CHAPTER NINE
--Cybertron--
Hiding behind one of the Nemesis' landing struts, Starscream watched as chaos unfolded around him.
To the left, he saw Straxus and Grindcore taking on Ultra Magnus, Strika, the Dinobots, the Wreckers, and several other heavy-hitters. Needless to say, not even the so-called legendary Magnus was a match for the two ancient warriors. Starscream then looked to the right and saw Bludgeon clashing blades with Drift and Windblade, Dark Scorponok taking on Dai Atlas and Leo Prime, and Jhiaxus dueling with Metalhawk. Everyone else were left fending off the hordes of Sweeps.
But there was someone missing: the one called Scourge, who's likeness the Sweeps bore. If he was not in Starscream's field of vision, then--
The Seeker let out a wail as he was grabbed from behind and thrown out into the battlefield. He began to scramble back as Scourge approached him with a mirthless grin.
"I can't tell you how much I'm going to enjoy this," the hunter said. "You should always think twice before trying to deceive a Herald of Unicron."
"Deceive?" Starscream sputtered. "Why, I have never--"
"Don't think none of us have caught on to your tricks. The information you gave us on the Decepticons was all true-- for the most part-- but we all knew that you were tying to work your way to the top, starting by tricking dear Sideways."
"Heh... I suppose old habits die hard."
"Indeed." Scourge grinned as he brought out his gun. "But you... you will die quite easi--"
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, his face frozen in an open-mouthed expression. The Herald then titled his head upwards towards the sky, as did all of the others, forgetting the battle without explanation.
"It has begun."
--Unicron--
"So... you are the Prime."
Optimus tried not to flinch as the Avatar of Unicron stepped towards him, dark energy practically radiating off of the orange mech. The Avatar raised a clawed hand and used it to grab Optimus' chin.
"No offense, but I expected something... more. Nova was unique with his extremist attitude and regal appearance. But you... lack both of those. True, you carry the Matrix of Leadership within you, which is more than other Prime before you can say... but that's it. Without it, you are just another ordinary Autobot."
Optimus struggled to make himself move, to lash out at the Avatar, but Unicron seemed to have some sort of spell on him. Turning away from the Prime, the Avatar moved towards Megatron, who was similarly immobilized.
"Compare yourself with your brother. He had everything going for him-- service in the Elite Guard, abidance to the law, idolized by many. Sentinel Prime even chose him to be his successor. A shame the Decepticons ruined all of that."
"Is this going anywhere, Unicron?" Optimus said exasperatedly. "Or do you just like the sound of your own voice?"
The Avatar's head snapped towards him and Optimus felt a sense of dread fill his spark. Green optics gleaming, Unicron hissed, "Don't you get it? You were never meant to be the Prime. The Matrix only chose you because your brother had become... wayward."
The Avatar rested a hand on Optimus' chest and the Autobot leader could feel the Matrix within as if it was throbbing, as if it was trying to get out....
"Can you feel it?" Unicron growled. "The Matrix is rejecting you. It wants to be reunited with the real chosen one."
The Avatar waved a hand and Optimus' chest panels promptly opened, revealing the Matrix of Leadership resting in its chamber.
"Go on. Give the Matrix to your brother. You know it must be done."
Optimus looked down at the Matrix and then met the Avatar's gaze. "Why not just destroy it? I thought the Matrix was your antithesis and the one thing that could destroy you."
Unicron laughed harshly. "Ah, how time can construe the truth. There is so little that you know, and even less that you need to know. Now... give the Matrix to your brother."
Optimus did not move at first until an invisible force took control of him and willed him to remove the Matrix from his chest. Then, no matter how hard he tried to resist, he began walking towards Megatron. Once he had reached his brother, the Avatar sidled over to Megatron and hissed into the Decepticon's audio sensor.
"Take it. Fulfill your destiny. Become the leader your race needs."
Megatron cast his gaze to the relic held out before him before shifting it to Optimus, meeting his brother's gaze. Then, without taking his eyes off of Optimus, the Decepticon leader slowly reached for the artifact.
"Yes," Unicron said with a wicked grin. "Embrace your desti--"
Without warning, Megatron took aim with his fusion cannon and fired it straight into the Avatar, blowing a hole through his chest. As the Avatar crumpled to the floor, the chamber began to rumble and the voice of Unicron howled in fury.
Destroy them, Galvatron!
The Herald let out a battle cry as he charged towards the two leaders. Forcing the Matrix back into Optimus' hands, Megatron turned to face Galvatron, brandishing his mace.
"Take the Matrix to Unicron's core, Prime! Do what you need to do!"
"I'm not leaving you, brother!" Optimus protested.
"I SAID GO!"
The chamber rumbled again, prompting Optimus to run out with the Matrix in hand. The sound of clashing blades echoed behind him....
--Dead Universe--
"All right, all the charges are set," Hardhead said, doing a quick scan of the temple they were in. "Should we get clear?"
"No," Nightbeat said. When Hardhead gave him a look, he added, "Trust me on this one. I know what I'm doing. I don't know how or why, I just do."
Hardhead grunted. "Whatever."
He held out the detonator and activated it. At once, the charges went off and the two Autobots were suddenly falling through the ground and into a bottomless void....
--Unicron--
"You could have had it all!" Galvatron bellowed as he swung his blade at Megatron. "You could have become everything you ever wanted! And yet you rejected it! Why?!"
"Because I am at the point where nothing can be offered to me," Megatron said as he deflected a blow. "I have fallen down too far to climb back to the top. My loyalty to the Autobots is gone. My leadership of the Decepticons is waning. Pretty soon, I will have nothing left to lose."
"Then why do you keep fighting?" Galvatron snarled.
"Because I have been given a chance to redeem myself; to right the wrongs I have made," Megatron said as he raised his mace. "And you are in my way."
Before Galvatron could stop him, Megatron lunged towards the Herald and smashed the head of his mace into his faceplate, knocking Galvatron to the floor. Then he repeated the move. Then again. And again. And again.
When Galvatron stopped moving, Megatron lifted the mace to see that the Heralds was still alive, albeit barely. A black vortex of energy was beginning to open in his chest, but Galvatron paid it no heed. Instead, he let out a ragged cough before meeting Megatron's gaze balefully.
"This... isn't over. Nothing... can stop... the--"
"Shut up." Megatron aimed his fusion cannon at Galvatron's face, but was deprived of the chance to kill him when the Herald's chest suddenly burst open and a black portal materialized from it. Emerging from the void were two Autobots: one blue and yellow, the other green and gray.
Once the pair had stepped out, the portal closed, leaving behind Galvatron's mutilated corpse and a very awkward silence.
"Um... hi?"
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