A/N: I hope everyone is enjoying my chapters. I skip around in this chapter so I hope no one gets confused. I hope all of you are staying safe during this time as well. Please Comment and Review!
Season 3, Episode 7; The Legend Begins
Main Center of the Castle:
"He fought us here, his generals were here, and he stole the comet and Linna here," Pidge points out to the group as she begins to think of how this all connects somehow.
"So, Lotor could be anywhere," Lance states back to Pidge's information.
"We'll never be able to find him unless we can figure out his plan. We're totally missing the big picture," Shiro speaks to the group.
"How about this question? Why was Voltron made out of the same material as that comet? What's so special about it?" Pidge asks the group.
"My father discovered another comet like that before I was born," Allura whispers to the group.
"Your father... and Zarkon," Coran restates Allura's sentence.
"This is back when Zarkon was the Black Lion's paladin?" Hunk wonders to Coran.
"Before that. Before Alfor built the lions," Coran answers Hunk.
"I know this is painful to talk about, but if we're going to stop Lotor, it's time we heard the rest of the story," Shiro informs Coran.
"Well, Linna knows it a lot better than me but I should be able to explain it to you all. In the beginning, the paladins were just five leaders, who despite coming from cultures which were vastly divergent and in some cases, had been warring for generations...managed to look past their differences in an effort to protect their common interests. What was initially a formal agreement to work alongside each other soon blossomed into a true friendship? A warrior's bond was forged, and together, they worked to rid their system of those who would do it harm," Coran starts to tell them. "The original paladins were Zarkon from Planet Daibazaal, King Alfor from Altea, Gyrgan from Rygnirath, Trigel of the Dalterion Belt, and Blaytz from Nalquod. They could have never known that, that very night, the fate of the universe would be changed forever."
"Was Linna there yet?" Pidge wonders to Coran.
"No," Coran shook his head. "The comet just arrived but Linna was going to show up soon."
Past:
"I have finished evacuating all Galra citizens near the crater. What have you discovered?" Zarkon wonders towards Alfor.
"We're not sure. This comet is like none seen before. It seems to be made of a material that can pass between realities," Alfor explains to Zarkon.
"What do you mean?" Zarkon wonders in worry about his people.
"Well, I mean that sages have always theorized that there are many realities stacked side by side with each other. Whole other universes with their own histories unbeknownst to us. But we never had any proof. Until now. When we moved the comet, we found this," Alfor points towards a large gap within the earth as it glows brightly in their world.
"This... is another reality?" Zarkon asks his dear friend. Zarkon glances down to a very strange creature that makes him scream in panic. "What is that?"
The creature meows with a smile. Another Altean walks over and picks the creature up. "Do not worry. It is only Kova. He is from our reality," She speaks to Zarkon.
"Zarkon, this is Honerva. She is the best alchemist on Altea. I asked her to come to Daibazaal and lead the scientific investigation. Her expertise will be invaluable," Alfor introduces them with a smirk on his face.
"Isn't it exciting?" Honerva wonders to Zarkon with wonder found within her eyes. "It could change the way we understand our entire universe."
"Well, find out everything you can. I will provide any support you require," Zarkon tries not to blush in front of her. "I must go."
"He didn't stay long," Honerva states before going back to her work.
Present:
"King Alfor experimented with the comet's ore in his lab on Altea, as Honerva continued her research of the rift on Daibazaal. But Alfor visited often as the years passed. Soon Princess Allura was born and Zarkon wedded Honerva. Alfor visited Honerva on Daibazaal soon after the visit to check on their quintessence experiment. It had still been running after only placing one drop of quintessence in it after a whole year. Alfor had met Linna a little before this meeting. He had started the creation of the ships with her after she became an alchemist herself," Coran took a deep breath in front of the group before continuing.
"King Alfor did learn that day that Honerva had been sending signals within the rift. This time, however, something came out. King Alfor tried to warn Honerva about taking caution but she was not listening and neither was Zarkon. The creature awoke at that moment and the rift erupted. It sent more and more of its friends outside of the rift. Soon, King Alfor and Honerva erected a particle barrier around the crater, containing the creatures. But it wouldn't hold forever. Zarkon and Honerva were very worried for their people but they did have hope because of King Alfor's and Linna's project could maybe save them."
Past:
"I trust this plan of yours will work, Alfor," Zarkon states to his dearest friend when they see the lions before them in the window of the elevator.
All of them gasp with amazement. No one dares to speak and no one notices her on the floor waiting for them. She glances up to see them appear in the elevator coming down. Linna stands between the lions once again as she opens her eyes to the research lab under Altea's castle. She waits for King Alfor to arrive with the others. They are going to release the lions. They have no idea that she even exists. She glances up to see them appear in the elevator coming down. She watches them appear before her with shock on their faces.
"Alfor!" She calls out to him as she waves for him to come over with a smile on her face.
