Dawn of Legend

by Mr. Cordell

This short story takes place in pre-war Arus during the latter part of Kinf Alfor's rule. In this story, we learn why and how Voltron was created. We get a glimpse of Voltron as a sentient being and how his actions lead to his own demise.

Dawn of Legend

By Mike Payne

English 303

4-18-2012

King Alfor stirred in his sleep, releasing groans which echoed throughout the cool air of his royal chambers. He began to squirm violently, swinging his arms wildly as if fending off attackers. His mind was at the mercy of a dream in which he could not escape. His heart was under siege and held captive by a familiar voice which had been silenced by eternal sleep. Unlike any other dream he had ever had, Alfor wished that this one would never end.

"Alfor…my son," a majestic voice echoed within the dark vacuum of his mind.

"Father?" Alfor cried out in a voice caught between fear and joy. Since his father's death years ago, he had long sought the comfort of his voice; the guidance of his wisdom; the warmth of his smile. "Reveal yourself to me, for my eyes long to fall upon you."

Alfor's request went unanswered. Darkness prevailed. His weightless form floated freely in the void, where only the sound of his drumming heart could be heard. His eyes, brimming with cold, heavy tears, registered nothing. Am I…

"Fear not, my son, for you very much alive," the voice explained. "Your spirit is strong and is favored among all others, for Ezar calls for you. Go to him. Stand before him and open your heart to his divine bidding."

"What does this mean, father? I am but a man; unworthy to hold court with the gods. Tell me what this means."

"The answers you seek lie with the mighty one. Go now, Alfor, my precious son and benevolent king of Arus. Heed the call of nature's king, for he will guide you to your new destiny," the voice faded away to a whisper which caressed his ears as if it were a gentle breeze sung in the stillness of night.

"Father…" he cried out just as his eye flickered open. The twin moons which dangled in the night kissed his royal chambers with their soft blue light which crept through the opened tall, narrow rectangular window. The cold breath of nature swirled around his chambers as he climbed out from under of the comforting warmth of his canopy bed. As his teeth chattered, his body broke out into shivers. King Alfor wrapped his sweat-soaked body in a cocoon of sheets which clung to his sticky, bare chest and back. He dragged his bare feet against the cold granite floor towards the window which was sheathed by the fluttering silk curtains which danced in the breeze. As he gazed out of the window down into the ripples of the moon-lit water surrounding the castle, he heard what sounded like a lion's roar. As the roar grew louder, his heart began to thunder in his chest. "Follow nature's king," he repeated for emphasis.

Alfor dressed and quickly exited his royal chambers, walking past the guard who had snapped to attention and raised his rigid outstretched right hand to the bill of his cap. "Will you require an escort, Your Majesty?" the guard asked, keeping his hand locked in salute. "No," Alfor answered without looking back as he continued down the dimly lit, curved limestone-brick corridor. "I'm quite capable of walking myself out of the castle," he returned gruffly. "And no one is to know that I've left my chambers," he commanded as he thundered towards the long, floor-to-ceiling narrow glass cylinder which sat in the center of the spire tower and extended to all levels of the castle. He stepped inside the cylinder and onto the floating disk, which lowered him from the top floor of the main spire to the castle control room on the ground floor.

"Marah?" Alfor whispered after a gasp, as his eyes locked onto his sister who hovered past him like a mist just as he stepped off of the disk into the dark, empty castle control room. The train of her white velvet gown fluttered in the air as she descended back down to the floor.

I heard it too, Alfor, she said to him telepathically, which was her preferred method of communicating with him especially when they were alone.

"The lion?"

She nodded her head. Yes.

"And father?" he asked rhetorically, knowing full well that as with all female descendants from the ancient tribe of Konos, the royal blood line of Arus, Marah, born a sorceress, possessed the ability to commune with spirits, a trait that was rarely seen in males. Their father, King Arnon IV, along with their mother, Queen Zayla, often appeared to Marah in visions or dreams, imparting upon her wisdom and guidance that she in turn shared with her brother. Her ability to consult with their parents often left him feeling frustrated and jealous, emotions he tried his best to ignore. He knew that Marah could sense his anger, no matter how hard he tried to conceal them. Tonight, however, was the first time that he received a direct message from the spirit world, which, according to legend, only happened to males when there was imminent danger.

She turned and offered a disarming smile, which stretched across her beautiful, smooth heart-shaped face. Let us go quickly, Alfor. She took him by the hand and lifted him in the air with her. The lion calls, she said, pointing towards the castle main entrance. We mustn't keep him waiting, for his patience wanes. Alfor encircled Marah's thin waist with his arms and squeezed his eyes closed while they glided across Lake Grenorah. Feeling the crisp night air brushing against his face, he slowly opened his eyes and peeked out over the suddenly still water which glistened under the blue moon as if it were filled with sparkling blue diamonds. The lion's roar grew louder, coming from the Hedu forest located just south of the Edeus plateau where the Castle of Lions stood.

As they drifted along, Marah's long, golden hair trailed behind them, fluttering in the gentle wind. Her blue eyes became illuminated with a soft white light which signaled that a spiritual presence was nearby. Alfor directed his gaze to the tall billowing trees which surrounded them as they made their slow descent to the ground. "What do you see?" he asked, keeping his hand clasped in hers. "Is he…?"

Ezar is nearby, she cut in completing his thought before he could finish speaking, which annoyed him most times. I feel his power; strong; pure; beautiful; eternal. I've never felt anything like it before.

He released her hand and scanned the moon-lit soil where fallen leaves swirled around under the power of nature's gentle breath. The towering trees huddled around them, their branches swaying like arms of nimble dancing giants. "Where is he?" Alfor asked with a whisper. Marah failed to answer. Instead, she cocked her head back. With her glowing eyes pointing towards the sky, she rocked back on her bare heels, nearly tipping over. As she held her enchanting pose, her arms spread out from her gown as the light from her eyes chased away the darkness of night. As he looked on in awe, a jolt of energy shot down Alfor's spine which caused him to drop to his knees.

He is with us now, Marah said. She began to hover in the air, her gown fluttering against the swirling wind, which shook the leaves from the dancing trees and stirred the birds nesting above them. For a moment, all of nature became silent and still. The silence was shattered upon the explosion of blinding light which scattered before them. Shielding his eyes, Alfor cowered to the ground while Marah took a few steps backwards and paused. Her eyes widened and swelled with tears which began to stream down her face. Her trembling lips parted slightly and released a whispered gasp as she slowly crouched down beside her brother.

