Transformers Prime: Shrouded Truth (#4) [Completed]

Chapter 37

Unicron was already awake. He was using Megatron in order to revive himself, and in order to prevail, took control of all the Vehicons he could, and anyone he couldn't he killed. The infighting, Starscream's and Soundwave's retreat, it all made sense.

"What do we do now?" Arcee asked.

"I... uhh." I was at a lot of words. I couldn't think of anything. It all just left. The plan we had wouldn't work anymore, everything we were counting on, gone. I knew this would happen. I knew I wouldn't be able to do this.

"Lora?" Ultra Magnus' voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He wasn't looking for an answer. No, he was trying to tell me the exact same thing he had told me last night. Trust in myself. Trust in the team.

I took a deep breath. Rational thoughts came back to me. Slowly, a plan formed. The old plan would work, it was obvious. I would just need some tweaking.

Determination came to me as I looked around at everyone. They would stand by me, we could do this.

"We continue with our original plan," I said. "It should still work. As long as I can get close to the amulet, I can stop this all. The only new factor is, we have a time limit. As long as we can distract and hinder Unicron, we can prolong it." I took another breath. "Our first priority is to cover those vehicons' retreat. They may help us or not, but either way we need to get all possible allies and sources of strength away from Unicron. Bee and Arcee, that's your job. Bulkhead, Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus, you three are responsible for keeping the enemy off of Optimus and I; we're going for Megatron and the amulet. Any questions?"

Wheeljack raised his hand. "Just one: when can we go?" A wicked grin grew on his face.

I nodded, pulling in one last steadying breath. "Let's move out."

As one, we moved into the room. The wreckers took the lead, taking the controlled vehicons head on. Arcee and Bumblebee joined the other vehicons, helping them to the exit. Surprise was clear on their faces, but they listened to Arcee's commands and followed to the exit. Optimus and I were the last to enter, together making a run towards Megatron.

Optimus fired upon Megatron as soon as we were in range. The shot was true, heading right for the warlord. It never made it.

Megatron didn't look as he thrust his hand out. An arc of purple energy reared out, engulfing the shot. Then it was gone, never even coming close. That didn't deter Optimus or I.

Together we fired upon Megatron. Still, the arcs reached out and engulfed the energon. Each time the colour and density of it grew. We were feeding it.

"Optimus," I said, stopping in my tracks and haunting my assault. He listened and copied my actions.

A deep, throaty laugh echoed through the chamber. Megatron tipped his head back and laughed.

"What's Bucket Head's problem?" Wheeljack asked, walking over to Optimus as I as he twisted his katana's around in his grasp.

All of the controlled vehicons were laying on the ground, dead, and the others had fled. I wasn't surprised by that fact, but it was one less thing I had to worry about. Everyone was at my side, weapons at the ready.  All of our might in one place, that was the best option.

Megatron's laughter grew, and finally he turned away from the growing purple energy. When he opened his eyes, I stiffened.

They were steaming purple, the edges ringed by the familiar cracked dirt the made up Unicron's armour. When he turned, it wasn't with the power that Megatron expressed himself with, but the god-like ego that Unicron held himself too. Megatron was gone. No, this was Unicron before us.

Optimus recognized this too. "Unicron," he greeted, his voice threatening. "What have you done to Megatron?"

Unicron rolled his shoulders. "He's my vessel, for now. It took the amulet longer than I expected to taint him and allow me to posses him, although, a shorter time than it would have been for me with Lora."

Wheeljack stepped in front of me, the protectiveness I would have seen from Smokescreen too. That's why Unicron had jumped at the opportunity to get into the amulet of life. It wasn't only to keep the only thing that could destroy his power under his control, but also to assure his return through me. I shuddered at the thought.

"Lora, you are acting much more like yourself, considering the last time we met," Unicron said, looking around Wheeljack's leg to see me. I moved past the wrecker, keeping my chin high and holding my staff firmly.

I didn't cower as I looked him in the eye. "The amulet was influencing my emotions, or rather, I should say you were. I think we can both agree I was hardly myself."

"Fair point," Unicron scoffed.

"Release Megatron, and leave this world, and we will not have to destroy you," Optimus commanded.

"I will not listen to a prime," Unicron spat. "And I will not allow myself to be defeated a second time by the likes of you." His hands shot out, purple already snaking from them. The tendrils moved to the corpses, filling them up with a darker life.

The Autobots moved back-to-back, weapons at the ready.

"Blades are of the best use," Optimus told everyone, switching his blasters for his twin swords. The bots capable of blades changed to them with a nod.

Every dead vehicon rose to their feet. Their eyes glowed purple, all wounds glowing with dark energon.

The tension of our group rose, either anticipation of dread, I didn't  know. Mine was dread.

Unicron slammed his hands into the ground, and from it rose jagged crystals of dark energon. Chunks dropped away, and from the purple crystal came the clones of Unicron. They stood taller than Optimus, mingling in the ranks of the dead. We were outnumbered, twenty to one, but still Unicron was not done.

He snapped his hand shut, as if finalizing something. The purple energy was snuffed out in an instant, but the army did not move. They encircled us, waiting to be let lose upon us all. My eyes flipped between the left and right, watching for any sudden movements. The zombie cons snapped and stomped, wanting to have at us. They were held back as if restrained by an invisible leash.

I swallowed hastily. "Alpha Trion, any tips you have, or even a moment where you want to take control to help out, feel free to act."

"I will do what I can Lora. Stay strong." He sounded as worried as I did.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway. They approached, and I listened to them as they separated into two separate foot falls. Each pair took the opposite way around us. I tried to see who they belonged to, only for the figures to be hidden behind the army. Directly in front of me, the army split, clearing a path for the new enemies.

I recognized the first instantly. He was just as menacing as ever, even more so with a physical body. The Fallen looked down upon me with a disgusted look. Reluctantly, he moved aside for the second set of foot falls.

Everyone tensed as he emerged, his signature relic in its usual place. A Decepticon insignia was clear on his chest and shoulders, glaring as as if telling a message of what he belonged to now. The new colour scheme did nothing to change who he real was, nor did the purple eyes. Shame was written all over his face, and I could tell that he wanted to hid it all; the symbols, the eyes. Everything.

Smokescreen stood in front of us.