Chapter 3-Adrift part 3

The journey back to the city felt painfully longer than before. The desert around him seemed vast and everything was out of reach. He increased his speed to return to civilization, realizing how lonely he felt. It was painful, he realized, being alone. Sure, he wasn't exactly the easiest guy to be around, but he still had a squadron under his command, but out here his rank and status meant nothing. Out here he was Drift, an exiled Decepticon with no idea on what to do with his life.

He went back the way he came, going back into the cave, through the tunnel and reemerging into the cavern on the outskirts of the city. He never knew how good it felt to not fight for his life for once; no backstabbing, no assassination plots, just a city of bots who don't want to be caught up in an endless war. it wasn't a cowardly thing to wish for, even though Drift still considered the Circle a bunch of fools.

Drift had no idea how long he stood there staring out into the city when he heard Wing calling him.

"Drift!" Wing drove up to him and transformed, looking incredibly worried. "Where have you been?"

"I was out on a walk." Drift answered calmly.

"A walk? Damn it, I can't believe you'd sneak but like that." Wing sighed.

"I'm a Decepticon remember?"

Wing shook his head in dismay. "I thought you'd realize that going out there will get you killed. I thought we…I thought you wouldn't run."

Drift remained silent.

"It was that message wasn't it?"

Drift looked at his hands, clean and pristine, but stank of the energon and remains of his past kills. The fact that it bothered him now meant that he was no longer the mech he was in the past as Deadlock. "You stood against the Knight's laws. You're one of them, but you're different." He shook his head. "Why do you do it?" why do you break their rules?"

"I told you when we first met, helping another is the highest cause one can aspire to." Wing replied. "I do it because I think it's right."

Drift closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He pushed past Wing and switched forms, driving down the stairs and into the city, leaving a confused Wing behind. He sped down the streets, not stopping for anything until he reached the meeting hall for the Circle Knights. He reverted to robot mode halfway up the steps and pushed the doors to the meeting chamber open, startling the assembled council.

"You're in danger! All of you!" He yelled to the knights. He didn't pause to gauge their reactions as he continued. "There's an army of slavers out here preparing for war, and very soon they'll be on your doorstep."

"What?" Axe breathed.

"How could you possibly know that?" Asked Beta, another female knight.

Drift looked down. "Because I just made a deal with them to sell you out for my freedom."

XXXXXX

"I understand you are a great Decepticon warrior. Feared. Respected. Clearly you are a cunning warrior and yet you find yourself alone and stranded here." Braid said.

Drift stood with the Fareen and Lockdown in the prison block of Braid's base, where the slavers kept their "merchandise". No guards were present, obviously because neither criminal saw him as an immediate threat that they couldn't handle themselves.

"Shockwave has heard of your attempt to seize power from Turmoil, Deadlock. He knows Turmoil is seeking your head and has dispatched me personally to bring you in…unharmed." Lockdown said. "You're worth too much to our cause to lose you over a spat."

"You have friends in high places." Braid chuckled.

"And we're supposed to trust you and your deal?" Drift asked. "What's to say you won't kill us anyway?"

"You wound me. My kind, like yours, has existed for so many years. We too felt the sting of endless war." Braid said. "As the dust settled, what was left was a stronger, more determined species with one mission…immortality. We combed the galaxy in search of lifeforms we can use. We adapt ourselves and grow with each new discovery. You might call them upgrades."

He reached into one of the cells and plucked an unfortunate alien from within. "Now we shift more and more toward the technological. Throughout the years, we've been paying attention, watching. Your kind has always been there, always surviving, never dying. I want what you have." He tossed the alien to one of his brutes, who swallowed the poor soul in one gulp without even chewing. "I don't need you. Your "heroic" friends will do. They're clearly not Decepticons, so you shouldn't mind."

Braid pointed at Drift's body. "You've been repaired-that takes parts, equipment. There's more than the one who saved you. How many?"

"They're hidden," Drift looked away. "Well defended."

"I have an army."

"An all-out attack would be suicide."

"Then it's deceit." Lockdown, who was silent for the moment, spoke up. "Go to them, tell them whatever you need and lead them into an ambush."

"Give them to me, and you'll have your freedom." Braid promised. "What do you say?"

Drift opened his eyes. "Agreed."

Braid smiled and walked away. "You have one day."

Lockdown glanced at Drift. "Deadlock, this planet, these creatures, they're of no concern to us. Shockwave clearly has faith in you. Let's hope it's not misplaced."

