The group moved cautiously through the room, their boots echoing off the cold metallic floor—each footstep a stark intrusion on the oppressive silence. Each member fanned out, scanning for anything useful among the scattered debris and overturned crates. The air carried an almost suffocating stillness, thick with the metallic tang of old blood and something else… something faintly acrid, like ozone after a lightning strike. The only sound was the occasional, unsettling flicker of damaged holo-panels, which cast long, dancing shadows that seemed to writhe and shift in their peripheral vision.
But Joel wasn’t listening. He straightened, his scanning overlay catching not just ripples in the air, but distinct heat signatures, moving in the shadows beyond the crates. They weren''t small, flickering heat signatures like lizardmen would produce. These were large, cold, and moved with a disturbing, fluid grace. His pulse quickened, a cold dread settling in his stomach as he whispered, his voice trembling slightly, “Guys…”
Joel stopped, turned on his adaptive camouflage, and moved closer to the heat signature. As he came into sight of what he could only imagine was some kind of space goblin, his HUD activated, displaying a detailed enemy profile:
Void Goblin
Level: 6
Threat Level: Low
HP: 85/85
A thin red bar appeared above the goblin''s head, visually representing its health. The bar was full, indicating it was at full health. The data lingered in his vision for a few moments, then minimized into a small, unobtrusive icon in the corner of his HUD, allowing him to keep track of the enemy.
The creature was small and wiry, its skin not like skin at all, but more like a swirling vortex of deep space. Patches of absolute blackness, like miniature black holes, were interspersed with faint, shimmering points of light that resembled distant stars. These tiny stars seemed to shift and swirl within the goblin’s “skin,” as if caught in an endless cosmic dance.
Its hands, instead of holding a physical weapon, were tipped with wickedly sharp claws that seemed to be formed from pure shadow. Joel couldn’t understand how something so dark, as if straight out of the void, could seem darker than shadows, but it did. These shadow claws flickered and writhed, extending and retracting slightly, as if eager to tear into flesh. Its limbs twitched with barely contained energy.
Joel, using his new Adaptive Camouflage, the biometal humming softly as it shifted and reconfigured. He felt a slight tingling sensation as the armour adjusted, the air around him seeming to bend and distort. The sounds of the loading bay—the distant skittering of other goblins, the hum of the station’s machinery—seemed to fade as he moved, his footsteps muffled to near silence. The Void Goblin, it''s back to him, remained engrossed in whatever had captured its attention. Joel could almost feel the cold emanate from the creature’s swirling, dark form as he drew closer, the faint starlight within its “skin” flickering like dying embers.
Across the bottom of his HUD: Energy Level 98 Percent.
Joel re-emerged from his camouflage, hammer raised high, the biometal on his armour gleaming faintly in the dim light. He lunged forward, intercepting a goblin mid-charge. With a powerful swing, he brought the hammer down, the impact reverberating through the room like a thunderclap. The creature didn''t shatter cleanly; instead, its form exploded in a shower of dark, viscous fluid and flickering fragments of starlight, splattering the nearby crates and Joel’s armour with a shimmering, oily mess.
But there was no time to pause. Another goblin lunged at him from the side, its claws aimed for his throat. Joel twisted, using the momentum from his swing to slam the hammer into its midsection. The creature let out a guttural hiss, a sound like escaping steam mixed with a death rattle, as it was hurled backward, crashing into a cluster of crates. The impact sent more of the dark fluid spraying across the area.
“What the fu-” Joel started to scream but he didn’t or couldn’t stop; he stepped into the strike, following through with a sharp kick that crushed the already weakened goblin into a shimmering, oozing heap. The metallic floor beneath it was now stained with a dark, iridescent stain.
From his left, another void goblin skittered along the wall, its jagged limbs digging into the metal for purchase. Joel reacted instinctively, hurling the hammer at the creature. The weapon spun through the air with a whistle, striking the goblin with a sickening crunch. Instead of simply shattering, the creature’s form imploded, collapsing in on itself before erupting in another burst of dark fluid and starry fragments that coated the wall. Without hesitation, Joel sprinted forward, retrieving the hammer, its head now slick with the strange, otherworldly goo, and spinning back into the fray.
“Ren!” he called out, spotting another goblin creeping toward her blind spot. He surged forward, this time swinging his hammer in a wide arc. The blow connected just as the goblin leapt, sending it flying across the room in a trail of starry light and trailing dark fluid. It slammed into one of the massive windows with a sickening thud, leaving a dark, star-flecked smear on the glass.
