Chapter 4

After a brief word with Heimdall, and all the guards had left his presence, Odin leaned on his staff and let out a sigh.

"Got a lot on your mind, Allfather?"

The voice made Odin go stiff. After glancing around with a tight grip on his staff Odin said: "Show yourself!" After a moment, a standard Asgardian swords man stepped into plain view. He turned to face Odin, and then his image began to fade with a glowing light. Once the light had passed all that was left was a dark, cloaked figure, wearing a red mask.

With a half-hearted bow, the man spoke: "Hello, my name is Darknal. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Odin considered the man in front of him, and started to notice that the room was getting slightly darker and colder. Tightening his grip on his staff Odin responded, "Why are you here?"

"Because I have need of your precious Tesseract."

Odin now had both hands on his scepter "What is the Tesseract to you?"

"More than even you, Allfather, can imagine."

Ready to fight Odin said "I suppose you are the one responsible for Heimdall's blindness?"

"I am sorry for that inconvenience, if it makes it any better it is not something I can...control."

"If you are here to steal from me, then you are not welcome." Odin stated defiantly.

Darknal looked down shaking his head "That was a mistake."

Odin blasted his staff straight at his opponent, who dodged out of the way. A second blast was sent from the staff, which was avoided easily as the first. Finally Odin shot a blast that was on a direct path with Darknal, but at the last second Darknal raised his hand, and red lightning shot from his suite's finger tips. The lightning collided with the blast sending it off course into one of the room's pillars. Odin stared in disbelief at what he had just witnessed. Odin shoot another blast at Darknal, but this time when the lightning hit it, the blast was slowly absorbed by the lightning, and seamed to make Darknal stronger. Odin sent a continuous burst of power from his staff, which hit Darknal causing him to slide back. Then Darknal stopped sliding, and Odin saw that he was absorbing the blast, and his head was slowly rising. Odin strengthened his attack, but it only seemed to help Darknal. The red lighting was slowly pushing against the blast, until it overcame Odin's attack and struck him.

Odin blocked the lighting with his staff, but noticed that his skin was getting paler, and it was becoming harder from him to stand. With the attack not letting up Odin slowly sank to his knees as Darknal continued to shoot lighting at him, and begin to walk forward. Finally Odin could not hold out any longer, and fell on his back, defeated. Darknal stopped his attack, and stood over the fallen god. Odin looked up at Darknal and was barely able to speak,

"What are you?" Odin asked,

"Darkness incarnate." Darknal responded before blasting Odin one last time, causing his eyes to close. With that Darknal picked up the staff, blasted a hole in the roof, dropped the staff by Odin, and walked toward the dungeons.

**Scene change**

Bumblebee sped towards the leader of the decipticons as fast as he could. He knew that if he took him on it would be his last fight but he didn't care. He had to save his friends. "Megatron!" He screamed as he leapt towards the transformers with his reared back, "It's time for you face your end."

He slammed into Megatron's face causing the decipticon to stumble backwards. He spun around quickly firing off a few rounds from his cannon which only infuriated Megatron. Megatron spun around swinging his mace at bumble who leapt out of the way. The decipticon leader then transformed his other arm into a canon and fired three shots at the young autobot. All three shots found there mark causing sparks and flames to shoot out of Bumblebee's chest. Megatron walked up to the fallen autobot, pinning him to the ground with his foot, with a smirk on his face. "Did you really think you could best me?"

"I wasn't trying to." Bee muttered looking off into the distance smiling.

"Then what was the purpose of this pointless exercise."

"Well two things really one: the matrix is gone," Bee said as he watched Bruce run off the highway and towards the nearest town, "and two: I was stalling."

Megatron looked at the young autobot with slight confusion, but before he could response the roar of a diesel engine pierced the air. "Well, I'll be damned if it isn't Optimus Prime."

The sound quickly materialized on the bridge above them. Bruce turned to see whether the new arrival was friend or foe. The red and blue truck with flames on the sides smashed through the barrier separating him from the fight. In midair, it transformed into the same size as Megatron, making it sizably bigger than the other Transformers. It flew right into Megatron, slamming into him sending the pair skidding down the highway.

Megatron threw Optimus down the highway who recovered quickly landing on his feet skidding down the highway. The autobot recovered and drew his canon off his back firing at Megatron. The decipticon leader stumbled and fell backwards to the ground. Optimus leapt on to his enemy and stabbed him in the side. The Hero got up off his fallen enemy leaving him pinned to the highway. Optimus reached out his hand and summoned the matrix of leadership to him.

