CHAPTER 57

I have a daughter.

Little Light…

Your daughter, Wing.

The so-called Heavenlight faced him, an enchanted smile on her face.

It barely lasted a few seconds. A few seconds before the image disappears.

Let Drift, Heavenlight disappear ... and Wing found himself again in front of Adaptus' Red Diamond.

He was no longer in this field of flowers on Earth ... but in Arkus. In the middle of the Milky Way.

"Wing ..."

Wing did not respond to the name call. He did not immediately realize that the illusion had ended. It was like he was locked in his own thoughts. That nothing else mattered, that everything had disappeared around him.

Except this image ... Heavenlight ...

It was when he felt Rung's firm servo on his shoulderplate that he regained consciousness. He turned to the brown and white bot, staring at him haggardly. He wondered where he came from.

"The Crystal ..."

The Crystal…

Wing turned around towards the Diamond. It was still there, brighter than ever.

But the crystal that enclosed it was gone.

"How is it possible ? cried Bumblebee, approaching the Diamond.

Wing tried to focus on his comrades. Had they also been victims of these illusions?

If that was the case ... What had they seen?

Or had Wing been the only one affected?

Your deepest desire ...

The Guardian of the Temple appeared in their field of vision. He gave them a slight nod, a sympathetic smile on his lips.

But in his optics ... a huge apprehension. Wing could not understand why.

Her voice rose.

"You shared your feelings with Adaptus. You revealed yourself ... and He judged."

"He judged?" repeated Bumblebee.

"He felt your feelings were pure. That someone who could focus so much on a cause, to the point of giving up the thing that made them happy most of all ... deserved to have their wish granted."

Wing shook his helm.

No, it was not.

He had let Drift go. He'd thought it was his greatest desire.

But ... it hadn't been the case. Heavenlight was.

Why ? He didn't even know her. He hadn't even known that he'd had a daughter.

A child ... a child of his own.

The illusion had not lasted very long. But ... Wing only wanted one thing: to go back here. He wanted to go back… he wanted to know, to ask Drift questions… Only he could answer.

But when Wing took a step forward to approach the Diamond, the Guardian stopped him with a simple gesture.

"I understand how you feel. But it's better for you that you don't go back."

"I want to know ..." answered Wing in a weak voice.

"You may suffer. It is likely to trap you in an illusion."

Wing remembered the warnings of its leader. Dai Atlas had warned them of his powers.

So that was what made the Diamond so formidable ... But right now, Wing couldn't care less about being trapped in an illusion. He only cared about the answer. He just wanted to know ...

He had a daughter ... a daughter he hadn't known existed. Wing returned his attention to the artifact.

"... We can only get it back" said Wing after a while.

A silence fell. The respective faces of Bumblebee and Rung decomposed. At that right time, Wing realized that there was something worse than being trapped in an illusion. That this power was only one aspect of the Diamond.

"…We cannot. We can't get it back."

They could not?

Wing turned to them.

"How so, 'we can't'?"

"The Diamond of Adaptus belongs to Arkus," said the Guardian. "It's about our protection. As long as His relics are with us, the locals will not risk anything."

Wing remained silent, waiting for more details. He let the Guardian continue.

"Hence the reason why we kept the Diamond of Adaptus locked up here. If by chance, someone came to take it, to remove it from its base against the will of Adaptus, for bad purposes ..."

He paused before resuming himself.

"... This would destroy the City."

" …It is not possible. "

There was no word to describe how they were feeling right now.

Silently, Wing, Rung and Bumblebee stared at the Diamond of Adaptus, a clueless expression on their faces.

Wing closed the optics, trying to ignore the calls of the Diamond, now free from its crystal.

It would be so simple to grab it and return to this illusion ... see Heavenlight again, learn more... And if Rung and Bumblebee had not been there with him ... no doubt Wing would have listened to these calls.

It was hard to resist ... But he shouldn't. Wing turned his back on the Diamond and searched for his words, trying to refocus on the current situation.

"... We should think about this situation when we'll get calmer..."

"It's not possible ..." repeated Bumblebee, crossing his arms, trying to calm down. "What entity would have the idea of creating such an artifact?"

Yes. He shared his opinion on this. Wing would never have imagined such an outcome. The Diamond judged the purity of the feelings of those who approached it. And if it was satisfied, it left them the leisure to take it, to decide on its use ... even if that would lead to a devastated City.

