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Redemption and Destiny	By : alucardsangel1973 Category: +S to Z > Voltron Views: 2221 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are property of World Event Productions. I do not own the fandom. No profit is made from this. This is purely a fanfiction that includes original characters from my imagination. Characters from the series and comic are not mine.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
At last here's chapter 18.
This starts off by giving a little more insight to Genar, and
Avian. Kezrin gets a brief mention here, but more bout him later
in the story. Zarkon unleashes his wrath upon a territory within
the empire who thinks they're going to reneg on their pledge to
allign with him. And Lotor faces the challenge to face his past
and claim his grandfather's sword known as Redeemer. I hope to
get chapter 19 started soon.

Chapter 18
Reconciling the Past

After everyone had left the
dinning hall for the day, Genar headed back to his chambers.
There in his bed slept a young druel woman with golden sable
colored hair. He sat down beside her and leaned in gently kissing
her cheek. She slowly opened her eyes looking up at him.

"Are you feeling better
Nomey?" He asked softly.

"I...I guess." She
answered in an unsure tone.

"I know you still feel
the loss of the baby. I feel that loss as well, but consider that
maybe it isn't time for us to have a child yet." Genar
replied.

"I don't understand why.
Why would a life begin inside of me and then be taken away?"
Nomey asked.

"I don't know either
Nomey. But it doesn't mean that we will never have a child. It
may just be too soon for us. Namoria is a peaceful planet, but we
may soon find ourselves in a time of chaos. Rescuing the king has
fanned the flames of war on planet Doom. King Zarkon will not be
kind in his retribution. That is not the kind of enviroment to
bring a child into. Children should be allowed to grow up in a
peaceful time when they are not threatened by war and
destruction." Genar explained.

"Genar, I'm scared for
you. What if something happens, and you don't come home? I can't
imagine my life without you." Nomey said trying to fight
back tears.

"Nomey, I will always
come home to you. No matter what happens, you must always have
faith that I will come home. We have hope now because our king
has returned to us. And he has not come alone. We discovered on
planet Doom King Danzar has a son, Leena's twin brother
Lotor." Genar replied.

"Leena has a twin
brother?"

"Yes. He was stolen from
Namoria by Zarkon after he was born. While he was raised to do
terrible things, his heart is not truely evil. He has learned
about his true family and who he really is. And tonight he must
face a very difficult challenge. Tonight we will know if he is
the one chosen to carry Keltor's spirit into battle against
Zarkon."

"I...I'm sorry I've been
so moody. I realize it's selfish of me to want a child so soon
when we may end up going to war. It's just that I've seen so many
women scorned and abandoned by their husbands and familes because
they couldn't bear children."

Genar cupped Nomey's face in
his large hands. "That will never happen Nomey. It makes no
difference if we have children or not. I married you because I
love you, not because of the children we may or may not have.
Always remember that." He said softly.

"I will. I'm going to
bathe and get dressed. I'd like to visit the garden while you're
doing your work out." Nomey replied.

"That would be a good
idea." Genar said.

He left her to attend to her
bathing as he went on with his daily routine. He entered his work
out room and stripped to the waist and took off his boots.
Afterwards he lit a few candles and various incense to help him
focus his mind. He started by stretching out his legs and arms so
as not to hurt himself during his excersizes. After his stretches
he took a heavy metal staff in his hand and closed his eyes.
Taking in a few deep breaths and exhaling them slowly, he
proceeded to do a one handed stand on his head and extended the
arm with the staff outward. His body was perfectly still as he
continued his deep breathing to keep from breaking his
concentration. His hair cascaded downward spilling onto the floor
like a garnet pool.