The device ripped itself out of Bruce's belt and too Optimus' hand. Suddenly the Matrix glowed a brilliant shade of blue from its center. Upon seeing this Optimus slammed it into Bumblebee's spark healing the fallen Autobot, but before celebrations could be made another noise broke the air.

**Scene change**

Thor was about to enter the artifact room, when he heard an explosion. He turned around and quickly ran outside. He saw it came from the throne room, and with a swing of his hammer he flew towards it.

**Scene change**

Loki was in his cell pacing, his mind reeling: (Who was that guard? Why was he here? What was that explosion that had made half of his guards disappear? And most importantly how am I getting out of here?)

At that moment Loki heard a commotion outside. He looked out of his cell to see his five guards all yelling at something. Then red lightning shot across the room hitting two of the guards and causing them to turn pale, grow old, wither, crumple, and turn to ash. Two more guards ran forward out of view, and were soon thrown back into view smashing into the far wall. The last guard ran right to where Loki could just see him then stop and arch forward. Loki saw small black points coming out of his back, and blood dripping down from them. The points retracted and the man fell to the ground. Loki stood frozen as a dark, hooded, figure entered his view.

The man stopped in front of Loki's cell and looked at him for a moment before speaking: "Hello, Loki."

"Should I know you?"

"Where are my manners? My name is Darknal, and I come to offer you a gift."

"And what is that?"

"Freedom from this cell, and power to crush your enemies."

Loki considered this for a moment, "What is the price?"

"Your corporation in a…small endeavor."

Loki pondered his options, "Okay, I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine."

Darknal nodded then took a step back, reaching his hand out red lightning shot out and made contact with the energy field. The field erupted into sparks and slowly dwindled, until it was gone. Loki noticed that the lightning retracted back towards the figure before disappearing. Loki bounded out of his cell with a grin on his face, but then Darknal put a hand on his chest stopping him.

"I know your reputation," Loki suddenly noticed the temperature of the room, and how the lights had started to dim. Darknal's hand, if you could call it that, was just like his suit except the fingers were like claws, sharp, and it was as cold as ice. "I know you like to betray people, but let me assure you that I will not stand for an attempt of treachery. And I will kill you the moment I think you will betray me. Are we clear?"

Loki kept his terrified expression from showing, and was barely able to fake a smile, "Completely."

With that Darknal let his hand down, and stepped back, "Now, show me where they keep the Tesseract."

**Scene change**

Optimus turned just in time to be shot straight through the chest sending him flying down the highway. Bubblebee watched in horror as his leader fell to the ground. He turned to see a larger transformer slowly walking up the road, with a cannon where his face should have been. The transformer changed his cannon back into his face without missing a step, making a bee line for the still recovering Bubblebee. Sideswipe suddenly swung up from underneath, where he had been fighting a decepticon, but was instantly grabbed by the throat and flung back down. Ratchet tried to move but couldn't, and Jazz slowly crawled toward the decepticon, with one leg blown off. Optiums slowly rose, but as soon as he did, the transformer's cannon reappeared and shot Optimus again, sending him flying farther away. The transformer reached bee, who tried to fight him, but was instantly pinned by one arm, and a foot. The transformer reached into bee's chest slowly pulling out the Matrix which still glowed bright blue.

On seeing this, Megatron stood, appearing to have faked most of his injuries, "Lockdown! Took you long enough!"

"Good to see you too!" Lockdown responded,

Megatron walked over to his fallen brother grinning, "Oh, you made it too easy this time Optimus! You didn't hesitate to unlock the Matrix, to save your friend!" Megatron laughed as his brother tried to rise, and then fell back down. "You are weak." Megatron said before pulling a gun out and aiming it at Optimus' head.

"Megatron!" Lockdown yelled, "We need to leave! We cannot be late!"

With a look of anger on his face, he lowered the gun, and walked toward Lockdown, who was holding the Matrix. Both deceptions transformed and hurried away from the fight, along with any other of their brothers, who were still alive.

**Scene change**

As Darknal and Loki burst into the artifact room, Thor flew into the throne room. He landed with a loud crash and quickly looked around. He saw his father sprawled out on the steps of the throne, and let out a cry. He rushed to his father just as Sif, Heimdall, and several guards came in. Thor held his father and let out a cry towards the heavens. At that moment Loki grabbed a handle on the case holding the Tesseract, and with a twist, he and Darknal were both gone.