THE UNBLESSED

Fortress Manila, the Philippine capital-turned-walled city. It used to be a city full of life—busy streets, crowded malls, bright lights everywhere. Now, it was just a prison with walls so high you couldn't see what was left of the world outside.

The people inside had to follow rules. The Awakened, the ones with Blessings, lived in the inner districts where life was easy. The rest, like Rex and his sister Ria, were stuck in the outer zones, struggling to get by.

Rex pushed open the door to their small apartment and kicked off his boots. The place wasn't much—just one room with a tiny kitchen, a secondhand couch, and a table barely holding together. But at least it was home.

Ria sat on the floor, fixing an old radio with a screwdriver. She didn't even look up.

"You look like hell."

Rex let out a tired laugh and dropped onto the couch.

"That's because I spent the whole day carrying crap for Awakened who don't even know my name."

She glanced at him.

"Did they at least pay you?"

Rex reached into his pocket and tossed a few crumpled bills onto the table.

"Barely enough for dinner."

Ria sighed and put down the screwdriver.

"You know, you don't have to do this. There are safer jobs."

Rex rubbed his face, already tired of the conversation.

"Like what? Selling scrap? Fixing old machines? That won't get us out of this dump, Ria."

She crossed her arms.

"And working for the Awakened will? You're not one of them, Rex. You don't have a Blessing."

Rex sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I know that."

"Then why are you still trying?"

He clenched his fists.

"Because I have to."

Ria's face softened.

"This is about Mom and Dad, isn't it?"

Rex looked away. Five years ago, when the monsters first appeared, their parents were killed. He could still hear their screams, still see the blood. The Awakened came too late to save them.

"I can't just do nothing, Ria," he said quietly. "I know I don't have a Blessing, but that doesn't mean I can't fight. The Association has people like me, too. Fighters, scouts, even planners. If I work hard enough, I can be one of them."

Ria shook her head.

"And what if they never accept you?"

Rex exhaled through his nose.

"Then I'll find another way."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Outside, the sounds of the city filled the silence—vendors shouting, distant sirens, the hum of the power grid keeping the barriers up.

Ria sighed and leaned back.

"I just don't want you to get yourself killed."

Rex smirked.

"I'll be fine."

She snorted.

"Yeah, well, you suck at lying."

Rex chuckled.

"Then I'll get better at it."

Ria rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Come on. Let's eat before we start arguing again."

Rex smiled. No matter how much they fought, she was still his little sister.

And he wasn't going to let this world take her, too.

A loud knock on the door broke the quiet.

"Oi, Rex! Open up before I break my knuckles!"

Rex sighed. He didn't need to look to know who it was.

Jed.

The guy was loud, annoying, and always had the worst ideas. But he was also Rex's only real friend.

Ria shot him a look.

"You didn't tell me you were expecting someone."

Rex scratched the back of his head.

"Uh… yeah, about that—"

Before he could finish, the door swung open, and Jed stumbled in like he owned the place.

"Evening, lovebirds! Oh wait, you're siblings. My bad!" he said, grinning as he brushed imaginary dust off his jacket.

Ria scowled.

"Jed, what do you want?"

"First of all, rude. Second, I need to borrow your charming, handsome brother for a bit."

Rex stood up, stretching his arms.

"We got a job tonight?"

Jed nodded.

"Yup. Same deal. Some old storage lot in District 8. Boss wants anything useful before the scrappers tear it apart. Could be good money."

Ria's expression darkened.

"No."

Jed blinked.

"Wow. No hesitation. Just straight-up 'no.' Cold, Ria. Ice cold."

"I don't care. Rex is not going."

Rex groaned.

"Ria—"

"No! You're already breaking your back for the Awakened. Now you wanna risk getting shot by some gang or eaten by a stray monster?!"

Jed raised a finger.

"Technically, it's looting, not gang activity. And the last monster sighting was, like, two weeks ago. We're good!"

Ria turned to him.

"Shut up, Jed."

"Shutting up."

Rex sighed and put a hand on Ria's shoulder.

"Look, I need this job. We need the money."

Ria glared at him.

"Then find a safer way to get it."

"There is no safe way, Ria! This is the world now. Either we risk something, or we starve."

Her jaw tightened. She hated this. But she also knew he wasn't wrong.

After a long pause, she stormed to a small cabinet, yanked it open, and pulled something out.

A pistol.

She shoved it into Rex's hands.

"If you're going, take this."

Rex stared at it.

"Where did you—"

"Doesn't matter. Just don't be stupid and don't get yourself killed."

Jed whistled.

"Whoa. Ria just armed you. I feel like a proud dad right now."

Ria shot him a death glare.

"You make sure he comes back in one piece, or I swear I'll—"

"Got it, got it! Bring Rex back alive. No problem."

Rex tucked the pistol into his belt, then looked at Ria.

"I'll be back before sunrise."

