The mind can play funny tricks on you. How would an old Russian like me be knowing this? Pull up a seat, and I will tell you of my story.
I was a young man when it happened. I was working at the old mill, just outside Moscow. The old mill? She is been long since gone. She burned down in a terrible fire just one week after the story of which I now speak.
I was working the line when the boss man called to speak to me. He was to be going on a special trip to America to learn their ways. Remember, this was many years ago, when the political relationship was quite different. The boss man said, "Kregor, someone must watch the mill while I am gone. That someone will be you."
I felt very proud. For the next few months, I would be the boss man. Before he left, the boss said, "Whatever you do, comrade, do not open the door to the cellar."
"But why should that be?" I could not contain my curiosity.
But the boss man put me in my place. "I am your boss, Kregor, and you shall do as I say!" With that, he departed for America. Thinking back, he must have known.... Ah, but I get ahead of myself.
Everything went well for the first few days. The men knew their jobs, so there were few problems. Had it not been for that fool Stanislav getting his coat stuck in the grinder again, there would have been no incidents at all. It was just like Stanislav. Ever since he broke from the stress of filling in as boss man two years ago, he has never been able to keep his mind on his job. Luckily, the coat tore away from him, and he only suffered some minor injuries.
I was in the office filling out the report on Stanislav when I heard a strange noise. It sounded as though a waterfall had formed inside the building. The roar just seemed to be getting louder, as if the water was getting closer. When I left the office to investigate, I could no longer hear the running water. It must have been my imagination, I thought, so I went back to the office to finish the report.
A few minutes later, I heard the noise again. It was coming from behind the cellar door! I did not know what to do. The boss had been very clear in his instructions to avoid the cellar, but, should a pipe be broken, should I not get it fixed? From the volume of the noise, it must have been a very large pipe which burst. I think, "No, I must not disobey the boss man. I shall create a report, and someone shall soon fix it."
But wait! I then hear another sound! It is a faint cry for help. I ran out of the office to see who was in trouble. As I burst through the door, everyone turned to look at me. There was no problem in the mill. No one else heard a scream.
I thought to myself that something very strange was happening. I called my good friend Vladimir into the office. Vladimir and I have known each other for many years. We used to play together on the streets of Moscow when we were children. For some reason, he was now looking very old to me. His eyebrows were very thick, and his beard was showing traces of gray. The years in the old mill had been taking their toll on poor old Vladimir. Yet, he was my best friend. If anyone could help me solve this riddle, it would be Vladimir.
After I told him the story, he lookeds at me as if I was losing my mind. "Vladimir, do you not hear the cries?" I could still hear them as loud as ever.
"Oh, Kregor, my old friend. The strain of running the mill must be getting to you. Why don't you leave early today. Go home and rest. I will cover for you."
I could not believe such words were coming from my oldest friend! How could he dishonor me in such a way? I let him know who was in charge here. I told him, "It is my job to run the mill while the boss is gone, and it is that which I shall do! Now, leave the office and return to your duties!"
Vladimir turned to leave, remaining very calm. As he went, he looked over his shoulder and said, "Take care, my old friend."
Perhaps I was too harsh with Vladimir. He was only trying to help. At this time, however, I had a bigger problem to worry about, so I would just have to make it up to Vladimir later.
The cries from the cellar were getting louder than ever. I now realized that they were the screams of a woman! But, how could that be? Women were not allowed at the mill. Perhaps Vladimir was right. Perhaps the strains of being the boss are too great. After all, everyone used to think Stanislav was a rock before he broke down when he was in charge. Still, the sound was so real; I felt I must check it out.
I opened the cellar door cautiously. What could be so horrible behind this door that the boss would so insist that it not be opened? As I peered down the staircase, I could not see anything. I took a candle from the desk, and slowly proceeded down the stairs, into the shadows below.
I took the last step, then, without warning, everything went dark.
I do not know how long I lay on the ground, nor do I know what happened. My head was swimming - I must have bumped into a low pipe and been knocked unconscious. These old buildings could be very dangerous.
The candle was no longer burning, and yet I slowly developed the ability to see very clearly. This place did not look like the cellar of an old mill. I thought, "Am I dreaming? That must be it. I must still be unconscious." As I looked about me, I noticed that the ground was made of sand. As I continued to survey my surroundings, I saw some fish swim past my face!
It was then I realized I was under water! Frantically, I pushed off the ground and made a desperate attempt to swim upwards, but I was unable to do so. It was as if I was jumping on dry land. In my panicked state, I said to myself, "I must get to the top of this water, or I shall surely drown!"
At that moment, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I then heard a very soothing voice. "Calm down. Everything is O.K. You have had a very long trip. It is only natural to feel disoriented."
It was the softest, kindest voice I had ever heard. I was now sure that I was not dreaming. I thought I must be dead, for so lovely a sound must surely be the voice of an angel.
"Welcome back to the city of Lantis."
