The rain came without warning.

Felicita Reyes huddled under the thin canopy outside the old library building, watching as fat droplets splattered against the concrete. She hugged her arms around her chest and sighed. Of all the places to get stuck during her last week of senior high school, it had to be this one — the least-visited, most-haunted building on campus.

She glanced at her phone. No signal. Again.

Cebu High School of the Archangels had been built during the Spanish colonial era, its stone walls dark with moss and secrets. The library, tucked into the back of the sprawling campus, had long since been abandoned for a newer, air-conditioned facility with rows of iMacs and free Wi-Fi. But Felicita, ever the honors student and unlucky volunteer, had been asked to help clean the old archives for the school’s upcoming anniversary.

“Just for an hour,” her adviser had said. “Organize the old books. Take some photos. Make a TikTok or something.”

She didn’t have the heart to say no. Especially since this meant bonus points in Filipino.

Felicita pulled open the creaking wooden doors and stepped inside. Dust greeted her like a fog. The air was thick with the scent of old paper, varnished wood, and something else — metallic, faintly sweet.

The library was bigger than it looked from the outside. Rows of ancient bookshelves loomed like silent sentinels, their spines faded to illegibility. A massive stained-glass window cast colored shadows onto the cracked marble floor. Lightning flashed outside, illuminating strange carvings along the archways — baybayin symbols, if she wasn’t mistaken.

She moved slowly, her damp sneakers squeaking slightly as she walked toward the back wall. There was a roped-off section, hidden behind a collapsed shelf. It looked like no one had touched it in decades.

Curiosity stirred in her chest.

Felicita stepped over the rope and pushed aside the fallen wood. Behind it was a narrow staircase spiraling downward into darkness. A small brass sign read:

Silid ng mga Nalimutang Alaala

Room of Forgotten Memories

A chill skated down her spine.

Of course she should turn around. Of course she should stay within sight of the door. But her feet betrayed her better judgment. Step by step, she descended into the shadows, phone flashlight held high.

The air grew colder, denser, as if the walls remembered every secret ever whispered in them.

At the bottom of the stairs was a wooden door carved with intricate patterns — sun rays, waves, and what looked like a jewelry necklace etched in the center. Felicita reached out. The moment her fingers touched the doorknob, it clicked open.

Inside was a small chamber no bigger than a classroom. The walls were lined with ancient shelves filled with scrolls, books bound in animal hide, and relics that belonged in museums. A glowing map of the Philippine islands covered the ceiling, with certain places marked in red.

But what drew her attention was the pedestal in the middle.

A single necklace lay atop it.

Gold and intricate, the chain held a oval pendant no bigger than a coin, set with a crimson gem that pulsed faintly like a heartbeat.

Felicita stepped forward, heart hammering.

The gem called to her.

She didn’t know why. Maybe it was the way it shimmered under her light, or how the air buzzed the closer she got. Without thinking, she reached out — and a sharp pain lanced her finger.

“Ack!”

She jerked back. A paper cut? No — it was the chain. It had bitten her.

A drop of blood landed on the gem.

The world exploded in light.

Colors surged around her — gold, violet, deep scarlet — wrapping her in a cyclone of warmth and vibration. Her body lifted from the ground as the gem glowed brighter and brighter, until everything around her vanished into whiteness.

She landed with a thud on soft grass.

The silence was deafening.

Felicita blinked up at the sky, dazed. It was a rich, golden hue, with two suns visible above. Her breath caught in her throat.

This... was not Cebu.

She sat up quickly, panic blooming. Rolling hills stretched before her, dotted with strange fruit trees. The air smelled of guava and cinnamon. In the distance, she saw something glittering — a giant palasyo atop a mountain, its roofs made of gold leaf and blue glass.

“What the hell…”

She patted herself. Everything was intact — clothes, backpack, phone — and the necklace now lay warm against her chest. The gem had stopped glowing, but a new shimmer danced across its surface.

Her phone vibrated.

She yanked it out, hopeful for a signal — but instead, her lock screen displayed something new:

> THE WONDROUS MARKET OF ALL THINGS

➤ Welcome, New User.

➤ Connected: [1 Magical Relic Detected]

➤ Credits: 50 grams of gold equivalent

“What is this? A… store?”

