Ally Gone Astray

Chatper nine

    Keith approached his opponent with caution. Though being an exact replica of Shiro, he was unsure of this clone's battle techniques. They could be a much better fighter than the Shiro that Keith knows.
"Take it slow... watch for his weaknesses.... You can do this..." Keith told himself. He planned to study Kuron's every move.
     Keith grunted loudly, thrusting his entire body weight at Kuron. "You're not taking control of the Black Lion! No one is! No one except Shiro!"
    "I'd like to see you try an stop me!" Kuron laughed and ran to Keith.
    He reacted quickly, evading and blocking any possible attacks. "You're not getting out of here alive!"
    Angered by Keith's increase in strategy, the clone threw a strong fist towards Shiro with his Galran arm.
    It slammed into the side of Keith's head, knocking him several feet away.
"Keith!" Shiro called out to him.
Getting up and rubbing his cheek, Keith shot Shiro a glance to let him know he was fine. "You'll have to do better than that to beat me, Kuron."
Keith rushed back into battle, determined to to get hit a second time.
    Again and again, the two exchanged blows and yells. After a while, they tired of constant attacks and evasions. Neither seeming to be able to land a finger on the other at this point.
It was a stalemate.
    Keith began to thought things through. He planned each move to have any possible outcome. He wouldn't lose. Not here, not ever.
    Kuron however, did just the opposite. He didn't think much about his moves, only thought about destroying his opponent. Very much like a true Galra would.
    "Keith, look out!"
    Keith turned to find a lighting bolt of magic approaching him and his opponent. He jumped back, panting. "Thank you, Lance!" He hollered back. Thankfully it wasn't aimed at him, nor did it hit him. But it also didn't hit Kuron either.
    The clone quickly resumed the battle,  thrusting another fist at Keith, his left this time.
    "Wrong move!" Keith grinned, barely evading the attack. He sliced his sword through Kuron's shirt sleeve. Just barely skimming flesh.
    "So you're not as dumb as you look." Kuron gripped is arm tightly. "How did you know?"
    "It's no secret you got hit on your left side." Keith pointed his tiny blade back at his opponent. "You took advantage of Lance's weakness. Why shouldn't I take advantage of yours?!"
    "So you can learn...?"
    "Maybe you should learn not to be so cocky!" Keith stepped back and to the side, far away from Kuron. "You should never let your guard down!"
    Kuron's eyes widened, "What are  you—"
    Before he could finish his sentence, Shiro successfully landed a hot and painful blow to his back using his right hand. Shiro hit him just below where Lance had hit him with his bayard.
    "You're not... the only one... with a Galra weapon!" Shiro yelled through exasperated breaths.
Kuron fell to his hands and knees, groaning in pain.
Keith walked up to Kuron, furious at him for what he has done. "Get up and fight! Isn't the Galra way 'victory or death'?!"
"Keith. Leave him." Shiro instructed.
"We can't leave him!" Keith argued. "You don't know what he's done. What he could do!"
"We don't kill." Shiro stood between Kuron and Keith. "Let him return with Haggar. He's done for anyway."
Keith shook his head repeatedly. "No! I can't! He replaced you! He pretended to be you! I won't let it stand! I'm sorry, Shiro..." he shoved his comrade aside, his emotions taking over his actions.
"Keith no!" Shiro yelled, desperately trying to stop him.
But like normal, Keith didn't listen. He gripped his knife tightly and slashed the clone's back. His enemy yelled in pain.... He had made a mistake. Keith couldn't go back from this ever.
"You're too weak!" Kuron struggled to his feet, lunging at Keith, his Galra arm was activated and ready to strike.
"Come at me with everything you have! I dare you!"
As he approached, the teen's reflexes kicked in. Without thinking, Keith threw his knife.
The clone stopped suddenly, falling to his hands and knees.
He had hit him just below his ribs. It was a definite final blow.
"H-how did you...?" Kuron growled in anger. "This—"
Kuron began to glow slightly. He was losing his connection with the lion.
"I've failed...." Kuron muttered under his breath just before he disappeared suddenly from their cognitive realm.
"We... we did it..." Keith stepped back, falling on his knees. "We really did it."
"What did you do?!" Haggar's voice echoed through the realm. She was beyond angry.
Lance turned to Keith and back at Haggar. "Looks like your stupid clone is gone!"
With her clone gone, the connection she had to the lions was fading fast. Haggar was growing angrier and angrier by the second. Her plan had failed. She raised her hands, pointing them directly at Lance, firing with everything she had without warning.
"Lance!" Keith yelled. He darted towards Lance as fast as his legs would cary him. "Get out of the way! Now!!"
But the Red Paladin froze. He was unable to move. Haggar had shot some magic through him, disabling his movement.
"LANCE!!" He shouted louder, but still, Lance wouldn't move.
The witch's magic was inches from Lance's face.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion.
Lance shut his eyes tight just as the beam of magic was to hit him. He fell to the ground, groaning slightly.
    Then everything went quiet.
    Haggar was gone.... Keith had stopped yelling.... But Lance was never hit.
"KEITH!" Shiro yelled, running over to the other two. "Keith! Get up!"
"W-what...?" Lance looked to Keith. "Oh my god! Keith! Are you ok?!"
    He was unresponsive. Keith lay motionless on the ground where Lance had just stood.