'Did you get there in time?' asked Maria breaking the silence.
Serena looked at her, confused.
'To save your father.'
'Oh,' Serena looked down at her lap. 'No, though two of our men died trying.'
'I'm sorry,' murmured Max.
'It's not your fault,' Serena replied.
'Isn't it?'
'No! You did everything you could to stop Kivar from coming to power, before. it wasn't your fault you were betrayed. My father didn't blame you for what happened. He blamed Kivar. He wouldn't have wanted you to blame yourself.'
'Yeah well I should have seen what Ava was up to. I guess I haven't changed that much since my past life. I'm making the same mistakes again.'
'But it's different this time!' said Serena passionately. 'This time you're all here! This time we can complete the prophecy!'
'The what now?' demanded Isabel as she stepped into the room.
'The prophecy.'
***
'So when were you planning on letting us in on all this?' demanded Michael. How could she do this? March in, gain their trust and then spring another destiny on them. She was just another Tess.
'Now, I guess. It wasn't exactly planned out.' replied Serena hesitantly.
'So what's it all about?' asked Kyle, interested.
Serena glanced gratefully at him. 'Us. All of us.'
'Us? Someone prophesied about me?' laughed Maria. 'Man! How popular do I feel- wait you're serious? Us?'
'Great, another Destiny.' said Max.
'No,' replied Serena. 'This one's for you to choose.'
'Choose?'
'It's your decision, you can follow this destiny or choose your own. It's up to you, each and every individual should make their own choice.'
'I don't believe in destiny.'
Serena looked thoughtfully up at Liz. 'Don't you? What about Soul mates? That's a sort of destiny. A soul that was split in two so that when it found it's other half nothing could separate them.'
'Yeah well I don't believe in soul mates either,' Liz replied. 'Not any more,' she added as an after thought.
'Why didn't you tell me?' asked Adam looking at Serena with hurt in his eyes. 'I followed you around for almost two years, why didn't you tell me then?'
'Because I didn't know it was you! The only person I knew for certain was included in the prophecy other than me was. it was you Liz.'
'Liz?' gasped Maria. 'How- Why- But you'd never seen her before!'
'Yes I had,' replied Serena.
***
[I] Serena looked in disgust at the outside of a UFO museum. 'Humans can be so freaking dumb!' she spat. 'Oh, sorry, no offense.' she added blushing.
Adam grinned at her, 'Well I like to think some of us are better than others, after all this planet can't be completely devoid of intelligent life right?'
'No of course not!' replied Serena. 'Not while you've still got mice!'
'Awww gee thanks! I'm eternally wounded!' said Adam mocking hurt. 'Come on, let's go see what sick food they sell in this freak hole!' he added pointing towards the Crashdown.
'Yeah why not, perhaps the mice think up the menu!' she laughed and began to drag him towards the door. Suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks.
'Owww! What was that for?' demanded Adam, rubbing his head where it had just hit Serena's.
But Serena wasn't listening. Heck she probably didn't even know he was talking. She was just staring straight ahead of her towards a small group of people about their age.
'Oh my God!' said Adam his jaw dropping
'It's her! She's the one!' said Serena excitedly. 'She has the strongest mark I've ever seen!'
Serena's heart leapt. This petite brown haired girl had to be one of them. She had the mark of Antar, and a mark that strong could only have been made by the King himself.[/I]
***
'I saw you then. And I knew it was you.' Serena said looking directly at Liz. Liz held her gaze steadily for a moment but then looked away. 'Antarians believe in soul mates. They believe that when you find your soul mate you're changed, not a physical change as such but it shows. I suppose in a way it's like your beliefs about Auras only for us it's the mark of Antar. On most it's only a faint mark that only people who have studied the markings can read but on you Liz it's strong, so strong. I've never studied how the markings work, I know only what my father used to tell me but yours is clear as day. Blinding.'
'I don't believe in soul mates,' said Liz in her most emotionless voice.
Inside Liz was screaming. Why couldn't she escape? Everything about her bound her to Max. On this planet, on Antar. Everywhere! She just wanted to run and hide, leave the memories behind but she couldn't, no matter what she did they would always be there to haunt her. Her soul which was tormented was the very thing that had attracted this torment. Why did she have to hare half her soul with max? Why not with Kyle? Or Hitler? She couldn't live with her soul as it was but just as equally, she couldn't live without it.
