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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
- 8
- 9
- 10
I know it took a long time to get chapter nine done. In addition to our move, I had a lot of stuff going on. Getting ready for a horse show, showing, and then falling off my horse during a trail ride this week, not to mention taking forever to get my room in order(I'm not a very snap to it person) but at long last chapter nine is at last done. There is some graphic violence in this chapter as well as some strong language(Aivan's mouth...which sometimes has a tendency to be dirty) and the introduction of new characters, Avian, Genar and Kezrin, all cousins. I hope it doesn't take me quite as long to get chapter ten done...but with the way real life goes, I can never be too sure.

chap9

Chapter 9

Brothers in Arms

On Namoria Leena sat in her
bedroom. The visit to the family crypt had not brought her much
comfort. While she'd grown up without her father, there was
always something that kept her close to him. She remembered only
that he'd gone after Zarkon and never returned. She was never
told the reason why he left. She was too young to remember the
massacre that wiped out much of the royal family. She heard a
knock upon her door.

"Come in." She said.

As she spoke, a young man
walked opened her door. Like Leena and most of her people, he was
half drule. His blue skin and gold eyes were offset by his long
deep garnet colored hair. He wore dark pants and a dark colored
tunic.

"What is it Genar?"
Leena asked.

"My lady, Kezrin is
finally awake." He answered.

"Is he all right? Does he
remember anything at all?" Leena asked hurriedly.

"He's only just awakened.
I'll take you to him. I don't know how he's going to react. The
fight with Haggar almost killed him. I'm suprised he was able to
defeat her.

"He's been in hybernation
for so long now. I hope he's all right." Leena said as she
followed Genar out of her room.

The two headed for the
infirmary. There in a bed lay a young drule male about twenty
three years old. Leena rushed to his side, but Genar gently
pulled her back.

"He's been asleep for a
very long time my lady. It's best to let him finish coming around
before you speak with him." He said kindly.

Leena sat down beside Kezrin
while Genar stood beside her. They both watched intently as his
eyes fluttered open and his fingers twitched. His long deep
purple hair was half sprawled over the pillow. Slowly his fingers
began to move more rapidly as did the fluttering of his eyes.
Then he took in a deep breath and tried to move.

"Take it easy Kezrin.
You've been unconcious for a great while." Genar said.

"Where...where am
I?" Kezrin asked in a half sleepy haze.

"You're home. Your
injuries were so severe that we had to put you into a form or
hybernation to save your life. The toll the battle with Haggar
took on your body nearly killed you. Another duel like that could
kill you the next time." Genar answered.

"Haggar..." Kezrin
said with a growl. "That shrivled up prune of a witch tried
to kill me. She tried to drain my powers, and leave me for dead.
I want that dried up old bitch's head."

"Kezrin, you have to calm
down. It's going to be a while longer before you're fully
recovered. And letting your anger get the better of you will only
hinder that recovery. And princess Leena will need all of us to
protect her. We're all she has left." Genar said firmly.

"Kezrin, are you all
right? How are you feeling?" Leena asked.

"Like I've been asleep
too damn long. If I get my hands on her,"

"Kezrin, enough. You need
to build up your strength. Leena will be with you for the time
being. Avian has gotten himself into trouble again, and I will
have to go get him out of it.." Genar said.

"When is Avian not in
trouble. His temper is always getting him into one mess or
another." Kezrin said with a shrug.

"He's got to learn to
control his temper. There will always be those who will put him
down because of his bloodline, but that's no cause for him to get
into so many fights." Leena said with a sigh.

"His father could be hot
tempered as well. I guess that's where he gets it from."
Genar replied.

"It's not just his temper
getting him in trouble. I can imagine there are at least a
hundred or so fathers, brothers, uncles and probably several
mothers after his hide because he can't seem to keep his libido
in check. Where is he anyway?" Kezrin said.

"He went to planet
Antheris after getting into another fight. The last I heard he
got caught with the daughter of a prominent member of a wealthy
trader baron. From the last communication I had with him he's in
big trouble. He was either going to marry the baron's daughter or
lose his head. Hopefully I can get him out of this in one piece.
Leena, watch over Kezrin and make sure he doesn't over strain
himself." Genar said as he left the infirmery.

