With their cities destroyed, and their gods at war with one another, the surviving citizens of Cybertron rose up to create a new society. A society that had no need of gods, or a Guiding Hand. Using their combined talents and abilities, they built a safe haven beneath the surface of their planet. It was there that the artisans and scientists came together to craft the lifepods that would cradle their gods in an endless sleep.
Solomus and Epistemus did not go quietly, but they were laid to rest before the others. Mortilus, the gentle God of Death, was next — spirited away while he recharged. Adaptus, the instigator of the God War, nearly escaped custody, but was eventually forced into his pod. His features were still twisted in rage when stasis finally overtook him.
Primus, the life giver, the healer, the most beloved of the Guiding Hand, was the last to enter the haven. Escorted by his closest attendants, he entered the inner chamber of his own accord. The god's benevolent gaze lingered on the lifepods, noting that they were laid in a circle, with their occupant's heads pointing toward the center. Stepping forward, he trailed orange fingertips over the elaborately-engraved pod next to the open one that would soon be his resting place. Mortilus' calm features gazed up at him, his normally vibrant optics dark and lifeless. The effects of stasis, Primus knew, but the sight still caused his spark to clench.
"Lord Primus?" one of the guards spoke, his voice trembling slightly.
The god turned his attention away from his closest companions to the mechs and femmes in the entranceway. No matter their allegiance, each and every one of them were his beloved children. "It's alright. If this is the will of our people, then I will comply," Primus insisted calmly. "If I may make one last request…"
The guards exchanged a concerned glance, but nodded their consent.
"A moment along with my acolytes. To say goodbye," the first born entreated, gesturing to his priests.
"As you wish, Lord Primus." The larger mechs stepped back, closing the door behind them.
Celeste stepped forward, her face overtaken with sorrow. "Is it true, Lord Primus? Will you allow them to seal you in here?"
"We'll find a way to release you," Nova insisted, his own features twisted in rage. "There are many citizens who are angered by this decision."
Primus shook his head. "The majority have spoken. We must follow their wishes. But, before that, I have one last task for you, my dearest acolytes."
"Anything," the pair whispered in tandem.
The lithe, orange-plated god smiled, even as he reached into one of his hidden compartments. Pulling forth what appeared to be a flattened metallic object, he handed it to Celeste. "This key will lead you to where I have hidden my greatest creation. I call it the 'Matrix.' It will be a guide when future generations need it most."
Celeste's crimson optics widened in amazement, even as the object cast blue light over her dark faceplates. Wings trembling behind her back, the flier bowed, overcome with wonder at the gift.
"Keep it safe, and keep it hidden until the time is right. This I task you with, my acolytes," stated Primus. "Now, as my last act, I wish to bestow my blessing upon you both. Wherever your paths lead, may they bring you happiness."
The femme stepped forward, allowing her god to kiss her gently on both cheeks. Nova followed suit, receiving the same blessing in return.
"It is time, Lord Primus."
At the sound of the guards returning, Celeste quickly slipped the key into her subspace, folding her servos modestly before her.
"So it is," Primus sighed, stepping closer to his inevitable fate. His acolytes rushed to either side, helping him settle into the lifepod gracefully. As the glass closed over his slim, regal form, the chamber fell as silent as a tomb.
After a moment of silence for their now slumbering gods, the group turned to leave. Their footsteps echoed the room as they stepped into the hallway, their heads lowered in reverence. The door slid shut behind them, sealing their gods away.
Celeste cast one last glance at the door, which was inscribed with the once-revered symbols of the Guiding Hand. Even in the catastrophic aftermath of the God War, it was sparkbreaking to see their beloved creators laid to rest in such a dishonest manner. She hoped with all her spark that future generations would be more lenient. If she and her fellow acolytes kept HIS name and purpose alive, then their beloved Primus may one day walk Cybertron as a free mech. Until then, she just had to keep the faith.
