Descent of The Watchers

by D S S Atkinson

just for the imminent doom of this experiment, but for the life of all things upon Eden. The nephilim will not stop. What we have done to the future of this planet I shudder to imagine. “Could it be?” Samyaza whispered to herself, recalling the giant stood with the other scrambling monstrosities, “but it was so long ago.”

  “We have cleared the ionosphere, commander.” Her crewmate’s sudden outburst interrupted Samyaza’s trail of thought.

  “Have contact made with observatory four.” Within moments a static fuzz consumed the commander’s headset followed by silence, signalling to her that a stable connection had been made.

  “Zebub?”

  “Yaza!” The watcher sounded delighted to hear her. “How do you fair? Did Tamiel reach her coordinates to the west?”

  “No, Zebub, are you alone?”

  “Yes, what is it, commander?” She fell quiet, unsure how to bring the subject to Zebub.

  “Something is not right. I fear... I fear someone conspires against us...”

  “What? How so?”

  “Tamiel’s vessel malfunctioned, we crashed, we found a malakhim from the first descent to Eden, she said we have been deceived, Zebub -”

  “Wait, Yaza.” In an unusual manner Zebub whispered to the commander, the noise of parting doors and multiple footsteps clanging against Heaven’s metallic grounds echoed within the observatory. “What is this? Release me!” The sound of a struggle and Zebub’s muffled whelps filled Samyaza’s ears before calm took over. For some moments she listened for a sign of movement yet upon remembering Heylel’s words she signalled her crew to terminate contact.

  “What will we do, commander?” Samyaza gazed out through her ophanim’s translucent interior towards Heaven, for much time she glared, filled with anger and confusion until glancing back at her crew.

  “I have a plan.”

   

  7.

  “Look what Azazel has done to this world, it is ravaged, look at what blood is shed by these crude humanoids, what iniquity is done before our eyes.” Three entities stood within Heaven’s command centre, together they gazed down upon Eden through the seraphim’s grand lens which projected the planet’s barren lands all around them. “I have seen what these humanoids are,” a deep quiet voice filled the room in which the kin gathered. “Heylel and the watchers will have our species become this crude life form, all that we are, all that our kind has achieved will be wasted, it will implode for these pathetic specimens know only destruction.” The largest of them spoke, his peers were silent. They nodded at Michael’s words which echoed throughout the barren chamber. The being stared transfixed upon the images through just a single silver eye, his other had been lost in the midst of conflict.

  Yahweh’s high-malakhim was a senior over the rest of his set, once a respected leader upon his home world. He commanded the seraphim’s armies against the cherubim who he was so often told sought the demise of his superior kind. “We have all seen the nature of these beings, seraphim Yahweh has given order to we malakhim. We must serve him to see that our kind does not fall to this hell.” Michael turned to his peers. “Has the humanoid been brought aboard?” They nodded.

  “It is secure within a container, high-malakhim, we are unsure how long it will survive within, it may be possible for us to supplement the elements which make up its atmosphere should it struggle to breathe.”

  “Gabriel, have it taken to Heylel’s chamber. Administer a final dose of Eden’s atmosphere into his lungs, once we have convinced Heaven’s inhabitants of the dangers of this world we can rally support to develop it for ourselves, rather than see our set be replaced by these crude experiments.”

  “Is the death of another seraphim truly necessary, Michael?” Uriel spoke up, his voice uneasy, he gazed at the floor through glowing spheres.

  “The population is unaware of the events that have occurred upon Eden, we could not convince them against what they have been brainwashed into believing with mere words. It is the life of one, for the lives of many. Do this thing, malakhim, for our kind, so it may remain pure, and not fall upon this hell which the watchers have created.” Uriel nodded.

  “Once this deed is done, seraphim Yahweh will be almighty. There will be no obstacle preventing our kind from attaining what we set out for.” The others nodded.

  “You speak truthfully, Michael, if only all of our kin thought as we do.” Michael’s large single blazing iris returned focus to the projected imagery.

  “Go now, malakhim. Gabriel, see your deed done. Uriel, gather Heaven’s entire population, bar those detained, to the living quarters. I will make way to the detainment depot and speak to this watcher who communes with Samyaza. The time has come, malakhim, let us see this to its finish.” At once the beings left the command centre.

