The Third Sphere Part I: Keith's Redemption

Author's Notes: Personalities and character description will also be loosely based on the Voltron Force TV series (Keith's and Allura's eye color, Lance's physique, etc.) as well as some of their techs (e.g. Voltcoms and Lion upgrades). Back story of the Voltron Force were taken from Dynamite's comic Voltron: Year One.

Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron and its characters. I'm just a fan of the universe.

-oo-

Chapter 7

Keith lost the battle for control a second time and was frustrated to find himself disconnected with his body once more. He struggled to remain conscious. He couldn't afford to let Sigis win. It was his body after all. There was no way someone else's consciousness should retain control. He had to take it back one way or another.

When they had sedated him, Sigis momentarily lost control of his body. For a few precious moments, he was free from his bindings and fought Sigis again. Keith had gained the upper hand for a time and was able to subdue Sigis. But when he reconnected with his body, the sedative and the binding runes took effect on him making him sluggish in movement and a bit disoriented. Those few precious seconds of consciousness though brought him face-to-face with his beloved. And it nearly killed him when Sigis found a way to escape his bindings and took control once more.

Although his heart soared when he saw Allura, he had hoped that they didn't get back quickly from their mission. He had hoped the extraction would keep them off planet long enough for him and Sven to finish this mission. He should have known better than to underestimate his teammates. They were not known to be the best of the best Space Explorers if they took a long time to do a simple extraction mission.

Those few precious seconds of seeing her, it was enough to give him strength. But the look of worry in Allura's eyes when he was conscious felt like being stabbed in the gut. He hated that look on her. He hated it when she worried. He hated himself even more that the look of worry was for him and it killed him that it was in her eyes.

Keith groaned as he tried to get himself in a sitting position but he found he was unable to do so. Apparently, the runes didn't work from within him. Even in his weakened state, Sigis' magical binds held. He was lying on his side staring at Sigis who was in front of him. The magical sphere that had momentarily shattered surrounded them once more, but this time Alexander Sigis stood there visibly exhausted and cracks could be seen around the sphere. The battle for control over his body added to the exertion he made before while fighting off Sven took much of Sigis' power. Keith knew that this was his only chance to gather enough strength and power to free him from captivity, and defeat Sigis.

Keith concentrated, trying to tap into his body so that he could get a feel on what's happening to the outside world. Trying to remember all the training that Sigis had taught him, Keith tapped into his powers, weak as they are, and tried to make a connection.

At first nothing happened, but little by little a cloud cleared and what he was seeing was like looking through fogged up glasses. Even though it was his body, it felt like looking through the eyes of an observer. He saw his whole team surrounding him, caution clearly perceived on their faces. They were talking with Sigis with Sven taking lead on the interrogation. He kept his concentration, using everything he knew to tap into the magic he possessed. He struggled with his bindings as he kept his focus. Within the silence of his mind, sounds began to seep in. The voices were indistinguishable at first but they gradually became clearer.

He heard himself laugh but the sound was different. It was cold and angry. He saw Sven took a defensive stance, as was the rest of the team. It was pretty obvious from his point of view on who it was they were defending him against. Allura was behind them, peeking over Sven's broad shoulder but blocked from full view from his body. Keith felt an ache in his heart. He wanted so much to touch her, to feel her body on his, to hold her close to him and apologize for what he had put her through.

He heard himself laugh again. He felt the binds tighten. He knew then that Sigis was aware of him.

"Your commander is putting up a fight," Sigis said through his voice. "I do admire his tenacity. He has lasted far longer than I have anticipated."

"You can't win this, Sigis," Sven said. "Just let the commander go. We'll find another way to bring your soul peace."

"I think not, Commander Holgersson," Sigis answered. "I think I'll keep this body for a bit longer."

"Release him, Alexander," Allura said as she stirred herself in front of Sven. "Release him now or –"

"Or what?" Sigis challenged. "Would you really be able to do anything with me while I'm in this body?"

When they didn't answer, he smirked and added, "I thought so."

Keith could see the look of helplessness in Allura's eyes. He struggled against his bindings but it just wound around him tighter. He heard Sigis laugh.

"How the mighty has fallen," Sigis stated. "Who would have predicted this? The only way to defeat the Voltron Force is by taking out the head. I will enjoy torturing Keith Kogane slowly and painfully until he himself begs for death!"

"You son-of-a –"

Keith saw Sven and Hunk grabbed at Lance who was about to hit him. Lance struggled against their hold on him while Keith heard himself laugh.

"Give me one shot!" Lance exclaimed. "Just one shot to get that smug look off his face!"

"Lance," Sven replied. "You hurt him. You hurt Keith in the process."

"Which begs the question," inquired Pidge. "How will you be able to torture Keith if you can't hurt him?"

Keith knew the answer to that even though Sigis kept his silence. Inside his mind, he looked up at the being in front of him and begged, although his voice was but a whisper, "please, Sigis. Not her. Please, not her."

But Sigis just laughed, both from within his consciousness and outside using Keith's voice as a conduit.

"Your commander has figured it out," he said. "The best type of torture has always been the mental and emotional ones. When I'm through, there'll be nothing left of your commander to save. But then again, you will not be here to see it."

At that statement Keith snapped. It was already too much that Sigis has threatened Allura, but to make threats against his friends drew the line for him. He let out a blood curdling scream and strained to break from the bindings.

The noise caused Sigis to lose concentration and the magical binds faltered giving Keith that moment to break free. The binds snapped and he charged at Sigis, slamming all his weight on him. They toppled over, with Keith landing on top of Sigis. He landed a couple of blows on Sigis while the latter attempted to block his punches. Sigis blocked a punch and retaliated with a punch of his own that sent Keith sprawling. Once free, Sigis let out a low powered energy ball and aimed it at Keith. At the last second, Keith dodged and rolled into a kneeling position and fired an energy ball of his own. This time Sigis was not able to dodge quickly and the ball hit his shoulder. He staggered back a step and was hit by another bolt of energy on the chest. Keith kept his barrage of low powered energy bolts at Sigis, hitting him one after another. Sigis retreated every time an energy bolt hit him while Keith advanced, inching his way closer and closer. When Keith was close enough, he conjured a sword similar to the blazing sword his Voltcom provides him during fights, and swung. But Sigis was quick to conjure a sword of his own and parried.

The fight continued, with Keith more determined than ever to finally defeat his mentor. Sigis was skilled that much was obvious, but controlling his body and fighting Sven a while back really took a toll on him. Keith was getting the upper hand of the battle.

Keith took a swing which Sigis blocked, but the power of the swing knocked the latter. Sigis stumbled; his sword disappeared from his hand in the process.

"I think it's about time you get out of my body, Alec," Keith remarked as he slowly approached the consciousness.

For an answer, Sigis conjured another energy ball and threw it at Keith. But before it reached its target, the ball exploded and fizzled out.

"You heard him, Alexander," said an all too familiar voice. "Get out."

Keith's head turned to where the voice came from and had locked eyes with a vision in blue. Allura stood not far from him, her arms raised forward to Sigis' direction, hands still smoking from the magic that saved him.