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Book: The Sons Of God - Page 12

"Watch."
Yakirta was in front of the row of maidens counting pebbles while an assistant recorded each amount he was given. When the last number was recorded, he stopped and spoke quietly to a petite maiden with dark brown hair. She stepped forward and gave her pebbles away. Yakirta continued to eliminate maidens until five were left.
"Are you sure Father? If she doesn't win, the whole city will know she lost and I"ll lose her forever."
"I"m sure."
Once again Yakirta counted the pebbles in each pouch. This time, he stood in front of a maid with honey colored hair that hung to her waist, and gently took her bag of pebbles leaving four maidens including Stele's. No one heard Stele's sigh of relief because the crowd was cheering wildly.
"First Sentinel, this is Stele."
"First Sentinel."
"Give us continuous thunder until Second Sentinel has risen with the maidens."
Onam and his three sons waited until the thunder was heard and the people began to drop to their knees, then started back through the tunnel toward their rotor bird.
Stele called again. "Second Sentinel, this is Stele."
"Second Sentinel."
"Pick up the maidens behind the stage, and remember to stay low when you leave."
The four maidens were told to rise. They faced Yakirta and a closed curtain. Thunder and the glow of daylight came from an open doorway behind them. Yakirta spoke, "Fear not. Walk toward the light, and you will be taken up." He held each maidens hand for a moment, "You are the chosen. Go and be with your God and bear him many children."
The great rotor was turning and Stele was concentrating on his flight-knowledge table when Second Sentinel touched earth to pick up the maidens. Both rotor birds rose and flew back up the river.
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"Now for the food."
"Seifu, all you ever think about is your stomach."
"Stele, I"m still thinking about the same thing. I saw your thoughts change from rotorbirds to a petite red-haired maiden with long eye lashes and a sprinkle of small brown spots on her nose."
Onam walked over and interrupted, "Seifu did you find the maidens pretty today?"
"Yes, Father. Are we having roast lamb?"
"Seifu, do you realize one of those maidens is yours?"
"Yes, Father. I'm taking her flying this afternoon, but first I want to eat."
"You won't have much time to fly unless you leave the party early. We're leaving before sunrise tomorrow to make earth drawings of the rest of Kynon. All three of you are to be at the bird ready to fly long before sunrise. I want to finish the earth drawings tomorrow so my army can plan our attack and occupation.
First Sentinel rolled to a stop at his ground tie just as Second Sentinel came to earth. The rotors began to slow, doors opened, and Second Sentinel helped the maidens to the earth and stood them side by side. They watched as four Gods walked toward them dressed in black flight raiments with gold trim, black boots and black head shields. Three of the maidens had nervous smiles. But the one with brown spots sprinkled on her nose was a pale color, and stood staring off into space. Onam, Seifu, and Habtamu, took the first three maidens by the hand to lead them into the compound. As Stele took his maidens hand she fell into a lumpy heap on the earth. Second Sentinel reached down to gently pick her up. "She became sick during the flight. She'll be all right. Show me her room so I can lay her down."
"Bring her this way." Stele led the way opening doors and clearing people out of the way. "Put her down here and find my mother for me."
Second Sentinel left and Stele knelt beside the mat to loosen the maidens robe. Maya came in with a wet cloth and Alemu was right behind her with a large woven fan. "You go on out to the party. We'll take care of her."
"Mother, I..."
"No argument! You"re in the way. We'll get her back on her feet."
"In time for the welcome party?"
"In time. Now out with you. Go!"

