The beast thundered toward Ethan, each step shaking the ground beneath him. Its armored body glimmered with the faint glow of Void energy, and its jaws, lined with serrated fangs, opened wide in a deafening roar. Ethan tightened his grip on the bloodstained rock in his hand, the only weapon he had, and cursed under his breath.
The battleship loomed behind him, half-buried and dormant. It was his only chance—but without power or tools, it might as well have been a tomb.
Warning: Threat Level Critical. Recommended strategy: Utilize Void Elf Battleship systems.
"Yeah, no kidding," Ethan snapped. "What part of 'half-buried and broken' didn't you get?"
His eyes darted to the nearest exposed section of the battleship. It was a cracked metallic panel glowing faintly with Void runes. The system's earlier flood of engineering knowledge resurfaced in his mind, fragments of schematics and maintenance procedures piecing themselves together. If he could tap into the battleship's remaining power, maybe he could turn the tide.
But first, he had to buy himself some time.
The beast lunged.
Ethan dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature's claws. It smashed into the crystalline ground, sending shards flying in all directions. He scrambled to his feet and threw a Void Shard at the beast's flank. The projectile hit, exploding in a burst of dark energy, but the creature barely flinched.
"Great. Now it's pissed," Ethan muttered, retreating toward the ship. The beast snarled and charged again, its glowing eyes locked on him.
Desperation fueled his movements. He sprinted to the exposed panel and pressed his glowing hands against it. The runes flared brighter in response, and a surge of energy pulsed through his body. The system chimed.
Accessing Void Elf Battleship core systems… Power reserves: 3%. Limited functions available.
"Come on, come on…" Ethan muttered, sweat dripping down his face. He focused on the interface, his mind flooded with the system's guidance.
Subsystems online: Shield Generator, Void Core Stabilizer. Primary weapons offline. Secondary weapons offline.
The beast roared behind him, and Ethan glanced over his shoulder. It was closing the distance fast, its jaws snapping hungrily. His heart raced as he made a split-second decision.
"Activate the shields!" he shouted.
A deep hum resonated through the clearing, and a translucent barrier of Void energy erupted around the battleship. The beast slammed into the shield with a deafening crash, recoiling as arcs of energy crackled across its body. Ethan staggered back, his legs nearly giving out as he watched the predator snarl and circle the barrier, testing its strength.
Shields active. Power remaining: 2%.
"That'll hold it for now," Ethan said, exhaling shakily. But he knew the shield wouldn't last long—not with the battleship running on fumes. He needed a way to repair the power systems and get the ship operational.
The system chimed again, offering a glimmer of hope.
New quest unlocked: Reactivate the Void Core. Reward: Advanced Void Tech Knowledge (Reactor Systems).
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Reactor systems… That could get this thing fully online." He scanned the exposed parts of the ship, looking for an entry point. A narrow hatch caught his eye, its surface covered in faint runes similar to those on his skin.
The beast roared again, slamming into the shield. The barrier flickered slightly, the glowing lines dimming with each impact.
"No pressure or anything," Ethan muttered as he climbed onto the ship's hull. He reached the hatch and placed his hand on the runes. They flared to life, responding to his Void energy.
Biometric scan complete. Access granted.
The hatch slid open with a hiss, revealing a narrow ladder descending into the ship's interior. Ethan didn't hesitate. He climbed down, leaving the raging predator behind as the shield took another hit.
Inside the BattleshipThe interior of the battleship was dark, cold, and eerily silent. The faint hum of dormant Void energy filled the air, and the glow of runic lines illuminated the narrow corridors. Ethan's bare feet echoed against the metallic floor as he made his way deeper into the ship.
The system's guidance flashed in his mind, overlaying a basic schematic of the ship. The Void Core, the heart of the battleship's power systems, was located several decks below. Getting to it meant navigating through the ship's labyrinthine halls and bypassing whatever obstacles lay in his way.
"Just a casual stroll through an ancient alien death trap," Ethan muttered, his voice echoing slightly.
He turned a corner and stopped in his tracks. The corridor ahead was blocked by a cluster of crystalline growths, similar to the spires outside. The system identified them immediately.
Void Crystals detected. Cause: Core instability. Warning: Highly volatile.
Ethan grimaced. The crystals pulsed faintly, exuding a dangerous energy that made his skin crawl. He needed to clear the path, but his Void energy reserves were still low. The system chimed again.
Quest unlocked: Clear Void Crystal Obstruction. Reward: Minor Energy Restoration.
"Quests for everything, huh?" Ethan said. He raised his hand, summoning a small Void Shard. The unstable projectile flickered in his palm, and he hesitated for a moment before hurling it at the crystals. The shard struck, detonating in a burst of dark energy.
The crystals shattered, but the explosion rocked the corridor, sending Ethan stumbling back. A wave of heat washed over him as sparks rained from the ceiling.
Obstruction cleared. Reward: Minor Energy Restoration.
Ethan felt a surge of vitality flow through him, the faint glow of his runic lines growing brighter. He rolled his shoulders and pressed forward, picking up his pace as the distant thrum of the Void Core grew louder.
The Void CoreEthan finally reached the core chamber, his breath catching at the sight before him. The Void Core was massive, a spherical construct suspended in midair by glowing energy conduits. Its surface was cracked, and arcs of unstable energy lashed out intermittently, leaving scorch marks on the walls.
Void Core status: Critical. Manual stabilization required.
"Of course it is," Ethan said, stepping closer. The system guided him to a nearby console, its interface glowing faintly. He placed his hands on the controls, and the system's knowledge once again flooded his mind.
The console displayed a chaotic stream of Void energy patterns, each more unstable than the last. Ethan's engineering instincts kicked in as he began rerouting power and isolating the damaged circuits. The process was painstaking, each adjustment requiring intense focus.
The system chimed.
Void Core stabilizing… Power reserves increasing. Current level: 10%.
The core's erratic energy flows began to calm, the arcs of light diminishing. Ethan grinned as he watched the runes on the core's surface glow steadily.
Objective complete: Reactivate the Void Core. Reward unlocked: Advanced Void Tech Knowledge (Reactor Systems).
A new wave of knowledge filled Ethan's mind, detailing the intricacies of Void Core operation and maintenance. He felt the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. With the core stabilized, the battleship's systems would slowly come back online.
But his relief was short-lived.
The console beeped urgently, and a holographic display showed the predator outside breaching the shield. The beast was inside the clearing now, stalking toward the ship.
"Time to see what this baby can really do," Ethan said, turning toward the core. He placed his hands on it, channeling the newly restored energy.
The Void System chimed one last time.
Battleship secondary weapons online.
Ethan grinned, his eyes glowing with determination. "Let's light this thing up."