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As Color Fades Away

Chapter Seventy

"No," Lance repeated, blinking rapidly as though that would make her go away. "You're… you're not here." She couldn't be here. He felt himself waver and the little strength he'd forced into his limbs seeped away and he crashed back onto his heels from the upright kneel at Hunk's side.

Haggar stepped more fully into the kitchen and he could see now where parts of her robe were torn, a few pieces burnt. She had most definitely fought the others.

But…

But…

But she was here and they were not. And that could only mean.

"No…"

"The princess is dead," Haggar said bluntly, a cruel smirk turning up her face, widening as she heard the choked inhalation. "Her advisor soon to follow. And…" her gaze turned to the large Paladin stretched out on the ground. "It appears as though that one will be joining them as well."

"She's not," Lance protested, but she could see the despair in his eyes. Oh, she had missed such a sight.

"She is," Haggar replied, making her way towards him with slow, purposeful strides. Not slow at all in the least from the number of blows rained down upon her. She resisted the urge to scowl then, still feeling the sharp, hot pulse of the blaster to the back of her head. If she had not layered so many enchantments over vital parts of her body she had no doubt that would have been her end.

Alas for the Paladins, she had come more than prepared. Years upon years of magic and quintessence surging through her body had parried the attack – although they had damaged her robe and that irked her more than anything – and while she was a little worse for the wear it was nothing she could not handle.

Her own quintessence stores were running a bit low from all of the apparitions and attacks she had launched, but… her eyes shifted back to her Lance, still kneeling behind the downed human and arms trembling at his sides. She knew how she could restore them and then some. She regretted that she would not be able to keep taking her Lance's quintessence as unfortunately he would be drained fully here, but even with that obstacle she knew he would be able to supply her for a long, long while.

And she would make every drop count.

However…

She could sense his life draining away as he knelt there and for all the fear in his eyes there was an exhaustion too. The commander had really done quite a number on him. He was lucky he was dead, she sniffed, or she may have killed him herself for this deliberate damage to her Lance. He'd been ordered to contain him, not kill him.

That was her task.

She was almost to him when to her surprise he made to struggle to his feet and actually got the long limbs beneath him although he didn't present a threat at all, right hand and arm pressed against his stomach and his left hanging limp.

She quirked an eyebrow. "What is this now? You think you can fight me in your condition?"

He didn't answer her, lips pressed in a thin line. Honestly, Lance had no idea what he was doing. He knew he had zero chance against her normally and he was well into the negatives in his current state.

But…

But he had to try.

And then…

And then what, exactly, even if he did so?

Allura would still be dead. Pidge and Keith would still be dead. Hunk would… his eyes flickered briefly to where Hunk continued to lie, new blood no longer adding to the pool thanks to the saturated towels, but he'd already lost so so much and Lance didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

Haggar had said something about Shiro and Coran, which meant they were still alive. But whether that meant in any condition to help him was another story. And, Lance shivered, he had a sinking feeling they weren't for they would have never let Haggar out of their sights if they had been able. Coran would wind up dead too and Shiro would be dragged back to the Galra and it would be his fault. No. They weren't coming to help him now. He was on his own.

He was alone.

Just like before.

Except unlike before this time he was alone because he had killed the rest of his family. He hadn't protected them. All he'd done was bring them to Haggar and offer them up on a silver platter.

He didn't deserve to live.

Not now, not after costing the rest of his family their own lives.

He'd never wanted this. He just wanted to keep them safe and he'd failed.

And just like that he felt the fight leave him, exhaustion pulling on his limbs again and gravity pulling him down to the floor. He couldn't even muster up a scream as his destroyed hands and arm smashed into the ground. Just a whimper as pathetic as the rest of him.

A tear tracked down his cheek, followed quickly by another and he scrunched his eyes shut so he didn't have to see Haggar. See Hunk's still body, barely clinging to life.

Dios, he'd just wanted them to be safe. Had that been too much to ask for? He buried his face in his shoulder, muffling a shattered sob. Yes. Yes it had. And if he'd just been stronger he could have protected them.

But he was weak.

It didn't matter what they'd said. What they believed. Actions spoke for themselves and Haggar had been right. Weak, weak weak.

He'd hurt his family. He'd killed them.