For several minutes he stayed
in this position before slowly planting his feet back on the
ground. After that he took out his sai's and began practicing his
offensive and defensive manuvers so that they stayed fresh in his
mind. While he prefered not having to use them, he never let the
knowledge go stale. He never knew when those skills would have to
be used. While he practiced foward thrusts and slashing
movements, he also practiced side kicks and foward punches. He
moved with great speed, sometimes to the point where his weapons
were only blurs. Every move had purpose, but also employed with
the grace of a seasoned martial arts master. He began the
rigiorous training by his own choice and practiced each and every
day. He prefered using the excersizes to keep his body in good
form and focus his mind as well. But when the occassion called
for it, he used his skills to protect those he loved. He did not
like to kill, but knew sometimes there was no other choice but to
end an opponent's life.

There were no artificial
lights in the room. It was lined with several windows to let the
sun light the room naturally. Many candles would be lit in the
evening when he chose to meditate at night. A small fountain was
at the center of the room. The center of the fountain was made of
clear quartz like crystal with water streaming off of it. The
sounds of it dropping into the bowl beneath were soft and helped
to enhance a sense of relaxation. For now all was tranquil in the
castle. And all who inhabited it would take advantage of the
peace while it lasted.

*********************************************************

On Planet Doom the mood was
anything but tranquil. While the surgeons had successfully
repaired Zarkon's wounds, he was less than pleased with the
results. He stood in the operating room glaring menacingly over
the remainder of the surgeon's staff with his remaining good eye.
The head surgeon lay dead on the floor with blood gushing out of
his chest. He'd been run through on the king's sword by the
tyrant himself. Before the incident he'd taken a look at the
grotesque wound that had once been his right eye. His left arm
now heavily bandaged after being stitched together. His anger was
most likely aimed at the who'd escaped his grasp, but since the
surgeon was within reach he made a suitable target.

Haggar hobbled in behind him
seeing the dead surgeon now laying on the floor. "I hope we
can find another one soon. He was the best surgeon we had."
She said with a cautious tone.

"He was an idiot and a
butcher! Look what he did to my face!" Zarkon barked.

"Yes, he botched the job
horribly. But there is a more serious matter at hand. The
prisoners have escaped, and several territories within the empire
are much disturbed by this news. They are considering whether or
not to align their forces with ours. This is something we cannot
permit." Haggar replied.

"They doubt me? They DARE
to doubt my power!" Zarkon roared. He turned and stormed
from the operating room back to his throne room with the old
witch in tow.

Zarkon walked with intense
purpose. His strides were stern with his feet hitting the floor
with force. The guards stood by nervously bowing in respect to
their king as he entered the throne room. A court of his advisors
stood at the bottom of the staircase nervously bowed hoping not
to raise the king's ire anymore than it already was. He sat down
upon his throne where Coralle stood beside him. Sylvana stood at
her side ready to engage anyone who would dare to attack the
queen.

"My king, planet Corribus
is not pleased with the escapes of the traitors. They see this as
a terrible mistake and weakness on your part and are
reconsidering their decision to contribute their forces to the
war against Arus and Voltron." One advisor said with an
unsteady voice.

The king's visage was already
one of great anger, and the news of one ally backing out of the
alliance only served to fuel the king's rage further.

"They dare to turn
against me?" He snarled.

"We must reassure our
allies that this oversight will be soon corrected. Their faith in
your kingship must be restored." Another advisor added.

"I gave them status
within the druel empire! They enjoyed every luxuary and
indulgence because of my efforts, and now they dare to turn on
me! I will not tolerate mutiny! I will make an example out of
those ingrates!" Zarkon thundered.

The huddled group of advisors
knew this news did not bode well for Corribus. They knew the
retaliation would be swift and without mercy. But they had no
idea as to how severe his judgment would be. They cringed when
they heard that judgement pronounced.

"Haggar, I want you to
unleash your creation upon Corribus. Let it lay waste to every
structure and every living thing! Let it leave nothing but
destruction in its wake!"

