The Dark Emperor Ascends

by InLothlorien

Lotor has not been heard from in over a year and things seem tranquil on Arus. But the Voltron Force could never have guessed just how horrific Lotor's Reign of Terror would be upon his ascension to the throne.

10. Chapter 10

The Dark Emperor Ascends- Chapter Ten

First off, I want to apologize (sincerely) for the long hiatus. Please read my author's note at the end of this chapter.

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Since Lotor had appeared on the roof of the Arusian palace, this whole ordeal had been a whirl of unanswered questions. For starters, how had Lotor gotten onto the roof in the first place? How had the Lions been malfunctioned seemingly beyond repair? Keith felt all of the inquiries beat at him as he and Allura waited, the only way to bear the anxiety over whether the Doomite soldiers would find them. Why had he seen Allura with him in the cell while everything else from his recollection had been pretty accurate? And, how had Allura's spell broken? The incantation had been strong enough to twist Allura's heart into a cruel knot, yet had dissipated long after Keith's attempts for no solid reason. Sweat broke out on his forehead. The passage of time was slow and difficult to endure now. He knew he was injured and scarcely able to fight, yet he had to protect Allura. There would never be an opportunity to escape the dungeon again. Lotor would end everything. Keith pushed his back harder into the wall as silence ensued. He could, very faintly, hear Allura's breathing next to him. Her presence kept beating at him to stay conscious, stay alert and vigorous enough to fight, if need be. But when his back touched the wall this time, a horrid burn occurred, worse than any of his prior battle wounds but for Lotor's near-fatal blow. Keith retracted himself from the wall instantly, but he was going too quickly to stop himself. His body hit the open door, which slammed shut. He shut his eyes for a quick moment in consternation as the sound echoed. The footsteps emerged again into their hearing and Keith quickly latched the door. They would come to break it down. Seizing Allura's hand, he led her to the back, where all the blood lay. He opened one of the corner doors. Several Doomites lay piled on top of one another in the closet, a cold bloodbath. Allura put one hand over her mouth. Keith took a step back just as the pounding began. He had heard about the experiments done upon lesser beings- as they were known on this planet- done here. While in the dungeon, some of the prisoners had been speaking in what he had presumed to be paranoid, hushed tones about needles and concoctions. But there was no time to dwell on that now. He immediately flung open the other door. Another storage closet full of the witch's spellbooks and potions lay within. There was no place to hide. The door was close to breaking in. With nowhere to run, Keith made the admittedly rash choice for them to hide under the main table in the room, beneath its cloth. It wouldn't last long, but enough to perhaps buy them time. Keith gritted his teeth beneath the table. His vision was starting to blur. He couldn't stop now. The door broke in. Allura's breath caught in her throat. They could see nothing, but hear the pursuer dash inside. Allura held the laser in her fist tightly. She felt her hand finally give out from the harsh clenching, and a spasm overtook the muscles. She nearly bit through her lip to avoid crying out in pain. But the gun did fall from her hand and clatter to the ground. Roaring, Keith stood and used the strength of his arms to force the table up into the guard, who was instantly knocked to the ground. Keith squeezed the trigger and fired at the Doomite with a growl, while his opponent rolled away at the sight of the laser, and the shot whisked into the ground, narrowly missing the helmet. As Keith stumbled forward and prepared his next shot, he immediately felt a horrid pit form in his stomach when he heard, "That was TOO close, Keith."

"Oh, God." Keith nearly dropped his laser.

"Good thing you have such poor aim."

"Only you would poke fun right now," Keith said grudgingly. He helped Lance up and felt more than a touch of anxiety just at the thought of how poorly the situation would be if he hadn't missed.

Allura, still crouched where the table had been, put a hand on her chest. "Thank God."

"We've been looking everywhere for you. But good thing Allura found you first. Or you found her…"

"She found me after we separated," Keith explained. "We both choice the same hiding spot."

"I am relieved that the true princess is back," Lance said.

Keith sighed. "You have no idea." If anything, at least that was behind them.