Night had fallen upon the war-ravaged surface of their planet by the time they finally made their way out of the depths of the haven. From the surface, the entrance to the haven appeared to be nothing more than a circle of polished metal adhered to the ground, inscribed with the symbols of the Guiding Hand. In an effort to conceal it from the public eye, it was identical to many other circles placed around Cybertron. As far as the general populace knew, they were monuments to the Guiding Hand, as well as a warning of the destructive power of war to future generations.
Once fully sealed, the door that led down into the depths below could only be opened by a mech or femme blessed by Primus himself. And as he had ordered his followers not to interfere with the public's decision, they would not be swayed by the acolytes of any of the other gods. They trusted their beloved Primus to know what was best for their society.
"Primus was very brave, wasn't he?" Celeste whispered, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort. Her wings fluttered behind her, giving away her emotions.
"He was," the guard in the blue armor sighed, only to get elbowed in the side by the guard next to him.
"This is not forever," Nova insisted, his voice calm and assured. Placing a hand on his fellow acolyte's shoulder, he gestured to the devastation they could see in the distance. "Once society is flourishing again, the people will realize how much they miss our creators. Then they will be released to live among us once more. Not as our rulers, but as our guides. Of course, Lord Adaptus may require more time to reintegrate into society."
"I hope you're right," the young flier replied, giving the older priest a grateful smile.
A brilliant light in the sky caught their attention. Before their optics, Luna 1 was beginning to glow brighter and brighter. Gasps filled the air, even the senior guard set the final lock on the entranceway, effectively sealing their gods within.
Unbeknownst to the people on the planet below, Adaptus' faithful followers, after hearing of his wrongful imprisonment, had decided to take it upon themselves to implement their god's great plan. They would blast Cybertron with an electromagnetic weapon, ensuring that the population no longer remembered their past. Then they would free Adaptus, and only Adaptus, to lead Cybertron into the glorious future.
It was a pity, really, that Adaptus hadn't had a chance to finish installing the failsafe to ensure that a backlash would not occur.
"What… what happened?" the young flier asked, even as she stumbled to her feet.
"I don't know. There was a bright light, and then…" her larger companion shook his head, trying to remember why they were there.
"Hey… you look familiar. I just can't recall your name," the blue-armored mech next to them said.
"I'm… I'm… I don't remember. Maybe I hit my head," the winged femme stated, rubbing her helm.
"I don't remember my name either. I think, maybe, it started with an 'N.' What are we even doing way out here?" the white-armored mech asked, glancing around. All optics were drawn to the inscribed, metallic circle on the ground by their feet.
"What's this thing?" the biggest mech, clad in green and black armor, asked, noting that it was slightly lighter in color than the ground around it.
"Who knows. It can't be that important if it was just left on the ground. Maybe it's Art… whatever that is," huffed the blue mech.
"I think that's a city. Or the remains of one, anyway. We should probably head there," the white mech insisted, pointing in the direction of the strange buildings that could be seen in the distance. His companions nodded, transforming into their second shapes easily — despite their initial surprise when their bodies seemed to change on their own.
Hesitating, the young femme turned to look over the strange circle again, noting the curious symbols inscribed into the surface. Her optics kept drawing upward to the sun-like carving at the top of the circle. There was something about that image that made her feel both elated and saddened at the same time.
"Come on, wingy! If you don't hurry, we're going to leave without you," the white mech insisted, revving his engine.
"Coming!" With a quick transformation, she found herself in the sky. It was such a wonderful feeling that she quickly forgot about the object that had, only moments before, seemed so very important. Easily taking the lead, she led her companions toward the city.
Deep below the surface, in a strange room lit only by delicate blue light, golden optics flickered to life. He alone had felt the surge pass through the planet, bringing with it a sense of foreboding. But he knew it was not yet time to awaken. One day, he and his brothers would walk the surface as free mechs, ready to guide their people once more. Until then, they would rest and reflect on their failure, so that they could make better choices in the future.
Note: Nova (before he had wings), and Celeste (an OC acolyte of Primus). Sadly, in his eventual quest for power, Nova steals the key from Celeste, finds the matrix, and becomes a Prime. I have a feeling that Primus would have much preferred Celeste for the role of Prime, but even he could not have predicted the outcome of his blessing upon them both.