Chapter 1
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."
-Marcel Proust
Due to the viral social media controversy of the sudden appearance of a mysterious blue glowing ring object on Manila Bay, the government has announced deploying a Coast Guard vessel to investigate the unknown object.
-ABS-CBN Network
Manila, Philippines
January 24, 2026
The Ring, Manila Bay
As the growing concern from the public about the mysterious object, the local authorities have requested the government to send experts to debunk the mystery.
It was finally decided to send a team of meteorologists to a Coast Guard vessel to investigate the mysterious object.
So they sent out the BRP Teresa Magbanua, an offshore patrol vessel from the Port Area of Manila to be sent out to the mysterious object.
It carries the Philippines Coast Guard and a handful of people from the Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Center (NMOC or NAVMETOC) to research the strange object being might be related to a weather phenomenon or that came from manmade by making an illusion from the water droplets in the sea and using a projector for a prank.
The captain of the BRP Teresa Magbanua is on the bridge of his ship with his crewmate performing their naval duties.
Being sent out on his ship to examine the mysterious object on the sea, because of the proximity of his ship to the object.
"Captain!" His XO voiced out to him. "Sir, we have visual contact with the target by a distance of five miles while being stationary.'
"OK, reduce the speed to fifteen knots and send in the rubber boats for close-up inspection."
The PCG captain grabbed a radio receiver, as he reported back to the command centre.
"Ground Station, This is Coast Guard vessel 4DJF8, on Manila Bay reporting, //Over//."
There was silence at the moment till the radio began to chatter back.
"4DFZ9, This is Ground Station, you are loud and clear, //Over//."
"//Roger//, Ground Station, we are on site of the target. //Break//, we are currently sending in the research team to the target, //Over//."
"Copy that 4DJF8, You have the go-ahead with the procedures, //Over//."
"Roger that, Ground Station, //Over and Out//."
Inside the ship's stern, are crewmates and a team of meteorologists who are preparing to ride on a small rubber boat.
"Sir, the captain has given the green light for the mission." One of the crewmates reported to the leader of the team.
"So, what do you think is it?" The first meteorologist asked his colleague
"Probably an irregular rainbow cloud that has a high concentration of heavy gasses with strong humidity that makes light bounce off bleak cyan from the direct sunlight, and it interferes with the air currents will exchange hot and cold air therefore a mist." The colleague guessed on his theory.
"It's probably from the chemical factories that could be tossing out hazardous chemicals on the sea again. More likely it's a light show and a fog machine inside of a small boat by someone trying to be famous on social media." The meteorologist joked on his account, being more special in the situation.
"Well, it will be answered once we check it out. Ok suit up, we can't be sure what it is, so they sent us to investigate because it's probably a weather phenomenon." He equipped his hazard suit and readied his equipment.
The meteorologist is now wearing white hazmat suits to protect them from dangerous chemicals, probably from the weird phenomenon. They are also equipped with various weather instruments to examine the air quality and the atmosphere levels.
The crewmates had finished setting up the rubber boats and the weather instruments the meteorologist began to board the rubber boat accompanied by two coast guards also wearing protective hazmat suits.
The rubber boat is suddenly dropped from its crane and able to safely float on the water.
They turned on the boat engine and drove themselves toward the 'The Ring' and steadily met it personally.
The meteorologists are now face-to-face on the Ring or only Ring for short terms, and they are astonished by the sheer size of the Ring. Any suspicions about being man-made are quickly evaporated from the size of the Ring itself because it must take a big effort and tons of resources for a prank.
The research team is analyzing the Ring in the rubber boats. The ship of the BRP Teresa Magbanua is scanning the Ring through to its advanced scanner and sonar arrays onboard from its system. And what they find fascinated them.
The thermal imaging of the Ring is showing to be 22.0 °C (71.6 °F), but in the meantime, the temperature of the climate is 29.0°C (84°F) in the sunny season. So, the temperature on the Ring is much cooler than in the surrounding area. Additionally, the sea depth is much deeper than usual from the sonar.
The meteorologists sampled the air quality for analysis of data. He pulled out a flashlight and shined on the dark abyss
"Hey Coast Guard, can you please enter that, the data I gathered seems normal in this area. We need to be inside the Ring for better data gathering." The
"Are you sure about that?" The operator of the inflatable boat complained from the dark circle. "Is it safe to be inside that thing?"
"I already collected data from the thing, which shows to be completely safe on the inside." The meteorologists reassured the Coast Guard.
"Ok, gimme a moment to call the ship." The operator took out his radio to call for the BRP Teresa Magbanua for a request.
"4DJF8, This is Recon-1 calling //Over//."
"Recon-1, This is 4DJF8, we read you //Over//."
"4DJF8, this is Recon-1, we are being advised by meteorologists to go inside the target for better data gathering //Over//."
"//Affirmative// Recon 1-1, proceed on moving to the target //Over//."
"//Copy// that 4DJF8, moving into the target //Over and Out//."
"Okay, we are moving to the target, so hang on." The Coast Guard accepted the request and proceeded to move inside the object.
They went inside the Ring and the temperature changed drastically and the Barometer of the meteorologist went a slight decrease.