"We can talk about this later," Allura said, surprising them both out of their reverie. She was smiling beneath her helmet at the reuniting. It was something she'd dreamed of since being captured. But the matters now were too pressing to ignore. "First let's get out of this horrid place."

With no chance for any questions, the three of them were racing down the corridor. "This way," Lance directed them. He was rushing down to the bottom floor. "There is an entrance used by the servants. It's how they got here. Sven told me how to get there before returning to the ship."

It seemed too easy to reach the stealth exit point. When they spotted the ship, Keith ran with the knowledge that they were about to be foiled any moment. But they reached their destination without any interceptions. Pidge and Sven were waiting in the control room. Immediately, Sven directed them upward and away from Doom.

Lance could not help but laugh softly, despite not being out of danger. Had Lotor truly underestimated them this much? The guards' uniforms were so easy to steal, several crucial exits not patrolled- the whole thing was almost comical. And perhaps it would have been without the number of casualties and mental stress that had taken place. It had perhaps been the most grueling experience he had ever faced, but for the day Earth- and everyone he knew but for the rest of the force- was destroyed. Keith hadn't wavered after that or their subsequent capture. And yet this, he had been ground down to grim exhaustion and near defeat. Lance was still inspired by his commander and yet this reminded him that even the bravest can reach a breaking point. Keith had always been the one to lecture and advice before; this time, Lance had been obligated to do so, for the sake of consolation during the dark time. There would be no giving up on either part, especially after all they had learned and been through. He watched Allura and Keith help each other out of the suits and felt comfort at knowing that for now- at least- they could be together.

After the Doom uniforms were removed, the princess held onto the commander tightly, her eyes full of tears. "I thought we would never get out of there." He closed his eyes, not wanting to yield to sensibility. But he felt obligated to remind her, "We're not in the clear just yet."

Allura was very quiet as the journey dragged on. "I want to tell you all how sorry I am for everything I did, while…"

Lance smiled at her. "You being back to normal makes up for it all."

"I'm lucky to have you for guardians." She was still unable to look at them, now out of profundity rather than guilt.

"And we're lucky to have you, princess." Pidge came over and hugged her tightly. "I've been so worried about you all these past few days."

Keith stroked her hair as she laid her head on his chest. Why was it the searing pain seemed almost gone? Perhaps the phrase "magic touch" was more than a metaphor. And though he shouldn't be doing this, holding onto her this way and breaking Coran's codes, he didn't care anymore. They had escaped Doom, with the possibility of recapture looming overhead. He wanted to treasure this moment. He wanted to yield to his own feelings for once in his life.

"You've saved us, Pidge. And Sven." He nodded to both of them gratefully. "I'm proud."

Sven's smile was bittersweet. "I almost wouldn't have had the strength. Until…"

Allura looked at him questioningly. "Until…?"

Sven and Pidge looked at each other, so merry that Allura wondered if she was seeing things. The back door opened, towards the cargo. Allura looked over her shoulder in surprise, as everyone was already in the cockpit, including Hunk. It seemed almost slow-motion, dreamlike. Her jaw dropped, as did Keith's.

"I should have warned you two about the good news." Sven chuckled softly. He had never been so happy in their presence, held such a glow. And though they were in peril, his reaction was not without merit.

Keith, getting over his astonishment, cracked a firm smile. "This explains my hallucination."

Allura's tears were bursting forth, no longer contained on the surface. "Romelle."

Romelle stood just as always, a small smile on her face. Allura ran into her arms and wept, her tears falling into her cousin's gold hair. She wanted to be sure this was real, not some cruel prank or dream. The touch seemed real and vivid. It wasn't a mirage. Unable to ask questions, Allura continued to sob, with great gulps rising from her chest.

Romelle looked down nurturingly. "I'm very lucky. If I hadn't washed up on the shore so soon after falling I would have been done, for certain." Allura didn't want to let go of her; she had been convinced for so long that Romelle was dead that this turn of events seemed impossible, something she hadn't even dreamed of. Romelle hugged her back. "And I come to a grand sight-your liberation from Doom."

