Many thanks to all those that have reviewed and asked me to post sooner. I know you would like to read more of it, much faster. However, it a matter of quality over quantity. I need time to edit and my editor, the fantastic Wade Wells, needs time to go over the chapters as well and she has an extremely busy schedule. I'm also still working on writing the ending in between, so patience my friends, you will get the full story, no worries. I always finish a story once I start posting.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 11

Standing at the bridge of his command ship, Cossack studies the main monitor. Planet Arus continuously grows larger on the screen as they approach it. His eyes move from the monitor to the robot sitting in front of the controls, "Ready the fighters. We attack when we arrive."

"Yes, General Cossack," the robot replies then starts pressing buttons on the panel.

The Drule looks back at the monitor, his tone low as he snarls to himself, "They will hand over those Garrison soldiers or I will destroy what's left of this pathetic planet."

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Reaching the glider, Coran stops when he notices that while Hunk and Lance are standing near the ship, the lieutenant-commander was farther away, facing a stone wall. He looks pointedly at the other two, who shrug at him in response. Rolling his eyes, Coran walks across the cavern and lays a hand on the younger man's shoulder, "Are you all right Sven?"

The Norwegian nods but remains silent as he continues to stare at the wall. Taking a deep breath, Coran demands, "What is wrong?"

Sven finally turns to face him. He glances back at the other two to check on their location then quietly says, "None of the lions have given me the feeling the others have mentioned. What if the Blue lion doesn't either?"

Nodding in understanding, Coran replies, "It is the last lion, the last chance for you to gain a key." As the younger man pales even more and looks away, he adds, "My question is, why you think you will not succeed when the others have?"

Sven looks back up at him, shock on his face as the advisor smiles at him, "This is your destiny, never doubt it. You will succeed just as the others have. You simply need to believe it."

The two men simply stare at each other for several long minutes then Sven nods to him. He starts walking back across the cavern to the glider. Glancing to Coran as he walks beside him, his eyes have a determined look to them as he says, "Very well, we should continue onto Water Kingdom." He looks back over at Hunk as they reach the glider and asks, "Should we have Hunk take the Yellow lion back to Storm Kingdom?"

"It is not necessary. We have already built a launch system to reach it," Coran informs him as he walks with the other man back to the glider. "Since the remaining members of the Earth Kingdom do not take care of the Yellow lion, we do. We built the launch system out here so that we could reach it quickly if needed."

"It took us over an hour to get here. How fast can you get a pilot here from Storm Kingdom?" Lance asks as he steps away from the glider.

"Within a minute. The launch system fires a small craft at supersonic speeds from a tunnel under the control room. We have built a launch to the Black lion and Blue lion as well. We will add something for the Green lion since it will be stored in Storm Kingdom and I already had the men start to build one toward Fire Kingdom. I assure you gentlemen, in the event of an emergency, you will be able to reach these lions quickly," Coran explains to them.

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An alarm goes off, making Pidge jump in his seat. Turning toward those controls, he flips the switches and looks up at the monitor in horror. The screen turns from radar to video, showing a large Drule battleship entering Arus' airspace and squadrons of fighters flying out of it. Swearing broadly, he hits the general alarm button then grabs the comm. unit to call the Fire Kingdom.

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Groaning in satisfaction as the heat of the hot pool invades his sore muscles, Keith leans back in the water. A sense of peace fills him that he has not felt since before the team's last mission that had cost them so many men. He closes his eyes and rests his head against a smooth groove in the rock that seems to be perfect for that purpose. He can feel every muscle in his body relax, going all the way down to his toes. Slowly his head stops throbbing and only a dull ache remains.

The crackle of his comm. unit has him opening his eyes, "Control to Commander Kogane…come in!"

Quickly rising out of the water, Keith grabs the unit, "This is Kogane, what's wrong Pidge?"

"We are under attack. A Drule battleship has just entered Arus airspace and has released several squadrons of fighters. They are firing on the area around the remains of the castle."

Keith swears loudly, "Call the others and tell those that have keys to get to their lions!"

"Already done Commander," Pidge replies in a steady voice, "Fire Kingdom is tracking down Princess Maia to have her get Lance."

"I'm on my way to my lion!" Keith states as he yanks the key for his lion out of the pocket of his robe but leaves his things behind as he runs toward the lion cavern.

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Princess Allura limps her way down the hallway as fast as she can, the sound of the alarms echoing in the narrow space. Reaching the control room, she hears the last of Pidge's conversation with the commander. Quickly reaching the command chair, she informs him, "I will take care of control. Go! Get to your lion!"