She didn't answer, just crossed her arms and looked away.

Jed clapped his hands.

"Alright, ladies and gents, time to get rich! Let's go steal—uh, I mean, 'recover' some lost goods!"

Rex shook his head and followed him out.

Ria watched them leave, arms still crossed.

She hated this.

But more than that, she hated that this was the only way to survive.

Rex and Jed walked through the quiet streets, heading towards the city walls. At night, the outer districts transformed into a shadowy maze, the usual hustle replaced by an unsettling silence that hinted at unseen dangers lurking in the dark corners. Most people stayed inside after dark, but not them.

They had a job to do.

At a small checkpoint near the wall, a group of men stood waiting. Miguel, the leader of the scavengers, leaned against a stack of crates with his arms crossed. He was taller than most, with a rough face and a scar on his cheek. He didn't say much, but when he did, people listened.

He glanced at them as they walked up.

"You're late."

Jed grinned.

"Nah, you're just early. Haven't thought about that, boss?"

Miguel raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up, Jed."

Jed put a hand on his chest.

"Wow. Straight to the heart. I'm hurt! No mercy."

Rex ignored him.

"What's the job?"

Miguel nodded towards the other side of the wall.

"District 8. Binondo. There's an old storage depot no one's touched yet. It might have food, medicine, maybe some working tech."

Rex frowned.

"If it's untouched, why hasn't anyone looted it yet?"

Miguel smirked.

"Because it's close to the ruins. The area's unstable. And there might still be creatures lurking around."

Jed clapped his hands together.

"Awesome. So we're walking into a death trap. Love it. Great plan."

Miguel shrugged.

"Danger pays well. Are you in or not?"

Jed sighed dramatically.

"Fine, but if I die, I'm haunting you."

Rex shook his head and gripped the pistol Ria had given him.

"Let's just get this done."

Miguel nodded.

"Okay, Let's move out."

The gate creaked open, and the group slipped into the dark streets of District 8.

The job had begun.

The streets of District 8 were nothing like the rest of Fortress Manila. It was darker here, quieter, almost dead. The buildings were crumbling, and the roads were blocked with wrecked cars.

Miguel led the group toward an old warehouse. The metal doors were bent, the windows shattered, but the building still stood.

"Alright," Miguel said, turning to the group. "We split up. Less time wasted that way. Grab whatever looks valuable and meet back here in an hour."

Rex looked up at the massive structure.

"What was this place before?"

"Storage depot," Miguel replied. "Traders used it for food and supplies. Could still be some good stuff inside."

Jed stretched his arms.

"Great. I Love digging through old junk in creepy buildings. Feels like home."

Miguel ignored him and pointed at the entrance.

"You two—check the underground storage. The rest of us will cover the upper floors."

Rex and Jed exchanged glances.

"Boss? Underground?" Jed said. "You mean the dark, scary basement where things love to hide?"

Miguel smirked.

"Exactly."

"Cool, cool, just checking. I hate this plan."

Rex sighed and patted Jed's back.

"Come on, let's get this over with," he said.

They stepped inside the depot. The air was stale, thick with dust. Broken shelves and old crates were scattered everywhere.

Miguel and the others moved up the stairs while Rex and Jed headed for a rusted door at the far end of the room. A small sign above it read: STORAGE – LOWER LEVEL.

"I already hate this," Jed muttered.

Rex pushed the door open, revealing a dark stairwell leading down. The light from their flashlights barely cut through the shadows.

"Last chance to run," Jed whispered.

Rex stepped onto the first stair.

"Keep talking, and I will really leave you behind," he said.

Jed groaned.

"Fine. But if something jumps at us, I'm throwing you at it first," he said.

They made their way down, the old steps creaking under their weight. The deeper they went, the colder it got.

At the bottom, they found a long hallway lined with metal doors. Some were already open, their rooms emptied long ago. Others were still shut, their contents untouched.

Jed whistled.

"So, uh... how do we know which ones have the good stuff?" he asked.

Rex shrugged.

"We just have to check all of them," he said.

Jed sighed.

"Of course we do, as usual." he said.

Rex walked to the nearest door and pulled it open. Inside, rows of metal shelves were covered in dust. He stepped inside, running a hand over an old wooden crate.

"This one might have something," Rex said.

Jed stayed by the door.

"Yeah, you do that. I'll just..."

Rex rolled his eyes and pried the crate open.

Inside were sealed cans. The labels were too faded to read, but they were food.

"Jackpot."

Jed peeked inside.

"Canned mystery food. Nice. Hope it's not expired," he said.

Rex ignored him and started stacking the cans into his bag.

Then he heard something.

A faint scraping sound.

Like nails dragging across metal.

He froze.

"Jed... did you hear that?"

Jed had already pulled his pistol out.

"Yup. And I suddenly regret all my life choices," he said.

