Abraham Allegiant (Chronicles of the Nephilim Book 4) (8 page)

One of the advantages of being the emperor of the world with the king of the gods as your patron deity was the supreme authority that Nimrod had over his subjects. He could do whatever he wanted with them. He could use them, abuse them, rape them, beat them, kill them, or eat them as he wished. He had absolute authority over humanity.

One of the disadvantages of being the emperor under the authority of the supreme deity was the deity’s right to do whatever he wanted with Nimrod. Of course, it would be of no advantage to Marduk if he beat Nimrod too badly, or killed, or ate him.

But there was one thing that Marduk could do to satisfy his own lusts, assert his power, remind Nimrod of his station, and keep him in line: Sexual violation. And Marduk did it often. He was a hungry and virile king of the gods.

Because Nimrod was a Naphil, being part god, he could handle more physical abuse than normal human beings without breaking or dying in the god’s hands. Though Marduk was sure to keep Nimrod always in a submissive role and Marduk always as dominator, Nimrod had actually begun to enjoy the abuse. It gave him a richer understanding and deeper arousal and release knowing by experience what his own victims went through when he violated them, or killed them.

Nevertheless, Marduk required Nimrod to play the gimp, beg for mercy, and cower in fear. It had its intended effect of instilling in Nimrod a dutiful and submissive loyalty in public as well as private.

This evening’s nocturnal activities focused around the use of Marduk’s fists. But this was not for beating Nimrod. Rather he was using them in an unspeakable sexual activity that involved Nimrod’s anus.

The clanging of an emergency bell in the palace interrupted them.

“This had better be important,” said Marduk, “or I will slaughter whoever it is interrupting my satisfaction.”

Nimrod half hoped it was the case, since that would mean a reprise for Nimrod, as Marduk would take out his wrath and lust simultaneously on the messenger instead of Nimrod that evening.

The two of them got dressed and made their way to the receiving hall.

When Nimrod and Marduk arrived at the receiving entrance, an entire cadre of wise men from the school greeted them. Some sorcerers, enchanters, and astrologers had apparently been celebrating because most of them were inebriated.

Marduk was steaming. Sinleqi was in the lead, so Nimrod addressed him.

“Where is Terah?” It was customary for any important such aggregation of wise men to be accompanied by Terah, the headmaster of the school of heavenly wisdom.

Sinleqi spoke up. He was not given to much wine because he did not treasure the idea of losing control of himself. He treasured control.

“Your majesty, we just came from Terah’s house. We were celebrating the birth of his new child.”

“Oh, right. Very well,” said Nimrod. He did not care much for such things, so it had easily slipped his mind that Terah had taken some days off for just such a thing.

“So, why are you bothering me?”

“My lord,” replied Sinleqi, “in the midst of our rejoicing, some of us went outdoors to relieve ourselves, those you see here.” There were about twelve of them.

“I have no interest in your scatological releases, Sinleqi, get to the point.”

Sinleqi was shaking. And it was not from drink. “Your highness, all of us saw it. All of us. We looked up into the sky and were astonished to see a very large bright star come from the east and travel the ends of the heavens. This single star swallowed up the four stars of the four sides of heaven. We assembled together and counseled ourselves as to what this celestial matter was a portent of. We consulted our astronomical diaries and star almanacs in order to discover the meaning of this frightening omen. Now, as you may know…”

“Stop!” yelled Nimrod. “I do not want to hear every single scholarly detail and astrological minutia of every single consultation you engage in! Just tell me what it means, Sinleqi.” Nimrod had often thought he would have executed Sinleqi long ago, had his obsession with detail not come in so handy with the bureaucratic details of running a kingdom.

Queen Semiramis suddenly interrupted them. She was with her handmaiden who was carrying her crying year-old son Mardon.

Nimrod looked annoyed. “Woman, must you, at this hour?”

“Forgive me, my lord,” hissed Semiramis, “but a child’s needs are unimpeded by sleep or adult concerns.”

She looked at Nimrod and Marduk behind him with an accusing look, and finished, “Of course, you should not be bothered by such interruptions in your secret affairs of state.”

Her innuendo was her only way to express her disapproval, since she could not do so explicitly without being beaten.

The baby continued to cry. Nimrod closed his eyes.

Semiramis grabbed the child from the handmaiden and opened her robe to feed the baby boy.

