ACHOO! Oops, sorry *wipes computer screen with tissue* I have a cold (which seems impossible considering all the freaky warm weather we've been having), but that won't stop me from posting! This chapter is a bit depressing. Please don't hate me for it.

I don't own transformers. Nor am I very good at writing in prose (you'll see in a minute).

"You once asked about your ancestors' family name, I believe." Ella said.

I nodded. "Yeah, I said that Darby didn't exactly sound like a name belonging to an ancient clan. Why?"

"The truth is that your ancestors never had a family name."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"They didn't need one." Ella said. "Their mere presence would signal who they were."

"I'm not following you."

Ella sighed. "Valerie, you are a descendant of the first and most powerful family of the Spiritus. Legend says that they were created by Gaea herself. Their eyes were molten gold and shining silver. They kept the peace and balance between this world and the other side. In a sense, they were royalty for our kind."

"Let me just go and polish my tiara." I mumbled. "So what does this have to do with me going into the planet's core? And wait, I thought a Spiritus' eye color depended on their family, how come theirs' are different from mine?"

"In a moment, please, let me continue. Your family held great power for thousands of years. But then, around the seventeenth century, they suddenly cut themselves off from the rest of the Spiritus, almost disappeared entirely. No one knew why until the prophecy was discovered."

"What prophecy?" I asked warily.

Ella breathed deeply, then began to recite:

"To stop the great Earth Mother's plight,

A warrior of the firsts will be chosen to fight.

One eye as white as summer's light,

The other as black as midwinter's night.

Send her to the dark one's heart,

Wherein she'll tear out that evil part.

Then at last Earth Mother can start,

To adorn the world in loving art.

The warrior shall make her final stand,

With love in her soul and Saber in her hand.

She'll banish the Chaos Bringer from the land,

But her heart shall burn as the Fates demand.

But from this warrior's demise,

A great power shall come in disguise.

From her earthy tomb it will rise,

A dragon to guard o'er the land and skies."

I stared blankly at the screen. "…I…don't understand…why..."

But her heart shall burn as the Fates demand.

Ella's eyes glistened with tears. "I am sorry to burden you with this, but I thought it only right that you should know before you continue."

"But…why do I have to die?" I asked softly.

"That is the only way to defeat the Chaos bringer." Ella said. "It has to do with your method of Expulsion, even if you are using the Star Saber. I did not lie when I said it was dangerous. You see, when a Spiritus summons a weapon, that weapon is formed solely from the power of their heart. If a Spiritus puts too effort into Expelling a spirit…their heart will literally…burn away."

But her heart shall burn as the Fates demand.

So this is what Dad had been trying to protect me from; what he'd refused to tell me for so many years. Had he really thought that he could keep the prophecy from affecting me? That hiding me away, refusing to tell me anything would keep me safe? It didn't matter, the prophecy had found me anyway. I was going to die; it spelled that out simple and clear.

I had to die.

No choice in the matter, I had to die.

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt a teardrop drip onto my hand.

Ella was crying too. "I'm so sorry child."

That look on her face, so much like that of a parent's, made me lose the last of my control.

"Goodbye Ella." I choked out, slapping the laptop shut.

I collapsed onto the ground, hugging my knees to my chest, and started to sob. My breath came in gasps as my vision blurred with tears. Right then I wanted nothing more than to be six years old again, wrapped in my mother's safe arms, protected from the world. But I'd never get to see my mother again. Not in this life at least.

I'd never get to see Jack, never celebrate another birthday or holiday with Zig-zag and Lola, never go back to Seattle…I'd didn't think I'd have so many things that I would regret not doing. But now they came full blast, streaming through my mind.

It just wasn't fair.

Why must I die?

Prima's word from what seemed like forever ago echoed in my mind: "Are you going to let your planet and all you care about perish?"

A flickering flame came on inside of me with that thought. If I didn't die, then Unicron would awaken, and then everyone: Mom, Jack, Lola, Zig-zag, Optimus, and everyone else I cared about would all die. I was sitting here, drowning in self pity while the world was balancing on the tip of a knife. No one else could do this. It was just me. And I wasn't about to let everything be destroyed just because I was afraid of dying. We'd all end up dying if I did.

With each passing second my resolve got stronger and stronger. My breath became steadier, my tears dried up. I stood up, breathing deeply.

I had to do this.

And no one, not even Optimus, was going to stop me.

A plan slowly began to form in my mind. Composing myself, I picked up the laptop and walked back to the others. They were conversing casually, nothing about their demeanors said that they'd heard what Ella had said. Good thing too, because my plan wouldn't work if they had. I needed them to think that I was going with them.

I handed the laptop to Zig-zag. "Here you go, sorry for the hold up."