"Fear not, beloved," a loud basso voice thundered through the still air, rattling the ground. "Stand now, Alfor, King of Arus and keeper of the tribe of Konos." Under the power of his wobbly legs, Alfor slowly rose to his feet and gazed into the orange embers of flames which served as eyes for the colossal white lion which stood before him. The lion produced a great roar and spread its dove-like wings which spanned across the sky, blocking out the light from the moons. "I am Ezar, the source of all things of this world and chief of the Principals of Powers," the lion said as the whipping winds howled in response to the flapping of his wings. "Ye who hear my voice are truly favored and blessed."

"I stand before you humbled, my Lord," King Alfor whispered with his head bowed. "My heart is open to receive your word, for it will be my bidding?"

"I come to you to pronounce that the children of this world, which are favored among the Principals of Powers, are in danger, for evil has set its lustful eyes upon thee."

Alfor cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes. "My Lord," he whispered calmly, "under my leadership, the people of Arus have grown to become the most advanced civilization in the universe. We will not bow down to evil, for we are a great people. And as their king, there isn't a threat that I fear."

Ezar expelled a plume of white smoke from its nostrils and let out a roar, flashing its massive teeth. Alfor instantly regretted his last comment, as he could not restrain himself. His heart began to thump against his rapidly billowing chest. He swallowed hard and awaited his punishment for his show of hubris.

"Blessed are thou who art humble in their ability, for you, King Alfor, are certainly not," Ezar said in a voice powered by anger.

Alfor dropped to his knees and bowed in submission. "Forgive me, Lord Ezar, for I am but a fool."

"As you were, Alfor," Ezar said in a calm voice. "Thou hast much to learn, Alfor and learn you shall, for the Principals of Powers have thus deemed you ready to stand on your own accord to rebuke the evil which knocks at your door."

"But how my Lord? We know only the ways of peace. We know not the art of war, for you have always protected us. Is this evil not beneath your powers? Why do you now forsake us?"

Ezar's wings began to flap with such force that Alfor nearly fell to the ground. His eyes burst into raging fire balls, emitting light which rendered the sky a beautiful hue of gold. "There is no evil above my power," Ezar roared. "If thou hast the understanding of the gods, then you would know the nature of all things, which you clearly do not. Be silent and show humility, my child, and open your heart to the ways of my supreme knowledge, which knows no equal."

Clasping his hands together against his quivering lips, Alfor fell to his knees and whispered, "Again, forgive me, Lord." Guide me to do your will, for I am truly lost."

"By the power of my heart and from the works of thine own hands, a noble knight of justice—a mighty defender—will arise. He will be feared by all who embrace evil and loved by those who are just in their ways. He be ordained to protect the weak and forgotten against the tyranny of this world, for the Principals of Powers have deemed it to be so. Go now, my child, for thine enemy is near and his hunger for blood and power grows stronger. Behold, for a blue serpent will soon descend upon thee, bringing with him death, destruction, and sorrow this world has never seen. But fear not, for I will be with thee throughout your days to light thy darkest hour."

An explosion of white light erupted from the lion's mouth, producing a boom as loud as thunder. Alfor stood frozen, unable to move as his eyes marveled at the majestic beast before him. Marah, who appeared to have awaken from her trance, hovered in front of the lion as it spewed glowing, colored crystals from its mouth: black, red, green, blue and yellow.

"Take ye these stones, in which dwells the five Raiju lion spirits which hath tremendous power." The Raiju lions were worshiped by the ancient tribe of Konos as guardian spirits. Evalos, the black lion and principal Raiju spirit, enabled the Konos to manipulate all meteorological events. Jah, the red lion spirit, gave the Konos power over fire. Ceil, the green lion spirit, gave them power over nature which allowed them to harvest crops and raise livestock. Obi, the blue lion spirit, provided them control over water while Bujo, the yellow lion spirit, gave the Konos power over the sands and stones of Arus, allowing them to form tools and weapons to hunt.

The crystals fell into Marah's cupped hands, which caused her eyes to erupt in a brilliant glow of white light. "These spirits will aid in your defeat of the evil that threatens Arus," said Ezar. "Go now, my children of faith, and know that I am forever with thee."

As King Alfor bowed his head, his gaze remained fixed on the lion as it slowly vanished into the darkness, producing a final roar of decree which lingered behind like a pleasant memory. He stood and went to his sister's side. With tears in her eyes, she turned to him, holding the glowing crystals in her hand. "I'm scared," she whispered behind quivering lips, which he calmed with a gentle touch of his finger. It was the first spoken word she had said to him in years. "How do we step out from under the shield of peace to confront an evil our world has never known?"

Alfor pulled her into his arms and planted a kiss on top of her head. Faith, my dear sister, he answered in thought, which evoked a smile on her lips.

I have faith…in Ezar and in you, my gentle King and faithful brother. Let us go, for we have a world to save.

King Alfor shifted in his seat within the royal cabin of the Nexus star ship which was en route to Galaxy Garrison on planet Earth. He smiled as he gazed out of the small circular window into the darkness of space. He nodded appreciably at the fleet of fighter ships that provided security for the trip, a custom that was now needed more than ever before. In the event his ship was attacked, he would be protected.

Alfor and his crew had been in flight for only 30 hours—a little less than a third of time required to reach Earth. He was bored and restless. He had contacted castle control over a dozen times within the past four hours to check in with his chief advisors to make sure things were going smoothly in his absence. Alfor hated being away from Arus, not so much for his dislike with travel—which he enjoyed—but because he was a micromanager and felt the need to control or at least be aware of all factions of his government. What was even more astounding was that he had contacted the royal cybernetic research laboratory—which he headed up as lead scientist—about twice as much. Science was his passion. The only thing that trumped his dealings in government was his love for science and discovery, especially now that his research division was close to completing the Raiju project prototype, the most advanced military android in the universe. The project, which began just days after Ezar delivered his divine decree three months ago, called for the synergy of Arus' technological prowess and the magic gleaned from the Raiju lion crystals. To control his anxiety, Alfor decided to leave the confines of his quarters and explore the ship.

After having made three rounds around the entire ship, Alfor decided to go to the bridge to converse with the pilot and flight crew. He reached the metal door to the bridge and stepped under the biomolecular scanner. After his DNA was confirmed, the door opened which he stormed through. All inside the crowded flight control deck stood at attention, which made him smile. He nodded and the flight deck personnel quickly took their seats and returned to their tasks. He narrowed his eyes and began to stroke his long, reddish-brown beard as he glared at the female seated in the pilot seat. He noted the familiar golden blonde hair, which was pulled into a tight bun with a braided crown running below it. The bubbly laugh coming from the female confirmed his rising suspicion.

"Allura!" he shouted as he made his way towards her. He cut Urlu, the flight commander and pilot, a scowl as he took over for the young princess, who hung her head as she relinquished control of the ship. He gazed harshly into the sea-blue eyes of his only child, who would one day succeed him as ruler of Arus. "What are you doing on this ship?" he snapped. "I thought I specifically forbid you from intergalactic space travel."

