Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

-Lost Feather-

     The Kerberos Path. Between Terra and Eydís

  “Come on, Shiro, stop looking so bored, isn’t this fun?” the young Terran asked with a smile. Brown small wings speckled in lime green and darker brown covered his pale back. Short brown hair ruffled in the wind as he turned his head and looked up at Shiro, glasses flashing in the sunlight. “We might actually find remains from the old routes people took when they travelled to Terra all those years ago as the old texts father found stated.” the young Terran said as he turned back to the soggy sand. Digging a small shovel into the sand, searching for remains from the centuries when Terra and the rest of Eydís coexisted and traded among themselves.

  “We might actually find coins or old tracks from a wagon or animal.” the older Terran spoke, greying brown hair blowing in the wind his wings was greying too, but the greens were still visible, even if they were less vibrant. The two brown winged Terrans wings were clearly meant for the big forests in the north and not this open space that had opened up in the Milky Way Ocean.

  “You two get more excited about digging in soggy sand and looking for remains that the ocean clearly took, than I am.” Shiro chuckled, his short dark brown nearly black hair fluttered in the wind, while his longer forelock wafted hard. His wings were black but with a purple alula and marginal covers, the last feathers at the very end of his wings were purple too.

  “But think about it Shiro, it might explain more about the rest of Eydís, we have forgotten so much that it’s left empty on the map, if it even appears at all, we might even find out if aliens still exists.” the older Terran said and smiled.

A rumble went thru the wet ground causing the three to still in their moments, the ocean trembled further away while some loose rocks began to clapper and jump against the ground and other stones.

  “What’s going on?” the oldest Terran asked “The ocean won’t rise again in three days!” the old Terran looked around with wide worried eyes as his wings spread a bit, ready to take off up in the air if needed.

Shiro turned around and his eyes widening as he saw the big machine; dark metal big wheels that dug into the sand and a plume of smoke rising from the exhaust pipe, it was big, and seemed to growl, giving of an unpleasant air that made the hairs and feathers on his body stand on end, he knew it was anything but Terran.
The big machine made its way towards them and Shiro knew he needed to act. He grabbed Matt’s shoulder and Commander Holt’s wrist and began to drag the smaller winged Terrans along.

  “Move! Fly!” he shouted as he spread his wings, he saw in the corner of his eyes how Commander Holt and Matt spread their smaller wings, but they barley left the ground before a big net suddenly was lunged at them and they crashed to the ground hard. Shiro grunted as his head smacked against a rock, oblivion took him.

-o-

Shiro slowly regained consciousness to the sound of voices.

  “We found these primitive birds at the border of Terra, they don’t seem to know anything useful.” an alien Shiro never seen before spoke, it had purple skin that reminded him of a lizards and arm crossed behind its back and a dark coloured armour with purple symbols.

  “Bring them to the capital, the druids will find out what they know.” a rough deep voice said belonging to someone Shiro couldn’t see clearly on the screen before the first alien.

  “Please! We’re a peaceful race!” Shiro called out trying to come off as harmless “W-we mean you no harm; we’re unarmed.” Shiro looked pleading at them but grunted when something hard hit him in the back of the head, again.

  “Look, they brought another one.” a deep voice spoke from somewhere.

  “What even is that?” someone else asked.

  “Keep it down you quiznaks!” a third hissed with a lisp.

Shiro groaned and slowly blinked his eyes open to a blurry and spinning world. It took a while before he realized he was dragged by the wings, Matt and Commander Holt were pushed along behind him, Matt’s wings fluffed up in fear while his eyes were wide and panicked. Unease and panic grew in Shiro’s mind when he saw all the cells, causing him to freeze in the hold.

He realized that he never would see his three troublesome cadets he’d been assigned to care for again… if ever.

-o-

     1 year later, Garrison’s training grounds.

Three cadets stood at the start of the training path, it looked like a small narrow crack from above but was a big wide groove, full of pillars and rock formations that made up the things to avoid. Further in there were trees growing tall in order to reach the light, becoming another object to avoid, the finish line was at the end of the groove. The time measuring was taken thru a device that sat placed on the start and end of the path.

The biggest of the cadets was from the grasslands. He was big and had big brown wings with yellow primaries, secondaries, primary- and secondary coverts. The alula and marginal covers were brown speckled in hues all from wet earth to sand. He had warm sun kissed skin and dark brown almost black hair that was held in place by a yellow bandana.
The second tallest were from the valleys, wings long and thin with bright blue primaries and speckled secondaries. Tall and long-limbed with short brown hair and sun kissed skin too. The smallest of the three cadets were from the forest, with small light brown wings with green striped primaries and secondaries, pale skin with some freckles on their cheeks and nose and light brown hair cut short that defied gravity and stood in all directions.

They were all wearing the orange Garrison uniform, with the second year stripe on their shoulders.

  “You know the drill, go thru the path as fast as you can, the last one thru gives you your teams primary time.” the teacher said, holding a folder in one hand and a pen in the other. “Don’t disappoint. START!”

The loud horn that started the test echoed and the tree cadets jumped of the cliff, the biggest of them hesitated a moment before he jumped after the others.

-o-

  “Come on Hunk! Stop lagging behind! You’re the biggest you’re supposed to take the lead naturally!” the blue winged Terran called as he sent a look over his shoulder to the yellow winged Terran who was making his downfall slower.

  “I don’t want to turn to a pudding of red goo against the ground okay!” Hunk called back.

  “Hunk you won’t become a red pudding if you trust your wings.” the Terran from the forest said, sending a look over their shoulder

  “Lance, Pidge! You both know how I hate heights and flying!” Hunk whined as he flapped with his big wings to avoid colliding with one of the stone pillars.

  “You’re the only Terran I know who’s scared of heights.” Pidge said as they dove under an overhang.

  “Ugh…”

  “Hunk?” the two other Terrans asked before they stared at Hunk with alarm.

  “Keep your food down!” Lance barked as he slipped thru a narrow path between two pillars.

  “Look the Garrison’s beef stroganoff is very good, okay!”

  “You have flying sickness! What were you thinking eating so much before our test flight?!” Pidge grumbled as they avoided another pair of pillars.

  “Don’t remind me!” Hunk whined.

  “I see the trees!” Pidge called

  “All right, look alive, team! If we get past the trees, we might beat some records!” Lance hollered as he flew faster, blue wings reflecting the sun that hit them.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea with our big man’s gastronomical issues!” Pidge called after him flapping their wings hard to keep up.

  “Agreed!” Hunk said in a choked of voice.

  “Stop worrying!” Lance said with a grin. “This is nothing!”

  “Oh no.” Hunk suddenly gulped.

  “’oh no?’- Fly now, puke later!” Lance barked. Pidge suddenly screamed as they crashed into one of the trees branches tumbling thru the air before they caught their balance and air again. “Pidge! What are you doing?! And Hunk! Gain speed!”

  “I’m try-ahah- oh no.” the sound of Hunk throwing up reached the other two’s ears and they grimaced, Pidge gaged.

  “Lance! Look out for that overhang!”

  “No worries. My first year in flight school, you know what they called me? They called me “the tailor” because of how I thread the needle!” Lane said as he folded his wings and dove under it only to give away a squawk when a tree growing in two appeared before him with a too narrow path between them. Lance grunted as he got stuck. Lance gave away an angry noise as he kicked with his legs, arms and wings clammed shut.

  “We lost Lance!” Hunk called as he broke his flight by spreading his wings high to break the speed, only to hit his wing against a rock pillar, he wobbled and landed hard on the ground before he flapped and flew back to where the blue winged Terran was stuck.

  “Oh man.” Pidge groaned as they flew over to Lance and Hunk.

They managed to get Lance out and crash-landed on the finish line.

  “Nice work, Tailor.” Pidge grumbled sitting up to glare at the blue winged Terran who pouted and looked done with everything.

  “Roll out, magpies! Well let's see if we can't use this complete failure as a lesson for the rest of you students.” Commander Iverson said as he walked up to them, greying wings on his back and one eye held close. The three cadets got up on the feet Lance and Hunk groaned, before ruffling their feathers to make them lay down correctly. Commander Iverson turned to the other bunch of cadets that were in the class. “Can anyone point out the mistakes these three so-called cadets made in the training path?”

  “They crashed!” one cadet called.

  “The big guy threw up!” Hunk looked down at the floor.

  “Yes, throwing up during the path is not a correct way of going thru it.” Hunk flinched and stared at the commander with startled eyes and fluffed up wings before he swallowed and looked away. “And worst of all, the whole jump, they were arguing with each other. Heck, if you're going to be this bad individually, you'd better at least be able to work as a team! Garrison exists to turn young cadets like you into the next generation of elite explorers.” Commander Iverson turned back to them. “These kinds of mental mistakes are exactly what cost the lives of the men on the Kerberos Mission.”

  “That’s not true, sir!” Pidge barked feathers bristling in anger.

  “What was that?” Pidge opened their mouth but Lance slammed his hand over it and pulled Pidge closer.

  “He must have hit his head in the crash, but point taken.”

  “Do I have to remind you three that the only reason to why you three are here, is because Shirogane saw something in you. I do not. All I see are rowdy cadets who better get booted than take up our time. So I warn you, don’t follow in his footsteps.” Lance felt his eyes burn. Commander Iverson turned to face the other cadets. “Next!” he barked. Three other cadets walked past them towards the start of the path.

  “Light out in five, I want every cadet back to their dorms, now!” Commander Iverson called as he walked thru one of the corridors.

  “We shouldn’t be doing this.” Hunk whispered in a low voice as he stood hunched behind Lance dressed in his normal clothes.

  “Relax Hunk, you heard Commander Iverson. We need to bond as a team. We're going to grab Pidge, hit the town, loosen up, meet some nice girls-”

  “Okay, I'm-I’m just, I’m just saying this here, right now, on the record: This is a bad idea.” Lance sent him an unimpressed look, before they sneaked along the corridors.

  “You know, Hunk, for being in an exploration program, you don’t have much sense for adventure.”

  “I’d like my feet on the ground, thanks. Also all of your little “adventures” end up with me in the principal's office.” Lance started to move along the corridor “Oh, man” Hunk groaned.

They crawled under a window where several teachers were sitting, some eating others talking among themselves, or reading reports or correcting homework’s from their students.

They sneaked around before they found the corridor to Pidge’s room, only to hide behind the corner when the door opened. They saw how Pidge stepped out, holding backpack to their chest, before locking the room and rush away.

  “Where is he going?”

  “Maybe to the café for a night snack?”

  “Do you only think with your stomach?”

  “I’m hungry, okay. My stomach have a tendency to talk over anything else when I am.” Lance groaned before he pushed Hunk along in the direction Pidge had gone.

The night was cool as a breeze blew across the dry grassland where the garrison was located, in the horizon you could see the pillars of the canyon and further away buildings form the nearest town.

Pidge sat in front of a computer with a pair of headphones on their head, eyes closed as the tracker picked up noises and weird sounding words. They didn’t hear Lance sneak up behind them until he took one of the headphones in one hand and lifted it from Pidge’s ear.

  “You come here to rock out?” he asked causing them to scream and scramble backwards while Hunk crawled forward.

  “Oh! Lance, Hunk. No, um, just- looking at stars” they stammered out, grabbing their crossed ankles feathers slowly laying down again. Lance caught sight of the machines before Pidge.

  “Man where did you get this stuff? It doesn't look like Garrison tech.” he asked. Pidge smirked.

  “I built it.”

  “You built all of this?” Hunk asked moving to touch one of the machines.

  “Ah - stop it!” Pidge snapped sending a glare at Hunk who sighed. “With this thing, I can scan all the way to the edge of Terra.” Pidge said and smiled

  “That right? All the way to the Kerberos path?” Lance asked sending the forest Terran a look. They whined and seemed to slump there they sat. “You go ballistic every time the instructors or teachers bring it up, what’s your deal? We all care about Shiro but you’re acting weird.” Lance said, while Hunk reached for the tech again.

  “Second warning, Hunk!” Pidge snapped. Emitting a groan from Hunk who let himself slump to the side.

  “Look, Pidge, if we’re going to bond as a team, we can’t have any secrets.” Lance said crossing his arms. Pidge sent him a long look before they took a shaky breath and sighed.

  “Fine. The world as you know it is about to change. The exploration crew at the Kerberos Path wasn’t lost due to some crew mistake or miscalculation- STOP TOCHING MY EQUIPMENT!” Pidge shouted at Hunk who yelped. “So I’ve been scanning the world and picking up alien radio chatter…”

  “Whoa! What? Aliens?” Hunk asked sitting up on his knees.

  “Okay. So you’re insane. Got it.”

  “I’m serious. They keep repeating one word, “Champion” And tonight, it’s going crazier than I ever heard it.” Lance squinted.

  “How crazy?”

The alarm suddenly started to blare and commander Iverson’s voice called over the loudspeaker.

  “Attention, students. This is not a drill. We are on lockdown! Repeat: all students are to remain in barracks until further notice!”

  “What’s going on?” Hunk asked looking around then he caught sight of the big burning ball of fire that came towards them. “Is that a meteor, a very, very big meteor?!” Pidge grabbed a binocular and brought it up and gasped.

  “It’s a ship!” they yelped in surprise. Lance grabbed the binocular dragging Pidge with him.

  “Holy crow I can’t believe what I’m seeing, that is not Terran tech!”

  “No… it’s one of theirs…” Pidge said in awe.

  “So Wait! There’s really aliens out there?!” Hunk asked as the ship crashed further out.

Pidge scrambled to put their tech into the backpack again before putting on the backpack and turned to them, wings basically vibrating with excitement.

  “We’ve got to see that ship!” they said before rushing towards the door.

  “Hunk, Come on!” Lance called as he ran after. Hunk looked after them and groaned.

  “This is the worst team-building exercise ever.”

-o-

At the edge of the Sun Desert stood a Hermit.

He was dressed in sand coloured clothes, a light brown coat that was bound with broad ropes along the wrists to keep the desert sand out. Once black, now dusted grey, fingerless gloves covered the hermit’s pale hands as a red scarf was bound and pushed up over their mouth and nose the edge under a pair of big sunglass like googles, a beige piece of thick cloth was bound around the persons head and shoulders to keep the sand away and to protect their skin from the angry rays of sunlight during the day. A pair of dusty red white boots reached up to the middle of the hermit’s calves where a pair of dark dusty pants took over. Both the boots and pants held tight to the body by the same flat ropes.

Next to the hermit stood a red painted hovercraft, dusty with sand, making the burning light form the sun reflect weakly if ever against the metal.

The sky was darkening fast as the sun disappeared below the horizon, making the ship that was burning appear so much brighter.

The hermit took out a dark blade with rope bound over the hilt and handle of it making the well cared blade reflect their face hidden by fabric. The hermit moved one hand to their hidden ear and tapped a small recorder there to on.

  “I have the ship with the champion in sight. Getting to it now, I will report back once I have them and a safe location.”

  “Good job. Over and out.”

  “Over and out.”

The hermit tapped off the com before starting the hovercraft with a roar of the engines, and shot of towards the ocean, where the Kerberos path had opened up wide.

-o-

Chapter Text

-Point of No Return-

The binocular beeped as the trio looked down at the tent the garrison had put up around the crash site.

  “Whoa…” Lance said there he laid on his stomach with the binocular in both hands, getting sight of the alien ship “What the heck, is that thing?” he asked before he moved to the side to see how a female instructor walked out from the tent to talk to some others who worked there. “And who the heck is she?” he smirked only to winch when Pidge hit him.

  “Lance.” they hissed.