There were categories:

•Food & Water

•Weapons

•Clothing

•Medicine

•Luxury

•Summon Services

Felicita tapped Food & Water. Instantly, hundreds of items appeared — from arroz caldo to Japanese ramen, bottled water to mountain dew.

She selected “Bottled Water – Cold – x1.”

The moment she hit Buy, a soft pop sounded.

A chilled bottle of water appeared at her feet.

Her jaw dropped.

She ordered again, just to see — this time, a pair of boots. They appeared in seconds, perfectly her size.

“This is impossible…”

She stared at the necklace. Was it… connected to the store?

The screen blinked again.

> You may trade valuables for more credits.

➤ Scan item to trade.

She pulled out a small bracelet from her bag — a birthday gift from her Lola, made of antique gold.

The gem glowed.

> Bracelet scanned. Value: 8 grams gold. Add to credits?

Reluctantly, she agreed. The credits ticked up.

A shopping platform… tied to a magical portal… that accepted real gold?

Her head spun.

A rustle in the bushes made her jump.

She spun around, grabbing a rock. But instead of a creature, a young man stepped out — lean, dark-skinned, wearing loose armor made of bamboo and leather. His long hair was tied in a warrior's knot, and across his chest was a sash of woven red and gold.

He held a spear but didn’t raise it.

“You are not of this land,” he said, eyes narrowing. “Who summoned you here, dalagang banyaga?”

Felicita took a breath. “I… I don’t know. I touched a necklace and — I think I opened a portal.”

He frowned. “That relic is forbidden. Only those chosen by the spirits may wield it.”

“Well, I didn’t ask for any of this!” she snapped.

They stared at each other, tense silence thickening.

Then his gaze flicked to the pendant on her chest.

“Your blood awakened it,” he muttered. “Then perhaps… you are the one.”

“The one for what?”

Before he could answer, a sharp howl echoed through the hills.

The young man’s face paled.

“Too late. They’ve found you.”

“Who—?”

“Run.”

He grabbed her hand and they bolted toward the forest, just as shadowy figures emerged from the trees behind them — black, hulking, and unnatural.

And Felicita realized with horror:

She wasn’t in Cebu anymore.

She wasn’t even in her world.

End of Chapter 1

The forest swallowed them whole.

Branches whipped past Felicita’s face as she sprinted after the strange warrior through the thick undergrowth. Her heart thundered like a drumbeat in her ears. Behind them, guttural snarls echoed—unnatural, animalistic. She didn’t dare look back.

“What are those things?” she gasped, stumbling over a root.

“Mga Itim na Alon,” the warrior said grimly. “Shadow beasts—creations of the dark babaylan. They guard the portal zones. They must have sensed the relic activate.”

“So this happens a lot? People falling out of magical portals?”

“No,” he said, glancing back at her. “You are the first in over a hundred years.”

Felicita didn’t know whether to feel honored or terrified.

They burst into a clearing, where the trees gave way to a wide riverbank. A narrow wooden boat sat moored in the shallows.

“Get in!” the warrior shouted.

She didn’t hesitate. They jumped aboard, and he shoved the boat off with a pole. It glided smoothly onto the river just as a shriek pierced the air behind them.

Felicita turned.

The shadow beasts had reached the clearing—hulking figures of smoke and sinew, with long claws and eyes like burning coals. One lunged, but the boat had drifted just far enough. It landed in the water with a hiss, recoiling as if scalded.

Felicita collapsed onto the wooden floor, gasping.

“Water repels them,” the warrior said, still tense. “We’ll be safe for now.”

“Who are you?” she asked, between breaths.

“My name is Amihan. Datu of the Southern Wind Tribe.” He stood tall, his gaze sharp and assessing. “And you are?”

“Felicita Reyes. Student of—well, I was a student in Cebu. In my world.”

Amihan’s expression didn’t change, but something in his posture shifted—less suspicion, more curiosity.

“You come from the Parallel Bayan,” he said, almost in awe.

“You mean… my world?”

“Yes. The realm where people ride metal dragons, where light dances in square boxes, and the sky is filled with voices.”

Felicita blinked. “You mean… airplanes, smartphones, and… radio?”

He nodded. “Our seers told legends. That one day, a dalagang banyaga would arrive from the other Philippines—bearing a relic, with power to awaken the sleeping islands.”

