Execution

Universe: Canon-divergence.

Warnings: Violence/Major character death.

The rumble around them enveloped them in a loud explosion as they had passed through space into the main nave, where the witch Honerva had decided to take shelter from the calamity that occurred as a result of Voltron's attacks. The debris around the space made a hit difficult, but the Lions were able to detect heat signals where their opponents were located.

They would have to hurry before they started a fire with the ion cannon. Or they would tear down the castle of the lions where thousands of refugees were trying to protect themselves from the damage caused by the battle.

They had wiped out almost all the fleets of the universe through the years, without resting at any time until their mission was accomplished. End against the empire that the witch tried in vain to hold with Zarcon lying in his last strength inside the ship. And Lotor murdered many years ago, there was no legitimate heir who took power soon.

Keith shuddered when the black lion suffered a deep blow to the side of his armor, destabilizing him for a moment. However, Lance helped him in time and stayed in alignment as they formed the colossus who would deliver the victory that night.

For all the fallen from that damn war, Keith would cut off Zarcon's head once and for all.

''So, you're a galra.''

Keith was frozen as soon as he heard her voice in the central barracks of the training room. He ended up giving the final blow to one of the droids while he was recomposing himself heavily, sweat running down his face at the constant exercise.

He looked towards the window where Pidge would surely be sitting, with a look that Keith was indecipherable, if there was someone more reserved beside him on that ship, it was definitely Shiro's favorite.

''I am. Apparently, my mother was part of Blades of Marmora, that's why I had one.''

He sighed with regret, he had already been judged by Allura and Coran about his genetic inheritance of which he had no idea before he met Kolivan. The sooner he finished listening to Pidge's contempt, the quicker he could go to the showers and rest deservedly.

''It must be incredible to know where you come from.'' Keith blinked many times before reacting to what the girl had said.

''Sorry?''

''No, I mean ... I don't want you to take it the wrong way, okay? But come on, you've been going crazy with that blade since we met Ulaz. Now that you know the truth, even if it's terrifying, it should give you some relief, right?''

''I don't know how it could give me relief to know that I have an inheritance from a genocidal race, Pidge.'' He snorted furiously, not understanding if she was kidding or just trying to make fun of him in the opposite direction, with how little they had interacted, surely it would be both. Pidge, however, just buzzed selflessly.

''Yeah, well, I'm Italian, born in Rome. So, it would be very hypocritical of me to judge you for that. Without justifying anything, the galra at least kill other races. We have been killed for thousands of years and we are on the same planet.''

Keith looked at one of the doors once heard a noise, watching as that little girl was heading towards him with nothing but a bottle of water. When she offered it to him, her smile made his chest hurt briefly.

Like a strong heartbeat.

He didn't reject it. But something inside him told him that Pidge had other intentions, besides just bringing him water.

After several hours, Voltron began to see a decrease in the armament of the empire, which had destroyed much of their ships, reduced to mere space junk that floated through space. Bodies burned around began to freeze at a critical level then be projected by their own admirals before escaping to the mother ship.

For Keith, it was simple, the honor wasn't written in the code of their genes.

For a second, a strong flash blinded them from a part of the universe. A ship of considerable magnitude was at their side so quickly that they barely had time to activate the Voltron shield. When observing carefully, it was Hunk who had discovered who it was.

Sendak was still alive, and he was doing everything possible to protect his dying emperor.

''Paladins, be careful. That ship is created in base with an Interdimensional comet!''

A vague memory of Lotor claiming that he still had some pieces of the comet he had used for the Sincline ships came to everyone's mind at the words of Coran. They had to leave carefully, or they would be easily annihilated at the slightest error.

''Coran, go to the nearest quadrant to take the refugees to a safe area.''

''Affirmative!''

Keith turned off the communicator as fast as he saw Coran turning around with the new directions. After that, he hoped they were the last refugees they had to save at the hands of the empire.

Already with the small number of planets defended by the galra at that time, perhaps his desire wouldn't be so far from reality.

Sword and shield were activated without hesitation once saw Sendak approach to give the first blow. Keith positioned himself to dodge the attack once he was at an adequate distance.

He took a deep breath as he squeezed the controls with an uncontrollable rage. A new battle would begin.

Keith was angry with his mates, with the alteans, with the universe in general. They had forgotten Shiro so quickly when he disappeared that part of him had found him a terrible offense. It was the third time this week that he was searching for a trace of his whereabouts completely alone.

Nobody was helping him. No one was interested in knowing what had happened to Shiro after the last battle with Zarcon.

He stopped as soon as he reached the door of his room, with a painful feeling of frustration rising on his chest. Keith didn't want to accept that he had died, he definitely had to see something more about what happened. Keith didn't understand much about extraterrestrial anatomies, but humans were unable to disappear at any moment.

Before turning on his feet to go to his room and try to rest something before the next mission, Keith could hear a noise, slight and fleeting, coming from the room.

Were the mice playing with Shiro's stuff again?

When he opened the door and turned on the lights, the mice weren't found, but Pidge, sitting on the corner of the bed with Shiro's jacket on her lap.

With a strong expression of annoyance at being interrupted, and tears around her eyes.

Was she crying for Shiro?

''What are you doing here?'' It was the only thing that Keith was able to ask. Pidge stared at him incredulously for a few seconds before grimacing in disgust.

''I'm not exactly coding messages from the fleets at this time, idiot.''

''Yes, yes, I know, but ...'' Keith swallowed deeply, her eyes were really red. Surely, she was crying for hours before he found her. ''I thought you didn't miss Shiro...''

