The mechanical roar outside the Rift Spire sent a chill through Ethan's bones, drowning out the fading shrieks of the defeated Riftstalker. His Chaos Gauntlet still hummed from the killing blow, its violet runes flickering, but his essence was a pitiful 55/100, and his body ached from wounds—viper cut, whip gash, and now a fresh spear graze from Zane. The Blood Forger stood ten feet away, his crimson spear pinning Ethan's Starweave Cloak to the ground, his smirk promising pain. Two Iron Dominion drones hovered behind him, their red lenses locked on Ethan, while the Verdant Covenant's barrier flickered, barely holding."Time's up, Eclipse Forger," Zane said, his blood-red gauntlet pulsing. "The Dominion's here for you."Ethan's system flashed, its warning dire.[Eclipse Forge System: Status]
Forger: Ethan Cole
Essence: 55/100
Skills: Void Forge (Tier 2), Essence Sense (20m)
Artifacts: Voidfang Dagger (Durability: 80/100), Chaos Gauntlet (Durability: 100/100), Starweave Cloak (Durability: 70/100), Pulse Lance (Durability: 70/100)
Corruption: 5%
[Objective: Survive Iron Dominion reinforcements. Protect the Rift Spire.]"Survive," Ethan muttered, yanking his cloak free, its durability dropping to 65/100. "Yeah, because that's been going so well." The corruption buzz in his mind pulsed, a whisper—take their power—that he shoved down. No time for creepy system glitches when a literal war machine was roaring outside.Lira struggled to her feet, her shoulder scorched from a drone's beam, crossbow shaking but aimed at Zane. Kael fired his rifle, bullets pinging off Zane's liquid-metal cloak, while the scavengers jabbed spears, their essence tips sparking uselessly. Sylvara, the Covenant's silver-haired leader, channeled her staff, her barrier flickering as she shouted, "Forger, do something, or we're all dead!"Ethan's programmer brain raced, parsing the chaos. The Riftstalker was down, but Zane and the drones were immediate threats, and the mechanical roar—likely Dominion reinforcements—meant they were out of time. The Forge Sanctum's altar and alcoves still glowed with essence, but his theft had burned goodwill with Sylvara. His Chaos Gauntlet and Starweave Cloak were Tier 2, but he needed something bigger to counter Zane's Blood Forge and whatever was coming.Essence Sense pinged—shards scattered from the Riftstalker's corpse, glowing in the sanctum's debris. Risky, but enough essence could fuel a new Tier 2 artifact. "Lira, cover me!" Ethan yelled, dodging Zane's spear as it grazed his thigh, blood welling."You're gonna get us killed!" Lira snapped, firing a bolt that forced Zane to duck. Her aim was off, her injury slowing her, but the distraction gave Ethan a window. He sprinted for the Riftstalker's remains, sliding behind a tentacle as a drone's beam scorched the floor.[Essence gained: +15. Current Essence: 70/100]"Thirty short," Ethan hissed, spotting another shard in the beast's core. Zane's whip reformed, lashing out, but Ethan's cloak boosted his dodge, the strike glancing off. Durability dropped to 60/100. He grabbed the shard, chaos energy surging.[Essence gained: +20. Current Essence: 90/100]The crafting menu glowed, Tier 2 blueprints tempting—Voidshard Bow (100 essence, "+25% ranged damage, chaos-infused arrows"). A ranged weapon could counter Zane's whip and the drones' beams. One more shard, and he'd have it. Essence Sense pinged a final piece in the sanctum's corner, near Sylvara's altar. Stealing again was suicide, but the roar outside grew deafening, and a shadow loomed beyond the entrance—a massive, spider-like mech, its legs bristling with cannons.[Iron Dominion Warspider detected. Threat Level: Catastrophic. Recommendation: Immediate evacuation.]"Evacuate where?" Ethan growled, diving for the shard. Zane's spear struck, pinning his cloak again, and a drone's beam grazed his arm, searing flesh. The cloak absorbed half the damage, durability at 50/100. Ethan tore free, grabbing the shard.[Essence gained: +15. Current Essence: 105/100]He crafted the Voidshard Bow, essence draining to 5 as a sleek, violet-etched bow formed, a quiver of chaos arrows materializing at his hip.[Crafting Success: Voidshard Bow (Tier 2). Durability: 100/100. Effect: +25% ranged damage, chaos-infused arrows (disrupt enemy artifacts).]Ethan nocked an arrow, the bow humming as he aimed at Zane. "Back off, or I test this on you."Zane laughed, whip coiling. "A bow? Cute. Let's see it break."The Warspider's cannons fired, blasting the spire's entrance to rubble. Sylvara's barrier collapsed, and Covenant scouts scattered, their staves no match for the mech's onslaught. Lira fired her crossbow, a bolt glancing off the Warspider's hull. Kael's rifle jammed, and he cursed, switching to his knife. The scavengers retreated, spears useless against the mech's armor.Ethan loosed an arrow at Zane, its chaos energy flaring. The whip deflected it, but the arrow's burst disrupted Zane's gauntlet, its glow flickering. Zane snarled, retreating a step. "You'll pay for that.""Bill me later," Ethan said, nocking another arrow. He aimed at the Warspider's cannon, firing. The chaos arrow struck, violet energy crackling, and the cannon misfired, smoking. The mech paused, its lenses recalibrating.