Felicita sat up, the weight of the necklace heavy against her collarbone. She touched the gem, which had cooled since their escape.

“I didn’t choose this,” she muttered. “I found it in my school’s basement. I didn’t even mean to activate it.”

“Blood awakens what destiny hides,” Amihan said cryptically. “Come. We’ll reach my village before sunset.”

The boat drifted with the current, cutting through the river like a silver blade. The jungle buzzed around them—bright birds called from above, and unseen creatures rustled in the trees. Despite her exhaustion, Felicita’s mind raced.

None of this made sense.

Parallel worlds? Shadow beasts? A necklace that linked to a magic online store?

She pulled out her phone, half-expecting it to be dead. Instead, the same strange app was open:

> THE WONDROUS MARKET OF ALL THINGS

➤ Welcome, Felicita Reyes.

➤ Current Credits: 58 grams gold

➤ Items available: 49,823

She scrolled through the categories again. Food, weapons, gadgets… Even tools and modern clothes. She tapped the Information tab.

> The Necklace of Realms

➤ Forged by the Original Babaylans to bridge the Parallel Bayan and the Realm of the Hari.

➤ Can transmute physical gold, gems, and rare items into purchasing credit.

➤ Delivery of items is instant, via dimensional fold.

➤ Wielder is marked by destiny to restore the balance between realms.

She stared.

“It really is magical,” she whispered.

Amihan, watching her from the front of the boat, raised an eyebrow. “Your relic speaks to you?”

Felicita nodded. “It’s like an app. A… palengke. I can buy almost anything—food, weapons, medicine. They appear instantly.”

“Show me.”

She hesitated. “Okay… watch.”

She tapped “Food & Water” and selected “Banana Cue – Fresh.” One click.

Pop!

A warm stick of golden caramelized bananas materialized on the boat floor.

Amihan jolted back, staring wide-eyed. “That’s… that’s anito magic.”

She handed him the banana cue. He took it, stunned, then took a bite.

His eyes widened. “What is this divine food?!”

Felicita laughed. “Street food. Want more?”

By the time they reached the village, Amihan had finished three banana cues and a can of Sprite. He burped, looked sheepish, and offered her the last bite.

Amihan’s village was nestled between two hills, where bamboo houses stood on stilts above cool grass. Children ran barefoot, laughing. Women pounded rice in large stone mortars while men carved spears and wove baskets. Everyone wore woven clothing dyed in rich earth tones.

When they saw Felicita, silence fell.

“Who is she?” someone whispered.

“Is that the relic?”

“She bears the light!”

Amihan raised a hand. “This is Felicita Reyes. From the Parallel Bayan. The relic chose her.”

A ripple of awe passed through the villagers. An old woman stepped forward—stooped but dignified, with silver hair braided down to her waist and a staff carved with ancient glyphs.

“Babailan Langit,” Amihan said respectfully.

The old woman’s eyes met Felicita’s.

“You are not the first to come through the gate,” Langit said. “But you may be the last.”

“I don’t understand what’s happening,” Felicita said. “Why me? Why now?”

Langit gestured for her to sit on a woven mat beside the fire pit. The villagers gathered in a loose circle, watching in silence.

“The necklace you wear,” Langit began, “was forged by the three greatest babaylan in our history. It was meant to bridge two worlds—the one that followed the path of machines… and ours, which stayed rooted in spirit and tradition.”

“Why would they want to connect the two?”

“Because both paths are incomplete. One loses its soul. The other, its strength. Together, they could restore balance.”

Langit picked up a bowl of water and whispered over it. A glow spread across the surface, revealing a shifting image—three glowing relics floating above the Philippine islands.

“Long ago, our realm was in harmony,” Langit continued. “Until the shadow rose. A dark babaylan, once a healer of the people, fell to greed and chaos. She called herself Yla. She corrupted the beasts of the forest, poisoned the rivers, and fractured the throne.”

“Yla…” Felicita repeated. “I’ve heard that name.”

“She seeks the relic you carry,” Langit said, voice hardening. “Because it is the key to unlocking the others.”

“The others?”

Langit nodded. “Three sacred relics, hidden across the archipelago. Each tied to one of the ancient virtues: Katotohanan, Katwiran, at Kalinaw. Only when all are gathered can the necklace open the final portal—your way home.”