“Thanks!” Ren shouted, not breaking her rhythm as she ducked under an attack and landed a brutal uppercut on a goblin in front of her. The impact of her brass knuckles against the goblin’s form produced a wet, cracking sound, and the creature’s head snapped back at an unnatural angle before it dissolved into another mess of fluid and light.
Joel didn’t respond, his focus sharpening as more goblins surged toward him. Each swing of his hammer sent shockwaves through the air, the power of his strikes amplified by the biometal enhancements of his armour combined with his new heart cards. The ground beneath him was becoming a gruesome tapestry of flickering remnants of void goblins and dark, glistening stains, but the tide kept coming, relentless and unyielding. The air was thick with the strange, acrid scent of the goblins’ fluids, and the flickering lights cast grotesque shadows that danced across the carnage.
Another goblin lunged at him, its jagged claws screeching against the biometal of Joel’s armour as it raked downward, leaving deep, sparking gouges in the metal. Joel sidestepped, using his new combat card and training from Gideon, twisting his torso to avoid a second swipe that tore through the air where he’d just been. In one fluid motion, he ducked low and delivered a sharp punch to the goblin’s torso, the reinforced biometal around his fist amplifying the impact. The goblin’s starry form imploded inward with a wet, sucking sound before erupting outward in a spray of viscous, dark fluid and shimmering fragments, coating Joel’s fist and the nearby wall with a glistening, iridescent mess.
Before Joel could press the advantage, another goblin leapt at him from above, its claws leaving long, smoking trails in the air. He dropped into a roll, narrowly avoiding the creature’s claws as they gouged deep furrows into the metal floor, sending sparks flying. Coming out of the roll, Joel pivoted on his heel. With a roar, Joel began to raise his hammer, now completely coated in the dark, glistening fluid, whipping his hammer upward in a brutal uppercut that connected with a sickening crunch. The force crushed the goblin with one final, bone-rattling blow. The impact sent a final spray of fluid and starlight erupting outward, splattering the surrounding area. Stolen novel; please report.
As the echoes of the blow faded, Joel stood panting, his gaze fixed on the glistening mess at his feet. A sudden image of Pete, his hand outstretched, flashed before his eyes. Joel’s grip tightened on the hammer, his knuckles whitening. A wave of guilt and regret washed over him, so intense it almost made him stumble. He shook his head, forcing the memory away, his jaw clenched. “Focus,” he muttered to himself, his voice strained.
The first goblin, now partially reformed but still leaking dark fluid, recovered quickly, charging at him with renewed fury. Joel shifted his weight back, narrowly dodging a swipe aimed at his face that left a thin trail of dark fluid in its wake. He retaliated with a spinning kick, the force of his armoured leg sending the goblin crashing into a cluster of crates. The impact splintered the crates and sent more of the dark fluid splattering across the area. The moment his foot hit the ground, Joel launched himself into a series of rapid strikes, alternating between his fists and the hammer. Each blow landed with precision, causing more of the goblin’s form to erupt in bursts of dark fluid and flickering starlight, forcing the creature to retreat step by step, leaving a trail of glistening residue.
The goblin hissed, a sound like tearing fabric mixed with static, feinting to Joel’s left. Joel mirrored the motion, anticipating the attack, but the goblin changed direction mid-lunge, aiming low. Joel reacted just in time, leaping into the air and twisting his body. As he landed, he brought his hammer down in a crushing arc, cleaving the goblin nearly in two. The impact released a torrent of dark fluid and starlight, soaking the floor and Joel’s armour. The two halves of the goblin’s form twitched and sputtered before dissolving into a shimmering, oozing puddle.
A third goblin darted in from the shadows, swiping with razor-sharp claws that left thin trails of dark fluid in the air. Joel leaned back, narrowly avoiding the strike, and countered with a quick jab to the goblin’s jaw. The impact caused the goblin’s head to snap back at an unnatural angle, more dark fluid spraying from its mouth. It recoiled but immediately launched another attack, forcing Joel into a flurry of dodges, each near miss leaving streaks of dark fluid across his armour.
The two exchanged blows in a dizzying display of agility—Joel ducking, weaving, and countering with lightning-fast strikes, each impact accompanied by the wet, cracking sound of the goblin’s form breaking apart and spraying more of the dark fluid. One of the goblin’s claws scraped across his armour, leaving a long, shallow gash. The metallic screech of tearing metal triggered a stark memory: the twisted wreckage of the rig, the mangled metal pinning Pete down. The same powerless feeling washed over him, the burning question resurfacing: If he could move like this then, if he had this armour, would Pete still be alive?
