A/n: Anything in bold in this chapter is a nightmare. I'll indicate when the nightmare begins and ends with 5 stars(*****). I also want to apologize if it gets confusing when you reach the mindscape scene with Keith's father. Hope you all enjoy! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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Before deciding to head to the Blade of Marmora's base, Shiro wanted the team to rest up and be prepared for what was coming their way next. With little to no sleep in the past couple of days, Keith retired to his room.

Inside his room, he sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at the blade his father gave him. "I'll finally get the answers I'm looking for." He sheathed the blade and laid down on the bed, not even bothering to climb under the sheets.

A few minutes of silence passed before Keith was able to find peace and close his eyes, falling into a deep slumber.

*****
The shrill cries of many were heard. Keith's eyes flew open and he quickly looked around. When he recognized the city, his violet eyes widened in bewilderment and he couldn't believe it. "Is this...?"

The boy found himself standing in the middle of Halivaara, Arcadia's hometown. He was utterly confused as to how he was on Draconia since it was already destroyed thousands of years ago.

Climbing to his feet, Keith felt the air of the city was full of static and clouded with smoke. Looking at his surroundings once again, he saw buildings were turned into piles of rubble while others were only standing with a few bricks remaining.

Another round of screams filled the air as Keith immediately turned around and saw a few draconians being struck down with a powerful lightning spell. Their cries filled the air before they fell to the ground, lifeless.

Keith immediately took a few steps back when the draconian who killed the group set his sights on him. Without hesitating, the boy took off in an attempt to find a place to hide.

As he ran, Keith knew exactly what was happening. "The civil war on Draconia. Why am I here?"

Continuing to run, Keith passed many dead alchemists. Blood painted the streets like an eerie canvas and the stench of burning flesh stained the air. While searching for a place to hide, he heard the sound of a child crying. He stopped and immediately searched for the wailing child. When he did, Keith's eyes widened.

A child with golden eyes and snowy hair was sprawled out on her knees, crying as she tried to wipe away the tears but it proved to be futile with the torrent of water streaming down her cheeks.

Keith stared at the child, easily being able to recognize her. "Arcadia..." If he remembered correctly, she was only eight at the time of the civil war on her home planet broke out.

The hooded draconian who'd been pursuing him managed to catch up, but his target changed when he spotted the young Arcadia crying in the middle of the street.

The boy noticed how the man's eyes shifted to the girl and he quickly sprung into action. With no weapon to fight against the alchemist, he set his sights on Arcadia. He ran to her and scooped her up into his arms before dashing down the street.

Keith kept running and running until he was exhausted. By the time he stopped, he reached the outskirts of Halivaara. He was able to escape the city without being hit by a single spell and drawing anymore unwanted attention. He walked into the forest for what felt like hours. He kept Arcadia cradled in his arms as he pushed through the foliage. Her crying stopped a little after exiting the city. A few whimpers escaped her here and there, but she was overall quiet now.

Reaching a cliff that bordered the ocean, Keith finally came to a stop in order to rest. He sat down, Arcadia's small arms wrapped around his neck. He didn't let her go and comforted her by combing his fingers through her hair. Even at this age, her hair was long and soft.

"I'm sorry," Keith found himself whispering weakly as he embraced her.

Arcadia pulled away slightly, but remained in Keith's arms. She unwound one of her arms from around his neck and patted the top of his head. "There, there." Keith looked up at her once feeling her tiny hand on top of his head. He stared into her puffy, golden eyes. He rather enjoyed her gentle and reassuring touch.

Her other hand unwrapped from around his neck and joined her other one in his hair. "You don't have horns." Then her hands gravitated to his ears. She tugged on them, noticing they weren't pointy like hers. "You have funny ears, too," she giggled.

Keith smiled at her, staring into her golden eyes as she then checked his neck for branchia. "You don't have those, either! You're funny looking. What are you? Where're you from? I've never seen an alien like you."

"I'm—"

Before Keith could answer, the ground suddenly shook. He quickly pulled the child into his arms and stood up. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he kept Arcadia close to him.

Suddenly, all was consumed in a bright light before being dissipating into darkness.
*****

Keith flew up in bed with a startled gasp. He looked around, realizing he was in his room aboard the Castle of Lions. He placed a hand against his sweaty forehead, wiping it clean before deciding to get up and head for the training deck to see if a few matches with the gladiator would clear his mind.

