[u]Part 48[/u]

"Do you now see?" Nasedo demanded. Liz realized that she was holding her breath, let it out in a woosh. Maria, who was standing nearby, looked at her, her eyes wide and slightly worried. "Nothing!"

He was right. The Ring remained quiet, no sign that it had any intention of doing anything at all evident.

"Your highness."

Max did not turn as he answered Jemma, "What is it?"

"You do not need to execute him your highness. The Royal Guard would be more than willing to do it."

Max looked at her. "Is it within the Royal Guard's mandate to do so?"

"No," Jemma admitted. "There has never been a need. The Ring has always come through before." Liz could hear the underlying fear in the woman's voice. The fact that nothing was happening to Nasedo.it was tilting her universe on its axis. She believed in the Ring and she [I]knew[/I] that Nasedo was a criminal. If nothing happened to him, her entire belief system would be destroyed.

Max lowered his voice, but Liz could still hear him clearly. "It's okay Jemma."

"Your highness?" Her uncertainty rang in her voice, like she was doing her best to trust in this boy she still called her king, even though she had now chosen to follow Jennetta in the future.

Max was glancing in Liz's direction, a grim expression on his face. She realized that he had been secretly hoping that the Ring would judge Nasedo immediately. It seemed, however, that the shapeshifter had been right. As long as Nasedo still believed he was in the right, he would continue to defeat the Ring's power.

Which was where the rest of Max's plan came in.

"It's not necessary Jemma," Max said. "We've only just begun. But thank you."

Liz sighed, pressed her lips together and hurried over to Kyle and Tess. Kyle saw her coming, whispered into Tess's ear again. The small blonde's frame spasmed once as she dropped the mindwarp and then she collapsed into Kyle's arms. Liz knew that all of her friends were now visible to everyone in the Ring when Jennetta started, then looked about ready to fling herself at Maria with delight. She managed to stay where she was though, obviously aware that they had to play this all very carefully.

"I see that all illusion is at an end then Jaxon," Nasedo said, sounding satisfied. "You see that I am right. Once and for all, I have been chosen to reunite our world. Think about how easy it will be for you to just give in. You can live your little human life and never have to worry about Illyria again." His tone was wheedling, irritating, sent a shudder of annoyance down Liz's spine. "I will marry Jennetta and you can have your Liz."

Liz looked at Michael quickly at this last statement. Jennetta's father's nostrils flared slightly, his rage just contained, but he was doing an admirable job of controlling it. He had agreed to trust Max and he would continue to do so until there was no other choice. Michael had become a leader over the course of the last three years, but he would also always remain loyal to Max first. Liz felt a pang of love for him run through her for the first time in a long while. She and Michael had not even tried to pretend that they were friends since the whole disaster when Max had been lost on Illyria. They had always maintained a respectful distance, but Liz now regretted it. When this was all finally over, she was going to do her best to truly mend fences with Michael. It was more than past time. She loved him as much as she loved any of them, was as proud of him as she was of the others, and he needed to know it.

He deserved to know it.

"Your delusions are at an end," Max corrected evenly. He raised his voice. "Izzy!"

Isabel stepped out from behind on of the stones, her expression blank. "We're ready Max."

"Bring him into the circle," Max instructed.

"Bring who." Nasedo's voice trailed off as Michael moved behind the stone and then he and Alex came forward, Ren's lifeless corpse draped between them. Liz swallowed, felt a flash of grief for the strange but loyal shapeshifter. She just hoped that Jennetta was right about this - that it hadn't been too long, that the Royal Four could bring him back.

Liz looked at Jennetta, who was standing close to Jemma, her hands clenched tightly in front of her. She was obviously struggling to maintain the facade of detachment the rest of them had adopted. The last thing they wanted was for Nasedo to see how nervous they all were, how afraid that maybe he was right, that maybe all of his evil actions had been for a reason preordained - that to rule, one really did have to be ruthless and uncaring. That for the greater good of many, the few had to suffer.