"I wanted to go," Princess Allura explained after hunching her shoulders. She lowered her eyes and folded her hands in front of her white dress. "I've always wanted to go to Earth, and I'm plenty old enough to go on intergalactic voyages. Aunt Marah even said so herself."

"I'll decide when you're old enough, not you," he returned, brushing off the last comment in regards to Marah's approval. Marah, who was unwed and without children of her own, was a mother figure to Allura, and the two of them were very close. Without Marah's help, he wouldn't have been able to raise Allura and rule Arus. He scoffed and narrowed his eyes. "Besides, it's far too dangerous for especially now that Arus is danger prime target for the Drules."

"I'm sorry, father, for disobeying," Allura said lowering her head.

"And then you have the audacity to be in the pilot's seat? Have you gone completely mad? Please tell me the ship was on autopilot," he asked riffling a sharp glare at Erlu.

"I'm afraid it was not, Your Majesty," Erlu explained in a tone of apology.

Alfor snapped his head back to the chastened princess and folded his arms. "So on top of boarding this ship against my wishes, you dare take control of this vessel? Do you even know what you're doing? You could get us all killed."

Princess Allura slowly lifted her eyes to her father. "Father, I know how to fly this ship," she offered cautiously, her cracking voice hovering barely above a whisper.

Alfor shot Erlu a menacing glare and held it there. He could tell by the worry lines which formed across Erlu's forehead that he played a hand in teaching Allura how to fly, which again, Allura did against his wishes. He would figure out an appropriate punishment for the both of them later. The thought of suspending Erlu's piloting privileges came to mind as well as confining Allura to her quarters for an entire month with guards stationed outside of her doors to keep her from escaping, which she did often when punished. For all of his accomplishments as the ruler of one of the greatest civilizations in existence and for being regarded as one of the greatest scientists that ever lived, Alfor felt that he was failing miserably as a father. Upon Queen Yura's death after giving birth to Allura, Alfor's greatest fear was that he would not be able to provide his daughter with the gentle love that only a mother could give. He taught her to be smart, brave, and to be stubborn; qualities that she would need to lead Arus. All that he couldn't provide, Marah thankfully filled the void. He had hoped that he and his sister's love and devotion to Allura would be enough, as she was now poised to enter into young adulthood.

Alfor placed his hands on her shoulders and gazed down into her watering eyes. "Please, Allura, you have to learn to obey. In order to become a great leader, you must first learn to be lead. You have to respect my authority, not only as your father, but also as your king. Do you understand?"

"Yes, father," she sighed. Alfor took her by the hand and led her back to his quarters. He was emotionally drained and ready to retire for the night, which he assumed would make his advisors and laboratory staff back home happy. At least with Allura along on the trip with him, he didn't have to worry about what she was doing. Moreover, he no longer had to miss her.

"Perhaps it's good that you're with me on this trip. I've never been too fond of these Galaxy Alliance meetings which I view as nothing but a waste of my time. You're now old enough to get more involved with intergalactic politics, especially since one day it will be you who will be required to travel four million light years from home to be bored to death."

"Which means that I am old enough for intergalactic travel, right father? I can't be in involved in intergalactic politics if I can't travel."

Alfor laughed and nodded his head. "Yes, I guess you are after all. I just worry about you, that's all. Both travel and politics are dangerous in their own right. I just want to make sure you're ready."

Allura smiled and rested her cheek against her father's shoulder. He stroked the top of her head and smiled warmly. "While I do have interest in politics," Allura said with a slight chuckle, "I only joined you on this trip to spend more time with you." After a short pause, her wide smile faded away. "You've been so busy with your research that I hardly see you anymore."

Alfor smiled and nodded his acknowledgement of the validity of her comment. When he wasn't secluded in his laboratory directing his team of cybernetic engineers and programmers, he was sequestered in the parliamentary chambers with his advisors. "The prototype for the Raiju project is almost complete, my dear," he said softly in a voice of apology. "I promise to spend more time with you once it has been activated and tested."

She lifted from his shoulder and gazed at him through hardened eyes—the same eyes gifted to her by her mother. "Why are you building robot soldiers all of a sudden, father?" she asked. "Are we at war?"

"No."

"Then why do you waste your time building weapons when there is no apparent or immediate danger to our planet?"

Alfor let out a deep breath through his nostrils. He paused to give his mind time to formulate a gentle way of explaining to her what Ezar had told him which he purposely kept from her. Allura, who was now an ambitious, mature, and confident young woman, had a right to know about the danger which lay ahead. Besides, he had always feared that much like her mother and her aunt, Allura could possibly commune with his mind telepathically, as she always seemed to be in tune with his thoughts and emotions. He considered his mind to be a dangerous place for his impressionable daughter to be roaming, as it was filled with demons which he fought his entire life to exorcize. The last thing he wanted was for Allura to gain access to his feelings of inadequacy and his fear of failure, which he cleverly masked with his enormous ego and pride. But before he could speak, all passengers aboard the ship were ordered to strap in, as they were close to entering the parallax portal, a space bridge created of science and magic that would transport them to Earth from the Denubian galaxy.

"Come now, everyone," Allura giggled as her eyes dropped to the floor. A chorus of faint rapid-paced chirps flooded their chambers from underneath her seat. She erupted in laughter as a group of robot mice climbed up her dress and settled in her lap where they gazed up at her with their tiny red glowing eyes. King Alfor built the mice for her when she was a young child to serve as companions. "We're headed for the portal," she cooed to the mice which scurried inside the pocket of her dress. Once the mice were settled inside, Allura fastened her seat restraints and took her father by the hand as they neared the portal. Alfor could feel the sweat from her palm, as this was her first time entering a space bridge. They both gazed out of the round window as a glowing orange cloud appeared in the void of space, which the starship glided through smoothly. The bright stars which dotted the darkness now appeared as streaks of white light as they made their trek through time and space. Allura's grip tightened around his hand to the point where he heard the bones within his fingers crackle. Alfor ignored the searing pain from his hand as his eyes fell upon the majestic glowing blue planet outside of the window which was about twice the size of Arus.

"It's beautiful," Allura whispered, finally releasing her grip. Alfor nodded his concurrence. "It looks so much like Arus."

"We have much in common with the humans," Alfor explained. "They are our brothers as they are the closest genetic relative to the Arusians in the universe; which further explains why it is next to impossible to physically distinguish us."

"But we are distinct, correct?"

Alfor smiled and nodded. "Yes. We Arusians are far more intellectually advanced than the humans. Need I remind you that Arus-"

"Is the most advanced race in the universe, blah, blah, blah," Allura interjected laughing, which her father did not appreciate. "You could stand to be a little more humble, father. You don't have to always remind everyone of how great you think Arus is. I just hope you don't act this way during these Alliance meetings."

