Chapter 22: The Escape
Part 2: The Winged, Mysterious Paladin

While the paladins are trying to escape, Lance and Matt are running as fast as they could to get off the ship that they are in. "How much farther to the hanger Matt?" Lance asked.
"Just a little bit further," Matt replied as he looks at the computer.
"Great," Lance smiled. "We got t hurry, this ball is getting a lot warmer than it has been around two dobashes ago."
"Stop complaining," Matt nearly barked. "Or you will…" Matt stopped at one corner.
"Or I will what?" Lance asked as he too stopped and look in the direction that Matt is looking. In front of them, they saw eight men that are wearing black. Remembering what Hunk has warned them about, "ninjas". "Ah, quiznak." Lance frowned.
"Men," one of the ninjas spoke. "Get the orb, don't let it leave the ship." With no reply, the ninja's made a stance. Preparing to fight.
"Matt," Lance spoke as he summons his bayard and it transformed into a sword. "We must work together to protect this orb; Keith's life depends on it."
"Right," Matt nodded as he pulled out his rod. Within a tick, they began to fight.
While Lance and Matt are fighting, the ninjas are starting to lose their stamina. Lance kept himself near the orb when he clashes his sword with the ninja's weapons. Keith... Lance thought. You owe me one for this. Lance grunted. Before he knew it. The orb has slipped out of his arms. Lance gasped. Suddenly, one of the ninjas' caught it before it hits the ground. "Hey," Lance ran after him. "Oh no, you don't!" His sword quickly transformed into a blaster and he shot the ninja. With a direct hit, the ninja started to collapse as the orb flew out of his hand. Lance quickly dropped his blaster and ran after it. With one jump, Lance caught it. He sighed, suddenly he heard a crack. "Uh oh," he sat up. He quickly examined the orb; he only saw one small crack on the surface and nearly made a dent in it. Oh boy, let's hope that it does not spread. Lance thought as worry overwhelmed him, he doesn't notice that someone is standing behind him.

Within a few moments, Matt ran to the corner where Lance was. When he makes a turn, he saw a ninja standing firmly above Lance and he was about to make a strike. In a panic, Matt ran towards him. "Lance!" Matt shouted, "Look out!"
"Huh?" Lance turned as the ninja began to strike down. Within a tick, a bright flash of light appeared, and everything has begun to become very still.
As the bright light is flashing within the hallway; Lance tried to cover his eyes. Suddenly, he began to hear the sound of clothing wrapped around something. He opens his eyes, everything around him is bright as the night sky with floating balls of light dancing across the hall. Lance look up, he saw the ninja's right wrist has been caught by a glowing turquoise wrap. The ninja struggled to be released, Lance remain stunned for two ticks. Trying to absorb what is happening around him. "Paladin," a voice that is almost quite familiar to him has called out. A British accent with a mixture of Altean, full of comfort and concern overwhelmed him. Lance followed where the glow is coming from. From a few lengths away, he saw a paladin with colors of sky-blue with a hint of turquoise to the armor. In the helmet, it was dark and black. Lance could not see its face, knowing that the mysterious paladin does not want to be shown. Not just yet. However, the paladin is also holding a bayard in one hand and the other holding tightly on the glow. Make sure that the ninja doesn't get too close to Lance. "Paladin," the sky-blue paladin called out to him. "Move out the way, I'll handle this."
"Uh," Lance snapped out of his daze. "Sure," Lance got up and ran towards his bayard.
As Lance is standing behind the mysterious paladin, he picked up his bayard and begins to watch. "Want to dance, Shadow Child?" The paladin pulled the glow again.
Shadow Child? Lance wondered. Is that what they? Not human or anything? But how did this paladin get here? And where's Matt? Lance looks around and sees Matt is nowhere in sight. Well, wherever he is. He sure is missing some fun. Lance continues to watch.
"Don't get too cocky paladin," the ninja growled. "Or you will pay for your interference."
"We shall see about that," suddenly the ninja ran toward the paladin and attack him. The sky-blue paladin dodged as it too began to fight back.
Lance become stunned for a moment as everything was going a little fast for him.
"After I'm done with you," the ninja growled. "The other paladin is next."
"Don't even bother," the sky-blue paladin hit him in the back of the head. "Because you are outmatched," suddenly, the ninja collapsed and the bayard stopped glowing.
"Whoa," Lance exclaimed as he walked forward.
The sky-blue paladin chuckled, "It was nothing," the sky-blue paladin turned to Lance. "Paladin, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, but I'm not really sure about my friend." Lance began to worry.
"What do you mean?" the paladin approached Lance.
"This orb," Lance held it up. "It cracked, and I don't know what type of effects that would happen to Keith. Will cut his life short or something? I really don't know, and I'm worried."
"Do not worry Paladin," the sky-blue paladin lay a hand on Lance's right hand. "Your friend is going to be fine, you might have broken one of his limbs. But he will live, no matter what cause it has happened to him. But he will survive to the very end."
"How would you know that?" Lance raised an eyebrow.
"Because I have faith." The paladin let go of Lance's hand, "And you should too."
Lance's eyes widened, "You sound so wise, who are you?"
"You should know," the sky-blue paladin spoke. "By one of the stories your friend has shared."
"Huh?" Lance is lost.
The sky-blue paladin giggled, "In another time paladin, I will tell you who and what I am." The sky-blue paladin spoke as stars surrounded him and a new glow has turned to shape. "Once we meet again, that I will promise you…Lance."
"Uh…Allura…?" suddenly, he saw the glow has turned into wings with turquoise color at the one tip and pink on the other. Suddenly, feathers surrounded the sky-blue paladin as he kept on glowing. All at once, the sky-blue paladin has disappeared. Without a trace.

