AN: Well here it is, the big one, the final battle against Zarkon. Will our Paladins come out on top, or will the Emperor finally nab the most powerful weapon. Let us read and find out.

The Paladins all stood, frozen in place, starring at where the Emperor's "face" previously was. Zarkon had Commander Sam Holt, Pidge and Matt's father. He was willing to trade for his son, Lotor.

"He's alive! Our dad is alive! We have to get him back!" Pidge said, breaking the silence.

"We're going to." Matt promise his sister then turns to his best friend. "What's the plan, Shiro?" he asks.

"I'm not sure. We can't rush into anything yet. We have to think it through." The Black Paladin replied.

"What's to think through? It's my dad! We're doing this!" Pidge yelled.

"I understand Pidge, but we need to operate on the assumption that Zarkon will try to double-cross us." Shiro replied.

"There's no assumption. Zarkon is a snake, he will double-cross us to get Voltron." Lance spoke next.

"We have Voltron! We can do anything!" Pidge yelled.

"Pidge." Matt tried to calm her, but she wasn't having it.

"No!" She yelled, shrugging off her brother's hand. "We can't let this opportunity slip away! We're too close! Our father is too close!" The Green Paladin states.

"I admit, I don't trust that tyrant any farther then I'd be able to toss him, but we give him Lotor and he gives us Pidge and Matt's father, it's a win-win. Besides, Lotor can take care of himself." Keith says.

"I think you're forgetting something important here. Lotor is still sick, his fever has only just now started to go down and only a little, and we still don't know what he's sick with." Lance rebuffs strongly.

"Why do you care about him so much all of a sudden?" Keith asked, accursedly. Lance stares at him, but doesn't say anything and just looks away. Allura noticed his expression and knew what he was thinking about.

"Keith, I agree we need to do something to recuse Commander Holt." She said to the Red Paladin. "But I also agree with Lance. Lotor is no condition to even move, much less take care of himself." She added. "Especially against..." She trailed off, remembering the horrifying thought of Lotor's scarred back.

Lotor had finally gotten away and they were considering giving him back to the source of those scars. She felt sickened from the thought. Just then, the door opens and everyone looks up to see, Lotor!?! Stumble onto the bridge, Narti on his tail. He looked a little better, and his cheeks weren't flushed anymore, but he was still paler than normal and was slightly off-balance.

"What?! What are you doing here?! Why are you out of bed?!" Lance asked then turns to the half-galra general. "I thought you were going to keep an eye on him." He said to her. She seemed to sigh before replying.

I tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen. He's often stubborn like this. She signed. Lance sighed in slight frustration.

"I heard everything." Lotor speaks. "My father has held the universe in a death grip for millennia, but now he sees it slipping from his grasp because of your efforts and because of ours." He states.

"With our forces combined, we are the greatest threat to his Empire. He knows we can topple him, so this is his attempt to tear us apart. But united, we could forge a new path, open door doors to new worlds and crush his tyrannical rule over the universe." He adds.

"A rule you ran." Keith said.

"We can't trust him. He just wants to save himself." Pidge agreed.

"It's true. If you were to return me to my father, he will surely see to my demise. And with his most legitimate threat to the thrown gone, he will grow even stronger." Lotor states.

"One less threat to Zarkon and one less threat to us." Pidge stated back.

"Pidge, I understand you want to save your Dad, but Zarkon will defiantly have something shady up his sleeve." Lance states.

"Though, I am curious is to how Zarkon got the Commander to begin with." Hunk spoke, and everyone looks at the older Holt sibling.

"Don't look at me." Matt said, then looked like he was thinking about something. "Though, the prisoners did say something about a scary lady." He added. Narti looked like something hit her and she began signing something.

"Huh? Okay, what is she doing? What is that?" Keith asked and Lance turned to him with a quirked eyebrow.

"Really, Mullet? Really?" The Blue Paladin asked. "It's sign language. I taught it to her." He replied.

"You what?!" Keith asked, but Lance focused on Narti.

"The other Generals." The Blue Paladin said when Narti finished. "They knew where the Commander was. They used him as a ticket back into the Empire." He translated.

"That's why the security was gone. They had gotten there before us and destroyed it to get to Dad." Matt realized.

Desperate times, often call for desperate measures. Narti signed. Lotor then turns his attention to Allura.

"Your father, King Alfor, and my father, Zarkon, once fought side-by-side one another, and protected the universe from harm. There was no foe the Paladins of old couldn't defeat." He states.

