Devil's Advocate (Voltron: Legendary Defender Fanfic/ONC Entry)

Past Ghosts

Something was wrong.

Kolivan knew anyone attempting to take out either Shiro or Keith would find them formidable opponents, yet someone managed taking out both. The lockdown of the Atlas wasn't surprising yet he didn't feel as if there was any time between when their deaths were discovered and when the lockdown occurred.

In fact, Kolivan couldn't remember who informed him of their death nor did he know who discovered the bodies. He, in fact, had not seen the usual number of people roaming the halls ever since he took his nighttime rest, but the halls were left with a haunted feeling, yet Kolivan couldn't place the source.

One might say everything was simply in his head and brought on by the grief of losing two more comrades and in the back of his mind, Kolivan knew the deaths of the two hid harder than that of the others despite seeing so much death. Both were still children by Galra standards, but Keith was barely into adulthood by Earth's standards.

The lights above flickered and hummed while Kolivan reminded himself of what clued himself into the fact something was wrong. The only person he saw since waking was the paladin named Lance, but Lance was not the one who informed him of Shiro and Keith's deaths. Nobody informed him of the death of Pidge, Hunk, and Coren either, but now Romelle was dead and he simply knew.

"Children shouldn't be dragged into war."

"You say that, but drug Keith in."

Kolivan recognized the voice. In the back of his mind, he knew the anomalies started after Allura was brought on board, but he didn't think she was the actual reason behind the recent tragedies, though he did suspect she was actually tied into what was going on somehow. Knowing she was the key didn't help him in his current situation, nor did he think he would get any answers as his time had likely come. "Princess."

"You didn't answer my question Kolivan.

"You didn't ask a question, but made a statement."

"Turn around and look at me."

Kolivan turned and looked at her despite the fact he hopefully didn't want to. What he saw was Allura cloaked in darkness, but the look on her face was utter disgust. He'd seen the look before when they first met, but only this level of intensity he'd only ever seen directed towards Keith when she discovered he was, in fact, part Galra. "I don't have to answer the person who ultimately drove him away from Voltron."

"I did no such thing."

"Did you?"

Allura's hand shout out in anger and clutched his throat. She let her hand tighten and cut off his air, but lifted him up off the ground. For any Altean or Galra, such a feat should be impossible despite their strength, and yet whatever posses her allowed her to achieve such an act.

"I apologized to Keith. I told him he and the other paladins were like family yet he rejected my confession in favor of running off with the Blades of Marmora."

Kolivan's eyes narrowed. He knew the young paladin felt rejected by everyone else which was in reality why he left. The rejection Keith felt left the young man not caring about his own life and becoming reckless to a point he shouldn't have been, yet the issue was never, as far as Kolivan knew, resolved.

"I did not reject him!

Kolivan felt Allura fling him across the room, yet he couldn't remember when he got from the hall to an actual room. The fact she knew what he said almost confirmed his suspicions, yet he also knew Allura was linked to the space mice with a psychic connection. Whatever possessed her, in fact, enhanced her strength and may also enhance her ability to read minds.

Yet, she rejected Keith. Kolivan's eyes narrowed as he let his mind purposefully focus on the fact she chose both Lotor and Lance over Keith. He saw her face twist slightly when he thrust that thought upon her.

"He rejected me first." The words came across as self-centered until Allura said, "I felt so alone, yet every time I tried telling him how I felt he said it wasn't time. The fact I needed him was important yet he wouldn't let me tell him because he wasn't in the mood for being lectured, but it wasn't a lecture. He ran away only to come back and call me out for trying to move on but getting close to an enemy. I didn't know Lotor would be the enemy."

"I'll freely admit Keith was running away from things he shouldn't have. However, how do you think he felt when you rejected him for being Galra even though only partly?"

"I apologized."

"Only to end up in the arms of another person who was also part Galra like him?"

"I told him he and the other paladins are like family."

Kolivan's eyes narrowed. Family and friendship was not the same thing as being someone's significant other. His mind focused in on the moment Keith said Shiro was like a brother almost as if the young paladin was unsure he deserved even that much or even had that much. Even if he wanted something more he'd settle for something less such as friendship instead of kinship from Shiro."

"You." Allura reached out for his throat again. Kolivan found himself washed over with a sudden surge of emotion he couldn't read as she started throttling him again. "Lie. It's a lie I could have been with him rather than them. That's a lie, but everything you've said is a lie.

He continued looking at her yet wondered what would have brought the Altean princess to such a dark place, yet quickly remembered hey brought young ones into a war, but this young one in front of him had the entire weight of her people on her young shoulders.

Her grip tightened and tears began forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Stop."

The sound of the voice at first sounded muddled, as Kolivan let his eyes drift in the direction, but then the person became clear.

"Allura! Stop! Whey can't you hear me!"

A deep gasp was heard form Allura as she let go of Kolivan. Her head turned in the direction. She saw Keith. "Where? There's nobody there."

"Wait? You can see me Kolivan?" Keith, who looked like a corporal spirit from horror stories Kolivan remembered hearing as a small child leaned down. A look of hope appeared on his face. "Can you tell her to stop? The Allura I knew wouldn't do this."

"I know." Kolivan turned his head and looked at her, but she seemed caught off guard. The next thing he knew she was gone and the lights flickered on and off.

Keith looked in the direction she took off in. "Something's wrong with all of this."

"I know." Kolivan stood and realized he was now in the hall just outside of an airlock instead of in the room.

"You cheated. "Kolivan turned and looked at the person who said this and saw an alien of the same species as Slav. The lights blinked off again and Antok stood in that spot in his Blade of Marmora garb. His tail swished back and forth in an angry manner, but the death blow Haggar killed him with was a glaring hole Kolivan could see past.

"Kolivan?"

"Do you see him?"

"Who?"

Suddenly Antok which wasn't Antok pushed the release buttons on the airlock and Kolivna found himself sucked out as Antok said, "You got to close to saying the truth to someone, but also escaped your fate. You're not allowed to escape your fate in this."

Keith reached out, yet his hands passed through Kolivan's and then there was nothing.