Ethan's world spun as the portal's light spat him out, his stomach lurching like he'd been tossed through a cosmic blender. He hit the ground hard, knees sinking into damp, vibrant soil that smelled of moss and ozone. The air hummed with life—chirps, rustles, and a distant, guttural roar that made his skin prickle. He blinked, vision adjusting to a riot of color: towering trees with crystalline leaves, vines pulsing with faint light, and a canopy so dense it turned the purple sky into a fractured mosaic.
"Welcome to the Crystal Jungle," Lira said, already on her feet, crossbow raised. Her scarf was tangled, but her eyes scanned the surroundings with practiced calm. "Don't touch anything shiny. It's probably hungry."
Ethan groaned, pushing himself up. His essence was at 40/100 after the Chaos Beacon, and his artifacts—Voidfang Dagger and Blast Gauntlet—felt like toy weapons in this alien wilderness. The system pinged, updating his status.
[Eclipse Forge System: Status]
Forger: Ethan Cole
Essence: 40/100
Skills: Void Forge (Tier 1), Essence Sense (20m)
Artifacts: Voidfang Dagger (Durability: 80/100), Blast Gauntlet (Durability: 90/100)
Corruption: 1%
[Objective: Navigate the Crystal Jungle. Avoid detection by Iron Dominion forces.]
"Navigate," Ethan muttered, brushing dirt off his jeans. "Sure, just stroll through Jurassic Park with a butter knife." The 1% corruption nagged at him, a faint itch in his mind, but the system offered no clues. Whatever it was, the Riftstalker's touch had triggered it, and he didn't like the implications.
Kael emerged from the portal, his mechanical arm whirring as he helped the other scavengers—two men and a woman, all grizzled and armed with essence-tipped spears. The portal flickered shut behind them, leaving no trace of the Ashen Wastes. Ethan's Essence Sense flared, picking up dozens of essence sources in the jungle—some small, some worryingly large. The biggest was a kilometer away, pulsing like a heartbeat.
"We're not alone," Ethan said, nodding toward the jungle. "Big essence source, that way."
Lira frowned, adjusting her crossbow. "Crystal beasts, probably. They're drawn to rifts. We steer clear."
Kael grunted, his rifle slung over his shoulder. "Rift Spire's a half-day's trek north. Verdant Covenant's got a stronghold there. They'll take us in—if you don't screw it up, forger."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What's with the hate? I saved your asses back there."
"You're a walking target," Kael said, his eyes hard. "Dominion's hunting forgers, and that drone called you Eclipse Forger. You're not just some newbie with a system. You're trouble."
Ethan's gut twisted, the memory of the red-cloaked figure—another forger—flashing in his mind. You're mine. He shoved the thought down, focusing on the present. "Trouble or not, I'm your best shot at surviving this jungle. Unless you've got a better crafter hidden in that arm."
Lira smirked, cutting the tension. "He's got a point, Kael. Let's move before the beasts sniff us out."
The group set off, weaving through the jungle's undergrowth. Crystal leaves tinkled like wind chimes, and vines twitched as they passed, making Ethan's skin crawl. His Essence Sense guided them around smaller essence sources—likely critters—but the big one kept pulsing, closer now. Too close.
The jungle was a maze, its paths winding past glowing pools and trees with bark like faceted glass. Ethan's sneakers sank into the soil, each step a reminder he was woefully under-equipped. His crafting menu listed familiar blueprints—dagger, gauntlet, pulse grenade—but nothing suited for a jungle full of god-knows-what. He needed something versatile, maybe a trap or a ranged weapon.
"Hold up," Ethan said, stopping by a cluster of glowing ferns. Essence Sense pinged a shard buried in the soil, faint but reachable. "Got something."
Lira covered him, her crossbow sweeping the trees. "Make it fast, newbie. This place doesn't play nice."
Ethan dug, unearthing a shard the size of a walnut, its energy tingling his fingers.
[Essence gained: +6. Current Essence: 46/100]
"Not bad," he murmured, checking the menu. A new blueprint flickered—Crystalweave Net, 40 essence, "Immobilizes targets for 20 seconds." Perfect for slowing beasts or buying time. He was 6 essence short, but the jungle was brimming with shards. Another ping hit, 15 meters left, near a glowing pool.
"I need one more," Ethan said, moving before Lira could protest. The pool shimmered, its surface reflecting the canopy like a liquid mirror. He crouched, spotting a shard half-submerged. As his fingers brushed it, the water rippled, and a serpentine shape lunged—a crystal-scaled snake, its fangs glinting like diamonds.
"Shit!" Ethan rolled back, the snake's fangs grazing his arm. Pain flared, but the system didn't flag corruption—just a shallow cut. Lira fired, her bolt piercing the snake's hide, and it thrashed, hissing. Ethan swung the Blast Gauntlet, a pulse of force crushing its skull.
[Crystal Viper defeated. Essence gained: +8. Current Essence: 54/100]
Ethan panted, grabbing the shard. "Okay, no more shiny pools."