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

Lotor and Kaladan faced each
other. They glared at each other in a challenging manner. While
Lotor might have been thouroughly unnerved by the fact he was
standing face to face with the man who had just torn one of his
father's guards apart, he showed no fear on the outside. To show
fear was weakness, and he was not about to be seen as weak in the
presence of a rival.

"So, this is the infamous
son of King Zarkon. You're either very brave or very stupid to be
showing your face here." Kaladan growled.

"I didn't come here
looking for trouble. I was dumped here after I escaped
Carnos." Lotor replied trying to keep his own temper at bay.

"I've no concern what you
came looking for or where you came from. I've made it my mission
in life to destroy anyone who stands with Zarkon. And you will be
the prize of my collection." Kaladan said coldly.

"Just so we understand
each other, Zarkon can rot in hell for all I care. I don't give a
damn about him anymore. The only person in the entire universe I
care about is in great danger. And if you get in my way I'll make
you regret you ever saw me." Lotor warned.

"Really? I'd say that
sounds like a challenge. Perhaps you'd like to make good on your
threat... in the pit." Kaladan said unafraid.

"I am no one to be
trifled with." Lotor growled.

"Meet me in the pit of
death. We'll see exactly how good you really are, if you've got
the guts. Personally, I don't think you do." Kaladan
challenged.

"You want me in the pit,
then you've got me. If I defeat you in combat then you help me
escape Taebos."

"Even if you do survive a
battle against me, you still won't make it off Taebos. The
condition of my release from the pit is whomever beats me must
take my place. If you lose, you die. If you win, then you must
take my place. That is if you can fight back the urge to kill me
first."

"I win, you help me leave
Taebos. That's my offer. Take it or leave it." Lotor stated
and turned away from Kaladan to leave.

Kaladan grabbed Lotor by the
arm in order to prevent him from leaving. However; what he got
was the point of a silver blade aimed right between his eyes.
Lotor's expression was deadly serious as he kept the blade on his
rival.

"I told you, I'm no one
to be trifled with. I'd rather have you as an alli against my
father, but if not I'll find a way off this hellhole by myself.
You can think that over while you watch me leave." He
replied as he again turned to leave.

"Wait!" He shouted.

Lotor stopped and turned
around. "What?" He said sternly.

"If you can beat me, then
I will help you escape Taebos. But there is something you must do
for me in return."

"And what might that be?
If you're condition is something as petty and stupid as revenge
I'm walking out this door."

"Help me restore my
honor. If I help get you to your beloved princess in time, then
you must also help me restore my honor. Of all Zarkon took from
me, that is the only thing I have any chance of reclaiming."
Kaladan replied.

"Agreed."

"Meet me in the pit
tomrrow night, and we will see where the cards fall."
Kaladan said as he left the tavern.

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

King Zarkon sat in his thrown
awaiting word from several allies of the empire for their
decision to join forces with him. A guard entered the throne
room.

"Your majesty, we have
received word from planet Darvos. They have agreed to stand with
you in your campaign against Voltron." He reported.

"Excellent! Many of our
allies have agreed to come to our aid. With the monster Haggar
plans on creating, and the many alliances being formed, there
will be no stopping my plans for the complete destruction of
Voltron and the conquest of planet Arus. Everything is going
exactly according to my plans. I will let planet Arus enjoy what
little peace they have left. Let them be lulled into a sense of
security and when they least expect it, I will unleash my wrath
upon them. And this time, there will be no mercy. My heir will be
born into an empire of complete and utter domination, and he
shall continue my legacy as it should be." Zarkon beamed
proudly.

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

Allura stood at the window
leading to the outside balcony of her room. She was still trying
to make sense of the recent events taking place in her life. No
longer allowed to fly the blue lion was beyond frustrating. She
was a spirited and strong willed young woman who believed in
doing everything possible to defend her people. Now she felt
completely helpless. While she thought many times of putting up a
fight to get her place on the team back, she knew in the end it
would be futile. Coran and Nanny certainly would not support her
in her quest, and Keith and the others were determined to keep
her on the ground as well. She could understand their reasoning,
but she also saw the fate of her people in her hands.

"How can I protect my
people now? I'm stuck here on the ground and in this castle. How
am I to be the ruler I'm meant to be if there won't be any people
left to rule? I'm not a child. I don't need to be so protected
all the time." She said to herself with a frustrated sigh.
She opened the large door like windows and stepped out onto the
balcony. The sun was just getting ready to set as she looked off
into the horizon.

