Felicita sprinted through the dense foliage, dodging thick roots and thorned vines that tugged at her skirt. Her chest burned from effort, but she dared not stop. Behind her, distant shouts of the guards echoed through the forest.
She glanced down. The necklace bounced against her collarbone with every step. The strange interface—the floating menus—had vanished. The gem no longer glowed, but it was still warm, like a living ember.
She finally found a clearing near a small stream. Breathing hard, she knelt and splashed cold water onto her face, trying to piece everything together.
"What just happened?" she whispered.
A second ago, she had been in her school library. Now she was in some ancient version of the Philippines—no doubt about it. The jungle smelled real, the insects buzzing around her were unfamiliar, and the soldiers spoke Cebuano, but with a cadence that sounded older, more formal.
And then there was the gem.
She pulled the necklace up to examine it closer. The crimson-blue surface had dulled slightly, but under sunlight it still shimmered like oil on water. Her finger hovered over it.
Suddenly, the air shimmered again.
PING.
A soft sound like a chime resonated in her ears. A semi-transparent screen materialized before her eyes—this time, smaller, shaped like a floating window in a video game.
> Welcome back, Felicita.
Gem Synchronization: Stable
Battery: 87%
Credits: 1 (Gold)
Link Status: Active (Trade portal established)
Her hands trembled.
"This… is technology," she muttered. "But the design… it's fused with something ancient. Is this magic? Or tech pretending to be magic?"
She reached into her satchel and pulled out a notebook. She began jotting down everything: the portal, the light, the menu, the voice, the guards' reactions. Notes were her way of staying grounded.
Just then, a new screen blinked open:
> Incoming Notification:
"Welcome, Wielder of the Gem."
You have been granted limited access to the Market of All Worlds—a unified interdimensional trade system originally forged by the Guild of Time-Wardens and the Traders of Realms.
"Market of All Worlds?" she read aloud.
The interface expanded, revealing a map-like grid made of glowing lines. In the center was a glowing dot labeled:
"Luzviminda: Parallel Historical Plane PH-7X1."
Her jaw dropped.
"A parallel history of the Philippines?"
The screen continued:
> You are currently in a realm where the Philippines did not fall under colonial rule. The archipelago evolved under a monarchy formed by the alliance of ancient Datus and Babaylan. All trade is governed by the Royal Market Authority. Magic and ancient tech are intertwined. Your arrival was not by chance. Your mission is active.
Felicita stared, frozen.
"Mission?"
A new window unfolded with golden borders:
> MISSION INITIATED:
Objective: Restore the balance between realms by recovering the Three Lost Relics of the Bayan.
Reward: Return to original timeline.
Penalty for failure: Permanent entrapment. Timeline dissolution possible.
She fell silent.
"This can't be real," she said, half-laughing. "This is some kind of dream. A... glitch."
But deep inside, she knew it wasn't.
Then the screen flickered and displayed a live tracker of the necklace's energy level. The color shifted from green to amber—slowly draining.
> Warning: The gem's dimensional link weakens each time a portal is used. Use wisely.
She gripped the necklace.
She needed answers, and if the strange ancient-futuristic tech was right, the first step was survival—and understanding the world she had landed in.
---
Felicita followed the stream, keeping low. After an hour, the forest began to thin, and a road of carved stone came into view. Lining the road were towering trees, each strung with glowing orbs and wind chimes of bone and copper.
At the edge of the path stood a large archway made of bamboo and gold, inscribed with glimmering glyphs.
As she approached, she saw locals—traders and farmers—walking freely. They wore flowing clothes woven with banana fibers, hemp, and colorful embroidery. Men with swords slung across their backs and women with painted faces passed by her without suspicion.
A woman selling woven mats gave her a puzzled look. "Dayta, gikan ka ba sa bundok?" she asked kindly. (Girl, are you from the mountain?)
Felicita nodded, unsure of what else to say.
"Saan ka pupunta?" (Where are you going?)
"Uh…" Felicita tried to think fast. "Gusto ko pong… makakita ng… Royal Records Hall."
(Uhh... I want to see the Royal Records Hall)
The woman smiled and pointed toward a massive domed structure just beyond the arch: a shimmering palace-like building made of shell, gold, and red wood.
"Doon ka, iha. Pero mag-ingat ka. May mga nagsasabing may mga mangkukulam na nagkalat ngayon. Hindi safe." (Just go there, little one. But be careful. Some say there are witches scattered around today. It's not safe.)
Felicita thanked her and moved toward the structure.
---
Inside, the Royal Records Hall was silent. Scrolls and crystals floated in the air, organized by glowing lines and motion-sensing platforms. It was more advanced than any museum or library she had ever seen.
She wandered toward a central chamber with massive carvings on the walls—depictions of ancient battles, floating ships, golden crowns, and a gem glowing in the hands of a crowned woman.
Her breath caught.
It was the necklace. Exactly the same. And the woman holding it looked eerily like—
"Felicita…"
She turned.
An old man stood behind her, wearing layered robes and carrying a staff shaped like a serpent. His eyes glowed faintly white.
"You carry the Hiyas ng Karunungan," he said gently. "I've waited a long time for you."
Felicita took a step back. "Who are you?"
"I am Apo Damili, Keeper of Lore," he replied. "And I am here to help you fulfill your mission."
She clutched the necklace. "Why me?"
He smiled sadly. "Because you were curious. And because you carry the same blood as the first Seer."
A chill ran down her spine. "The first Seer?"
"Your great-great-grandmother. She once wielded that gem during the Time Fracture. But she chose to close the portal rather than complete the mission."
Felicita was speechless.
"Now the realms are collapsing. You must do what she could not."
"And what if I refuse?" she asked quietly.
He looked into her eyes.
"Then the past, present, and future of both worlds will vanish."
---
End of Chapter 2