"Why didn't Dai Atlas warn us?" cried Bumblebee.

"I'm sure if Dai Atlas had known, he would have warned us," said Wing sadly.

His tone lacked conviction. He couldn't help but think that with Dai Atlas, doubt was allowed. He had never doubted his intentions. He had never doubted his leader before and the simplest thought hurt his spark deeply.

After all, Dai Atlas had the safety of the universe in mind. When he learned that Wing had used the Crown of Solomus to discover the murderer of Garboil, he had mentioned that it was sometimes necessary to privilege the greatest number, to the point of making sacrifices.

Had it been the intention of Dai Atlas? Causing the destruction of a City to save the universe? Wing shuddered at the thought.

No. That was not his leader. This could not be the thought of Dai Atlas.

"What do we do?" Rung asked, crossing his arms.

"I don't know," said Bumblebee.

Yet despite the fact that all three did not come from the same faction, all three shared the same thought.

Regardless, sacrificing a city and its people was out of the question. They couldn't.

"But we can't just sit there and do nothing," said the yellow bot, standing up.

"Maybe we can ... try to contact Dai Atlas," suggested Wing.

He could not take initiative without his consent. But at the same time ... he was afraid of his answer. What would happen if its leader refused any discussion? Order the recovery of the artifact at the expense of Arkus' survival?

To say that Wing would have willingly given his life for Dai Atlas before ... But right now, none had any other solution.

Rung nodded towards the Guardian. The white bot felt some relief in the latter. Did he doubt their intentions? Surely. And he would have been right to be afraid.

Wing stayed close to his group, their presence reassuring him. Then, with the spark beating faster, he made the order to contact his leader.

The hologram appeared. Then, a few minutes later, the image of its leader took shape.

"Dai Atlas… We need to talk to you seriously," said Bumblebee, his voice going weaker.

The blut bot's optics hardened. However, he let them speak.

Wing took a breath and all three began to explain the situation. All. From the beginning to the end.

"... And what did you see in this illusion? To the point that the Diamond was released from its prison?"

Dai Atlas stared at Wing. His expression didn't change.

But his optics trembled. Wing's spark beat faster.

Was he… afraid?

Your daughter, Wing.

"... I saw Drift in..." reported Wing. "We had returned to the beginnings of our relationship. He offered to stay with him. He promised that we'd never separate."

Behind him he felt Bumblebee twitch. Wing understood what it meant. He had never really touched on the details of his relationship with Drift.

"... Adaptus guessed that I still loved him. I preferred to let him go."

Wing thought he might be ashamed of continuing to hang on. But right now, he didn't feel anything like it.

A vague sadness appeared in the optics of Dai Atlas. For a moment Wing wanted to talk about Heavenlight. He wanted to mention her, or at least imply it ...

But he feared that if he talked about it, he would give in again to the desire to return to illusion.

"… What should we do, Dai Atlas?" asked Wing.

He needed Father John. Currently, he needed the presence of the human by his side. Maybe he would know how to act in such circumstances.

Or at least, his presence would lighten the weight he felt.

No matter the decision of his leader ...

"... I shouldn't have sent you to Arkus."

There was no criticism in Dai Atlas' voice.

"… When I deposited the Diamond in these lands, Metrotitan warned me that the Diamond would be protected. That the Diamond would be one with Arkus. That no one would ever dare to take it with such powers. I never understood his words. Now I understand."

Dai Atlas lowered his helm. Wing knew his leader. He knew he thought he had failed. But it had never been so obvious until now.

"Such a burden was not possible to endure alone" answered Wing to reassure him.

"It's mine."

"But we are a team. You talked about the artifacts to Gasket. You could also tell us about it."

At least it would have relieved his leader. A little.

"Secrets don't help anyone," added Wing.

"… Secrets avoid suffering and destruction."

A shiver ran through the back of the white bot.

He dared to judge his leader ... But in the meantime, he kept the existence of Heavenlight hidden.

Dai Atlas seemed to recover.

"… We don't have to sacrifice a City. And that would be contrary to my wishes. To my mission."

Relief was apparent on the face of the trio. Wing sighed.

His leader had made the right decision ...

"For now, it's best to leave the Diamond here. And to focus on the other artifacts. But I think it is necessary to keep the Diamond under close surveillance."

"What do you mean?" Rung asked him.

