When Two Strong Men Come Face to Face

Soon Cairn will reenact Beltaine's Spring fire ceremony.  On this night two centuries ago Cairn and StormRider faced each other as mortal enemies and they both died at each other's hands.

Beltaine, an advanced spiritual seeker gave Cairn the gift of continuing life in his current physical form, as a Vampayre, until he was able to achieve spiritual advancement approaching enlightenment.
Another god saved StormRider, a bloodthirsty Roman devoted to destroying all Pagan rituals, though he himself was a pagan and had darker motivations for his bloody exploits.  He also hated women.  When StormRider opened his black eyes, the world shuddered that he again would walk the earth, as a Vampire.


Since Beltaine re-created Cairn as a Vampayre Cairn would have to reach out to Beltaine to participate in the deadly ceremony.  The evil entity that had created StormRider would presumably be present.  It would be a night when two strong would come face to face and I could not bear the thought of losing Cairn.  I was tempted to ask him to follow me to another land, another continent, anywhere that wasn't here and now on the eve of his destruction.


I felt the softening air move gently across my face and lift the hair from my throat.  I inhaled life's sweet awakening and wept at the thought of what I now could possibly lose.