Once sweat-free, Keith left his room with his bayard in his grip. He meandered to the training deck, where he discovered he wasn't alone.

In the middle of the large room stood Arcadia. Everything seemed normal with her except for the fact her wings were protruding from back in her human form.

Unconsciously, Keith wandered over to her without muttering a word and touched the appendages. He snapped back to reality when he heard her yelp in surprise and turn to face him, her wings now out of reach. "K-Keith, you scared me."

"Sorry..." He muttered, eyes still glued to her wings.

Arcadia saw what he was staring at and retracted her wings. "Sorry. Did you want to train?"

"Uh..." The boy was still staring at where her wings used to be.

The alchemist snickered as she placed a hand on her hip. "Are you really that fascinated with them? You see them every time I transform."

"Yeah, but... it's different seeing them when you look like this," he gestured to her body. "What were you doing, anyway?"

"Learning how to use my wings without transforming. Could be helpful in battle one of these days. Also..." Arcadia held out her hands and manifested a sphere of light. "I was practicing a few new incantations. If I can get the hang of this spell, I can..." She tossed the orb into the air and snapped her fingers. The sphere of light exploded, filling the training deck with a small barrage of smoke. "Manipulate the radius of the explosion. Once perfected, I could possibly turn an entire galra fleet into nothingness with a single explosion."

Arcadia formed another sphere, which Keith poked. "Uh, you sure it's safe?"

The draconian raised a brow with a pout. "You don't trust me? You wound me, Keith."

"I didn't mean—"

She snorted with laughter, poking him on the cheek. "I'm just messing with you."

Out of the blue, the couple was called to the bridge and they immediately left the training deck. Once at their destination, they saw everyone was present. Shiro stood a few feet from Coran, who was manning the main console. "Coran, how soon will we get to the Blade of Marmora's base?"

"Based on the coordinates that Ulaz gave us, we should be there within a few doboshes," the advisor explained, not even sparing Shiro a single glance as he was focused on the console in front of him.

"I can't wait to see it. I mean, they were able to fold space-time, and that was just at an outpost!" Pidge shrieked with excitement, her eyes glistening.

Hunk places a hand on his stomach as he reminisces in the memory. "Mm, the space taco. It left us too soon." After the mention of food, his stomach grumbles as if it were agreeing with him.

"Well, sure, but my point is, imagine how amazing their home base will be!"

"Exactly." Hunk begins to drool. "It could take on any shape. Like a space jelly donut. Or long, like a space éclair. Or a space cheese blintz with a cherry sauce on top. Maybe a little dusting of powdered sugar. That's the stars."

"What a strange lineup of words," Arcadia comments after listening to the yellow paladin. "Some of them sound funny."

"Hold it!" Hunk shouted, eyeing the alchemist. "You've never an éclair or a jelly donut or, or—!"

"Or a cheese blintz."

The boy flew out of his seat and declared at the top of his lungs, "I will not let this stand!"

"Now that I think about it, they sound delicious," Arcadia said.

"Aw, now I'm hungry for breakfast!" Lance whined as he deflated in his seat.

"Guys, this is a serious mission. We need to focus," Keith snapped at them, shocking all four individuals.

Lance crosses his arms and mocked him under his breath in a childish tone. "We need to focus."

"The base is in range," Coran informed the others.

"Take us in slowly," Shiro commanded.

Coran nervously looked up. "That might prove the tiniest bit of a challenge."

The Blade of Marmora base appeared on the screen, revealing the issue the team faced. Hunk was slightly confused as to what was going on. "Is that a black hole?"

Coran shook his head as he pointed out what all surrounded the base. "No, no, no, no, no. It's two black holes and a giant blue star."

"That's not better..." The yellow paladin grumbled.

"No kidding," Pidge spoke up. "Just inside a black hole, the temperature is one millionth of a degree above absolute zero. But, just outside of that, it's hundreds of millions of degrees celsius."

"Okay, it's like when you try to nuke a frozen burrito in the microwave, and it comes out all scorching hot on the outside, but it's still frozen in the middle, right?"

Arcadia glanced at Hunk with a puzzled expression while Lance wailed out at the mention of more food. "Now I'm hungry for lunch!"

Keith gritted his teeth, irritated at how his team members weren't taking the situation seriously. He snapped and glared at them. "Guys, quiet! Coran, where's the base located?"

