Chapter 1- Welcome To The Apocalypse.
Millions of years ago, on the distant planet Cybertron, a mysterious cosmic phenomena known only as the Black Dust descended upon the once peaceful planet, draining it's resources dry. Shaken by the rapid decay of their once-plentiful paradise, the population descended into feudal anarchy, their society splitting off into various baronies scattered all across the now lifeless cities.
Sifting through the decaying rubble, an ebony and lavender mechanoid searched the deserted ruins with a strange scanning device. It's optics flashed with intrigue, uncovering a black square case beneath the rubble. Pulling the case from the rubble, the mechanoid carried it over to another one of its' kind, presenting the mechanoid with it's find. The mechanoid in charge nodded before ordering, "Throw it on the pyre. Straxus' orders." Obediently, the other mechanoid walked over to a mound of flaming cartridges before throwing the newly acquired item onto the fire. Silently, the machine stood by, watching that piece of information burn. The flames scorched his optics, before he turned his back, avoiding the flame's vicious glare as he began following behind a contingent of similarly clad machines.
As they marched, the drones began to chatter amongst themselves, no doubt some of them were unable to deal with the almost deafening silence. '..Anyone wondered what happened to the other baronies?' '..Probably would've torn each other apart..' 'Damn wasteland...can't see a thing' 'Could be worse, right?' But at the back of the crowd, the inquisitive drone found himself haunted by the burning film. Concerned, the drone's friend tapped on the drone's shoulder before saying, "You alright, M-38?" The drone shook himself awake before answering, "I-I'm fine, sir." But just then, the leader at the head of the drone squadron checked over the horizon, seeing an ominous tower over that moonlit horizon, beforeannouncing to the drones, "Alright Vehicon Squad Alpha, welcome to Darkmount." The drones kept marching ahead, their steps made harder by the uneven terrain of rock and ash. To them, this was their home.
As the drones marched inside the castle, they were greeted with only silence. Inside the tower, the atmosphere was almost gothic in mood. Darkness shrouded the halls. Candles and flickering lights lit the stairway as the drones made their way to the lower levels. Some of the drones were spooked from the foreboding, almost sinister presence that seemed to surround them from every nook, every cranny and every corner. Such was the threat of this castle's master, who watched them from a higher place.
As the drones were crowded around a large ballroom, the chatter went dim as a dark blue mechanoid knocked his sceptre against the floor to get their attention. But his voice boomed across the room. "Welcome home, my children. In these wicked times, it makes me proud to have such loyal subjects amongst you. For several vorns, I have served as your guiding intellect. I served as your father. Your protector. Your salvation from the accursed wasteland. And from the ills of our forefathers." M-38 listened attentively, trying to ignore the flickering flames that raged uneasily in his spark. "The ills of science. Of free will. Of philosophy. I, as your protector and your father, have treated you, my children, as if all of you were an extension of my spark. And in return, all I ask from you is your obedience and your devotion. The many forms of information you purge from this world are merely dust-ridden relics, to be purified by the arbiters of change. You are the future of this world, my children. You are the materials I need to forge a new world order. You are the stepping stones for uniting all the infidels under our strong, benevolent rule. Understand that an enemy of progress is your enemy! The scientist, the thinker, the weak, the sick, they are all your enemy!" All of a sudden, the chamber walls echoed with the frightening cheer coming from the crowd. M-38 looked around him, his optics wide open with shock. Fellow comrades he knew, friends even...all bending to the will of a shadowy overseer. And that thought, more than anything, shook him to his core.