Felicita stared at the water bowl, where the glowing gems danced above distant mountains and seas.

“I have to… collect all three?”

Langit’s eyes gleamed. “Or the balance between worlds will collapse. And both will fall.”

That night, as the village slept, Felicita sat under a canopy of stars. The necklace lay warm against her chest, pulsing softly like a heartbeat.

She should be panicking. Crying, even.

But strangely, she wasn’t.

A part of her—deep and quiet—had always longed for more. More than schoolwork, exams, group projects. More than grades and late-night cram sessions. Something bigger. Something real.

She just didn’t expect it to come in the form of ancient prophecy and magical shipping.

Footsteps approached.

Amihan sat beside her, tossing a carved mango slice in his mouth.

“You did well today,” he said. “They trust you.”

“I’m not sure I trust myself,” she replied. “I still don’t know if I’m dreaming.”

“You’re not.”

A long silence stretched between them.

“Will you help me?” she asked softly. “With the relics?”

“I swore an oath to protect the realm,” he said. “And now, you are part of its fate. So yes.”

She smiled faintly.

From her phone, a soft chime echoed.

> New Quest Added: The Three Relics of Harmony

➤ First Location Unlocked: The Temple of Rajah Sulayman

➤ Region: Southern Mindanao, Forbidden Forest

➤ Estimated Danger Level: High

“Well,” Felicita muttered, “that’s not ominous at all.”

Amihan chuckled. “We leave at dawn.”

She tucked the phone away, her mind swirling with images of temples, battles, ancient kings and forgotten queens.

And she whispered to herself—

“I’m going to survive this. I have to.”

End of Chapter 2

The jungle groaned with life.

Felicita wiped sweat from her brow as she trudged behind Amihan, who moved effortlessly through the thick undergrowth. Sunlight filtered through towering ferns and ancient trees, casting flickering shadows across the muddy path. Their journey to the Temple of Rajah Sulayman had begun at dawn, and by midday, they were deep in unfamiliar terrain.

The air was thick with humidity. Somewhere above, a monkey shrieked. Below her boots, the ground squelched with each step.

Felicita adjusted the straps of her backpack. It now contained supplies she had bought through the Wondrous Market of All Things: energy bars, a portable water filter, bug spray, a collapsible machete, and—after some convincing from Amihan—a modern compass enchanted to glow in the dark.

“Are you sure we’re not lost?” she called.

Amihan didn’t stop walking. “We are following the river’s spine. The temple lies where it bends into the shape of a serpent’s tongue. We are close.”

Felicita looked down at the wide river flowing beside them. “And what happens when we get there?”

“We find the Shield of Truth—the first relic,” he replied. “But be warned. The temple is cursed. It has swallowed many warriors before us.”

“Great,” she muttered. “Why is it always curses?”

---

By late afternoon, the river took a sharp curve, just as Amihan had said. The shape was unmistakable—a forked split like a serpent’s tongue. Across the bend, half-submerged in vines and moss, rose the temple.

It was massive.

Made of black volcanic stone, the structure seemed to grow from the jungle itself. Ivy draped over its spires. Baybayin inscriptions covered every surface—glowing faintly even in daylight. At the top was a flat terrace, cracked and crumbling, with a weathered statue of Rajah Sulayman standing guard.

Felicita’s breath caught. “It’s beautiful… and terrifying.”

“It’s older than any kingdom,” Amihan said quietly. “And far more dangerous.”

They crossed the river using a fallen tree as a makeshift bridge. The moment Felicita stepped onto the temple’s mossy platform, the necklace around her neck vibrated.

She pulled out her phone.

> THE WONDROUS MARKET OF ALL THINGS

➤ Relic Location Detected

➤ Warning: High Magical Interference

➤ Market access: Temporarily disrupted

“What?” She tapped the screen, but it flickered erratically. “The signal’s gone.”

Amihan glanced at the gem on her necklace. “The temple is protected. Nothing outside these walls can reach us now.”

“No more deliveries?” she asked, dismayed.

“Not until we leave,” he confirmed.

Felicita sighed. “So much for instant noodles.”

---

The entrance was a massive stone arch, sealed shut with three rotating rings carved with baybayin glyphs. At its center was an indentation shaped like a hand.

Amihan stepped forward, examining it. “A puzzle gate.”