The castle screen zooms in on the headquarters hidden between the black holes and the blue star. "In between those three deadly celestial objects," Coran exclaimed.

"The perfect defensive position," Pidge comments.

"Or the perfect trap," Allura declares vehemently.

Hunk nodded in agreement with the princess. "Yeah, I'm with Allura. Maybe we shouldn't, like, go in there at all?"

"What are you talking about? We have to go in! This is the whole reason we came out here! There is no other option!" Keith shouted, grabbing everyone's attention.

Lance blinked a few times before replying. "Okay. Jeez. Calm down."

Out of everyone in the room, Arcadia was the only one who knew why Keith was so irritated. He was so close to the only place where he'd get the answers he's been searching for. She strides over to him and places a hand on his arm to comfort him in silence. She smiled up at him just as the computer beeped.

Everyone turns to face the screen, seeing galra characters are visible.

"Identify yourself."

The team was flabbergasted when a computerized voice spoke up. Shiro stared up at the screen before looking toward Coran. "Open a hailing frequency, Coran." The man nods and presses a button. The console beeps and Shiro began speaking. "We are the paladins of Voltron, sent here by Ulaz."

A heavy silence filled the air when the computerized voice didn't answer right away. Everyone was holding their breath in anticipation, wondering what it would say next.

Then, the galra characters on the screen change and the digital voice spoke.

"Three may enter. Come unarmed."

The characters disappear and the frequency closes. Everyone relaxes at hearing they would be able to meet with the Blade of Marmora.

"Why would they insist we come unarmed?" Allura inquired suspiciously. "Shiro, this doesn't feel right."

"We've come too far to turn back now," Shiro responded to the princess.

"They just sent us a route to the base, but we'll have to move quickly. Because of the solar flares, it's only open for another varga," Coran explains. The screen highlights the path, then shows a blinking icon on top of it. "Then, it will be closed for two quintants."

"They're gonna close it for two years?" Hunk asked, still unfamiliar with the time units.

"Two days," Pidge replies.

"Oh."

Lance smirks as he sidles up next to Shiro. "So, any thoughts on who's gonna join you on this little mission? I'm thinking things might get a little hot, so you're gonna want someone who can stay cool."

"You're right." Shiro tore his gaze from Lance and looked at the red paladin. "Keith, you're coming with me."

"Wha—?" Lance's jaw dropped to the floor before he exploded. "Keith's a hothead! He's probably going to shoot first and ask questions later! And they're not gonna be able to answer his questions because they'll be dead!" He leans closer to Shiro, staring him down.

"We haven't yet severed Zarkon's link with the black lion, so it has to stay here." He puts his hands on Lance's shoulders and lightly pushes him away. "And the red lion can withstand the heat from that sun. So, yes, it'll be Keith."

"Then who else are you gonna take?" Pidge asked.

Shiro's gray gaze fell upon the draconian. "We'll be needing your specialty in magic, Arcadia, in case things go south."

"Are you sure?" She asked doubtfully. "They said to come unarmed. I'm practically a walking weapon."

"You are a walking weapon," Lance corrects her before smirking. "A cute one, at that."

Arcadia ignored the flirtatious comment and hugged her arms. "I don't think I'm a good option, Shiro."

Shiro offered her a brilliant smile. "I think both Keith and I would feel better if you were the one to accompany us."

The alchemist glanced between Shiro and Keith before sighing in defeat. "Alright, I'll go."

Now that it was officially decided, Coran warned the three before they departed. "The course to the base will be quite treacherous, to say the least. You're walking a razor's edge between the gravitational pull of the black holes and the star. One false move, and you'll either be crushed into infinity or burnt to a crisp."

The trio leave the bridge and head to the red lion. They depart from the castle and head to the base. Shiro and Arcadia stood behind Keith as he piloted his lion. The gray-eyed boy leant forward, hand resting on the seat. "Keith, is everything okay?"

"I'm fine," Keith responds without looking at him.

"You kind of blew up at everybody back there. You'll have to control your emotions if you're going to lead this group someday."

Keith looked shock before chuckling lightly. "Lead the group?"

"When we were stranded, I told you if anything ever happens to me, I want you to lead Voltron."

"This is the first I'm hearing this," Arcadia muttered to herself, her grip on the seat tightening.

