Ren pulled his hand away from the warm metal of the dome, the exhaustion finally catching up to him, and cast his mana perception over the beast pooling energy inside one last time.
He measured the volatile currents with compulsive exactness, running the final calculus in his head.
"Slightly more than fifty hours," Ren said at last, letting out a slow breath. "That is my best estimate for how long it will take that parasite's energy to reach the critical point."
"I concur with that reading, though prudence dictates we should act by hour forty-nine just to guarantee we stay ahead of the curve," Selphira noted. She had been analyzing the energy currents using her own methods, and Wei gave a firm nod beside her, confirming the timeline through the mushrooms' sensory network.
Suddenly, Theodore bolted upright on Finch's shoulder…
