The Rift Spire shook as the Voidborn Riftstalker's roar tore through the Crystal Jungle, a sound like reality itself cracking open. Ethan's Essence Sense burned, pinpointing the beast's massive chaos signature just beyond the spire's perimeter, its tentacles thrashing through crystal trees. Worse, Zane's blood-red presence lingered outside, a second blade hovering over their necks. The Verdant Covenant's robed figures scrambled, their glowing staves weaving a shimmering barrier, but Sylvara's sharp gaze stayed on Ethan."Prove your worth now, forger," she said, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Or we all die."Ethan's grip tightened on the Pulse Lance, its violet tip dim from the Behemoth fight. His essence was a measly 23/100, his artifacts—Voidfang Dagger, Blast Gauntlet, and lance—woefully underpowered for a Riftstalker, let alone Zane's ambush. The system's interface flared, its objective unyielding.[Eclipse Forge System: Status]
Forger: Ethan Cole
Essence: 23/100
Skills: Void Forge (Tier 1), Essence Sense (20m)
Artifacts: Voidfang Dagger (Durability: 80/100), Blast Gauntlet (Durability: 90/100), Pulse Lance (Durability: 70/100)
Corruption: 3%
[Objective: Defend the Rift Spire. Craft a Tier 2 artifact to gain the Verdant Covenant's trust.]"Defend," Ethan muttered, sarcasm dripping. "Sure, just solo a kaiju and a psycho forger with pocket change." The corruption itch in his mind pulsed, sharper now, like a whisper he couldn't quite hear. The system's silence on it was maddening, but Zane and the Riftstalker were bigger problems.Lira reloaded her crossbow, her bandaged arm trembling but steady. "Got a plan, newbie? Because that thing's not here for tea."Kael grunted, his mechanical arm whirring as he aimed his rifle at the spire's entrance. The scavengers—two men and a woman—clutched their essence-tipped spears, faces pale but resolute. The Covenant's barrier flickered as the Riftstalker's tentacles slammed against it, each hit sending cracks through the green light.Ethan's programmer brain spun, calculating odds. The Forge Sanctum's altar and alcoves brimmed with essence—enough for the Void Forge Tier 2 upgrade (50 essence) and a Tier 2 artifact (100 essence). Stealing it risked pissing off Sylvara, but earning it meant surviving this mess first. Zane's presence outside screamed trap, likely coordinating with the Riftstalker to flush Ethan out. He needed a game-changer, and fast."Cover the entrance," Ethan told Lira, scanning the sanctum. "I need essence—lots of it.""You're not stealing," Sylvara snapped, her staff flaring. "The sanctum's essence is sacred.""Then let me use it," Ethan shot back, meeting her gaze. "I craft, you live. Deal?"Sylvara's eyes narrowed, but the spire shook again, and a Covenant scout shouted, "Barrier's failing!" She hesitated, then nodded. "One shard. Prove you're worth more."A scout tossed Ethan a glowing shard from an alcove, its energy humming like a live wire.[Essence gained: +20. Current Essence: 43/100]"Seven short," Ethan hissed, checking the menu. The Void Forge Tier 2 upgrade was his priority—Tier 2 artifacts like the Starweave Cloak or Voidshard Bow could turn the tide. Essence Sense pinged more shards in the sanctum, but Sylvara's glare said one and done. The Riftstalker's roar grew louder, and the barrier shattered, green light dissolving in a shower of sparks.Tentacles surged through the entrance, each tipped with glowing eyes that pulsed with malice. Lira fired, her bolt piercing an eye, and the beast recoiled, shrieking. Kael's rifle barked, bullets chipping its hide, while the scavengers jabbed spears, essence tips flaring. The Covenant chanted, their staves weaving a new, weaker barrier, but the Riftstalker pressed forward, its bulk filling the entrance.Ethan's Essence Sense screamed—smaller essence sources on the Riftstalker's hide, like the Behemoth's shards. Risky, but if he could harvest them, he'd hit Tier 2. "Lira, distract it!" he shouted, sprinting for a side passage that circled the entrance."You're nuts!" she yelled, but fired again, drawing the beast's eyes. Ethan dodged a tentacle, its edge grazing his leg, and pain flared, the system flashing.[Minor injury sustained. Corruption: +4%. Warning: Voidborn contact accelerating corruption.]The itch became a buzz, a faint voice whispering power in his skull. Ethan shoved it down, climbing the passage's wall to flank the Riftstalker. Its hide glistened, studded with chaos shards. He stabbed the Voidfang Dagger into one, prying it free.[Essence gained: +15. Current Essence: 58/100]The Riftstalker thrashed, a tentacle slamming the wall, and Ethan leaped, landing hard. Another shard glowed nearby. He dove, grabbing it as a tentacle grazed his back, reopening his whip wound. Blood soaked his shirt, but the system chimed.[Essence gained: +12. Current Essence: 70/100]Ethan gritted his teeth, crafting the Void Forge upgrade. His essence drained to 20, and a surge of energy coursed through him, the system's interface expanding with new blueprints.