Chapter Ten

Jack knew he had his hands on the most powerful weapon in the universe. Voltron had never flown faster or lighter as it did right then and though the magic wasn't coming from him, he could feel it pumping in his veins as surely as his blood was. Bethie and Ethan were quiet, but he could sense their presence in the magic which made it less strange--but he was sure he would still have the heebee jeebies later. If he were to describe the feeling, he would say that it was like having the Porterfields under his skin...not physically but the essence of them. For some reason, Ethan's presence was more palpable than his sister's which was more like a whisper whereas his was like a scream. It did not take an expert to realize that the Prince was the more powerful of the two, but whatever it was they were doing, it was working nicely.

They had made quick work of the fighters around them for even though they reappeared and disappeared like they were wont to do, Bethie and Ethan could see them. Not with their eyes, but the knew where to aim their guns and it did not take long for Voltron to clear the skies of Lotorian fighters. Then, they went to work on the ro-beasts.

The ro-beasts were in pieces all around them. In ten minutes, Voltron had destroyed half of those in the sky with the Blazing Sword skewering three ro-beasts at once and instead of the remaining ro-beasts coming after them, it was the other way around. With the Lion Whip in its one free hand, Voltron snagged the closest ro-beast and tore it in half with a sharp tug on the whip. Not stopping its forward motion, it swung the sword in a wide arc to connect with the next ro-beast. Where once it had taken all his concentration to get the sword to connect, Jack barely gave it another thought and barely felt the vibration in his controls as the sword cut through it like it was air. For once, their channels were silent, not needing to speak, all knowing what needed to be done instinctively through their connection with Bethie and Ethan. They were Voltron and Voltron was them...and they fought with a harmony that they had never experienced before.

This was the peace Bethie spoke of.

The Blue and Yellow Lions did strafing runs with their guns, clearing the way for the soldiers on the ground. Normally, they would not have risked such a move because their own forces were too close to the enemy robots, but they had more control over their targeting and did it cleanly.

"Magic," Lance said with a shrug as Voltron flew overhead and away.

"They're in Merla's territory now," Keith said darkly.

In the Castle of Lions, Merla was frantically trying to solidify her connection with Allura. Her shock was keeping her from concentrating on her task and something inside Allura was fighting her back. Whatever was happening to her children was slowly happening to her, but there was no way Merla was going to let that happen. Gritting her teeth, she pushed her arms out as if pushing back Bethie and Ethan. A spark entered Allura's eyes as they stared at each other and Merla glared ferociously at the Queen.

"You're not going to win," Allura said, her voice barely above a whisper, but it held the same note of arrogance that had always irritated Merla.

"You won't be around to know whether or not what you say is true," Merla snarled back.

Leaping forward, she grabbed Allura by the arms and the contact was enough to force the Queen's will back. She slackened in Merla's grip and her power was Merla's for the taking...as well as her connection to her children. Eyes glowing white, Merla looked to the viewscreen at Voltron and fired back.

The Red Lion was half-way inside the gut of the last remaining ro-beast when they felt the shockwave of magic throw them back. The ro-beast was exploding even as Voltron fell backwards, falling back to the surface of Arus at full-speed.

"NO!" Bethie screamed and pushed back instinctively.

Ethan didn't say a word, but his sky blue eyes narrowed as he did the same. Together, they fought to push Merla back as Jack fought to get Voltron back under control. He could feel the Porterfields receding presence but tried to ignore the sparks of energy dancing across his skin. Still, despite his efforts, Voltron's crash was bone-jarring and Jack's head snapped forward, his helmet bouncing off the control panel. The connection was gone and he felt strangely naked without it.

"Christ," he muttered. "Are you all alive?"

"Sorta," Jordan answered.

"I am but it's going to hurt later," Matt added.

Nothing from the Blue or Red Lions.

"Bethie...Ethan," Jack called, fighting back panic. "Answer me."

There was a crackle of static.

"Still alive," Bethie groaned. "Ethan?"

No answer.

