The dim, otherworldly void lighting flickered erratically, casting twisted shadows that stretched unnaturally across the fractured steek-obsidian floor. In the disorienting gloom, the Corruption-Touched Behemoth emerged—a hulking, grotesque figure that seemed to distort reality.

  A collective gasp escaped the Rabbits followed by Joel's growling.

  “Oh, fuck,” Logan breathed, his voice a raw whisper.

  Indeed,' Jace echoed, his gun trembling slightly in his grasp. “You can say that again.”

  “Oh, fuck,” Ren responded.

  Gideon, ever the pragmatist, cut through the nerves. “Focus, people. We need to assess the threat.”

  Its massive ten-foot form towered over the Rabbits, a monstrous amalgamation of goblin-like features and trollish proportions. A pair of void-touched tentacles slithered across its back, pulsating with dark, viscous energy. The creature’s skin was semi-transparent, a deep black void that seemed to swallow all light. Still, within it, the ghostly images of swirling galaxies and flickering stars shifted constantly, a cosmic storm brewing beneath its surface.

  Then the smell came and assaulted the would-be adventurer. Like burning sulphur and decaying corpses, a foul stench emanated from the creature. The contrast between the swirling depths of its form and the empty, infinite black of the void around it was dizzying.

  The low growl that rumbled from its throat reverberated through the void, shaking the ground beneath them, like the growl of some ancient predator, now awakened. The powerful vibrations rattled the air, forcing the Rabbit to steady themselves against the unnatural force of the beast’s presence. The air around it crackled with a malevolent energy, the void itself seeming to writhe in anticipation. Their armour, gear and weapons, offered little comfort against the creature's imposing presence. They felt small, exhausted, and battered after countless battles.

  Personal System Notification:

  Mack’s Heart Card – Grit of the Forgotten has been activated.

  The Grit of the Forgotten amplifies Joel’s resolve, granting him resistance against fear-based effects. The overwhelming presence of the Corruption-Touched Behemoth may seek to cloud the minds of those who face it, but Joel stands firm, his mind steeled against the terror it brings.

  Fear Resistance: 90%

  Duration: 10 minutes

  Cooldown: 15 minutes

  “It has a fear effect,” Joel yells. That seemed to help shore up the others. The mechanic noticed that a few of his newfound friends were activating items. Jace’s hands stopped shaking, and he stepped into formation.

  Joel tightened his grip on his hammer, standing at the front of the group, his armour reflecting the flickering lights. His heart hummed with energy; he almost felt like he might smile. His eyes were narrowed, but the tiny tremor in his hand betrayed him. "This thing is nothing like the others," he muttered. "We need to move fast."

  Behind him, the rest of the team braced themselves, their weapons at the ready.

  "We're going to die here." Logan reached for his crossbow, but his fingers seemed unsure, his muscles aching from the previous battles. Even Gideon, usually unwavering in his resolve, couldn't hide the tightness in his jaw.

  But Joel wasn’t going to let the moment break him. He cracked a half-smirk, gripping his hammer tighter, despite the pounding of his heart.

  "Well, this definitely wasn't on my list of 'Things to Face' today," Joel said, calm but laced with humour, attempting to break the oppressive weight of fear settling over his team. He glanced at Jace and Ren, trying to lighten the mood. "You two didn’t sign up for a size upgrade, did you?"

  Jace laughed nervously, but his fingers tightened around his gun, ready to react. “Not exactly what I had in mind, no,” he muttered, trying to play along.

  "This... this is different," Ren muttered, her voice barely a whisper. The beast was a force of nature—a true abomination of void and flesh.

  Just then, Joel’s HUD flickered to life as his mind processed the overwhelming presence of the void monster.

  Personal System Connection: Analyzing Creature...

  Connection Established.

  Notification:

  [Creature Detected: Corruption-Touched Behemoth]

  Creature Type: Abomination - Void-Touched Goblin-Troll Hybrid

  Size: Gigantic (10+ feet)

  Level: Unknown

  Type: Elite

  Abilities:

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Void Manipulation: Can generate and control tentacles infused with raw void energy.

  Galactic Corruption: Data Unknown.

  Predator’s Instinct: Can observe and analyze prey, adapting tactics accordingly.

  Fear Aura: Generates an overwhelming fear effect in its vicinity (resisted by Grit of the Forgotten).

  Warning: Extreme physical and psychological danger. Immediate action is required.

  The Corruption-Touched Behemoth began to move, its massive frame shuddering with each step, sending tremors through the floor. This wasn't the slow, lumbering attack they expected; instead, it moved with an unnerving agility for something of its size. Each step was deliberate, its massive claws scraping the ground with a sound like stone grinding together, the air around it crackling with a malevolent energy.

  Suddenly, tentacles—slick with black void energy—shot out from its back, their tips crackling with power. The air seemed to stretch and distort around them as the tentacles lashed out, each strike faster than they could react. The tendrils whipped through the air like living serpents, their movements sinuous and filled with a terrifying grace.

  “Damn it!” Joel yelled, remembering the void monsters he escaped from while the rig exploded. In the back of his mind, he was happy he had left Craig and Darren back at the supply settlement.

  Jace let out a strangled cry as a tentacle whipped past his head, forcing him into a desperate roll to avoid the strike. The ground shook as the tendril slammed into the spot he’d just vacated, sending a shower of sparks and debris flying. The impact echoed through the chamber, a sickening thud that sent a jolt of fear through the crew. Rising to one knee, Jace levelled his magical gun, his expression twisting into determination. He fired off a series of blasts, each bolt of energy slamming into the Behemoth’s shifting mass, tearing through the swirling void matter. Dark, viscous goo splattered onto the ground, hissing where it landed.