God Sons Book

Out in the garden colored streamers and flags flew in the breeze. The smell of young roast bull, and lamb, from the great cooking fires was strong. Children of all ages were everywhere playing games, and laughter filled the air. The women were busy making the last preparations, and long rows of tables were filled with food. The celebration of the new maidens was the biggest party of the year. Habtamu found Stele and Seifu making turning and climbing motions with their hands as they discussed important points of flying with younger sentinels.
"Is she all right, Stele?"
"Probably. Second Sentinel said she got sick on the way back. Maya and Alemu ran me out as soon as I got her to her room. Where are the other three maidens?"
"We haven't decided which one we want yet, so Seifu took them to the common room to wait."
The young men stood talking until Maya found them, "Stele, she's a little weak but she's all right. She's with the other maidens now."
"Thank you, Mother."
"I understand you picked this maiden before the voting started?"
"Yes, Mother."
"She's beautiful. Look, they're walking on the high place now. Let's see who the other three maidens go to."
Onam took the stage with the four maidens. It had been his pleasure every year to pass possession of the maidens to the new owner, much like his father had. "Today we welcome four new members to our community. Two will be given by lot to Seifu and Habtamu. I"ll take one as I always do. Stele couldn't wait and picked his early."
A roar of laughter rose from the crowd.
"Stele, will you come up and claim your new wife?"
Slele climbed to the high place, walked across and took the hand of the beauty he had chosen, then turned to face the crowd. A roar went up that changed to applause as Stele smiled. His new wife smiled ever so slightly, then blushed till her skin and hair almost matched, and dropped her eyes to gaze at the floor. This pleased the crowd so that they roared again with laughter and continued their applause. When the noise finally died down the new couple stepped back.
Onam stepped forward to continue the ceremony. "As in years past, when the maidens are all beautiful, and the men to receive them can't make up their minds, couples are chosen completely by chance. Each man will take from the table on my right a chest of myrtle wood. The maidens will pick from the chests on my left. In each maidens chest is a small golden statue of a female animal. Each mans chest has a male animal that matches one of the maidens animals. Until the chest is opened no one knows what animal they hold. The maidens will pick first. Take care not to drop your chest. The animals are solid gold set with precious stones. They are my wedding gift to you. The Abyssinian fox has been given to Stele and his new wife. Now the maidens will each chose their box."
The three maidens reached one at a time to take a matching chest, knowing that in just moments they would know who their new husband would be.
"Now the men will pick a chest." Seifu picked, then Habtamu stepped forward to take his.
"My bride will keep my statue and hers as my gift to her. Open your chests and match your animals."
Maiden brides and two handsome young men wasted no time lifting their golden gifts from the box and finding their match. The third maiden felt honored that her husband was god himself. The four couples held hands and faced the crowd whose applause was loud but short. The food servers were waiting.
"Yetbarek, did you inspect the young bull and lamb before they were butchered."
"Yes, Onam, I did."
"There were no blemishes of any kind?"
"They were perfect, just as you commanded."
"Did the people preparing this food have any blemishes or open sores?"
"I found them perfect and clean."
Large gold serving platters were heaped high with fire roasted young bull and lamb. Golden bowls full of fruit of the field were on every table. Between these were gold plates of baked flour mixed with oil, cereal fried on a griddle, then broken in pieces and oil poured on it, flour deep fried in oil, and fresh grits of new ears of grain roasted by fire.
Onam sat at the head table with Maya on his right, and his new bride on his left. The first chair on his left belonged by tradition to Alemu, but she sat in the second chair one day a year so that each new bride could have her day of glory. On either side of his first two wives were several he had taken through the years sitting in order according to their seniority. As he ate he looked at the people surrounding him and thought the only thing he could want more of in this life was gold. He had taken as offerings all the gold his people possessed, so if he wanted more, he would have to look elsewhere. He had listened intently any time gold was mentioned and all the stories seemed to point north to Egypt and Kynon. Egypt was out of the question at this time. Their army was too big and too well organized. Kynon was the answer.
As they ate Maya spoke quietly to Onam. "Your new wife is rather small and pretty. Not at all the worker I had hoped for."

