Keith was in the training room, using his sword bayard to cut down the training robots as they approached. He had been in there for a while, but he wasn't backing down. Just as he slashed another bot, he heard a familiar voice yelling.

"End Training Sequence!" He turns to see Lance standing in the doorway of the training deck.

"What do you want Lance?" Keith asked annoyed while wiping sweat from his brow.

"I came to tell you that the team in meeting in the luge to discuss what we do until Shiro wakes up." Lance replied as he walked up to the Red Paladin. "And to check on you. You kind of blew up at everyone at the dinner." He said.

"I'm fine." Keith growled. "I'll join you guys later, and I don't you to babysit me." He adds annoyed.

"Says the guy who was so blinded by his rage, he didn't noticed the training bot behind him about to take his head off." Lance scoffed. Keith looked behind him to see said bot on the deck floor. "Now come on. The others are waiting for us, and I think it's about time you took a break." He says and walks out of the room. Keith reluctantly follows.

They join up with the rest of their fellow Paladins and resident Alteans in the lounge. They were unsure what to do without Shiro to help lead them, they were honestly at a loss. They were considering getting a new Paladin, but that was going to be hard.

"Keith, you piloted the Black Lion before, to save Shiro. Perhaps you're the one." Coran suggested. Keith just looked away at the suggestion.

"Keith would be the worst leader of Voltron." Lance reprimanded the idea.

"Yeah, we all have our thing." Pidge joined in. "Keith's the loner. I'm the brain. Hunk's the nice one. Allura's the decision maker. Coran's the wise old guy. And Lance is the goofball." She listed off.

"Mm-hmm. Yeah, exactly. Totally right- Wait a minute." Lance started to agree, then realized what she said. "I'm not a goofball! I'm like the cool ninja sharpshooter." He says. "Plus I'm sort of the team healer now as well." He added.

"Seriously?" Keith scoffs light-heartedly.

"I'm being completely serious when I say, I do not want you to lead me anywhere. Do you know how many times I've had to heal you?!" The Blue Paladin rebuffs.

"I don't want to be the leader! That's just what Shiro suggested!" Keith yells back, but freezes when he realizes he just spilled the beans.

"What, are you talking about?" Hunk asked with wide eyes. Keith didn't say anything in return.

"Shiro wanted you to lead us if anything happened to him, didn't he?" Pidge says.

"Well, I never heard Shiro say that, and how convenient that you're bringing it up now, when Shiro is out of commission." Lance scoffed.

"You want the job so badly, you can have it." Keith said dismissively.

"Now, now, hang on. I've called the head since day one." Hunk interjected.

"What about me? I'm the one who picked up on the radio waves that led us to Voltron in the first place." Pidge added.

"Hold your gazurgas, everyone!" Coran interrupted. "It's not our decision to make." He stated, and everyone calmed down.

"Besides, none of us can pilot the Black Lion." Lance added and everyone turned to him.

"What do you mean?" Hunk asked.

"Isn't it obvious, because we already have each have a Lion. We all already have an unbreakable bond with them. At this point we're too bonded to pilot another." He emphasized, and everyone looked down in thought. "Besides, Shiro is still here, just resting. That last battle took a lot out of all of us, especially him. I mean the guy summoned a freaking space storm. We just need to give him some time to recuperate. Until then, Shiro would want us to continue with our mission, even without him, and Voltron." He added and Allura smiles at him.

"Well said Lance, and you're right. We're going to have to continue on, even without Voltron. It's going to be hard, especially if we run into a specifically harrowing battle, but we must prevail, no matter what." She says, and everyone silently agreed. Suddenly, the lounge screen turned on and through the static, the Puigian leader appeared.

"Voltron, we need your help. The Galrans have returned. Once you left, we were defenseless." He informed. "My people are trying to hold out, but the Galra are too powerful." He continued.

"The lions are on their way." Allura replies. "Hold you ground and protect your people until we arrive. Voltron stands with you." She continues and the transmission ends.

Unbeknownst to them, the Puigian chief was actually being controlled by a half-Galran general, known as Narti. Under orders from the new Galran leader, Prince Lotor. Zarkon's one and only son.

The Castle of Lions arrived near planet Puig, ready to help. The four remaining Lions, Red, Blue, Yellow and Green, exited the ship, making their way to the planet. However, out of nowhere, a ship appeared. It didn't look very much like the Galran ships they had encountered. So they had no idea who it was. Suddenly a voice was heard, broadcasting from the ship.

