chrono-wars: legacy of past

The Time Pod hummed softly as Elara studied the incoming data. The Revisionists were taking bigger risks, targeting moments that had altered the course of the entire 20th century.

"Temporal breach detected: Sarajevo, June 28, 1914. Primary target: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Projected impact: Altered global political landscape, potential prevention of World War I."

Elara frowned. "Prevention of the war? That doesn't sound like the Revisionists' usual strategy."

"Analysis suggests they may not be trying to prevent war but redirect it—creating a different conflict under their control."

That was even more dangerous. The First World War had shaped the modern world, leading to the rise and fall of empires, the Treaty of Versailles, and ultimately, World War II. If the Revisionists tampered with this event, the entire 20th century could shift into an unrecognizable nightmare.

Elara tightened her gloves. "Chrono, set the coordinates. Sarajevo, just before the assassination attempt."

Arrival in Sarajevo: A City on Edge

The Time Pod materialized in a hidden alley near the bustling streets of Sarajevo. Outside, the city was alive with tension. Soldiers patrolled in crisp Austro-Hungarian uniforms, while civilians whispered in hushed tones about the Archduke's visit. The streets were lined with banners, but the air was thick with unease.

Elara adjusted her attire, blending in as a journalist with a leather-bound notebook and an old camera slung over her shoulder. She had studied this day well.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was supposed to unfold in a chaotic series of events:

A failed bomb attempt earlier in the day.

The assassin, Gavrilo Princip, waiting in the crowd.

A wrong turn by the Archduke's driver, bringing him straight to Princip's pistol.

But now, things might not go as planned.

"Chrono, locate the Revisionists."

"Three anomalies detected. One is near the riverbank, another is positioned along the main procession route, and the third is closer to the Latin Bridge—the site of the final attack."

Elara exhaled. If the Revisionists were stationed in key locations, they could be altering multiple aspects of the assassination.

She needed a plan.

The First Interception: The Failed Bombing

Elara moved quickly toward the riverbank, where the first Revisionist had positioned himself.

This was where a young assassin named Nedeljko Čabrinović was supposed to throw a bomb at the Archduke's car. Historically, the bomb had bounced off and exploded under the car behind, injuring several officials but sparing the Archduke.

If the Revisionists altered this, they could kill the Archduke too soon, changing the course of events.

Elara spotted the Revisionist in a long trench coat, standing near Čabrinović. She moved closer, catching the moment the man subtly handed the assassin a different explosive device—one that looked far more advanced than anything from 1914.

That wasn't part of history.

Elara didn't hesitate. She brushed past the Revisionist, sliding a small disruptor into his pocket. A second later, a pulse of energy surged through his body, freezing him in place.

Čabrinović, unaware of what had just happened, still hurled his bomb. But it was the crude historical device, not the Revisionist's altered version.

The explosion happened just as history had recorded—under the car behind the Archduke's vehicle, not killing him, but escalating the tension.

Elara turned and walked away quickly. One Revisionist down. Two to go.

The Second Interception: The Procession Route

Moving through the crowds, Elara approached the main street where the Archduke's car would soon pass.

The second Revisionist was stationed near a café, appearing calm but keeping his hand near his coat—where she suspected a weapon was concealed.

"Chrono, analyze his strategy."

"Based on positioning, he intends to fire at the Archduke earlier than Princip, ensuring a more controlled death rather than an impulsive attack."

That meant this Revisionist wanted the assassination to be clean, ensuring there were no missed shots, no failed attempts—just a smooth, controlled execution. That was dangerous because it could lead to a different reaction from Austria-Hungary.

Elara took a deep breath and approached the man from behind. Without breaking stride, she subtly injected a stun dart into his arm. The Revisionist stiffened, his vision blurring. Before he could react, Elara slipped his weapon from his coat and disappeared into the crowd.

Within moments, the Revisionist collapsed, unconscious. The plan to alter the assassination attempt had failed.

The Third Interception: The Latin Bridge

Elara hurried to the final site—the Latin Bridge, where Gavrilo Princip was meant to fire the fateful shots.

Historically, the Archduke's driver would make a wrong turn, bringing the car to a halt right in front of Princip, who would take the opportunity to fire two shots—killing the Archduke and his wife, Sophie.

If the Revisionists stopped Princip or changed the circumstances of the shooting, the aftermath of the assassination might unfold differently.

She scanned the area. The third Revisionist was standing close to the crowd, a small device in hand.

"Chrono, analyze that device."

"Temporal interference generator. Purpose: likely to disrupt the Archduke's driver, preventing the wrong turn."

If the wrong turn didn't happen, Princip wouldn't get his chance to shoot, and history would shift dramatically.

Elara knew what she had to do. She moved swiftly, reaching into her pocket for a signal jammer. Activating it, she sent a directed pulse toward the Revisionist's device.

A spark flew from the small generator, and the man cursed, tapping it frantically. Before he could react further, Elara struck him hard in the back, sending him tumbling into the crowd.

At that exact moment, history played out as expected.

The Archduke's driver made the infamous wrong turn. The car halted.

Gavrilo Princip, seeing his unexpected opportunity, raised his pistol.

Two shots rang out.

The Archduke and his wife slumped in their seats, fatally wounded.

The assassination had happened exactly as recorded in history.

Elara exhaled, stepping away. The Revisionists had failed.

The Aftermath: A War Set in Motion

Elara returned to the Time Pod as chaos erupted in the streets of Sarajevo.

Inside, Chrono confirmed the results.

"Temporal stability restored. The timeline remains intact."

Elara leaned back, exhaustion setting in. "That was close."

"The Revisionists are growing more aggressive," Chrono observed. "They are no longer simply disrupting history; they are strategically altering the conditions leading to global conflicts."

Elara's jaw tightened. "They're trying to control history, not just rewrite it."

She stared at the screen as the timeline recalibrated. The First World War would unfold as it had before. The consequences—millions of lives lost, the rise of new powers—were terrible but necessary for the history that led to her present.

And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that the Revisionists weren't done.

"Chrono," she said, steeling herself, "where's their next move?"

A moment of silence. Then—

"High probability target detected: 1933. Berlin, Germany."

Elara's breath caught.

1933. The year Adolf Hitler rose to power.

The Revisionists weren't just playing with history anymore.

They were choosing who ruled the world.

And Elara knew she had no choice but to stop them.