CHAPTER FOUR
--Cybertron--
It was all falling apart. Everything Starscream had dreamed of having was slipping through his fingers.
Faceless drones swarmed the streets of Iacon. Sharkticons devoured buildings and people alike. Combiners marched through the masses, crushing anything that came underfoot. No amount of firepower from Onslaught or Strika or even Kup's bots did anything to deter them.
It was Unicron all over again. Except this time, the burden was on his shoulders. If Cybertron fell, he would be the one to blame.
"Enjoying the view?"
Starscream squawked as he nearly fell through the window of his office. Spinning around, he saw a solitary purple figure standing there, a single unblinking optic staring back at him.
"Shockwave?!" Starscream exclaimed. "What are you--? How are you--?"
"I have come with reinforcements," Shockwave replied. "You can thank me later."
Looking back out the window, Starscream saw that a portal had opened in the midst of the battlefield, allowing a mob of Autobots, Decepticons, and Maximals to pour out, turning the odds ever so slightly in his favor.
Shockwave then grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him to turn around, boring his singular eye into the frightened Seeker's.
"Now then, you are going to listen to me and do exactly as I say," the purple Decepticon said. "Otherwise, the entire Cybertronian race is going to pay."
"Hey." Starscream held up his hands. "Sounds good to me."
* * *
Drift was beginning to think this idea was not a good one.
"Whoa! Slag, slow down!" he cried out but the Dinobot was not listening, charging into the battlefield at full speed as he unleashed a blast of fire. Drift clung onto the triceratops' horn with one hand and struggled to wield his sword with the other. Of course, he doubt he would be able to easily use it against anything given his awkward position.
Much to his chagrin, the others did not appear to be having any struggles. Bumblebee had already become well-accommodated to the airborne Swoop, firing his stingers at oncoming fliers. Crosshairs was also working along well with Snarl, as was Ironhide with Sludge. Even Hound, mounted atop the tiny Slash, was making do, deploying hologram decoys to distract the Sharkticons.
Only Grimlock rode without a rider, munching his way through Terrorbots and Vehicons while batting away Sharkticons with his tail. Drift could not help but wonder if, had he still been alive, Ultra Magnus would be teaming up with the Dinobot leader....
He was broken from such thoughts as he caught sight of a large red ship flying in to join the battle. After a double take, he identified the craft to be Star Saber just as he spotted Swerve and Tailgate manning a set of gun attachments on the knight's sides.
"Hey!" Swerve hollered out. "Is this a private party or can anyone join?"
Drift grinned back at him. "You guys sure do know how to make an entrance."
"Not the first time today I've heard that!"
With that, Star Saber flew deeper into the battle with the minibots. After taking a minute to finally position himself properly, Drift let out a battle cry as he and his Dinobot steed charged after them.
* * *
"Dammit, Misfire! Even with a gazillion drones to shoot at, you still can't hit anything!"
"I am hitting things!" Misfire protested, rapidly firing his gun. "Look, I just -- I just hit those two guys over there!"
"Yeah, after nicking Bikecross in the shoulder!" Crankcase grumbled to himself as he fired his shoulders cannons. "Honestly, I don't know why Krok even keeps you around."
"My dashing good looks? Or perhaps it's my dry wit."
"We all have dry wit, you dip."
"Then it must be the first thing."
"Out of my way, losers," Nitro Zeus said, pushing past the two Scavengers. "It's time for me to be awesome."
He strode out onto the battlefield, shooting down a pair of Terrorbots, before setting his eye on a red and black figure that had made an appearance on the scene. The warrior bore a striking resemblance to a certain Autobot leader; even Crankcase had to perform a double take when he saw it.
Unfazed by the resemblance, Nitro Zeus cracked his knuckles. "So! You look pretty tough. Think you have what it takes to mess with the best?"
The warrior seemed to regard Nitro for a moment before starting to laugh. Nitro's single optic flashed in anger.
"What's so funny? Ya got something to laugh about, you diode? I'll give you something to laugh about!"
He let out a roar as he charged towards the warrior, guns ablaze. The mech barely flinched as he casually deployed a blade from his arm and swung it upwards. As Nitro Zeus' head went flying, Guiltaur pushed his body aside before diverting his gaze to the other Decepticons.
Misfire nudged Crankcase forward. "He's all yours...."
* * *
The Decepticon's severed head landed at Elita's feet, but she paid it no heed. Instead, her optics were fixated on Guiltaur as the fusion proceeded to attack the Fallen's army of Decepticons.
It can't be, she thought, watching as the Optimus lookalike blew a purple and green Decepticon to pieces with his arm cannon while skewering a gold one with his sword.
"Optimus?" She started to step forward, only for Convoy to grab her by the shoulder.
"Not Optimus," he said to her. "Maybe physically, in part. But I have seen Quintus create such experiments before. If your sparkmate isn't dead, then he most certainly isn't here on Cybertron."
Elita frowned. "Still, I can't allow that... thing to desecrate his image."
"I agree." Convoy then looked up to Nexus Prime, who had recently reassembled himself. "Say, you don't still happen to have that sword, do you?"
Nexus glanced down at him. "You mean the Star Saber?"
Convoy rolled his optics. "No, I mean the Chaos Edge. Of course I mean the Star Saber! Prima entrusted you with it, didn't he?"
"Yes, but he also said it could only be wielded by those who are worthy of it. I cannot guarantee that--"
Elita held out her hand. "Give it to me."
Nexus looked at her in surprise. "But--"
"If I'm not worthy, then I'll use something else. But neither of us will know unless we try."
The combiner Prime was silent as he glanced at Convoy, who merely shrugged. Then, without a word, he produced a shimmering blue blade out of thin air, which floated over to Elita. She grabbed the Star Saber by the hilt... and lifted it up with immense ease.
"Well then," Convoy smiled, "I suppose that settles it."
After testing the sword's weight, Elita turned around and set her eyes on Guiltaur, who had a grimacing blue Triggercon at his mercy. Kicking on her back thrusters, she charged ahead into battle.
This is for you, Optimus.
* * *
"Look at them all. To think that they believe they have a chance at winning."
Thunderwing chuckled to himself as he stood atop Iacon's highest tower, accompanied by his four heralds. Overlord -- now under his control via the Titan Master Doomshot -- had been left behind on Luna 2 to enact the final phase of the plan with Quintus once everything was in place. He only had one last thing to do.
"Shokaract, Razorclaw," he said to two of his heralds. "Keep them occupied here on the surface. Rodimus and Nemesis shall accompany me to the core."
Razorclaw growled. "Why take the Autobots? Surely I am far more worthy!"
"You are not," Thunderwing said coolly. "Now do as your Prime commands."
Razorclaw glowered but complied, flying down to the ground with Shokaract. Once they were gone, Thunderwing beckoned his remaining two heralds.
"With me, my friends. It is time for the Ascension."
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