The father took a deep breath, then said, "No one can control the machines. They are old, skillfully made, and resistant to hacking or tampering. They only carry out what we dictate to them through voice commands. But no one can order them to kill or fight; they would reject such orders immediately because it is not in their nature. But when the ancients made the machines, they made something to control them with... something dangerous."

Gaia's eyes widened in astonishment, and his father's words struck him like a thunderbolt. He had never known that there was something that could control the machines. "And what is this thing?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

The father replied in his weary tone, "It is the Crown of Control and Power also known as (The Crown of Machines). Whoever wears this crown can control the machines and do whatever he wishes with them. The ancients made it in case the machines rebelled in some way, despite the impossibility of it, or in critical situations that required using them for fighting. But this secret was passed down to specific people, people who had the ability to keep this secret. This secret was passed from generation to generation, and I intended to tell you about it sooner or later. You deserve to be told, for your faith, chivalry, honesty, and love for our planet and our people, and for your vast knowledge. That is why I entrust you with this secret. Use this power only when necessary. This crown was hidden because it caused a catastrophe before, but this is not the time to talk about it."

Gaia's jaw dropped, not believing what he was hearing. The power to control the machines? How amazing! He had read many books and had a wide knowledge of all the sciences, but he had never heard of anything like this before. "But Father," he said, his voice a mixture of tension and unquenchable excitement, "if such a power falls into the wrong hands, it could destroy us all!"

The father replied, breathing with difficulty, "Of course, my son. That is why no one knew this secret except a few. And that is why for two thousand years, no one has used it until now, except for only once. But I must warn you, this power, when used for a long time, can take over your mind and destroy you, because it is a double-edged sword. That is why if time puts you in dire need of using it, do not overuse it, because it is a deceptive power that will make you feel invincible. It will control your mind and your heart and control you without you feeling it. You will think you are in control, but the reality is otherwise. This has happened before. This power takes over those with weak and sick hearts."

"Do not worry, Father," Gaia said, reassuring his father. "I will not have to use it, I am sure of that. But when did this happen?"

The father felt relieved. "Next to the crown, there are ancient books and manuscripts that will tell you strange stories and things you did not know," he said in a calm tone. "Make sure to read them well, and you will know when this happened. And there is something else I must tell you, and no one knows it but me. The Crystal of Life is not here for no reason. It gives our planet life, and it is the engine that supplies the machines with energy to work non-stop. That is why it was named the Crystal of Life, because it gives life to everything around it. But do you know where it came from?"

Gaia shook his head in denial. His father continued, "You will find the story in detail in the books, but I will tell you what I remember of it. It is a gift from an ancient being about whom no one knows anything, as all information about him has been lost. But all we know is that our race lived divided into many sects and races, and they were all fighting and killing each other non-stop, and this planet was about to perish because of the corruption and wars that filled it. But our people, the people of Atlantis, maintained their principles and values that made them reach this stage of progress and moral discipline. This made them vulnerable to constant attacks from their neighbors, despite our people's hatred of war. And one day, the time of destruction from God came for this corrupt planet, and a great flood was unleashed to drown everything in its path. But before the planet drowned and everyone on it died, our people saw something shining in the sky, a being of unimaginable beauty, as if it were an angel who came from God to save them from destruction. If he hadn't told them that he was a being like them, living in this vast universe full of wonders, they would have believed he was an angel. No one knows what he was. But he saved our people and saved the planet. The means of life on it were weak at first after what had happened. So the creature gave them the crystal, which made life flow and pulsate throughout the planet again, and he asked them to protect it with their lives if anyone came trying to take it. He said that this crystal would take us to horizons we knew nothing about, that it would make us progress and become an advanced and more conscious race, and it would give our planet the life it deserved. He also gave them a book filled with all the secrets related to this crystal and how to use it and harness its power to serve our people. And he said that when the time comes, the crystal will show us the way."

He coughed a little, while Gaia's mind was about to explode from what he had heard. The old man continued, "Somehow, the crystal was merged with our planet, so its energy began to flow in everything, and the ancients called this energy the Stream of Life. It made our planet like a paradise. The land became more fertile for agriculture, the water became sweeter, and the taste of the fruits became many times more delicious than they were. The crystal continued to help us move forward thanks to its strange power. But the ancients felt that the next generation might misuse it because they had not seen this miracle with their own eyes, so they invented a story that this crystal was sacred and that whoever touched it would be cursed by the gods forever. That is why no one approached it and no one cared for it except to watch its beauty only. But in reality, the kings and their courts, generation after generation, were using the power of the crystal for many things using the book. But there were some enormous powers that the kings, generation after generation, were afraid to disclose to the people, so they hid them and used some of them to serve the people without them feeling it. Like our long lifespan. You know we sometimes live for a thousand years, and that is thanks to the power of this crystal. And what was hidden was even greater."

The old man began to cough violently. Gaia gave him a cup of water. He took a sip, then began to feel the energy renewed in his weak, frail body, while Gaia's jaw remained open, without uttering a word, thoughts clashing in his mind, and in his soul, darkness, turmoil, and an unbelievable inspiration from what he was hearing. The old man continued in his frail voice, "And because this crystal is linked to the planet like the bond of a mother to her son, stealing it from our planet will destroy the crops and the offspring and all means of life here. And it will be the end of our race. That is why you must protect it well. You must also hide these secrets from your brother and from the people so that greed does not creep into their wise hearts. You can tell these secrets to those you trust most only, and you can entrust them with its secret so that the secret does not die and be forgotten with time, as I have done. But all who know its secret have died, and only I am left. That is why if anyone reveals its secret, death is his punishment. The creature that gave us the crystal said that there are people who will come in an attempt to deceive everyone to steal the crystal for themselves and to destroy our beautiful planet. That is why you must be prepared for something like this, although they are just assumptions that may not come true. But if it happens that such a person comes, you must protect this crystal with your life."

Gaia felt a torrent of emotions flowing through his body after hearing all these strange stories that had been hidden from him. But he suppressed his emotions and said in a calm tone, "Do not worry, Father. I will protect it even if it costs me my life. I promise you this. But I have one last question. What happened to the strange creature that brought the crystal? And why did he give it to us? And what is his story?"

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