A lone, towering monolith stood in the distance, its smooth, obsidian surface reflecting the sickly green sun. Elias approached it cautiously, the crunching gravel beneath his boots the only sound in the unnerving silence.
As he drew closer, a soft hum resonated from the monolith. It pulsed, growing louder, and a holographic image flickered into life, a being of pure light and energy.
"Greetings, traveler," the being spoke in a voice that echoed in Elias' mind. "You have found our beacon."
Elias was speechless. He had come to Cygnus 4 searching for remnants of an ancient civilization, but this... this was beyond anything he could have imagined.
"We are the Architects," the being continued. "We built this world, and this beacon, to preserve our knowledge. Now, we offer it to you."
The holographic image expanded, filling Elias' vision with intricate patterns and swirling equations, knowledge of unimaginable power.
Elias, overwhelmed, could only whisper, "What… what do you want in return?"
The being paused, its light flickering. "We want you to choose," it replied. "To choose the future of your species."