"Optimus!" Cade yelled in relief, Optimus ignored him placing his sword back on his back and walking towards Bumblebee.
"Give it to me!" Optimus walked towards Bumblebee who was lying on the ground in shock and demanded for the staff to be given to him.
"Optimus? It's me Cade remember, we fought together!" Cade said trying to regain Optimus Prime's memory.
"I FIGHT FOR MY OWN KIND! MY OWN PLANET!" Optimus slammed his fist to the ground staring at Bumblebee and declaring that he no longer fights for Earth.
"Optimus!" Cade said shocked that Optimus wasn't acting like his usual self.
"Give me the staff Autobot!" Optimus said leaning his face closer towards Bumblebee and showing off his purple eyes and emotionless face.
"I will kill you!" Optimus threatens Bumblebee that he will kill him if he doesn't give him the staff.
"Give it to him!" Cade tells Bumblebee to give Optimus the staff.
"Cade we are supposed to…"
"GIVE HIM THE STAFF!" Cade yells at Bumblebee to give Optimus the staff while Cogman tries to tell him out of it. Bumblebee reluctantly gives Optimus Prime the staff. Optimus grabs the staff causing the artifact to increase in size and Optimus hides it inside his back walking away from Bumblebee, Cogman and Cade Yeager.
"Bee go after him!" Cade said. Bumblebee was shocked and confused by what Cade was telling him.
"Something is wrong that is not Optimus. We need you to make him snap out of it!" Cade explained Bumblebee what he has to do. Bumblebee grabbed his hammer and ran after Optimus Prime.
"We need to find Hot Rod and Hound!" Cade said as he and Cogman walked away from Bumblebee to search for Hot Rod and Hound but the two Autobots managed to reunite with them just as they started searching for them.
"We are here! Where's Bumblebee?" Hot Rod asked.
"He went after Optimus!" Cade said.
"What?" Hot Rod replied asking.
"Optimus took the staff from him and now we need to get it back!" Cade explained.
"Well then we have to get it back right away!" Hound said just as they felt the structure shake.
"What the hell is going on?" Cade asked.
"The structure is ascending!" Cogman explained.
Stonehenge:
The Autobots and the Decepticons continued fighting the Infernocons until the remaining Decepticons received a transmission from Megatron.
"Calling all Decepticons. Your lord and master has returned. Return to me, this fight is not ours to be fought!" Megatron said through the transmission.
"Megatron?" Onslaught said surprised to be hearing Megatron's voice again.
"Onslaught what are you doing?" Drift asked noticing Onslaught wasn't firing at the Infernocons.
"Goodbye Autobots!" Onslaught said firing at Drift and Crosshairs with his Decapitator before retreating back to Megatron.
"What in the name of?" Crosshairs asked recovering from the blast.
"Those cowards!" Crosshairs yelled as Onslaught drove away.
"Megatron must be back, we need to continue fighting!" Drift said getting up and engaging the Infernocons.
Inside of Lockdown's ship, Lockdown searches through the Atlantic Ocean for Optimus Prime but there was no sign of him.
"Where is he?" Lockdown asked unable to spot Optimus Prime. As the underwater structure began to ascend, Optimus was outside the structure as it was ascending and was trying to get back to dry land but Bumblebee ambushed from behind throwing his hammer at Optimus and tackling the Autobot leader. The two Autobots began wrestling as the Structure ascended out of the water. Optimus jumped out of the water and landed on top of the structure with Bumblebee holding on to his foot. Bumblebee quickly let go of Optimus Prime and landed in front of him. Bumblebee then turned around and swung his hammer at Prime's face. As Optimus was recovering from the hit, Bumblebee grabbed him by the head and slammed his head to the floor.
"Lockdown sir, we found Optimus Prime!" One of the mercenaries informed Lockdown and he walked closer to witness a battle between Optimus and Bumblebee.
"Should we intervene?" The Mercenary asked.
"Not yet, I want to see who will be victorious!" Lockdown replied to the mercenary and continued watching the fight. On top of the underwater structure, Optimus was recovering from another hit he received from Bumblebee. Bumblebee charged at Optimus from behind with his hammer in hand but Optimus quickly turned around and caught Bumblebee just as he jumped. Optimus grabbed Bumblebee by the face and slammed him to the ground and proceeded to viciously beat him. Bumblebee kicked Optimus on the stomach causing Optimus to move back from the impact, Bumblebee then jumped on Optimus Prime's back and pulled the staff from his back and threw it away.
