Tolvik gave a disdainful sniff. "I fail to see how you survived the arena as long as you did," he said, sounding honestly surprised. "Or perhaps –" He gave the others a calculating look. "Perhaps, Champion, you have been weakened by dealing with these . . . children."

"Hey!" said Lance indignantly, despite the fact that a Druid had him by the arms. "We're not – children . . .?" His voice faded away and he tilted his head towards Pidge.

She snorted. "Don't look at me. Besides, brain counts for more than brawn anyway." Her eyes raked scornfully over Tolvik's hulking form.

Tolvik dropped Shiro and growled at Pidge. "Pilot your lion for me, little one, or I'll make the blue paladin pay."

"Can't pay," snipped Lance. "I don't have any money."

Keith, one hand pressed against his throat, staggered to his feet. His laugh quickly turned into a cough. Hunk shot him a worried look, but didn't dare move towards him – the druids hovered uncomfortably near.
Pidge shook her head. "I'm not doing anything for you."

The druid behind Tolvik raised his hand and sent out a burst of purple lightning that enveloped Lance for several seconds before releasing him. Hunk and Pidge shouted furiously for the druid to stop. Shiro just stood there, wincing in sympathy, and Keith glared.

The blue paladin swallowed his own yell and lay on his side, gasping. Moving slowly, he pressed his lips together, looked up at Tolvik –

– and smiled.

"That the best you've got, general?"

"Lance," hissed Shiro, trying to edge in front of him.

Hunk got there first, moving much faster than usual. He stomped right up to the Galran and leaned close. "Cut it out," he ordered, his voice low and ominous.

Tolvik sneered and attempted to shove him aside, but Hunk held his ground. Shiro knelt where he was, frozen as to whether to help Lance or Hunk first – or Keith, who suddenly drew himself erect and whipped his knife out of nowhere.

Then Pidge hurtled into view, a long strand of green light snapping from her bayard to wrap around the nearest druid. His long fingers spread as he attempted another spell, and she electrocuted him effortlessly.

Lance crawled towards his bayard, several yards away. Keith raised his knife and met the next druid's onslaught as Pidge sprinted towards Shiro. Hunk glanced Tolvik up and down, drew back his fist, and punched the general right in the face before the Galran could so much as blink.

Shiro nearly paused in surprise himself, but he threw himself into the fray as well as he could with his hands still bound. Pidge reached him and slashed her bayard through the cuffs. "Shiro, you okay?"

He gave a quick nod and shouted to the others, "Get Tolvik!"

The green bayard plunged into the ceiling, and Pidge pulled herself halfway to the ceiling before dropping onto a staggering Tolvik's shoulders.

That was definitely not what Shiro had in mind. He cast a worried look in Lance's direction, but Keith was already headed for the blue paladin, so Shiro joined the others. Pidge had wound her legs around Tolvik's neck and was squeezing with all her strength, her hands gripping his forehead for balance. Hunk, obviously not wanting to hurt her, had stopped face-punching the Galran and was instead grabbing for his clawed hands.

Shiro moved to attack, but jumped back when a blast of magic slammed into the ground at his feet. With a growl, he flicked his wrist, activating his prosthetic, and attacked the nearby druid.

In the meantime, Keith darted around, unsuccessfully trying to land a hit on his opponent while avoiding the enemy's attacks. Still a little dizzy from Tolvik's earlier attack, he tripped backwards over Lance, who yelped in protest.

"Hey!"

"Sorry," gasped Keith, diving forward to distract the druid – again – from Lance, who crawled forward and snagged his bayard with his fingertips.

The blue paladin rolled onto his back, half-propping himself against the nearest wall, and fired three shots. The druid paused as though in surprise, then crumpled to the floor.

"I don't like druids," Lance proclaimed to the world at large.

"Got it," gasped Keith. He ran to help Shiro with the last druid, and Lance climbed to his feet, then staggered off in Hunk's direction.

