The ancient armory doors closed behind them.
Asterion led the group through a corridor unlike any other within the Sanctuary.
The walls were carved with thousands of names.
Every name shimmered with a faint silver light.
---
Artyom slowed his pace.
"What are these?"
---
Caelum ran his fingers gently across the stone.
"They are the names of every member of the First Family."
---
Roman studied the endless wall.
"There are... thousands."
---
"For over a thousand years," Caelum replied quietly.
"They lived here."
---
Artyom's eyes wandered across the names.
Some had faded.
Others burned as brightly as if they had been carved yesterday.
Then...
One name caught his attention.
---
ELARA VESPER
---
His footsteps stopped.
Without thinking, he reached out.
The moment his fingertips touched the name...
The wall burst into light.
---
The corridor disappeared.
---
Artyom found himself standing in a vast garden beneath a silver sky.
White lilies swayed gently in the breeze.
A woman stood among them.
Long silver hair.
Kind blue eyes.
---
His mother.
---
She smiled.
"You found this place."
---
Artyom took a hesitant step forward.
"Is this real?"
---
She shook her head softly.
"No."
"It's a memory the Sanctuary preserved."
---
"I have so many questions."
---
"I know."
Her smile held both warmth and sadness.
"But memories cannot change the past."
---
Artyom lowered his gaze.
"Did you ever... stop thinking about me?"
---
Elara's expression broke.
"There was never a single day."
"I loved you from the moment I first held you."
---
A lump formed in Artyom's throat.
"You left."
---
Tears shimmered in her eyes.
"I was taken."
"Leaving you was never my choice."
---
The garden began to fade.
---
"The Sanctuary chose to show you this because it wants you to know one truth."
---
She stepped closer.
"If you must carry our family's name..."
She gently placed a hand over his heart.
"...carry its compassion before its crown."
---
The vision dissolved.
---
Artyom opened his eyes.
He was back in the corridor.
His hand still rested against Elara's name.
---
Viktor stood beside him.
"What happened?"
---
Artyom looked at the glowing inscription.
"I met my mother."
---
Silence settled over the group.
---
Valentin smiled gently.
"The Sanctuary remembers everyone."
---
Before anyone could speak again...
A Guardian hurried into the corridor.
Unlike the others, this one moved with urgency.
It knelt before Asterion.
---
"My King."
---
Asterion nodded.
"Report."
---
"The Eclipse Order has reached the Hall of Crowns."
---
Dmitri's expression changed immediately.
"The Hall of Crowns..."
He looked at Caelum.
"What's inside?"
---
Caelum answered without hesitation.
---
"The Heart of the Sanctuary."
---
Roman frowned.
"And if they take it?"
---
Asterion's calm expression turned grave.
---
"The Sanctuary dies."
---
Without another word, everyone turned toward the central halls.
The battle had reached the one place that could never be allowed to fall.