As she looked down at the land
her thoughts turned from her friends to someone else, someone she
presumed to be dead. As she felt the wind gently blow her long
golden hair away from her face, she uttered a name.
"Lotor."

She looked down wondering how
in the world she could be thinking of him. "Even in death
you haunt my thoughts. Why is it I find myself thinking of you?
Was it the look in your eyes when you realized you hurt me? Was
it your pleading voice before you fled into the night? Or was it
the last words you told me before you vanished?" She asked
herself.

She closed her eyes wondering
what to make of the last encounter as she found herself
constantly thinking about it. The more she thought of him, the
more she felt an inner saddness welling within her. Her friends
could never have concieved of the notion she would mourn the man
who terrorized not only her and her people, but countless
civilizations. No doubt many would have considered his untimely
death a cause for celebration, or at the very least a reason for
a huge sigh of relief. But not Allura, for she never considered
the death of anyone a cause for joy. Death was a sad and solom
thing. And even the death of a villian such as Lotor was cause
for bitter reflection. She lowered her head feeling a single tear
fall from her eye. She quickly wiped it away not wanting anyone
to see her weep.

"I would never have felt
this way if Zarkon were dead. Yet, I feel saddness for the
passing of his son. He made me hate and fear him. He threatened
the lives of my friends and my people. And still I feel sorrow
now that he's gone. Perhaps deep down he wasn't as much a monster
as his father. He was only what his father made him. He could
have killed me many times and yet in the end he could never bring
himself to do it. Maybe in the end he did love me, and he just
didn't know any other way to show me other than how he'd been
raised."

As she continued her thought
she heard a knock at the door. "Come in." She said.

"Hey princess, we're
going to the market place to get some food. You wanna come with
us?" Pidge asked.

"No, thank you Pidge. I'm
not really up to being out right now." Allura answered.

"Aw come on princess.
Look, we know you're bummed out bout not flying the blue lion
anymore, but don't you think you should be out amidst your
people?" Lance replied.

"I'm sorry, but I just
don't feel like myself right now. I just need to be alone."
Allura said quietly.

"Guys, if she doesn't
want to come she doesn't want to come. She's going through a hard
time right now." Keith said ushering the others from
Allura's room.

He looked inside Allura's room
to find her still outside on her balcony. "Princess, are you
sure you're ok?" He asked.

"I'm...I'm fine. I just
want to be alone."

Knowing he wasn't going to get
anywhere with her, he left her room and hurried the others away.
He caught up to his friends as they headed out of the castle. He
knew the princess wasn't herself, and he suspected it was more
than just not being able to fly the blue lion anymore. He
suspected it was something else, but he shuddered to think of the
possibility of what was bothering her.

"She wouldn't mourn
him. He was a monster, as bad or worse than his father. That
couldn't be it." He thought.

"I'm worried about the
princess. She won't leave her room that much and she's always
depressed now. Do you think we really did the right thing by
taking her off the force?" Pidge asked.

"Look, we haven't taken
Allura out of the team. But right now it's just not safe for her
to pilot the blue lion. If Zarkon were to get her in his sights
he'd blast her right out of the sky. He won't be bothered by her
death. She's the hope of her people and we have to keep that hope
alive. Though I have to admit she has been less than herself
lately." Keith said.

"Yah, ever since she
found out...um...he bit the dust." Lance replied.

"Please, Allura actually
sad that Lotor is dead? I don't think so. She's just trying to
find a proper way to deal with it that's all. She ain't crying
over him. How could she cry over a guy who made her life a living
hell for so long?" Hunk asked.

"Can we not talk about
him? He's a bad memory that all of us would rather forget."
Sven said with a shudder.

"I second that Sven.
Let's just let the princess deal with this whatever way she needs
to. She has a lot on her shoulders right now, and we don't need
to add to it." Keith replied.

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

Back on planet Taebos night
approached. The dark clouds of smoke and smog that hovered in the
atmosphere made it hard to tell when day changed to night. The
only indication were the few rays of light that managed to
penetrate the dense pollution and then fade away as day gave way
to night. It was almost like living on Planet Doom. Lotor stayed
at the tavern that day. Alma gave him permission to stay there so
that he could rest and prepare for the battle with Kaladan.

"They will come for you
tonight. You are a willing opponent so they should not give you
too much trouble." Alma commented.

