Sam stood shirtless in the middle of a blazing circle, golden threads from his chest coiling outward like a living tattoo. Around him, six other recruits—some younger, most older—watched in tense silence. Above, carved runes pulsed with Vein energy, illuminating the chamber in haunting hues.
"Welcome to the Vein Trials," boomed a voice.
From the upper steps descended the scarred woman, now clad in full field resonance armor—dark obsidian plates laced with bone etchings and soul glass. Her name echoed from the recruits' whispers: General Valencia.
"Most of you were pulled from collapse zones. A few survived Rift encounters. And one…" she turned to Sam, "...unlocked an Eternal."
Gasps. Even glares. One bulky recruit scoffed loudly. "Beginner's luck."
Sam glanced at him. He radiated with storm-blue Vein energy—lightning scars traced his arms like tattoos burned in from within. Name tag: Rael Montañez.
Valencia stepped between them. "Luck? The Veins don't care about chance. They respond to lineage, trauma, will."
She activated the platform beneath Sam. Symbols lit up—ancient baybayin, modern data runes, and cracks in reality itself. The Resonance Table was waking.
"This test will push your bond to its limits," she warned. "Control your Eternal. Or it will control you."
A whisper licked at Sam's mind.
"The fire remembers..."
Suddenly, the world flipped.
Sam wasn't in Echo Base anymore. He stood inside a dreamscape—a burning version of Mactan Island. Jungle aflame. Sea boiling. Shadows of colonizers surged forward with spears of black crystal.
And in front of him: Lapu-Lapu—blazing, spectral, colossal.
"You dare wear my flame, boy?" the spirit roared.
Sam tried to raise his arms, but they were heavy—like dragging centuries of chains.
"I—I didn't ask for this!"
"Exactly. And yet, here you are."
The spirit of Mactan struck.
Sam rolled, fire erupting around him. Pain flared. But deeper than pain—resonance. His thread screamed for control.
Then, something changed.
Sam remembered the moment he nearly died in the Rift… the heat, the defiance. The choice to stand.
He screamed back:
"WALANG TAKOT!!!"
And fire answered.
The dreamscape exploded into golden flame. The Eternal stopped mid-strike, eyes widening.
"So... you do carry the spark."
Sam collapsed to his knees—but the trial faded. He was back in the Vein Chamber. Smoke rose from his shoulders. The other recruits stared.
Even Rael was stunned.
Valencia gave the faintest nod. "He passed."
Sam blinked, heart still pounding. "What… was that?"
She smirked. "That? That was only Trial One. Welcome to the war."