Tsar Alexander Nikolaevich Romanov II

Alexander, creeped out from the figure steps back in cold sweat. Looking at the figure with hostility and fear.

"Who are you!? What do you want?"

Said alexander, raising his fists up to his face. Appearing ready to fight.

The figure points at himself and then at Michael.

"Me? I'm you."

Then, turning into a shadow resembling a snake the figure immediatly coils up Alexanders body, up to his ears, Whispering.

"Or more accurately the manifestation of your deepest fears, guilt, and darkest thoughts.

You could say i'm the "evil" version of you."

Feeling the body of the snake around his body Alexander has difficulty breathing. Though... he ignores it and calms himself, mustering courage to ask the figure a question.

"you still haven't answered what do you want"

The figure, pondering the question leaves Alexanders and stands infront of him.

"You already know the answer. After all, what I want is what you want. And what you want is what I want."

"I want the best life for the citizens of the empire?"

The figure, appearing a bit offended at Alexanders answer scoffs.

With his eyes turning bright red as a shadow of 2 horns appearing behind his head, he asks Alexander again.

"Oh please, don't lie to yourself. If your goals were actually that noble we wouldn't be here now would we? Now go on. What do WE actually want, the thing we desire the most."

As if possessed Alexander answers back.

"Power. Absolute power over everything."

"Good... good."

Said the figure as it licked its lips. It then turned into a snake again, slowly starting to coil up Alexanders body.

"Why do we seek power?"

Alexander still resembling a puppet answers.

"Control. Dominion of all things."

As the snake is half way up to his head asks another question.

"Who are we? Who. Are. You?"

Alexander takes a while to answer.

"I am..., who am I?"

The snakes eyes gleam with excitment and dark bright red light as it snakes its way up to Alexanders neck. And it answers.

"You are me. And always were. Since the dawn of your existence."

As the snake is about to fully cover Alexanders eyes he feels sunlight? on his skin?

---

Alexander finds himself in a field of beautiful dandelions. With the sky being clear blue and the sun shining brightly. But not harshly.

Looking around, he takes in the pleasent fragrance and the gentle breeze. Looking around he notices a woman in the distance. Wearing a floral dress and a large brim summer hat. Picking flowers of the ground and putting them in her basket.

"Elizaveta?"

Not knowing where else to go he approaches her.

As he gets closer she notices him from the corner or her eye. She walks towards him as well.

As they get closer Elizaveta immediatly hugs him. Surprised, Alexander hugsbher back and asks.

"Whats wrong?"

"You promised..."

"Promise?"

Alexander asks surprised.

Elizaveta, not looking surprised breaks the hug and points to a field of flowers not far away and asks.

"What do you see?"

Looking at the direction shes pointing Alexander takes a good look.

"A mess.

The petals on the flowers are arranged very messily. Whats special about it?"

"Look harder."

Elizaveta said quite sternly.

Sighing, Alexander listens to his wife and takes a harder look. And then notices something, a pattern.

The peony flowers are arranged in a pattern, Even though they themselves are a mess.

Elizaveta, noting his reaction snaos her fingers and they appear high above the sky, standing on seemingly nothing.

After composing himself from the sudden shift in altitude looks down, and finally sees it.

A beautiful flower. One of the most beautiful he has ever seen. Made entirely out of penoies. But thats not all, there are countless flower formations like it. Dandelions, roses, sunflowers. Stunned speechless from the sight Alexander doesn't know what to say.

"Beautiful right?"

Alexander nods, still staring at the flower formstions on the ground.

Chuckling from his action Elizaveta continues.

"Alex."

Hwaring her question Alexander comes out of his stupor and listens closely to what she has to say.

"Are you ready for the crown?

To become the tsar? The emperor of all rus?"

After thinking for a while Alexander responds.

"I don't know. I don't anyone can be ready to rule over 60,000,000 people."

"Indeed. Nothing in the world could prepare you for that kind of responsability.

So answer one question of mine."

As she says this, she snaps her fingers once again and they re-appear on the ground. This time sitting in a chair. Between them a table, With the entire set up covered by a canopy.

"What does it profit a man to rule the realm at the cost of his very own soul?[1]"

Taken aback by this question Alexander doesn't know how to answer. So he simply asks her a question of his own.

"What does it profit a man to save his soul at the cost of all others?[2]"

The questions silence both of them. So, caught in a dilemma Elizaveta breaks the silence.

*sigh*

"There is no winning against in debates,

You are incredibly articulate.

But. If you Allow me, Alex."

"Or should I say michael. Who are you?"

'Who am I?

Indeed. Am I michael or Alexander?'

Seeing him triubled with the question Elizaveta asks another one to help him.

"What do you think makes a person, their core being?"

Alexander, having been asked this question by one of his tutors growing up replies.

"Memories. Memories shape who we are and the decisions we make in the future."

While sipping tea Elizaveta listens closely.

"I'm neither Michael nor Alexander. I'm..."

---

"You are me. And always were. Since the dawn of your existence."

Regaining clarity and the light in his eyes Alexander yells as he grabs and manages to somehow rid himself of the snake from his body.

"MY PAST MATTERS NOT. YESTERDAY MATTERS NOT. WHAT I THOGHT OR WHO I WAS MATTERS NOT. FROM TODAY I'M A NEW MAN. TSAR OF ALL RUS. TSAR ALEXANDER NIKOLAEVICH ROMANOV II"

Blinding whute light rushes out from Alexanders body, as it cleanses the space.

Alexander comes back to reality, with not a second seeming to have passed. With determination in his eyes he slowly grabs the crown and the smaller one next to it.

Crowning himself and his wife.

Becoming Tsar Alexander Nikolaevich II and

Tsarina Elizaveta Dologrukova

-----

A/N explanation for those confused.

[1] It means how does someone benefit from ruling a nation at the cost of his soul. Or at setting himself up for hell.

[2] in the context of rulership, it means how does a ruler benefit saving his soul (I.E being overly compassionate, kind to enemies, averse to conflict, etc...) at the cost of all his subjects or citizens.