"Sadly, that time of peace is gone, but together we can rediscover once more. Princess, imagine, a new generation that could generate the new era of peace. The children of King Alfor and Emperor Zarkon, you and I, a royal alliance between Altean and Galra..." He said and stumbles a bit. Lance quickly rushes to his side.

"I think I need to point out, once again, that you're still sick dude. You're better but still very weak, I can only do so much to help you. You still have recuperating to do." The Blue Paladin states, surprisingly stern.

"Lies! Every word is a lie!" Pidge accuses.

"And what of Zarkon's words?" Lotor asks. "You really think he'll keep his word and return your father to you? You believe the corrupt ruler of such a ruthless empire will be true to his word? Your father is a valuable prisoner to him, he wouldn't think to use him just for me." He states. Lance and Allura immediately understood the meaning behind those words.

"You think he'll double-cross us." Kuro said.

"I think he'd do anything to rid himself of me and claim the Lions of Voltron." Lotor says.

"An alliance with the heir to Galra throne, could end the war." Allura says.

"What?!" Pidge and Keith say at the same time.

"It's not ideal. I don't like trusting the Galra, but it could be our best option." She says.

"No!" Pidge rejects.

"Pidge, think of the lives we could save. Think of the countless worlds we could set free." Allura said.

"Think of my father!" Pidge said.

"Pidge, I agree we have to save him, but Zarkon will do what it takes to eliminate any and all he considers a threat. And if that means tricking us, then probably. We'll just be playing into his hands." Lance says.

"He's right." Matt agrees.

"Hunk, back us up here." Lance said to his best friend.

"Well, if he is on our side, then he could lead the Galra to peace form the inside. Right?" The yellow paladin said.

"We are turning him in and getting my dad back!" Pidge yelled.

"Pidge! If you care about your dad, you'll Listen!" Lance snapped. "As long as Zarkon has him, your dad is a hostage. Lotor, if he was up to full strength would be okay, but look!" He says and Pidge takes a good look at the Galra Prince, Keith does as well, and they finally notice how week Lotor appeared.

"Trust me, I can handle--" The Prince began but was cut off by a coughing fit, and it hit them both. Despite trying to appear strong, Lotor was in a fragile condition.

"What do you suggest we do then?" Keith asked.

"Maybe, if he's going to trick us, why don't we, trick him back. Win-win, either way." Lance states.

"What do you suggest Lance?" Shiro asked, the others listening.

"He knows we have Lotor, but I'm not sure if he knows, we have another with us." He says and turns to Narti.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They arrived at the planet the exchange was to take place. Shiro, Pidge and Matt took an Altean pod down to the surface, with Lotor. They landed and stepped out of the pod. They waited, when another shuttle comes and lands a few yards from them. The shuttle door opens to reveal Zarkon, decked out in whole new body armor. He steps out of the shuttle and faces the three humans.

"Show me Lotor!" The Galra Emperor demanded.

"Show us Commander Holt first!" Shiro demanded back. Behind the Galra, two of Lotor's former generals appeared, holding a tied-up Sam.

"Dad!" Pidge cried and tried to run to him, but Shiro stops her.

"Now, where is Lotor?" Zarkon said. The three look at each other, then Matt goes and gets a handcuffed Lotor out of the pod and brings him forward.

Meanwhile, back at the Empire, Haggar was in her chamber and activates her powers. She needed to find the truth. When she opened her eyes, it was dark, then an image materialized.

It was her, lying down and looking very weak, surrounded by Galra and Zarkon. What was odd, was her large stomach, outlined by the blanket covering her. One Galra, leaned down and pulls up a holoscreen, scanning her vitals. Along with the standard stuff, there was also a pulsing sound from her stomach, like a heartbeat.

"Can you save the child?" Zarkon asked another Galra.

"We will try, sire. There are many complications." The Galra replies as the image fades, Haggar watching. Suddenly a wailing was heard and the witch turned to see a crying baby with lavender purple skin and white hair.

Haggar watched as the image faded as well and a young boy's laugh was heard. The high priestess looks around, then sees a young boy, again with purple skin and white hair, this time with glowing yellow eyes. The boy turns and runs away, and Haggar gives chase. Now before her stood Lotor, his back turned to her.

"How ironic." A voice said. "You turned your back on him did you not." Haggar looks around but could not find the source. She looks back at Lotor, to see a new figure walking up to him. the figure turns to her to reveal Zarc.