Alfor's face tightened at his daughter's comments, which unfortunately, stung with the truth. His father had always warned him that his lack of humility could someday be his undoing; a sentiment echoed by Ezar himself.

Alfor and Allura continued to gaze out of the windows which dotted their quaint chamber, which was replete with beds and a kitchenette. The windows were now surrounded by fiery streaks as they entered Earth's atmosphere. After several minutes, the brilliant light show outside the ship gave way to the vast blue sea beneath them, over which fatten cotton clouds hovered. As they continued their descent, tall metallic spire towers came into view. The towers were scattered among large dome-like structures composed of glass and metal which were connected by tubular glass bridges. Alfor could see tiny specs of random movement: hovering vehicles and bustling people going about their way.

After flying past numerous cities above the North American Continent, their ship touched down in an air strip located near what appeared to be a military base. Alfor and Allura were escorted from the ship to Galaxy Garrison. With Allura's hand securely clasped in his, Alfor followed his escorts into the main conference room decorated with rectangular, floor-to-ceiling, paneled windows which gave them a panoramic view of the surrounding city skyline. A group of humans were seated around a large metal table, dressed in blue and grey military-like uniforms. Soon after Alfor and Allura took their seats, the buzz of chatter in the room settled to whispers as all eyes fell upon them. Everyone in the room stood at attention as Commander Gilden, a tall, rotund, tight faced gentleman with thinning white hair entered the room. He nodded impassively and slowly sank into the large chair at the head of the table. Folding his large veined hands on top of the table in front of him, he released a deep breath and glared at Alfor, who quickly noted the ominous expression in the commander's face which was highlighted by his narrowed dark eyes.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, King Alfor," Commander Gilden said in a monotone voice. "You were called here to discuss a very serious matter in regards to intergalactic security, specifically that of Arus."

Alfor turned and glanced at his daughter, whose face was frozen with fear. He turned and glared back at the commander and asked, "What specifically do you mean? We have detected no such threats to security around Arus or any of our neighboring planets."

"Six days ago, agents from our intelligence bureau discovered that classified data in regards to xanthonium metal research had been stolen," Commander Gilden explained in a tone exhibiting a subtle hint of remorse.

Xanthum, a precious metal native to only planet Arus, when melded with mercury and iron, produces xanthonium, a nearly indestructible alloy. On Arus, xanthonium is used for peaceful applications, such as agricultural tools and infrastructure. On planet Earth and a select number of planets within the Galaxy Alliance, xanthonium is used to make armor for military applications. In return for sharing its research on xanthonium and for supplying stockpiles of mined xanthum ore, Arus was afforded intergalactic protection, which was crucial in maintaining its neutral military status. This protective pact allowed Arus, regarded as the hub of advanced technology throughout the Milky Way and Denubian galaxies, to focus its efforts and resources on developing technology for peace, which it graciously shared with others throughout the universe.

King Alfor shot to his feet and pointed a finger in the commander's direction. "How is this possible?" he fumed. "You promised that our research on xanthonium would be afforded the highest possible level of security. If that data falls into the wrong hands, it could spell trouble for both of our galaxies and possibly beyond."

Commander Gilden nodded and pulled in his lips. "The Alliance is very much aware of the consequences of this security breach. There is, however, some good news as I am pleased to inform you that we have identified and apprehended the source and the means by which this information was leaked."

"And…"

"It was discovered that a high-ranking officer within the Galaxy Alliance's cyber security team was a spy for the Drule Empire."

"A spy, Commander? How could this be?" Alfor rested his forehead in his palm and released a long chagrined breath. "Urgh! I should have never trusted the sanctity of our research to the primitive security methods employed here on Earth. Must Arus provide the Alliance with technology for security as well?"

"While I will assume complete responsibility for the security failures of the Alliance, I must also caution you that the initial security breech was not here at Galaxy Garrison." Commander Gilden paused and directed his hardened glare across the room before his eyes locked back onto King Alfor. He cleared his throat and continued, "The security breech originated from Arus."

"That's impossible!" Alfor screamed raising his gaze to the chastened commander. "There are only but a select few on Arus who have the full formula for producing xanthonium, and I trust those individuals with my life."

"During our interrogation of the suspect, we gleaned information from him that only could have originated from within your research division, as no one even at Galaxy Garrison had access to that information. Whoever the Arusian informant was, which unfortunately the suspect refused to identify, they were coaxed or perhaps even threatened into providing the Drules with the formula to produce the alloy. Now that they have the formula, all the Drules need now is the actual xanthum itself."

King Alfor collapsed in his chair and messaged his temples. "How soon before we can expect an invasion?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"Very soon, we fear," Commander Gilden said matter of factly. "Our reconnaissance scanners have picked up elevated military activity on planet Doom. We believe that King Zarkon may be ramping up to an invasion of Arus."

"We've already begun augmenting security patrols on and around Arus," offered another Alliance officer. Alfor, closed his eyes and began to grind his teeth. All that Ezar had prophesized was becoming reality—the threat now had a name as well as a motive. Of all of the Drules, King Zarkon was regarded as the most ruthless, having handed the Galaxy Alliance numerous defeats. In fact, it wasn't until Arus offered the use of xanthonium was the Galaxy Alliance finally able to defeat him. And now that one of Arus' most precious secrets was now revealed, Alfor knew that his people would soon encounter Zarkon's wrath, bringing with it a terror before unseen.

King Alfor slumped in his seat gazing out of the window inside his royal chamber in route back to Arus from Earth. The meeting with Alliance two days ago left him seething. What he found especially disheartening was that someone within his own inner circle betrayed him and the people of Arus. "Patch me into my laboratory immediately," he growled into the intercom link on his wrist.

As the hologram screen materialized in front of him, Allura sat beside him, her gaze fixed on the screen. Dr. Quoy, the lead cybernetic engineer on the Raiju project, appeared on the screen, combing his trembling hands through the thinning grey hair on top of his egg-shaped head.

"I need a status report on the Raiju android," King Alfor spat impatiently.

"Um…y-y-yes, Your Majesty," Dr. Quoy stammered, which he did whenever he spoke to King Alfor. "T-t-the plasma ionization reactor core is stable and operating at 95% efficiency."

"How soon until we reach values above 100% efficiency?"

"W-w-within the next 24-48 hours, Your Majesty."

Alfor paused and closed his eyes, releasing the tension in his mind through his expelled breath. "We may not have that much time, Dr. Quoy. Can the ionization core be safely run at sub maximum efficiency levels?"

"I-I-I'm not sure so, Your Majesty. T-t-the plasma magnetic field is highly unstable under 98%. B-b-but I will try to get the levels up."

"How are the other systems? Has the xanthonium shell been bonded to the android's exoskeletal matrix?"

"Y-y-yes, Your Majesty. "T-t-the armored shell is completely bonded. A-a-and all other systems are ready for testing."