  “Ow! Right. Alien ship.” he took down the binocular and pouted “Man, we will never get past those guards to get a look.”

  “Aw, man. Yeah, yeah, I guess there's nothing to do but head back to the barracks, right?” Hunk said getting up from there he had been sitting.

  “Wait. They set up a camera in there and I grabbed its feed. Look!” Pidge said and gestured to their computer.

  “Hey! What are you doing?”

Shiro was strapped to the table in the middle of the tent, body way stronger than the trio remembered, and his forelock had become white, while a scar now went across his nose.

  “Calm down, Shiro. We just need to keep you quarantined until we run some tests.” Commander Iverson said, dressed in a suit that let him move around without risking of catching any disease or sickness Shiro might carry with him, after having been declared dead for a year.

  “You have to listen to me! They are taking over the world!” he grunted as he fought against the restraints “Aliens are coming!” he called but everyone ignored his warnings.

  “That's Shiro! We need to do something, we can’t let them do that to our teacher!” Lance said looking at Hunk and Pidge with wide eyes.

  “Guess he's not dead, after all…” Hunk said in an unsure voice.

  “Where's the rest of the crew?” Pidge asked while worrying their lip.

  “Do you know how long you've been gone?” Iverson asked as he walked around the table, Shiro followed him with wide eyes that was slightly panicked.

  “I don't know. Months? Years?!” Shiro strained against the restrains again “Look, there's no time. Aliens are coming here. They're probably on their way. They'll destroy us!”

  “Sir, take a look at this. It appears his arm has been replaced with a cyborg prosthetic.” One of the other Terrans inside the tent said pointing at Shiro’s right arm that twitched and clenched at the mention, the whirr of wires and moving gears was heard.

  “Put him under until we know what that thing can do.” Iverson ordered with a frown.

Panic flashed over Shiro’s face as his black wings, now with some greying feathers and bad looking ones tried to spread wide even with the restrains.

  “No. No. No - no - don't put me under! No! There's no time! Let me go!” Shiro shouted, panic clear in his voice as he trashed on the gurney, only to calm once the syringe was pushed into his arm.

Pidge frowned at the computer screen with bared teeth as they bit into their lower lip.

  “They didn't ask about the rest of the crew.” they mumbled.

  “What are they doing? The guy’s a legend, and they're not even gonna listen to him?” Lance said with a scowl as he sat back, wings twitching in annoyance.

  “We have to get him out.” Pidge said with determination.

Hunk looked at them both before he stood up with a sigh.

  “Uh, I hate to be the voice of reason here, always, but weren't we watching on the computer screen because there was no way to get past the guards?” he asked as he gestured to the computer and then the tent.

  “That was before we were properly motivated.” Lance said looking towards the white tent again “We've just got to think…. could we tunnel in?” he asked, Pidge frowned before they grinned.

  “Maybe we could get some of those suits and sneak in like med techs.”

  “Or we dress up like cooks, head back to the dorms, sneak into the commissary- for a little late-night snack.” Hunk said and grinned. Lance and Pidge looked at him with deadpanned looks before they sighed.

  “…No. What we need is a distraction.” Lance mumbled as he frowned, resting his jaw on his fist.

Just as if something was waiting for him to say that was the ground shook by a series of explosions on the other side of the tent.

Hunk screamed and threw himself to the ground grabbing his head.

  “Is that the aliens? I-I-Is that the aliens? Are they here? How did they get here so quick?!” he stammered in panic as Pidge grabbed the binocular.

  “No!” they said and pointed “Those explosions were a distraction, for him. The Garrison's headed toward the blast, and he's sneaking in from the other side.”

Pidge saw how the hovercraft flew towards the tent and how the one flying it stopped and hid it behind a rock pillar, no wings covered the persons back.

  “No way! That’s! That’s an alien! Oh no I’m not going to let them get their filthy hands on Shiro again!” Lance barked and got up from his spot spreading his wings and rushed down the cliff now and again being airborne.

  “Lance! Wait!” Hunk cried out and rushed after, Pidge grumbled as they scrambled together their stuff and followed.

-o-

  “These readings are of the chart.” one of the Terrans said as he studied a tablet with evaluations from Shiro’s prosthetics arm.

The door to the tent swished open to revel the hermit.

  “Hey!” one of the Terrans called and spread their wings.

The hermit brought up their fists and punched and kicked the Terrans who tried to stop him and knocked them all out, before he jumped over one of them and moved over to the gurney that Shiro was lying on. Turning his face towards him. Shiro grunted.

  “Wait… you’re the Champion…” the hermit mumbled in shock, eyes widening behind the googles, before he took out his blade and cut of the restraints and pulled Shiro’s flesh arm over his shoulder and was ready to move back towards the hovercraft when he heard the door to the tent open again to reveal three other Terrans, not in the suits they looked like kids.

  “Nope. No, you - No, no, no. No, you don't.” the blue winged Terran said and pushed the gurney away before taking Shiro’s other arm over their shoulder “I'm saving Shiro.” The hermit looked at them with a hidden scowl.

  “Who are you?”

  “Who am I? Uh, the name's Lance.” the blue winged one said with a scowl. The hermit blinked before giving the Terran a deadpanned look. He smirked when he saw how the blue winged had trouble deciding where to look, since the googles were a one-way glass and sun protecting.

  “Oh, man. They're coming back and they do not look happy.” the yellow winged Terran said, in fear he was the biggest of the three “We've got to go.” They followed the hermit over to the hovercraft “Uh, do you mind if we catch a ride with you?” the biggest sat down at the back making the others yelp and cry out when the hovercraft tipped over.

The hermit growled and readjusted his goggles.

  “Is this thing going to be big enough for all of us?” the smallest of the Terrans asked looking at the dusty craft with wide eyes.

  “No.” the hermit growled out as he started the machine that roared to life and shot away from the rock out to open terrain.

  “Why am I holding this guy?” the smallest Terran asked as they locked their arms over Shiro’s chest, while the blue and yellow wined ones clung to the hovercraft for dear life.

  “Hey, we did all fit.” the yellow winged one said with a happy but wobbly voice. The blue winged looked back to see how the Garrison was gaining on them.

  “Can't this thing go any faster?” he asked sending a look at the hermit.

  “We could toss out some non-essential weight.” the hermit replied through gritted teeth.

  “Oh, right!” The blue winged said and lit up and looked around before glaring back at the hermit with a scowl “...Okay, so that was an insult. I get it.”

  “Big man, lean left!” the hermit suddenly ordered, and the yellow wined one did as told.

The hovercraft flew over a gap of the canyons and up a steep path. Causing some of the Garrison’s land rovers to crash.

  “Aw, man! Mr. Harris just wiped out Professor Montgomery!” he cried out “Oh No, no. He's fine.”

  “Big man, lean right!” the hermit shouted, the Terran did as told again, the hovercraft shot of into a vaulted turn where some other cars crashed while the trio was screaming in fear.

  “Guys? Is- Is that- Is that a cliff up ahead?” the yellow winged one stammered out and pointed with wide eyes, causing the other two Terrans to turn their heads stiffly upfront and see how the ocean opened up before them. But also how the grassland ended in a steep cliff.

  “Oh, no, no, no!” the blue winged started.

  “Yup.” the hermit said and you could hear the smirk in his voice as he made the hovercraft go faster.

  “No, no, no!” the others started as well, before they all screamed as the hovercraft shot out over the cliff and started to fall towards the rocky ground that was covered by smooth rocks but also spiky cliffs. The salty freezing wind caused the Terrans wings to try and spread against their will.

  “What are you doing? You're going to kill us all!” the blue winged one shouted in fear to overpower the wind as he clung to one of the hovercrafts wings for dear life.

  “Just shut up and trust me!” the hermit barked as he turned a lever and stepped on a pedal causing the wings to change position and a strong current softened their fall before they shot off towards the Kerberos path along the stony beach.

The salty wind blew the cadets in the face, and the sudden drop of temperature made their feathers stand on end to keep warm.

  “Where are we?!” Lance barked at the alien.

  “The edge of Terra… look, there’s the Kerberos path.” Pidge said and pointed to the not open path full of dark sharp and pointy cliffs and sandy walkway that connected Terra to the rest of Eydís.

  “What?! It takes us months to fly here, this took barely even a night!” Lance said in awe.

The alien was silent as it flew towards the open path.

  “Wait! Wait! Stop! It’s suicide to go over this path!” Hunk screamed as he realized what the alien was doing.

  “Only when the path is closed.” the alien replied and drove out over the bone white sand. The ocean rumbled around them looking like the jaws of a hungry beast that in any moment would close and swallow them whole, Lance Hunk and Pidge whimpered, not liking the water so close to them. The dark cliffs stood tall but crooked and pointy only making them think of teeth.

The path’s sediment then suddenly changed from the dark and white sand to yellowish sand only as a desert spread out before them. The ocean rumbled loudly behind them as it disappeared behind a sand dune. The alien drove the hovercraft across the wasteland leaving only a plume of sand behind them form the power of the craft.

It didn’t take long before a construction appeared before them, made from worn wood.
The alien slowed down the hovercraft before letting it glide to a halt before the entrance.
The hovercraft landed on the sand with a gentle hum as the engines died.

The hermit stepped off the hovercraft and walked up on the porch and opened the door and pushed the door open before walking inside, only to take a few steps before turning to look at Terrans who looked lost, there they stood next to the hovercraft.

  “The night will get colder. Get in before you freeze those feathers of yours off.” the hermit grunted.

The yellow winged one scrambled to help the blue and green winged ones to get the unresponsive Terran inside.

The hermit watched as they carefully placed the black winged Terran on the worn and dusty sofa, before the trio huddled together to stay warm, they looked worn and tired.

The hermit walked over to a small fireplace made in the sand where the wooden planks that made the floor had gotten broken off, either by time or the previous owner, and stirred the embers in the dying fire before placing some material to burn and started to rumble thru a drawer and filling a pot with ingredients before filling it with water and placed it over the fire.

  “It only need to get warm, there are some spoons and bowls over there. Take as much as you need, I’ll be right back.” the hermit said and got up from the ground and walked out from the shed.

The three Terrans saw how the hermit pushed the hovercraft around the house, thru the dirty dusty windows. the steps in the sand was audible before the wind drowned them out.

The trio shared a look before they looked to the pot, of now bubbling content that looked like a thick soup, the smell spread in the tent and Hunk’s stomach growled.

  “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m starving.” he said and moved closer to the fire and grabbed a spoon and a bowl and started to eat. “Oh! Oh man, this is heavenly, a weird aftertaste but not bad.” Pidge and Lance shuffled closer and started to eat too, Lance grimaced at first before he sighed but continued to eat.

The hermit grunted as he closed the door to the small garage where he hid the hovercraft, he sent a look to the rest of the house before moving a hand to his ear turning on the com again.

  “Things didn’t go as according to plan as I would have wished.” The Hermit spoke

  “Clarify.”

  “I got the champion, but also three stowaways. The mission can’t proceed, it will put civilians at risk.”

  “The mission will proceed, Eydís future is counting on it.”

  “I will not put kids in danger.”

  “This is not a question young one. It’s an order. Finish the mission and bring the champion to headquarters. Do whatever you have to with the stowaways, have I made myself clear.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Good. Over and out.”

  “Over and out…” the hermit turned off the com before he cursed and kicked the sand hard.

-o-

The sun rose slowly over the horizon casting a warm light over the black and purple winged Terran who stood at the top of a dune not far from the shed, eyes distantly watching the already vibrating horizon while clenching and unclenching his mechanic fist, face twitched in a frown. Steps made him turn around slightly to see how Lance was moving towards him, rubbing sleep from one eye.

  “Hey…” Shiro said with a tired smile, Lance looked up at him and stopped once he stood at Shiro’s side.

  “It’s good to have you back.” Lance said in a low voice sleep making it scratchy.

  “It’s good to be back.” Shiro said and smiled a bit more genuine.

  “So… what happened on the Kerberos path? Where were you?”

  “I wish I could tell you.” Shiro said giving Lance a pained look. “My head’s still pretty scrambled. I was captured and held on a strange alien craft, somehow I escaped…” Shiro looked down at his prosthetics “It’s all a blur…” he then looked to Lance with a raised eyebrow. “How did you know to come and save me when I crashed?”

  “Ah… well… we saw the ship but it wasn’t we who saved you…” Lance said wings twitching as he bit the inside of his cheek. “We only intercepted when that alien went in to save you, we thought, or well I thought they were gonna kidnap you again…”

  “How did you and the others hold up while I was gone?” Shiro asked as they began to move back to the shed.

  “Not well… not only did the garrison say everyone died and it was your fault, they also kept rubbing it in that the only reason we were there was because of you.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be, Pidge took it the hardest I think…” Shiro got a pained look before he ruffled Lance’s hair.

  “Well, I’m here now, and I am not planning on going anywhere.” Lance sent him a weak smile.

  “Thanks… now can you please try and get the alien to stop giving me the creeps.” Shiro burst out laughing.

They pushed the door open and entered the shed. The alien sat against one of the boxes, while Hunk and Pidge, now awake asked several questions, the questions halted when they saw how Shiro and Lance entered and the alien slumped in relief.

  “Hey, Shiro.” Hunk said and grinned, eating some more of that thick soup. “You hungry? This isn’t like anything I’ve eaten before, but it’s not bad.” Hunk handed Shiro a bowl and spoon, Shiro looked down at the bowl before sitting down next to Hunk and took a test.

  “Oh, wow.” Shiro blinked at the strong taste, before he coughed. “That was- way spicier than I thought it be.” he coughed again while his face heated and his eyes teared up.

  “It’s not spicy, you’re just weak.”

  “Shhhh.” Shiro said buffing Hunk with his wing, causing him to laugh.

The hermit stared at them with wide eyes, glad that they couldn’t see his face. This was the undefeated champion? The one who had won several battles in the gladiator ring? The hermit was starting to doubt that he’d gotten the right person, but the mechanical arm and the scar and paling colours on the hair and wings were right. The hermit didn’t know what to think of this situation as the four Terrans clearly had a strong relation with each other, he wasn’t sure how to make them split up again, he was to bring the champion to headquarters the trio was not wanted.

  “I guess I have to thank you, for saving me.” the champion said “I’m Takashi Shirogane, but my friends call me Shiro.” he held out his robotic hand on reflex. The hermit looked down at the thing the druids made before he took it, they shook it once before Shiro gestured to the other Terrans. “This is Lance, the short one’s Pidge and the nervous guy’s Hunk.” Shiro said pointing at the respective Terran as he said their name. The hermit grunted in greeting. “Do you have a name? Or something we can call you?”

  “Keith.” the hermit said with a nod.

  “Okay, I was expecting something harder to pronounce form an alien.” Pidge said

  “How you pronounce my name is really the first of your problems?” Keith replied with a grunt as he crossed his arms.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Lance asked. Keith rolled his eyes even if the Terrans couldn’t see it.

  “I had only planned to bring the champion along.” Keith said and gestured to Shiro who blinked. “You three were not in the plan.”

  “What did you call me?” Shiro asked looking at Keith with a confused face.

  “You really don’t remember?” Keith asked, even if they Terrans couldn’t see his eyes did they know he was doubtful. “You were the undefeated champion in the gladiator ring in the capital of the Empire.”

  “What…” the others turned to look from Keith to Shiro who looked like a big question mark.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “So you really don’t remember.” Keith asked, Shiro shook his head. “Then I guess that’s a gift you can take as a blessing or a curse.”

