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Chapter Text

An excerpt from The Life of Lancelot

It was a sunny morning when a young boy was born to a family of fishers. The family had been hoping for a child for a long time when the wife had a dream one night. In her dream a water spirit had come to her and told her that she was with child. She told the woman that this boy would have an important part to play in the future of the kingdom.

Thus on July 28th of the new calendar Lancelot du Loc was born.

On July 29^th, of the new calendar, and twenty-two years later Sir Lancelot du Loc was cursed.

Chapter 1:  Somewhat

Lance had figured that his luck was going to run out eventually. He had managed to escape death when the bomb went off behind him. He barely escaped it after the fight with Zarkon. He can name so many other times during the fights that any of them could have died. It was a good thing they had those pods, and it was a good thing it was him. He leaned back against the headrest of the seat and looked at the electricity bouncing across the window.

“You know Red I knew I was going to die again; I just did not think that it was going to be today." He felt a comforting purr from the lion.

He looked over to a hidden compartment in red, and then back out of the Omega shield. He remembered when he hid the package in their after taking it out of blue, and the protectiveness he had felt from the new lion.

“Take care of that for me will you, don’t let them know it is in there until they need it, okay?” He felt a comforting purr and closed his eyes.

On an unknown day in Space Lance McClain died.

Somewhat.

488 AD Camelot

Sir Lancelot walked into the room where the others were waiting, “My King, My Ladies,” he said bowing, before turning to the knights, “Others.”

“Gee I can feel the love, can’t you Leon?” Elyan asked the book reading knight.

Lancelot sat down at his seat at the table when Morgana spoke up.

“Why would he need to pay attention to anyone else we are the only important ones.” She said with a haughty attitude before breaking down and smiling.

That set all of the knights off, this was the round table. Ruled by King Arthur and his husband Merlin. His sister Lady Morgana and her wife Lady Gwen, The knights Lancelot, Mordred, Gwaine, Elyan, Leon, and Percival. Camelot was a happy kingdom, there were of course some rough patches. However, when the old King Uther died and Arthur took over it became so much better for everyone. Everyone thought that the happy times would last forever but it wasn’t too be.

“How are the Druids, Lancelot?” Arthur asked the knight.

“They are well, they appreciate everything that you have done for them.”

Merlin smiled at his friend, “so learn anything new?”

Lancelot let his magic show briefly, the bright blue magic flashing across his brown eyes, “wouldn’t you like to know.”

Morgana rolled her eyes at the pout on the warlock’s face, and the snicker coming from the mage knight. “I think that is why he asked Druid.”

Lancelot smirked at her, “I know Witch. You see I learned.”

There was a bright flash seen by the people in the streets, and the roundtable was gone.

Back in the Present.

“Lance, Lance can you hear me?” Hunk yelled through the comm system, “Guys he isn’t responding,”

“I am pulling up now,” Allura said as she docked Blue next to Red.

“How is he?” Pidge asked worried, but she didn’t get a response. “Allura?”

Allura looked at the peaceful face of the now red Paladin. She pulled off her helmet and checked for a pulse, there wasn’t one.

“Lance, Lance, please wake up. You can’t leave me too, we haven’t done everything that you have wanted yet. You haven’t taken me to a movie, or done a sleepover.” But he didn’t wake up. “You didn’t say goodbye.” She whispered.

“Allura!” Shiro called over the speaker.

Allura whipped her face but it did not do anything more tears replaced the ones that she whipped away.

“Coran bring the castle around, Hunk, Shiro come grab the lions. I am going to stay in here with him.” She said trying to keep her voice steady as she took his hand.

“Princess is he okay?” Coran asked maneuvering the castle closer.

She couldn’t say anything. What could she say, there was nothing to say.

Taking her silence as a no the others did as they were told. Before Shiro could grab the Red Lion she woke back up and let out a roar. Then she flew herself into the castle and landed gently. The others landed and ran over to Red, as Allura walked down the ramp carrying Lance.

“Lance?” Hunk asked walking over to Allura.

When he got to her she didn’t stop walking but continued into the castle. She walked past Pidge, Hunk, Shiro, and Coran. She walked into the infirmary and gently lays him down on the table as she collapsed on the floor.

The others ran in and saw the princess collapsed on the floor. They saw Lance laying still on the table blood on lips and his ears.