"You already know. It's too late." He says and walks up to Lotor, putting his scaled hand on the hybrid's shoulder. The boy looks at her. "What was once love, is now gone, lost when you lost yourself. You spun this web, you and your husband." As he spoke. Lotor turned to her, his eyes glowing yellow, then walks away. Haggar reaches out for him, but Zarc steps in between them.

"Like I said, it's already too late. He already has his own path before him." He states looking at her intensely. "Goodbye, Honerva." He said and Haggar, no, Honerva awakes.

"My son..." She gasps. "Lotor." The truth was horrible. To realize you had lost your own child, before you gave it a chance.

Back with Voltron, the rest were up in the Castle, above the planet, monitoring.

"Everything's going according to plan." Hunk said.

"I know I helped come up with it, but I don't like it. This whole thing is like making a deal with the devil." Lance admitted.

"Agreed. It's a good plan, but I have a bad feeling." Keith agreed.

"I hate being so far out of range!" Coran said frustrated.

"Zarkon's fleet is also out of range. These are the terms we agreed on." Allura said. Despite what she said, she didn't trust this, especially with the type of person she knew Zarkon was.

Back down on the planet's surface, the two sides were a standstill. Until it was broken.

"Send over Commander Holt!" Shiro demanded.

"Release him." Zarkon told the generals, and Sam began walking towards them. Lotor followed his lead, walking towards his father.

"Stay alert. If Zarkon's going to try something, now would be the time." Shiro said. The two prisoners walk toward each other, eventually passing one another. Lotor quickly seeing something. Unable to help it, Pidge runs towards her father, she goes to hug him, only to pass right through him. It wasn't Sam, it was a hologram.

"No!" Pidge screams and turns toward Zarkon as Lotor makes it into his clutches. Another general comes out, holding the real Sam Holt. "No! No, we had a deal! We had a deal! Give me my father!" She shouts and demanded.

Up in the Castle, the Paladins and Alteans witnessed the whole exchange.

"Lotor was right. Zarkon double-crossed us." Hunk said.

"And now he has Lotor." Lance said.

"Everyone, get to your lions! We're going in!" Keith says and moves towards the stations.

"Keith, we can't. Zarkon still has Sam. If we go in, we'd be putting his life in jeopardy." Allura says.

"Allura's right." Everyone turns to Coran as he spoke. "If we move in, Zarkon's fleet moves in as well." He says.

"Yeah, but without Lotor we don't have any cards left." Hunk says.

"Yes, we do." Lance said. "Coran, plan B." He said.

"On it." The Altean man said and pressed a button. "We were right. Zarkon double-crossed us, move in now." He said. Luckily they were prepared.

Back on the planet's surface, the trio found themselves backed into a corner.

"If you want this Earthling returned alive, you will hand over Voltron to me!" Zarkon demanded.

"No. No! We have to get Dad!" Pidge tried but was held back by her brother.

"Dude?" Matt asked the man in black.

"Hold your position." Was all he said.

"I knew you would pull something like this." Lotor said to his father. The Galran turns to him, then raises his hand and... Smack! The trio, the general and Sam, all froze from the sight.

"Ungrateful, little, worthless, disgrace!" Zarkon shouted while Lotor attempted nurse the bruise on his face, where his father hat struck him. "When this is over, I will finally be rid of my greatest shame." He said and turned away, Lotor just stood there in silence.

"What's the matter with you?!" Sam yelled. "That's your son, your own flesh and blood! How can you say things like that?!" The man seethed.

"He is nothing, and will soon be wiped from the universe." Zarkon replies.

"No, you'll be wiped." Lotor muttered.

"Bring me the Lions, now!" Zarkon demanded.

Suddenly, he hears a scream and looks behind to see Acxa down, Lotor free and wielding, the Black Bayard?! The Prince jumps into the air and attacks his father, knocking the emperor back. Acxa gets up and prepares to shoot the prince, but her gun is knocked out of her hand and she is blown back at the shuttle. She, her fellow generals and Zarkon look to see Narti, and Shiro?!

"What?!" Zarkon says and looks to the person they all thought was Shiro.

"The old switcheroo." Said Kuro. The emperor turns back to his son.

