The Ancient's Tale

The room was silent, Callum, or Azymondias Prime, stood, optics glancing over the group. "To understand my tale, is to understand why we were created." He began, optics glowing brighter within the second. "At the dawn of time, two titans of immense power fought."

His gaze swept the room. "Primus and Unicron. One embodied creation, and the other, destruction." His optics glowed brightly, illuminating the room. "Their battle raged for eons, the balance of power shifted more times then I could even count."

Nyx stretched, leaning back in boredom, she'd heard the tale many times. The entire triple changer tribe knew the tale by spark. Callum raised an optic in amusement at Nyx's boredom as he continued. "Eventually, Primus realised that he, nor Unicron could truly defeat one another alone."

"With this realisation, Primus created the first Cybertronians, the Thirteen Primes. Each of us represented an aspect of life; light, time, wisdom, gender, teamwork, religion, change, vision, manipulation, creation, entropy, size and peace."

Callum's gaze moved towards the centre of the room. "It was the Thirteen that devised the plan to defeat Unicron. And I…" He paused, optics narrowed. "Was the one who kept us together. In our fight, we managed to push Unicron back, sending him to the furthest reaches of the universe."

Khessa frowned. "I feel like theirs a but coming next."

Callum nodded. "Unicron had created one of his own, a being born from his anti-spark. We offered this being a chance for change, but he used our trust to his advantage. He sowed rumours and lies among my siblings, turning them against one another."

Callum felt his fist clench. "I tried to get to the bottom of things, worked hard to get them back together. And just when I was succeeding, he struck."

Nyx closed her optics. "Your frame was damaged beyond repair, your sister couldn't repair the damage down. I remember the gathering, where we determined what to do." She sighed, hand reaching across her chest to rub her other arm.

"Your spark, along with any who had yet to receive their frame, were put into a vault within the Storm Spire. Many others had their sparks removed and put into storage as well. Among the thousands of us, only a hundred refused. We journeyed with Zentha and Ibis, came to this world."

She allowed her gaze to fall upon Callum. "Your siblings found us, entrusted us with keeping him locked away, Ashrunetha and a troop left to find some place where they could guard your artefact. The rest of us kept an optic on him, always alert for any change."

"He remained inactive, never moving from the same spot for centuries, but he started speaking, even opened his optics recently."

Callum frowned, he knew why he'd become active. "He already knows about my rebirth." He muttered, standing tall. "Nyx, I want you to return back to Zentha, have Ibis get word out to the others, I have returned, but the situation isn't exactly pleasant." He paused, moving towards Khessa.

"And gather the knights, I need to inform them of what's happened to our home, and the new threat we now face, a threat that us already cost our tribe many." He finished.

Nyx nodded, turning to make her leave. Callum sighed. "I know this might be sudden, but I'm taking full leadership over our forces here."

Khessa widened her optics. "But the chain of command?"

Callum shook his head. "Xadia is my colony world, and the Decepticons now threaten it. And if they learn of his presence, I fear Viren will make a decision that will cost both sides greatly." Turning slightly, he watched the others. "We need to locate Viren's forces he manages to unleash this ancient evil."

Zubeia narrowed her gaze. "We understand that you're one of the original primes, but we still have the Autobot leaders to follow. As of the moment, Khessa and I are commanders, and you are a commander as well."

Callum shook his head. "You don't understand do you. I'm willing to look past the role the Autobots played in the devastation of my tribe back on Cybertron."

Optics frowned in confusion. "What do you meant he role we played in the devastation of your tribe on Cybertron? We haven't killed any of them." Khessa said.

Callum growled lightly. "Avizandum uncovered the vault in the Storm Spire, sought to use us as soldiers for the Autobots. His actions alerted the Decepticons to our presence, eading to deaths of not one or two triple changers, but thousands. Those who I came to call my brothers and sisters were wiped out in minutes." He hissed.

"We didn't understand the importance, or the purpose of the sparks, we thought they'd been stored there by some previous prime who foresaw the war." Zubeia defended.

Callum shook his head. He stepped forward. "No, but you stepped upon sacred ground, desecrated it with your war. I may be thankful to the Autobots for my rebirth, but from your actions, triple changers are close to extinction!" He almost screamed.

The room remained silent. No one spoke a word. "In time, I hope you understand that they were my family. I treated them with respect, cared for them and their needs, and in turn, they remained faithful to me." Callum sighed sadly.

"Many of my tribe residing here have no doubt lost loved ones because of your war. They will have felt it through their connections." Callum moved, stopping before the door. "And please, if you see him, The Midnight Star, do not engage without me. I have a feeling that I am the only one capable of ending him."

Rayla watched him leave, her mind drifted to many thoughts. His words had impacted her heavily. Her spark had been from that same vault, she had been alive during the era of the Thirteen Primes. Admittedly, she was only a spark, and had yet to receive her body back then. But she was alive then.

Viren groaned as he pulled himself up off the ground. His optics glanced around the remains of his warship. "Status report." He demanded, turning around. Sparks spat out from exposed wires, fires raged around, the remains of several warriors littered the place.

"Thank Primus your alive." Claudia cried, racing into the room, a few troops trailing behind her.

"Claudia, what is the statues of our forces?" Viren questioned.

Claudia glanced at the ground. "More then three quarters of our forces perished from both the impact, and the malfunctioning space. I do not know the statues of the Autobot forces, but the scanners we've managed to get working have detected numerous Energon signatures upon this world."

She glanced back at the troops briefly. "But they also detected something generating immense power. From the reports of the scouts I sent, they say that there is some kind of generator within ancient Cybertronian ruins. They noted several still Cybertronians decorating the place as well, but no sign of life."

Viren narrowed his optics, processing this information carefully. "Hmm, this power source could give us an advantage over the Autobots. I want you to lead a task force and retrieve this object for me. In the meantime, have scouts sent out, I want to know what kind of life inhabits this world."

"Viren."

Viren glanced around, optics narrowed, the voice was different to anything he'd heard before. He moved, finding a private place to rest. "Who's there?" He asked.

"I sense chaos within your spark, darkness and a desire for power. Power to ensure your kind are the dominant race throughout the universe."

Viren frowned. "Who are you?"

"Ah, who am I. They will have not doubt removed my name from your history, for their own selfish needs. But you can call me, Aaravos."

Viren nodded. "And why do you speak to me?"

"I am trapped upon this world, locked away because the ancients feared my view of a united Cybertron, they feared that they would be removed from their places of power, reduced to the ones they ruled over."

"And how do I find you?"

"My unique signature should be enough for you to follow. Regardless, it never hurts to be well prepared. I believe I am buried within a mountain, hidden inside a complex of sorts."

"And why don't you just break out yourself?"

"Something within my cell, I suspect the bars, render my own powers useless, they spared no expense in keeping me locked up. Be aware that the guards are formidable warriors, unaffected by the pass of time here."

Viren stood tall. "I shall lead a force and break you out in person."

"I look forward to your arrival."

Within his cell, Aaravos smirked. Viren was suitable to break him out. Viren was but a small part of a much larger plan. Once his usefulness had been served, Aaravos would see to his termination. For Aaravos served only one master, Unicron.