They sat in silence for a moment before Carlos spoke. “High Chief is a position of loneliness. You and I are now the only two men who can understand this. It’s good to have advisers to have someone to talk to. Have you thought of who you will name as your military adviser?” Dominic would have been named his military adviser had he still lived.
Antonio shook his head. “I have not,” he answered quietly.
The two men stared into the fire for a few moments. “You are the High Chief. You used magic to defeat Dominic and the Calusa respect magic; they will follow you. They know you are a great warrior.” Carlos nodded at the battle scars on his arms. “They will follow you.”
Antonio knew Carlos was right but he was not concerned so much with what the warriors thought of him as much as what he thought of himself. His magic in High Combat was not indicative of him as a warrior and did not warrant him being High Chief.
He thought for a few more moments before he decided. He knew what he must do. “I renounce my authority as High Chief.”
Carlos had anticipated Antonio’s decision and was not surprised. Carlos understood how Antonio felt but he was saddened by the decision nonetheless. “You know once you do you can never be among us again. You will be exiled.”
“So be it,” Antonio answered.
Carlos nodded sadly. “You were always a good friend to my son. I miss him. I shall miss you.” He rose and placed his hand on Antonio’s shoulder. Then, without another word he turned and walked back to his hall.
Long after Carlos left, Antonio remained at the fire. He was angry at the Men of Nod and bitterness could not be avoided. His heart grew hard against them and there was only one decision: he must leave the village.
Antonio turned his back on the fire and without a word to anyone, he faced west and began walking.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Antonio traveled for two weeks, holding course west. He followed the river to be sure of fresh water. Where he had started in the mountains, the landscape now turned to rolling hills.
On the fifteenth day, he began seeing mounds built into the earth. They grew larger and more prevalent as the day went on. The trees were thick but there came a point where he reached a clearing and found the mounds constructed much larger in that specific area. In the distance, the clearing continued and was littered with mounds. It was on the most prevalent of those mounds some miles away that he saw buildings.
He expected a sentry from the mound village and almost as if his thoughts were read, he perceived movement to his right. The man came alone but Antonio doubted that the man was truly unaccompanied.
Antonio detected right away that there was something ethereal about him. The sentry was very tall – taller than him and he was considered tall among the Calusa – and had a scar that ran across the stretch of his forehead.
“We’ve been awaiting your arrival,” the sentry spoke in the Calusa language. Antonio was not surprised to hear his native tongue. Since he left the village of the Men of Nod, he had begun to seeing images of occurrences before they took place. It was unnerving at first but over the past two weeks he had become accustomed to the thoughts. He had seen this moment among the visions.
“I am Antonio.”
“You’re not surprised that I speak Calusa?” The sentry asked the question but both knew that no answer was needed.
“I would like to see those who await my arrival,” Antonio replied instead.
“Come with me Antonio – warrior who would be High Chief of your people.”
Antonio nodded and followed the sentry towards the mound village. As they walked, the mounds grew larger and Antonio marveled at the defensive structures. It was obvious that many years had been required to develop the height and girth of the earthen works. The effect of the mounds was intimidating, making the village look larger than it was; the mounds also demonstrated military superiority as they offered a strong defense.
Once in the village, Antonio was brought into a great hall. The hall was filled with warriors, all lofty in stature, dark skinned and adorned with white feathers.
An old man stood at the head of the rectangular hall on a platform and waited patiently as Antonio approached. Antonio looked in appreciation at the crown of white feathers atop the old man’s head. He understood the feathers to be symbols of great deeds much as the scars on his own arms. The old man discerned Antonio’s gaze on his feathers and waited until Antonio’s attention was focused back on him before speaking. Antonio’s eyes met the old man. “I am Rephaim. We are the Nephilim. You know of us?”
“I do,” Antonio answered. “I became a Christian many years ago and have read Spain’s book of Christianity. You are the sons of Fallen Angels and the daughters of Cain. It is said that you perished during the Great Flood of that time.”
Rephaim’s eyes twinkled. “And yet here we stand.”
Antonio recalled a conversation many years ago with Buono. Buono told him of Juan and his travels as an ambassador to the land of Ethiopia. In that land, he discovered the Book of Jubilees among the books of their Bible. This book was also called the Book of Division by some of the religious leaders of that land. It was said that the book was given to Moses atop Mount Sinai and tells of the creation of angels. Some of these angels were disobedient and were
