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

Chapter 9

The world was rumbling when I woke. It took me a moment to realize where I. I was in an ambulance. More specifically, Ratchet.

With a yawn, I shuffled upwards into a sitting position.

"How are you feeling?" Ratchet asked. His holoform walked up to me, his eyes looking me over, the concern clear.

"Pretty good," I said. "Feels like I just slept."

"That's all that it was, thankfully," Ratchet said. "Optimus told me everything that happened."

"Is he all good?" I asked, although I already knew what the answer was.

"Yes. What happened on your side?"

"It was almost like a dream," I said. I thought back to the moment I had touched the monolith. "As soon as I touched it, I heard Primus' voice. It was a pre-recorded message that explained the amulet of life. Can everyone hear me?"

"We can hear you Lora," Optimus' voice came.

"Okay, good." I didn't want to have to repeat myself with this. I took a breath and started.

"The amulet of life was created after Unicron created the amulet of death. It was meant to maintain balance between the two sides during their huge fight. After Primus prevailed and cast his brother out, he left the amulet on the edge of the well of Allsparks, where it would eventually end up in Alpha Trion's hands. He gave him a mission.

"Even though Unicron was no longer around, his influence through his amulet still was. He corrupted the sparks of transformers and used them as an extension of his will through his amulet. This was how the Fallen and Legion Maximus fell to the 'dark side'.

"The mission that the two cloakers Optimus and I ran into mentioned was the same one Alpha Trion had been given, to destroy the amulet of death."

There was silence over the coms. Ratchet looked at me, his face telling me he was in deep thought.

"How do we destroy the amulet of death?" Optimus asked finally.

"With the amulet of life. From what I got, they cancel each other out, and just cease to exist. I don't exactly know how, but I kind of got the jest of it. That was another reason Alpha Trion sent his conscience to the amulet when he died. Not only could he keep it safe, but he could also help the bearer complete the mission of all the bearers before them."

There was a silence again. No one seemed sure what to make of this information, just as I had.

"What happened to the two cloakers?" I asked, since no one else was speaking.

Ratchet's holoform fizzed away upon seeing that I was fine, leaving me in the back of the ambulance.

"They remained behind," Optimus said. "I invited them to join us in our fight, but they could not leave the monolith. They can not leave until the mission of the amulet is complete, only then, they said, could they move on."

"That's unfortunate. It would have been nice to have more firepower against the cons, especially with cloaking technology."

"I got a look at it," Ratchet said. "I might be able to rig one up, that is, after we finish making a new ground bridge."

"Did you get all the supplies?"

"In the end, yes. We even managed to find a jetpack for Optimus. Although it took longer than expected because of your incident."

"Sorry about that." I looked at my lap. "I didn't mean to wander off."

"You couldn't control it." If I could had seen Ratchet, I knew he would had shrugged at my comment, brushed it off like nothing.

My phone buzzing snapped my attention to it. Quickly answering it, Miko's voice flowed out of the phone as I put her on speaker.

"Where are you guys?" Was her first question.

"We're heading back now," I said, unable to give her a precise location.

"About half an hour out," Ratchet offered. "Did you get everything?"

"We did," Raf answered. Apparently we were also on speaker. "Wheeljack and his group was able to help us transport all the parts back."

"Do you guys need a lift?" Wheeljack asked.

"We will be fine," Optimus said. "Ultra Magnus, can you gather a team and return to the former base?"

"Will do," Ultra Magnus said.

"Check with Fowler that the area is clear before you return; do not take any chances."

Faint receding footsteps could be heard over the line, along with Ultra Magnus' voice commanding the bots back at the base.

"Well, I guess we'll be seeing you soon than," Miko sighed after a few moments of silence.

"Any complications over there?" I asked.

"Nope, just a very boring mission. You?"

"It's a long story," I grumbled.

"Oh," Miko perked up. "Can't wait to hear all about it."

There was no warning as she cut the call short. I chuckled a bit.

Our group drove in silence again, and to be honest, I was surprised Slug wasn't complaining like he had been on the way here. I certainly wasn't missing it.

"Alpha Trion?" I called, somewhat worried about him. He hadn't answered or helped me in the room, and I need to know why. And if all was good now.

"Yes Lora."

"Oh thank Primus. I was worried something had happened to you."

"No, all is well. I was blocked from the amulet's powers due to the monolith."

"Why was that? I thought the whole reason behind it was to aid us?"

"It is, but it can not tell the difference between our amulet or Unicron's, so it naturally blocks the abilities. Although, I am unsure of how you broke through that wall."

"Must have been that staff I summoned, or what ever happened there."

"You summoned it," Alpha Trion confirmed. "It is much like my swords, but I doubt that is why."

"How was I able to summon it?" I asked.

"It takes a lot of strength to do so, and a situation where you or someone you care for is in grave danger."

"Why didn't that happen when—" I stopped, choking back the memories. I couldn't go further, but Alpha Trion got what I was trying to say.

"With Optimus, you knew that you could block that attack and save him. With Smokescreen, your desire was to simply get to him." There was pain in Alpha Trion's voice as he said my late guardian's name. Sensing my grief, he continued. "I can already see the question forming; even if you could have summoned the staff, you would have been too far away to do anything different."

"I now, but that doesn't stop the 'what if'," I said.

"I miss him too," Alpha Trion sighed. "But know, he would be proud of you, for how you are moving forward and what you have accomplished."

My hand strayed to the bracelet. My fingers found the charm, and played with it, a habit I had created when my mind wandered to him.

"I know."