December 17, 2025 — 10:14 AM
Ilocos Sur – Recon Ingress Zone, Northern Sector
The whir of Reaper One-Nine's rotors barely registered against the soundproofed interior of the command trailer, but its live footage fed directly to Thomas's console. He sat with elbows on the edge of the desk, chin in one hand, eyes trained on the thermal and visual overlays.
The drone hovered over Vigan—once a UNESCO heritage city, now a collapsed husk of colonial architecture and rot-claimed stone roads. Bloom growths festered in alleyways. Market stalls sat untouched. Bones cluttered sidewalks. Every few seconds, something would shift—something not human.
The horde here wasn't moving. But it was there.
"Cluster estimate?" Thomas asked without looking up.
"1,050 to 1,300," replied the recon officer. "More if the basements are packed. Thermal signatures suggest subterranean movement."
Thomas exhaled through his nose. "Alright. This one's going to be tricky."