She and Allura stood there for several minutes, until Allura had cried the last of her tears and gotten over the immediate shock. Romelle rubbed her back gently and led her to sit near the controls. She herself took a seat by Sven, who put his spare hand over hers.

Allura smiled through her tears at last. "It was you, wasn't it? You're the one that threw something at me during the wedding."

Romelle nodded. "My father taught me long ago of an old remedy to ease spells put on the mind. It only needs to be released in your vicinity, as a sort of dust inhaled through the lungs, to become effective. While we were in hiding and before we were able to get Keith and the others out of the cell, I was able to find the ingredients and stir them in her great cauldron, as everyone was distracted with the wedding or at the prison. It was there we took out the guards and threw them in the closet. We of Pollux know much about herbs and antidotes- it is this knowledge that has helped us work well against the dark arts. But against great weapons and battleships, we are weak."

"But…how is this possible?" This was why Allura was almost positive she was hallucinating.

Pidge took over the rest of the explanation. "While we were trying to repair the lions after the attack, a guard found Romelle at the edge of the moat, unconscious on the sand. Nanny took care of her while Sven and I tried to fix the lions. We tried to get in touch with you, but couldn't hear you over the communicators. After trying for days and hearing no word, we decided to come after you- in this- instead."

Allura hadn't known the full extent of relief until now. The whole burden seemed released. The unexpected never ceased to happen.

She looked at Romelle again, still in disbelief. "I pray right now that this is not a dream." It all seemed too good to be true.

Keith shook his head. "I promise you that this is, as far as what we know of such things, reality." He offered his hand, and she sat back down beside him, their fingers still laced.

"I was so guilty," she continued. "I thought I would never see you again and that I had failed to protect you."

"No, Allura. I let go of my own free will. That was my choice instead of being taken back to Doom." She herself looked quite sheepish as she looked back at Sven. "I would regret it if it had truly taken me from you all. But I am quite fortunate. There was no reason for you to be guilty." She stood and put her hands on Allura's shoulders. "The secret we tried so hard to keep from you is known now. What Lotor has done will always stalk me." The room grew tense and quiet. As Hunk and Pidge looked down, Lance spotted the anger in Sven's eyes. Keith also noticed this, and recognized the protective instinct he himself felt for Allura. This was the fear he had held so long for his princess, what he wanted so desperately to prevent, as well as anger at Lotor for even threatening her security. He put his other arm around her, a simple reminder of his dedication. "But Allura, it was NOT your fault. You think so because I look like you and you are his goal. But only Lotor is responsible for his own actions. You cannot be blamed for something someone else has done."

Allura finally nodded. "I am glad you are back."

She looked around the room for some time, all of their smiling faces.

"Voltron is blessed," she murmured, still misty-eyed.

Keith rested his cheek upon the top of her head. "And now we must put Voltron back together and fight again."

She nodded. "They'll come for us soon." She looked out the windows expectantly.

It would have seemed impossible beforehand to have such low hopes at this point. However, escape and recovery were marred by the knowledge that Doom would soon return.

"We still don't know how Lotor got to Arus without being detected. Or what he did to the lions." Pidge shook his head. "I tried everything to get them running again."

"We need Voltron," Lance said. "We can't face them in this."

"It's our weakest link. Without it, we're powerless."

"What should we do?" Hunk put the question directly to Allura. A anxious silence followed as everyone looked at her. Her brow creased. She stood and looked behind them, out towards the vastness of space. "We've defended Arus this long and worked this long to bring it back together. We can't stop now."

"But how do we fight, Allura?" Romelle asked her quietly. "We have to think of that ahead of time."

"We haven't uncovered Haggar's secrets," Allura admitted. "We don't know how half the things in this past week have happened. And yet, we have other weapons at Arus. We can keep them at bay for now with our own troops until Voltron is repaired."

"Doom's fleet will not take long," Sven said. "It will crush a defenseless Arus as it did when you were a child."

