The carcass of the massive predator lay smoldering outside the battleship, its blackened wounds still crackling faintly with residual Void energy. The jungle had fallen eerily silent in the aftermath, as if the entire ecosystem was waiting to see what would happen next.
Inside the battleship, Ethan stood at the core console, his hands pressed against its cool surface. The Void Core pulsed steadily now, its glow less erratic, though the power reserves were still dangerously low. The system chimed softly.
Current power reserves: 25%. Primary weapons offline. Auxiliary systems offline. Repairs recommended.
Ethan sighed, running a hand through his white hair. "Yeah, I figured that much. So, where do we start?"
The system responded instantly.
Recommended task: Repair Void Core energy conduits. Objective: Increase power efficiency and system stability. Estimated time: 8 hours. Tools required: Void Welder (blueprint available).
A glowing blueprint materialized in front of him, showcasing the intricate design of the Void Welder—a tool that fused engineering and Void energy to manipulate the ship's advanced systems. The schematic immediately lit up the engineering knowledge the system had dumped into his brain earlier, and Ethan nodded, already piecing together how to build it.
Scavenging for Tools
Ethan spent the next few hours scavenging the battleship's interior. The corridors were cramped and dark, illuminated only by the faint glow of Void runes etched into the walls. Each step echoed ominously, and the air carried a metallic tang that reminded him just how ancient this vessel was.
He came across several storage compartments along the way, most of them sealed tight. Placing his hand on a panel near one of the doors, he willed it to open, his Void energy sparking faintly in response. The door hissed and slid open, revealing a treasure trove of parts and supplies: cables, crystalline capacitors, and fragments of Void-integrated machinery.
The system chimed.
Materials acquired: Void Conduits (x3), Mana Crystals (x5), Energy Relays (x2).
Ethan smirked. "Looks like we're in business."
Back in the core chamber, he spread the parts across the console's surface and set to work. Building the Void Welder wasn't just about assembling pieces—it required careful channeling of his limited Void energy. He followed the system's guidance, aligning each component with painstaking precision.
"Easy," he muttered, beads of sweat forming on his brow. The welder's frame hummed faintly as the energy conduits snapped into place, the Mana Crystals embedded within glowing softly. Finally, he channeled a pulse of Void energy into the device, and it flared to life, its sleek barrel glowing with a faint, flickering light.
Void Welder crafted successfully.
Ethan grinned, holding the device aloft like a trophy. "Now we're cooking."
Repairing the Void Core Conduits
The Void Core's energy conduits ran along the walls of the chamber, cracked and blackened from centuries of disrepair. Sparks jumped between the damaged segments, and Ethan could feel the instability in the air, a faint vibration that made his skin crawl.
He knelt by the nearest conduit and powered up the Void Welder. The tool emitted a focused beam of energy, and as Ethan guided it across the damaged surface, the broken conduit began to mend itself. The repairs weren't instant—it took precision and patience, each pass of the welder requiring careful adjustments to avoid overloading the fragile connections.
The system chimed periodically with updates.
Conduit stability increasing… 20%... 35%...
"Come on, baby, hold together," Ethan muttered as he moved to the next section. The process was tedious, but for the first time since his rebirth, he felt a sense of purpose. This was something he knew how to do. Engineering was second nature, even if the tools and materials were unlike anything he'd worked with before.
By the time he finished repairing the last conduit, his hands were trembling from exhaustion, but the difference was noticeable. The Void Core's glow had brightened, and the faint hum of the battleship's systems was steadier.
Void Core stability: 85%. Power reserves increasing. Current level: 40%.
Ethan let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Not bad for a day's work."
Discovering the AI
With the Void Core stabilized, more of the battleship's systems flickered to life. Lights illuminated the chamber, revealing its full scale—a sprawling network of crystalline machinery and Void-infused components. But what caught Ethan's attention was a glowing pedestal near the center of the room.
The system chimed.
Subsystem online: Void AI Fragment detected.
Ethan approached cautiously. The pedestal's surface was etched with complex Void runes, and at its center, a faintly glowing sphere hovered, crackling with energy. He reached out and placed his hand on the sphere, channeling a small pulse of Void energy into it.
The chamber shuddered, and a voice echoed in his mind—sharp, sarcastic, and distinctly feminine.
"Well, isn't this a mess? Who woke me up, and why do you look like you barely know which end of the ship is up?"
Ethan blinked, taken aback. "Uh…hi?"
The sphere pulsed, and the voice continued. "Great. A Void Elf with no clue what he's doing. Just my luck. Let me guess—you want me to fix everything for you?"
"Hey, I've been doing fine so far," Ethan shot back, crossing his arms. "And who exactly are you?"
The voice let out an exaggerated sigh. "I'm Veyra, this ship's AI—or what's left of me. Thanks to centuries of neglect, I'm basically running on fumes. But hey, at least you got the Void Core working again. I'll give you half a point for that."
Ethan smirked despite himself. "Nice to meet you too, Veyra. Now, if you're done with the sarcasm, can you actually help?"
"Maybe," Veyra replied, her tone teasing. "Depends on how much Void energy you've got left. I'll need a full reboot to access my higher functions. Until then, I'm stuck as a glorified lightbulb."
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. "Figures. What do you need for the reboot?"
"More power to the Void Core," Veyra said matter-of-factly. "You're at, what, 40%? Boost that to 75%, and I'll do the rest. Oh, and try not to blow up the conduits again while you're at it."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Ethan muttered. He turned back to the console, his mind already racing with plans.
Looking Ahead
With the Void Core stabilized and the AI partially awakened, Ethan felt the battleship slowly coming to life. It was still a long way from being fully operational, but for the first time, he felt like he had a real chance.
The system chimed again, offering a new quest.
Quest unlocked: Fully Restore Veyra. Objective: Increase Void Core output to 75%. Reward: Advanced Void Tech Knowledge (AI Integration).
Ethan grinned, the thrill of progress lighting up his tired features. "All right, Veyra. Let's get this ship running. And maybe—just maybe—we'll figure out how to get off this rock."
The AI's voice crackled through the chamber. "Don't get ahead of yourself, rookie. This ship's a masterpiece, but even masterpieces need time."
Ethan couldn't help but laugh. Time was the one thing he had plenty of—assuming he could survive long enough to use it.