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A Change in the Winds
Arus
arus-dot-geo-at-yahoo-dot-com

Voltron and its characters are owned by World Event's Productions.
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Chapter 18
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"Is this the location?"

Neive slowly nodded as he turned to Allura who was standing behind him as he flew the Blue Lion.

"We can land about a 80 meters from this location," he stated. "The walk is over some rought terrain but you hit a clearing near the mountain face."

Allura slowly nodded. "We are so close," she said. "I only hope that after all these years, we aren't chasing something that is not even going to work."

"Have a little faith, Ally," Neive stated. "Your mother knew what she was doing, and Im sure your father guided her in everything she did.

Allura nodded as she stared at the view screen before her. They landed in a small clearing not far from the mysterious mountain. Neive brought the Blue Lion for a soft landing and they both jumped down from the ship as they saw Lance land with the Red Lion.

Allura and Neive met with him as Lance helped Zeya down from the lion, since she was still blindfolded.

"It isn't that far from here," Neive stated. "We just head North for a few meters and then bear East. We should reach the mountain face in about 15 minutes."

Lance nodded as he then led Zeya over to Neive, and had her place her hand on his shoulder. "I will scout on ahead while you guys follow," he stated. "Hopefully, the Triasian force are not in on what we are doing."

Neive swallowed a bit, but nodded.

"I'll keep a 10 meter lead on you three," he stated. "If anything happens, radio and I'll be there as quick as I can. No heroics."

"Well, Lance, you just sounded a bit like Keith there," Allura said with a smile. "You're losing your touch."

Lance feigned a smile. "Just for that, Princess, I'll be sure to let him know that you need a bump up in your exercises," he said. "Maybe 4 hours of running laps around the courtyard to get that heart of yours pumping, seeing as how cold it can get at times."

Allura stared at him. "Lance, sometimes, you surprise even me," she stated. "Go on, we'll follow as best as we can."

The Red Lion pilot then bowed before he took the path toward the mountain, disappearing into the forest.

"Is it normal for all your servants to speak in such a manner?"

Neive turned to Zeya who was trying to face in the direction in which Lance had headed.

"Zeya, they are not my servants," Allura stated. "They are my friends, and I consider them to be equal to me in everything they do."

"But to speak to you in such a manner?"

Allura smiled. "If Coran or Nanny were here, they would probably agree with you," Allura stated. "However, commeraderie is much more important to me than any mere formality that is offered to me. Instead of them treating me formally, I treat them as my equals...and my family."

"Family?"

"To be there for each other, in times of need," she stated.

Zeya slowly nodded. "And it is because of this, family, you are able to support each other?" she asked.

"In many ways than you realize," Allura stated. "We should get going, Lance has probably a good lead on us."

Neive slowly nodded as he moved Zeya's hand from his shoulder and held her hand in his own, supporting her by her arm as they started their trek into the forest.

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It had already been ten minutes since they entered the thick forest, Neive helping Zeya through the rough terrain as the forest path had disappeared and lended to a thick brush and high tree roots. Allura was slightly ahead of them, as he negotiated Zeya around several low hanging branches and a large root that would have required her to climb over it.

Once he maneuvered her around it, they had come to a more gentle terrain where footing wouldn't be as difficult.

"It should be easier from here on," he stated as he took her hand into his and led her over one last tree root. Once they settled onto much flatter ground he took her arm into this, and helped her along the forest path.

"Neive?"

Her voice startled him a bit. "Yes?"

"I want to apologize for what happened last night," she stated. "I dont remember much, but if I did anything to hurt you, I do regret in doing so."

Neive swallowed hard. "It's alright, princess," he said. "You were under the influence of a powerful drug. It couldn't be helped."

The sound in his voice made Zeya feel as if he were guarding something. Did something happen that made him feel uncomfortable? She was silent a moment as she thought to herself. As much as she tried to admit to herself, the young man did intrigue her. She decided to approach her questions as tactful as possible.

"Do you share your cousin's belief?"

"On my teammates?"

"As being a Prince from Helena, and working with those who do not share your title?"

"To think of them as being less than me, when on occasions they have shown to be better, I consider it an insult," he said. "Like Allura, I do not believe that we are higher in worth than anyone else. I rather judge it on how much respect one should receive."

"Your uncle believes otherwise?"

Neive stopped as he turned to her. "How do you..."

"It is not my intention to pry," she stated. "But your thoughts to betray you on that matter."

"My uncle lives in the past, and he wishes to keep alive traditions that have been severly out dated over the years," he said. "He already knows that he can't control me."

"Yet he angers you for doing just that?"

"Wouldn't you be?"

Zeya lowered her chin as they started walking again, remembering back to times in her life, where she was nearly forced into marriage of two Drule dignitaries, to help Zarkon strengthen his alliance with the outlying empire. And on more than one occasion, she sought to fight against his will, which was part of the reason she had left Doom for so long.

"So, you fight against your uncle, because he doesn't allow you to do as you please?" she asked. "Or that he tries to insist that you marry someone you may not love?"

"Love is something he sees as a minor inconvenience," he said.

"He did that to you once, didn't he?" she asked.

She sensed him tense at that moment. Was that the reason why he was so guarded?

