Cyrus, after being drawn with all his being towards that mysterious light in the distance, finally escaped from a dark and scattered void. His eyes saw everything blurred, and for moments he didn't know where he was. A strange sensation, a mix of confusion and anticipation, enveloped him. Unanswered questions swirled in his mind: Was this the end? Or the beginning of something new? Gradually, after those hazy moments, he realized he was in a room. Walls of stone and wood, smelling of antiquity, surrounded him. The faint light of oil lamps cast dancing shadows on the walls, reminding him of ancient images he had seen in history books.
Suddenly, a soft and comforting sound reached his ears. He found himself in the arms of an unknown woman who, with a kind smile, gently patted his back. A sudden warmth surged through him, and an involuntary cry escaped his throat. With every tear that flowed from his eyes, his senses heightened. An astonishing truth became clear to him: he was no longer that middle-aged professor from Tehran University. He found himself in the small, fragile body of a newborn, as if his life had begun anew. This moment sparked a mix of fear and curiosity in his heart, but he still didn't know what destiny awaited him.
The midwife carefully and kindly took him in her arms and brought him to another woman who was his mother. His mother's eyes, full of joy and love, gazed at him. A look that brought profound peace to Cyrus. His mother, whom he later learned was named Mandane, with hands trembling with excitement, pressed him to her chest and planted a warm kiss on his forehead. In that moment, a sense of security and belonging, lost for years in his modern life, filled his heart. The gentle sound of his mother's breaths and the rhythm of her heartbeat, like familiar music, soothed his agitated mind. He still didn't know who this woman was, but her kindness gave him a feeling of rebirth.
Days passed quickly, and little Cyrus, now growing up among an unknown family, gradually became familiar with the sounds and words around him. Mandane and a man, whom he later learned was named Cambyses, cared for him with kindness. But his mind was still in a haze of uncertainty. Unfamiliar sounds, the whispers of ancient Persian, and the smell of burning wood in the air reminded him of his history lessons. He tried to piece together his new identity by focusing on these sounds. Every time Mandane held him, a strange feeling of closeness came alive in his heart.
After a few days, by listening to the conversations of those around him, pieces of the puzzle fit together. The name "Cyrus," repeated many times, connected with his memories of Achaemenid history. He realized that he had been reborn into the body of the grandson of Astyages, the king of Media. His photographic memory, which kept all his previous life's knowledge alive, came to his aid. Images of his classes, history books, and discussions about Cyrus the Great, one by one, came to life in his mind. This discovery both astonished him and made him wonder if this reincarnation had a greater purpose.
Accepting this truth was not difficult for him. His deep love for history, which had filled his life for years, helped him embrace this change. In his modern life, he had no family; he had never married, and his parents had passed away in his childhood. This loneliness, which was once a heavy burden on him, had now freed him from emotional ties that might have made this transition difficult. He remembered how he used to spend hours thinking about Iran's history and Cyrus's character, and now he had an opportunity to change that history. This acceptance opened a window of hope in his heart.
In the silence of his mind, he made a vow to himself. Upon understanding his identity and accepting the reality of reincarnation, he swore to build a thousand-year empire based on justice, tolerance, and progress. His aspirations, which were once only in his books and imagination, had now become an attainable goal. He wanted to use modern knowledge to build a system that would prevent historical collapses, such as Alexander's invasion. As his eyes stared at the stone ceiling of the room, he vowed to turn this land into a place from which future civilizations would learn. This oath was his first step on the path to becoming a Cyrus greater than what history had recorded.