A/N: THIS IS OFFICIALLY THE FINAL CHAPTER. GRAB SOME SNACKS
BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG ONE. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE MISTAKES THAT I
PROBABLY MADE ALL OVER THIS CHAPTER. I DON'T FEEL LIKE PROOFREADING ALL THESE
PAGES. I HOPE YOU LIKE IT.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. ENJOY AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW
OKAY.
~*~
"I've come to a decision." Max said as he, Isabel and Michael sat in
the living room.
Isabel looked up at her brother from her nephew who she was playing with and
frowned. "What decision?" She asked.
Max shrugged his shoulders, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I'm going
home." He declared and Isabel's face fell as her gaze returned to Lex.
"For good?" She asked.
Max nodded. "For good." He said, echoing his
sister's words.
Michael smiled from where he sat, watching carefully the somewhat mixed
exchange between his friends. "I'm glad you finally made up your mind.
It's about time." He said and Max smiled again.
"When?" Isabel asked.
"As soon as we can get the granilith working." Max replied quietly,
already looking forward to seeing Tess.
"Will we ever see any of you again?" Isabel continued.
"Of course. We'll visit whenever we can."
She nodded silently then, a far away look in her eyes.
"You don't have to go with us, either of you, if you don't want to."
Max said to Isabel and Michael.
"It's not that. I already know that I'm not going." Isabel clarified.
"It's just that it won't be the same without you here. And we'll miss Lex.
I was just getting around to spoiling him."
"We'll visit." Max reassured her.
"So this is the real deal?" Michael asked.
"Yeah." Max answered.
"Does Tess know about this?" Isabel asked as she rocked her nephew in
her arms.
Max shook his head, a sigh escaping his lips. "I haven't received any
information or messages from her. Kail hasn't been here in months and I don't
want her to know. It should be a surprise." Max explained, trying to push away the bad feeling he just got.
"Are you two going to get married again?" Isabel asked aloud as the
thought crossed her mind.
"I'll have to see how Tess feels about that."
Michael smiled. "We all know that Tess wants the three of you to be
together." He declared and Isabel nodded in approval. "Does everyone
else know about this?"
"No, just the two of you. I'm going to tell them
as soon as I ask Alex to get the granilith working again."
"Well, good luck, man." Michael said as he walked over to Max and
shook his hand.
"Thanks."
************************************************************************
"So it's good to go?" Max asked as he and Alex stood in front of his
house. Alex had come by that afternoon to tell him the good news. The granilith
was ready. After two months of grueling and head-ache inducing research and
tests, it was ready. Max could finally get on his way back to Tess.
"Yup." Alex answered a small smile on his
face.
"Good." Max beamed. "I'll go get Lex."
"Max, don't you think you should wait another day?" Alex asked.
Max shook his head. "I don't see any reason as to why I should wait
another day." He answered.
"Well, how about saying good bye to all your friends and maybe packing?
And the granilith takes twenty four hours to prepare itself."
Alex reminded him, an amused look on his face.
Max nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed for acting too excited but he couldn't
help it. He wanted to leave as soon as possible. He wanted to see Tess again
and hold her in his arms and smell her hair and kiss her.
He wanted to make sure that she was alright. There was still the nagging
feeling that something was not right. It was already almost ten months since he
last saw her and he couldn't push a sense of dread out of his mind.
After all, Tess did have a habit of getting into trouble.
Max hoped that this time, despite whatever his feelings told him, he was wrong.
The next day, he said goodbye to all his friends for the final time as all of
them stood in front of the granilith to see him off.
Isabel cried, making him promise to do whatever to keep in touch with her and
Michael and the rest of the family. She made him swear never to let her nephew
forget her.
Michael wished him luck, reminding him that Tess was special and he was lucky
that they both had another chance after so many disasters.
Kyle gave him a neatly wrapped package to give to Tess. "She'll
understand." Kyle told him. He then proceeded on half jokingly warning
Max, alien or not, that if he ever caused anything to hurt his sister again, Kyle would personally make
his life difficult.
Alex took his turn and wished him like, like the rest of them did and hinted on
future plans like a wedding or more children. Max only laughed. Inwardly, he
liked the sound of that. "Someday, we'll visit you." He promised and
Max nodded. Soon, he thought.
Maria hugged him, smiling sadly. "It won't be the same without you."
She said, voicing everyone's thoughts. "Come back, Max, even if you're not
here to save our lives again." She chuckled. "And tell Tess that
too."
"I will." Max answered.
Liz followed next, sad look in her face. "We've been through so much and
I'm lucky to have you in my life. I'm grateful, Max. Thank you for everything
that you've done for me and given me. It meant so much." She said, hugging
him gently, saddened that she was losing a really good friend.
Liz had come to the understanding that no matter how much they had loved each
other in the past, Max belonged and always will belong to Tess for the rest of
his life.
Max smiled, not knowing what to say to her. "Bye, Liz. Thanks for
everything too." He said instead.
The last to say goodbye was Jim Valenti, deeply saddened that he was losing a
man that he considered as a son. He extended his hand to shake Max's and then
hugged him instead. "Be happy, Max." He whispered to him. "You
all deserve that much." And with that said, he kissed little Lex on the
forehead, ruffling his hair before taking a step back to join the others.
Max stood in front of them with his son in his arms. He was happy to finally be
able to go to Tess but at the same time, dismayed to leave the people who had
been through so much with him and had held a part of his heart.
This was his family and they had gone through the most bizarre and dangerous
and exciting moments in the lives.
They had shared their happiness and disappointments and no matter what, they
had been there for each other.
He was leaving the people he knew he could count on, leaving the home that he
has had for most of his life.
It was heartbreaking.
"I wish I had a great speech to give you guys." Max said, sniffling a
little. "I can't even begin to explain how much gratitude I have for all
of you. You've been great, for lack of a better word. I wouldn't be here if it
wasn't for all of you. I'm...I'm fortunate to have friends...no, family, like
you." He quickly corrected. "And I want my son to know all of you so
that he would be just as lucky as I was. Thank you so much for
everything." Max took a deep breath. He looked at all their faces, holding
the memories that came with each person.
He'd remember them forever for their kindness.
"We'll all follow soon, Max. It'll be like one big family reunion."
Michael smiled as he put his arm around Maria's waist but still standing close
to Isabel who was holding Alex's hand.
"Yeah." Isabel agreed, hoping that it really
would happen.
"I'll see all of you soon." Max said as he stepped inside the
granilith with Lex and the door closed, taking him a step closer to Tess.
************************************************************************
"What do you mean she's missing?" Kail roared at one of the high
ranking officers named Drake.
The man stood still, his eyes leveled to his superior. "We can't find her
sir. There was a huge explosion. Everything was in chaos." Drake answered.
He was in the one of the units that Ava commanded.
Kail exhaled; exhaustion evident in his posture. "How long has she been
missing?" He asked, his voice softening but still strained.
"The last time someone saw her was three days." The officer answered.
"I ordered several of my troops to search for her. I myself had looked.
There's no sign of the queen."
Kail shut his eyes, praying that what he feared did not happen. He was already
beginning to regret taking a different post from Ava. Had he been near her, he
would probably have kept her safe. "Who else knows that the queen is
missing?" He asked.
"Just myself and several of my men. Even they
don't really suspect anything." Drake answered. "They think that I'm
looking for her to see what to do next."
Kail nodded, satisfied. "Keep it that way. Don't let word get out that the
queen is missing. In the mean time, you take your orders from me. Continue to
look for her. If there's no body, then she's still alive. I'll search the
western front as well." He declared and Drake nodded before turning to
leave and return to his post.
Kail did the same, heading for the opposite direction. He hadn't received word
from Ava and when his concern finally became great worry, he hurried back to
the palace.
He found it in shambles, half of it ruined by an explosion. The rest was used
as a make-shift hospital and shelter for the wounded or dying soldiers.
