Descent of The Watchers

by D S S Atkinson

assume to be dwellings. Much of what she observed was evidently unfinished.

  The humanoids disperse, they flee their dwellings, all that they forced the nephilim to construct for them, they leave it all behind, slaughtered and skinned alive as they evacuate. Samyaza shuddered at the thought of these sites being filled with enslaved nephilim. It is no wonder they hunt the humanoids. Azazel’s logs likely held the answer to every problem she stumbled across upon this world. Up a final verge and down a brief causeway Samyaza followed her company until each halted at a sealed entry leading into the rock face.

  “The gods walk with us, they request an audience with the Adams.”

  “They have truly come?” A muffled voice yelled from inside. With a scrape an enormous circular stone was drawn to one side revealing a long passageway, the hollowed out structure was fire lit at regular intervals for as far as Samyaza could see. To the commander’s surprise just one small humanoid stood in the now open way, despite the door’s sheer size.

  “Follow us, we will take you as far as we can to see the Adams.” Within, Samyaza watched the same humanoid effortlessly reseal the hidden mouth before turning to follow the group into the depths beneath.

   

  12.

  The air was light within, not stuffy as she had expected. Once the boulder concealing the walkway’s entry had been returned an immense hum filled the surroundings. “This way.” An aged female enticed her ever deeper into the humanoid settlement. For much distance Samyaza trekked down a single walkway until the route opened up, revealing a spectacular view.

  The commander quickly realised the atmospheric hum had been caused by a pulsating society of humanoids. Many rushed forth to look at the watcher, though the grown ones amongst them trod with caution. From the forming crowd a single young female crawled from the arms of her stricken mother. Samyaza crouched down, snorting in delight at the tiny juvenile that reached out with curiosity.

  “Hello there.” The commander smiled beneath her reflective visor, returning the baby’s actions. She grasped onto her minute fingers with the lightest touch causing the humanoid to giggle. “Aren’t you a beauty?” A protective maternal instinct flooded the watcher whilst they interacted, something she had not felt since departing her home world. As much joy as this moment brought her, so too did it cause an overbearing sense of loss.

  “We have some distance to travel before we reach the Adams.” A weary humanoid spoke, interrupting Samyaza’s entranced state.

  “Of course,” she looked up, “lead the way.” The growing crowd did not disperse as they travelled deeper beneath. Masses of tunnels sprawled out at intervals, conjoined by enormous open spaces, each filled with throngs of crudely dressed dark skinned individuals. There were groups at rest, discussing seemingly irrelevant affairs, whilst others worked away, carrying various sized containers and pails of liquid, or hauling sleds of rubble from the cave system’s depths.

  The walls were lit at constant stops with fire, above each light source a portal extended right up to Eden’s surface allowing the smoke out and the planet’s atmosphere in. Despite how primitive these people appeared to Samyaza at first sight, she was truly impressed by their ingenuity.

  “This place has kept you safe from the giants?” Many around her nodded.

  “There has never been talk of a giant beneath. We are always safe here. Only when the Adams send us above we are no longer safe.” A mumble scattered throughout the crowd following the words.

  “If we do not please them, if we do not work or gather -”

  “Quiet!” Another unknown face blurted. “Soon we are there.” At the end of another corridor a vast space opened out. Its roof had been hollowed higher than any other. Small fires shed light upon a moat, the midst of which gave way to a land bridge. At both ends of the way two individuals stood motionless.

  They were taller than the other humanoids, they dressed in long white robes, and upon their backs, strapped via some attachments rest a display of feathered wings. Their faces were hidden by some dazzling visors and from their heads fell white hair which the commander could see was artificial.

  “The gods have come!” A humanoid from her company yelled. For much time there was silence, nor any reaction from those guarding the bridge, until beyond it a vast fire was lit up. Its glare revealed the chamber’s back wall had countless spaces hollowed into it similar to those above, doubtlessly for habitation.

