The Fall - By Chana Keefer

CHAPTER Twenty-One

The Enemy Within



Rapha surveyed the surrounding land. It was a glorious sunrise with streaks of bright, awakening light kissing the tops of distant mountains with molten pink and gold while a salt-laced breeze teased a flock of waterfowl inland to rush overhead in a frantic, squawking V. He loved this land. Ever since their little band had settled here nine years ago, he felt they had found the closest thing to paradise the world could offer. With hard work and patience they had carved beauty and function and even, he fancied, gratefulness from the rescued terrain that had responded to careful cultivation, rewarding them with a dwelling that flowed with plenty.

For the most part, their borders had been peaceful. Beyond the occasional wandering wild animals and their constant struggle with nature’s unpredictability, they had dwelt unmolested, well fed, and content.

Adam and Eve insisted their animal sacrifice was all the protection they needed, while Kal, who had the deepest reverence for their worship, never relaxed his guard.

Rapha’s own views fell between the two. Yes, the sacrificial lamb held back Lucifer’s claim, and evil required constant vigilance. Once again he sensed the brooding tension of those last days in Eden. In their years of apparent peace, reports had continued to reach his ears, mostly from the ravens who knew no borders, of men of immense size who fought and conquered, then destroyed all within their grasp. Thus he knew Lucifer’s breeding program flourished.

Rapha longed to forget their enemy, to focus only on their flourishing family and rich harvests. He could hope Lucifer would forget his seed born to Eve but Rapha was too well acquainted with Lucifer’s ways to accept complacency. Rapha had no doubt Lucifer knew of Cain and Abel, of their height and strength that proved their angelic lineage. And though Rapha no longer held counsel with the heavenly host, he could read the stars and understand the overriding mood of nature that pointed to the same conclusion: Their little corner of this land was an island in the midst of a fast-rising sea of evil.

He took a deep breath, cleansing his mind of Lucifer’s threat as his eyes swept the valley’s horizon.

“Never let him steal the ‘Now,’” Adonai’s words from the garden again resounded in Rapha’s heart. For this moment, this sweet breath of fresh day with the rim of sunlight peeking over the edge of their land, Rapha would enjoy the hum of bees, the musky scent of freshly tilled soil, and the warmth of morning’s first light on his face.

Soon he expected to hear Cain and Abel’s young voices raised in the excitement of continuing rivalry. What would today’s challenge be? Throwing the spear for distance? Perhaps target practice with the same? Last week it had been wrestling and footraces. The strapping lads were constantly inventing new ways to compete.

Such had been the way of things since their birth when the two were lifted from Eve’s womb seemingly interrupted in a struggle for supremacy, a struggle that almost cost Abel his life. How the three men had cried out to Adonai in that crucial hour and how grateful they had been when both mother and second-born babe had recovered.

Day by day the lads had flourished, consuming more food than Rapha could have imagined. Long and lean, both boys possessed handsome faces, abundant hair, and razor-sharp minds that quickly grasped and mastered any new skill. But they differed in other aspects. Cain’s hair was lighter, containing the hues of sand and sun-bleached wheat while Abel’s was deep brown with burnished streaks of copper. Both kept their long hair secured in braids for ease and simplicity. Thus far the boys were humble regarding their beautiful faces and perfect bodies since they were only nine and did not concern themselves with such things. Besides, except for Kal, others in their lives were also tall and perfectly proportioned. Cain was broader, thicker of muscle and bone while Abel remained slightly taller and more slender. In this way each was built for a different type of strength. Cain excelled in contests based on brute force and distance while Abel bested his brother in endurance and accuracy.

When they had outgrown wrestling with their mother, they roughhoused with Adam and Kal (who could get the upper hand with dirty tricks). Rapha remained slightly taller and broader in build, but the boys were growing at an alarming rate. If the size of Cain and Abel’s feet were any indication, they would soon be at least two heads taller than Rapha. Even now he refused to wrestle with the lads since, if put to the test, he possessed the maturity of self-control, but the twins, Cain in particular, threw off all restraint in order to win.

This fact marked one of the overriding differences between the boys. Abel had an uncanny connection to the emotions of others while Cain viewed most emotions as weakness. The thought of being the cause of another’s pain was unconscionable to Abel. Rapha felt this was one of the reasons the animals in Abel’s care trusted the boy so implicitly. Cain, on the other hand, had his mother’s love of growing things and reserved his empathy for them. He reveled in the backbreaking labor of tilling the stubborn soil and nourishing the crops, trying to improve them year-by-year. He doted on his vines, trees and stalks just as carefully as Abel cared for his flocks, with an instinctive, protective, practically maternal attachment. In fact, one thing sure to puff Cain’s chest with pride, almost as much as besting his brother in physical contests, was a compliment at mealtime comparing his handiwork to the unsurpassed fruits of Eden.

