Part 1

Who was she?

He stared at the Levite’s fortifications around their mud-brick buildings. Cast out by yet another conqueror, they now prospered in this new place. They will always prosper with faith in their God. He shook his head, crossing his arms and half-grinning as a group of children ran toward their homes.

“But we want to go! There’s a festival! The entire city is there!” A young boy spoke in a tongue separate from the words he’d spoken to his friends only moments before.

His mother turned to face him and scowled. “Certainly not. You will not take another people’s god before Ha-Shem. We have our own festivals.”

The boy returned to his friends and shook his head. They departed down the roads to the brightly lit din without him, and the man watched the children comment amongst themselves about this pattern of behavior.

They know nothing. He shook his head and looked up at the stars and celestial bodies painted across the night sky. How can they have such naivety? Fail to see that he had no choice, yet he is the one blamed?

A hand grasped his shoulder, a chill reverberating through him. “They are devout, Azazel! His mother teaches him well!” Turning, he saw The Trumpeter in white linen standing beside him, joining in, gazing over the Levites with a soft smile.

“Gabriel?” Azazel looked down at the trumpet in the man’s hand. “You bring me The Word?”

“Ia’ is full of gods and other gods’ angels. While you may be forced to watch the consequences of your actions for all eternity, some of us must prevent the Kingdoms of Israel from falling to them, no matter how scattered they become.” Gabriel’s solid jaw turned, back-lit by a roadside torch.

“Am I to go elsewhere?” The ethereal bindings itched beneath Azazel’s human facade.

“No. You are to stay here and witness what is to come. You are a Watcher after all.”

Azazel turned to argue, but Gabriel and his trumpet were gone.

Featured Image by Lo Potter edited with Canva