Prologue

The black lion had been the first to connect with her paladin. She had been tentative at first, cautious that this new paladin would end up like the last, another monster, but that feeling was gone now. It had burned away the second Black's first connection had been forged with her paladin; he had seen through her eyes and she had seen into his being. She growled as their thoughts became perfectly in sync, their bond only strengthened by the raging battle surrounding them. This was the strongest she had ever connected to her paladin, but then moments later, their two minds became one with purpose. Black roared as she and her paladin streaked towards their enemy, the one that had caused them and the galaxy so much pain.

Black could feel their victory, after so many years that evil was finally destroyed. The triumph in her paladin's mind rivalled only her own, but then - NO! She could feel her paladin slipping away. Black tried to pull him back, but she couldn't, their connection was slowing and she was losing him.

No. Black refused to lose this paladin, the first since she had been betrayed and the strongest connection she had ever felt. Her consciousness reached out as she took control, sending her paladin away to somewhere she knew he could be safe.

Then her paladin was gone, and Black went silent.