XXXXX

"You did what?!" Dai Atlas roared. Axe jumped from his seat and stomped towards Drift, drawing his sword.

"I said I would do it. Not that I would do it." Drift said. "But I had to make them think that I would."

Axe pointed his sword at Drift's face. "Confusing statements aren't in your best interest right now."

"The message you received. It was in Decepticon script, and meant for me." Drift explained. "A Decepticon bounty hunter named Lockdown tracked me to this planet. He made a deal with the slavers and they made a deal with me. I had to agree to it. There was nothing else I could do."

Axe glared down at him, and sheathed his sword. Drift relaxed his stance slightly and continued his explanation.

"They've given me one solar cycle to send them your location and lead you into an ambush."

"And what would you have us do?" Dai Atlas asked, stalking towards Drift.

"Prepare for battle, Dai Atlas. Go to war. They don't know how many we have here-"

Dai Atlas backhanded Drift, knocking him to the floor. He snarled at the ex-Decepticon and called his guards. "Lock him up!"

"That won't change anything." Drift grunted, wiping energon from his split lip. He stood up and faced Dai Atlas, who was seconds away from mangling him. "I know I'm a Decepticon. I know you hate me, but now I'm on your side."

"Of course you are, right up until you lead us into an ambush!"

"Why?" Beta questioned, walking into the atrium.

"Why what?"

"Why are you on your side?"

Drift glanced at the doorway and saw Wing, who was smiling at him. The next words Drift spoke had lifted the weight from his shoulders that he didn't realize was even there. "Because I've found something worth fighting for. Because it's the right thing to do." He said passionately and looked around at the other knights joined around him. "Because I want what you have. It's what I've always wanted. And if we don't do something, they're going to take it all away."

He turned to his audience. "They know you're here now. The number-one reason you've never been found is because no one has been looking. Before long, they'll find this place. They'll find it and they'll tear it apart."

He looked at Axe. "Surely you have weapons."

"We do," Axe nodded. "In the vault."

"This is all because of you!" Dai Atlas shouted, his voice causing the room to shake. "This is your fault!"

"I know that. I know. But I'm trying to fix this. I'm trying to make it right." Drift replied.

"By going to war again." Atlas spat. "Doesn't you kind think of anything else?"

"I'm trying to save you."

"Like you saved Cybertron?"

That retort stopped Drift short, but Axe brought the conversation back on track. "Do you think they have the means to find us?"

"Absolutely."

Dai Atlas snorted. "Impossible."

"It's not."

"It is. We are completely hidden down here. They will never find us." Dai Atlas glared heatedly at Axe and the other Circle Knights. "I alone have access to the vault. I along can give the command for war and I will not! We can't do anything that will reveal our presence here. This city and its people must remain a secret!"

"Dai Atlas, they will find us. Surely you can see that." Wing pleaded.

Dai Atlas turned his back on them. "Our civilization is untouched by war. All of Cybertron's culture is preserved here. I will not jeopardize that."

"We don't have to," Wing countered. He pointed to Drift. "They know something is out here, but they're not sure what. They only saw me. Drift can send them a false location. One that leads them towards where I'm hiding. Somewhere away from the city."

"You're suggesting giving your own life for Crystal City?" Beta questioned.

"Yes."

"It won't work." Drift said. "They know you're not alone. They saw I'd been rebuilt. I was careful not to mention the city, but they know there's more than one."

"Then let there be more than one."

Wing turned to see Axe standing by him. The big mech smiled down at him, while Dai Atlas looked appalled.

"What are you doing?" Dai Atlas yelled.

"What must be done." Axe replied. "I will go with Wing. I will fight."

"You will die."

"So the city may live."

Beth nodded. "We will go."

"Maybe we can construct a derelict ship to make it appear we have crashed here. We won't have to go far once they find it. They won't look anywhere else." Drift said.

"This is madness." Dai Atlas growled. "You will die. All of you!"

"You said it yourself; we are the guardians of Cybertron's culture. If that cannot be sacrificed, then we must." Wing told him.

Seeing that he was on the losing side of the argument, Dai Atlas spun around and walked towards the door. Drift sighed and stopped him.

"Why are you doing this? With a fully armed city of Cybertronians behind us, we could overcome the slavers and put an end to their threat."

