Chapter Twelve:
The physical exertion did not serve as a distraction.
In fact, it only made things worse.
"Ugh, it's like we hit a reset button or something." Pidge complained as they ducked to dodge a bolt from the training bot before smacking it with their bayard. "We haven't had this many problems in a session since our very first one."
"Push through," Shiro said, voice firm as he brought up his shield to deflect a bolt. "We've only got another five minutes."
Hunk and Lance were back to back, Lance using his shield to cover Hunk as he used his bayard to take out the gladiators. However, everything came to an abrupt halt when Hunk let out a yelp, one of the bolts having gotten past Lance and clipped Hunk on the shoulder, making him lose his grip on the bayard, or, more accurately, the control of where the bolts went. This resulted in Keith having to quickly jump backwards to avoid getting hit on the leg with one of the bolts, and he toppled to the ground after having lost his balance between the sudden movement and the gladiator he was dueling.
Allura, in the control room, decided that enough was enough and quickly stopped the gladiators before one could bring its staff down on Keith.
"Hunk, you alright?" Lani yelled in concern, pushing Allura aside to get access to the microphone.
"Yeah," Hunk said, rubbing his shoulder while rotating it, grinning shyly up at the observation desk. "The training bots only sting a little. No harm, no foul."
"Yeah, but what if it wasn't!" Lance exclaimed. "What if it wasn't a training bot, what if it was a real bolt from a Galra drone? You would have been hurt, and by this point so would Keith and then we have our bond broken and it's all my fault and next thing you know we're all dead!"
"Whoa, Lance, chill." Keith said as he accepted Shiro's hand to get up off the floor.
"Yeah, man, that kind of talk is my job." Hunk said, frowning as he studied his friend. "Dude, what's wrong?"
Lance didn't say anything, looking away with a look that was a mixture of irritation, fear and sadness.
"I think this is why we don't talk about the Original Paladins." Shiro said with a sigh before crossing over to Lance, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Lance, if you're always worrying about what could go wrong—"
"You could miss out on a chance to do something great." Lance finished. "I know. You've issued that Commander Holt quote a couple dozen times now. And you're already too much of a dad to be quoting Pidge's father all the time, you know."
"But both Shiro and my dad are right." Pidge pointed out. "You can't worry like that, Lance. You heard Coran, it'd take something really big to split up our bond. And a couple of flesh wounds are easy enough to heal. So we get a few battle scars, what's the big deal?"
"That's easy for you to say." Lance said, arms folded over his chest, his blue eyes hard. "It wasn't your predecessor who screwed everything up and resulted in us being where we are now."
"Lance, despite what Coran implied, I highly doubt the entire blame was and should be placed on the first Blue Paladin." Allura said as she strode into the room, Lani, Tali and Shinji behind her.
"You weren't there, Allura." Lance said.
"No, but I do know what happened after I left the command room." Allura said.
"Wait, how?" Tali asked. "Because I'm lost, and have been with you this whole time."
"Do you know everything that goes on in the Castle because its tied to your life force?" Lani asked, eyes wide. "Like, can see into every room and hear everything?"
"No, she knows because her pet mice are little gossips." Pidge said, gesturing to the mice on Allura's shoulders, who all suddenly looked bashful.
"Well, yes." Allura admitted, reaching up to gently pet the smallest mouse on the head. "But I also know that there was much more to the story than what Coran told you. However, I do not know all of it."
Allura clasped her hands in front of her and said,
"Though I did not know it at the time, the Original Paladins of Voltron broke apart when I was a small child. I do not know all of the details, but it began when a Paladin died."
"Ryla, the Red Paladin?" Pidge inquired.
"No." Allura said, shaking her head. "It actually was the Green Paladin, Pidge, your predecessor."
"But, if they had a bond, and that bond was supposed to protect the Paladins, how did the Green Lion's first pilot die?" Shinji asked.
"That I don't know." Allura said. "As far as I can tell, no one is sure when their bond began to break or for what reason. Nothing appeared to be amiss."
"Until someone was dead." Lance said with a scowl.
Allura nodded sadly.
"And… And the first Black Paladin shouldered the blame. He abandoned the Castle and the Black Lion in a self-exile." She said.