"It will be done
sire." Haggar said with a hint of anticipation. She would be
able to see just how destructive her newest pet would be.
Corribus would be shown no mercy. They dared to defy Zarkon, and
now that defiance would cost them dearly. She cackled to herself
as she hobbled off to where the beast was being kept. As she
exited the throne room, Zarkon gave orders for Cossack and Mogor
to meet with him immediately. They would command a flag ship to
take any survivors and bring them back to planet Doom as
prisoners. They would also transport the dragon to Corribus to
unleash its destructive power upon the planet. Zarkon's last
command was that every minute of destruction be recorded to be
later broadcast along with the executions of any survivors. He
would make sure none of the other territories would think twice
before turning on him.

*********************************************************

Avian sat in his crusier
having just finished adjustments to its enhancements. He sat back
with a heavy sigh and rubbed his forehead. "Damn, thought
I'd never get this done." He said to himself. He got up from
the cockpit and exited the cruiser. Looking at the exterior for a
moment, he rubbed his shoulders and left the hanger. He headed
back to his room. Passing by the garden he saw Nomey sitting by
the gazing pool. She sat quietly watching the rainbow fish swim
and taking nibbles off the crystals growing upward. He said
nothing to her and quickly passed her by so as not to disturb
her. He continued walking until he reached his quarters.

Opening the door he walked
into his room and plopped down on his bed. He looked around at
the collection of artifacts from Earth he'd kept all around.
Since his father had been killed when he was very young, Avian
never had the chance to really know him. He knew his father was
human and came from Earth. When his father, Avery settled on
Namoria he had belongings from Earth with him. Those posessions
passed to Avian who took ardent interest in them. The most
cherished of possessions was an old cd stereo and collection of
heavy metal cd's. And Avian being the kind who liked to tinker
with contraptions managed to make an outlet to supply power to
the device. He grabbed the remote and pointed it at the stereo
turning it on. As soon as he selected a track, thunderous guitar
riffs began to fill the room.

If you like to gamble, I
tell you I'm your man

You win some, lose some, all the same to me

The pleasure is to play, makes no difference what you say

I don't share your greed, the only card I need is

The Ace Of Spades

Avian reclined back listening
to Motorhead's Ace of Spades singing along with the lyrics.
"Genar's got his way to relax, and I've got mine." He
said with a smirk.

*********************************************************

The day passed as Lotor became
aqauinted with his family and home. It was all a lot for him to
take in, but somehow he didn't feel traumatized anymore by all
that he had learned. His sister Leena was full of energy as she
showed her father, brother and Kaladan around the castle. It had
been so long since Danzar had been there, he himself had
forgotten much of the interior. Everything seemed new yet
familiar at the same time as he looked through the halls and
various rooms. But while they all reveled in the reunion, all
knew that this night was important. It would be a crucial turning
point in all their lives, especially that of Lotor. It would be
he who faced a great challenge.

"Lotor, come with me.
There is something I need to tell you about before you are tested
tonight." Danzar said.

"What is that
father?" Lotor asked.

"The challenge is to
claim more than just the spirit of your grandfather. If you
succeed, then you will also inherit his sword...Redeemer."
His father explained.

"Redeemer?" Asked
the young prince.

"Yes. Even after he
helped many escape the empire, he continued to help the defectors
settle upon Namoria. One such family had a young daughter who was
very ill. Those within the empire would simply have let her die
as she was seen as an expendable life. But Keltor did everything
within his power to save her life. There were several healers and
doctors among the refugees and all of them put foward their best
efforts to save the little girl's life. Sadly all their efforts
were not enough and the girl died. But the family was grateful
for all that Keltor had done on their behalf. Keltor was visibly
saddened by the child's death. He was present when she was
buried. While her family felt grief over her loss, they wanted to
thank Keltor for all he'd done. They gave to him a sword that had
been in there family for a long time." Danzar explained.
After taking a brief pause he continued the story.