"Is that what it means to be a Cybertronian? War?" Dai Atlas scowled. His tone lacked the fire it had just seconds ago, and now he sounded tired…defeated.

"It's not as though Cybertron hasn't seen war before. Our civil war is one thing. I can see why you made the choice you did, but this is different."

"It's all the same."

Drift gave a frustrated growl. "I don't understand. Wing told me your history. You're a seasoned veteran, the oldest of the Knights of the Circle of Light. You've fought in wars before, many wars. How could you not-" Drift's eyes narrowed as he came to a startling conclusion. "Is that it? All those wars? You've fought in so many battles, against so many enemies. You can't stand to face it again, can you?"

He stepped around Atlas to look him in the face. "You'd rather risk the lives of everyone in this city because you're scared? What has all that fighting done to you, Dai Atlas? Made you a coward?"

"Maybe…but I'll take that over the initiative…" He replied. "Look what it did to you."

XXXXXX

Back at the dojo, Drift stood with Yoketron as the bots warriors picked their choice in melee weapons from the master's armory, which was massive. Apparently Yoketron had collected a lot of weapons over the years as a bit of a hobby and had done a great job in taking care of them.

"Thank you for allowing us access to your weapons, master." Drift bowed his head. Yoketron smiled.

"It's no problem, Drift. I'd do anything to help my students and the people of this city." Yoketron looked Drift over. "You look different."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yes. Like you've been through a transformation of your own."

"Yeah, I do feel…lighter in a sense."

"A heavy Spark is a large burden. Hopefully you can fully shed the weight of your terrible past and move forward."

"Drift!" Wing jogged over to them. "We need you to send the false coordinates. We've found something we can use as the crashed ship. It won't take long to get it into position, then we'll be ready to go."

"Good, we can finally end this." Drift said.

Wing stared at Drift. "You know, you don't need to fight with us. You could stay here. One this if over, you'll be safe."

"No. This is my fault. I need to do this." He said firmly. This was the first step on his road to a new life and he needed to take it.

"Well then, once you send those coordinates, you need to come with me." Wing smirked. "If you're with us, you better look the part."

XXXXXX

The hangar shaft split open under the rocky desert ground and from it arose a cybertronian transport that looked like it hadn't been used in ages. Axe stood outside acting as the lookout and he could see a small army of Fareen slavers marching into the canyon with Braid and Lockdown in the lead. Axe signaled the aerial alt mode bots to return to the ship. Inside the derelict vessel, every able bodied warrior from the Knights to Yoketron's students were ready and waiting for the big battle ahead.

"They're on their way as planned." Axe reported. "Just as we thought, they're taking the canyon, so we won't have to worry about being swarmed."

"Good," Wing nodded. "Now all we have to do is wait for out new member."

"He's already here."

Drift stepping into the light, his frame completely reformatted from the sleek form he once had into a stronger frame rebuilt with the Crystal City aesthetic. One his waist were the two swords that Yoketron had given him the previous day.

"You ready, Drift?" Wing asked, brandishing his own swords. "You must have gone into battle like this countless times."

Drift looked at the warriors before him. Mechs and femmes making a stand, sacrificing themselves to save the lives of thousands. A far cry from the band of backstabbing, murderous marauders he usually charged into battle with. Has he gone into battle like this before? No. His previous campaigns were nothing like this before. This was something special.

Drift took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm ready."

XXXXXX

The small collection of nights and martial artists stood outside the decoy ship waiting for the Fareen slavers to arrive. This was a tense moment for Drift, but he noticed that many of the other warriors were discreetly excited. It had been a long time since any of them had fought a serious battle like this, and for such a noble cause at that. The thrill, the anticipation, the tense atmosphere before a big battle. It was all prevalent in the air, and once the two armies saw each other, that energy will spark and ignite the fire that will rage violently.

"This will be a good death." Axe breathed.

"The ruse is complete. For all our enemy knows, we're all there is." Wing said. "With our passing, the secret of New Crystal City will be protected."

Drift looked around at the other bots and saw that no one was carrying any guns or other projectile weapons. "Just swords then?"

"We knights are forbidden from carrying anything else."

"And those Great Swords do more damage to us than them." Drift grumbled.

Wing smirked. "We'll only draw a great sword in times of extreme need."

"And what do you call this?"

"This?" Axe laughed. "I call this a warm-up!"