Hunk walked over slowly to his best friend and checked him for a pulse, but did not find one.

“Please tell me this is some kind of bad joke. Coran he needs a pod.”

Hunk went to lift him when a hand was laid gently on his shoulder.

“A pod cannot bring back those lost to us my boy.” Coran said sadly laying a hand on Lance’s shoulder.

“But he can’t be dead, he has parents, brothers, sister, us.”

He looked over at Pidge clinging to Shiro, she lost another brother. Allura, the one who found him, being consoled by Lotor.

“Oh.” Hunk broke down, for his best friend.

Later that night Coran would call the Blades to tell Keith what happened only to be told that he was on a mission. Later that night Shiro would sit next to Lance and ask himself how he would tell his family what happened. Later that night Hunk would make Lance’s favorite dish only to break down knowing that he wouldn’t be able to eat them anymore. Later that night Pidge would sit in Lance’s room wrapped up in his jacket and thinking about how she lost another brother because she wasn’t there.

For the next week the coalition did not call the castle giving them the time to mourn the lost paladin. On the seventh day they placed Lance in one of the pods so that they could bring him back to his family.

Nobody said anything until Allura stepped forward, dressed in a pink dress.

“Lance never did let me tell him what the Blue lion stood for. He would say he didn’t need to know since she had already chosen him, he was so sure. The Blue lion is for those who are brave and kind. They are the glue that holds the team together. Lance was always good at seeking me out, he always seemed to know when I needed to be cheered up.” Allura let out a sad chuckle, “he flirted with me but it was more for entertainment, we both knew I wasn’t it. He would tell me stories of his family, just to distract me. He became like a younger brother to me. Lance rest well and may you feast with the kings of Altea.”

Coran was the next one to step forward, his eyes noticeably red.

“Lance my boy, you were my favorite. If you saw me down you would ask me to tell you stories about Altea. You would help me if I asked and for me to teach you some words of altean, you were a natural. You were so much smarter then you let others know you were, and I wish you had. I am going to miss how you could light up a room by just walking into it. I am going to miss our late night sessions, where we would just talk. Farewell my son I will see you again someday.”

The next one was Hunk.

“Lance, I don’t think that I could ever thank you enough. You took someone who was shy and afraid of their own shadow and made them a paladin. You stood up for me when no one else would, and stood by me when others wouldn’t. You encouraged me to not give up on myself when I was doubting my abilities to do this. You got along with everyone, you had a way of breaking down their walls and bringing their best selves out. I am going to miss you, I will tell your family your stories.”

Pidge shuffled forward next.

“You’re an idiot you know. You were supposed to come home with us. Who is going to be there to drag me to bed when I refuse to sleep? Who is going to remind me that I need to eat food? Who is going to drag me to movie nights, or dinner, or start stupid fights in space with potentially hazardous materials?” She took a breath before continuing, “sometime in this journey you managed to worm your way into my heart. I hope that you knew that I thought of you as my brother. I want you to know that despite what I said earlier I, we are going to be okay. I will make sure that me and Allura go to sleep. I will remind Shiro and Hunk to take a breath and to relax. I will listen to all of Coran’s stories. So don’t worry okay we will be okay.”

Pidge tried to smile reassuringly, Hunk came over and hugged her, then Allura, then Coran finally Shiro.

Shiro look up at Lance and said one thing, “Goodbye, we will miss you.”

They closed the pod, but if they had waited just one more minute, they would have seen that he started to glow. He glowed blue and then disappeared. They would later see that Red put up her shield and refused to let anyone back in, because if they had they would have seen a secret compartment glow blue faintly before stopping. However, they did not see that, no one did, well no one human anyway. The mice see everything, but they won’t mention anything, yet.

The castle of lions was not the same after that day. The team could not seem to work as fluid as before and Red did not let anyone into her. No one wanted to look for a new red paladin, and no one wanted to think about replacing him. Others stopped by to say goodbye to the paladin, but the crew refused to bring the pod up.

One day Matt stopped by and asked to be alone with him, they had bonded when he was there. Matt waited until everyone was in bed before stopping by the hanger, Red let him in. He sat down and leaned against the compartment.

“You really hurt them you know. I know you didn’t mean it but I would like an explanation.”

“I might not know the exact reason but I could guess.”