"Attention, Paladins of Voltron. This is Prince Lotor, son of Zarkon, Emperor Pro Tem of the Galra Empire. Surrender now, or you will be destroyed." The voice said.

"We've been set up!" Pidge from her lion, as a bunch of fighters attacks.

The battle wasn't going to well. Without the Black Lion they couldn't form Voltron, and were one Lion down. They fought with everything they had, but the number of fighter ships were overwhelming.

"What do we do?! We're not going to make it at this rate!" Pidge yelled. Everyone else was stumped, it looks like they were going to lose, and Voltron would be lost.

https://youtu.be/FWT5uHzAFIg

"Have faith Paladin!" A strong majestic voice boomed in all their heads. "You already have what you need inside. All you have to do is reach within yourselves and connect to your powers." The voice said to them.

Suddenly all the Paladins found themselves in a dark space, each standing on a path made of light that matched their individual Paladin color. The Paladins look up and ahead to see giant versions of themselves, made of light of their colors. The giant figures seemed to call to each of them as they made a "came here" motion. The Paladins each walked up to their larger doppelgangers, and somehow were absorbed into them. Back in the real world, the Paladins' closed eyes snap open to reveal their Paladin colors whiting them out and colored auras enveloping them and spreading to their Lions.

"What is that?" One of the generals in Lotor's ship asked. said Prince looked up to see the Lions glowing, and were each enveloped by an element. Flames were blazing from the Red Lion. Water was swirling around the Blue Lion. Rocks were circling the Yellow Lion. And vines were twisting all over the Green Lion.

"What in the Universe?" Lotor exclaimed at the sight.

Suddenly the Lions attacked, but their natural abilities were amplified to the hundredth degree, making quick work of the Galran fighters. While being watched by the Alteans aboard the Castle of Lions.

"What is happening?! The Lions all had a sudden spike in power!" Coran yelled. Allura just starred. Deep within her very being, she felt it. Zarc's influence.

"Sir what do we do?! The Lions have taken out all the fighters!" Another general informed Lotor who just stared at the sight. He then turned to his generals.

"Retreat for now! We've seen enough!" He instructed and the ship is set into hyper drive and leaves.

Meanwhile, the Paladins calm down, the light and aura disappeared. Along with the element themes and their eyes stopped glowing.

"Paladins! Are you alright?!" The Princess's voice said through the coms.

"Huh? Oh Princess? What happened?" Lance asked, a little disoriented.

"I think we somehow connected to our powers on an almost spiritual level." Pidge informs.

"Well, that was weird." Hunk commented.

"Woah, we totally had our own "Avatar State" moment just now!" Lance said excitedly. Both Hunk and Pidge agreed.

"Thank goodness you're all okay." The Princess sighed in relief.

"Now, we know Zarkon has a son." Keith commented. Ruining the mood.

"This is... deeply disturbing." Allura comments.

"We need to find out more." Keith continues.

"Later bud. After that battle, I think we all need time to reenergize." Lance says.

"He's right man. I'm drained." Hunk agreed, and they all flew back to the castle.

Later, Lance was standing in front of Blue, thinking deeply about what happened.

"Are you alright Lance?" Said Paladin turned to see Allura come into the room.

"Hey Allura. Did you need something?" He asked as the Altean Princess walks up to him.

"I, just wanted to ask about what happened out there." She replied.

"To be honest I'm not sure." Lance answers. "One moment we were getting our butts kicked, the next, we were all in this strange space. Where, I think we saw physical manifestations of our powers, and connected to the them." He explains.

"There's something I need to tell you." Allura suddenly spoke. "When the Lions began glowing, I felt something. Something I felt once before." She said. "I think, it was Zarc. Guiding you all." She added.

"That does make sense. Zarc role in all this, seems to be like a guide. Helping us along our destiny path, and showing us the way." He said and smiled. Allura smiled back. Suddenly Coran's voice was heard over the Castle's com system.

"Princess! The Red Lion is leaving the Castle!" The Altean man alerted.

"Keith, where are you going?" Allura asked.

"I put a tracker on Lotor's ship, I'm going after him." Keith replied and flew away.

"No! Wait Keith! We're all still recovering what happened earlier!" Lance shouted.

"Look! You don't have to come along it you don't want to, but I'm finishing this war!" He replied and flew away, chasing the Galran Prince.

AN: Sorry this took so long. I've been going through writers block, but I'm back. Oh, by the way, I was thinking of turning this into a crossover with ThunderCats. Or making a new ThunderCats and Voltron crossover fanfic all together. Tell me what you guys think in the comments below. Till then, see ya next time guys.