"But He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named took his bayard with him on his exile?" Pidge said with a frown. "Why?"
"From what I understand, he said it was to be his reminder." Allura said.
"Good to know we're a bayard short because You-Know-Who wanted a souvenir." Keith said.
"Guess key-chains and a 'I was a Paladin of Voltron and all I got was this lousy t-shirt' shirt were too mainstream even ten thousand years ago." Lance said.
"Wait, Lord Voldemort was the Original Black Paladin!" Lani said, looking confused.
"No, well… no. But horcruxes would make a lot of sense…" Hunk said. "Uh, third thing to add to your list of 'not safe for blog' topics? Original Black Paladin."
"Why?" Shinji asked. "What did he do?"
"He kind of leads the Empire we're fighting against." Keith said.
"Wait, so let me get this straight." Tali said. "Zarkon was once Black Paladin, now evil emperor, and then held Shiro captive for a year only for Shiro to become the Black Paladin within, like, two days of being free of Zarkon in order to take him and his empire down?"
"Yeah, we know it's weird. We try hard not to bring it up because that makes it even weirder. So, it's mostly just general FYI." Pidge said. "Sorry, Allura. Continue."
Allura nodded and said,
"As for the Blue Paladin, he seemed to have disappeared. I was told he never left Altea, never in a similar exile. Rather, he resigned. Thus leaving only my father and Ryla as the only surviving and remaining Paladins. They searched for new pilots, to no avail. At that time, tensions began to become strained between Altea and the Galra. Zarkon had taken over for his father as Emperor for several years before then without problem and then… There was… issues."
"Let me guess, the Galra Empire started getting a little bit bigger every day." Tali said with a frown. Allura nodded.
"Zarkon violated the peace treaty and the terms the Galra Empire agreed to." Allura said. "And… And my father scattered the Lions. And Altea was destroyed."
"Because the bond broke, there was no peace." Hunk said.
Allura nodded again.
"I'm afraid that is all I know. I am only now just learning much more myself through research." She admitted. She smiled sadly. "I am starting to believe that I was spared many of the details as a child and adolescent, and I can only hope that there were intentions to fully explain those missing pieces when I grew old enough to fully understand the chain of events."
"So you really have no idea what could have broken that bond all those years ago?" Lance asked.
"I'm sorry, Lance, but I do not." Allura said. "But Voltron is piloted by a team. The bond is shared by a team. Whatever happened was not the Blue Paladin's fault alone. I… I know now that my father himself must have had some role in this as well. I believe that is why he never attempted to fight Zarkon, why there couldn't just be new pilots for the Lions. There needed to be a whole new team for the Lions. They could not simply add new Paladins into an already existing—though fractured—team and expect the same bond."
"Alright, fine. Maybe it'll be a group effort." Lance conceded, but didn't look at all placated.
"If the bond actually breaks, which won't happen if we keep strengthening it." Shiro said.
"So, more team bonding exercises then, huh?" Hunk said. "So that means we need more game and movie nights, right?"
"Definitely." Pidge said with a grin.
"I have a suggestion that might also be beneficial." Allura said. "Try to meld your minds with the Lions."
"You can do that?" Tali asked.
"Well, the emphasis is on the word 'try', but, I think in theory it will work." Allura said. "And the Lions were obviously with the Original Paladins for many years. Perhaps they have some insight into the Paladin bond, and what happened with the original pilots."
"It's not a bad idea." Shiro said. "Let's hit the showers, grab something to eat, and we'll meet up at the entry to the hangers in an hour's time."
The other four Paladins nodded and left to get cleaned up. Shiro began to follow them when Shinji grabbed hold of his arm, holding him back.
"Takashi, what are you going to do if this bond does break?" Shinji asked. "If this thing isn't as strong as it seems to be?"
"I don't know." Shiro admitted. "I doubt we'd be able to form Voltron, though."
Shinji thought about this carefully.
"And," He said. "What would you do if you couldn't form Voltron?"
"I'm not sure, and hopefully I'll never have to figure it out." Shiro said. He turned to stare at the door to the training deck. "Everything's going to be okay. Hopefully this mind-meld thing will calm everyone down a bit. Lance does have every right to be worried, and his concerns are legitimate. But I think we'll be okay."