Nodding, the young man takes off at a run out of control. Allura sits down in the chair and hits the comm. unit, "All gunners, fire on the Drule ships!"

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Smiling at the looks of wonder on the other men's faces, Coran finally gestures to the glider, "Shall we go? We still have one more key to retrieve." Before Sven or the others can answer, Princess Maia appears next to them and announces, "Arus is under attack. Commander Kogane and the one called Pidge are already heading out in their lions. I need to get Lance to Red lion!"

"Wait!" Lance calls out as he glances over at Sven, "We still need the Blue lion."

"Impossible…" interjects Coran, "It will take us over an hour to reach Water Kingdom."

"But not for Maia," replies Lance as he takes a step toward her. She shakes her head at him, "I need to get you to Red lion."

Impatient with them, the lieutenant retorts, "But you can come back here after and take Sven to Water Kingdom. We need that last lion!"

Maia releases a sigh then nods, "Very well, I will come back for Sven after I get you to Red lion." She grabs Lance's shoulder as he starts to say something else and they both disappear. Sven turns his gaze to Hunk, "Get to Yellow lion…"

The big man nods and takes off back down the tunnel. Maia reappears right after and looks at the Norwegian, "Are you ready?"

Nodding, Sven looks over at the advisor, "Go back to Storm Kingdom…" At the older man's nod, Sven places a hand on Maia's shoulder and they disappear. The advisor stands there looking at the glider for a moment chagrined then states, "Would have been good of her to take me back to Storm Kingdom." Resigning himself to the fact he would not know the outcome of the battle until he returned, Coran quickly gets into the glider and takes off.

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Sliding into the command chair of his lion, Keith fingers the key a moment longer, the item he has not let out of his sight since he won it. Sliding it into the slot, he watches the controls light up then reaches for the control handle. The tattoo on his hand ignites as Keith yanks back on the control and starts the lion running down the tunnel that leads to the surface.

Soon the sun lit sky awaits him and he pushes Black lion up into the air. Changing direction, Keith finds the battleship over the remains of the Castle of Storm Kingdom. Its laser shot crumbling the few remaining walls. Hitting the comm. unit, he calls out, "Pidge, where are you?"

"Right behind you Cap."

Flipping on his rear screen, Keith finds the Green lion flying up behind him. Even with the threat of battle, the younger man cannot contain his enthusiasm, "This lion flies like a dream!"

"Yes, the flight control is great…let's see what the weapons can do. You flank the Doom ships on the right, I'll take left and hope to God Lance gets here soon!"

He hears the eagerness in the other pilot's voice as he replies, "You got it Commander!"

His eyes move over the controls as Keith turns the lion to the side then starts flying at the fighters in front of him. Instinct has him hitting a button and he mutters, "Whoa…" as a blade forms between the lion's teeth. Smiling in anticipation, Keith pushes the lion even faster as he flies at the awaiting ships.

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With his eyes widening in recognition, Cossack mutters, "It cannot be…" as he watches the Black and Green lions of Arus flying up at him. "Those things were supposed to have been destroyed by the old witch!"

Swearing in Drulian, he yells, "Open fire! Take out those lions!"

He watches the screen as Doom fighters fly at the lions. Blades form in the lions' mouths as they fly right through several of the fighters. Screaming in frustration, Cossack orders, "More squadrons! I want every fighter we have launched to destroy those lions!"

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Gasping, Sven bends over to get control of his sudden nausea as he releases his hold on the Fire Kingdom princess' shoulder. Maia glances down at his pale face as she inquires, "Are you all right?"

Swallowing hard against the bile threatening to erupt, Sven stands back up to ask, "How can you do that without feeling ill?"

Maia shrugs then looks around the poorly lit cavern. Her eyes fall on the giant, blue mechanical lion then shifts back to the Norwegian, "I need to return to my kingdom. Can you do this alone?"

For the first time, Sven looks over at the Blue lion and a surge of feeling goes through him. He does not answer her immediately as he takes a step toward the lion, his eyes traveling over it. He hears the princess say his name and finally snaps out of it to turn back to her. Managing a smile as he starts to feel confident, Sven says, "Yes, this lion is mine."

Maia smiles, "I will leave you to it then," then disappears with a flash of light.

He looks back up at the lion then hears the roaring sound coming from the side of the cavern. A closed wooden door with an etching of a lion with waves of water rising up around it, awaits him.