"And the cyberneural networks?"

"F-f-fully integrated with the androids weapons, flight and telemetry systems. N-n-ninety-eight percent of the cyber synapses have been formed."

King Alfor eased back in his seat, closed his eyes and exhaled a deep breath. "What is the time frame for the machine to be forged with the black Raiju crystal?"

"S-s-soon, Your Majesty. P-p-princess Marah stated that in order for the Raiju lion spirit to establish a proper symbiotic union with the android's AI, all cyberneural synapses will first need to be established and primed."

"Good, Dr. Quoy." Alfor pressed his neck back against the headrest and closed his eyes. After expelling a deep breath, he shifted in his seat and opened his eyes. "I have one final question to ask of you, Dr. Quoy." King Alfor heard a loud gulp as Dr. Quoy's Adam's apple bulged from his neck. "I need to know who all participated in the bonding of the xanthonium shell."

Dr. Quoy closed his eyes and placed his hand over his forehead which suddenly became lined with wrinkles. His lips moved in silence, as his fingers extended from his clenched fist in sequence, starting with his index finger. He opened his eyes, and flashed a confident grin. "D-d-doctors Yorelle, Koori, and Diem."

After a brief pause, King Alfor replied, "And what about Vernac? Was he present?"

"N-n-no," Dr. Quoy replied quickly. "N-n-no one has seen him in three days. W-w-we all assumed that you were aware of his absence."

"I was not, but I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. You are hereby excused. I shall be back on Arus within a few hours. Please alert everyone to be on stand-by for activating the android upon my return."

In the midst of Dr. Quoy's stuttering fit, King Alfor ended the transmission, and the hologram vaporized as easily as it appeared.

Father, I'm scared, Allura's voice echoed in his head. Startled, Alfor flinched and glared back at his daughter. His suspicions were confirmed. Allura, was every bit the sorcerer that he thought she would be.

King Alfor felt the floor vibrate which made the metal instruments on the table behind him rattled in response. The noise was quickly drowned out by the muffled explosions heard above ground. And so it has begun, he thought to himself, as he rushed into the hardware assembly lab where Coran, his royal advisor, Marah, and Allura, waited with the team of engineers. The laboratory was safe from the Drule attacks, as it was hidden a mile underground in a labyrinth of caves which were built thousands of years ago as shelter for the people of Arus. Alfor had hoped that the sirens which were sounded hours ago—alarms that he never envisioned having to use, offered the people of Arus enough time to escape to the underground caves. For the unfortunate ones who did not escape, a fate of slavery, torture, or even death awaited them.

We're ready, brother, Marah whispered in his mind's ear as she gazed at him with glowing eyes. Allura took him by the hand and stared down at the motionless metallic form lying on the slab.

From Marah's hands, which she lifted above her bowed head, the black Raiju crystal floated down towards the android. Marah muttered a few words in the ancient language of the Konos sorcerers, which caused the room to become bathed in the blinding white light originating from the floating crystal. The room faded to darkness as the crystal was absorbed into the silver skin of the android's chest. After a long, silent pause, the android's crystalline eyes began to glow as it lifted up from the table.

"Arise Voltron," said Alfor in a booming voice full of pride.

As Voltron stood to his feet, his silver featureless face began to develop lips which instantly broadened into a smile. A blue polygon-shaped nose formed between his eyes; the color of which extended up to its forehead. Alfor stood and stared in awe at the life his hands had created. The black Raiju lion spirit began to exert its physical presence on the android, most notably its head which became encased in a black helmet made in the likeness of a robot lion's head with its face held between the lion's opened mouth. A pair of red, blade-like wings extended from its back in the shape of a V, just as a red, T-shaped armored plate formed across his black chest. Voltron's transformation was complete upon the appearance of an inverted hexagon on his chest, which contained a crown situated above a golden cross.

Voltron came and stood before his creator. Lowering his head in a bow, he knelt to the ground, taking Alfor's hand in his. Alfor gazed down at his hand, which absorbed the warmth of life which flowed from the metallic skin of the robot's fingers. "My Lord," Voltron said in a songful voice, "from your hands and by the power of the mighty Ezar, I have been ushered into existence. Let the light of your wisdom guide my steps, for I exist to serve you."

Alfor raised his hand, gently guiding his knight back upright. "Let us rejoice, as a legend has been born to us. From this day forward Voltron, you will bow to no one, as you walk amongst the gods. Our enemy is at our gate. The time has come for evil to cower and retreat in fear, for the hour of destiny is upon you."

Voltron took a step back from Alfor and lifted his fists in the air. "I will crush your enemies to dust. They will shudder at the sound of my name."

"Go then, Voltron," Alfor said. "Protect the children of Arus and let the ink from the gods write the story of your legacy for all to bear witness."

Voltron stood in front of Allura and smiled. He knelt down and lowered his lips to Allura's hand. "Fear not, my dear Princess, for your days will be long, and your reign shall be peaceful and prosperous, for the Principals of Powers have decreed. Blessed are you among the children of Arus, and cursed are those that move to lay hand against you."

Without another word, Voltron vanished from their midst. Within moments, the explosions heard from above ground were silenced.

"Monitor!" King Alfor commanded before a large hologram appeared in the center of the room, showing Voltron walking amidst a smoldering pile of wreckage. The image on the rectangular screen panned around the outside of Dirth, a sparsely populated city on the outskirts of Supryia, the capital of Arus, which served as one of the primary cities used to mine xantholium. The image zoomed in on numerous dismembered and mangled robot Drule soldiers, with downed smoldering Drule ships speckled in the background. Alfor nodded his head, pleased with what he saw.

"He's everything Ezar said he would be," King Alfor announced, smiling.

Did you ever doubt him? Marah responded with a smile of her own. He has never led us astray.

The room erupted in celebration as Voltron rematerialized before them. He stood proudly with his silver, powerfully built arms folded across his chest, nodding in appreciation.

"Congratulations, Arus," a raspy voice bellowed out from the hologram in the center of the room. Alfor narrowed his eyes and approached the hologram, studying the wide, blue reptilian face that glared back at him through large yellow eyes which contained long slits for pupils. The creature—a Drule, no doubt—produced a fanged grin that stretched across his face. "I wish I could join the festivities, but I have a celebration of my own to attend back on planet Doom. I hope you're not too offended by my abrupt departure."

"Zarkon!" King Alfor grunted. "Have you seen the wreckage of your fleet?" Alfor boasted chuckling.

"Ah, so your little robot had its way with our retread military equipment, ey? Impressive! While your toy soldier was busy laying waste to our make-shift army of refurbished junk, my real soldiers were busy gathering up slaves and a substantial stockpile of xanthum, which was well worth the sacrifice of a few pieces of outdated military gear. Remind me to thank Arus and its people for the proper disposal of our garbage. I hear that the waste-disposal technology on Arus is rather impressive."