There was nothing brave or strong or courageous about that. And now here he was, lying on the ground and offering no resistance as Haggar's footsteps stopped by his head and he let out another muffled sob. He was too tired to do anything else, the black that had slowly been creeping in making a new push and he welcomed it even as the other part of him rebelled against it.

If he died here then he really had failed them. They had died to protect him. He should honor that. He should get up and try to fight.

And yet…

He felt hollow inside, like he'd been scrapped raw and his body ached and cried with guilt and pain, both real and imagined. There was no one left to protect. And without anyone to protect… he no longer served any purpose.

He no longer wanted to live.

"Oh, my Lance," Haggar murmured. "Your color is fading."

Her voice sounded as though from far away and Lance barely had the strength to shudder as her hands lighted upon his right arm let alone pull the mangled limb away. All he could manage was a whimper as her hands ghosted across the ruined flesh.

"Not yet," she said softly. "You cannot fade from me yet, my Lance." Her grip tightened and he moaned low in his throat, knowing he deserved the pain but at the same time wishing it would just end. "Not until I have your beautiful blue quintessence. Here. Allow me to help you."

Fire and agony burst along his arm then and somehow Lance managed a hoarse scream and tried to jerk his arm out of Haggar's grasp, but she held on tight.

Lance recognized this pain though. Haggar wasn't actively trying to torture him.

She was healing him.

Such a thing only scared him more and he renewed his efforts to regain his captured limb, both harder and easier as the healing intensified in its power.

New black spots were taking over his vision now from the sheer torture disguised as treatment and a sob mixed with his raw scream.

Just when Lance thought it had to be almost over, it had to be, a new bolt of lightning snapped inside of his hand and his scream turned into a shriek and he felt Haggar press her weight against his back as he writhed on the floor.

White starbursts now were exploding before his eyes and his entire world was centered down to the feeling of a supernova going off inside of his hand and arm.

Dios.

Dios just let him die.

He stretched his hand out, seeking anything to ground himself with as the agony only grew hotter in its intensity and he could literally feel his nerves on fire and the scent of burning. Not flesh though. Almost like ozone and he didn't know if that was better or worse as his stomach heaved regardless.

His fingers dug into his palm, nails biting into the flesh and he felt rivulets of blood form and disappear in the same instant as Haggar's magic healed them instantaneously.

She was speaking but he couldn't hear her over the roar in his mind and the flames still crackling madly up and down his limb. He clenched his hand again and in that moment something other than agony registered.

His hand.

He'd just moved it.

He'd moved it. His fingers. His wrist.

What?

Dios. What had just…?

"—almost done," he distantly heard Haggar say.

She had healed his hand? Something even the cryo-pod hadn't been able to do?

How was that…?

Had she meant to do that…?

The worst of the pain was fading now from her treatment, which highlighted how normal his arm felt even though the rest of him still felt like it had been stabbed and clawed and blasted, which he supposed it had, and his head still ached, almost even more so now than before, but his hand… his wrist… his arm…

They were healed.

His breath caught in his throat as he felt Haggar's hand tighten on his arm but it didn't hurt. Not like it had.

Trembling, he clenched his right hand into a fist again. There was a stiffness to the movement and it felt shaky still, but it moved. It responded. He could feel each fingerpad as he pressed his thumb to them.

Dios, she had actually healed him and she didn't even know.

Then again, she was planning to kill him shortly so it probably really didn't matter to her.

"There," he felt Haggar sit back. "Your life is no longer in immediate danger."

She released his arm and it thunked back to the ground with a dull thump and Lance felt it. He was curling his fingers into a fist again – to what, punch her? – when her hands descended from behind to card into his hair and his entire body stiffened as cold horror ran down his neck.

"I missed you," she crooned. "Oh, my sweet Lance."

"No," he whispered, struggling to speak past the lump that had formed in his throat.

"No?" she repeated and her hand tightened ever so.

"D-don't touch me."

She chuckled then, a cold and dark sound. "I see some of your spirit has returned. Truly, I am grateful to see that spark. It means that I can now extinguish it again."

In answer Lance made to put his fully operable right hand on the ground to push himself up, but Haggar reacted quicker than his sluggish limb did and grabbed it by the wrist and twisted it behind his back just as Theodek had done but minutes prior. She, at least, did not snap it and merely held it there, a shooting ache in his shoulder at the angle.

