AN: Still the same night as the last chapter.
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It was peculiar how disasters could bring people together.
"Coran! Lance!"
While Allura and Pidge helped Coran stand Shiro slid down to the covered teen and pushed the rubble aside. The last part was a metal sheet that was too heavy for one person.
"Hunk!"
The Yellow Paladin jumped a little when Shiro called him but quickly sprung into action.
"On it!"
Together they heaved the metal that blocked Lance from them. His armor was dirty and cracked in some places. There were burn marks and lacerations all over the Blue Paladin's face, one long cut along his forehead bleeding more than the others. Shiro felt for a pulse and sighed in relief when he found it.
"He's alive but he doesn't look good."
Hunk frowned as he stared at his friend. "Well let's stick him in a pod."
"You can't," Allura worriedly voiced out. "The crystal powers everything in the castle, including the lions' bay doors."
"We'll have to find a new one," Coran coughed. "But without a ship -"
"We'll take my pod," Pidge quickly volunteered.
"Hunk," Coran called the teen over, "I'll need your help getting it."
Shiro assessed Lance as best as he could in the darkened deck before turning his attention to the remaining teen in the room. "Keith, go to the infirmary for some bandages."
"The doors won't open," Allura cut in before Keith could move. "But I'm sure the Arusians are in a panic at the moment."
"You want me to calm them down?" Keith gave her a dubious look. "Why don't you?"
She bent over to grab the hem of her dress. "I've got the bandages."
Shiro frowned. "Princess you don't have to -"
The clean white fabric ripped easily. "That head wound needs staunching immediately."
Keith turned to Shiro.
"Go."
The Red Paladin was off.
When she had a couple of pieces she knelt down on the other side of Lance. Shiro lit up his hand to better look at the bleeding wound. It didn't look deep but it could get infected. He looked up to Allura and she leaned over to see.
"It looks shallow."
The glow faded as he took the offered bandage. Gingerly she held Lance's neck up so Shiro could wrap his head. The teen moaned a little but did not awaken.
"Thank you," Shiro quietly said.
"I did it for Lance."
He didn't have to be looking at her to know she had a disapproving frown on her face.
"I did not mean to keep secrets from you."
"Yes, you did."
"...Pidge's secret, yes. I'll agree to that one. But it was from everyone."
She held up another bandage. "I suppose you're consistent in that."
He grabbed her forearm gently, making her look up suddenly.
"I'm not trying to isolate you from the team."
She stared at him for a couple of seconds more before pulling her arm out of his hold.
"I'd hate to see you try."
Keith's sudden reappearance prevented him from saying more.
"The Arusians' village is under attack!"
Allura held Lance as Shiro quickly finished wrapping his head.
"I'll go with you. My presence here brought unwanted attention to their land."
Keith eyed her dress. "You should probably stay."
"I dress quickly."
She stood up and was already passing the dark haired teen. Keith looked to Shiro for confirmation.
"I'll stay here with Lance. Go help the Arusians."
They had no vehicles to travel in. Thankfully the Arusians knew the shortest pathway.
Allura could smell the fire before they saw it. The poor Arusians wailed and bemoaned their burning village. Keith stepped up to the edge of the hill as he looked over the land.
"There's a sentry. I'll take a closer look."
"Keith!"
He was already sliding down the hilltop. A couple of Arusians grabbed her for comfort. She leaned down to hold them tightly.
"I am sorry," she half whispered.
There was a boom in the distance. Allura shot her head up to the fire but saw nothing else. A rumbling sound echoed into the night as she looked behind her. Was it her eyes or did she see a flash of light? A unsettling feeling began to creep along her spine.
How did the crystal shatter?
There was the possibility that all of the activity wore out the 10,000 year old crystal. Or whoever attacked the Arusians now had distracted them with a bomb in the castle. Coran had not seen how it broke. Lance could probably tell them if he was awake.
Could it be...
"It's a trick!" Keith's alarmed voice sounded out into the comms in her earrings.
Allura straightened up from holding the Arusians. She walked closer to the edge, trying to make out his uniform in all of the smoke and fire. The quaint Arusian homes they had visited were now crumbling, breaking, burning. She squinted, not seeing why Keith would say that.
"What do you mean?"
"There's no one here! We were set up!"
She felt her throat tighten as she turned her attention to the castle. The lions were locked inside. Pidge had been leading Coran and Hunk to a ship, which, by now they were out looking for a crystal. Lance was injured and down while Shiro-
Alone. Outnumbered.
"No," she breathed out quietly.
She took off running without even thinking about it. Keith soon caught up and ran next to her, some curses slipping out of his mouth. She tried not to think about the odds Shiro had against a force of angry Galra or how the last things she said to him were so biting and bitter when earlier she had been happy. Liquid was forming along the corner of her eyes but the wind was quick to wipe it away. She knew the Galra had no mercy, especially towards Shiro or even a whole planet of innocent people. How petty her anger seemed now that she was faced with such a grim scenario.
I'll do better, she inwardly promised him. We'll all try harder.
"Just stay alive," she breathed out subconsciously.
They were close. She tried not to panic when a tainted purple barrier sprouted from the top of the castle. She pushed her legs more, ignoring the hot tightness of her muscles as she repeatedly told herself they could make it, they would make it...
"No!"
They both skid to a halt as the barrier completely fell down. Her legs gave out but she refused to fall completely to the ground. She took a knee instead as she breathed heavily. Keith took out his bayard and tried slicing at the barrier.
"That won't work," she numbly told him.
He put it away and slammed a fist against it. "Shiro and Lance -" his body cut himself off as it forced him to breathe. "Damn it."
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AN: I'm so excited that people are excited! :D Sorry to break this part up but mood wise I thought it was a good place to split it to another chapter.
I tried deleting that line near the end but it won't go away. XD