There was a loud clanging noise and Jack knew that Voltron had separated out of its own accord. He unhooked his restraints and scrambled out of his seat. By the time he had his feet on the Black's back, Bethie was already pounding on the Blue Lion's head, screaming her brother's name. Matt gently pushed her aside and started to pry up an access panel, but then the cockpit hatch gave a short hiss and they stepped back to let it open.

"I think I won that one," Ethan said faintly as he rose on shaky legs from the pilot's seat.

Matt held out a hand and he took it, letting the younger boy pull him out. Bethie helped him sit down on the edge of the open hatch, his legs swinging down into the cockpit. Ethan looked shaken but otherwise was fine. Jack took a seat next to him. He wasn't sure, but it looked as if Ethan was still glowing. They weren't sitting close, but he could feel the heat coming off Ethan's skin and he had to clasp his hands together to keep from touching him.

"That was something," he said instead.

"I'll say," Ethan said. "She can use Mom now."

"What do you mean?" Jordan asked.

"I felt it too," Bethie said. "Mom's...personality in Merla's energy, but she definitely did not want to be there."

"She's battling," Ethan said.

Bethie put a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"That was incredible, Ethan. What you did."

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked.

"I might have gotten to the magic first, but he's the one it seems to like the best. He controlled it, knew how to use it and had more magic in him than I did."

"Well, now we know who Merla's going to target next," Jack said, rising. "Let's go back. We've got a lot to talk about."

His communicator was beeping when he got back in his cockpit.

"We're fine, Uncle Keith," Jack said without looking at it.

"If I sound anything like Keith, then I've been gone for much too long," Romelle's raspy tones came over the line.

"Aunt Romelle!"

"Hello, Jackson. It looks like you cleaned up well down here."

"Just now. Your timing is impeccable."

"I know. We'll be down shortly. Send me the coordinates to the central base."

Jack did so and could not stop himself from grinning.

"It's been a great day," he said, more to himself than to her.

"It's going to get better," Romelle said cryptically. "I'll see you soon."

Allura sat on the couch, barely aware of the chaos going on around her. Merla leaned back against the edge of the desk, her lips in a permanent snarl as she struggled to get a hold of her temper. All these months, she had had the upper hand and she had toyed with them for her own amusement. Oh, to think of the time that she had wasted when she should have just killed them from the start. It would have been no trouble at all then, but it was going to be a bit of trouble now. The Prince, this wretched woman's son, was like a whirlwind of power that she could not even begin to understand. Even with Allura backing her, Merla could not penetrate the boy's raw energy and it rankled her that he was able to throw her power back in her face while still maintaining his hold on Voltron--at least for a little while. His sister, even though her magic was dulled by her child, only fueled his power and gave it a steadiness that it otherwise would not have. And Merla now sensed that the third sister was home and she brought with her someone that Merla had not sensed in a long time.

"Rathul," she hissed. "The snake dared show his face in my territory."

"Did you say something, Mistress?" Allura said dimly.

"Get out of my face," Merla said, gesturing sharply at Allura. "I'm sick to death of you and your cursed family."

"Yes, Mistress."

Bowing, Allura took her leave. Her eyes fell on the picture at her feet, of her and Keith with a baby Ethan and a little Bethie and for a moment, her blue eyes flashed with recognition. Then, they closed as a sharp pain cut through her head like a knife and her eyes were again dull.

"What are you still standing there for?"

"I apologize, Mistress. I will take my leave."

Merla wanted to pick up the lion head and throw it at the back of the Queen's head, but Allura was saved by the closing doors and Merla's own self-control. Allura may not have helped her on this day, but she would help her on another day. Now that the Porterfields knew of the power they all head, Merla would have to move fast. Castle Control would become her last bastion and with all her soldiers inside, they would be able to work faster on the robot and then she would have her victory.

Straightening, she reached for her communicator.

"Jakol," she said to her assistant. "I want a full retreat into the Castle of Lions and get every able hand working on Shadow Voltron. Now."

the legend will continue...