The Black Box Universe

## History of the Universe

The world once housed four significant stones: three elemental stones representing **fire**, **air**, and **water**, and the all-powerful Unity Stone that could control all three elements. These elemental stones were tied to distinct cultures:

 **Fire**: Culture embodying determination, groundedness, passion, and warmth.

 **Air**: Culture embodying breath, focus, mindfulness, thankfulness, and restraint.

 **Water**: Culture embodying empathy, emotional and spiritual healing, a connection with nature, and the fluidity of life's journey.

The Ancients, a revered group of beings, were the sole entities capable of wielding the Unity Stone. They used the power of the Unity Stone and the strengths of the elemental cultures to create various utopian universes based on the goodness of humanity.

However, this utopia was threatened by Rezzer, a Fallen Ancient. Corrupted by malevolence, he sought to harness the Unity Stone's power to commandeer the energy of all the universes for his own nefarious purposes. This led to widespread discord and culminated in the Great War. In this conflict, the remaining Ancients joined forces with elemental champions to thwart Rezzer. They succeeded in sealing him in a rift between the universes.

Yet, the aftermath of the war was catastrophic. The elemental cultures, traumatized by the chaos and loss, segregated themselves into individual colonies, causing the once-thriving utopia to fragment. The Unity Stone, too, shattered into billions of fragments, and while the Ancients managed to gather them, the stone was irreparably damaged.

## Help us save the Universe

To prevent Rezzer's potential return from the rift, the Ancients instituted the Black Box Games. In these non-lethal competitions, two human contestants from various universes harness fragments of the Unity Stone to control the elements, summon the essence of elemental champions from the "Great War", and duel. Humans are descendants of the Ancients, allowing them to wield these shards of the Unity Stone in the first place. The energy they expend during these battles is harnessed and used to keep the rift sealed, thus containing Rezzer. It's imperative that these games continue; if they were to cease, the barrier would weaken, risking the resurgence of Rezzer and his reign of negativity and chaos over the universes.

The Black Box Games serve as a metaphorical representation of the ongoing struggle between positive and negative energies. By engaging in these games, participants are manifesting the continual effort required to maintain balance and keep negative forces, embodied by Rezzer, at bay. It's a powerful way to visualize how diligence, effort, and positive intent are necessary to counteract negativity and chaos.

## What is truly happening in the Universe during Arena Raids?

Each month, as time progresses, the universes unknowingly accumulate negative energies: the byproducts of the inhabitants' apathy, pessimism, and self-centeredness. These energies, while seemingly inconsequential on their own, amass to form a powerful reservoir, one that Rezzer, even from the confines of the rift, can tap into.

By the last week of each month, this buildup reaches its zenith, giving Rezzer just enough power to craft a formidable entity—an embodiment of his essence. These beings, known as the "Raid Bosses," are not just mindless minions, but descendants of Rezzer himself, creations born from his core essence.

With a lineage tracing back to the fallen Ancient, the Raid Boss rallies humans influenced by Rezzer's beliefs, forging an army of Challengers. This force, brimming with loyalty to their malevolent lineage, sets its sight on the Black Box Games.

Their mission is singular and clear: disrupt the Games with relentless Challenger onslaughts. By overloading the arena, they aim to sap the strength of our Heroes, the ones protecting the Universes by participating in the Black Box Games, and ultimately disrupt the positive energy flow. A significant weakening or halting of the Games would threaten the integrity of the rift, potentially unshackling Rezzer and ushering in an era of darkness and chaos across the universes.