"They'll not give me any
trouble at all lest they end up having their heads removed from
their shoulders." Lotor growled.

"Kaladan will be with
them. It's best not to put up a fuss." Alma advised.

Lotor shrugged his shoulders
breathing a heavy sigh. He looked away for a second and then
spoke. "How do you know I'm the man who can free Kaladan
from the pit? I have great skill yes, but I've seen what he can
do. We'll be expected to try to kill each other."

"The man who can defeat
Kaladan is his equal, his kindred spirit. You are no mere guard.
You are a master swordsman from what I've been told. And in
battle you can be as ruthless as Kaladan." Alma answered.

"What do you mean kindred
spirit?"

"You and Kaladan share
much in common. You were both in high favor of King Zarkon, and
both of you have now turned against him. Your rebellion is fuled
by the women you both fell in love with. And both of you suffered
dearly for that love. Both of you have nothing but rage and
hatred for Zarkon. Both of you have set down different paths, but
both seek the same destination. You both seek redemption."

"You seem to forget there
is one difference between Kaladan and I. The woman he loved also
loved him. The woman I cherish will not have me. She despises and
fears me. And I've given her every reason to despite what I
wanted was her love. I can only save her. There is no hope for
having her love."

"Do not be so sure young
druel. Destiny is a strange thing."

After Alma finished speaking
Kaladan entered the tavern. He was followed by the pit masters.
"It's time." Said the Blood Lord.

Lotor rose from the table
nodding in agreement. The pit masters looked over Kaladan's
opponent with interest. They did not speak, but their
expression's conveyed the anticipation they felt. Tonight was
going to be a spectacle indeed. Perhaps it would be the greatest
in the history of the pit. The whited haired druel however did
not feel anticipation. To him this was no fight for sport. This
was a fight for his very life, and the life of the woman he
loved.

Kaladan approached Lotor and
stood face to face with him. Their faces were mere inches apart.
"If you are the one, then know that I do not intend to make
your victory an easy one." He said.

"I don't expect you
to." Lotor replied.

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

Genar continued on his heading
toward planet Antheris. After several attempts to contact Avian
had failed, he felt for sure his friend was indeed in a great
deal of trouble. "I'm beginning to think we should just put
a leash on him to keep him out of trouble." He muttered to
himself.

Avian was indeed in a great
deal of trouble. He found himself chained to a wall with a group
of very angry males and one distressed female all looking at him.

"We're giving you two
options you bastard. You can either marry her or we can decorate
the halls with your bones. Which is it gonna be?"

"Honestly, I'm not the
marrying type. And I think my bones look better in my body than
in your halls. So why don't we all just calm down, have a drink
and forget this little episode ever happened?" Avian asked
with half crooked smile. The responce was the angry father's fist
making contact with Avian's left cheek.

"You insulent son of a
bitch! You violate my daughter then you dare to disrespect me in
such a manner!"

"Now just a damn minute!
I did not violate your daughter! I don't rape women! She was just
as willing as I was!" Avian barked as he struggled to free
himself from his restraints.

"You dare to impune my
daughter's honor!"

"Father stop it! He
didn't force himself on me!"

"Be silent Neenya! You
disgrace your family and myself with such behavior." Her
father ordered.

"Leave her alone you
prick!" Avian shouted.

Again, he got another fist to
the face. Blood trickled out from his nose and the corner of his
mouth.

"Forget it! I'll not have
this piece of trash marrying my daughter. You had better pray you
are not carrying his seed daughter. I'll cut the vermon from your
womb myself if you are!"

"Father! How dare you
speak of me in such a manner?" Neenya cried.

This time her father focused
his rage upon her forcefully backhanding her. That really got
under Avian's skin. He was a womanizer, but he hated aggression
against women. Whether she was in the wrong or not, no woman
deserved to be struck in such a violent manner.

"Let me out of these
chains you bastard!" Avian barked.

"You think you can take a
noble man like me? You're neither terran or drule. You're just a
pathetic mut of a male who should have been killed before you
took your first breath. You're not a man. You're not even a boy.
You're just a sad mistake that should never have been made."
Said Neenya's father.

Avian's eyes narrowed to
slits. "You're a piece of shit, you know that? You think
you're so high and mighty. You stand here and beat your own
daughter. Then you got the balls to question my manhood? You let
me out of these chains, and I'll show you just what kind of man I
am." Avian snarled.