Dai Atlas marked a time.

"... Until the situation ends ... I will personally ensure the safety of the Diamond."

"Does this mean that you will leave the Crystal Cities?" asked Wing.

"I do not have a choice. And this is the solution that would cost the least."

He closed the optics.

"Axe will ensure permanence."

A slight smile appeared on Wing's lips.

For a moment, the relief almost made him forget Heavenlight ...

"Thank you, Dai Atlas."

Dai Atlas got startled. And Wing almost thought he saw the shadow of a smile answer him.

"I'm leaving for Arkus today. In the meantime, be careful."

Dai Atlas seemed to want to add something else.

But no one heard the rest of the sentence.

A loud noise resounded, making the ground tremble violently under their pedes. Right away, Wing grabbed Rung by the waist to keep him from falling.

It looked like ... an explosion.

Shortly after, the same noise started again, much more intense. This time, Wing and Bumblebee collapsed backwards.

The communication hologram sizzled and went out before Dai Atlas could react.

"What is happening ?" cried Rung.

A distant cry ensued. The cry of a femme.

As they stood up, Bumblebee replied.

"I don't know ... but if Dai Atlas has the ability to teleport, now's the time to use it."

"Fire!" They heard the commander scream.

They had posted sentries outside. There were about four or five of them. Saberhorn immediately lowered himself to avoid the headshots. Beside them, Hardshell let out a deep roar of rage before letting the wings flap behind him and jump onto the group of sentries.

He grabbed one by the waist before throwing him on a second. Saberhorn saw another rush in his direction, firing his cannon at the arm again. The pirate avoided crossing the shield blades because they would yield to the impact of ranged attacks. He finally let the guard jump on him before doing a pirouette, placing his two blades forward under the arms of the opponent to throw him over his helm, the latter crashing just behind him.

Next to him, after finishing the guard by piercing it into the lower abdomen, Saberhorn rushed inside to follow Hardshell and Scorponok. Even as they had passed the door, they were greeted by new sentries, the latter being much more numerous with more resistant armor. They had to dive behind a wall to prevent the shots from reaching them.

Once again, it was Hardshell who came out first and slammed two of them against the wall. As one of them struggled, Hardshell opened his fangs and opened the throat cables while he strangled the second with the other servo. The energon spurted, covering the chassis of the commander.

"Do you think we have all day ? spat Hardshell towards the wall which still protected Saberhorn and Scorponok.

The pirate winced. He straightened up before emerging from behind the wall. With one bound, he used his wings to take off from the ground before kicking a guard in the face. Taking advantage of his disorientation, Saberhorn grabbed his arm to draw him towards him and stuck his sword in his stomach.

"It's a shame" whispered the pirate in his opponent' audio who spit energon, "the blades are so little considered these days. The cannons shall get ended."

Saberhorn pushed him forward and went on with another, using the latter's own comrade as a shield. This was his weakness and quickly, the pirate led the fight before sending him into the wall, knocking him out in one fell swoop.

Next, Scorponok had tackled another on the ground, using the tip of his tail to transmit the poison to him and thus paralyze him.

"Where's the Diamond?" Scorponok growled, grabbing the guard by the throat.

The guard spat in his face as a response. Immediately, Hardshell jumped behind him and grabbed his throat, yelling at him as traces of energon ran down his victim's forehelm.

The guard said nothing. Saberhorn frowned as he crossed his arms, watching as Hardshell tightened his grip on his throat. He could have sworn that the guard was almost smiling.

He had to admit. It was brave on his part to resist. Almost like Gasket. When Hardshell crushed his victim's helm on the ground, the energon forming a pool around the corpse, Saberhorn could not suppress a shiver of disgust.

"We search all the rooms!" Hardshell ordered. "You better not disappointing me!"

I'm not fighting for you, Saberhorn wanted to reply. As they resumed their walk, other guards appeared from various doors.

Never mind. The struggle resumed. Saberhorn dodged a shot by diving to the side before rolling on the floor and stood up near the guard who had targeted him. Saberhorn grabbed the back of his helm and stuck his short blade down his throat.

As the beetle searched which room the Diamond could legitimately be in, he kicked open a door and fell face to face with a standard bot.

The pirate got into position. But he quickly realized that the individual was not attacking him. He was unarmed. He was wearing a tunic covering his body.

Obviously, he was a Temple Guardian. Not a soldier. No expression appeared on his face.