"At first your
grandfather was relunctant to accept the gift. He felt he was not
worthy because he could not save their daughter's life. But the
mother explained that the sword was no ordinary blade. In the
hands of ordinary people and those with bad intentions, the blade
remained normal. But in the hands of one who had a just and noble
heart the blade would change from steel to crystal. And the
crystal was said to be indestructable. When Keltor took the sword
into his grasp, the silver steel changed into white crystal and
glowed brightly. The mother said he was indeed worthy to carry
the sword. She then told him the sword had a name...Redeemer. He
accepted the sword and carried it at his side until the moment of
his death."

"What happened to the
sword after my grandfather was killed?" Lotor asked.

"I took the sword and hid
it within a dark chamber. It has been sealed away for a long
time. I feared that if Zarkon or any of his minions were to get
their hands on it, it could be used for a purpose darker than
what it was intended for. It is believed that Keltor's spirit
rests within the sword. Before he died, he said an heir would
come to claim the sword. It is believed my son that Keltor will
be reborn through you. The power that eminates within Redeemer is
said to be beyond the known universe. Some say that it may even
be of divine origin." Danzar explained.

"Father, you said I must
face my past. Is that all?"

"The task is simple, but
more complicated than it sounds. In addition to facing your past,
you must face yourself. As I told you when we met, you must face
the person you once were. And you must dual the spectre of your
old life. You must fight and win in order to claim Redeemer. The
challenge will be mentally and physically exghausting. I wish
there were more time for you to prepare. But time may be short.
We must know tonight if you are the one." Danzar said.

"I understand
father." Lotor replied.

"Come. You should retire
to your room for the rest of the afternoon to rest and clear your
mind. You will need all your physical and mental strength to face
the test tonight." Danzar said.

Lotor went to his room as his
father suggested. He sat down on his bed and took in a few deep
breaths. He lay back and closed his eyes. Any doubt that dwelled
within in his mind and spirit had to be banished. He began to
breathe in deeply and exhale slowly putting himself into a more
medatative state. He hadn't had use for meditation in a very long
time. He needed to practice it now. Physical ardors were nothing
new to him. He could handle the physical aspect of just about
anything. But the emotional and mental aspects would be far more
challenging. While he was with his uncle, all he had to do was
escape the mental and emotional anguish he felt. And that was
done mostly through alcohol and women. But now he would be stone
cold sober when facing the many terrible things he'd done. That
was something he was not looking foward to. The countless lives
that he'd helped destroy and worlds he'd decimated in his uncle's
name would all be set before him. How would he answer for the
sins he had committed? No amount of apologies or atonement would
ever make up for all he'd done. All these matters now weighed
heavily upon him. But what weighed most was the memories of past
encounters with Allura. How he'd threatend the lives of her
people and friends to coerce her into being his. How many
innocent people had he threatened to kill or enslave if she
didn't consent to marry him? He tried to push the negative
thoughts from his mind. He had to be focused. A great many lives,
including Allura's would depend upon his success.

*********************************************************

That evening, Danzar, Leena
and her cousins gathered in the great hall. Kaladan stood with
them as he also wished to be present. He considered Lotor a
friend and allie and would be there to give him encouragement.
Also a number of castle staff and leaders from several
neighboring villages also attended. Most were druel, but there
were also some humans there as well. They all stood anxiously
awaiting the prince's arrival. While several of the castle
servants had seen him, there were many from around the castle
that had yet to see Lotor for themselves. As he entered the great
hall, a collective gasp eminated from several of the tribal
leaders. They could not believe how much Lotor resembled Keltor.
Some swore they were looking upon a ghost.

As he walked foward, a hush
fell over the crowd. He approached his father trying to be as
confident as possible. Deep down, he was nervous and unsure of
himself. Could he really be the heir Keltor spoke of?

"It is time my son.
Behind that door the sword Redeemer is hidden. Once inside, the
chamber will lock itself off from all of us. We will not be able
to see or hear you. This is a battle that you and only you can
wage. Of all wars, the war against one's self is the most
difficult. We will wait for you here in the great hall. You must
have faith in yourself. Remember this above all else Lotor. Faith
is your greatest allie. Doubt is your greatest enemy."
Danzar said.

