Arus — Southern region, near the Arusian village.
The first problem arose when a child refused to enter the tunnel.
It wasn't a Galra attack, a malfunction in NOVA's equipment, or any of the dozens of situations Luan had considered while organizing the evacuation. It was a little girl who began crying in front of the dark opening beneath the elder's house, clutching her mother's clothes so tightly that the woman could barely move.
The adults behind them stopped. One of the carriers tried to squeeze past and bumped into a basket of supplies. Dried roots scattered across the ground, someone bent down to gather them, and the entire line began losing the organization the group leaders had worked so hard to establish.
Luan watched the confusion through his visor.
[Evacuation confirmed: 43/360]
The first Galra patrol was dangerously close.
"NOVA, status of the squads?"
"Three infantry units advancing through the southern sector. Two support mechs confirmed. The first patrol is expected to reach the Stone Road in approximately sixty seconds."
Luan looked at the little girl again.
Her mother was trying to persuade her to go down, but every word seemed to make things worse. The child shook her head, her enormous eyes fixed on the darkness.
"He'll get me!" she sobbed.
Luan approached.
"Who's going to get you?"
The girl clutched her mother's clothes even tighter.
The woman answered for her.
"The spirit that sleeps beneath the mountain. My daughter believes he doesn't like strangers."
NOVA provided a supplementary translation of the religious references, identifying associations with ancient stories about the caves, the ancestors, and the protection of the Great Goddess.
Luan suppressed a sigh.
The last thing he needed was to start a religious debate while an army approached.
But he couldn't simply force a terrified child into a dark space either, especially when he needed her to keep walking without frightening everyone else.
He knelt until he was close to the girl's height.
"Do you know Pihk?"
The child nodded.
"He's very brave."
"Is he?" Luan glanced toward the young Arusian, who was helping the hunters organize the groups. "Pihk!"
The boy came running.
"Celestial Guardian!"
"I need your help. We have an explorer here who doesn't know much about the Goddess's Path. Could you accompany her to the first chamber and show her where the turns are?"
Pihk looked at the child.
She watched him through her tears.
The young Arusian straightened his posture.
"Of course!"
Luan turned back to the girl.
"Can you count?"
"Count what?"
"The turns along the path. We need to know how many there are before the first chamber, but Pihk can't do it alone. He'll be busy showing you the way."
The girl appeared to consider the responsibility.
"I know how to count."
"Excellent. Then I need you."
She slowly released her mother's clothes.
Pihk held out his hand.
"Come on. I know the way."
"And the spirit?"
The boy hesitated.
Luan answered before he could improvise an even more frightening story.
"Your ancestors used these tunnels to protect their families. I think they chose a very good place for that."
The girl contemplated the entrance.
Then she took Pihk's hand.
The small group disappeared into the passage.
Her mother released a trembling breath and murmured her thanks.
"Keep moving," Luan requested gently. "The others need to get inside."
Once the line resumed moving, he stood.
[Evacuation confirmed: 51/360]
Fifty-one people.
Three hundred and nine still needed to reach the shelters.
Luan watched the carriers and felt his concern growing.
The tunnel was wide enough for small groups to move through, but its entrance created a bottleneck. The injured needed assistance, some children were terrified, and the elderly took longer to descend the first natural steps.
Finding a hiding place wasn't enough.
He needed to get hundreds of people into it.
"NOVA, calculate passage capacity."
A projection appeared before his eyes.
"At the current rate, the evacuation cannot be completed before the enemy forces are expected to arrive."
"I noticed."
"I recommend distributing the groups among the secondary entrances."
Luan examined the map.
The elder had mentioned other paths, but not all of them were familiar to the younger families. Some passages remained blocked by roots and rocks. Others were too close to patrol routes.
"Identify the two safest entrances. Then locate the villagers who know them."
"Affirmative."
Luan opened the group leaders' communication channel.
"Attention. We're splitting the entry routes. Groups already in the central area should continue through the elder's house. Everyone else, wait for the new routes. Nobody separates from their family."
He stepped away to examine the horizon.
In the distance, a column of smoke rose between the trees.
First contact had already begun.
Lance McClain was starting to hate diversion missions.
"Hunk, on your left!"
"I can see them!"
"Then why are there three fighters coming straight at me?!"
"Because you keep making maneuvers that look like invitations!"
The Blue Lion dove between two rock formations, pursued by Galra fire that exploded against the terrain.
Lance pulled the controls, banking Lapis-Lazuli into a sharp turn.
She responded immediately.
Perhaps a little too quickly.
The sensors issued a warning as one of her paws passed dangerously close to the rock wall.
Lapis conveyed a distinct sense of disapproval.
"Oh, don't you start too."
A brief image crossed his mind: the rock formation from another angle, and a safer trajectory that would require a few additional meters.
Lance recognized the suggestion.
"Okay, okay. You were right."
"Are you talking to the Lion again?" Hunk asked.
"We're discussing strategy."
"Sounds like she's arguing with you!"
"That's because our relationship is highly developed."
"Could you two develop a relationship that doesn't involve almost crashing into a mountain?"
Lance laughed.
The laughter vanished when an alert appeared on his panel.
[NOVA — Hostile movement detected.]
[Three Galra squads advancing toward the southern sector.]
