Chapter 34

The lions took off. Black, Red and Yellow fired from the front while Green and Blue hit the sky. The creature fired a longer beam at them causing the three to dodge the lasers It took off flying after them.

Kiara listened as the green laser fired behind them. She really was hoping this would work. Everyone on Balmera was counting on the Paladins. Then the thing fired two lasers at them. *Okay we've provoked. Time to evade!*Hunk said to them watching the monster fire at them. Yellow pulled off to one side causing the thing to hit the Balmera roaring after them.

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Princess, we've lured the monster away. It's time. Shiro said as Allura entered the room and turned on the pod she was going to be using. "I'll contact you all when I'm on the ground." Allura told them. "Be careful out there." Coran told her.

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Kiara wasn't sure what was worse. What the Galra are doing to these creatures or Allura coming into danger. *Is that Allura?* Kiara and the others newby saw a pod shooting toward them. Kiara swallowed a lump. 'Please be safe.' she shut her eyes as another wave from the Balmera. Hearing it's cry or not she hated her Azarathian bloodline right now.

Things were empathic, each had different skills and their powers weren't the same. Astra told her so.

-Flashback-

"Child stop crying." an old woman said with dark red hair her teal eyes glowed. "B-but.. It hurts.." cried a four year old Kiara. Grumbling. Astra walked over. Kneeling. "I know. Being able to feel others pain isn't fun. Trust me." Astra looked over to the crying girl then at the Crimson Wooly Ferret. "Right now, you must focus on what you can do, not what you can't. Set your own pain aside to help those who need it."

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Kiara shook her head. Astra was right. She had a task to do. She was powerless to help, but maybe helping the inhabitants as what she was meant to do.

Kiara watched as Allura flew closer. "Hanging in there." Then Hunk spoke up. *We have to protect the Princess!* Hunk shouted as the creature locked on Allura.

Yellow flew in taking the hit causing the lion to spark. Shiro landed on his head then shot off. Blue fired it's ice laser attack as it flew by. The thing only broke through it with its eyes. As Red circled around she watched as the Altean princess vanished she let out a breath she was holding.

Allura approached the ground fast. As she shifted the craft into another shape she landed smoothly with the Balmerans waiting for her. "I'm on the ground." she said to them. *Hurry! I don't know how long we can hold this thing off.* Shiro told her as above they shook.

Allura ran over to Shay and her family. "Shay, I'm going to need your help." she said the young female Balmeran.

"Princess?"

"Have you contacted the other Balmerans?" asked Aluura.

They looked at each other a bit downcasted. Something was up. "What is it? What's going on?" Allura asked them with urgency and concern.

"All Balmerans give thanks for the kindness you and the paladins bestowed upon us, but atlas, we cannot take leave of our home." Shay told her. "What?" Allura was shocked. "If our great Balmera's life cycle is over because of us, then our desire is to stay with it until the end." Shay told her her family gave the same look agreeing with what was going on.

"But you'll never survive." Allura pointed out. "We contacted the others, and all agreed. It's not right, that you risk your lives for us. Please leave. We ask for no more guilt and shame upon us. " Rax said.

"It is our wish. The wish of all Balmerans. " Shay added.

"No. I won't give up on you." Allura said demerination taking a hold of her. "I won't give up on any of you, no matter the circumstances." she told them. "But we do not ask this of you. Please!" Shay begged her. "I have heard your words. Now let me speak mine." Allura said to them.

"I want to talk with the Balmerans. Can you get a message to them from me?" Allura asked. "There is no need to speak for you. You have a unique power within. The Balmera will carry your words." Shay's grandma said pointing at her glowing hand.

Allura gasped and pulled back. "Speak your heart child. All can hear you." Shay's grandma put Allura's hand back on the Balmera. It glowed once more. Closing her eyes she relayed her message to everyone.

"Balmerans,this Princess Allura. You don't know me, but I am here to help. I know what it's like to watch your home planet die. For I come from planet Altea, a planet that has long been destroyed by the Galra. But I refused to give now, you all have the same choice. You can decide now to devote your lives to making this never happen to another planet." The Balmera was shaking as she spoke her message.

"I am eternally sorry for what has happened to the Balmera, but I beg you, do not let it's dying be in vain. Honor the Balmera's death by refusing to give up. Join me in my fight against the Galra."

Shay's grandma reached out to touch the Balmera. "Your words have touched our hearts." the old Balmeran said. "Thank you." Allura said. "No, thank you. You've given us reason to hope again." she said the Altean Princess.

"Everyone, head to the caves just under the surface." Allura said taking command.

"Princess your speech must have worked. The Balmerans are moving toward the surface!" Coran said. Watching the screen showing yellow moving dots.

Allura leads them to the open area. "Coran, we're just beneath the surface. Triangulate my position. This is your landing zone." The ground shook again. "Yes, Allura. Readying ship." Coran said directing the ship to her. "Castle of Lions coming in! Paladins, how are you holding up?" Coran asked them.

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Red lion dodge another attack. "I think we've got him pretty distracted. Are the Balmerans in position?" Keith asked them. As he circled around the monster who was shooting at the others. *They're making their way to the top. *Allura replied back.

Balmerans began to climb helping each other as they went higher and higher up. The Castle soon began to descend on them. They gassed as it came closer to them. Carefully Coran laned the Castle. With Allura in the lead they hurried to the Castle.

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Kiara closed her eyes and stretched out her consciousness. 'Don't worry. We'll save your people.' She thought of sending her own emotion out to ease the dying Balmera.