[Warspider cannon disabled (temporary). Essence gained: +10. Current Essence: 15/100]Sylvara seized the moment, her staff blazing as she wove a new barrier, slowing the Warspider's advance. "Forger!" she shouted. "The altar—use it! We'll cover you!"Ethan blinked, stunned. After his theft, he'd expected a knife in the back, not trust. He sprinted to the altar, Essence Sense buzzing—enough essence for another Tier 2 craft. The menu offered Chaos Ward (80 essence, "Projects a defensive field, 30 seconds"). Perfect for buying time.He grabbed a shard from the altar, Sylvara's nod confirming permission.[Essence gained: +50. Current Essence: 65/100]Another shard, smaller but close.[Essence gained: +20. Current Essence: 85/100]Ethan crafted the Chaos Ward, essence dropping to 5 as a palm-sized disc formed, pulsing with violet light.[Crafting Success: Chaos Ward (Tier 2). Durability: 100/100. Effect: Projects a defensive field (10m radius) for 30 seconds.]He activated the ward, tossing it between the Warspider and the sanctum. A dome of chaos energy flared, blocking the mech's next barrage. Lira dragged a wounded scavenger to safety, while Kael helped Sylvara's scouts regroup. Zane's whip lashed the ward, but it held, sparking."Nice trick," Zane sneered, his gauntlet forming a blood-red blade. "But it won't save you."Ethan nocked another arrow, aiming for Zane's gauntlet. The chaos arrow struck, disrupting it again, and Zane staggered, his blade dissolving. "You're starting to piss me off," he growled, retreating toward the Warspider.The ward flickered, 15 seconds left. Ethan's wounds throbbed—leg, arm, side—and the corruption buzz grew louder, whispering claim them. The system flashed.[Corruption: +6%. Warning: Corruption at critical threshold. Prolonged exposure risks system instability.]"Instability?" Ethan muttered, dread pooling. The whisper felt alive, urging him to tap the Riftstalker's lingering essence. He resisted, focusing on the fight. The Warspider's lenses locked onto him, a cannon whirring despite the ward.Sylvara grabbed his arm, her silver hair wild. "You've earned our trust, forger. Help us hold the spire, and you're one of us."Ethan nodded, nocking another arrow. "Deal. But we need to kill that mech."Lira limped over, crossbow empty. "Got any more wards?""Out of essence," Ethan said, scanning the sanctum. The altar was tapped, but Essence Sense pinged a faint source—inside the Warspider's hull, a glowing core. "That mech's got essence. If I can hit it, I might craft something big.""You're insane," Lira said, but her smirk said go for it. Kael tossed Ethan a spare essence bolt, his gruff nod a rare approval.[Essence gained: +10. Current Essence: 15/100]The ward collapsed, and the Warspider charged, its legs gouging the floor. Zane flanked, his blade reforming. Ethan fired a chaos arrow at the mech's core, visible through a hull crack. The arrow struck, violet energy flaring, and the mech staggered, essence leaking.[Essence gained: +30. Current Essence: 45/100]Ethan's menu flashed—a new blueprint, Voidpulse Grenade (40 essence, "Area explosion, +50% damage to mechanical targets"). He crafted it, essence dropping to 5 as a fist-sized orb formed, crackling with chaos.[Crafting Success: Voidpulse Grenade (Tier 2). Durability: 100/100. Effect: Area explosion, +50% damage to mechanical targets.]He hurled the grenade, shouting, "Down!" It detonated, violet light engulfing the Warspider. Metal screamed, and the mech collapsed, legs twitching, core dark.[Warspider defeated. Essence gained: +50. Current Essence: 55/100]Zane roared, his blade slashing. Ethan dodged, cloak at 40/100 durability, and fired an arrow, disrupting Zane's gauntlet again. The Blood Forger retreated, drones covering him. "This isn't over, Eclipse Forger," he hissed, vanishing into the jungle.Sylvara's scouts cheered, but Ethan's relief died as Essence Sense flared—a new signature, massive, approaching fast. The system flashed.[Void Cabal signature detected. Threat Level: Unknown. Objective: Prepare for confrontation.]Sylvara's face paled. "The Cabal. They're here for you, forger."Ethan gripped his bow, corruption whispering louder—join them. The spire's walls glowed, runes activating, and a portal flickered open, revealing a cloaked figure wreathed in void mist.