“No,” Joel screamed. He did everything thing he could then and now. He snapped back to the here and now. Finally, Joel saw an opening. He feinted with the hammer, drawing the goblin in, then pivoted and delivered a devastating sidekick that sent it tumbling into the remains of its fallen comrades, further mixing the dark fluid and starlight into a gruesome paste.
At the bottom of his HUD, he checked his energy levels, he was at 90 percent. Thankfully, his energy was holding out longer than it did against Jeremy. Joel also noticed the experience notifications under his energy levels, these void goblins were giving him great exp.
Despite their efforts, the goblins’ numbers seemed endless. They attacked in waves, their movements coordinated and relentless. Joel’s breathing grew ragged, but his determination only hardened. A fleeting image of Pete, trapped amidst the burning wreckage of the rig, flashed through his mind. If only he’d had this kind of power back then…
He needed to prove himself. A goblin leaped at Gideon, aiming for his back, but Joel intercepted it mid-air, slamming it into the ground with a feral growl. “I’ve got your back!” he shouted. As he spoke, he felt Jace move to stand back-to-back with him, the rabbit’s fur brushing against his armour. Gideon and Ren quickly followed suit, forming a tight defensive circle.
“Good!” Gideon replied, slicing through another wave. “We’re gonna need it!”
The fight reached a fever pitch as the goblins pressed in closer. The group was forced into a tight formation, backs against each other as the void creatures circled them, waiting for an opening.
“They’re testing us,” Ren growled, blood dripping from her knuckles.
Joel scanned the room, trying to find a way to turn the tide. His armour’s energy levels were dropping, and the goblins showed no signs of slowing. The boy’s face, pale and streaked with dirt, flashed before his eyes. The terror in his expression, the silent plea for help… it was the same look he’d seen in the eyes of Kevin. He clenched his fists, the weight of that failure pressing down on him as he fought, driving each blow with a desperate fury. “We need a plan!” he shouted, his voice strained. His gaze fell to his gauntlet, where his heart card pulsed with heat. An idea sparked in his mind.
Joel’s heart deck pulsed with heat as he activated it, feeling the familiar hum of power coursing through him. The biometal of his armour shifted, resonating with the heat stored within the card. The moment the card’s energy aligned, Joel exhaled sharply and slammed his fist into the ground, triggering the release.
A burst of steam erupted from his forearms, the pressure building within the suit before it was unleashed in a focused, scalding wave. The force of the steam-propelled outward with intense heat, shooting out in a concentrated blast that engulfed the goblins in its wake. Their shrieks were swallowed by the sudden hiss of steam as it billowed out in all directions, the temperature spiking in an instant.
Joel smiled to himself as he remembered the card he got from Jeremy. Scalding Burst: Release a concentrated burst of steam, scalding all enemies in a 10-meter radius. Damage is moderate but increases significantly against exposed flesh. The burst creates a dense mist, obscuring vision for 15 seconds and providing temporary cover. Allies are unaffected by the heat but benefit from the mist.
The goblins that were too close to Joel were hit hardest. The scalding steam seared their exposed “flesh,” causing them to stagger back, their forms flickering in and out of focus like fractured stars. One goblin howled, its claws clutching at its singed, swirling dark matter, while another crumpled to the ground, twitching in pain as the mist hid it from sight.
The dense fog that followed the burst quickly spread, rolling over the ground and obscuring their vision. Joel couldn’t see clearly, but he could hear the frenzied scuttling of the goblins in the mist, their movements erratic as they tried to regroup. His allies, now partially concealed in the fog, moved with more confidence. The mist didn’t affect them—just the goblins.
“Now!” Joel shouted, his voice cutting through the mist.
Ren’s voice came back, clear and determined. “Got it!” The sound of her brass knuckles connecting with goblin “flesh” echoed from the mist, followed by the thud of a body hitting the floor.
BLAM, BLAM, BOOM! Jace’s guns fired. Joel could even hear Logan’s voice, it oddly sounded cheerful, which was a first.
Joel tried to wipe the sweat from his brow, forgetting his helmet was in the way, instead, he adjusted his stance as he prepared for the next wave. The steam was still rising around him, the mist creating the perfect cover for the group to regroup and finish what they started. His heart raced, but the battle wasn’t over yet—he was ready to press on.
“Everyone, okay?” Gideon called out.
Before anyone could answer, the floor beneath them trembled, and the air grew thick with an unnatural pressure. From the far end of the bay, an ear-splitting screech echoed, followed by a massive shape emerging from the shadows.
The group froze as the towering figure stepped into the dim light—a goblin unlike any they’d faced before. It stood at least ten feet tall, its body a swirling vortex of stars and void energy, claws glinting like jagged shards of obsidian.
Joel tightened his grip on his hammer, his heart pounding. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”