-o-

The sun rose higher and the temperature grew higher and the shift from early morning to now was noticeable, even inside the shed. The four Terrans sat with wings spread even inside to try and keep cool. But it was also now that the younger Terrans got a good look on Shiro’s wings and Keith watched as they talked for a moment before starting to groom the older Terrans black and purple wings to get the dead, damaged or dying feathers to make so that the new ones could grow out faster.

  “You won’t be able to fly for a while…” Hunk said as he brushed his fingers thru the dark feathers.

  “Guess I just have to make due…” Shiro said in a sigh.

  “How are you’re wings holding up?” Pidge asked Lance and Hunk, causing the two to give them confused looks. “You didn’t exactly go thru the path pain free.”

  “Oh, right.” Hunk said in a chuckle. “I almost forgot about that…”

  “I’m fine.” Lance said as he stretched his wings to the last feather. Hunk flapped his wings once only to winch in pain and he only folded one wing “Okay… ow, I think I have a big bruise…” he groaned slowly turning his wing to get a better look. “Crap, I can’t see anything.” Hunk whined.

  “Let’s groom Shiro’s wings first, then we can take a look at yours.” Lance said with a grin.

Keith looked away from them to send a glance out thru the window only to freeze. One of the empires flying bots flew over the ground followed by two land moving ones.

  “Shit.” he hissed through gritted teeth as he quickly moved out from the window and pushed a dirty piece of fabric down over it.

  “Hey! I was using that light!” Lance snapped only to quiet down when Keith shushed him in a harsh tone “What’s going on?” Lance asked instead in a lower voice.

  “Trouble.” Keith said as he moved to send a glance outside. “The empires border guards, they are a pain in the ass.”

  “Wait so there’s aliens, coming, are they dangerous, oh god they’re gonna kill us all.” Hunk said before he grabbed his head and sank down to the floor trying to turn to a rock, without success.

  “Silence!” Keith hissed sending them a glace before he looked back outside “This place is deserted according to their previous readings, they won’t do anything if you stay quiet.”

Shiro cast a look out the other window and felt fear flash over him as the robot outside brought forward several memories from his time as a prisoner, Shiro flinched, wings slapping a shelf that made several books crash loudly to the floor.

Every bot turned to face the shed. Keith cursed loudly.

  “Get to the hovercraft, now.” He ordered as he moved, he saw how the others followed and after he sat down at the helm they crawled on to the space that was left.

  “This thing barely held us the first time, how will it be able to hold all out weights this time.”

  “It won’t have to, I know this desert as the back of my hand.” Keith replied as he listened, he heard how the droids moved closer and just as he heard them stop, made he the engines roar to life and flew right through the wall that shattered around them, Hunk yelped while Lance and Shiro clung to the machine as it shot of into the dessert, the heat struck them hard and the sand blew in the Terrans faces, forcing them to close their eyes.

Keith sent a look over his shoulder to see how the droids were far more than he first anticipated. Two droids that flew took up the chase and Keith cursed as he made the hovercraft fly faster.

Loud beeping made the others look up.

  “What is that noise!?” Pidge screamed to over voice the wind.

  “Their missiles’ have locked on to us.” Keith replied with a growl.

  “What?!” Hunk cried out. Lance sent a look behind them and yelped, he saw how the two flying bots had fired, the missiles too many to count came flying towards them, with the black pluming tail of the engines behind.

  “We’re gonna die! We’re gonna die!” Lance wailed.

Keith drove the hovercraft into a tunnel causing many of the missiles to hit the sand with a loud explosion. Keith didn’t say anything as he drove thru all the crooks and crannies the desert had to offer, while the Terrans clung to the craft for dear life.

Missile after missile exploded when they struck sand, a pillar or collided with each other. In the end they couldn’t see any more missiles, the droids were gone too.

  “Are they gone? Are we safe?” Pidge asked looking around with wide eyes.

  “I can’t hear any more missiles…” Shiro mumbled.

They drove up over a dune and just then a missile appeared before them, making a long slow turn before it came towards them, and another one appeared behind them. Keith felt a freezing feeling wash over him.

  “Jump.” he said, the Terrans didn’t hear him “JUMP!” he shouted

  “What about you?!” Shiro called back.

  “For the love of- JUMP!” Keith barked and the Terrans spread their wings and jumped to the sides crashing into the hot sand of the dune, tumbling down the sides. A big explosion shook the air and a big plume of sand and smoke rose from the ground to fall down over them.

Pidge spluttered as they tried to get out from the sand that fallen over them at the explosion. Shiro groaned next to them as he sat up flapping his wings to get the sand away. They began to climb the dune and met Lance and Hunk at the top, Hunk’s left wing had taken an unnatural angle and his face was a mask of baldy hidden pain. While Lance ruffle his hair to get the sand out.

  “You guys okay?” Shiro asked with a shaky voice.

  “Apart from having sand everywhere? Yeah I’m okay, what about you Hunk?”

  “I think I dislocated my wing in the fall…” Hunk grunted. “What about you two?”

  “A bit tumbled but I’m fine…” Pidge said while Shiro nodded.

A silence fell over them until they turned their heads to see how a dark plume of smoke rose from the next dune.

  “Keith?” they looked around, but didn’t see the alien anywhere.

  “Don’t tell me he got caught in the explosion.” Shiro gasped, as the four of them began to rush towards the smoke, Lance and Pidge flew the best they could while Hunk and Shiro jogged to keep the same pace.

  “If he’s dead, how do we get back home?” Lance asked.

  “How do we get out form this desert? I have no idea which way north is anymore.” Shiro said in a tight voice.

  “Damn it, our only guide in this hot hell hole and now he might be dead. This is perfect!” Pidge barked as they threw their arms and legs out in the air.

  “Pidge, Language.” Shiro commented.

-o-

Chapter Text

-Flightless-

Keith saw how the missile before him flew closer and knew that the one that was chasing after him was gaining on him as well. He sent a look over his shoulder to see how the Terrans tumbled down the dune further back until they got blocked from sight when Keith drove over another dune as fast as the hovercraft could go, now revealed of it’s heavy luggage, he looked back to the missile before him.

Keith with a sharp jerk, pushed the hovercraft into a dive, causing the two missiles to collide. The collision of the missiles caused a huge explosion that caused Keith to lose control of the hovercraft. The nose dug into the sand and made several flips before crashing into another dune.

Keith was sent flying but not before he wacked his head hard against the control panel.

The hovercraft’s engines still ran until the sand got drawn into them, making the engines screech and explode into a big could of black smoke, sending, along with the blast from the missiles, a huge wave of sand up in the air that fell down along with debris of both missiles and hovercraft like rain.

The fabric wound around Keith’s face and head was slowly starting to turn red above the googles, one of the dark glasses cracked, black locks of hair had peeked out from between the fabrics, swaying in the warm winds as the sand that fell and got blow around and started to bury him.

-o-

  “Okay, so, if he’s not dead, we still have nowhere to go. We will dehydrate and die in this bloody piece of sandy land.” Pidge complained as they now walked on the sand, wings spread to give themselves shade, but also to try and cool off in the warm winds that blew across the desert. The other Terrans walked in a similar way, apart from Hunk who was trying his best to cradle his dislocated wing while keeping himself in shade with the other.

  “Was it always this tiresome to walk in sand?” he grumbled, tired and in pain.

  “I believe in him, Keith did say he knew this desert as the back of his hand.” Shiro said “If he’s alive he will know a place where we can go and rest and gather our strength before returning to Terra.”

  “Lance! Can you see anything?!” Pidge barked, looking up at the blue winged Terran who was soaring on the warm up streams of wind, he landed before them and shook his head.

  “Everything is too bright, I can’t see anything apart from the smoke.” Lance said with a huff, as he moved his wings to shield himself from the sun’s glare.

  “Then we keep moving towards the smoke.” Shiro said as he walked a bit faster, the others quickly following along.

  “Oh, feathers.” Hunk gasped as he came to a halt. The wreckage reached out before them, and they saw the debris from the missiles and the crashed hovercraft half impaled into the dune.

  “Spread out and search.” Shiro said as he gestured with his whole arm. “Keith can’t be too far away from the crash site.”

They all spread out to look for the alien, Pidge frowned as they slipped down the dune, Lance and Hunk moved off in the other direction, while Shiro walked forward.

  “What do you guys think he looks like under the fabrics?” Lance asked with a snort “Maybe he’s blue skinned with a bat face.” Lance chuckled.

  “Lance, stay on task.” Shiro said.

  “I’m just curious okay.” Lance grumbled, before he grabbed a piece of scrap to push it out of the way, only to hiss and jerk his hands back in pain when the metal burned his hands. “OW! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow.” He blew at his hands to try and cool them down but they were slowly turning red where his skin touched the metal. “Don’t touch the metal, it burns! Ow…” he warned the others. Hunk jerked his hand away from the scrap he had planned to move away and decided to push it with his shoe instead.

Pidge was looking around before they saw a piece of fabric sway in the air. They scrambled forward and fell to their knees and started to dig the sand away, revealing more fabric.

  “GUYS!” they shouted, getting the others attention “I FOUND HIM!” Pidge dug more, shovelling the sand away with their hands until they had gotten Keith’s head and upper chest out from the sand. Shiro grabbed a hold under Keith’s armpits and dragged him further out from the sand’s grip.

  “Is he alive?” Hunk asked. Pidge frowned before they started to unwrap the fabric.

  “Guess you will learn what he looks like anyway, Lance.” They muttered, hesitating before removing the cloth fully. “You guys ready?” they asked looking up at the others, before they looked back to Keith and swallowed before removing the fabric fully. A gasp came from Lance, while Shiro stared.

Pale skin and black hair was what was revealed for them, but not the face of an alien, but a face of a Terran. The black hair was long and wild, but clung to the temple where the pale skin was red and irritated and where blood was running down towards the fabric closest to the sand.

  “He’s… He’s Terran…” Hunk said surprise and shock clear in his voice.

  “What happened to his wings?” Pidge asked as they looked up at the others.

  “Maybe aliens took them?” Hunk said. The others gave him a startled look, causing Hunk to look at all of them “I mean… if aliens kidnapped Shiro for a year and they took his arm. So why wouldn’t they take someone’s wings?”

  “You’re train of thought is scary, Hunk.” Pidge said before they moved to feel for Keith’s pulse. “He’s still alive.” they said “The blast must have knocked him out.”

  “Okay… so what do we do now? We can’t stay here, we’ll get grilled like a pig.” Lance said as he looked around them.

They were in the middle of nowhere in a big sandy oven that only grew hotter as the sun rose higher.

  “We need to find shelter.” Shiro said. “Lance, Pidge, you two are lookout, anything is acceptable, an outcropping of rocks that could give us shadow, a patch of water, even another settlement.” Shiro said as he turned to the blue and green winged Terrans. “Hunk and I will take turns carrying Keith.” he carefully gathered Keith in his arms, the wingless Terran’s body was limp in his hold, and his head to loll until it rested against his shoulder.

  “Not that I believe we will find anything, but got it.” Lance said as he and Pidge flew up in the sky. Shiro and Hunk shared a look.

  “How you holding up, Hunk?” he asked. Hunk grimaced.

  “Been better…” he replied with a tired grunt.

  “How’s your wing?”

  “It depends…”

  “On what?” Shiro give him a worried look, Hunk looks back as he huffs for air.

  “Well…” Hunk didn’t get to finish when both Lance and Pidge cried out from above. Causing the big winged Terrans to look up just as Pidge and Lance landed with a thud before them.

  “There’s something that looks like several tents that way.” Lance said and gestured. “I’m not sure how far away they are, the air was vibrating too hard for me to see properly.”

  “It’s not a mirage, I saw it too.” Pidge said before Shiro could open his mouth.

  “Then that’s the direction we’re heading. Hopefully they can help us get back to Terra.” Shiro said with a sigh of relief.

  “Do you think they are wingless Terrans, too?” Pidge asked looking at the three of them.

  “Or they’re real aliens.” Hunk supplied with a hand gesture

  “We won’t know until we get there.” Shiro said as they began to move, Lance and Pidge returned to the air to make sure they didn’t walk in a circle and stay on track.

The sun rose higher and with it the temperature rose as well.

-o-

They were all tired and overheated when the red brown tents appeared before them, the warm air making the big tents vibrate. Hunk was the one carrying Keith while Pidge and Lance was dragging their feet, wings tiredly keeping the sun’s angry rays away from their face.

The tents grew bigger as they got closer.

  “Excuse me!” Shiro called, voice slightly sore from the lack of water.

  “Anyone home?” Hunk called right after. Securing his hold of Keith who twitched slightly, but making no move to wake.

  “What if they’re not home? Do we just walk inside?” Lance asked turning to Shiro.

  “I don’t know…” Shiro said in a tired exhale.

Movements made them look back to the tent to see how a piece of fabric was pulled away to reveal an alien dressed in similar clothes as Keith but with a body and face that reminded the others of a fly. It looked at them with the facet eyes before it blinked and turned its head, and gave away a series of clicks and whistles, before it looked back to them.

  “Come in, come in.” it said and gestured with two of the four arms. The Terrans shared a look before they entered the tent. The alien saw Keith in Hunk’s arms. “I see you brought young red.” The alien said before turning to another one and gave away a series of clicks again. The other alien rose up from their place and moved over.

  “I take young red to heal.” They said and Hunk thought they were smiling. He stiffly handed Keith over to the alien who cooed before walking into another room.

  “You must be tired, come sit.” A third alien said from a small fireplace, patting the cushions next to them.

  “Thank you.” Shiro said and folded his wings.

  “Is this really okay?” Pidge asked.

  “It’s all we got.” The Terrans gave him sceptical looks. “I’ve been imprisoned by aliens for a year, this is nothing.” He said and smiled, only making the trio look even more sceptical, before they moved over and sat down.

  “I am Kawar, the head of family.” the alien that greeted them at the door said and gestured to their self with all arms while bowing its head in greeting. “This Lawr, my mate.” The alien at the fireplace greeted them in similar manner as the first on.

  “Who was the one taking Keith?” Hunk asked.

  “Ah. Young red, that Raow, my oldest.” the alien explained.

  “You know Keith?” the two aliens nodded. “Do you know what happened to his wings?”

  “Young red, came seven Sun-nights past, sick and starving. Wings he never had.”

  “Kawar, maybe you can help us, we want to get back to Terra.”

  “Sorry, path of three heads not open again in another sun-night.”

  “What?!” the trio cried out.

  “You mean we’re stuck here?” Lance barked out, wings spreading in unease.

  “The path of three heads are open short time, time run out. It not open until new Sun-night.”

  “Well. There goes that plan.” Hunk sighs “I guess we doesn’t have another choice but to stay here until a sun-night passes… uh… how long exactly is it to another sun-night?”

  “364 sun cycles.”

  “That’s-” Pidge jolted before they slumped heavily, wings thumping against the ground “That’s almost a whole year.” they groaned.

Lawr filled some bowl with tea and handed to them.

  “For thirst, drinking warm helps cool down.” they said and smiled with their eyes. Shiro smiled tiredly at them as he took the small bowl.

  “Thank you.” he said “is there any settlement close by?”

  “No. We live solitarily from others, only family. Big land few people.”

  “So everyone here is family?”

  “Yes, Lawr and I are head, hatchlings the rest.” Kawar said just as a small alien, looking just like the others apart from its size came running only to freeze when it saw the Terrans, it squeaked and quickly scrambled to hide behind Lawr, who gave away a gentle series of whistles. “This Lito, my youngest, very shy.”

