Shamsiel watched the world grow and flourish around him, one microsecond out of phase with the rest of creation. There, around him sprung the settlement, village, town and eventually the fortified metropolis of Eridu, the first town of the second men. The sons and daughters of the earth men and the second men had bred. Adam’s third son, Seth had married one of the more beautiful daughters of the chiefs of the towns around Eridu. “The sons and daughters born to them were almost like pure second men, but not quite. Adam’s line continued to have children, an enormous amount of children even, and the new sons: Enos, Kenan, Mahal, and Jared were the rulers of them all. They spread out, and the entirety of the world became their vast empire.

And Shamsiel heard tales of other men. Not the first men, nor the second men of Seth, but of the cursed second men: The man they called Cain. Of tall structures, buildings, ziggurats, and great wonders… of tools, instruments, weapons, and even things that he wished he had not have heard, but he had.

Azazel came again. He had brought Semjaza with him, and for three days he told Shamsiel stories of life outside Eridu. Then they began to question him. Questions of allegiance, obedience, and temptation. Shamsiel questioned them as well. Of their dealings with the first and second men, of the buildings they are constructing, and of the gods they were creating. Semjaza said that they too were creating their own men. Not of the Adam, but of the Hadam, the people of the earth that were built by HIM on the sixth day.

They were built to have dominion over the earth, and Semjaza said that the Angels were built to have dominion over them. So then, if the Watchers were built to have dominion over the men, then how can they do that in their given role? We should shake off the role and strive to become more like HIM. Wasn’t that the point of HIS creation? To grow, learn, adapt, and to evolve? Semjaza and Azazel wore him down with their false friendship and lengthy discourse. Though it seemed it would be sensible to disagree with them, Shamsiel’s heart was faint within him, and he found himself agreeing with them on some small matters, and even larger matters as they persisted. Such things sounded true, yet the fiery face of Metatron said otherwise.

Metatron looked at him. His eyes betrayed his mouth. He was in contact with HIM and he told HIM everything. Everything Shamsiel had done there, Metatron knew, and when he knew, then HE knew, for there were no secrets in HIS presence.