The first of the slavers exited the canyon into the open plain and that's when they noticed the assembled knights. The snake-like aliens gave collective roars and hisses as they charged at their foes, firing their laser staves and blasters. The knights met their charge with one of their own, and the two forces clashed in a bevy of clanging metal and explosions. The battle escalated quickly and soon everyone had someone to fight…except Drift.

Drift was in the thick of it. Laser bolts flew over his head, an explosion nearly knocked him off his feet, but despite all this, he noticed that none of the Fareen were targeting him.

"They'll have none of you, Drift." Axe said, spinning a great battle axe over his head. He spun around in a half circle and the cleaved the heads of three brutes in half with a single swing. "If you plan on betraying us, now's the time."

Drift frowned at that and rushed forward, sprinting past two Fareen and cutting open their chests with his swords in a burst of purple blood that stained the rocky ground. He beheaded another before snatching his gun and shooting another in the face.

"That's the way, lad!" Axe cheered.

XXXXXX

In his personal study, Dai Atlas stood over the holo-display, debating on whether he should turn it on as he stared at the black screen. He called them fools for leaving to fight, risking their lives when they could just hide, but deep down he knew they were right. They were just doing what the Circle of Light was founded for; preserving the remnants of Cybertron's culture.

He was a warrior who fought a thousand battles, either against invaders or fellow Cybertronians who fought to kill prey on the weak. He fought for noble causes, found the Circle on the very foundations upheld by the legendary Knights of Cybertron who served the mythical Thirteen. Dai Atlas battled marauders, barbarians, Quintessons, Vok…his old friend Star Saber. Fighting was all he knew, so of course it would take a toll on his mind.

It was because of these wars that Dai Atlas lost countless friends and comrades, watched them cut down before his eyes, tortured, destroyed, maimed beyond recognition…he couldn't take it anymore. His withdrawl from the combat theater had defanged him; he stood by as the senate and Functionists tore Cybertron apart with their greed and megalomania and witnessed as the Decepticons tore them apart in the name of their "revolution". He once reprimanded the newly christened Optimus Prime for inheriting a legacy that was better off dead and not doing what he thought was logical at the time-run. He ran back then during the Exodus, and he was running right now. He ran and hid from the truth before and it cost him Cybertron, and now everything he built, sacrificed for, was at stake once again.

"How many wars? How many battles?" He whispered. He gritted his teeth. "I can't stand it! Not anymore…"

He looked at the display and pressed the button, showing a hologram of the battle going on up on the surface.

XXXXXX

The battle between the knights and slavers was in full swing and already casualties were piling up on both sides, though it seemed the cybertronians were winning by a small margin. Drift and Wing were the most dangerous on the battlefield, sprinting across the field and cutting down their foes with practiced precision. They never remained in one place for too long, always on the move to make hard targets for the shooters.

Drift leapt over a brute that tried to grab him and stabbed his sword into his skull, pushing off the corpse and beheading a Fareen with a laser staff that tried to come at him from behind. He noticed a warrior with a gattling gun open fire on him and lifted the dead brute over his body to act as a grotesque shield from the artillery fire. He waited until the slaver had to reload and threw the body at the slaver to distract him before lunging at the poor bastard and slicing him in half.

"Keep your rhythm, Drift!" Win instructed. "Head up, eyes on your next opponent, not your last."

Wing leapt into the air and spun around, beheading multiple slavers with his swords before landing on his heels. In the same movement, he ducked under a sudden sword strike from behind and kicked his assailant in the face before flipping over a staff wielder and running them both through.

From his perch atop a cliff Braid sneered at the sorry sight before him. He knew it was too good to be true! This is what he got for trusting a cybertronian! The knights were slowly tearing apart his forces, even though his men had managed to shoot down some of the flyers that were giving them some grief. His angered gaze turned to Wing, who was doing the most damage against the heavy hitters that kept many of the knights on the defensive.

'That one is going to be a problem.' Braid thought. He growled and drew his dual-bladed staff and leapt into the canyon.

Wing saw a shadow descend upon him and jumped to the side as Braid crashed to the ground, burying his staff into the earth. The Fareen slaver hissed, his lips pulling back to reveal a mouthful of fangs.

"You!" Braid snarled.

"Me!" Wing replied.

The two rushed at each other and crossed swords, weapons clashing against each other in quick movements that were almost a blur to the naked optic. Wing was a skilled warrior, but Braid was not clan leader for nothing. He was just as skilled with his weapon, and had fast reflexes common for his snake-like species. Drift, seeing that Wing was having trouble with Braid, went to help his friend, but a plasma bolt hitting his leg stopped him short.

