Laz worked quickly, his hands flying over the control panel, inputting commands at a rapid pace. Kaelen watched him, his mind still clouded by the influence of the signal. It was getting harder to think clearly, harder to remember why they were doing this.
The core pulsed faster now, a relentless rhythm that seemed to vibrate through the very air. Kaelen's head throbbed with the intensity of it, but he held his ground.
Mira stood next to him, her expression tight with concern. "How much longer, Laz?"
"Not long," Laz replied without looking up. His fingers danced over the console. "I've got to override the core's failsafes. If I can break through the lockdown protocols, we can shut it down."
The seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. The walls of the chamber seemed to warp again, the shadows growing longer and more distorted.
The entity's whispers grew louder. You cannot escape us. We are everywhere.
Kaelen's stomach churned. He knew the signal was trying to take him, to take them. But they couldn't give in. Not now.
Finally, Laz stopped typing and looked up. "I've done what I can. It's up to the core now."