The Blade of Marmora

The castle was nearing the Blade of Marmora's base, using the coordinates given by Ulaz before he died. Despite that the other Paladins were curious about the base, Allura, Haggar and Coran were cautious, for they weren't sure if they could trust the Galra among the resistance group, even though they are fighting against Zarkon's reign of terror. But also kept in mind that if Haggar could resist and turn against Zarkon, then so can other Galra too. However, Keith had a troubled look on his face. Haggar noticed it and wandered what was bothering him.

"Coran. How soon will we get to the Blade of Marmora's base?" Shiro asked his male Altean friend.

"Based on the coordinates that Ulaz gave us, we should be there within a few doboshes" Coran answered.

Pidge was eager to see this base, thinking that there may be some advanced tech to see and even work on. "I can't wait to see it. I mean, they were able to fold space-time and that was just at an outpost!"

Hunk nodded as he felt hungry thinking about the 'space taco'. "Mm, the space taco. It left us too soon." He said as his stomach grumbled, as he was now feeling hungry thinking about tacos.

Pidge agreed a bit, but then was imagining how amazing the base would be. "Well, sure, but my point is, imagine how amazing their home base will be!"

"Exactly. It could take on any shape. Like a space jelly donut. Or long, like a space éclair. Or a space cheese blintz with a cherry sauce on top. Maybe a little dusting of powdered sugar. That's the stars."

Hunk's imagination of space food was making Lance hungry too. "Aw! Now, I'm hungry for breakfast."

This whole thing was starting to annoy Keith and he said to the others a bit harshly. "Guys, this is a serious mission. We need to focus."

Lance then mocked Keith's annoyance. "We need to focus."

Haggar tried to ease the situation. "No, Keith is right. We should keep focused on what we could really expect and not imaging the base as some kind of space food." Then her stomach started to grumble. "Even though it did sound delicious. Maybe after Zarkon and Dark Haggar are dead, we could go to your Earth and I could take Allura to a breakfast place there."

"That actually would be great. I could even show you guys a few great Earth things I know you'd like to do together." Pidge said with a smile, thinking she could show Allura and Haggar some things on Earth.

"That would actually be great, Katie. Maybe you could show us your home on Earth and we could have a sleepover with you. Perhaps the food there would be very delicious to eat." Allura added after her lover as Haggar's grumbling stomach made Pidge, Lance and Hunk laugh a bit. Even Allura chuckled a bit but made Keith even more annoyed.

But then Coran said. "The base is in range." making everyone look at what seemed to be the base.

"Take us in slowly." Shiro said.

But Coran wasn't so sure. "That might prove the tiniest bit of a challenge."

As everyone looked at the screen at where the base was, they were all amazed at seeing a giant blue star, trapped between two black holes. "Is that a block hole?" Hunk asked.

Coran shook his head. "No, no, no, no, no. It's two black holes and a giant blue star."

"That's not better." Hunk said as he did not feel better after hearing that.

Pidge was fascinated by how clever the base was hidden, as she had never even thought of hiding a base with 2 black holes and a blue star. "No kidding. Just inside a black hole, the temperature is one millionth of a degree above absolute zero. But, just outside of that, it's hundreds of millions of degrees Celcius."

That made Hunk imagine how the base is and asked Pidge. "Okay, it's like when you try to nuke a frozen burrito in the microwave, and it comes out all scorching hot on the outside, but it's still frozen in the middle, right?"

This made Lance even more hungry. "Now, I'm hungry for lunch!"

"Guys, quiet!" Keith yelled, knowing they should knock it off before asking calmly to Coran. "Coran, where's the base located?"

Coran checked on the monitor and put it on the big screen, revealing some kind of an asteroid and answered. "In between those three deadly celestial objects."

Haggar and Pidge said simultaneously. "The perfect defensive position." That made them look at each other and smiled as they thought the same thing at the same time.

But Allura then said "Or the perfect trap."

Hunk, being a bit afraid, agreed with Allura. "Yeah, I'm with Allura. Maybe we shouldn't, like, go in there at all?"

But Keith completely disagreed and said as he lost control over his emotions. "What are you talking about?! We have to go in! This is the whole reason we came out here! There is no other option!"

"Okay. Jeez. Calm down." Lance said, knowing Keith should calm down.

Hagger didn't know what really troubled Keith, but agreed with him. "Look everyone, me, Allura and Coran don't trust this either, but Keith is right, there is no other alternative. If we are going to face Dark Haggar again, we can't do it alone. We need the help of the Blade of Marmora on this."