As the meteorologists looked inside the Ring, an unbelievable thing just happened, they noticed a full moon above their heads
"What the hell, is it me, or the sun has disappeared?" One of the meteorologists asked about the dark sky on the other side of the Ring. "It's like midnight right here!"
"4DJF8 this Recon 1-1 reporting //Over//."
"Recon 1-1 to 4DJF8 Copy //Over//."
"The Ring inside seems very dark and barely any visuals of the Sun right here.//Over//."
"The sun's bright right here seems to be normal. What is the problem with the sun from your perspective?"
"Wait a moment, Coast Guard, can you go try to circle the Ring, please? I have a bad suspicion for all of this."
As they pivoted around the Ring, the radio began to come alive.
"Recon-1 to 4DJF8, do you read me? //Over//" The lead meteorologist answered in a terrified voice.
The ship captain answered back. "Yeah, we read you. //Over//"
"We lost visual contact with you. //Over//"
"What the hell is this?!" The Coast Guard operator that was in their boat was in shock.
"I don't think this is just some weather phenomenon." The lead meteorologist answered. "This is probably likely a spatial-temporal disturbance anomaly I heard from science fiction."
"A spatialawhatnow?" The Coast Guard was confused by the answer the meteorologist gave.
"He meant that this Ring is a Portal that leads to another location than this place." The other meteorologist replied.
"You joking right?" The operator said with scepticism laced in his words about the claims.
"Probably I'm wrong because I study weather patterns, not quantum physics."
"Come in, 4DFZ9 do you read me? //Over//."
"We read you. //Over//."
"We discovered something that may require more professionals for this new problem /Over/."
"Roger, What have you found? //Over//."
"We have discovered a portal in Manila Bay//Over//."
"Repeat that Recon-1, I didn't hear you correctly. //Over//"
"We have discovered a portal in Manila Bay Area //Over//."
"Can you repeat that, I heard something about a portal. //Over//."
"I repeat, the meteorologists have verified that the Ring is a Portal to a different place."
As the coast guard operator is still busy talking to the radio. One of the assistant meteorologists saw something through his binoculars.
"Hey guys, there is something in the sky."
"What are you talking about?" The other coast guard asked for the 'something' in the sky.
"Over there!" The meteorologist shouted and poked at a red dot in the sky flying towards them.
While the night sky is dark, the full bright moon in the sky shows some visible moonlight for some visual clarity.
The coast guard pulled out his binoculars, and he saw was straight out of a fairy tale book.
A flying lizard made of red scales with wings flying towards them.
"What the fuck? Is that a dragon?!" The coast guard operator alarmed the team in panic.
What?! The lead meteorologist looked at the sky, his eyes widening in fear at tge sight of the creature. "Shit, we need to fucking move out!"
"I don't need an order for that, let's get the hell out of here!" The operator coast guard shouted and moved the inflatable patrol boat back to their side of the Ring.
The wyvern noticed the small rubber boat and approached the small rubber for a quick snack.
"Come in 4DJF8, this is Recon-1 there's an fucking dragon coming close to us!" //Over//.
"Come again Recon-1, you said dragon?"l //Over//." The PCG Captain was worried by the frightened words of his men.
"Captain look there! There's something else coming out of the target than the rubber boat." The helmsman pointed to a flying creature that was following the inflatable boat.
"Sir, our radar picked up an unidentified flying object coming out of the target and heading toward the team." The ship's radar officer informed the captain.
"What!" The captain blurted out in confusion.
"We are going back to you. //Break// Requesting immediate assistance.//Over//"
"//Roger //that Recon-1, we are gonna give you covering fire for protection. //Over//"
"Sound the alarm for General Quarters!" The PCG Captain ordered his sailors to be ready for combat.
The sound of the alarm is alerting the crewmembers with an announcement. "General quarter, all hands in the battle station." The words repeat again and again to notify the entire ship crew.
"Employ the 30mm Mark 2 gun on that creature now!" The Captain ordered his gunner to activate his weapon system on the ship.
The gunner looks at his monitor and sets his firing control system aiming at the wyvern. The gun turret is a Bushmaster II on a fully automated mount turret above the ship's bows. It was ordered by the Navy modernization program to counter drug trade operations and bolster the ship's defence.
"Sir, I have a lock on the creature." The gunner informed his captain. "Permission to engage."
"Fire!" The captain ordered.
As the wyvern is coming close to the inflatable boat. A hail of 30 mm rounds impacts the body of the reptilian as it pierces through its strong scales.
The deceased wyvern began to fall into the sea of Manila Bay. Its blood and guts are floating above the water to show where it slams on the tides.
The entire crew on BRP Teresa Magbanua and the recon team on the inflatable boat have been given a sense of relief in the heat of danger.
"Status report!" The PCG captain straightly asked his XO.
"Captain, sir we have Recon-1 hauled back to our ship, and medical staff is serving them for medical care."
The captain of the BRP Teresa Magbanua let out a sigh of relief at the information
"Good thing they are back in safe hands." The PCG captain spoke out and finally relaxed as everyone was fine.
"Sir, what we're going to tell to command?"
The sailor questioned the next action.
"Everything." The PCG captain replies as he looks towards the Ring with a frightened look while thinking of the hidden things lurking on it.
I'd increase the size of my word count and give a better understanding of the story. I will increase my story words for more satisfying content.
Remastered Version, May 2024