From Ashes to Ambers - A Klance Fanfic

Chapter VI: Beneath the Ruin

–Lance battled with his thoughts, terrified, furious...saddened. "Why did I say that...? I'm so stupid!" He whined, tears falling down his cheeks as he hit himself repeatedly with his fists. He was sobbing now, kicking stones and punching the Black Lion with frustration. The floor underneath him shifted as another earthquake occurred, this one just five seconds long and not as strong as the first. Soon they would die and for what? Lance wouldn't even accomplish his goal before he perished. He'd leave his family behind, Voltron would be unformable to save the world, and most of all...Keith–Lance shook the thought out of his mind.

–With Keith's transformation, Lance became terrified of what he could do. He would have never thought about it if he hadn't gone through such terrible torture with the Galras. Just the thought of it made his stomach churn and his scars burn. "No, no, no–Not again. Not the pain..." He whispered miserably. Pain radiated through his body, a testament to the violent impact he had endured. Groaning, Lance tried to move, his limbs protesting every attempt. The world around him was a blur of dim lighting and harsh metal surfaces. Every time he thought of the Galra, he was back there...back at the ship, but even in his disoriented state, one name echoed in his mind: Keith. As his senses slowly began to return, Lance's heart clenched with a sense of unease. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Lance pushed himself upright, his surroundings spinning as he fought to regain his bearings. He walked outside, trying to make it to the river so he could wash his worries away with the water, and the alien creatures watched him carefully as he approached the place where they were drinking from. Lance falls to his knees, his mind being flooded with memories of his time in the Galra ship.

[...]

–"Lord Sendak, we've caught one of the Paladins of Voltron, as requested." A lower ranked soldier, who had Lance in his arms, threw the Paladin to Sendak's feet, sending his body rolling and landing face up. "Good, you shall be rewarded. Vrepit Sa." The Galran man grinned sinisterly, receiving a bow from the soldier's behalf. "Vrepit Sa." He says, before walking away from the chamber. The high ranked officer that sat on the throne in the chamber grabbed Lance by his neck, lifting him up into the air with a chuckle. "Pathetic human." Sendak sneered, his grip on Lance's neck tightening as he dangled him in the air like a ragdoll. Lance's vision blurred from the lack of oxygen, and he struggled to draw breath.

–In the chamber, the lower-ranked soldiers watched in silence, their faces a mix of fear and anticipation. They knew that Sendak was not one to be trifled with, especially when it came to capturing Paladins of Voltron. With a cruel laugh, Sendak released his hold on Lance, allowing him to drop to the cold, unforgiving floor. Lance gasped for air, coughing and wheezing as he tried to regain his breath. "Take him to the interrogation chambers," Sendak ordered, his voice filled with malice. "We need information on the other Paladins, their base, and their weaknesses, and most importantly, this boy's Lion. I want to know how he can connect with it. I want to know everything."

–The lower-ranked soldiers immediately obeyed, two of them grabbing Lance by his arms and hauling him to his feet. He was weak and battered, but his determination burned bright. As they dragged Lance away, his mind raced with thoughts of his fellow Paladins, of Keith, and the desperate need to protect the secrets of Voltron. He knew he had to stay strong in the face of whatever torture awaited him, for the sake of his friends and the universe they had sworn to defend.

–Lance found himself in a nightmarish chamber, dimly lit with eerie, flickering red lights that cast menacing shadows across the cold, metal walls. His wrists were bound tightly with thick restraints, and he was suspended from the ceiling, unable to move or defend himself. The shackles dug into his skin, causing discomfort and pain, but that was nothing compared to what was to come. Sendak's orders had been clear: extract information from the Paladin at any cost. Lance gritted his teeth and tried to maintain his composure, his blue eyes filled with a mix of defiance and fear. The door to the chamber creaked open, and a group of Galra soldiers entered, their armor clanking ominously with each step. They were led by a sadistic officer, a towering figure whose face was hidden beneath a mask, leaving only a pair of cold, calculating eyes visible.