It could not be true. It simply could not. Liz refused to believe they were wrong about this.

Max moved away from Nasedo, passing Liz on his way to where Alex, Isabel and Michael were gathered around Nasedo's son. As he passed her, he smiled slightly, no indication of his fear anywhere on his face or in his carriage. She knew that she was the only one who even suspected, feeling his nerves through their connection as clearly as she felt her own. She smiled back, hoping to transmit her faith in him.

"Is Tess okay Kyle?" Michael was asking as Kyle helped his girlfriend to kneel on one side of Ren's body. Liz realized that Tess's brother had reason to be concerned. Tess had overdone the mindwarping again it seemed, if the paleness of her complexion was any indication. She sighed, hoped that Tess would soon learn that she didn't constantly have to prove herself to them.

"I'm fine," Tess snapped, her spine straightening as she pulled away from Kyle. "I [I]can[/I] speak for myself you know Michael. I wish everyone would stop treating me like I'm some china doll." Liz felt mildly amused when she saw Michael smirk slightly. Kyle looked annoyed, which only reinforced to Liz that Michael was trying to rile Tess on purpose to give her a jolt of the adrenaline she would need to get through the healing.

"No one thinks you're weak Tess," Max reassured her firmly, glancing at Michael warningly. Michael simply stared back, making Max sigh before he continued, "You are the strongest of us all and we've known it for a long time."

Tess smiled at him before shooting Michael another glare, but settled down, accepting the orange healing stone that her brother handed her.

Isabel knelt at Ren's feet. Alex took a step back, leaned up against the nearest standing stone, obviously wanting to be near Isabel in case she needed him. Michael settled into position across from Tess, with Max at Ren's head.

Liz moved close to Maria, taking her best friend's hand in hers. She could feel Maria's tension. If this didn't work, Jennetta was going to be devastated. Liz understood how helpless Maria often felt when it came to her daughter's happiness, that nothing about Jenny had ever been normal. But happiness was what Maria wanted for her child and if Ren was what she desired, Maria would be absolutely heartbroken if she couldn't have him. Maria glanced at her, smiled gratefully, then turned her attention back to the tableau before them.

"I don't understand why you think healing my son will change anything," Nasedo said, his voice sounding a little strange. "It will, in fact, strengthen my position to have an heir to my throne."

Everyone ignored him. Max, Isabel, Tess and Michael all had their eyes closed, were concentrating on forcing life back into Ren's body. Liz had witnessed the process when they had brought Nasedo back, but she heard Maria gasp in astonishment as the shapeshifter's body began to glow, changing form several times before settling back into its familiar human shape.

Liz waited expectantly for the great gasp of breath that would run through Ren's body as he came back to himself, remembering how it had been with Nasedo. She began to feel slightly concerned when nothing happened. Ren continued to lie motionless, no spark of life illuminating his face.

She turned her attention to Max, whose eyes had opened. He was wearing a slight frown, as though he was working through some puzzle. He looked over at Jennetta, who looked pale and fragile, clearly on the verge of losing it. "Jennetta, come here sweeting," he said gently, using the pet name he had given her when she was a child. It was a little odd that he should address a grown woman so and, yet, seemed perfectly appropriate in the circumstances.

"Why?" Jenny whispered, her voice cracking. "He's.is he.?" She couldn't seem to get the words out. Liz saw Michael shift, obviously resisting the temptation to go to his daughter. Maria seemed frozen next to Liz, unsure how to proceed.

"He's in there," Max replied firmly. "He's resisting us." Liz realized that Michael, Isabel and Tess were all still intimately connected to Ren, which was why their eyes were closed, their expressions beginning to reveal the stress they were undergoing.

"What?" Jennetta exclaimed, moving forward. "Why? Why would he be doing that?"

Max looked over at Nasedo, scowling. "I think I can guess. We can [I]feel[/I] him. His emotions are coming back. We're restoring his balance completely, including what was lost in the cleansing. He's having trouble accepting the shame of what his father has done."