[Elevated risk to evacuation operation.]
Lance felt his stomach tighten.
Luan was in that region.
"NOVA, confirm they're approaching the village."
"Affirmative. The first patrol is reaching the reconnaissance corridor."
"Damn it."
He opened the private channel.
"Lu, if you can hear me, hang in there. I'm coming."
Static interfered with the transmission.
Lance tightened his grip on the controls.
Lapis-Lazuli responded with a feeling of unease he knew all too well.
The Lion was worried too.
"I know, beautiful," he murmured.
Part of him wanted to abandon the battle immediately, descend toward the village, and find his twin.
But there was a problem.
If Blue left her position without cover, Yellow would be exposed, and the Galra transports could advance unopposed.
Lance checked Hunk's position.
"I need to open a corridor to the surface."
"Lance..."
"I know what you're going to say."
"Then you already know we can't just abandon the rest of the mission!"
"I know!"
Hunk was silent for a moment.
"Then we need to take down those fighters first."
Despite his concern, Lance smiled.
"Have I told you you're my favorite?"
"That's because I'm your only friend who doesn't try to punch you every time you open your mouth."
"Hey! Pidge doesn't try either!"
"She's just waiting for an opportunity."
Lance couldn't argue with that.
The Blue Lion accelerated.
On the surface, Luan received confirmation that the first Galra patrol had stopped near the Stone Road.
The twenty warriors Pihk had assembled were positioned between the forest and the tunnel entrances. They had no orders to confront the enemy directly. Their job was to observe, relay information, and use the terrain to delay reconnaissance efforts.
Even so, the margin for safety was small.
"Celestial Guardian!"
The warrior elder emerged between two dwellings.
"Our scouts found metal machines near the river. One of them is heading for the stone crossing."
Luan examined the map.
The natural bridge.
It was the most convenient route for ground vehicles.
It was also one of the few crossings that could be blocked without immediately endangering the village.
"I need your men to fall back to the second observation line."
The elder frowned.
"They will not abandon our people."
"I'm not asking them to abandon anyone."
"Then who will stop those machines from reaching us?"
Luan pointed toward the river.
"I'm going to make the crossing unusable for a while."
The old man followed his gesture.
"That bridge has existed since before my grandfather was born."
"And I intend to leave it standing."
The elder seemed unconvinced.
Luan couldn't blame him.
The man was entrusting his people's survival to someone who had descended from the stars wearing unfamiliar armor and carrying information about enemies the villagers barely understood.
It was an extraordinary amount of trust to ask for.
"You know this land better than I do," Luan continued. "Tell me where the hunters go when the river rises."
The elder hesitated.
Then he indicated two trails.
"There's a passage among the roots on the western slope. But it's narrow. Large animals cannot pass through."
"Good. Can your hunters use it to watch the bridge?"
"They can."
"Then I want two observers there. If the Galra notice anything, they retreat immediately. I don't want anyone trying to prove their courage against a weapon they don't understand."
The old man tightened his grip on his spear.
"Our warriors are not cowards."
"I know. That's why I need them alive."
The elder held his gaze for several seconds.
Finally, he nodded.
Luan waited until the hunters departed before making his way down to the river.
The water reached just above his ankles.
It was cold.
The current slipped between rounded stones and disappeared partially beneath roots extending from the banks. Several underground springs fed the riverbed, creating subtle differences in pressure that someone with Luan's affinity could easily perceive.
He knew that sensation.
He had spent years learning to use the advantages of One with Water and Child of the Seas. More recently, his control had developed enough to manipulate external flows, alter pressure, and use ice as an offensive tool.
His confrontation with Captain Drex hadn't exactly been a pleasant experience.
He still remembered the Galra's brutal strength, the precision of his shots, and his deliberate attempt to prolong the fight until reinforcements arrived.
At least the outcome had been satisfying.
Pressurized water, restraints around the limbs, and a layer of ice thick enough to immobilize him.
Drex had been dangerous because he was experienced, intelligent, and physically superior.
Not because Luan didn't understand his own abilities.
Now the problem was different.
There were civilians nearby.
And he needed to prevent anyone from identifying the source of the changes in the terrain.
"NOVA, locate the areas of seepage."
A three-dimensional representation of the riverbed appeared before his eyes.
Luan studied the small fissures at the base of the natural bridge.
He had no intention of destroying it.
He only needed to temporarily undermine the stability of the ground the vehicles would use to cross.
He extended his hand.
The current responded.
The flow along the bank shifted subtly, entering the fissures and dislodging sediment accumulated beneath a strip of stone.
It wasn't a spectacular movement.
The river's surface remained apparently normal, apart from a few small whirlpools near the bank.
Luan monitored the pressure distribution, adjusting it whenever necessary.
The first Galra machine appeared between the trees.
It had articulated legs, an armored body, and sensors mounted on a rotating structure above the cockpit.
Six soldiers followed behind it.
The vehicle reached the crossing.
One of its legs sank.
The pilot attempted to correct its position.
The second support slipped in the newly displaced sediment.
The machine tilted violently.
Luan reduced the current's intensity.
There.
The vehicle was still operational.
But it wouldn't cross without assistance.
One soldier climbed down to examine the ground. Another pointed his weapon toward the vegetation, searching for signs of an ambush.
