Machia Veil Timeline

Evening, September 8th – Bellatorn Estate, Denewood, Surridge

As Nate’s mother stepped off the stage, his gaze followed her every move. He planned to reach her as soon as possible. Auntie Jade and other members of the family joined her. He made his way to his mother, cutting through the crowd. But bodyguards stopped him.

Darn it with security!

“It’s okay he’s with me,” said the sweetest voice from behind him.

“Kenya!” said Nate, eyes widening.

They embraced, and Nate was relieved she wasn’t angry.

“How I’ve missed you,” she said.

“Kenya, I am so sorry. I understand the hurt I caused,” he said.

“So much has changed since you left,” she said.

He held her arms. “Please forgive me. You mean the world to me. I never want to let you go.”

Kenya’s gaze fell to the floor.

“What? Why are you shaking?” asked Nate.

“I can’t leave Machia!” she said.

“Why?”

“No one can travel the timelines. Not by force anyway,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. “Look, we will have time to talk. Let me take you to your mother,” she said as they walked past the security guards. “I love your mother, Nate. She’s wonderful.”

“You got to know her? How?” asked Nate.

“Well, it’s a long story.”

A panicked voice shouted, “Stop him!” It was Ellis! She rushed towards Nate, knocking off trays of drinks and pushing guests.

“Watch where you’re going!” a guest screamed.

Nate was so close. His mother was standing next to Milon.

“Mum! Mum!” Nate cried.

Aria was cowering from the coal dust when she stopped to gaze at him. Tears welled up in Nate’s eyes when they locked eyes. They hugged.

“Oh darling, darling!” she was weeping too.

Nate laughed, wiping the tears away from his beloved mother’s cheeks.

“Darling, darling!” they hugged again. Ellis coded a portal next to them, when a RayCrest stopped her, pinning her to the ground.

The family ran towards the manor, and the staff received them. Some staff wanted to stop Nate, but Aria signalled to let him be.

“My darling!” she repeated.

Nate nestled in his mother’s comforting embrace. Overwhelmed with relief.

“How I have missed you!” said Aria.

“Me too Mum. I am so sorry about everything. I love you so much.”

“Sorry for what?” she asked.

Nate’s eyes widened. He appreciated his parents, with all their flaws. They loved and protected him. Going above and beyond what anyone else would care to do.

***

Nate beheld his alternate brother Milon. He intended to embrace him, but his hair was a different colour and he glared at Nate as though he were an insect. His gaze darting between Kenya and his mother with furrowed brows.

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“Who is this kid?” Nate overheard him ask Kenya. It was odd. Milon pressed his hand tight on her right arm.

His brother was protective of Kenya, like they were together.

Nate’s jaw clenched, and time stood still. Jealousy swept through his veins, hijacking all logic and reason. He meant to take his mother and Kenya towards Aunt Matea’s east wing and through the attic to safety when Nate transformed.

They are lovers!

Eyes red shot, he pushed Milon away from her, alerting security. Milon motioned to return the punch when security separated them.

“Who the hell are you?” shouted Milon. “You come here like you’re the boss, but I’ve never seen you before,” he sneered.

“I knew it! I am not crazy!” said Aria, watching her sons.

Glaring at everyone, she took Nate’s hand and walked him away from the group.

“Not without Kenya!” said Nate.

“Kenya!” said Milon, crimson and about to burst into a million pieces.

“Nate, it’s impossible. I lost again through Veil One. I must stay with Milon,” said Kenya.

“Milon?” asked Nate.

“Milon,” she whispered.

She glanced away from Nate and towards his strange brother, who was holding a triumphant smile.

The Pinner Lines mounted around him. He cowered in pain.

His brother’s look of triumph was shredding his nerves.

“Darling, come with me. It’s for our safety,” said Aria.

Despite his racing heart, Nate had to do the right thing. He and his mum had to cross the Attic portal. They had to level The Parallels. But he also had to win Kenya back. What if the magic vanished once he crossed? What if returning to Kenya was not possible?

