τHΣ ϢΔRRIΟR ϢIτH ϢIͶGς

rebirth

rhys winces at the loud groans coming from the balmera. even all the way up in the air, she could hear the painful moans from the once beautiful creature. looking towards the new galran threat, she narrows her eyes at it before flying off. she couldn't assist the paladins in fighting that thing, but she could try and keep it from causing more damage to the planet, or endangering the balmerans.

the commander follows the lions back into the caves, landing with a loud but gentle thump. her entrance catches the eyes of the others, and they all turn back to the balmerans at seeing who she was.

"there's a monster up there that zarkon sent to destroy us," keith explains to the balmeran family.

"a monster? will zarkon's savagery never abate? perhaps our people were never meant to be free," shay says dejectedly, causing the noxian to tense and move to stand in front of the small group.

"freedom is the right of all sentient beings. zarkon is an insane dictator that has had his grip on your people for too long. the paladins will defeat this beast and save your planet—i have no doubts about it."

the group give her shocked looks, and shay looks like she was about to burst with emotion, up until hunk added to the little speech. "shay, don't give up. zarkon's power grows with every planet he conquers, but he's weakened by every being that fights back."

"fight back? against a monster like that? how?"

"i don't know, but like rhys said, we can beat it. tell her, keith," he looks to the red paladin, who gives him an unsure response.

"can we?"

rhys rolls her eyes at him slightly, making him glare a bit at her.

"yes, we can! this is our first mission and we're not going to fail. we can beat it. we just need some time to come up with a plan," shiro determinedly to the frightened balmerans.

"see? told you we can. thanks shiro."

the moment was disturbed by the balmera letting out another painful groan. rhys winces harshly and covers her sensitive ears, letting out a small moan of pain. the balmera was crying out, it's pain reaching her, and she could almost feel it like the poor creature was.

her eyes widen at the cracks forming in the earth at their feet. the commander drops to her knees and presses her forehead to the ground, trying to soothe the beast by connecting herself to it like the balmerans. she misses the looks the others all send her, only paying attention to the pain that was flooding into her body with each soothing surge she sent back.

"rhys."

she hums softly to acknowledge that she was listening, and keith knelt down to try and make eye contact with her.

"we're evacuating the balmerans from the planet. it's-"

"i know. i can feel it. tell the balmerans that there's a balmera near my home planet, if they wish to find a new home."

his eyes widen slightly, the dark colors swirling with barely hidden emotion as he looks into her own silvery pair. shaking his head slightly to snap out of his daze, the boy gets back up and relays the message.

she ignores the looks of surprise the balmerans nearby give her, only sending more comfort into the steadily dying creature. it pained her so much to see this happen, but there wasn't much to do.

not that long after the paladins flew out of the cavern, allura arrived, and rhys removed herself from the ground.

"what is it? what's going on?"

realization dawns on the commander. "they wish to stay."

"what?" allura snaps in confusion, eyes looking between the commander and the balmerans before turning to face the planets' inhabitants.