his knees. “Do you think Tarag is near?”

“I do,” she said. “He is an eater of human brains. It’s how he insults people. It would be understandable then why Old Three-Paws killed Ard, but did not devour him.”

Herrek brooded. “Do you think Elidad is still alive?”

Adah shrugged.

“Do you truly think Tarag is near?” Herrek asked. “One of the abominations? One of the terrible First Born?”

“Yes.”

Joash spine grew cold and his stomach tight. First Born. Not since Balak had he felt this scared.

“Is it by Ard that you have deduced Tarag?” Herrek asked.

“By the departure of the mammoths,” Adah said,” I have deduced First Born. By Joash meeting Mimir, I deduced the coming together of Nephilim plans. By the foul feasting upon Ard and Three-Paws killing, but not devouring, him, and by sabertooths attacking the steppe ponies, by all these things I deduce Tarag.”

“You think Tarag controlled the sabertooths each time?” Herrek asked.

“I have never heard of any other First Born, or Nephilim, with the ability to control sabertooths,” Adah said.

Herrek rested his powerful hands on the spear. “My great, great grandfather trusts your judgments. He believes you know much ancient lore.” Herrek seemed to choose his words with care. “But, can you be utterly certain about the judgments you’ve just made?”

“No,” Adah said, after a moment’s reflection. “But I’ve been in the presence of a First Born before.”

“Yorgash?” Herrek dared ask.

Adah painfully closed her eyes and managed a tiny nod.

Herrek continued to choose his words with care. “Could it be a different First Born than Tarag? Or perhaps not a First Born at all? Maybe these things were mere coincidences.”

“Maybe so,” Adah admitted. “But First Born are inordinately individualistic. Each behaves in unique ways. The ways we’ve been acted upon are Tarag’s ways. Of that I am convinced.”

“Tarag sounds more like a beast than a man,” Herrek said.

“I do not have the knowledge, or the wisdom, to judge the truth of that,” Adah said. “I deem it wise to hope not to find out, because few meet a First Born and tell of it. Those that do are never the same.”

Herrek sat warrior-straight, the muscles of his face under iron control. “How does Mimir figure into your calculations?”

“He is called Mimir the Wise for a reason. His wisdom is that of a lore master and diplomat. It is known that several times in the past he has acted as a go-between for feuding First Born. Maybe others wish Tarag to join them. Who better to be their herald than Mimir the Wise? I can think of no one more suited to the task.”

Herrek digested the weighty information.

“What chance do we have against Tarag?” Gens whispered. “H-He controls sabertooths. What if a phalanx of them should attack us?” Gens was pale and shaking. “I…” He clenched his teeth. After a time, he lifted his chin. “We are charioteers,” he slowly said.

“Yes!” Herrek said. “We are charioteers of Elon. If Tarag sends sabertooths against us…” The warrior eloquently shrugged, and plucked a blade of grass. “Tell me,” he asked Adah, “if cut, does a First Born spill red blood?”

“So the old tales say.”

Herrek picked up his spear. “We will fling these in his teeth, eh driver?”

Gens nodded sharply, although he wouldn’t meet Herrek’s gaze.

“And maybe, with luck, we will rid the world of this savage monstrosity.” Herrek turned to Adah. “You have warned us of the terrible peril that awaits us. But the charioteers of Elon do not abandon their own. We will track Elidad, and if it comes to it, we will war with Tarag and his sabertooths. We’ve slain the beasts before. Maybe it’s time to face their master.”

“Yes,” Gens said, with his own spear in hand.

“Very well,” Adah said.

“Groom,” Herrek said. “See to the horses.”

Joash hurried to obey, intent upon avenging his dead friend, but terrified of Tarag.

“On our chariots we are invincible against footmen,” whispered Gens, who had risen to help Joash with the stallions.

Joash agreed.

“Tarag would be a fool to face us in the open,” Gens said. “We would run circles around him, pinning him with our javelins. Then we could destroy him at our leisure.”

Joash didn’t think it was like Gens to boast.