Lira shook her head, reloading. "Told you. Stick to dirt."
[Essence gained: +7. Current Essence: 61/100]
With enough essence, Ethan crafted the Crystalweave Net, the shard and his reserves shaping a shimmering mesh that folded into a compact sphere. His essence dropped to 21, but the net felt like a game-changer.
[Crafting Success: Crystalweave Net (Tier 1). Durability: 100/100. Effect: Immobilizes targets for 20 seconds.]
Kael grunted, almost approving. "Not useless. Keep it up, kid."
The group pressed on, the jungle growing denser. The big essence source was now 500 meters away, moving parallel to them. Ethan's gut screamed predator, but he kept it to himself. No need to panic the crew yet. Instead, he focused on Lira, who'd saved his ass twice now. "So," he said, keeping his voice low. "What's your deal? You're not just a scavenger."
She glanced at him, her scar catching the light. "Used to run with a forger crew. They got cocky, thought they could outsmart the Dominion. Didn't end well."
"Forgers like me?" Ethan asked, tapping the gauntlet.
"Smaller systems," she said. "Crafting ammo, traps, nothing fancy. You're different. Eclipse Forge sounds like trouble even I'd avoid."
Ethan snorted. "Trust me, I didn't pick it. One minute I'm coding, the next I'm dodging voidborn. You know anything about the Dominion?"
"Enough to stay clear," Lira said. "They're tech-mages, rule half the Shattered Realms. Hate forgers unless they're on a leash. That drone? Just the start. They'll send hunters next."
"Like the red-cloaked creep?" Ethan asked, the Blood Forger's voice—You're mine—echoing in his head.
Lira's eyes narrowed. "You saw another forger?"
"Back at the spire," Ethan said. "Red cloak, blood-red gauntlet. Sound familiar?"
Her face tightened. "Zane. Blood Forger. Works for the Dominion, hunts rogues like you. If he's after you, you're screwed."
"Great," Ethan muttered. "Any tips?"
"Don't get caught," Lira said, half-serious. "And craft faster."
The jungle shook, a roar splitting the air. The big essence source was here. Trees parted, revealing a beast—ten feet tall, a crystalline gorilla with arms like battering rams, its hide sparkling with embedded shards. The system flashed.
[Crystal Behemoth detected. Threat Level: High. Recommendation: Engage with caution.]
"Caution?" Kael growled, raising his rifle. "We can't outrun that!"
The scavengers formed a loose line, spears trembling. Lira loaded a glowing bolt, but her eyes flicked to Ethan. "Got another net?"
"One's not enough," Ethan said, mind racing. His essence was at 21—not enough for a big play. Essence Sense pinged a cluster of shards in the behemoth's hide, glowing like beacons. If he could get close, he might scrounge enough for a game-changer. The crafting menu teased a new blueprint—Pulse Lance, 50 essence, "High-damage piercing attack." Risky, but it could punch through that hide.
"Cover me," Ethan said, gripping the Crystalweave Net. "I'm going in."
"You're insane," Lira said, but she fired, her bolt grazing the behemoth's shoulder. It roared, charging, its fists smashing trees to splinters. Kael's rifle barked, and the scavengers hurled spears, barely slowing it.
Ethan sprinted, dodging a swinging arm, and threw the net. It unfurled, wrapping the behemoth's legs, and the beast stumbled, vines snapping under its weight. The net held—for now. Ethan dove for the shards, prying two from its hide as it thrashed.
[Essence gained: +20. Current Essence: 41/100]
"Nine more," he hissed, spotting another shard on its back. The net frayed, the behemoth breaking free. Lira's bolt hit its eye, buying seconds. Ethan climbed its leg, heart pounding, and yanked the shard free.
[Essence gained: +10. Current Essence: 51/100]
"Now!" Ethan thought, crafting the Pulse Lance. His essence drained to 1, and a sleek, violet-tipped spear formed, crackling with energy. He leaped off the behemoth, driving the lance into its chest. A pulse erupted, shards exploding outward, and the beast collapsed, its glow fading.
[Crystal Behemoth defeated. Essence gained: +25. Current Essence: 26/100]
[Pulse Lance Durability: 70/100]
Ethan staggered back, panting, the lance heavy in his hands. The scavengers cheered, but Lira grabbed his arm. "Move! That roar'll draw more."
They fled toward the Rift Spire, the jungle alive with new roars. Ethan's shoulder burned, and the system pinged.
[Corruption: +2%. Warning: Repeated void essence exposure detected.]
"Fantastic," Ethan muttered, the itch in his mind growing. The Verdant Covenant's stronghold was their only shot, but Zane's shadow loomed. As they reached a clearing, the spire came into view—a crystal tower, guarded by robed figures with glowing staves. The Covenant.
Before Ethan could relax, Essence Sense screamed. A red-cloaked figure stepped from the trees, blood-red gauntlet raised, a smirk on his face.
"Eclipse Forger," Zane said, his voice like a blade. "Time to bleed."