Keith looked over at Shiro. "I thought you were just delirious with pain. Why would you make me the leader?"

"Because I know what you're capable of, if you can learn some self-discipline," Shiro explains.

"Why are we even talking about this? Nothing is gonna happen to you." The younger boy looks away.

Shiro puts his hand on Keith's shoulder. "It's just in case. I need you to get focused. When you and Allura ran off, it put us all in jeopardy. If you're going to be a leader, you've got to get your head on straight."

"I'm sorry. I've just had a lot on my mind," Keith said, his tone low and wavering.

"I know. We all have."

Arcadia nimbly took off Keith's helmet before pecking him on the cheek. "You're not alone and never will be, Keith. Remember, we're all here for you." She put his helmet back on, which resulted in the boy's red cheeks to be concealed. Shiro smiles at the exchange before the red lion suddenly surges forward, earning a grunt from him.

An alarm blares inside the cockpit. Arcadia's fingers dug into the white leather as she felt a tug on them and the lion. "What's going on?"

"We're getting drawn in by one of the black holes!" Keith shouted as he gripped the controls tightly.

"Get us out of here!" Shiro bellowed.

Keith pulls a single lever. The red lion's thrusters engage, pushing them out of the gravitational pull. All three of them sigh in relief as they move back on track and enter through the path Coran specified.

"Great job!" Shiro compliments Keith's swift thinking. "That was close."

"You can say that again..." Arcadia grumbled, her death grip on the seat still remaining.

The red lion lands on the asteroid. Keith, Arcadia, and Shiro exit and look around. They were puzzled when they spotted nothing. "There's nothing here. This place just looks like a plain asteroid," Keith comments exactly what both Arcadia and Shiro were thinking.

All of a sudden, a low rumbling was heard and felt. A panel slides open in the rock, revealing two Blade of Marmora agents. The trio exchange looks before following them down the hidden lift.

Eventually, the elevator comes to a halt and opens, revealing the Blade's headquarters. Galra agents stand in two rows, leading to a raised platform with a single agent standing on it. Keith, Arcadia, and Shiro are led to the platform by the two agents they'd ridden with on the lift.

Once in front of the steps, the agent standing on the raised platform introduced himself. "I am Kolivan, leader of the Blade of Marmora."

"My name is Shiro and this is Keith. We are paladins of Voltron." Shiro then gestures to the alchemist. "This is Arcadia. She's been a major part in making a difference in the universe."

"I know who you are," Kolivan retorts. "Especially you, draconian."

"My, my..." Arcadia smirked in amusement. "Guess I'm more popular than I thought."

"Then you know we were sent by one of your own," Shiro said.

"Ulaz was a fool to divulge this location to you. He had a penchant for ignoring orders and following his impulses. That's what got him killed."

"He gave his life to save us!" Shiro shouts in anger. "What he did brought us here today, and Voltron is ready to assist you. Are we welcome here or not?"

"You were told to come unarmed," Kolivan states calmly.

"Here it comes..." Arcadia groaned.

"You also told us to identify ourselves. The lions are about as close as we come to an ID," Keith vehemently rebuttals.

"If anything happens, believe me, you'll be happy you have the red lion on your side," Shiro explained.

"I imagine we would. However, I wasn't referring to your beast," the leader stated in his usual calm tone.

Antok approaches Keith from behind, grabbing his arm and pinning it behind his back. Keith grunts, struggling to break free. His foot is kicked out from under him and he crashes to the floor, quickly pinned by the agent.

"Hey!" Arcadia snarled right before another agent yanked her back by the hair and tossed her to the floor. She growled deeply and unconsciously unsealed her powers, alerting other operatives. They surrounded her, blades drawn and ready to pounce if she provoked them. She glared daggers at them, gritting her teeth and revealing her sharp fangs in a threatening manner.

"Keith! Arcadia!" Shiro tried to help them, but another Blade blocks his path to either of them.

A metallic sound resonates as Keith's knife is pulled from him, its hilt unwrapped to reveal the Blade of Marmora's emblem. "He has one of our blades! Who did you steal this from?" The agent pinning Keith to the floor demanded, applying more pressure.

"I didn't! I've had it all my life!" Keith protests with a wince.

"Lies!"

Kolivan eyes Shiro, noticing the shocked look on the paladin's face. "Can you corroborate your friend's statement? Does this blade truly belong to him?"