Luan remained motionless beneath his concealment field.
The soldier approached the water.
Crouched down.
Touched the bank with the tip of his weapon.
Then reported something to his companions.
NOVA intercepted part of the transmission.
"Report of unstable terrain. Reconnaissance unit requesting an alternative route."
Luan smiled.
"Excellent."
A discreet notification appeared.
[One with Water — Successful use.]
[Basic Quintessence Manipulation — Precision recorded.]
[Skill experience acquired.]
He dismissed the message.
The effort had been perfectly manageable.
Contact with the river even enhanced his physical capabilities and energy recovery.
There was no reason to suffer exhaustion from such a localized application.
The problem was what came next.
The Galra weren't mindless creatures.
If one crossing was blocked, they would look for another.
And the next might be even closer to the village.
"NOVA, track the alternative route."
"Affirmative."
Luan withdrew his hand from the water.
The flow gradually returned to its natural behavior.
For a moment, he observed his reflection on the surface.
He had spent so long trying to understand the System that he sometimes forgot how natural his abilities had become.
He no longer needed to marvel at being able to move water.
He needed to learn how to use it without turning every intervention into a political, cultural, or military problem.
That part was considerably harder.
At the Castle of Lions, Allura stopped moving her fingers across the console.
The sensation was brief.
A subtle fluctuation in the flow of quintessence, almost imperceptible amid the disturbances produced by the battle.
She raised her head.
"Coran."
The Altean approached.
"Yes, Princess?"
"Was there an energy anomaly in the southern region?"
Coran checked the records.
"There's mineral interference throughout practically that entire area. Nothing I can distinguish with any precision."
Allura closed her eyes.
It wasn't an especially intense energy emission.
Nor did it resemble a discharge from Galra weaponry.
There was something peculiar about the sensation.
A kind of direction.
As though a limited quantity of energy had been shaped to produce a specific effect.
"Perhaps it's some kind of reconnaissance technology," Coran suggested.
"Perhaps."
But Allura didn't sound convinced.
She knew quintessence.
She also knew the differences between technological manipulation and certain organic manifestations of energy that Alteans were capable of producing.
This didn't correspond exactly to either category.
"Where did it come from?"
Coran enlarged the map.
"I can't say for certain. The signal is close to the region occupied by the village."
Allura studied the indication.
Luan was there.
The princess recalled their recent conversations about the connection between the paladins and their Lions.
The way Lance responded to Lapis-Lazuli would have been extraordinary on its own. But Luan's bond with the same Lion complicated a situation that the Altean records couldn't fully explain.
The other pilots were learning to understand their respective Lions.
Keith was still trying to earn Red's full trust.
Shiro carried enormous responsibilities, along with the consequences of his Galra captivity.
Pidge and Hunk had established important connections, but each bond developed at its own pace.
Meanwhile, the McClain twins seemed to share a familiarity with Blue that Allura still couldn't measure.
An advantage.
Perhaps an imbalance.
Perhaps both.
"Record the occurrence," she decided.
Coran nodded.
"Do you intend to investigate?"
"When the operation is over."
"What exactly do you expect to find?"
Allura took a moment to answer.
"I don't know yet."
Back at the village, the warrior elder was arguing with three hunters when Luan returned.
"We will not abandon our homes!" one of the men declared.
The elder raised his spear to silence him.
Luan approached.
"What happened?"
"Some of our young people wish to remain here," the old man explained. "They say fleeing means surrendering the land of our ancestors to the invaders."
One of the hunters stepped forward.
"This village has stood for generations. We can't simply let those monsters destroy it!"
Luan looked at the young man.
He was trembling.
Not from cowardice.
From anger.
There was fear too, but it was the kind of fear some people turned into aggression because it seemed easier to bear that way.
"How many children do you have?" Luan asked.
The young man frowned.
"Two."
"Are they in the tunnels?"
"Yes."
"And who's taking care of them?"
"My mate."
"So she's trying to keep your children alive while you decide whether you're going to die defending a wall?"
The hunter clenched his fists.
"You don't understand!"
"No. I don't know your homes the way you do. I don't know which stories your family treasures, or who's buried beneath this ground."
Luan held his gaze.
"But I know your children will need you when they come out of those tunnels. And rebuilding a village will be much harder if all its builders are dead."
The young man fell silent.
He didn't look convinced.
The anger was still evident.
But his posture shifted slightly.
The elder placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Go help the carriers."
The hunter hesitated.
Then walked away.
Luan watched him leave.
He hadn't won an argument.
He had merely prevented it from turning into an irreversible decision.
For now.
"Guardian," the elder began, looking more weary than before, "they are afraid."
"I know."
"Some believe that if we abandon our homes, the Goddess will take it as proof that we are unworthy of her protection."
Luan felt his stomach tighten.
There was another consequence.
The System's mission required him to preserve the Arusians' cultural structures, but the arrival of warriors from the stars was changing the way the community interpreted its own faith.
It doesn't matter how discreet I try to be.
She caught herself thinking that and frowned slightly.
There was no one here who knew that part of her identity.
No one but Lance.
The distance between who she was inside and what others saw continued to exist, even on another planet.
Luan turned his attention back to the elder.
