Caleb Vigilant (Chronicles of the Nephilim) Read online

  “My loyal friend,” said Joshua, “it was you who saved me.”

  “What?”

  Joshua replied, “It was you who told me a small amount of faith can move a mountain. So a small amount of pressure can topple the mightiest gibborim.”

  “How did you do it?”

  Joshua recalled the technique that Caleb had taught him years ago.

  After he had foolishly jumped into the muscle-bound arms of Talmai, and just before he passed out from being crushed, he thrust his thumbs into each side of the long neck of his adversary, hitting the pressure point near the carotid artery.

  Before Talmai could do anything with his massive strength, his eyes turned upward, his knees buckled, and he fell to the ground like a sack of dead meat.

  But he was not dead, he was unconscious.

  Joshua then pulled himself out of the lifeless arms. He grabbed the giant’s head and jerked it with a hard twist, snapping the spine and paralyzing Talmai instantly.

  That was the crack that Caleb and his men had heard resounding through the arena.

  The fight was over before it had begun.

  Talmai’s massive bulk of muscle and power was incapacitated by a small little thrust of two thumbs.

  How the mighty are fallen.

  Talmai had come back to consciousness just in time to look up at the victor as his lungs and heart ceased to function from his spinal cord injury.

  He suffocated to death.

  Caleb smiled and repeated the proverb, “A small amount of pressure and a small amount of faith.”

  So this was the irony of faith.

  This was the revelation that victory could not be won against their mighty enemies by might or by strength, but by Yahweh’s Spirit and deliverance.

  Joshua said, “I want you to teach me some more of that Karabu training. I think I am warming to it.”

  Caleb smiled.

  But then he turned serious.

  He said, “The battle is over. But the killing will go on into the evening. This city is under the ban of herem.”

  “And your family,” said Joshua, “are they well?”

  “They are safely guarded in my war tent behind the lines. Rahab will be happy to see you.”

  But Caleb was wrong. Rahab was not safe. The entire platoon of gibborim warriors that had been ordered to protect her were circumvented by one mysterious spy.

  Chapter 74

  When the final thrust of Caleb’s operation launched on the city, there were only a few hundred soldiers left guarding the camp.

  The fifty guards watching Rahab were dutiful to their mission, but were all itching to be out in the battlefield killing giants. Half of them had gone to the edge of the camp to watch what fighting they could see. Most of the other soldiers kept watch on the perimeter for any Anakim spies or saboteurs leaving the city.

  But no Anakim spies made it out alive that night.

  The spy that had slipped into the camp undiscovered was not a giant, it was something else—something from Rahab’s past.

  And it took the most inopportune time to strike.

  Rahab had several midwives with her in her tent prepared for delivery. She had felt the birth pangs coming earlier but had made sure that the guards would not know about it. She did not want Caleb’s attention distracted from his military mission. It could cost him his life.

  Rahab and Achsah had grown close to each other through these difficult times, and Rahab considered Achsah her best friend. Though she was technically her stepmother, their closeness of age allowed a closeness of relationship Achsah could not have had with her birth mother.

  She had told the guards that she wanted them to keep their distance this evening as she and Achsah were going to have a long bath in her tent, and she wanted privacy.

  Two wooden tubs hand crafted by Philistine artisans were the one luxury Caleb had allowed Rahab in this otherwise rough existence. The guards obliged them by pulling away to eat some dinner a couple tents away.

  But Rahab was not being entirely untruthful. They were indeed going to have a bath this evening, but for a different purpose. Rahab had learned one interesting technique from the Snake Clan of Gilgal Rephaim: Water birth. They would deliver their children into the water pool as a transition between the womb and the real world. It also made them less likely to cry too loud because there was less of a shock to their system.

  So Rahab forced Achsah to join her by bathing in the second tub. She wanted Achsah to relax since there was not much she could do.

  Achsah was a bit uncomfortable with it, but she obeyed, in order to please her stepmother.

  By the time the birth pangs were climaxing and the midwives were delivering, Rahab had managed to gag herself on a towel so as not to draw attention.

  Achsah’s silent eyes teared with delight when a midwife pulled up a baby boy out of the water and cut the umbilical cord.

  Rahab whispered with delight, “Welcome, little Boaz.”

  It was the most quiet celebration of ecstatic joy that any of the women had ever experienced. They were crying without sound and moving their arms around without making noise. They almost blew their cover by laughing at themselves.

  Rahab handed the baby to Achsah to wash in her own bath.

  It was an honor that made her heart full. She gently washed the afterbirth that was still clinging to the baby’s skin.

  A midwife took the boy and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. The women prepared to get out of their baths.

  That was when the spy completely smashed their celebration.

  He was virtually invisible to the surrounding soldiers. He blended into the night and the forest as if he was a part of nature itself.

  He was in fact a master of nature.

  He slipped into the tent, and snuck up behind the two women in the wooden tubs next to each other.

  Everyone’s focus was on the man-child in one of the midwives’ arms.

  By the time the spy showed himself, he was already upon Achsah with a dagger at her throat.

  “Do not scream or I will kill you.”

  Rahab saw the hair and the horns. She recognized his face from many years ago.

