The forest trembled beneath the weight of coming change.
In the aftermath of the raid on the American armory, the rebel camp buzzed with tense energy. Victory had given them powerful new weapons—but also more questions than answers. The future was bleeding into the past, and not everyone was comfortable with it.
Elijah stood before the assembled commanders beneath a thatched meeting hall. Lanterns swayed overhead, casting flickering shadows across faces etched with fear and ambition.
"What we took from that vault will change the war," Elijah said. "But only if we use it wisely."
He gestured to a wooden table, where the salvaged gear had been carefully laid out: two disassembled railguns, a plasma battery that could power a village, and encrypted data drives Adrian had yet to fully access.
"We must adapt. Or we'll be crushed."
There was silence. Then came the voice of General Mariano Noriel.
"This—" Noriel pointed a trembling finger at the tech, "—is not revolution. It is witchcraft. You speak of defeating the Americans, but with what? Ghosts and machines? The Katipunan does not bend to sorcery."
Enly. "It's not sorcery. It's knowledge. From a futurlijah met his gaze evee where we lose."
More murmurs. Some of the officers nodded. Others recoiled.
Then another voice spoke up. Soft but laced with steel.
"I have seen the future too."
Everyone turned. Emilio Aguinaldo had arrived.
The Generalissimo's Warning
Aguinaldo's presence carried the weight of legend. Dressed in his officer's coat, his hair pulled back, he looked every bit the father of revolution the people revered. But tonight, his eyes were cold.
"You speak of time travel," he said to Elijah. "Of knowledge beyond our age. But I see only chaos. I see division. The Americans are not the only enemy here. Arrogance, too, kills."
Elijah stepped forward. "I don't want division. I want victory. Real, lasting freedom—not another treaty where we kneel in defeat."
Aguinaldo studied him. "Then explain to me why your men move without my orders. Why you gather weapons in the dark. Why your 'advisors' wear uniforms none have seen before."
Adrian stiffened.
"They were necessary risks," Elijah replied. "We couldn't wait for permission. You know what we're up against. And I believe we're being hunted by someone from the future—someone working with the Americans."
Gasps rippled through the chamber.
Aguinaldo narrowed his eyes. "You speak of shadows and ghosts again. Perhaps you've been in the jungle too long."
The accusation hung in the air.
Isa stood, stepping between them. "With respect, General Aguinaldo—he saved my life. He's saved dozens more. Whatever his origins, he bleeds for this cause."
Elijah looked around the room. "I didn't ask for this power. I was given it. And I'm using it to fight for something that matters. But if you want to exile me for it, say it now."
A pause.
Then Luna spoke. "If he leaves, I leave with him. So will many others."
A murmur of agreement. Nearly half the officers nodded.
Aguinaldo's jaw clenched.
"I will not divide this movement," he said. "So let us compromise. I will allow your operations to continue—but under my command. You will share everything. Including that technology."
Elijah hesitated. Then nodded.
"For the revolution," he said.
Aguinaldo held out his hand.
They shook—but both knew the war within had just begun.
Whispers in the Dark
Later that night, Elijah sat in his tent, staring at the encrypted data cores.
Adrian entered quietly. "He doesn't trust you."
"I know."
"Some of his men are already watching your squad. I think he's planning to take the tech by force when you're weakest."
Elijah didn't respond for a long moment.
Then he said, "We need to find Captain Raines before Aguinaldo finds an excuse to turn on us."
Adrian nodded. "I've decrypted part of the data. Raines was sighted near Baler. And he wasn't alone. He's building something."
Elijah stood.
"Then we go to Baler. Quietly. If Raines is building a future empire in the ashes of our revolution… we burn it down before it begins."
To Be Continued…