Matt looked up and sitting across from him was a dark-haired man in his late twenties. He was wearing a pair of simple brown pants and a red shirt. He had a deep blue jacket with gold designs that seemed to change every time Matt tried to focus.

“Merlin, I presume?” Matt asked smirking.

“Yep, but how did you know about me and that?”

“A mutual friend, Mordred says hi.”

Merlin laughed, “You know I would ask what he has told you about me, but I am scared.”

“That is probably safest. So why did Lance do it?”

Merlin sighed, “Because he is an idiot with a heart of gold.”

“I already knew that.”

“Did you know that, that is not Shiro out there?’

“Obviously, I have known him forever. I knew he was gay before he did, I think that Keith also knows, on some level.”

“I managed to talk to him once, he was happy. He told me about everything he had done and accomplished with this group. He wanted to be able to introduce them to everyone eventually.” The last time we had talked he said that he needed to talk to someone.”

Matt sighed and shook his head, he pushed himself off the floor and started walking to the door, “I think that he could have found an easier way to do it.”

Merlin laughed again, “I am sure he could have, but he was never one to take the easy path.”

“Take care Merlin.”

“You too Matt.”

Merlin went back to his room and watched Lotor pacing and talking to himself.  Merlin walked over to where he stopped pacing, Lotor couldn’t see him.

“Be there for them, if they need help, help. Give them time. You are doing fine.

Lotor heard him, Merlin released a little bit of his magic to calm down and soothe the hybrid.

Merlin went back to Red and crouched down near the compartment, “I hope you know what you are doing, there are a lot of people missing you.”

Then Keith came back with another altean and his mother.

When he got off the ship he looked around but noticed that someone was missing, “Where is Lance?”

Shiro stepped forward and pulled Keith into a hug, “It is good to see you, you look older.”

Keith narrowed his eyes, “where is Lance.”

“Lance is, Lance he.” Allura took a breath and continued, “Lance died.”

 Keith could not understand, it is impossible, Lance is not supposed to die. That was what he thought when he told them about Haggar and the Alteans.

“Haggar has been draining the Alteans for quintessesnce. She tricked them into them thinking she was their savior.”

They looked over at Lotor who shook his head, “I swear I did not know anything about this. I would have told you if I did.”

Pidge hugged him, Lotor had been helping her to talk about Lance.

“I know, we know you are a good person.”

That is what he thought when he found out that the Shiro that had been with them was a clone.

“Please, Shiro, you can’t leave me too.”

Keith thought that he heard Lance tell him to not give up.

 That was when he thought when the castle imploded and turned into a crystal.

“Red you want me to fly you?”

Red lowered her head and Keith ran up and back to the seat. He looked around and noticed the small things of Lance. There was a blue blanket folded up in the corner, in case of a long flight. There were pictures of everyone taped all over the place.

That was what he thought when they were waiting for the clone body to accept the spirit of Shiro.

“How did it happen?”

Allura looked up and then over at Lotor who nodded and left the room.

“We were at the Omega Shield, repairing it from an attack. Something went wrong and I did not see the danger until he pushed me out of the way. He saved me.”

“He was always good at being the knight in shining armor.” Keith chuckled with no humor.

Allura placed her hand on Keith’s, “he cared about you a lot.”

In Black’s Mindscape

“You know I never did think you were the type to give up, they need you.”

Shiro started and looked up to see Lance.

“Lance what are you doing here?”

He crouched down and Shiro noticed the armor and sword. It was silver and was in really good condition, there was a pouch tied to a brown belt. The sword had a blue gem sitting at the top and brown leather wrapped around the pommel. His hair was longer and curled around the top of the blue cloak, he also looked older.

Shiro blurted out the first thing he could think of, “You really like the color blue, don’t you?”

Lance looked shocked for a moment before letting out a laugh and almost falling over.

“Yeah, you could say that.” Lance looked up as if he heard something and then smiled softly. “I think that it is time for you to head back don’t you, someone is waiting.”

Shiro felt the pull and decided to follow it, but then he looked down and saw that Lance wasn’t following.

“Aren’t you coming too?’

Lance looked up sadly and then back over to Shiro, “take care of them will you.”

Then he started to walk away, “Oh and ask Lotor and Coran about a couple of books called The Round Table Court would you, thanks.”

