POV: Xavier

Fifty million people. That's how many had converged on the ritual site in the last hour. Fifty million souls from every species, every nation, every faction that had ever fought each other, now packed together in a shrinking circle of safety. The Void surrounded us completely. A wall of nothingness closing from all directions.

"Sir, the safe zone is down to one hundred miles diameter," Lieutenant Chen reported, her voice tight. "And shrinking at two hundred miles per hour."

I did the math instantly. Thirty minutes until the Void reached us. Thirty minutes for Thelma to finish channeling the Genesis Flame to Theo.

"Status on the evacuation?" I...