If only… Rapha caught himself. Once again he was wishing Cain could be more like his brother. Abel was a happy lad, whistling through his days and bringing cheer while Cain tended to be moody. Abel took worship of Adonai more seriously and begged to hear Adam and Eve’s stories of dwelling in the garden over and over, whereas Cain would appear distracted or even bored.

For Abel, it was simple to love and be loved. Not so for Cain who was easily angered and grew sulky when he was not the center of attention, which was often since Abel was a gifted jokester.

Rapha chuckled as he recalled Abel’s antics at a recent evening meal as he re-enacted Kal’s anger toward a butting ram. “Stupid beast!” The boy had imitated Kal’s gravely growl to perfection as he aimed a kick at the imaginary ram’s rump. When Abel had raced around the room, exaggerating Kal’s bow-legged pursuit of the unfortunate ram, even Kal had laughed until he cried.

Before the laughter had died, Cain had stalked from the room.


But the next morning it had appeared Cain’s foul mood had passed when he whooped with joy as his spear outdistanced Abel’s.

Thus, though each had their own strengths and areas of expertise, they tended to be evenly matched.

But their greatest rivalry was for their mother’s favor.

Eve reigned supreme in their eyes. One touch from her graceful hand or one smile of approval was their greatest reward; therefore, they pursued these tokens with even more determination than they ran their races. And if one ever felt the other had bested him for her regard, civil war was inevitable. Rapha tried to stay abreast of the twins’ moods so he could be on hand when tempers flared and fists began to fly, but they had become adept at cloaking their emotions and thoughts from him—a talent Rapha had only encountered in Lucifer—until they could sneak away and beat the fire out of each other without interruption.

Suddenly Rapha felt panic flow over him in a wave. “Cain! Abel!” Adam’s voice broke the morning’s peace. Rapha leapt to his feet, his mouth set into grim lines, as the familiar feeling of frustration and fear from the thoughts of Adam, Eve, and Kal crashed upon his mind. Those two rascals had run away—again.

As Rapha ran to join the search, he thought back to the first time Cain and Abel had snuck away in the night. For two harrowing days Adam and Rapha had sought Cain and Abel only to come upon them in the foothills of the mountains, hungry and wounded but glowing with pride because they had fought off a mountain cat. They were unrepentant about causing worry until Adam spoke of their mother. When they heard of Eve’s tears they had apologized profusely and submitted without a peep to Adam’s lashing of their backsides with a thin reed.

On the long journey home with the boys traipsing ahead rubbing their sore hindquarters, Adam had confided to Rapha his pride in Cain and Abel for their bravery but his concern for their curiosity. “I want to tell them the truth of their heritage but what will that do to them? Will they hate me? Will they become fascinated with Lucifer? How can we know the time is right?”

All good questions—for which Rapha had no easy answer.

He should have seen this coming, Rapha chided himself as he went through the motions of checking the boys’ favorite haunts—though his heart knew they were headed once more toward “the others” who dwelt beyond the mountains. Just the night before the boys had begged Kal to speak of the cities beyond the mountains where he used to dwell. He had indulged them, spiking the stories with plenty of battle strategy and intrigue to quench their boyish lust for adventure. Usually, after Kal’s reminiscence, the boys would press their father to take them on the long journey to Kal’s former home, to which their father always replied, “When you are a bit older.”

But not so last night. The two had thanked Kal for the stories without bringing up their usual request and had retired early.

Now, from all appearances, Cain and Abel, gone once again, had taken only skins of water, a bit of food, and their spears.

To add to their alarm, Eve had been tormented with dreams of winged beasts swooping from the heavens to snatch Cain and Abel. Adam said she had awoken screaming, convinced Lucifer had finally come for the boys and she would never see them again.

So Adam and Rapha packed a few essentials and set out quickly leaving behind a panicked Eve and the ever-faithful Kal. On they trudged, following the boys’ fresh trail out of the valley and up into the mountains, stopping for only a few hours each night for rest and a scant meal.

Even with such a pace, they did not catch up to Cain and Abel until the third day. They came around a bend to find the two boys perched upon a large rock, their eyes red-rimmed with fatigue but their minds clearly set on continuing the journey.