"Tell me where the Diamond is" warned the pirate.

"I can't let you do that."

The individual placed himself on his knees. This caught Saberhorn off guard, immediately afraid of a feint to go after him.

But instead, the Guardian made no move. He just closed the optics. Like to pray. And Saberhorn understood that this was indeed the case. When he looked around, he noticed that it was a prayer hall.

For a moment, he hesitated. He could very well cut his helm off with a sword. But Saberhorn had learned to discern his enemies over time.

He would not speak. Saberhorn turned his attention to the door at the other end of the corridor. He ended up lowering his blades. It wasn't sporty to go after a bot to the floor.

"You'd better stay hidden here if you want to survive."

The bot just nodded before continuing his praying. Saberhorn left the room after closing the door behind him and rushed towards another.

This time, it was closed twice. They needed a code to open it. He cursed before calling his teammates. Hardshell and Scorponok quickly joined him.

Hardshell took a few steps back to gain momentum. The next moment, the door gave in a deafening crack. They landed in a dark room, simply lit by a few candles that surrounded various objects.

Saberhorn wrinkled the optics when he noticed a sign on the wall.

Relics of Adaptus.

If the Diamond was here, it could only be in this room. Quickly, they looked for something that looked like the artifact. But after going around, they realized that nothing was like it. These were just various and varied objects.

Behind him, Hardshell groaned angrily and brushed away one of the relics, which quickly shattered to the ground. Saberhorn looked up.

"Can't you be a little classy from time to time?"

"Get screwed!"

What bad manners, Saberhorn thought bitterly.

"It is not possible ! It must be here!"

"Hush," Scorponok told them.

A silence fell.

"What?" Hardshell questioned him, baring his dentas.

"Listen ..."

For the moment, they heard nothing. Neither Hardshell nor Saberhorn understood what Scorponok was referring to.

Then the silence was cut by a thud.

A "beep".

Suddenly, a hatch opened in the wall.

Saberhorn only had the reflex to draw his blades to block a white and golden sword.

Wing had appeared before him. Because of the weight of the sword, Saberhorn could only move back, his pedes dragging in the ground.

After the surprise, the beetle gave him a friendly smile.

"I thought you were dead."

"So what?" squeaked Wing, hostility apparent in his tone.

"Glad to see that this is not the case."

And it was sincere. Such a mighty warrior could not die in such an explosion. And thanks to their presence, they now knew where the Diamond was. They had just given them the location. Next to them, one of the yellow Autobots had pulled out a laser-gun to target Scorponok who was dodging the shots. He transformed into his Insect form before climbing the wall to pounce on his assailant, the two rolling on the ground. He didn't seem to need help.

Saberhorn immediately attacked. Wing blocked. He quickly realized that the member of the Circle of Light was using only one sword. For a moment, the pirate displayed a delighted smile. He had the advantage of using two. Maybe he had a chance.

Sweeping the air with his blades, Saberhorn redoubled his speed and used his wings to move the white bot back. It seemed to work. Wing backed away. Their blades parted before colliding again.

As Wing tried to attack in turn, Saberhorn dived backwards using his wings. He warmed up before he swooped down on him again.

It was strange. It was strange that it was so easy. The pirate had not yet reached a part of the body. Yet Wing had to know how to defend himself more than that.

"Are you all right, my friend?" Saberhorn questioned him, using the term he used to refer to Wing voluntarily when they were stuck together at Garboil's Castle.

He paused.

"You seem ... elsewhere" he added with a hint of curiosity.

Did he realize he was in the middle of a fight?

Wing looked up at him.

Everything happened very quickly. Saberhorn didn't have time to see the blow until the next moment Wing struck his left wrist with a powerful blow, sending one of the blades to fly off behind.

This surprised the pirate who looked at his servo. Immediately, it was he who blocked. And soon he realized that the trends had reversed. Even with a single sword, Wing made him back off. Much faster than Saberhorn could have done moments earlier.

"You will not take the Diamond" coldly declared the white bot. "You have already taken the Crown of Solomus. You won't get that one either!"

Saberhorn frowned and kicked him in the face. This brushed the white bot's cheek and immediately the pirate went on, melting forward.

"Are you planning to stop us?" Saberhorn retorted in the same tone.