  Joel caught movement from the corner of his eye—several void goblins, their eyes glowing with malevolent glee, had crept out from the shadows, attempting to flank them. Before Joel could warn the others, the Behemoth’s tentacles snapped out, grabbing one of the goblins with a speed that defied its size. The creature let out a guttural screech, its limbs flailing desperately as it was dragged into the Behemoth’s waiting maw, its form disappearing into the swirling abyss of the creature's body. Joel noticed that the damage that Jace did began to heal.

  The remaining goblins froze in place, terror gripping them. Then they bolted, scurrying down the darkened hallways from where the Behemoth had emerged, their panicked shrieks echoing through the chamber as they fled the monstrous predator.

  Ren, agile despite the chaos, twisted sideways, narrowly evading the sharp edges of another tentacle that lashed out. But in the frantic movement, her small hand crossbow slipped from her grasp, clattering to the ground. Cursing under her breath, she gripped her magically enhanced knuckle dusters instead, adrenaline surging through her veins. "Gideon!" she yelled, her voice strained.

  Gideon, ever calm under pressure, ducked low as a bench, torn from the ground by the Behemoth's mighty grip, hurtled toward him. With a grunt, he rolled aside, the bench crashing into the wall behind him, showering them with dust and debris. "It's playing with us," he growled, his voice grim. "We need to act fast."

  Joel, his eyes narrowed and a grim smile playing on his lips, swung his hammer into position, a surge of adrenaline fueling his resolve. "Alright, you big ugly…let’s see what you’ve got." He charged a blur of motion, his hammer whistling through the air as he aimed a mighty blow at one of the creature's tentacles.

  The Behemoth's void tentacles lashed out in rapid arcs, cutting through the air with a sinister hiss. Each strike forced the Rabbit crew to scatter, breaking their formation. Sparks erupted as one tentacle scraped against a jagged piece of metal debris, sending shards flying like shrapnel.

  Joel barely had time to react as one of the tendrils whipped toward Gideon, its crackling void energy promising a devastating impact. Instinct took over. He surged forward, his mechanical armour hissing with power as he activated a reinforced shoulder plate.

  “Get down!” Joel barked, planting himself between Gideon and the incoming attack. The tentacle struck Joel's armour with a resounding clang, the force driving him back a few steps but leaving him otherwise unscathed. His armour absorbed the brunt of the blow, faint traces of void energy dissipating across its surface.

  Joel could feel his heart card start to absorb some of the energy of the creature, but he couldn’t focus on that just yet. Gideon glanced up, his expression a mix of gratitude and frustration. 'I could’ve dodged that!'

  “Yeah? Next time, prove it,” Joel shot back, a wry grin beneath his helmet. But the moment of levity was short-lived as another tentacle slammed down behind them, splitting the battlefield further.

  “Keep moving! Don't bunch up!” Gideon roared, his tone firm as he rallied the group.

  Across the chaos, Jace darted in and out of cover, firing precise shots from his magical gun. Void goo splattered the walls as his bolts connected, though the Behemoth barely seemed fazed, its tentacles snapping with relentless fury.

  Ren sprinted toward higher ground, scaling a pile of debris with agility. “Come on, ugly! Over here!” she taunted, her knuckles gleaming as she prepared to strike from above.

  Joel’s HUD flickered with updates, but he continued to ignore them for now, focusing instead on finding an opening to strike. His armour’s power core hummed, ready for action. “Logan, on me!” he shouted.

  Logan, positioned behind Joel, nodded grimly. He raised his spear, the tip glowing with an eerie green light. As the Behemoth reared back for another attack, Logan thrust his spear forward, the tip finding its mark in the creature's thick hide. The spearhead erupted in a shower of sparks, the green energy searing through the creature's flesh. The Behemoth roared in pain, its movements faltering for a brief, precious moment.

  Joel seized the opportunity. With a roar of his own, he activated his armour's enhanced adaptive module and charged. His hammer, a blur of motion, slammed into the Behemoth's side with the force of a battering ram. The creature staggered, its movements momentarily disrupted. Each time his hammer hit, he absorbed more and more energy. Joel’s power cells began to refill.

  “Keep the pressure on!” Joel roared, his voice echoing through the chamber. “We can bring this thing down!”

  The Behemoth roared, a sound so deep and otherworldly it seemed to tear at the fabric of reality itself. The reverberations sent chills through the Rabbiys, and with a terrifying display of raw power, the creature brought its massive claws crashing down. The station’s floor shook violently, cracks spidering outward like jagged lightning bolts.

  Joel barely had a moment to brace before one of the Behemoth's swinging claws smashed into his side. The impact was devastating. He felt a sickening crunch of bone, followed by a searing pain that stole his breath. He was sent flying across the battlefield, tumbling across the jagged surface before skidding to a stop.

  Coughing, Joel rolled onto his side, spitting blood onto the darkened floor. Pain lanced through his ribs. He forced himself to push up onto his knees, gripping his hammer tightly, his fingers trembling slightly.

  “Still standing,” he growled, his voice rough but hostile with a hint of defiance in his tone. “Is that all you've got?”

  The Behemoth turned its glowing, malevolent eyes toward him, its gaze filled with a chilling intelligence. Its tentacles writhed, dripping with a viscous, black fluid that sizzled and smoked upon contact with the obsidian floor. The creature let out a low, guttural growl, a sound that promised unimaginable pain and suffering. The battle had truly begun, and Joel knew with a chilling certainty that this was a fight for their very survival.