Book: The Sons Of God Revealed Bible The

Onam pretended he hadn't heard. "Seifu would you find Jorham? I need to talk to him."
"Yes, Father." Seifu walked away holding hands with his new possession.
"Excuse me, Father."
Onam was glad for the interuption. "Stele, your not leaving already?"
"My bride became sick in the rotor bird, and she still isn't feeling well. I'm going to put her on a sleeping mat. Father, my new wife told me something you should know."
"Is it important? I need to talk to Jorham."
"Father, she says one of the maidens on the high place this afternoon was a harlot from Chamos."
"Jorham, did you know this?"
"I just heard."
"How far away is this city?"
"About twenty days march."
"Arm every man in our city eighteen summers and older. Wipe Chamos from the face of the earth. Put every man, woman, and male child to the sword. Bring back what virgins you might find, and bring back all the animals, silver, gold and precious stones. And Jorham..."
"Yes, Onam."
"Remember, do not leave anything alive in Chamos."
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Jorham sent Yakirta and fifteen thousand armed warriors against Chamos and killed every male among them. But they kept the women and small children of Chamos as captives, and all their herd animals and flocks as booty. Jorham was very angry with Yakirta and the company commanders, who were returning from the war. "You have brought back all the women! The older women of Chamos are what was causing our trouble. Kill all the mothers and male children, but you can keep all maidens who have not known man."
After a pause Jorham continued. "Yakirta, you shouldn't need to be reminded, but I will. Follow Onam's after the battle rules as you have been taught. Anyone who killed in battle or touched a dead person has to stay outside the city for seven days until you are purified. Keep your virgins with you until they are purified. You will also purify every article of cloth, leather, goats hair or wood. Whatever can stand fire, such as gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin and lead put in the fire until it's clean. Whatever cannot stand fire will be washed with water. On the seventh day wash your raiments. Then you will be clean enough to enter the city.
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Jorham and Yakirta took a count of the human captives and beasts that were taken and gave half to those who fought in Chamos, and half to the rest of the community. This booty which the soldiers had taken, amounted to 525,000 sheep, 82,000 cattle, 41,000 donkeys, and 31,000 maidens who were still virgins. The half that belonged to the army was: 262,500 sheep, of which 525 fell as tax to Onam, 41,000 cattle, of which 164 fell as tax to Onam; 20,500 asses, of which 41 fell as tax to Onam; and 15,500 virgins, of whom 31 fell as tax to Onam.
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Onam and Jorham lingered one evening after their meal enjoying a last goblet of wine. "Onam did I ever tell you about the city Yakirta found on the Chamos campaign?"
"I heard about several. Which one are you talking about?"
"Jazer. He came close enough to see it in the late afternoon and marched on into the dark before making camp to get far away from it. Harlots walk the streets during the day. Men lie together as with a woman. The dead and dying lie in the streets."
"Is there any gold there?"
"Yakirta talked to an old shepherd that has been selling wool and meat there for years. He sells less every year because they have little to trade with."
"Tell Yakirta I want to leave at first light to see Jazer for myself. Wear shepherds raiments. We"ll learn more if we don't go in as gods. I want to fly close and walk the rest of the way. Tell one of the sentinels to prepare the small rotor bird for sunrise tomorrow"
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"Sehon was sitting in his tent at mid-day when he looked up and saw four men walking toward him. He got to his feet and walked out to meet them and said, "Yakirta, you have returned. Please stop and rest awhile. Let me bring some water to cool you in the shade of the trees. I will bring food and after we have visited you can continue on your way.
Yakirta was pleased the old shepherd had remembered him. "Bring the food Sehon. We will rest awhile."
Sehon told his wife to prepare some cakes, then went to the flock, selected his best lamb and told his servant to prepare it for roasting. He brought them cakes and roast lamb, then watched them eat in the shade of the tree. When they finished, Sehon walked a little way with them.
"Yakirta why would you want to go to Jazer after all I have told you?"
"Should I tell him Onam?"
"He doesn't appear to be part of Jazer. Tell him."