"You will pay for your treachery, Zarkon. Our resources are to be used for peace, not war."

"Ah, well, that was before I came across this precious metal," Zarkon laughed out loud, tilting his head back as his large, webbed ears flapped. "I owe a great deal of gratitude to an old friend of yours as I wouldn't have come across the xanthonium formula so easily without him. He'll go down in Drule history as a hero, which is more than he would have ever been on Arus." Zarkon took his hand and grabbed fist full of dark hair, which he used to pull someone into view. "Does this lovely face ring a bell, Alfor?"

"Oh Vernac…" Alfor sighed shaking his head, doing his best to restrain the tears cresting in his eyes. Vernac was one of his most loyal, dedicated and trusted scientists. Originally from Earth, Vernac was recruited to Arus to help develop the xanthonium refinery process, a project he had worked on for the past 30 years. Not only was Vernac one of the greatest metallurgists in the galaxy, he was one of Alfor's closest friends.

Vernac turned away from view impassively as Alfor studied him in search of an answer he was afraid to ask for.

"But why, Vernac?" he finally asked. "Why?" Vernac continued to look away as Zarkon grinned in the background. The long pause of silence choked at Alfor's conscience. He could feel the guilt stab his heart. There had to have been a good reason for Vernac to betray him and Arus, a place he grew to love and considered home.

You denied him, Marah whispered in his spirit's ear. You shunned him when all he ever wanted was to be treated equal…as an Arusian.

It was now clear to him why Vernac had turned on him. Alfor lowered his head in shame and cursed himself for refusing to appoint Vernac as an honorary member of parliament, a tradition he generally reserved for many of his prized senior researchers. Although an honorary position in parliament provided no real power or authority, the appointment in and of itself was one of great honor, a title which Vernac made known that he coveted and felt worthy of. But Alfor insisted that such esteemed appointments were only reserved for those of Arusians decent, which Vernac took as an insult. Although their relationship cooled considerably afterwards, Vernac continued his exemplary research though Alfor secretly feared that his disgruntled prize scientist might decide to return home to Earth.

"I devoted over half of my life to your work, Alfor," Vernac grumbled as he slowly turned to face him. "I left me home planet—my history, friends, family—to come here. All I ever asked was to be given the same token of gratitude shown to my Arusian contemporaries. But because of my heritage, you instead shoed me away like a vagabond crawling under your table begging for scraps."

"What I did was foolish, Vernac, but you had no right to betray the people of Arus, who did you no wrong."

"May your vile hands be soiled with the blood of the innocent," Vernac snapped as a scowl splashed across his lined speckled face. "At least I am somewhere where I will be appreciated despite my race."

"This pathetic reunion is over," Zarkon hissed. "I must say that I am especially grateful for your shortsightedness and bigotry, Alfor. Are there any other worthless scientists that you wish to shun? I'd gladly take them off your hands."

"Forgive me, Vernac. I will not make that mistake ever again."

"Good. Nor will your little friend." Zarkon's long, narrowed forked tongue slithered out of his mouth as he erupted in laughter before smartly twisting Vernac's head completely around snapping his long thin neck. He wiped the dribble of saliva from his smiling lips and discarded Vernac's limp body out of view.

"Vernac!" Alfor cried out as he reached his hands out towards the flickering hologram.

"The price of doing business with a fool," Zarkon said with a grin. "I was going to make him a slave. Consider his demise a favor, which is more than I can say you ever did for him."

"Curse you Zarkon."

"I'm beyond cursed, and I wouldn't have it any other way. And now I have passed the curse onto your people. Enjoy you little celebration. During my next visit, I won't be so discrete. And tell your little toy soldier that I'll have something a little more meatier for him to chew on the next time around."

"This toy soldier has a name—you may call me Voltron. I would serve you well to learn to fear the sound of my name for I will haunt you in your dreams. Your days will be long and full of anguish, for you will not overcome those who champion peace."

"For a glorified science experiment, you sure have quite an impressive mouthpiece, Voltron. I look forward to putting your rust-covered head on display in my trophy room, right next to Alfor's. Enjoy the party, my friends. I must begin my plans to destroy Arus. And I'll start with you, Voltron." Zarkon's eyes glowed as he laughed before the transmission ended.

"Send me to planet Doom!" Voltron shouted as his fingers collapsed into tightened fists.

"No. You are to defend the innocent. You are never to attack."

"Why should I wait until death knocks at our door to act? They attacked our sovereignty. That alone is just cause for retaliation. It is the way of war, which clearly you do not understand."

"Silence, Voltron!" King Alfor shouted as he lunged towards the android. "Remember whose hands created you. I am your King, and you are to never question my authority. Am I fully understood?"

Voltron knelt and lowered his head before King Alfor. "I understand, my Lord—my King. Forgive my insolence and my ignorance. I will correct my ways. Have mercy upon me for I am humbled before you."

King Alfor glared up at Marah and nodded. "Prepare the remaining Raiju crystals to be forged with the other androids. Lord Ezar help us. We're going to need them all."

The skies above Arus crackled with the explosion of laser blasts from rumbling Drule ships. Zarkon, as he promised only a few days ago, returned to Arus with a vengeance. He wasted no time in utilizing the stolen xanthonium technology, which seemed to impart a noticeable tactical advantage to his attack ships, which were giving Voltron all that he could handle. Alfor could do nothing but watch as Voltron struggled to bring down many of the newly armored Drule ships.

"Your Majesty, Voltron needs help," Coran shrieked, his chest pulling in and out in a frantic rhythm. "This may be too much even for him to overcome," Coran continued after a pause to catch his breath.

The remaining crystals are ready to be forged, Alfor, Marah chimed in before King Alfor could pose the question. But the other androids cannot be forged, as it appears that they have been sabotaged.

"Vernac!" Alfor howled. "Then I guess we have no other choice but to forge the remaining crystals with Voltron."

"Is that wise, Your Majesty?" Coran asked cautiously, rubbing his thick, brown curled mustache, which matched his disheveled mop of hair.

"How dare you question my intelligence, Coran. I possess one of the greatest scientific minds in this entire Galaxy," King Alfor spat. "I do know what I'm doing."

But your science cannot begin to comprehend the power of the Raiju spirits, Alfor, Marah added. I, alone possess the knowledge to make use of those crystals, as even a mind as great as yours cannot realize their vast powers.

"Then what shall we do, Marah? We must make use of these crystals before Arus is destroyed. At this point in time, Voltron is all that we have. We cannot wait to build four more androids."

Then let us go and do what must be done to save Arus.

Alfor floated alongside Marah over the castle drawbridge towards the exploding sky.