"I can't tell you what your goddess thinks," he replied. "But I can guarantee that your ancestors didn't build those tunnels for no reason."
The old man looked toward the entrance.
"They were made so we could survive times of darkness."
"Then using them shouldn't be considered shameful."
He remained silent.
Then nodded slowly.
"Perhaps we need to remind the young why they were built."
Luan let him lead that conversation himself.
It was better that way.
The first Galra group failed to cross the bridge.
The second found an alternative passage to the east.
And that was the group that caused the real problem.
NOVA identified the change in route when the evacuation had passed three hundred inhabitants.
[Evacuation confirmed: 301/360]
[Galra patrol moving through the eastern corridor.]
[Risk of interception of the final group.]
Luan immediately examined the map.
Fifty-nine people still hadn't reached the shelter.
They were gathered in a wooded area north of the village, separated from the secondary entrance by a stream and a trail now dangerously close to the Galra soldiers.
Pihk emerged from the trees at a run.
"Guardian!"
"I saw it. The last group is isolated."
"There are children and injured people. They can't cross by the stone path."
Luan studied the projection.
The stream had a shallow crossing a little way above the main trail.
It would be possible to lead the villagers through there.
But the Galra were approaching.
He opened his communicator.
"Lance, I need cover in the eastern corridor."
The answer came through interference.
"Lu? Finally! Are you okay?"
Luan smiled involuntarily.
"I'm fine. I need you to stop the ground patrol from reaching the stream. There are still fifty-nine villagers left."
"Fifty-nine?"
"Yes."
An explosion echoed through the channel.
Hunk shouted something in the background.
"Lance, watch your left!"
"I see it!"
Luan frowned.
"Lance, are you hurt?"
"A little."
"Define a little."
"I'm alive, I'm flying, and I'm still incredibly handsome."
"Lance."
"Fine! Lapis took a few hits, and I felt some of them. But we're okay."
Luan closed his eyes for a moment.
The physical connection between the paladins and their Lions still wasn't sufficiently understood.
What had happened to Lance and Hunk during the previous mission was troubling precisely because nobody knew the limits of that reciprocity.
"Don't strain the connection unnecessarily."
"You know she's worried about you too, right?"
Luan couldn't help smiling.
"I know."
A low vibration traveled through the channel.
Lapis-Lazuli.
Her familiar presence was almost comforting.
"We're going to keep those guys from reaching you," Lance promised.
"Don't abandon Hunk."
The answer took a fraction of a second longer.
"I know."
Luan recognized that tone.
Her brother was torn.
She knew him far too well not to notice.
"Lance, I'm serious. I need cover, not a desperate rescue."
"And I need you to stop acting like you can solve everything by yourself."
Luan fell silent.
There was irritation in his voice.
Concern too.
"All right," she finally replied. "Then we'll solve it together."
Lance exhaled.
"That. Much better."
The connection ended.
Luan turned toward Pihk.
"Take the hunters to the western bank. We're going to bring the last group in."
Aboard the Galra ship in orbit, Keith was no longer inside the containment chamber.
The space around him was silent.
His armor emitted insistent warnings as he drifted farther from the opening through which he'd been thrown.
He'd made a mistake.
A terrible mistake.
He'd tried to use decompression to stop the soldiers from reaching him, but the force of the ejection had been greater than he'd calculated.
Now he was drifting.
Without sufficient propulsion to return.
Without an anchor point.
Breathing was becoming difficult.
Keith raised his arm, trying to reach his communicator.
"Shiro..."
Static.
His vision darkened for a moment.
Then something answered.
Not through the communicator.
Not through his armor's sensors.
A presence.
Powerful, fierce, and almost indignant.
Keith felt the roar before he understood what was happening.
The Red Lion.
The enormous machine surged through space, closing the distance between them at a speed that made Keith's eyes widen.
The Lion's mouth opened.
An energy field enveloped his body.
A moment later, he was being pulled to safety.
Keith fell onto a metal surface and spent several seconds struggling to catch his breath.
The Red Lion surrounded him.
It had chosen to save him.
He raised his head.
"You..."
An impression crossed his mind.
It wasn't gentle.
There was something impatient about it, something proud, and a kind of challenge.
Keith let out an incredulous laugh.
"Okay. I get it."
The connection didn't grant him immediate mastery of the controls.
But for the first time, there was an unmistakable response.
Red had recognized him.
Keith placed a hand against the interior wall.
"Thank you."
The structure vibrated faintly.
He didn't know whether that meant acceptance.
But he preferred to believe it did.
Then he remembered Shiro and Pidge.
They were still aboard the enemy ship.
And he needed to find them.
The stream was narrow by human standards.
For the Arusians, it presented a considerable obstacle.
The current reached the waists of some adults and was strong enough to knock down children or weakened individuals.
Luan examined the terrain.
"NOVA, where's the shallowest section?"
The map highlighted a crossing between two rock formations.
There was a small depression near the bank, but the bottom appeared relatively firm.
"This way," he announced.
One of the hunters studied the water.
"The current is strong."
"I know."
Luan entered first.
Cold water surrounded his legs.
His affinity responded immediately, strengthening that familiar sensation of being integrated with the element.
He discreetly extended his fingers beneath the surface.
The flow reorganized itself.
