The Pantheon

Chapter 2: The Awakening

The quiet murmur of the Pantheon's internal systems pulsed beneath the floor, its advanced technology humming in sync with the heartbeat of the city outside. For all the world, it appeared to be just another place of innovation—a hub for scientific exploration, an incubator for the brightest minds in the world. But to those who knew, it was much more than that.

Inside the facility, the sterile walls and bright lights concealed the secrets of a project far beyond the public's understanding. A project that was about to take a turn no one could have predicted.

Evan had barely settled in when the door to the briefing room opened again, this time to reveal a figure who had not been in the meeting the previous day: Dr. Ellis, the lead historian for the Pantheon project. Dr. Ellis was known for her vast knowledge of ancient civilizations, but even her calm demeanor couldn't mask the unease in her expression as she stepped inside.Evan

"We need to talk," she said quietly, closing the door behind her. "You need to see this for yourself."

Evan stood up, curiosity piqued. "What's going on?"

Dr. Ellis hesitated before answering. "It's not just about alternate timelines. The summons... they're starting to bleed into the present in ways we can't control."

She paused, waiting for the weight of her words to sink in. Evan felt the blood drain from his face. "What do you mean?"

"The historical figures we've summoned—they're not just coming here physically. Their ideologies, their emotions, their actions... they're affecting the world around us. We're seeing cracks in the system. They're... too powerful for the world we've created. And some of them are beginning to change the course of events without anyone knowing why."

Evan's mind raced. "So they're not just visitors—they're influencing the present?"

"Exactly," Dr. Ellis said, her voice growing more urgent. "And some of them are starting to resist their roles. It's becoming chaotic. We've been able to control them before, but now... now it's slipping through our fingers."

The scientist in Evan wanted to understand the mechanics behind it. "So, what happened? Why is this all happening now?"

"I don't know. But you have to see it," Dr. Ellis replied, walking briskly to the door. "Follow me."

The facility's corridors seemed to stretch on forever, winding deeper into the heart of the Pantheon. They passed through countless security doors, which opened automatically at Dr. Ellis' command. Finally, they reached a small, unassuming room at the farthest corner of the building. It was far removed from the high-tech labs and the gleaming control panels that defined the rest of the facility.

Inside the room was a large, circular chamber, filled with intricate holographic displays that flickered with static. At the center, in a glass containment unit, lay a man who could not have been more out of place. He was dressed in the tattered remains of military garb, his face weathered and hardened. His eyes were closed, but even in rest, there was an undeniable presence about him.

Evan leaned closer to the display, his heart racing. "Who is he?"

"This," Dr. Ellis whispered, "is General Alexander of Macedon—Alexander the Great. One of the first successful summons. But we're not dealing with a man from history anymore. We've brought back someone far more dangerous."

Evan stared at the image, the weight of history pressing down on him. He had learned about Alexander in school, of course—the conqueror who built one of the largest empires in the world before he died at the age of 32. But this wasn't a history lesson. This was something real.

"Why is he so dangerous?" Evan asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Because he's not the same Alexander who conquered Persia and Egypt," Dr. Ellis replied. "He remembers it all, but he's been... altered. His mind, his instincts, they've been modified by the modern world. He sees the world as something to dominate, something to reshape in his image. And we've unleashed him into a time when the world is ripe for conflict."

Evan stepped back, his mind racing. "So, what's happening with him now?"

"Right now, he's sleeping. But when he wakes up, we won't be able to control him. We're trying to study how his mind works—how it has changed. But he's not alone. Others are starting to show the same signs. We're seeing it in the others too, in different ways."

Dr. Ellis turned toward him, her face pale with concern. "Evan, we need to understand what we've done. Before it's too late."

Evan nodded, his thoughts spinning. The Pantheon had been a project of unimaginable ambition—bringing the greatest minds from history to the future, to reshape a world on the brink of collapse. But what if those minds, those legends, couldn't adapt? What if they had become something else entirely? Something that no one could control?

Evan didn't know the answer, but one thing was clear: this was no longer just an experiment. The consequences of what they had done were just beginning to unfold.

As they walked back to the main facility, Evan's thoughts were consumed by what he had seen. He had assumed the Pantheon was a tool—a way to solve the issues humanity was facing by tapping into the wisdom of the past. But now, it felt like a Pandora's Box. Each figure they summoned brought with it not just knowledge, but the raw, untamed power of their time. And that power—no matter how well-intentioned—was not something that could be easily harnessed.

Back in the heart of the facility, as Dr. Ellis led him toward the next set of data logs, the words she had spoken echoed in his mind: What if they can't adapt?

He didn't know yet, but he feared the answer might be something that would change everything.

For all their scientific breakthroughs, they had overlooked one thing—the past was never just a collection of facts and figures. It was alive, with all the ambition, pride, and violence that had shaped human history. And now that history was awakening.

The real question was: could the future survive it?

As Evan pondered the gravity of the situation, a soft ping echoed through the room. Dr. Ellis glanced at the holographic screen in front of her, her expression hardening. "This is it," she said, voice low. "The first of many."

Evan looked up sharply, his heart pounding. "What is it?"

Dr. Ellis didn't answer immediately. Instead, she tapped a few commands into the console. The screen flickered, showing an image of a woman. Cleopatra. Her eyes were dark and intense, and her lips seemed to be curled into a faint, knowing smile.

"She's awake," Dr. Ellis said softly. "And she's not the Cleopatra we read about in books."

And with that, the curtain of history began to rise.