They kept talking, Shiro asking questions about the land they ended up on and Kawar and Lawr did their best to answer in their broken language thick with their accent. They got some more refills of the tea. Lance had moved closer to Hunk, too tired to sit up properly as he put more weight on the steady bigger Terran. Pidge mindlessly brushed their fingers thru their own feathers, mind sluggish from the long time spent in the burning sun.

It was later that the door opened and two more aliens entered, causing the tired Terrans to almost associate them with Keith right away since they were all covered in the fabrics and had the same googles. They whistled and held up a pouch of something, earning a happy noise from Lawr who got up holding the now sleeping Lito in two arms while they with the other two opened and looked down at the bag. Giving away a series of clicks and whistles. The two aliens answered in a similar series before they left to enter another room.

  “Hatchlings have found food, tonight celebrated.” the Terrans that had mostly fallen into a state of stupor became a bit more alert at the promise of food.

  “Please, we don’t want to impose.” Shiro started but Lawr and Kawar gave away a series of noises before they shook their heads.

  “No, you all guests. Young red will wake soon.” Kawar said “Food enough for all” and nodded. Shiro heaved a sigh.

  “Thank you, for your hospitality.” he says and smiles, before a pained grunt from Hunk makes him look back to the younger Terran who is trying to get a sleeping Lance away from his dislocated wing.

Pidge is dead to the world, head tipped forward and soft snores leaving them, Shiro rises from his place and accidentally bumps them on the shoulder, Pidge falls onto their back without waking up.

Shiro moved over and gently moved Lance away to lie close to Pidge.

  “You okay?” Hunk shakes his head.

  “Hurts.” he grunts with tears in his eyes “Got worse now when I got to calm down…” Shiro eyes the wing, and gently reaches for it with his flesh hand.

  “I can relocate it, if you want.”

  “Yes! Please do.” Hunk is nodding furiously. Shiro look around before he comes up with nothing.

  “Okay.” Shiro says as he brings both hands to the dislocation, the brown feathers warm to his touch. “This is gonna hurt.”

  “Don’t care.” Hunk bites out, body tense.

  “On the count of five.” Shiro mutters as he gets a good grip of the wing. “One, two…” he sends a look to Hunk who is stiff as a board. “Three.” Shiro pushes the bones back in place making Hunk curse loudly and choke on his own breath.

  “You said five.” he whines when he’s able to breathe again.

  “Sorry about that.” Shiro says not sorry at all. Hunk pouts at him before he gives his wing a test flap and then when no pain comes stretches it far, making some joints pop as they get back in place. Hunk sighs in relief as he falls onto his back “Thanks Shiro.” the older Terran just smiles and ruffles Hunk’s hair.

The trio is out like lights after that, Shiro not far behind, the sound of the wind blowing sand against the tent is actually quit lulling, he’s staring into the fire with tired eyes and it’s not long before he’s asleep too.

-o-

Keith grunted as he slowly returned to consciousness, his head throbbed in pain and he felt like someone had rolled a rock over him. He slowly blinked his eyes open to find red fabric letting some of the suns light in. He recognized that fabric.

Keith slowly pushed himself to a sitting position, his head and back complaining at the movement and change in position.

  “Young red, good you awake.” a voice he recognized said and he turned his head to see how Raow came moving towards him holding a bowl of water in two of their hands.

  “Hey…” Keith grunted and gave the alien a weak smile in thanks as he took the water and drank slowly.

  “You took bad hit to head, no lasting damage but ugly bump.” Raow explained as they took the empty bowl of water. “Your friends are about to eat food that siblings brought.”

  “The lovely sand bug soup?” Raow nodded. “Wonderful.” Keith smiled as he slowly got to his feet, his back hissing at him, but it quieted faster than he first thought it would when he thought about how the Terrans would act about the soup, it caused him to chuckle.

He wasn’t wearing the thick fabrics around himself anymore. He was only wearing a beige long-sleeved shirt along with the gloves secured by ropes around his wrists and all the way up to his elbows and dark pants and boots they secured by ropes too his knee, the red scarf hung around his throat. He walked slowly, still not trusting his balance, since the world still slightly spun. A bad hit to the head alright. He moved a hand up to where he knew he’d struck his head to find a bandage wrapped around his head under his hair that stood mostly in all directions and- was full of sand. Oh for the love of. Keith cursed as he started to try and get the sand out. That was when he saw the forms of the Terrans thru the fabric.

  “We can’t possibly stay here for a year as we wait for the Kerberos path to open again. Do you have any knowledge of any city or other settlement close by?” Shiro asked, more alert after having rested and slept.

He had gotten a pair of clothes from the aliens to change out from the prison uniform he had been wearing thru it all. Lance had taken good use of his tailoring skills to make the new clothes accustomed for Shiro’s big wings.

  “Sorry, we know not.” Kawar answered, Lawr was sitting stirring the content of a big kettle placed on the fireplace not long ago. Hunk was sitting folding and unfolding his previous dislocated wing to make sure it wasn’t hurt still. Pidge was sitting playing a game of clapping hands with Lito who was very confused by Pidge’s lack of arms. Lance was lying on his stomach wings stretched wide as he slowly moved them thru the air, legs swaying left and forth in the air as well.

  “Closest settlement must be to west.” Lawr said looking up, but didn’t stop stirring the content. “I see smoke if day are still.” Lawr then grabbed several bowl and filled them with the soup before handing it over to the Terrans who took it staring down at the content with startled eyes before they fought back a grimace at the strong smell.

  “What’s this?” Shiro asked looking down at the yellow brown thick soup.

  “It Desert soup, very satisfying.” Lawr said and nodded “Please eat.”

  “It… smells interesting.” Hunk said wing forgotten as he moved the spoon around in the bowl. “What’s in it?” he asked, good heartedly, Kawar were the one who answered.

  “Desert bugs for the meat and seasoning.” They answered.

  “The saliva from the sand Frowler for the thickness, and crickets for the extra taste.” Lawr continued. Pidge turned green and superseded a gag, Lance paled while Hunk and Shiro looked down at the bowl contemplating how to dispose of it without seeming rude.

Keith took that moment to make himself known.

  “It doesn’t taste as bad as it sounds.” he said, causing the Terrans to turn to look at him. Keith walked over to Lawr who handed him a bowl of the soup. They gave away a series of clicks and whistles.

  “I’m fine, Lawr.” Keith replied as he sat down and started to eat, only to halt at the suspicious look Lance was giving him. “…What?” Keith asked sending him a frown.

  “You’re Terran. What happened to your wings?”

  “Lance.” Shiro said in a disapproving voice.

  “I’m Terran, yes. I never had them.” Keith replied without missing a beat and started to eat again.

  “Wait, wait, you were born without wings?” Hunk asked in a worried voice. “Is that even possible?”

  “Apparently.” Pidge said around their spoon.

A silence fell over them as everyone decided to keep to their food instead of talking, the hatchlings of Lawr and Kawar came to get their bowl as well, they said hi in their own ways before disappearing into other parts of the big tent or their own.

  “How’s your head?” Shiro asked after a long moment, making Keith look up at him with a surprised blink.

  “I’ll live.” Keith replied scraping the last of the soup from the bowl and eating it before he stilled and sat up a bit straighter.

  “Keith?” Shiro asked, noticing the change in the air. Keith didn’t reply as he got up and walked out from the tent, the sun had just dipped below the horizon casting the sky in a wide spectrum of colours. “Keith?!” Shiro looked to Lawr and Kawar “Did I say something wrong?” Shiro worried. The two aliens just gave away a noise that sounded like a chuckle.

  “Worry not. Young red can feel power, it call him. When he was child we bind him down to keep from going out in desert.” Kawar answered.

  “Will he go out now?” Lance asked about to get up.

  “No, he not wander out in desert, anymore.”

Shiro rose from his spot and walked over to the fabric that made up the door to push it away enough to see Keith, the wingless Terran stood at the edge of the tents face turned to the east body stiff, his hair and clothes swaying in the cooling winds as the heat the sun had brought rapidly decreased now when it was gone. The moon rose from the other side of the desert to watch their backs.

Shiro sighed as he got out from the tent and walked up to Keith who jolted at his sudden presence.

  “Are you okay?” Shiro asked.

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Kawar said something about you being able to feel some power…”

  “I can’t explain it really… it’s just this feeling- this energy telling me to go out and search...” Keith gestured with his arms. “It’s hard to explain.”

  “Is it telling you what to search for?”

  “No…” Keith sighed “Only very specific on that I have to go in that direction.” Keith said and gestured towards the southeast.

  “Then what’s holding you back?”

  “I have no idea what to expect… how far I need to go… and also… I don’t have time.”

  “You called me champion and said you had only planned to take me… why?” Keith looked up at him, Shiro never realized just how violet Keith’s eyes were until now.

  “I can’t answer that.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s complicated.” Keith looked back out over the desert. “What is your relationship with the loud trio, anyway?”

  “It’s complicated.” Shiro shot back with a smug grin, Keith looked at him with a scowl.

  “You clever bastard.” Keith grumbled crossing his arms and looking away causing Shiro to laugh, but he calmed when he saw the light shiver run thru Keith’s body. He reached out with both arm and wing and pulled Keith close, making the wingless Terran yelp.

  “You’re cold.”

  “I’m fine!” Keith bit out in a pitched voice, Shiro send a look down at him to see how his face was as red as the scarf around his neck.

-o-

Chapter Text

-Energy Beacon-

  “Tell me again, why we’re following the very person that kidnapped us out into the desert towards a destination unknown?” Lance asked with a grumble as he held the backpack of food and water in his arms, wings pulled tight to him to keep warm in the chilly desert night, the moon coloured everything in silvers and blues.

  “Because we got few other options, either we stay with the Luci’lia tribe until the Kerberos path opens again, or we do something useful until that time.” Shiro explained.

  “Still, why are we following the mullet?”

  “Mullet?” Pidge and Hunk asked each other with raised eyebrows

  “Because he is the one who feels the energy, and also he knows this desert better than any of us.” Lance gave Shiro a dubious look “Besides, I trust him.”

  “Why?” Shiro just smiled in return. Pidge looked back at them again and snickered.

  “Someone’s feathers are in a ruffle.” they said and smirked.

  “They are not.” Shiro barked only causing Pidge to burst out laughing, Keith sent them a blank look of confusion.

They walked in silence for a long time until Keith stopped at a pair of pillars full of strange carvings that seemed to glow in the moon light.

  “There are other pillars close by, they all have similar carvings of several big lions… I haven’t been able to make any sense of it. I haven’t went further than this.”

  “So old carvings.” Lance said with a bored tone. “Spooky.” he turned back to Keith “Does your energy readings say anything about them?” Keith gave Lance an unimpressed look before he reached forward to stoke his fingers over the carvings of one lion.

  “The energy does get stronger here.”

  “So let’s keep moving?” Hunk said turning back to them. “Or are we heading back?”

  “No…” Keith said as he moved around the pillar and continued in the direction they had walked again.

  “Ugh back to walking.” Lance groaned.

  “If you hate walking so much, why don’t you use those wings of yours?” Keith grumbled in return.

  “Are you nuts? It’s way too cold to fly.” Keith just grunted in reply.

More pillars appeared around them, and the sand changed from fine corns to dry cracked earth. Bushes and half dead or dead trees appeared around them as they kept walking.

The moon had moved far across the horizon.

  “I don’t think we’re in the desert anymore.” Pidge said as they looked around at the dry and dead vegetation.

  “What kind of animals are awake at night?” Hunk asked wings twitching with worry as he saw something dark move further away.

  “I don’t know Hunk, hopefully something that isn’t big enough to eat us.” Pidge said as they cast a look to Keith who had been very silent for way longer than normal. “Keith?” the wingless Terran jolted and stumbled slightly before turning around to give them a startled look.

  “Are you okay?” Shiro asked as Keith’s expression calmed.

  “Yeah? I just- I kind of forgot I wasn’t alone…” Keith turned back to face the path they were walking, missing the concerned look the Terrans shared.

The landscape changed again.

This time from cracked earth to stones and cliffs, as the carvings started to appear again.

High pillars cut out from the pale stone rose high towards the sky, covered in the ancient markings and carvings, one of the pillars were cracked in half, the other piece lied dusty on the ground.

They seemed to walk up something that looked like the pair of stairs leading up to a big place, the tall pillars stood at the edges of the neutral looking steps.

The group stopped once they reached the end of the steps and found themselves standing before a big open city ground full of rocks, pillars, ruins of strange architecture and a broken fountain still spraying water, and glowing violet flowers grew on the grass made places, clearly looking like small specks of a garden, between the old worn paths.

Statues of Five big lions all different in body size and built stood at the sides and end of the biggest stony path that led up to a broken gate full of carvings and clingy plants.

  “Whoa.” Hunk and Pidge breathed.

  “What is this place?” Lance asked looking around, almost dropping the bag.

  “This must be Altea…” Shiro said as he recognized the symbol at the middle of the gate, a V like symbol.

  “What?” they all asked turning to look at him.

  “I heard about it when we searched about scrolls about the Kerberos path, it was mostly myths and stories of this old kingdom no one knowns surely what happened to it or where it was located… but I can’t think of any other thing but that this must be it.” Shiro explained. “Also the Alteans were being s of magic.” He filled in causing Keith to halt and send him a wide-eyed look, which went unnoticed by everyone. Keith looked around, the energy pulling at him, wanting him to keep walking. He started to move again and took a step into the ruins of the city only to stumble when the energy suddenly exploded around him with such strength he felt his knees grow weak.

White flashed before his eyes as the world around him changed from the ruins to a burning city and droids scattered around that looked similar to the guarding bots.

  “Zarkon!” a male voice said in distain and betrayal. Keith wasn’t sure what he was experiencing, or seeing for that matter, everything was playing around him in pale colours and flashes of light, which only made him think of the rare times he caught the sky dance.

  “Your army has been destroyed, Alfor, I will there shortly to reclaim what is rightfully mine.”

  “Father! Our magic is still strong! We must fight before it’s too late!” a female voice cried out, Keith couldn’t get a clear image of her, white hair far too bright for him to look at.

  “It’s already too late, we must scatter the magic to not risk it falling into Zarkon’s hands.”

  “We can’t lose hope!”

  “I’m sorry, dear daughter, if all goes well, I will see you again soon.”
He felt something cold fall over him causing him to shiver harshly-

Keith slowly came back to alertness, he slowly blinking his eyes open to the pale morning light from the sun shining him in the face. It wasn’t as warm as it was in the desert… he kind of missed it, but he wasn’t cold either, the feeling of something heavy and warm draped over him made him relax slightly and then the throbbing in his head made itself known, it hurt like hell, but he had no idea what to think of what he’d just experienced... or had he just dreamed everything?

  “You with us again?” a voice suddenly asked, way closer than he was ready for, he jolted nearly out of his own skin and first now realized that the warm and heavy thing draped over him was Hunk’s wing.

  “W-what?!” Keith blurted out first now noticing how the others were sitting close by, watching him with concerned tired eyes.

  “Are you okay?” Shiro asked, Keith gave him a very confused look “You just collapsed.” Shiro explained further.

  “I’m fine. The energy just got stronger without warning.” Keith said suddenly remembering how everything got so intense all of a sudden “It just took me by surprise. We need to go in there to find out what’s causing the energy-” Keith made to move only to be pushed down again and Shiro to cut him off.

  “Keith.” Shiro said in a hard voice “We’re not going in there again. You collapsed for no reason and got a nosebleed without warning.” Shiro said in a stern voice “You’ve been out for the whole night.” Keith blinked and moved his hand to his nose, when he removed it blood coated the side of his finger. Keith just stared at it as he felt Hunk start to move feeling the feathers brush against his back. Keith supressed a hiss of pain at the caress.