  He was a satyr.

  “Xizmat.”

  “Arisha. Or should I call you Rahab? It has been quite a task tracking you around all of Canaan with your different identities.”

  She gestured to the two midwives not to move.

  “Release Achsah. We will not scream.”

  She gestured to the midwives be quiet. They obeyed.

  He pulled back his blade.

  “Rahab. The name of the sea dragon. I like it. A feisty name for a feisty woman. Get up and put on your clothes.”

  “I just gave birth, Xizmat.”

  “I do not care, quim. Get up. Not you,” he said to Achsah. She stayed in the water.

  When Rahab got out of the water, Xismat gleamed. “You are still beautiful at your age and even after birth. This is good.”

  Rahab dried off and put on her clothes. She was moving slowly from her labor.

  “How did you find me?”

  “I do not know how you disposed of Izbaxl’s body back in Banias, but you left behind the evidence that condemned you of the crime of murdering my brother.”

  “What evidence? That was over twenty years ago.”

  “Do you not remember what you shamefully cut off and left in your hospital room?”

  Achsah was having a hard time following, but realization flooded over Rahab like the Deluge.

  She had cut off Izbaxl’s offending member. The extension of his violation of her being.

  “Now you remember, I see,” he said. “I could find no other evidence of both your whereabouts so I told no one. The whole incident would have dissolved into an unsolved mystery. But then many years later, your family was redeemed from Banias by a mysterious benefactor in Jericho. I never forgot they were your family, so I had spies follow them.”

  He stood up. Achsah could now see his lo
wer body with goat legs and hooves. And his eyes were wet with rage.

  “My Izbaxl was so loving and giving. He saved my life. You murdered him.”

  “He was eaten by dire wolves, and he deserved it.”

  Xismat held back his fury. “He was my brother, you bitch. And rest assured, I have elaborate plans for retribution.”

  Rahab backed up.

  “Oh, I am not going to kill you. That would be anti-climactic. I am going to bring you back to Banias, and you will return to what you always were and always will be, a worthless harlot of Azazel.”

  Achsah gasped.

  Xizmat pointed his finger at her to shut up. His face was full of fury.

  “I will go with you quietly on one condition,” said Rahab. “You kill no one in this tent, and you leave my child with Achsah.”

  Achsah’s eyes went wide. She had been so intent upon understanding what was going on in front of her that she did not stop to consider what this goat demon beside her would do to her or baby Boaz. A chill went down her spine.

  “Granted,” said Xizmat.

  Achsah knew that Rahab had just saved their lives from this despicable smelly chimera.

  Now it was her turn.

  She got up from the tub to dry herself. She noticed Xizmat was distracted by her form. It disgusted her, but she would use it.

  “Hmm. Of course I did not exclude rapine.”

  “No,” countered Rahab. “Only me.”

  He knew it would be too difficult to engage in his lusts without the danger of others escaping and sounding the alarm.

  Xizmat looked around. “I need some rope and a gag. I do not want you alerting anyone until we are far away.”

  He bent down to pick up a sash from a pile of clothes. It would be good enough.

  “As for the child…”

  But when he turned back toward Achsah, he saw her standing naked and aiming a notched bow and arrow at him.

  “You little twat,” he said.

  She was shaking.

  He was about eight feet away from her. Close enough for one leap with his strong goat legs.

  Then he smirked. And took one step closer.

  “You have never killed anyone before, have you?”

  She did not answer.

  Rahab only said, “Achsah.” She was not sure if Achsah had it in her. And if she did not, she would surely be dead in seconds. And maybe even her son as well.

  Xizmat looked deep into Achsah’s eyes and said, “You cannot do it, little girl. Killing someone is a very gruesome thing. And you are too young and innocent. And beautiful.”

  He had a hypnotic effect on her. He was manipulating her. She did not notice he had taken one more step closer.

  She continued to tremble. Her aim was faltering.

  Xizmat’s legs were imperceptibly lowering, preparing to spring.

  Then Achsah said, “I tried to kill a monster before, but I could not.” She was referring to the Anakite who kidnapped her from the camp at Gilgal.

  Xizmat said, “Well, then…” and he jumped. He attacked her in the middle of his sentence in order to take her completely by surprise.

  But the moment before he did, she had already released the arrow, which found its target and entered his left eye, penetrating into his brain.

  He jerked backward and fell to the floor in a seizure.

  The last thought that was in the dirty old goat’s mind was what supple breasts Achsah had.

  And then he died.

  Rahab gasped.

  Achsah said, “I promised my father I would never let it happen again.”

  Chapter 75

  The army of Israel stood in the field before Kiriath-arba. The city was secured, all life was devoted to destruction. The Anakim received no mercy as the Seed of the Serpent. The bodies of the brothers Arba—Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai—were impaled upon poles on the city walls. Their rotting carcasses were testimony to their infernal destiny.

  Joshua stood proudly with Caleb as he offered him the ownership of the city and its area for his inheritance. Caleb renamed the city Hebron for future generations. Of course, he would not be able to settle in until they had completed their conquest of the land. But Rahab, Achsah, and Rahab’s family were more proud of him than anyone could be of a man who obeyed Yahweh and followed him faithfully.