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Allura began to help them up the ladder. Coran laned a small pod. "Bring them out! Hurry, now!" Everything began to shake and the ladder fell. More parts began to fall off and many Balmerans screamed.

"No! Yelled Allura.

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Kiara snapped her eyes open. "No! Not yet!" she let go of the chair she held and staggered back blinking tears from her blue eyes. "Kia are you ok?" The Red Paladin asked his passenger with concern and a bit of panic too.

She shut her eyes. Her body trembled a bit. 'Why?' she thought as the Balmera cried out louder. The shock wave rang through her asking her for help. "I'm.. I'm not sure." She replied straining her voice to answer him and with surety.

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Coran ran up. "It's on the verge of collapsing! We have to go!" he said. "But the Balmerans!"

"They're trapped! What can be done? Time is short!" Rax asked them. The Balmera rumbles again.

All the lions flew as the creature fired at them. "Every hit weakens the Balmera. Have you evacuated yet? What's happening?" Hunk asked.

Kiara tried again to reach out. For the longest time she hated this grift. She hated feeling the pain and emotions of animals. 'Please, you must hold on a little.. Longer.' she begged it. She tried to block stuff like this out but now.? Now Kiara knew she had been wrong for doing so. With Hunk explaining what was going on she forced herself forwards. 'Just hold on.' she said gripping the chair. Earning a very concerned glance from the pilot before he looked forward again.

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The Balmerans are trapped. Just keep distracting the beast!* Coran said. "Shit!" Kiara growled as the laser fired at them again dodging. "Uh, do you want us to distract it by dying?" Hunk asked. "Because that is what's going to happen!" Hunk said.

"Guys, remember when I said we didn't have to beat it?" Shiro asked them. "Yes, I remember that." Hunk said. "We might have to beat it." The Black Paladin said.

Kiara nodded. "Understood Shiro... We're with you... Right?" she asked them looking at Keith meeting his brief blue-gray gaze, then out of the Red Lion's eyes. "Yeah!" they said she let a smile across her lips. 'We'll make sure we end this quickly.' she promised it.

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"We're lost! all trapped with no chance for escape!" Shay said giving up on the plan and kneeling in defeat. "We can't give up." Allura said kneeling next to her hand on the young Balmeran. "But what can be done?" Shay asked her.

The glowing from under the ship caught their attention. "The Balmera! The ground beneath your mighty ship appears healed. It's essence thrives. But How?" Shay asked in astonishment.

"The Castle!"

"Not just the Castle, but you, as well." Shay's grandmother said.

"It's true. Your Altean energy combined with the ship's crystal has revitalized this part of the Balmera." Coran explained as it glowed under her and Shay.

"That's it! Maybe we can perform the ceremony you spoke about. -we can save the Balmera." Allura said.

"What ceremony?" Rax asked confused on what they were talking about.

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Kiara's eyes lit up as new emotion washed over her. It was warmer and like its own healing wave. "What's going on?" Asked Keith notice a change in her mood.

"The Balmera, part a very small part is healed." She explains. Hope fills her. 'There must be way to help after all.'

"You sure?" He asks her. She shut her eyes letting out a long breath. "Yeah." Relief washing over. Whatever happened it healed something.

"Keith take me to the ground!" Kiara ordered the paladin. "What? Are you sure, it's dangerous down there!" he pointed out. No way he was going just drop her off on the dying Balmera. With that monster loose and especially not after it happens back in the mines.

He's right.* Shiro spoke up. Agreeing with him.

Kiara shook her head and walked to the exit. "Trust me, guys, I know what I'm doing. I'll be just fine." she said with confidence. No way she let them keep her locked up. Not this time.

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Coran began to explain the ceremony a long time ago. In the days of old, when Alteans were given the gift of crystals from a Balmera, we would repay it's sacrifice by performing a ceremony. A sacred Altean would re-infuse the Balmera with quintessence. In this way, we had a symbiotic relationship." he explained to the Balmerans.

Allura walked up to Coran resting her hand on her friend's shoulder. "The Galra have only been taking. It's time we give back. I can connect with the crystal in the bridge and use the Castle's power as an amplifier."

"Coran, Allura!" they spun to see Kiara racing up. "Kiara what are you doing here?" Allura asked the young alien girl. Kiara came to a stop. "I want help. I can help, if I can."she saw the glowing light of the healed surface. Everyone walked to the Castle. Allura stood under the Castle.

"When your father performed the ceremony, it was on a much smaller scale." Coran said standing next to her. "I beg you. To heal an entire planet, it could take more energy than you possess. You may not live through it." Coran finished sober.

Allura looked at her compilation. "I know you're scared for me, Coran, but I must try." She said determination in her cryan eyes. "Then let me help you." Kiara stepped forwards. "I don't possess the same powers you might have, but I can feel the Balmera emotions. I might be able to help change the release of your quintessence and help it spread. Shay gets the other involved more people helping, more of a higher chance she'll live to fight on another day." Kiara said turning her attention to the Balmeran.

"Yes, of course." Shay said.

Kiara watched as the Balmerans began to touch the ground around Allura who stood in the middle. Kiara knelt down putting her hand to the glowing ground. Shutting her eyes. 'We are going to help you, we give back what the Galra.' she let her consciousness stretched out around her.

Then a white beam of light engulfed Allura as she began the ceremony. Kiara felt Balmera's emanations of pain and it began to be replaced with warmth of the Alteana and everyone helping.