"Amazing!" Alfor whispered after watching Voltron wipe the sky clear of Drule ships with a barrage of lightning strikes that he formed by clasping his hands together as if in prayer.

It is the power of the black lion spirit, who controls the sky, Marah explained. Voltron has the power of lightning, and he is powered by the sun.

"What powers will he be granted by the other crystals?"

Let us see.

Marah summoned Voltron from battle just as a giant, robotic beast dropped from the Drule mother ship. The robeast's giant bat-like wings spread out across the sky as it glared down at Voltron with it single, glowing red eye. Producing a menacing roar, the robeast flailed its giant, pinching claws in the air, ready for combat.

Voltron vanished just as the robeast moved to crush him under his massive feet. Within seconds, Voltron materialized in front of Marah, wearing a look of contempt across his face. "Why have you summoned me from battle, Princess Marah?" Voltron questioned in an angry tone.

"The remaining Raiju lion spirits are ready to receive you," Marah said aloud. "Open your spirit, Voltron, and merge with them. Embrace their power, for mighty will be your name." She opened her hands and the red, green, blue and yellow glowing crystals floated towards Voltron.

A shell of lightning formed around Voltron as his body absorbed the crystals. His limbs transformed into colored robot lions, with each of their heads serving as Voltron's feet and hands. His left and right arms erupted in loud roars as the green and red lions announced their shouts of birth. Voltron's legs, in which dwelled the blue and yellow lion spirits, joined in the chorus of roars—the song of nature's king. Alfor took Marah by the hand as their eyes drew skyward to gaze at Voltron, whose stature rose above the clouds.

Voltron looked down at them and nodded. "My destiny is not yet fulfilled, as my enemies yet still live." Without another word, the giant knight took to the sky. Alfor watched as the lion heads of Voltron's hands joined together and released a blinding beam of light as they pulled apart. As the light between his hands faded, Voltron cocked his right arm behind his head wielding a giant sword. He charged at the raging mechanical beast and abruptly reduced it to pieces with an effortless swipe of his sword. Voltron gave chase to the remaining ships, many of which did not escape his fury, as the sky began to bleed smoke and fire and the ground beneath him became littered with debris. The few remaining ships from Zarkon's fleet vanished out of sight in retreat. Zarkon might have gained use of the prized xantholium metal but the one thing he couldn't account for was the power of the Raiju spirits, which science had no answer for.

As the skies cleared, Voltron descended to the ground where a swarm of onlookers gathered around his feet of lion heads, pumping their fists in the air cheering his name in celebration. Marah, along with Allura and Coran, stood next to Alfor as the proud monarch gazed up at the savior of his people.

"Impressive, Voltron," Alfor shouted out as he clasped his hands together in glee. "Your power is above and beyond comprehension. I, along with all of Arus, am truly honored to have you as our guardian."

"There is work yet to be done, my Lord," Voltron said. "Our enemy still draws breath; his heart continues to course cold venomous blood through his body. Zarkon must die. As long as Zarkon exists, I will not rest. Forgive me, my Lord, for I must destroy those who threaten peace."

"No, Voltron!" Alfor shouted. "You will stay and defend your people as commanded.

"I am invincible, my Lord. No harm shall come to me, for I walk amongst the gods. Let all that can see, bear witness to my power."

"Your reckless ways will bring you to ruin. You must obey me, for I am your king and creator."

With the roar of five lions, Voltron lifted in the air and quickly vanished out of sight.

"Get him back here at once!" King Alfor shouted at Marah.

I can't, Alfor. He will not listen. His mind is made up. You have cursed him with your arrogance and stubbornness. He was made by your hands, and with your hands, you have ruined him.

"You dare belittle me, Marah?"

You have belittled yourself, Alfor, and Voltron will succumb to his own ego—your ego, which dwells in him like a curse—a curse your own heart provided.

Alfor scoffed and stomped back across the drawbridge towards the castle, with Allura in pursuit.

As they neared the castle gate, Alfor's legs locked, refusing to obey his command to walk. He tried to move, but was paralyzed.

"Alfor, wait," Marah called out to him as he floated towards him. "Let us put aside our differences. Voltron is in grave danger and he needs our help." Marah touched Alfor's head with her finger and took control of his mind. Open your heart and your mind…see what I see.

An image of Voltron came into Alfor's mind which showed him speeding through space. His destination was planet Doom. Alfor could feel the rage surging inside of the god-like machine. As Voltron seethed, so did Alfor. Their spirits were now as one. Marah was right; he put more into Voltron than just his brilliance and ingenuity, for a piece of his own soul lingered within his metallic shell.

Through the consciousness of his sister, Alfor watched as Voltron approached a mysterious goddess-like being floating about in the void of space. The entity's soft voice was like a ballad—echoing through the emptiness of space where sound was forbidden. She called out to Voltron, begging him to come near her, for she was in trouble and in need of his power and protection. Alfor could feel that something was terribly wrong as he sensed an evil unlike he'd ever felt before—dark; cold; poisonous.

It was a trap.

"Please get him back, Marah," Alfor commanded. "You must get control of him or he'll be destroyed."

I cannot break him free. His will is too strong, Marah explained without words. If I try any harder to control his mind, my conscience will be forever forged with his. I will cease to exists.

"There must be some other way. We've got to get him back to Arus. I cannot lose either of you."

Voltron carefully approached the entity, which was now swathed in a halo of brilliant light. Voltron must have felt the evil as well, as he drew his blazing sword.

"Stand down, Voltron, please," Alfor said.

"I shall annihilate her and then destroy Zarkon. Arus will be never bow down to evil ever again, for I am Voltron. There is no greater warrior than I."

"Marah please…do something. I beg of you. Save him. Save Arus."

There is yet another way, my beloved brother, for Ezar has revealed it unto me.

"Then so be it! Do it now—quickly."

You will lose us both. But upon our demise a legend will be reborn; a savior will rise with the dawn of hope. My destiny is now complete. I have served the mighty Ezar well. To save your life, I will now release you, for you will be destroyed with us. Go now, and know that we love you…Voltron and I love you.

"Nooooo." Alfor shouted as the glowing light around the entity collapsed into a cloud of green dust. Alfor could hear a loud, menacing cackle as the entity transformed into a hunched, elderly disfigured witch, whose green face was shrouded under a hooded robe.

Voltron swiped his sword at the creature, but his attack was thwarted by the force field surrounding her, which repulsed him backwards into space. Voltron gathered his bearings and resumed his attacks, although his efforts were in vain. All Alfor could do was pray and hope that Ezar would find a way to return Voltron—his child—brought forth not from biology, but from his own hands and the spirit of the Raiju.

The witch pointed her wooden staff at Voltron and blasted him with a powerful spell.

I love you, dear brother. It is now time we parted.

