Becoming Human (A Voltron Fanfic)

Being Human

All Nova could do was stare. She couldn't believe Steros's body was containing all of that energy.

"All this power..." came Steros's echoey voice. "The things I can do!"

Nova covered her ears in sudden pain as the pressure in the room grew tenfold. Then it stopped as quickly as it started. He can manipulate air pressure? She tried to stand but her legs provided no support and she collapsed back to the ground. Cursing, she pounded the ground with her first.

"Oh, the whelp can't stand on her own two legs, it seems," said Steros. In the blink of an eye he was kneeling in front of Nova, his hand grasping her chin. "Are you that determined to stop me?"

"I will die before I see you leave this place," she fumed angrily.

He simply smiled. "That can be arranged." With a wave of his hand, he sent her sailing across the room into the opposite wall. She coughed as the wind was knocked from her lungs. "I don't think you understand just what I'm capable of."

Summoning all her strength, Nova stood up, if unsteadily. "I think it's you who doesn't understand what I'm capable of." She smirked confidently in contrast to the weakness coursing through her body. This was it. She was the only one capable of stopping him. If she failed here and now, the universe would be doomed.

"You are a persistent one, I'll give you that. But you are no match for me!" He advanced towards Nova at such a speed that she barely had time to dodge. She looked over her shoulder but he was gone. As she turned back around he appeared right in front of her and sent her rocketing towards the ceiling. Pain shot through her spine as she collided with a broken metal ceiling panel. As she fell back towards the surface, Steros caught her midair and plummeted her down into the floor with much more force. She coughed once again, but this time blood came up.

"How interesting," Steros observed. "You've never been able to bleed before." He crossed his arms as he stood over her. "I have to say I'm disappointed. I would have thought you could put up at least some kind of fight."

With great struggling, Nova managed to roll onto her side and prop herself up on her elbow. She spat blood onto the ground and wiped her lips. "I told you, you bastard. You don't know what I'm capable of."

The godlike man just laughed a deep, echoey laugh. "You keep telling yourself that, whelp. I'll--" He was cut off by a violent kick square in his chest that sent him stumbling back several paces. He looked down at his chest, then back at Nova, who was now back on her feet. "You little shit!"

"Call me all the names you want," Nova taunted. "It does not change the fact that I will defeat you." Perhaps egging her opponent on could backfire on her, but she was trying to play all the options. She didn't take all those hits by accident. Every time Steros connected a blow, she was able to tap into the energy inside him. As she had thought before this whole fight started, the energy was unstable. If she had learned anything from Pidge, it's that energy can't be destroyed or created. Her only option was to get him to go supernova. Easy enough, right? She had some star power left in her and she wasn't going to let it go to waste.

"Cockiness is not a good look on you, whelp! Let's finish this!"

Nova dug in her heels as Steros sent a concentrated blast of energy at her. Using her power, she cut through the middle so it went on either side of her. It seemed her opponent had predicted this because he was on top of her the next moment. Before he could land a blow, she launched him skyward with a energy blast of her own. She took a deep breath, feeling suddenly winded. Come on, not yet, I'm not finished! Concentrating her energy to her legs, she leapt upwards towards a falling Steros, just as he had done to her not moments ago. When she was level with him, she pivoted midair and landed a forceful kick to his ribs, and he was sent spiraling to the side where he slid down the wall after impact. Nova landed clumsily, but stayed upright. Her energy was near spent. She had enough for one more attack, maybe. Her steps were heavy with determination as she approached where Steros lay motionless. This was it. The time was now. For the paladins. For the universe. She stood above him, hands outstretched, ready to end this curse that should never have been brought to light. Reaching into her soul, she found the power she needed. She felt the air around her begin to hum again, this time, though she was in control. She let the feeling inside her build, the energy pulsing through every part of her. She closed her eyes and with a final wave of her hand, she let go of the last bit of star energy inside her.