Prologue II-Castle of Lions

…Almost six years later.

Lance and Coran met in front of Allura's rooms and both shared a puzzled expression as they looked for their usual partner in these events, but Keith was nowhere to be found. It was only a momentary pause, because there were other things at hand. From behind the door they could still hear her screaming loud enough to wake the dead.

Coran's face was grim as he keyed in the override and they rushed in.

She had sat up in her bed-still asleep, reaching for something in her lap that was no longer there. Coran sighed and took her by her shoulders, shaking her not so gently, "Allura."

Her eyes flew open, the tears blurring the perfect blue and it took her a moment to realize where she was and what had happened.

"Not again. Oh, Coran. I'm so sorry." She put her head against his shoulder and tried to calm herself. She thought to herself, Oh, Father, it still hurts inside.

"Nonsense, Allura. There is nothing to apologize about." He smiled weakly at her. Even after all these years, the sound of her screaming for her father tore at his heart. He had been numb back then, but every time Allura relived Alfor's death in her dreams, he could see Alfor there, bleeding. Each time, Coran felt his failure. And each time, he made a silent promise that he would not fail the last of Alfor's line.

She looked up from Coran's shoulder, another apology ready for Keith and whoever else was on duty. She caught sight of Lance wearing only his uniform pants and a black t-shirt.

"Hey, Princess. I told you that battle screams are only for the morning and only if you really mean it," He teased, but he had already seen the surprise as she noticed he was the only one there.

"Where's Keith?" She asked before she could stop herself.

Coran held her at arms length, "I don't know, Princess."

Before the pilots had come, Coran had been the one to comfort her; but as soon as the boys had arrived and heard her screaming in her sleep for the first time, she had known two additional companions: whoever was on duty and Keith. They would rush to her side, to ease her transition from nightmare to reality. In all those times, she had always looked to Keith for comfort. For the first time in three years, he wasn't there. She reached for her communicator on her night stand and called Control, "Where is the captain?"

The woman on duty was quick her face dominating the small screen, "Your highness, are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. I'm looking for Keith, Commander Doyenne."

"He took the Black a few hours ago and said he would be back by morning."

Lance often indulged in late night rides, sometimes Hunk, Pidge, even Allura if she was feeling reckless… but never Keith Sorren. A chill ran through her body and she knew something was going to happen-and she didn't know if it was something good.

Half a world from the Castle of the Lions, the Black had landed in a secluded forest. A few feet away, as if out a child's fairy tale a small house was half hidden among the trees. The first time Keith had been called here he imagined a sorceress making a stew to entice children from a nearby village for mischief … except the closest village was fifty miles away.

He sat at the kitchen table. At the stove, a woman turned a bubbling cauldron a few more times and then, "It's ready!" She poured a hearty portion in a bowl and handed it to her guest. She had indeed made a stew, knowing he would come. She had called him after all.

"The time arrives, young captain," She said cryptically taking the seat across from him. Cera Farri was ageless in her beauty, with her green eyes dark as the fir trees and hair the color of mahogany she looked like one of the fey, anywhere from 20 – 40 physically. Yet, it would not surprise Keith to know that she had seen almost three times what he had lived.

"It always does," Keith answered, spooning some of the thick broth into his mouth. It was delicious. He nodded his approval and waited for her to continue.

She smiled graciously but said nothing for a while. She had seen him land three years past but had chosen to wait and watch as he made himself a part of her planet. She had to know if he was the one she had been charged to look for. Eventually the little signs had been too numerous to ignore and almost a year and a half ago, she had made her move.

She had sent her first message to him via one of her many grandchildren, Mirra who was a guard at the castle. Mirra had cornered Keith one day with a simple missive, "I know what you look for. I know who can help you."

On instinct, Keith had believed her and had followed her directions to visit Cera. He had seen the older woman maybe a dozen times since, her visions were always true and she gave him all the books and stories he needed about Arus' past that even Alfor had not been able to save during the First War.

They called her Healer Cera in these parts and people traveled great distances to see her. When he had first learned of her reputation, he had asked her about healing a broken heart.

"Your sister's heart is not broken," She had said. "It is just bruised and he will fix it himself, captain."

And the next month it had come to pass.

Now they sat, and she waited for him to finish before asking, "You're not curious as to what time is coming?"

"I'm here, so you know I'm curious enough. That you called me so late at night… that's the interesting part."

"The stars only speak at night, Keith."

"It's always night somewhere, Cera, and usually it can wait a few days."

From her dark cloak she took out a red orb twice the size of her fist. It flashed bright, but all he could see was the swirls in its depths. He had no power of the future. She did not seem pleased by whatever she saw and her next words cut, "Tonight, Princess Allura relived the death of her father. Again."

He stiffened slightly, "It's something that happens. We can't make the dreams stop, but we can comfort her." But he knew the dreams were happening more frequently. "Ah yes, but today you were not there and in that she was deeply saddened."

"I don't like games, Cera."

She met his dark gaze with her green one, "But you are about to play a grand one, captain. A game where the winner will take all and the loser will have less than nothing."

"Who do I play against?" He did not ask what the game was, he would not be beholden to the fates to have that advantage.

"That remains a mystery. But I do know that many people will play at least a small part. I will tell you this, young Keith. Your worlds are about to collide."