Max watched Liz out of the corner of his eye sadly. He had brought her to this. Before he'd known her she had been innocent, free from care but that innocence was gone now, replaced with pain and anger. And he couldn't turn her back.
Maria swallowed and looked away from Liz. It hurt her to see her best friend like this. Liz could help herself so easily, she could be free if she would just admit to the world, to herself that she loved Max, she always had done and always would do.
'A soul can't be at peace without its other part can it?' she said to Serena. it was more of a statement than a question. She already knew the answer deep down. She'd lived without Michael for almost two years, she knew the pain a soul could feel.
Serena shook her head, 'No. It can live in relative peace before seeing it's other half but to be made whole and then ripped in half again. It can never be the same again.'
Max absorbed her words slowly. [I]To be made whole and then ripped in half again.[/I] Yes that had been his doing. It had been him that made the first move and it had been him who had initiated the final separation And then he had plunged himself back into her life again sending their souls back into turmoil.
'Please,' said Isabel quietly. 'Will you tell me the prophecy?'
Serena smiled at her. Her voice to on a melodious, abnormal quality as she started.
'Into a land swept with evil eight figures of hope will enter. Four will be home, four will be lost but all shall be good. The people will rise up with them against the evil and freedom shall once again reign. But there shall be deaths, many deaths for the freedom. The freedom shall rely on one person, a person known to the people as a warrior.'
'That's it?' asked Kyle when Serena finished. 'That's a destiny?'
'No, there was just a little more. Words no-one really knew the meaning of. Hajhra rian'ith ipashla kyliha y t'apthai hydicea.'
'What does it mean?' asked Isabel savoring the words.
'Pain, suffering, death but a second chance, a freedom. Many said it was just the prophet describing the war, others that it showed the kindness of the coming, the mercy they would should on the followers of the evil but most say it holds a secret meaning that will only be made known to the one it speaks of.'
The room fell silent. What should they do? Destiny? Or a life of freedom?
Isabel was the first to speak. 'I want to do it. I've seen the suffering of the people on my planet. They all have faith that we'll be back to save them. I don't want to leave them there to die.'
'I'm in too,' said Adam finally. 'There's nothing left here for me on this planet. I may as well try my luck on another one. Alex would have done it.'
'You're right.' said Maria. 'Alex would have done it and I'm pretty sure of what my Spaceboy's answer will be. Besides it won't take that long, I can always come back and visit my Mom for Christmas.'
'Yeah well if Pixie's going I suppose I'm gonna have to be there to stop her doing anything stupid,' sighed Michael. 'OW!' he yelped as Maria threw a cushion at him.
Kyle hesitated. He had a good life here. His dad was here, he had friends at college. Was it worth throwing it away just to go off to another planet? He raised his eyes and met Serena's deep dark pools. It was stupid to question it, he already knew his answer. he'd run away once before and look what that had done to his friends. 'I guess I'm along for the ride too. It's not like you guys can survive without me anyway.'
'Yeah, keep dreaming Valenti,' scoffed Maria.
Serena flashed Kyle a shy smile then turned to look at Max and Liz. 'Liz? Max?'
Max just nodded. it was obvious what his answer was. He had a debt to repay to that planet. The people there had given him a second chance in hope he would come back and help them, it just wasn't him to abandon them. It just wasn't and option. He could at least do this one thing right.
Liz looked round at her 'friends'. So they were all going. Forgetting all the hurt and pain and going back to get it again. They were mad, stupid. right?
'Come on Liz!' said a niggling voice in the back of her head.
She thought back to her earlier meeting with Alex. What was it he'd said?
'Liz you have to step out from behind the tree, show your true self! The person you're pretending to be isn't the Elizabeth Parker I know!'
Who was Liz Parker? She was the person who would make the right choice in this situation. She had two choices now, the right one or the wrong one. Liz Parker or pain. Which one should she choose? Which would could she choose?
All the eyes of the room were on her as she raised her head.
