Author's Note: The history of the Itelmen tribe was interesting but the language was difficult to translate so I had to use Russian. A special thank you to malloryhowlett (who has a wonderful story that I recommend you read) & TheMagentaColor! Thank you for the reviews!

The dreamless sleep was calming and my mind was empty but something in my brain decided that glorious space needed filling. A new surrounding filled the void and a strange reminder of my past rose. I was standing in a bare frozen tundra but it wasn't cold? A light wind caused loose snow to fly up into the air and swirled around me. The wind whistled creating an eerie melody. It stopped suddenly and the snow fell to the ground, looking down my clothes were different. I wore my old clothing from… home! It was my cozy reindeer-skin coat embroidered with a beautiful patterns and my mittens.

Oh, the memories.

These items were my pride and joy. My mittens still fit and were a faded brown but the smile from my face drooped as I remembered all this was only a dream… an illusion. A door of florescent light shone brightly, catching my attention as it blinded me. It beckons me and my suspicion rose. The door before me seemed as real as anything in this place. Diminishing the distance between me and the door, my mitten gripped the solid knob cautiously. Maybe it was the fact that my recent dreams plagued me or that I didn't trust my mind but I was curious. This dream was such a vivid reminder of home even though I was nowhere near it. When I made contact with the door, the knob grew warm and the door shone brighter. I turned it quickly, but it jiggled slightly and remained closed. I was perplexed at first but then I was irate, grasping the knob with both hands I pulled harder. Suddenly, the door ripped open sending me flying backwards.

Our old winter dwelling that I lived in as a child was still here? No, it's not! This is just a dream, nothing more. It's not real, my home was destroyed.

"Mom… Dad? Is that you?"

My parents. Just as I remembered them, they were here right now! My adoptive parents from the Itelmen tribe in Russia and I stood there gawking at them. Nodding they spread out their arms awaiting a hug and I ran to them. But I passed right through them and turned around to see a sad smile on their faces. They're dead… they've been dead for over 300 years. They aren't real and that's why I can't touch them. These must just be their spirits from the afterlife.

"Hello, Constance. How have you been? We know it's been quite awhile since we've seen you. You've grown up to become such a beautiful young lady and we regret leaving you. We are deeply and truly sorry," said father while mother nodded agreeing.

"Oh mother and father. You never need to ask for forgiveness for anything. You've given me so much and I owe you my life for taking care of me. How are you here?"

"Well, we can only be summoned by you in times of great need. We couldn't visit before because Vitus said you were fine and we need his consent to go to you. He told us you were worried about a man?"

My parents loved me with every last fiber in their hearts, I could have passed off as their birth daughter had anyone asked. When I first arrived at the village, no one wanted me. I was a baby and Vitus didn't have any takers. He made the right decision though, giving me to his close friends. At an early age, my parents told me that I was adopted though it caused no rift between us. I had forgotten to answer and they looked at me concerned.

"вроде-"

"Constance, you do not need to speak in Sedanka."

"Oh. He's not a man but a god," they gasped. "but he is the god of mischief and lies. He claims to love me."

"Constance, the question is do you truly love him?" My mother says like she use to when I needed consoling and I try to speak but nothing comes out.

"I don't know. I mean… I care for him. He's a misguided soul, he was subject to hurt and pain."

My voice grew quieter towards the end of my sentence, barely above a whisper. Mother nods understanding my predicament while holding fathers' arm. They look so real with flesh and blood. I can't seem to fathom them dead, it picks at my brain until I can't take it any longer, I ask a question before she can reply.

"Is this real? Or is it just happening inside my head," I asked gesturing to my old home.

I stood in the middle of the 4 enormous beams at the center of the dwelling that supported the roof. The walls were lined with sticks and straw to prevent moisture from penetrating the interior. Atop the heavy wooden rafters were laid on the beams, connecting strong wood called toono to the earthen walls. A foot of straw was laid on top of rafters to keep out the draft along with unwanted pests in the attic. The smoke hole in the ceiling let out the fire place and stove smoke and fumes. The sleeping quarters still had the different colored pieces of wood on the side of the bed. The beds were made of straw mats stacked with reindeer and seal skin blankets which were warm and heavy. But the summer months were upon us in the real world and the hut was different like it changed with the seasons. In the summer months, our people live in raised houses called pehm. As the ground thaws in the summer, the floors of the winter houses begin to flood so we must live on higher ground. Their light wispy laughter interrupted my thoughts as I waited for a well-deserved answer from them. I didn't understand what they found so amusing until mother told me.

"Of course it's happening in your head, Constance. Reality is a state of mind. Why should that mean that it's not real?" She paused and her face was serious once more. "Now you must answer truthfully, do you truly love him?"

"He was my first kiss, I don't want to be swept away and discarded, it's more infatuation than anything."

I could hardly admit it to myself, much less my parents. Father booming voice echoes off the emptiness of the hut, his voice reminding me of Thor in a way.

"Daughter, to love someone untrustworthy requires a sacrifice. There can be no love if you do not trust them. You must give up one thing for him. I'm sure you know what it is."

"What? No, father, one has told me of a sacrifice. I don't know what your talking about." Looking to mother for some help, she only pointed back to father with her eyes. This is absurd, I wasn't about to do anything reckless for Loki's love.

"Then listen carefully, Constance. You must agree to give many things for-"

"You said one, father," I interrupted him.

"Constance." His tone wavered from anger to disappointed at my behavior.

"You must give up something that you hold dear for your love."

I just wanted to be back, to leave this place even though I missed them. Something didn't feel right about this place, everything was prefect but at the same time something was off. Without thinking, I hastily agreed to whatever I needed to do.

"I agree, whatever needs to be done for Lo- us."

"Are you sure, Constance?" They answered simultaneously, they were acting strange. I narrowed my eyes at them and spoke proudly.

"Yes."

"You must sacrifice your life for him."

These spirits or things, they were not my parents, they looked like them, spoke like them, but my parents would never do this. They smiled wickedly and threw their heads up laughing evilly. Their faces morphed into a jumbled mess that cackled demonically. It's skin was scaly and grey, the eyes had no pupils. It swung a chain that clanked and shook wildly in the air as it roped around my left wrist. The loose cuff snapped shut and locked tightly, faintly glowing blue ancient text appeared in a dead language. The evil spirit threw the other half of the heavy chain into a hole and I felt it dragging me towards it. I fell as the weight of the chain pulled me farther and grabbed on the edge of the ground at the last second holding on intently. The strain on my arm made the whole left side of my body dangle and I looked down in the darkness of the hole and let go of the ledge falling.