Kivar stood staring at Tess his face a resolute calm but his eyes on fire.
'What do you mean threatened?' he asked in a hushed voice.
Tess trembled, she had never seen Kivar like this before, he was more terrible than he had been before. She no longer reveled in his powerfulness but shrank from it in fear. Something was wrong. 'A girl from earth. Max'- I mean, Zan's woman. She was here, she threatened me and then she walked out.'
'Why didn't you stop her?' asked Kivar, his voice still eerily calm.
'I did, she blasted the guards.' Tess voice rose up a notch as her fear got the better of her.
'Blasted? But I thought she was an earthling.'
'I don't know! She blasted them! How should I know how she did it? Why the hell are you so calm! I was threatened!' Tess shouted finally loosing her cool.
'Everyone out!' commanded Kivar, raising his voice so he could be heard. Attendants and guards scurried from the room.
Tess swallowed, alone with Kivar had used to be a good thing. but now?
'You will not raise your voice to me,' continued Kivar in the same hissing whisper. 'Do not forget your place Ava, you are still half human as of yet, and with that, you are weak. Do not over exadurate your position, I still have your son, and you are not my wife.. yet.'
Tess blinked, was he doubting her? Threatening her brat of a son? How could he? She had given him everything he had asked of her when she arrived, handed him the other three and become his mistress! How dare he doubt her now? She had given him everything! She opened her mouth to say something as the door swung open.
'I ordered to be left alone!' roar Kivar.
The enormous guard gave a visible tremble, and looked inclined to flee the room just the way he had entered, but he held his ground. just. 'My lord. I have b-b-bad news. The prisoners have escaped.'
'WHAT!?!'
Tess, stood bolt upright, they had escaped? Liz!
The guard trembled where he sat on one leg, 'The rebels h-have freed them m- my l-lord.'
Kivar let out a roar and the guard collapsed to the ground as a powerful bolt of energy hit him, killing him.
***
Each occupant of Serena's room let out a small gasp as Liz lead the three aliens into the room. They had been lucky, queen Ava it seemed had been so taken aback by Liz' appearance that she hadn't bothered to check on the prisoners and it seemed in her own defense she had called every guard in the place to look after her own life. Kivar was going to have her alien guts for garters! Liz let out a small smile at the thought. But inside a small feeling of uncertainty gripped her, it had been too easy. why?
'You did it! That first part of the prophecy has been fulfilled!' cried a small dumpy woman as she threw herself at Max' feet. 'Welcome my king!'
All the others fell down in the same way as her and repeated such phrases as 'We are deeply Honored!', 'We praise you great King!' and 'I am not worthy my lord!'
Liz looked on in amusement, well, it looked like Max had hit the big time! She turned to where Serena also kneeled on the floor, 'Well, I'll leave you to your worship Max session. Nice meeting you all.' She turned to where Isabel and Michael stood, 'I guess I'll be seeing you around, look me up if you come back to earth.' And then turning to Max, 'I'm glad our great King has finally found what he really deserves and where he belongs, with people who love him.' she said in a sarcastic voice as she bowed to him.
Turning away from the scene she walked straight at the void. As the world around her began to slip away she heard Max' voice calling her name.
***
'LIZ!!' squealed Maria as Liz began to materialize out of the portal. 'What the hell is that??'
'The way to Antar,' replied Liz in a matter of fact manner.
'What?' squeaked Maria. 'You mean Michael's there? I can go and see him?'
Liz didn't bother to reply she just walked over to the kitchen and began pouring herself some coffee. 'Yes Michael's there.' she said at last.
Maria didn't wait to hear more she just ran at the portal, but before she could even get through it, Michael was standing in front of her.
'Maria!' he shouted as he flung his arms around her. Maria screamed and began to cling to him, tears rolled down her face and dripped onto his shoulder.
'You came back!' she said between sobs.
Liz watched the scene from the kitchen as she calmly stirred her coffee. Glancing up at the void she saw Isabel beginning to emerge. Isabel stepped out and blinked at the bright world around her, she glanced around the room, her eyes lingering on Maria and Michael just a little too long, quickly she looked away, her eyes falling immediately on Alex' guitar. Liz saw the tears beginning to gather in Isabel's eyes, she walked over and lead Isabel to the sofa. She handed Isabel the mug of coffee, 'A taste of home,' she said encouragingly.
'Thanks,' said Isabel wiping the tears away from her eyes. 'How are. Mom and Dad?' she asked hesitantly. 'When we left how, how were they?'
