Head Injury     **Beep, beep, beep.**
    Rolling onto his side Lance slammed his hand down on top of his alarm clock.  Reluctantly he tossed his blanket off and swung his swear pant clad legs over the side.  "One of these days Keith will get some sense of right and wrong and decide that practicing at five in the morning is very, very wrong.  Especially when I tell him as much!"  Grumbling he went and took a shower, dressing in his normal jeans, a black t-shirt and a black leather jacket.  He ran the brush through his hair a couple of times before leaving his room.
    Out in the dark hallway he shoved his hands deep into his pockets before moving slowly in the direction of Castle Control.  He was almost there when he saw the flash of something out of the corner of his eye.  Turning around quickly, hands raised in a boxer's stance he scanned the dark hall only to find nothing amiss.  "Man, I'm getting paranoid.  Still, I coulda sworn I saw something..."  Shaking his head he laughed at himself.  "It's probably just King Alfor checking up on his ever virtuous daughter."
    "Lance, you'd better be on your way!"
    He jumped at the sound from his wrist communicator before replying.  "On my way."
    Quickening his pace he got to Castle Control a minute later only to get a disapproving scowl from Coran as he went to the Red Lion's elevator.
    Sliding down the tunnel in the pod he could have sworn there was a voice mummbling what sounded like 'Lion's Heart.'
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    Lance swerved to avoid crashing into Hunk as they moved into the dining hall after morning practice.  And received a puzzled look from Keith.
    "Lance could I talk to you a moment?"
    Something in Keith's voice put his nerves on edge but he sidled over as the others went in.  "What's on your mind Keith?"
    For a highly uncomfortable moment all Keith did was stare, then with a massive sigh he spoke.  "Look, I don't know what's going on with you but you've been jumpy and a bit of a space case all morning.  I mean, what did you do?  Clunk your head against the head board when you woke up today."
    With a lope-sided grin he tried to soothe his friend.  "Nah, just thinking about prretty girls and flying."
    An answering smile pulled at Keith's lips.  "I thought you did that all the time, anyway."
    "You know me only too well Keith.  Now how's about we gather up some grub before Hunk polishes it off?"
    "You got it.  Oh, and Lance"
    Lance looked at him out of the corner of his eye.  "Yah?"
    "Don't forget we're friends.  You know you can count on me when youu need someone to talk to."
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    He laid on his back in bed starring at the ceiling, wondering if he should take Keith up on his offer when he heard the voice again.
    "Lion's heart, the inner fire, you must come quickly."
    His body went absolutely rock still and it was a good minute before he was able to relax his tense muscles and sit up.  When he did he wished he hadn't because there at the foot of his bed was a figure of a wiry man, surrounded in a bright red glow.  At first his tongue wouldn't work and when it did he wasn't sure what to say.  "W-what are you?"
    "I am Denayl, once pilot of Red Lion centuries ago, at the time our beloved King, King Alfor flew Black Lion.  As I was the Lion's heart then, you are now.  Please you must come..."
    Lance blinked at the long, blonde-haired man before him.  "Where?  Where do you want me to go?"
    The figure lifted a hand, beckoning him forward.  "Follow."
    He went right through the door, giving Lance barely time enough to pull on shoes.  Wrenching the door open he stepped into the suddenly freezing hall and began to follow the ghost.
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    "What's bothering you Keith?"
    Keith looked up at Allura, who was seated opposite  him in the rec. room.  "What makes you ask that Allura?"
    A soft smile curved her lips.  "Well you have been reading the same page for half an hour and the book's upside down."
    Heat rose in his cheeks as he closed the book and set it aside.  "I guess I'm just a little worried about Lance.  He hasn't been exactly acting like himself today and I can't get him to tell me about it.  I keep hoping he'll come around but..."
    Allura smiled knowingly.  "You know him better than the rest of us but sometimes you forget that Lance would rather wade through his problems on his own then trouble anyone else with them."
    Keith rubbed his hands over his face.  "I know but..."
    "But you're still worried.  Keith, that's what makes you a good friend."
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    Lance lost track of time as he followed Denayl.  They were outside now and the only source of light came from the full moon.  The thin white t-shirt he wore was no protection against the wind and he could already feel the stirrings of a cold.
    Not too far ahead the specter had come to a dead stop, hovering brightly above the ground.  As Lance approached he disappeared completely, fading away into the shadows.
    "Hey!  Wait a second!"  Lance stepped forward as to grab him and fell into a dark hole as the ground gave way beneath his feet and caused him to bite his tongue.  The sudden dust tickled his nose, making him sneeze.
    As the air cleared he managed to see the outline of objects in the dim light.
    "Do you wish the lights to be on?"
    The voice surprised him but he found himself answering.  "Yes."
    Immediately light flooded the underground area, making Lance blink.  Before him stood two huge stone pillars and in between them was a large white marble lion.  In the center of it's two front legs was a stone doorway.  Rubbing his head, where he's bumped it during his fall he moved forward slowly, staying alert and watching the shadows for anything suspicious.
    Entering the mysterious doorwas he found himself in a room lit by four burning fires, in the middle of which was a strange alter of some kind.  Feeling a pull toward it, the same pull caused him to place his hand on the strange glittering stone.
    As his mind exploded into light, unconciousness claimed him.