Chapter 4: The Hall of Memories and the Lapse of Time

Without a second thought, Johan and Emma lunged into the shimmering wall. For a few seconds, they felt weightless, as if swimming through thick water, but the air was heavy with the scent of old books and static electricity."Stop!" Arthur roared, firing his weapon, but the bullet vanished into the vibrating threshold, never reaching them.When Johan opened his eyes, he found himself in a place that defied reality. This was no longer a dark cave; it was an infinite hall whose walls were carved from translucent crystal. Within the crystals, moving images flickered like ghosts."Where... where are we?" Emma whispered in awe. "Look at the timer!"Johan glanced at the device in his hands. The countdown was accelerating: 00:55:12. They only had fifty-five minutes left."These images..." Johan stepped closer to the crystalline walls. "This is me! Look, Emma... it’s me and my father when I was a child."Inside the wall, a younger Johan was playing with his father in their yard. His father held the iron device, smiling warmly at the boy.Suddenly, a heavy thud echoed behind them. The rippling portal opened once more, and Arthur stepped through alone. His eyes were bloodshot with greed. His men had been left behind; the door seemingly only allowed those with "shared blood" to enter.Arthur laughed, a chilling, jagged sound. "So this is the great treasure? A hall full of useless memories? No, Johan... your father spoke of something else. He said this place could alter time. I want to go back. I want to undo the mistakes that led to your father squandering our family fortune!""I won't let you touch the timeline!" Emma shouted. "These frequencies are too fragile. If you break something, we'll all be trapped here forever!"The timer hit 00:50:00. The ground beneath their feet began to tremble.