"What did Ella say?" Lola asked.

"Just trying to give some last minute advice on Expelling a spirit." I said nonchalantly, glad that the night helped hide my still slightly red and puffy eyes. "So how soon can you get that cloak up and running?"

"In a few hours." Zig-zag said.

"And I guess there's nothing I can really do to help?" I asked.

Zig-zag laughed, already typing away. "I doubt you'd understand even half of what I'm doing."

"So I guess I should just stand around being bored?" I asked.

"That'd probably be for the best." He said.

I sighed. "Maybe I'll go take a nap."

"That doesn't sound like a half bad idea." Lola yawned. "I certainly could use the beauty rest."

"Got that right." Ziggy chuckled.

Lola slapped him upside the head.

I took a mental picture of them, smiling and joking about. I doubted it I'd ever see them like that again. I walked away from the group a bit and sat down on the ground, not even a minute later heavy, recognizable footsteps followed.

"Val," Optimus said. I didn't bother turning around. "What did Ella say to you?"

"It told you, it was some last minute advice."

"If it were simply that, then why have you been crying?" he asked.

I stiffened; leave it to Optimus to be the only one who noticed.

"It's nothing." I said.

Optimus crouched beside me, gently placing a finger under my chin to turn my head towards him.

"What has upset you?"

I frantically thought of something. "You want to know why I'm upset? I'm upset because of the double standard."

"I do not understand." Optimus said.

"I mean I'm upset by the fact that it's perfectly fine for you to risk your life to stop Unicron but when I have to do it you go and throw temper tantrum!"

"Val—"

"I'm an adult; I can make my own decisions. I don't need you hovering over me." I said, the words were coming easily because they were true. I remembered the hurt I'd felt when we left the Star Saber, and that helped add fuel to the fire. "I'm supposed to stop Unicron, so why won't you let me? Is it because I'm human, is that it? You don't think a human can handle it?"

"No—"

"Then is it because I'm a woman?"

"No—"

"Is it because I'm, like, a thousand years younger than you?" I asked

"No—"

"Then why—"

"Because my spark will not allow it!" Optimus said. "Risking your life, it does not feel right in my spark. I have been to the earth's core, I have stood before Unicron, and each time I picture you down there I…I…" He gripped his helm, desperately searching for words. "I cannot send you down there. I simply cannot."

"But you don't get to decide that." I said softly.

"Then what would you do, if the roles were reversed?" Optimus asked. "What would you do?"

"You've already been to the core." I pointed out.

"Answer the question." He said.

I thought for a moment; what would I do? If I knew that Optimus was going to the core with little hope of returning, would I let him leave? I knew that I would not return, and I thought about what it would be like if Optimus didn't return. There'd be no rumble of that deep baritone voice, no calm blue eyes, and that soft smile; he really needed to smile more often, it made him look younger, less war weary. As I thought of that my heart seemed to stutter a bit. An ache ran through my body and I suddenly wanted to start crying again.

"I'd fight it." I said at last. "I'd fight tooth and nail to keep you here."

Optimus nodded. "You understand."

"Yes." I said. "But I also know that you'd still go, because you knew it'd be the right thing to do."

Optimus sighed. "There is no right way to end this, is there?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

We slipped into silence, staring up at the stars. Tears threatened to escape again as I thought of what I'd have to put Optimus through. I didn't want to hurt him like that, for him to feel that loneliness. And that's when Ironhide's words began to sink in. Their meaning gave me such a shock that I almost broke into hysteric giggles.

There was something between Optimus and I. Had been for awhile. It might not yet be love, but it was heading that way and it was heading that way fast. I glanced over at Optimus, wondering if he knew. Maybe he didn't, and maybe that was for the best.

How ironic: I start to fall in love right before I die.

Add that to the fact that I fell for an alien robot and I'd say that the universe has a twisted sense of humor.

"Val, you are crying." Optimus said softly.

"Am I?" I hadn't realized; stupid tears. I quickly wiped my eyes. "I think I'll hit the sack. Wake me when Ziggy gets a signal." I laid down and rolled onto my side, facing away from Optimus.

He didn't offer to have me sleep inside his alt mode. He knew I'd refuse. But he didn't move either. He sat there watching, making sure I didn't leave. I wasn't going to. Not yet at least.

I shut my eyes, not sleeping. No, I couldn't sleep. I was making plans.

And summoning spirits.

Yeah I know, you all probably hate me. But just hang in there! I promise everythings going to be explained in the next couple of chapters.

Next chapter: Ratchet and the others finally come into the story and Val goes after the Star Saber.

Just so you know, the story will be switching between third p.o.v. and Val's for the next few chapters.

That's it for now.