Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. I'm simply borrowing them until the Season 2 DVD's get released.
Chapter Sixty – Nine – The Granolith
"What did you say?" asked a severely shocked Max.
"I said we don't have much time," said the other man.
"You called my your son, and those people are calling you the king. Are you my, our father? You've known all this time that you're our father, and you haven't said a word? And now you're telling me we haven't much time? Well screw you! I've made it this far without you. Come on, let's get out of here," he said to the others.
Max was so caught up in his anger that he didn't notice the fist that came out from beside him and sent him flying to the ground.
"You God damned stupid selfish fucking son of a bitch!" shouted Kyle. "My God, Max. I am sick to death of you're poor wronged little me attitude. You have a man standing here who has saved your ass on more than one occasion, and he's your father. So he didn't tell you, so what? He had his reasons. Why don't you try acting like an adult instead of a spoiled boy king, and find out why. Now get up of your fucking ass and do what he's telling you to do."
Max jumped up off the ground and launched himself at Kyle. He raised his fist to strike back when Liz stepped in between the two.
"Max, stop it!" she shouted. "You don't want to do this, you're just upset because you couldn't save Jim. Kyle's right. Che'koth had his reasons why he didn't tell you. You need to talk to him, and listen to him and found out why."
"You knew, didn't you?" Max asked, coldly. "You've known all along who he was, and you didn't tell me."
"I figured it out," admitted Liz. "And you could have too, if you'd paid attention to somebody other than yourself. You know what, Max? Kyle's right. You're so wrapped up in your poor little me attitude, that you don't notice things that are right in front of your face. Grow up, will you, before you lose everything that's important to you."
Liz turned away from Max and walked over to where Che'koth and Lynran stood.
"Drinian, Kitana, what do you need us to do?" she asked.
"Liz, don't," whispered Drinian. "Don't put your relationship with Max in jeopardy because of us."
"I'm doing this because I want to," said Liz, and no other reason.
"Bring the body of your friend," Drinian directed. "We must bring him to the Granolith, quickly."
Everyone except for Max moved quickly and carefully lifted Jim's body.
"Max, you would sacrifice someone you care about because of your pride?" Drinian asked.
Max didn't say anything to Drinian. Instead, he moved into place and next to Alex and offered to take his place.
"No, I'm good," said Alex. "It doesn't matter how badly I hurt. If Che'koth, I mean Drinian says we need to do this, then I do it."
As they carefully carried Jim's body off of the battlefield, legions of citizens knelt down before them showing their support. Drinian and Kitana both offered reserved smiles to their subjects. Isabel cried unabashedly, the tears streaming down her face as she helped to carry the body of her friend. Zan looked stoically ahead, hurting more for his friends' loss rather than feeling the loss himself.
Liz blinked rapidly, trying to staunch the stem of tears that streamed down her face. She watched Kyle, who was walking in front of her, carefully, trying to gauge his emotions. She couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he was feeling right now.
As they walked, a voice began to sing out, soft at first, but growing stronger with each passing note. Liz looked over at Maria, unsurprised to see her friend singing, but instead of the pulsing rock beat they had grown used to. She gave the song a mournful beat.
This bloody road remains a mystery
This sudden darkness fills the air
What are we waiting for?
Won't anybody help us?
What are we waiting for?
We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation
We will be invincible
This shattered dream you cannot justify
We're gonna scream until we're satisfied
What are we running for?
We've got the right to be angry
What are we running for?
When there's no where we can run to anymore
We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation
We will be invincible
And with the power of conviction
There is no sacrifice
It's a do or die situation
We will be invincible
Won't anybody help us?
What are we running for?
When there's no where, no where we can run to anymore
We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation
We will be invincible
And with the power of conviction
There is no sacrifice
It's a do or die situation
We will be invincible
As the last notes of the song, echoed across the battlefield, the mournful group entered the palace and carried the body of their fallen comrade up flight after flight of stairs until they reached the portion of the roof that now housed the Granolith.
Drinian motioned for the others to lay Jim's body inside the Granolith. After they did, he moved closer to Max.
"You have to do this," he said to his son. "You're the king."
"Damn it!" Max shouted, the tears falling freely down his face. "I keep telling you that I'm nobody's king. I tried to save him, and I couldn't. He's dead."
"He'll do it," said Zan, stepping forward. "We'll do it, together."
"You can't, my Son," said Drinian. "The Granolith chose Max, first. Don't be afraid, Max."
"I am afraid," said Max in wonderment. "How did you know when I didn't know?"
"He's an empathy too, you idiot," snapped Kyle. "Why do you think he was able to help me deal with my new powers? You shut yourself off from so much, Max," Kyle continued in a softer voice. "Because you are afraid. Open yourself up to everything that's happening. Trust the people around you. Trust us. We're not going to let you down."
The tears fell so rapidly from Max's eyes, he could barely see as he moved over to where his parents stood, waiting.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to them both. "What do you want me to do?"
"Climb into the Granolith," instructed Drinian. "And kneel down beside him. Look inside yourself, Max. You know what to do. You have to trust yourself."
Max climbed into the Granolith and knelt beside Jim Valenti's body. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Liz watched the range of emotions play across his face as he accessed the knowledge that he needed. Suddenly, the Granolith began to hum, very softly, and it's base turned a rich dark purple color.
Suddenly, Zan jumped into the Granolith beside Max. He knelt down and whispered something in his ear. Max smiled at Zan's pronouncement, and the two stood up and hugged quickly, before Max jumped out of the Granolith chamber.
"Quick," he said to everyone. "Get into position. Come on, we don't have much time.
They all reacted quickly, and assumed the positions they had first taken in the Granolith chamber when it was on Earth. As it did the first time, the color at the base of the Granolith moved slowly upward, lightening in hue as it moved closer to it's apex. When the light reached it's pinnacle, it was bright silver white, and it spilled forth from the Granolith, enveloping the room and it's inhabitance in it's dazzling light.
For several minutes, the room was filled with light, until it slowly began to recede back into the Granolith, growing darker and darker until it only the bottom was filled with a dark but dazzling deep purple color.
Max strained to see into the Granolith, but he was unable to make out anything through the darkness. Finally, the light faded away, leaving everyone staring in shocked amazement at what they saw.