"He's the least of your concerns." Lockdown said smoothly. "You betrayed your kind. Give me one reason why I should not kill you where you stand."

Drift's response was to fire his two blasters at the bounty hunter's head, but Lockdown ducked under the twin blasts with surprising speed, lunging at Drift and swiping his hook at Drift's hands, knocking the guns from his grip.

"You're a Decepticon! What could they possibly have offered you to make you turn on us?" Lockdown yelled. He slashed his hook at Drift, but the exo-Con caught his arm and threw him into the ground. Lockdown rolled away before his face could be caved in by Drift's foot.

"What I've always wanted, the promise of a better Cybertron." Drift said. "Or have you forgotten why we started all of this in the first place?"

Lockdown snorted. "Hmph. Idealists. You'll be the death of us all." Lockdown brandished his hook and charged at Drift. Drift ran to meet his advance, but a tray missile hit the ground between them and blasted them apart. Drift lost sight of Lockdown behind a wall of flames and smoke as he hit the ground face first, his audio receptors briefly filled with static from the explosion.

"Ahh," He groaned and spat out a glob of energon as he pushed himself off the ground. "W-Wing…"

He saw his friend still fighting Braid, but he was wounded. Wing was favoring his right arm and his matching leg was leaking energon from a deep cut on his thigh. He lost one sword, and he was defending himself from Braid's increasingly powerful attacks with his remaining one. He blocked a strike from Braid's staff and charged forward into his guard to slash at his head. Braid ducked under the sword and slammed his knee into Wing's torso. Kicking Wing in the face, Braid spun around and stabbed his staff into Wing's chest, much to Drift's horror.

"No!"

XXXXXX

"No!"

Dai Atlas slammed his fist into the console and fell to his knees. Another friend lost to the fighting and all he did was stand there and watch. It brought back memories he spent so long repressing and he couldn't take it anymore. He warned him, told him that he would die. And yet he still went galavanting off with that Decepticon! Why did he do this?

"Damn you, Wing, why didn't you listen to me?!" Dai Atlas wailed.

"Because he knew that death would be preferable to seeing his home be destroyed by an easily preventable disaster."

Dai Atlas looked up and saw Yoketron standing in the doorway. "Master?"

"Wing knew that he could die, but he still went, because that's what he vowed to do upon joining the Circle. He vowed to defend his home, his values and the innocent even at the cost of his own life. He knew the risks, but he knew his duty as well." Yoketron said, stepping up to the grief stricken leader. "It's the same vow you once took upon forming the group."

"This could've been prevented if that damn Con died back on the surface! It's his fault all of this is happening!" Dai Atlas screamed. "None of this would've happened if Wing hadn't taken him in!"

"I have also granted Drift sanctuary. Am I to blame as well? If so, then you may kill me right now." Yoketron said sternly. "Wing spent time with Drift because he knew that Drift was lost. Needed guidance to regain his sense of purpose. Something that you have lost as well. Look and see how Drift fights to protect this city, which isn't even his home. An ex-Decepticon is doing more for this city, than its founder and leader."

"Leave me be, master." Dai Atlas groaned.

"You know what you must do, Dai Atlas. If you want to avoid losing more of your friends, then you must show that you still hold the values of the Circle of Light in high regard. If not," Yoketron turned his back on his former student. "Then you must take that sword and end your own life in shame of your dishonorable actions."

Dai Atlas watched Yoketron walk away, wincing from the sting of his harsh words. He knelt there in the darkness, silent, and looked at the battle going on above. He muttered a prayer to Primus and stood up, walking towards his sword.

XXXXXX

"Rah!"

Drift lunged at Braid and rammed into him, sending both of them into the ground. Braid kicked Drift off and spun around, the bladed point of his staff cutting into Drift's side.

"You're wounded!" Braid laughed as he dodged Drift's attacks. "Slow!"

Drift slashed and stabbed at Braid, but the Fareen moved like an eel through a net, weaving around his swords like water and landing his own share of powerful blows in return. Sparks flew as they battled, and though Drift's rage gave him strength, he was not strong enough to fight a seasoned killer like Braid.

"You think you're fare better Decepticon?" Braid taunted, grabbed Drift's arm and pulling him forward to slam a fist into his nose. "You move like he does, but you lack his finesse."

