Chapter Four: Appearances, Appearances

Max and Liz stood before Khivar, Liz too terrified and Max too confused to speak. It had worked. Neither of them could believe that Langley's device had transported them to Antar. But there was no doubt, they were no longer on Earth.

The sky was an ethereal shade of green, it seemed to glow in places. Though it was afternoon, for them the feel was of early morning, just after the sun had risen. While Max seemed to be having no trouble, Liz felt the atmosphere become heavy, and her breathing was laboured. She had already forgotten the sensations of her transport, and it seemed to her that she had been frightened by something just before finding herself here. Though what it was, she could no longer remember. She felt as though she were floating, weightless. She looked down to see herself firmly standing on the ground. Her expression of confusion was more than Khivar could bear, and he broke into a wide smile.

"Have no fear, my girl. While watching you find your bearings could prove amusing to me for hours, I am afraid I haven't the time. No, I have many things to do, and now I have two more guests to prepare for. Well...one, actually. For while you are visible, and can feel fear and joy just as you did before, you are not really here." Seeing her look of disbelief, he could not help but laugh. He had grown rather fond of humans on his last visit to earth. Their emotions astonished him, and he found them to be great playthings. "Your mind is here, yes. Your beloved Zan has dragged that with him very much against your will. And as he will not be returning to earth, it is most likely you, also, will remain with us. I am sorry, though. While you can look upon all of the great wonder of Antar, you will be able to experience none of it. Your senses beyond sight and hearing are limited. Let me ask you....can you feel the hand that still holds your own?"

Liz broke from his hypnotic glance and looked down at Max's hand holding hers. Khivar was right, she could not feel him. What is happening? she thought. I could feel him before...

"Yes, you could," Khivar replied to her thoughts. "You had not completely left your planet at that time. And what little there is of the human brain...." he grinned, "was still clinging to your sensory perception. It still is, to some degree. For example, how do I look to you? And Zan?"

Liz found his words terribly diorienting. To her, Khivar looked the same as any man she had ever seen. Although, there was something in his eyes that she couldn't discount. They were...different, somehow. But her thoughts turned quickly to Max, as did her gaze. Yes, Max. It was him, and he was the same as always. She did notice one peculiar thing which had escaped her attention until now. Max was not looking at her, nor had he looked at her since Khivar began speaking. His eyes were riveted to Khivar, and never had she seen him so intent.

Khivar watched her closely, and his amusement grew with each passing moment. Oh, I am going to have fun with this one, he thought. There was no greater gift he could have received on the dawn of his festival. And so unplanned, so unexpected.

"Your feeble human brain cannot comprehend the reality of this place, and so, stubbornly it will hold onto what it knows. It is in your best interest, I think. Should it be any other way, your mind would collapse in upon itself, and then what fun could i have?" He laughed at his own malice, and turned to leave them.

"Farewell, for the time being, my friends. Fallinor will set you up in comfortable accomodations, enjoy your leisure until then. I shall call on you this evening, and it will be revealed to you just how happy I am that you have come, Zan."

They watched him enter the palace and close the doors. Liz was stunned by the few things she had learned, and her fear was mounting. She turned to Max. "If I'm not really here," she began..."then where am I? Still on earth? How is that possible? Max?" She moved to face him, and found that he was still staring at the closed door.

"Max? Max!!" She could get no response from him, not even a change in expression. She was no longer afraid, she was terrified. "Max!" she tried again. Nothing. A cold settled over her as she looked at him. This wasn't Max.

"Zan?" she said quietly. His eyes moved slightly towards her, then back to the door.