When he began suckling her breast, she whimpered with erotic satisfaction, as another kind of jab at her husband. A reminder of what he was not giving to her. It was an unnatural connection that Semiramis had with her son. And Mardon was fast becoming a surrogate object of Semiramis’ affections and intentions.

Sinleqi finished his message. “Imperial Lord, the celestial phenomenon means that a child is born, whose seed will slay great kings, possess their land, and inherit the earth.”

“Are you talking of Mardon?” asked Semiramis.

“No, my queen,” answered Sinleqi, “This portent is of a new born.”

“Whose newborn?” she barked, anger rising in her throat.

Sinleqi glanced fearfully at his other wise men and sighed. But before he could respond, Nimrod responded for him.

“Terah, the captain of my heavenly host,” said Nimrod. He had figured it out within moments.

Semiramis was dumbfounded.

“Send for Terah,” said Nimrod.

“Yes, your majesty,” said Sinleqi. And the group of wise men began to leave.

Semiramis blurted out, “What is the child’s name?”

Sinleqi turned and said, “Abram, your majesty.”

Nimrod sat brooding on his throne. He was angered that it had come to this. Terah had been a faithful servant of his heavenly host. He had built the school of heavenly wisdom and trained the courts of all of Nimrod’s wise men. Just as importantly, he had created the army of golemim for Nimrod by which he was able to assassinate all his rivals simultaneously and maintain a powerful terror throughout the land. Terah had been so loyal.

But he was also a bit of a sycophant. He was duplicitous and would change his mind to suit the whim of the king. Always choosing that which would ensure his survival by maintaining perpetual support of his lord, no matter the issue, no matter the cost.

But was not that preferable to a man with a conscience? A man with a moral conscience could not be trusted to do the will of the king when it conflicted with his petty conventional scruples. And the gods only know what Terah’s wife -- what as her name again? – he could not remember. The gods only know how she was going to respond to the king’s demands.

With all of Nimrod’s well worked out plans, he made one little mistake that would haunt him for the rest of his life. It was making this situation almost unworkable:
Terah had the command and control of the golemim
.

Nimrod had ordered Terah to create the army of ten thousand strong out of rock down in the desert outside Uruk. He had given Terah the enchantment spell to animate the Stone Ones, but he had neglected to consider the ramifications of his actions. The spell that Terah had to reproduce for all the mouths of the golemim, was written to enslave the army’s obedience to the caster of the spell. But in order for Terah to get the army to secretly march up north to
Babylon and hide in the sand and rocks in preparation for the wedding ceremony of Nimrod,
Terah had to be the caster
.

But once that was accomplished, it could not be withdrawn or authority transferred. The sorcery established Terah as the commander of the army and Nimrod could not take that over. So Terah would always be required as a proxy commander on behalf of Nimrod with the Stone Ones.

If Terah changed loyalties or questioned his station, he could command the army to rise up in a coup against Nimrod. And if Nimrod killed Terah, the army would become a useless collection of immovable rock statues, and much of Nimrod’s military power would be drained. Not all of it, but enough to cause his empire to come into question.

Nimrod could not kill Terah without losing his kingdom, but he would lose it anyway, when this son of his grew to fulfill the astrological prophecy.

There was only one thing Nimrod could do.

When Terah entered the throne room, Nimrod sighed. He made sure that Semiramis would not be here to jeopardize the men’s ability to negotiate more freely. They shared a connection through the experience of war and rule together that no woman could understand.

“Terah, my prince,” said Nimrod.

“My lord and savior,” said Terah, bowing cautiously. He had come knowing full well what this was about.

“I will not play games with you, Terah. You have been loyal for too long, and you deserve honesty. The astrologers and wise men told me of the heavenly omen and its meaning. Your son is foretold to multiply his seed and overthrow my kingdom. What would you suggest I do with such a prophecy hostile to my reign and the reign of my son?”

That was a clever move for Nimrod. Rather than lash out and make threats, he pretended to ask Terah to put himself in his place and admit his own decision would be the same. How could Terah deny such a dilemma to his king, his emperor?

“I would have any child who laid claim to my throne executed,” said Terah with a resigned sadness.

“Exactly,” said Nimrod. “So you can appreciate my decision as being not a personal one, but rather a royal one, devoted to a higher cause of dynastic integrity and devotion to the gods.”

Terah said, “Yes, my lord.”

Nimrod sat staring at Terah with a look of difficulty that said he did not want to make this command that he was forced by all the gods and the universe to make.