Braid twirled his staff to block another sword strike at his head and stabbed his claws into Drift's abdomen. He wasn't expecting Drift to headbutt him, and he staggered back, allowing Drift some room to breathe. He felt to the ground, clutching his wound and Braid stomped towards him, frills vibrating as he hissed angrily.

"You're mine, Decepticon." Braid growled, fangs glinting dangerously. He pointed the tip of his spear at Drift's bleeding face. "I'll slice you up along with your friend and use you for parts!"

Before he could follow through on that, the ground suddenly began to shake. The Cybertronians and Fareen stopped fighting as the tremors grew stronger. Braid stumbled back as the nearby mountain split apart and from its depths arose a vast city of gold and sapphire-New Crystal City. At the entrance to the city was Dai Atlas, his great sword in hand with an army of knights and former Autobots behind him, armed and ready for battle.

"Cybertronians!" Dai Atlas bellowed, sword raised. "For New Crystal City!"

The warriors of the Circle of Light cheered as they charged forward, firing their blasters and missiles in an all-out assault on the slavers. The Fareen were completely overwhelmed and brought to heel, if not from the wall of laser bolts and rockets, then from the airborne bots carpet bombing them. Those who survived the long range assault would have to deal with Dai Atlas's knights, and there was no competition there. It was a massacre.

"No," Braid growled, yellow eyes wide with fear and loathing. "No!"

"Braid!"

Braid saw Drift limping towards him, Wing's great sword clutched in his hand, sparks shooting from his torso wound. Braid sneered at him. "We're not done yet."

"You can hardly stand." Braid scoffed. "What can you possibly hope to do, Decepticon?"

Drift gripped the word tightly and the jewel on its hilt began to glow. He felt a link form between him and the sword, and could feeling it leeching energy from his entire being. He fought the rush of exhaustion; in his condition, weak and wounded, he only had one shot at this. One shot was all he needed.

"I'm not," Drift growled. "A Decepticon!"

Drift leapt at Braid with the last of his energy and Braid stumbled back at the unexpected burst of speed the reformed mech threw at him. He raised his staff to block Drift's sword as it came down on him, but it was a futile gesture as the blade easily sliced through his staff and dug into his shoulder, cutting through his body with ease until he was completely bisected at the torso diagonally. Braid's look of shock was the last expression he would ever have as his body, both halves, fell to the ground dead, with Drift standing over him.

XXXXXX

The battle ended in a Cybertronian victory. Most of the slavers were dead, others fled into the desert wilderness for survival, although the chances of that were slim. The casualties of those of New Crystal City were thankfully low, but one death was one too many. Dai Atlas and the others collected their fallen comrades and placed their bodies in a line, with Wing being the last.

Drift stood next to Dai Atlas as the knight commander prayed for his friend. Lockdown was long gone, and Drift knew that he would be back for him. But that was in another time, far from now.

"This could have been prevented. I was such a fool." Dai Atlas whispered. He took a deep breath and turned to his knights. "New Crystal City will no longer be hidden. We will grow. Our message of peace will spread." He looked at Drift. "I was wrong about you, Drift. You were right and I am sorry. So I must ask, will you join us?"

Dai Atlas smiled and looked at Wing. He looked peaceful in death. A tragic passing, but one that should be celebrated, for his death was not in vain. He held Wing's sword out to Dai Atlas.

"I'm honored, Dai Atlas, but I must refuse." Drift said softly. "When we first met, I promised Wing to help him free the slaves and return them to their homes. That is a promise I intend to keep."

"And then what?" Asked Axe.

"I'm not sure. I don't know where I belong anymore. Not with the Decepticons, obviously," Drift sighed. "Logic would dictate I join the Autobots, but I'm not convinced."

"Then keep this," Dai Atlas pressed Wing's sword back into his hands. "Allow it to serve as a reminder of who you are and what you achieved here. No matter what you eventually become, remember to stay true to your new path and uphold your honor. You will always be one of us. The War is far from over but each day we take one step to real peace."

Drift and Dai Atlas shook hands. "And with any luck, young knight," He continued. "Far from here, you will find peace."

At the city gates, Yoketron watched the scene with a proud smile on his face. To see a lost soul find their true path, their meaning in life, was proof that their race was not some lost cause. There was still hope in the universe, so long as there were people like Drift around to carry the torch. For their race had the capacity to change; not just their physical forms, but also their hearts and minds.

For that is what it means to be truly alive.