The Iron Archon's crimson energy wave slammed into the Forge Sanctum, a torrent of molten light that scorched the air and cracked the crystal floor. Ethan dove behind the Matrix Conduit, its violet glow flickering as the blast grazed it, singeing his already blood-soaked shirt. The Archon, clad in black armor etched with Dominion sigils, loomed like a machine forged from nightmares, their red-glowing eyes locking onto him with mechanical precision. Zane's laugh echoed from the shadows, the Blood Forger circling like a vulture, his red cloak a smear against the sanctum's ruins."Eclipse Forger," the Archon intoned, voice a cold fusion of steel and malice. "Your system belongs to the Dominion. Surrender, or be unmade."Ethan's Chaos Reaver trembled in his grip, its violet blade humming faintly. His essence was at 130/200 after the Tier 3 upgrade, but his body was a wreck—cracked ribs, charred leg, bleeding chest, and a dozen smaller wounds screaming for rest. His artifacts—Voidfang Dagger, Chaos Gauntlet, Voidshard Bow, and the Reaver—were his lifeline, but the corruption's howl was a blade in his skull: Submit. Become theirs. His vision flickered, showing him kneeling to the Archon, the Matrix his scepter, the Covenant ash.He clawed back, blood dripping onto the floor. "System, you're a real pain," he rasped, but the interface only flashed, its warning stark.[Eclipse Forge System: Status]
Forger: Ethan Cole
Essence: 130/200
Skills: Void Forge (Tier 3), Essence Sense (20m)
Artifacts: Voidfang Dagger (Durability: 80/100), Chaos Gauntlet (Durability: 100/100), Voidshard Bow (Durability: 100/100), Chaos Reaver (Durability: 100/100)
Corruption: 13%
[Objective: Repel the Iron Archon. Stabilize the Core Matrix.]
[Warning: Corruption at 13%. Contact with Dominion artifacts risks further integration.]"Integration," Ethan muttered, the word bitter. The corruption's visions grew sharper, urging him to seize the Matrix and burn the Archon to cinders. His wounds pulsed, the sanctum's essence-heavy air a weight that made every breath a fight.Sylvara, slumped against a pillar, channeled her fading staff, green light sputtering. "Forger, hold the Matrix," she whispered, blood staining her lips. "It's our only chance." Lira, propped against Kael, gripped a scavenged essence bolt, her leg wound bleeding through makeshift bandages. "Don't choke, newbie," she croaked, her smirk defiant despite the pain. Kael, his mechanical arm half-fried, aimed his rifle, the last scavenger beside him wielding a broken spear, eyes hollow with fear.Zane stepped from the shadows, his blood-red gauntlet forming a crimson chain, its links dripping liquid red. "You're outmatched, Eclipse Forger," he sneered. "The Archon's my gift to you. Enjoy it."Ethan's programmer brain raced, fighting the corruption's pull. The Archon was a juggernaut—its armor pulsed with essence, likely a Dominion artifact far beyond Zane's Blood Forge. Zane's chain was a new trick, designed to bind, not kill, meaning the Dominion wanted Ethan alive, or at least his system. The Core Matrix's energy could stabilize the spire and repel the attack, but channeling it risked corruption's full grip. Essence Sense pinged—shards in the sanctum's rubble, remnants of the titan and drones, enough for a Tier 3 craft if he could reach them."Lira, Kael," Ethan hissed, raising the Chaos Reaver. "Hit the drones. I need essence.""You're gonna die," Kael growled, but he fired, bullets sparking off a drone's hull. Lira hurled her bolt, piercing another, and it crashed, sparking. The scavenger stabbed a third, his spear snapping as a drone's beam burned his arm, his scream cut short.Ethan sprinted for the rubble, the Archon's gauntlet unleashing another crimson wave. He dove, the Reaver deflecting a glancing hit, durability dropping to 90/100. Zane's chain lashed out, wrapping his ankle, and blood seeped, burning like acid. Ethan slashed with the Reaver, chaos burst fraying the chain, and grabbed a shard.[Essence gained: +20. Current Essence: 150/200]The Archon advanced, its armor humming, a massive blade forming from its gauntlet, etched with red runes. "Your resistance is futile," it said, slashing. Ethan rolled, the blade carving a trench, and grabbed another shard, corruption howling—take their power.