"Lotor." Allura stepped down into the cold air outside. Her sapphire eyes caught his form standing several metres away from the lion and surveying the landscape.

He pretended not to hear her and kept his hard gaze on the grey terrain surrounding them. A harsh wind occasionally cut through the chill atmosphere, snatching his puffing breath into oblivion. He focused on controlling that breathing.

Allura took a few steps towards him but stopped. Her roaming mind thought him to resemble a panther in that moment, standing so still, watching and waiting like a white-maned predator. A pang of pity put out the remnants of her annoyance from him rushing out earlier. It even washed away the anxiety from his outburst in the hanger. She realised the danger of it, but it was irresistible to let her guard down. She wanted to crush him in a hug or touch his hand like she had done so many other times with her friends… But she couldn't. He wouldn't let her.

Her eyes softened despite the pain, and she called him again, "Lotor."

He finally turned his head and forced a minuscule smile. His emotions were in control again and he could finally concentrate. The blatant temperature was addictively clearing to his head.

"I was merely scouting our landing place, princess," he said stoically. He moved to her side, turning his gaze now to the precipice to the east. "Where do you wish to begin exploring?" He asked in a business-like tone. There was something he could not read in her eyes and it lit so many sirens in his head. Thankfully his words seemed to distract her.

She appeared to revert back to the present and she scanned the region around them. "I am not sure," she said uncertainly. To tell the truth, I am not even sure why I came here." That doubt was rising in her chest again.

He pursed his lips. "Well, if it has anything to do with Altean alchemy then perhaps you can find a connexion here." He shifted closer. Watching her use her inherent abilities always mesmerised him. His stomach tightened unfamiliarly. It promised the last effort to shake him back into focus. "Stretch out with your essence. Your inner fire," he said mellifluously.

The princess closed her eyes and he watched with a feline focus as she calmed herself. Her breathing slowed and Lotor felt the ghost of a touch stir within him. It always happened when she hyperfocused on using her Altean energy and he was within close proximity of her. A vestige of his mother? He shook the thoughts and attempted to chase the susurrating sensation whilst Allura focused.

It was like grasping oil in the hand; chasing after a fleeting shadow. He closed his eyes. A flash of white dazzled him, a hideous memory almost surfacing. His heavy walls closed around the danger. A blurry image formed in his mind, it was not unlike anything he had seen with his physical eyes: a burning flame. A lit candle. Without notice, the light disappeared. A spike of rogue urgency drove through him. His chase erupted again. Nothing. His mind frantically attempted to connect once more. No. Calm. A battle fought in him. A million voices and memories tugged, suddenly demanding his attention. Stop – He broke away, gaining control of his breathing within moments. A deep tiredness was settling over him.

Seconds later, Allura opened her own eyes. "We should head that way." She pointed northwards. She did not give any indication of knowing the fiasco Lotor had just endured.

Lotor nodded, hiding his fatigue. "Please, lead the way princess," he said ultra-smooth.

She smiled and began in that direction. The terrain was rough but as they moved across the stony wilderness small trees and shrubs began to fill the wilds. It was warmer away from the winds that swept the cliff they had landed on.

Small creatures with auburn fur and long, thick tails occasionally startled the pair as they moved through the dense underbrush. On one occasion the princess pulled her Bayard on a doe-eyed, striped ungulate. Lotor had laughed heartily and the princess had nearly turned around and shot him; shocked at hearing the mirth come from him for the first time. She had been far more reserved on drawing her weapon after that. Small talk had followed the incident and Lotor could not deny he enjoyed it.

They had continued, the two of them wandering for nearly an hour and a half. Lotor dutifully followed the princess over rock and root, but as the sun went past the point of midday, he could tell she was losing her confidence again. "Allura," he began… There was no way for him to say this easily. "I am beginning to think that what we seek is not on this particular mountain."

Allura lowered her head. "I was sure I felt something," she reasoned.

Lotor took a deep breath. Her stubbornness was palpable. "You are certain?" He questioned firmly.

She opened her mouth to repeat herself but stopped short. "I don't know," she finally confessed, dropping her shoulders. She was beginning to feel like this mission was a foolish waste.

He pressed his lips together. Her despair was not going to help them find whatever it was that Allura had felt. He was fairly sure himself that there was something on the planet… He had not been able to connect to his Altean side before… not like the way he had been able to here and he did not believe in coincidences. "What did you feel? Perhaps…" His deep voice fell.

Allura eyes turned quizzical. "What is it?" She watched him as he knelt down and brushed a long finger through the dark topsoil.

A silvery line in the dirt had caught his eye. He gently scraped a talon over cold metal. As Allura carefully came to his side, he brushed the rest of the dirt off the large slab of silvery metal. Inscriptions decorated the corners of what was looking to be a large square box, about half a metre on each side and imbedded into the ground.

Allura gasped. "That's Altean!"