The Real Enemy [Klance]

Chapter 16

"Ulaz?" Keith asked in a questioning voice. He would know that voice and armor anywhere. This was Ulaz.

They stood silently looking at each other for a moment before Ulaz was sweeping towards Keith and scooping him into a crushing hug, causing Keith to drop his sword in the process.

"Put him down!" Lance's voice rang out. Keith could see him over Ulaz's shoulder. He had his Bayard gun aimed at Ulaz's back and a look of grim determination on his face.

"No, Lance!" Lance's eyes darted over to meet Keith's violet gray gaze. "It's okay." Keith said much quieter in a calm voice. Lance didn't seem to know what to do. He trusted Keith, but he had no idea what was going on. From his perspective a huge alien intruder had just infiltrated the castle and suddenly scooped Keith into a hug.

Keith put his arms around Ulaz's shoulders, returning the hug for a moment. He could feel Ulaz's slightly ragged breath, but Keith didn't think it was from running around the castle. He was crying.

Keith patted Ulaz's back a few times in a signal to put him down. Ulaz complied and once Keith's feet were back on the ground he looked to Lance, whose gun was still raised.

"This is Ulaz. He's the Blade of Marmora member that saved Shiro." Keith explained. Lance slowly let himself lower his gun. Ulaz reached up to his face mask and pulled it off. He wiped the tears from his face and turned to Keith.

"Everyone at the Blade believes you're dead. Thace and Kolivan have been grieving." Ulaz said, relief and sorrow mixing equally in his voice.

"Dead? Why wouldn't they just assume that my position had been compromised and I hadn't been able to make contact yet?" Keith asked, confused.

"The ship you were on was destroyed completely. There were no other fleets nearby and no escape pods were activated." Ulaz bit his lip and sighed before continuing. "It was assumed that you had gotten trapped in the ship before it blew up."

Keith felt his heart stop beating for a moment. He felt his ears fold down and his eyes widen as the terror that he had been trying to forget for so long began to boil up in his chest.

Flashes of purple light were all he could see by. Sirens wailed and screamed and pierced at his eardrums. His breath was ragged and his legs burned from running so hard.

There were friendly footsteps beside him.

There were hard metallic steps behind.

The flash drive dug into his right palm, his sword hilt was gripped tightly in his left. Various cuts and bruises throbbed with every beat of his heart.

They were so close.

A hand on his shoulder pulled him from his living nightmare. "Keith, you are okay." Ulaz voice calmed him and he took a breath.

"Lance, Keith! What is going on?" Allura's voice over the speakers broke the group from their thoughts.

"It's alright Allura. We are going to meet you in the command room. He's a Blade." Lance said loud enough for the speakers to catch his voice. He nodded his head to Keith and let his Bayard deactivate back into his paladin armor.

Lance had given them his trust.

"Alright," was all Allura said before the slight hum of the speakers disappeared and she was gone.

Lance walked over to Keith and Ulaz, then the group began walking to the command room.

"So what happened? How did you escape?" Ulaz asked. Keith thought for a moment.