Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait! I was working on other fics you can find under my AO3 profile swankyturnip76 for various fandoms. I hope you enjoy this chapter and, as always, please leave a review!
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The strength of the Balmerans had rapidly begun failing at a faster rate since arriving at Olkarion. Though Shay and her companions had promised the crew of the Alfor to help in rescuing their friends and avenging her people, it was obvious that the Balmerans would not be able to hold their own in a fight against the Sorbontin, regardless of Voltron's advantage. Therefore, it was with much difficulty that Allura, Coran, and Keith stood on the deck of the Alfor with the Balmerans and Ryner to say goodbye.
"My people will transport the Balmerans to the nearest Balmera, which is only a day's journey from here," Ryner told the crew of the Alfor. "It is no trouble for us to help, especially after the great injustice your people have faced at the hands of the Galra Empire." Turning her attention to the Alfor crew, she advised, "When you have finished your mission and rescued your friends, you may travel to the new island of the Balmerans and inform them of your success. I'm sure your captured friends will want to know the Balmerans are safe and thriving. I will have some of my people waiting on the island to take back Voltron after you have completed your mission."
Allura stepped forward to embrace Shay and each of the Balmerans in turn. "I must thank you, all of you, for all that you have done for us. You healed Keith and gave us much comfort. I promise that your people will be avenged and that I will see the Sorbontin sink to the depths."
"We…appreciate it, Captain," Keelah replied warmly. "The Galra…must pay for…these atrocities. Keith…remember not to…put too much strain…on your wounds. You…should still be healing."
Keith nodded and thanked Keelah again for healing him. After a few more parting words, it was time for Coran, Allura, and Keith to leave the Alfor in the hands of the Olkari and the Balmerans and make their way through the forest to find Voltron. As Coran and Allura removed their personal belongings that they would need for the rescue mission from the ship, Keith ventured down into the crew's quarters below deck. Seeing the beds bunked and still close together gave him pause. It felt wrong to leave the Alfor without his friends beside him. A part of him felt as though he were turning his back on the memory of the others, even though the entire point of switching ships was to be better prepared to rescue them. Keith took his time in packing all the personal belongings of his friends into a large chest. Though they would be reunited with the Alfor when they visited the Balmerans on the completion of their mission, it felt wrong for Keith to leave behind the stuff of his friends. Therefore, he packed it all up into a large chest, ignoring the pang of heartache in his chest, and carried the chest up onto the main deck of the ship. He refused to let his mind linger on thoughts of Lance or the others. He had to focus and remain strong.
Allura and Coran had been swift in their packing and took only sacks that they carried over their shoulders. The packs were no doubt full of food, water, spare clothes, and any essential maps or books they would need for the mission. Seeing their light loads caused Keith to reconsider the chest. It would be difficult to maneuver the chest through the forest – and they had no idea of how deep into the forest Voltron was hidden.
Coran seemed to understand Keith's internal struggle and, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder, advised, "Take a few items from each of them and put them in a sack. I'm sure the Balmerans will take extra care of the rest until we return."
Keith bit his lip but eventually caved. Grabbing an empty sack Coran held out to him, Keith opened the chest and tenderly filled the sack with some belongings of his friends: namely Pidge's collection of chocolates, a photo Hunk kept of his younger brothers, Hunk's healing potions, photos of Lance and his family, and some of Lance's hygienic products just for kicks. When Keith picked up one of the cologne bottles, he heard a faint rattling inside of it. Knitting his brows in confusion, Keith spared a moment to uncork the bottle and look inside. The small bottle was empty save for a tiny locket. Curious, Keith turned the bottle over and gently shook it until the locket fell out into his palm.
"Keith, hurry up! We have to get moving."
"R-right!" he called back, dumping the empty bottle back into the chest and putting the locket around his neck without seeing what was inside. He knew it had to be Lance's and because it had been hidden, that meant it was important to Lance. The coldness of the metal felt grounding against his chest as he slipped it under his tunic. Putting a few more items into the sack, Keith stood and hurried after the others.
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When Allura accepted her responsibility as captain of Voltron, the mysterious ship began emitting a soft beacon to her in her mind's eye. The ship was calling to her to take command. Therefore, it was with a mixture of nervousness and excitement of the unknown that Allura led Coran and Keith through Olkarion. The dense forestation high above them blocked out the sky until it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night. Yet the trio trekked on. Allura assured them every now and again that they were getting closer – though a part of Keith remained skeptical of all this magical mumbo jumbo.
"Captain, with all due respect, do you really think Voltron is telling you how to find it? I mean, it's a ship."
"A magical ship," Coran inputted wisely. "Let us not forget that Lord Alfor designed this to beat the Galra. He would never have asked the Olkari to simply build a ship out of wood – he would have wanted magic to be infused with it."
"My father always did see the beauty of, and held a great respect for, the power of magic," Allura replied. "The closer we get to Voltron, the more powerful the bond becomes. This is not an ordinary ship."
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The long journey had caused pain in Keith's chest and legs to reappear. He remembered Keelah's advice and knew he needed to stop and rest. The trio had just cleared a hill and Keith was about to ask for a break when Allura announced, "We're here."
