For centuries, humanity had gazed at the stars, searching for the next step in their journey beyond the cradle of Earth. The Proxima Centauri  system, a mere 4.24 light-years away, stood as the closest and most accessible destination. When humanity first landed on the habitable planet orbiting Proxima Centauri b in 2150, it was heralded as the beginning of a new era—an era of exploration, expansion, and hope. The world that would come to be known as Centauri Prime was initially a hostile, barren rock. It had taken a hundred years of relentless terraforming efforts, aided by the finest minds and the most advanced technology Earth could offer, to transform the once lifeless planet into a thriving human colony. Over the next century, it blossomed into a new Eden, with vast cities, agricultural regions, and technological marvels that rivalled the great metropolises of Earth. Proxima Centauri b was the crown jewel of human civilization—a beacon of possibility and a testament to mankind’s enduring will to survive, adapt, and thrive. By the year 2324, Proxima Centauri b was home to over a billion people. It represented not just humanity’s triumph over the limitations of Earth but its hope for the future. It was more than just a colony; it was a blueprint for the survival of the species in a universe filled with uncertainty. Earth’s overpopulation, dwindling resources, and political turmoil meant that Proxima Centauri b was not just another off-world settlement—it was humanity’s insurance policy. Centauri Prime’s strategic importance to Earth could not be overstated. It was the first and most successful experiment in interstellar colonisation. What was learned on this planet would be applied to countless other worlds, each one a stepping stone toward a future where humanity was no longer bound to a single star system. Yet, the greatest threat to Proxima Centauri b—and to humanity—did not come from the cold vacuum of space, nor from distant alien empires that humanity had long feared. It came from within. The Ruins of the Proxori. For decades, they had been little more than a curiosity, a mystery hidden deep beneath the surface of Centauri Prime. Discovered by accident during one of the early stages of terraforming, the alien ruins were ancient, perhaps millions of years old. Their creators—whoever they had been—were long dead, their civilization reduced to nothing but dust and forgotten artefacts. The scientists and corporate interests who oversaw the excavation of these ruins had long believed they were harmless, a mere relic of a time long past. But deep within the subterranean vaults, sealed away by layers of rock and technology far beyond human comprehension, a terrible secret had lain dormant. In 2324, that secret was unleashed and happened here would change the course of history—because the war for Proxima Centauri b was more than just a fight for survival. It was the dawn of a new age for mankind, an age where humanity would either evolve or perish. Proxima Centauri b, the first and brightest jewel of human civilization, now stood on the brink of destruction. But it was not yet lost. Not while the Prota still fought.