Chapter Text
Disclaimers: I do not own Voltron
An old proverb told that destined lovers were connected through a red string of fate, regardless of place, time and circumstances. That this magical cord may continually be stretched but never broken. That once one found their soulmate, they would immediately know they universe conspired for them to be together.
Soulmates were not incredibly rare on earth, yet they were not common either. Soulmates developed empathic links and other unexplainable links that strengthened over time. Many said that this was a genetic evolution and many searched their whole life to find their destined one.
Shiro thought that being part of the Kerberos mission would cross him out from finding his.
Some said that the world stops the moment one first laid their eyes on their destined. Shiro certainly did not expected his to freeze once he'd entered the arena after causing made a scene to save Matt from the alien's gladiators arena.
He saw a figure that stood on the most opulent platform where a large throne sat with great clarity, and Shiro wished he could see the face behind that scary looking bird-like red mask adorned by 5 eyes-like pattern.
Before he could wonder more, time continued and he was faced with an ogre-like alien wielding a mace with a glowing orb atop of it.
He'd been trained in combat and it helped, but never in his life had he thought of battling an alien creature within a gladiator's pit with nothing but a sword-like weapon.
He'd timed its attack, found its weakness but his offenses weren't going through. His strikes seemed like scratches for the Ogre.
The crowd cries of "Myzax, Myzax!" along with various "Kill him!" Did nothing to lessened Shiro's anxiety. If he's defeated, Matt and the other slaves would no doubt be this Ogre's next target, yet try as he might, he could not harm the Ogre.
In was like a jolt of electric when power flowed through him, filling him with strength he never knew he had, strength that was augmenting his own. He looked towards the masked figure and knew exactly where it came from.
The Ogre was charging at him, the mace raised high, and Shiro ran straight towards his opponent.
The mace swung and the orb rushed towards Shiro, but with the sudden power surge, he easily dodged the attack and one sword swing later, the gigantic alien was downed.
The crowd erupted in cheers and jeers but all Shiro felt was the sight of the figure donning the red mask.
"Kill him, kill him." At Myzax's defeat, The cheers that were once directed towards the Ogre turned to declarations of his demise.
His downed opponent was crawling away, as if attempt to escape the hands of death. The energy him surged once again, and Shiro knew then that with one more slash, Myzax would be dead.
"Kill him" A monotonous yet powerful voice boomed from the opulence stand, it was a voice so disjointed from life, so cold and uncaring, and Shiro immediately threw his blade away.
His opponent was downed and Matt was safe, there was no need for killing. If the crazy alien empire decided on sending out another then he would fight them too, not for killing and keeping the spectators entertained, but for keeping those he cared from harm.
His act brought silent to the arena, it was a silent so loud that Shiro could hear each of Myzax's tortured breathing as he crawled for escape.
A loud zap that came with a purple blast broke the silence, and before Shiro's eyes, Myzax screamed in pain as he was incinerated alive.
He looked up and realized the culprit was none other than his destined who was above the ogre.
"Stop! Sto-" Yet before Shiro could continue, his soulmate donning the crimson mask electrified him with a bolt of purple light.
He could feel the connecting between them thinning as pain started to clain his senses. He wanted to ask 'why?' but nothing came out. All he heard before darkness claimed him was, "Do not assume that you are above the orders of the emperor, you lesser creature."
Shiro woke to the sound of 2 voices.
"Kithkeiros, Your master have spoken nothing but praises of your abilities. I trust you'll to keep us entertain." Kith? Keith? Was that the name of his bonded?
"My lord Zarkon, I am unworthy of your trust. But I do have confidence that this human will give you much entertainment. Some have started calling him champion."
He opened his eyes to find a large purple skinned alien seated on a throne, and next to him was the significantly smaller Keith.
"Y-You're-" before Shiro could finished, he again felt the electrocution zapping through his body.
"Don't dare speak to the emperor before you're spoken too." Keith said, maybe it was his imagination, but the mask tempering with Keith's voice, turning it into one half human half robotic.
"My lord, please allow me to take my leave. There is much experimentation to make with little time before the next match.'
After Zarkon nodded his approval, Keith bowed then started walking off and Shiro was immediately jerked up to follow him by an invisible pull. Shiro tried to talk, but after a word left his mouth, Keith's hand glowed and he was suddenly voiceless. When they stopped walking, Shiro wanted to ask 'why' to more things than the thought possible.
Keith's hand touched a panel and the door before them opened to reveal a large living complex, which Keith led him in.
As the door shut, Shiro felt his voice coming back.
"You saved me when I was in the arena right? I'd never thought I'd find my soulmate here. And you're Keith right?" It wasn't like him mumble, but things were happening too fast for even a trained pilot like him to comprehend.
