The Third Sphere Part I: Keith's Redemption

Author's Notes: Personalities and character description will also be loosely based on the Voltron Force TV series (Keith's and Allura's eye color, Lance's physique, etc.) as well as some of their techs (e.g. Voltcoms and Lion upgrades). Back story of the Voltron Force were taken from Dynamite's comic Voltron: Year One.

Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron and its characters. I'm just a fan of the universe.

-oo-

Chapter 5

Sven paced around Keith's quarters. It had been twenty four hours and still no sign of any changes from the commander.

Sven couldn't do anything but just watch as orbs of light surrounded his friend and electric current flowed through his body. He had indeed assumed that Alexander Sigis was fighting for control over Keith's body. Not knowing who will emerge from the other side once the mental battle is over, Sven quickly took action once the orbs and electric current disappeared. He tied Keith to a chair, took off his top leaving his upper body bare, and wrote runes on his body to suppress the magic within him. It would have looked comical having rune symbols on Keith's cheeks, forehead, neck, arms, legs and chest but the situation was serious, and was no laughing matter. As an added precaution, he also placed runes on the chair and on the floor surrounding it.

And now, all he could do was wait.

He had hoped that his message to the Voltron Force reached them and were on their way back from their mission. Browsing through mission files with Counselor Vonn's access codes, Sven knew that the extraction of the Royal Family of Ryal was a mission Keith himself put to his team, so that they would be far away from him as much as he can. Their mission wasn't hard, so he just hoped and prayed that they got his encrypted message and was on their way back. But if they weren't, he didn't know how long he could keep Keith contained if it was indeed Alexander Sigis who emerged victorious, even with all the runes decked up in his body and the furniture.

A couple of hours passed before Sven felt movement. He stopped pacing and took a seat in front of Keith's bound body as Keith stirred awake.

Sven watched as Keith looked about the room trying to get his bearings. He looked down and saw his body tied to a chair and he started struggling but was shocked that he couldn't break free.

"Good morning, Commander," Sven greeted with a Welsh accent. His voice even and his face emotionless, he looked at Keith and waited for his reaction.

"Counselor?"

Immediately Sven knew who won the fight. Keith, even half asleep or drugged, would know who he was. This man in front of him was not his friend.

"I guess I would be addressing Alexander Sigis from now on," remarked Sven as he leaned back, crossed his legs in front of him, and also crossed his arms over his chest. "What did you do with the commander, Sigis?"

Sven retained the Welsh accent, not offering any more clues to this presence as to who he really was or what he was doing there. It occurred to him that Sigis didn't know who he really was. He knew that Sigis was informed that he will be on board as Sven, but apparently Keith didn't share the information about him pretending to be Counselor Vonn Horner.

'So Keith held back that information from Sigis,' he thought. 'Keith must not have trusted him enough to let him know this information.'

Keith's face stared back at him looking confused.

"What are you talking about, Counselor?" It said with Keith's voice but the inflections were different. "Who is Alexander Sigis?"

"Are we really playing the 'stupid game'?" Sven rose and got close enough to be right in front of his captive. He bent down so that he can be eye level with Keith and added, "I ask you again, what have you done with the commander?"

"I'm right here, Counselor," Keith struggled from his bonds. "And why am I tied up?"

Sven could see that both of Keith's hands were closing and opening, as if trying to produce something from the air.

"Trying to see if you can use magic?" Sven asked, one eyebrow rose in question. "I highly doubt that you would be able to, seeing as I made sure you wouldn't be able to cast any type of magic while bound to that chair."

Sven stood straight once more and went back to his seat. He stared back at Sigis. Even though it unnerved him to see Keith staring back at him, he knew that his friend was not there at the moment. Keith blinked and the blue eyes were replaced by black orbs.

"Who are you?" It said.

"I thought you knew who I was?" He answered, tilting his head on the side. "I'm Counselor Vonn Horner."

"Are we really playing the 'stupid game'?" Keith's mouth gave a half smile as he made a mock imitation of his own statement a while ago.

Sigis/Keith looked down on his bindings and tried to break free from them again but it held.

"I'm surprised that you know what binding runes are and how to properly place them," He remarked clenching both his fists and relaxing them. "I know Keith never taught you that as he himself does not know how to do it."

"I have my sources."

"Indeed you do," he smiled, a sinister smile. Sigis/Keith relaxed in his seat and stared back at Sven. He tilted his head on the side and raised an eyebrow, "I'm curious to know why a Representative of the Galaxy Alliance wears a Space Explorer uniform. Planning to change careers, Counselor?"

"I have always been an open minded chap," he replied cooly.

Sigis/Keith just smirked at him. Silence followed as Sven started to pace once more, Sigis/Keith followed his movements from his seat. He could see that Sigis/Keith was thinking, trying to figure out who he really was. It won't be long before he figured out though. Keith only went to one person for help in locating the Third Sphere. It was just a short case of process of elimination. Sven have to be ready for anything.