Then he disappeared and Shiro woke up, to find out Lance is dead. Shiro had forgotten about the books.

Back in the Mindscape

“They need you too, you know.” Lancelot looked over at King Alfor.

“I know and I want to go back to them so bad, but you know that’s not how it works.”

“I do know, but it wasn’t just Shiro you needed to talk to, was it?”

Lance turned toward the King, “No he wasn’t. Tell me Alfor, about what happened to Zarkon and Honerva.”

Chapter Text

An excerpt from the Life of Lancelot

When Lancelot was fifteen, he was given a blessing to head to Camelot to take up an apprenticeship with a Knight. When he reached Camelot, he was told that peasants were not allowed to become Knights. That was also when he learned about the discrimination against those with magic. This however did not deter Lancelot, he stayed in Camelot and picked up as many odd jobs that he could find. Trying to get a way in with the knights. One day when he was helping the local doctor when he met him. He was manservant to the prince of Camelot, Merlin.

On August 14, of the new calendar, and seven years later Sir Lancelot du Loc was cursed.

Chapter 2: What, is my name?

Keith was could not believe that Coran was the only one left to save them, “you know I think that we are doomed.”

“What do you mean?” Hunk asked from where he was poking a wall.

“I mean that it is up to Coran to save us, Coran.” Keith emphasized. “What are you doing?”

“I am doing what Lance would have done, looking for a secret passage.”

“I talked to Lance.” Shiro stated from the corner where he had sat down.

“You did, why didn’t you say anything? Does that mean he isn’t dead? What did he look like?” Pidge jumped up and ran over to Shiro.

“I forgot I was coming back from the dead. He isn’t coming back, he said that he can’t. He looked different.”

“Different how?” Allura asked now curious and happy for the distraction.

“He looked older, his hair was longer and curly.”

Hunk nodded, “makes sense he usually straightens it.”

That shocked Keith, “He straightens his hair, why?”

“I don’t know I guess it is the same reason he covers his freckles.” Hunk answered shrugging.

Shiro had to chuckle at the distracted look on the red paladins face, he felt that he had to add on to it, “I noticed those, he was also wearing a full suit of armor.”

It was official they had killed Keith, Krolia was patting his head in fake sympathy.

“He also said to ask Lotor and Coran about the Round Table Court.” Shiro said looking at the Hybrid.

“I have not heard that name in a while.” Lotor said leaning against the wall.

“Wait Round Table, like King Arthur?” Pidge asked.

“Yes, it is a series of ten books each about a different person. You have heard of them?”

Pidge shook her head, “I have heard of the stories but not that series. King Arthur was the king of Camelot he married Guinevere. The queen had an affair with Lancelot. Camelot fell when Mordred and Morgana killed Arthur.”

Lotor and Allura looked scandalized by that.

“My father used to read to me from the Life of Arthur. Yes, he did fall in love with Lady Gwen, however they did not stay together. They were together because they were both with someone else who they thought would not love them. According to the book Mordred, who was a mage knight, and did not kill the king. He and the other knights worked towards getting Merlin and Arthur together, and Gwen and Morgana together. It was my favorite book I always wanted to be like Arthur.” Allura paused for a moment, “I had forgotten what I had learned from that book I wasn’t acting like Arthur instead I was acting like Uther.”

“I gained the Life of Merlin from my mother, that book really shaped me.” Lotor said.

Before they could continue Ezor and Zethrid came back. They found out that they had been gone for three years.

“I can’t believe it has been three years. I wonder how things are going on Earth.” Pidge asked still trying to patch through to Earth.

“I am sure that they are fine,” Shiro said thinking of Adam.

“I am sure that Adam is fine Shiro, I mean he was fine the last time I saw him.” Keith said shrugging.

That made Shiro pause for a moment and turn towards the screen, “What do you mean the last time you saw him, I am pretty sure that we were all living together.”

“Yeah well, you know after I got kicked out of the academy.”

“You got what? How did you get kicked out of the academy?”

“I might have punched Iverson, and then ran away to live in the dessert.”

“Wait you were living in that shack.”

Keith looked back towards the screen and saw Hunk and Pidge falling over laughing, “Yeah what did you think I was doing there.”

“Cryptid hunting.” Shiro replied quickly.

