Birthright: Chapter 18
Chapter 18
"Move any closer, and I will snap his neck," Kelar threatened.
Alysson stared at him as he raised his arm higher, raising Keith even higher off the ground. He was grabbing onto Kelar's arm, fighting him to release his hold on his neck.
"I know you wont endanger his life even more than you already have, Alysson," Kelar stated. "You've tricked me enough times today. It seems that you've run out of tricks."
"What do you want?" she asked.
"You know what I want," he stated. "Their deaths, your life. Plain and simple."
"No....don't let him have anything...."
Kelar turned to the young man he held, slowly tightening his grip on his neck. "Young whelp," he stated. "You're not even old enough to fully understand the concept of ruling an entire planet. You've probably only just finished going through the Trial, haven't you?"
"It doesn't matter..." Keith struggled to say. "I understand more than you think..."
Kelar smiled. "Afraid of your own gifts?" he asked. "Don't fully understand your own potential? How is one such as you fit to lead?"
"Kelar, please let him go!" Alysson pleaded.
He turned to her. "You're the last person to make any requests, princess."
"Kelar...."
He then turned to Keith, and before he could react, Keith pulled up his legs and with every ounce of strength he had, he kicked him in his face.
"Keith no!"
However, the move only angered Kelar even more, and his hold on the captain remained strong.
"Teenagers," he said. "Its time I took care of you."
"Kelar!"
Alysson started toward him, but found herself being held back. She turned to Xue who held her by her arms as tears entered her eyes.
"Let me go!" she yelled.
"You wont get away with....."
The room suddenly fell silent, as they all heard the loud gasp that escaped Keith's lips. Then the sudden thud as Kelar threw Keith away from him; his limp body landing on the cold floor.
"KEITH!"
Anala let out a gasp as Hunk held her down against the makeshift bed in Green Lion. She struggled against his hold, but soon, she was breathing in deeply.
"Anala?"
Tears then came to her eyes as she looked at him.
"I...I can't feel him." She said.
"What?"
"Keith," she said. "I can't feel him anymore."
"Feel him?"
She slowly nodded. "Something terrible has happened."
Allura had ran over to where Keith's body laid as she desperately looked over him for any sign of life. Tears flooded her eyes as she placed her ear to his chest, checking for any heartbeat or signs of breathing.
"Now, princess, before anyone else dies, stop this crusade of yours, and give up," Kelar said as he turned to her.
Lance was now holding her back, as she fought against his hold on her.
"Never," she seethed. "I will never give in to you."
Allura looked up toward them as they continued to quarrel. She then noticed that Xue was not there. Where had he gone?
Her attention was then drawn back to Keith, as she quickly tore open the front of his uniform, to start to perform CPR on him. She hoped that she remembered how, since it had been long ago that Hunk taught her the technique.
Though, her wrists were grabbed as she slowly looked up. She gasped seeing that it was Xue.
"What are you doing?" she asked in a whisper. "I have a chance to save him."
Xue slowly shook his head. -Your help alone will not save him- he stated. -He is already under careful watch.-
"What?"
He took her hand into his own and held it over Keith.
-Close your eyes,- he instructed. -And whatever you do, do not open them. Even to see what is going on around you.-
"But.."
-I'll keep us safe,- he stated.
"But your protection over Alysson."
-She has your friends,- he assured her. -Now, close your eyes before we lose him completely.-
"We'll just have to come back for them," Hunk stated as he instructed Pidge to head back toward the Castle. "If what Anala is sensing is true, then the chief and princess need our help."
"I was just so close," Pidge grumbled. "Well, Kelar's guards are probably freaking out that this Lion flew off without so much as a pilot. We are going to run into a bunch of them on our way."
"We can take care of them," Anala stated. "We have to get back quickly."
"We will, Anala, we will."
Allura suddenly felt a warmth envelop her. As she opened her eyes, she found herself standing in a green pasture. The sun was shining bright high in the sky, as two faint moons rose above.
"Is this Vallis?" she asked no one in particular.
"Yes."
She quickly turned around, taking a step back as a young man appeared before her.
"You," she said. "I saw your statue.."
He smiled. "Yes, princess, I am the late King Vellum."