“We are not children anymore!” Cain insisted and, indeed, because they were tall enough to look their father in the eye, Adam could hardly argue the fact.

“We can take care of ourselves!” Abel chimed in. “Besides, how can we prepare to defend our lands if we have no idea of the enemy’s strength?”

“That’s right,” Cain added, building to his most convincing argument. “Is there something you think we’re not ready to see? Something you’re trying to hide? You have always said we should be honest with each other.”

Adam glared at his headstrong boys, then raised questioning eyes to Rapha who watched the proceedings with a wry smile. Adam did not even have to ask. His old friend was amused by how much the boys were acting like him in younger days. With a sigh Adam voiced one last protest.

“But your mother is sick with concern for you. She needs to know….”

“Right. So you go back to let her know we’re okay….”

“And we can continue on with Rapha.” Cain finished Abel’s thought.

Adam tried in vain to mask a smile at their well-rehearsed arguments. “So you want to be rid of me?”

“No, but Rapha has been here before and you haven’t.” Abel referred to Rapha’s tales of wandering these lands long before Adam was even born.

After a private conference, Adam and Rapha agreed to the boys’ plan, deciding a guided exploration was preferable to another boyish escape.

With one last admonishment from their father, the three watched Adam begin the solitary journey home. The boys’ excitement overflowed. They let out whoops of victory as they once more turned to delve further into the unknown. Rapha was struck with misgivings but their sense of adventure was contagious. He began to enjoy the holiday, revisiting the role of instructional guide to enthusiastic minds.

For their part, Cain and Abel were glad to have a guide who never failed to locate water and food. Exploring was much more fun when their stomachs were full. The boys were excellent marksmen with their spears. They rejoiced to have the challenge of hunting for survival or fending off a ferocious animal, although the latter did not happen often enough for their satisfaction; just a hungry she-wolf who tried to steal their felled duck in a barren mountain pass. (Rapha did not allow them to kill her, explaining she had a hungry litter of pups nearby.) The next day they intentionally left another duck at that spot. Also, when night began to fall in the mountain passes and a cold wind blew, they were immensely grateful for Rapha’s finesse in building a snug shelter.

Indeed, those quiet nights tucked into a lean-to of stripped bark or, when it was warm enough, a tent of their animal skin cloaks with a fire and fresh game roasting on long sticks, were the height of adventure for the boys who felt someone was finally treating them like men.

But, ten days into their journey, disaster struck.

They had been descending the mountain passes the day before and spied evidence of humans—the leavings of a campfire, footprints in soft ground. Therefore the boys, overflowing with excitement for their first glimpse of “others,” had been eager to press on as soon as the sky was gray. Before long, they were peering down into a wide valley.

For a long moment Cain and Abel were silent as their eyes darted, trying to absorb everything at once. Then Cain gasped and pointed. “There it is, the fortress where Kal told us their warriors stay.” At the same moment Abel discovered the huge, pillared arch carved into solid rock that marked the entrance to the place of sacrifice as well as the giant statues representing the gods they worshipped. Although the sun had still not risen, here and there people moved along wide pathways of shaped stone.

Rapha explained that, in an age long past, the large mound in the middle of the plain had been the center of worship and commerce. “The place where the people traded what they had for what they needed,” he explained.

“But that is only a flat mountain with grass on top,” Abel observed.

“Thus it has been for many lifetimes of men, but there was a day mighty pillars rose into the sky and a carved, ascending pathway flanked by fruit trees and enormous statues led from the floor of the valley.” Rapha pointed. “See the large stones at the base on the right? Note the rounded part sticking out. That is a portion of pillar. Unfortunately the path and stairs have long been covered by rock and soil but, ah!” Rapha drew their attention farther down the slope. “There, see the rectangular shape? That stone was part of the foundation.”

Cain made a snorting noise, “You would have us believe these men moved that stone, the one as large as our family’s dwelling, to the top of that mountain?”

“The people possessed skill in artistry and construction but they also had among them men of great stature to whom these feats were simple.”

The boys exchanged dubious glances.

“I will tell you something I told your father many years ago, ‘Just because you cannot imagine something does not make it untrue.’”

Again Cain snorted.

“You find this difficult to believe?”

“Our father,” Cain mumbled.

“How large?” Abel cut in quickly, “The men… how large were they?”

Rapha answered Abel’s question even as he studied Cain’s sneer out of the corner of his eye. “Various sizes. Some were three and even four times your height but such stature put incredible demands upon their bodies, therefore the length of their lives was greatly diminished. In truth, they were worshipped for what was a weakness. If their breeding had continued without interruption, if their wars and cruelty had not been checked, all men in that ancient time would have ceased to exist.”

