The Creation of Vampire cont...

At length did Yahvay awaken, and cast the Light of the World into the Heavens, and He looked upon the Earth. He set about the ordering of the motions of the heavens, and declared unto his Children that ever after, one part of the day should be in darkness, in grief for his lost brothers, and it was so. [21]

He did walk through the Garden, and spake unto his own Children, who had not harkened unto the Word of Darkness. And he spoke unto the loyal Dark Ones who tended the boughs of the Garden and protected it from harm. [22] And he saw that it was good.

At length did he come unto the Glade of Hedum, and saw that it was empty. He called unto his lastborn, "Come forth my son, for why dost thou hide thyself from my sight?"

Then Hedum spoke forth from the shadows:

"My Father, I have tasted of the fruits of darkness, and harkened unto its Word, and must forever hide my face from thy sight."

In anguish didst Yahvay look into the shadows, and saw that it was true. He cried forth to his son:

"Know now my son that thou art forever cursed! [23]

"Thou shalt feel the flame of the sun upon thy back. [24]

"Thou must feed upon the fruits of the Earth, as do the beasts and creeping things, or dwell in abject suffering.

"Thou shalt feel pain, and sorrow, and the fear of the darkness, and thine offspring shall be born of agony.

"And know that thou shalt wither as the River flows, and at last, only thou amongst my Children shall know the Gate which is Oblivion, [25] dragged down as thou art by the weight of thine own Shadow. [26]

"But I may spare you this, and ye may dwell forever with thy brethren in the Light of the Garden, if thou wilt only cast aside thy shadow, and put aside the Word and the Way of the Darkness."

But Hedum had tasted much of the fruits of darkness, of its pains, its sorrows and its joys, and could not answer his father who was forever beyond the River.

Thus he was forever cast out from the Garden, yet he knew agony, and bliss; of death, of pain, and of sorrow - of joy, of fulfilment, and of love."'

Then my Father said: "Know now my son that Hedum was I, your Father, who was, like thee, cast out, and bore three sons to people the Earth. And only two now live. [27]

"Yet I and my Father Above will forgive thee thine act, which was born of love, and ignorance.

"Lillat is truly lost of the Children of Iram, seduced by the infinite Words of the Dark. [28] In bitterness at the loss of her Father, and in vengeance at mine own who has denied her the Garden, has she weaved the Darkness close about thee, [29] so that thou must hide from the very Light of the World [30] lest it burn thee, and drive thee to the ends of the River.

"Wilt thou not return?" [31]

Yet I turned my face from my Father, and said:

"When I was cold, she did warm me. When I was hungry, did she feed me. When I was sad, in her arms alone did I find comfort. I cried until blood trickled from mine eyes, and she kissed them away.

"Father, I do not harken unto thy words. Not by thy forgiveness, but mine own will I live. [32]

"I will not suffer thy mercy."

And I fled from my hiding place beneath the Earth, and for ever, for ever from his sight.