Keith/Voltron Stories ✔

Nightmares

The castle was dark and silent as the inhabitants slept. Each corridor coated in shadows with only the whispery pitter patter of mouse feet was heard as they scampered across the floor in the cover of the night, hiding and waiting for day to come. There wasn't a single sound except for the gentle humming of machines or an echoing snore from a heavy sleeper.

The sleeping quarters were no different. In each bedroom lay a sleeping paladin, tired from the days training and the past few heavy battles. All of the lay sprawled out on their beds, their bodies heavy and languid, their eyes forced shut by the pressing weight of unconsciousness.

All of them, except one.

In the room of the red paladin, a boy lay under the thin covers, tossing and turning with laboured and raspy breaths. His limbs were shaking and his chest rising and falling dramatically. His mouth was clamped shut from the years of practice at hiding his shouts and screams from the other living people nearby. His body was tangled between the sheets, the grey cover scrunching up in his fists.

The boy's forehead creased in a frown as he burrowed into the sheets, his head hiding in his arms as if protecting him from something. His eyelids were closed but it was what lay trapped behind them that tortured the boy.

Fire. Thick and flaming and tall and bright: orange and red flames surrounded him. Every inch of space was consumed by the roaring fire, everything burning and turning to ash. He spun around on the spot and screamed out a name he couldn't remember. No sound came out of his mouth rendering him invisible amongst the expanding mass. He looked around for a way to escape but each exit was encompassed by flames, and there was no way up nor down. He could see glimpses of the world from beyond the small window of shattered glass; he took in his final glance at the blue sky and rising sun before he shut his eyes and fell. Down and down into oblivion he fell, a burning sensation spreading throughout his body, each of his limbs getting consumed in blinding agony. His hands reached out to grasp anything, something to hold onto and save himself.

Suddenly, his body hit a hard wooden floor with a thud, his vision turning blurry as the oxygen left his body. But when he lifted his head up and peered off the ledge he was lying on, what he saw made him scream in despair. He saw another hand, a larger one, grabbing onto him as their body dangled over a sea of fire, the billowing flames casting a cacophony of noise around him which made his ears bleed. He begged and begged the figure to hold on as he tried to pull them up but nothing worked. No sound was released. He could only watch as the figure's hand slipped farther and farther from his grasp until they fell backwards, their body being consumed by the fire and sparks shooting up everywhere.

The red paladin shot up in his bed and took in several deep breaths; his eyes were wide as he looked about the room, checking for any signs of danger. When he found none he fell back down onto the bed and shut his eyes, willing himself to calm down. His throat was dry but his body was coated in a thin layer of sweat, making him push off the covers and take off his shirt. Eventually, he had calmed to a decent level and forced himself to get up and exit his room, his body clock knowing it was morning.

He opened his door and was greeted with the harsh lights of the hallway, glowering down at him from above. He leaned against the doorframe and covered his eyes with a slightly shaking hand, allowing himself to adjust to the brightness. After a moment or so he was alright and began to make his way to the dining room sluggishly. He stood still for a moment as the doors slid open, his mind and body a second behind, before making his way to an open chair and sitting down, his back leaning against the chair and head down making his hair cover his eyes. Only the light black eye bags were visible and made him look a little sick; alongside his drowsy frame he looked unwell.

One by one the other paladins and the two alteans made their way into the dining room, sitting themselves down and saying a good morning. They frowned when the boy didn't respond, instead sitting in his chair motionless and unresponsive. Once they were all sitting down at the table with food layed out in front of them, they began to eat whilst casting worried looks to him, sharing concerned expressions before one of them spoke up.