Caleb Vigilant (Chronicles of the Nephilim) (18 page)

Philistines were
master ship builders. They were part of the Sea Peoples who had settled the coastlands of Canaan. They had come from the distant Aegean islands of Caphtor, across the Great Sea of the Mediterranean. Their Mycenaean culture was overrun and they fled to Canaan to rebuild their civilization. Over the years, they had grown from their original settlement in Gerar to control a pentapolis of five coastal cities: Gaza, Ashdod, Gath, Ekron, and Ashkelon.

The
principal god of the Philistines was Dagon. He was half-fish, half-humanoid, and was a god of storm. His cult center was near the shoreline of Ashkelon where the boats were docked for their journeys of trade, diplomacy, and battle.

The four archangels, Mikael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel
had disguised themselves as monk priests on a pilgrimage to Mount Sapan. They had boarded a ship to follow the coast up north. They wore long billowy cloaks that hid their armament and weapons beneath.

When they settled on board, they noticed several other unusual ships at port that were loading unusual cargo and sailors. The ships
were larger and heavier, built for long distance voyage, and the sailors were giants. Several ships of Anakim and several of Rephaim. The angels overheard some of their sailing companions explain that the ships were going to sail to the end of the western horizon where the sea meets the mountains that held up the firmament above them. They were exploring for distant islands, but the local feelings were that they were also fleeing from the destruction of the evil Habiru that had invaded their land.

The
Philistine ship that the angels were on was a shorter distance sailing vessel, sleek and parabolic in shape. And they were fast. They had traveled the couple hundred miles of shoreline in a mere two days.

The angels could see Mount Sapan on the Syrian coastline.

“Thank Yahweh, for this strong headwind,” said Uriel to his companions. “I do not think I could stand the stench of these Philistines and their rotting fish for much longer.”

“Hush,” said Gabriel. “Do you have to complain about every petty inconvenience?”

“Gabriel,” said Uriel, “Please do not tell me you delight in the repugnant odor of these Dagon worshippers.”

Mikael was not listening to their
spat, because his attention was concentrated on the two priests of Dagon at the back of the ship trying not to be noticed.

They were bald, shaven of all hair including eyebrows, and were tattooed to look like the
ir skin was scales. They looked like human fish hybrids. Of course they were not, but it was their way of identifying with their deity.

But they also carried
burlap sacks that looked like they were full of vegetables or something.

Mikael had noticed them earlier making
surreptitious glances at his fellow band of travelers that warranted Mikael’s suspicion.

Mikael had gestured to Raphae
l who joined him in observation while the other two bickered.

“You know, Uriel,” said Gabriel, “
You have not bathed in quite some time, so you are quite sour-smelling yourself if I may say so.”

“Oh,
I am sorry,” said Uriel, “I did not notice my own odor because yours was so overwhelmingly noxious and rancid.”

When
the Dagon priests opened their sacks and poured their contents overboard it could have been like any other passengers dumping refuse into the water. But after a few moments the priests then ran and jumped off the ship into the water to swim away from them.

Mikael
and Raphael had figured out what was happening.

Mikael, said, “Hold your tongues,
scrappers, we have company.”

“Very
large and ferocious company,” added Raphael.

What
the two of them had figured out was that the angels were not successful in concealing their identities to the Philistines in Ashkelon. Dagon must have sensed their presence and sent spies to follow them. And he had evidently also given them magic elements to cast in the waters. Elements that would draw something to the ship, something they did not want to be around to experience with the angels.

Mikael and Raphael ran to the edge of the ship and looked in the water. There was only one thing they could think of that was
terrifying enough to warrant such fear.

Then Raphael saw it. “Leviathan!” he shouted.

But it was too late. The shadowy form that had been speeding toward them from the depths was already upon them.

It
broke out of the water and landed on the hundred-foot long sea vessel, smashing it to smithereens in mere seconds. Leviathan was over four hundred feet long and hundreds of tons of pure sea dragon.

The angels
and other passengers catapulted into the air a hundred feet away and landed in the water.

One simple collision with the
beast and the ship was reduced to splinters and floating debris in the water.

And now, the sea dragon of chaos
was circling back for a second pass.

Sheshai had made good on his promise to Joshua. He had led them to the surface of the palace, killing a couple
of guards on the way, and still did not pick up any weapons to fight Joshua.

He had led them through the palace and upper city streets, which were virtually empty because all available hands were at the walls preparing to fight the Israelites.

They made their way up to the gilgal of megaliths at the top of the hill. The gilgal consisted of concentric rings of huge stones that aligned with star constellations in astronomical precision to create a microcosm of the universe. Rahab was very familiar with this astral worship from her days with the serpent clan of Gilgal Rephaim. It was all too familiar to her and made her nauseous at the sight. But she pressed on.

A large tumulus mound was at the center of the circle
. This was an altar for excarnation of the dead, but also an entrance to the catacombs of tombs below. After the bones of the deceased were picked clean by vultures, they were placed in ossuaries in the catacombs.

Sheshai had explained that the catacombs included
a secret tunnel pathway that led down the cliff edge at the back of the city. If discovered by the enemy, it would provide stealth access to the city at an otherwise unscalable cliff wall. Soldiers could only pass through the tunnel one at a time, but it would still be a secret passage for a small strike force of assassins.

The tumulus entrance was guarded by
ten human servants and one Anakite warrior because all the Anakim were needed for the battle royal that was unfolding in the valley below. The likelihood of Israelites discovering the secret tunnel at the bottom of the cliff was virtually impossible, but this squad would serve as an early warning in case the impossible did happen. What they did not anticipate was that Israelites would be entering the tunnel from their city side guided by the rightful king of Kiriath-arba.