"Father…nooooo," Voltron cried as a beam of light ripped through his body, splitting him into five pieces which were sent hurling through space back down to Arus.

Returning back to consciousness, Alfor blinked and gasped in horror as Marah collapsed to the ground in front of him. Alfor crouched down over her and through the blur of tears, stared down into her vacant unblinking eyes, which were as dark as space itself. He knew then that she was gone.

Allura knelt beside Marah and began to weep uncontrollably. Alfor took hold of Marah's hand and lifted his eyes towards the rumbling, smoke-filled sky and saw five colored streaks of light—white , red, green, blue, and yellow plummeting down from the sky towards the ground. He locked his eyes onto the streaking blue robot lion as it splashed down into Lake Grenorah. A large, black mechanical lion crashed a short distance from the lake in front of the castle drawbridge. Moments after the black lion's impact, a tall stoned statue of a winged lion sprouted from the ground towards the sky. The red streak crashed off in the distance east of the Heiga mountain range where the great magma lake was located. As the yellow and green streaks fell to the Sahl desert and Hedu forest respectively, Alfor remembered what his sister had told him that the loss of Voltron would be temporary. The falling lions, he said inwardly, hoping somehow that his sister could hear him. He closed his eyes and prayed that she would answer. In the silence of his grieving heart, a tear escaped from his eyes. His tears, however, were short-lived as the sky became infested with Drule ships.

"We're under attack, Your Majesty," Coran shouted as he ran towards Alfor, who had lifted Marah's body up into his arms. Coran looked down upon her face and closed his eyes as he bowed his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I know how much you loved her and how much she meant to Allura. She will be missed. But right now, we must get you and the Princess to safety."

Alfor turned to Coran. "Take Princess Allura to the underground royal compound and do not come out until Zarkon is gone."

"And what about you, Your Majesty?"

Alfor gently laid Marah on the ground and folded her hands across her chest. After staring at her for a moment, he gently kissed her forehead and stood. "There is one final battle to be fought," he said in a solemn tone. With his hand he chased away a rogue tear, sniffled and announced looking directly at Coran, "I will not return from this battle, as Ezar has ordained it. As such, I am entrusting the care of my daughter unto you. I know that you will watch after her as if she was your own, and for that, I will forever be indebted unto you."

"Please, Your Majesty, you must-"

"Enough!" Alfor shouted, swiping his hand dismissively in the air between him and Coran. "My mind is made and it cannot be changed, for my destiny has been written by the hand of Ezar. I will defend my people with nothing but my love and my bare hands. Let the gods of our fathers, the Principals of Powers, protect those that I love for I freely give my life for their future."

"But how will we defend ourselves without Voltron who was unfortunately lost?"

"Voltron has not been destroyed. In the hollows of Arus lay five dens where the lions of destiny sleep and await their call to glory. Voltron will rise again to defend Arus, for the Principals of Powers have revealed such to me."

Alfor wrapped his arms around Coran, whom he loved like a brother. As the tears drained from his eyes, he whispered, "Go now, my dear friend," he said to Coran whose face was streaked with tears. "Our paths will cross again, but until that day, know that I am always with you." Alfor turned and walked towards the Valley of Zohar, where Ezar summoned him in a vision—a vision that had no end.

Alfor walked alone along the stream that cut through the steep, angled valley, a place where he often visited as a child to be alone with his thoughts. He crouched down to the stream and drew a handful of cold water to his lips. In the reflection of the water, he saw the face of death—a blue serpent.

"Stand and face me, you worthless slug," Zarkon growled.

Alfor slowly rose to his feet and exchanged glares with the enemy of his people.

"I've waited a long time for this day," said Zarkon. "It pleases me to know that your blood will nourish the soil of your soon to be dead world."

"Take all that you desire, but spare my people," Alfor pleaded. "If it is blood that you covet, I offer mine unto you. The children of Arus are just and loving. They stand in fear of the mighty Ezar, who's love reigns eternal. They have done you or your people any harm or injustice. Let my people live in peace."

"Spare me the sermon, Alfor, for no mercy will be granted unto your retched people…or to you." Zarkon pulled a laser sword from his belt and pierced Alfor's chest. As Alfor dropped to his knees, Zarkon raised his hands and cackled in triumph. "I now pronounce you King of the dead, Alfor."

Alfor grunted and clutched his chest. Despite being dizzy, he managed enough strength to smile up at the blue serpent, and whispered, "Your days are surely numbered, for the knight of the gods will rise yet again. His legend lives on in the spirit of peace."

Zarkon raised the heel of his boot and kicked Alfor into the stream, which filled with his blood. "Sleep long and well, for your reign is now over."

With his last breath, Alfor lifted his head from the water a gazed up into the fiery eyes of the white lion, which hovered amidst the five Raiju lion spirits. "Mighty is his name, Voltron; knight of the gods and defender of the universe." Alfor reached his blood soiled hands up towards the outstretched arm of his father, who straddled Ezar's back. Their fingers met and a broad smile formed across Alfor's lips as he rode off into eternity in the loving arms of his father.

Epilogue

Allura could hear the echo of her own footsteps throughout the still air of the royal crypt beneath the castle where Marah and her father had recently been laid. It had taken her several days to build up the courage to venture down here alone. As Arus lay in ruin and its people scattered along the underground caves living like nomads, she felt lost and alone.

Allura slowly dragged her feet as she approached base of the pyramid of steps atop of which served as the place of interment for Alfor. She knelt down, bowed her head and whispered, "Father, I miss you so much. How can I possibly lead these poor people when I'm so lost and afraid? Why did you have to go? I wasn't ready—ready to lead or ready to go on without you."

Allura felt a warm breeze brush across her face. She lifted her eyes which began to blur with tears as she gazed upon the transparent image of King Alfor, who was adorned in his royal garb—a jeweled crown of gold and a large robe. "My dear Allura," his voice echoed, "do not weep, for I am at peace."

"Father…"

"The hands of fate know not the errors of man; for it was ordained that I depart from you. But fear not, beloved, for the time has come for you to rise and lead the people of this world back to prominence."

"But how? I'm not fit to lead anyone. I barely obeyed your orders. I thought about nothing but my own wants and desires. And how can I possibly defend Arus without Voltron? Is what Coran said about the fallen lions true?"

"What Coran said is true. The secret of Voltron lay within those sleeping lions."

"But father, how do we awake them? And once awaken, how do we control them?"

"Arus will receive unto her five young saviors who will fall from the sky, as did the lions themselves. They will know what to do, for Ezar himself has chosen them." Alfor lifted his hands above his head and began to fade away. As he vanished from sight, he voice trailed off as he said, "Upon their arrival, they will need the five magic keys to Voltron, which lay safe with me. Go now, my daughter, and await your saviors who will resurrect the defender of the universe."

"Father…please. Don't leave me. Please, don't go…"

31