With that, he gently patted Shinji on the shoulder and left the training room. Shinji watched his brother leave, then closed his eyes.
He had always known that he was the more pessimistic of the two. Takashi saw life as a glass half-full while he saw it as half-empty.
But Shinji was starting to wonder if that was going to come back and bite them all.
He was starting to wonder what would happen if Voltron couldn't be formed.
"Alright, who wants to go first?" Shiro asked, holding the mind-meld device.
"Me!" Hunk said, sticking his hand up in the air. "Yellow and I've already been talking about it through our bond and stuff, and she wants to see if it will work. And she says she wants to show Allura some things."
"Me?" Allura said, jolting some with surprise, her hand to her chest.
"Yeah, since your dad was Yellow's Original Pilot, I guess." Hunk said, fitting the device on his head.
"I bet we'll get all our answers just from Yellow." Lance said as Hunk sat cross-legged in front of Yellow. "I imagine if she was, like, human or something, she'd be pretty chatty."
"Oh, she is." Hunk said with a grin. He closed his eyes and Yellow bowed her head some, her gleaming yellow eyes brightening.
The other Paladins and the other spectators waited until…
"Oh!" Lani gasped, eyes going wide as holographic images began to appear in the middle of the space between Hunk and Yellow.
A much younger Alfor—without his beard and with much shorter hair, probably no older than the Altean equivalent of Hunk's current age—stood there in his Paladin armor laughing at something. Images of Alfor talking with leaders and peasants alike, slowly growing older, a little taller and more confident. They realized that they were seeing Alfor through Yellow's eyes, as she peered down as Alfor stood before her, looking incredibly tired but happy as he held a newborn baby in his arms.
"Yellow, I have a new friend for you." Alfor said. "This is my daughter, Allura."
Yellow watched as Allura grew, playing with Alfor in Yellow's hanger. Alfor looked so incredibly happy and full of life.
And then… He wasn't.
He was suddenly grief-stricken, curled up against Yellow as he cried, bringing his fist against Yellow's hull again and again, not trying to do real damage but needed an outlet of some sort for his grief.
"How can I live without her?" He asked Yellow. "How can I raise Allura without her?"
Yellow could do nothing but purr and keen, feeling the pain and loss her Paladin felt at losing his beloved wife.
Alfor, much older and lined than when Yellow first chose him, first bonded with him, came up quietly. She lowered her head, preparing to open her mouth for him to enter. But he put a hand on her muzzle and she stopped, allowing Alfor to press his forehead against her.
Come, Paladin, we need to fight. She urged. We need to defend. Protect.
"I cannot." Alfor said. "I… I cannot fight Zarkon. You and I are the only ones left… We cannot form Voltron. I've secured Black in her hanger. He won't touch her. But now… You need to go. Go and protect yourself. One day, a Paladin with a stronger heart than I have will come for you. Protect that Paladin as you have done for me."
Yellow made a keening noise. No, she wouldn't leave. He was her Paladin, her chosen. She loved him. She loved his daughter, loved his people, loved the entire universe. She would always fight for the things she loved and cared for, and she knew Alfor would too. She chose him for that reason.
And he knew that.
"You must. You have too. I cannot let Zarkon take everything from me. You, Allura and the other Lions are the only important things I have left. I will do what I must to protect the ones I love. Which is why this is going to be painful for us both." Alfor said. He closed his eyes, then took a step back, reopening his eyes as he stared at Yellow.
"I renounce myself as a Paladin of Voltron. I renounce myself as the Pilot of the Yellow Lion."
Yellow let out an agonized roar, tossing back her head as the bond broke while Alfor stood still and silent.
"I am sorry, my old friend." Alfor said. "Now go. Go and find a new Paladin."
Yellow let out another roar, then leaned forward, hot steam blowing back Alfor's hair and cape, but he did not flinch. He didn't even blink, just looked so remorseful as the Lion stared at him.
She was angry with him.
But she also couldn't be.
She then gently nosed him, hoping that he would still feel the love she tried to convey.
She hoped he knew that she forgave him.
And then, slowly, she turned and leapt out of the hanger.