Kail shook his helmet-covered head at the disastrous situation that they were
once again. It seemed that their people was cursed, their queen especially.
One lifetime after another, disaster followed. Her life and her people's was
engulfed by pain and suffering. Death surrounded them constantly.
It seemed that the past was repeating itself again and like before, they could
not escape the tragic end.
************************************************************************
In one of the abandoned battlegrounds, a man and his daughter finds the dying
body of a woman.
He gasped at the sight in front of him. Sprawled beside a soldier's dead body,
covered in mud and blood, the girl was barely alive. She was barely
recognizable. Her face was slashed by a large weapon and her shoulder badly
dislocated. She was wounded in the stomach, presumably stabbed three different
times. He assumed that she hit her head on a rock when she fell and knocked her
unconscious. The wound had the beginnings of an infection.
"Help me carry her!" He said to his daughter who rushed to his side.
They carried her limp body to a clearing and made camp. "Who do you think
she is?" The daughter glanced at the woman who was breathing evenly but
still unconscious.
The man shrugged; curiosity and concern written on his face. "Who
knows?" He answered as he watched the blue-green flames of the fire dance
before his eyes.
************************************************************************
Something had gone horribly wrong. Max and Lex had reached Antar but instead of
the beautiful planet that Tess helped him remember from before, what he found
was a war zone.
Max looked around him, shaken by shock and fear. Lex was still in his arms,
whimpering, obviously aware that something was wrong with his home.
"It's okay, Lex." Max whispered to his son.
His heart was beating so fast that he hoped he didn't scare Lex.
They were in room where another granilith stood, exactly the same as the one on
Earth. He peered out of the room, holding Lex close to him for protection.
Outside, there were hundreds of soldiers, mostly wounded. Many of them were
laying on what seemed like the Antarian version of hospital beds. They appeared
to be in some kind of enormous hall.
A man in uniform spotted Max and a frown crossed his face. He was immediately
walking toward them.
"You shouldn't have come here." The stranger said sternly in their
Antarian language.
Max remained silent, thankful that he understood most of the words, and said nothing
as the man ushered him out of the room. He signaled a few of the less wounded
guards to stand in front of the room where the granilith was kept.
Max only looked at him.
The soldier shook his head at Max as he took a quick glance at Lex. "It's
unfortunate that you and your son had to come back to Antar these times. No one
told you?"
Max shook his head as he glanced at the organized chaos. Half of the building
was torn off. "What happened?" He asked.
"When the Queen returned and the news of Khivar's death reached his
supporters here on this planet, they ambushed the Royal Four's followers. They
started assassinating the Council members. The people's army retaliated and
from there a war begun." The stranger answered sadly, his eyes becoming
teary.
"And the Queen?" Max asked, careful with his choice of words.
The man shrugged. "She's been in the battlefield since the war begun. It's
terrifying out there." He answered, his expression becoming unhappier.
"We are so blessed to have a ruler who is as courageous as Ava. Her people
will always be grateful."
Max nodded, becoming more worried than before. "And where is Kail?"
"Last we heard, the commander was in the western
front with the rest of his troops." The man replied. "He'll be back
here today, I assume. He usually comes back to check one everyone every few
weeks and take back any able soldiers to the field. My name is Drake by the
way. I'm one of the commanding officers. I'm sorry I can't do anything for you.
I wish I could. We're all in trouble here." He said glancing at the room.
"Someone should have told you not to come." With that said Drake
turned on his heel and walked off to another part of the palace.
He looked back at Max who was still standing in the middle of the room, his son
in his arms.
Something was not right with the stranger. He was asking too many questions.
Drake would keep an eye him until the Commander returned.
He had received new information about the Queen.
************************************************************************
"Is it just me or are there more people in Roswell?" Kyle asked
curiously as he peered through the Crashdown's windows.
Liz looked up from one of the tables that she was cleaning up. "Immigrants?" She
joked as she carried the plates into the kitchen where Michael was, along with
Maria.
"I don't know yet. We should check it out." Kyle replied, distracted.
Liz shook her head and continued to clear the tables. "This is Roswell you know. They're
probably tourists." She offered and Kyle shook his head absently.
They were cleaning up. The Crashdown was closed and Liz was looking forward to
a movie with Maria.
It was their new Friday night routine ever since Max left, which was a month
ago. On Saturdays, Maria, Michael, Kyle and herself would have dinner at her
house. Occasionally, Isabel and Alex would join them. And sometimes, the girls
would have their girls' night.
Then Sunday would come and the group would come together, and do something
else. It seemed that ever since Max left, their lives became routine. Not the
boring, intolerable repetition of tasks but more like ritual.
They made it a point to see each other and remain friends.
"Kyle, stop staring at the people passing by." Maria exclaimed as she
came out from the kitchen, removing her apron off.
"They're not passing by. They're just standing." Kyle said.
The hairs on the back of the girls' necks stood up and they both shuddered. His
statement reminded them of a line from violently graphic horror movie.
Michael still in the kitchen overheard what he said and walked up to Kyle and
looked. "He's right." He whispered to the girls who now stopped
whatever they were doing. "There are two of them and they're just standing
out there."
Maria shuddered and she rubbed her hands on her arms. "Okay, this is too
creepy." She said, obviously shaken.
"Hey, it's okay." Michael said, walking over to her. "Get your
stuff and let's go out through the back. My bike is out there." He said.
"I'll take Liz with me." Kyle offered.
Both girls nodded. "Where are we going?" Maria asked.
"My house." Kyle answered as they all
started to walk to the back.
"And if they follow us?" Liz asked worriedly.
"My dad can shoot them." He said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Or I could just fry them." Michael offered, glancing at his hands.
************************************************************************
"We think that something is going on again." Kyle informed Isabel
when they met up the next day.
She frowned, shaking her head. "Who is it this time?" She asked.
"We don't know yet." Michael replied. "A couple of them were
hanging around the Crashdown. But they didn't do anything."
Isabel wrinkled her forehead into a frown. "Has it occurred to you that
maybe they were trying to rob the place?" She asked, completely serious.
"If we're lucky." Maria replied.
"Hey!" Liz spoke out and her best friend gave her an apologetic look.
"It's better than more alien enemies." She justified.
Michael cleared his throat to interrupt them. "We should still check it
out." He insisted and Isabel nodded.
They had taken the role of leaders ever since Max left, Michael more than
Isabel since she was more insistent on living her life as normal as possible.
Sometimes, Michael wanted Max to be there, to lead them again but he knew that
his friend needed to be with Tess. And he was glad to carry the responsibility
for him this time.
"I had my dad check it out too, see what he can find out with the large number
of people suddenly coming to Roswell. But he suggested
this time, that maybe it is tourists or immigrants." He said, glancing at
Liz.
"Okay, in the mean time, keep your eyes open and don't act
conspicuous." Isabel declared and the group nodded, before disbanding.
************************************************************************
In the one week since Max arrived in Antar, he had never seen so much tragedy
and so much pain. Everyday, soldiers and civilians were being brought into the
remaining parts of the palace to be treated.
He had seen children blown to bits, their parents dying beside them. He had to
wonder why, even with all their power, they would not fight back just as
ruthlessly. Instead they chose to use weapons.
He saw that many of them were allowed to use the granilith to leave for the
planets nearby where they would be safe. But so many refused to leave, stating
that this was their home and no one was going to take it from them.
It broke his heart that Tess was somewhere out there, fighting beside the
people that she loved so much, that she would sacrifice herself without a
second thought.
He had heard stories, from the wounded soldiers especially, how kind and
beautiful she was and how she stood by them despite Kail's insistence that she
leave the planet.
Max sighed heavily at the thought of Kail. From Drake's information, he was
supposed to have been back almost a week ago but already, grueling days had
past and there was no sight of Kail. Drake had left already to return to the
battlefield.
He glanced at his son as he tended to one of the wounded that was just recently
brought in.