First, he was going to save his mother through Aunt Matea’s east wing. But he would postpone his own return.

“Mum, trust me, follow me!” he said.

“Where are we going?” asked Aria.

“Into Aunt Matea’s.”

“Through here!” said the Bellatorn security team.

“It’s not safe darling, let’s follow the team,” said Aria.

The group being evacuated cowered when the manor’s windows shattered. Archs were throwing valuable furniture trying to crash the RayCrests underneath.

“My word, they are destroying everything!” cried Aria.

“Not really Mum. Not really,” said Nate.

She observed Nate wide eyed, and he squirmed.

“If only we’d go back,” he said.

“Have you lost your senses?” said Aria.

The security team surrounded the Kinshots and the guests.

“Make sure you stick together! Follow the man in front,” said the bodyguard.

“You heard them. We follow,” said Aria.

Nate fretted.

The security guard at the front directed them towards the warped glass house on the grounds. But on entry, an Arch and an Inspiration fighter exploded into the congregation, making everyone scream and move away from the brutal fight. Meanwhile, the thunderclaps got louder and the red dust redder.

“Are we safe anywhere?” screamed a terrified guest.

“Mum, follow me. I promise we will be safer in the east wing!”

“That is further into the commotion! You’re not making any sense!” said Aria, following the security team leading them back outside.

“Why can’t you trust me? I know how to get us out.”

Nate’s advice went unheeded as Aria continued with the rest of the family. Reaching out for Nate’s hand as they walked. He walked with an exasperated gait. Clueless about what to do next. Even if he told her the truth, she’d never believe him.

The security team established a perimeter around the manor, keeping a safe distance from the fighting.

Nate ran forwards closer to the guards, placing his mask on. “Where are we going?”

“Towards one of the family’s cottages.”

They were walking towards Bo’s cottage. That was Nate’s cousin, who lived with his wife Jeanette and infant children. Bo was Uncle Gare’s eldest son. They lived further from the manor. The guests and family stumbled through the woodlands towards the cottage. The Gueye sisters had to take their high heels off and Madama Rossi worried aloud describing one worst-case scenario after another.

Nate checked behind them. A swarm of dark coal dust whipped over the Manor. The evacuees screamed with each boom of thunder. Just as dark coal covered the skies, so did a ray of light transform it into diamond dust that fell on the guests’ clothes.

Aria stood mesmerised, her eyes wide with wonder, as the RayCrests performed their graceful aerial dance, transforming a trail of coal into glistening diamond dust that fell on their face and shoulders.

“Wow,” said a guest.

Astrea and Jessamyn were struggling behind them. “I must join them, Mum. I have to help with coding.”

Aria placed her hand on her chest.

“What do you mean, darling? It’s a war zone out here! What has come over you!” she said, as they proceeded towards Bo’s cottage.

“I need you to come with me, mum,” he said. “But if you won’t, I’ll do what’s needed to keep us safe,” he said with a pained expression.

“I get you’re angry about Kenya, but this won’t help.”

“I’ll find you later, Mum,” said Nate as he ran in the opposite direction of the crowd.

“Nate, get back here!” she screamed.

As Nate neared Bellatorn, he worked out how best to help.

“Nate! Over here!” said Jessamyn. “Come with us, we’re coding to keep the Archs inside the wormhole.”

They were fifty yards from a large portal. A roaring wormhole filled the air, tearing apart the back garden. Nate stood there, his eyes wide with disbelief. The initiates stood on opposite sides of the portal, coding in unison. The Archs caused a pile-up before being sent into the next wormhole.

“Good to see you back!” said Astrea. Her hands glowed as she moved Archs from one wormhole to the next.

“Over here, Nate!” other initiates called for help.

He reacted and stood next to four initiates, creating a Markarian code, the longer Markan. It was impressive and their moves elaborate until they marked a stop in the fabric of time.

“Now!” called one of them during the freeze as Nate helped push the Archs back in.

The Markarian lasted minutes.

Woah. The power of union!