The approach to the fallen Titan was a gauntlet of horrors. Kaelen navigated a maze of collapsed corridors, energy-scorched chambers, and pools of corrosive fluid. The air was thick with the stench of decay and the hiss of escaping energy. The walls were lined with the corpses of fallen mechs, their rusted frames twisted into grotesque shapes.
He encountered pockets of resistance along the way: mutated maintenance drones, programmed to defend the Titan's remains, and packs of energy-ravenous Scar Hounds, drawn to the concentration of power within the structure. He dispatched them efficiently, his movements growing more precise, his reflexes sharpened by constant combat. The Scrapper I became an extension of his own will, a tool of brutal efficiency.
As he delved deeper into the Titan, the residual energy intensified, further distorting his senses. The hallucinations grew more vivid, the paranoia more acute. He began to hear voices, whispers that echoed through the corridors, taunting him, questioning his motives, preying on his fears.
He fought against the madness, clinging to the memory of his past life, to the image of the Titan-Fall, to the hope of a better future. He refused to let the Crimson Wastes claim his mind.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reached the Titan's core. The chamber was a vast, cavernous space, pulsating with crimson energy. At the center of the chamber, surrounded by a swirling vortex of corrupted power, stood the Rust Lord.
The Rust Lord was a terrifying sight, a twisted amalgamation of metal and flesh. Its mechanical components were corroded and broken, its energy conduits sparking erratically. Patches of raw, festering flesh were exposed beneath the rusted plating, pulsing with an unnatural light. Its eyes glowed with malevolent energy, burning with an ancient rage.
The Rust Lord wielded a massive energy scythe, its blade crackling with crimson power. The weapon was imbued with the Titan's corrupted energy, capable of tearing through even the most reinforced armor.
The Rust Lord spoke, its voice a guttural rasp, a mixture of metal and flesh. "Intruder. You defile sacred ground. You seek to plunder the memories of the fallen."
Kaelen felt a surge of fear, but he stood his ground. He knew that this was the final test, the ultimate challenge. "I seek only what is necessary. I seek to restore what was lost."
"Restore?" The Rust Lord laughed, a hollow, chilling sound. "Nothing can be restored. The past is dead. Only ruin remains."
The Rust Lord raised its energy scythe, the blade crackling with power. "You will join the fallen. You will become another memory, another testament to the futility of ambition."
The battle began. The Rust Lord lunged forward, its energy scythe cutting through the air, leaving a trail of crimson energy in its wake. Kaelen dodged and weaved, using the Iron Cradle's agility to avoid the deadly blade.
The Rust Lord was incredibly powerful, its attacks relentless, its movements unpredictable. Kaelen found himself constantly on the defensive, struggling to survive the onslaught.
He realized that he couldn't defeat the Rust Lord head-on. He was outmatched, outgunned, outpowered. He needed to find another way.
He began to observe the Rust Lord's movements, searching for a weakness, a vulnerability. He noticed that the Rust Lord was slowing down, its movements becoming more erratic. The corrupted energy was taking its toll, consuming the creature from within.
Kaelen had an idea, a desperate gamble that could either save him or destroy him. He knew that it was a long shot, but he had no other choice.
He activated the Tier 2 Power Cell he had salvaged from the Skitterer Alpha, channeling its energy into the Scrapper I. The blade began to glow with an intense blue light, supercharging the weapon with raw power.
He charged towards the Rust Lord, his movements faster, his attacks more precise. He dodged the energy scythe and lunged forward, aiming the Scrapper I at the Rust Lord's core, at the heart of its corrupted energy.
The blade struck true, tearing through the rusted plating and piercing the flesh beneath. The Rust Lord roared in pain, its body convulsing with energy. The corrupted power cell, enhanced with Titan energy, was too much and the Rust Lord began to fall.
With the Rust Lord fallen and the Crimson Wastes slowly fading behind them as Kaelen was slowly being drained of energy from the past battle. It's difficult enough to travel through the Wastelands, but Kaelen needed to find a neutral zone.
That neutral zone would be known as Forge City. Forge City isn't part of the Iron Dominion and isn't connected to anyone. They only work on trades and the value of the trade has to be met to a certain value. It's a place that's known to have rogue Dominion forces and the outcasts and more.
Kaelen, running on fumes, managed to arrive near the City and came across a group of other mechs. He didn't recognize who they were, but they didn't look like Dominion soldiers.
"Hey kid, you look like you've had it rough." The mech was taller than Kaelen and was of decent size and stature. "What's your callsign?"
"Callsign? Uhh..I don't have one, sir. My designation is Kaelen." Kaelen wasn't used to having to talk to others.
"Don't have one? Well, whatever the Dominion is doing isn't working. I'm Gunner and this is my team. We are contracted mercenaries. What's a kid like you doing out here?"
"I'm trying to get to Forge City, but I'm low on power and I'm not sure I can make it."
Gunner walked up to Kaelen and started looking at his mech. "I'll be damned. You got a Cradle Frame, but damn this thing is busted up. Haven't seen one of these things since I was a kid. Heard stories about them being something special."
"It is and that's why I'm trying to get it up and running. I have some stuff, but I'm not sure it's enough."
"I think we can help you out. If we help you get to the city, you do some work for us?" Gunner extended his arm out.
Kaelen never thought about having to rely on other people to help him. "What kind of work?"
"Let's just say that there's someone who hasn't paid us their due and we are running low on manpower. What do you say?"
Kaelen thought to himself. A free ride and a job? It sounds dangerous, but he needed all the help he can get. "I accept."
Gunner and his crew helped Kaelen get to Forge City where Kaelen and Gunner discussed the parameters of the job and Kaelen would begin to see Forge City would hold more secrets than even he bargained for.