“But the fire from heaven came,” Abel murmured.

“Yes. And much that was good and much that was evil perished.” Rapha paused, his eyes once more seeing the carnage and chaos of that day, his ears recalling the shrieks of man and beast as the stench of their scorched flesh rose to the heavens.

A hand was on Rapha’s shoulder… a hand that stretched into his soul, entering the painful memory with him. He looked up at Abel whose eyes were shut, a grimace of pain on his young face. Abel’s eyes flew open and he jerked his hand away. For a long moment they regarded each other.

Obviously, Abel’s ability to read another’s emotions went much deeper than Rapha had realized. But this was not the time to discuss that talent because what Abel had absorbed had left him gasping and pale with horror.

“What did you see?” Cain asked.

But Abel ignored his brother, his eyes fixed on the high mound in the middle of the valley. “Why?” he whispered. “Why did Adonai destroy them?”

“The lore of their people teaches that Adonai sent the cataclysm—but this is not true. The fire that fell from the sky was of Lucifer’s making.”

“How do you know this?” Cain’s expression was suspicious.

“Because I was there,” Rapha said as he stared toward a tower of stone across the valley.

Someone in that tower was focusing a fixed, intent look their way. “We have been seen,” he said as the sound of a ram’s horn echoed from the rocks around them.

“Come,” Rapha pulled both boys down beside him and moved to propel them uphill but Cain and Abel’s bodies were stiff, their mouths gaping, their eyes fixed on movement in the valley.

Rapha followed their gaze.

What he beheld filled his heart with dread.

Men armed for battle were emerging from the rock fortress, their feet stepping in tandem as they filed out, ten abreast, line after line. But for Cain, Abel, and Rapha, it was the one who led this procession who demanded their attention.

The young man was beautiful. Clad only in a short leather garment that covered his loins, and leather wrappings for his feet that extended up to his knees, the perfection of his form could not be denied. His bearing was proud—chin lifted, back and shoulders straight—as he strode before the other soldiers.

Just then the sun’s first rays shot through a cleft in the surrounding mountain range and lit a golden circlet on his brow. For a moment the young man stood still, basking in the glow, tossing back long waves of hair that matched his crown.

Then he turned his head toward them and, despite the light shining into his face, he locked eyes with Rapha.

Immediately Rapha’s mind was under siege. The infiltration was backed by absolute confidence, the brash assurance of one who has never been denied, one who has never met his equal, one who never expects to apprehend anyone or anything as magnificent as himself. As if the young man grasped his throat in a vice grip, it took all Rapha’s strength to simply expand his lungs and breathe.

“I know you,” the young man’s mind spoke, “you are the fool who rejected my father’s friendship.”

Rapha’s mind raced. My father?

The reality crashed in. Lucifer had secured Adam’s seed. With it the fallen angel had crafted this superior being.

“Yes. You know it is true.”

“Who is he?” Cain asked.

“I will explain later. Come,” Rapha said as the young man on the plain shouted the order for his men to advance. But the voice was wrong, too high-pitched, too… young.

Of course, this one could be no older than Cain and Abel yet his proportions were manly and body hair covered his limbs and chest.

With an unexpected wave of pity Rapha probed the leader’s mind.


A heavy weight bore down on his chest. It was all up to him. He was the chosen one. He must be perfect. He must endure the cruel training and the foul-smelling drinks and the isolation from other children. He was not like them. Their inferiority would taint him. He was called “Ish-el.”

He was the only one of his kind. He was lonely.

He was… scared.

A shriek of outrage erupted from the golden-haired leader. Rapha was shoved with such force out of the young man’s thoughts he was thrown to the ground. Cain and Abel blinked down at him in surprise.

“I should not have done that. I have angered him,” Rapha said as he once more started up the mountain path.

Rapha had taken no more than two steps when another howl of anger, this accompanied by shouted curses and insults, echoed up from the leader. One look at Cain’s face gave the reason for the second outburst.

“I did it!” Cain exclaimed. “I’ve never tried it from a distance…” he looked from Rapha to Abel, elation lighting his features, “ha! It worked!”

But the golden-haired leader was running across the plain in their direction, all semblance of decorum abandoned, while the men behind him followed, trying to maintain their lines.

“You inserted thoughts? From here? I could not throw a rock that far.” Abel observed, his expression eager, his hand reaching to give Cain’s back a congratulatory slap. “What did you tell him?”