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Running out of the lion out of the tunnel, Lance pulls the control back and takes off into the air. His anger with the Fire Kingdom princess had not abated with her disappearance. She had delivered him into the cockpit of Red lion, ordered him to get going then disappeared again without even a goodbye. Despite his desire not follow to her orders, Lance had gotten into the command seat and taken off.

Flying up into the sky, he finally hits the comm. unit, "Red lion heading to your location, should be there in two minutes."

"Hurry your ass Lance!" Keith orders, "Pidge and I are taking heavy fire!"

He listens as Hunk joins in the conversation, "We'll be right there Cap…I've got Yellow lion!"

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The princess' eyes follow the lions on the screen as Black lion takes a blast in the side, causing the lion to land on its side on the ground. Just as quickly, the lion is back on its feet and flying back up in the air. Grabbing the microphone, Allura calls out, "Use your proton missiles!"

Keith's reply is sarcastic, "When I find the button that controls them, no problem…"

With indignation filling her, she watches as the tail of Black lion lifts instead and a ray shoots out of it, blowing up the nearest fighter. Missiles launch off the Green lion a moment later and Pidge instructs, "Left side of the control panel, button second from the top."

"Got it…" the commander replies then calls out, "Lance, Hunk…where the hell are you?"

"Here!"

Allura watches as Red lion approaches from one side as Yellow lion comes for the other. Both lions begin firing on the fighters, giving the Green and Black lions room to pull back.

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Reaching the door, Sven stares at the image etched into it a moment longer then grasps the iron handle. The door creaks as it opens, causing goose pimples to rush up his arms as he walks into the room. As poorly lit as the lion cavern, he has a hard time making out much of anything. Swearing under his breath, he mutters, "Where the hell are the lights?"

Suddenly the room shines bright with torches that ignite in a circle going around the room. Sven turns around the room, looking for a threat. Finding none, he steps forward, glancing down at the symbol of Water Kingdom dug into the hard rock floor as he goes. He stops suddenly when he hears, "Earthling, you have come a long way from your home. What do you hope to accomplish?"

Dropping to his knees, Sven lowers his eyes to the floor in deference as he replies, "I ask for the key to the Blue lion to help my friends. They are trying to stop the Drules attacking near Storm Kingdom and cannot do it alone."

"But you must earn the key…" the voice replies solemnly.

Looking back up to find a ball of light in front of him, Sven pleads with it, "Please, do not make me waste time with a trial. The battle is already happening! They have the other four lions, but we need Blue lion to form Voltron!"

The ball of light hovers closer to him as the voice replies, "Just because your friends have earned the other keys does not instantly make you worthy of the key to Blue lion."

Rising to his feet, Sven keeps his voice calm as he answers, "I feel it in my heart that I am meant to pilot that lion and to help protect Arus. The lion spoke to me when I arrived with Princess Maia."

"Princess Maia…" the voice repeats in a wondrous tone, "she is truly a daughter of the Fire Kingdom."

"Yes, I know," Sven states, "she would die for her kingdom just as I am willing to die for Water Kingdom." When the voice does not reply, he pleads once more, "Please, grant me the key to Blue lion before it is too late. I do not wish to lose my friends in battle as the kings once were." When the light does not immediately answer him, he yells, "PLEASE! DO NOT LET MORE PEOPLE NEEDLESSLY DIE!"

The ball of light suddenly shines brighter then rises. Sven cranes his neck back as it stops six feet above him. The voice is determined as it speaks again, "Sven Holgersson of Earth, I can feel your overwhelming desire to help your friends and the remaining people of Arus. For your sincerity and faith, I will grant you the key to Blue lion. Go now, protect Arus."

Sparks emit from the ball of light then it explodes. Sven ducks then looks down when he hears something striking the floor. Gasping at the sight of the remaining lion key, he bends down to pick it up then yells as energy goes through him. A sudden vision of a beautiful, young woman with long blonde hair and the same sapphire blue eyes as Princess Allura goes through his mind. It is gone a moment later with the bolt of energy and Sven gasps as he struggles to stand upright. Refusing to take the time to examine what he had just seen, he rushes for the door instead. Yanking it open, he runs from the key room to the Blue lion.

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Sitting in the control room, Allura watches on the monitors as the Red lion flies through a Doom fighter and Lance calls out, "Whoo hoo! Take that you Drule bastard!" His voice is full of wonder next as he says, "Check this out!"

She stares at the screen as fire roars out of the Red lion's mouth to melt a Doom fighter. Shaking her head at his delighted laughter, Allura hears the commander say, "Stow it McClain…we are being out flanked. You and Hunk take the right side as Pidge and I go around to the left, let's get them surrounded!"