Part of the water began following the center of the stream, while the current weakened along the chosen crossing.
There was no need to raise a liquid wall or freeze the stream.
A well-executed diversion was enough.
"Two at a time," he instructed. "Adults should help the children. Anyone carrying an injured person needs support on both sides."
The first villagers crossed.
Then the others.
Maintaining control required attention, but it wasn't painful.
Luan knew how to sustain more intense manipulations.
The difference here was duration.
He needed to keep the passage stable while dozens of people crossed, without creating such dramatic changes that distant observers might notice.
A woman stopped in front of him.
She was carrying the same girl who had refused to enter the tunnel minutes earlier.
"She fell while we were coming here," the woman explained. "She hurt her leg."
Luan crouched.
The child recognized him immediately.
"I counted the turns," she announced proudly, despite her tears.
"You did?"
She nodded.
"There were four before the chamber. Then two more."
"Excellent work."
Luan examined her leg.
There was a superficial cut near the knee and a small bruise. Nothing suggested a fracture.
"This might sting a little," he warned.
He used clean water from his medical supplies to remove the dirt and applied an appropriate dressing.
He could have used his healing abilities to accelerate her recovery.
It wasn't necessary.
The injury was minor, and dozens of people were waiting.
The little girl studied the bandage.
"Will you cross with me?"
Luan raised his eyes.
Her mother looked embarrassed.
"She got frightened when we heard the explosions."
"I'll help you across."
The girl held out her arms.
Luan picked her up carefully.
"I just need you to do one thing for me."
"What?"
"Keep counting."
She frowned.
"Counting?"
"The steps to the other bank."
The girl considered the task with great seriousness.
"I can do that."
"Then let's go."
Luan entered the water carrying the child.
The current parted discreetly around his legs.
The little girl began counting quietly.
One.
Two.
Three.
Her mother followed beside them, holding one of the hunters' arms.
By the time they reached the other bank, the child had counted twenty-three steps.
"Very good," Luan praised her. "Now go with your mother to the others."
The little girl caught his sleeve for a moment.
"Are you coming too?"
"I'm going to make sure everyone gets across."
She nodded.
Her mother led her along the trail.
Luan watched them for a second.
Then returned to the stream.
There were still people waiting.
Allura felt the second fluctuation during the crossing.
This time, the sensation lasted long enough for her to recognize a continuous, though subtle, alteration.
She pulled her hand away from the console.
"Coran."
The Altean didn't even need to ask.
"Again?"
"Yes."
He examined the readings.
"I still can't identify a specific source."
"Is there any connection to the Blue Lion's activity?"
Coran enlarged the records.
"Not directly. Blue is operating above the eastern region. The disturbance seems to be occurring farther down, close to the surface."
Allura frowned.
"And Luan?"
"He's also in the southern sector, coordinating the evacuation."
The princess remained silent.
There was no proof.
But the coincidence was beginning to trouble her.
"What do we know about the human species?" she asked.
Coran looked surprised.
"Humans?"
"Yes."
"We have limited records. Their people weren't particularly known for manipulating quintessence."
"Does that mean they're incapable of it?"
"Not necessarily."
Allura crossed her arms.
The answer was prudent.
And frustrating.
She had awakened in a universe that had lost Altea, her father, and much of everything she'd known. She was trying to rebuild a resistance against Zarkon using inexperienced pilots, ancient technology, and incomplete information.
Now she also had to deal with phenomena that even the castle's records couldn't explain.
Lance demonstrated extraordinary familiarity with the Blue Lion.
Luan seemed to possess a connection of his own with the same creature.
The other paladins were developing their bonds at different rates.
And there was that unusual energy signature.
Allura knew differences between pilots were natural.
But she also knew the danger of a team that didn't understand the capabilities of its own members.
"I want to examine the records when everyone returns," she declared.
Coran nodded.
"And speak with Luan?"
"Naturally."
"About what?"
Allura studied the map.
"About what happened on the surface."
Coran hesitated.
"Perhaps it would be better to hear him out before deciding what the readings mean."
The princess gave him a look.
"I haven't decided anything."
"Of course, Princess."
She recognized his tone.
And didn't like it.
The first Galra shot struck a tree less than a hundred meters from the stream.
Luan turned immediately.
The last villagers were still crossing.
[Evacuation confirmed: 337/360]
Twenty-three people.
The patrol had managed to circle around the obstacles in the eastern corridor before Lance could completely block the passage.
Three soldiers appeared between the trees.
One raised his weapon.
Luan assessed the distance, the civilians' positions, and the amount of water available.
A simple situation compared to Drex.
But there was a risk that hadn't existed during that battle.
If he used an ability that was too obvious, the Arusians might witness something impossible to explain as ordinary technology or coincidence.
And the Galra might record an unknown energy signature.
He didn't need to destroy the soldiers.
He needed to prevent them from firing at the crossing.
The first Galra advanced.
Luan redirected a current beneath the stones near the soldier's feet.
He slipped and fell into the stream.
The second soldier tried to help him.
A ribbon of water wrapped around his leg and dragged him toward the saturated bank.
The third opened fire.
Luan raised his arm, sending a mass of water surging from the stream to strike the weapon sideways.
The shot went wide between the trees.
He advanced two steps.