Lex was playing with the other little children in the makeshift play pen that
one of the mothers had made. Max was afraid that any day now, they would be
bombed or ambushed and his son would be caught in the middle of it.
Tess would never forgive him.
Max sighed again as his attention was brought back to the wounded man lying
beside him who grabbed his wrist and pulled him down.
"I know you." The man croaked and Max tried to pull away but even in
his wounded state, the man firmly kept Max close. "You're him. You're
him!"
"I'm not who you think I am." Max said stubbornly as he tried to
break free.
The man shook his head, his eyes filled with tears. "I know you, Zan. I
was there forty years ago. I was your friend. I wasn't that much older than you
when you and Ava died. You look more human now but you are Zan. I know
it." He persisted.
Max shook his head.
"I'm glad. I'm glad you came back." The man said happily as he let
his hold on Max's wrist loosen. "Ava-she needs you. She won't be able to
do this on her own. You must help us."
With that said his breathing slowed and the man, whose name Max hadn't had the
chance to get, died. His eyes were still fixed on Max, hope written all over
his face.
Max shook his head, disgusted with himself for not helping the man. He could
easily have helped him but Max had already used enough of his powers within the
week to drain his energy.
He was tired, exhausted to be exact. He tried to save as much as he could
without drawing any suspicion. He didn't want to risk being found out. He
didn't know how they would react to his sudden arrival.
As much as he wanted to run out the doors and fight just to find Tess, he had
to think about Lex. Who would take care of him? What if he died? What would
happen to Lex now? No, Max couldn't risk it.
Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by people shouting and clamoring.
Someone was being brought in. Pushing through the crowd, Max tried to see who
it was. Sprawled on the floor, his blood spilled all over, was Kail.
"Oh, no." Max said as he shoved people out of his way to get to the
man who had saved Tess. "Let me through!" He yelled and bent down
next to him.
"What are you doing here?" Kail asked,
surprised despite the pain he was in.
"I came back like I promised Tess." Max answered.
Kail coughed. "Wrong timing, Zan." He said and Max continued to
frown. "How long?"
"It doesn't matter. Where is she?" He said, going straight to the
point.
Kail shook his head. "Don't know." He shook his head again.
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Max asked angrily, oblivious of
the crowd that was forming around them.
"No one has been able to find her. We tried to keep it quiet but now you're
here and-" He started to go into shock and Max knew that if he didn't do
anything soon, the other man would die.
Pressing his hand on the most fatal wound, Max used enough of his energy to
heal Kail to the point that he would not die.
Then the room started to spin as people gasped with awe and amazement. He could
hear them calling him name. Many were murmuring.
"Zan!" Some said.
"The king is back!" The others whispered.
The next thing Max knew was that he was coming to and Kail was looking down at him,
a concerned look on his face.
"You shouldn't have come." Kail said sternly as he helped Max sit up.
He looked around and found that he had been moved to another room.
Max glared at Kail. He knew the man didn't approve of him, thought him beneath
Tess but he couldn't care less. "Leaving Tess was never part of the
agenda. I was going to come back to her no matter what." He said firmly.
"Is that guilt or gratitude talking?" Kail retorted.
"I just saved your life. I say you show some respect, especially to
someone who is your king." Max said angrily.
Kail scoffed. "You haven't been much of a king or anything for that
matter, your highness."
Max opened his mouth to return the insult but someone cleared their throat and
Max and Kail turned to face Drake standing by the doorway, a disapproving look
on his face.
"What do you want?" Kail demanded.
"We are in a war here, Commander, and as much as it pleases me to see the
king," He said turning to Max." Return to his rightful place, we have
no time for petty bickering. At the rate that we are going, we are neither
going to find Queen Ava nor win this damned war."
"You are overstepping your boundaries here, soldier." Kail said
sternly.
Drake cleared his throat one more time. "And you too, Commander." He
argued calmly. "The king has returned. I suggest we all accept that."
"He's right. We have better things to worry about other than our
differences." Max said. "Now, I'm going to go back to Earth and take
Lex with me. I will come back with Isabel and Michael."
Drake gave them a confused look. "Isabel and Michael are Vilandra and Rath." Kail clarified firmly for Max.
"Vilandra betrayed us." Drake stated.
"My sister is not a traitor." Max instantly came to his sister's
defense.
"But she was." Drake persisted. "Anyway, you can't go back to
Earth. Not now that everyone knows that you're here. They'll see it as
abandoning them."
Max shook his head. "I have to get my son out of here before it's too
late."
"They royal prince is here?" Drake asked. He had never seen the heir
to the throne because when Khivar was ruler, the infant was kept in the palace
most of the time and out of everyone's sight.
Max nodded. "He's not safe. Had I known that this was happening, I would
not have brought my son here."
"It doesn't matter anymore. The main things we have to consider now are
getting him to safety, bringing back the remaining of the Royal Four and ending
this war as soon as possible." Kail interrupted.
"And you can't leave the planet." Drake pointed out to Max.
"Then I'll take the child and summon Vilandra and Rath." Kail
declared.
"No. You can't leave as well. You're Ava's second in command and now that
she's not here, you have to stay with the King." Drake stated.
Both men gave him disgruntled looks. "Someone has to go to Earth."
Kail pressed.
"I'll go and I'll take the child with me. You are both important to this
war. You can't leave. Now there is a crowd out there who wants an
explanation." Drake stepped aside to let them through.
Kail walked out first, Max followed, then Drake. He put his arm on the king's
soldier. "Welcome back, Zan." Drake said and Max nodded, grateful to
have a friend in the midst of this war.
The crowd began to erupt in murmurs as the three men approached them. Kail
stepped forward and motioned them to silence.
"The king has returned to us." He said glancing to Max. "After
almost half a century, he has come back to free us from this endless turmoil
and to stand by our Queen, his beloved. Together, they will rule and protect
our people and give us back the Antar that we lost so many years ago."
Then the crowd cheered and Max couldn't help but be overwhelmed and humbled. He
knew that what Kail just said was embellished. True, he would protect them and
he would stand by Tess but his arrival was only a mere coincidence.
Max smiled at the crowd, nodding slightly.
He hoped that he would not fall short of their expectations.
************************************************************************
Her eyelids fluttered open and Tess stared at the harsh lights above her. She
moved her arms to shield her face but found that she was strapped to the metal
table that she was on.
Panicked, she looked around her to find out who had held her captive and where
she was.
Her body ached and she saw that she was naked underneath the warm blanket.
A figure stepped out of the shadows and walked towards her. "It's
alright." The rather old man said, trying to calm her.
"Who are you? What did you do to me?" She demanded angrily.
"We found your body in the battlefield. You were barely alive." He
replied.
"We?" She echoed.
The man nodded; a sympathetic look on his face. "My
daughter and I."
"The war." She said, finally realizing what had occurred.
"Where are my clothes?"
"We burned them. Careful." He said when she tried to struggle.
"You've just come out of surgery a few days ago. We didn't want to move
you and risk ripping the stitches. My daughter will be in here and she'll give
you clothes to wear."
"You experimented on me?" She asked in disbelief.
"No." He said, sounding almost amused. "I'm a scientist as well
as a doctor. I fixed your wounds. You were badly injured. We strapped you so
you wouldn't fall and hurt yourself." He clarified as he undid the straps
that held her down.
"And my son?" She asked.
The man looked confused for a moment but then shook his head. "There was
no child with you." He answered.
Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded, somewhat understanding. "My
family will repay you for your kindness and for saving me." She said just
as the man's daughter entered the room.
"There's no need." He replied. "My name is Escala and this is my
daughter Loren." He said motioning to the dark haired girl not much older
than Tess. The man nodded and then retreated from the room.
The girl quietly walked to Tess and handed her some clothes.
She smiled gratefully as Loren helped her sit up. "The war? How is
it?" Tess asked.