There was a long pause as Jennetta processed this. "Are you telling me that he knows what's been happening here while he's been gone?" She finally asked, glancing over at Maria, a slight frown on her face.

Max shrugged. "I think he does. He needs a reason to come back. He doesn't want his life to play any role in helping Nasedo to threaten your throne."

Jennetta was frowning. "But.If he knows what's going on, then he knows." She was tentative as she continued. "He knows about me?" She sounded afraid. "About how I feel about him. Isn't that reason enough?"

"He knows," Max assured her. He grimaced, looked at Liz, as though for strength, and then said in a rush, "Jennetta he doesn't believe it."

"What?" Jennetta exclaimed. "Why not?"

"He's in turmoil," Max replied. "It's been a long time since he's been forced to deal with so much emotion. Don't blame him for that sweeting."

"Well, he's going to deal with me," Jennetta returned firmly. She marched over to where Ren's internal struggle was taking place, threw herself down next to Max at his head. The shapeshifter was still completely lifeless in Liz's eyes, but she knew better than anyone now, thanks to her connection to Max, that what went on below the surface was often entirely beyond the comprehension of anyone watching.

He might seem dead, but Ren was [I]not[/I] dead. From what Max was saying, if they didn't bring him back, he would go on anyway, watching over Jennetta, loving her, even if he never entirely understood that it was what he felt. It was comforting and, yet, sad that he would choose to reject what was being offered to him. Liz grimaced slightly, realized the irony that it was what she and Max had constantly done over the past three years as they had run away from each other in an attempt to protect one another. Ren would learn soon enough that running from love was the stupidest mistake one could ever make.

"What do I do?" Jenny asked Max, her anger seeming to drain out of her as she stared down at Ren.

Max smiled softly. "I think you know sweeting." He took her hands gently, placing them against Ren's temples. He then sat back on his heels, closed his eyes, and rejoined his connection with the rest of his four square. Liz breathed a slight sigh of relief when the expressions of pain on Michael, Isabel and Tess's face seemed to slacken as Max reclaimed some of the burden of pulling Ren back from wherever his spirit presently resided.

"God Liz," Maria whispered. "What if this doesn't work? I don't know how I'll help her." She scowled. "Why does he have to be so stubborn?"

"Ren will learn what we all have," Liz reassured, squeezing her friend lightly around the shoulders. "That protecting someone at the expense of their happiness is no gift. He'll need time to adjust, but Jennetta is young still. They can learn it together."

And it was in that instant that Ren opened his eyes.

There was a long moment of silence as everyone stared at him, almost in disbelief, even though they had all known it was coming. Because, after all, Liz reflected ruefully, what exactly did one say to someone who had just come back from the dead?

The stillness was broken when everyone started to talk at once.

"Thank God!" Said Maria.

"Izzy, are you okay?" Asked Alex.

"I'm fine Alex," Isabel replied impatiently, but obviously felt bad about it because she kissed him a moment later.

"Can someone give Tess a jolt of energy here?" Snapped Kyle, holding Tess against his side. The blonde had collapsed again, her strength now completely gone.

Liz watched Michael and Max help Ren to his feet, as Isabel moved to honour Kyle's request. The shapeshifter seemed unsteady for a moment, but only that long. Liz remembered that it had been the same with Nasedo. He had almost instantly been himself again.

But Liz could already tell from the expression on Ren's face that he was nowhere near the same as he had been when he had "died." He was turning slowly to look at Jennetta, who was still standing behind him, her hands clenched, a blank expression on her face.

Everyone stopped talking again as they waited to hear what the stoic shapeshifter would say. When it came, it was not quite what Liz expected.

"I'm sorry."

Liz blinked, could see from Jennetta's face that she was just as surprised as she was.

"For what?" Jenny's brow was wrinkled in dismay.