"I will not fail father.
I will make it through this challenge no matter what." Lotor
replied trying to be as sure of himself as possible. With a deep
breath, he walked toward the dark wooden door. He looked back to
his family, then he opened the door and entered the chamber.

*********************************************************

Cossack and Mogor stood upon
the captain's deck of the flag ship as the huge coffin bearing
the dragon of Azrinos was loaded into the slumber chamber. The
box, while shrunk to a more managable size for the journey, was
no less imposing. Haggar too would accompany the two commanders
to see the beast unleash all its terrible power upon Corribus.
She could hardly wait to see her newest pet in action. But even
in her anticipation, a troubling thought entered her head. The
memory of seeing the young purple haired druel she thought she'd
eliminated.

"Even as young as he
is, the brat survived. His power must be even greater than I
thought. How was he able to survive? Mere humans could not even
hope to survive my dark magic. He is powerful for a druel indeed.
I must have his abilities. I can become even more powerful with
his energy. I will have to catch him and find a way to harness
his powers for myself."

Her train of thought was
interrupted by the sounds of the coffin being loaded onto the
ship. She did her best to put the thought of capturing Kezrin out
of her head for now. There were more important things to be dealt
with. She noticed Cossack and Mogor talking amongst themselves.

"I can't imagine how
Lotor could have managed to escape Carnos, and then planet
Taebos. He's either incredibly lucky or much stronger than any of
us gave him credit for." Cossack replied.

"He is a traitor. And
traitors are to be exterminated no matter who they are. He and
those other druel rogues he fled with must also be hunted down
and made examples of. For now we are to focus upon Zarkon's anger
with Corribus. They have transgressed against our king, and they
must be punished." Mogor stated sternly.

*********************************************************

The chamber was dark as Lotor
entered it. An ordinary man wouldn't have been able to see his
own hand in front of his face. It was hard for even Lotor, but
with his keen eyesite he was able to walk carefully away from the
door. He stood still. There was nothing but emptiness and silence
as he stood waiting for whatever challenge he would face. The
silence was suddenly broken by a chorus of disembodied voices.

"Who are you? Why are
you here?"

"I am Lotor, son of
Danzar. I've come to claim the sword of my grandfather." He
answered firmly.

"Redeemer." The
voices said in unison.

"Yes. I've come for the
sword Redeemer. And I've come to prove myself worthy to carry the
spirit of my grandfather, Keltor." The prince stated.

"And what makes you
worthy? You who have lived a life of wickedness and excess."

"You destroyed my
family! You took my wife and my children! You left them without a
husband and father!" An angry male voice shouted.

"I was saving myself
for the man who would have been my husband. You stole my virtue!
I wanted to give it to the man that I loved!" Cried the
voice of a young woman.

"You defiled my
daughter! You killed my sons!" A mother exclaimed
angrily.

With the voices came a host of
phantom like figures. They were faceless grey shadows with only
the forms of their bodies visible.

"Heartless!" One
cried.

"Monster!" Another
barked.

"Cursed be the day
you were ever born!" Added a third.

"You bastard! My
brother Avok died because of you." Said the voice of a
woman Lotor was all too familar with. He recognized it as that of
Allura's cousin, Romelle.

"You ruined my life!
You defiled my body to satisfy your lust! You used me because I
resembled Allura! You don't deserve her love! You don't deserve
her forgiveness! I hope you burn in hell!"

The words were becoming too
much for the young prince to hear. He knew every cry, every curse
was true. He had done all these things in abundance. His hands
clenched into tight fists and he fought to keep from closing his
eyes. He remembered how he used to escape from the guilt and pain
he harbored upon his concience. He would always drown out the
screams and the nightmares with alcohol. But now there was none
to be found. He was stone cold sober and had to face his demons.