"Linna, it is great to see you!" King Alfor replies with a smile. "I told you that you didn't have to be here."
"I wanted to see them take off," Linna answers him with a smile.
"Who is this?" Zarkon asks with a questioning look.
"This is Linna. She is the one that helped me build the lions with me. She came up with basically everything," King Alfor tells them with a smile.
"How old are you?" Trigel wonders as she looks at her small stature.
"I believe 14 years old." Linna answers to her. "I really don't know."
"I found her outside of the castle trying to observe the part of the comet that I was studying, and she has been apart of the team ever since." King Alfor laughs a little. "She is great friends with Allura as well."
"So Alfor, how do they work?" Zarkon asks him as he glances over towards Linna.
"We made them from the quintessence-infused ore of the comet, which provides them with an endless supply of power," Linna informs the group.
"Remarkable!" Zarkon speaks with shock in his voice.
"The comet alloy also renders them nearly indestructible," Alfor tells them.
"That doesn't mean they're indestructible though." Linna points out to the group. "These lions have emotions and feelings just like you and I. Oh..."
Linna jumps up in shock as she runs off to check on the lions when she senses something is up. Alfor shakes his head with amusement as he watches her work with the lion side by side. He knows that she is the true creator and leader of the lions. She just doesn't want all that power.
"What sort of weaponry do they have?" Blaytz wonders to Alfor as he turns his attention back to the group.
"This is where things become more interesting. Altean alchemy can accomplish some incredible features of engineering, as you know. But in testing my ship, I started to feel some sort of psychic link. I'm not sure how to explain it, but the ship wasn't just reading my mind. It was communicating with me. They seem to be evolving. We don't yet know what powers these ships possess, but we may gain understanding with time," Alfor informs them of his discovering.
"Time? Time slips away even as we stand here. My people will soon be slaughtered by dark creatures from another realm. Without these ships, all hope is lost," Zarkon cries out to Alfor.
"I understand," Alfor tells him with his hand towards the lion as he leads them to the center of the lions.
"Are we sending them?" Linna asks Alfor as each one of them stares up to a lion of there choice.
"Yes." Alfor lowers towards Linna. "I want you to make sure they are alright before we leave. You have a better bond than anyone here with the lions."
"Alright," Linna answers him as she goes around to each of the lions and checks for their approval of this.
King Alfor begins talking to the group again, "It may take some doing. These are not regular ships to be chosen at a whim. You do not pick the beast. The beast will choose you."
"They're not beasts!" Linna calls out to him as she stares at the bonds that are starting to be created between each one of the leaders.
Linna smiles at them all except for Zarkon. Linna was very worried about that bond. She did not like the way he spoke with anger and not with hope. Linna soon places her hands on the Black lion just to make sure that she is alright with the journey that King Alfor has chosen for them.
Zarkon turns around to face the Black lion as he glances over towards Linna. Alfor tilts his head towards his friend while walking over to him.
"What is she doing?" Zarkon asks Alfor as they stare at her talking to the lion.
"She has a bond with all five of the lions," Alfor informs the group because everyone has gathered around them now. "She stays here at night and talks with them for hours. She doesn't leave their sides so she has bonded greatly with each of them. I don't know how she did it, but she has created herself a family with the lions."
"That's amazing," Gyrgan speaks up to the group.
"She is so young," Trigel says with concern in her voice.
"I know. But she doesn't want to do or be anywhere else." Alfor tells them as he sighs to her approaching them.
"The lions are ready. They believe that they have chosen well." Linna informs Alfor with a smile on her face.
"Good job, Linna," Alfor places his hand on her shoulder. "I am very proud of you."
"I am going to head and hang out with Allura if that's okay?" Linna asks Alfor.
"Alright. Tell her I will be home later."
"Alright," Linna waves good-bye to the Paladins as she darts to the elevator.
Zarkon looks at the girl before turning to Alfor. "She does not call you by your title. Why is that?"
"I told her not too," Alfor informs him. "We are family. Just like you and I are great friends." He sighs as he watches her disappear with the elevator. "Alright, let's get into our lions!"
Present:
"Linna was very worried that day," Allura remembers vaguely. "She couldn't focus on anything. She just kept looking at the sky and every now and then she would crouch in pain."
"Zarkon became the leader of Voltron while Alfor stayed his right hand. Zarkon was a great leader for them but the evil was growing more and more powerful. Suddenly, it broke its chains and attacked Daibazaal. The paladins were there right when it started to attack. They were no match for it though because they did not know that they could join as one. Soon King Alfor listened to his lion as it guided them into the formation of Voltron. It took a while but they were able to stop the creature," Coran sighs with worry as he continues the story to the paladins.