Ren turned his head, stared at Nasedo, who actually looked a little frightened. Had Liz been on the receiving end of Ren's present expression, she knew she would have been. "For him. I swear I did not know that he still lived." He took a step towards the captive Nasedo, who had raised his chin and was now meeting his son's gaze head-on, no shame in his stance.

"What he is has nothing to do with you," Jennetta replied quietly.

A tremor large enough for Liz to see ran through Ren's frame. "I am his son."

Max stepped forward, placed his hand on the shapeshifter's shoulder. Ren looked back at him in surprise.

"You are my brother," Max said quietly. Isabel cleared her throat meaningfully, scowling at him. "[I]Our[/I] brother," Max amended ruefully, grinning apologetically at Izzy. "He has nothing to do with you," Max continued. "You are one of us."

Ren stared at Max for a long moment. "I do not understand how you can accept me so readily after all that my parents have done to you."

Max laughed slightly. "After everything Ren, you still don't get that its our actions that shape who we are? You've always chosen the right path. You saved Jennetta when Michael, Maria and I couldn't. You left your planet to protect her. You [I]love[/I] her. It's enough for me."

"And me." Maria spoke up. She looked over at Michael, one eyebrow raised.

He sighed, sounding long-suffering. Liz could see that he had had no intention of saying [I]anything[/I] to Ren at the moment. "Whatever Jennetta wants is what I want for her. But you know I've never had anything against you Ren."

"What Jennetta wants?" All heads turned to look at Nasedo, who was glaring at Ren now, disgust written all over his features. "I remember now why I abandonned you years ago. You are just as pathetic as the rest of them, always were, even after you were cleansed."

"I chose to be cleansed to please [I]you,[/I]" Ren retorted. "You never understood that."

"Why in the universe would you think that would have pleased me?" Nasedo snapped. "Cleansing is supposed to help you control your emotions. It only made you weaker."

"But you don't believe in cleansing." Liz couldn't help herself. She had to intervene at this. "You told me that yourself. Now you sound like you support it."

"I support it for weaklings like my son who cannot control their own emotions little queen," Nasedo replied, his tone softening slightly as he addressed her. "Ren was never strong enough to do so. Why do you think I like you so much? You are the only human I have ever met who can leash her own wants, desires and feelings enough to do what she knows is right." He almost leered at her, angering Max apparently, because Liz felt his fury slam through her.

But Liz was not angry or scared or even disgusted. She just felt sorry for him. "You are so wrong. Everything I do is because I feel. How can you not understand that?" She looked over at Max, smiled at him. "Everything I have ever done is because of how much I love one person."

When her gaze met Max's dark eyes, she finally understood what he meant to prove by having them judged now. He hadn't elaborated about exactly what he thought it would show, but it was now so clear to her, she wondered how she ever could have questioned it.

What better way to prove to their nemesis once and for all that love would always win out then by having them commit to each other completely in his presence?

Because, in the end, if what Nasedo believed was true - if the Ring's power over right and wrong truly lay within the control of the person being judged - then he needed to understand once and for all that, at least where she was concerned, he was in the wrong. She could never belong to anyone but Max Evans. Ever. They were emotionally bonded with ties so strong, even were he or she to die tomorrow, the other would follow shortly thereafter. It wasn't sad, it wasn't scary. It just [I]was.[/I]

He had waited two lifetimes for her. She meant to live several more only with him. They were, quite simply, meant to be.

Liz moved away from Maria and towards Max, holding out her hands. He took them, grinning at her, not speaking, understanding completely without her having to say a word. He pulled her gently against his chest, as he turned his head to look at Nasedo.

"Do you understand what's happening here?"

"I understand that you are all fools," Nasedo replied, sounding bored again, although as Liz examined his usual cryptic expression, she could see a flicker of uncertainty, as though he was no longer two steps ahead of them, was unable to figure out where they were headed with this.