"Lord Kurgan! There's an
intruder on the grounds!" Shouted a scout.

"What!" Kurgan
yelled as he turned away from Avian.

As he spoke, two guards
stumbled backwards into the interrogation chamber having been
knocked off their feet. A third guard was sent skidding hard
against the stone floor by a wicked side kick. Genar burst
through a bevy of guards making his way into the room where Avian
was being held.

"Damnit Avian! Why do you
keep getting yourself into these situations!" Genar shouted.

"Why do you keep saving
my ass?" Avian asked with a smirk.

"I'll think of an answer
to that after I get you out of here!" Genar yelled as he put
another guard down with a side chop to the head.

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

Lotor stood in a small cell
like room waiting for the fight to begin. He could hear the roar
of the crowds even from where he stood. He rubbed his upper arms
feeling his muscles tense. He removed his coat but left on his
sleeveless black tunic, pants and boots. He looked around at the
dark, dank walls covered in grime and filth. He turned hearing
the creaky door slowly open. Two guards stood waiting for the
white haired drule to follow them. He went quietly, but flashed
them both a vicious stare indicating what he could and would do
if they tangled with him. They stayed at a distance. Any man
willing to fight the blood lord was not a man to be taken
lightly. The two stood several feet back from Lotor as he exited
the room.

Kaladan stood at the entrance.
His muscles were tense and his stance stiff and tense. It was the
stance of a warrior ready for battle. Lotor exibited that same
stance when he stopped. Kaladan looked to his left to see his
opponent standing beside him.

"Your swords have been
placed against the wall of the pit. I assume they are the weapons
you will chose to do battle with."

"Yes."

"Then it is time for us
to fight."

"Kaladan,"

"Yes?"

"Do not let anyone know
my true identity. My father thinks I'm dead. I want it to stay
that way." Lotor said in a hushed whisper.

"So be it."

The doors slowly creaked open
as the roars of the crowd echoed throughout the area. Kaladan
looked at Lotor for a second before facing the arena floor.
"The challenger always goes before the champion." He
said.

"And there is one more
thing." Kaladan added as he gestured to one of the pit
masters. Two of them approached the two combatants. Each held an
ornate mask in their hands.

"Very few opponents are
worthy of wearing the battle masks. If your reputation is what
I've heard it to be in combat, then you prove yourself worthy to
wear this." He said as he ordered both to place the masks on
the respective opponents. As they stepped away Kalada walked
toward Lotor until they were mere inches apart.

"The mask will also
conceal your identity." Kaladan whispered. He looked toward
the open doors looking into the pit. "The challenger goes
out first." He said.

With a nervous swallow Lotor
walked out into the pit. He looked up seeing the hoards of
screaming onlookers waiting to see a spectacle of violence and
blood. Then the ring master stepped out calling out Kaladan's
name signaling his entrance into the pit as well. The two drules
squared off in the center of the pit. They engaged in a brief
staredown before backing off from each other. The two stood with
agressive stances preparing to fight.

"Let's do this." The
two said silently in unison.

Lotor made the first move
rushing at Kaladan who in turn prepared to take his opponent out
with a sidekick. But the white haired drule saw the move coming
and blocked it with a side kick of his own. They barely missed
each other as one leg narrowly avoided the other. Both lost their
footing for only a second before continuing to clash. The crowds
looked on roaring and cheering as the two exchanged a fast and
furious round of kicks and punches. They hit only air until Lotor
got a little too cocky and one of Kaldan's side kicks hit him in
the chest. He stumbled back trying to catch his breath. Kaladan
only sneered at him trying to goad him further into more action.
Growling to himself the former prince of Doom rushed foward
drawing back his arm. He continued charging and shot his fist
foward trying to get a punch toward Kaldan's chest. Kaladan
caught the blow with his open hand and grabbed Lotor's other hand
as it also lurched toward his throat. The two were locked in a
struggle to gain the upper hand.

The two pushed against each
other with all their might trying to break the lock. While Lotor
struggled with all his might, he still wasn't quite as strong as
Kaladan who knocked him to the ground by knocking his own head
against that of his opponent. Feeling both Kaladan's head and his
own mask hit hard against his skull Lotor toppled backwards to
the ground. He struggled for a moment to gain his wits shaking
his head. But before he could act he felt a vicious side kick to
his ribs. He looked up to see Kaladan looking down on him.