“Shiro you sure answered quick is Keith a secret nerd.”

Keith turned red and hunched down, he could feel Red chuckling in his head.

“Oh yeah, he also knew about those books we talked about. He always wanted to read one, especially Lancelot.”

“What books are you talking about?” Coran asked from Blue.

“The Round Table Court, the one Father used to read to me.” Allura answered looking back at the man.

“Ah yes I do believe Arthur’s and Merlin’s are both here.” Coran said walking towards the back of Blue.

“Wait you have both?” Hunk asked.

Coran’s head popped up from behind a stack of boxes, “hmm oh yes I do believe if you look in your lions there are boxes of everyone’s stuff.”

Everyone ran back through their lions, and true enough there are between five and six boxes of neatly packed for everyone. Pidge had Lotor’s, Blue had Romelle’s and Coran’s along with Allura. Keith had to stop and take a moment because stacked next to his with the label of Mullet was four boxes labeled Lance. When he opened the first box sitting on top was a letter, taking a breath he leaned back against Cosmo an opened it.

Hey Mullet

If you are reading this it probably means that I am dead and Red took you back. I am writing this as I am packing up everyone their first box. You may be wondering why I am doing this, well call it a gut feeling, and a few years in boy scouts. Okay I was never a boy scout, but I do have a gut feeling. I am sitting in your room wondering what the heck am I going to pack for you, you have like nothing. So, I decided to get you souvenirs, you will find one box of your own clothes and the rest are things that I picked up for you.

I am going to ask you to do something for me. Watch out for the others, and yourselves. As much as I want to see you, I don’t want to see you yet. Give me a few years, okay. Now one last thing I left something for you in Red when I learned that you were looking for this. It is yours now take care of it.

Sincerely

Sharpshooter

“Ahah, there they are I knew I had seen them, you wanted to read them Number four.” Coran said when he popped back up from behind the boxes.
“Allura, Lotor, do you mind if I read them.”

“I do not mind.”

“Neither do I.”

Keith had Cosmo go get the books, and he turned off the screens unless an emergency and read the books. They were not the same as the ones that he had heard in school or had seen in other books. There were lows, such as the magic purge, the betrayal of Morgana. But there were also highs, the meeting of Arthur and Merlin, the creation of the Round Table, the weddings, and when Morgana came back. Keith found himself loving the characters, the sassiness of Morgana or Elyan, the calmness or Leon and Percival, and the chaos that seemed to follow Gwaine. But whenever Lancelot came on, he found himself rereading those parts of the books. When he finally finished, he took a moment to admire the books themselves.

The Life of Arthur was brown so light it looked almost gold with bright red spirals that flowed across the cover. The Life of Merlin was a brown so dark it almost looked black with gold spirals that almost looked like they were changing shape. He went to stand up to get a drink when he noticed the compartment next to the pilot seat was cracked open. Keith opened it the rest of the way and wrapped in a blue cloth that looked it once night have had a design was, The Life of Lancelot. It was a dark brown chocolate leather with dark blue spirals that almost looked lighted depending on what angle it was. Keith forgot all about his drink and sat back down to start the book. Before he could get more then two chapters into the book, they were transported to a game show.

“Paladins of Voltron welcome to Garfle Warfle Snick! Now I am going to assume you know how to play?”

“Wait what, where are we?”

“What is going on?”

“Who are you?”

“What the quiznack is a Garfle?”

“What is a Farfle?”

“You are on Garfle Warfle Snick! And I am your host, Bob.”

They played the games and they were doing good and then Pidge had her turn and she seemed to reset the game.

“Alright everyone this is our last round, and it requires a special guest. Come out here, lets welcome the former blue paladin and the red paladin. Lance.”

When he walked out from behind the curtain, he was wearing his casual clothes he had his hands in his pockets.

“Hey everyone.”

That was all it took and he was being tackled by Pidge and Hunk. Allura was crying and Shiro was smiling at the reunion. Lance looked over at Keith who had an unreadable expression. He gave Pidge a pat on the head and removed Hunk’s arms.

“Did you miss me, Mullet?” He asked a smirk on his face.

But instead of answering Keith pulled Lance down and hugged him taking in the scent of water, mint, and something else he couldn’t identify.

“You know when I said that I would be back, I could of expected everyone to be there.”

