A/N: Here it is, finally the end of this story. I hope all of you who have been reading this have enjoyed it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Please review, I'd love to hear you thoughts. :)
Epilogue
Viala closed the book and looked into the faces of the children in front of her. "So you see in the end, they all wanted to make things right and they will once they return." She smiled a bit weakly. "Did you all like it?"
"Yes," the children said in unison. Even the young boy, who'd been so skeptical when the story started, clapped when Viala finished telling the story.
Viala looked to the back of the room where four figures stood in the shadows before looking back at the group of children. "Now, go get ready for bed."
After some of the kids hugged her, they all exited the room to go to their sleeping quarters. When they were all gone, she spoke to the shadows in the distance. "Please come forward."
The figures of two men and two women slowly came forward. Even in their human form, Viala could tell who each of them were. "The Royal Four," she smiled softly. "I have used everything I have left to show you your past so you may face your future."
The four of them looked at each other. Max was the first to speak. "Our future; what do you mean?" He looked to his right at the petite blonde woman beside him, unsure if Tess was really there. Her eyes averted him.
"This war is moving beyond Antar; beyond Vlach," she explained after a brief pause. "He's sending an army to Earth and he plans on destroying it and you the way he did on Antar." She gave a labored breath.
Isabel looked at the visibly tired woman. "Are you alright?"
"I haven't much time," Viala spoke softly but with urgency. "You must save both your planets; two worlds are depending on you now cousins." She exhaled. "Goodbye and good luck to you all."
"Wait…" Max said as they faded out.
Viala graced a proud smile before closing her eyes as her head fell to the side and she passed away peacefully.
"Wait," Max sat up in bed and then looked to the woman beside him, making sure he didn't wake her. He leaned over to kiss Liz softly on the forehead before getting out of bed quietly. He stopped at the mirror and stared at himself for a moment. Who am I? Am I Zan or am I Max?
He could remember every detail of the dream he'd just had; every memory from his past life as The King of Antar but he wondered if the dream he had was just that.
As he stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind him, he knew it was all true. Max looked up to see Michael and Isabel standing in the hallway.
"You saw it too?" Isabel turned to her brother, her eyes shifting from the intense stare she'd be sharing with Michael. "Our lives…"
"And Tess," Michael added. "She was there when Viala was speaking?" He wasn't even sure if he was asking.
"It was Tess," Max said firmly. "It wasn't her back up."
A thoughtful look washed over Michael's features. "My sister always was very resourceful. My sister," he scratched at his eyebrow, still trying to grasp that he is actually Tess' brother. "She's alive."
"But we saw her die twelve years ago," Isabel said. "How is that possible?"
"I don't know. All I know is we have to find her," Max paused. "For Antar's sake and for Earth's."
Tess crept out of bed slowly and walked to the adjacent bathroom to splash cold water on her face. As she looked in the mirror, she remembered everything she'd seen from her past and the looks on all of their faces when they looked at her. They know I'm alive. She wondered how that would complicate things but she knew she had a duty to Antar and to Earth. And to Ava. She remembered her dupe's last words that they were coming and Tess knew she could not back down from that.
She wondered how Max was feeling at this very moment and splashed her face with water again, trying to push any thought of him from her mind. At least for now, she thought.
"Tess," a man's voice called out to her from the bedroom.
"I'm in here," she answered.
"Is everything alright?" he asked sleepily.
"Yes I'll be right there," Tess replied. "Everything is just fine; just fine." She wondered, after hearing the urgency in Viala's voice, how long that would really be true.