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{ВДНХ is an abbreviation for the Выставка Достижений Народного Хозяйства (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). In the game this name is shortened to just Exhibition.}
Artyom: (offscreen) I was born in Moscow, but I remember nothing of that time. I was just an infant when the old world was destroyed in the flames of nuclear fire. I, along with 40,000 others, were saved by retreating to the metro stations under the city.
[After flying over the city, the camera flies into a subway station.]
Artyom: (offscreen) Now, 20 years have passed… and going up into the embrace of an endless winter was left to few brave souls…
[The station is full of people busily going about their daily business. There are also many military personnel around.]
Artyom: (offscreen) The Metro was our home… and our fortress against the nightmarish mutants who roam the tunnels. Still… we never gave up hope that we would return to the surface, but one day… the new threat appeared and we found ourselves in a war to determine the very existence of our species.
[Several military personnel guarding the entrances to the station are chatting casually as something suddenly attacks them. The flashback ends and Artyom starts climbing the stairs together with some man climbing ahead of him.]
Prologue - Tower
Man: Hey, Artyom. When you left your home station, did you ever think we’d end up in a place like this? Not knowing whether we were about to save our world… or send it straight to hell.[After climbing the stairs, the man himself grabs Artyom's hand and helps him up. Both Artyom and the man are fully equipped, wearing military uniforms and armed with automatic weapons.]
Man: Gotcha! We’ll have to get through the military outpost to reach the surface, Artyom. Shhh… Tikho, tikho, tikho… (Quiet, quiet, quiet…) Something’s moving in the next room. Open the gate, I’ll cover.
[Artyom makes an entry in his diary.]
[Note 1]
There's nobody among the Order's fighters who'd ever lived at the Exhibition. Why would they risk their lives to save us, total strangers to them. What for? Perhaps they, just as I do, believe that the Dark Ones are a threat not for just our God-forgotten backwater station, but for the Metro as a whole? That, I don't know. But one thing I know for sure: I can't watch these people and not feel admiration. They couldn't care less which station we hailed from, which god and which politics we believed, the one thing they actually cared about was that we were human beings and we were in danger. When joining the Order, one vows to protect the Metro, the last refuge of human race, to the end. Some of them believe they can prevail; a lot more think we're all doomed regardless - but they don't even think of laying down their arms and giving up the struggle. Such were Hunter's comrades. And it would be the highest honor for me to become one of them.
[Artyom comes to the massive metal door reinforced with metal bars.]
Man: Open the door - I’ll cover you!
[Artyom uses the switch and activates the door opener, but nothing happens.]
Man: Shit is always breaking down in here. Use the auxiliary hand system to open the gate.
[Artyom turns the valve that opens the door manually.]
Man: Artyom, check those crates for ammo and med-packs. Ready, Artyom? Follow me. Okay - up we go.
[They walk up the dark stairs. Artyom turns on his headlamp to light his way.]
Use the equipment menu L1 to turn on Flashlight.
[The man, meanwhile, approaches the door and carefully opens it, ready to open fire at any moment.]
Man: Uh-huh… Seems like nobody’s home.
Use the equipment menu L1 to put the gas mask on or remove it.
Man: Before we hit the surface, put your gas mask on. Without it, you’d be like a goldfish outside his bowl.
[Artyom puts on his old worn-out gas mask.]
Man: We’re almost there. This is the Korolev performance hall. It’s really close to the Tower. Load your weapon! Here they come!
[Several mutants jump down from above and a firefight ensues. The trained military wins quickly.]
Man: Let’s give it a pull… Artyom, let’s pull together. Are you ready? Pull! Anu-Ka! Anu-ka! And… Done! Lets move out!
[They pull back the metal grid and go out onto the streets of Moscow, which has been destroyed by a nuclear explosion. Artyom sees a horrible picture. The roads are filled with ash, rock fragments and other debris, so much so that it is impossible to see the asphalt. There are broken cars lying all over the place. The remnants of trees with their branches like twisted fingers of the hand are reaching to him. Sandstorms, fog and rain complete the picture of the apocalypse. A man points to a tower in the distance.]
Man: And here it is Artyom. Our goal…
Radio: Come in… Ulman, come in… Over.
Ulman: (via radio) You’re coming through loud and clear. Over.
Man: We’re at the tower. I repeat: We’re at the tower. Did the group move out? Over.
Ulman: (via radio) That’s affirmative, we’ve made contact. They should be in the vicinity of the tower now. Over.
Man: Roger. We’ll contact you again when we’re at the top of the tower. Get a fix on our location then. Over.
[A rusty car assembled from several vehicles pulls up the man and Artyom. The car is equipped with powerful wheels from a truck and a small machine gun turret. The car stops abruptly. The driver gets out of the cab and approaches the man.]
Driver: Glad to see you, Colonel.
Gunman: Did you hear that--listen! What the hell is it…?
[There is a long, eerie howl coming from far away…]
Man: FORM A CIRCLE!!!
[The men stand around the car waiting for the enemies, and they do not have to wait long. The soldiers are surrounded by wolf-like mutants.]
Man: Stay calm! Watch your backs, boys. Ok, ok… looks like it's going to be tougher than the library.
[Artyom is changing his filter just in case.]
Swap your filter. Hold L1
[The mutants attack.]
Man: Shit! Fire at will! Hold the line!