temporal-manipulation
Red attempts to influence future events by altering physical artifacts in the past, demonstrating the delicate and uncertain nature of time travel interventions.
2 chapters across 1 book
This Is How You Lose the Time War (2019)Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
In this chapter, Red navigates a labyrinth of bones on ancient Earth, undertaking a precise mission to alter a future event by manipulating skeletal remains to create an omen. Despite her careful efforts, her plan fails when the expected omen does not manifest, forcing her to undo her changes and confront the uncertainty and consequences of her interference in time. Throughout, the chapter explores Red's solitary determination, the mysterious nature of the labyrinth, and the tension between fate and agency.
This chapter follows Red as she navigates multiple historical strands, engaging in acts of sabotage, assassination, and protection to influence the course of history while evading surveillance and suspicion from her superiors. Despite her brutal actions, she is deeply introspective, haunted by the cost of her work and her secret correspondence with Blue, which reveals her vulnerability and longing. The chapter blends moments of violence, tenderness, and symbolic encounters with birds to explore Red's complex emotional and psychological state amid the time war.