Opening Scene: The air was thick with ash, the Rift still warping the world outside, casting everything in hues of gray and flickering, unstable shadows. Inside New Intramuros HQ, Sam's body ached from the battle with the Watcher, but his mind raced with a thousand questions. Two Ancestrals. The hybridization. How had he managed to channel Gabriela Silang and Sultan Kudarat?
He stood in front of a cracked mirror, eyes flickering between gold and bronze. His reflection was a reminder of just how much had changed since he first stepped into this world.
Character Moment: Rael approached, slamming a fresh bottle of water on the table in front of Sam. "Drink. You'll need it."
Sam took the bottle but didn't drink. "I didn't summon them. They came through." His voice was still hoarse.
Valencia's voice cut through the air like steel. "The Rift is shifting you. Whatever's happening with your Vein… it's not natural."
Before Sam could respond, a loud crash echoed from the training room.
Mid Scene: Rael and Valencia quickly moved to the sound, followed by Sam. Inside, a training drone had malfunctioned, shuddering violently before it collapsed into a heap of sparks and metal. The floor was littered with broken weapons and half-finished gear. It was chaos, but it was also expected.
"I've been trying to replicate the training with Lapu-Lapu's Vein," Sam explained, frustration in his voice. "But it's not working like it did before. I can't control the power. It's all over the place."
Valencia raised an eyebrow. "The Vein isn't a tool, Sam. It's an extension of you. You're trying to use it like a weapon, instead of—"
"Instead of what?" Sam snapped, shaking his head. "I can't just sit here and wait. You saw what happened. We almost died in there."
"Exactly," Rael chimed in, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced by a rare seriousness. "You're trying to run before you can walk, kid. Every time you push yourself too hard, the Rift messes with you even more."
Conflict Escalates: Just then, the walls trembled, a low growl vibrating the floor. The Rift had cracked open again, but this time, it wasn't a Rift Beast that stepped through.
A shadow loomed at the doorway. It was tall, its body cloaked in tattered remnants of flags, and its eyes—empty, hollow—stared through them like it had known them in another life.
Rael reached for his gun, but Sam stepped forward, heart pounding.
The figure said nothing. It just watched.
New Threat Introduction: It was the Watcher again. But this time, it didn't attack. It simply stood, observing, as if waiting for something.
Valencia narrowed her eyes. "What is it doing here?"
The Watcher's lips parted slightly, its voice echoing in their minds like a distant memory:
"Do you understand the price of forgetting?"
The words pierced Sam's thoughts, leaving him breathless. This wasn't just a battle—it was a riddle, a test.
Suddenly, the Watcher vanished, the Rift sealing itself shut as it left, leaving behind only the faint scent of scorched earth and a lingering sense of unease.
Character Development: Sam's mind raced as the room fell into stunned silence. "What does it mean by that?" he asked, his voice shaky.
Rael was the first to speak, his voice low. "The Rift is making things personal, Sam. It's not just about fighting monsters anymore. You're being tested. The Watcher, it's… a reflection of every uprising that failed, every revolution forgotten."
Valencia nodded gravely. "The Rift is pulling on your past, Sam. It's trying to make you forget what really matters."
Sam clenched his fists. He had two Ancestrals. He could summon them. But there was something more, something deeper behind this Rift… and he wasn't going to forget it.
End Scene: "Let's get back to work," Sam muttered, turning back toward the training area. He didn't have time for questions anymore. Not when there was a world to save.
But as the others moved back into position, Sam stayed where he was, staring at the empty doorway. Something's coming. He could feel it in his bones.