But Cain pulled away. “Oh no. Your secrets first.”

“What?” Abel asked.

“Tell me Rapha’s memories you saw earlier or I won’t….”

“Can you argue as we run please?” Rapha said, grabbing the boys by the forearms and propelling them ahead of him.

“Do we have to run? Do we have to be their enemies?” Abel looked back with longing toward the plain where the leader had reached the rocks at the bottom of the mountain.

“If you had visited his mind,” Rapha scrambled up a steep ravine, “you would know he plans to carve us into pieces.”

“That is a shame,” Cain said. “He would be so fun to tease.”

“Please tell what you said to him,” Abel begged.

“Well, alright.” Cain shot a smug smile toward his brother as he grasped a vine and heaved himself up through thick undergrowth. “I just told him I had not known the women here were so beautiful,” he paused to snicker, “with their long, gold hair and bare chests.”

As both boys burst into laughter another shriek of rage rang out from behind.

“You are not helping,” Rapha began as two long blasts from a horn again split the early-morning chill. Rapha paused to draw in the thoughts of their pursuant once more. “That was a call to outlying guards,” he ducked down and pointed toward a hill topped by trees. “Right there. We must hurry before we are surrounded.”

“What did you find out from his thoughts?” Cain whispered as he followed Rapha into a cluster of straight trunks and prickly undergrowth that buffered the noise of their passage. “Who is he?”

Rapha took a deep breath and searched their young faces. “He is your brother.”

Both boys appeared to stop breathing. They stared at Rapha with matching stunned expressions. Immediately though, Cain’s face flushed with anger while Abel turned to look back the way they had come.

A fierce baying broke out behind them followed by answering barks in the direction of the hill Rapha had pointed out. “Come. Quickly.”

For several minutes there was nothing but scrambling for hand- and footholds. On one short but sheer cliff they were again able to climb by utilizing strong vines, which Rapha then ripped from the ground and tossed over the edge. “That will at least be difficult for the dogs,” he commented before plunging up through a tight gorge of loose rock that gave way as they climbed.

Finally they came to another cliff but this time no convenient vines were in sight. “I will go first,” Rapha instructed as he began the inch-by-inch effort. “Follow my hands and feet exactly,” he said through gritted teeth as every muscle strained. There were a few complaints as rock and dirt dislodged to fall on those behind but soon Rapha was reaching a hand to assist Abel over the edge. When he reached for Cain, however, the boy ignored his outstretched hand, insisting on gaining the last few feet unassisted even though his muscles quivered as he clung, cheek pressed against the rock, veins standing out on his forehead with the effort. At last, Rapha reached under Cain’s shoulders and hauled him out of danger, though the boy shook free as soon as he was on solid ground.

As they rested, puffing and blowing to regain their breath, Rapha took note of Cain’s tight jaw and clenched hands. He also noticed when the boys’ eyes met. Cain’s narrowed and Abel’s widened in response to the unspoken communication.

Rapha broke the silence. “We have a moment to talk if you do not mind including me in your discussion.”

Cain glared at Rapha. “Why should we? You will just tell us more lies.”

“When have I lied to you?”

Cain opened his mouth to speak but Abel placed a hand on his shoulder. Another look was shared between them, then Cain turned away.

“Tell us about the prince,” Abel interjected. “Why did you say he is our brother?”

“When Lucifer deceived your father and mother in the garden, he secured Adam’s seed. From that seed he has bred this ‘Ish-el.’”

“Who is his mother?” Abel asked.

“That I cannot say but Lucifer and his followers have knowledge of how to manipulate the elements of life. Instead of Adonai’s simple plan of one man and one woman creating life out of mutual love, Lucifer toys with the seed and the egg, creating new species and undermining the stability of Adonai’s plan. It appears, with Ish-el, Lucifer joined Adam’s seed with angelic flesh. Though it may be hard to understand, my guess is that Lucifer, in his lust to create a ruler in his image, injected his own essence into Adam’s seed. In this way, he is Ish-el’s mother—even if the babe was implanted in a woman until birth. This boy is able to read others’ thoughts, he has grown to full maturity in half the time of other men, and his strength, height, beauty, and intelligence surpass all in his acquaintance.”

“So he is the best of angels and men? That doesn’t sound so bad.” Cain observed.

“But he is lost between those worlds. He will never fully belong to either—so, even though he conquers all, he is alone.”

“As we are.” Cain stated, “Neither of us has known our true father.”