"I do not understand what you meant by soulmates, but if you meant soul links then perhaps, though it will be wise if you keep that quiet. I also do not care what you address me as, as long you continue fighting and I can continue my experiments." Shiro knew Keith was part of the alien race, but he'd thought that being his soulmate would meant that Keith would understand how wrong it was, that he might've done it as his only choice.
"How could you say that? Why don't you see that everything here is wrong. Why-" Shiro rushed to the masked figure and grasped his hand.
Pain, pain, pain, don't, don't, don't want to kill, no, no, live, live.
Before Shiro could comprehend what he felt, he was blasted into the wall.
"Don't touch me. I will not be as forgiving next time." Keith spoke through his crimson 5 eyed mask, he tried to remain unaffected but Shiro heard the panting came through.
He'd heard that soulmates could communicate and share emotions through their bonds, but those were only limited to pairs that shared a really strong connection. But again, humans did not use magic like Keith.
But damn, that magic push was a strong one.
"What you should ask is why I saved your life, and I'll be kind enough to tell you. Soul links have been banned in the empire for at least 10,000 years, bonded pairs are forced to separate, usually through the killing of one. But my research have led me to the ancient Alteans archives that spoke of how bonds can magnify one's strength. So when I sensed you in the arena, I tried empowering you with my power and it worked."
Shiro nodded, and Keith walked closer to him as he continued.
"I am curious by it and so I asked the emperor for you, of course he does not know what I'm truly experimenting on. And you will fight, because it is the only way for you to live. Also, there will be no talks of our bond outside of these rooms. Zarkon have ears everywhere. Do you understand?"
"I do." It was all Shiro could so at his moment, but he would get to the bottom of what's behind the sensation he felt.
"Good." Keith put his purple right hand near Shiro, and as it glowed blue, he felt the pain leaving him completely.
"Thanks"
"It would be foolish of me to damage my investment." Keith replied, and Shiro desperately wished he could see behind Keith's mask, to see if his destined was as uncaring as his speech suggested.
"What's happening with Matt and Professor Holt?"
His question was initially met with Keith's stare and silence but he finally replied.
"You mean the humans that Sendak brought along with you? I wouldn't know, and it would be best if you forget about them."
"Please. They're my friend." Shiro pleaded, his hands grasping the sorcerer's robe. "Please. I need to know that they're safe."
He didn't know how long he held onto Keith's robe, only that Keith made a sighed before he said "I'll consider it."
"You may use everything provided inside this place. The panel near the dining table will link you to the servants if you require any food. And don't even think of escaping, a pod from this distance will only leave you stranded forever in space. I have duties I need to attend and I expect you to be well rested when I return."
"Wait-" Shiro cried, but Keith already disappeared with a dark smoke.
"And you are?" Shiro asked the yellow sunflower-like alien that brought him food.
"This one is known as Kirapika." Kirapika replied, and Shiro guessed that Kirapika was a he from his voice.
"So, does Keith owns you?"
"Keith? You mean master Kithkeiros? If so, then yes, master Kithkeiros owns me. I was a gift to him from one of commanders."
"And you are fine with all this? Don't you want to be free?"
"Where would I go?" Kirapila looked at Shiro as if he was out of his mind. "The Galran Empire owns much of known universe, it won't be long before they owns it all."
"Does he hurt you?" Shiro hesitantly asked and Kirapika laughed as he placed down a purple goo-looking food.
"Many does, many even execute servants for the slightest wrongdoings. But not master Kithkeiros and I am blessed that he owns me." The alien said as he served more stranger looking food to Shiro. He seemed to reminisce something before he continued. "There are stories about master KithKeiros. That because of his great magic, he was raised by the empire's grand druid Haggar when he was still a baby. That when he was a child, he burnt all his opponents to ash during the empire magic games." He seemed to be thinking about it more before he talked on.
"My planet was conquered shortly after that event. And really, no one was surprise, the empire expands all the time and we'd expected this long ago. But I didn't know I was to be given to master Kithkeiros. The grand druid is infamous for her dark experiments and I expected his apprentice to be the same. I thought my life would end soon after I was handed over. Instead, he questioned my culture, food and way of life and I for the first time since I became a slave, I felt safe. Then 2 cycles after I became master's slave, he somehow found and bought my wife and my daughter. It was a dream came true, I thought I'd never see them again yet all he said was that he was sorry that he couldn't find my parents. I would never forget the gratitude I felt for him then." Kirapika said, putting the last plate on the table.
"I did not watch the battle but I heard the gossips about the fight. If master had not attacked you then, you would've been publicly decapitated for opposing the emperor. Know that you are lucky that master Kithkeiros owns you." The Alien said before he walked out the room leaving many things for Shiro to contemplate.
Thank you for reading :))