"Why Keith?" Sven asked breaking the silence. "You could have possessed any one of the Voltron Force, even the Princess Allura. Why the commander? What makes him so special?"

He wasn't really expecting any reply from the man so he was a little surprised when Sigis/Keith spoke, "There was something about the commander that was different from the rest of the Voltron Force. He has a hidden power in him that even he himself didn't know about. For a human, his innate skill in magic is remarkable even in Arusian standards. No wonder our princess is so enamored of him. I myself was amazed by his ability. He's more powerful than Zarkon, and I have trained with Zarkon for decades. Zarkon has nothing on the commander when it comes to raw power and control. I believe that he would have defeated Zarkon all those months ago if he was properly trained during that time. The other members do not have that kind of power as Keith, so they were never an option. As for the princess, she cannot get involved with the Third Sphere. As a member of the Royal House of Arus, she cannot intervene, so she is useless to me."

"It sounds like you have something against the Royal House of Arus," Sven inquired, raising one eyebrow in question.

Sigis/Keith laughed but there was no humor to it, and didn't answer.

"Have you been so bored locked up in Voltron for so many years that when the chance of getting out was there, you took it?" Sven pushed. "What is it about this Third Sphere that's so important that you made Keith hide things from the people he calls family? How were you able to manipulate him into thinking that? What has Zarkon promised before his death that made you do this?"

Sigis/Keith kept silent. A smirk formed on his lips as if to tell him that no information will be spilt in them. But Sven was patient. He will get answers. He owed that to Keith. He already surmised that Sigis and Zarkon have a secret shared between them. They have been friends in the past. He just needed a bit more prodding.

Suddenly, there was a slight difference with Keith's face. Like there was a sudden realization had hit him. His dark eyes were suddenly bright and the smirk reformed on his face but this time it was a sign that he has found a weapon of sorts.

"Sven Holgersson," he said, slow and deliberate like casting a spell.

Sven kept silent and pretended to not be affected. He knew that it was only a matter of time before he was found out. But he wouldn't give Sigis the satisfaction of a win.

"I wouldn't have realized it," Sigis continued. "But you gave yourself away when you started asking about the Third Sphere. Only one other person was provided with that information and he was supposed to be dead."

"It took you long enough," Sven retorted. He crossed his arms across his chest and pretended to be undaunted by the revelation.

"It could have worked," he said. "Your accent is really good. And you look exactly like the counselor. But your concern for Commander Kogane gave you away."

"It was only a matter of time," Sven remarked. "I never really planned on prolonging the inevitable. So now that we have this all cleared out. Why not answer my questions? Why do this? What has Arus done to you that you would side with Zarkon?"

"Isn't it obvious, Commander?" Sigis answered. "They've trapped me in Voltron for decades! I cannot move on to the afterlife because of the magic they have put on me. I am part of Voltron! Until that machine cease to exist, I will continue to exist!"

Keith's face contorted with rage. The binds on his arms snapped with the force of his anger, and he threw himself at Sven. The magic binding runes were still in effect but Sigis didn't need magic. He was also an accomplished fighter. And with his knowledge added to Keith's athletic form, he was a force to be reckoned with.

Sven was caught off guard by Sigis' sudden attack. He fell, toppling the chair behind him. Arms raised in defense as Sigis' landed a series of blows on his face and chest. Most of them made contact while Sven successfully blocked the others.

Sigis continued his tirade, "I was a loyal member of the Knights of Arus! I have served my King for decades! And then I was assigned to Earth! Creating Voltron! Fighting using the magnificent machine to stop Doom from conquering this galaxy! I was due a warrior's death! But what have they done? They trapped me inside the machine for decades! Not trusting the five pilots that were assigned to Voltron when Zarkon left, they put a spell on me! Trapping me in that machine! Unless Voltron is obliterated, I cannot move on to the next life!"

Sven was able to block a punch and wrestled against Sigis. Twisting around, he was able to land on top of him and jabbed Sigis' chin before he kicked and extricated him against Sigis' hold. Sven stood and took a defensive stance.

"So your plan is to annihilate the whole dimension so that you can die?" Sven retorted. "That's sick! You're willing to kill innocent people for a chance at the afterlife?"

"I don't plan on annihilating the whole dimension," Sigis answered. "I am still planning to stop the Third Sphere from destroying you all. But once done, I can finally die. I only needed a body. This body. So that I can finally find peace."

Sven's eyes went wide from the revelation. Sigis was no longer connected to Voltron. But he was still a spirit that cannot move on. He needed a body. He was going to kill Keith!

Sigis launched himself at Sven once more. He threw a series of punches and jabs at Sven which Sven was able to block. Sven kneed Sigis and made contact with his stomach. Sigis doubled over but was quick to regain his balance. The two exchanged blows one after another, neither of them relenting.

As the two concentrated on each other, neither of them heard the door opening as the rest of the Voltron Force entered Keith's quarters that he shared with Allura.