Nebula

The Catalyst

he night air was colder on the outskirts of Nébula Prime. The neon skyline was a distant glow, obscured by a forest of jagged, derelict towers and rusting machinery. Rei and Kira trudged through a maze of forgotten alleyways, the silence broken only by the crunch of debris underfoot and the faint hum of passing drones overhead.

"We're clear for now," Kira said, pausing to glance over her shoulder. Her rifle was slung low but ready, her body tense like a coiled spring.

Rei nodded, though his grip on the Echo-Zero remained tight. The device was cool to the touch, its faint glow barely visible against the darkness. He couldn't shake the images it had forced into his mind earlier—the collapsing tower, the screaming crowd, and that haunting voice: "The cycle must end."

"What do you think it meant?" Rei asked, his voice low.

Kira didn't answer immediately. Instead, she leaned against a crumbling wall, pulling a small flask from her belt. She took a sip before handing it to Rei. "I think it means trouble," she said finally. "Big trouble."

Rei took a cautious drink, the sharp burn warming his throat. "You've never seen anything like it?"

She shook her head. "Not up close. HORIZON's got their hands on plenty of strange tech, but this? This feels different." Her silver eyes narrowed. "And if they want it badly enough to send Sentinels after us, it's probably worth more than both of us combined."

Rei looked down at the Echo-Zero, its markings faintly pulsing. "I think... it's trying to tell me something."

Kira snorted. "Let's hope it's not telling you to get us killed."

Before Rei could respond, a faint sound reached his ears—a low, rhythmic thrum, like a heartbeat magnified through machinery. Kira heard it too; she froze, her hand moving instinctively to her rifle.

"That's not good," she muttered, scanning the shadows.

The sound grew louder, accompanied by a flickering light that cast long, shifting shapes across the alley walls. Rei felt his stomach knot. "Is it them?"

"Not sure," Kira said. Her voice was calm, but Rei could see the tension in her jaw. "But we're not sticking around to find out. Let's move."

They broke into a cautious jog, weaving through the labyrinth of ruins. The sound followed, growing louder, more insistent. Rei's mind raced, each pulse of the Echo-Zero in his hand seeming to sync with the ominous rhythm.

As they rounded a corner, Kira suddenly pulled Rei back, pressing him against the wall. She peered around cautiously, then cursed under her breath.

"What?" Rei whispered.

Kira pointed. Ahead, in the middle of a wide, open courtyard, a massive drone hovered. It was larger than any Sentinel Rei had seen, its segmented body covered in glowing panels that pulsed in the same rhythm as the Echo-Zero. The markings on its surface were eerily similar, twisting and shifting like living symbols.

"That's new," Kira muttered.

Rei's heart raced. "It's connected to this, isn't it?" He held up the Echo-Zero.

"Looks that way," Kira said grimly. She glanced around the courtyard, her mind clearly working through their options. "We can't fight that thing. Not out in the open."

Rei hesitated. "What if... what if I can use this to stop it? Like I did with the Sentinel?"

Kira shot him a look. "That was a fluke, Rei. You don't even know how this thing works."

"I don't think I have to." Rei stepped forward, the Echo-Zero glowing brighter in his hand. "It reacts to me. Maybe it'll react to that thing too."

"Or it'll kill us both," Kira snapped, grabbing his arm. "This isn't a gamble we can afford."

Before Rei could argue, the drone's pulsing light shifted, becoming a steady, blinding glow. A deep, mechanical voice echoed through the courtyard, cold and emotionless:

"Unauthorized artifact detected. Termination protocol initiated."

The drone began to descend, its segmented body rearranging itself into a more menacing form. Long, blade-like appendages unfolded from its sides, and a hum of charged energy filled the air.

"Damn it, Rei!" Kira growled, raising her rifle.

Rei didn't wait. Clutching the Echo-Zero tightly, he stepped into the courtyard. The device flared to life, its markings glowing in intricate, shifting patterns. The drone hesitated, its movements becoming jerky, almost uncertain.

Rei took a deep breath, holding the Echo-Zero out in front of him. "Come on," he muttered. "Show me what you can do."

The device emitted a piercing tone, and the air around Rei seemed to ripple. The markings on the drone's surface began to glow brighter, syncing perfectly with those of the Echo-Zero.

For a moment, everything was still. Then, with a deafening roar, the drone's body convulsed, its panels sparking wildly. It let out a mechanical screech, its limbs flailing as if trying to tear itself apart.

Rei stumbled backward, the force of the energy almost knocking him off his feet. Kira rushed forward, grabbing his arm and dragging him toward cover. "Whatever you're doing, finish it fast!"

"I don't know how!" Rei shouted, the Echo-Zero pulsing erratically in his hand.

The drone let out one final, ear-splitting wail before its body collapsed in on itself. Its glowing panels dimmed, and it fell to the ground in a heap of twisted metal.

Rei stared at the wreckage, his chest heaving. The Echo-Zero's glow faded once more, leaving only its faint warmth in his palm.

Kira stood beside him, her rifle still raised. She nudged the drone's remains with her boot, then looked at Rei. "Okay," she said, her voice tinged with reluctant respect. "Maybe this thing isn't just a death trap after all."

Rei didn't respond immediately. His mind was racing, replaying the events in the courtyard and the strange connection between the Echo-Zero and the drone.

"It's not just a weapon," he said finally. "It's... something more. Something bigger."

Kira raised an eyebrow. "Bigger than killing machines and corporate death squads? Can't wait to see how this gets worse."

Rei managed a weak smile. "Then let's find out."

Kira sighed, slinging her rifle over her shoulder. "You're insane. But fine. Let's see where this rabbit hole goes."

As they disappeared into the shadows of the ruined city, the Echo-Zero pulsed softly in Rei's hand, a quiet promise of more mysteries to come.