"Get up boy!" The
Blood Lord barked.

The kick hurt bad enough, but
the blow to his pride hurt ten times worse. After all the hell
he'd been through, and this man had the nerve to call him boy.
Lotor snarled like a wild animal and sprang to his feet. As he
lept upward he turned sideward swinging his right leg across
knocking Kaladan off his own feet. The crowd looked on astonished
that a newcomer actually had the upper hand over their champion
for the first time. The pit masters looked on with great
interest.

"This one has fire to
him. He knows this match will most likely cost him his life yet
he does not cower like the others do. Perhaps he has it in him to
defeat Kaladan after all. He could make us a fortune, perhaps
even more than Kaladan himself." The ring master noted.

"Yes. He could be a
greater champion than Kaladan. We must watch this battle
closely." Another pit master commented. They watched as the
fight went back and fourth as Kaladan and Lotor exchanged
punches, kicks and headbutts in an attempt to incapacitate each
other. The crowds roared as they pumped their fists in the air.
Most cheered on their champion, but some dared to encourage his
challenger as he had gained the upper hand a number of times
throughout the battle.

After the two spent a fair
amount of time exchanging blows and knocking the wind out of each
other, Lotor and Kaladan went for their weapons. Lotor lunged
foward grabbing his twin swords while Kaladan grabbed a mace with
a spiked ball at the end. The two glared at each other with pure
blood lust in their eyes. Kaladan swung the long chain toward
Lotor's head. Lotor ducked the blow by mere inches. He briefly
glanced where the ball hit the ground knowing he'd been standing
there only seconds before. Kaladan jerked the chain backwards
forcing the ball back toward him. He aimed for another strike,
but before he could get the ball airborn Lotor lept foward
swinging his left blade across Kaladan's shoulder. The firey
haired drule recoiled feeling the sting of the sword lacerate him
there. He looked to see a stream of blood now flowing from the
wound. He immediately dropped the mace and headed back toward the
wall where he grabbed a broad sword.

He rushed foward snarling and
ready to bring the sword down upon his opponent's head. A second
before impact Lotor crossed his swords blocking the strike. The
two found themselves in a deadlock for the upper hand. Both
pushed against each other, their swords grinding against each
other creating an occassional spark from the friction. Both men
gritted their teeth pushing with all their strength to knock the
other down. But it was Kaladan who got the upper hand and forced
Lotor to stumble backwards falling on his back. The Blood Lord
stood over his opponent and raised the sword high over his head.
With a roar he brought the blade down. Lotor quickly rolled out
of the way getting to one knee. Kaladan raised the sword and
swung it down again. This time Lotor raised his blades criss
crossing them against each other successfully blocking the blow.
He gritted his teeth and raised himself uppward actually forcing
Kaladan to step backwards. He growled and continued pushing
foward compelling his rival to step backwards again. He uncrossed
his swords and rolled out of the way before Kaladan brought his
sword down almost slicing his arm off.

However, the move cost him one
of his swords as the heavy blade of Kaladan knocked one of the
more slender blades out of Lotor's right hand. But while Kaladan
was carrying the more formidable weapon, it was also heavier than
the one blade of the former prince. This gave him the chance to
catch Kaladan off guard and give him a swift kick to the gut.
Kaladan doubled over as the force of the kick literally knocked
the breath from his body. When he was most vunerable, Lotor took
advantage and knocked Kaladan to the ground with a vicious kick
to the head. Kaladan fell to the ground dropping his sword. The
blow also forced his mask from his head. It fell to the ground
stained with blood. Springing like a cat, Lotor lunged foward
grabbing the broad sword while Kaladan lay on the ground trying
to regain his wits. Before he could move he found the point of
his own blade aimed at his throat.

"He's going to do it!
He's going to defeat Kaladan!" The ring master exclaimed.

"Do it! Kill him!"
One of the pit masters shouted.

Lotor stood over Kaladan
prepared to make the death strike. Kaladan was helpless as he was
still reeling from the side kick to his head.

"Take his head! We will
proclaim you our new champion!"

"We'll make you the most
feared man on this planet! You will have fame and fortune beyond
your wildest dreams! You will become the most ruthless fighter
the galaxy has ever known!"