The water responded precisely.
Short currents coiled around the soldiers' lower limbs, pinning them against the stones.
Luan used Winter Fury in a localized application.
Ice formed around the joints of their armor.
There was no need to freeze the entire area.
He already knew the technique.
The challenge was restricting its reach to what was necessary.
The Galra attempted to move.
One managed to raise an arm but couldn't reach the weapon he'd dropped.
Luan stepped back.
"NOVA, estimated containment duration?"
"Approximately two minutes, considering the thermal capacity of the enemy equipment."
"That'll do."
He turned toward the refugees.
"Keep crossing!"
The woman with the little girl was on the trail some distance away.
She had seen the water rise.
And she'd seen the ice form.
Her face showed a mixture of astonishment and reverence.
Luan immediately recognized the problem.
The woman opened her mouth.
"Guardian..."
"Take your daughter to the tunnel," he interrupted without hostility. "We need everyone protected."
She obeyed.
But she glanced back at the stream before disappearing between the trees.
Luan knew that sight would not be easily forgotten.
Another shot echoed from the east.
Then another.
Then the Blue Lion's roar swept across the forest.
The trapped Galra soldiers' sensors began issuing alerts.
A larger Galra unit was approaching.
Luan checked the counter.
[Evacuation confirmed: 355/360]
Five people.
He turned toward the bank.
An elderly villager was crossing with difficulty, supported by two hunters.
Behind them came a healer and Pihk.
"Hurry!"
Pihk helped the healer reach the bank.
Then went back to support the elder.
Luan kept the current diverted.
The Galra mech emerged between the trees.
Its upper turret began to rotate.
This is going to be a problem.
He could try freezing the external mechanisms.
It might work.
But the mech was too far away for an immediate, safe application of Winter Fury.
He could redirect a larger volume of water to undermine the machine's footing.
But civilians were standing along the same bank.
An excessive change in the current could strike them too.
Luan pressed his communicator.
"Lance, I need you now."
The reply came accompanied by a familiar roar.
"Already on my way!"
The Blue Lion appeared above the treetops.
The Galra mech turned its turret toward the new threat.
Lance fired first.
The attack struck the ground in front of the machine, destroying part of the passage and forcing the vehicle to halt.
Luan seized the opportunity.
"Pihk, get the others out!"
The boy nodded and helped the elder reach the trail.
Luan was the last to leave the water.
The counter updated.
[Evacuation confirmed: 360/360]
He released a satisfied breath.
Everyone had crossed.
But the work wasn't finished.
Lance saw the confirmation the moment NOVA transmitted it.
Three hundred and sixty.
Every villager was being guided toward the shelters.
The relief was so intense he nearly lost concentration.
Lapis-Lazuli discreetly corrected their trajectory.
"Thanks, beautiful."
A shot struck the Lion's flank.
Lance clenched his teeth.
Pain flared in his left shoulder, accompanied by an unpleasant pressure across his ribs.
It was the same sensation he'd experienced after the previous mission.
An echo of the damage Lapis had suffered.
"Damn it!"
"Lance!" Hunk called over the channel. "Were you hit?"
"Lapis was!"
"I know! What about you?"
Lance breathed slowly.
"I'm okay enough to keep going."
Hunk sounded unconvinced.
"That's not the same thing as being okay!"
The Blue Lion conveyed a feeling of concern.
Lance almost laughed.
"You two are starting to sound like my family."
Lapis responded with a gentle impression.
Not exactly a word.
More like a certainty.
You are.
Lance went still for a fraction of a second.
Then smiled.
"Yeah. I guess I am."
The pain was still there.
The bond was too intense for him to ignore it.
But Lance was beginning to understand that he shouldn't force Lapis to endure damage simply because he himself could withstand it.
Their connection went both ways.
And she needed protecting too.
"Hunk, let's draw these guys away from the village."
"Finally, an idea I like!"
"You like all my ideas!"
"Lance!"
The two Lions surged forward again.
Inside the main tunnel, Luan accompanied the last family to the first chamber.
The girl who had refused to enter was sitting beside her mother.
When she saw him, she raised her hand.
"Guardian!"
Luan approached.
"How's your leg?"
She proudly showed him the bandage.
"Better."
"Good."
"I counted again."
"Counted what?"
"The turns."
Luan smiled.
"How many?"
"Six to get here. And then there are three more to where the old people are."
Her mother began laughing softly.
Luan smiled along with her.
"Then you know the way better than I do."
The little girl appeared delighted by the idea.
"I can show you!"
"Maybe later. Right now, I need to speak with the leaders."
She nodded.
As Luan stood, he noticed the mother's expression.
She was looking at him differently.
Not only with gratitude.
There was reverence.
And something close to fear.
Luan recognized the source of that look.
She had seen the stream.
She had seen the ice.
And now she needed to fit those events into a worldview in which the Great Goddess sent protectors to defend her children.
Luan had no way to control the meaning she would assign to what she'd witnessed.
He could deny being a divine entity.
But he'd already accepted the role of an envoy before the elders, and a sudden denial might cause even more confusion.
He could explain that he possessed extraordinary abilities.
But that would raise other questions.
Questions he might not be able to answer.
"Thank you for saving my daughter," the woman murmured.
Luan inclined his head slightly.