Allura kept her eyes out the window as Arus came into view. "My father once came to me at Lotor's palace. His words reminded me of another time. He told me of door unopened in the depths of the castle, one behind the control room. It was there we would find our help when Voltron was in danger. And, though I have only just recalled the vision, I feel I could find it and open it without trouble." She looked at them strongly, raising her chin defiantly. "Remember when you first came to Voltron. We had no idea how to work things. But we managed until now to do what we had to in order to use the lions. Now, as my father knew all about our weapon, we have the source of its power and how to use it in our hands. We simply have to find it."

Pidge took out his communicator and handed it to Keith. "We'd best start while ahead."

Keith took a deep breath. "Coran, are you there? This is Commander Keith. We are on our way back to Arus with the full crew."

Silence.

Allura bit her lip. She hadn't seen Arus since her abduction. It had been quite vulnerable since Lotor's arrival.

"Coran, are you there? This is urgent. Please, come in."

All of them looked at each other, uncertain when nothing happened. Everyone's eyes were to the floor. If there was nothing to return to, then all hope was lost.

"CORAN!" Keith was shouting now. "We need you!"

When nothing happened, he rested his head in his hands, his shoulders tense. He heaved a heavy sigh.

Static seemed to come from the other side. And then the sound of a voice. "This is Coran... is Allura..."

Allura sighed in relief.

"Yes, she's safe with us. Coran, we need some defense ready-"

"Doom has been here for days, Commander. They're invading the countryside and working their way to the castle gradually."

"We're on our way. But first, we need you to search for something. A door of some sort, behind the control room."

"Press into the walls, Coran," Allura said. "Search for hollowness. There should be a staircase or something behind it, on the right side." She looked down in awe at how the memories seemed to flood back into the open with a sudden burst. It was as though a pipe had broken and was now leaking everywhere, its presence demanding attention.

Coran's voice was fizzling in and out, but he seemed to be able to hear them perfectly well. It seemed that he was going to search now.

"Good thing this ship is way faster than the other one," Lance said as they waited. "We should get to Arus in a couple of hours." It was still a small dot in the distance.

Allura looked at Keith, who still held the communicator. Seeing her apprehension, he tenderly took her hand in his. Too many thoughts were swimming through his head. The threat of Lotor, Arus' welfare, Allura's safety and how badly he wanted to spend his future with her. And also, the sheer intensity of fighting without Voltron…speaking to Coran also reminded him of the meeting they'd had on the night of the abduction.

"Who are you considering?" Keith's quiet voice inquired, revealing no emotion.

"I am not sure. She must marry a prince, at least." Coran sighed. "I've looked into princes of our allies and am considering searching and screening all possibilities, whoever seems most desirous. An alliance with another planet would do Arus much good and would ensure the Arusian line would continue." He looked at the men carefully. "You've all been very candid with the princess. But that must cease as of now. She is not of your kind. She is royal and should be treated as such. She must interact with men of her own station."

Hunk gnashed his teeth. "For someone who is supposedly so grateful, you sure do seem to love insulting us, Coran."

"It's none of our concern who you choose to marry the princess to," Lance spoke up heatedly, also enraged by the comment. "Our job is to defend Arus, not get involved in politics."

"As defenders of Arus, you should know what I am considering," Coran said, not at all perturbed at the inflicted offense he had caused. "There is no need to be upset at my proposals. You all knew when you took this position that you were to be the guardians, not suitors, of the princess."

"Of course," Lance snapped. "There was never any question of that."

"Then I do not see the reason for this tension. All I ask is that our princess is treated as one of her blood is due. She's been spending far too much time with you than associating with men of higher status. And her parents would be quite disappointed in me for that. I will be sending messages to our allies and looking for the most eligible princes and kings."

"If you choose a king, does that mean that Allura will have to leave and go to her husband's planet?" Hunk asked.

