An alarm caused everyone to turn to the energy control panel.

–No,– Daren gasped. "Not again.

It was clearly visible on the sensors that the power cable stretching from the spaceport to the Lighthouse had begun to overheat. Due to the enormous energy release during the activation of the box, the system could not cope with the load.

"The energy consumption was too high,– Daren explained feverishly. – The resonator of the box pulled the entire supply from the network. The cable is overheated, the insulation is melting…

Karin grabbed her communicator.

Everyone leave the spaceport area! Immediately!

A few seconds later, a powerful explosion shook the catacombs. The blast wave also reached the control room, causing the walls to shake. An image appeared on the screens: part of the spaceport had collapsed, smoke and flames rising from the ruins.

"The Lighthouse's power system is damaged," Liana stated. – But the main thing is that the box is intact.

Elarion stood up:

"It's a sign. We can't rely on technology. We need to create a system that will work without external energy. And hide the box where it can't hurt.

The "Firsts" went to the deepest catacombs of Lithia, where ancient rocks preserved the memory of the birth of the planet. They found a natural cavity surrounded by layers of basalt and quartzite.

Here they have created a protective chamber.:

The first layer consists of minerals that absorb the residual radiation of "MAGIC", calling it the contour of "earth magic". The second layer consists of crystals with reverse polarization, scattering impulses (fire magic). The third layer is a biological barrier made of modified algae that neutralize aggressive frequencies (water magic). The fourth layer is gravity stabilizers, created based on the formulas of Mirael (air magic).

The box was placed in the center of the cell. Mirael drew barrier formulas and warnings on the walls.:

"The power that almost destroyed us sleeps here. Don't wake her up. Don't try to understand. Don't be tempted by her might."

Since then, Evil has been hidden in the depths of the planet. His magic, though locked away, continues to permeate Litea – it flows in rivers, whispers in the winds, and shimmers in the night sky. Some monsters stayed and learned to survive in different parts of the world, sometimes attacking settlements of survivors and each other.

But people still remember that they have guns. And there are those who are ready to use it if the threat returns.

And the "Firsts" became a legend. Their knowledge was passed on secretly, from teacher to student, so that one day, if Evil reawakened, there would be those who could stop it – and this time find a final solution.

✨✨✨

This is the end of the prehistory of the . 💫

You can find out the continuation in the game "Strings of Fate: A Magical Dream".

The release is closer than you think! Turn on the notification and follow the news – the secrets of magic will be revealed very soon.…

The five stood in a circle around the box. Elarion started the resonator. Liana entered a key character.

Karin synchronized the biofield. Daren channeled the energy through the crystals. Mirael has closed a multidimensional loop.

A dome of light flashed above the box. The touch of hands on the box, and Karin's biofield embraced their consciousness and united them in a single impulse – not as five separate people, but as a single mind controlling the power of "MAGIC". Consciousness has become clearer, the already well-known physical laws have become completely clear, the principles of magical influence have become clearer, and the lines of the passage of time have become visible.

In the sky above Litea, the object froze, its pulsation became nervous. The gaps in space began to tighten one by one – the crimson flashes went out, the distorted areas of reality leveled off, and the creepy portals collapsed with a dull pop. A few seconds later, a powerful stream of energy attracted and absorbed Something that became a true Evil for a peaceful lonely planet.

— Look at this! Liana exclaimed, pointing at the tablet screen. – The gaps are disappearing!

—But - Karin frowned, studying the scanner data. "The monsters haven't disappeared. And... Professor, look at the indicators of "MAGIC"! They are falling, but not to zero!

Elarion glared at the charts.

"Some of the energy is still permeating the planet," he whispered. "We've pinned down the source, but we haven't been able to completely neutralize its influence. "MAGIC" continues to flow through the world, albeit weaker.

Daren made quick calculations:

— The box works as a filter, not as a plug. It absorbs the bulk of the radiation, but lets through the residual flux. And this flow... it changes the very structure of the matter around it.

Mirael nodded, confirming his words.:

— If you leave the box here, the residual "MAGIC" will accumulate in it until it causes a second breakthrough. We need to hide her where her field will be weakened as much as possible. In the depths of the planet, where materials and temperature stabilize the radiation.

Liana shuddered:

— So we did not create a solution, but a temporary measure?

—Yes,– said Elarion. – But this is the best measure possible. We will hide the box deep underground, create a multi-layer protection around it and monitor its condition. This will give us time to study the "MAGIC" and find a way to completely neutralize it.