"But how?"
"There are many beliefs we hold true here on Vallis, princess, and one is that our souls continue to live on through our children and our children's children," he said. "We are given even more strength when something personal of ours falls into their possession."
"Personal?"
"I used to wear a meallion, that was very special to me," he said. "I was to give it to Laura when she was married, to pass on to her children, when and if she had any. But out of cruelty, Kelar had that medallion buried with me...at least until today."
"Keith?" she asked. "He found it?
He slowly nodded. "Princess, I must ask this of you, since you are the closest to my grandson," he stated. "Kelar is a very formidable opponent, as you could see for yourself, he is not all that he seems to be."
"He is part machine?"
"An amalgamation of everything we despised," he explained. "Horribly disfigured, he sought the power that science held and used it against my people. He used it against me."
"How can we stop him?"
"I can stop him," he said. "But I am going to need your help."
"What can I do?"
"Find my medallion, and place it around my grandson's neck," he said. "I will take care of the rest."
"What will happen?"
"I will temporarily inhabit his body, his mind," he said. "While his own soul finds its way back."
"What if something goes wrong?"
"Don't worry, princess," he stated. "All will be fine. That's what legends are born of."
"What does the medallion look like?"
"It bears my royal crest," he stated. "Look for it, and quickly."
She nodded as she closed her eyes again.
"Let her go!"
Lance struck at Kelar, as he held Alysson by one of her arms. Kelar easily blocked his strike and with one hit, sent the Red Lion pilot flying to the ground.
"That's four of your so called cohorts that I've been able to defeat today, princess," he stated. "How many will have to die because of your stubbornness."
"As long as one citizen on this planet objects to your rule, Kelar, they will all have died for a purpose," she said.
"Well, then if you're so eager to die as well, do you have any last words before I take your life?"
"Go to..."
Her eyes then widened as her attention was drawn to the figure who was standing behind them.
Xue pulled Allura aside as they watched as Keith rise to his feet, a weird energy had formed around him.
"Kelar."
His voice resonated within the throne room, not sounding like his own. Kelar slowly turned around as he brought Alysson to stand beside him.
"How can you be alive?" he asked. "You terrans are so irritating."
"How you forget Kelar, it was not so long ago that I had you in that same position. Now let my daughter go."
"Daughter?"
"Father?" Alysson asked.
Before Kelar could react, Keith charged at him at such a speed, that if one had blinked, they would not have seen what had happened. Xue quickly ran toward where Kelar had been standing, catching Alysson as she fell. They both then looked up, seeing that Keith had grabbed Kelar by his own neck and had flown up toward the ceiling of the throne room, where he had the tyrant pinned against it.
"Xue, what happened?"
-It seems your father had some unfinished business to take care of,- he stated. -He's some how come back through your son.-
"How is that possible?"
-I don't even know, milady,- he stated as they all stared above them. -But he seems to be the only one who can fight Kelar.-
Anala ran as fast as her legs could carry her, being followed by Pidge and Hunk. They dodged whatever guards that came in their way, hoping that they could reach the throne room in time.
Hunk was able to open the doors and as soon as they entered, they saw the fight that was ensuing in the room. She quickly scanned the room, seeing that her mother was safe, with Xue and Allura. She then saw the two slumped forms on the ground near them, and she signaled for Hunk and Pidge to help her.
"They're just knocked out," she stated as Hunk went to look over Lance and she looked over Lotor. "Did they try to confront Kelar on their own?"
"Looks like it," Pidge stated. "Besides, where is Kelar?"
Anala looked up. "20 feet in the air."
Pidge followed her gaze and nearly choked.
"Uh, you wont believe this Hunk."
"That family secret you spoke of?" Hunk asked Anala.
She slowly nodded. "Never mind about them, lets get these two to a safe distance."
Hunk nodded as he helped her with Lance and Lotor, slowly dragging them toward one of the side-walls.
"Stay here with them," she stated. "Im going to find out what is going on."
She then made her way to where her mother was standing.
"Anala."
"We were able to break into the storage areas," she said. "The codes have been worked out for the slaves. We can set them free as soon as we take care of Kelar. Now tell me what the hell is going on."
"You wont believe it if we tell you."