Page 12 God Sons Book

"We"re going in to see if it's as bad as you say. If it is we"re going to destroy the city. When it happens you"ll have to be far away."
Sehon touched his face to the earth. "Yakirta, my son lives there. He doesn't approve of their wicked ways. Will you spare him?"
"Give us his name. We"ll try to find him."
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As Onam, Jorham and Yakirta walked through the city they inquired about Sehon's son.
"Kemuel these men are looking for you."
A man sitting apart from the rest rose and walked toward them. Jorham asked, "Are you Sehon's son?"
The man answered quietly, "I am Sehon's son Kemuel. Let us go to my house to talk. This is not a safe place for strangers." He led them quickly through the dirty city streets often walking around the bodies of drunk, or maybe dead people. The smell of garbage and death was strong in the air. Most of the houses looked alike, dirty white with flat roofs. As they approached a place where streets crossed they could hear many people shouting and screams of rage. As they crossed the open space they looked to their left to see a crowd of ragged people gathered around two men fighting. Kemuel shouted over the noise, "We must hurry!"
Onam kept looking back and felt for the lump under his shepherds robe. "Jorham did you and Yakirta bring your hand weapons?" Both men nodded yes.
They had just crossed another street when Kemuel stopped to beat on a door. "It is me, Kemuel. Let me in!" He waited a few moments then beat on the door again and screamed, "Let me in!" The door swung wide and the five men stumbled inside.
Before their eyes adjusted to the dim light in the room a female voice asked in fear, "Who are these men?"
"They are friends of my father. They have come to see this terrible place we live in. Prepare them some food. I"m sure they are hungry."
The four men ate and rested but they could not relax. Onam wondered aloud, "Kemuel how do you make your living here?"
"I have a small market by the gate to the city where I sell my fathers wool and meat. It's not much but we manage to stay alive."
"Kemuel, I have heard that the city of Aroer is as bad as Jazer."
"As bad or worse."
"This place is much worse than Sehon thinks it is."
"He doesn't live here. He doesn't see what you have seen. Shhh. Listen."
They began to hear the voices of many men outside the door. Someone banged on the door and a loud voice said, "We saw you with strangers Kemuel. Bring them out so we can have our way with them."
Kemuel went out the door, shut it quickly behind him, and said, "Please, don't do this. I have three virgin daughters. I"ll give them to you if you leave my friends alone."
But they said, "Get out of the way. They came in as strangers and you would stop us! Why, we will treat you worse than we do them!" They pushed Kemuel aside and tried to break in the door. Yakirta and Jorham reached out and pulled Kemuel back inside, but during the moment the door was open a blue light radiated around the men outside and they fell to the ground.
Onam put his hand on Kemuel's shoulder and asked, "Do you have any one else here? If you have sons, daughters or grandchildren, get them out because we are going to destroy this place."
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Kemuel went to talk to his intended sons-in-law and said, "Leave this place. They are going to destroy the city." But they thought he was making fun.
Onam led his men with Kemuel and his family through the darkness to the road outside the city gates and told them, "Flee to the hills and don't stop!"
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Onam and Jorham climbed into the dark rotor bird and took the front control seats. Yakirta and a sentinel climbed in behind them. Valves were turned and levers adjusted making the rotor start to turn. Lights came on as the bird came to life, then lifted into the air going away from the city.
"Sentinel One, This is Onam."
"Sentinel One."
"Destroy the cities."
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The sun had not yet risen when fire erupted down on Jazer and Aroer. The cities, the people, the dwellings, and even the plants were destroyed. Kemuel had had to force his oldest daughter to leave her betrothed. She was just outside the city gates when she broke away from Kemuel to return. He called her name, but she never looked back. He had no choice but to leave her to burn with all the others he had known.