Max pulled back from Liz, picked up one of her hands again and pulled her after him as he walked toward Nasedo. "Your son has deserted you. He has chosen Jennetta. [I]You[/I] did that. It's very clear that he loved you once, that you could have had a relationship with him, but you put yourself about him."

"Your point?" Nasedo snapped, not sounding the least bit regretful.

"My point is that you have no claim to the throne through him following you or through the fact that he is my brother. But he [I]will[/I] rule." Max stopped walking when he and Liz were mere steps away from where Nasedo stood, trapped by his own belief in the Ring. "You can't marry Jennetta. She won't have you and it seems highly unlikely that any of the people in this place will ever allow it."

At this, Liz became aware of the crowd that was now gathering on the outskirts of the stone circle. Jemma's reinforcements she realized. But, even better, witnesses. They would all witness what was about to happen.

"Liz and I belong only to each other," Max continued. He was staring at Nasedo, his expression almost sad. "And the Ring is about to prove that we made the right choice. In your own words, what we believe to be true judges us in this circle. [I]I[/I] believe that Jennetta and Ren are meant to rule Illyria together. I also believe that Isabel, Michael, Tess and I belong on Earth now. Finally, and most importantly, I believe that I was sent here to find one person and she is standing right beside me." Max squeezed Liz's hand lightly, sending a shiver of love down her spine. Even now, he was completely aware of her, in tune to her, [I]with[/I] her. "Your role in all of this has only ever been to see that all three of these things happened. And I think that you now know it. You killed us, you have played with our minds, but, in the end, you brought us to this place, at this time. But your job is done now, your purpose at an end. Believe it."

Liz was watching Nasedo's dark eyes closely, desperate to see the waver she knew Max was also awaiting. For one heart-stopping moment, she almost started to believe that they had been wrong, that they would not break him, that it would not happen.

And, then, it did. His pupils dilated slightly as a moment of indecision, an instant of uncertainty, crossed his mind.

It was then, and only then, that Max raised their clasped hands and placed them on the orb Nasedo was still holding in his hands, as though he had forgotten it was there.

"Let the union that [I]you[/I] created heal the breach that exists. So it is written in the stars, so shall it be." Max whispered so that only she and Nasedo could hear him.

It was enough. A look of complete horror crossed the shapeshifter's face. It branded itself into her mind and, for one instant, she felt sorry for him.

Liz heard a shriek from somewhere behind her, thought it might be Maria. It was only then that she realized that the Ring had come to life. She looked around in terrified awe as a fierce red light seemed to dance from stone to stone, pulling energy from the Earth and from the ties that bound this place to the rest of the universe.

It all happened so fast, she didn't even have time to close her eyes, was only in the process of doing so to protect them from the glare. It was the reason that, as the light reached its full strength and rose high up into the sky above them, hovering over the place where she stood intimately linked to both Max and Nasedo, she saw exactly what it meant to be judged - and found guilty.

The flash of light pierced down upon them, striking Nasedo directly. She couldn't quite explain it later, but one moment he was there, his hand brushing hers where they touched under the orb, and the next he was gone. He simply vanished. It was then that she finally closed her eyes, waiting to disappear herself.

She almost felt bad about it - that for one split second, she doubted that they would survive this, wondered if maybe they had made a mistake. But Max's soft voice trailed through her thoughts, eradicating the guilt before it could gain a hold, his warm hand still clasping hers and anchoring her to the reality that they were going to live on - that their future was about to start.

[I]I'll believe enough for the both of us. And when I doubt, you'll do the same. We are meant to be my love. For now and for always.[/I]

His kiss, when it came, was so sweet, it made tears gather under her lids. They were on her cheeks as she finally opened her eyes and met his gaze. He raised his hands and cupped her face gently, dropping another gentle kiss on her forehead. As he pulled her against his solid warmth to comfort her, she murmured quietly to herself, to him, "It's over. It's finally over."

And, yet, she knew that, for them - for Max and Liz - it had also only just begun.

To be continued.