"After the battle though, the rift became larger than before. King Alfor wanted to seal the rift however Honerva had different plans. Zarkon agreed with Honerva so the rift was not sealed. Honerva continued her experiments on the rift. She even got Linna to join her a few times but Linna did not approve of the rift staying open. Despite their difference, Zarkon and Alfor, along with the other paladins, established a new era of peace and prosperity. It was an age of exploration, and Voltron became known as the Defender of the Universe, establishing the legend that would live on to this day," Coran lowers his head for a moment and continues.
"Soon, King Alfor had to check on Daibazaal and Zarkon because every time he got news about Daibazaal it increased his worry. Linna even worried for Daibazaal and told Alfor that the rift needed to be sealed or the planet would die. King Alfor knew that Linna would never lie to him so he had his scientist scan the planet to reveal that it was fracturing. King Alfor even met with Honerva and could tell that something was changing her. He realized that it was the long prolonged exposure to the quintessence was that was poisoning their lives. Soon Honerva became very sick and Zarkon came up with a plan to get Voltron into the rift. But Alfor's compassion for his old comrade blinded him to Zarkon's true plans," Coran took another deep breath of worry in his voice.
"Linna went to me after they left when she realized that she was too late to warn King Alfor. She knew Zarkon's true plans because The Black Lion had told her. She was very worried about the members of the team and told me that I needed to get in contact with King Alfor immediately. Before I could even get a hold of King Alfor, Linna collapsed in front of me and her body started to glow around her. No one could touch her so I forgot to contact King Alfor. At that time Voltron had entered the rift and Zarkon and Honerva were being taken over by the dark creatures found in the rift."
"Zarkon's attempt to save Honerva was in vain. They both succumbed to overexposure of quintessence. The paladins had been deceived by Zarkon. They had unwittingly enlarged the rift, which further destabilized Planet Daibazaal. King Alfor was forced to evacuate the planet. He, then, closed the rift the only way he knew how. By destroying the Galran homeworld. King Alfor held a state funeral for Zarkon and Honerva in his royal hall," Coran stops for a moment when Allure states something.
"No one was able to get Linna out of her coma until the day of the funeral. She suddenly woke up competely in shock. I was there when she woke up. She had tears in her eyes like she had been in terrible pain or she knew something wrong had already happened."
"But what happened next, he could never have guessed. Zarkon had awoken from his sleep and Honerva was not herself as well. Zarkon had become pure evil, obsessed only with quintessence. In order to open a new rift between the realities, he needed Voltron. And so, the war began. The Galra immediately responded to their leader and attacked. The peaceful planets of our system were not prepared. Soon, they had all fallen, except for Altea. In a final attempt to keep Voltron from Zarkon's hands, the lions were sent to the far corners of the universe. Zarkon flew into a rage. He killed King Alfor, then avenged the loss of Daibazaal with the destruction of Altea."
"So, that's Lotor's plan. To cross into other universes and get the purest quintessence possible," Pidge states after Coran finishes his story.
"No matter what, we have to stop him and save Linna," Keith answers to the group with anger growing in his voice.
Lotor's ship:
Lotor growls in his chair before getting up and walks back into his ship. He smirks to himself when he opens the door to the back cell that holds his dearest prisoner. She lays on the bed unconscious with bruises over her body.
"Wake up my princess," Lotor speaks to her when she wakes up with a scream of panic.
Her eyes glow a bright white light in front of him as he backs up in fear for a moment. Linna slams her hands to her head as she continues to scream in pain. Lotor watches her scream before she stops and her eyes returned to normal.
"What was that?" Lotor wonders to her as he walks closer to her cell. "What just happened to you?"
"My head..." Linna whispers to herself.
"Tell me!" Lotor screams at her because she still had not answered him.
Linna stares at him with anger in her eyes. She hates him so much. Her body aches all over because he took his anger about losing the teludav piece. Her body is marked with bruises up and down. She closes her eyes for a moment before looking up at Lotor.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Linna states to him with a bleeding lip.
"Try me," Lotor replies to her with anger growing in his voice. "Or I will come back in there and beat you more."
Linna curls her legs closer to her chest with worry in her eyes. She was already weak because of not getting a decent meal. She took a deep breath and spoke to Lotor.
"Zarkon is alive..." Linna spits at Lotor as his face stares at her with shock.
"That is not possible," Lotor raises his voice louder now.
"Told you, that you would not believe me," Linna replies back to him as she tilts her head on her knees. "Hagar has brought him back."
"What?" Lotor growls at Linna. "What did you just say?"
"Zarkon lives..." Linna repeats what she said when she feels all of her energy disappears.
She watches as Lotor screams in anger as he darts out of the cell room. Linna closes her eyes as she listens to engines roar as Lotor changes their course. She tries to focus on the lions but she can only get a small signal and they are so far away from her that she can't connect to them. She wishes that someone heard her last message but they were all out of the hangar by the time she connected.
"Help me Voltron... Please..." Linna whispers to the air in the cell as she falls asleep again to try and save her energy because she knows that she will need it very soon.