"Come," Haggar rose to her feet and with her strength hauled him up by his arm and hair to his knees. "I wish to see your beautiful eyes."

Lance immediately scrunched them closed, even as he brought his mangled left hand up and back to try and strike any part of her. Haggar caught it as well and he moaned as instead of holding it by the wrist she wrapped her hand all about his.

"This looks painful," she remarked, squeezing, and at that Lance did cry out as he felt hot blood gush through the towel he'd forced into his palm. "Perhaps I should heal it too?"

As she spoke Lance felt pain sizzle over his hand and he could feel flesh trying to knit itself back together.

With the towel still inside.

Haggar laughed as he screamed out of both pain and panic. "You do not appreciate my offer?" she asked and he could feel cloth twining about with skin and tendons. He dry-heaved, tasting the sour swill of bile deep in his throat.

She abruptly stopped then although he continued to gasp, body quivering in her hold and tears decorating his cheeks.

"How beautiful," she murmured then and he felt her release his left hand to instead cup his cheek from behind, thumb brushing against the high arch. He shuddered but didn't try to shake her off as his left hand pulsed with renewed pain and his right was still twisted behind him.

She turned his head but his beautiful eyes remained tightly closed. Still… She rubbed her thumb again over his cheek, smearing blood of his own color and the darker purple that belonged to the deceased Galran commander with the tears. Beautiful. He was a masterpiece.

She stroked his face and reveled how he shivered in her grasp, but made no effort to pull away from her. She loosened her hold on his right arm and brought her own to wrap about him, still pinning it to his back but now in the form of an embrace and pressed her hand above his racing heart.

This close she could feel the quintessence that made him what she desired. It was distraught, she could tell, and there were patches marring its surface.

But it was still the most beautiful quintessence she had ever felt in her long lifetime. Pure and strong despite the pain and guilt etched into it. It was all that she ever wanted. And it was all wrapped up inside of a host that she had never felt such a love for. It hurt her to know she had to kill him. She did not want to. Not truly.

She wanted all of him. His quintessence. His life.

He was hers.

"I will make you an offer," her words ghosted past his ear and he shivered. "Are you listening?"

He did not answer her but she could tell she had his attention. She smirked and rubbed her hand over the bloodied cheek once more.

"Come with me. Willingly offer your quintessence to me. Be mine." He choked on his next breath and she nuzzled her face against his hair and ear.

"And in return," she continued, "I will leave this castle with no further damage. Shiro and the last Altean will remain alive. Why, I shall even leave the Lions. All I want is you."

Lance's breath caught again and without his permission his eyes opened because…

The Lions.

How could he have forgotten?

He cast his mind out again, desperately calling for them. But like every other time prior there was only a vague sense of static and a new pulse of pain.

They weren't going to come back online to help him.

But he didn't need them to. They… they had done something to his quintessence, right? Made a shield, a barrier, so Haggar could not get in. If she were to try and take it… what would happen to her?

"There are your pretty blue eyes," Haggar murmured and Lance slammed them shut again as he caught the barest glimpse of her yellow orbs just inches away and she laughed again. "So shy, my Lance."

There was silence then, broken up only by Lance's harsh breathing that he couldn't seem to get under control. His mind was racing just as quickly as he tried to remember every little detail that the Lions had said.

He had a barrier around his quintessence now. Allura had guessed that any attempts to interact with it if it was not herself or the other Paladins (a moot point as none of them had that ability) would have a negative backlash.

How negative though? Did it depend on the purpose? They had been going to have Coran attempt to interface with it. Would it have shocked him? Killed him? If it was forcibly handled would the reaction be worse?

Could he actually kill Haggar?

But if it didn't work then he'd just lost the one possible chance he had to save what remained of his family's lives. Haggar would kill them, he had no doubt.

But her words were poison. Could he actually trust her to leave them alone if he agreed to go with her?

No. But he did trust Blue. All of the Lions. And they had insisted his quintessence was safe, that they would protect it. He had to believe in that.

"You look like you are thinking," Haggar said, hand moving from his cheek to card back his bangs and he hated how he shivered at the action. "Tell me."

Lance gave the barest shake of his head.