"That happened, a long time ago," he said, "and I've never forgiven him for that."

Zeya slowly nodded to herself. He was afraid to show his love for someone, worried that he would disappoint those who were looking after his future.

The remainder of the walk was in silence, though Zeya started to become more aware of the energy that surrounded them. Neive then came to a stop so she realized that they were probably at their destination.

"So this is it huh?" Lance asked as he came to stand before the rockface. "You weren't kidding when you said that it was a mystery."

Lance pulled out a small scanner from the bag he carried and opened it. He then opened his communicator and contacted the Castle of Lions.

"Heya Pidge, we have reached our target," Lance reported. "Taking a scan now, see what you can make of it."

' Roger. ' came the younger members reply.

After a moment, Lance got a reply.

' Its just rock, ' Pidge answered.

"We know its just rock," Lance stated. "Are there any indications that there could be something behind this rockface? Inside this behemoth of a mountain?"

' From initial scans, its completely a solid mass, ' Pidge stated. ' If there is something hidden behind it, then its either burried so deep that the scans can't reach it, or its under the mountain itself. '

"Under it?" Lance asked. "If we dont know exactly where, we have no idea where to start."

' What do you think we should do? '

Lance then turned to the three who were with him. "I guess we'll just have to see if the secret will reveal itself."

Lance put his scanner back into his bag and placed his communicator back on his belt. He then walked over to Allura.

"Well, according to Pidge, its a mountain," he stated. "So, let's see if there is more to this mountain than we realize."

He then took out the armlet that had once been Zeya's and handed it to her. Neived helped her put it back on, and once the metal band was on around her, all three started to react together.

Lance stood back as the three stood together. He then watched as three beams of light eminated from each of them. The ground they were on began to shake violently, causing him to lose his footing for a moment. Allura, Neive and Zeya too, lost their balance and fell to the ground.

Then all was silent. It was if the air around them stood still, charged with some sort of energy. Zeya slowly go to her feet.

"Its here," she stated.

Lance, Allura, Neive and Zeya had to brace themselves as a high wind came up, and deafening noise came from the mountain standing before them. Soon, a crack appeared in the rockface, and it continued around, as if revealing the edge of a opening. The rocks crumbled away slowly, revealing a large entrance.

"How in all of Arus?" Lance commented as he slowly stood, coming to stand near Allura. "A scan just said this was solid rock..."

"Something was put in place to fool scanners," Zeya commented. "I could sense a high amount of energy in this area."

"Maybe we should call in the rest of the team before exploring down that cave," Neive suggested."

"No," Zeya stated. "The rest of the team wont be able to go down there."

"What?" Allura asked.

"Lance, if you will try."

Lance shrugged as he slung the bag he carried over his shoulder. He then walked toward the entrance of the cave, he was nearly flung backwards as a force stopped him. He looked up at the cave entrance.

"You're right," he said. "So what do we do?"

"I have a feeling that only the three of us would be allowed to go," Zeya stated. "Lance, you may want to fly back to the Castle of Lions in the mean time, to ready any support we may need. However, I have a feeling that we won't."

"What if the ship wont let you fly it?"

"I dont think that will be a problem," Zeya stated. "We should hurry. No doubt the energy I sensed in this area, and the sudden spike would have alerted our Triasian friends."

Lance nodded. "Neive and Allura, if anything happens, just leave here immediately," he stated. "Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Neive said. "Travel safe."

"Will do."

Neive watched as the Red Lion Pilot head back toward the forest where they came from. Neive turned back to the cave.

"Neive, can you please remove my blindfold?" Zeya asked.

"But the..."

"I promise that I will avoid in looking at you," she stated. "I have to be able to see this."

Neive turned to his cousin and Allura nodded at him. Neive came to stand behind Zeya as he slowly untied the blindfold.

"Just remain looking forward," he said.

Zeya slowly nodded as she opened her eyese. She looked at the cave entrance before her, and slowly walked toward it. As she reached the area that Lance could not pass, she found that she was able to.

"Come, its a long walk to where we need to go."

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Lance breathed in deeply as he entered the Control Room, seeing that the rest of his team were there, along with the Beta Team. Anala and Lotor were arriving just as he met with Pidge up at the control panel.

"Neive, Allura and Zeya are heading into the cave they found," he reported. "Seems that whatever is guarding the lion, its only allow them to enter the cave."

"Scans still show nothing," Pidge stated. "Its like its almost something magical is protecting the site."

"At this point, Im ready to believe anything," Lance stated.

The sudden ring of the alarms caused Pidge to pull himself forward to answer the incoming message. Keith was already at his side as he brought up the view screen.

"Incoming distress signal," Pidge stated. His face blanked. "Its from Vallis."

"Vallis?" Keith asked.

Pidge slowly nodded as he pulled up the message on the view screen.

"Queen Anala, please, you must return immediately!" the young soldier on screen. "Your mother, she's been injured."

Anala quickly pushed her way toward the control panel. "What happened?" she asked.

"We were attacked in the middle of the night," he stated. "An unidentified force, a hundred ships or so. We were able to fight them off, but the attack served as a diversion."

"Diversion?" she asked. "Teige, what happened?"

"They took him, your highness," he stated. "They took your son."

tbc

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