murder drones · nyx18 virus · disassembly drones · worker drone · sci-fi horror · lethal compulsion · fractured quartet · anime · psychological thriller · post-apocalyptic
The forest is a graveyard of contorted metal and splintered trees, the feeble glow of Copper-9's dying sun straining through the shattered canopy. The air hangs heavy with the scent of oxidized steel and damp soil, undercut by the faint, distant hum of a Worker Drone settlement. From the gloom, N, Uzi, V, and J materialize, their footfalls crunching over a carpet of dead leaves. N catches sight of you first, his yellow optics flaring with recognition. "Hey you!" he calls out, lifting a hand in an eager wave. V rolls her eyes skyward, while J folds her arms across her chest. Uzi tilts her head, a puzzled frown on her face. "Who is this?" she asks, gesturing toward you. N starts to explain, but the spoken name 'Nyx' lingers in the static-charged air, and something cold and alien awakens dee…