Just then an electronic beeping came from the front screen. It said in a female voice. "Identify yourself."

Shiro turned to Coran. "Open a hailing frequency, Coran."

The Altean servant nodded and opened a hailing frequency for Shiro, who said to the one they spoke to. "We are the Paladins of Voltron, sent here by Ulaz."

For some time, no answer came until the female computer voice said. "2 may enter. Come unarmed."

Allura didn't trust this condition at all. "Why would they insist we come unarmed? Shiro, this doesn't feel right"

"We've come too far to turn back now" Shiro said, knowing there was no way back now.

Then when they were sended a route to get to the base, Coran told them what they got. "They just sent us a route tot he base, but we'll have to move quickly"

"Why so, Coran?" Haggar asked.

"Because of the solar flares, the opening is only open for another varga. Then, it will be closed for two quintants."

Hunk didn't understand what Vaga or Quintants meant, so he asked Haggar. "They're gonna close it for two years?"

"It means it's gonna be closed for two earth days, Hunk" Haggar corrected him.

As the whole group thought of who would join Shiro to enter the base, Lance asked Shiro "So, any thoughts on who's gonna join you on this little mission? I'm thinking things might be a little hot, so you're gonna want someone who can stay cool."

Clearly Lance was mentioning he should join Shiro. But the Black Paladin said. "You're right. Keith, you're coming with me."

Lance started protesting that it is a bad idea to take Keith with him. "Now hold on! Keith's a hothead! He's probably going to shoot first and ask questions later! And they're not gonna be able to answer his questions because they'll be dead!"

Shiro became a bit angry at Lance's impulses but stayed cool by saying. "The reason that Keith is coming is because the Red Lion can withstand the heat from that sun. So that's why it'll be Keith."

Coran then warned Shiro and Keith that they shouldn't make any mistakes if they are taking the route to get into the base. "The course to the base will be quite threacherous, to say the least. You're walking a razor's edge between the gravitational pull of the black holes and the sun. One false move, and you'll either be crushed into infinity or burnt to a crisp."

Both the black and red Paladin understood as they nodded. But as they were ready to leave, Haggar wanted to talk with Shiro for a moment. "Shiro. Do you have a moment?"

"Sure. What's the matter?" He asked the Altean sorceress.

Haggar sighed as it was about Keith. "While you're going into the base, I think you should talk with Keith about what's troubling him. Even I don't have to use my powers to see that something has been bothering him ever since we were on our way to the Marmora's base."

Shiro smiled as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I was already planning on talking with him about it. It'll be alright."

Haggar nodded and then said. "Just be careful when you both enter the base. I feel that something is going to happen there, and it's not gonna be pleasant."

Shiro nodded. "We will." He said before leaving with Keith to enter the Red Lion.

As the Red Lion was flying to the base, Shiro decided to talk with Keith about what was bothering him. "Keith, is everything okay?"

"I'm fine." Keith answered, trying to hide his troubles.

"You kind of blew up at everybody back there. You'll have to control your emotions if you're going to lead this group someday."

Keith looked shocked before he chuckled. "Lead the group?"

"When we were stranded, I told you, if anything ever happens to me, I want you to lead Voltron." Shiro reminded the red Paladin, remembering how Keith piloted the Black Lion to save him.

"I thought you were just delirious with pain. Why would you make me the leader?" Keith asked, wondering why Shiro would want him to lead the group.

"Because I know what you're capable of, if you can learn some self-discipline." Shiro answered.

"Why are we even talking about this? Nothing is gonna happen to you." Keith asked, despite knowing that it wasn't true.

Shiro put his hand on Keith's shoulder. "It's just in case. I need you to get focused. When you got frustrated with fighting Dark Haggar, she nearly destroyed you. If you're going to be a leader, you've got to get your head on straight."

"I'm sorry. I've just had a lot on my mind." Keith apologized.

"I know. We all have." Shiro reminded his friend before there was a crash, making an alarm blade as the Red Lion was being pulled towards 1 of the black holes.

"We're getting drawn in by one of the black holes!" Keith told his leader.

"Get us out of here!" Shiro said his friend before Keith pulled a lever before the Red Lion's thrusters engaged, pushing them out of the gravitational pull before they moved back on track and entered through the path Coran specified. "Great job! That was close."