  “I’m fine.” Keith said moving to get up again, but Hunk placed a strong hand on his shoulders, pushing him back down.

  “Rest.” Shiro said in a demanding voice. Keith glared at him.

  “You’re not the boss of me.”

  “Please.” Shiro sent him a pleading look “You’re still not fully healed from the hit you took to your head in the tumble with the hovercraft.” Shiro said causing Keith grumbled in reply but didn’t argue with the oldest Terran, he just crossed his arms and huffed, looking away from the other Terrans.

-o-

The sun was almost at zenith when Shiro deemed them ready to try to enter the city again. The other stayed close to Keith just to make sure he didn’t collapse without warning again.

Keith steeled himself at the entrance of the city before walking inside, but the energy didn’t explode around him this time, it just hummed and as he got closer to the gate at the lion statues he could see the wisps of the energy in the air before him, looking like someone had thrown thin pale powder into the air and let the wind take it, he reached out without thinking fingers tickling thru a stripe of energy, it felt familiar at the same time it felt very alien and new.

They stopped at the ruins of the gate, the high ruins of a castle stood before them, broken statues lithered the ground along with overgrown pieces of a material they didn’t know what to call. All of them stiffened when they heard the sound of growling lions but couldn’t see any animal around them expect the statues.

They walked into the castle garden after sharing a look.

Keith stumbled and grimaced, moving a hand to his head. Shiro was close in an instant.

  “You okay?” he asked, ready to catch the wingless Terran if needed.

  “I’m fine.” Keith bit out. “The energy is just getting stronger.”

  “Which way?” Lance and Pidge asked, they were further ahead. Keith gestured stiffly towards the gate of the castle.

It was like a pulsing, the energy in the air was no longer wisps falling apart before him, they were strong swirls of colour and power, they grew thicker and more the closer they came to the castle. The energy was like a heavy pressure, like the day he first experienced a desert storm. The air crackling with pressure and electricity and power, he could almost taste it on his tongue.

  “Keith, hey!” a voice suddenly barked and he found how Shiro was snapping his fingers before his face trying to get a reaction, Keith squinted up at him. His vision was swimming in and out of focus and his head was throbbing like mad. Keith groaned and grabbed Shiro’s hand to make it stop snapping, the noise only irritating him.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Don’t lie to me.” Shiro bit back with a glare. “Tell me right now what’s going on, or I’m walking you back to the gate of the city.”

  “The energy is just very intense, okay! I’m fine!” Keith snapped jerking away from Shiro’s hold, only to stumble into Pidge, who yelped but caught their and his balance before they both crashed to the ground.

  “You can barely stand up straight.” They said puffing up their wings as they looked up at Keith.

  “If this is a castle… isn’t there supposed to be a door or an entrance around here somewhere?” Hunk asked from there he stood where the path become one with the castle hands on the white stone as he looked around for any indication of a door.

  “Maybe you just have to nock?” Lance asked as he knocked three rapt knocks against the stone.

A deep sigh seemed to come from the castle as all the energy got blown away, Keith crumbled to the ground at the sudden lift of pressure, batting both Shiro’s and Pidge’s hands away with snaps of being fine.

A big swirled crack suddenly appeared where Lance had knocked, growing bigger and swirling out across the white stone.

  “Lance! What have I said to you about destroying castles?!” Hunk cried out.

  “You haven’t said anything so shut up!” Lance replied in a haste as they backed away from the cracks that only grew more and bigger until a big portal had gotten created a pop was heard and a small stone fell to the ground before them, and seconds after the rest of the door did, falling into fine powder at the now open entrance.

  “Okay… so that’s how that works.” Pidge said in a mix of confused emotions.

  “Do we just go in or..?” Hunk asked fidgeting with the end of his headband.

  “What does the energy reader say?” Lance asked turning to look at Keith who had gotten back to his feet, looking less pale and no longer in pain.

  “The energy wants us to go inside.” he replied as he started to move.

The castle was dark inside, but the moment they entered light seemed to come to life along one of the castle halls.

  “I guess we’re going that way?” Pidge said unsure, but followed the others as they all started to walk down said hall.

The lights turned systematically on the further in they got until they were in a strange looking room.

  “Where are we?” Lance asked looking around.

  “I have no idea.” Shiro said taking in the architecture and pale colours that seemed to come neutral to the stone the castle was made from. A rumble suddenly made them all look to the far wall were suddenly two green blue glowing crystals appeared from the floor, they were misty in colour but the shadows in them made the Terrans still.

  “Are these guys dead?” Hunk asked.

-o-

Chapter Text

- Alteans -

  “Where are we?” Lance’s voice echoed in the room as Pidge walked into the middle to a strange looking stone pillar with small crystals along the edges, Keith stood close to it, eyes scanning the whole room with an unreadable expression.

  “I have no idea.” Shiro answered.

Pidge noticed how Keith suddenly grimaced moving his hand to his face, moving his other hand to the pillar.

The crystals started to glow stronger, a loud rumble started to shake the floor, the far wall opposite of the entrance suddenly started to crack and from the white stone wall two big crystals glowing blue appeared, misty in colour along with some hints of green, but what caught every one of the Terran’s eyes were the shadows in the crystals that looked like a person.

  “Are these guys… dead?” Hunk’s voice was scared, Pidge turned their head to see how he was hiding behind one of Shiro’s wings.

One of the crystals suddenly started to glow stronger and then a crack filled the air.

  “Father!” a female voice suddenly cried out, reaching forward out in open air as she fell out from the glowing crystal, towards the hard stone floor, Lance yelped and rushed forward, catching her, she had long white hair and dark skin, pointed ears and pink markings on her cheeks. The woman groaned and blinked a pair of bright blue eyes with pink pupil open, lifting her head to blink blearily up at Lance, who felt his whole body heat up in a blush.

She was beautiful.

Pointed ears, and a dress in pale blue with glowing crystals.

  “Hello~” Lance said and smirked, teeth giving away a spark in the blue glow.

  “Who are you?” the woman asked in confusion before looking around “Where am I?”

  “I’m Lance. And you’re right here in my arms.” Lance said in a sultry voice as he flirted with the woman who suddenly scowled at him.

  “Your... ears.” she said and frowned.

  “What about them?” Lance asked still in his flirt mode.

  “They're hideous. What's wrong with them?” the woman took her own weight and was downright looking disgusted as she looked at Lance’s rounded ears. Lance felt his feathers bristle.

  “Nothing's wrong with them! They heard exactly what you said about them!” Lance shouted wings spreading to look bigger. The woman’s frown deepened before she grabbed Lance’s ear and in a rapid sequence of moments made him crash to his knees while she held a painful grip on both his ear and wings.

  “Who are you? Where is King Alfor? What are you doing in my castle?” the woman demanded in an angry voice.

  “We followed a strange energy!” Lance wailed, wings twitching in the woman’s strong hold “That’s all we know!”

  “How do you feel the energy? What are you all doing here? Unless... How long has it been?” the woman looked around letting go of Lance in the prices, he rubbed at his ear while fluffing his wings to make his feathers fall back in order, Pidge rolled their eyes while Keith sighed, Hunk was still hiding behind Shiro’s wing, now even more scared of the woman before them.

  “We don't know what you're talking about.” Shiro said in an unsure voice before he sighed “Why don't you tell us who you are? Maybe we can help.” the woman watched him with cold eyes, he met her gaze without waver.

  “I am Queen Allura of Altea. I've got to find out how long we've been asleep.” Allura said as she walked over to the pillar with crystals making a screen appear above it.

  “Whoa, so that’s how that works.” Pidge said in awe. Keith stared at the pillar before sending a glance towards Allura, who was reading the strange symbols on the screen.

None of them noticed how the other crystal opened letting the other person out.

  “Enemy combatants!” a shout suddenly echoed thru the room. Lance yelped as he avoided the man’s attack, the man stumbled and crashed into the other crystal. “Quiznak!” he cursed loudly before turning around to face a startled looking Lance. “You’re lucky I have a case of the old “crystal knees” otherwise, I’d grab your head like this.” The man gestured with his hands “wrap you up like so-” he then brought up his other hand and started to count on his fingers “and one, two, three-” he snapped his fingers “Sleepy time!” Lance scowled.

  “Well, before you did that, I'd-” Lance made a few motions before jumping and doing a kick, wings spreading on their own. “Like that.”

  “Really? How could you do that when I've already come at you with this?” the man gestured before making a weird motion “Ha, ha, ha, hey!” he cried while doing chopping motions with one hand. Hunk eyed them with still worry but now a bit awe.

  “Man, these guys are good.” Hunk mumbled, earning a chuckle from Shiro.

  “It can't be.” Allura said in a fearful voice.

  “What is it?” the man asked attention leaving Lance to land on Allura instead.

  “We've been asleep for 500 years.” Allura turned to face the man. “Coran, Father is gone. Altea is in ruins. Our entire civilization...” her face then hardened and she glared at nothing “Zarkon” she spat out. Shiro stiffened, memories flashing before his eyes, causing his wings to twitch and feathers to rise.

  “Zarkon?” Shiro asked in a strained voice.

  “He was the King of the Galra. A vile creature and enemy to all free people.” Keith looked away with pursed lips and a frown.

  “I remember now... I was his prisoner.” Everyone turned to stare at him, Keith giving him a pained look.

  “He's still alive? That’s impossible!” Allura cried out, eyes blazing.

  “I can't explain it, but it's true. He's searching for a super weapon... some energy.”

  “He's searching for it because he knows it's the only thing that can defeat him, and that's exactly why we must find it before he does.”

-o-

An old alien woman with long white hair covered by purple fabrics and surrounded by purple glowing crystals and energy.

  “Ah!” she said head tipping back to show purple skin and purple gloving eyes with red markings down her cheeks. The purple glow died out and she rose from there she was.

  “I feel a disturbance in the energy caused by the resurgence of Altean energy.” The old woman moved across the floor over towards a throne were a lizard like alien sat, facing a big screen, purple eyes glowing vaguely as they took in the readings and statics.

  “Alfor’s daughter lives? How?” he asked in a deep voice. The old alien woman had gotten up to him.

  “I know not, but it is time to reclaim what is rightfully ours, my emperor.” She said with a smirk of her lips, face obscured by the purple fabrics.

  “Yes. I shall wipe that foul race from the face of this world, forever. Contact my commanders.” the alien said.

  “Emperor Zarkon requests an audience.” A voice said thru the speakers. Making an alien, built for strength, with big purple bat like ears and yellow glowing eyes turn away from what they were doing to face a screen that frizzed to life to show the image of the Galra emperor.

  “Commander Sendak, the Queen of Altea is alive and hiding in your sector. We believe she alone holds the whereabouts of the energy. Your squadron is the closest to her location. Retrieve her and the energy. With it, the Galra Empire will be unstoppable.” the alien sank down to one knee, placing their fist over their chest.

  “I fight for the empire. I conquer in the name of Galra. No foe has ever stood in my way and none ever will. Vrepit sa!” the alien said and rose once the screen turned to static and turned off. Sendak turned towards the other Galra under his command. “Set a course for Altea!”

-o-

  “Allura, you must eat.” Coran said in a worried voice as he held out a plate with some weird looking green mush.

  “Man 500 years…” Lance mumbled, he had sat down at one point “That’s like… uh…” he frowned before he sighed “way too long.”

  “Good math.” Keith pointed out, Lance sent him a glare.

  “Whatever, hijacker.” Keith scowled before he looked away with a huff.

  “I haven’t eaten since that bug soup and I’m starving.” Hunk said with a pout.

  “Well yeah, but you’ve also walked across an entire dessert.” Pidge pointed out to him.

  “Hmmm, good point.” Hunk said as he took the plate from Coran’s hand and started to eat, only to grimace at the taste.

  “I can't believe your civilization created such amazing architecture and technology, 500 years ago, in stone no less. It must have been an incredible place.” Shiro said as he looked around, the room had gotten brighter showing him the craftsmanship better while Allura worked on the screen before her with a pained face.

  “Yes, it was... but now it is gone and we're the last Alteans alive.” Coran said while Allura gave away a sob, the two Alteans hugged each other tightly, Allura giving away a sniffle now and again. A series of squeaks suddenly filled the room, and Allura lifted her head in confusion. Before she moved over to a smaller crystal, where a group of four mice sat looking up at her.

  “Maybe we’re not the last ones after all.” She said and picked them up, the four mice’s scrambled up her arms to sit on her shoulders.

They squeaked out in fear along with the Terrans yelps when alarms suddenly started to blare and the lights started to flash red.

  “What’s going on?!” Keith called out. Coran spun on his heel and with a flip of his wrist a screen opened up, showing a big galra machine rolling in over the ruins at the Altean border.

Shiro paled and started to shake, and sweat.

  “They found me.” he choked out, fear clear on his face. Hunk, Lance and Pidge all jolted to life and rushed over to catch him when Shiro’s knees gave out. The Alteans didn’t seem to notice. Keith eyes flickered from the screen to Shiro and back to the screen again.

  “What is that? I never seen anything like that technology before.” Coran said and frowned “And I’ve seen a lot.”

  “How did they find us?” Allura asked tapping away on the screen.

  “I don’t know, but I bet its Keith’s fault.” Lance grumbled.

  “It’s Galra.” Keith said, he had his arms crossed and looked at the screen completely ignoring Lance’s statement. “If I remember correctly, this part is in the sector controlled by a commander called Sendak.”

  “And how do you know that?” Pidge asked, frowning at him, attention leaving Shiro who Lance and Hunk was trying to calm down from the panic attack.

  “I haven’t lived on an isolated island my whole life. I know the Galra Empire.” Keith said, growling at the end, grabbing his arms a bit harder and scowled.

  “What made them able to build such machines?” Allura gasped.

  “Well, they have the whole landmass of Eydís in their control, well, expect Terra, but, it’s only a matter of time.” Keith said and shrugged, clearly not caring about what he just implied.

  “Balmera…” Coran said causing Allura to turn around to stare at him with wide eyes. “It must be the Balmerans, they can carve out any kind of element from the earth.”

  “I wouldn’t put them out of that.” Allura said grimly.

Shiro took a shaky breath finally able to breath, Lance and Hunk shared an unsure look as they helped him to stand again.

  “How long before they arrive?” Shiro asked, voice strong once again.

  “Uh… I’d say probably a couple of days..?” Coran answered.

  “We don’t have that time.” Keith said, making everyone turn to look at him with wide eyes. “It will be here at the end of tomorrow.”

  “Let them come, we will fight back.” Allura said, Keith frowned at her.

  “With what? Your kingdom is in ruins. There is no defeating the Galra in these conditions.”

-o-

Chapter Text

- Fight or Flight -

  “Keith, that’s cold, even for you.” Hunk said giving Keith a look. Keith huffed before he continued.

  “All I’m saying is, unless you all want to get captured by the Galra, we better move.” he explained as he crossed his arms again.

  “Wait! This castle has a particle barrier we can activate!” Allura blurted out and hurried out from the room, followed by Coran and the mice, Keith groans as the winged Terrans follow after the Queen.

They hurried up a flight of a staircase made of wide stairs and entered another room. Bigger than the first one a big crystal sealed to the roof. The architecture with its swirls and arches spiralled around it.

Allura walks over until she stood under the big crystal and closes her eyes and held out her hands that started to glow, the room trembles before the white smooth walls opened up to show the kingdom around them, Coran gasps out in pain and shock and Allura choked on a sob when she opened her eyes and saw the ruins.

  “Oh, the Ancients… this is horrifying.” Coran said in a low mournful tone, watching the ruins with teary eyes.