Wing did not answer. The beetle found itself thrown against the wall. The pirate shifted to avoid the blade of the white bot. He found himself behind him and plunged his helm forward, hitting in the rib with his horn. Wing started slightly, but that did not destabilize him in any way.

This slightly surprised his opponent and immediately he blocked before he could reach him in the face.

"Don't tell me you still resent me for Garboil and Canopus," replied the beetle.

"We don't talk during a fight," growled Wing, pushing back the horn of Saberhorn with the back of his servo.

"Come on! It's pathetic, my friend."

"I am not your friend !"

Wing paused, shoulderplates shaking.

"You're so hypocritical…" Wing called him before sweeping his legs.

Saberhorn leapt into the air and struck him in the full rib. Again, Wing did not react to his attacks.

"You want to destroy the Autobots because they discriminate you. I haven't forgotten it. But you endanger them just as much."

"I thought you were neutral," said Saberhorn disdainfully.

The next moment, Wing folded his arm. Saberhorn elbowed in the middle of his jaw.

"You're really naive," Saberhorn replied in return.

This remark was answered by a kick on the part of Wing who aimed at him in full chassis. Saberhorn did not expect this. He landed on the ground, dropping his sword which slid a few yards from him.

Wing walked over to him. He knew this anger. This type of anger. Cold anger. Saberhorn thought it was even worse than hot anger.

It was ... more terrifying. Even if Wing didn't say anything. Saberhorn hit him in the leg. Wing swung slightly before regaining his balance.

Saberhorn grabbed his nearest sword and stormed it again. Again, the blades met. The exchanges resumed.

Saberhorn met Wing's gaze. The latter was empty.

"You don't mind how many lives you can destroy?" Wing asked him almost gently. "With your hatred?"

He almost saw sadness in the white bot's optics. Saberhorn took a while to answer.

"I can recharge with this thought."

The rest didn't matter. He was about to strike him again. But before he could even touch him, even once, he was suddenly thrown back.

Saberhorn fell to the ground. A little struck, he looked around.

What had happened? Wing had hit him?

In front of him, Hardshell faced Wing. The war commander was displaying the fangs, the energon coming from his mouth.

"You won't take it out on him, Saberhorn."

"Excuse me?" spat the pirate, outraged.

"He is mine ! I have a vengeance to fulfil!"

Saberhorn clenched his fists, scandalized. It had been his fight. His fight! And even that, Hardshell did not leave it to him.

Wing replied. In turn, Hardshell blocked. For a moment, Saberhorn wanted to intervene. Until he noticed the hatch they came out of.

And the beetle remembered the mission. He let out a frustrated sigh before picking up his other blade. Then he rushed to the hatch.

The Diamond ... The Diamond was inside ...

"No !" he heard behind him.

It was the yellow Autobot. Saberhorn rushed inside. He quickly noticed that it was an elevator. The latter could only descend.

He understood. As he pressed the button, the yellow Autobot jumped into the elevator before the doors even closed on him. The Autobot pushed them back violently at arm's length and forced a passage.

Saberhorn grabbed his short blade. As he intended to use it on the Autobot, the elevator began to descend at full speed. This slightly unsettled the pirate and the Yellow Autobot took the opportunity to punch him in the face.

For a few seconds, Saberhorn's vision disappeared slightly.

Under his pedes, the ground kept going down. It seemed endless. He recovered his vision and saw the Autobot on him, struggling to make him drop his short blade.

Suddenly, the elevator stopped. The doors reopened. Saberhorn pulled away from him and rushed out.

He heard the yellow bot chase after him. The elevator started again, ready to go up.

In the distance, straight in front of him, Saberhorn saw a Diamond bathed in red light, floating high on a crystal base.

The pirate's smile widened. He had found it. He was about to take another step when suddenly he received an elbow in the throat.

Saberhorn moaned in pain. He defended himself as best he could with his short blade. The Autobot was backing up to be out of reach. Saberhorn saw a laser gun at his waist.

He still owned it. The pirate was about to draw his other blade and start fighting when he noticed that they were not alone.

There was a third individual. A white and brown Autobot. The latter stood between them and the Diamond, arms outstretched. Like to protect it.

Saberhorn smirked again. He did not appear to be armed. Saberhorn immediately rushed in his direction.

The brown and white Autobot tried to push him away, but Saberhorn grabbed his wrist with a firm servo, before turning to wrap his arm around his neck, the blade under his throat.

