The Gold Paladin

Goodbye.... Old Friend

The team on the base and in the Castle watched as something sinister came closer towards their location, the alarms and lights signaling that it was nothing good. Novae's entire form shook in fear upon seeing the terrifying face that stared out at them.

"You were tracked!" Ulaz said.

"What? Us?" Pidge questioned.

"If Zarkon knows we're here, it's because you ratted us out." Keith blamed.

The strange face soon became more clear. It was large, but not too much so. However, Novae could feel the malice within its face. The scars on her body were warning her of the dangers to come.

"It's another one of Zarkon's robot... beast... ro-beasts!" Hunk exclaimed in equal fear.

"We have to get back to the ship." Shiro said, but Ulaz stopped them before they could run to fight.

"Shiro, wait." Ulaz said holding up a data chip, "These are instructions on how to reach the Blade of Marmora headquarters. Before you go there, find out how Zarkon is tracking you. If you lead him there, our entire underground network, everything we've spent centuries building, will be lost."

Shiro nodded and took the chip as Ulaz looked over at Novae.

"Blue Star, I wish you good fighting. Try to remain alive for the universe." He said, cracking a small smirk.

Novae nodded and shook her friend's hand, "I shall never stop fighting. It is all I know."

She let go of Ulaz's hand and ran with the others to the Red Lion, before taking off back to the Castle so the others could get to their own lions.

🦁🦁🦁~~~~🦁🦁🦁

"I knew he couldn't be trusted!" Allura shouted through her transmission to the other Paladins.

"It wasn't him." Shiro assured.

"Takashi is right. Ulaz would never put us in danger." Novae added.

"How can you be sure?"

"It doesn't matter how. What should we do?" Coran asked.

"Why can't we just hide here in the space clam and wait for it to go away?" Hunk asked.

"Everyone get to your lions, but don't launch. We'll wait to see what this thing does." Shiro ordered, "I don't want to risk fighting it if we don't have to."

The Red Lion flew everyone back to the Castle. As soon as they landed within its walls, all of the Paladins stood by inside their Lions.

Novae sat in her cockpit, gripping her controls so tightly that her knuckles were turning white beneath her black gloves.

"You must remain calm, Young Star." The Gold Lion whispered to her, "You will not be able to focus your power properly if you are not grasping a sound mind."

"I understand, Gold." Novae sighed, "But I have a terrible feeling of future loss. I am afraid this may be the time I see my friend."

"Perhaps it is merely that, a feeling."

"You know as much as I that my feelings are more than feelings."

The Lion remained silent, knowing that Novae was right. 

"We should be safe as long as we're hidden in the space pocket." Pidge reassured, snapping Novae from her thoughts.

The Robeast floated closer to the Xanthorium clusters, before opening its large mouth and sucking in some of the explosive crystals.