Back? I did not recall having ever visited this place before. My memory may not be perfect, but if I had previously been trapped underwater, I was quite certain I would have remembered it. I turned to look at the source of this glorious voice. I had never seen a sight like her before, and I do not expect to see anyone like her again.
Her eyes were the brightest silver, reflecting everything in her view. She had luxurious golden hair, which flowed upwards, as if it were being carried by the tides. Her skin was a greenish-blue, with sparkles which reminded me of visions of the sea under a full moon.
From the sights of this beautiful creature, I was even more certain that I had died. Surely, no creature such as this lives on the earth. More shaken than ever, I managed to ask, "Who… who are you?"
"Why, Belfar, do you not recognize your own sister?"
My sister! That could not be! I took a closer look at her. In the reflection of those silver eyes, I was able to see another. I was being surrounded by these creatures! I looked back over my shoulder to find that there was no one there. Then who was in that reflection? It could not possibly be me. The reflection appeared nearly identical to this woman. Not believing the image, I raised my hands to my face. There could be no denying it - the creature in the reflection and I were the same person. I sew that my hands were the same sparkling greenish-blue as the skin of my companion.
My head was now filled with so many questions that I did not know where to begin. "What has happened to me? How did I get here? And what name did you call me?"
She looked as though she would break into tears. "Oh, Belfar. What happened to you in Nyberg? I knew it was too dangerous a trip. Our brother is an evil man. I should never have let you go to see him!"
She was clearly very concerned, and believed what she was saying, but I knew I must tell her my true identity. "My name is Kregor, and I come from Moscow. Before I came here, I was in the office of the old mill. I became unconscious, and when I awoke, I found myself here in a different body. I do not know how this has happened. If you could help me, I would be most grateful. Now, by what name should I call you?"
She could no longer hold back the tears. As she started to cry, she said, "Is it true that you do not remember? I am Lola, your sister. You went to Nyberg to try and settle the dispute with our brother, Mylcraft. Come with me. I will take you home, then I will call for the doctor."
What else could I do? I was in a strange place, in a strange body. At least I had discovered that I would not drown.
As Lola guided me, we approached a magnificent city. I was seeing more brilliant colors than I even knew existed, and they all sparkled as if they were painted with millions of tiny stars. This must surely have been a fantasy world, for something so beautiful could not possibly exist.
Lola turned to me. "Now that you see it, please tell me that you remember your home, the city of Lantis."
I gave the city a long look, hoping to find something that looked familiar. "It is the most spectacular sight I have ever seen, but this is the first time my eyes have beheld such beauty." It pained me to make such a statement, for I could see that it upset Lola very much. Even in this short time, I realized that she was a very caring person.
After what seemed like an eternity of walking, we finally reached to the place which Lola called home. On the journey, we were passed by multitudes of fish, swimming much faster than we were walking. I could not help but wonder why we were walking instead of swimming.
As we enter the house, Lola said to me, "Just relax, and make yourself comfortable, my dear brother. I am going to get the doctor."
I found a very comfortable couch upon which to rest.
I woke up, feeling well rested, and could not believe the extraordinary dream which I had. Everything seemed so real. I can even remember hearing the beautiful voice of Lola. I began to wish I had listened to my old friend Vladimir. I was concerned by my actions. I thought, "I must have been asleep for a very long time. How could I possibly explain falling asleep in the cellar of the old mill?"
I started to rise, when I heard a voice. "Relax, Belfar. You have had a rough night, but I believe the worst has passed."
I suddenly started to feel my skin crawl. It wasn't a dream! I really was some unusual creature living beneath the water! To top it off, I was being comforted by a greenish-blue doctor.
"Belfar, allow me to explain." The doctor was speaking to me in a very soothing voice. "Your brother is a very evil man. He poisoned you with a substance which has given you amnesia. You are actually rather fortunate. Such a poison would kill most men. Mylcraft wants to take control of Lantis, and he doesn't mind killing you to make it happen. He may still get his way. The Right of Succession will be in one week. If Prime Minister Galoren feels that you are unfit, he could award the crown to Mylcraft. Your sister and I will help you to repair your memories. Lantis simply cannot fall into the hands of Mylcraft!"
Lola attempted to comfort me with her words, but her look of concern showed that she was very worried. "Do not fear, my brother. Together, we will make Mylcraft pay for what he has done. We still have a week before Galoren arrives. You have always had a good brain. With my help, we will surely triumph!"
I could sense the urgency in her voice. I tried to ease her concerns by saying, "Do not fear, Lola. I will do everything in my power to regain my memories. We shall be victorious."
For the next five days, Lola and I worked around the clock attempting to restore my faded memories. I remembered a great many facts about Lantis and my fight with my brother. To set her mind at ease, I explained it back to Lola. "Lantis is the capital city of our world. It was founded centuries ago by my great-great-grandfather, who was the first man to successfully unite the many different territories of this world. Before him, others had tried, but they were killed in very bloody battles. Since the founding of the Lantis Empire, there has been peace. My family has always worked for the good of all the people, allowing them more freedom than any of them had before the Empire. My great-great-grandfather was a remarkable negotiator. He convinced the leaders of all of the territories that it would be for the good of all if the world was united. He did not intend to become the ruler, but, with the end of the wars, the people insisted."
