Tri Realm: Reborn in Iron

 The dust settled slowly, revealing the fractured remnants of the factory's pulsating core. Its ominous glow had dimmed, flickering weakly like a dying ember. Akio rose to his feet, his chest heaving from exertion, his eyes scanning the room for Sergei.

"Sergei," he called out, his voice trembling with a mix of relief and urgency.

A figure emerged from the shadows, stumbling forward. It was Sergei, his face pale and sunken, but his eyes—though clouded—were unmistakably his. Akio rushed toward him, ignoring the sharp pain in his ribs.

"Akio..." Sergei's voice was faint, barely audible above the eerie silence.

Before Akio could respond, Viktor appeared at his side, his weapon raised and his gaze sharp. "Is it really him?" he asked, his tone cautious.

Akio hesitated, his eyes locked on Sergei. Something was different. The dark aura that had enveloped him moments ago was still faintly present, clinging to him like a shadow that refused to let go.

"It's me," Sergei said weakly, as though sensing their doubt. "But... it's not gone. It's still... inside."

"What do you mean?" Anya asked, stepping closer, her weapon still drawn.

Sergei's legs gave out, and Akio caught him just before he hit the ground. "It's a part of me now," Sergei muttered, his voice strained. "That thing—it didn't leave. It's waiting."

The words sent a chill through Akio. He looked at Viktor and Anya, their expressions mirroring his unease.

"We can't stay here," Viktor said firmly. "This place is compromised, and we're sitting ducks if more of those things show up."

Akio nodded. "We'll figure this out later. Right now, we need to get Sergei somewhere safe."

As they moved toward the exit, the factory began to groan and creak. The machinery along the walls sparked and sputtered, and the faint remnants of the core's energy pulsed erratically, casting unsettling shadows on the walls.

"This place is coming down," Anya said, quickening her pace.

The team navigated the dark corridors, their path illuminated by the faint light of Akio's flashlight. The oppressive air seemed to lift slightly, but the tension in the group remained palpable.

---

Outside the Factory

The cold night air hit them like a wave as they emerged from the factory. The sky above was clouded, the moon barely visible through the haze. They stopped a safe distance away, turning back to watch as the factory groaned one final time before collapsing inward.

Akio set Sergei down gently on the ground, his breathing shallow but steady. "What happened to you in there?" he asked, his voice low.

Sergei hesitated, his hands trembling as he tried to form the words. "It's hard to explain. That thing... it wasn't just a machine. It was alive. It was ancient. And it—" He broke off, his face contorted in pain.

"Take your time," Akio urged, his hand resting reassuringly on Sergei's shoulder.

Sergei looked up, his eyes filled with fear. "It's not just one. There are more like it. It called them... the Echoes."

Viktor's expression darkened. "Echoes of what?"

"Of something worse," Sergei replied, his voice barely a whisper. "They're not from this world."

The revelation hung heavy in the air, the weight of Sergei's words sinking in.

"Whatever these Echoes are, we've just made ourselves their enemies," Viktor said grimly. "We need to regroup, figure out what we're dealing with."

Anya nodded. "And fast. If there are more of those things out there, we're not prepared for what's coming."

---

Later That Night

They had set up camp a few miles away from the factory, the flickering firelight providing a semblance of warmth and security. Sergei sat near the fire, his gaze distant as though he were staring into another world.

Akio approached him, handing him a cup of water. "You need to rest," he said softly.

"I can't," Sergei replied, his voice hollow. "Every time I close my eyes, I see it. The core. The shadows. The things it showed me."

"What did it show you?" Akio asked, sitting beside him.

Sergei hesitated, his hands tightening around the cup. "A war. A war that hasn't happened yet. These Echoes... they're part of something bigger. And we're right in the middle of it."

Akio frowned. "Do you think it was a vision? Or something it wanted you to believe?"

"I don't know," Sergei admitted. "But it felt real. Too real."

---

The Next Morning

The group packed up camp, the atmosphere tense. Viktor had been quiet all morning, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon as though expecting an attack at any moment.

As they prepared to move out, Anya approached Akio. "What do we do now?"

"We find answers," Akio replied, his voice resolute. "If these Echoes are as dangerous as Sergei says, we need to know what we're up against."

"And if they come for us first?" Anya asked.

Akio glanced back at Sergei, who was standing silently by the remnants of the fire. The faint aura around him was still there, a constant reminder of what they had faced—and what they would face again.

"Then we fight," Akio said. "No matter what it takes."

As the group set off, the weight of their mission settled heavily on their shoulders. The factory had been just the beginning, a doorway into a larger, more terrifying reality. And as they moved forward, each step bringing them closer to the unknown, they knew one thing for certain: the battle against the Echoes had only just begun.