I'm struggling, thrashing, straining against the cuffs behind my back. The cuffs are cutting into my wrists, threatening to break my skin. Do I care? No. Where is he? Where's Keith?

Shit. Quiznak. Purple arms are pushing me back, restraining as a push struggle against them.

"KEITH"

Everything's a blur, meaning less purple hallways spin around me. Loud voices, whirl over head as I'm tossed between the walls and the floor. I tug of war between of desperation, power. Panic.

"KEITH"

I'm slammed onto the floor. My heartbeat is fluttering and beating against my chest. Adrenaline courses through my veins, my eyes are flickering round. Scanning for a clue. Aching and praying for red to flash into my vision.

" Now now blue paladin…." drawled a sultry voice from behind me.

Pinned like a bug on the floor, my eyes zoom onto the movement of a galra behind me. He stalks into my prevision, silver locks float behind him, swaying as he draws closer.

Golden eyes flash, and he holds a long sword with a curved tip and the end.

I blink and the blade tip plants itself millimeters from my face. A wicked sharp weapon glinting in the purple light. "IF you behave. I will take you to your precious paladin. Understand?"

Too nervous to speak, I jerk my head in one curt motion. He takes his blade and the guards lift me up, grabbing my arms, practically dislodging them from their sockets as I'm yanked forward. My wrists still strapped behind my back.

We enter a surgical room.

"Keith!" I sob, lunging forward. Only to be constrained by clenched claws.

"Aww, little Blue DOES have feelings for Red. Who would have thought." He taunts, smirking as he paces to the other side of the metal slab that Keith lays on. I ignore him as a frantically scan over Keith, desperate to see change to his deathly situation.

There's tubes of liquid connected by a wire in his arm, giving him medication? There's bandages wrapped around his chest and back, crisscrossing to prevent blood loss, even now there's blood crusting the edges, slowly seeping through and staining the folds as they spiral round him. At least he's breathing. I remind myself, at least he's still alive.

My breaths are calming. The clarity of my mind returns, it is easier to remain calm when I can see him, I can keep him safe if I can see him.

"Right Paladin, let's discuss your partake in the Arena"

I turn to face the Galra with silver hair.

"What?"

" You -" he states, as if talking to a child, " -are going to take part in the Arena just as the Champion did before you."

I'm too stunned to react, I'm emotionally drained by the fear that his statement throws me completely off guard.

" I'm sorry, who are you? And-"

" I. am Prince Lotor." he interrupts me with a cold look gracing his face.

" Well, Prince Lotor, what makes you think that I'm going to fight in your bloody war circus?" I'm indignant as well as particularly frustrated.

His eyes narrow in a flash.

" Oh, it's quite simple really." he murmurs.

He whirls around and yanks the pulsing tubes from their socket in the ships wall.

At that moment, Keith jerks.

His limbs flail.

His chest heaves as he chokes life a dying fish on land.

" 10 ticks until he dies Paladin" the prince smirks. " What do you say, are you going to fight."

I'm frozen in shock.

Keith lets out a curdled scream before getting aruptedly cut of as dark blood trickles out of his mouth.

" six. five..." Lotor taunts.

" Yes! I will, you already know its a yes. Just connect him back again PLEASE!"

"On your knees Blue"

I crumple to my knees

"please." I beg.