The images disappeared, leaving Yellow's hanger in silence.
Allura hesitated, then crossed over to Yellow, putting her hand on the Lion.
"Why… Why did you want me to see this?" She asked.
"Because she wanted you to see your father as she knew him." Hunk said, pushing himself off the floor. "She knows you miss him. She does, too. She wants to share memories of him with you, with someone who loved him as much as she did. But she also wants you to know that—even if your dad didn't make the right decision ten thousand years ago—his heart was in the right place. That he cared about you and the Lions more than anything, so that when it came time to make a decision, he knew what he had to do was protect what he cared about. He'd already lost your mom, and several teammates. He lost hope. But he wasn't going to lose you or the Lions."
Allura swallowed her tears and leaned against Yellow, who purred comfortingly.
"He did what he had to do to give the Universe its best chance of survival." She whispered.
"And there was no Voltron to be formed." Keith said with a frown. He held out his hand towards Hunk. "Me and Red are going next."
They ducked across to Red's hanger and Keith positioned himself in the same way Hunk had with Yellow.
Red was more reluctant than Yellow was. She was a lot quieter. More temperamental. More stubborn. Just like her Paladin.
And Keith knew that. And so he didn't exactly press, but instead waited patiently for Red to open up. He sent her waves of gratitude when she did open up, the images appearing.
A young Galra female with long, pale purple hair tied in a braid. Her ears were large and pointed, but not as fluffy, the fur sleeker and shinier. She was slender and short, but Ryla quickly showed that her size did not matter as she took on other Galra soldiers several times her size in training. She was like wildfire, couldn't be tamed. She ran fast and she ran hard into battle, sword blazing, first into the fight.
But she also had a kind heart. Red watched the young Galra female playing with some small children and making them toys and games out of scrap pieces of whatever resources were available.
Ryla laughed as Red chastised her, Ryla sitting on Red's paw, small bandages covering her face and arms.
"You are worse than Zar, who insists that my recklessness is going to get me killed someday." She said, gently patting Red, who grumbled. "Yes, yes, I will get in the healing pod, do not fret. Just had to come check on my favorite girl before I did."
The small adolescent Galra grew older, with just a little more height to claim to her name and a lot more attitude. Like Yellow, Red had memories of Allura as a young child, playing with Ryla alongside Red and letting the young princess go on flights with her. Under Red's watchful gaze, Ryla showed Allura how to fight, gently correcting the small girl's stance and giving plenty of demonstrations. Both Red and Ryla seemed to glow with pride as Allura declared to her father that someday she wanted to be as good a fighter as her Aunty La-La. Alfor suddenly looked very tired as he gave Ryla a look over his daughter's head, which only made Ryla laugh.
Ryla entering Red's hanger, dressed in neither her armor nor her more casual clothes. It was a nice dress, but Red knew that Ryla never wore dresses except for two occasions. The first was a wedding. The second was a funeral. Ryla climbed into Red's cockpit, kicked off her shoes, and curled up in the pilot's chair.
"Her funeral was today." Ryla whispered, leaning her head against the chair, face pressed against the headrest, chin on her knees, tears running down her face, ears drooped. "She is really gone. She was one of my best friends in this whole damn universe and now she is gone. And Zar… Zarkon is gone too… He blames himself even though it is not his fault. But he has gone and left Black and me and everyone. It is not fair, Red. It just is not fair."
She turned and hid her face into Red's chair, sobbing as Red did her best to comfort her Paladin.
Ryla sat on Red's paw, polishing her bayard as Alfor paced.
"Green rejected all the candidates?" She asked.
"So did Blue." Alfor said with a sigh. "Yellow says that she keeps asserting that she has a Paladin already."
"The renouncement was instantaneous." Ryla said. "Red said it was that way with Black, whom I am assuming also refused all candidates. But I guess that is Blue's nature. She still has faith and trusts that he will pilot her again. That he did not mean it…"
"He has made it clear that what Blue wants will not be happening." Alfor said. He rubbed his forehead. "Excellent. We have a Lion of Voltron—one of the most powerful weapons in existent—living in a state of denial and false hopes."
Ryla stopped polishing her bayard and sighed.
