The Forgotten Paladin

Chapter 2: an abyss of red

Blood streams down my aching neck as I limp back to my abyss. A guard punches the gaping wound on my back and I tumble into my corner of comforting darkness. I imagine what my cell looks like, what colour my blood is, my hair, my face, but all I can see in the darkness of my imagination is the horrifying look on her face. Her pale, eyes rolling back as I stare at the monster standing over her, greed in his eyes. 

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I awake from the nightmare, sweat rolling down my face, fear plunging my heart. Her face morphs out of my head as I stumble out of the chair I don't remember going to. My eyes dart around, this isn't a cell, I can see. Reality comes back and I collapse to the ground in relief. 

KEITH: "Hey- are you ok?!" The kind one, I know is Keith comes in and rushes up to me, a smile spreads across my face and I see his eyes calm again. "The rest of us are on the bridge, we would like to know how you ended up here on Aerus." I stand up, my knees shaking and my fists clenched behind me. I nod and follow Keith to the bridge. As we're walking, I try and think of a way to get myself out of this but by the time we're at the bridge all that came to mind was fainting, but that's weird. 

CORAN: "Oh, you're awake." He smiles gently at me and I'm not sure how to reciprocate his kind emotion so I shuffle my feet around. 

SHIRO: "Why don't you tell us what your name is?" I look up and feel a flush rushing over my cheeks, I haven't really talked to anyone so this is a little odd.

Y/N: "I'm Y/N." I don't know if they were expecting me to say something else because no one says anything until the pointy chined one speaks.

LANCE: "Why the heck were you sneaking around the castle?" I am slightly taken aback because from what I've seen, this one was pretty calm, Keith was the jumpy one.

SHIRO: "Lance, cool it. We all just want to know why you were in the castle." 

I feel everyone's eyes on me, I get reminded of the gladiator ring, the cheers, everyone awaiting my demise, waiting for a good show as they watch me suffer for their entertainment. I snap back to reality and think of my answer.

Y/N: "I didn't know if you all were dangerous or good people so I waited until I knew I could trust you." I avoided talking about myself and changed the topic to them.

HUNK: "When did you know you could trust us?"

Y/N: "When you expressed your hared for Zarkon." I felt rage rise up like stream through me, I press it down. "I will do whatever it takes to see to his fall."

They all look at me as I clench my fists and avoid looking them in the eye. They seems satisfied with my answer since they all walk away and start heading to their lions to train. Keith stays and looks at me, something is strange about this one. This time he is the one who looks into my eyes. As I look into his sorrowful eyes, I feel something, some kind of pain? I've never felt this before. 

He goes to his lion too and I feel hot all of a sudden, am I sick? I have no fever. I ignore it and walk over to Princess Allura. Everyone has been busy fixing the castle or training to fight Zarkon. Allura looks busy so I decide to wander around the castle. The ceilings are higher than I have ever seen, not that I've seen any. 

CORAN: "The castle's amazing right?" He startled me a little, he notices and chuckles to himself. I look at all the beautiful lights in amazement. 

Y/N: "Is everything always this bright?" 

CORAN: "What do you mean?"

Y/N: "I've lived in complete darkness my entire life, I was wondering is everywhere this full of lights?" He looks at me and tries to hide the shock that spread through his eyes.

CORAN: "Everywhere has a night and day, day is when the sun is up and you don't need other lights to lead you, night is when the moon is out and everything is darker but you can still see a little.. What do you mean you've lived in darkness?"

Y/N: "I've never even seen what I look like, I still haven't because I've had to live blindfolded."

Our conversation ends and the alarms blare, red flashes around us and I am taken back to the moment I was freed. Who set me free? Who sent me here? I remember the letter the person left me. I need to read it, but first this alarm is getting annoying.

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We head to the door of the castle and there is a local Erusian hiding behind the bushes. 

ALLURA: "Greetings. We know you're there. No harm will come to you."

The Erusian jumps from the bush, bearing his sword, It's Klizap, one of the ones who saved me from nearly dying. 

KEITH: "Wait- he could be dangerous! Drop your weapon!" 

KLIZAP: "No one takes Klizap's weapon!"

Y/N: "Keith, don't threaten him!"

KEITH: "He could be a danger to us!" He looks at me in disbelief and I place a hand on his shoulder. 

Y/N: "Keith, this Erusian was one of the ones that saved me from almost dying. You will put that away, NOW." I didn't mean to snap at him, ever since my blindfold came off, something has surged through me, through my veins. 

Allura talks to the Erusian and Keith looks into my eyes once more, his expression is different now, I turn away hiding my embarrassment. I release his shoulder, clenching my fists as they fall to my sides. I can feel his gaze fixated on me and I cower back into the shadows of the castle like I always do. 

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