Katie grit her teeth together when Lotor's sword striked hers. Just from that one blow, she could tell she wouldn't last very long in battle with him so she had to make the most of her time.

"Where did your confidence go?" He smirked, a sadistic expression taking over his face.

Katie couldn't believe this was the same prince who came to Galraen as a respected guest. So much has happened in the past few months.

"Where did your honor go?" She returned with a forced smile, pushing him back just slightly.

Her muscles ached to hold him back for this long, but she could still hear shuffling from Romelle and the other prisoners behind her.

"Hah." Lotor laughed lifelessly, his pupils turning smaller, "you won't be talking anymore when I slit your throat."

Pretending she wasn't bothered, she met his eyes before kicking him back. Usually her kicks would knock the opposing person down, but Lotor barely moved an inch.

"Now that I'm looking at you, aren't you a little small?" He smiled in a fake manner and her jaw ticked, bothered this time.

With their swords still neck to neck and Lotor's strength more powerful, it was difficult for Katie to fully overturn him. The fight would only move now if Lotor tried to overpower her, or Romelle came into play.

Unfortunately the latter didn't happen.

Katie was kicked back a few feet from her original position, but she held onto her sword with a strong grip after expecting some type of blow from the Prince. Now it was her stomach that was starting to feel queasy after being kicked, but she quickly regained her position and watched the smiling Lotor before her.

"A little weak too, aren't you?"

"Stop talking, and fight m—"

He didn't give her time to finish her sentence, striking her, and he would've sliced through her shoulder if she hadn't dodged it a second earlier.

Katie cursed, annoyed at herself for getting distracted. She wasn't going to give him another chance to strike her openly.

They fought until Katie felt like she was dying. Breathless and exhausted from defending every one of his attacks, her legs were starting to tremble after taking another hit.

Was Romelle done helping the prisoners yet? She couldn't tell.

"Give..it up." The Prince smiled, a little breathless himself, "I might have to kill you after all."

She gripped the handle of her sword, meeting his eyes.

"You're not getting past me." She smirked, mimicking his sadistic behavior from earlier, "I'll meet you in hell if I have to."

Lotor charged towards her, his purple eyes now containing the intention to kill. Before she could defend herself, a quick flash of blonde hair went through her vision, and she was knocked away from the battle.

Katie looked upon her protector with wide eyes to see Romelle covered up in her mask and daggers out against the Prince's sword.

She struggled to get up properly as Romelle and Lotor fought in front of her.

"Go find the Princess!" Romelle yelled, her voice muffled through her mask, "don't come back for me!"

Katie couldn't answer her because she knew what Romelle was implying. Praying in her heart that Romelle would make it out alive without her help, Katie ran out the door.

Keith ran the large hallways that were suddenly closing on him. 

Could witchcraft make the building move? He doubted it.

Honerva was messing with his mind, and Keith was aware of it. What he couldn't figure out was how to get rid of her illusions.

"Yess...Run away!"

Her voice echoed through the hallways, ringing loudly through his ears.

"Show yourself!" He shouted in return, flexing his hand against his sword handle, "you can't hide forever."

"Oh, I can." She cackled, and Keith immediately heard heavy footsteps the moment she spoke again,

"But he won't."

A large silhouette soon entered Keith's sight and his eyes widened every second he stepped closer.

"Zarkon." He rasped, eyes narrowing on the large galra before him. Even the name on his tongue felt bitter.

"Prince Keith." His low voice filled up their entire surrounding, "How's your mother doing?"

"Don't say another word about her." He clenched his jaw, readying his stance. This was going to be a difficult battle, but it wasn't going to be completely hopeless.

'Assist me against the Galra King.' He called upon the beast in his head, but there was nothing.

His only hope to win against Zarkon wasn't responding to him.

"Amusing, aren't you?" Zarkon's voice was the only thing invading his head, "a half-beast like you can't hurt me."

Keith grit his teeth, forcing every other unnecessary thought out of his head.

'Please.'

A sudden wind blew past his face and a sharp pain from his cut cheek alerted him back to where he stood in the middle of the hallway with Zarkon in front of him.

"Enough wasting time," The dark king growled, drawing his sword out, "run or die."

Keith sighed, knowing he wouldn't stand a chance.

Humiliating as it was, he picked up his feet and ran for his life.

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