"We will figure something out, Alfor. We always do. We will form Voltron again. Blue will eventually pick a new Paladin, as will Green and Black."
"I wish I had your confidence, Ry." Alfor said. He stopped his pacing, hesitated, then said, "Has Zarkon contacted you at all?"
"No." Ryla said, stuffing her cloth into a pocket and fastening her bayard to her belt. "But I imagine he will have to someday. If not him, some messenger or representative. I am a soldier of the Emperor. I am a member of the Galra Empire. I pledged my loyalty to him both as a Paladin and as his subject. He will recall me from Altea eventually."
"So you know nothing about his recent… colonies?" Alfor asked.
"No. Nothing." Ryla said with a frown. "I am as disturbed as you are, Alfor. But thus far, no part of the treaty has been violated. Meticulously maneuvered around the terms and conditions, but not violated."
"That is what worries me." Alfor said.
Ryla came storming into the hanger, her hair swinging in it's braid, her armor on. She pulled her helmet on as she climbed into Red's seat.
"Come on, girl, let's go before Alfor and Yellow can try to stop us." She said. "Someone has to talk some sense into Zarkon."
The next time Red saw her Paladin, she was stripped of her armor and wearing prisoner garb, her beautiful long hair cut short, places on the back of her head and neck bleeding from where the blades had nicked her skin. She was forced onto her knees with a soldier forcing her head down into a bow before Zarkon.
"I always said it was your recklessness that would get you killed." Zarkon said as he came to stand in front of Ryla. "I gave you two options for your freedom, for your life: either swear complete fealty to me, or to make a kill in the arena."
"You knew I would not fight those children. That I would not hurt them." Ryla spat. "You knew it."
"I am giving you a second chance. I suggest you take it." Zarkon said. "Swear your loyalty to me. Join me as I expand the Galra Empire. Follow me without hesitation, without criticism. How many years have you spent doing so? A great majority of your life. You know it is not a difficult decision."
Ryla was quiet.
"Well, my reckless Red Paladin?" Zarkon said. "What is your decision?"
Ryla looked up, yellow-eyes blazing.
"I have often wondered what my place is as a part of Voltron. What it is that the Red Lion and I contribute? You and the others have called me various things over the years: hot-headed, stubborn, reckless, volatile, wild. That I do not think before I act. So what is it that the Red Lion and I embody that makes a good warrior, that makes a Paladin, that gives strength to the bond of Voltron? The Blue Lion and her Paladin represent faith and trust. The Green Lion and her Paladin, intelligence and courage. The Yellow Lion and her Paladin, kindness and selflessness. And you, you and the Black Lion represented a level-head. Leadership. The calm before, during and after the storm.
"But the Red Lion and I? We represent passion. We represent righteous anger. But most of all, we represent fighting against injustice. Once, I followed you without hesitation. Once, I idolized you and swore that I would do anything you asked of me. But no longer. Not when you are invoking all that I represent, that my Lion represents. We represent the fight that has to come for there to be peace. We represent seeking justice for misdeeds. We represent standing up for what is right.
"I will never go against my beliefs. I will never give in to your demands. I will never be your loyal subject ever again. You are not worthy of being a leader, of being my leader. There is your answer, Zarkon. There is my decision."
There was quiet in the room.
Then…
"Take her out of my sight." Zarkon demanded. "She dies at dawn."
With that, he turned away but Ryla struggled against the guards who attempted to subdue her. Red—who had been too patient for too long, who had wondered if it was a mistake to listen to Ryla as she told Red to stay back and stay down—roared and prepared to spring but before she could Ryla turned to her Lion and screamed,
"RED! ACTIVATE FORCE-FIELD!"
Red froze in midair, the blue force-field surrounding her. The force-field couldn't be penetrated until Ryla touched it or Red had to respond to her Paladin in mortal peril. Red did not like it, but she would wait for that moment, she would trust her Paladin's plan, whatever it was…
But, then…
"I RENOUNCE MYSELF AS A PALADIN OF VOLTRON!" Ryla yelled, struggling against the guards more, determined to stay in the room though Red keened, suddenly desiring for the guards to take her away, so that the ritual could not be completed.
Red roared, trying to drown out the sound of Ryla's voice, which she raised to be heard over.
