The door opened without a sound.
Artyom stepped inside.
The chamber was vast.
Its ceiling disappeared into darkness, while thousands of floating crystals illuminated the room with a soft silver glow.
There were no books.
No paintings.
No statues.
Only memories.
---
The moment Artyom crossed the center of the chamber, one crystal descended before him.
It shimmered gently.
Then burst into light.
---
A little boy ran across a field of white flowers.
He laughed as a woman with long silver hair chased after him.
Her smile was warm.
Her eyes were filled with love.
---
Artyom froze.
His chest tightened.
"Mother..."
---
The vision shifted.
The boy stumbled and fell.
Before he could cry, the woman picked him up and brushed the dirt from his clothes.
"You must always stand again," she whispered with a smile.
"Even when the world tries to keep you down."
---
The memory faded.
Another crystal floated forward.
---
This time...
It showed Andrei Morozov.
He stood outside a small wooden cabin, holding an infant wrapped in a blanket.
The child had dark hair.
Bright blue-gray eyes.
---
Artyom.
---
Andrei looked exhausted.
He glanced over his shoulder repeatedly, as though someone was following him.
Then he looked down at the child.
"I'm sorry."
His voice cracked.
"I can't give you a normal life."
---
He gently kissed the child's forehead.
"But I can give you a chance to live."
---
The memory dissolved into silver light.
---
Artyom lowered his head.
For years...
He had believed Andrei abandoned him.
Instead...
He had been protecting him.
---
A third crystal descended.
Unlike the others...
It was black.
---
The room became cold.
The vision appeared slowly.
---
Flames.
Smoke.
People running.
The magnificent city of the First Family burned beneath a crimson sky.
Warriors fought desperately through the streets.
Children cried.
Buildings collapsed.
---
At the center of the destruction stood a man dressed in black armor.
His face remained hidden beneath a silver mask.
He raised his sword.
The city fell silent.
---
Then...
The vision ended.
---
Artyom took a slow breath.
His hands had begun to shake.
---
"Who was he...?"
---
No answer came.
Instead, the final crystal floated toward him.
Unlike the others...
It didn't show the past.
---
It reflected Artyom himself.
---
Then words slowly appeared across its surface.
"The past has remembered you."
"Will you remember the past?"
---
The crystal waited.
As though expecting an answer.
---
Artyom looked at his own reflection.
Then quietly said,
"...Yes."
The crystal pulsed with silver light.