Chapter 55

Trial by Fire

A burning sensation coursed from my chest to the rest of my body, my lungs could not catch a breath. I felt like I was drowning in the depths of the ocean as it seemed like water overflowed my mouth. My skin was icy cold in compare to the inside of my body. How could two such things happen at the same time? Was I truly ripped apart? Fear of finally losing the battle to one of my greatest foes overtook me and I gave out a yell of frustration. I was not going to be giving up now. Not when we were so close to completing our mission. Not when the people of Earth needed our help against Zendak's army.

With that strong determination I was finally able to open my eyes and get a deep breath into my lungs. The sky was bright blue as the sun shined above me, a small stream caressed the back of my body as it flowed peacefully but the peace was what concerned me because I was supposed to be in space battling the Galra not here. I sat up quickly to notice that the outer part of my armor was gone and only left with the protective black suite that covered me from neck to toe. My hair stuck to my face as it had become wet with the water. I looked around trying to find familiarity in my surroundings until I remember a recurring dream that visited me every night for days. It was the same place I use to see my mother when she passed away. Every little detail of that vision came back to me like the stream underneath me and I jumped to my feet.

"No, this cannot be happening. I cannot be here." I gasped holding my head. I crouched down to the point where my forehead touched my knees. "Come on Taylin, you have to get back to the others. They need you. You can't leave them now. Blasted Sendak!"

"Perhaps I can help with that." I soft melodic voice stated.

I looked up from my broken state to see the woman who had cared for me so much to the point of giving her life for me, my mother. Her beautiful face looked at peace and a small smile graced her pink lips. I was in awe. I thought I would never get to see her again like she used to be before all the chaos. My last memory of her was when she laid dead in my father's arms as he cried over her.

"Mother... I..." There were no words to describe what I was feeling. She was just standing before me, only a grasp away.

"As much as I love to see you again face to face Taylin, you should not be here. It is not your time yet. I have seen..." She hesitated, "I have been showed your future and it does not end like this."

"I longed so much to see you again mother." I finally said. I stood up to approach her, but she placed a hand up stopping me from getting any closer. I looked on confused at her action, but her hand did not seem to falter.

"Don't come any closer or else this will become permanent." Her eyes glazed over as she analyzed me. "You are caught between life and death that is why you are standing in the middle of the stream. You spirit is trying to hang on to your reality... but just barely. What have they done to you my dear?"

I looked down watching the water slip pass my feet, "I did what I had to in order to protect my friends. I took the full force of the blast. It was the only things I could do to save them from a certain death, but it seems now that I could not even save myself."

"Look at me Taylin." She ordered, I slowly looked up to gaze into her blue eyes, "You are not defeated yet. You have so much to offer the universe. My daughter, my child. How much you have grown. You are not dead, your ancestor fight beside you." The hand she had extended out began to glow white and she reached out further, her foot almost touching the water. She hovered her hand over my forehead and a strong gust of energy pushed me back into the water. The water was once again not shallow, and it swallowed me whole. I tried to struggle to the surface, but my strength faded away and I closed my eyes letting the depths of the water embrace me. I trusted my mother. If she said this was not the end, then who was I to say otherwise.

I felt like I stopped floating suddenly and I lied on a hard surface. My ears picked up muffled voices and as I opened my eyes; everything was blurry. I grunted as I lifted myself an inch off the ground shaking my head in the process to try to clear my senses. My vision came back to me to see the grey walls of a prison cell enclosing me in with the typical purple color of the Galra, we had been taken captive. The muffled yell of Keith calling out to us came from across my location.

"I'm here." Lance huffed.

"Yeah, me, too." Hunk responded, "How long we been out?"

"It looks like we've lost about an hour." Pidge said.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked worried for their well-being.

"I'm... fine." Allura stated weakly, "What happened?"

"We're on Sendak's ship." Keith answered, "Admiral Sanda... She sold us out."

A flare of anger and disappointment passed through and I leaned my head on the wall, "How could she have betrayed us like this? She turned her back on her own kind."

"He said he'd leave Earth if he had the Lions, but he lied to me." No other than Admiral Sanda responded, her voice sounded close. "This is all my fault. I wanted to protect my people, but now I've doomed them. I've doomed them all. I'm so sorry."

I wanted to lash out at her but the regret that laced her voice gave me the sense she was being sincere, unfortunately, being sorry was not going to get us out of these holding cells.

"Admiral, what is Sendak's plan?" Keith asked.

"Sendak is... moving the Zaiforge cannons into position. He's going to destroy Earth. Please, you must know... I wanted to save Earth."

I took a deep breath, "You just fell for one of his lies Admiral. Its understandable you wanted to find a way to make a deal with him without more casualties but there is no making deals with Sendak. We have to find a way to save Earth... before the same fate befalls upon it like my planet."

"Sendak destroyed your planet?" She said horrified.

"Not Sendak, Zarkon. The vile King of the Galra."

