“NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!” Max’s voice echoed into the night, and he looked down at Glenn’s lifeless body. “Glenn, why. Why did you do this?”

Janus closed his eyes. A tear seeped out from under his eyelid. It was the only drop he had ever shed since putting on the cloak he wore. A cloak from a dark and controlled part of his life. Ozzie, you bastard. When I find you, I’m going to rip you apart!! He tore off the cloak and threw it on the ground. “Max.”

Max looked up at the Zealian prince.

“Glenn told me once that we must all face the past, and overcome it...I think that in your era, we both can do that...”

The HAWK speed through time at an incredible speed, heading for the year 1992. It slipped out of the timestream with the usual sonic boom and flash of light, flying over a lone house near a lake.

Max landed the HAWK in the backyard, and the two climbed out. “Hello," Max called, knocking on the glass door. "Anyone home?”

A man came up to the door, puzzled until he saw Max. “What the? Max?!! It can’t be. You just...and you’re... What’s going on here?”

Max smiled. “Relax dad, I’m from the future. 1998, or to be exact, I just came from 601AD.”

The man saw the HAWK sitting behind the two. “I take it that’s the Epoch.”

Janus smiled a bit. “It was.”

“We’ve come a long way dad. I don’t think you’ll keep me out of my own home.”

“So I’m supposed to stop this Tykoyious thing and save the planet. Again.”

David frowned in thought. Max took it for concern and smiled. “Fortunetely, I’m immortal, and an unkillable one from what we’ve dicovered. It seems that my neck muscles have, sort of, petrified. They can flex and everything, but nothing can cut them.”

David cracked a smile. “If only the others knew.”

Max dropped his head with a sigh. “There, ah, aren’t any other immortals. They’re all dead. We’re the only ones left except for Malatar.”

David frowned, knitting his brow. “Who?”

“Corliras Malatar," Max replied. "The immortal that kills you in two years. We don’t know where or who he really is. I just know that you better stay on holy ground for about at least a year.”

“That's not a problem," David replied, still frowning. "One thing bugs me though. Why you?”

Max sighed. “I don’t know, fate mabye. I am the last Triggara desendent, also the first one to show signs of the Zeal ancestory. Anyways, keep my warning in mind.”

David smiled. “You got it. Oh, by the way. Who’s your friend?” Janus looked at David. “I am Prince Janus Zeal. Your ancestor, David.”

“I’m honored by this visit.”

Janus simply nodded. “We must go Max.”

“Right. This way, the jetbikes should be all prepped to go.”

Soon, Max and Janus tore down the road into town on a pair of jetcycles. “So this is the future!” Janus yelled to Max. “I think I like it already!”

They shot down Parkenson and headed towards a store. They parked the jetbikes and Max set the security system on them. “Come on. I think you’ll like this place.”

Inside, it was full of people, most of them gothic types. Janus looked at a rack of jackets, then spied a rack of trench coats. “Ah, now that’s what I like.” He walked over and pulled off a black leather trench.

As any person of the present would predict, a salesman came over. “Ah, I see you like our new Nightstalker coats. Would you like to try it on?”

Janus smiled, his blue eyes flashing. “Of course.”

“The fitting rooms are in the back. I hope you enjoy your selection.” Janus went to the back and walked in the room.

Max was looking at some dark visors when Janus came out. “Nice choice," he commented, smiling a bit. "Wonder what the others will think.”

Janus took the coat off and draped it over his arm. "Wonder if they'll accept Guardian dukars..."

“Most likely not," Max stated. "I'll cover the trench, be with you in a minute though, I wann'a check out some visors.”

Janus was walking towards the front when a man grabbed his arm. “Ok pal. Now you’re going to give me your money, or else.”

Janus pushed the man and snarled. “Don’t try me. The only man who befriended me died today, and I don’t think you want to push it.”

The man snickered. “Yeah, right. I know you’ve got a lot of cash. That trench you’ve got costs about 150 bucks.”

Janus growled. “Watch it. Or you might find yourself with 150 holes in you.”