"I could have told you that," He was not impressed.

"No, you only know what you yourself have set in motion and know this, captain, that your move is a small thing. What Alfor died for is about to come to pass, what Zarkon searches for is about to reveal itself. The gods are waking, and you are a new player in their ancient game."

Sunrise was a few hours away when Keith left Cera's home. He jumped into the Black and made his way slowly to the Castle of the Lions. He touched the comlink at his breast to see what he had shaken out of the castle by actually taking his midnight ride.

"Keith here."

"Who?" Lance's face came up on screen. He grinned mischievously, but Keith could see the weariness in his eyes.

What would he do without his friend, Keith wondered? He would have a sad life indeed. "Funny kid, aren't you?"

"I think you're flying my brand new lion, Ensign. She muttered something about a demotion. That she was the boss of you alright."

An old joke between Keith and Allura, but Keith could not smile until he knew, "Is she OK?"

"Sure, I tucked her in good and tight, after I gave her a good night kiss, of course. She sure smells good."

"Is she really OK?"

"We're old hands at this, Keith. She was shook up, but she'll survive. It's a scary thing, reliving the death of your father over and over, but our girl's a survivor."

Keith nodded. "I'll make my apologies later."

"By the way, where have you been?"

"I went to have my palm read, Valmont."

"Cera who sees the future? What did she divine? That you'll be plagued by women your entire life and never be unhappy? You could have asked me, I could have saved you a late night trip and the yelling you're going to get from the Princess later on."

"I wouldn't travel half the planet to have someone stroke my ego."

"Yeah, my ego's probably the last thing I want stroked as well… so what did Cera the Scary tell you?"

He repeated it, "The time arrives that what Alfor died for is about to pass."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Keith shrugged, still musing.

The air was electrified. Lancelot Valmont could feel the hairs on the back of his head rise in response to the power that seemed to jump around him. He had expected the Black Lion to land on its pad, but Keith had taken a wide arc around the castle and headed to the hills just behind them. Lance had walked to the Hallowed Hill, the closest of the group, looking for his captain.

Keith Sorren, Captain of the Voltron Force, now stood at the top, his back to Lance, watching the rise of the sun from the east. For a second, Lance was awed by the scene before him. As the sky lightened, the metallic hue of the castle turn from gray to almost silver. Soon the protective barriers would lift and the sunlight would filter through the windows waking those who lived inside. The Castle of the Lions stood as a testament that the people of Arus would continue to fight. He was oddly humbled by the thought of serving such a strong people.

Part of his sense of duty was due to the man in the red and white uniform, but Lance would never admit his awe for his friend. Keith wanted to be just like everyone else, and Lance had tried to remember that through their long friendship.

The Black sat on its haunches a few feet from its pilot, a robot sentinel for the human champion. Lance didn't call out any greeting as he came just beyond striking distance. Instead he cocked his head towards the castle, "Going home yet?"

Keith trained his dark eyes on his second in command. "Not just yet."

He crossed his arms and turned back to stare at the castle. Keith was a fine edged sword, always ready to cut. He stood straight, never in repose. Lance envied that as he began to immediately fidget.

"What's up?" Lance broke the silence. "Cera the Scary got you over analyzing?"

Keith responded, "The timing is just strange. And you know I've been having this weird feeling lately. Like the sky is going to fall any moment."

"Well, star and planets converge and all that crazy stuff Coran's been talking about for the past few days. Figured it was just a matter of time, right?"

"You've really been listening to him?" Keith asked in mock surprise. Coran had said that in a few months the sun and planets would line up perfectly for the first time in over three thousand years. Keith had noted it for future research, but it wasn't just that. There was something in the air and he had been on edge for the past few nights. Had Cera not called him he would have been with Lance or joined the rotation with the royal guard. Had Cera not called he would have been there for Allura last night.

Lance ignored his comment and continued, "I've lived long enough to know the universe plays games with us."

"Funny you say that," he turned away from the castle for a moment, "Cera said the game was about to begin."

"Well, we've been waiting for this for a couple of years now, right? I was kind of disappointed it took this long."

"I don't know if I'm ready," Keith admitted, pulling at the long hair at his neck.

"What happened to 'I was born ready'?" Lance mimicked.

"Things change, my friend. I was so much more cocksure a few years ago."

"Yeah, you were. Good thing to know that people grow up. They fall in love…" Lance's voice trailed off and he dared to smile broadly. "Really, Keith, you've been kind of dragging that on as well, haven't you?"

Before Keith could answer, a chill passed through him. He looked up at the sky-searching. The Comm-unit he wore on his wrist beeped several times and a familiar name crossed across the small two inch screen.

"Wonders never cease," Lance glanced at the name-twice. "Can I get a lift back? I wouldn't want to miss the show."

"Keith, Lance, I need the both of you to meet the Emissary at the landing pad," Coran said without preamble as they entered Castle Control.

Keith and Lance exchanged a glance, but it was the captain who asked, "Emissary? From where, Coran?"

"You'll know soon enough I suppose… From the Vandathian Homeworld. I need to find Allura, but as soon as I do, we will meet you shortly. Please hurry, the transport ship is expected in a few minutes."

The two pilots watched as Coran, who was always collected seemed to have lost his wits about him. He left the room distracted, not realizing he had not even given them the name of the Emissary.

But they already knew.