"No?" and there was something dangerous in her tone, her hand tightening in his hair.

"You're lying," he whispered.

And Haggar laughed. "You doubt my words?"

"You're lying," he repeated. "You… you won't let them go."

And he knew this was true. But more than that he knew he couldn't let Haggar see what he was really up to. Even now he could feel her prodding against his mind, seeking his thoughts herself, and it was taking all he had to keep her out, throwing up a mental wall of blue ice.

If he merely said no she would know something was off. He had done, would do, anything to protect his family. He'd have no reason to not take her offer if it had the chance to save them.

"I speak truthful," Haggar murmured, nuzzling her face against his and he shuddered again. "I desire only you, my Lance. Come. Be mine once more."

"N-no."

She sighed, heavy with regret. Lance had the fleeting thought her offer may actually have been sincere.

But no. He had to trust in the Lions. They would protect him and Shiro and Coran and Hunk. Not Haggar. Haggar wanted to use his quintessence for evil. To hurt others. To destroy the universe. He couldn't let her do that.

He had to trust in the Lions.

"Very well," Haggar said, her hand shifting back down to his face and splaying over his forehead.

His heart thundered in his ears.

This was it.

"I will miss you, my Lance," she said softly. "But," her fingers caressed his skin, nails lightly scratching, "you will live on within me. Together we will accomplish much in the name of the Empire."

He felt her lean forward then and a pair of cool lips pressed against his cheek. Without permission his eyes flew open at the distorted gesture, catching Haggar's gleaming yellow inches from his own and he found he could not drop her gaze.

Please let this work.

"You are mine, my Lance," Haggar murmured. Her fingers pressed almost painfully against his head, and there was the sensation of heat, growing in intensity. Lance moaned in the back of his throat as black lightning crackled. This was it. Dios, please let this work.

"And now," Haggar continued, yellow eyes boring into his own as the glow intensified, the pain dragging tears to run down his cheeks, "you will be mine forever."

Lance's vision was filled with the snapping power, the sensation of an inferno raging in his mind and destroying the soothing blue shield he had constructed.

Oh Dios. Oh Dios.

He heard a raw scream echoing, faintly realizing it was his own.

It wasn't working it wasn't working it wasn't working.

Why wasn't it working?

Haggar's hand pressed hotter, harder, and he screamed again – had he ever stopped? – as a new wave of flames and darkness pushed down upon him. Lance pushed back as much as he could, but his shield was shattering, mere fragments left now.

He couldn't stop her.

But just as the darkness was about to close in, drowning him in its endless abyss, there was a flicker of color. Blue and yellow and red and green and black, the last one softer around the edges then Haggar's lightning and flames.

Lance's breath caught, a gasp instead of a scream.

The colors burst like stars, spattering across the black canvas, a gentle warmth that spoke of love and protection.

The Lions.

Believe he could hear them whisper, roars echoing with power and love.

He did. With all of his heart.

This was it.

They were going to protect their family.

Lance could feel himself balancing on a precipice, light and dark clashing in a silent cacophony all around.

This was it.

He exhaled, taking the final plunge into the swirling colors.

And the world faded away.

xxx

Author's Notes:

Lots of things a happening, huh? Lance got his right hand fixed, his left one ruined (mwahaha), Haggar tried to make a deal, that barrier activated after a bit of pain (yay, pain) and now we're off the see the Lions. For everyone who has been guessing the Lions would "wake up" and join the battle... well, their giant metal bodies would cause severe structural damage if they rampaged around the castle but in the Astral Plane? Let's go :D

In regards to season six, still not posting anything here to avoid spoilers for those who have not seen it yet. You can find my reactions and comments on it on my tumblr, icypantherwrites, and use the search box or tagged items for season six.

I don't really self-promote fics at this point (far, far too many xd) but I did start another chaptered Langst fic (nine chapters total) titled Hope: The Truest Treasure that publishes weekly on Mondays. If you're looking for some more Langst from me do go check it out and be sure to drop a comment if you liked it!

As always, please please do leave a comment with your thoughts on the chapter. I truly love hearing from you guys and your comments are what motivate me to keep writing. There were lots of things in here so would love to see which was a favorite(s) or what your're looking forward to most or predictions for what is to come. Thank you and look forward to hearing from you!