"I RENOUNCE MYSELF AS THE PILOT OF THE RED LION!"
Red was trapped, her Paladin had trapped her. Her Paladin had Renounced her. Red would stay in the force field until she picked a new Paladin.
She would be safe. But Red knew she would never see her precious Paladin again.
Her Paladin had protected her in those last few moments. Protected her for a new Paladin. Knew that this one was not her fight. Red knew it, knew it the moment she heard Green's mournful wails echo through their bonds, soon joined by Blue's frustrated yowls and by Black's painful silence.
It would take a whole new set of Paladins to take down Zarkon.
"I hope another Galra is worthy of being your pilot, Red!" Ryla yelled. "I hope you choose a Galra to fight against this injustice! I hope you—AUGH!"
Ryla crumpled to the ground as electricity met her spine, leaving her twitching and writhing in pain. She was roughly seized by the wrists, arms yanked above her head as she was dragged out of the room.
And Red could only watch as Ryla gave her a smile, her glowing yellow eyes watery.
"Good-bye, Red. Thank you." Ryla whispered.
The mind-meld closed.
Keith tore the headset off, looking up at the Red Lion, who turned her head away. He quickly stood up and crossed over to her, gently petting her hull.
"I'm sorry." He said. "I'm so sorry, Red. But thank you, for showing me her. I promise, she won't have died in vain."
Red made a sound that was half-grumble, half-purr
Allura rubbed at her eye with one of her hands, sniffling some.
"Hey, you okay?" Pidge asked, coming over to put a hand on the Princess's arm.
"Ryla was like a second mother to me, even more so after my mother passed." Allura said, voice choked. "I… I knew Zarkon executed her. He sent the Red Paladin's armor and bayard back to Altea along with footage… My father and Coran destroyed that before I even knew what happened. But I was unaware of how she suffered… Did not know she left Altea on her own free-will to try to stop Zarkon on her own…"
"Yeah, well, that's apparently something Red Paladins are known for." Keith said sheepishly as he rubbed his hand against Red, who made a huffing noise in disdained agreement.
"I think we've had enough for the day." Shiro said, lips pressed together tightly.
"Shiro, let me and Blue have a go." Lance said.
"I don't think that's a good idea." Shiro said.
"Please? I don't want to wait any longer. I need to have this with Blue. I've got to figure some stuff out and she's the only one who can help me do that." Lance said.
He didn't wait for Shiro's response, just snatched up the headset and ran out of Red's hanger before anyone could stop him. By the time the others got into Blue's hanger, Lance was already seated with his legs folded across from Blue.
They waited. And waited. And waited.
But no images ever appeared.
"Huh, Blue's held out longer than Red." Hunk said, brow furrowing. "That's kind of unusual…"
"Maybe one of them is having trouble focusing." Shinji suggested.
"Nah, Lance is good at focusing with this sort of exercise." Hunk said. "Which is also weird, considering—"
Hunk didn't get to finish his sentence as Lance jumped to his feet, yelling at Blue in Spanish, waving his hands wildly.
"Lance, Lance, it's okay, she'll open up when she's ready." Keith said, rushing over to Lance and grabbing his arm.
"She did." Lance said, wrestling the headpiece off. "She won't show me anything. She won't tell me anything either! Except that, apparently, she promised the first guy that she wouldn't say a word about him to her new pilot. Just how bad did he screw up, Blue, that you won't talk about him?"
Blue stood up, growling a warning. Lance blinked.
"Wait, what do you mean by that?" He asked.
"By what?" Allura asked. "What did she say?"
Blue suddenly sat back and turned her head away, looking almost embarrassed as Lance turned around, his eyes wide.
"Well, first she basically said that it really wasn't his fault. He didn't mess up, and she doubts I will either." Lance said.
"Which is exactly what we have been telling you all day." Pidge pointed out.
"Yeah, well, here's what she also had to say." Lance said. He took a deep breath, then said, " 'And you should trust him as you trust your fellow Paladins'."
"Wait, should trust him?" Keith repeated, eyes widening at what that implied.
"But, then, that means…" Tali said.
"There are currently two living Original Paladins." Shiro said. "Black… And Blue."