The Voidborn Titan's claw tore through the Forge Sanctum's ceiling, a jagged limb of obsidian and shadow that dwarfed the Riftstalker's tentacles. Its eyes—dozens, glowing like dying stars—swept the chamber, each radiating a malice that made Ethan's blood freeze. The sanctum's crystal walls cracked, runes flickering, as the beast's roar shook the air, a sound like the universe grinding to dust. Zane's mocking laugh echoed from outside, the Blood Forger's trap snapping shut, and the corruption in Ethan's mind howled: Embrace the void. Rule or die.Ethan staggered, clutching the Voidshard Bow, its strings trembling as if sensing the titan's power. His essence was at 20/100, his body a wreck—viper cut, whip gash, spear graze, drone burns, and a fresh chest wound from Zane's scythe. His artifacts—Voidfang Dagger, Chaos Gauntlet, Starweave Cloak (at 10/100 durability), and the bow—felt like toys against an apocalyptic beast. The Core Matrix pulsed in its alcove, its chaos energy a siren call, but the system's warning burned in his vision.[Eclipse Forge System: Status]
Forger: Ethan Cole
Essence: 20/100
Skills: Void Forge (Tier 2), Essence Sense (20m)
Artifacts: Voidfang Dagger (Durability: 80/100), Chaos Gauntlet (Durability: 100/100), Starweave Cloak (Durability: 10/100), Voidshard Bow (Durability: 100/100)
Corruption: 10%
[Objective: Survive the Voidborn Titan. Secure the Core Matrix.]
[Warning: Corruption at 10%. Core Matrix contact risks full void integration.]"Integration," Ethan rasped, blood dripping from his chest. The corruption's howl painted visions: him, eyes black, wielding the Matrix, the titan kneeling, the Shattered Realms his. His hand twitched toward the orb, the void's promise of power drowning his pain, but Lira's voice cut through."Ethan, don't!" she shouted, slumped against Kael, her leg bleeding from a tech-mage's bullet. Her scar-twisted face was pale, but her eyes blazed, anchoring him. "You're not one of them!"Sylvara, barely standing, channeled her staff, its green light fading. "Forger, the Matrix," she gasped, blood pooling beneath her. "Harness it, or we're ash." The Covenant scouts fought, their staves sparking against the titan's claw, but one screamed as a shadow tendril pierced his chest, flesh dissolving into mist. Kael fired his rifle, bullets vanishing into the titan's hide, while the last scavenger stabbed with a spear, only to be swatted aside, bones crunching.Ethan's programmer brain clawed for control, fighting the corruption's pull. The titan was unstoppable—its claw alone could crush the spire. Zane's trap meant the Blood Forger was waiting, likely with Dominion forces, to claim the Matrix once the titan softened them up. The Matrix's essence could fuel a craft to kill the beast, but touching it risked losing himself. Essence Sense pinged—shards in the sanctum's rubble, remnants of the Cabal and Warspider, but reaching them meant dodging the titan's wrath."Lira, Kael," Ethan growled, nocking a chaos arrow. "Keep the titan's eyes off me. I need essence.""You're insane," Kael said, his mechanical arm sparking as he reloaded. "But I've seen worse odds." He fired, aiming for the titan's eyes, while Lira swung her stolen Covenant staff, its weak glow distracting a tendril.Ethan sprinted for the rubble, the titan's claw slamming down, shaking the sanctum. His cloak boosted his dodge, durability dropping to 5/100 as a tendril grazed his back, reopening his whip wound. Blood poured, and the system flashed.[Corruption: +11%. Warning: Voidborn contact accelerating integration.]The howl became a chorus—you are ours—and Ethan's vision split: he stood in a void, the titan's eyes his crown, Zane's blood his throne. He screamed, grabbing a shard.[Essence gained: +15. Current Essence: 35/100]A tendril lashed, and Ethan rolled, the cloak shredding, durability at 0. The fabric dissolved, leaving him exposed. He dove for another shard, the titan's eyes firing black beams that vaporized a Covenant scout, her scream echoing. Ethan's hand closed around the shard, chaos energy burning his skin.