Chapter 18
"Move any closer, and I will snap his neck," Kelar threatened.
Alysson stared at him as he raised his arm higher, raising Keith even higher off the ground. He was grabbing onto Kelar's arm, fighting him to release his hold on his neck.
"I know you wont endanger his life even more than you already have, Alysson," Kelar stated. "You've tricked me enough times today. It seems that you've run out of tricks."
"What do you want?" she asked.
"You know what I want," he stated. "Their deaths, your life. Plain and simple."
"No....don't let him have anything...."
Kelar turned to the young man he held, slowly tightening his grip on his neck. "Young whelp," he stated. "You're not even old enough to fully understand the concept of ruling an entire planet. You've probably only just finished going through the Trial, haven't you?"
"It doesn't matter..." Keith struggled to say. "I understand more than you think..."
Kelar smiled. "Afraid of your own gifts?" he asked. "Don't fully understand your own potential? How is one such as you fit to lead?"
"Kelar, please let him go!" Alysson pleaded.
He turned to her. "You're the last person to make any requests, princess."
"Kelar...."
He then turned to Keith, and before he could react, Keith pulled up his legs and with every ounce of strength he had, he kicked him in his face.
"Keith no!"
However, the move only angered Kelar even more, and his hold on the captain remained strong.
"Teenagers," he said. "Its time I took care of you."
"Kelar!"
Alysson started toward him, but found herself being held back. She turned to Xue who held her by her arms as tears entered her eyes.
"Let me go!" she yelled.
"You wont get away with....."
The room suddenly fell silent, as they all heard the loud gasp that escaped Keith's lips. Then the sudden thud as Kelar threw Keith away from him; his limp body landing on the cold floor.
"KEITH!"
Anala let out a gasp as Hunk held her down against the makeshift bed in Green Lion. She struggled against his hold, but soon, she was breathing in deeply.
"Anala?"
Tears then came to her eyes as she looked at him.
"I...I can't feel him." She said.
"What?"
"Keith," she said. "I can't feel him anymore."
"Feel him?"
She slowly nodded. "Something terrible has happened."
Allura had ran over to where Keith's body laid as she desperately looked over him for any sign of life. Tears flooded her eyes as she placed her ear to his chest, checking for any heartbeat or signs of breathing.
"Now, princess, before anyone else dies, stop this crusade of yours, and give up," Kelar said as he turned to her.
Lance was now holding her back, as she fought against his hold on her.
"Never," she seethed. "I will never give in to you."
Allura looked up toward them as they continued to quarrel. She then noticed that Xue was not there. Where had he gone?
Her attention was then drawn back to Keith, as she quickly tore open the front of his uniform, to start to perform CPR on him. She hoped that she remembered how, since it had been long ago that Hunk taught her the technique.
Though, her wrists were grabbed as she slowly looked up. She gasped seeing that it was Xue.
"What are you doing?" she asked in a whisper. "I have a chance to save him."
Xue slowly shook his head. -Your help alone will not save him- he stated. -He is already under careful watch.-
"What?"
He took her hand into his own and held it over Keith.
-Close your eyes,- he instructed. -And whatever you do, do not open them. Even to see what is going on around you.-
"But.."
-I'll keep us safe,- he stated.
"But your protection over Alysson."
-She has your friends,- he assured her. -Now, close your eyes before we lose him completely.-
"We'll just have to come back for them," Hunk stated as he instructed Pidge to head back toward the Castle. "If what Anala is sensing is true, then the chief and princess need our help."
"I was just so close," Pidge grumbled. "Well, Kelar's guards are probably freaking out that this Lion flew off without so much as a pilot. We are going to run into a bunch of them on our way."
"We can take care of them," Anala stated. "We have to get back quickly."
"We will, Anala, we will."
Allura suddenly felt a warmth envelop her. As she opened her eyes, she found herself standing in a green pasture. The sun was shining bright high in the sky, as two faint moons rose above.
"Is this Vallis?" she asked no one in particular.
"Yes."
She quickly turned around, taking a step back as a young man appeared before her.
"You," she said. "I saw your statue.."
He smiled. "Yes, princess, I am the late King Vellum."
"But how?"