Felicita stepped beside him. “Can you read this?”

“I can try,” he said. “The rings are part of a riddle. Look.”

He pointed to a phrase carved above the archway:

"Sa gitna ng kasinungalingan, anong hindi mo maitatago?"

In the midst of lies, what can never be hidden?

Felicita stared at it. “That’s… truth, right?”

Amihan nodded. “Katotohanan.”

They took turns rotating the rings. One glyph at a time, they aligned the letters in baybayin until the word “KATOTOHANAN” formed across the rings.

Then Felicita hesitated.

“I think… I need to place my hand here.”

“Are you sure?”

“No,” she admitted, “but the necklace hasn’t started burning yet, so…”

She placed her palm into the stone impression.

A hum resonated from deep within the temple walls. The rings glowed. With a grinding groan, the doors split open.

Darkness lay beyond.

---

Inside, the air was cool and dry. Dust motes danced in beams of faint magical light that pulsed from the walls like a heartbeat. Felicita and Amihan moved cautiously through a narrow corridor, their footsteps echoing.

Soon they reached a circular chamber.

In its center floated a golden shield—ornate, inlaid with red and blue gemstones, the Shield of Truth. It hovered above a pedestal, untouched by time.

Felicita’s breath caught.

But before she could move closer, a voice boomed through the chamber.

TO CLAIM TRUTH, YOU MUST STAND IN YOUR OWN.

The room changed.

Walls shimmered. The pedestal and the shield vanished. Felicita blinked—and suddenly, she was standing alone. The jungle was gone. Amihan was gone.

She was back in Cebu.

Or at least… a version of it.

Her old school stood in front of her. Students moved around, laughing. It was a memory—familiar and not.

She was in her school uniform. She held a test paper in her hands. Her math quiz. The one she had cheated on.

“No,” she whispered. “This isn’t real.”

The voice returned.

> “Even a white lie stains the soul.”

“No one even got hurt,” she said aloud. “It was one answer. One time.”

> “One time becomes many. Can you face yourself?”

She looked down.

In her hands was not the test paper—but a mirror.

Her reflection stared back at her. And then it spoke.

“You pretend to be perfect. But you hate the pressure. You envy your friends. You wish your family asked less of you.”

“Stop it.”

“You hide behind your grades and your kindness. But you’re afraid. Afraid to fail. Afraid to be ordinary.”

Felicita closed her eyes. “I am afraid. But I’m still trying.”

Silence.

When she opened her eyes, she was back in the chamber. The shield now floated before her again.

Amihan was beside her, panting, wide-eyed.

“You were gone,” he said. “You vanished!”

“I think… I was tested,” she murmured.

She stepped forward and touched the shield.

It was solid, warm. As her fingers closed around it, light filled the chamber. The shield pulsed once, then shrank—transforming into a glowing golden tattoo on her forearm.

The first relic had chosen her.

> RELIC ACQUIRED: Shield of Truth

Increases resistance to deception and illusion. Can reflect magical attacks. Activated by intent and danger.

Her phone buzzed again. The market had returned.

> Welcome back, Felicita Reyes.

➤ Credits: 58 grams gold

➤ New Category Unlocked: Relic Enhancements

---

They exited the temple as dusk settled over the jungle. Felicita glanced back one last time.

“So that’s one down,” she said. “Two more to go.”

Amihan nodded. “And each harder than the last.”

They crossed the river in silence, both thinking of what lay ahead.

“Amihan?” she asked, once they were back on the path.

“Yes?”

“When you said you swore an oath… to protect the realm. Why?”

He hesitated. “Because my father died failing to protect it. From Yla.”

Felicita looked at him. “You’ve met her?”

“I was seven,” he said, voice low. “She came to our village seeking the necklace. We didn’t have it, but my father stood in her way. She turned him to ash. Right in front of me.”

Felicita’s stomach clenched. “I’m sorry.”

“She’ll come again,” he said. “When she learns you’re here, and that you’ve started the relic path.”

“I’m not going to run,” she said firmly.

Amihan gave her a long look, then offered a small, respectful nod. “Good.”

As night fell and the jungle sang its ancient songs, Felicita felt the relic burn softly beneath her skin—a reminder of the truth she had faced, and the long road still ahead.

---

End of Chapter 3