''Why wouldn't? He was practically the only one I respected in this place ... And now he's gone ... Like everyone else.''

Keith didn't remember very well what had happened after that conversation. If he had embraced her before or after seeing her cry again for the net loss of a loved one.

Or when they had fallen asleep trying to give themselves some peace and body warmth.

The only thing Keith knew later when they both woke up and left the room in silence was a warm fire in his chest and a slight smile on his lips, he wasn't so alone in the world.

Lance was guided by instinct and went through the armor of Sendak's ship with the sword activated by his Bayard at the last moment before the ion cannon went through the armor delivered by the green lion.

Once they stopped for a few moments, Keith could see Sendak fly towards the main ship in a vain attempt to save his life.

They separated when he gave the order and thanks to the black lion's impulse, he left his mouth to cross the stomach of his enemy before entering the ship. The last tremor gave him to understand that Sendak had died at last.

''Well done Keith, now let's arm Voltron to finally end the tyranny of Zarcon.''

''No Allura.'' Keith opened the hatch to enter the ship on his own, defeating the sentinels within seconds. ''Activate the protocol to hack the defenses of this ship. We will blow it to pieces once and for all.''

''But Keith-''

''Do it!''

No one wanted to contradict the words of the black paladin at that time, the anger and pain had changed too much to reason.

Lance nodded and went along with the green lion to comply with his orders, not caring much as Keith would do to get out alive once the ship started its countdown. Really, he didn't even care if he would get it on time.

Only the vestiges of what one could call his friend remained.

''We have to do something!''

''Keith calms down, first, we must think carefully about the situation before taking any action.''

''It's been too many days, Shiro!''

''Keith is right, we don't know what the witch could do...''

''I know!'' Shiro ran one of his hands through his hair, stopping Hunk's words abruptly. ''I know ... But we cannot put ourselves at risk unnecessarily, we must plan their rescue in detail.''

Everyone knew that Shiro's words pointed to the rational, even if he intended to go to Zarcon's ship to save Pidge himself. He took a deep breath and sat down beside Lance to calm down, the last mission had gone worse than he expected.

Keith couldn't afford to lose another part of his family, his heart clenched painfully at the thought of Pidge might be suffering because of the Galra.

Because of him not being there to protect her.

The appearance of Kolivan caught the attention of everyone in the room. Keith knew that Blade of Marmora didn't skimp on risks when it came to vital information, but his presence didn't give him a good feeling. He looked oddly dismayed and much paler than his skin could consider normal.

A knot stuck in Keith's stomach.

''We have found a record on the status of the green paladin on the main ship.''

''Thanks, Kolivan, place it on the main screen, it will give us a better perspective on what we have to prepare once we go there.'' He nodded and sent the data to the central command in a few seconds, then went to Keith's side while he was loading the copy of the security camera record, placing a hand on his shoulder.

''Kolivan?''

When the video started, the knot in his stomach rose to the point of vomiting.

Pidge was chained, dying and barely breathing before a possible respiratory infection.

After a few seconds, the video advanced on its own, with meaningless words and several noises around her.

Until stopping at the last record, where Pidge smiled at causing the wrath of the galra who tortured her surely by a malicious comment. Keith smiled faintly, but when they heard the sound of a bullet through the screen and the poor girl's wailing after a few seconds, her body fell to the floor, and a pool of blood stained the room completely.

Keith stopped breathing.

The last record was dated two days ago.

An accurate hit on Zarcon's throat was the last thing Keith needed to end the battle. He had found it in his room, alone, abandoned by his fleet and the witch who accompanied him.

He wiped his sword with a quick movement of his hand, and headed for the darker rooms of the ship, in search of his main objective. The witch was on the floor, with a deep cut around her stomach and agitated breathing. Surely one of Voltron's shots had given her in the battle.

''Black Paladin ... Are you coming to finish with the last vestiges of this great empire?''

He didn't listen to her and ran towards her to deliver the final blow. Keith took her by the cloak and pierced his blade deep in his chest, pressing hard at the last moment to take the sword away brutally. The witch wasn't bleeding, but the pain in her features showed that it had been a deadly cut.

They began to hear the explosions around the fleet. The cut on his back because of the battle against Sendak was beginning to numb his senses.

''Illusive child, you will not be able to come out alive from this place, we will take your life as revenge for your actions ...''

Keith smiled wistfully as the ground began to warm. The witch was so wrong.

He had died when he saw how a bullet had pierced Pidge's heart in his younger days, on Haggar's orders to end his threat.

After that day, without realizing it, he had made the decision to murder Lotor, losing the respect of his friends and Shiro's trust. The sword had considered that the best option wasn't to return to its battle lines. Because he was capable of endangering the mission cause of his lack of discipline.

The black lion was his only ally in that dark battle.

He coughed a little as soon as he saw flashes through the corridors. Thinking a little, he had lost his way many years ago. Since he had seen the execution of his beloved, Keith had lost the will to live many years ago.

This moment, I had expected it since then.

When he closed his eyes as his strength waned from the loss of blood, for a brief moment, he could feel a familiar warmth around his chest, as short, slender arms took him sweetly. And a soft voice that welcomed his eternal rest.

Keith accepted the ship's flames, and a smile on his lips.

Para la gente de habla hispana, esta historia está en español en wattpad, pueden encontrar mi usuario con el mismo nombre (bkitsune), si desean leerla con más comodidad.