Lance pulled back and looked over at Bob, “sorry to disappoint you.”

“It is alright because you are here now Buddy.” Hunk said wiping the tears off his face.

Lance smiled sadly and shook his head, “not really her Bob just pulled me from your memories I am not the real one.”

That seemed to set up an uproar, until Bob snapped his fingers and they were back to their places.

“Now the last round is an easy one and you have three guesses. I know how much you care for each other, so it should be easy. Tell me what is his name?” Bob gestured to Lance who was glaring at the alien.

“It is Lance McClain.” Hunk answered confused.

“That was your first guess.” Bob said smiling.

“Wait what?” Hunk said confused.

“He is Cuban maybe Lance is short for something.” Pidge offered.

“Oh yeah,” Hunk proclaimed, “Leandro.”

“That was number two.” Bob said.

“This makes no sense, maybe it is a trick question.” Keith said looking over at Lance who was still glaring at the alien.

As the others were discussing it Keith really thought about it, and what he knows about the paladin. Then it hit him.

“Lancelot.”

Bob looked at Keith, and so did Lance a shocked look on his face, “sorry what was that.”

“His name it is Lancelot.” Keith said firmly not looking at Lance.

Bob smiled and then started to laugh, “That is correct. I will now send you back to your lions and no time will have passed at all.”

They started to disappear and they were yelling for Lance to come with them, all except Keith who just looked at him.

Lance smiled and pointed to his heart, “hey don’t forget this okay. See you later.”

Then they were gone.

“Why did you tell them that you weren’t real?” Bob asked the Knight.

Lance’s simple cloths disappeared being replaced with shining armor and a flowing blue cloak.

“They aren’t ready for that; I do not think they were ready for this little game either. You are not a very nice god you know?”

Bob sighed and leaned back in his seat, “whether they are ready or not. You know I could have sent you back with them.”

Lance shook his head sadly, “No you couldn’t that spell is old. The conditions hadn’t been met.”

Bob sighed again and looked at the sad night, “So why did you agree to participate?”

Lance looked at the god, “I have some questions for you.”

“Ask away I am all ears.”

Meanwhile the paladins came to back in their lions. Hunk and Pidge started to cry after losing their best friend again. Shiro sat quietly as he wasn’t really around the first time. Keith pulled out the book he had stashed inside his coat right where Lance was pointing. The blue swirls seemed to have come to life shifting and glowing on the cover. Keith opened the cover and started to read. He had almost finished it when the distress beacon came through from the Blade of Marmora.

Keith had forgot that he had put the book in his coat. He forgot when he learned that there were not many people left in the Blade. He felt that something was wrong with this Macidus, and he was right. He was fighting the druid and he knew that he was losing to the magic the druid had. Macidus had Keith on the ground when Keith remembered the letter.

“I am sorry Lance it seems that I am going to see you sooner than expected.”

There was a flash of blue light and a calming warmth just as the druid released a final spell. Keith looked up and standing above him blocking the spell was Lance.

“Hey Mullet you look like you might need some help.” Lance said smirking at him over his shoulder.

Chapter Text

From the moment Lancelot met Merlin, they became fast and close friends. Lancelot had found a permanent job with the town doctor. He and Merlin would meet up when Lancelot would sneak into the forest to practice his swordsmanship. One day Merlin started to bring a friend with him who was the son of a knight. The boy was kind of arrogant at first but one day Lancelot managed to beat Artie. The boy smiled at him and that was the beginning of another friendship. When King Uther died the kingdom mourned for a week until it was time to crown the prince. Lancelot was shocked when Merlin brought him a personal invitation to the coronation. When he went to the coronation he was shocked to see that his friend Artie was Prince Arthur Pendragon. He was even more shocked when Arthur removed the ban on both Magic and peasants being knights.

On October 25 of the new calendar, Lancelot was knighted, and five years later Sir Lancelot du Loc was cursed.

Chapter 3: So That History Does Not Repeat

“Hey Mullet you look like you might need some help.”

“Lance?”

Lance smirked at him and then turned back to the druid; he was not smiling.

“I don’t know who you think you are, I honestly don’t care. But you attacked my friends, my family. That I will not let go.”

What followed Keith considered a one-sided fight, Lance kept Macidus on the defensive the entire fight.

“Keith, Keith are you there?’