  From a carved out archway a single being appeared. It was tall, slender, dressed similarly to those who stood at the bridge. Slowly it stepped around the fire, approaching the crossing. Any the entity passed by bowed down. Once clear of the moat the figure approached Samyaza. In the silent depths he fell upon his knees, lowering his hands and face to the ground.

  At sight of these actions every humanoid present joined the Adam. “Do you come to punish us once more?” The white robed male spoke out, still facing the floor.

  “No, my people have returned to learn what has happened to this world. Your kin said you saw us come down from above, they lead me here. Please stand, all of you.” The crowd rose immediately.

  “We saw you fall upon the mountain, my ancestors speak of a time when the gods will come down from above to drive the giants away.”

  “It was your kin who approached us at the mountain?” For some moments the male was quiet.

  “My kin? No. We do not go to the mountain, for fear of death.” Rafaela, they must truly be descendents.

  “What do you know of your people’s past?”

  “Our dynasty goes back to Adam, we were created in the likeness of the gods. In those days our people walked in peace with another who came from the stars. One that protected our lot with a weapon of flame. Our ancestors tell of the perilous journey to the mountain where our guardian advised us to, where we intended to live in peace for long years, but length of days would not be ours.

  We angered the gods, and when they came to the mountain, any who looked upon them were stricken down with fire. The few who managed to flee were cast from safety, to where the giants dwell. In those days my kin sought refuge with the wildlings we now harbour. We learned quickly of their crudeness, of their violence. My kin learned quickly too of their techniques in construction and all things their knowledge held abound, and with it we built the confides you stand within.” The slender humanoid raised his arms, prompting Samyaza to join him in observing their surroundings.

  “Our understanding of these matters far exceeded their own, yet with our guidance and their numbers we created this haven to keep us from the giants. Still, we have always been waiting for your kind to return, as our ancestors’ protector said you would. We have observed the heavenly bodies since those days and until now. To see the morning star fall to us fills me with a new hope that all things may return to as they once were.” The commander looked at the corralled crowd, she was impressed at the history which had been passed down.

  “Much has changed since the time you speak of,” the vast majority of the humanoids would not look into Samyaza’s reflective visor, “in my own people as well as yours. We are here to help. To know you are safe brings great relief to my heart.”

  “You will kill the monsters?” A voice mumbled out from amongst them.

  “We hope to understand all things that have happened here, but know you need no longer fear for your lives, you will be safe to live above once more. With our help you may discover your true past, and your true purpose. Your bloodline,” she looked away from the Adam, at the rest of her company, “all of your bloodlines hold a grand importance to us.”

  “Then why must we wait? The Adams say you are all powerful.” Another voice muttered from the whispering group. She could see their faces growing in excitement.

  “There is more to power than destruction.” Samyaza spoke with scorn. “My kind is troubled, a problem I am working to resolve. For the moment your people are safest to remain beneath, but I assure you, I will return for you. All of you.” The very words she utter
ed reminded her of Tamiel and her abandoned crew, a pang of guilt surged through her. I must return to them.

  “Very well,” the slender Adam bowed before Samyaza, his winged attachments and flowing robes slunk with his lanky body. “May we be of any assistance, we will await your word.”

  “Do you have access to the clear liquids of this world which the organisms here consume?” After a moment of apparent confusion the adam spoke up.

  “Bring some pouches of water, then escort our guest above.” The crowd dispersed.

  “This way,” a slouching female motioned Samyaza to follow. An expanding group encompassed her as they returned to the enormous underground dwelling’s exit. On their way she was given some heavy fur lined skins which she quickly learned were full of water and with some further gestures the commander returned to Eden’s surface.

  Time had ran away from the commander, the planet’s sky was darkening already. It brought a sudden feeling of paranoia to her now that she was all alone. Within her visor she retraced the route the group had taken from the death probe.

  Walking, Samyaza’s mind became filled with questions and confusion. Why are we here? The strangest motion pulsed within her. All that she knew and had accomplished, the secrets she held, the troubles that enveloped her. She had never truly stopped to ponder upon their purpose, nor