  Michael made his way to the detainment depot beneath. Before entering he pressed at his thigh causing his suit’s visor to enclose around him. Within a small room a rotund watcher sat restrained, the malakhim sought to know what secrets he had learned from his commander. Upon entry he heard the watcher speak out.

  “Why have I been brought here?”

  “We seek to learn what has become of Samyaza and her crew.” The large malakhim stood before Zebub with arms crossed.

  “There was a crash, a malfunction, we should send back up crews immediately! Their lives are in danger.”

  “Seraphim Yahweh is aware of this event, watcher, we are looking into it. Tell me, what has your commander learned upon Eden?”

  “Looking into it? Why are you not acting upon it? Why am I being detained?” Zebub began to struggle becoming flustered, he looked about himself erratically, aware that his every actions was likely being monitored by Yahweh.

  “What has your commander told you, watcher?”

  “Yahweh?” He shouted out at the chamber’s barren walls. “Why are you holding me? There was an accident, Samyaza’s crew is in great trouble, we need to aid them.”

  “You need not repeat yourself, watcher, I merely wish to know what communication your commander has made with you since returning to Eden.”

  “We have had no communication, only that which was interrupted by your malakhim.”

  “My malakhim?” Michael’s calm voice boomed. “We are all kin, watcher. Has she recovered the data from the ark?” Zebub fell quiet for a moment, the high-malakhim watched his every expression.

  “I did not have a chance to find out. If I could return to my observatory perhaps -”

  “Tell me something, watcher, why do you support the pursuit of our species becoming intertwined with these crude violent beings?” Zebub was silent as Michael’s serene voice went on. “Why do you seek so desperately for our kind to devolve into such an inferior breed?”

  “Under our guidance I believe we could produce something that could equal our own progression, it would take time, but-”

  “And once we are gone? What then? It is in their nature to destroy themselves. Everything we have achieved as a species, gone, for good, because of one mistake.”

  “What do you speak of?” Zebub looked up.

  “A humanoid was brought aboard Heaven at Heylel’s request, to see what has become of his creations. Once he has seen how we have failed as a people, and learned how violent and destructive these humanoids are, he has agreed we will go on to search for a more promising breed of intellectual existence.”

  “Heylel? He spoke nothing of this to me.”

  “He came to Yahweh, watcher,” the tone of his echoing voice changed, “the seraphim do not raise matters with inferior subsets.”

  “This cannot be, seraphim Heylel supports us, he would never make this decision, his mind must be clouded in his sickness.”

  “On the contrary, watcher, Heylel’s strength has improved greatly, enough to commune without trouble, doubtlessly he is spurred on by the thoughts of learning what your kind’s creations have produced.” Michael watched with scorn at Zebub’s face lightening to his words.

  “May I see him?
Samyaza will be delighted to know of this.”

  “Soon all watchers will see him.” The huge malakhim stepped forward drawing a stillot from his shoulder, the shaft fused as a rampant heat rushed through it.

  “Yahweh!” Michael watched Zebub grow erratic, shouting out at the walls once more, his face shifted from hope to dread. The watcher turned his neck attempting to cower yet his bindings restrained him.

  “High-malakhim.” A quiet voice filled Michael’s ears. “An ophanim approaches Heaven, from Eden.”

  “Watcher, I am disappointed. You did not mention Samyaza returns to Heaven, did she not inform you?” Zebub breathed heavily, his bulging frame stiff for anticipation of pain.

  “She did not mention it, please, I have done nothing but support Heaven’s purpose since we departed from our home. How could I possibly deserve this? Under what authority may you take my life!”

  “Your life? Be calm, watcher, hold whilst I remove your bindings, you are free to return to your quarters.” Zebub quivered as Michael’s stillot effortlessly severed the restraints. In silence the watcher upped and fled through the open way. Without further attention paid Michael’s focus shifted to the voice in his ear. “To which gate do they travel?”

  “Heaven’s third gate, Michael.”

  “Strange, they do not dock beneath the watchers’ quarters.”

  “What will you have us do?”

  “Hold them there, I will join you shortly.” Heaven’s third gate rest at the rear of the vessel, not far from