As if in response to his thought, Zed suddenly moved.
His lean figure broke away from the stillness, a blur of action in the otherwise lifeless snowscape. The last remaining vestiges of doubt vanished from his eyes, replaced by an iron resolve that sent a shiver down Max's spine. Zed, in a show of audacious courage, or perhaps madness, strode forward, marching back towards the doomed city.
With a swift motion, he reached into his coat, drawing out a small spore His fingers flew over the interface, programming the coordinates with an efficiency that was frightening in its ruthlessness. The device hummed to life, the whir of technology a stark contrast to the quiet desolation that surrounded them.
"Stand back," Zed called over his shoulder, his voice brimming with a chilling determination. The command was not a request; it was an order. An order Max found himself inexplicably drawn to obey.