“Shiro, it’s Lance.”

“Wait, Lance?”

Just as he said that Lance took down Macidus and turned back towards Keith.

“Hey, are you Okay?”

Keith couldn’t say anything he was too busy taking in the man in front of him. He looked older, Shiro was right. His hair was curly and it fell down in curls around his neck. He had freckles that were all over his face and down his neck. He was wearing a suit of armor that had a dragon roaring on the front. He had a blue cloak that was clasped on with a silver medal that had a lake surrounded by trees.

“Hey Mullet are you okay?”

“Are you real?”

“What, of course, I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Keith finally felt a wave of anger rush through him he looked up are glared into the blue eyes.

“You died.” He stood up and started to poke the man in front of him.

Lance raised his hands, “Oh yeah, that might have happened.”

“Excuse me, might, it might have happened?”

Finally, Lance grabbed Keith’s hands, “Hey, it is complicated why don’t we head back to the others and I will do my best to explain.”

“You better not go anywhere.”

Lance chuckled, “Don’t worry I won’t.”

The next room that they came into Kolivan was hanging from the ceiling.

Keith ran over to Kolivan but just as he was going to reach him, the ceiling fell in, and Allura came down. The others quickly followed and when Shiro saw Keith he ran over and started to check him over. They did not notice Lance at first and he wanted to see how long it would take them.

Pidge was the first one to notice.

“Lance?”

Lance walked over and looked down at her, then the others noticed. “Hey Pidgeon, miss me?”

It did not take more than a second and Lance had an armful of a crying girl.

“You are an idiot, a big idiot, a huge idiot.”

Lance pulled her closer, “Yes I am an idiot.”

Suddenly he was surrounded by the rest of the paladins, including Coran. Krolia, Romelle, and Lotor went to go get Kolivan down. They did not let him go until his armor started to poke Pidge in the face. She tried to wriggle out and that gave a hint for the others to let him go.

Allura pulled him back in for another hug, “Next time why don’t you just tell me about the danger instead of jumping in front.”

Lance smirked and gave a little bow, “But Princess that is my job as a knight and shining armor.”

“Yeah Buddy, what is up with the armor.”

Lance rubbed the back of his head, “that is kind of a long story, how about I take care of Mullet and the space furry over there first?”

Reluctantly Keith let go of his arm and Lance walked over to where Kolivan was laid down. He took the medallion off of his cloak and held it out. He said something that the others could not understand and it grew into a staff. It was made out of a silver wood with lines of blue that looked like water moving through it. Lance held the staff out over top of Kolivan and started to whisper something, his eyes, the staff, and Kolivan started to glow blue. This lasted for a minute before the glow started to fade from Kolivan and everyone else in the room felt a cool calming feeling wash over them, and they felt rejuvenated. That lasted a few minutes and it faded completely.

“There how does everyone feel?’

Coran was bouncing around the room, “I feel a thousand years younger.”

Shiro was smiling softly, “Like I haven’t felt in years, thank you.”

Allura was also smiling, “Calm, thank you.”

“I am glad.” Lance was leaning on the staff looking around at everyone, “Alright I will take all questions now.”

Everyone stopped and looked at each other.

“How are you not dead?” Keith asked the question on everyone’s mind.

Lance sighed and waved his hand; Keith felt the book he had float out of his pocket.

“I can’t stay dead, because of this.” The Life of Lancelot was floating above his hand before it landed.

“You can’t die because of a book?” Pidge asked confused.

Lance shook his head sadly, “No I can’t stay dead, I can die. I have died, multiple times.”

“What!” Hunk ran up and started to check over Lance.

“Hunk, Hunk, Hunk! I’m fine.”

Hunk looked at him and then sat down pulling Lance down next to him. The other also sat down, Keith sat down next to Lance but angled towards him. Pidge sat down right in front of Lance so that she could look at him.

“What does a book have to do with you not staying dead? And how did you use the quintessence?” Allura asked

Lance sighed, “I will start at the beginning. This story starts a long time ago in a town called Meredith, I was born to a family of fishers.”

He told them about wanting to be a knight when he grew up. He told them about growing up and learning the ways of the Druids and magic. How he was not allowed to be a knight because he was a peasant, but he trained anyways. How he met Merlin and Artie and found out Artie was Prince Arthur. The quests that he went on and the fun that he had with the other Knights.