"You want to run
don't you?" Said a sinister voice that sent chills
surging through the young prince's body. It was his voice.

Before him appeared a small
round table with a flask of wine on it and a glass. Lotor's eyes
widened at the site.

"You don't have to do
this. You can make it all stop. You can make them all go
away." The voice of his sinister self teased.

"No. I have to do this.
So much depends upon me. I can't fail." Lotor said
staunchly.

"Who are you kidding?
Do you honestly think you can win? Do you honestly think you've
got the strength to resist me?" The sinister voice
jeered.

"I can resist you, and I
will." Lotor answered defiantly.

"Just pick up the
glass and raise it to your lips. Just let the wine make all these
fools dissapear. It can all end right now. All you have to do is
take the glass in your hand."

The voice goaded him over and
over to pick up the glass of wine. His fists were so tight his
nails dug into his skin. His teeth clenched and ground against
each other. To his horror he found himself reaching out for the
glass. He couldn't stop himself. Before he could stop himself the
glass was in his hand being moved toward his mouth.

"That's it. One sip,
and it will be over. You can go back to the life you once
knew." The voice encouraged.

The glass came ever closer and
closer to his mouth. The liquid was so tempting and its smell
heavy with the promise of false peace it often gave. Then his
eyes widened when he realized what he was about to do.

"NO!" Lotor screamed
and hurled the glass into the darkness. He hoisted the table up
and flung it as well.

"That life is dead to
me!" He shouted.

Where the table had once stood
suddenly appeared an aparition of Lotor himself. But it was a
vision of his old self. He wore the old military uniform and ax
blade helmet. His wicked twin struck him in the lower jaw with a
vicious punch. Lotor fell to the ground. Before he could get up
chains shot out of the ground. Grey steel shackles clasped around
his wrists pulling his hands toward the ground. He pulled trying
to free himself but it was of no use. They kept him firmly
restrained on his knees.

"You fool. Do you
think you can just forget who you are, who you really are? You're
a monster. You're a conquoror and a destroyer. You lay waste to
all who stand against you, and make them tremble at your feet.
That is who you are." The evil Lotor chided.

"No. That may have been
whom I once was, but that wasn't the real me. That isn't the man
I was meant to be. My uncle stole my destiny away from me...and
now I've come to claim it." The true Lotor replied with an
ever defiant expression.

"And what makes you
think you can? What makes you think you can ever be a part of
this pathetic little planet? You think its people will ever
accept you as those trusting little fools do?"

"They are my
family." Lotor snarled.

"You don't have a
family. You never needed a family. Zarkon made you strong. He
gave you the desire to dominate all around you. And you betrayed
his expectations." The evil Lotor scowled.

"No. You are the one
without a family. You're not even real. You're just a sad shadow
of my former life. You're just a pathetic reminder of the man I
used to be. You're just a ghost. You died on Carnos, and now
you're just making this feeble attempt to ressurect yourself. I
won't let it happen. You will never threaten anyone again. You
will never threaten her again."

"You're a fool if you
think she could ever truly love you. Her friends will never let
you near her. You've lost her. Admit it. You lost her the moment
you saw her."

"The moment I saw her was
the moment I realized the only one I need to lose...is you."
Lotor snarled and gritted his teeth. He pulled with all his might
and the chains began to lose their hold. He pulled and pulled
grunting and growling like an animal. He didn't stop until the
chains began to weaken. Creaking and clanking gave way to a
crashing sound as the chains suddenly broke in two. Lotor willed
himself to his feet with an angry glare in his eyes. The chains
vanished from his body.

"I will never let you
threaten her again. You're no longer in power here. You're a
creation of my uncle. You're an extension of his evil that is
finally being purged from my soul." He said boldly.

"You can't make it
without me! You can't!" The twin protested.

"No. You can't make it
without me." Lotor replied.