'Like I said before. I don't believe in Destiny.'
Serena looked at her, confused.
'To save your father.'
'Oh,' Serena looked down at her lap. 'No, though two of our men died trying.'
'I'm sorry,' murmured Max.
'It's not your fault,' Serena replied.
'Isn't it?'
'No! You did everything you could to stop Kivar from coming to power, before. it wasn't your fault you were betrayed. My father didn't blame you for what happened. He blamed Kivar. He wouldn't have wanted you to blame yourself.'
'Yeah well I should have seen what Ava was up to. I guess I haven't changed that much since my past life. I'm making the same mistakes again.'
'But it's different this time!' said Serena passionately. 'This time you're all here! This time we can complete the prophecy!'
'The what now?' demanded Isabel as she stepped into the room.
'The prophecy.'
***
'So when were you planning on letting us in on all this?' demanded Michael. How could she do this? March in, gain their trust and then spring another destiny on them. She was just another Tess.
'Now, I guess. It wasn't exactly planned out.' replied Serena hesitantly.
'So what's it all about?' asked Kyle, interested.
Serena glanced gratefully at him. 'Us. All of us.'
'Us? Someone prophesied about me?' laughed Maria. 'Man! How popular do I feel- wait you're serious? Us?'
'Great, another Destiny.' said Max.
'No,' replied Serena. 'This one's for you to choose.'
'Choose?'
'It's your decision, you can follow this destiny or choose your own. It's up to you, each and every individual should make their own choice.'
'I don't believe in destiny.'
Serena looked thoughtfully up at Liz. 'Don't you? What about Soul mates? That's a sort of destiny. A soul that was split in two so that when it found it's other half nothing could separate them.'
'Yeah well I don't believe in soul mates either,' Liz replied. 'Not any more,' she added as an after thought.
'Why didn't you tell me?' asked Adam looking at Serena with hurt in his eyes. 'I followed you around for almost two years, why didn't you tell me then?'
'Because I didn't know it was you! The only person I knew for certain was included in the prophecy other than me was. it was you Liz.'
'Liz?' gasped Maria. 'How- Why- But you'd never seen her before!'
'Yes I had,' replied Serena.
***
[I] Serena looked in disgust at the outside of a UFO museum. 'Humans can be so freaking dumb!' she spat. 'Oh, sorry, no offense.' she added blushing.
Adam grinned at her, 'Well I like to think some of us are better than others, after all this planet can't be completely devoid of intelligent life right?'
'No of course not!' replied Serena. 'Not while you've still got mice!'
'Awww gee thanks! I'm eternally wounded!' said Adam mocking hurt. 'Come on, let's go see what sick food they sell in this freak hole!' he added pointing towards the Crashdown.
'Yeah why not, perhaps the mice think up the menu!' she laughed and began to drag him towards the door. Suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks.
'Owww! What was that for?' demanded Adam, rubbing his head where it had just hit Serena's.
But Serena wasn't listening. Heck she probably didn't even know he was talking. She was just staring straight ahead of her towards a small group of people about their age.
'Oh my God!' said Adam his jaw dropping
'It's her! She's the one!' said Serena excitedly. 'She has the strongest mark I've ever seen!'
Serena's heart leapt. This petite brown haired girl had to be one of them. She had the mark of Antar, and a mark that strong could only have been made by the King himself.[/I]
***
'I saw you then. And I knew it was you.' Serena said looking directly at Liz. Liz held her gaze steadily for a moment but then looked away. 'Antarians believe in soul mates. They believe that when you find your soul mate you're changed, not a physical change as such but it shows. I suppose in a way it's like your beliefs about Auras only for us it's the mark of Antar. On most it's only a faint mark that only people who have studied the markings can read but on you Liz it's strong, so strong. I've never studied how the markings work, I know only what my father used to tell me but yours is clear as day. Blinding.'
'I don't believe in soul mates,' said Liz in her most emotionless voice.
Inside Liz was screaming. Why couldn't she escape? Everything about her bound her to Max. On this planet, on Antar. Everywhere! She just wanted to run and hide, leave the memories behind but she couldn't, no matter what she did they would always be there to haunt her. Her soul which was tormented was the very thing that had attracted this torment. Why did she have to hare half her soul with max? Why not with Kyle? Or Hitler? She couldn't live with her soul as it was but just as equally, she couldn't live without it.