“It matters not from whose loins you came. You have a father who loves you for more than your height and strength, a mother who taught you kindness and compassion, and a brother who understands you—a true family. All are gifts Ish-el has never been given, things he will never understand.”

Abel shut his eyes, his head cocked to one side as if listening. “You are right. He has never known a mother.”

“Perhaps that is for the best,” Cain spat the words, “love is weakness. To trust someone is to allow them to hurt you.”

Rapha stiffened as if Cain’s words were blows. “Who taught you those words? Is there something you need to tell me?”

Both boys were silent. Abel kept his gaze on the ground while Cain stared back at Rapha, eyes cold, chin lifted in defiance.

Rapha hit the issue head-on. “When did you meet Lucifer?”

“Wha… I don’t—” Cain sputtered.

“Do not lie to me. That is not what your father and mother have taught you.”

“Our father?” Cain’s face flushed with anger. “Our life has been a lie! We have been kept from our true father, the one who would make us stronger… like Ish-el.”

“Cain, lower your voice.”

“What? Are you afraid we’ll draw his attention—our brother?” The boy’s angry voice continued to rise in volume.

“Come. We will discuss this when we are out of danger,” he put a hand on Cain’s shoulder and tried to move him from the cliff’s edge but the boy struggled and yanked away. The anger on Cain’s face, however, changed to fright when he slipped on the rocks and toppled backwards. In horror, Rapha and Abel watched Cain hit a small outcropping with a thud and then continue to roll and slide down the steep slope.

“Cain!” Abel shrieked and began to climb down, almost tumbling as well. With Rapha beside him, he raced to the spot where Cain, one arm and leg sprawled at a strange angle, lay among thorny bushes at the bottom of a ravine.

Blood pooled beneath the boy’s head but he was breathing. Rapha set about cleansing the head wound. The boy’s heartbeat was weak and his eyes, when he came to with a moan, were unfocused. With the sounds of pursuit closing in, Rapha instructed the boy to hide.

There were times the abilities of his human body that yet recalled angelic ways was a mystery to him. Usually Rapha felt limited, caged by his inability to fly or shift at will through time and space.

But this moment was an exception.

As Rapha cried out to Adonai and tore strips of cloth from his own garment to bind the boy’s wounds, he was aware of three separate realities playing a vital role in this moment. There was, of course, Cain’s blood flowing over his fingers but, as if a portion of his consciousness had flown back down the hill, he could see men studying the ground under the trees where he, Cain and Abel had crouched moments before. They shouted and others convened with them then looked up the hill. They were coming.

But, just as clearly, though he was at least seven days’ journey from home, Rapha could see Eve rising from her bed to pace the floor. She was outside the house crying, staring toward the mountains. Then she was striding away from the house, increasing to a run, with the dog, Eden, keeping pace with her.

Even as Rapha tightened a strip of cloth to slow Cain’s loss of blood, the two other scenes continued; the men, crouched over, following the trail below them; and Eve who was now stopped by Eden, doggy eyes sad but determined as she blocked Eve’s path. Into the scene ran Adam and Kal. “Something is wrong!” Eve’s lips said though Rapha could not hear the sound. Adam put an arm around Eve’s shoulder and tried to pull her toward the house but she would not budge. “They are in danger. I can feel it,” she wriggled herself from Adam’s grasp.

As Adam held out beseeching hands and Eve continued to shake her head, Kal stepped between them. Rapha did not need to hear Kal to know that his voice would be quiet and gentle as when he soothed a frightened animal. Soon it was obvious Kal had brought calm to the strained situation as the three knelt down in the grass.

Now a fourth realm opened before Rapha’s eyes. He was surrounded. The men from the valley were fanning up the mountain and closing in from all sides… but they could not see the shining ones, Rapha’s friends and brothers who glowed brighter by the second.

“Abba, Adonai!” Rapha whispered as his fingers probed the wound on the back of Cain’s head. The skull was cracked. “Abba, Adonai!” Rapha said again, beseeching Adonai’s intervention. Heat flowed through his fingers and heaven’s language poured from his lips.

He heard a voice raised in triumph. The men had discovered Abel.

But heaven’s speech continued to flow as Rapha’s hands pressed against Cain’s head and Adonai’s power coursed through him. There were whispers on the wind, the familiar voices of Adam, Eve, and Kal mingled with heaven’s battle cry. A warm breath rushed past his cheek, then raced with tumbling leaves up into the sky and back to the ground to surge away in all directions, building to a screeching gale that drove branches and rocks before it.