God Sons Book

Early the next morning Sehon came out of his tent and looked toward Jazer and Aroer. Smoke rising as from a giant fire.
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Kemuel lived in a cave in the hills with his two daughters because he was afraid to live in a city. His daughters were very lonely, so his oldest daughter said to the youngest, "There are no men in this land. Let's give our father too much wine to drink, then lie with him, that we may have children." When their father fell asleep drunk with wine, the oldest daughter went in, and lay with her father. The next day the oldest said to the youngest, "Let's give him more wine to drink tonight; then you can go in." So, again, they gave their father too much wine to drink, and the younger went in to him. Soon, both daughters were with child.
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"Stele, don't forget we're going up to Kynon first thing tomorrow. I want to leave early."
"I know. I'll be ready before sunrise. Which bird are we taking?"
"The six seat. You and Seifu can take turns flying. Habtamu can guide us with the earth drawings."
"You wanted to see me, Onam?"
"Yes, Jorham. When I looked over the throng in the coliseum at the Sacrifice of the Virgins this year I wondered for a moment if Tedla was there. I'm concerned that we"ve never found him. The population of his city has been with us for many summers, and we have no information on him at all, not one piece. He's never caused any trouble. None of the people even mention his name, but I have a feeling he's still here."
"I know. Almost a year after his city settled here I called all my most trusted overseers together and asked them to watch and listen for information about Tedla. I have all the sentinels looking for him. Maybe he was killed when you rained fire on his city."
"That's possible, but I still have a strange feeling when I'm close to a crowd of his people. It's like they're waiting for something to happen."
"We'll keep looking, Onam."
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It was going to be a beautiful day. The sun was beginning to light a cloudless sky. Onam had checked the big bird as soon as it was light and storage workers were preparing to make thunder on the right side. He looked again toward the bird storage and saw his three sons, all dressed alike walking toward him. "Stele you look sleepy."
"Sorry, Father. My wife is not well. It was almost sunrise when she finally fell asleep."
"We'll fly. You can sleep until we get there."
"Thanks, Father."
"Let's get in the bird. The sentinels are ready to start the left side."
Onam and Seifu took the control seats. Stele laid back in a passenger seat, closed his eyes and Habtamu laid out their latest earth drawings. He had marked their route the night before, and was checking it again when the engine noise changed from a high pitched whine to a muffled roar. He felt the motion as the big bird began to roll across the ground toward the end of the bird path, but didn't look up from the drawings. He was still looking at the earth drawings when he felt the bird turn to face into the wind.
Onam applied full power and a dust cloud boiled behind the bird as it began to gather speed. Halfway down the bird path he pulled gently back on the control and the nose wheel raised gracefully off the bird path pointing the firebirds nose into the blue. A heart beat later the rear wheels rose from the earth. The big firebird roared into the air leaving a thin trail of rolling black smoke as the wheels folded neatly out of sight. Several moments into the climb Onam tipped his left wing down to make a long graceful climbing turn to the north. The air was cool and smooth. Stele sat with his head back and eyes closed. Seifu watched as the stars winked out and the eastern horizon turned from light blue to white with the coming day. Habtamu didn't look up from the earth drawings. "Correct your direction slightly to the right."
Seifu answered, "Correcting right."
"What is it you're looking for in Kynon, Father?"
"Information. When I was here with your mother we didn't spend much time. I want to know how big it is, where the cities are, how many people there might be, and where the mountains, valleys, and rivers are."
"Why, Father?"
"We"re going to invade this land for it's gold. We're almost there. Wake Stele. I want all of you to watch the earth for bird paths."
"Landing fields, Father? Why?"
"If we see bird paths we"ll know these people fly. If they fly, that will change the invasion tactics. I want one of you on each side of the bird observing the earth. Seifu, drop down closer to the earth and fly east and west across this country moving farther north with each pass."
"Yes, Father."

Book: The Sons Of God

"Yes, Father."
When the sun was high, Onam and his sons had seen nothing but cities and fields. Nothing had looked remotely like a bird path. Habtamu had added many details. Villages, cities, rivers, mountains, and major roads had all been drawn in.
"We've seen enough. Let's climb back to travel crest and go home. Would one of you by the windows like to fly home?"
Stele and Habtamu eased themselves into the control seats while Onam and Seifu took the passenger seats and closed their tired eyes. "Fly south until you pick up the home signal, then follow it."
Onam dozed for a while, disturbed only by an occasional bump of rough air.

