Children of the Nephilim
And when they saw the Daughters of Eve,
They descended from the heavens.
The women beheld them and left the Sons of Adam.
The Nephilim took the Daughters of Eve into the valley beyond the plains
And they lay together as man and woman.
The times were peaceful, for the valley was a place of plenty.
The Daughters of Eve soon grew round with child, and the Nephilim rejoiced.
The first Child of the Nephilim was born under the full moon.
A fire was lit and the Daughters of Eve danced with the Nephilim.
The first child was not alone for long. Brothers and sisters were born every day and there was much joy.
The Children of the Nephilim were fair of face and lithe of body.
Their laughter filled the valley.
This was a time of joy.
T'lem's sister was the first child of the Nephilim. It was her birth that was so celebrated that night of the full moon. T'lem often heard of the festivities of that night – his mother told the story every chance she got; the fires, the feasting, the dance. She said it went on for days. She said the account in the Book of History didn't do it justice. T'lem's mother didn't think Akai heard the stories of her birth.
Akai heard.
As the firstborn Akai had an understood privilege with the adults and an unchallenged position of authority among the other children. T'lem thought Akai was just bossy.
"T'lem, I want your piece of fruit. T'lem, fetch Jachim. T'lem, fix my sandals." And so on.
T'lem had taken to hiding with Masak, the chosen of his mother's sister. Masak, like all the Nephilim, lived in his own hut so T'lem could linger there without fear of discovery. Masak and T'lem didn't speak very much when they were together like this. Sometimes they worked with their hands crafting small necessities. Sometimes they prepared food. Sometimes they just sat together in the silence and peace of Masak's secluded home each enjoying the sense of they others' inner calm.
Rarely, Masak would tell stories of the before-time, of the time when there were no children. Even more rarely, of the time before Masak and his kin spirited away the daughters of Eve. T'lem loved to listen to Masak talk. His voice had a music to it that made his stories sound like song.
So it was one day that when Masak intoned, "T'lem" that T'lem nearly dropped the wooden bowl he was shaping and polishing.
"T'lem, do you know who you are?"
"I am T'lem, son of Selas and Juai."
"More than that."
T'lem put the bowl down and looked up. Masak was staring, something her rarely did. There was intensity in his eyes that T'lem had never seen.
"I am son of Selas of the Nephilim and Juai, daughter of Eve, brother to Akai, having walked this valley for 13 years."
"Do you know what I am, T'lem?" Masak was still staring at T'lem, his eyes boring into the soul of the boy.
T'lem looked puzzled. "The Book of History says the Nephilim descended from the heavens, enticed by the daughters of Eve."
"Do you know of the sons of Adam?"
T'lem shrugged and looked down, picking up his bowl again. Clearly, this conversation was not going to be another of Masak's interesting stories. "They were the partners of the daughters of Eve, before the… before you and your kind came. I have never seen one." T'lem was once again intent on shaping the curve of the bowl around a knot.
"Pray you never do." T'lem felt his blood go cold. He looked up to see Masak staring at him. The child was held fast by the Nephilim's gaze for a few heartbeats before Masak returned to his carving. T'lem felt the air change as if a storm was blowing in. He shivered.