"She was very brave."
The mother smiled.
And, for now, asked nothing more.
Luan walked away.
A notification appeared.
[HISTORIC MISSION: SAVE THE CHILDREN OF THE GODDESS]
[Primary objective: Population evacuated — 360/360.]
[Confirmed casualties during withdrawal: 0.]
[Safety verification: In progress.]
[Secondary objectives: Evaluation pending.]
[Rewards: Not released.]
Luan read the message twice.
Fair enough.
Getting the Arusians into the tunnels didn't mean they were definitively safe.
The Galra still occupied parts of the region.
The shelters had limited supplies.
And protection against sensors wouldn't prevent soldiers from discovering an entrance through direct investigation.
He needed to make sure the villagers survived until the area could be secured.
"NOVA, organize a supply inventory. I also want an assessment of sanitary conditions and secondary entrances."
"Affirmative."
"Check whether the groups have enough water."
"Beginning assessment."
The warrior elder approached.
"Everyone is gathered."
"Excellent."
He looked at the villagers.
"Some wish to hold a ceremony of thanks."
Luan felt a pang of concern.
"Now?"
"They believe the Great Goddess sent her warriors to protect us."
"We're in a combat zone."
The old man nodded.
"I know."
"Then we need to keep everyone quiet, make sure they're fed, and organize guards at the entrances."
The elder tightened his grip on his spear.
"You do not understand the meaning of our gratitude."
Luan held his gaze.
"I understand that it's important to you."
"More than important."
He gestured toward the gathered villagers.
"Many believed the Goddess had abandoned us. Today, they saw the Great Blue Lion in the sky. They saw celestial warriors fight those who hunted us."
His voice grew quieter.
"And they saw you return with our children."
Luan remained silent.
The elder didn't seem to be trying to manipulate him.
He sincerely believed what he was saying.
And that sincerity made the situation more delicate.
"Then thank one another too," Luan finally replied. "Your hunters protected the trails. The healers helped the injured. Pihk organized the groups. Every family did what it could to keep the others alive."
The old man watched the young Arusian, who was distributing small containers of water.
"Pihk was brave."
"He was."
"Perhaps your blessing is awakening within him."
Luan felt his stomach tighten.
Oh, no.
She remembered the System notification.
The boy's level had increased after being recognized as someone worthy of trust.
At the time, she hadn't fully understood the relationship between the System and the development of the local inhabitants.
Now, however, she was beginning to see the social consequences.
Pihk was no longer merely an apprentice.
The others were starting to see him as someone chosen for a special role.
And Luan had contributed to that.
"Pihk has talent," he replied carefully. "But he still needs to learn from those with more experience."
The elder nodded.
"Naturally."
Luan waited until the conversation ended.
Then he opened a private note on his visor.
[Observation: Change in Pihk's social standing.]
[Monitor consequences.]
It was a concern for another time.
One he couldn't simply ignore.
At the Castle of Lions, Allura received confirmation that all three hundred and sixty villagers had reached the shelters.
Coran released a breath of relief.
"Impressive. No deaths recorded during the withdrawal."
Allura nodded.
"Luan managed to guide them into the tunnels."
"With the villagers' help, apparently."
"Yes."
The princess studied the map.
It was an extraordinary result.
But her satisfaction was accompanied by doubts.
She had sensed energy fluctuations throughout the operation.
And she knew that one of her team members had been in precisely that region.
"Coran, were you able to recover the readings?"
"Some of them. There are records of repeated fluctuations, but the mineral interference prevents any conclusive identification."
Allura frowned.
"Do the fluctuations coincide with the Blue Lion's movements?"
"Not entirely."
"And with Galra equipment?"
"Not that either."
The princess remained silent.
Coran studied her expression.
"You're thinking about Luan."
Allura turned toward him.
"I'm considering a possibility."
"A possibility isn't proof."
"I know."
The reply came out sharper than she'd intended.
Allura took a deep breath.
"We need to understand our team's abilities better. Lance's bond with Blue is developing in an extraordinary way. Luan also has an unusual relationship with that Lion. And now we have a form of energy we can't identify."
Coran crossed his arms.
"Those aren't necessarily the same phenomenon."
"I know that."
"Then perhaps it would be best not to treat them as though they were."
Allura lifted her chin.
She disliked the feeling that she was losing control over something her father had created.
But she knew Coran was right about one thing.
They still lacked information.
"When everyone returns, I want to speak with Luan."
"And Lance?"
Allura hesitated.
"Him too."
Coran nodded.
"In that case, perhaps it would be wise to begin by asking what they know, rather than demanding explanations for what we don't understand."
The princess looked at the readings again.
She didn't answer.
The news about the Red Lion arrived while Luan was checking the water containers in the second gallery.
"NOVA, repeat that."
"Red Lion energy signature detected moving independently of the Galra ship. Keith's signal has not been identified."
Luan closed his eyes for a moment.
Keith.
The memory of the original storyline immediately surfaced.
Red.
The Galra ship.
The choosing of its pilot.
But memory wasn't confirmation.
And this reality had already demonstrated that events could follow different paths.
"Any vital signs?"
"Insufficient data."
Luan felt his concern increase.
He opened his communicator.
"Lance, have we heard anything about Keith?"