Grabbing the comm. unit, the princess calls out, "No Commander! You need to break up the fighters into smaller units…"

"Princess Allura, when I want your opinion I'll ask for it!" Keith retorts then adds, "I will direct my team, not you!"

Fury fills her as she watches the lions surround the fighters and several of them collide while trying to outmaneuver the lions. Her mouth drops in wonder as the lions fly through the remaining fighters then round on them once more. She listens to the commander call out, "That's it. Now, break up the remaining units then destroy them! Hunk, Lance…"

"We're on it Cap!" the big man replies as Yellow lion, with Red lion beside it, fly through the center of the fighters, forcing them to change directions where the Green and Black lions are waiting for them.

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Screaming in frustration as he watches his fighters being destroyed, Cossack yells out his next command, "Get us down there now! Fire all laser cannons on the lions!"

"Yes, General Cossack."

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A yell of pain escapes Keith as he feels the lion falling out of the sky after being struck by a laser missile from the battleship. Grabbing onto the controls, he levels the lion then flips the lion midair to avoid another missile only to be struck by another one coming from a different direction. Fighting to keep his lion in the sky, Keith calls out, "Someone, cover my six…"

"I've got you!" He hears Lance call out only to watch the monitor in horror as his Red lion is struck by a laser beam from the battleship and tossed back as well. Swearing under his breath, Keith dodges the next laser and calls out, "Everyone, we need to take out the guns on that battleship!"

"Draw it closer to Storm Kingdom, the ground crews can help cover you," he hears Allura say. Feeling his irritation rising, Keith retorts, "I don't need your ground crews killed…we can handle this Princess, now back off!"

He misses her retort as he orders, "Hunk, flank from the right, Lance from the left. Pidge and I will go straight at it!"

"Yes, Cap!" the other pilots respond then fly at the battleship. Keith barely misses the laser blast intended for Black lion but listens as Pidge yells when his lion is thrown back from a head on blast. He watches as Hunk manages to avoid a blast and fires on the battleship. He manages to hit one gun but another fires a shot that he is unable to avoid.

As Yellow lion goes flying back, Keith dodges another blast and fires proton missiles at the ship. He curses as they are blown out of the air by the lasers. He listens to Lance's victorious laugh as he takes out another gun then the Red lion pilot yells a moment later as he is hit with a laser.

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Laughter erupts out of Cossack as he watches the lions flying back with each laser blast. He turns to his weapon's master, "That's it, keep it up. I want those lions blown out of the sky!" A feeling of elation goes through him at his impeding victory as he watches the Black lion finally fail in dodging a missile and falls backward out of the sky.

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Yanking hard on the controls while yelling, Keith pulls the lion out of its free-fall just a few hundred feet from striking the ground. Rising back up into the air, he hears Hunk call out, "Cap, it's too much. We need help!"

Not wanting to agree and have their determination waver, Keith replies, "We can do this…" He stops suddenly when he notices several explosions coming from the back of the battleship. "What's going on?"

"I heard you needed some help…"

"SVEN!" Keith exclaims as he watches the Blue lion fire more proton missiles at the battleship then fly at them, "Your timing has never been better!"

The Norwegian cannot help the laugh that escapes him, "They forgot to watch their own back…"

Smiling, Keith orders, "Now! Everyone hit it!"

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Cossack screams as he watches his weapons center burst in a rainbow of sparks and smoke. He looks back at the monitor to see the lions systematically taking out his lasers.

"Sir, we can't take much more of this."

Gritting his teeth, Cossack grabs the bar in front of him to steady himself as the ship shudders from the missile impacts. Knowing what his reception will be when he returns to Doom, the general orders, "Retreat! Get us out of here!"

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"Hold it men…they're leaving!" Keith orders as he pulls the lion back and watches the heavily damaged battleship turning around and heading back into the atmosphere. He hears the moans of disappointment from his men but smiles at them, "We won this round, that's enough. Return the lions to their lairs and report back to the control room in Storm Kingdom."

He hears Sven clear his throat, "Not entirely sure how I will get back from the cavern in Water Kingdom, Keith…"

"I've got a similar problem Cap. I know Coran said they have a launch system, but he didn't say how it works or if we can use it to return," says Hunk in a sheepish voice.

Resisting the urge to laugh at his men, Keith asks, "Lance, can you ask Princess Maia to help us out this time?"

He hears a loud snort coming from the pilot of Red lion then in derision he replies, "Yeah, if she will bother to listen to me long enough to ask the question."

Rolling his eyes, Keith repeats his order, "Back to Storm Kingdom's compound."