  “And there comes the Galra.” Pidge called and pointed in the other direction, wings fluffed up.

The dark coloured machine was moving towards them. A big plume of black smoke coming from the machines pipe, while the lights glowed an menacing purple.

  “They’re here already?!” Shiro said in a strained voice as he turned to stare at Keith.

  “They might be faster on land than in the desert…” Keith grumbled sending a glare at the machine.

A screen suddenly frizzed to life behind them, revealing the face of the purple bat eared alien, everyone spun around and Hunk, Pidge and Lance screamed while Allura and Coran gasped and Shiro stiffened, Keith glared daggers at the alien.

  “Queen Allura, this is Commander Sendak of the Galra Empire. I come on behalf of Emperor Zarkon, Lord of the known Eydís. I am here to confiscate the Energy. Turn it over to me, or I will extinguish the rest of your puny kingdom from the face of this land.” the screen hissed and turned to static before disappearing.

  “All right, let’s not panic.” Shiro said voice clearly near another panic attack but he steeled himself and pushing down his own fear, they didn’t have time for him to have another breakdown, he was the closest to a leader the Terrans had.

  “Not panic? Th-the scary purple alien thing is driving his battle machine toward us! We only have four pairs of working wings!” Hunk stammered out, clearly on the verge of panic.

  “Technically, only three of us can fly.” Pidge said, Hunk turned to them with a pained face.

  “That’s right. Thank you, Pidge. Only three of us can fly. And we’re stuck in a castle that’s, like, 500 years old.” Hunk said patting Pidge on the shoulder, almost making them stumble at the sudden change in gravity, before he gestured to the castle.

  “Actually, it’s 1100 years old. You see, it was built by my grandfather-” Coran started with a smirk but was cut off when Hunk placed his finger over Coran’s lips and orange moustache.

  “Thanks, Coran. Thank you for that. See? Now is the perfect time to panic!” Hunk said turning to face Shiro and the others with pleading eyes.

  “What was it with the barrier you mentioned?” Pidge asked turning to face Allura who blinked, suddenly remembering it.

  “The Galra technology has advanced greatly since you fought them last, will it hold?” Keith asked.

  “I don’t know...” Allura answered

  “Panic now?!” Hunk asked.

  “No. We’ve just got to figure out our plan of action, and figure it out quickly.” Shiro said in a strong voice, panic and fear forgotten when he knew he had to figure out something in order for them all to survive this.

  “Like what? We have no idea what we’re dealing with.” Pidge said in a strained voice panic clearly pushed down, but by the way their wings were fluffed up it was clear they were still scared.

  “Okay. But what if we run? Then maybe the purple alien- Sendak, will follow us and leave this place alone, like when we left the shack in the desert. We fly away from here and no one gets hurt.” Hunk suggested in a hurry.

  “The desert was just the border guards- Robots, not real Galra. Sendak could destroy what’s left of the Altean kingdom and then come after us anyway.” Keith said with an annoyed huff crossing his arms.

  “Here’s an option: shut your quiznak.” Lance snapped, making Allura and Coran jolt and stare at him with scandalised expressions.

  “I don’t think you’re using that word correctly.” Keith bit back with a scowl.

  “What do you know, Mullet?” Lance bit back feathers bristling.

  “Say whatever you got to say, to make yourself feel better.” Keith growled out.

  “Guys stop! Fighting won’t solve anything.” Shiro ordered “Queen Allura, this Energy they mentioned is something of your people; you are in charge of it. Also you’ve dealt with the Galra Empire before. You know what we’re facing better than any of us.” Keith sent Shiro a pointed look. “What do you think is the best course of action?” Shiro asked, as he pushed Keith and Lance away from one another.

  “I- I don’t know… back when we fought the Galra they didn’t have these machines.” Keith got out from Shiro’s grip and grunted in annoyance.

  “These machines are the least of our problems, unless you bring up the particle barrier now, the ion cannon will turn this castle to ruins worse than the houses outside.” Keith snapped turning to Allura with a sharp gesture outside.

  “You do not shout at the Queen!” Coran said in an angered tone, bristling, Keith just sent him a glare.

  “G-guys!” Hunk suddenly stammered out in fear “Cannon! Cannon!”

  “It’s powering up!” Pidge cried out.

The big machine was still moving towards them, the cannon had locked onto the castle, causing alarms to blare loudly and the lights to flashed red in the big room where the two Alteans and the five Terrans stood. Purple was growing at the muzzle of the cannon as the cannon charged.

Everyone eyes widened in fear and panic as the cannon fired.

Purple enveloped the castle, blinding them all with the bright light.

The castle shook violently at the hit. Stones, big and small crumbled from the roof and walls along with parts of the big crystal, the windows that let them see outside that Allura had made with her magic hissed and flashed back to the stonewall before flickering back on again.

  “I-I don’t care what you say, Shiro. I’m panicking now!” Hunk screamed grabbing his head, feathers on end and eyes wide with fear. The shaking calmed slightly as the explosion died down.

Allura pushed herself up on her feet from where she had collapsed to the floor when the ground shook. She quickly gathered her balance to see how another shot was being charged by the ion cannon.

  “Particle barrier up!” she shouted the crystal gave away a flash of turquoise glow and a glowing orb appeared around the castle only to fall apart right away.

  “Is that supposed to happen?” Lance asked in a panicked voice as he looked out the windows.

  “No!” Allura cried out in alarm, trying to get the barrier up again, but the barrier didn’t rise at all this time.

The mice suddenly squeaked loudly and came rushing with the crystals that had fallen from the big one and placed them at Allura’s feet. She blinked down at the crystals in surprise before she tried to raise the barrier again.

The ion cannons fire just hit the castle as the barrier got up and stayed up, but it flashed red at the hit and it was clear that the barrier wasn’t built to hold off that much power all at once.

  “The particle barrier won’t hold Sendak’s ion cannon forever!” Keith barked from there he stood at one of the walls avoiding the debris that fell from the roof, black hair grey from the dust that crumbled form the white walls “It is just holding off the inevitable, for sands knows how long! We can’t stay here!”

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this! But I’m with Keith on this one!” Lance cried out as he avoided a piece of stone that fell from the roof before him, leaving an opening in the roof.

  “I’m on that plan!” Hunk cried out. “I don’t want to be turned to grilled chicken mush!”

Another blast hit the castle, tearing the particle barrier apart, leaving the castle defenceless.

  “Oh no…” Shiro exhaled when he saw how the ion cannon charged again.

A crack suddenly shot from a hole in the roof growing bigger till it reached the crystal where it gave away a plop, a small stone fell down hitting Allura on the head, she blinked and looked up just as the roof was unable to hold the crystals weight.

It fell from the roof with a loud noise.

  “Allura look out!” Hunk cried out in alarm.

Allura threw herself out of the way, accidentally stepping on her dress and tumbled to the floor, just as the crystal hit the floor and shattered like glass, where she just had stood.

A flash of energy shot out from the crystal when it shattered. Sending out a beacon so strong that it cut out the energy that kept the galra machine moving, causing the charging ion cannon to groan and go out.

Everyone covered their eyes at the bright blinding light.

A thud made everyone lower their arms to see how Keith had crumbled to the floor, he was grimacing hard and hands gripped his head. Shiro hurried over to him, worry clear on his face.

  “Hey, you okay?” Keith blinked fuzzily up at him, unable to hide the pain from his face fast enough, Shiro stilled when he saw the blood that was starting to run down from Keith’s temple and nose. “You’re bleeding again.” he stated “Let me get a look.”

  “A piece of debris, it’s just a graze- I’m fine.” Keith said, but he sounded worn, but he did remove his hand so Shiro could get a better look at the bandaged wound, the fabric had turned red and was clearly not working as good now when the wound was bleeding again. Shiro frowned as he carefully undid the bandage.

  “That doesn’t look good.” Shiro said when he got a look at the wound; it was red and irritated and was bleeding again. “It looks even worse than when you hit your head against the hover craft... and you got a nosebleed.”

  “Perfect.” Keith grumbled sarcastically in a harsh exhale.

-o-

  “NO!” Sendak roared, fur bristling. “Get the power back online!” he ordered grabbing the desk before him, where the screens had been, and glared at his subordinates.

  “I’m sorry, sir, but that will be impossible. That spike in energy fried the systems beyond repairing.” a solider said, dark armour and grey purple skin, yellow eyes and thin ears that went back along the head.

  “Haxus, I told you to fix the problem. Not to tell me what can’t be done.” Sendak snapped back. “Set the unnecessary sentries to fix the machine, you and a couple of sentries are coming with me; we are taking over the castle by hand.”

  “Yes sir.”

-o-

Hunk dared to cast a look outside thru a hole in the wall near him only to scream.

  “Oh no! They are coming this way and they do not look happy!” he cried out wings fluffed up and spread wide in fear. “What- what are we gonna do?!”

  “Not panicking!” Shiro said sending a look at Hunk as he brushed dust of his arms standing up and pulling Keith along.

  “Too late I’m already panicking!” Hunk cried out in a hurry “This is bad; this is really, really bad! What if I start crying- It’s too late I’m already crying!”

  “Hunk!” Pidge snapped he just whimpered in reply. “We don’t have time for this!”

  “We can’t give up.” Allura said in a strong determined voice.

  “There is no longer any power in the castle. The crystal was the only power source we had.” Coran explained as he picked up a piece of crystal sadness clear on his face as the glow died down leaving the crystal to appear as nothing more than coloured glass, it pulsated softly but died out rather fast. The crystals on the clothes they wore along with Allura’s crown and earnings still glowed faintly in the dark that now filled the room, along with their cheek markings that also glowed.

  “What? What do we do then? We’re nothing but sitting ducks! We got to leave!” Lance worried

  “We’re not leaving Altea defenceless! Sendak won’t stop until this place is nothing but dust.” Pidge said in a harsh voice.

  “Well I don’t know about those duck seats you’re talking about but there is an armoury a few floors down.” Coran said as he pushed himself to his feet dusting of his shoulders and hair and moustache. Some of the Terrans stared at him with blank faces, while Pidge brightened up and Shiro blinked in surprise. “What? We do have weapons you know.”

  “Then let’s get to them and suit up before Sendak get’s here.” Shiro said, “But first, is there somewhere we can patch Keith up?” he asked, Allura blinked before she smiled.

  “There is no need for that.” she said and walked over to them raising her hand towards Keith’s face, he jerked his head back when her hand was suddenly before him.

  “What are you doing?” he asked in a doubtful voice.

  “We Alteans have healing abilities; we can heal ourselves and others with magic.” Allura explained as several circles and symbols glowing blue appeared between her hand and Keith’s face.

Keith jolted when warmth spread where he knew the wound was and his nose as well. He heard Shiro gasp for air in awe. Allura smiled and lowered her hand.

  “There, good as new.” She said and smiled. Keith moved a hand to his head the bump was gone and so were the blood.

  “Uh… Thanks?” he rubbed at the place a bit before letting his hand fall to his side.

  “Follow me winged ones.” Coran said and led the way out from the room in a fast space, the others followed behind.

Shiro cast a look at Keith who was clearly not happy with the decision at defending the castle

  “Keith, you know this galra the best, what is he like?” Shiro asked. The others looked back clearly listening but continued to walk towards the armoury. Keith sent him a look before he exhaled.

  “He is an extremely sadistic and powerful fighter who is not to be underestimated.” Keith started “He’s a military leader who will fight on at the cost of all his men, because he is very loyal to Zarkon and will do what he commands without question.” Keith was scowling as he stopped talking. “I never met him, but I’ve heard enough.”

-o-

Chapter Text

- Downfall -

The weaponry had a crystal in the roof as well but it was smaller than the one in the main room. It was glowing in a more pale blue hue than the other crystals, but it was enough to blind the Terrans whose eyes had gotten used to the darkness in the rest of the castle corridors.

  “This is the weaponry, Altean weapons may be too advanced for you to understand.” Coran said as he walked over to a wall and placed his hand on the stone, a table appeared from the floor on it four strange but plain looking devices made from white material were lying.

  “These are the Bayard: a well-known Altean weapon, mostly used by the paladins, the knights of Altea. I must apologize that these are the only ones we have left, the others was lost on battle.” Allura said before she picked one up, it changed shape in her hand until it stilled giving away a pale blue colour. “The Bayard takes a distinct shape based on its wielder.” Allura said as she made a twist of her wrist and a long blue energy chain sword shot out before reattaching into the handle again. She put down the Bayard on the table again and looked at the five Terrans; Pidge was staring at the Bayard’s with shiny eyes while Lance looked intrigued. Shiro looked mostly confused while Hunk looked more worried than anything.

Keith was eyeing the handles with a sceptic face one hand resting on the hilt of his knife. “If we’re to be a match for Sendak you need to claim your weapon.” Allura said and gestured at the handles

  “There are also the hover boards; they will be to great help to you all in battle.” Coran cut in holding a board in the same pale white material.

  “Meh, we have wings we don’t need them.” Lance dismissed as he waved his hands.

  “Neither Shiro nor I can fly, the same for the Alteans.” Keith pointed out causing Lance to scowl.

  “Shut up.” he spat back, feathers fluffing up as he reached over and picked up one of the handles on the table, the handle flickered in blue before a blue energy rifle appeared in his hand.

  “Oh ho! Nice.” Lance smirked and moving the gun in his hand testing the weight.

  “What, so you just pick it up?” Hunk asked as he reached for a handle as well, only to grunt as it glowed yellow, and a big energy cannon appeared in his hand, forcing him to grab it with both hand.

Pidge picked up one of the two handles that were left. It glowing green and changes shape to an angular Katar dagger.

  “Cool.” they said in a breath as they did a swipe and stab with the weapon in the air.

  “Aw, you got a cute little Bayard~” Lance said in a coo, Pidge sent him a glare before they stabbed their Bayard at Lance, making sparks of electricity shoot out shocking Lance who shrieked before crashing to the floor, smoke rising from him, feathers on end.

  “Yeah, it is pretty cute.” Pidge said with a smirk. Shiro sighed in disapproval placing his face in his hand.

  “Pidge we’re on the same team.” he said, the smallest Terran just smirked like a cat. Shiro exhaled tiredly before he took one of the handles and in a deep purple glow it turned to a glowing sword of purple energy.

  “I have to apologize, Keith, but there is no Bayard for you since we only have four left.” Allura said with a sad tone. Keith shrugged uncaring

  “I have a weapon.” he said and held out his double egged dagger. Allura blinked before Coran suddenly appeared next to them.

  “That’s a luxite blade; I haven’t seen that metal in many deca-phoebs.” Coran said rubbing his moustache. “Where did you get this? It was rare back in our time, I don’t know how it is now, but I do believe it might be even rarer”

  “My mother gave it to me.” Keith said in a sharp tone as he put it back in its sheath, making it clear he didn’t want to talk more about it. Coran and Allura blinked in surprise before Coran walked away and grabbed five hover boards and handed them to the Terrans by pushed them into their arms, Hunk flailed for a while before he managed to deform his cannon and grab the hover board.

  “These are not ordinary hover boards; they are linked to your mind.” Coran said and smirked as he poked at his temple “They will come if you need them.”

  “How does that work?” Pidge asked turning the oval board around, it was about the thickness of a thumb and wide as a forearm in width and a whole arm in length.

  “It’s a mystical bond that can’t be explained.” Allura said as she smiled

  “Don’t worry your primitive synapses-” Coran is cut off by a loud boom that shakes thru the castle, making debris fall from the roof and the blue crystal get covered in cracks but stay in place and intact, but the light flickers, causing Lance and Hunk to stiffen and poof up their feathers.