For a moment Lotor heard the
cries of the crowd calling for the blood of the man they'd once
cheered for. The sword was at Kaladan's throat. All Lotor had to
do was bring down the blade. He removed his own mask and raised
the sword. The lust for blood was hard to fight.

"DO IT!" The
onlookers roared.

As he stared into the eyes of
his opponent, something strange happened. Upon Kaladan's face
Lotor saw an image of himself. Kaladan also experienced the same
phenomena seeing an image of himself imposed over Lotor's face.
Then he remembered Alma's words before leaving the tavern.

"You are kindred
spirits."

Kaladan kept his eyes opened.
If this was to be his end, he would not look away like a coward.
The sword came down with a crushing blow. The crowds and the pit
masters all looked in utter shock. Kaladan's eyes beheld the
sword that should have spelled his death stuck in the ground next
to his left ear. Then he looked up at Lotor who was gasping for
breath. The white haired drule extended his hand.

"What in the hell are you
doing! This fight must go to the death!" The ring master
exclaimed angrily.

"If you want blood
spilled, then you can find someone else to spill it." Lotor
replied coldly.

"Kaladan! Pick up a
weapon and finish him! You're the Blood Lord! No one, not
especially a drule leaves this pit alive! That was the
bargain!"

Kaladan took Lotor's hand as
he helped him up. He looked at the pit masters with an expression
of pure disdain and disgust. "The Blood Lord's reign ends
now. Go find someone else to satiate your blood lust. I'm not
doing it anymore."

"Then both of you will
die! Guards!"

As a troop of guards flooded
into the arena, Kaladan and Lotor looked at each other.
"Lotor, give me my broad sword!" Kaladan shouted.

As he tossed Kaladan's sword
to him, he in turn tossed one of the twin blades back to his
comrade. Grabbing the other sword, Lotor also prepared for battle
once again. The two drules stood back to back. Whereas they had
battled each other, now they prepared to fight side by side for
their lives.

"Remember, if we make it
out of here, you have a promise to keep. You must help me restore
my honor."

"I'll keep my word, but
you have to help me get to Allura before its too late."

"If we make it out alive,
then you will get to your princess. You have my word. But I'm
afraid getting out of here is going to be easier said than
done." Kaladan said.

"Kaladan, these animals
want blood. Why don't we give them a blood bath they'll not soon
forget?"

A sadistic smile danced upon
Kaladan's lips. "With pleasure." He said with a growl.

As the guards advanced, the
two warriors started swinging their blades with deadly precision.
Limbs started flying and blood spattered and gushed as the
advancing guards began to fall. As the blades cut the air, so too
did they cut heads from shoulders, hands from wrists and arms
from torsos.

"I can't believe this!
That backstabbing bastard has turned on us!"

"He's killing all our
guards!"

As suddenly as it started, the
troop of guards were cut down mercilessly and violently. Bodies
littered the pit as well as blood, severed limbs and entrails of
the victims. Kaladan and Lotor looked at each other smiling
victoriously. That is until Kaladan saw the ring master rushing
foward with a dagger in his hand.

"Lotor behind you!"
He shouted.

Lotor turned just in time to
impale the charging ring master right through the neck. The
small, rotund man dropped the dagger and fell to the ground as
his killer yanked the blade from his victim's throat. He gasped,
sputtered and coughed as blood poured from his mouth. The pit
masters looked on in shock as they watched their comrade fall to
his knees with blood gushing from his throat.

"Come on! We have to get
out of here while they're distracted!" Kaladan shouted.

"How are we getting out
of here? The entrance is blocked!"

"There's a secret way
behind the pit wall!"

The two ran toward the north
wall of the pit. Kaladan pulled down on a heavy ax and the wall
gave way opening up a secret door. With the people roaring and
the pit masters screaming curses at the two, Lotor and Kaladan
escaped into the secret exit. The wall closed once again before
the pit masters could make it.

"We've gotten away from
them, but they'll be sending their goons after us soon. We have
to make it back to Alma's tavern. She's got an old ship she's
been saving for this occassion. I just pray it still works."
Kaladan said between heaving breaths of air.

"I hope it does. If my
father gets to Allura before I do I'll never forgive
myself."

"You love her that
much?" Kaladan asked.

"More than my own
life."

to be continued...
- 8
- 9
- 10
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Redemption and Destiny