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The Riftwalkers

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Synopsis

Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: The Hidden Experiment

The night was thick with silence, broken only by the hum of cicadas and the occasional howl of the wind. Sedric C. De Guzman crouched behind a concrete wall, his breath steady as he watched the research facility's side entrance.

His father, Direk De Guzman, had been working on something secret—something big. Sedric had heard whispers of it from his father's colleagues, mentions of "electrical transport" and "breakthroughs in quantum mechanics." But every time he asked, his father would brush him off, telling him it was classified.

Sedric wasn't the type to take no for an answer.

Tonight, he would find out the truth.

The facility was in the heart of Mindanao, surrounded by thick forests and mountains. It had been built under government contracts, but not even the local authorities knew what happened inside. Security was tight, but Sedric had lived his entire life near the lab. He knew the blind spots, the shifts in guard duty, and most importantly—his father's schedule.

Slipping past the security cameras, he crept toward the ventilation shaft near the loading dock. He had tested this route before, using it to steal glances at his father's notes. But tonight, he was going deeper.

The metal grate popped open with a light tug. He slid inside, moving cautiously through the dusty vents. The faint smell of burning wires and cold steel filled the air. Below, muffled voices echoed through the facility.

Sedric reached the main research chamber and peered through the vent's opening.

Inside, his father stood before a massive circular device, its metallic frame humming with energy. Blue arcs of electricity crackled along its surface. Around him, a team of scientists and military personnel observed the experiment.

On the test platform stood a dog—Max, one of the lab's test animals.

Sedric's breath caught in his throat.

A scientist, Dr. Evelyn Carter, hesitated. "Sir, we should run more calculations before—"

"We've run enough," Direk interrupted. "Begin the transfer sequence."

A deep hum filled the room as the machine roared to life. Lightning-like tendrils shot toward the dog, wrapping it in an electric glow. For a moment, Sedric saw the fear in Max's eyes—then, in an instant, the dog vanished.

Gasps filled the chamber. The machine powered down.

Sedric's heart pounded. Where did he go?

Dr. Carter frantically checked the monitors. "No signal. We've lost him."

Silence fell over the lab.

Direk clenched his fists. "Prepare another test."

Sedric knew he should leave, but his curiosity held him in place. He had come looking for answers—what he found instead was a secret beyond imagination.

And he had no idea how deep it would go.