"There are many beliefs we hold true here on Vallis, princess, and one is that our souls continue to live on through our children and our children's children," he said. "We are given even more strength when something personal of ours falls into their possession."
"Personal?"
"I used to wear a meallion, that was very special to me," he said. "I was to give it to Laura when she was married, to pass on to her children, when and if she had any. But out of cruelty, Kelar had that medallion buried with me...at least until today."
"Keith?" she asked. "He found it?
He slowly nodded. "Princess, I must ask this of you, since you are the closest to my grandson," he stated. "Kelar is a very formidable opponent, as you could see for yourself, he is not all that he seems to be."
"He is part machine?"
"An amalgamation of everything we despised," he explained. "Horribly disfigured, he sought the power that science held and used it against my people. He used it against me."
"How can we stop him?"
"I can stop him," he said. "But I am going to need your help."
"What can I do?"
"Find my medallion, and place it around my grandson's neck," he said. "I will take care of the rest."
"What will happen?"
"I will temporarily inhabit his body, his mind," he said. "While his own soul finds its way back."
"What if something goes wrong?"
"Don't worry, princess," he stated. "All will be fine. That's what legends are born of."
"What does the medallion look like?"
"It bears my royal crest," he stated. "Look for it, and quickly."
She nodded as she closed her eyes again.
"Let her go!"
Lance struck at Kelar, as he held Alysson by one of her arms. Kelar easily blocked his strike and with one hit, sent the Red Lion pilot flying to the ground.
"That's four of your so called cohorts that I've been able to defeat today, princess," he stated. "How many will have to die because of your stubbornness."
"As long as one citizen on this planet objects to your rule, Kelar, they will all have died for a purpose," she said.
"Well, then if you're so eager to die as well, do you have any last words before I take your life?"
"Go to..."
Her eyes then widened as her attention was drawn to the figure who was standing behind them.
Xue pulled Allura aside as they watched as Keith rise to his feet, a weird energy had formed around him.
"Kelar."
His voice resonated within the throne room, not sounding like his own. Kelar slowly turned around as he brought Alysson to stand beside him.
"How can you be alive?" he asked. "You terrans are so irritating."
"How you forget Kelar, it was not so long ago that I had you in that same position. Now let my daughter go."
"Daughter?"
"Father?" Alysson asked.
Before Kelar could react, Keith charged at him at such a speed, that if one had blinked, they would not have seen what had happened. Xue quickly ran toward where Kelar had been standing, catching Alysson as she fell. They both then looked up, seeing that Keith had grabbed Kelar by his own neck and had flown up toward the ceiling of the throne room, where he had the tyrant pinned against it.
"Xue, what happened?"
-It seems your father had some unfinished business to take care of,- he stated. -He's some how come back through your son.-
"How is that possible?"
-I don't even know, milady,- he stated as they all stared above them. -But he seems to be the only one who can fight Kelar.-
Anala ran as fast as her legs could carry her, being followed by Pidge and Hunk. They dodged whatever guards that came in their way, hoping that they could reach the throne room in time.
Hunk was able to open the doors and as soon as they entered, they saw the fight that was ensuing in the room. She quickly scanned the room, seeing that her mother was safe, with Xue and Allura. She then saw the two slumped forms on the ground near them, and she signaled for Hunk and Pidge to help her.
"They're just knocked out," she stated as Hunk went to look over Lance and she looked over Lotor. "Did they try to confront Kelar on their own?"
"Looks like it," Pidge stated. "Besides, where is Kelar?"
Anala looked up. "20 feet in the air."
Pidge followed her gaze and nearly choked.
"Uh, you wont believe this Hunk."
"That family secret you spoke of?" Hunk asked Anala.
She slowly nodded. "Never mind about them, lets get these two to a safe distance."
Hunk nodded as he helped her with Lance and Lotor, slowly dragging them toward one of the side-walls.
"Stay here with them," she stated. "Im going to find out what is going on."
She then made her way to where her mother was standing.
"Anala."
"We were able to break into the storage areas," she said. "The codes have been worked out for the slaves. We can set them free as soon as we take care of Kelar. Now tell me what the hell is going on."
"You wont believe it if we tell you."