"You can't destroy
me!"

"No, I can't. I can't
destroy you, but I can banish you. It may not happen over night,
but with time the damage done will be made right. I will see to
that. I will fight against the scurge of the empire. I will
protect the ones I love. I will protect Allura. If we are meant
together, it will be by her choice as well as mine. Above all
else, my grandfather's legacy will not die. Not now, not ever.
Your legacy will die with you and my uncle. Through my family,
through their children, and through my children my grandfather's
dream shall live. You will become nothing but a memory. You will
be only a reminder to the generations that come after myself and
my family not to repeat the mistakes I made. And that is a
promise."

"NO!" The
evil twin screamed as his form began to vanish.

Lotor stood in the darkness
once more. He felt weary, but managed to remain standing. Before
his eyes a light began to shine. It was bright, but not blinding.
One more figure appeared before the young prince. He was a druel
who appeared to be in his early fifties. His white hair fell to
the upper middle of his back. He stood in deep silver pants and a
matching tunic with a royal blue cape draping his back all the
way to the floor. His knee length boots were black and silver. A
simple head band like crown encircled his head.

"Grandfather..."
Lotor gasped.

"Yes Lotor. I've
waited a long time for the heir who would come to claim my
spirit. You have faced the challenge, and you have passed. You
and I are mirror images of each other. The paths that brought us
to this place have been frought with danger, heartbreak and
sorrow. But it is you who now has the chance that I never took.
You must not let the dark cloud of your past hover over you as I
did mine. That is what created your uncle, my first son...Zarkon.
I wanted to protect him from the evils of my life before I
denounced the empire. But in refusing to tell him the mistakes I
made in my life, I doomed him to repeat them and worse. My
refusal to face my past was my undoing in the end." Keltor's
spirit told.

"Grandfather, my uncle
made his own choices. He chose to leave the peaceful existence
you intended. He chose to force you from your throne by fighting
you. He chose to take your life and in a cowardly fashion. That
wasn't your doing." Lotor said.

"His choices were his
own, but I did not help sway him in the way I should have. I must
acknowledge my own foolish misgivings in this matter. If I had
looked past my own hesitancies I could have saved him. I could
have kept him from becoming a monster." Keltor replied
sadly.

"You were only doing what
you thought was right. My uncle cannot be saved. He cannot be
saved now as he could not be saved then. He made his choice. I
have done terrible things in the young years I've been alive. And
I cannot put the full blame upon my uncle for what he did. I hate
him for all the pain he's caused me and those whom I hurt. I
became an extension of his cruelty, his evil. I can never undo
all the suffering I've caused. I can never undo the pain I
caused...her." Lotor replied lowering his head.

"Allura is Alfor's
daughter, and her capacity for forgiveness goes deeper than any
of us can understand. In her heart, she has forgiven you for the
history between you both. She understands it wasn't all your
fault for the way you were. And in time that understanding will
bring you both closer together. A bond shall form between you
both stronger than even that of myself and my beloved Loeena. I
cannot lie to you and say that all others will be so kind. There
were still those who cursed my name even after I left the empire.
Namora's family blamed me for her death even as they watched her
being ripped apart."

"So that is how she died.
I've heard stories of how people were executed upon my father's
torture wrack. That's how I was to be killed along with my father
and Kaladan."

"She gave her life
for a cause greater than herself, though it does not sadden me
any less with that knowledge. She paid the heaviest price for the
dream I and so many others sought to make reality. She wanted her
sister to be happy, and she knew she was happy at my side. That
is something your uncle Zarkon has never and will never
understand. He wants only to dominate and destroy all life. You
and Allura will be the strongest power against him. It was love
that brought me to my redemption, and now it has done the same
for you. Now my grandson...Redeemer shall pass onto you."

