EXT. MANILA – STREETS – NIGHT
The world is chaos. Car horns blare. Vendors abandon their stalls. Families cling to each other in the middle of the street. The trumpets still echo faintly in the air—like a wound that refuses to close.
Narration: The world has heard the trumpets. The world has seen the demons. And now, the world waits for its turn.
Arven grips May's hand tightly as they run through the street. His family follows close behind, John on the other side, scanning the sky.
May (panting): Where are we going?!
Arven: Anywhere safe—just move!
They turn a corner. Soldiers push crowds back, rifles raised toward the heavens.
Soldier (shouting): Stay inside! Everyone, get inside! Lock your doors—NOW!
EXT. MANILA SKYLINE – CONTINUOUS
The clouds split apart. A shadow moves across the sky, blotting out the moon. Wings spread—vast, endless. The ground vibrates with each beat.
Narration: From above, the first demons of Asia descend.
Two figures emerge from the bleeding sky:
Azrael.
Druval, the Butcher.
Their forms tower over the city, silhouettes etched in fire and ash. Windows shatter. Alarms scream. People drop to their knees in prayer, some crying, some laughing in hysteria.
Civilians (mixed shouting):
– "It's the end!"
– "God save us!"
– "Run!"
EXT. SIDE STREET – CONTINUOUS
Arven and the others duck into a narrow street, pressed against walls as the shadow of Druval sweeps across the ground. His blade drags against a building, cutting it apart like paper. Concrete and glass collapse into the street.
John (urgent whisper): Don't look up. Just—don't.
May trembles, clutching Arven's hand. His family presses close. Dust fills the air, choking every breath.
Narration: To see them is to know fear. To hear them is to feel death itself.
EXT. RUINS – MINUTES LATER
The group stumbles into a collapsed neighborhood. Fires burn from overturned cars. A jeepney lies crushed beneath fallen concrete. Screams echo in the distance.
Mom (crying): Arven... what do we do?
Arven (forcing calm): We keep moving. We have to hide.
John picks up a broken pipe, gripping it tightly, though his hands shake.
John (low, determined): If they see us, this won't matter. But I'll fight if I have to.
Arven looks at him, then at May—her face pale, eyes wide. The weight of choice presses heavier than ever.
A sudden CRASH. A balcony breaks free from an upper floor and plummets down. The group dives for cover—
—but May is a step too slow.
Arven whirls just in time to see her struck, thrown against the rubble. Dust erupts. Her hand slips from his grasp.
Arven (screaming): MAY!
He scrambles toward her. Blood streaks her temple, her breath shallow. She grips his wrist weakly, trembling fingers smearing dirt and red across his skin.
Arven (choking, desperate): No, no, no... stay with me, please! May, don't close your eyes, don't—
May (weak, whispering): Arven... you have to listen...
Arven (shaking, desperate): Don't talk like that! You'll be fine—I'll protect you, I'll get you out, just hold on!
May (faint smile, barely audible): You always try to carry everything... even when it breaks you.
Her grip tightens for one last surge of strength.
May (whispering): Arven... live... for me. Promise me... you'll keep going.
Arven (sobbing, clutching her hand): No, I can't—not without you! Please... don't leave me...
Her eyes glisten, then glaze. Her fingers slip from his grasp. The roar of demons swallows Arven's cry.
Narration: And in that moment, Arven froze. The world around him shattered into silence, yet the weight of her final words echoed louder than any scream. A vow, a wound, a burden he could never escape.
EXT. CITY SKYLINE – CONTINUOUS
Above, Azrael hovers silently, wings blotting out the city lights. Druval raises his blade, laughing cruelly, his voice echoing across Manila like thunder.
Druval (mocking): Weak... so weak. Let your screams rise higher. The more you cry, the sweeter you taste.
His laughter shakes the earth. Buildings crumble. The night burns.
EXT. ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
Arven leads his group into the remains of an abandoned office building. Dust falls from the ceiling with each tremor. They huddle in the dark, breaths shallow, the sound of distant roars filling the silence.
Narration: For the first time, Arven feels it—true helplessness. Not just fear of exams, or games, or wasted time. But the fear of being erased.
He stares at the blood still on his hands. His family presses close. John keeps watch at the broken doorway, jaw tight.
John (whispering): If they come this way... we're done.
Arven swallows, the weight of May's absence crushing him. He cannot speak. He cannot pray.
EXT. SKY ABOVE MANILA – NIGHT
The demons circle once more. Azrael's wings blot out the stars. Druval's laughter rolls across the city. Then—suddenly—the air stills. The ground stops shaking.
Narration: And just as quickly as they came, the demons vanish—pulled back into burning rifts that seal behind them.
The silence that follows is worse than the chaos before.
INT. ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
The group stares into the darkness, breathless, frozen in disbelief.
Mom (whispering): May... oh God...
Arven (whispering, breaking): She's gone.
Narration: Manila has survived the first night. But survival feels less like victory—and more like borrowed time.
To be continued...