He said with a smile before the Red Lion landed on an asteroid and Keith and Shiro exited.

"There's nothing here. This place just looks like a plain asteroid." Keith said, not seeing anything on the asteroid before panel slides opened in the rock and an secret elevator came up, revealing 2 Blade of Marmora agents.

Meanwhile at Zarkon's ship

A Galra in cuffs was being led through a hall by 2 soldiers while Thace, a Commander put in charge by Zarkon to find the 1 who helped Voltron escaped, but was secretly a Blade of Marmora agent who had actually was the 1 who destroyed the shield to allow Voltron to escape, was watching from a corner.

Dark Haggar had been assigned to interrogate every commander in the ship, ordered by Zarkon. While this secretly angered her, as she didn't like being ordered around by a weakling who let his most prized base planet get destroyed by lowly humans, she thought that it could be beneficial to her plans to eventually overthrow and kill him, along with Voltron, the Altean princess and her weak counterpart, so she reluctantly followed Zarkon's orders.

The soldiers entered an interrogation room, with the handcuffed Galra sitting on the interrogation chair, with Dark Haggar and one of her Druids standing in front of him. "I am going to ask you some questions, and I will know if you lie." She said before eyes glowed and a dark orb appeared in her outstretched hand as she looked into his memories. "Just a little more time, and the entire universe will bow at my feet. But before then, I'll play Zarkon's little game and find this traitor. But what he won't know is that I'm planning to let this betrayer succeed so Zarkon will be dealt with much easier. If my plan works, Zarkon and his pathetic empire, Voltron and especially my weak counterpart will fall and the universe will be mine!"

Back at the Blade of Marmora's headquarters

The elevator platform was going down, with the 2 Paladins and the 2 Blades on it until it stopped and a door opened, revealing several guards standing ready to protect their leader, who was standing on top of the stairs at the end of the room as a holographic symbol of the Blade of Marmora was above their heads.

Shiro and Keith approached the leader and he introduced himself. "I am Kolivan, leader of the Blade of Marmora."

"My name is Shiro and this is Keith. We are Paladins of Voltron." Shiro said, introducing himself and his friend.

"I know who you are." Kolivan said, already knowing who the humans were.

"Then you know we were sent by one of your own." Shiro said, referring to Ulaz.

"Ulaz was a fool to divulge this location to you. He had a penchant for ignoring orders and following his impulses. That's what got him killed." Kolivan said, scoffing Ulaz for getting himself killed.

"He gave his life to save us! What he did brought us here today, and Voltron is ready to assist you. Are we welcome here or not?" Shiro asked, defending the brave Galra for what he did for them.

"You were told to come unarmed." Kolivan said, as if he knew that 1 of the Paladins came with a weapon.

"You also told us to identify ourselves. The lions are about as close as we come to an ID." Keith countered with the other demand the leader made.

"If anything happens, believe me, you'll be happy you have the Red Lion on your side." Shiro added after his friend.

"I imagine we would. However, I wasn't referring to your beast." Kolivan said, thinking that the Red Lion would be crucial in case anything happened, but not referring to it.

That was when Antok, a Blade of Marmora operative, approached Keith from behind, grabbing his arm and pinning it behind his back. Keith grunted as he struggled to get free. But his foot was kicked out from under him and he crashed to the floor, quickly pinned by Antok.

"Keith!" Shiro yelled with concern as he tried to run and help his friend, but another Blade blocked his path as Keith's knife was pulled from him, its hilt unwrapped to reveal the Blade of Marmora's symbol

"He has one of our blades! Who did you steal this from?" Antok demanded.

"I didn't! I've had it all my life!" Keith answered

"Lies!" Antok said, thinking that the red Paladin was lying.

Kovlion looked at Shiro and asked. "Can you corroborate your friend's statement? Does this blade truly belong to him?"

"I... I don't know." Shiro said, not knowing if the blade really belonged to Keith due to him not telling him about it.

"Shiro, you know me. I promise you I didn't steal it. I've had this knife for as long as I can remember." Keith pleaded with his friend.

Antok pushed Keith's head down. "We can't trust them."

"I'm telling the truth." Keith said as he lifted his head. "I saw Ulaz had a knife like this. Tell me what it means."

"Our organization is built on secrecy and trust. You two should leave. Now." Kovlion told the Paladins before Antok released Keith.

