Ethan's mind reeled as Astra's words hung in the air. Remember? What did she mean? What secrets could the Nexus Key possibly reveal?
Astra's eyes seemed to bore into his very soul, as if she could see the turmoil brewing inside him. "Come," she said, her voice low and hypnotic. "Let us begin."
Without hesitation, Ethan felt himself being drawn toward Astra, as if some unseen force was pulling him closer. He tried to resist, but it was no use. His feet moved of their own accord, carrying him toward the orb.
As he reached out to touch it, a burst of energy surged through him. Ethan felt his memories flooding back, but this time they weren't his own. He saw glimpses of others' lives, their joys and sorrows, their triumphs and failures.
He saw a young couple holding hands on a moonlit beach, their love shining like a beacon in the darkness. He saw a child laughing with abandon, her eyes sparkling with joy. He saw an old man standing alone on a windswept cliff, his eyes filled with regret.
Ethan's mind reeled as he tried to make sense of the visions. Who were these people? Why were their memories flashing before his eyes?
Astra's voice whispered in his ear, her breath hot against his skin. "These are the memories of others," she said. "Memories that have been locked away for centuries. The Nexus Key has brought them to the surface, and now you must unlock them."
Ethan felt like he was drowning in a sea of emotions, overwhelmed by the weight of so many lives. He saw a young soldier crying out in agony on a distant battlefield. He saw a woman weeping tears of grief at a grave. He saw a child's eyes widening in terror as they stared up at a monster.
And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the visions stopped.
Ethan stumbled backward, gasping for air. His mind reeled with the weight of what he had seen. He felt like he had been given a glimpse into the collective soul of humanity.
Astra's eyes seemed to gleam with satisfaction. "You have seen," she said. "You have seen the secrets that lie within the Nexus Key."
Ethan felt like he was staring into an abyss, unsure what lay ahead. But he knew one thing – he couldn't go back to the way things were before. He had been changed forever by the memories of others.