"So the time has come. This ends today." Zarkon says and charges at this son. Lotor charges as well, and the two engage in battle.

https://youtu.be/TNlVdVUn6JI

"Now! We need to get Sam!" Kuro says and the Holt siblings and him charge at the shuttle. Acxa gets up and turns to her fellow generals.

"Retreat!" She says and they all climb aboard the shuttle. Shiro and Narti board the shuttle going for Sam. Acxa quickly takes the scientist, while Zethrid and Ezor engage with the two.

Back up on the Castle of Lions, activity was spiking on the Castle holoscreens.

"Shiro, Kuro, Pidge, Matt and Narti are all moving in." Hunk says.

"Zarkon's fleet is moving in as well!" Coran adds.

"Everyone, get to your lions. We need to protect the ground team and get Sam." Keith says and they all obey.

"We got to distract him enough until Lotor defeats Zarkon." Lance adds and they all suit up and enter their pillars. The lions launch from the shuttle and make their way to the planet.

The trio board the shuttle and try to get into it. While inside Narti and Shiro were engaged in fights with Ezor and Zethrid, and Acxa had Sam.

"We need backup." Shiro said as he was tossed against the wall. "Keith, guys! We need help!" He said.

"Already on our way!" Keith replied over the coms. Just then, a vent opens and Kuro, Pidge and Matt dropped in.

"Just in time." Shiro said and they all attack, with Acxa joining in.

Meanwhile on the planet surface, Lotor fought against Zarkon. Unfortunately, he was not completely healed yet and his movements were sluggish. Zarkon delivers a powerful hit, throwing Lotor into a rock.

"You want the throne? Even with the power of the black bayard, you are weak. And you will always be weak, with your altean blood, poisoning you." He insulted. "Finally, my darkest shame can be wiped from the universe, forever." He stated.

"You say I'm weak because of my heritage, but I consider it to be a strength. But what of you? You've become nothing more than one of the witch's monsters. Does she control you too? Are you even really the man you once were? Tell me, what does it feel like, to grow weaker? Does the memory of power haunt you? Is that why you strive for Voltron so desperately?" The Prince said back.

"There you go again, talking back to me! You should just do as I say!" Zarkon roars then activates something in his armor and charges.

"I refuse too!" Lotor says and charges as well.

Meanwhile, up in the sky, the Red, Blue and Yellow Lions fly overhead, when they are suddenly shot at.

"Oh, crap!" Keith said when he saw the fleet. "Evasive maneuvers!" He warned and the lions began dodging. Lance grunts as he is nearly hit, and looks down to see Zarkon and Lotor fight, unfortunately the Prince not doing too good.

"Oh, no." He whispers. "We got to get down there. Lotor is still too weak to finish Zarkon off himself." He said.

"Little preoccupied." Keith said and dodge another attack.

Meanwhile, on the transport, the Paladins, Matt and Narti all fight against the hybrid women. Acxa goes back to the steering and tugs the shuttle up, causing everyone to lose their balance.

"Shiro!" Pidge yells. The Black Paladin looks at her and nods. The man take in an inhale or breath and blows it out, sending Pidge at Acxa, and knocking her out. "Hang on, Dad." She says and frees her father.

"Thanks, Katie." The man says, then screams, so does his daughter, when they see the shuttle was heading for a crash course towards the ground. Pidge goes to pull up then Acxa rises and grabs her, knocking them away from the controls. Narti then comes in and pulls up.

Pidge manages to break from Acxa and uses her Bayard to shock the Galra. Shiro and Kuro also subdue Zethrid and knock her against the shuttle door, with doing the same with Ezor. Narti then grabs Sam with her tail and signals the others, who all grab onto something. The blind woman then opens the shuttle hatch, causing to the generals to fly off. When they were all out, Narti closes the hatch and goes to land the shuttle.

"Thanks, Narti." Shiro said as the they walk up to the pilot seat. Narti nods

"Dad!" Pidge says as she goes up to hug the man.

"Oh, Katie!" Sam says and hugs her back. Matt then joins. "Uh, I'm sorry, but I've been holding this back. Who's the weird person flying thing, and also, why are there two Shiros?!" The man asks/yells, and Kuro squeaks and hides behind Shiro.

"Long story. We'll tell you about it later." Matt replies.

Meanwhile with the others, they were having trouble out maneuvering the fleet attacks, they weren't even able to get in good hits.

"Dammit!" Lance said, he manages to get an ice shot in, but the attacks were numerous and the fleet was huge. A cruiser was charging up their ion cannon and aiming for them, when suddenly, a shot destroyed it. They look up to see the Castle.

