The first crack appeared on the largest crystal.
Kaelen found it during his morning visit to the crater. A thin line, barely visible, running from the base to the center. Black light pulsed from it—slow, like a heartbeat.
The intelligence stirred.
“The presence is testing its prison. The fragments are weakening.”
“How long until they break?”
“Months. Perhaps less. The presence is learning. Adapting.”
Kaelen touched the crack. The black light burned his fingers.
“Can we repair it?”
“Yes. But the energy required would drain the other crystals. The anchor would weaken.”
“Then we find another way.”
---
Elara examined the crystal.
“The crack is structural. The presence is vibrating at a frequency that resonates with the crystal's lattice. If we can disrupt the frequency—”
“The pres
