Emma and Lucas worked tirelessly with the Touched, focusing their efforts on Lila, the most stable among them, to sever her connection to the void. The lab was dimly lit, the hum of K'tharr technology reverberating softly in the background. Lila sat on a metal chair, her hands clenched tightly in her lap, her glowing eyes filled with fear.
"The voices—they're louder now," she whispered, her voice trembling. "They're… angry."
Emma knelt beside her, placing a steady hand on Lila's shoulder. "We're going to help you," she said, her tone gentle but resolute. "We'll break that connection."
Lila's voice cracked as she looked at Emma. "How? It's… it's inside me. I can feel it crawling through my mind."
Lucas stood nearby, adjusting the device they had been working on—a modified K'tharr artifact that emitted a rhythmic pulse. "We've been studying the K'tharr biotech," he explained, his voice calm but focused. "It's amplifying your connection to the WoodDust, which is linking you to the void. We think we can disrupt that link and sever it."
"Will it hurt?" Lila asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her glowing eyes wide with fear.
"It might," Emma admitted, her honesty softened with compassion. "But we'll be right here with you, Lila. You're not alone in this."
Lila inhaled sharply, gripping the edges of her chair. "Okay," she said, her voice trembling but resolute. "I… I trust you."
Lucas activated the device, and the low hum grew louder, filling the room with a deep resonance. The WoodDust in Emma's blade pulsed in response, glowing faintly. Lila gasped, her body tensing as her eyes glowed brighter.
"It's working," Lila said through gritted teeth, her voice strained. "I can feel it—the voices… they're fading."
"Stay with us, Lila," Emma urged, gripping Lila's hand tightly. Her voice was steady, a lifeline. "You're doing great. Just hold on a little longer."
Lila's body relaxed slightly, her breathing uneven but stabilizing. Tears streamed down her face as she choked out, "It's… it's working! They're gone. The voices—they're really gone."
Lucas let out a relieved breath, a faint smile breaking across his lips. "We did it," he said, his gaze flickering to Emma. "You did it."
Emma stood, her resolve unwavering. "We're not done yet," she said firmly, though a spark of hope lit her chest. "We have others to help."
Chloe stepped forward, her expression thoughtful as she studied the device. "I think I can amplify it with my healing light," she suggested. Her voice was quiet but sure. "It could speed things up—help more Touched at once."
"Do it," Emma said decisively. "We need to move fast. The longer we wait, the more vulnerable they become."
Markus appeared in the doorway, his presence as heavy as the storm outside. "You're pushing too hard," he said, his voice low and critical. "The Void Leviathan—it's closer than ever. We need to leave now, Emma."
Emma turned to face him, her tone unwavering. "We're not leaving until we help them," she said firmly, meeting his piercing gaze. "We're making progress, Markus. This matters."
"You're playing with fire," Markus shot back, his voice sharp and laced with frustration. "And we're all going to burn if you keep this up."
"I know the risks," Emma replied, her voice steady, a quiet intensity burning behind her words. "But I won't stop until they're all healed. They deserve that much."
From the corner, Liam chimed in, his voice steady but cautious as he monitored the device's readings on his wrist console. "The power levels are stabilizing, but this process is delicate. Amplifying it will be dangerous. We'll need precise calibration, or we risk overloading the system."
Chloe nodded, stepping beside him. "I can handle the amplification," she said. "Just tell me what adjustments to make."
Aisha stood near the doorway, her expression haunted. "I can feel it," she said softly, her psychic abilities brushing against the edge of the void. "The Leviathan… it's waiting. It feels… angry, like it knows we're trying to sever the connection. We don't have much time."
Emma squared her shoulders, her gaze sweeping over her team. "Then we keep moving," she said. "We help the Touched, we build the array, and we get Earth ready. No second-guessing."
Outside, the storm continued to churn, darker than ever. The violet lightning arced violently across the sky, illuminating the ruins in fleeting flashes of eerie light. The WoodDust's hum grew louder, resonating like a heartbeat connected to the void, a relentless reminder of the danger pressing ever closer.