"Allura! Coran!" They all said.

"Thought you could use some help." Coran replied.

"We'll handle the fleet, you get down there to defeat Zarkon." Allura said and fires another shot.

"Roger!" they say and all land their lions. Just in time too, as Zarkon grabs a hold of Lotor and tosses him away, knocking the prince unconscious.

"To think you actually believed you could beat me." The Emperor scoffed. "Now, I shall finally destroy you!" He declared and was ready to do just that, when he was suddenly pelts by a barrage of ice spears. "Gyah! What!?" He turns to see Lance.

"It's about time for you to go!" Lance says and launches another barrage of ice spears at the emperor. Hunk comes in and stomps on the ground, creating a tremor, shaking Zarkon, and creating a hole where the Galra was standing. Keith then creates lava to trap the man to ground.

Meanwhile, Narti safely lands the shuttle and they all get out and head for the Altean pod, but quickly notice the battle with Zarkon.

"Got to go, Dad! It's time he goes down." Pidge says.

"And this time, we're making sure it's permanent." Shiro adds and they make their way to the battle.

"Ah, Katie!" Sam calls.

"Don't worry, Dad. They can handle it, and they're not alone." Matt says.

"By the way, you never answer why there's a second Shiro." Sam asks and looks at Kuro, who flinches.

"Oh! I, uh..." the clone said unsure.

Back with the battle, Zarkon found himself trapped. Quickly, he activates another function of his suit, allowing him to leap into the air, escaping the trap. However, Shiro, literally, flies in and sends a gust of wind at the Emperor, knocking him back down to the ground.

The Paladins were immediately on him again, Lance attacking him with ice, Keith sending out lava, Hunk shaking the ground and Pidge controlling vines to ensnare the Galra. Shiro hangs up in the sky, then using his powers to change the air and create a thunder storm, and sends a bolt of lightning down and damaging his armor, that was using quintessence.

Meanwhile, up in the sky, the Castle was having trouble, the fleet surrounded and were all preparing to fire.

"If all those ion cannons shoot, we'll be finished!" Coran panicked. Allura was silent, contemplating what to do. Then it hit her. She closed her eyes and focuses her energy.

Suddenly, she found herself in a world of black, a bright path made of pinkish-white light before her. She followed the path to find a giant version of herself, made of the same light. The giant gestured her to come, and she follows entering the being.

Allura snaps open her eyes, now whited and glowing. She grabs the controls and the whole castle lights up. The barrier ignites and sends out a barrage of laser attacks, destroying the whole fleet in mere ticks before Coran's very eyes.

"Princess?" Coran said as he starred at the glowing Altean.

Back on the planet's surface, Lotor stirs and awakens to see a figure above him.

"You've done well." The figure says and offers, a rather scaly hand. Lotor takes the offered hand and the being helps him up. "You can win." The figure says. "Because of his greatest weakness. He's alone, but you are not." Lotor looks back to see the Paladins, all working together against Zarkon, then turns back to the figure.

"It's time." The person said and put his black hand to Lotor's forehead. "To defeat your enemy, you must fully accept yourself." The being said and his hand began to glow, then spread to spread to the Galra prince.

On Lotor's cheeks appeared, Altean markings?! Like Allura's only longer and more curved. Lotor rose and turned to his father. His eyes glowing a mix of blue and yellowish gold. The figure backs away, and Lotor charges at his father. The bayard forming a whole new sword.

Zarkon struggles against the bindings the Paladins, have put him in. The hole he was in, the lava in it, the ice striking him tearing apart his armor, the vines binding his limbs, the wind blades and lightning strikes. He looks up to see Lotor charging at him, strangely glowing and the bayard reforming.

"So... it... ends..." Zarkon says as Lotor jumps into the air and comes down at him. Zarkon's screams rang throughout the landscape. As the smoke cleared, Lotor stood proud as the victor, the Emperor's head on the ground. Dead. Zarkon was actually dead. It was finally over.

AN: It's over, Zarkon has fallen, the Empire has lost its long-lasting leader. With that said, after this colossal event, I'm going to be taking another break here. I need to wind down and recharge, as well as work on some of my other projects.

So until the next chapter, be sure to check my newest Story on Wattpad, "Princess Alaina of Voltron". Another Voltron Au, full of even more rewrites and new stories. Check it out if you want. Until then, see ya all!