"Father, Father, wake up."
"What's wrong?"
"You better see for yourself. We're going to proper direction and should be receiving the home signal but we haven't found it. We've tried to call home but we get no answer."
By this time Onam was on his knees beside the control seats. "Look at that smoke!"
"We've been watching it. We're at long distance travel crest and it's a days walk wide and rises into the heavens above us."
"How far are we from home?"
"We"re almost there."
"It can only be one thing. Turn right and fly around the edge of the smoke."
"Father doesn't a grass fire have whiter smoke than that?"
"Yes and grass smoke doesn't go that high because it doesn't burn as hot as other fires. When we burned the city in the north to move the population the smoke was black like this is. That is a huge fire and very hot."
The four fell silent as they drew closer and flew around what had once been Lijalem's beautiful city. The temples, the homes and the trees were burned to ashes. Only a few houses at the edge of the city had not burned yet but were catching fire as they watched. Finally Onam broke the silence. "Nothing is moving down there. No people, no animals, nothing."
Stele slowed the bird and dropped down lower. "I see a few bodies in the streets where the houses haven't burned yet."
"Let's go back and land."
Stele saw them first. "Oh no, look at our birds. Every bird that was left outside has been burned."
Onam felt fear and anger. "Rise Stele. Don't come to earth yet."
Stele pushed the power control forward, pulled the nose up then raised the landing wheels and slow flight lifts.
"Fly around the area. Let's see what other damage has been done. Hold this crest."
Seifu had his face to the window. "The sky scan dish is lying face down."
"I don't see any sign of life around our entry doors. Father my new wife is in there!"
"Habtamu all our wives were in there. Stele fly a big circle around the fire. Let's see if we can find who did this."
Stele turned toward the edge of the smoke. "Don't get too close, the air above the fire would be a tempest. Stay at a distance."
"What are we looking for Father?"
"My guess is Tedla did this and he wouldn't leave with empty hands. He'll probably have people and flocks with him leaving a trail we can see from the air. There, there it is. Follow it Stele. They can't be far."
They saw the dust first, then the warriors that scattered in all directions when they heard the thunder.
"No don't turn yet Stele. Follow the trail. They'll have women and children and flocks up there somewhere." Out in front of the warriors the women and children scattered when they heard the bird but the herdsmen just kept moving the flocks like they hadn't heard. "All right, we know where they are. Let's go back home."
"Do you want to land this time father?"
"Yes. Come to earth this time."
"Father what are we going to do if they left warriors inside our compound? This bird is not a fighting bird and we don't have one weapon with us."
"Seifu, I guess we'll have to throw rocks. This is something I never expected. Stele, when we stop, leave the thunder on. I'm going to the bird storage door to see if any of our people are inside. If they did leave warriors behind, the three of you can get away."
Stele guided the big bird to the bird path side of the burned thunderbirds and stopped. As the door came down for Onam, the bird storage door started to roll open. He froze, then continued down as wives, children, friends, and sentinels poured out of the ever widening door. Maya ran, leading everyone, to throw her arms around her husband and sob with relief. Onam stood holding her and looking down at the ashes of his little bird.
"What happened Maya?"

