Pain swept over him, but Gamma was experienced. He knew which pains signaled real damage and which were merely the seed's attempts to frighten him. He precisely avoided vital areas and ruthlessly excised the intrusion.
Three minutes later, the second seed had also been completely extracted and annihilated.
"Time's up..." Alpha's voice was so weak it was barely audible.
The Time Prison began to crumble. Frozen time flowed again, and Alpha fell to his knees, utterly drained. Using this forbidden skill had cost him part of his life essence.
Zeus could finally move.
He fell from his throne, dropped to one knee, and gasped for breath. When he raised his head, his eyes were completely clear again, their majestic light of justice rekindled.
"I'm... free..." Zeus's voice trembled.
He looked at Gamma and Alpha, tears welling in his eyes. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I did so many terrible things..."
"It wasn't your fault." Gamma stepped forward and helped him up. "The Lord of the Void exploited your ideals."
"But I gave those orders. I controlled those soldiers," Zeus said in anguish. "With my own hands, I destroyed everything I built and hurt so many innocent lives..."
"Then we have to make things right now," Alpha said weakly. "The Dawn Plan has begun, and the Alliance is back in our hands. You're the First Creator. Only you can disable the Consciousness Seeds' central control system."
Zeus wiped away his tears and stood. The guilt in his eyes gave way to resolve. "Tell me what to do. I'll spend the rest of my life atoning, whatever the cost."
"First, free everyone from the seeds' control," Gamma said. "Where's the central system?"
"In the Void Nexus, on the eighteenth level beneath Alliance Headquarters," Zeus answered immediately. "There's an enormous conceptual network there, connected