The crowd swirled around her like a living river, but Felicita stood frozen in place. Her heart pounded against her ribs, the echo of the gem's alert still ringing in her ears.
Someone nearby. Someone dangerous.
She scanned the crowd again—too many faces, too many strangers. But there was no time to panic. Whoever was trying to access the portal could be moving fast. If they hijacked the Market, they could weaponize it—or worse, drain the gem's energy before she could finish her mission.
She ducked into an alley, pulled her hood up, and tapped the gem once.
> Market Interface: Active
Remaining Credit: 1.5
Nearby Trade Zones: 2
Felicita remembered what Sinta told her: The gem rewards wisdom, not convenience.
Still, she needed tools. Survival came first. And if someone was hunting her, she needed something better than instincts and panic.
She pulled the broken antique brooch from her bag and held it near the gem.
> Item Scanned: Gold-Plated Brooch (Damaged)
Estimated Value: 1 Credit – Accept Trade?
"Yes," she said.
The brooch vanished in a soft pulse of light. Her credit jumped.
> Balance: 2.5 Credits
Now came the hard part—choosing what could keep her alive.
She scrolled quickly.
> Gadget: Audio Surveillance Orb
Tiny marble-like device capable of recording ambient sound up to 30 meters. Cloaked. Self-destructs after 5 uses.
Cost: 1.5 Credits
> Gadget: Auto-Hide Cloak (Beta Edition)
Blends wearer into surroundings for 90 seconds. Glitches may occur.
Cost: 2 Credits
> Gadget: Emergency Escape Pin (Teleportation - Short Range)
Can transport the wearer up to 50 meters. Single-use only.
Cost: 2.5 Credits
Felicita hesitated, then selected the Auto-Hide Cloak.
> Confirm Purchase?
YES.
In less than two seconds, the item shimmered into her hand—woven gray fabric, soft but strange to the touch. It felt cooler than air, like wearing a breeze. She folded it into her pack for now. She might need it the moment she stepped back out.
---
By late morning, the festival reached its peak. The gates of the royal courtyard opened, and processions of dancers, warriors, and performers flooded the streets. Felicita slipped back into the crowd and followed the throng toward the capital square.
From where she stood, she could see it now: the golden palace rising like a sun-kissed mountain, its flags bearing the twin crests of the Hari at Reyna ng Katipunan—a golden kampilan crossed with a blooming gumamela.
The Kingdom of Luzviminda.
Felicita's eyes widened in awe. She had studied colonial Philippine history like any other student, but this place—this version of the Philippines—was untainted by centuries of conquest. Here, royalty still ruled. Here, Baybayin lined the royal banners. Here, the Babaylan still walked with dignity and authority.
It was beautiful. And terrifying.
Then she saw him.
Standing near the central fountain was a tall figure dressed in black and gold. His hair was cut sharply to the nape, his face partially obscured by a half-mask made of dark obsidian. But the gem in his palm glowed faintly red—the same color as hers when she activated the Market.
Felicita's breath caught.
Another gem-wielder.
She moved behind a vendor cart, heart thudding.
He raised the gem to his lips and whispered something.
> Gem Pulse Detected. Unauthorized Access – BLOCKED.
Her gem vibrated with heat. A thin red line traced itself in her vision—pointing directly at him.
> Danger Level: 74%
Classification: Rogue Wielder
Identity: UNKNOWN
Before she could retreat, the man turned slowly, as if sensing her gaze.
Their eyes met.
Time froze.
Then, without warning, he raised his palm toward her—and the red gem flared to life.
Felicita ducked.
An arc of glowing force shot over her head and hit the stall behind her, scattering fruit and wooden crates. Screams erupted. People ran in every direction.
She fumbled in her bag, yanked out the Auto-Hide Cloak, and threw it over her shoulders.
> Cloak Activated: Invisibility – 90 Seconds
She vanished just as the man leapt over the stall, scanning for her. His gem blinked furiously, searching.
Felicita tiptoed backward, careful not to bump into anyone as the Market's HUD counted down:
> Cloak Duration: 73 seconds… 72… 71…
She sidestepped a fleeing child and ducked beneath a spice vendor's rolling tarp. The air was heavy with turmeric and cinnamon, scents that clung to her skin and made her nose itch. A rooster flew across her path, flapping wildly. She barely suppressed a yelp.
Even in this world, even with magic cloaks and glowing gems, life was messy and chaotic. Real. It made her more aware of how alive she was—and how close she'd come to not being.
Who was he? How did he get a gem?
And what does he want from me?
Every instinct screamed at her to run and never stop. But another voice—small but firm—rose inside her.
If he's using the gem wrong, maybe… maybe that's part of why I'm here.
The portal didn't just choose her by accident.
---
She slipped behind a stone pillar and let the cloak fade just as the countdown ended. The rogue wielder stood in the distance, clearly frustrated, speaking into his gem again. Then he turned and vanished into the crowd.
Felicita collapsed onto the ground, her knees hitting the dirt. Her satchel was still intact. The gem pulsed faintly—orange now, signaling danger had passed.
"I can't do this," she whispered. "But I have to."
A hand suddenly reached out to her—a woman's hand, weathered but steady.
"You dropped this," said a soft voice.
It was an elderly vendor, holding out a small, round token. It wasn't hers.
Felicita blinked. The token bore the royal crest—a gumamela encircled by fire. Not a coin… a summons?
"You best be careful, hija," the woman added, eyes narrowing. "The palace doesn't send these for just anyone."
Felicita took the token slowly.
The mission had just gotten more complicated.
And much, much bigger.
Felicita collapsed onto the ground, sweat dripping down her spine.
She had just survived her first direct attack.
And now she knew for certain: she wasn't the only one playing with the rules of time.
---
End of Chapter 5