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What is to become of the rest of The Dynasty of Primes? Time to find out...

Rising Sun – Part 7

Jetfire had been one of The Fallen's seekers. Optimus recalled his brief but impressionable first and last encounter with Jetfire, the aged seeker, here in Egypt an Earth month ago. The ex-Decepticon had nobly sacrificed himself to donate his parts to Optimus so that he would have the needed power to defeat The Fallen. Combining with Jetfire's parts had temporarily given Optimus more power than he had ever wielded before. It had been both a thrilling and a regrettable experience. Part of Optimus had revelled in his newfound power as he defeated both Megatron and The Fallen in short time, but another part of him had been wary of the great destructive potential he possessed during that battle. And of course Jetfire, an ancient Cybertronian seeker that had chosen to turn away from the Decepticons, had willingly died to give him that great power when it was necessary. He had died for a Prime he had never known personally. His act of sacrifice demanded the highest praise and respect. Optimus was sorry that he had never had the opportunity to know Jetfire before the battle here in Egypt. He could only guess what personal conflicts and guilt Jetfire might have gone through during his life to finally become convinced that working with the Decepticons was wrong, and to sacrifice himself for a Prime he had never met as some form of atonement for past sins. Perhaps not all of The Fallen's followers had been as evil as their master. But unfortunately, The Fallen's missions for vengeance and power had been unstoppable.

Optimus's vision turned inward again.


Early Cybertron.

"Alpha Trion!" Sentinel Prime shouted.

The constructor looked up to see Sentinel Prime running toward him down the corridor that led into the room he was standing in. He was holding the hatchling Optimus in his arms. Sentinel's expression was grave.

"Alpha Trion, Nova is coming this way! You have to take my young brother and get out of here fast!" Sentinel informed urgently.

"What of the other Primes?" Alpha Trion desperately asked.

"Four of my brothers have fallen by his hand already!" Sentinel quickly replied. "Only me and Omega remain! He returned from the Sol System more powerful than before! Omega and our warriors are attempting to hold him and his army back at the gates! I have to return to help him!"

Alpha Trion's head shook slowly in denial.

"This cannot be! He will wipe out the entire Dynasty of Primes! Has he descended into madness? Is he unstoppable?"

"Alpha Trion, you must leave here at once!" Sentinel reiterated, placing his hands on the loyal constructor's shoulders firmly. "I do not think we will be able to hold him back for much longer! You have to keep Optimus safe! He may be the last of us remaining."

The hatchling Optimus was staring up wide-eyed at Sentinel fearfully, not comprehending his words, but sensing something was wrong. Alpha Trion bowed his head.

"As you wish, Sentinel, my Lord."

Alpha Trion and Sentinel exited the room speedily. They ran along the corridor to a set of automatic doors. The doors opened to reveal a clear path heading to a city, but a short distance away, the sounds of a fire-fight echoed.

"Head for somewhere safe. Remain hidden at all times," Sentinel instructed to Alpha Trion.

He gave his infant brother, Optimus, one last caring glance before he turned and headed for the battle nearby. Alpha Trion wasted no time and ran into shadows, clutching Optimus tightly to his chest plate. It was not long before he encountered rubble from collapsed walls in his path. Then the sound of an explosion shook the ground. Alpha Trion realized the battle was dangerously close to him now. He heard feet approaching and took cover underneath some metalwork on the ground amongst the rubble. Optimus was growing agitated in his arms and Alpha Trion held a finger to his small metal lips to quieten him. From a small gap in the metalwork cover, Alpha Trion could see outside. To his dismay, Nova Prime himself walked into his view. The evil Prime's hands were radiating intense heat, and in the claws of one of his hands was the torn head of Omega Prime! Energon was still leaking fresh from it. He let the head clatter to the ground. Alpha Trion's hand went to his mouth in horror. Then he saw Sentinel approach to face Nova Prime. His body displayed severe heat damage; smoke rose from burnt and melted patches of his metal.

"Omega…brother…" Sentinel choked with grief.

"Your suffering will be brief, Sentinel," The Fallen monotonously spoke, "for you will soon join your brothers and forefathers in extinction."

"Nova...why…?" Sentinel croaked.

"Nova is dead. Only 'The Fallen' remains," The Fallen darkly responded. "Your father denied me. I will have my revenge."

"You are insane!" Sentinel cried out in anguish.

Sentinel attempted to grab the The Fallen's face, hands reaching furiously for it. But he found himself suspended in midair just inches from his target. The Fallen's telekinetic powers had halted him. He was then suddenly flung down onto the ground by the invisible force. The Fallen pressed down one searing hot hand over Sentinel's vulnerable face and raised his spear over his chest.

"And so the last of the kings of Cybertron fall," The Fallen uttered coldly.

He drove his spear through Sentinel's spark. Sentinel's optics flickered before finally turning dark. Alpha Trion was frozen within his hiding place. He had just witnessed the fall of the last known Prime descendent!

"The Dynasty of Primes is no more," The Fallen murmured to himself. "Now I am the only one remaining."

The Fallen pulled his spear out of Sentinel's burnt offline body. He paused briefly over the corpse before walking out of Alpha Trion's view. Alpha Trion waited until he could no longer hear anything before he dared move. He then crawled out of his metalwork cover, shielding Optimus's small face with a hand. He stood up and looked on at Sentinel's lifeless body. Nearby, Omega's head lay discarded on the ground.

Alpha Trion looked down sombrely at the hatchling Optimus cradled in his arms. His shielding hand touched the side of the infant Prime's face gently.

"You shall not share the same tragic fate as your brothers, Optimus," he whispered with conviction. "I will see to that. The last Prime will survive."