Coran was slightly flushed. "Yes. For certain she would visit and representation from the other planet would exist in ruling, but she would be obligated to go to her husband's planet. And once he is king if only a prince at first, then she will have to make that change."

"Then that would be giving up the family line to a foreigner." Lance raised his eyebrows. He remembered incidents in which other planets were not as trustworthy as they seemed.

"There is little choice." Coran's voice was testy now. "The court is annihilated. Do you know why you don't see the high class men and women here in the castle? This is Arus' only hope, men. I would appreciate if you did not take that lightly."

"We do not take it lightly," Keith replied, still composed. "Are we to continue guarding Arus even while she is on another planet? Or are we to follow her for protection?"

"Do you expect her to remain on Voltron while a Queen?"

"No," he admitted. "But I would expect her to at least be able to remain on her own planet rather than have to send her husband's men to keep things in order."

"That is the only option."

"Have you tried looking at others?"

They all looked at Keith in surprise for speaking out, even questioning Coran on this sort of matter.

"You're out of line, Commander."

"I am only thinking of Arus. Its Queen belongs here after all the rebuilding. Arus may be my second home, but I've grown very attached and dedicated in the time we've protected it. The subjects want their Queen, and they are calmed each day with the knowledge that she is here, ready to aid them when needed. It is not only us that has helped restore Arus, Coran. But Allura's presence and goodwill has helped the people come to terms with the past and look for the future. They believe that Arus can rise forth again and become the great place it once was, independent. And they'll stop believing when their princess is gone and foreign troops patrol all around. They'll think Arus can never put itself back together alone. And even if there are no heirs, the throne will pass to someone from that planet. It won't even be joint rule. It will be ownership."

A sort of mutual tension filled the room. Aside from being incredulous that Keith was talking back to Coran, for his comrades his words packed a powerful punch in the gut. Lance, especially, was moved. Leave it to Keith to show that the force actually cared and wasn't in this business just for rewards.

Coran's gaze was icy. "Gentlemen, I would like to speak to your commander alone."

Awkwardly, Pidge and Hunk moved from the room while Lance idled and threw Keith a "What the hell?" look before departing.

Coran was quiet for several moments. Keith knew he had said something wrong immediately. At last, someone had seen through that demeanor of his- Coran had finally glimpsed Keith's secret. Keith didn't let his stance waver and waited patiently (though not without anxiousness) over what Coran would say.

"We have had a similar discussion once before, Commander. I'm sure you recall."

"When we spoke on Allura's life should Lotor obtain her? Absolutely." He looked down. "It is something I do not fail to take into account at night, or whenever I hear the name of Doom."

"Then you also remember what I told you about Allura and your feelings for her. Use them to protect her. But, what I failed to mention how your role must play out or that I suspected just how deeply you felt." He exhaled loudly. "I know the truth, Keith. All of it. It's become more and more obvious, despite how you hide it. But you come from Earth with nothing but your name, a common one. You have no royal blood, nothing that can be brought to Arus' restoration. Despite your excellence, you are a Commander only. You cannot marry Allura."

Keith looked down. "I never proposed such a thing."

"Ah, but it is on your mind." Coran's face softened slightly. "I was a young man once, Keith. And I understand how you feel. But things cannot be this way. IT cannot be."

Keith nodded. "I have always known that, Coran."

Even though this was true, Keith still felt the lingering patter and sting of bitter disappointment echo through his mind.

"Listen to me, Keith. We must do what is best for Arus. And a foreign marriage is the only option."

Keith nodded again. "Yes, sir."

"Act out your loyalty by protecting her. Remain her bodyguard. But you can be no more."

Looking at Keith, no one would have deemed him crushed in the slightest, simply serious. As much as it ate at the back of his mind, he had always known he couldn't have Allura. It was simply reality being confirmed. He sighed inwardly. He understood his duty fully and promised to fulfill it. He just hoped the burning desire would subside in time.

He came out into the hall, where the others waited.

"What was that all about?" Lance's eyes were narrowed. Keith was almost certain he knew, but only shrugged in response.