Keith looked around. The clearing gave way to a rather unimpressive lake that was connected to a river of sorts – the river twisted its way through the trees and disappeared from sight. However, there was no ship resting in the lake. The water was eerily still and even the wind seemed to cease its movement through the trees.
"Where is it?"
Silence answered Keith's question as the trio looked around. "It's definitely here," Allura eventually replied but Keith didn't understand how that was possible.
"Spirits on high," Coran whispered after a moment, taking a few reverent steps forward. "Alfor did it. Never before has any British-Altean mechanic or scientist been able to master it. Alfor dreamed of accomplishing it, but I never thought…"
"What is it, Coran?"
"Invisibility cloaking," Allura replied to Keith's question. Her voice was equally full of awe as Coran's. "That's the secret weapon against the Sorbontin. Voltron can cloak itself." Excitedly, Allura and Coran began hurrying down the hill to the lake. Keith was left to follow them, still reeling from the knowledge.
"The Galra would give anything to have this knowledge!"
"That is why the Olkari have worked so hard to keep it hidden!" Coran shouted over his shoulder as he ran. "I cannot believe this!"
Reaching the edge of the lake, the trio paused in their rush. Allura seemed to know what to do, kneeling down and closing her eyes. Keith watched her remain there for a few moments, skeptical of what she expected to happen, before a sparkling out of his peripheral vision made him turn. Slowly, the invisibility cloak of the ship wore away and Voltron came to light in all its glory.
The ship was not as massive as the Alfor or the Sorbontin but it was clearly built for battle. Its hull was thicker than that of the Alfor and it had twice as many cannons. Its flags were blank to show that no nation or entity controlled it. The bowsprit held an intimidating lion with five heads. All in all, the ship was unlike anything Keith had ever seen before.
"It's beautiful," Coran whispered. Something in his voice caused Keith to glance over at him and find the lieutenant-commander wiping away tears. "Sorry, sorry," Coran tried to laugh off as he dried his face. "It's just…I can't believe Alfor designed something so beautiful and didn't tell me."
Allura gave him an understanding pat before she began making her way to the gangplank on Voltron's starboard side.
"Captain, wait," Keith said quickly, reaching out and grabbing her arm to halt her. "We don't even know if this thing is safe. What if it's a trap?"
Allura gave him a gentle smile. "It's not. Voltron speaks to me. It knows of our cause and is willing to help us."
"You speak as if the ship is alive."
"That's because it is, Keith. Come on – you'll see."
Still skeptical, Keith warily followed his captain up the gangplank and onto the deck of the ship. As soon as his feet connected with the wooden deck, the boy's vision went blank. All Keith saw was darkness. His body felt oddly numb as if he couldn't control its movements or feel what it was doing.
"What – what is this?"
"I know what you are."
Keith reeled as the deep voice seemed to penetrate every crevice of his mind. "Are you Voltron?"
"I am. I am that which was designed by Lord Alfor in the hopes of vanquishing the Galra Empire and restoring peace to this world. I am that which Alfor's enemies fear. I am that which is capable of destroying Zarkon, his son, and the entire Galra race. I am that which you should fear."
"You're just a ship," Keith argued, trying to regain his composure. "You're made of wood and nails and can be destroyed."
"It is true that I am not invincible. But there does not exist a power strong enough to defeat me. Zarkon cannot imagine any creation yet. He is too feeble-minded."
"Why are you communicating with me?"
"I know of your true heritage. I know of your bloodline and how it clashes with that of my new captain. But I see that you do not share the goals of the Galra. You are sickened by their spiral into darkness and wish you did not share their blood. Yet you cannot change who you are."
"I want to save my friends," Keith confessed, knowing that he was holding his face in his hands but incapable of feeling it. "I should have been with them but injury prevented me from being captured. I do not deserve to be free while they are imprisoned."
"Interesting. I see now…you would take their place as Lotor's prisoner in exchange for their freedom. You would do this for them."
Tears were fighting to fall down Keith's face but he could do nothing to stop them. The impression of Voltron in his mind was too much to handle. He could not fight back, he could not break free – all he could do was shakily reply, "Yes, I would. They are my friends. They are my family."
"Family. Such an interesting concept. You should know that Lotor does not consider himself to have any family. That is his weakness. He is…alone. You and he are in fact very different. Take comfort in that knowledge."
"How do you know that?"
"Alfor knew a far deal greater about Zarkon and his family than he ever told Allura. I carry his memories and his dreams."
Suddenly the pressure of Voltron's presence began to ebb. Keith blinked a few times as the darkness around him faded and he regained his senses. The ship and its surroundings sluggishly came back into view. Wiping his face and standing back up, Keith let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Looking around, he saw that Coran and Allura had both seemed to come out of their own personal conversations with the ship. Coran looked deep in thought, whereas Allura moved to stand close to Keith.
"Are you alright?" she asked him gently.
"The ship is alive," Keith whispered in awe.
Allura smiled as she nodded. "See what I mean?"