"I... I don't know," Shiro responds truthfully.

"I can vouch for him," Arcadia spoke up as she pushed her upper body off the floor, grabbing everyone's attention. "I visited Earth and saw—ah!"

One of the agents kicked her in the side to silence her. "We cannot trust a draconian." He delivered another kick, forcing her entire body back onto the floor.

"Stop!" Keith demanded as he helplessly watched Arcadia curl her body into a ball to prevent another kick to the ribs. He struggled against the operative holding him down in an attempt to break free and rush to the girl's aid, but he couldn't even budge an inch. Though, he was relieved when the agents stopped kicking her. He looked at Shiro, knowing he was the last remaining hope. "Shiro, you know me. I promise you I didn't steal it. I've had this knife as long as I can remember."

Antok shoves Keith's head down. "We can't trust them."

Something snapped inside Arcadia as she pushed her body onto all fours. A ring of energy erupts from her body, blasting away everyone except for Keith and Shiro. All the members of the Blade were sent flying back and away from the trio. The alchemist slowly stood up, sealing her powers and allowing her features to return to normal. Keith and Shiro watched in stunned silence as she lifts her head and glares at the leader of the Blade. "Your organization is stubborn, Kolivan. We come here at request of one of your own members, but you call him a fool even in death. You refuse the universe's only chance of survival and don't even bother to listen. You're a horrible host."

The agents recovered and targeted Arcadia, but Kolivan stopped them. "Enough!" He kept his gaze solely focused on the girl. "Our organization is built on secrecy and trust. You three should leave. Now."

Keith pushes himself off the floor with a faint grunt. Shiro approaches him with a frown directed toward Kolivan. "We came here to form an alliance, but obviously we're not welcome. Come on, Keith, Arcadia, we're leaving."

"Hold on, Shiro," Arcadia spoke up. "We're not leaving just yet."

Keith agreed with his girlfriend. He felt stronger knowing she was standing beside him regardless of knowing the dangers. "Not without some answers. Somehow, one of your knives ended up with me on planet Earth. Tell me how."

"Your friend is right. It is time for you to go." Kolivan turned to leave, but Keith kept up with his demands.

"Where did it come from? I have to know."

Kolivan ceases his retreat. "You seek knowledge? There is only one way to attain knowledge here."

"How? I'll do it!"

"The trials of Marmora. Should you survive, you may keep the blade and its secrets will be revealed," Kolivan exclaimed.

Arcadia wasn't fazed while Shiro gasped in shock. "Survive? Keith, this is crazy. If they're not going to help us, let's get out of here."

"I'm not going anywhere. I have to do this." Keith's violet eyes fell upon Arcadia. "Are you gonna try and stop me, too?"

The draconian smiled as she shook her head. "No. You've been searching for answers for so long and I won't derive you of the chance to get them. But if I see you need help, I can't promise I'll stay on the sidelines."

Keith smiled with joy, knowing she understood his desire entirely before looking back at Kolivan. The galra saw the determination in the paladin's face and nodded. "Antok, give the boy the blade."

The agent hands Keith his knife. "We will meet again."

"Can't wait," Keith glared back as Antok backed away.

"These trials result in one of two things: Knowledge, or death," Kolivan said.

<———————<<<<<<<

While Keith fought, Shiro and Arcadia were watching everything on a screen with Kolivan. "Come on, Keith," Shiro mumbled.

Arcadia wouldn't deny the worry bubbling inside her as she watched Keith fight. She knew he wasn't weak, but he was facing off against an organization who's been fighting Zarkon much longer than he has. She winces when he is grappled and effectively disarmed, his arm pulled behind him and his head forced down with a yell. They could hear the Blade as his sword rested on the back of Keith's throat. "Surrender the blade and the pain will cease."

"He's too stubborn for that," Arcadia whispered to herself, her emotions a jumbled up mess as she continued to watch her significant other put up a fight.

"I won't quit," Keith replies, glaring sharply at the operative.

"Then the pain continues." The agent removes his sword from Keith's neck and lets go of his arm. The boy falls on all fours, gasping. He then gets to his feet, looking at his opponent in confusion when he suddenly sidesteps and points to the door across the room. "You are not meant to go through that door."

Arcadia felt Shiro tense up beside her when two more agents emerged from the floor with their blades drawn. Both were tense, but the girl was able to hide hers due to the worry for Keith's safety being what was top priority in her mind at the moment. She crossed her arms, sighing heavily when Keith engaged the other two agents.