[Essence gained: +25. Current Essence: 175/200]The menu flashed—Voidspire Cannon (150 essence, "Fires a chaos beam, +60% damage to essence-based targets"). Ethan crafted it, essence dropping to 25 as a sleek, violet cannon materialized, its barrel crackling with energy.[Crafting Success: Voidspire Cannon (Tier 3). Durability: 100/100. Effect: Fires a chaos beam, +60% damage to essence-based targets.]Ethan braced the cannon, aiming at the Archon. "Eat this," he growled, firing. A violet beam erupted, slamming the Archon's armor, runes sparking as it staggered, a plate cracking. Zane's chain lashed again, wrapping Ethan's arm, and the cannon fell, durability at 80/100.[Essence gained: +15 (Archon damage). Current Essence: 40/200]The Archon recovered, its blade slashing. Ethan parried with the Reaver, chaos bursts clashing with red runes, but the force threw him back, ribs screaming. The system flashed.[Corruption: +14%. Warning: Dominion artifact contact accelerating integration.]The howl became a vision: Ethan, red-eyed, wielding the Archon's blade, Zane and Lira dead. He screamed, slashing the chain with the Reaver, and dove for the Matrix Conduit, its glow steady. Sylvara's barrier flickered, a drone's beam piercing it, and she fell, blood pooling. Lira fired a scavenged rifle, her shots wild but forcing Zane to dodge.Ethan reached the Matrix, its energy searing his mind. The corruption roared—claim it, rule—showing him burning the Archon, the Dominion kneeling. He channeled the conduit, essence flooding.[Essence gained: +50 (Matrix conduit). Current Essence: 90/200]The menu offered Chaos Nexus (80 essence, "Amplifies artifact effects, 30-second duration"). Ethan crafted it, essence dropping to 10 as a glowing, violet orb formed, linking his artifacts.[Crafting Success: Chaos Nexus (Tier 3). Durability: 100/100. Effect: Amplifies artifact effects by 50% for 30 seconds.]He activated the Nexus, his artifacts blazing. The Chaos Reaver's blade grew sharper, the Voidshard Bow's strings hummed louder, and the Chaos Gauntlet pulsed with power. Ethan charged the Archon, Reaver striking its armor, amplified chaos bursts shattering a plate. The Archon's blade slashed, but the Gauntlet parried, its burst staggering the giant.[Essence gained: +20 (Archon damage). Current Essence: 30/200]Zane's chain wrapped Ethan's leg, blood burning, and a drone's beam hit his back, flesh charring. The Nexus amplified his endurance, but pain overwhelmed him, and the system flashed.[Corruption: +15%. Warning: System override imminent.]The vision returned: Ethan, Dominion's pawn, the Matrix his chain. Lira's scream—"Fight, damn it!"—pulled him back. He slashed the chain, firing a Chaos Volley from the bow, amplified arrows piercing Zane's gauntlet, blood spraying. Zane roared, retreating, but the Archon's blade struck, gashing Ethan's side.Ethan fell, blood pooling, the Nexus fading. The conduit glowed, Matrix energy untapped. He crawled to it, corruption howling—you are theirs. Sylvara's voice, weak, reached him. "Stabilize it… save us."Ethan channeled the conduit, essence surging.[Essence gained: +100 (Matrix stabilization). Current Essence: 130/200]The system flashed—Matrix Anchor (120 essence, "Binds Core Matrix to the spire, repels invaders"). Ethan crafted it, essence dropping to 10 as a violet, rune-etched spike formed.[Crafting Success: Matrix Anchor (Tier 3). Durability: 100/100. Effect: Binds Core Matrix, repels invaders for 60 seconds.]He slammed the anchor into the Matrix, violet light erupting. The spire's runes blazed, a shockwave blasting the Archon back, its armor cracking. Drones sparked, crashing, and Zane staggered, his gauntlet dim. The tech-mages fled, the anchor's energy burning their suits.[Iron Archon repelled. Essence gained: +50. Current Essence: 60/200]The Archon retreated, its voice echoing. "This is not the end, Eclipse Forger." Zane vanished, his laugh promising vengeance. The spire stabilized, runes glowing, but Ethan collapsed, blood loss dimming his vision. Lira crawled to him, her hand gripping his. "You… idiot," she whispered, tears mixing with blood.Sylvara, barely alive, nodded. "The spire… is ours. You've earned… everything."The system pinged, corruption roaring—you cannot escape. Essence Sense flared—a new signature, ancient, vast, deep within the spire's core. The Matrix pulsed, and a voice—not the system's—whispered: Eclipse Forger, the Shattered Realms call.A hidden chamber opened, revealing a black obelisk, its surface etched with void runes, radiating power.