"Coran seems serious this time," Pidge said. "He's really determined about this."

"I don't think Allura will want to leave." Hunk was skeptical. "Would she agree to such a match?"

"She will do what is best for Arus," Keith said nonchalantly. "As will we."

And that was when screams had interrupted their conversation and sent them running to the rooftop.

Now Allura's head rested on his shoulder. Minutes had passed in silence as he had been pondering over these events. Sven and Romelle, still hand-in-hand, sat still watching pensively. Hunk and Pidge looked edgy. Lance was tense. Keith knew he needed to focus on the present rather than the future at this moment. There was no sense in thinking of his life with Allura after this if they weren't going to get through it. He needed to try harder in suppressing his thoughts. But there was so much to worry about his mind couldn't help but wander. First and foremost, what he considered most important was right in his arms. He wasn't going to let Lotor have her back, that he made most clear. Of course, asserting this wasn't the same as accomplishing such a grand feat. A voice startled him out of his reverie.

"Coran, are you there?"

Coran's voice was still statically coming in over the transmitter but he was speaking loud enough to be heard clearly. "I found it…let's see…it-…"

"Louder, Coran!"

"It's some sort of room, full of drawings, art…" The static was still there, but now his voice was easier to understand. "It's Voltron's origin, its legacy all in one. There is some sort of book, large and old, very old. I believe it is a guidebook to Voltron."

"Look into it Coran. See if you can find any way to repair the lions from black magic interference. We're on our way." He looked at the others. "That's our goal, then. We'll use it to restore Voltron."

Coran checked back occasionally over the next few hours with things he had uncovered. Keith took the time to rest while Allura tended more to his back. While he was no longer dizzy, things still seemed blurry and inconceivable. The past week held a great deal of things to soak in.

When at last Arus' landscape was in sight, Coran found some sort of directions over what could be done to ease Voltron after a malfunctioning. "The directions are quite complex, Commander. But I trust that we will be able to solve this issue if we all work on it diligently. I will do what I can to decipher its meanings until your return."

Allura had never been happier to see Arus than at this moment. Though Doom was invading, it seemed fine and lush. It was a true comfort.

Until a harsh impact slammed directly into them. The airship shook violently as everyone cried out in surprise.

"We've been hit!" Sven yelled. The airship was beginning to nosedive. Desperately, he worked at the controls and fought to even out the level of their altitude. They hadn't been too high up, but to crash at this height was not a pleasant picture. Keith grabbed Allura's hand as the ship got closer to the ground. From just a few feet above, all of them couldn't help but fear. He decided not to even picture failing to make it through the crash. He braced himself and focused on Allura's safety. Inch by Inch, Foot by Foot, the ground became closer. Allura squeezed her eyes shut just before impact.

The ship collided with the land, hitting hard and tumultuously.

Everyone pitched forward. Sven slammed his head on the controls while Pidge slid across the cockpit and hit the wall. Before the collision, Keith tried to ignore the pain in his back as he bundled himself around Allura to protect her from the impact. He managed to grip hard enough to the seat with one hand to keep from falling. Lance fell against Hunk, twisting his leg with the fall. Romelle had managed to grip her seat hard enough to keep from pitching into the wall, but still fell onto the floor, while Allura was protected from the primary force due to Keith. All of them in their various shocked states lay stunned for a few minutes, in a stunned silence. Groaning, Keith forced himself to his feet and looked out the window. Due to the steep angle the craft now lay in due to being embedded into the ground, he was compelled to grip the wall to keep from falling. He looked up expectantly, his senses entirely correct; the ships of Doom were circling overhead. It was then he made an instant decision. "Everyone, hurry to the castle. It's not too far away from here. Work with Coran to get the lions fixed."

"If you think you're going to fight Lotor alone in your condition, you're out of your mind, Keith." Lance stood, but his leg caused him to grimace.

"Perhaps I am. But don't question me. You're wasting time."

Sven, his forehead bright red from the impact, didn't hesitate. He grabbed Romelle's arm and hastened away. Pidge was right behind them. Keith looked at Hunk and Lance. "Go!"

