POV: Maya

Ten minutes until detonation. The control room was empty except for us. Everyone else had evacuated, following Seraphina's forces toward the surface. The facility groaned around us, structural supports failing as the Mother Below's transformation continued to spread through the building's foundation.

I worked on the northern charge placement while Zara handled the southern. Kira moved between us, her absorbed abilities letting her carry the heavy explosives we'd salvaged from ...