"This is not a fair fight!" Shiro yelled at Kolivan after seeing Keith outnumbered.

"Nor is taking on the galra, yet that is the fight we face," Kolivan coolly replies without even looking at him.

Arcadia gritted her teeth when she witnesses the two operatives beat Keith. He falls to his knees, another sword at his throat. "Surrender the blade and the pain will cease," the galra demanded.

"Never!" Keith declared.

Just like earlier, the Blade steps aside and points to the door across the room. "You are not meant to go through that door."

Three panels open to reveal three more operatives. Arcadia looked away when Keith engaged the three assailants, her tolerance for seeing him getting hurt growing thin. She knew he was losing and feared she was going to lose him.

When more Blades entered the room, she turned her head and felt her shoulders shaking in anger and worry. Shiro noticed and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently to try and calm her. He was just as worried for him as she was and he wanted to help. He looked over at Kolivan, who was still watching the fight intently. "How long does this go on?"

"Sometimes the greatest challenge is knowing when to stop," Kolivan rebuttals.

"He'll never quit."

"One way or another, this will end. Knowledge or death."

They heard Keith yell as he charged forward into the fray, his battle cry echoing all around.

Arcadia crosses her arms, digging her nails into her skin to hold herself back. As more Blades rise through the panels in the floor, she notices Keith is visibly shaking and breathing heavily while holding his shoulder. She felt her fingers tingle with lightning, but she surpressed it.

The Blades step off their panels and they slide down, another sliding forward to take its place. Keith narrows his eyes and charges forward. He throws his knife, which spirals past the Blades and lands in the panel to prevent it from closing. The boy fights the assailants unarmed. One Blade throws him and he slides across the floor, smirking as he grabs his knife and slips through the still open panel.

Arcadia's eyes widen in shock when Keith vanishes into the floor.

Shiro gasps when the boy was no longer in sight. "Keith!"

The image on the screen shifts, showing Shiro and Arcadia where Keith had vanished. They sighed in relief, but it was short-lived when they saw him hunched over and holding his injured shoulder. The duo heard him gasp in pain as he trudged forward. "Guess I really wasn't supposed to go through that door." Keith slows down all of sudden and groans before toppling over and falling to the floor.

Arcadia's eyes widen in horror and she places a hand over her mouth as she gasped. The urge to rush to him was becoming overpowering, but her entire body froze when two figures approach the half-conscious boy. She saw it was her and Shiro. "How is this possible?" She whispered to herself before watching the exchange between Keith and the clones of her and Shiro.

<———————<<<<<<

"Hey, man. You did it," 'Shiro' said with a smile.

"We knew you could do it." 'Arcadia' held out her hand for him to take.

Keith smiles weakly, then grimaces. "Shiro? Arcadia?" He reaches out and takes the girl's hand. She pulls him to his feet by his uninjured arm.

"Kolivan told us you lasted longer than anyone ever has in those battles. You don't have to keep this up," 'Shiro' stated.

Keith looks up at 'Shiro' in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

A smile spread across the older boy's face as he explained. "Just give them the knife and let's get out of here."

"We're your family now. You don't need the knife, Keith," 'Arcadia' spoke as she released her hold on the boy's hand and stepped back to stand beside 'Shiro.'

Keith eyes widen in shock. He thought Arcadia understood how much the blade meant to him, but maybe she didn't understand fully just yet. He shook his head, gripping the knife tightly. "I can't give it to them."

<————————<<<<<<<<

The real Arcadia sighed in annoyance at how her clone spoke to Keith. To her left, she heard Shiro ask Kolivan a question. "Are those holograms?"

Kolivan nodded. "His suit has the ability to create a virtual mindscape, reflecting its wearer's greatest hopes and fears. And at this moment, your friend desperately wants to see both of you."

Arcadia and Shiro turn their gaze back to their holograms and noticed the anger on their faces.

<————————<<<<<<<

"What is it with you and that thing?" 'Shiro' spat.

"It's just a knife," 'Arcadia' added with a scoff.

"It's the only connection I have to my past. It's my chance to learn who I really am." Keith's lilac eyes solely focus on his girlfriend. "I thought you understood, Arcadia."