"Not good." The girl answered, her back turned to Tess while she
dressed. "Khivar's people seem to be winning no matter how hard we fight
back."
"And Zan and Rath?" She asked worriedly, finally fully dressed.
The girl turned around to face Tess, shaking her head. "No one has heard
about Zan or Rath since the first war. It's only the Queen who's left
now."
Tess shook her head. "I don't understand. My husband and Rath are here.
They were just in the palace a few weeks ago. You must have it all wrong."
The girl stood in front of her silently, a worried and very puzzled look on her
face. "You're her, aren't you?"
Tess frowned. "Her?"
"The resurrection of the previous Queen Ava, at least that's what people
call you." Loren replied.
"Resurrection?
I never died."
"The memories make it seem like you haven't died. You remember everything
but you did die, over forty years ago. You all died. Father talked about you
ever since I was a child. He said you would come back and make everything
better." Loren went on.
"No!" Tess protested. "We never
died. Hybrids were created in case something went wrong with the war but that
hasn't happened yet."
"You don't remember. Oh, no. I should tell Father."
"No, wait!" Tess protested. "Explain it to me. It doesn't make
sense."
Loren nodded, feeling truly sorry for the girl-Queen. "Alright. Tell me
what you remember."
"We're in a war with Khivar and his men." Tess answered as she took a
deep breath.
"That war was in another lifetime. Your past. It ended, brutality, with
our defeat." The girl explained.
Tess shook her head, tears filling her eyes. She couldn't believe that it was
true. That she had died and the Royal Four was defeated.
"The human-Antarian hybrids made from the Royal Four were sent to Earth.
No one heard about you for decades. We all knew that the Royal Four were safely
sent to Earth. Then you came back but you were married to Khivar."
"I would never betray my people!" Tess exclaimed angrily.
"Please let me continue." Tess nodded. "You were married to him
and you brought along with you your child; a son. But he was Zan's child that
Khivar claimed as his own. The people knew that he was using you and your son
to gain power and approval."
"Where is my son now?" She asked. It gave her hope to think that
although she lost her first child, she had another child, a son that she would
be able to love and raise.
"We don't know. Anyway, Khivar is dead now. It happened on Earth. No one
knows how exactly but many suspect that you and the secret resistance army were
responsible. You returned to Antar for the third time but this time without
your son. That's how no one knows. He's on Earth, I assume. Anyway, when you
came back, Khivar's followers were outraged and they staged a siege. Now it's
become a war."
"This is horrible." She gasped tearfully.
"I'm truly sorry your highness. You've suffered a great deal. You don't
deserve this." Loren whispered as she gave the young Queen a small hug.
Tess nodded, trying to stand firm, remain brave despite the ache and agony she
was feeling inside.
Nothing made sense. If Loren was lying, she must have a reason. But the lie was
so elaborate that Ava knew it was true.
It had to be.
She had no memory of what Loren mentioned. All she had was the past and that was gone too.
They had died and were defeated. History repeated itself once again. "I
need to go outside." She said.
"That's not a very good idea. You should rest. We'll be leaving soon.
Father only insisted that we come back here because he wanted to save
you." Loren declared.
"Please." Tess whispered and the other girl led her outside. "I
need to be alone." She declared and Loren left her.
Tess stared at the land ahead of her. They were far from the main city, where
the Palace along with the other important buildings were located.
Everything was destroyed. It wasn't how she remembered it. No, Loren had been
telling the truth.
This wasn't the Antar that she knew. Everything was different. She was different.
It only saddened her that her love for Zan still remained and he wasn't there
anymore.
Her whole world was gone before she even realized it.
************************************************************************
"You were right. The activity in Roswell is caused by
aliens." Sheriff Valenti declared to his son, as well as the rest of the
group.
"More enemies." Isabel said warily.
"Not necessarily." Michael stated. Isabel gave him a hopeful look and
the rest listened curiously. "Alex and I went to check it out. They look
more like alien refugees."
"Alien refuges?" Maria echoed in disbelief.
"Yes. They don't appear harmful." Michael replied. "They're
acting like any normal human beings. Some of them even bought a house."
"That's a bit overdoing it." Kyle stated.
Alex cleared his throat. "I don't think they're overdoing anything. They
seem like they're actually settling in Roswell. Michael and I have
been watching a few of them and some of them have children."
"That still doesn't explain anything." Liz stated.
"No, it doesn't but unless they confront us or threaten us, we don't do
anything to raise suspicion." Michael declared and everyone nodded in
agreement.
"They might be running from something or someone though." Kyle
pointed out.
"Do you think there's trouble in Antar?" Isabel asked worriedly.
"Could be but we have no proof. If there was something going on, we should
know. Tess and Max would have sent word. A sign." Sheriff Valenti stated.
Maria cleared her throat. "There's someone outside and he wants to see
Michael and Isabel. He has Lex with him."
"There's our sign." Kyle whispered darkly as they all walked to the
door.
Standing behind the screen door to the Evan's house was a tall man with dark
hair who from behind looked a little too much like Max or someone related to
him.
"Zan sent me." The man stated before anyone could say anything.
Michael frowned. Isabel looked at little
Lex with worry. "And you want us to
believe this because?"
"Because you have no choice but to. Will you let me in?" He asked.
"Is you try anything, we'll kill you." Isabel warned him as she
opened the door and took Lex from him.
"He wasn't harmed. Zan trusted me to take his son back to Earth."
"Who are you?" Alex demanded, as all of them crowded around the stranger.
"My name is Drake. I'm a soldier." He declared.
"Why would Max send a soldier to us?" Michael demanded.
"Because Commander Kail is occupied with the war and neither he nor the
king can leave the planet." Drake replied.
Isabel's heart dropped when she heard his words. A war. Max and Tess were in the middle of a war and they had no
idea.
"We don't believe you." Michael stated.
"I have nothing to gain from this." Drake said firmly. "You have
to believe me. I brought Lex back to earth because Zan wanted him safe. And he
wanted me to bring you and Vilandra back to Antar. The planet is in chaos. The
queen is missing. Please."
"It could be a trap." Maria declared.
"No. He's telling the truth." Michael replied.
"But we don't even know him!" Isabel protested.
Drake turned to her. "My father served under your unit. You might not
remember who he is but it destroyed him when you betrayed your people."
Isabel opened her mouth to argue but Michael stopped her. "Tess is
missing. Max is in trouble. We have to go. We can't risk not going." He
declared and Isabel knew that it was final.
"Zan instructed that I leave the child to a man named Sheriff Valenti. He
said that if anything were to happen to all of you, the child would be under
Antarian and Earth law, in the Sheriff's become the sheriff's charge."
Drake stated.
"I'm Sheriff Valenti." Jim stepped up.
"This is what you humans call a will.
Vilandra and Rath are next in line for custody. But if anything happens to
them, you get the child. Like I said." He said handing it to the older
man.
"He really thought this through." Jim said as he scanned the paper.
"Zan knows very well the dangers of war. I have no time to explain how and
why and when this war started. Just be by the granilith in twenty four hours.
I'll be waiting. What you decide is up to." With that said Drake turned
his back to them and walked out of the house just as quickly as he came in.
"We're going." Michael said to Isabel who did nothing to protest.
She knew that this time, they had no choice. Her brother's and Tess' life were
in the line. They owed it to them to help.
Twenty three hours later, they stood by the granilith, saying good bye like Max
had done not so long ago. Drake watched nearby.
"Nothing will happen to us." Michael declared to Maria who was
crying. "I promise."
"Please come back. Please. Don't die on me now." She begged as she
kissed him tearfully.
"I will come back." Michael whispered as he kissed her hair and
hugged her tightly.
Meanwhile, Alex and Isabel were saying their goodbyes as well. "Wait for
me." Isabel whispered to Alex.
"No matter how long it takes. Just come back." He smiled sadly as he
kissed her.
