Chapter Nine

Alana had an arm stretched out and she could see her magic wrapping itself around Merla's neck. She made a fist and squeezed, could not help feeling satisfied that Merla gasped as her airway was cut off. Alana was barely aware of the lasers shooting around her as she took one step after another towards the blue-skinned Drule. The shock that the Princess could do this to her was too much for Merla and she could not concentrate enough to get a hold of her powers. She clawed at her throat with one hand and with the other, she tried to grab for Alana. She managed to get a handful of Alana's jumpsuit, but the Princess grabbed her wrist in a grip like steel.

"You should never have come here," she said, her voice low and dangerous.

"Mercy," Merla said.

A part of Alana wanted to give her that but she'd seen the destruction Merla had wrought on her home. She'd heard the cries of people who had lost loved ones to Merla's attacks and finally, to her aggression against the population of Voltronia base. Alana had always been the soft-hearted one, the kind sister and the thoughtful daughter, but for someone who had never shown the same to others, she had no room in her heart for mercy for Merla.

"I will show you the kind of mercy you gave them," she said between gritted teeth.

She squeezed tighter, saw the light go out from Merla's eyes, and her body fell to the ground in a heap at Alana's feet. Alana looked down at her, no emotion on her face. Something wasn't right...

"Stop this now," she said without looking at the Drules.

Waving a hand in the air, she stopped the laser fire from being exchanged. Confused, the Drule soldiers looked down at their weapons and saw that they had been short-circuited.

Lance burst through the doors with Jason in tow in time to Keith got to Alana.

"She's dead?" he asked.

Keith knelt and put two fingers on Merla's neck though her wide staring eyes gave him an answer. He looked up at Alana, found her staring at him. She was partly horrified at what she'd done, but mostly she was satisfied. He wasn't sure whether he would rather she be a crying mess instead of granite.

"You killed her," he said, without really meaning to but the words fell from his lips before he could consider how they might impact her.

They didn't make so much as a splash in her consciousness.

"I did," she said.

"It's over," Jason said, going to her side.

"No," Alana said, wrapping her arms around her middle as she slowly began to understand what she had sensed earlier. "She's still out there. Merla left her body before I could end her life."

"What?" Keith demanded. "What do you mean?"

Alana looked at Archent. He went to her, put a hand on her shoulder.

"She's right," he said. "Merla's still out there. I felt something in her shift when Alana overpowered her and her energy has not dissipated. She's not dead, at least her not her spirit. It's free."

"Where could she go?" Lance asked, exasperated.

Keith stood, his expression grave. In Alana's eyes, he saw echoes of the same dread that made him fear that perhaps they had only made things easier for Merla.

"Where she'd been meaning to go since she got here," he said.

Then, Alana reached out, clamping her hand on his arm. He looked at her, confused

"Something's happened," she said.

He was going to ask what but her eyes told him what he needed to know.

"No..." he breathed.

The Core was like stepping into a fire that did not burn. Bethie could feel it inside her and her hands shook as she landed the Red Lion next to the Black. They were deep inside the planet, but the kind of crushing gravity or scalding heat was missing from this area. There was no glowing ball hanging suspended but there was a hum, a throb of magic that she could tell the others were feeling as well. Matt had checked more than three times, having difficulty believing what his sensors were telling him. Shadow Voltron was nearby but there was no communication with it and Ethan did not answer any of the hails to his personal communicator.

"What is that?" Jack said. "It's like I have an itch in my brain..."

"That's Arus," Bethie answered.

"What do we do now?" Jordan asked.

"I don't know," Jack said. "We'll have to trust that Ethan can come through in this. We just have to back him up."

Suddenly, Bethie felt something like a cool breeze blow over her. Her breath left in a whoosh as she recognized what it was.

"Merla," she said at the same time her mother did.

"What? Where?" Jack demanded.

Bethie's eyes shot to Shadow Voltron.

"ETHAN!" she and Allura screamed.

Flying Shadow Voltron was like he himself was flying. Ethan tried not to enjoy himself and to keep his mind on the task at hand, but he could not help grinning. Flying the Blue had been like a dream, but Shadow Voltron was on a whole different level. His eyes remained the same glowing white but he was long used to the steady thrum of magic that flowed through him and into the robot. He did not need sensors to know that the Lions were flying close by and that Jack was worrying about him. His friend had nothing to worry about. He had this under control.

Unerringly, he led them to the Core. It was as if he'd known it was there all along. When Shadow Voltron's feet touched the ground, Ethan gasped as the magic inside him intensified. He felt as if he was going to explode. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady himself. When he opened them, the white glow was gone, but there was a weight in his gaze that was almost god-like. He started to get up...

Hello, Little Prince.

Whirling around, he tried to find the source of the voice but there was no one in the small cockpit with him. His hands glowed ominously as he prepared himself for a battle with perhaps the guardian of the Core or something of the like.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "Where are you?"

All around you.

For a split second, he thought that Shadow Voltron was talking to him but there was something familiar about the voice. It did not take long for him to make the connection.

"Merla," he snarled. "Show yourself. Stop hiding for once and face me."

I am facing you in my own way. Thank you for bringing me to the Core. You are a formidable sorcerer, Little Prince. I did not expect the more powerful one to have been you. Your sister Alana is gifted but you're the one with the raw power. Perfect.

"I won't help you, Merla."

I did not expect you to. But whether or not you like it, you have helped me more than your mother ever could.

He opened his mouth to respond but a crippling pain shot through his head. He fell to his knees, hurting his hand as he tried to catch himself on the control panel. He fell hard against the pilot's seat and wondered if he cracked a rib. He tried to gather his power but his concentration was in pieces. As easily as he'd gathered it, it was now leaking out of him faster than he could stop it. Had she been in her body, Merla would not have stood a chance against him, but with her spirit free and the magnifying affect the Core had on her magic, she overpowered him.

Did you enjoy flying my creation? Shadow Voltron was quite a feat and I have to tell you I was not sure if I could pull it off, but he's proved himself to be more than I expected. I knew he would stand up to the Core's power, but using him as a conductor is the true test. You see, Little Prince, your friend Jack and your father were correct in saying that you and yours are infinitely more powerful than I am. I do not have the gifts of a magical planet to add to my strengths, but with Shadow Voltron, I can make do with stealing what you have.

Ethan realized that the cables that were attached to his arms and legs had become her weapons. The helmet he wore, that had connected him so closely to the robot, was now taking away his magic. He reached up and tried to pull it off, but another wave of pain froze his movements.

I don't suppose I have to tell you this, but it's over, Ethan. You're finished.

His mouth open in a silent scream, Ethan knew that she was right.

the legend will continue...