Who Needs Love Anyway?

Part 14

"Guys we need to leave. Get the last bit and go!"

Lance didn't stick around to see what was coming. He bolted quickly rushing toward where he came from. He reached the landing he came from quickly pressing on spots in the wall trying to find the spot he came in.

Questions were flying through his com but as soon as he fell back through the wall a soul splitting howl rose from deep inside the house. Hunk was besides the wall where Lance fell through quickly grabbed him under the armpit ready to run.

Lance hardly got to his feet when another sound raced through the place. It sounded almost like power shutting down... but the power wasn't on to start. Lance glanced around feeling shadows race by him.

Nothing was there.

They took off down the hall looking back not seeing what was coming. They quickly met the rest in the entrance hall minus Keith and Krolia. Bayards drawn looking around for trouble.

"We haven't seen anything but we can sense it. It's... it's like it's not really there. A shadow. Do you know what it is Lance?" Shiro asked glancing around

"They couldn't tell me. They just told me to run."

"Who?" Pidge asked turning as a sound erupted from the other end

It sounded like an animal in pain. The deep howl shattering invisible glass that seemed to shower around the paladins. Lance fired a shot from the corridor Hunk and him came from. It seemed to pierce a shadow.

But the shadow didn't flinch. A new sound erupted from it however. A long wait as the shadow stepped forward into sight.

The shadow wasn't a shadow at all. Long greasy blond hair limp around his waist. Eyes black as sin. Skin waxy and sunken in. Lance's shot keeping a gaping hole blinking from his side but no blood bloomed from it.

Lance felt his blood run cold as he noticed it's most important feature.

"Altean!"

"Something isn't right... what's wrong with them?" Allura's voice weak with a panic

The Altean seemed to breath heavily and stared at the group but it wasn't focusing. Like it was dazed... or waiting.

A crash from the other side sent everyone l's hand to their weapons. Keith and Krolia appeared seeming to sink their weapon into something behind them. But it had no effect.

"Run now!" Keith shouted slicing at its head but it was like air

Another Altean.

The appearance of its friend sent the blond one to life. It lunges toward the group at a heavy pace. Feet light despite its condition.

     Lance attempted to blast it against a closer range but the blast simply seemed to disappear through it. He pushed Pidge toward the door shooting again and again. He could feel Keith fighting besides them now as they backed quickly toward the lions.

     Then the Alteans's voices echoed through

     "Join us mortals! We can saaaave you. Make sure you are invincible! Saaaaave your soooooouls."

     Lance cleared his throat aiming another blast straight through the forehead of one but still nothing. They seemed to hover slightly gaping mouths and dark eyes endless.

     "Weeeee can't save yooooou though. Nooooot yooooooou. The flowers kill allllllll. Mortal or immortal. It is a fatal fllllllaw."

     Lance felt himself pale considerably at the mention of the flowers.

     "We don't want to join you anyway!" Keith hissed backing closer and closer to Black keeping the Alteans at bay

     But that seemed to be the wrong choice of words.

     The Alteans hissed pausing to looking at each other than back at the group.

     "Ifffff yoooou dont jooooin yoooou must perish!"

     One made a grab at Lance but he ducked finally turning fully to ran to Red. He only made it three strides though when he heard a hiss of pain and felt the thud off knees hitting the ground.

     He peaked back to see Keith clutching his side. Blood seeping through his fingers as the extended claws of the Alteans raised to strike again.

     "No!"

     Lance dove back toward them. Crashing hard into the Altean closets to Keith. That seemed to do the trick as it knocked them off balance enough for him to grab Keith. The Alteans seemed stunned at the actions and took several moments before they regained momentum.

     Krolia saw the situation unfolding quickly rushed to Lance's side to help her son. Once Keith was fully passed off Lance took another running dive at the pair forcing them to scatter and hiss.

     "You will dieeeeee painfully mortal! The flowers killllllll worse than usssssss!"

     "Lance let's go!"

     He could hear the lions roar to life as Shiro spoke in his earpiece. He took back off toward Red again but not before one of the Alteans managed to slice the side of his calf. He hissed shortening in stride slightly. Red however could sense the pain and quickly came forward to protect him.

     Another hiss rang from behind him as the jaws closed giving Lance safety. The paladins quickly geared out of there screeches quickly drowned out and out of earshot.

     Lance panted leaning back in the picket seat. He coughed slightly letting a few petals float to the ground. No use trying to stifle them at this point.

     "Sound off how we doing?" Allura called through

     "Good here. Still have the data!"

     "Really would appreciate not almost dying but you know at this point... kinda use to it."

     "Small scratch on the leg but I will live. How's Keith? Look like he took a hit."

     "He did," Shiro's voice came back through

     "We are putting him in the healing pod now. He got lucky though could have been worse. Lance you will be next for that leg."

     Lance gritted his teeth squeezing his eyes as they drew farther and farther away.

     "You couldn't kill them. They figured out immortality," Lance whispered

     "Only part of it though... did you hear them? Immortality didn't include the flowers. Which means they had to think of another thing right?" Hunk came in hopeful from the other side

     "I'm analyzing the data now. I will know for sure in a few days. If not hopefully there is at least something to go off of from there."

     "No," Lance's voice ran clear through, "If there is nothing then we move on. We are doing risking ourselves for that again. Not for nothing. If nothing pops up we keep pace back home. Hopefully we haven't wasted too much time."

     "But Lance..." Pidge tried to reason

     But Lance already shut off his com again