Max watched Liz out of the corner of his eye sadly. He had brought her to this. Before he'd known her she had been innocent, free from care but that innocence was gone now, replaced with pain and anger. And he couldn't turn her back.
Maria swallowed and looked away from Liz. It hurt her to see her best friend like this. Liz could help herself so easily, she could be free if she would just admit to the world, to herself that she loved Max, she always had done and always would do.
'A soul can't be at peace without its other part can it?' she said to Serena. it was more of a statement than a question. She already knew the answer deep down. She'd lived without Michael for almost two years, she knew the pain a soul could feel.
Serena shook her head, 'No. It can live in relative peace before seeing it's other half but to be made whole and then ripped in half again. It can never be the same again.'
Max absorbed her words slowly. [I]To be made whole and then ripped in half again.[/I] Yes that had been his doing. It had been him that made the first move and it had been him who had initiated the final separation And then he had plunged himself back into her life again sending their souls back into turmoil.
'Please,' said Isabel quietly. 'Will you tell me the prophecy?'
Serena smiled at her. Her voice to on a melodious, abnormal quality as she started.
'Into a land swept with evil eight figures of hope will enter. Four will be home, four will be lost but all shall be good. The people will rise up with them against the evil and freedom shall once again reign. But there shall be deaths, many deaths for the freedom. The freedom shall rely on one person, a person known to the people as a warrior.'
'That's it?' asked Kyle when Serena finished. 'That's a destiny?'
'No, there was just a little more. Words no-one really knew the meaning of. Hajhra rian'ith ipashla kyliha y t'apthai hydicea.'
'What does it mean?' asked Isabel savoring the words.
'Pain, suffering, death but a second chance, a freedom. Many said it was just the prophet describing the war, others that it showed the kindness of the coming, the mercy they would should on the followers of the evil but most say it holds a secret meaning that will only be made known to the one it speaks of.'
The room fell silent. What should they do? Destiny? Or a life of freedom?
Isabel was the first to speak. 'I want to do it. I've seen the suffering of the people on my planet. They all have faith that we'll be back to save them. I don't want to leave them there to die.'
'I'm in too,' said Adam finally. 'There's nothing left here for me on this planet. I may as well try my luck on another one. Alex would have done it.'
'You're right.' said Maria. 'Alex would have done it and I'm pretty sure of what my Spaceboy's answer will be. Besides it won't take that long, I can always come back and visit my Mom for Christmas.'
'Yeah well if Pixie's going I suppose I'm gonna have to be there to stop her doing anything stupid,' sighed Michael. 'OW!' he yelped as Maria threw a cushion at him.
Kyle hesitated. He had a good life here. His dad was here, he had friends at college. Was it worth throwing it away just to go off to another planet? He raised his eyes and met Serena's deep dark pools. It was stupid to question it, he already knew his answer. he'd run away once before and look what that had done to his friends. 'I guess I'm along for the ride too. It's not like you guys can survive without me anyway.'
'Yeah, keep dreaming Valenti,' scoffed Maria.
Serena flashed Kyle a shy smile then turned to look at Max and Liz. 'Liz? Max?'
Max just nodded. it was obvious what his answer was. He had a debt to repay to that planet. The people there had given him a second chance in hope he would come back and help them, it just wasn't him to abandon them. It just wasn't and option. He could at least do this one thing right.
Liz looked round at her 'friends'. So they were all going. Forgetting all the hurt and pain and going back to get it again. They were mad, stupid. right?
'Come on Liz!' said a niggling voice in the back of her head.
She thought back to her earlier meeting with Alex. What was it he'd said?
'Liz you have to step out from behind the tree, show your true self! The person you're pretending to be isn't the Elizabeth Parker I know!'
Who was Liz Parker? She was the person who would make the right choice in this situation. She had two choices now, the right one or the wrong one. Liz Parker or pain. Which one should she choose? Which would could she choose?
All the eyes of the room were on her as she raised her head.
'Like I said before. I don't believe in Destiny.'