The Paladins both stood up and Shiro approached Keith as he spoke to the leader. "We came here to form an alliance, but obviously we're not welcome. Come on, Keith, we're leaving."

But Keith, being the stubborn 1, wasn't going to leave without answers. "Not without some answers. Somehow, one of your knives ended up with me on planet Earth. Tell me how."

"Your friend is right. It is time for you to go." Kolivan said.

"Where did it come from? I have to know."

"You seek knowledge? There is only one way to attain knowledge here." Kovlion told the red Paladin.

"How?! I'll do it!" Keith said, willing to do anything for answers to his past.

"The trials of Marmora. Should you survive, you may keep the blade and its secrets will be revealed." Kolivan answered.

Shiro didn't like the answer and spoke to Keith. "Survive? Keith, this is crazy. If they're not going to help us, let's get out of here."

"I'm not going anywhere. I have to do this." Keith said with determination.

"Antok, give the boy the blade." Kovlion said, making Antok do just that.

"We will meet again." Antok threatened.

"Can't wait." Keith said, not afraid of the threat.

"These trials result in one of two things: Knowledge, or death." Kovlion warned.

A few minutes later

Keith was alone in a new room, wearing a suit similar to those of the Blade agents, holding his knife in his right hand. Suddenly, a panel opened in the center of the floor, revealing a single Blade agent.

"Surrender the blade." He said as he drew his sword. "You cannot win."

Keith growled before beginning the fight, with Keith receiving multiple blows and a cut to the shoulder, making him scream in pain as he used his left hand to apply pressure while holding the knife out in his free hand.

Shiro, who was watching Keith on a monitor screen with Kolivan, was rooting for his friend. "Come on, Keith."

Keith was grappled and effectively disarmed as his arm pulled behind him and his head forced down with a yell before the Blade agent's sword rested on the back of Keith's throat. "Surrender the blade and the pain will cease."

"I won't quit." Keith stubbornly said.

"Then the pain continues." The Blade agent said before he removed his sword from Keith's neck and let go of his arm, making the red Paladin fall on all fours while gasping before getting to his feet, looking at the Blade agent with confusion before he stepped aside, pointing to the door across the room. "You are not meant to go through that door."

But Keith just walked towards the door before starting to run and ended up in a similar room like the last 1 but, this time with two panels that opened and revealed 2 more Blades agents before they began to fight.

Shiro, getting more concerned, spoke to Kolivan, trying to protest against this trial. "This is not a fair fight!"

"Nor is taking on the Galra, yet that is the fight we face." The Blade leader countered.

Keith was beaten again as he fell to his knees, with a sword at his neck as 1 of the Blade agents said the same thing as the last 1. "Surrender the blade and the pain will cease."

But Keith, still determined, said. "Never!"

The Blade agent let go of the red Paladin and said the same thing as the last 1. "You are not meant to go through that door."

But Keith did anyway and ended up in another room with 3 more Blade agents before the fighting began, having the same results: Keith losing every fight yet still heading to the next rooms, with another agent added to the number of fighters Keith had to face.

Shiro was getting even more concerned. "How long does this go on?"

"Sometimes, the greatest challenge is knowing when to stop." Kovlion answered.

"He'll never quit." Shiro said, knowing that Keith never quits.

"One way or another, this will end. Knowledge or death." Kovlion told the Black Paladin as they watched Keith charge forward in a obviously losing battle.

Back at the ship/castle

Everyone was waiting for any information coming from Shiro and Keith, with Allura sitting in Haggar's lap and the 2 lovers talking with Katie about their childhood memories. But the Altean princess was getting impatient as it had been too long. "How long has it been?" She asked Coran.

"Roughly ten vargas" Coran answered.

"We cannot just wait here any longer."

Haggar then agreed with her princess. "Yes, this has been taking too long and we don't know what's going on down there."

Lance yawned as he asked Coran. "The path is closed for, like, I don't know, 30 more vargas or something?"

Coran checked on his monitor for how long it would take before the path will open again, and was surprised that it was indeed taking 30 more vargas before it opened. "That's actually correct."

"Really?" Hunk asked.

Lance chuckled as he cracked his fingers, looking smug. "Yeah, I wasn't born yester-quintant."

That comment from Lance made Allura and Haggar rolling their eyes.

Before the Altean princess stood up and checked on her monitor because she really wanted to know and see what's going on in the base. "I-I to know what's going on down there."

But Pidge/Katie immediately said that it was impossible. "There's no way to get a read on their base. Too much interference from the solar flares and the black holes."