[Skill Upgraded: Void Forge – Tier 2. Unlocks advanced crafting. New blueprints available: Starweave Cloak, Voidshard Bow, Chaos Gauntlet.]"Finally," Ethan panted, checking the menu. The Starweave Cloak (100 essence, "+20% evasion, absorbs minor attacks") was his best bet—mobility against the Riftstalker and Zane. He needed 80 more essence, and the sanctum's alcoves were still off-limits. The Riftstalker's hide had more shards, but getting them meant dancing with death.Lira's shout snapped him back. "Ethan, move! It's breaking through!"The Riftstalker's tentacles shoved past the Covenant's barrier, one wrapping Kael's leg. He roared, his mechanical arm sparking as he hacked with a knife. Ethan sprinted, hurling the Pulse Lance like a javelin. It struck a tentacle, violet energy pulsing, and the beast loosened its grip. Kael stumbled free, gasping."Thanks, kid," he rasped, reloading his rifle."Don't thank me yet," Ethan said, Essence Sense locking onto another shard on the Riftstalker's flank. He dodged a tentacle, climbing its hide like a madman, and pried the shard free.[Essence gained: +20. Current Essence: 40/100]Sixty short. The sanctum's altar pulsed, tempting him. Sylvara was distracted, her staff blazing as she reinforced the barrier. Ethan's programmer ethics screamed don't steal, but survival trumped morals. He sprinted to the altar, grabbing a massive shard before Sylvara could react.[Essence gained: +50. Current Essence: 90/100]"Thief!" Sylvara shouted, but the Riftstalker's roar drowned her out. Ethan crafted the Starweave Cloak, his essence draining to 0 as a shimmering, violet-threaded cape formed, wrapping around his shoulders.[Crafting Success: Starweave Cloak (Tier 2). Durability: 100/100. Effect: +20% evasion, absorbs minor attacks.]The cloak hummed, lightening his steps. Ethan dodged a tentacle with unnatural grace, the cloak absorbing a grazing blow that should've broken ribs. "Okay, I love this thing," he muttered, rejoining Lira.She fired another bolt, her face pale from blood loss. "Stole from the Covenant, huh? Ballsy.""Surviving's ballsy," Ethan said, scanning the entrance. The Riftstalker's bulk was stuck, but its tentacles lashed wildly, and the Covenant's barrier was crumbling. Kael and the scavengers held the line, but they were tiring. Ethan's essence was tapped, but the cloak gave him a shot to flank again.Before he could move, Essence Sense flared—Zane's signature, closing fast. A crimson whip lashed through the entrance, slicing a Covenant scout's arm. Zane stepped in, his gauntlet glowing, flanked by two Iron Dominion drones, their lenses red."Eclipse Forger," Zane sneered, whip coiling. "You're out of tricks."The system flashed.[Objective updated: Survive Zane's ambush. Defeat the Riftstalker.]Ethan's heart sank. The Riftstalker, Zane, and drones? This was a slaughter. Lira raised her crossbow, but a drone's beam grazed her shoulder, and she dropped, cursing. Kael fired, bullets pinging off Zane's cloak. Sylvara's staff flared, but the Riftstalker's tentacles pinned her scouts.Ethan's cloak hummed, boosting his speed. He dove for a fallen shard near the altar, Essence Sense guiding him.[Essence gained: +10. Current Essence: 10/100]Not enough for a blueprint, but the sanctum had more. Zane's whip cracked, aiming for Ethan's neck, but the cloak absorbed the blow, durability dropping to 90/100. Ethan rolled, grabbing another shard.[Essence gained: +15. Current Essence: 25/100]"Stay still!" Zane roared, his gauntlet forming a blood-red spear. A drone fired, its beam scorching Ethan's leg. Pain flared, but the cloak mitigated it. The system pinged.[Corruption: +5%. Warning: Critical exposure threshold approaching.]The whisper in his mind grew louder—power, take it—but Ethan focused, spotting a final shard. He lunged, Zane's spear grazing his side, blood welling. He grabbed it.[Essence gained: +20. Current Essence: 45/100]The menu offered a quick blueprint—Chaos Gauntlet (Tier 2, 40 essence, "+30% melee damage, chaos burst on impact"). Ethan crafted it, his essence dropping to 5 as a heavier, rune-etched gauntlet replaced his Blast Gauntlet.[Crafting Success: Chaos Gauntlet (Tier 2). Durability: 100/100. Effect: +30% melee damage, chaos burst on impact.]Ethan charged, the cloak boosting his dodge as Zane's whip lashed out. He struck the Riftstalker's tentacle with the Chaos Gauntlet, a violet burst shattering its hide. The beast shrieked, retreating slightly, and Ethan turned to Zane, who laughed."Cute," Zane said, spear raised. "But you're no match."A drone fired, but Sylvara's barrier flared, deflecting it. "Forger!" she shouted. "Finish the beast, and you're one of us!"Ethan nodded, diving for the Riftstalker's core—a glowing mass in its chest. He struck with the Chaos Gauntlet, chaos bursts ripping through. The beast collapsed, essence flooding him.[Riftstalker defeated. Essence gained: +50. Current Essence: 55/100]Zane's spear struck, pinning Ethan's cloak to the ground. The drones closed in, and Lira struggled to stand. The system flashed.[Warning: Dominion reinforcements detected outside.]Ethan tore free, cloak at 70/100 durability, and faced Zane, gauntlet raised. But a new roar echoed—not voidborn, but mechanical. Something bigger was coming.