CHAPTER SEVEN
--Autobot City--
"What did you do, Wheeljack?"
"I didn't do anything!" the Autobot engineer protested as he cast a light on Metrotitan's systems. "Seriously, if you're going to blame anyone, blame Bulkhead. He's the one who nearly dropped a crate on where Metrotitan's actuator would be."
Arcee sighed in exasperation as she banged her head on the wall. "Just get the door open. Prime's not answering his comm."
"I can't get anything to do anything. It's like he's refusing to--"
Without warning, the door flew off its hinges and went crashing into Wheeljack's monitor. Bulkhead stormed in, hands rolled into fists.
"Is everyone all right?" he asked.
"Yeah," Wheeljack muttered, lamenting the loss of his equipment. "Just peachy."
"What's going on, Bulkhead?" Arcee asked. "Is Prime--"
"You two had better come outside," Bulkhead grunted. "You guys are missing out on all the fun."
* * *
"Impossible! Our laserfire is just making him stronger!"
"Swerve! Time and place!" Ratchet snapped as he and the other Autobots returned fire to the massive Decepticon known as Ragnarok. Unfortunately, the Minibot seemed to have a point; even with two dozen Autobots firing at him, Ragnarok was showing no signs of slowing down. Even Ultra Magnus -- who was currently wearing the same armor he had used against Ragnarok before -- was failing to do any damage.
"Your efforts are futile," Ragnarok boomed as he delivered a punch to Ultra Magnus' chest, knocking him back. "My ascension is at hand. The Matrix will be mine."
"It's always gotta be about the Matrix," Skids remarked. "Maybe Megatron should have kept it."
At that moment, Ratchet heard the sound of a truck honking. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Optimus Prime charging through the battle lines, towing his trailer behind him.
"No!" Ratchet cried. "Prime, get back--!"
His protests went unheard as Optimus advanced towards Ragnarok. Detaching from his trailer, Prime transformed to robot mode while his trailer unfolded into his Combat Deck. As Prime took control of the deck's central turret, Ragnarok set his eyes on him and grinned.
"And so it shall be."
Ignoring the Autobots' continued assault, Ragnarok stormed towards Optimus. With one hand he pinned the Prime to the ground, crushing the Combat Deck. While Optimus struggled against his grip, Ragnarok tore open his chest, revealing the Matrix of Leadership within.
Ragnarok's grin broaden. "Oh, so precious...."
Unable to stop him, the Autobots could only watch in horror as Ragnarok ripped the Matrix from Optimus' chest before winking out of view, leaving behind a severely injured Prime. As Ratchet rushed to his aid, Skids lamented over the situation.
"This is not what I would classify as 'good.'"
--Warworld--
"We cannot leave."
Both the Fallen and Deathsaurus stared at Shockwave as if he had lost his mind. The former seemed particularly irate as he tightened his grip on his newly reacquired Void Scepter.
"What was that?" the ancient Prime intoned.
"We cannot leave," Shockwave repeated, calm as always.
"Why not? We have what we came for. There is nothing else of worth on this pathetic planet."
Shockwave inclined his head in Deathsaurus' direction. "Are you not at all concerned by Dauros, Blood, and Gilmer's absence?"
"They mean nothing," the Fallen said before Deathsaurus could speak. "Their losses will not impede on our endeavors."
"Regardless, they are my troops," Deathsaurus said. "I can't just leave them behind."
"You will," the Fallen growled, stepping closer to the warlord. "Or rather, you will if you value your involvement in all this."
"Both of you are missing the larger picture," Shockwave said. "The fact that the three of them have all gone missing is no coincidence."
The Fallen glared at him. "Do you know something we don't?"
"A former subject of mine has come to Earth," Shockwave replied. "He goes by the name of Ragnarok."
"And?" the Fallen growled. "What purpose does he serve?"
"I created him after the Cataclysm as a failsafe should something like Thunderwing ever happen again. To that extent, I decided to salvage Thunderwing's remains and use them in Ragnarok's construction. Upon completion, he was initially nothing more than a tool -- no more sentient than a turbofox."
"If that is the case, then how has he developed the intelligence to travel here?"
Shockwave stiffened, not meeting either of their gazes. "In my... lack of foresight, I ended up salvaging more of Thunderwing than I had intended...."
Deathsaurus frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Not long after activation, Ragnarok began displaying characteristics that were in common with Thunderwing. As such, I quickly neutralized him and left him in Tarantulas' care. I had trusted him to ensure that Thunderwing's personality did not fully manifest in Ragnarok... it would appear he has failed."
The Fallen crossed his arms. "I fail to see how this is cause to stay on this rock."
"Dauros, Blood, and Gilmer were all loyal to Thunderwing during the height of his power. If they have gone missing just as Ragnarok has arrived... I am positive this is not a coincidence." Shockwave paused before saying, "I should also mention that Thunderwing has an affinity with the Matrix of Leadership."
This got a reaction from the ancient Prime. "The Matrix? Here?"
"It is a likelihood, yes."
Growling to himself, the Fallen turned to Deathsaurus. "Send out all your forces. We are not leaving until this Ragnarok -- Thunderwing -- whoever is dealt with."
"As you wish," Deathsaurus muttered before taking his leave.
--England--
Gigatron crawled helplessly on the ground. His legs, if he even still had them, were not responding. His left arm and wing laid off to the side, beyond his reach.
It... it can't end like this.
Behind him, Folgan Castle laid in ruins. The swarm of Insecticons were still in the midst of their fight with the Autobots, who now had the upper-hand thanks to Jetfire's blast and Sky Lynx's arrival.
He dug his claw into the dirt. What use was any of it now? All of his quests for power had ended in misery. Ragnarok, the Enigma... none of it had panned out to his desires. It was all for nothing.
"Oh, woe is you."
Gigatron gritted his teeth. Tarantulas. That was the one constant in his despair. The spider had been the one who told him Ragnarok's laser core would empower him. The spider had been the one who led him here to find the Enigma.
The spider... was still here.
"Where are you?!" Gigatron bellowed, pounding the ground. "Show yourself, coward!"
"Coward? Tsk. I've been called worse than that."
"I've had enough of your games! You've brought me nothing but misery!"
"Oh, come now. I've brought you to this moment, haven't I? You should be grateful."
"Grateful?!" Gigatron roared. "I would be grateful if you would reveal yourself now so that I may squash you like the bug you are!"
"Is that all? Very well then."
Gigatron's cranium burst open as Tarantulas grew to full size. As the Predacon spider crawled out, he transformed to robot mode before turning to the now-headless warlord.
"Satisfied? Now then...." He moved his gaze to Folgan Castle, where the battle continued to rage. "To business."
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