With those words the spirit of
Keltor vanished and in his place a magnificent sword hovered.
Lotor reached out and took the sword by the hilt turning the
blade upwards. The hilt was a carved golden angel holding a sword
toward the heavens. The wings stretched upward forming the ornate
lower blade guards. The long flowing gown stretched downward and
twisted into the spiraling hilt. The blade which had been silver
started to glow in Lotor's hand. Before his eyes it turned from
silver into shimmering irredescent white crystal. Never in his
life had he beheld such a glorious weapon. Truly it was not a
blade of the mortal world.

"Carry this sword at
your side always my grandson. When all hope seems lost and your
enemy is ready to crush you, it is this sword that shall be the
key to defeating Zarkon's evil forces. Within it my spirit shall
reside, and when the time comes all scores will be settled."

"Grandfather...grandfather
when will I know?" Lotor asked.

"When the time comes,
you will know. Until then, I shall rest within Redeemer waiting
for the time I am needed." Keltor's spirit answered.

Again all was silent. The room
was nothing more than darkness save for the light of Redeemer's
blade. Using that light as his guide, Lotor turned and left the
chamber. Those waiting outside held their breaths as the door
slowly opened. Lotor emerged clutching Redeemer in his hand. He
was weary and walked slowly from the chamber. Many gasped when
they saw the glowing sword at his side.

"Redeemer! Redeemer is
glowing! He is the chosen one!" A tribal leader exclaimed.

"Keltor's heir has
claimed Redeemer!" Another proclaimed.

"You've passed the test
my son." Danzar said with a look of both pride and relief.
He and Kaladan came foward to help the young prince walk through
the small crowd of onlookers. Leena pressed her folded hands to
her chest while Avian and his cousins looked on.

"He's done it."
Genar said quietly.

"Genar, let's get him to
his room. The test has taken a great deal out of him, and there's
not much night left." Danzar said.

"How, how long was I in
there?" Lotor asked wearily.

"Half the night. The
challenge made you lose track of time, but that was to be
expected. You need to rest now and regain your strength. There is
much to be done in the coming days, and we shall all need our
strength for the coming war." Danzar replied.

"He came to me father. My
grandfather came to me." Lotor said.

"He is part of you now.
The prophecy he gave is coming true. Come my son. Let's get you
to bed." Said his father.

"Father! Is Lotor all
right?" Leena called.

"He's fine Leena. He just
needs to rest." Danzar answered.

Soon Lotor was in his room and
resting in his bed. His eyes closed as he drifted off to sleep.
As he turned in his bed, he subconciously touched the hilt of his
sword as it stood propped against his bedside.

"Allura..." he
unconciously whispered.

*********************************************************

On planet Arus Allura was in
her bedroom. It was approaching dusk as she looked out of her
window. While she did not protest the over protectiveness of her
friends, she was none the less despondent and sad. She still
worried over the fates of Lotor and Kaladan. She wanted to know
if he was still alive. Despite the news from a mysterious spirit
telling her she would see Lotor again, she didn't know if that
would still hold true. The fact that he may have died to save her
life weighed heavily upon her heart. The more time that went
being apart from him, the more she longed to see him again. She
realized that her feelings for him were growing beyond the
friendship they had forged. She began to realize that perhaps it
was possible to love him. Even with all the terrible things he
had done, she knew deep down if Zarkon hadn't raised him the way
he did, perhaps Lotor would have turned out differently.

Small tears began to fall from
her blue eyes. So much worry plagued her spirit. She wanted to
know the prince and his friend Kaladan were all right. They had
shown such bravery when she had been threatened. Had they somehow
managed to escape Doom? Or did Zarkon at last cast his deadly
judgement upon them.

"Allura..."

Allura's eyes widened when she
heard a familar voice whisper to her in her mind.
"Lotor?" She gasped.

to be continued

Disclaimer: "Ace of
Spades" by Motorhead

lyrics found at: http://www.thesonglyrics.com/songlyrics/motorhead/motorheadsonglyrics2.html
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Redemption and Destiny