  “Did they fire the cannon again?” Hunk asked in a frightened squeak.

  “No. That- That was the door.” Allura said and frowned.

  “But it broke for us when we entered.” Lance pointed out with a confused face, feathers lying back down slowly.

  “Once you entered it was built up again.” Coran said with a smirk causing his moustache to curl.

  “But it was rocks…” Lance just blinked at him at a loss.

  “Magic, Lance.” Pidge pointed out and Lance sighed wings slumping down till the tips thumped against the floor.

  “Queen, can you see them?” Shiro asked turning to Allura.

  “With the main crystal out, it will most likely not work.” She replied as she concentrated and brought up a fizzy screen, it showed the door and how the galra lead by Sendak entered the Castle; the screen was clear even if it now and again fizzed in bad static and quality.

They all saw how the galra gathered inside the door. Sendak and another galra and several robots stood inside on the other side of the pile of stones that made up the big entrance, dust catching the light.

  “Find the Altean Queen! Bring her to me Alive.” Sendak ordered “And if you find any others capture them and bring them to me dead or alive.” the sentries saluted before the group of galra split up.

  “What is this Energy they spoke of, Allura? Is it a crystal?” Shiro asked turning away from the screen to look at the Altean queen who was worrying her thick lower lip.

  “No. It’s a powerful magical spectre that my father, King Alfor, scattered out over Eydís at the end of the war to keep Zarkon’s hand off it. The Altean race was the only being on this land that has magic the ancient lived in symbioses with the energy and in return it gave us the powers.”

  “I’ve heard from a trusted source that Zarkon’s druids have magic, and they’re all Galra.” Keith spoke up with a face that didn’t betray any emotions; he had been silent for a long time that everyone turned to stare at him.

  “That can’t be right, that must be impossible, only Alteans have magic.”

  “So if Keith is right… can this spectral energy, can’t it like, have bestowed its magic onto other species after your King scattered it out over Eydís? Figuratively speaking?” Hunk asked looking from Keith to look to Allura and Coran. The two Alteans looked at each other’s.

  “It… might have happened, but then I doubt Zarkon would be looking for it.”

  “As much as I like this conversation, we don’t have time.” Lance said he was looking at the screen again. “They galra is coming… and right now we’re stuck in a room with only one door.”

  “We need to split up, we’re a bigger target for them to hit if we’re together; also we can take them out faster.” Shiro says turning away from the screen that finally sizzles out in a burst of glitter as the magic connection to the castle dies.

  “Take these.” Coran is fast to hurry over to another wall bringing out a couple of strange looking devices.

  “What are they Coran?” Hunk asks as he takes one of the strange devices and tries to get a better look.

  “They’re communication links, you fast them behind your ear and it will let you talk to us within a five miles radius.” Coran explained. Shiro and Lance took a device too and moved it behind their right ear. Lance squawked out in pain and hissed loudly while Shiro grimaced. “Oh right they give you a pinch, forgot to mention that.” Coran said in a chuckle.

Pidge and Hunk are more careful as they take on the device but several curses fall from Pidge’s mouth causing the others to stare at them with startled eyes.

  “Here you go, Keith.” Coran says as he hands on of the two devices left to Keith and takes on the other, Keith’s eyebrows just twitches at a reaction to the pinch, the devices give away a low buzz before going quiet.

  “Let’s move out.”

  “The Bayard’s have the possibility to give you a map of the castle; thanks to the communication links it will also show you your and the others position.” Allura said as she started to gather her dress and the blue fabric belt in her hands before pulling it before her, then gathered the cloth between her legs and then put it in two and tying a knot at her front, revealing her white and gold coloured tight slim boots that seem to merge with the white tights she wore under the dress. “Shiro, you’re with Pidge, Coran take Lance. Hunk you and Keith will work together.” Allura says the figure of authority.

  “What about you Allura?” Shiro asked.

  “I’m gonna see if I can get the main crystal working again.”

  “Queen no, I won’t accept you go on your own.” Coran said

  “I do not need your permission Coran.” Allura replied with a frown.

  “Lance and I will come with you, just to be safe.” Lance blinks before he sends a look to Allura who is scowling at Coran before she sighs and nods. And Lance feels a stupid grin grow on his face, only to yelp when Pidge stomps on his foot.

With that they split up, Shiro and Pidge going in one direction from the corridor, Hunk and Keith going the other way while Lance, Coran and Allura walks back towards the room where the main crystal was laying shattered on the floor.

-o-

The corridors were dark and dim, the only sound the distant noise from the sentries and Shiro’s feet against the floor and the sound of Pidge flapping their small wings as they looked down on the map that their Bayard revealed for them.

  “According to the map there are about three robots after the turn of this corridor.” Pidge said looking back up. Shiro nodded and brings up his Bayard, making the purple energy sword cast light in the dark corridor, Pidge looks at him before they brings forward their Bayard as well, making the shadows of the corridor move as the floor and walls in flashes of green and purple.

The hover boards Coran gave them were following behind the two of them like a loyal companion, the one Pidge got has taken on a greener colour while Shiro’s had grown grey purplish.

The two Terrans hurried down the corridor, and just like Pidge had said, when they reached the turn on the corridor, they got almost face to face with three dark coloured robots that turned simultaneously towards them, holding guns in their hands purple parts glowing with the energy that kept them running.

Shiro and Pidge both raised their Bayards.

  “Enemy detected.” one of the robots said in a programmed voice and they all moved at once towards them.

Shiro stiffened there he stood, as a flashback struck him, his right hand jolted enough for him to snap out of the memory and see how the prosthetic was suddenly starting to glow pink before his face. He dropped the Bayard with a yelp and grabbed around his wrist while giving away a pained noise as he crashed to his knees.

  “Shiro?! Shiro what’s wrong?” Pidge’s voice was distorted and it sounded as if it was far away and he was under water before the pounding of his heart drowned out any sound from the outside.

Some dark energy swirled around the robotic prosthetic before the fingers twitched and banished the darkness, his eyes flew open as he sent a glare at the robots before him wings twitching.

Shiro lunged at the robots, wings pulled tight to his body to keep them out of the way.

He sliced one robot in half from the shoulder to the opposite side of the torso, sent the other one flying into the corridor wall to crumble to the ground unmoving and punched the third hard enough at the side of the torso for it to break, all the while Pidge stared with wide eyes there they stood on the corridor floor.

Shiro exhaled when the robots were no more and the glow of his hand died down.

  “Whoa, Shiro that was awesome!” Pidge said moving over to the older Terran “Where did you learn to fight like that?” Pidge asked as they jumped over a dead robot to reach Shiro’s side.

  “I don’t know…” Shiro said as he looked back to the smallest Terran “From what Keith told us… I guess it was in the gladiator ring, back when I still was Zarkon’s prisoner…” Pidge frowned before they picked up Shiro’s Bayard.

  “Looks like you might not need this anymore, with that arm.” They said handing the Byard over to Shiro who took it, in his left hand the flesh hand.

  “Can you see how the others are doing?” Shiro asked, Pidge brought up their Bayard and made the map appear in the air between them.

  “Allura, Coran and Lance have reached the big crystal… Keith and Hunk are about to reach some robots not far away from us… I can’t see Sendak or that other Galran on the map though.” Pidge grumbled. “I don’t like it.”

  “Any more ‘bots close to us?”

  “Nope, those three were the ones who went this way, the others are with Keith and Hunk.”

  “Then let’s move, they might need reinforcements.”

-o-

Keith was standing on the hover board, arms mostly behind him as he leaned forward to make it move faster, it felt like a wild animal under him, the white material had turned red, but the power were listening to him, knew what he wanted and followed his instincts without question. Hunk flew as fast as he could to keep up, huffing hard, the yellow hover board hovering at the floor behind him, following him without question.

  “Keith, slow down, please!” Hunk whined through gasps of air.

  “Use your muscles, big guy.” Was all Keith replied as he made the hover board go faster, Hunk groaned before he sent a look down to his hover board and it flew up to him so he could take hold of it with his hands and it pulled him along till he had the same speed as Keith, the wingless Terran sent him a glance from the corner of his eye before giving away a sound that sounded like a laugh, taking Hunk by surprise.

They moved down the corridor until they slowed at a crossroads, where the corridor they were in met another corridor that went to left and right. Hunk brought up his Bayard to look at the map, Keith sent it a glace, seeing the bunch of robots moving towards the crossing. Keith took his blade in hand and sneaked over to the edge of his and Hunk’s corridor, moving it to get a reflection on the corridor, the robots were walking three and three in line, holding laser guns in their hands.

  “So what’s the plan?” Hunk asked in a low voice, making Keith stiffen, he had forgotten Hunk was there…

  “Destroy them before they kill you.” Keith said before he lunged out from the corridor and ran at the robots, rushing up towards them like a wild animal. The hover board flew up to him ready to give leverage and speed if he needed it.

The blade glowed suddenly and strongly in violet and became a sword, Keith slashed the first robot in half as and got the second one impaled in the chest before the robots started to fight back.

Keith grimaced when Hunk suddenly screamed as he jumped out in the corridor and started to fire his energy canon, eyes squeezed shut. Keith flinched and quickly used the hover board as a shield when one of the blasts from Hunk’s canon would have hit him.

  “HUNK!” Keith barked out in anger.

  “Sorry! I don’t know how to use this very well!” Hunk cried back, but the gun did its job, in mere seconds was the robots reduced to scrap.

Hunk deformed his Bayard back to the handle and moved over to Keith just as Keith’s blade switched back to the knife.

  “Whoa?” Hunk gaped rubbing at his eyes “I must be seeing things, I just thought it looked like your knife was longer and then shrunk.”

  “Let’s go, there might still be more robots we’re not aware of.” Keith said completely ignoring Hunk’s words.

  “Right.” Hunk said forgetting about Keith’s blade as they began to move down the corridor that the robots came from, slower this time.

-o-

  “Someone’s coming.” Shiro said in a low voice as he moved closer to the wall

The two Terrans stopped at the turn of the corridor they stood in.

  “Let’ me check.” Pidge replied, voice just as low as Shiro’s, and brought up the map looking down at it.

The sound of footsteps were getting closer and louder. Shiro readied himself to attack activating his arms.

When the steps were just moments away from them; did he lunge out ready to attack.

  “Shiro! Wait! That’s-”

The sound of Shiro’s hand striking metal echoed thru the corridor.

Shiro blinked when he found himself eye to eye with Keith who stared at the hand with something akin to fear.

Keith stared at the purple glowing hand before him, it was scorching hot. He could feel the heat from the handle of his blade. Dark magic. It made every hair on his body stand on end.

Hunk gave away a frightened squeak staggering backwards.

 “…Keith and Hunk.” Pidge continued in a low voice as they landed at Shiro’s side as the black winged Terran deactivated his arm and took a step back.

  “Sorry.” Shiro said sheepishly scratching at his neck.

Keith slowly lowered his knife eyeing Shiro for a moment before slowly letting his body relax.

  “Wait! Your arm is a weapon?” Hunk asked, breaking the, to him, unknown tension.

  “Apparently, yes.” Shiro said looking down at his hand, clenching it.

  “Any more robots?” Keith asked looking at Pidge who still had the map open. They shook their head.

  “I still don’t like that I can’t see Sendak and that other Galra.” they grumbled just as the whole castle suddenly did a full body shudder. Debris fell from the roof as cracks appeared on the corridor walls and floors.

  “WHAT’S HAPPENING?” Hunk screamed grabbing his head, feathers puffing up.

  “Did they fire the ion canon again?” Pidge asked

  “No… that, that was an explosion.” Keith said staring in the direction of a corridor that lead towards the biggest room. “It sounded as if it came from the crystal room.”

  “That’s where Lance, Allura and Coran is!” Shiro gasped and began to run, taking the lead, the others hot on his heels, before they got on their hover boards and moved even faster down the dark corridors a loud rumble behind them made them send a look behind to see how the roof had caved in.

  “This building is starting to show its age.” Keith said as he avoided some debris that fell from the roof before them.

-o-

The smell of smoke reached them first before they slowed to a halt, smoke clogging the corridor, making it hard to see. Shiro moved a hand to cover his face while Hunk and Pidge coughed. Keith pulled up the red scarf over his nose and mouth to keep most of the smoke out. They walked into the blur. A pale blue light reached their eyes and they soon found Coran lying on the floor, dirt and scratches on his skin and clothes.

  “Coran.” Hunk said and hurried over. The Altean groaned and started to move, Hunk helped him sit up.

  “What happened?” Shiro asked, looking at Coran with worry. The smoke was losing up making it easier to see.

  “I’m not sure… Allura was trying to fix the crystal… then everything just-” a groan cut him off and everyone first now caught sight of Lance.

The brown and blue winged Terran was lying on his stomach, feathers burnt and sighed and his back was an angry red, his face was lax expect for the twitch his eyebrows did.

  “LANCE!” Shiro called out and rushed over, gingerly picking the younger Terran up from the floor. A low noise of pain left him at the motion. “This is bad…”

  “Wait… Where’s Allura?” Pidge asked looking around in the room, the smoke had disappeared now, only leaving a thin mist. But the white haired Altean Queen was nowhere to be seen.

  “They must have taken her.” Coran said pushing himself to his feet, Hunk ready to catch him if needed. “We need to get her back.”

  “How? You nor Lance is in any condition to be moving around, and the castle is about to turn to ruins, where do you plan on going once and if you manages to get Allura, back?” Keith asked crossing his arms.

  “Keith…” Hunk said in a disapproving tone.

  “What? I’m just stating facts, if Sendak got his machine to work there’s no way we will be able to catch up. It’s a lost cause.”

  “I will not give up on my Queen!” Coran snapped causing Keith to jerk back. Coran scowled before he exhaled and fixed his clothes and then closed his eyes. Suddenly his body started to glow and the wounds that he received in the explosion vanished. Coran stretched once the glow died down.

  “What did you just do?” Pidge asked, clearly intrigued.

  “Queen Allura is not the only one who can heal with magic, all Alteans have that ability.” Coran then moved over to Lance and Shiro. “If you don’t mind me asking, number 2- I have you all ranked by height, but you’re wings are still wounded.”

  “Yeah… but I don’t think your magic can make feathers grow faster.” Coran just smirked twirling his moustache.

  “You’d be surprised.” He said before a dome glowing in blue appeared over Shiro and Lance. Shiro blinked and stared up at Coran as he exhaled. A warmth spread over Shiro’s body and he noticed how Lance relaxed in his arms.

Once the dome vanished in a burst of glitter was all of Shiro’s feathers back, but the new ones, were paler in colour. The wounds on Lance’s body and wings were gone as well. The unconscious Terran groaned and blinked his eyes open.

  “What happened?” he croaked out.

  “You were knocked out by an explosion.” Coran said “Come now, we need to save the Queen.”

  “How?” Pidge asked this time.

  “They can’t have gotten far.” Coran replied as he began to move, bringing forth a hover board and a weapon similar to the Bayards handle into his hand from nothing. “Let’s move.”

The Terrans looked at each other before following, Keith grimaced before huffing and followed, taking up the tail of the group.

He didn’t have time for this!

-o-

Chapter Text

- Clashing -

Allura was concentrating in trying to get the crystals back to life.
She had gathered all the shards in a pile and was currently trying to heal them with her magic, the gentle blue magic swirled around the crystals, slowly they started to glow again, but the moment she stopped her magic the glow died down.

Lance and Coran stood close by, weapons ready and facing the door, as Allura worked.

Lance looked up when approaching steps reached his ears.