Pidge still had her short arms clasped around Tolvik's forehead, although she was growling with the effort of holding on as his huge hands pulled at her. Hunk drew back his bayard and slammed it into Tolvik's unprotected stomach.

Lance whooped as the huge Galra doubled over.

Pidge dove to the ground, and Lance steadied her as she landed. Hunk rammed his shoulder into the still-staggering Tolvik, and the Galran general fell with a grunt.

"Come on!" shouted Keith, waving the paladins toward the door. Shiro, having finally disposed of the last druid, fell into step between Lance and Hunk. He was running a little unsteadily, but as Tolvik's gasped curses followed them from the room, he shared a fully satisfied smirk with Lance.

As they reached the elevator, Keith called to Pidge, "Did you guys get your charges set?"

"No," said Shiro.

They piled into the elevator, and Pidge glanced up, looking unnecessarily pleased with herself. "Oh yes we did, Shiro. I set them while the droids were distracted by capturing you."

He grinned. "Good job, Pidge! As soon as we get back to our lions, we'll contact the castle."

"Uh, no," said Lance, pointing upwards. "Particle barrier, remember?"

"That's easy," scoffed Pidge. "Tell Allura to set off the explosives in the main control room. That'll shut down the barrier, then we can get out, then she can set off the charges in the quintessence room."

"Will that – work?" asked Keith, opening the elevator doors for what he hoped was the last time.

She shrugged. "It should."

"Okay, let's do it," said Shiro. "Come on, Pidge."

Keith and Lance looked at each other, and Lance stepped over to Shiro, clearing his throat delicately.
"I'm coming with you guys this time," he said. Shiro tilted an eyebrow, and Lance said something about Keith's flying and being airsick. Keith frowned, but once again said nothing.

"Hunk didn't get airsick," observed Shiro, but then he smiled. "All right, Lance, come along. You guys," he added to Hunk and Keith. "Keep your comms open."

Less then five doboshes later, Red and Green hovered side by side, just beneath the particle barrier. The comm beeped, and Coran appeared onscreen.

"Paladins, are you ready?"

"Are we ever?" replied Pidge.

The orange-mustached man leaned closer as he peered at some control or another. "Hmm . . . are you sure you're far enough from the blast zone?"

"No," said Shiro. "But we're as far away as we can be. We'll just – hope for the best." He sent a quick smile at the others. "Besides, we've flown through bigger explosions before."

Coran sighed almost wistfully. "True. I've done that a time or two myself." He brightened. "Well, good luck! Five, four, three, two, one!"

The atmosphere vibrated; a huge plume of flame burst from the command center far below. The lions were buffeted about, and Green bumped into Red, nearly sending them both spiraling.

"Pidge!" snapped Keith.

"Sorry," she replied distractedly. "Just getting the data read-out . . . Okay, the barrier's down! Let's go!"
The two lions swooped upward, back towards the ship, and Allura set off the second set of explosives. As they glanced down at the Galran base for the last time, the paladins could see nothing but a raging inferno from the burning quintessence.

"I almost feel bad for Tolvik," said Lance.

"Almost," agreed Keith.

"Paladins!" cried Allura. "A small Galran ship just left the atmosphere. One life form aboard."

"Okay, I don't feel bad for Tolvik anymore," said Lance. "Should we go after him or not?"

"No," said Shiro. "He'll be sure to have called for reinforcements. Someone like Tolvik will have hundreds of ships at his command."

"And we only have two lions," said Hunk. "Guess we'll catch him later."

"Yeah," said Pidge, as the lions neared the castle. "In the meantime, I hope you guys didn't place any bets on who would set the charges first, because I won."

"You did?" said Lance doubtfully. "We set ours pretty fast."

"I set mine faster."

"How do you know?"

"Because –" She stopped short. "Uh, because –"

"Let's compare notes later," said Shiro as they landed. "By the way, guys, great job with everything today."

Lance waved a dismissive hand. "No problem, Shiro. It was just another mission."