The tests (8)

<Was it really this easy? > Erik thought, <Or is this simply due to Hais's brain crystal power?>

But it was clear it was due to the latter. Hais's brain crystal power made it easy to understand things, and Erik managed to notice only what he needed.

Other people would have needed to read many books or search for clues for hours. However, he managed to do all the necessary steps in just 20 minutes.

As Erik carefully manipulated the final lever, bringing the mechanical hum to a halt, a soft, almost inaudible hum filled the room.

The chest recognized the correct sequence of inputs, and the once-glowy constellation symbols faded to a dim hue. The metallic lid of the chest slid open with a hiss of released air, revealing its contents in a soft glow.

The inside of the chest was surprisingly bare, save for a single slip of paper resting in the center. It was an odd contrast to the high-tech, futuristic design of the chest. The paper was an anachronism, a relic in the modern world.