Book Sons God - Page 12

"As soon as you rose this morning Yetbarek heard somebody banging on the bird storage door. When he asked who it was a child's voice started pleading to be let in. He told Yetbarek that Tedla was killing everybody, and burning everything. As Yetbarek opened the door, the child caught an arrow in the back. Yetbarek was narrowly missed as he closed, and bolted the door. We could hear them setting fire to the birds. Fire liquid containers were erupting, and they kept banging on the door with something heavy trying to get in. Yetbarek gave all the men hand weapons but there were so many of them. If they had broken in we wouldn't have made it."
"Our beautiful city is gone, burned to the ground."
"The temple too?"
"Everything. The things we have worked for so many years are gone except what we have right here. One passenger bird, and the three birds that were in the bird storage. Of course the
sentinels can build new birds and counsel equipment, but the army we were going to use to invade Kynon is gone along with all the animals. Where is Yetbarek?
"Over here."
"Onam what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to get even Maya."
"Yetbarek, are both attack birds ready to fly?"
"They're ready."
"Load the inferno eruption on my bird. Set the delay for sixty moments. Load yours with fire arrows."
Yetbarek started barking orders, and sentinels began to move birds outside.
"Who are you taking with you?"
"I'd like you to go, Yetbarek. You can help me get even for Lijalem. Tedla killed our dream. Maya have you seen Jorham?"
"Just a few moments ago. I'll find him."
"Tell him to get everyone inside and latch the doors. Tell him not to open the door until he hears us come back."
"How long will you be gone?"
"Just long enough to find Tedla's camp fires. Where did Yetbarek go?"
"I heard him tell one of the sentinels he was going in to put his flight raiments on."
"Maya would you help Jorham?"

Onam climbed the ladder, waved to Maya, then pulled on his head shield as he stepped down into the control seat. Maya watched as the wind armor rolled forward and latched. A loud, low hum started and began to rise in pitch. When the sound became a scream, a muffled eruption came from the tail and orange flame was just visible. As Onam started to roll, Yetbarek climbed toward his control seat. Jorham was latching the doors as the two birds reached the end of the bird path and turned into the wind.
. "Ready, Yetbarek?"
"Ready."
"Lets go."
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For the first time in years no knee touched the ground and no head bowed when the thunder of the Gods came from this bird path. "What are you planning, Onam?"
"Yetbarek, I asked you to come for two reasons. I want to frighten them so bad they're shaking when they die and I need you for help if anything goes wrong. Let's stay in this area a short time until it gets a little darker. Tedla is a very short flight from here. What I want you to do is come in just above the earth and go straight up over their camp fires with full power. They'll know for a moment something bad is about to happen. I'll stay up high until you tell me your clear, then drop the eruption. Let's make our turn now and watch for the camp fires."
As the moments passed, Onam thought of Lijalem, and was glad he had not lived to see this day and the end of his dream.
"Yetbarek interrupted the silence. "We have camp fires ahead."
"I see them Yetbarek. Do a left half turn and loose your crest. I'll climb to meet you over the camp fires."
"I understand Onam."
"Yetbarek the fires are going out. They've heard us and they're killing their fires. We won't be able to tell where they are."
"Forget the low flight. I'm going to drop as soon as I'm high enough. Where are you?"
"I'm far enough away and climbing. Go ahead with the drop."
"Just a few more moments...I"ve made the drop."
A light so bright Onam could see the bones in his hand lit the night sky. Onam's bird was thrown like a cork in an ocean storm. Fire poured out of the heavens. Humans, animals, and plants were destroyed for a days walk in every direction.
"Onam are you all right?"