Nimrod said, “Hand the child over to me, and I will grant you a house full of silver and gold in compensation for your dutiful sacrifice to your king and your gods.”

Terah stood looking at the floor for what seemed like an eternity of decision. Then quietly, humbly, he said, “Yes, your majesty.”

Nimrod sighed with relief. It was easy after all. This sandal-licking toady would give up his son as easy as he gave up his own soul.

Yes, he did prefer this to a man with a conscience.

But then Terah added, “I only ask to have three days with him before I release him to you and say goodbye.”

“Of course, my prince,” replied Nimrod. “You deserve it. You remain my most trusted servant. And this proves your character. I grant you your desire with all my heart.”

“I beg your leave, lord,” asked Terah.

“You may go,” said Nimrod.

And Terah turned to leave the room with his head held low. But he stopped and turned before he walked three paces, and said, “There was one matter of economic detail I have been meaning to
take care of with you. It would only take a moment of your time for a decision.”

“Of course,” said Nimrod. “Anything for you, my noble liege.”

Terah explained, “Remember the royal stallion you bred and gave to me, my king?”

Nimrod nodded. It was a supremely majestic horse fitting of the highest commander in the kingdom — beneath himself of course.

Terah continued, “Well, the other day, Ayon, son of Mored, approached me and offered some money and a percentage of his harvest in exchange for the stallion. Would you advise me to make the trade?”

“What?” exclaimed Nimrod. “Have you been enchanted or turned moronic? No, I do not approve of your exchange! That is the finest warhorse in the kingdom. Of what value is even a house full of money or crops compared to such an invaluable animal? There is none like him. You can never replace such a creature.”

“You mean, like a son?” asked Terah.

And then it hit Nimrod. Terah had tricked him, had led him into a trap of his own making just to throw it back in Nimrod’s face. The thought of strangling Terah right now crossed his mind, but he thought better.

“Terah, do not vex me,” said Nimrod. “I will slay your family and extended relatives, your entire bloodline if I so desire.”

Terah immediately submitted. “My lord, all that I am and all that I have is in the king’s power. Do with me what you will. I will give you my newborn as well as my other two sons for no exchange whatsoever.”

“Your newborn is all I require, Terah,” said Nimrod. “Go take your three days and return with him as an offering of loyalty to your king.”

Nimrod was relieved that he would not have to muster up a house full of gold and silver after all. This fool would give him up
with no recompense. Terah was a man without a conscience
or
a soul.

“Thank you, your grace,” said Terah, and he sulked out of the room with bent over shoulders and a deep sadness that permeated his entire presence.

After the three days were up, Terah arrived with his newborn son wrapped in swaddling clothes and presented him to the king.

Nimrod saw a redness in Terah’s wet eyes, no doubt from hours of weeping with his wife and children over their offering. But Nimrod also saw a resignation in Terah that showed he knew his station in this kingdom and he knew what he had to do to survive.

Nimrod sighed in relief. He had triumphed in this most difficult situation. He had skirted the loss of his army, the danger of a coup, and he maintained the loyalty of a man whose use for his kingdom was not yet done.

Nimrod received the child and held him in his arms.

“What did you say his name was?” asked Nimrod.

“Abram,” said Terah.

“Abram,” repeated Nimrod, as he looked into the little child’s eyes and tried to imagine how this helpless little babe could have the favor of the stars to rise up and become a conqueror one day. How strange and incomprehensible were the ways of the heavens and their portents. Marduk had told him about the promised Seed of Eve that would be at war with the Seed of Nachash. He explained that the prophecy had survived multiple generations before and after the great deluge had swept over the land.

Nimrod wondered how astounding it was that this little creature nestled in his arms was truly that Chosen Seed so prophesied. And now he had the power and might to crush that prophecy.

He thought,
How like the power of a god.

“If it pleases my lord,” said Terah with a bow.

Nimrod was lost in his thought. He looked up. “Oh, yes, it would be best for you to leave.”

Terah turned to leave, but Nimrod stopped him.

“Terah, I will not forget this supreme act of sacrifice and love that you have offered this day.”

“Yes my lord,” whispered Terah painfully and he left the room.

As soon as the door closed behind Terah, Nimrod lifted the baby high and dashed his head against the marble floor with all his might. The sickening crunching splat of the child’s skull was like music to Nimrod’s ears, the music of a triumphal entry into a mighty city,
his
city,
his
kingdom, Babylon the Great.