Isabel nodded before letting go of him and walking over to her small nephew and
kissing him. "Be good to Grandpa Jim, Lex. We're going to go get mommy and
daddy." Isabel said
Jim cleared his throat. "Grandpa?" He echoed; a slightly miffed but
amused look on his face.
"Grandpa." Isabel said firmly. She hugged
him too. "We'll see you soon."
"Nothing will happen." Michael said again to everyone this time.
"It's time." Drake said, glancing at the timer.
Michael took Isabel's hand and together, they followed Drake into the
granilith.
************************************************************************
Max never knew the capacity of war. Not like Tess did. He had just gone back
from his first time in the battlefield in over forty years and he barely made
it out alive.
Luckily Kail was by his side and despite their differences; the other man
returned the favor of saving his life.
"You'll get used to it." Kail said offhandedly as they sat on one of
the boulders, fully covered in dirt and blood.
Max cringed at the blood. He had been in the field for one week and already he
had nightmares.
He saw Tess, every single time. And each time she was dead.
"I will never get used to this." He replied to Kail's comment.
"And I don't want anyone to get used to it either. This war has to end." Max said firmly.
"It will end. The people have faith in themselves and their rulers. As
long as you stand by us, it will end and this time different than before."
Kail replied softly.
"Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't Tess send for us? It would have been
so much easier if she just asked for help." Max said, disappointed. She was too damn stubborn to ask for help.
"I'll never truly understand Ava but she wanted all of you safe. She
wanted to protect all of you from this kind of agony." Kail answered.
"Doesn't she know that we don't want her to go through this just for our
sake? That we want her to be protected from this kind of suffering as well?"
Kail shrugged as he wiped the blood from his armor. "Ava always did and
always will want the safety of the people she loves, no matter what the
cost."
"That doesn't mean that she has to torture herself like this."
"No, it doesn't but she's the Queen and what she says, goes." Kail
declared, not knowing what else to say. Silence fell between them, occasionally
interrupted by the distant sound of fighting. "We will find her."
Max looked at the other man. "I never doubted that."
Kail nodded. "I can't make the promise that she will be alive." He
said grimly and Max refused to hear him.
************************************************************************
Before Michael and Isabel could take in what was happening in Antar or the fact
that they were finally home after so long, they were shoved into a crowd, given
orders and briefed of the whole situation.
Before they knew it, they were fully suited in thick armor and marching through
the muddy fields and stepping over dead or dying bodies.
"Michael?" Isabel asked, her voice small
like a child's as she reached to hold his hand.
"It's okay, Isabel. We'll get through this." He reassured her as
Drake escorted them to where Max and Kail were.
She nodded at him, searching for guarantee in his eyes. "And if-"
"No ifs." Michael interrupted. "We will get through this."
He repeated firmly and Isabel swallowed her fears and held on to him tightly.
She wasn't made for this. She had never been in a full out war. She had never
seen rotting bodies scattered for miles on end. She never had to wear armor to
protect herself.
She prayed that Michael was right and this would end soon.
To Michael, it was like seeing his past all over again but actually being able
to get the chance to change it. This war was like the one in his past.
It was just as deadly and brutal and horrific, only this time, there was no
Khivar to fight. There was still a possibility that Tess was alive.
Her disappearance was too much to handle. In the past she disappeared too and
it took him three days to look for her and when he found her, he was too late.
She was already dead, the baby along with her. She had been stabbed right in
the heart, the knife still sticking out of her.
Michael cringed. He promised himself that he wouldn't find her dead. Not again.
He spotted Max and Kail sitting next to each other, actually having a
conversation.
Isabel ran ahead of him and threw herself into her brother's arms, almost
knocking him off his seat.
"I'm glad to see you too." He heard Max say. "I'm sorry to drag
both of you into this." Max declared as he turned to Michael.
"Any leads on where she is?" Michael asked.
"One of the soldiers reported that she was injured when he last saw her.
That was in the eastern field." Drake informed them.
"Where is this man now? I'd like to talk to him." Michael declared.
"He's dead." Max answered.
"Then I'm going to where she was last seen and looking again. I need
someone who knows where it is to lead me there." Michael announced.
"Michael, that's not a good idea. We already looked. She wasn't there.
It's too dangerous to go back now without any men with you." Max stated.
"That's why we have powers, Max." Michael retorted.
"No, Michael, our power drains our energy if we use too much of it. It
could kill us. That's why we use weapons." Max explained as he looked down
at the one he had in his hand.
"I'm going." Michael said firmly. "You!"
He said as he grabbed one of the soldiers. "Take me to the eastern
fields."
The young boy stumbled and looked over at Kail who nodded. "Bring Rath to
the eastern fields."
The boy looked at Rath with awe.
"Go with him." Max said to his sister.
"But Max-"
"Isabel go. You'll be safe." Max stated and Isabel nodded and ran
after Michael.
They traveled on foot for four days until they reached the eastern fields.
Isabel, by then was undernourished and dehydrated and exhausted. When they saw
the mass of bodies in front of them, she fell on her knees and threw up
whatever food was left in her stomach.
"Isabel, you have to keep up." Michael said as he tried to carry her.
"I'm going to die." She groaned, trying to cover her mouth and nose
from the smell of the decaying bodies.
"You're not going to die because you're going to undo what your past self
did. You're going to show them that you're not a traitor." Said the boy
that Michael had taken to lead them to where they were now.
His name was Flynn. He had a human mother and an Antarian father.
Michael gave him an approving look while Isabel just stared at him.
"Help her up while I look around." Michael instructed him as he
handed Isabel over to the boy who was barely fifteen.
Flynn nodded and he led Isabel to a rock and sat her down.
Michael came back a few minutes later, frustrated with himself. He didn't find
her or her body which meant that she was either alive or captured.
"We have to keep looking." He declared.
"Michael, I can't. I can barely stand up." Isabel protested as she
leaned her head on Flynn's shoulder.
"Isabel, you have to. We can't go back. And I won't leave you here.
There's still some food left. You can have my share." He said as he lifted
her into his arms.
"Thanks." She mumbled as she drifted into unconsciousness.
They walked for another day until Michael's exhaustion and Isabel's sickness
caught up with them again. Even Flynn could barely keep up.
They rested made camp for several days, until Isabel was well enough. They fed
her some of the fruit trees that Flynn found nearby.
"Is it over?" She asked them as she came to.
Michael shook his head, sorry to disappoint his friend. "Almost." He
whispered.
"I don't want to die like this." She whimpered.
"I won't let you." He said, stroking her hair.
"Promise?" She asked.
"Promise." Michael said.
Suddenly he leaned in and kissed her.
Neither one of them protested. They just wanted to feel alive, to make each
other better despite the consequences of their actions.
Michael pulled away from her, a questioning look on his face but Isabel said
nothing. He kissed her on the forehead and laid next
to her. They fell asleep in each other's arms.
Flynn was nearby, too fast asleep to even care.
When they woke up the next day, neither spoke about the kiss. It was as if
nothing had happened and everything was alright again.
They continued to walk further out of the city until they came to an abandoned
building. One of the few that remained undamaged.
It was a laboratory, far enough from the main city to be safe from the fighting
but close enough for passing troops to notice and take refuge in.
Most of the building's furnishings were destroyed. Glasses remained shattered
on the floor while documents laid scattered all over.
"We could rest here." Isabel said as she curiously looked around,
keeping her guard in case there were enemies nearby.
"Maybe there are even supplies." Flynn pointed out.
"Keep your eyes open." Michael ordered as they continued to survey
the building.
Suddenly there was a lot of yelling and things falling and before anyone could
react, Flynn was motioning two people into the light.
It was a man and a young girl, presumably his daughter.
"Please, don't hurt us." The girl whimpered.
"We won't hurt you unless you help us." Isabel said firmly, regaining
some of her energy.
"We're looking for a woman. The Queen in fact."
Michael stated.
The old man shook his head. "We don't know anything. It's just me and my
daughter." He answered, his eyes cast down.