Something was in the underground storage with them.

And it wasn't human.

Rex and Jed didn't wait.

The moment they heard the scraping sound, they just run out of the room.

They didn't look back even for a split second. They didn't stop to see what was making the noise. They don't want to know.

"I told you! I told you! I was right! this was a bad idea!" Jed yelled as they sprinted up the stairs.

"Shut up and run!" Rex shouted back.

They burst through the rusted door and into the main storage area. The moment they did, they heard it—shouting from above.

Something was wrong.

The other scavengers were running.

Rex's heart beats hard like a drum as he saw them scrambling down the stairs with panic on their faces. Then, before he could ask what was happening—

A body fell from the upper floor.

It hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Rex froze.

It was Miguel.

Dead.

Blood pooled beneath him, his body twisted in ways it shouldn't be.

Then, something moved above.

A shadow.

Then a shape.

It jumped down, landing right over Miguel's body with a heavy thump.

Rex's breath caught in his throat.

A Tikbalang.

It stood on two legs, towering over them with a body looks strong enough to tear their bodies into two. Its skin was stretched tight over its muscles, its long horse-like face twisted in a wicked grin. Its glowing red eyes locked onto them.

Jed's voice cracked.

"Nope. Nope. Absolutely not. We are so dead."

The Tikbalang let out a low, guttural growl.

Then it charged.

The Tikbalang moved fast. Too fast.

"RUN!" Rex shouted.

But before he could react, Jed was already gone.

"Sorry, Rex! Every man for himself!" Jed's voice echoed as he sprinted toward the exit, not even looking back.

Rex cursed.

He turned back to the monster.

It was still there. Watching him. Studying him.

Then it lunged.

Rex barely had time to react. He raised the pistol Ria had given him and fired.

Bang!

The shot hit its chest. Nothing happened.

Bang! Bang!

Two more shots. The Tikbalang barely flinched.

Its red eyes glowed as it grinned wider.

"Shit."

The monster moved. In just a blink of an eye, it was already right in front of him.

Rex tried to run but it swung its arm hitting him like a truck.

Pain exploded through his ribs as he crashed into a pile of crates.

He gasped for air and coughing blood as he struggled to get up.

The Tikbalang took slow steps toward him.

It wasn't in a hurry. It knew he couldn't win.

Rex gritted his teeth and point his the pistol again to the monster.

"Come on, you bastard!" He fired again, aiming for its head.

Bang!

The bullet grazed its cheek. It barely noticed.

Then the monster grabbed him.

A clawed hand wrapped around his throat lifting him off the ground like he weighed nothing.

Rex kicked and struggled but the grip was too strong.

His vision blurred as he gasped for air.

The Tikbalang leaned in close and its rotten breath filling his nose.

It was toying with him.

Rex's fingers tightened around the pistol.

With his last bit of strength he pressed the barrel against the monster's eye and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The Tikbalang roared, dropping him as it stumbled back.

Rex hit the ground hard. Gasping for air with his neck feeling the pain of being choked.

He didn't wait. He crawled backward trying to get to his feet.

The monster clutched its bleeding eye and growled

Then it turned back to him.

Now, it was angry.

And Rex knew—he wasn't getting out of this alive.

The Tikbalang grabbed him, kicked him, threw him, did anything to injure him but never to kill him. 

The Tikbalang enjoy Rex's struggles.

Rex couldn't move.

His whole body screamed in pain. Blood is dripping from deep cuts on his arms and legs. His ribs felt shattered. His right foot was bent the wrong way.

He tried to lift his pistol, but when he pulled the trigger—click.

Empty.

The Tikbalang took slow steps toward him. Its long, sharp fingers twitched. Its red eyes burned in the dark.

Rex tried to crawl, but his body refused to move.

This was it.

This was how he died.

Not as a hero. Not as someone who avenged his parents.

Just another nameless fool who thought he could fight monsters.

His vision blurred. His breath was shaky. The world around him felt distant.

"Damn it..." he whispered.

No one was coming. No one would remember him.

The Tikbalang raised its claws. It was going to end it.

In that moment, Rex did the only thing he had left.

He prayed.

To who? He didn't know. He had never prayed before. He didn't believe in gods or miracles. But now, on the edge of death, he had nothing else.

"Please..." he thought. "I don't want to die."

Then—

Everything stopped.

The air froze. The dust in the air stopped moving. Even the Tikbalang was frozen mid-strike.

Rex could still move his eyes. His breath was shallow, but his heart still pounded.

Then he saw it.

A hand.

A shadowy hand, reaching for him from the darkness.

A voice, neither male nor female, whispered in his mind.

"Do you want to live?"

Rex didn't think. He didn't hesitate.

He grabbed the hand.

The moment his fingers touched it—

Time moved again.

The Tikbalang's claws slashed down.

Pain.

Then—nothing.

Darkness swallowed him whole.