  Joshua proclaimed, “Warriors of Yahweh, you have been strong and courageous! We have achieved mighty feats of faith in overthrowing the Transjordan! King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan!”

  The men cheered.

  “By faith, Yahweh toppled the walls of Jericho! And by faith, we defeated the Anakim of Kiriath-arba, our most difficult enemy in the land of our forefather, Abraham. And we have captured the hill country!”

  The men cheered again.

  “But our conquest is not yet complete! I am old and very advanced in years. But there is still much land to possess. Before we can apportion out the territories to the tribes of Israel, we must strike down the Anakim city of Kiriath-sepher just south of here! I need a leader to take a force and capture the city!”

  There was a hesitation in the crowd. They had just been through so much, and now they were being asked to jump into the fire again?

  Caleb saw his precious Achsah in the crowd watching with pride. Then he glanced over and saw Othniel standing like a miserable lonely rock. Caleb knew he desired Achsah but was so emotionally incompetent, that he could not declare his love these past five years of war. So Caleb decided to give him one last chance or lose it all. He yelled out to the soldiers, “He who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give as an inheritance.”

  He paused, then added, “As well as my daughter Achsah in marriage!”

  Before anyone else could even consider the offer, Othniel stepped up and shouted, “I will take Kiriath-sepher! I will grind it to dust!”

  Othniel’s men cheered.

  And Othniel could not believe he did it. He finally did it. After all these years of fear, he finally did what it took to get Achsah’s hand in marriage.

  Othniel looked over to see Achsah beaming with an ear to ear grin. She had known he was in love with her for so long, but he had never had the liver to say so. He would face death against a thousand giants in battle, but he did not have the courage to proclaim his love for her. It had taken years of patient waiting for him, years of lonely unfulfilled desire. Oh well, if it took a battle of giants to get him to win her hand instead of just asking for it, then so be it. She knew he was a good man. More than that, he was the best man she had ever known after her father.

  She burst out into tears of joy.

  Caleb smiled with his own satisfaction.

  Finally, thought Caleb, My daughter will find happiness. And finally my high strung young brother will find happiness and release from his pent up humility.

  Othniel was already busying his mind with how he might take Kiriath-sepher as quickly as possible, so as to marry Achsah as quickly as possible, and therefore unite with her flesh as quickly as possible.

  Rahab and Achsah stepped up to Caleb. Rahab was carrying baby Boaz in her arms. The three of them embraced and kissed.

  Little Boaz looked up into their faces.

  Othniel stood next to them staring at Achsah, who smiled back at him. She reached her hand out to him. Timidly, he reached and grabbed it.

  Her soft small hand in his felt like a treasure of silk. Caleb’s precious turtle dove would soon be his turtle dove.

  Rahab glanced over Caleb’s shoulder and saw Joshua watching them with a grin. Their eyes locked and they knew they had made the right choices in their hearts; choices to stay their passions, choices to obey their Lord, choices to suffer and sacrifice rather than take and indulge.

  Caleb approached his commander. They clasped wrists. They stared into each other’s eyes with a friendship deeper than lovers, for they had faced life and death—and resurrection together. Were there any words that could express their commitment to one another? Words
that could carry the thankfulness that filled their souls?

  “I am old and tired,” said Joshua.

  “You?” said Caleb. “I am your elder by twenty years and I am ready to finish this. Are you backing out on me after all we have been through?”

  Joshua smiled. “No, I just need to find what it is I lost in all this bloodshed and carnage. I want to retire in the hill country of Ephraim, a place without much significance to our enemies.”

  Caleb said, “Joshua, I have been a fool. Yahweh has kept me alive, just as he promised forty-five years ago when you and I first gave our spying report of the land. Now, behold, I am eighty-five years old and I am as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent us. But now that I have the land of our forefather Abraham’s grave, I must confess I am unsatisfied.”

  Joshua said, “You strove for an identity you already have.”

  Caleb said, “All my life, I have felt like an outsider. And no matter how much I proved myself, I was still an adopted child in a family of natural born sons.”

  “Caleb, was it not you who taught me that faith is what Yahweh desires?”

  Caleb was listening, but it was difficult as his own words now came back at him.

  Joshua continued, “I have always envied you. My quest for a perfect holiness broke me, and only then I saw a glimpse of what you had all along: Beauty and grace.”

  Caleb chuckled, “And I have always envied you for what you have had: Your chosen status, your holiness and justice.”

  Joshua said, “We covet in each other what we do not have.”

  Caleb said, “Then the one thing we both have lacked—is faith.”

  He paused, then added, “We are both men of flesh.”

  “And spirit,” added Joshua.

  He placed his arm on Caleb’s shoulder. “Caleb, you have bested me in this life. In trust, in grace, in family, and in battle. I am proud of you. I am proud to be your friend. And proud to have learned the true value of faith as the Seed of Abraham.”

  “You broke the Seed of the Serpent’s backbone,” said Caleb. The hill country that traversed the center of Canaan was truly the backbone of control of the land and Israel now owned it.