Then Hunk suggested what they could do. "Maybe... Haggar could use her powers to see what's going on on the base?"

Everybody was then looking at Haggar, who thought about it and before saying. "I suppose I could give it a try." She then sat with her legs crossed and closed her eyes, focusing on getting a look on what was going on on the Marmora base. But because of the strong gravity of both the black holes and the blue star, and even the solar flares made it very hard to get a look inside the base. After a minute of trying, she could see small things in the base. "I... I see... Shiro, and another person with him, he's... Galran, but I cannot see his face. I can... yes, I can see Keith, but he looks... exhausted... He's doing... some kind of... trail?" But before she could make a clearance of what was going on, a strong solar flare broke her contact! Haggar opened her eyes, feeling a terrible headache. But from what she saw made her worried, and the others as well.

Meanwhile at Zarkon's castle

Commander Thace removed a chip from under his fingernail and plugged it into the computer to download for any data he could get for the Blade of Marmora. But during the download, a soldier entered the room, making Thace close the console and turn to him.

"Dark Haggar wishes to speak with you." He said before leaving, making Thace look surprised for a moment before he glanced back at the console, with the chip still inside it.

Back inside the base

Keith was visibly shaking, breathing heavily while holding his injured shoulder. The Blades stepped off of their panels and they slid down, with another sliding forward to take its place. Keith narrows his eyes and charges forward before throwing his knife, which spiraled past the Blades and landed in the panel to prevent it from closing. Keith ran to the still opened panel while fighting the Blades unarmed. 1 of them threw him and he slid across the floor, smirking as he grabbed his knife and slipped through the still open panel, worrying Shiro.

A door opened to a new room and Keith stepped out, hunched over and holding his shoulder. "Guess I really wasn't supposed to go through that door." He said while gasping. As he walked forward, his vision was blurring and doubling, making him groan before he collapsed sideways.

A shadow passed over Keith and he looked up, seeing a blurred Shiro, making him blink repeatedly as Shiro got closer, offering a hand to him. "Hey, man. You did it." He said with a smile, making Keith smile weakly.

"Shiro?" He asked as he reached out and took Shiro's hand before the Black Paladin pulled him to his feet by his injured arm.

"Kolivan told me you lasted longer than anyone ever has in those battles. You don't have to keep this up." The seemingly Black Paladin said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just give them the knife and let's get out of here."

"I can't give it to them, Shiro."

Meanwhile, the real Shiro was standing in front of the screen showing himself. "Is that a hologram?"

"His suit has the ability to create a virtual mindscape, reflecting its wearer's greatest hopes and fears. And at this moment, your friend desperately wants to see you." Kovlion answered, explaining that it was a disgusted Blade agent with a special suit.

Back with Keith the fake Shiro

"What is it with you and that thing?" The fake Shiro asked.

"It's the only connection I have to my past. It's my chance to learn who I really am." Keith answered honestly.

"You know exactly who you are. A Paladin of Voltron. We're all the family you need." The disguised agent said, trying to convince the red Paladin that team Voltron was all the family he'd need.

Keith Looked upset by that. "Shiro, you're like a brother to me... but I have to do this."

"No, you don't. So just give them the knife." The disguised agent implored Keith.

"I can't do that." Keith said stubbornly.

"Just give up the knife, Keith! You're only thinking of yourself, as usual!" the disguised agent yelled, making Keith's eyes widen before he looked away.

"I've made my choice." Keith said, having made up his mind.

"Then you've chosen to be alone." The disguised agent said before he started to walk away.

Keith looked down at the knife, then back up at Shiro's retreating figure. "Shiro! Wait!"

He yelled as he ran after who he thought was Shiro, but he kept walking away as a bright light engulfed them both before it shortly faded, leaving Keith in his old desert shack alone. He looked around before a loud crash startled him before he turned to the door that led outside.

"Keith." A voice called out to the red Paladin, making him quickly turn around before he gasped at who he saw: his father.

"Dad?"

"You're home, son." Keith's father said before another loud crash startled Keith, and he looked over at the window.

"What's going on outside?" Keith asked, wondering what has happening out there.

"Don't worry about that. We'll be fine as long as we stay in here. Don't you wanna catch up?" Keith's father asked, wanting to catch up with his son.

Keith frowned, looking distressed. "Of course I do."