“I had just come back from visiting the Druids and was reporting to the Kings and Queens when we were cursed. I had not realized what had happened really until the first person had found my book, and I had died.”

They sat there in silence trying to digest what they had just heard.

“How many times have you died?” Pidge asked not looking at him.

Lance smiled sadly at the younger girl, “you don’t want to know Pidgeon.”

“Please, we want to,” Shiro said thinking about his own time he died.

“Somewhere in the five hundred, I lost count after a while.”

That set everyone off, Hunk was shaking, Pidge had crawled in Lance’s lap, and Shiro was quiet and stiff. Allura was softly crying and Coran was staring at him. Lance gave them some time to come to terms before he started to calm them down.

“Is there anything else that you want to ask?”

“Why did you come back now?” Shiro asked.

“From what I have figured out it is because of a combination of things. One someone needs to have my book, two they need something from me, and three they need to say my name or a version of my name. Keith had my book, he needed some help, and he called my name, therefore I appear.”

“So does that mean that you aren’t going to disappear,” Pidge asked looking hopefully up at Lance.

“Yeah, Pidgeon that means I am not going to disappear.” He said smiling softly down at the girl.

“Why did you never tell us, or me?” Hunk asked looking betrayed, “did you not trust us?”

Lance swung around fast to look at his devastated friends, “of course I trust you, or I would not have left my book with you. However, I have some slight PTSD from telling people about it.”

 “What do you mean?” Shiro asked hoping the answer wasn’t what he thought.

Lance leaned back and looked at his book, his life source. “A long time ago when I was fighting in, I think the first world war, a General managed to get a hold of my book. He was ecstatic when he found out he had a soldier he could control and couldn’t die. Most of my deaths were wracked up during that war, I think I died over three hundred times. So yeah, it isn’t that I don’t trust you it is just that I have had some bad experiences; and when we managed to land ourselves in another war.” He let them fill in the blanks and by the looks on their faces, they figured it out.

“So, were you the only one affected?” Coran asked attempting to change the subject.

Lance shook his head, “Everyone at the round table was, over the years I have seen some of them. None of us have ever been in the same place at the same time. Except, there are four of us here now, Me, Merlin, the King himself, and another, hiding.”

“We know where two are but who has the third?” Allura asked looking around.

Lance smiled and looked at Krolia, “I believe you stole it?”

Krolia looked confused, “What do you mean?”

“While you were on a mission did you happen to pick up a package that you just could not seem to ignore?"

Krolia nodded and handed him a package and inside was a plain journal. There was nothing special it just looked like a farming journal, he smirked. “I have tried to get rid of it but I never could.”

“Clever Witch always one step ahead of everyone, she knew who you were. Come now my Queen, you know it is rude to ignore others.” Lance’s eyes glowed blue and the book started to change.

Now sitting in his hands was a book covered in a golden-brown cloth with light purple spirals swirling among it. The title was The Life of Morgana.

Keith was about to go get the other two books when Lance put up a hand, “wait until we get to Earth there is someone there who wishes to see them.”

“It is going to be a while before we get to earth, especially on the limited fuel we have,” Coran explained looking over at the lions.

Lance smirked again, “I wouldn’t worry to much about that, Bob owes me a favor for being on his game show.”

Keith gasped, “I knew that was you, why did you say it wasn’t?”

Lance shrugged, “I had a few more things to do.”

Before anyone could ask any more questions, Lance slammed his staff on the ground and a magic circle spread out. “Alright, Bob ready whenever you are.”

Then over the top of Lance’s circle, a bigger one opened like a black hole. It looked like a planetary map spreading out forever. Lance turned his staff and a purple and blue light came out engulfing everyone. One moment they were there and the next they were standing in the middle of Garrison headquarters staring at Iverson.

Lance smiled and walked over to the Commander, “Iverson how are you, my good man?”

Iverson sighed shook his head and took a swig of his coffee before saying, “I hate knights.” And walking back into the Garrison.

Lance nodded his head, “yeah, that seems fair.”

Then he turned back to the stunned group who were still sitting on the ground being stared at by other students. They were looking at him and then at where Iverson just went, with a what the quiznack face.

Lance shrugged, “What I have known him since he was like nine.”