Story 1282: Land of Rust

Axen’s eyes were dull silver now—reflective, inhuman. But there was still recognition in them.

“Juno,” he rasped, voice thick with static. “You made it to the edge.”

Juno took a slow step forward, torn between relief and unease. The man in front of her had once been her comrade, a brilliant scavenger with a half-serious laugh and a knack for surviving the impossible. But now… he was something else.

Behind him, more figures emerged—his people. They were known as the Rustborn, survivors twisted by years of exposure to viral storms, nanite decay, and biofeedback tech from failed VIREX fields. They bore the infection like a second skin, yet they hadn’t turned. Not fully.

Axen turned, gesturing for them to follow. “You’ve seen the Hollow. Now come see the Heart.”