Myst Vantar

I have lived by a lake all my life. It's called Myst vatnar which means Myst lake in the Norse language. Apparently myst was a term for mystical or mystic long ago. At least that's what my father always told me. This lake was crystal clear all year long and even though we traveled occasionally and saw other lakes I never saw a lake so beautiful. Which is why every summer people from all over the world would come to vacation at it. You could swim, fish, and enjoy tanning on the lake or by it. But there was one rule that no matter what that seemed to always get broken. There were never to be more than five people in the lake at the same time.

Inevitably every year someone happens to break the rule and every year someone mysteriously dies. I guess I shouldn't say die because we never find a body so it's more like they disappear. Regardless, every year it happens like clockwork and every year we look for three days and then act like nothing ever happened. Because of this there were always conspiracy theories. Lake monsters, aliens, and even government officials who kidnap people. My father would always laugh about it and wave them off pointing to the sign with the one rule.

When I was ten my father told me the truth about the lake. When Vikings discovered this lake hundreds of years ago they all went into it for a drink and to bathe. One by one they were dragged underwater by water spirits and disappeared into the spirit world. Only five of them survived and they took up residence here. They were the ones who established the one rule and they stood as guardians here until they died to enforce it. They even married women of the land so as to bear children that would also stay here and guard the lake.

My father told me that we were descendants of those Vikings and that we were destined to watch the lake. Because the Vikings came to learn that at least once a year a sacrifice had to be made to the spirits. If there was no sacrifice then the lake would become closed and all the fish would die. But most importantly the spirits would leave the lake and take more than one life. They would kill without mercy unless sealed back into the lake. It had happened once according to my father long before either of us was born. A shaman had to come and seal the spirits away. Only one family survived the massacre and that was the family that would eventually lead to my father.

I was told that just like my father and his father before him one day I would guard the lake as well. It was expected of the guardian that if the sacrifice had not been made by the fall equinox then the guardian would either make it happen or would sacrifice him/herself. My father had to sacrifice someone once. He literally just pushed them into the lake and watched them sink. It almost resulted in him getting arrested but his sense of duty was far stronger than any mortal laws. I was expected to be the same as him and I resolved myself at the young age of ten to do as such.

When I was twelve my father died. He was forced to give himself to the spirits on the equinox because he couldn't find anyone to push into the lake. He hugged me tight with tears in his eyes, "Son promise me that you'll be strong. That you'll protect this lake like I did and keep everyone safe from the spirits. I love you son, never forget that." With that he kissed my mother goodbye and he walked out of the house straight into the lake.

When I was twenty I had to commit my first murder. The summer had come and gone with nobody having broken the rule. I sat in my house the whole day of the equinox staring at the wall. As night began to fall my mother came to me, "There are five people in the lake. One more is standing over by the far side just watching the water. You know what you have to do." I sighed, getting up and looking at my mother with tears in my eyes. She hugged me, "Go. Before it's too late."

I headed out of the house meandering my way over to the far side of the lake. A young woman is standing right at the water edge watching it with intense interest. She's just as beautiful as the lake. Something about her intense stare made my heart flutter but I pushed it away knowing what I had to do. I coughed as I walked up to her, breaking her gaze from the lake, "Hello there. The water truly is beautiful isn't it?"

Nodding she goes back to staring into it, "I want to go in but there are already five people in the lake so I'm scared to actually go in. You know the rule that's posted here. 'No more than five people at a time in the lake.'

I laughed perhaps a little bitterly as I thought about what I was about to do, "It's a silly rule isn't it? You should go in even if it's just to wet your feet. The water is always cold so it feels nice."

She looked at me, having picked up on the bitterness in my laugh, "But I've heard that when someone breaks the rule they disappear. Something drags them under the water and takes them away."

Nodding, I smile at her. My mother always told me I have a disarming smile that could put anyone at ease. I hoped she was right, "Sure water spirits come up and take them because they need a blood sacrifice or else they'll go mad. They'll rise from the lake and kill everyone here then go out further and keep killing until a shaman seals them away."

She chuckled nervously, "I guess when you put it like that it does sound silly huh? Well at least a little dip won't hurt right. Just my feet so I can feel the cold water." She stepped into the lake. As soon as both of her feet were in the water, pale hands rose up and grabbed her ankles. Before she could even scream she was dragged under and was gone. With that I walked back to my home.

When I stepped through the door my mother looked at me nervously, "Is it done?" I nodded and then I started to weep. My mother held me and brushed my hair back crying with me, "It's okay honey. You did what you had to do. That doesn't make you a bad person. Think of all the people you've saved for another year because of this one sacrifice." After that I went and slept for three days straight only waking up to cry more and then return to my nightmares.

Now I'm eighty-three. I married in my late twenties and had three wonderful children. When each of them turned ten I told them the secret of the lake just like my father did for me. Once they all knew and had grown up I asked which of them would take my place as guardian of the lake. My eldest stepped forward telling me that he had already told his wife and she agreed for them to live there and continue to guard the lake. I breathed a sigh of relief and hugged him tight, "Thank you son. Thank you to all of you, my children. I love you all more than you can ever know. However since your mother passed earlier this year I have been quite lonely and I think I'm ready to see her again. There are five people in the lake right now so I think it's time for me to go on. At least this year no one innocent has to die." With that I walked out of the house and into the embrace of the spirits.

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