"You little runt!" Optimus said grabbing Bumblebee and slamming him again to the ground and then throwing him away. Optimus grabs his sword and walks towards Bumblebee with it, Bumblebee recovers from the throw and dodges the sword, he then runs towards his hammer and grabs it with Optimus running towards him. Bumblebee turns around with the hammer in this hands and slams the hammer against Optimus Prime abdomen, Optimus quickly recovers and swings his sword towards Bumblebee but Bumblebee blocks it with his hammer causing the sword to fly out of Prime's hand.
"YOU DARE FIGHT FOR EARTH? DO YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT YOUR OWN PLANET?" Optimus yells charging at Bumblebee and begins punching and kicking Bumblebee before kicking him again causing Bumblebee to fall to the ground. Optimus walks towards Bumblebee again preparing to execute when suddenly Optimus Prime is shot and freezes inside a time bubble, Bumblebee confused by what happened to Optimus Prime turns to the right and sees Hot Rod, Cade, Cogman and Hound running to his aid.
"Bumblebee!" Hot Rod yelled running to Bumblebee and then kneeling on the ground to check on him.
"Can you get up?" Hot Rod asked as Bumblebee grabbed his hand and Hot Rod began pulling him up.
"You are one tough Autobot, you took all that beating and can still stand!" Hot Rod complimented Bumblebee's endurance.
"Bee! (Cade rushes to Bumblebee and Hot Rod and looks at Optimus frozen in a time bubble.) What's gotten into him?" Cade asked concerned about Optimus Prime.
"I don't know but we have to worry about that later we have a planet to save!" Hot Rod explained.
"HOT ROD!" Hound yelled running to him with the staff in his hands.
"I got the staff!" Hound said stretching his arm towards the two young Autobots in order for one of them to grab the staff.
"Well what are you waiting for Bee?" Hot Rod asked letting Bumblebee take the staff unaware that Bumblebee already tried to see if the staff would activate in his hands. Bumblebee lowered his head in sadness and disappointment.
"What's wrong?" Hot Rod asked curious why Bumblebee is upset. Bumblebee tried to get over the fact that the prophecy wasn't about him. He grabbed the staff from Hound's hand and offered it to Hot Rod.
"What me?" Hot Rod asked confused why Bumblebee was offering him the staff. Bumblebee simply shook his head since he was still unable to speak. Hot Rod reluctantly grabbed the staff and it activated, covering Hot Rod's forearm with ancient Cybertronian glyphs.
"No way I'm the last knight?" Hot Rod said amazed that the prophecy was about him.
"Congratulations kid!" Hound congratulated Hot Rod.
"This is amazing Hot Rod!" Cade said.
"You know play an important role in this war old friend, don't screw it up!" Cogman said.
"Thank you all of you!" Hot Rod said thanking Hound, Cogman and Cade Yeager. Hot Rod then looked towards Bumblebee.
"Bee! Look I'm sorry that you are not the last knight I truly am!" Hot Rod said still feeling bad for Bumblebee. Bumblebee looked at Hot Rod with a proud look on his face and then suddenly.
"C….C….Con….Cong..."
"Bee?" Hot Rod said getting excited believing that he was hearing Bumblebee about to talk.
"Oh my god he is about to speak!" Cogman said.
"Say something kid!" Hound yelled.
"Cong….Con…Congratu.." Bumblebee continued trying to speak in order to congratulate Hot Rod.
"BEE WATCH OUT!" Cade yelled as Optimus burst out of the time bubble and attacked everybody on board the structure.
"YOU TRAITORS!" Optimus yelled as he grabbed Bumblebee by the wings and lifted him up in the air.
"YOU DARE BETRAY CYBERTRON!" Optimus yelled slamming Bumblebee down on his knee tearing his wings clean off and still holding on to them. Optimus then drops the wings and pushes Bumblebee aside. Bumblebee luckily lands by his hammer and immediately grabs it and retracts his face-plate.
"Oh no you don't Optimus!" Hound said pouncing on Optimus and dropping him to the ground. Optimus then kicks Hound away and Bumblebee begins running towards Optimus. Cade gets on top of Optimus and tries to make him snap out of it while he fires at Bumblebee trying to hit him.
"Prime you got to stop!"
"Look at me, look at me!" Cade says to Optimus but Optimus ignores and proceeds to fire at Bumblebee.
