The Forgotten Paladin

Chapter 13: Crossroads

It's been a few days since the castle was 'haunted' by King Alfor's corrupted conscience, since then we've trained, fixed the castle defences or at least we've tried to. Our current plan is sounding something like: 'Save the world from Zarkon'. We're working on it. 

This whole time, liberating the balmera, almost going straight into an exploding star and everything, one thing has never left my mind. The letter. It remains sealed in my scarred hands. 

I'm afraid of opening it and finding out the truth, the truth of where I came from and what I am, more importantly finding out that I truly am what people have called me all my life. A monster. But the thing that scares me the most is finding out that there is no truth, that no one knows what or who I am. That all I will ever be known as is Y/N, the girl the galra left blinded in the darkness of her own mind.  Now I sit alone on the cold floor of a training deck in a 10,000 year old castle clutching a letter that could bring me the painful truth or the painful agony of no truth. 

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Distracting myself is a regular occurrence in my life these days, or weeks. Training is a good way of keeping the letter or my fire lightning thing out of my mind. While the others go out answering distress calls I use every chance I get to practice my fighting, not just to keep myself distracted but to literally train in case one day I can finally be of use to the paladins. Hopefully soon I can assist them, I still feel so useless, especially without my own lion and not knowing much about the paladins. And them knowing close to nothing about me. 

CORAN: "Everyone to the containment room, you too Y/N." A loud speaker screeches through the deck.

Another thing we have to fix. 

Y/N: "Not sure that was necessary.." I mutter to myself as I make my way through the gleaming hallways. 

I listen to the familiar whirring of the doors as I step into the containment room, everyone waiting patiently for my arrival. 

LANCE: "Took you long enough." A smug grin riding over his face as I slap his head. 

SHIRO: "That's enough paladins." 

ALLURA: "Somewhere inside Sendak's memories we should be able to find the inside information that gives us the key to take down Zarkon." 

CORAN:" I don't think your father would approve of searching through an enemy's memories." 

ALLURA" I know but we have to do everything we can to defeat Zarkon." 

LANCE: "Once we learn all his weaknesses we can drive up to his front door and challenge him to a fight. Winner gets the universe!" 

SHIRO: "Anything good yet, Pidge?" 

PIDGE: "We were only able to salvage bits and pieces." 

KEITH:" We need something to work with. Right now, we don't even have a decent map of the empire." 

LANCE: "Who needs a map? After 10,000 years of conquering, I could probably fire my bayard at like any random point in space and hit a galra ship." 

SHIRO: "If we could just find some troop locations or supply lines, small target we could hit and run then we could start to free planets one by one." 

LANCE: "Boringgg, i want the big kaboom."
PIDGE: " I'm sorry guys, his memories are like some sort of code, which technically makes no sense." 

Y/N: "What do you mean?" Everyone turns to look at me, waiting for my explanation, "T-they're  coordinates to a central hub. Can't you see it?" 

Their jaws somewhat drop as they turn to Pidge waiting for her confirmation. She looks at me with a blank stare. 

PIDGE: "Ohh, it's probably because you gr-" 

SHIRO:" Very good Y/N, we can finally begin our rescue. " He cuts off Pidge putting his hand over her mouth muffling her stubborn cries.

PIDGE: "Ahem, anyway, I've managed to cross reference Sendak's memoires with the info from the downed ship back on Arus, Most of it was garbled mess, but once Y/N noticed the pattern, I realised something has been repeating. 'Universal station.'" 

HUNK: "Universal station? Like, the kind of station that controls the entire universe?" 

PIDGE: "Well, we are translating from Galra, so it could also be Galactic hub." 

LANCE: Or space base!" everyone gives him a disappointed, blank stare, "What?" 

CORAN: "I'm pulling up the location of your universal Hub station base on our screens now."  A large screen with planets and systems of stars glow in front of us.

LANCE: "So where is it?" 

I try and supress the pressing feeling of memories trying to break through into my head, visions threatening to finally be known. The familiar heat of throbbing echoing in my ears as I fail to keep the visions at bay. 

This time it's my own memory, although I find it hard to tell what's mine and what's someone else's, I know this one is my own. It's the same two people I've seen before, not at the shack, the ones fighting to keep peace. This time a greater pain is stricken across their faces as they look at something fly away. A galra cruiser. The planet around them crumbling at their feet, quintessence ebbing through the seams holding the last people together. 

Tears run freely down their faces as they watch their own people scream in agony, as they watch their very home be slowly destroyed.

"At least she's alive, for as long as they wish to keep her so." The first voice states, her voice shaking with pain and fear.

VOICE 2: "We can only hope she can keep the traditions of our people alive." 

Suddenly a shadow looms over them, watching the scene unfold. I can see his eyes watch in pity as he speaks in his low, calm voice.

VOICE:" Come with me, I can save as many of you as I can. You're planet shall not die in vain." His extended hand beams with kindness as the pain stricken people warily accept his kindness. 

I slowly fall out of the vision, realising the voice seemed so familiar, but no face or memory came to me. Something about those two people also seemed so familiar. But all I've known is the Galra. Right?