'I won't lye to you, they were very upset, but they got your video and they understood eventually. They swore to keep your secret, and they were glad you were going to meet your real parents. They stayed strong. Sheriff Valenti helped, he helped lot. He'd known all of you and your secret so he was able to talk to your parents, tell them things about you that they might never have known otherwise. And they looked after Kyle, Maria and I. It was nice to have someone else there who could talk to us.'
'Thank you,' said Isabel looking away from her mug of coffee and into Liz' face. Liz flushed and tried to turn away, but Isabel saw it. She saw everything before Liz' mask could come up, she saw the hurt, the anger, the fear and the loneliness. ' We never saw them.' said Isabel remembering what Liz had said. 'Our real parents.. They were killed in the fighting years ago, no one was left who loved us. We left you all behind here.' a sob caught in her throat as she went on. 'We got there and everything was chaos. Our parents were dead, all our family was dead! We were alone! I never got to meet my mom.' Isabel collapsed into tears, Liz put her arm around Isabel's shoulders in an attempt to still her pain.
'Shhh.. It's OK, where ever she is now, she knows you loved her very much. She knew that long ago, right! You told her that in your past life, yeah, so she knows you care! She'll always know.'
Isabel looked back at Liz' face, this time she saw the mask, it was like Liz wasn't even there, this was just a pre recorded message. 'Thank you Liz, thank you for everything. Thank you for caring, and thank you for coming back.'
Liz smiled, 'Sure, no problem.' she stood up and walked over to the kitchen. 'You want something to drink Michael?'
Michael looked up from Maria's face, he grinned, 'Sure, Snapple?'
'Here,' Liz said as she handed one to him. 'Come and sit down, looks like you have a lot to tell us.'
Isabel looked up and looked around the room, 'Where's Max?'
'Right here,' he replied as he walked out from the portal. 'I had to sort a few things out with Serena, she'll be joining us later.'
He walked over and sat down next to Liz, 'So ummm. what's happening?' he asked uncertainly.
Maria saw Liz' face become unveiled for a second, she saw the bright flame of anger that burned there. She watched as Liz stood up and stormed out of the room. Max stood up immediately to follow her, Maria opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again, this had to happen, for Liz' sake!
Tess trembled, she had never seen Kivar like this before, he was more terrible than he had been before. She no longer reveled in his powerfulness but shrank from it in fear. Something was wrong. 'A girl from earth. Max'- I mean, Zan's woman. She was here, she threatened me and then she walked out.'
'Why didn't you stop her?' asked Kivar, his voice still eerily calm.
'I did, she blasted the guards.' Tess voice rose up a notch as her fear got the better of her.
'Blasted? But I thought she was an earthling.'
'I don't know! She blasted them! How should I know how she did it? Why the hell are you so calm! I was threatened!' Tess shouted finally loosing her cool.
'Everyone out!' commanded Kivar, raising his voice so he could be heard. Attendants and guards scurried from the room.
Tess swallowed, alone with Kivar had used to be a good thing. but now?
'You will not raise your voice to me,' continued Kivar in the same hissing whisper. 'Do not forget your place Ava, you are still half human as of yet, and with that, you are weak. Do not over exadurate your position, I still have your son, and you are not my wife.. yet.'
Tess blinked, was he doubting her? Threatening her brat of a son? How could he? She had given him everything he had asked of her when she arrived, handed him the other three and become his mistress! How dare he doubt her now? She had given him everything! She opened her mouth to say something as the door swung open.
'I ordered to be left alone!' roar Kivar.
The enormous guard gave a visible tremble, and looked inclined to flee the room just the way he had entered, but he held his ground. just. 'My lord. I have b-b-bad news. The prisoners have escaped.'
'WHAT!?!'
Tess, stood bolt upright, they had escaped? Liz!
The guard trembled where he sat on one leg, 'The rebels h-have freed them m- my l-lord.'
Kivar let out a roar and the guard collapsed to the ground as a powerful bolt of energy hit him, killing him.
***
Each occupant of Serena's room let out a small gasp as Liz lead the three aliens into the room. They had been lucky, queen Ava it seemed had been so taken aback by Liz' appearance that she hadn't bothered to check on the prisoners and it seemed in her own defense she had called every guard in the place to look after her own life. Kivar was going to have her alien guts for garters! Liz let out a small smile at the thought. But inside a small feeling of uncertainty gripped her, it had been too easy. why?