Lance shook his head violently. "You're crazy! Your back is still in pieces-!" He gasped when Hunk threw him over one shoulder.

"You can still fly the lion with a bad leg. We're going." Hunk looked at Keith without a trace of doubt. His loyalty was deep enough to trust what his comrade said.

Lance let out a frustrated growl and looked up at Keith as Hunk took off. "You better survive this, Keith, or I'll never forgive you!"

Keith gave a wry smile. He turned to see that Allura was still next to him. "Hurry!"

She hesitated. "I can't leave you."

"I need you to leave. Please. You need to help Voltron."

"But we can't fly without you-"

"Sven can use his Blue Lion again. And you will fly in my place, just as you did when we gave you such a hard time about it. You've already proved yourself worthy. Take the Black Lion for me." When she seemed about to protest again, he put his hands on her shoulders, his dark hair sweeping forward slightly as he looked down at her. "We cannot win without it. It's up to you and everyone else while I hold Lotor at bay. Please hurry. If you stay, Lotor will try for you again. And-" he added quickly when he ascertained that this was not enough to sway her- "Voltron can't be flown. Go. For me." He put a hand softly over her silky golden hair. "This is the only way."

She threw her arms around him quickly in an embrace before rushing after the others.

Just in case…

The words resonated through his head. That was the unspoken reason for her departing actions. And though his fighting side told him not to think of the harsh ultimatum, he was grateful that she given him such a gift, even if he was to fall.

Keith watched her go somberly, until her form was out of his sight. He heard the sound of the ships getting closer. Grabbing up his laser, and the sword that lay by the captain's seat, he waited outside of the airship for Lotor to descend. He knew his opponent well. The personal ship was landing while the others went on ahead, toward the castle. He staggered to maintain his position. On all sides, they were surrounded. But the King of Doom wanted a battle with him alone now. Keith tried to ignore his wounded condition and focused on all he had ever learned about battle. His thoughts scattered, he could feel the exertion working its way through him, his forehead breaking out again with perspiration. He focused his eyes on his target and searched for more motivation. He thought of everything, all that Lotor had ever done and what he would do should he win. And Keith realized that there was never before a time in his life that he truly wanted to kill a man. Other times, it was for defense. But now, deep anger surged within him. He wanted to end this now so there wouldn't just be a cloud hanging over he and Allura forever, over the entirety of Arus. Doom needed to fall for good or this would be an endless cycle. And he didn't want that to happen. This was enough. He staggered farther from the ship to allow for more room and fought to keep his back at ease. His boots wedged deeper in the ground for support. Regardless of whether or not he could marry Allura, he would always be her guardian. And he would be sure Lotor never left this battleground to obtain her. He was tired of draws and more pain. He would end the Prince of Doom's reign. No- a prince no longer. He was an Emperor and head entirely of this reign. It wouldn't be borne. He would fight to his end for everyone. For her. He thought of his favorite image, her soft face smiling for him. Even should he fall, he would be happy knowing he had gotten affirmation and seen her again. These thoughts remained at the back of his mind.

Holding his weapons tightly- enough that they shook with intensity- he waited for his opponent.

--

Four months is a long time to wait for an update and I want to thank everyone for being patient and writing such constructive reviews. I debated over the fate of Romelle for a long time and I hope you're pleased with the result. I was pretty sure I was going to have the unhappy alternative be the case, but I changed my mind (as some clues in the previous chapter especially have pointed out). Also, I wanted to go back and explore the meeting Allura eavesdropped on in the first chapter so that we could see the rest of the context and understand the extent of Keith's feelings on the topic and why his fear of Lotor nabbing Allura is so high, whereas when in other situations he would never be that upset. The next chapter will be the finale and I will try my best to have it up soon, though I am certain it will be quite long in comparison to the other chapters. I apologize for any messiness, but I truly wanted to get this chapter out and let everyone know the story is still going. I hope you enjoyed it!