[Essence gained: +20. Current Essence: 55/100]The menu flashed—Voidspire Trap (50 essence, "Immobilizes large targets, 20 seconds"). Ethan crafted it, essence dropping to 5 as a spiked, violet disc formed.[Crafting Success: Voidspire Trap (Tier 2). Durability: 100/100. Effect: Immobilizes large targets for 20 seconds.]He hurled the trap at the titan's claw, shouting, "Sylvara, now!" The disc detonated, violet chains wrapping the claw, pinning it to the floor. The titan roared, its eyes flaring, but the chains held, durability at 80/100. Sylvara's staff blazed, weaving a barrier to shield the sanctum, buying seconds.Ethan scrambled to the Matrix, its energy searing his mind. The corruption howled—take it, rule—showing him crushing the titan, Zane begging. He pulled back, grabbing a shard from the altar's edge, Sylvara's weakened nod permitting it.[Essence gained: +30. Current Essence: 35/100]Another shard, in the rubble.[Essence gained: +20. Current Essence: 55/100]The titan's claw broke free, chains shattering, and a tendril slammed Ethan, throwing him against the wall. Pain exploded, ribs cracking, and the system flashed.[Critical injury sustained. Corruption: +12%. Warning: Integration imminent.]The vision returned: Ethan, void-crowned, the Shattered Realms burning. Lira's shout—"Fight it!"—dragged him back. He crawled, grabbing a final shard.[Essence gained: +25. Current Essence: 80/100]The menu offered Chaos Reaver (80 essence, "Melee weapon, +40% damage, disrupts void essence"). Ethan crafted it, essence dropping to 0 as a violet, rune-etched axe formed, its blade crackling with chaos.[Crafting Success: Chaos Reaver (Tier 2). Durability: 100/100. Effect: +40% damage, disrupts void essence.]Ethan staggered to his feet, blood pooling, and charged the titan's core—a glowing mass beneath its eyes. The Chaos Reaver struck, chaos energy ripping through, and the titan screamed, tendrils flailing. Sylvara's barrier collapsed, and Kael dragged her back, Lira covering with the staff.[Essence gained: +30 (titan damage). Current Essence: 30/100]The titan's eyes focused, beams firing. Ethan swung again, the Reaver disrupting a beam, but another hit his leg, flesh charring. He screamed, corruption howling—you will fall. The system flashed.[Corruption: +13%. Warning: System stability failing.]Ethan struck the core, chaos bursts shredding it. The titan collapsed, its eyes dimming, and the sanctum shook, rubble falling.[Voidborn Titan defeated. Essence gained: +100. Current Essence: 130/100]Ethan fell to his knees, the Reaver clattering. The corruption roared, visions flooding: him, void-king, allies dead. Lira crawled to him, bloodied but alive. "Stay with us," she whispered, gripping his hand.Sylvara, supported by Kael, staggered over. "You… did it," she rasped. "The Matrix is yours."Ethan's hand hovered over the Matrix, its energy pulling him. The system screamed—Integration imminent—but he resisted, crafting a Matrix Conduit (100 essence, "Channels Core Matrix energy without direct contact").[Crafting Success: Matrix Conduit (Tier 2). Durability: 100/100. Effect: Channels Core Matrix energy, unlocks system upgrade.]He activated it, the conduit glowing, linking to the Matrix. Essence flooded him, the system upgrading.[System Upgrade: Eclipse Forge – Tier 3. Unlocks advanced blueprints. Essence cap: 200.]The corruption quieted, but didn't vanish, lurking like a predator. The sanctum's runes stabilized, the rift secure. Sylvara nodded, awe in her eyes. "You're one of us, forger."Before Ethan could reply, Essence Sense flared—Zane's signature, closer, with a new, colder presence. The sanctum's portal flared, and a figure in black armor stepped through, eyes glowing red, a Dominion sigil on their chest."Eclipse Forger," they intoned, voice mechanical. "The Iron Archon demands your system."Zane's laugh echoed, and the figure raised a gauntlet, unleashing a wave of crimson energy.