When the glow has disappeared, everything has begun to have motion again. Matt appeared and began to move again. Suddenly, he stopped as he looked at Lance. Confused. Matt looked at Lance, standing unharmed with the orb in his hand and the ninja is laying on the floor. Unconsciously with some harm done. "Umm…Lance," Matt is trying to process with curiosity in his head. "How did you…?"
"It wasn't me," Lance nodded. "It was another paladin that has knocked him out."
"What paladin?" Matt asked, "I didn't see a paladin."
"The paladin that has…whoa, wait a dobash!" Lance noticed something, "You didn't see a paladin? But you were just standing there!"
"Uh, I was standing there Lance." Matt corrected him, "And I didn't see a paladin, just only you with the orb."
"But…what did you see? Before this?"
"Uh, you almost got hit by the ninja. I ran. And seeing you standing with no harm done with the ninja on the floor. That's all of it."
"And you didn't see any paladin that is here and took the ninja down while I was holding this?" Lance asked as he held the orb.
"Not, where I was standing. Nope," Matt shook.
"So, Keith wasn't kidding about…" Lance remembers the past during one Christmas Eve about something that was very important to Keith that has been shared.
"Hmm, about what Lance?" Matt asked.
"Nothing," Lance nodded. "Let's get to the hanger, we need to get out of here for anymore would come."
"Right," Matt nodded as both of them started to run through the halls again. Pick up the pace so they won't be attacked again.
Within the shadows, the shadow figure growled about what it has witnessed. "Quiznak!" the shadow growled, "The orb has been escaped, and the paladin has a Guardian Angel on his side. And he doesn't even know it, darn it. Should have known that the Celestial Beings would disturb my plans for the last time." The shadow hissed, "Well…not matter. Since the orb has escaped, that crack that is upon will affect my kitty. I must check it out before he escapes from my grasp too." The shadow disappeared deeper into the shadows as it heads in a different direction. All at once, the hall has become quiet once again with nothing to disturb the ninja. Sleeping on the floor soundly with a bruise on its head for nap time.