THE LAST SURVIVOR

THE BLACK SWORD

The wind howled across the shattered battlefield.

Ethan walked alone toward Director Magnus Voss, each step carrying him closer to the enemy who had destroyed countless lives.

Behind him, Raven shouted, "Ethan, don't!"

He didn't stop.

Magnus smiled, resting the tip of his black sword on the ground.

"I knew you would come back."

"You risked your life for one person."

He chuckled.

"Your mother had the same weakness."

Ethan's jaw tightened.

"Where is she?"

Magnus's smile faded.

"You'll find out... if you survive."

He raised the black sword.

The crimson crystal embedded in its hilt began to glow.

The air around it distorted as if reality itself were bending.

General Kane's face turned pale.

"No..."

"That's impossible."

Raven looked at him.

"What is it?"

"The sword..."

Kane swallowed hard.

"It was forged from the heart of the Eclipse Core."

"The only weapon capable of killing a Guardian."

The Guardian stepped forward.

Its golden eyes locked onto Magnus.

"Threat level: Critical."

"Commander Ethan, retreat immediately."

Ethan shook his head.

"I'm not leaving Ava."

Magnus pointed the sword toward him.

"Then come and take her."

Without warning, Ethan charged.

The pendant erupted with silver light.

A blade of pure energy formed in his hand.

For the first time, he held a weapon unlike any on Earth.

The battlefield fell silent.

Even Magnus seemed impressed.

"So..."

"The Eclipse Blade has finally awakened."

Their swords collided.

CLANG!

A shockwave burst across the valley, shattering nearby trees and sending soldiers flying.

Ethan was thrown backward, sliding across the muddy ground.

His arms trembled from the impact.

Magnus hadn't moved an inch.

"You're strong," Magnus admitted.

"But strength without experience is useless."

He vanished.

Ethan's eyes widened.

"Where did he—"

A sharp pain exploded across his back.

Magnus had appeared behind him.

Ethan fell to one knee.

Blood dripped onto the ground.

"No!" Raven screamed.

The Guardian charged, but three Hunter Units intercepted it, surrounding the giant with coordinated attacks.

Lucas and the other survivors rushed into battle to hold them off.

The battlefield split into separate fights.

Ethan versus Magnus.

The Guardian versus the Hunters.

The survivors versus Black Phoenix.

Chaos consumed the forest.

Magnus walked slowly toward Ethan.

"You know why I wanted Project Eclipse?"

Ethan struggled to stand.

"To control the world."

Magnus laughed.

"No."

"I wanted to save it."

He looked toward the dark clouds gathering overhead.

"Something is coming."

"Something far worse than humanity."

Ethan frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

Magnus's expression became unusually serious.

"The Eclipse Core wasn't discovered..."

"It arrived."

Before Ethan could ask another question, the sky lit up with a blinding blue flash.

Every electronic device stopped working.

The Guardian froze.

The Hunters froze.

Even the crimson crystal in Magnus's sword went dark.

Everyone looked upward.

High above the clouds...

A gigantic circular object slowly emerged.

It was unlike any aircraft ever built.

Its metallic surface stretched for kilometers, blotting out the stars.

A deep, mechanical voice echoed across the entire valley.

"Signal detected."

"Subject E-17 confirmed."

"Phase Two of the Eclipse Protocol has begun."

A beam of blue light descended from the enormous object.

It surrounded Ethan.

His pendant glowed brighter than ever before.

He tried to move...

But his body wouldn't respond.

The voice spoke one final sentence.

"Welcome home... Commander."

The beam lifted Ethan into the sky.

Raven reached out desperately.

"Ethan!"

But she was too late.

He disappeared into the light.