  “I think we will get company.” he grumbled in a low voice, charging his gun, finger resting on the trigger, ready to fire.

A ball was suddenly thrown into the room, bunching on the floor before stopping at Coran’s feet.

  “Huh?” Lance looked at it in confusion. A click was then from the ball, Coran paled.

  “CLOSE YOUR EYES!” his shouted warning came too late when a bright light exploded in the room, Lance screeched dropping his Bayard as he slapped his hands over his eyes, Coran gave away a shout while Allura cried out in pain.

Lance slowly opened his eyes, but only saw a blurry dullness that flashed from complete blackness to barely seeing around him.

He saw Coran’s blurry shape stager away from the ball and Allura’s shape standing hunched over the crystals that was just one big blog of blurriness.

A chuckle made him snap his head to the side to see how Sendak stood there, Haxus one step behind, both smirking.

  “Haxus, apprehend the queen of Altea.”

  “Ay, sir.” Haxus moved forward, sending a look at Lance and sneered, the Terran was trying to find his Bayard on the floor, hands patting around as he squinted down at the floor; he was just about to take it when Haxus kicked it away. Lance gave away a panicked noise and scrambled after the weapon the best he could.

Allura cursed loudly and violently when she was grabbed by the galra. Lance grabbed his Bayard and turned ready to fire, but his vision blackened out once again, causing him to freeze. When it returned again he didn’t see the two galra nor Allura, but a drone that was floating over to the remains of the crystal. He looked at it trying to figure out what it was made to do, when its lights started to blink in red. Lance paled as he gasped.

  “Coran look out!” he shouted as he lunged at the older Altean to push him out of the door, slapping his blue wings hard to move faster.

The explosion echoed thru the room and caused the castle to do a full body shudder.

Cracks grew on the roof and walls, those that already existed grew bigger and the castle began to crumble from the abuse and age…

-o-

Allura opened her eyes, her head throbbed in pain and her vision blurred in and out of focus while dark spots danced across her vision as well, her ears rang loudly.

She looked around slowly to find that she was in a dark cell, the only light was purple, her hands were cuffed together before her, she huffed before closing her eyes and letting her magic wash over her, healing whatever hurt she had received prior. When she opened her eyes again her vision was back to normal and she scowled deeply when she recognized the Galra cell.

  “Quiznaking Galra.” She cursed before sitting up better and first now noticed that her dress was torn at several places and the edges were frayed. “Oh quiznaking quiznak.” She cursed once again. “I really liked this dress.”

-o-

The roar of a gigantic engine suddenly shook through the air causing Coran and the Terrans to freeze.

  “They got their power back…” Pidge gasped.

  “Then we got no time to lose.” Coran said jumping onto the hover board and zoomed away, the Terrans shared a look before they grabbed theirs and with fast beats of their wings followed, Keith groaned internally before he jumped on his red one and followed. If we get the queen back then I can finally bring the Champion to Headquarters. He thought with a grimace. So much unnecessary things to do.

They exited the entrance of the castle, and saw how the big machine was driving away from them, but the ion canon was getting charged one last time.

The shot sent the castle crashing to the ground leaving a gigantic cloud of white dust and sand to fly into the air. Coran sent a look back a sad expression on his face before he looked back to the machine and pushed the hovercraft to go faster.

  “So what’s the plan?” Lance asked. “Go in gun’s blazing?”

  “Or do we deliver a speech like Give it up galra or be destroyed?” Hunk asked

  “You two calm down, and yes Gun’s blazing.” Pidge said.

  “It’s their first rescue mission, they’re exited.” Shiro said with a slight smirk on his lips

  “Exited to meet their doom more like.” Keith grumbled, the others looked at him, Lance with a hard scowl, Hunk pouted and Pidge had one eyebrow raised, Shiro gave him a tired look “What? We have no idea what we’re expecting, for all we know they might already know we’re coming.” Keith said with a scowl before he looked away from them.

  “Good to know, Doom and Gloom was brought along.” Lance grumbled.

  “All I’m saying is that this is just as much a suicide mission as a crazy one.”

  “Doom and Gloom!” Lance shouted back.

  “Guys! Stop it, we’re all on the same team here, so no fighting.” Shiro said sending both Keith and Lance a glare. Keith huffed and looked away. Lance glared at the wingless Terran for a while longer before he looked ahead, to the machine that grew bigger the closer they got.

-o-

Pidge brought up their Bayard and cut a circular hole in the hull of the gigantic machine. They all sneaked inside.

  “Any idea how to track the Queen down?” Shiro asked looking at Coran.

  “If she still is wearing the crystals on her clothes there is a chance I will be able to triangulate her position.” Coran said as he brought up his hands and closed his eyes, concentrating, a map grew before them in a gentle blue glow of the machines inside, and then a bright blue dot appeared. Coran grimaced and the map vanished in a whips of air. “I apologize I couldn’t keep it up for longer, I’m not as strong as I used to be.” Coran said with a sheepish smile on his lips. The sound of someone clearing their throat was heard and Pidge smirked as they brought up their orange phone with the map hovering over it.

  “I took a photo of the map, I can sent it to all of your Bayards for you to look at.” they said.

  “You’re a genius Pidge.” Lance said and smirked, lifting them for the floor to give them a smooch on the cheek, the green winged Terran grimaced and struggled to get out of Lance’s arms.

  “Let’s go and save my queen.” Coran said and stepped up on his hover board again

  “Is it really good that we all go in the same direction?” Pidge piped up “there might be more ways to Allura’s position than one.”

  “All right then, let’s split up three and three, but stay out of trouble.” Shiro said before pointing at Pidge and Keith “You two come with me, Coran.” The old Altean nodded “Lance and Hunk will accompany you.”

  “Roger.” Lance and Hunk said as they moved over to the Altean.

The two groups split up, Coran, Lance and Hunk, going in one direction, while Pidge, Shiro and Keith went in the opposite direction.

  “Keith, you okay?” Shiro asked sending the wingless Terran a worried look. Keith glanced at him.

  “I’m fine, why?”

  “You seem stressed.”

  “I’m fine.” Keith bit out

  “Keith…”

  “I just don’t fancy being inside a machine belonging to the Empire.” Keith snapped not looking at Shiro as he studied the halls Pidge was leading them trough. The green winged Terran sent a look back at them a question in their eyes, Shiro shook his head.

Silence hung heavy over them until they got to a cross roads.

  “Do we split up again, or take one corridor together?” Pidge asked. Looking both ways.

  “If we split up we can cover more ground.” Shiro said with an unhappy look on his face. He knew this machine.

  “It’s decided then, you and Pidge takes tha way I go this way.” Keith said and before Shiro or Pidge could object had he already hovered away on the hover board.

  “There he goes…” Pidge grumbled before turning to Shiro. “Let’s go then.” he nodded and they took the other corridor.

  “Do you think Lance and Hunk has as easy moving around as we do?” Pidge asked after a while, Shiro chuckled before shrugging.

  “We won’t know, I hope they do.”

-o-

Lance and Hunk screeched as they flew as fast as the hover board would allow thought the corridors filled with Galra droids, they had lost sight of Coran somewhere among it all, and had their shields up as they while screaming fired both laser gun and pistol at the droids.

  “OH NO! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! AAAAAAAAAH!” they screamed in union.

  “WE’RE GONNA DIE WE’RE GONNA DIE!” Hunk screamed the corridor turned and they screamed louder when they found even more droids.

-o-

Coran sneaked along an empty corridor he used his magic to open a door and smirked when he found the engine, he quickly dealt with the damaged droids that guarded the machine, and with a deep smirk he fiddled his fingers before he started to tap around on the big board, turning switches and pulling levers all the while laughing

  “This will teach you quiznaks not to kidnapping the Queen of Altea and destroy our castle while I’m still alive.” He said

The engine gave away a loud complaining noise before a small explosion happened, Coran quickly mumbled a spell halting the explosion for several minutes giving them all enough time to escape with the queen, but not enough for the galra to follow.

  “Now to find my queen.” Coran said as he looked down at the map the Bayard showed him before flying in the right direction.

-o-

Shiro stopped moving, the corridor seemed to call at memories, and he turned his head around and gasped when memories struck him. Pidge was at his side in a wing flap.

  “Shiro?” the older Terran was panting, pain clear on his face.

  “I’ve been here before. After I was taken by the Galra from the Kerberos path, they brought us here.”

  “So that means you’re other crewmembers, they might still be held captive here.” Pidge stared at him before hope grew in their eyes “We… we’ve got to rescue them.”

  “Pidge… we don’t have time.” Shiro exhaled clearly pained by the worlds “We have to find the princess and get out of there.”

  “But we can’t just leave prisoners here!” Pidge argued throwing their arms out, while their wings spread out making them seem bigger.

  “Look, no one understands that more than me, but, in war, we have to make hard choices. Now let’s get moving.” Shiro said and turned to move down the corridor. Pidge’s face contorted in anger.

  “NO!” they barked uncaring for if droids heard them or not “Commander Holt is my father. He and my brother were the ones on the Kerberos Mission with you!” Shiro stared at them with wide eyes.

  “Commander Holt is your father?” he asked in a gasp.

  “Yes. I’ve been searching everywhere for him and my brother. And I’m not going to give up looking when I’m this close. I won’t!”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  “What?” Pidge gaped, she hadn’t expected him to just do as she asked.

  “I remember where the prisoners are held. Let’s go”

They hurried down the corridor in the other way, only to freeze when a flying droid appeared before them. It was about to beep the alarm before Pidge bought up their Bayard and shocked the bot, causing it to crash to the floor.

  “That thing saw us, we better get moving.” Shiro said, Pidge crouched before the bot.

  “Wait. I think this might come in handy.” Pidge said and fiddled with some wires. “Now I’ll just reset the controls… and it’s working for us.” The bot rose from the floor, the purple light changed to blue it beeped at them. Shiro chuckled slightly “I’m gonna call you Rover. Follow me.” They ran down the corridor before they ended up before a sealed door.

  “I can’t see anything that resembles a handle or panel...” Shiro said in a low voice. Pidge looked at Rover.

  “Open up” they ordered, the bot chirped before hovering closer to the door and with a beam of light opening the lock, the door opened with a hiss. “Dad?!” Pidge asked as they walked inside, several aliens sat curled up at the wall opposite the door, fear on their face.

  “Don’t be alarmed we come in peace.” Shiro said, not seeing any Terran among the prisoners.

  “It’s you the Champion.” one of the aliens said eyes widening. “If anyone can get us out of here he can.” The alien said and looked at the others. Pidge looked at Shiro.

  “Do these have any escape pods?” Shiro nodded.

  “Follow me.” The prisoners followed while Shiro and Rover lead the way.

-o-

Allura opened her eyes when she heard the door to her cell opening, she had already undone the handcuffs with her magic and was ready to attack whoever opened the door with a spear made from her own energy. The door hissed open to reveal a happy Coran and two dishevelled looking Terrans.

  “Allura.” Lance and Hunk said with a tired look on their face but they were clearly happy.

  “My queen!” Coran cried out with a beaming smile, entering the cell to hug her.

  “Coran…” Allura exhaled in relief, letting the spear disappear into glitter.

  “Are you okay?” Hunk asked sending a look down one end of the corridor while Lance did the same in the other direction.

  “Yes, even though my dress has seen better days.” Allura said with a slight pout.

  “Better your dress than yourself.” Coran said before he ushered her out from the cell. Lance moved his hand to his ear where the piece of communication was sitting, he tapped at it turning it on, and the small device gave away a low hum

  “We found Allura, we’re going back to the entrance.”

  “Good, we freed some prisoners we’re taking them to the escape pods we will join you when they’re safe.” Shiro said from the com.

  “Find Keith if you can, we split up before and I’m not sure where he is at the moment.” Pidge said.

  “Why do we have to find mister grumpy pants?” Lance groaned.

  “You may not like it, Lance, but he is still part of the team.” Shiro replied in a hard tone. Lance groaned.

  “Fine, if we find him on the way out when will drag him along.”

  “Oh no.” Coran suddenly said.

  “What?” Hunk asked

  “I forgot to mention that I have put the engine in shambles it will explode in a matter of minutes.”

  “WHAT?!” Hunk and Lance shouted.

  “It slipped my mind.” Lance and Hunk just stared at him, while Allura sighed.

  “We have no time to loose then.”

-o-

Shiro and Pidge had no problem getting to the escape pods, and helped the aliens into it, the aliens thanked them with deep bows before the escape pod flew of.

  “Let’s get back to the others.” Shiro said. Pidge nodded and they grabbed the hover boards before flying towards the opening Pidge done in the wall. They were one corridor away when the entire machine shook as a loud explosion echoed thought the corridors. The Alarms blared loudly and angrily, the entire machine stopped with a loud groan that vibrated thru every piece of metal that made up the gigantic machine.

They reached the opening at the same time as Allura, Coran, Hunk and Lance.

  “Did you find Keith?” Shiro asked, they shook their heads.

  “No, we looked but we didn’t see any trace of him.”

  “Shit. What if he’s hurt?” Shiro looked back to the corridors.

  “If he was he would have said so.” Hunk said “Right?”

Shiro reached for the communication device at his ear.

  “Keith, come in, can you hear me, Keith?”

-o-

Keith stumbled when the entire machine jerked as the engine exploded, causing I to stop in its tracks.

Keith slowed to a stop at the end of a corridor, he could feel a dark sickly strong presences close by, and it caused every hair on his body to stand on end. He glanced out the side to see how a door was opened, voices was barking loudly from the room. He frowned slightly trying to decide if he felt that presence before or not.

He cursed when Shiro’s voice echoed in the communication device. He ignored it as he sneaked closer to be able to look inside. He felt something cold fall over him when he saw the bridge of the machine. Sendak stood at the top barking orders, while galra and droids moved around him to fix the damage the best they could, but it wasn’t what caused Keith to freeze, it was the hooded figure that stood two steps behind Sendak.

A Druid.

It was unaware of him, Keith exhaled in relief, before he took a deep breath and let a ball of red energy flickering around like fire over his palm. He concentrated mumbling some words his mother taught her, before he slowly raised his hand palm forward, the energy flickered before, Keith made it shoot forward, striking the main control of the bridge, he grabbed the hover board and with speed that he didn’t know it could muster shot away towards the opening where the others were waiting from the sound of things. The explosion flared behind him before it died down and he heard Sendak roar in anger. A chuckle left his lips.

He saw the others as he grew closer.

  “No time to waste Move it!” he barked before flying out the opening, making Lance give away a startled noise before following, the others followed as well and soon caught up to Keith. “Now what?!” he shouted to over voice the wind.

  “That way!” Allura shouted back and pointed, they all pushed their hover boards into follow the direction Allura pointed.

  “There is nothing there!” Pidge screamed.

  “THE ION CANON IS STILL OPERATIONAL!” Hunk screeched in fear when he saw it slowly aim at them, before starting to charge. “WE’RE GONNA DIE!”

  “Allura!?” Shiro called.

  “Keep going!” Allura barked, before she closed her eyes, and started to mumble and far ahead before them a portal started to appear.

One rune at a time, until it created the outer ring.

A roar was heard from the ion canon as it fired.

The portal swirled alive in bright blue and white, spinning like a vortex before them.

Time seemed to slow as the Portal stopped moving.

The shot moved closer.

The five Terrans and the two Alteans entered the portal with a sucking sound, it vanished just before the ion canon struck, scorching the earth black and causing several fires to flare to life before they died down.

-o-

Sendak slammed his hands against the still functional part of the control panel.

  “NO!” he roared in anger.

-o-