"I do understand, Keith. But is this blade really more important than me and the others?" She crossed her arms with a glare.

"What?" Keith gaped in disbelief at the question. "I—"

'Shiro' interrupted the boy before he could reply. "You know exactly who you are. A paladin of Voltron. We're all the family you need."

Keith couldn't hide the emotional turmoil he was drowning in. "Shiro, you're like a brother to me." He then looks toward 'Arcadia.' "And I love you more than anything, Arcadia... but I have to do this."

'Shiro' snapped at the boy. "No, you don't. So just give them the knife."

"I can't do that."

"Just give up the knife, Keith! You're only thinking of yourself, as usual!"

Keith's eyes widen, then he looks away. "I've made my choice."

'Shiro' remained angry in the very end. "Then you've chosen to be alone."

"Guess no one really matters to you. Not even me," 'Arcadia' retorts before walking away alongside 'Shiro.'

Keith looks down at the knife, then back up at Shiro's and Arcadia's retreating figures. "Arcadia! Shiro! Wait!" He runs after them and before he's able to reach them, a bright light engulfs them both.

The light fades, leaving Keith in his desert shack alone. He looks around, but a loud crash startles him. "Huh?" He turns to the door to go outside.

"Keith..." A familiar voice calls out to him.

He quickly turns around and gasps. "Dad?"

"You're home, son," his father smiled at him.

Another loud crash startles Keith and he looks over at the window. "What's going on outside?"

"Don't worry about that. We'll be fine as long as we stay in here. Don't you wanna catch up?"

Keith frowns, looking distressed. "Of course I do."

The man sighs. "Son, so many years have passed. I have so much to tell you."

Another loud crash. Keith turns to face the window. "What is that?"

"Everything's fine," the boy's father tried to reassure him.

Keith ignores his father and pulls the blanket off the window and gasps. Outside, a galra warship attacks the desert and destroys it. People were screaming while the red lion sits immobile on the top of a cliff. "Dad, I-I'm sorry. I gotta go. There's people that need me out there."

The man held Keith's knife in his hands. "Don't you wanna know about where you came from? Your mother gave it to me."

"Mom?"

A fourth crash resounds throughout the area. More screaming can be heard. The galra warship fires again on the desert, lines of sentries visible as they march upon the cabin.

"She'll be here soon," the man smirks.

<———————<<<<<<<

After trying to pursue the holograms of Shiro and Arcadia, Keith suddenly collapsed. "You need to get him out of there," the black paladin told Kolivan.

"He can decide when to leave," the leader responds.

Shiro throws his hands out, clearly frustrated. "You're messing with his mind. You're going to kill him!"

"Knowledge or death, Shiro."

He grits his teeth and starts walking away. "I'm calling this off." Two Blade members block his way and restrain him, which provided Arcadia with the perfect opening.

The alchemist was no longer able to withstand seeing Keith in such a state and rushed to the door. She dodged the agents who released Shiro for a split second to catch her, but they missed.

"Stop her!" Kolivan shouts.

Arcadia was already out of sight by the time the agents took chase.

<————————<<<<<<<<

"You gotta tell me, Dad. I have to know. Where did the knife come from? What does it mean?" Keith asked his father.

The man looking down at the knife. "Your mother is almost here." He then looks up at Keith. "She'll tell you everything."

An explosion occurs outside. Light flashes in through the windows. "I can't wait around anymore. I have to go." Keith walks toward the door, gripping the knob to turn it.

"If you go out that door, you'll never find out who you are."

Keith freezes, his hand still on the door. After a moment, he looks down. Another explosion happens outside, light flaring inside the cabin over the view of Keith's knife. He looks over his shoulder at his father. "Goodbye, Dad." He opens the door and leaves.

<————————<<<<<<<

Keith opens his eyes with a groan as the base is destroyed around him by the red lion. When his vision clears, he stares up into a pair of worried golden eyes. "Arcadia...?" That's when he also felt her hands on his cheeks.

She sighed in relief when she heard her name slip from his lips. "The one and only," she smirked before frowning. "You're real stubborn, you know that?"

"Not the first time I've heard that." He tried to smile, but it only resulted in a grimace.

"Keith, are you okay?" Shiro rushes over to the couple.

"I need to–" Arcadia started, but she was interrupted.

"Stop what you're doing!" Kolivan shouted.