"You're lying." Isabel argued.
"Please. We're not lying. We've seen hundreds of women. Most of them are
dead from the attacks." The girl insisted fearfully.
"Don't hurt us."
"We won't." Michael answered.
************************************************************************
"Father we have to tell them." Loren whispered when Isabel, Michael
and Flynn were out of earshot.
Escalda shook his head. "The boy called the woman Vilandra and the man
Rath. They've returned and they're hunting the Queen down. We have to protect
her." He whispered.
"But they're not harming us. I think they're friends with the Queen."
Loren insisted.
"Loren, listen to me. You can't endanger Ava. These people can not be
trusted." He hissed.
"Father I have a feeling that we're wrong."
"Your feelings can't be trusted." He hissed. Escalda fell silent when
Isabel and Michael turned to look in their direction.
"They're hiding something." She whispered to him.
"I know. That's why we can't let them go. I don't want to hold them
hostage but we have to find out what they know." He replied.
Isabel nodded as she rested against the wall. "When they sleep, I'm going
to go into his dream."
"Isabel, you're not strong enough." He protested.
She shrugged at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It's worth the
risk." She replied.
"It's not worth your life."
"We do what we can, Michael. This is the best I can do to help. I haven't
been much help lately or anything for that matter." She said.
"It's not your fault." He said, giving her hand a small reassuring
squeeze.
She nodded. "I'm going to look around again. See if I can find anything we
missed." She said and walked off.
"Okay." He answered as he turned his attention to Flynn who was
watching them curiously.
Michael glared at him. Flynn grinned at him and then turned her attention to
the man and his daughter.
"It's going to be alright you know." He said somewhat too cheerfully.
The man and girl looked at him icily.
"Once they find Ava, the Royal Four is going to regroup and they're going
to defeat Khivar's men."
"The Queen would never associate with traitors." Escalda said
referring to Vilandra.
"Vilandra is not a traitor. She's here to help her people. She left
everything she had on Earth to help Zan and Ava." Flynn argued stubbornly.
"Zan is not here." Loren whispered.
Flynn smiled. "Zan is here. The Royal Four are back in Antar. They're
going to save us."
Escalda and Loren looked at him wide eyed. They had been wrong.
"But she betrayed our people before." Escalda whispered.
"Isabel-that's what her human name is; Isabel isn't a traitor. She's not
like the Vilandra in the past. She would never betray her family again."
Flynn clarified.
"You're lying." Escalda declared.
"I have no reason to lie. Zan sent for his sister and friend to help find
the Queen and end the war. That's the honest truth." Flynn declared.
"Flynn! Enough stories! Michael said from the other room.
"But they're true stories." Flynn replied.
"It doesn't matter. These people think we're traitors. Let them. In the
end, we'll prove ourselves worthy." Michael answered.
************************************************************************
Isabel knew that someone was in the room. She wanted to call Michael or Flynn
for help but she didn't want to scare whoever it was and have them escape.
Walking as silently as possible, she tried to listen to the hushed sounds in
the room. Everything was semi-dark and at that moment, she wished she had a
flashlight. She stepped on a broken glass and it crunched underneath her shoes.
Isabel cursed.
"Hello, Vilandra." An all too familiar voice said just as a figure
stepped out of the shadows.
"Tess, oh my God." Isabel said happily but
before she could move another inch, Tess had sent her flying across the room
into a wall.
"Traitor." Tess hissed as she calmly walked
over to Isabel who was struggling to stand up.
"What are you doing? Are you insane?" Isabel exclaimed angrily, grabbing
her bruised side.
"So you came back to collect the trophies, didn't you Vilandra?" Tess
continued.
"What are you talking about?" She demanded.
"Once a traitor, always a traitor." Tess
whispered just as she sent a wave of energy towards Isabel.
"I have no idea what is wrong with you but don't make me hurt you,
Tess." Isabel warned.
"Hurt me? You can barely stand up." Tess laughed softly.
"Never underestimate me." Isabel said as she used her powers on Tess.
The other girl fell on the ground, her wind knocked out of her.
"Is that all you've got?" Tess taunted.
"You wait and see." Isabel retorted.
************************************************************************
The icy silence was suddenly broken by noises coming from the upper floors.
Michael was immediately on his feet, skipping steps as he climbed the stairs.
Flynn followed leaving their hostages to themselves.
Michael gasped at the sight in front of him. Isabel and Tess were standing
opposite each other, their hands in front of them while they used enough of
their powers to kill a room full of people.
"Stop!" Michael yelled.
"Kill her!" Tess ordered him.
Isabel looked at him. "I don't know what's wrong with her. She's trying to
kill me." Isabel yelled as well.
Michael, not knowing what to do, used a slight amount of his powers to knock
both girls unconscious.
"Help me carry them downstairs." He told Flynn who as shocked beyond
belief at what he had just witnessed.
When Isabel and Tess came to, they were both strapped on metal tables next to
each other. Tess recognized the room.
Michael was pacing around the room. "What is wrong with both of you?"
He asked angrily. "I know that you have your differences but now is not
the time to kill each other. We have a war to fight." He continued without
letting either of them answer.
"She tried to kill me. I had to protect myself." Isabel said.
"You're actually going to believe this traitor?"
Tess asked in disbelief.
Michael looked at her and realized that something was wrong with Tess.
"She lost her memory." Loren replied, seeming like she knew what
Michael was wondering.
"What?" Michael and Isabel asked in unison.
"We found her barely alive. Father said that she hit her head when she
fell. It must have caused her to lose her memory of the present time. All she
remembers is what happened in the past." Loren continued to explain.
"That's why she thinks that Vilandra betrayed us." Michael whispered
to himself. "Tess-Ava, Isabel hasn't betrayed us. She isn't what Vilandra
was in the past."
"You only believe that because you're in love with her." Tess argued.
Michael didn't bother to argue with the comment. He had to set the truth
straight. "Ava, you only remember the past. Nothing is the same. You know
me. I would not lie to you."
She looked at him skeptically but it was true. She trusted him. He would never
betray her, not even if he truly loved Vilandra.
"Then explain it to me. All of it." She said and Michael nodded,
pleased.
************************************************************************
Max could not believe his eyes. Walking towards him was Michael, Isabel and
Tess followed by three other people.
At first he thought that he was hallucinating and that what he was seeing what
just an image that his wishful thoughts conjured up but when Tess walked up to
him and hugged him tightly, he was so relieved that he cried.
"I thought you were dead." He said kissing her softly. The people in
the palace began ti cheer.
"And I thought I would never see you again." She said as she held on
to him for dear life.
Max sighed, holding her tightly in his arms. He pulled away from her for a
brief moment to thank his best friend and sister for finding Tess.
"Don't thank me yet." Michael smiled. "It isn't over." He
said.
Max nodded the grim look on his face returning. "It'll be over soon."
He said to Tess who felt slightly out of place.
She still did not remember her life as "Tess." She knew that she was
Ava, Queen and ruler of Antar. Anything other than that, she didn't know what
she was.
"Zan, we can end this now." She told him, as she took a quick glance
at Isabel and Michael who knew exactly what she meant.
"But it will be a mass execution." Michael continued for her.
"No prisoners of war. Just casualties. All of them." Isabel spoke.
Max frowned. He didn't like the way they were talking. "On the way here,
we figured out how to finish all this. End the suffering." Tess declared.
"How?" Max asked.
"Us." She said looking at the four of them. "The Royal Four
coming together again. We can stop it. I know we can." She whispered.
"Our powers have the ability to destroy anything and anyone. If we combine
all of it, we can kill all of them. And I mean thousands if not millions. No
one will be left alive."
"But there are innocent people we have to consider." Max pointed out.
"We'll protect them. We'll give them fair warning." Isabel replied.
"This is insane." Max declared.
"No, it's practical. We can't follow Earth rules here. It doesn't apply.