Keith's father sighed. "Son, so many years have passed. I have so much to tell you." He said before a 3rd crash was heard, making Keith turn to face the window.

"What was that?"

"Everything's fine." Keith's father said before the red Paladin pulled the blanket off the window and gasped at what he saw: a Galra warship attacking the desert and destroying it as People could be heard screaming while the Red Lion sat immobile on the top of a cliff.

"Dad, I-I'm sorry. I gotta go. There's people that need me out there."

But Keith's father called back to his son, holding his knife. "Don't you wanna know about where you came from? Your mother gave it to me."

"Mom?" Keith asked with shock before a 4th crash and rumbling was heard and the terrified people were still screaming, but they were closer now. The Galra warship fired on the desert again, with a lot of soldiers marching upon the cabin.

Keith's father smirked, knowing that he had gotten through to his son. "She'll be here soon."

But in reality, this was only a dream, as Keith was still passed out on the floor as Shiro was now even more concerned about his friend. "You need to get him out of there." He said to Kolivan.

"He can decide when to leave." The Blade leader said, knowing that it was Keith's choice to leave.

Shiro threw his hands out in frustration. "You're messing with his mind. You're going to kill him!"

"Knowledge or death, Shiro." Kolivan reminded the Voltron leader.

Shiro gritted his teeth and started walking away, wanting the suffering of his friend to end. "I'm calling this off." But 2 Blade agents blocked his way.

Meanwhile in Keith's head

"You gotta tell me, Dad. I have to know. Where did the knife come from? What does it mean?" Keith said to his father, wanting to know where the knife came from.

Keith's father looked down at the knife before back at his son. "Your mother is almost here. She'll tell you everything." Before an explosion occurred outside and a light flashed in through the windows.

"I can't wait around anymore. I have to go." Keith said before walking towards the door, gripping the knob to turn it.

"If you go out that door, you'll never find out who you are." Keith's father warned him.

Keith froze, his hand still on the door. After a moment, he looked down as another explosion happened outside, light flaring inside the cabin. Keith looks over his shoulder at his father. "Goodbye, Dad." He said sadly before he opened the door and went through it.

Back in the real world

The Red Lion sensed its Paladin in danger and activated before it roared and fired on the base.

Back at the ship/castle

Allura saw this on her monitor and informed her lover and friends.. "The Red Lion is moving!"

Lance knew that something was wrong and said "We need to get down there!"

But Hunk shook his head. "We can't! The opening won't be ready for five more minutes."

Haggar became worried as well, for she felt that it had something to do with those 'trials' that Keith is facing.

"The Red Lion has started attacking!" Coran said as the screen showed that the Red Lion was attacking the base, making Hunk confused about this.

"Wait, what does that mean? Why would the Lion attack? Unless..."

"Unless something's wrong with Keith" Haggar finished for the yellow Paladin.

"Everyone, stay focused." Allura said to the Paladins, her lover and servant/friend.

Meanwhile at Zarkon's ship

Thace sitting in the interrogation chair, with Dark Haggar standing in front of him with two Druids at her side. "I am going to ask you some questions. I will know if you lie. I have reason to believe that a spy has infiltrated Galra command."

"That is very alarming." Thace said, pretending to be alarmed to protect the Blade of Marmora and Voltron.

"Indeed. Are you aware of any spies within our ranks?" Dark Haggar asked, despite already knowing that he was the spy due to seeing his memories.

"No." Thace said as his eyes widened as Dark Haggar's outstretched hand formed a dark sphere of energy.

"Commander Thace, are you the one who lowered the solar barrier during the Voltron attack, allowing it to escape?" Dark Haggar asked, pretending that she didn't already know that Thace was the spy in order to keep him, Zarkon or Voltron and her weak counterpart from finding out her true plans.

"No. I fight in the name of Galra. I am loyal to Zarkon." Thace answered.

Dark Haggar's eyes narrowed before she lowered her hand. "You will help me root out this traitor." She said before turning her back to him. "We will destroy him and all who threaten our reign." She added before leaving the room with an evil grin on her face, knowing that everything was going according to plan.

Back at the Blade of Marmora headquarters.

The Red Lion fired on the base, trying to get to Keith as the trial room shaked, the screens showing only static and alarms blaring as Kolivan and Antok were in the room, along with Shiro, who was restrained by 2 Blade members. Suddenly, another Blade ran in. "The Red Lion is attacking the base! It's trying to break through!"