Book Sons God The Bible Revealed - Page 12

"I got bumped around pretty good, but I"m still flying."
"I"m coming to earth. See you when you get back."
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Yetbarek was standing in front of the bird storage watching the sentinels push his bird into the storage when Onam stopped. He carried the ladder up to Onam's bird and waited.
"Well Onam, we"re back where we started. No people, no city, no gold, and no power."
"I don't think we"ve lost the gold. We"ll probably find it where Tedla was standing when the eruption killed him."
"If we do recover the gold it will be the only thing we get back. Where do we go from here?
"Yetbarek, I"ve had a long day. Let's think about it."
"I don't want to spend the rest of my life herding sheep."
"Neither do I, Yetbarek, but right now I"m going to get some sleep."
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"Maya I"ve asked the others to meet us in the common room."
"Go ahead Onam. I"ll be there as soon as I change."
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"I called you together to get ideas from you about what direction we should go from here. Six days ago when we lost the city I was ready to give up. Then Yetbarek asked if I wanted to be a sheep herder. To me it's very simple. We have to eat. Do we want to grow our food, hunt and herd animals, or do we want to live by our wits with someone else doing the work?"
There was a long silence in the room. Yakirta just stared at the fire. Maya was lost in thought while Stele, Seifu and Habtamu respectfully waited for their elders to speak.
Everyone watched when Jorham rose and walked to the fireplace. He idly pushed the logs around and added another, then stood and turned his back to the fire extending his hands for warmth. "I"ve been talking to some of the others. We"ve had it pretty good. If we could figure out a way to have a few slaves and still go after the gold in Kynon I"d be happy."
Yetbarek answered immediately, "You have to have lots of people for an army big enough to invade Kynon. We tried big numbers and look where it got us. All the responsibility and hard work for nothing!"
Maya stood and joined Jorham at the fireplace, then turned to face the room. "Onam, when you made my village move here the people were afraid, but many were angry because they had to leave the only home they had ever known. I heard many times the people in Tedla's city were never afraid, just angry. Moving people against their will isn't the answer."
Onam could see from the expression on Maya's face that she had an idea. "Well?"
"Onam, you could go up to Kynon, find a man that has a reputation as a leader and convince him you"re his god. Promise him what any man would like to hear. Tell him you"ll make him a great nation. Tell him his descendants will be powerful land owners with flocks and herds. Tell him he will be the father of kings. Help him fight his battles then give him Kynon and take the gold and silver. You don't want the land anyway."
Onam looked at the others in the room. "Yetbarek, do you have another idea?"
"No. Let's try it."
"There isn't any place to land a firebird in Kynon, so we"ll have to take the rotor bird. We can land at night a good distance from the herders fires. Jorham can walk in, act like a lost herder again, and get the information we need."

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"Onam, Stele, and Jorham are back from Kynon. We"re all meeting in the common room."
"Thanks Maya."
"Stele, Jorham, did everything go as we planned?"
Jorham was excited, "It was much easier than the last time you sent me out to get information from sheep herders. Everyone we talked to told about a man that is supposed to be near the terebinths of Mamre. They say he chased down four kings that took his nephew and everything he owned as spoils after a battle. This man they told me about took three hundred trained men, fought these kings by night and got back his nephew with all his belongings."
"Good work Jorham. I"ll go down tomorrow night and pay this man a visit. Maya, did you have something else?"
"There's something I would like to see you change. The God of Thunder is too long. Your power will strike fear when you tell him you are his god. And maybe you could try being friendly with these people and only use force when you have to. Look what you have in Jorham. Look at the sentinels. All the people you"ve made friends with have served you long and well."
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"Stele, that's his camp on your left. Come to earth behind that hill."
"Do you have your hand weapon in case there's trouble?"
"Yes, but I don't expect trouble. I"m going to tell him things he wants to hear, so I don't think he"ll turn on me. Stay close by. If you hear sounds of fighting come help me."
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Onam walked through the darkness toward the light of a small fire. In one hand he carried a bright light, in the other his weapon. He could see the outline of tents against the moonlit sky, and shepherds huddled around the fire. He wanted to get as close as possible before making himself known, but a dog by the fire stood and growled, looking straight at him. He turned on his light illuminating the whole scene, and pointed his weapon at the dog, just in case. Four herders froze in fear, but the dog kept growling. When one of the herders grabbed the dog, Onam relaxed and began to speak, "I am looking for the your master. Is he here?"
One of the herders jumped up and ran to one of the tents shouting, "Master, master. Come see."
In a moment another man came to the opening in the tent sheilding his eyes from the bright light and said, "I am the master here."
Keeping the light trained on Abram's face, Onam began to speak. "I am your God. God the Almighty. Walk in my presence and be perfect. I will make you my friend, and I will multiply you exceedingly." Abram fell to his face, and Onam spoke to him saying, "This is my agreement with you: You will be the father of many nations; you will no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.
I will give you and your descendants after you this land in which you are immigrants, all the land of Kynon as a perpetual possession; and I will be their God."

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