We can't think that what we're doing is wrong. We're killing the very people
who are trying to destroy us. We're ending suffering, Max." Michael stated
calmly.
"If we don't do this, it could be another six months before this ends. Not
every one of us will make it alive. It will be too late." Tess declared.
"She's right." Isabel said.
"You can't just ask me to kill all these people." Max said,
exasperated.
"We're not asking." Tess replied and Max looked at her with
disbelief. "The three of us have enough to do this without your help but
it would be easier if you did."
"So that's it? I don't even get a vote?"
Tess looked at him and smiled sadly. "Zan, I love you but we have to do
what we can to end our people's suffering. I will not make them endure this any
longer." She said.
"We're giving the people six hours to get to the palace. This means
soldiers and their families. Anyone on the other side will be
obliterated." Michael announced.
"And how do you think the enemy soldiers won't know this?" Max asked, ignoring the fact that Tess kept calling her Zan.
"We don't." Tess replied. "Go make the announcement." She
ordered Michael who nodded and called all commanding officers.
"I can't believe you're going through with this." Max said turning to
his sister.
"Max, think about it. Would you rather have more of our people die?"
Max shook his head.
************************************************************************
The soldiers began to retreat as soon as the news reached the front. Some of
them were reluctant to go, in case the plan did not work and they would be left
defenseless. But Kail ordered all of them into the palace or they would die
along with the enemies.
Six hours later, with just the last of the remaining Antarians crowded in and
around the palace, the plan was set to go. Many of them were packed in
buildings nearby while Max, Tess, Michael and Isabel walked far enough from the
designated locations.
"Ready?" Michael asked and they nodded grimly. "Max?"
"Yeah." He said quietly.
"If you don't want to do this, you can leave." Tess stated.
"I'm going to do this." He answered with a heavy sigh. The all nodded
for a moment there was silence. Total peace where they could hear their own
hearts beating so fast, it sounded like thunder.
It was Max who turned to face the city and raised his hand first. Green glowing
power began to grow and form around the front of the city. Tess put her hand on
his should intensifying his power. The green barrier began to circle the city,
forming a thin wall that would shield them from the impact.
Michael followed, raising his hand at the direction of where the enemy troops
were. Bright glowing red energy formed. Isabel looked at him and took his free
hand, intertwined their fingers and raised other hand, their powers joining
together.
Suddenly there was a large wave of energy and Isabel turned her head away to
shield her face.
The air became very hot and strong. Dust rose in the air, and there was a loud
thunder. Everything became very loud and disorienting. A few minutes later, the
wind died down and they were left with silence once again.
"It's over." Michael said, gasping heavily. Isabel opened her eyes
and saw that everything had been wiped clean. The buildings or what was left of
them were gone. The dead bodies had been reduced to ashes as well, leaving only
the trees and mountains.
"It's over." Tess cheered as she hugged Max, then Michael and even
Isabel.
Isabel smiled and Max and Michael shook each other's hands. "We did
it." Max beamed.
They walked back to the palace, Max's arms around Tess and Isabel while Michael
walked on Isabel's other side.
The crowd ran towards them, cheering and smiling and crying at the same time. Thank yous were being thrown at their
direction while their people hugged and kissed them with gratitude.
Kail managed to push through the crowd and greet them.
"Congratulations." He said, smiling but his serious look still
maintained. "And thank you."
Max nodded and turned to Tess and kissed her. "I love you." He said.
She smiled at him. "I love you too."
************************************************************************
One week later, the excitement and overwhelming reality of their victory
finally died down. Workers were sent to rebuild the cities and the remaining
Council members regrouped once again.
Ava returned to her rightful role as Queen and Zan beside her as King.
Michael and Isabel were finally free to go back home.
"When do you leave?" Max asked.
"In thirteen hours." She answered. "I feel like I should stay
but I also want to go back home."
"You're free to go whenever you want, Isabel. You and Michael can come and
go as much as you want." Max said to his sister as he put his arm around
her.
Isabel sighed. "There's so much to do. But I don't want to just leave
Alex. I miss him."
"Then go to him." Max smiled.
Isabel nodded. "How's Tess?"
"She's fine. I haven't really spoken to her. Everything is so crazy here.
She's always surrounded by the Council, asking for her permission to do this,
do that." He replied.
"Do I sense a hint of jealousy?" Isabel teased.
Max shook his head. "I can't help but admire her for everything that she's
done. I'm proud of who she is."
"But are you happy, Max?" Isabel asked.
"I don't know. I thought it was the right thing to come back here. I
thought we were going to be really happy." He sighed. "I know that
coming here was right. It ended the war. It brought all of us back home. But
she keeps calling me Zan. It's like she's trying to erase Max Evans."
Isabel gasped, realizing what she had just done or failed to do. "Oh, Max.
I'm so sorry. With everything that's been happening, I thought Michael would
have surely told you."
Max frowned. "Told me what?"
"When Tess was severely injured and Escalda and Loren rescued her, Tess
lost her memory." She explained.
"But she knows who we are." Max replied.
"Yes, she knows who we are because we told her that. She remembers us as
Zan, Vilandra and Rath. She doesn't remember anything about her life as
Tess." Isabel declared. "She's not trying to change you. She's just
doing what she knows."
"Oh, God. I didn't know." Max gasped.
"Max, I am so sorry."
Max nodded absently. It all made sense now. Why she was acting so suddenly
affectionate to him. He thought it was the war that made her act that way, made
her appreciate Max more but now he knew better.
Tess believed that she was still Ava. Her memory lasted as far as before she
died. Max suddenly realized why she always asked him to tell her what their son
was like.
"Will I ever get Tess back?" Max asked.
"I don't know. Escalda said that there's a great chance that she will
never regain the rest of her memory. But he said there's a chance something
will trigger it to return."
"She's not the woman that I fell in love with." Max whispered
unhappily. He knew that he loved Ava, loved her for the past they shared but it
was Tess, with all her personality traits as Ava and herself that Max truly
loved.
It was like loving two women in one body. If the other half is gone, then it
would not be the same.
"Max-"
"You can't do anything about it, Isabel." He said.
Isabel didn't look quite convinced. "Maybe there is something." She
whispered before leaving him alone to deal with his thoughts.
Later that night, Isabel stood in the balcony of her room in the salvaged part
of the palace, looking out at the twin moons of their planet.
This would be her last night in Antar before returning to Earth again. She
glanced at her watch and saw that she had three hours left.
Just enough time.
Walking over to her bed, she took a deep breath and laid
down. She prayed that Tess would forgive her for this.
Slowly she dream-walked Tess' mind and what she saw in the young Queen's dreams
was nothing but happiness and hopes for the future.
"What are you doing?" Ava's dream self demanded angrily. "Don't
think that I'm stupid enough to believe that this is just a dream. I know what
you can do, Vilandra."
"I have to do this." Isabelle answered.
"You're invading my mind. How dare you?"
"Tess, please."
"I am not Tess! Why don't any of you understand that?" Ava shrieked.
"That's why I'm here. I have to help you remember."
"I'm not remembering anything!" Ava protested.
"Too late." Isabel said coldly and then she
forced Tess' unconscious mind to see her own memories, triggering the ones that
laid dormant and forgotten. "I'm sorry. I know
that you're happy but my brother isn't happy. And I can't let you live in
blissful ignorance."
Then Isabel broke free from the dream-walk. She was heaving. She stood up from
her bed, feeling slightly dizzy and walked to where the granilith's
room was.
"We thought you weren't coming." Michael said.
"I haven't changed my mind." She replied.
"Tess is still asleep. She can't come to say good bye." Max declared.
"I know." Isabel said rather too quickly. She walked up to him and
hugged him. "Take good care of her, Max. You'll be happy. You'll get what
you want." She said cryptically.
Max only nodded. "We'll follow you soon to take Lex." He said and
Michael and Isabel entered the granilith.