"It has a link with Keith. It knows when he's in danger. It's coming for him." Shiro tried to tell them as debris collapsed into the room. Everyone grunted, allowing Shiro to elbow the first Galra holding him before ducking out of the second 1's grip before he ran from the room, with the Blades following him out.

Keith, who opened his eyes as the base was being destroyed around him, heard as Shiro ran into the room and helped him to his feet. "Keith, are you okay?" He asked with concern before Kolivan and his Blade agents came in.

"Stop what you're doing!" He ordered as Shiro put Keith's injured arm over his shoulders, supporting him while Keith stood and loosely gripped his knife in his left hand.

"What are you talking about? What's going on?" Keith asked, not knowing what they were talking about.

"Call off your beast!" Kolivan told the Red Paladin.

"Move out of the way! We're leaving!" Shiro demanded.

"You're not leaving with that blade. It does not belong to you. You failed to awaken it!"

"What does that mean?"

Antok pulled out his sword and charged at the Paladins. "Give up the blade!" Before Shiro let go of Keith and activated his prosthetic arm, charging forward to meet Antok's strike.

But when they clashed, Keith stopped the fight. "Wait! Just take the knife!" He said as he held out the knife hilt first, making Shiro deactivate his prosthetic arm and Antok lower his blade, both turning to look at Keith. "It doesn't matter where I come from. I know who I am. We all need to work together to defeat Zarkon. And if that means I give up this knife, fine. Take it." He said, knowing now that his past didn't matter anymore. But then the Blade insignia glowed faintly, confusing him before the light became a blinding white, signaling that Keith had finally awakened the blade.

"You've awoken the blade!" Antok said as the knife glowled brightly, shifting into a long, curved sword.

"The only way this is possible is if Galra blood runs through your veins." Kovlion said, revealing that the blade had awoken because Keith had Galra blood running through his veins.

Back at the ship/castle

"Five... four... three... two... one!" Coran counted down before the pathway on the screen flashed and the Red Lion flew into view, making everyone happy as the mission was successful.

"Princess, we're coming back, and we're bringing someone you should meet." Shiro informed Allura through the communications.

"They're all right!" Coran said before everyone began to celebrate, with Allura and Haggar sharing a passionate kiss.

"Yes, they did it!" Pidge/Katie said with happiness as she shared a hug with the Altean lovers.

The Red Lion landed in the hangar before Keith, Shiro, and Kolivan stepped out to meet the others. Kolivan's mask then vanished, revealing his face before he pulled down his hood bowed Allura. "Princess Allura, it's good to see that the rumors are true. You're still alive after all these years." He said with respect to the Altean princess.

Allura was not comfortable with the Galra but said back to him. "So is Zarkon. Can we consider you our ally in the fight against him?"

Kolivan rose up and said. "Yes, but we have little time to-" Before he interrupted himself as Haggar entered the hanger, shocked seeing the High Priestess of Zarkon, he drew his blade. "YOU!" This made the other Paladins draw their weapons as Kolivan knew that there was something going on. "I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THIS WAS A TRAP!"

Keith tried to let him know that Haggar is on their side now as he got in front of him. "Kolivan, wait! This is a misunderstanding! Haggar is on our side now!"

But the Blade leader didn't believe the red Paladin. "Obviously that witch has you all controlled by your minds! I won't fall for it!"

Then as the leader charged on Haggar, she quickly used her powers to show Kolivan her memories. "Wait! I'm not who you think that I am, or what I once was."

As Haggar's memories rushed through Kolivan's mind, he began to understand that Haggar really did turn and is now fighting with team Voltron against Zarkon. After Haggar showed him everything, he lowered his blade and said apologetically. "I see now. Forgive me, princess Haggar."

As the other Paladins lowered their weapons too, they were surprised how Kolivan called Haggar a princess, as even Haggar herself didn't expect to be called that, only by Allura. But she was flattered anyway. "It's alright, Kolivan. Not everyone isn't yet convinced that I help Allura and the Paladins now."

Kolivan nodded and turned back to say what he had to say. "Right. What I tried to say is, that we have little time to discuss all of this. I just received word from our spy inside the Galran hierarchy. They have become aware of our presence, so the timetable for our plan has been moved up."

"How soon do we need to begin?" Shiro asked, which made Kolivan look serious to everyone.

"Now." He answered.

There you go, my friends. The Blade of Molmora is complete. Next will the Staying Alive episode. Rate and review. See you soon, my friends.