The yellow Autobot pointed its gun at them.

"If you come near me" he threatened, "I exterminate him."

"Let him go!" the Autobot yelled.

"I do not think so. As long as I hold your little friend, you will not attack me"

The Autobot clenched his fists on its laser-gun. Saberhorn only gave him a haughty smile.

He knew the Autobots. He knew they were weak enough to favor the lives of their comrades. He didn't hold it against them, though.

The yellow Autobot clenched his dentas. And predictably, he lowered his gun. Saberhorn sneered and backed away, holding his victim against him as he approached the artifact.

The Diamond continued to shine. Saberhorn came closer again.

Using his free servo, he reached for the artifact.

So simple ... so easy to access.

But as he was about to grab it, the voice of the brown and white Autobot rose unexpectedly.

"... If you do that ... you condemn Arkus."

Saberhorn stopped. He turned his helm towards his victim.

His smile disappeared. A contemptuous air appeared on his face instead.

"You already lost, Autobots."

"I'm telling the truth" replied the bot softly. "Without this Diamond, Arkus cannot survive."

Saberhorn frowned, his contemptuous look never disappearing.

"How does it matter to me whether Arkus survives or not?"

"... Arkus is under the protection of Adaptus. This City was created from Him."

He took a breath.

"Whoever chooses to take it for evil purposes will lead the City to its destruction. It is the Guiding Hand' condition. Hence the reason why this artifact is so dangerous."

Saberhorn did not answer.

However, he made no further move.

He lied. He had to lie.

"I'm telling the truth," said the Autobot, as if he guessed his thoughts. "Like all artefacts, using it can lead to destruction. Not just Arkus. But the whole universe as well."

The pirate remained motionless.

"You lie."

"There have been earthquakes on Earth."

Saberhorn growled. Yes, there have been tremors lately on Earth. Their Sanctuary had been lightly hit but it had only lasted a few seconds. This had caused the Hive to panic briefly. Some were injured. Nothing more.

"It could be tremor of natural origin."

"So, tell me why Cybertron trembled at the same time."

This silenced the beetle. The Autobot's optics softened.

"You did not know? That these artifacts could lead to the destruction of the universe if they were used improperly?"

Saberhorn couldn't answer with words. Instead, he shook his helm.

No. He hadn't known. He'd only thought that the artifacts granted the wishes of the one who used them.

It was that simple ... but it wasn't.

"And what do you think?"

"... Do you think the universe matters to me?" Saberhorn tightened his grip on the Autobot's neck.

Despite himself, the servo holding the blade was trembling.

"After everything that happened through your fault, the Autobots, you ask me to think about the lives you protect ?"

The other yellow Autobot ticked.

"It was the Decepticons who destroyed Cybertron! We may have some responsibility. But you are also responsible!"

"I don't care about this universe you care so much about."

I can recharge with this thought.

Saberhorn walked back to the Diamond again, arm outstretched.

His hostage's voice rose again.

"So, you don't mind committing genocide? I thought that some Decepticons had enough of panache not to cross certain limits."

Enough panache.

Sufficient class. These words he hadn't expected.

Saberhorn remained frozen.

Panache ... Class ... That defined him.

Genocide.

He hadn't expected such a word to be spoken and related to him.

"… And your relatives?" completed the Autobot. "You know that by condemning the universe... you are condemning them too. Destruction will spare no one."

This time, Saberhorn loosened the neck of the Autobot.

He hadn't thought about it.

In the end ... What relatives did he have?

As long as he and Glowstrike survived, nothing else mattered.

But ... what if Glowstrike died because he made the wrong decision? If it really caused the destruction of the universe ...

He realized how different he was from what he used to be.

He had never been an altar boy. It was certain. He had always been a pirate who looted and carried out raids. But he had always been happy with it.

He who'd wanted a quiet place ... the Sanctuary had only corrupted him more.

Saberhorn closed his optics.

Resignation filled his being.

I can recharge with this thought.

In the end, maybe he just couldn't.

He lowered his arm. The hostage sighed in relief.

At that time, the elevator doors reopened. Wing was thrown forward, falling to the ground as Hardshell entered the room.

"I always have to do the dirty work!" growled the war commander in the direction of the pirate, apparently irritated that the latter had not recovered the Diamond earlier.

As he walked toward the artifact, Wing stood up.

He picked up his sword and charged.