Max was walking up to the front when he saw the two. “Oh crap. Not now. The last thing we need is for you to go beserk.” Max started to run over to Janus, when he felt a presense. An immortal?! Here?! He looked at the man who was annoying Janus and stared. “Malatar. Oh shit. Janus!!! Get away from...”

The man pulled out a broadsword and stared at Janus. “You’re not immortal. Where’s that pres....”

Janus reached back for his scythe, then realized he had left it behind. Max jumped over a counter and kicked the man in the face. “Back off Malatar!!! You’re not supposed to be here yet!!”

The man looked at Max with cold eyes. “You, you’re the immortal.”

Max snarled as he shook his head . “There’s too many people here, save it for later.” He pulled Janus’s arm and took him to the line. “Are you crazy? That’s the man who’s going to kill my father. Unless we hurry, my warning is going to be worth dick.” He paid for the coat and visor and the two left the store, getting on the jetbikes and tearing off.

“Come on dad. We’re leaving.”

David was confused. “What’s wrong?”

Max turned to his father.“Malatar, that’s what. He’s here, and I have a funny feeling I know why. He’s after you, we’ve got to get you out of here.” David nodded and ran to the back, then stopped by a darkened room, and frowned, grabbing the only object in it. He was walking to the living room, when the door flew on him.

“I know you’re here Triggara!!”

Max ran in and gasped. “No. You son of a... Get away from here!!”

Malatar smiled. “Well look whose here. I come looking for Triggara, and I find you as well. This is going to be fun.” He swung his sword at Max and was blocked by a katana.

“Max, run!! I’ll handle him!!”

“No!! He’ll kill you!! Let me!! I’ve got the advantage!!”

Malatar stared at the young warrior. “Just who the hell are you anyways?!!”

Max snarled at the monster who stood before him. “Max Triggara, David’s son.”

Malatar laughed at that. “Can’t be, immortals can’t have...”

“This one did.”

Malatar looked at David with an amused look. “Then it’s true. This will be the end.”

David turned to Max and Janus. “Both of you, get out of here!!! You’re running out of time!!”

Max and Janus ran to the HAWK, then Max stopped before climbing in. “Stay here. I’m not letting my father die again.” He grabbed the Sun Sword from it's sheath and ran back inside, leaping over the couch and smashed Malatar’s sword into pieces. "Back off!"

“You little brat!! You’re breaking the rules!!!”

Max growled at him. “What rules? There are none.” Max spun around and sliced off Malatar’s head in one swing, the mans' head falling off and hitting the ground.

Max braced himself for the surge of power, then was shocked that there was none. "What? He's got no Quickening?”

“Sorry kid, but there can be only one.”

Max spun around and saw his father rasing his katana up to take Max's head. “Dad?! What's wrong with you?!” He quickly thrust his sword into his father’s chest and watched him collapse. “Dad...” He pulled the blade out of his father, the noticed a scar on the man's arm. He knew then the truth; this wasn't his father. He hadn't killed Malatar, the man before him was the real Malatar! "You son of a bitch...that's why I never completely ever trusted you or believed in you...it was all a lie...”

The man smiled as he slwoly healed. “On the contrary, your father was an immortal...I felt it best though to take his place”

Max snarled and sliced Malatar's head off, feeling a pain that he had never know the truth of until now. Lightning pulsed out of the body and into Max, Malatar's power surging into the boy, the power of all the immortals he had slain becoming Max's. As the Quickening ended, Max fell to his knees, knowing that now...it was truely over. He had been told of the Game, and now, as the last Immortal standing, he intended that it stopped.

"There will be no Gathering," he whispered to himself. "The Game ends now."

Max packed the last of his father things, quiet the whole time. He picked up the sword that Malatar has tried to use to take his head. It was a sword he recognized as that of the man who had taught him a bit of how to fight, the man who had told him about his father. Duncan... looks like you were right after all...it took a child to stop the cycle. He stuck it with the rest of the stuff, got in the HAWK, and set the system for 601AD. Now he knew why Malatar had disappeared after the death of his "father".

He had been the one who avenged David Triggara.

To be Continued......