CHAPTER EIGHT
Once his systems had rebooted, Optimus Prime found himself in a most unfortunate predicament: He was clinging onto what was Fortress Maximus' waistline.
As his processor struggled to comprehend this, he spotted Magmatron just a few feet above him, hanging from one of the Titan's side cannons. While the Beast King struggled to orientate himself, Optimus looked up to see Megatron zipping around the Titan's arm and flying towards him.
"Grab on, Prime! Quickly!"
Not needing to be told twice, Optimus jumped off of Fort Max and grabbed onto the Decepticon leader, who proceeded to fly him towards the ground, where the Autobots and Decepticons -- as well as the beasts -- awaited them.
"Seems like the very appearance of a Titan is all it takes to bring a battle to a halt," Megatron remarked.
"The Maximals don't seem to be under mind control anymore," Optimus noted. "Their eyes are back to normal."
Upon touching ground, the two leaders joined their troops in gazing at the arisen Fortress Maximus... who, it quickly turned out, was not alone. Hovering in front of the Titan was a massive black and orange figure, made from the five Predacons that had once ruled Eukaris. Suspended by large swooped wings, the gestalt looked down upon the gathered crowd with an air of superiority.
"My people," grated the Predacon combiner, "thank you all for your service. Without you, my ascension could not have been accomplished."
"That's not who I think it is, is it?" Jetfire murmured.
"But now," the gestalt went on, "I must attend to more pressing matters. For now, you are free of my control... for once I have vanquished my brothers and sisters, and become the true Prime, the entire universe will bend to my will. So enjoy your freedom while it lasts; it is my reward onto you for your services.
"And as for the Cybertronians... take solace in that you were able to witness this historic moment. Not everyone cane say they've met a god days before his ascension."
With that, Onyx Prime flicked his wrist and both he and Fortress Maximus were gone in a flash. Left in their wake were Magmatron and the remaining Fuzors (as well as the Optimus clone Convoy), who all fell to the ground, their descent softened by the dirt that had replaced Stonehenge.
The gathered Autobots, Decepticons, Maximals and Predacons all stood in silence for a while, still trying to process what had just happened. Ratchet and Flatline quietly attended to the wounded while everyone else looked to their respective leaders for guidance.
Eventually, Rattrap was the first to speak. "So, eh, no hard feelings, right?"
Ignoring the Maximal, Megatron said, "I trust that I'm not the only one who realizes that this conflict is far more than what we might make of it."
"I agree," Rhinox inputted. "I think this fight has long since transcended factions. It's no longer about Maximal or Predacon, Autobot or Decepticon."
"So what do ya propose we do about it?" Ironhide asked. "We don't know what these Primes and Titans are tryin' to accomplish or where they're all gatherin'."
"I think what Rhinox means is that we all must stand together if we are to face this new threat," said Elita-One. "I mean, I doubt we'd accomplish anything by continuing to fight each other."
"You expect me to work with you Autobots?" Dreadwing spat. "Fat chance! This was already bad enough, I can't imagine--"
"It's either that or become slaves to the Primes," Viral said sharply. "I'm not particularly keen on either but I greatly prefer one over the other."
"I answer only to one, and that is the mighty Megatron!" Lugnut bellowed, raising a fist to the sky. "I shall follow wherever he guides me!"
Optimus glanced at Megatron, who fell oddly silent. With a sigh, the Autobot leader said, "In any case, we should wait to smooth things out over at Autobot City. We have plenty of wounded to attend to, including Leo Prime and Magmatron."
"You're going to help him?" Megatron asked.
"He deserves it as much as anyone. Besides, it's clear he was only played like a tool by Onyx." Optimus then turned to Wheeljack. "See if you can get a GroundBridge portal up and--"
At that moment, a green portal materialized in front of them. Emerging from it were Brainstorm, Windblade and Perceptor, who all stopped upon seeing the assembled bots and beasts... as well as the wanton destruction happened upon Stonehenge.
"Oh man," Brainstorm muttered. "Fowler's gonna be ticked."
* * *
Thousands of light years away, on the desolate world of Combatron, Soundwave watched as everything fell apart.
Deathsaurus laid dead at his feet. Well, not dead, just... changing. Changing in a way that was not natural. Leozack and Jallguar were dead. Hellbat, Guyhawk, Drillhorn, and Killbison were either dead or in stasis; at the very least their bodes were intact. Esmeral and the others had all fled, taking the Warworld with them.
At the center of all the madness was Gemma. Except she wasn't Gemma, not anymore. Void Scepter in hand, she now stood in her true form: blue, red, and empowering. The façade had finally fallen. They had been deceived.
"I am the new past," Delta Magnus spoke into the unstable portal. Beyond it, Soundwave could see a universe in decay, trapped in a constant state of death.
"I am the new future." In the center of the portal floated a single figure. Small and frail yet powerful and godlike all the same.
"I am the answer this world has been looking for."
Soundwave felt Shockwave grab his arm. When his former mentor spoke, he sounded lost and defeated like he had never sounded before.
"Now, while she's distracted."
Without so much as a thought, Soundwave projected a portal behind them. While Shockwave went on through, Soundwave took one last look at Delta and her master before following suit.
The portal vanished into thin air just as Quintus Prime emerged from her interdimensional prison. Grinning wickedly at her prospects, she took the scepter from her disciple's hands and activated it. Rusted gears creaked and old metal groaned as Trypticon stirred awake once more....
HELLO CRUEL WORLD: CONCLUDED
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