Despite remembering all of these facts, I could not avoid this feeling that I belonged somewhere else. Memories of an old mill continued to cloud my mind, even though they were getting weaker. "Well," I figured, "I can puzzle over those memories after this battle has been won."
Oh yes, the battle. How sorry a thing it was. If Mylcraft were not so hungry for power, we could have lived in peace. However, it was merely by fate that I held the rights to Lantis. For all these generations, the eldest brother has ruled the lands. I could understand how Mylcraft could feel slighted. After all, my twin and I were born a mere three minutes apart. Still, those three minutes were in my favor. In an effort to make peace, I allowed Mylcraft to have control over Nyberg, but that just wasn't enough for him. He wanted to control everything which was ruled by Lantis. The only way he could get it was through my death, or if the Prime Minister decided that I was unfit to proceed with the Right of Succession. In order to stay strong, I knew I had to push away all those fading thoughts of the old mill. Galoren would be here in two days, at which time the rule would rightfully be mine.
The day finally arrived. The hard work of Lola and I paid off. Galoren asked me a battery of questions to ensure that I was fit to rule the Empire. I responded with all the right answers. Mylcraft lost this battle!
I remembered having had thoughts of coming from another world. "How very odd," I thought. "How could I ever have been from anywhere other than Lantis? It certainly must have been quite a poison which Mylcraft administered to me to have confused me so completely. He is my brother, and it pains me greatly, but Mylcraft must certainly be put to death for his hideous crime. The laws of this society are very clear that this is the right action."
"Dear brother, how can you execute your own twin?" Mylcraft's pleading tore at my heart.
My decision was painful, but I was going to stick to it. "I am sorry, Mylcraft, but your attempt to poison me was simply going too far. You know the laws. You have left me with no other choice."
I had never seen Mylcraft look so puzzled. "Will you tell me brother? How did you find out that the wine was poisoned? No one could have survived that dose. And how did you leave Nyberg without any of my guards spotting you? I truly expected that you would drink the wine, then perish within the walls of the city."
I wasn't entirely certain how to answer his questions. "I suppose I have a much stronger constitution than you gave me credit for, brother. I do not recall how I returned to Lantis, but I made it, and I recovered completely from your poison. Now, as much as it pains me, we must say farewell."
Lola was strangely quiet through this whole proceeding. I knew that she was disgusted with Mylcraft for his murder attempt, but, with her kind nature, I fully expected her to object to his execution. Could she be thinking that, without Mylcraft, she would become second in line for the crown? No, she did not have such ambitions. She would be content to have her brother rule the Empire.
Still, I needed to know what was going on in her head. "Lola, are you alright?"
"Of course, Belfar. I just wish this whole mess could have been avoided. I will miss Mylcraft, but it is for the best. I do think a long walk will help to put this ugliness in the past. Will you join me?"
I always enjoyed walking with Lola, so naturally I agreed. We walked for hours, going throughout the city, then outside of the Lantis city limits. After a while, we arrived at a very familiar looking location. "I recall having been here before."
"Of course, dear brother. This is where you first arrived in Lantis. If you had not entered that cellar, I would never have been able to defeat Mylcraft. Thank you for your help. You will be remembered as a hero in Lantis."
I was very puzzled by her comments. What cellar was Lola referring to? Was she now planning on getting rid of me, so that she could take the throne? How could I have been so wrong about her all my life? Suddenly, everything started to spin, and I felt myself start to sink.
As I dropped into the sand, I heard Lola say, "Goodbye, Kregor. I wish you a long and healthy life back in your own world."
I opened my eyes to find many men surrounding me. I was now back in the cellar of the old mill. But that was not possible! The mill was only a dream I had due to the poison! I wanted to return to Lantis, my home, but I did not know how to get there.
I felt very confused, so I had to ask, "What has happened?"
Vladimir was the first to respond. "You were found unconscious, my friend. Are you alright?"
Vladimir… How did I know him? Something was still not right. "I do not belong here."
"If you do not belong at the old mill, then where do you belong, my friend?"
I answered, "Why, I belong at Lantis, of course, where I should be seated on my throne!"
Vladimir just shook his head silently as I was removed on a stretcher. The doctors that I saw tried to convince me that Lantis was just a dream, even though it seemed very real. How could that be? I was there. Even today, I remember completely being at Lantis.
It took many months, but I finally realized that the doctors were right. I was now in the real world, and my time at Lantis was nothing but an hallucination. Yes, the mind sure can play funny tricks on you.
Curious about where the idea for this story originated? Well, quite frankly, I have no idea. The main character just came to me, then the story fell into place. Didn't expect such a story from me? Well, I didn't expect it either, but writing the story was rather enjoyable. If you found it even half as enjoyable to read as it was to write, then the whole effort was well worth it. Please let me know what you think!