"He did it to mine too." Allura whispered in sorrow.

A blanket of silence fell, Admiral Sanda said no more as she basked in her own grief. I sat there looking at the grey walls remembering my time in a cell just like this one. Thoughts of my mother overflowed my head. Ticks passed by until the ship was suddenly jolted, and a loud explosion resonated through the ship.

"What was that?" Lance asked.

"The Garrison is mounting a counterattack." Keith said.

"My dad, he launched the Atlas!" Pidge exclaimed.

"There is hope yet." I huffed, my heart began to beat in my ears with anticipation of the next fight.

"We need to get out there." Keith stated, "The Atlas can't win this fight alone."

The ship rumbled as it received more fire from our troops.

"Guys, I have a thought." Hunk said, "Remember how we were able to call the Lions to us on Earth? Well why can't we do that now? They might be able to break us out.

"Calling the Lions to us and having the Lions break us out are two totally different things."

"No, no, no, he's right." I said sitting up, "It the only way we are going to be able to get us out of here. My powers are too depleted the only option is calling upon our Lions for help."

"Yes!" Hunk agreed, "I'm not saying it'll be easy. I'm not even saying it's possible, but we have to at least be willing to try. Think of our families. Think of Earth."

"Shiro said we're capable of more than we realize." Keith added, "Maybe it's worth a shot. Paladins close your eyes. Connect with your Lion."

I closed my eyes thinking of Nimawe, concentrating on the connection we had forged throughout our crusade. It had not been easy, but we had managed to fight like Lion and Paladin as if we were one. The way our powers connected was mystical, she had chosen me to take my father's place and for that I would be forever grateful. Her strong legs were like pillars ready to take out its prey. Her chest and head held high at her might and power. The wings on her back cut through the wind like sails faster than I could ever think to fly and lastly her eyes that gleamed with that same tint of gold as my own.

"We are one." I whispered, and in that instance, I could see through her eyes. She responded to my call with a deep rumble letting me be her mind to control her body. In excitement I let out a roar as the other Paladins too became one with their Lions. We shot the hangar doors and flew out of the Galra ship. The first thing we detected was the Atlas flying high above the ground taking heavy fire by the Galra fighters.

"The Atlas!" Pidge exclaimed.

"It's under heavy fire. They need our help!" Allura said.

"Lions, on me." Keith ordered.

We formed up behind him to follow his lead. Galra fighters began to attack us at once as we flew in front of the Atlas. I shot a laser from my lion's jaws taking out five of them in one swoop and summoned the jaw blade. I felt how her jaws chomped down on it and we extended out our wings to fly faster. We lashed out at anything that moved taking down dozens of fighters alongside our fellow lions.

"Let's take out that cruiser!" I yelled. We moved to intercept it and attacked it from all angles blowing it up it a matter of ticks.

"Paladins, welcome to the fight!" Shiro cheered, "Let's go take out Sendak's cruiser."

"Wait! As much as that would be a splendid idea we're still on his ship!" I replied.

"Well, our bodies are." Pidge explained.

"Amazing." Shiro stated.

Storm mended his mind with mine but said nothing as he was in awe at how the White Lion and I were connected. He looked through the eyes of the lion and gave me his strength. Together, the three of us managed to create an enormous water tunnel that cleared a path for the Atlas.

"We got ourselves some breathing room." Shiro said, "Let's make it count."

"Glad to be of service." I said with glee.

We came back around only to be engaged by Zarkon's main ship cannon, we avoided the shot and proceeded to try to get our bodies out of the cruiser. The Black Lion zoomed passed the others and broke through the hull of the ship coming out through the top. My mind came back into my body and I stood up running to the main corridor. I helped Allura off the ground and we followed the others to the breach created by the lion but to my dismay the body of Admiral Sanda lied on the ground. Multiple shots perforated her body, Keith kneeled next to her lifting her up slowly. I stopped beside him looking down at her with sadness it seemed she fought to protect us while we were connected to the Lions.

"Admiral." Keith called.

She managed to open her eyes her breath coming out it short huffs, "Do what I couldn't. Save Earth." She exhaled and closed her eyes.

"Can you do something for her?" Keith asked looking up at me.

I reached down to touch her head and felt her life force leave her body. I took a deep breath, "No Keith, she's gone." No matter if she had made a mistake, she did not deserve to die. Every life was precious, and it hurt me to see hers extinguish.

Keith stood up looking away from her lifeless body with a glint of determination in his eyes, "We will."

Those two little words brought me the confidence I was needing.

We will defeat Sendak.

We will take back Earth.

Hi everyone, thank you for all your constant support.

Sorry it has taken me this long to upload but I have been trying to fit into my new job and it has been difficult to keep up with it but I am back and hopefully here to finish the story. I hope you all enjoyed. It a short chapter but I plan to upload soon, I am already working on the next chapter.

Once again thank you.