"Take him," Arcadia told Shiro. He did as she commands and puts Keith's uninjured arm over his shoulders, supporting him while he stands and loosely grips his knife in his left hand. The alchemist stood in front of them, ready to cast a spell to protect them.

"What are you talking about? What's going on?" Keith was confused as to what was transpiring.

"Call off your beast!" Kolivan shouted.

"Move out of the way! We're leaving!" Shiro yelled.

"You're not leaving with that blade. It does not belong to you. You failed to awaken it!"

"What does that mean?" Keith asked in a weak tone.

Antok pulls out a sword and charges at them. "Give up the blade!"

Holding out her hands, they were consumed in fire. She charged at Antok, meeting him halfway. She dodged his blade, delivering a blazing punch to the galra's side. He grunted from the intense heat and pain in his side before managing to recover and swiping his blade downward.

Arcadia dodged at the last second and slid between his legs. She quickly turned and placed her hands on Antok's back, exchanging the fire for lightning. The powerful shockwave surged through the galra's body, causing him to scream and drop his sword.

Putting some distance between her and the large adversary, Arcadia jumped back and pondered her next move. She watched as Antok recovered from her shock and turned to face her, recovering his blade.

With a growl, Antok pursued the girl. His agitation grew with each swing. Her nimbleness made it difficult to hit her with his blade. The agent slashed one last time, targeting the girl. She sidestepped, which granted him an opening. He lunged out with his free hand, grabbing her by the throat and hauling her off the ground.

Arcadia gasped, feeling her breath hitch as Antok squeezes her throat. She clawed at his hand, her vision already blurring from how tight he gripped her throat. She mustered up the strength to shock him, but before she could, she heard Keith's desperate shout. "Wait! Just take the knife!" He pushed away from Shiro and held out the knife toward Antok. "It doesn't matter where I come from. I know who I am and..." He looked at Arcadia. "I already have all that I've ever wanted. We all need to work together to defeat Zarkon. And if that means I give up this knife, fine. Take it and let her go."

Antok releases his hold on Arcadia, her body tumbling to the floor. He reached out to take the blade from Keith but stopped when the insignia on the hilt radiates faintly. The boy notices the glow. "Huh?" The light becomes a blinding white before dissipating.

"You've awoken the blade!" Antok yelled in shock. The knife glows brightly, shifting into a long, curved sword.

"The only way this is possible is if galra blood runs through your veins," Kolivan explains, his own surprise showing in his tone.

Keith was still baffled, eyes glued to the blade in his grasp. Arcadia coughed, which snapped him back to reality. The sword reverted back to the knife as he pushed through his own pain and shuffled over to her. He kneeled beside her, looking at her neck and spotting the red handprint.

The draconian reaches out as her vision clears and her breathing returns to normal. Her hand lands on Keith's chest and his entire body is consumed in a gentle emerald light. She watched as his injuries healed with a smile. "I meant to do that earlier."

Keith reached out toward her neck, his fingers skimming across the red handprint that wrapped around her neck and over her branchia. He dropped his hand, guilt written all over his face. "It's my fault."

Arcadia placed a hand around her neck and healed the red skin before it could bruise. "None of this was your fault. I'm just glad you're safe. I've had my heart attack for the day after seeing you collapse."

He smiled faintly before helping her to her feet. Arcadia knew what he had just learned about himself was bothering him, but she decided to remain silent and confront the issue later. The couple stood and listened as Shiro and Kolivan discussed their next move. In the end, the leader of the Blade of Marmora accompanied the trio back to the castle.

Once safely exiting the pathway in the red lion, Shiro contacted Allura. "Princess, we're coming back, and we're bringing someone you should meet."

"They're all right!" They heard Coran cheer, earning a small celebration from the others.

The red lion lands in its hangar. Keith, Shiro, Arcadia, and Kolivan step out to meet the others. Kolivan's mask vanishes, revealing his face. He pulls down his hood and kneels in front of Allura. "Princess Allura, it's good to see that the rumors are true. You're still alive after all these years."

Allura was still skeptical regardless of the trust Shiro, Keith, and Arcadia displayed. "So is Zarkon. Can we consider you our ally in the fight against him?"

"Yes, but we have little time to discuss this. I just received word from our spy inside the galran hierarchy. They have become aware of our presence, so the timetable for our plan has been moved up."

"How soon do we need to begin?" Shiro asked.

"Now."