The reply took a moment.
"Red left the ship."
"And Keith?"
"We're still trying to confirm."
Hunk joined the conversation.
"Shiro and Pidge are coming out with the prisoners. Red is approaching the extraction area, but we haven't been able to reach Keith."
Luan checked the distance between the Lions.
"Lance, don't get too close until you know what's happening."
"I know."
"Red just awakened. We don't know how he'll react to another Lion in the middle of a battle."
A brief pause.
"Right."
Lance sounded different.
Luan noticed.
"Everything okay?"
"I'm just worried about Keith."
The answer was simple.
No teasing.
No pretending.
Luan smiled faintly.
"Me too."
Lance exhaled.
"When this is over, we need to talk about a few things."
"I imagine so."
"About you too."
Luan closed his eyes for a moment.
"I know."
"I'm not angry."
She recognized the partial lie.
Lance was worried.
And probably a little angry.
But it wasn't something they could resolve over the communicator while the Galra were still firing at them.
"We'll talk when we get back," she replied.
"Deal."
The channel closed.
Luan stood motionless for several seconds.
Then returned to the inventory.
There was still work to do.
The final notification appeared as he moved away from the main gallery.
[One with Water — Additional experience recorded.]
[Basic Quintessence Manipulation — Additional experience recorded.]
[Recognized applications: Flow alteration, restraint, sustained control, and cryogenic manipulation.]
[Warning: Energy emissions detectable by observers sensitive to quintessence.]
Luan stopped.
Read it again.
Detectable.
The term didn't completely surprise her.
She had already considered the possibility that her abilities might leave traces.
The confrontation with Drex had made it clear that not every enemy would fail to recognize an extraordinary manifestation.
The Galra captain had witnessed the manipulation of water and ice.
If he'd survived and managed to report what had happened, that information might already be circulating among his superiors.
Now there was another concern.
Allura.
The princess possessed energetic abilities that Luan didn't fully understand.
She didn't know the limits of Altean sensitivity.
Nor did she know precisely how her own manipulation of quintessence differed from Allura's natural powers.
Did she sense something?
NOVA offered no answer.
Luan looked at the damp tunnel wall.
Water trickled slowly between the stones.
For a moment, he extended his hand and drew a small portion of the liquid away from the surface.
The sphere remained suspended above his palm.
Perfectly stable.
He made it rotate once.
Then twice.
And returned it to the wall, allowing it to resume its natural course.
There was no pain.
No exhaustion.
Only the familiar sensation of an ability responding to a well-executed movement.
Luan smiled faintly.
She didn't need to discover that she could control water.
She already knew how.
What she still needed to learn was when she should use it.
And which consequences she was willing to accept.
Pihk's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Guardian!"
Luan turned.
The boy was carrying two containers of water.
"The healers said you haven't rested yet."
"The healers are starting to sound like my family."
Pihk frowned.
"Is that good?"
Luan thought about her relatives.
Her distant home.
The brother who was fighting somewhere above the clouds at that very moment.
"Most of the time."
The boy offered one of the containers.
"Then you should listen to them."
Luan accepted the water.
"All right. But only because you asked."
Pihk smiled, satisfied.
Then hesitated.
"Guardian?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think the Great Goddess really chose us?"
Luan studied the boy's face.
There was curiosity in the question.
But there was hope too.
Pihk had seen the Blue Lion flying over Arus. He'd seen warriors from the stars confront Galra machines. He'd met someone who had accepted the title of Guardian and helped his village escape a threat that had seemed impossible to overcome.
All of it needed to find a place within the way he understood the world.
Luan drank some water.
"I think your people made some very brave choices today."
Pihk seemed to consider the answer.
"But you came."
"I did."
"And the Great Blue Lion came too."
"He did."
The boy smiled.
"Then perhaps the Goddess helped you find us."
Luan remained silent for several seconds.
She didn't need to confirm it.
Nor did she need to destroy a belief she didn't fully understand.
"Perhaps," she finally replied.
Pihk seemed satisfied.
He returned to the villagers.
Luan watched him go.
The mission wasn't over.
The Galra were still on Arus.
Keith and the others still needed to return.
The community's survival would depend on decisions that nobody could make alone.
And far above the clouds, Allura was beginning to formulate difficult questions about the powers she'd just sensed.
Luan rested a hand against the damp wall.
The water responded gently to the contact.
For the first time during the operation, she allowed herself a few seconds of peace.
Three hundred and sixty people were alive.
The little girl who had feared the tunnel now knew its turns.
Pihk had found a place among those responsible for protecting his people.
And Lance was still fighting.
It wasn't a definitive victory.
But it was something.
Her communicator vibrated softly.
A short message from her brother appeared on the screen.
Still in one piece. Lapis too. I'll see you when we get back.
Luan smiled.
She typed only:
I'll be waiting.
The reply came almost immediately.
And try to get some rest.
She let out a quiet laugh.
Bossy.
Lance responded with a blue heart.
Luan stared at it for several seconds before closing the message.
Then she stood.
She still needed to check the supplies, organize guard rotations, and determine how to get the Arusians through this crisis without surrendering their village to the Galra.
The System was still waiting.
Allura was still watching.
The war was still raging.
But for now, no family would have to discover that someone had been left behind.