When the Anakite saw Sheshai approach, he stood to attention with the human servants.
Sheshai counted on the fact that word of the coup and Sheshai’s imprisonment would certainly not have been transmitted to this incidental outpost, so he had the element of surprise.

Joshua and Rahab had circled around the long way by tracing the edge of the
cliff to the back of the tumulus. Rahab looked down hundreds of feet below and got dizzy. She backed away from the edge and walked closer to Joshua as they approached the backside of the tumulus.

On the front side, Sheshai had arrived and was greeted by the Anakite. “My king, what need have you to visit this humble gilgal?”

“I have intelligence that the Israelites may have found the tunnel entrance below.”

“Shall I alert general Talmai to bring back up forces?”

I was right
, thought Sheshai,
he is not aware of the coup.

Sheshai relaxed and tried to figure out a way to disarm the soldier and kill him
as he peered into the tumulus.

But unfortunately, that lowering of Sheshai’s guard was all the soldier needed to draw his dagger and plunge it into the back of Sheshai.

The soldier had deceived him. He
had
been briefed on the coup and was loyal to Talmai. He knew he needed to trick Sheshai or he would not have had a chance against the mighty warrior king.

Sheshai
yelled and turned to face the soldier who now drew his sword.

The servants backed off in fear.

But they were not prepared for Joshua who got the jump on them and hacked down three of them before they even fought back.

The Anakite swung wildly at Sheshai, striking stone as Sheshai dodged and darted from the deadly blade. His back was searing in pain and leaking precious lifeblood
from his kidney, but his senses and strength had been jolted by the instinct for survival. He finally found his opening to grab the sword hand of the soldier and struggle for control of the blade.

Seven armed servants against Joshua was really not a fair fight. Joshua dispatched them all
within mere moments, fueled by the Spirit of Yahweh and bent on bringing back Rahab to his best and truest friend.

Sheshai could have dispatched his opponent in mere moments under normal circumstances. But his kidney wound had weakened him considerably and he stumbled on a rock, falling to the ground with the soldier on top of him.

He tried to hold the blade back, but the soldier was slowly pushing it toward Sheshai’s heart. Sheshai’s strength was bleeding out of him onto the ground and the soldier would soon end it all.

But before the blade could pierce Sheshai’s chest, another blade swung high, hard
, and furious, lopping off the soldier’s head.

Sheshai pushed the headless corpse off of him.

“That makes twice,” said Joshua.

But Sheshai said nothing. Instead, he stared past Joshua at a
frightening sight.

Joshua turned to see Rahab held at
knifepoint by the last human servant. Joshua had lost track and had not killed all seven servants after all. He had only killed six.

After all this
, thought Joshua,
thwarted by a lowly servant.

But then that lowly servant yelled out, “Please do not kill me! I am a loyal servant of the lord, my king, Sheshai!”

Joshua and Sheshai breathed a sigh of relief. They had come so close to failure.

The
servant let Rahab go.

She
ran to Joshua and embraced him.

Sheshai said, “
Well done, my faithful servant. But I need your help for one more thing.”

He waved him over and the servant ran and bowed to one knee.

Sheshai grunted with pain grasping his back. He could not bend down. “Please, stand up,” he said.

The servant stood.

Sheshai cupped his hands affectionately on the servant’s face to give him a better look. The servant was trembling.

“What is your name?” said Sheshai.

“Kirum.”

“
Kirum, I thank you for your service and for your salvation of this woman. Please accept my warmest gratitude at your courage.”

Kirum
smiled. He had pleased his king.

And then that king broke
Kirum’s neck.

Rahab screamed and clutched onto Joshua. She yelped, “Why did you do that? He helped us!”

“He saw me help you. That knowledge would become a weapon of blackmail for my enemies during the rest of my reign. It was necessary.”

“You are ruthless!” she cried. “A savage barbarian!”

“Ruthless, I am,” said Sheshai. “But barbarism is in the eye of the interpreter. Quickly. We have not much time.”

He led Joshua and Rahab through the catacombs until he found the tunnel that would lead them back down to the valley floor.

“Follow this to the bottom.”

“Thank you,” said Joshua.

“Spare me your niceties, Habiru. Remember what I said. When next we meet again, I will kill you.”

They split apart, Joshua and Rahab going down and Sheshai finding his way back to the city where he would gather his loyal soldiers to recapture the throne.

When Joshua and Rahab
found the tunnel exit at the bottom of the rock bluff, Joshua stopped and pulled her aside.

“You are safe now.
Find your way around to the front where the Israelite forces are aligned. You should encounter no Anakim. They are all inside the city.”

“What about you?” she asked.

“Tell Caleb I am going to kill the king within as he attacks without.”

“Joshua, no. You must not
. You are needed by Israel.”

“Your husband is a
worthy leader. He will do fine.”

“But
he needs you. Caleb will never forgive himself if you die.”

“
Then you must make sure that he does. Tell him to be strong and courageous.” He looked into her eyes. He wanted to tell her, but he knew he never could. “Tell him to cherish his wife and children. That he is the most blessed man on the face of the earth to have such an invaluable treasure of infinite worth and beauty.”

She knew by the look in his eyes what he could not say.
And she respected him for not saying it.

She grabbed him and hugged him.
She gave him a kiss on each cheek, the last, lingering with sadness.

T
hen she was off and on her way back to the Israelite camp.

Joshua returned to the tunnel for his ascent back up into the hornet’s nest of
evil.