CHAPTER TEN
--Cybertron--
Unicron had arrived.
Autobot, Decepticon, Maximal, and Junkion alike all looked on in terror as the Chaos Bringer loomed over them. His fanged maw seemed to curve in a ravenous smile as he prepared for his feast.
Ultra Magnus and Strika were already barking out orders to their troops to return to their ships and prepare for an assault on the Chaos Bringer. The Heralds of Unicron did nothing to stop them; they knew such efforts would be futile... and deep down, their enemies did as well.
The darkest hour was at an end.
--Unicron--
Optimus had no idea how long he had been running through Unicron's interior, but before he knew it, he was sliding down a tunnel made of wires. Tendrils ending claws lashed out at him along the way, but he easily severed them with his axe. Eventually, he reached the bottom and tumbled into another chamber. It was similar to the previous one he had been in, but was much wider and taller.
And, of course, the other chamber did not have a giant green spark at the center of it.
Getting to his feet, Optimus tentatively stepped towards the heart of Unicron. He could feel the Chaos Bringer's darkness radiating off from it, filling him with a sense of dread and despair. Still he plodded on, holding the Matrix of Leadership at the ready.
"And so the hero appears."
Optimus spun around to see a strange shape emerging from the floor. In fact, it seemed to be part of the floor, composed of the same wires and tendrils as the chamber. Only its head, which bore a green helmet and a permanent grimace on its face, seemed to be of unique design.
"I must say, it's been eons since I have had any visitors. Would you please stay just for a few minutes? I would love to have some company."
Optimus glared at the being. "You're trying to stall me, aren't you?"
"You certainly are a sharp one," the entity said bitterly. "I guess that should be a good thing; Primus forbid that the fate of the universe be left in the hands of a bumbling buffoon."
"Who are you?"
"Oh, so now it's okay to stall?" The being shook its head. "Curiosity: a warrior's greatest enemy."
"Just a name would be nice."
"Names? Are those still a thing? I ditched mine years ago; what's the use of having one if no one's around to call you by it?" The being sighed heavily, moping for a moment before continuing. "If you must know, my name was Quintus. Quintus Prime."
Optimus' eyes widened. "You're one of the first Primes?"
"I was, yes. When the Thirteen parted ways after defeating the Fallen, I went into exile to experiment on my creations. However, in the midst of doing so, I started to ponder on what had led to our fallen brother's corruption and eventually traced it down to Unicron being the source. I set off in search for him, only to end up his slave. Of course, I wasn't alone...."
"Who accompanied you?" Optimus asked.
"I did."
Optimus turned around again to see a decrepit-looking mech, armored in blue and gold, staggering out of the shadows.
"Soundwave?!"
"I was known as Logos back then," the former Decepticon spy said, his voice sounding haggard. "I was Quintus Prime's apprentice and even considered an honorary Prime after the Fallen betrayed us. While Quintus was kept captive by Unicron, I had my memory wiped and, when the time came, planted on Cybertron as a sleeper agent."
Optimus stared at Soundwave in astonishment. "I had no idea you were that old."
Soundwave chuckled, though it came out as sounding more like a dying whir. "Neither did I, for a time."
Optimus looked from the two ancient Primes to Unicron's spark. "So, are you going to stop me?"
"Neither of us are in any condition to fight you," Quintus Prime said. "But we have succeeded in stalling you, so you could very well be out of time by now."
Grimacing, Optimus spun back towards Unicron's spark. He held up the Matrix of Leadership and pulled on its two handles to open the container.
Nothing happened. The two halves remained stuck together.
Optimus' eyes widened in fear as he pulled again, harder this time. Still the container pieces would not budge.
"Open... slaggit, open!"
It would not. Optimus could not believe what was happening; if he could not open the Matrix, then Cybertron-- and indeed the Cybertronian race itself-- was doomed.
The Matrix is rejecting you. It wants to be reunited with the real chosen one.
As Unicron's words rang in his head, he heard footsteps approaching him from behind. He turned around to see Megatron falling into the chamber, followed by-- much to Optimus' surprise-- Nightbeat and Hardhead.
Upon seeing Optimus with the Matrix, Megatron said, "What are you waiting for, Prime? End it!"
"The Matrix won't open," Optimus murmured.
All three mechs stared at him in shock. "What?!"
Optimus bowed his head. "I think... I think Unicron was right, Megatron. You are the Matrix's chosen bearer."
Megatron's mouth fell agape even as Optimus spoke the next five words: "You are the true Prime."
A stunned silence fell upon the chamber. It was shortly broken by Hardhead. "Okay, big whoop, so he is. Can he save our hides?"
Optimus handed the Matrix to Megatron. "Take it, brother. Fate has given you a second chance. It's time for you to be the hero."
Megatron did nothing at first, his expression unreadable. Then, with some reluctance, he took the relic from Prime's hands.
"Do you have an exit ready?" the Decepticon leader said, his voice near a whisper.
"You can use the Dead Universe portal within me," Soundwave said. Megatron shot him a surprised look, as if he had just noticed his former spy's presence.
Less as surprised, Nightbeat said, "But we're not in the Dead Universe."
"Unicron is linked to the Dead Universe by the Darkness, so the portals we Heralds carry are connected to both," Soundwave explained. "And if I were you, I would hurry up-- I sense that Unicron has already begun his attack on Cybertron."
"Then we shall be off." Optimus turned towards Megatron one last time, a solemn look in his optics. "It's... been nice knowing you, brother."
"Likewise," Megatron muttered. "I... I only wish things had turned out differently."
"There's no changing it now. All you can do is make up for it."
"Exactly what I intend to do." Turning towards Unicron's spark, Megatron sighed. "Goodbye... Orion."
"Farewell... Optronix."
With those parting words, Optimus stepped towards Soundwave, along with Nightbeat and Hardhead, and the former Herald opened his portal. Once the three Autobots had stepped through, the one formerly known as Megatron raised the Matrix up to Unicron's spark and pulled on its handle. The container split open and the blue orb which it held floated out, bathing the chamber in light.
Optronix closed his eyes as he spoke his last. "Light... our darkest hour."
--Space--
Unicron chuckled to himself as the Cybertronians down below sent their useless ships against him, their firepower pining off of him with no effect. Plunging his outer mandibles into either side of Cybertron, the Chaos Bringer opened his maw and prepared to--
Wait. What was that he sensed, coming from deep within him?
NO! A powerful wave of white heat surged through his body; light began to pour from his crevices.
My destiny! He pulled away from Cybertron and started his conversion process, knowing full well it would be too late.
You cannot destroy.... It was too much for him to bear, and he allowed himself to be consumed by the light.
My destiny....
When it was done, the light soon evaporated, leaving behind nothing but darkness.
No comments:
Post a Comment