'You did it! That first part of the prophecy has been fulfilled!' cried a small dumpy woman as she threw herself at Max' feet. 'Welcome my king!'
All the others fell down in the same way as her and repeated such phrases as 'We are deeply Honored!', 'We praise you great King!' and 'I am not worthy my lord!'
Liz looked on in amusement, well, it looked like Max had hit the big time! She turned to where Serena also kneeled on the floor, 'Well, I'll leave you to your worship Max session. Nice meeting you all.' She turned to where Isabel and Michael stood, 'I guess I'll be seeing you around, look me up if you come back to earth.' And then turning to Max, 'I'm glad our great King has finally found what he really deserves and where he belongs, with people who love him.' she said in a sarcastic voice as she bowed to him.
Turning away from the scene she walked straight at the void. As the world around her began to slip away she heard Max' voice calling her name.
***
'LIZ!!' squealed Maria as Liz began to materialize out of the portal. 'What the hell is that??'
'The way to Antar,' replied Liz in a matter of fact manner.
'What?' squeaked Maria. 'You mean Michael's there? I can go and see him?'
Liz didn't bother to reply she just walked over to the kitchen and began pouring herself some coffee. 'Yes Michael's there.' she said at last.
Maria didn't wait to hear more she just ran at the portal, but before she could even get through it, Michael was standing in front of her.
'Maria!' he shouted as he flung his arms around her. Maria screamed and began to cling to him, tears rolled down her face and dripped onto his shoulder.
'You came back!' she said between sobs.
Liz watched the scene from the kitchen as she calmly stirred her coffee. Glancing up at the void she saw Isabel beginning to emerge. Isabel stepped out and blinked at the bright world around her, she glanced around the room, her eyes lingering on Maria and Michael just a little too long, quickly she looked away, her eyes falling immediately on Alex' guitar. Liz saw the tears beginning to gather in Isabel's eyes, she walked over and lead Isabel to the sofa. She handed Isabel the mug of coffee, 'A taste of home,' she said encouragingly.
'Thanks,' said Isabel wiping the tears away from her eyes. 'How are. Mom and Dad?' she asked hesitantly. 'When we left how, how were they?'
'I won't lye to you, they were very upset, but they got your video and they understood eventually. They swore to keep your secret, and they were glad you were going to meet your real parents. They stayed strong. Sheriff Valenti helped, he helped lot. He'd known all of you and your secret so he was able to talk to your parents, tell them things about you that they might never have known otherwise. And they looked after Kyle, Maria and I. It was nice to have someone else there who could talk to us.'
'Thank you,' said Isabel looking away from her mug of coffee and into Liz' face. Liz flushed and tried to turn away, but Isabel saw it. She saw everything before Liz' mask could come up, she saw the hurt, the anger, the fear and the loneliness. ' We never saw them.' said Isabel remembering what Liz had said. 'Our real parents.. They were killed in the fighting years ago, no one was left who loved us. We left you all behind here.' a sob caught in her throat as she went on. 'We got there and everything was chaos. Our parents were dead, all our family was dead! We were alone! I never got to meet my mom.' Isabel collapsed into tears, Liz put her arm around Isabel's shoulders in an attempt to still her pain.
'Shhh.. It's OK, where ever she is now, she knows you loved her very much. She knew that long ago, right! You told her that in your past life, yeah, so she knows you care! She'll always know.'
Isabel looked back at Liz' face, this time she saw the mask, it was like Liz wasn't even there, this was just a pre recorded message. 'Thank you Liz, thank you for everything. Thank you for caring, and thank you for coming back.'
Liz smiled, 'Sure, no problem.' she stood up and walked over to the kitchen. 'You want something to drink Michael?'
Michael looked up from Maria's face, he grinned, 'Sure, Snapple?'
'Here,' Liz said as she handed one to him. 'Come and sit down, looks like you have a lot to tell us.'
Isabel looked up and looked around the room, 'Where's Max?'
'Right here,' he replied as he walked out from the portal. 'I had to sort a few things out with Serena, she'll be joining us later.'
He walked over and sat down next to Liz, 'So ummm. what's happening?' he asked uncertainly.
Maria saw Liz' face become unveiled for a second, she saw the bright flame of anger that burned there. She watched as Liz stood up and stormed out of the room. Max stood up immediately to follow her, Maria opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again, this had to happen, for Liz' sake!