Machia Veil Timeline

Late evening, September 8th – Bellatorn Estate, Denewood, Surridge

Ellis Warnock awoke from the fall with a throbbing pain in her head after the harsh concussion. She sat by the edge of Bellatorn Manor, the stone wall cold against her back, her pulse racing. The air crackled, accompanied by a strong wind that carried a mix of coal and diamond dust. She got up, unsettled, and brushed it off her lapel. When mixed with coal, it was less draining. She scanned the area, hoping to find Nate, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Her eyes widened in amazement as RayCrests displayed brand new codes around her. “Okay, if I can’t find him, I’ll gather more data and document everything,” she said, pulling out a small camera from her pouch. She hid behind a statue. Despite the chaos, she was safe conducting her research since RayCrests only fought in self-defence. She would collect more portal keys in case they lost.

Two RayCrests worked together to create wormholes that vacuumed Archs away from the site. She got closer considering intervention, but there were too many RayCrests. She waited.

“Darn it!” she said, closing her eyes and staying hidden behind a hedge.

Another Charax happened, and it threw her deeper into the Bellatorn forest.

Disoriented, she regained enough control of her body to stand up. A button press activated her camera. “I will get you!” she said. Then, with a limp, she headed towards the hedges concealing herself again, recording whatever she could. Still no sight of Nate.

***

Ellis’ research was short-lived. Kit was heading to Bo’s cottage. She limped to follow Kit and his retinue. As they reached the surrounding forest of Bo’s cottage, they saw blinding lights transforming their Arch codes into diamond dust. It fell on their heads and Ellis shook it off like a bee was trying to sting her.

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A few Archs tired of Aurial coding resorted to physical assault, but this only depleted them because the RayCrests coded themselves into shields. These same Archs fell to the ground. Ellis watched as they collected the diamond dust instead of fighting. She ran limping towards them.

“What do you think you’re doing?” said Ellis.

“We are going to be rich. He says these are diamonds!” said the Arch.

“There will be nothing if RayCrests take over! Fight! Before I turn you over to Kit!”

One of them threatened her, and, with unwavering confidence, she delivered a powerful left cheek punch. In shock, he held his cheek and retaliated with a slap that left Ellis wide-eyed. She jumped on top of him, twisting his head. He fought back and threw her across the parterre. Ellis struggled but managed a freeze. Then she jumped him and beat him to a pulp. Exhausted, she stepped back as the code unfroze. A RayCrest observed Ellis. She became self-conscious next to her beaten Arch. The RayCrest took flight again, and she observed him code coal back into diamond dust. The other Archs went back to square one, collecting diamond dust.

“Stop!” said Ellis, taking out a gun. “Just stop it!” The Archs raised their hands in the air and stood up. “Move towards the exit. Now!”

They retreated towards the exit. Then Darcy approached.

“There you are! Come quick. Kit and the team have located Aria.”

She raised her eyes to the sky and groaned. Having to let them go. “Weasels! Just go!”

“What was that about?” asked Darcy.

“Deserters, but they won’t get away with it!” she said.

They reached Kit and walked behind him.

“You need first aid,” said Darcy, pointing at her bloodied hand clutching her thigh.

“Nothing serious. I can walk,” she said, wincing in pain.

Other Archs lined up on either side of them. They coded their version of the Waterli shield. Their footsteps echoed on the wooden planks of the small bridge as they crossed, revealing a quaint cottage nestled in the distance. A massive Waterli shield protected the home, which was accompanied by around twenty RayCrests hovering above. But, as soon as Kit’s army appeared, the RayCrests transformed into agile Charax coders.

The force of the impact threw Kit and the Archs back, tumbling fifty yards. They coded an Arch Markarian during the recovery process. Kit approached the home alone, motioning for the others to stay at a distance. Ellis, depleted, gazed up at the acrobatic RayCrests frozen in midair above Bo’s cottage. They resembled a Da Vinci masterpiece rather than battle fighters. Ellis squinted her eyes, her mind reeling from the image, but she regained her composure, recalling her training to resist RayCrest harmonics. She looked around the cottage. Time began moving forward again.

“Hold the Markarian!” shouted Kit Mannon.