It had been a weary night, but as The Ancient One flew home the sounds of a struggle in the streets below caused him to descend.
He landed by a low, stone wall and seated himself, watching a white haired and bearded man in red robes fighting three demons with a great staff bearing the signs of Christendom. The Ancient One laughed.
"Long time no see, Nick!" he called. Having a little outing tonight?"
"First of all, you miserable excuse for an angel," the other answered, "my name is Nicholas, not Nick, and don't just sit there, help me!"
The Ancient One laughed. "There's only three of them!" he said, "Can't you handle three of them by yourself?"
"Of COURSE I can!" the other answered, "but there's many other things I'd like to be doing!"
With a tremendous blow of his great staff he sent one of the demons staggering towards The Ancient One who hit it on top of the head with a powerful blow. The demon staggered off into The Darkness to lick its wounds but its two companions still seemed full of fight.
"Heard you've really been busy," Nicholas laughed, striking both of his opponents with one great sweep of his weapon, "destroying false prophets, awakening freedom, opening the hearts of the wealthy? Still up to your old tricks?"
"We can only try," The Ancient One answered. One of the demons was knocked off its feet and before it could recover, The Ancient One leaped off the wall and kicked it twice where it would notice, then picked it up and struck it twice in the face. It had enough. It followed its companion into the night.
"Did you ever hear of the Marquis of Queensberry?" his companion asked, giving his last opponent two more vicious blows that finally sent it after its companions.
"Knew him very well!" The Ancient One answered. "Stayed at his house whenever I was in town. Knew his daughter better!"
Nicholas roared with a joyous laughter that filled the night. "I bet you did!" he smiled. "You in a hurry, old friend?"
"I've got a few minutes," The Ancient One smiled in reply. "Didn't know you were back among the living!" he added.
"Somebody's got to keep you in line!" his friend answered, as he seated himself on the wall. With a wave of his hand plates and goblets appeared, and the two old friends began to eat and drink. "I'm now a young minister," Nicholas continued, "got a church not far from here. Now let me see ... been reading some strange things by a writer up north. Sounds awful familiar! He thinks he's the Devil, Himself. He hasn't quite awakened yet. May give you a bit of a hard time. Go easy, will you?"
"Of course!" The Ancient One laughed.
"Why were you after those three?"
"Blood drinkers," his companion answered, "that garbage has been feeding off the children they kill. We've got to do something about that, old friend." The Ancient One looked sad. "We're tryin'" he said. "My kind hate it just as much as YOUR kind, maybe more. we're blamed for it."
"Without justification," his friend answered. "These poor children just don't know. Give them a chance to learn, old friend, don't send them all to The Darkness. We're losing too many souls in this world. And we're both on the same side ... though we go about things a little differently. We're both looking for the same thing; that they LEARN TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER, and, to respect each-other's differences. Well, the sun is coming. I think we both better get back to our bodies!"
"Agreed," said The Ancient One. "Good journey, Kriss Kringle."
"Now, let's not get wise!" his friend answered as The Ancient One rose to leave. "You know how much I hate those fat fools in those red suits and fake beards! May Our Father in Heaven bless everyone of them that has joy and love in his heart! But I DO wish that man hadn't written that atrocious poem!"
The Ancient One leaped skyward. "At least it's better," he cried back, "than things that have been written about me and my kind."
The Ancient One did not look back to see the tear in his friend's eye. "And not one of them justified!" his friend cried, "Not one of them, Lord Of Light!"
The Ancient One winged home, lifted by seeing his old friend again. He knew in time their living forms would meet, too, and their first meeting would be stormy, to say the least. But they would come to understand each other, and as their eternal forms had always fought The Darkness, in time, so would their physical forms. Nothing else could be.

 

The preceeding story is fiction. Any resemblance it bears to true persons or places is coincidental, and not the intent of the writer.

17. What is your opinion about Mary Stelvart's trilogy "The Crystal Cave',' "The Hollow Hills," and "The Last Enchantment"?

A. LOVE THEM! She picked up on me very well, though she glamourized alot. There was enough real history thrown in to make a good tale.

18. Will you be able to answer more questions in the future?

A. Of course! Even when I incarnate this one can still reach me. We will be sharing many a night together, as we build our alliance.

In our May issue our interview will be with the Spirit of Margaret Fox, who, with her sister Katie brought about the Advent of modern Spiritualism with the investigation of rappings which were heard in their home in Hydesville, N.Y. in 1848. Be sure to get any questions you may have for her in by April 1st, to be considered for publication in the next issue. If there are enough questions sent in, we will offer a follow up interview.