Max smiled sadly, feeling like he missed them already. It was comforting to
have Michael and Isabel with them.
He walked back to Tess' room and found that she was gone. The blankets were
thrown on the floor and there was no sign of Tess or Ava to be exact in the
room.
Feeling slightly alarmed, Max searched the whole room. Half an hour later, he
found her sitting close to the edge of the roof her knees drawn, her arms
hugging them tightly.
"Oh, God." Max thought, now really panicked.
He could see that she was crying. "I'm not going to jump, Max. I just came
here to think." She said aloud when she sensed that he was nearby.
Max noted that, that was the first time she had said his name without having to
force herself to do it.
"This isn't exactly the most convenient place to do some rational thinking."
He said, looking down and feeling like his heart just jumped to his throat from
the fear of falling.
"I like heights." She replied.
"Tess-Ava, please. Come to me." He begged and she turned to look at
him, her eyes wet with tears. She abruptly stood up, her right foot so close to
the edge, just waiting for her to slip and fall.
"I tried the best I can." She said brokenly. "I tried to make
you-to make everyone happy. To make it all work."
"I am happy." He lied.
She shook her head at him. "No, you're not. You're not happy because half
of me was gone. Because I couldn't remember who I was."
"It doesn't matter. Please get off the edge and walk to me." He
begged.
"And you'll never be happy because you can't trust me because of all the
lies and secrets that I've kept from you." She sobbed as she started to
walk to him.
Max took her hand and immediately lifted her off the roof. How she managed to
climb on it at such a slope was beyond him. He was just grateful that she
didn't fall.
He hugged her tightly, to reassure himself that she was really there instead of
back on the roof.
She sobbed as she hugged him. "Max, all those people. There was so much
blood and pain. I saw them."
"I don't understand."
"She helped me remember. She went in my dream and made me remember."
She whimpered.
"Isabel." Max whispered.
"Yeah."
"And do you?"
"Yes, everything. I remember it all and it hurts." She said. Tess
could still smell the decaying bodies, the infected wounds on the soldiers. She
could still feel the filth all over her and the heavy weight of their wounded
as she dragged them to safety the best she could.
She could still remember the gnawing loneliness she felt whenever she had a
chance to think.
"It's going to be alright, Tess. I promise." He said kissing her
hair. He lifted her off her feet and carried her back to her room.
"Before I lost my memory, I thought you weren't going to come at all and I
made myself believe that it was for the best. You would be safe. Lex would have
his father and if you stayed away long enough, you'd forget about me and be
happy with Liz." She whispered warily.
"I wouldn't be happy without you. Lex would not have his mother. It
wouldn't have been for the best." Max stated.
"I'm sorry for putting you through so much pain. I wish I could change
it." She said as Max set her down on her bed.
"There's no point in wishing, Tess. Let's just promise to make the best of
the future that we are lucky to have." He said kissing her on the
forehead.
"Stay." Tess whispered when she saw that he was leaving.
Max nodded and laid next to her on the bed. She moved
close to him, resting her head against his chest with his arm protectively
around her.
"I love you, Max." She whispered sleepily and Max smiled in the
darkness and thanked his sister for the small gift.
************************************************************************
Two months, with Kail placed in charge while the Royal couple was away, Max and
Tess returned to Earth to bring their son home and visit their family.
Lex came running down the minute he saw his parents, scaring Kyle, who was
watching him, half to death.
Their visit had been a surprise.
Tess bent and scooped her son up, hugging him tightly and kissing him. "I
missed you so much." She said, kissing him again. "Have you been very
good to your aunties and uncles and Grandpa Jim?" She asked him and Lex
babbled in baby talk. She handed her son over to Max who was just as eager to
see him as she was.
Kyle walked up to them and hugged Tess while at the same time, yelling at his
father to come out.
Jim came dashing out of the house, looking concerned and then grinned when he
saw them, obviously surprised.
"My god, you're here." He said happily as he hugged Max and Tess.
"Surprise." Tess said cheerfully.
"Michael and Isabel told us what happened. We were so relieved." He
said as he led them all into the house.
"It's good to see you. It's good to be back." Tess declared.
"Max and I had things to finish before we could return." She said
glancing over at Max and smiling at him.
"I'm guessing everything is fine." Jim said.
Tess nodded. "Everything's great." She answered.
Jim nodded, pleased that they were happy. "How long are you staying?"
He asked.
"Two weeks. Just enough time to get everyone packed." Max answered.
"Packed?" Kyle echoed.
"Yup, packed." Tess beamed. "We'll explain as soon as everyone
gets here."
Kyle proceeded to call Michael, Maria, Isabel, Alex and Liz and told them to
hurry to his house because they had a surprise with a surprise.
Of course, when everyone finally arrived, their anxiety was replaced by the
shock of seeing Max and Tess. "So what's the surprise?" Alex asked
excitedly.
"You're all coming back to Antar with us." Max declared and the room
fell into shocked silence. Even Lex refused to make any noise.
"For the wedding." Tess said and all the
girls began to scream wildly, jumping up and down and hugging Tess and everyone
else in the room.
The guys managed to restrain themselves and settle to shaking Max's hand and
congratulating him.
"This is going to be one crazy wedding." Max said happily.
************************************************************************
Four months later, with everything rushed just in time for the wedding, the big
day finally came. The cities were finally
rebuilt, due to long days of work and advanced technology, of course. The palace stood in its magnificent glory,
completely restored like it had never been touched by war.
The wedding was held in front of the palace under a silk canopy adorned by rare
Antarian flowers. The palace steps were covered by white carpet.
Thousands if not millions of people attended the ceremony.
Tess and Max said their vows to each other, then pledged another to their
people. Isabel and Michael made theirs, which was a promise of loyalty and
protection to the new King and Queen of Antar and their supporters.
Jim Valenti was given the honor of being knighted
as father and guardian to the Royal Four. He cried and hugged his children happily.
The rest of them were given gifts for everything that they did to help Max,
Tess and Lex.
"Kiss the bride!" Maria yelled from her seat. "Don't ruin
tradition!" Michael smiled at her, unable to believe that she just yelled
out of nowhere. God, he loved her guts.
The crowd followed suit and soon everyone was cheering for Max to kiss the
bride.
"We can't disappoint them." Max beamed at her.
"Nope, we can't." Tess smiled.
He pulled her close to him and kissed her passionately. "Wow." Tess
whispered as they broke the kiss for a minute and then kissed again.
Then the crowd roared with applauses and cheers, wishing them a happily ever
after.
The End
************************************************************************
A/N: HOPE YOU LIKED IT. I INVESTED ALMOST A WHOLE WEEK ON THIS CHAPTER. THAT
WAS 12, 814 WORDS PEOPLE. THAT'S 38 ½ PAGES OF CRAZY WORK. THAT'S PRACTICALLY
FOUR CHAPTERS BUNCHED UP TOGETHER. I KEPT SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE THE FINAL
CHAPTER BUT IT NEVER WAS SO I SWORE TO MYSELF THAT NO MATTER HOW LONG THIS
WOULD TURN OUT, IT WILL BE THE END. SO THERE. MY BACK
HURTS FROM SITTING IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER. GIVE ME SOME NICE WORDS IN RETURN
IN YOUR REVIEWS PLEASE. IM THINKING OF A SEQUEL SINCE I JUST HAD TO INCLUDE SO
MANY NEW CHARACTERS INTO THIS LAST CHAPTER AND I HAD TO PUT SOME ISABEL/MICHAEL
MOMENTS. I HAD TO MAKE SOME OF YOU HAPPY WITH THAT AND I HAD TO LEAVE A
POSSIBILITY FOR THOSE TWO. I ALREADY HAVE AN IDEA FOR A SEQUEL BUT THAT ALL
DEPENDS ON YOUR REVIEWS FOR THIS ONE.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING NOW GIVE ME TEN OR SO OF YOUR WORDS.