"Prime you got to stop, its Bee your firing at! IT'S BEE!" Cade yells trying to tell Optimus that he is trying to kill one of his friends. Cade is forced to jump off of Optimus as Bumblebee jumps on top of Optimus and hits him on the head with his hammer. Optimus quickly recovers from the hit and grabs the hammer pulling it away but Bumblebee had a tight grip on the hammer and pull it back while Optimus attempted to shoot him with his barrage cannon. During their wrestling, a wave comes by and knocks Bumblebee off of Optimus. Optimus quickly grabs his barrage cannon and aims at Bumblebee but Bumblebee throws his hammer at Optimus Prime's face. The hammer flies towards Hot Rod who immediately grabs it and hits Optimus again before passing it to Bumblebee. Optimus hits Hot Rod in the face with his elbow knocking him out. Bumblebee jumps towards Optimus but Optimus quickly grabs him and slams him against the floor two times. Cade sees Bumblebee getting attacked by Optimus and immediately slides down to aid Bumblebee but is still unaware of how to use to talisman therefore can't help Bumblebee. Optimus showing no mercy or emotion tears out a small piece of Bumblebee's chassis and retracts a blade from his left arm.
"NO!" Cade yells as Optimus attempts to stab Bumblebee to death but Bumblebee quickly grabs his hand.
"I…I…I am Bumblebee your oldest friend Optimus!" Bumblebee's speaks in his actual voice surprising everyone around him.
"I would lay down my life for you!" Bumblebee says to Optimus who moves back from Bumblebee and his optics change color from purple back to blue.
"Bumblebee…..your voice, I have not heard it since Cybertron fell!" Optimus said surprised to hear Bumblebee's voice once again. Hot Rod and Hound get up and run towards Optimus and Bumblebee.
"What have I done?" Optimus said in shocking while picking up his sword and shield with Hot Rod trying to comfort him while Hound grabbed Bumblebee's severed wings and started repairing Bumblebee. Suddenly they all hear the Guardian Knights charging towards Optimus Prime, armed with their swords, spears and axes they attack Optimus bringing him down to his knees while Cade, Cogman, Bumblebee, Hound and Hot Rod begged for them to stop.
"You betrayed your own kind!" Steelbane said walking around Optimus with Silverblade and the other Knights.
"Optimus get up!" Hot Rod yelled.
"You chose the wrong side!" Silverblade said to Optimus.
"The Guardian Knights are going to kill me!" Optimus said to Cade and the Autobots accepting his fate.
"Quintessa is the great DECIEVER!" Steelbane said kicking Optimus in the face.
"She put you….under a spell!" Silverblade said slamming his axe on Optimus Prime's back before another knight named Executioner kicks him in the face one more time.
"Prime." Cade said startled by the knights' judgement.
"The judgement is….DEATH!" Executioner said as Steelbane gave him one of his swords and he swung it towards Optimus preparing to kill him.
"Forgive me!" Optimus said his last words before closing his optics and waiting for Executioner to finish him off. Just as Executioner is about to kill Optimus, Lockdown and several of his Mercenaries fire at the knights and the Autobots before landing their Cybertronian fighter jets on the structure and capturing Optimus while the other Mercenaries made sure the knights stayed down.
"You blew your chance to save Cybertron!" One of the mercenaries began to scold Optimus as he being dragged by Lockdown.
"I knew you couldn't do it. Your time is over Prime (Lockdown pulls the staff out of Optimus Prime's back and grabs him by the back of his head.) You turned your back on both Unicron and Cybertron….Now you will watch Earth DIE!" Lockdown says letting go of Prime's head and pushing him off the structure and into the Atlantic Ocean.
"NO!" Cade yelled as Lockdown and his Mercenaries retreated back to the Knight-ship.
"Yes finally…..Earth is finished!" One of the Mercenaries said.
"And now Cybertron will be repaired and when Quintessa pays us we will all become STUPID RICH!" The other Mercenary said excited about their payment for their success.
"Don't jinx it boys we're not done yet!" Lockdown said interrupting their conversation.
"Quintessa we got the staff!" Lockdown contacted Quintessa to inform her of his success.
"Excellent bring it to me!" Quintessa replied back to Lockdown before ending the transmission.
"All in due time!" Lockdown replied piloting his ship and preparing to meet up with Quintessa. Cade still looked down from the structure in shock and sadness due to witnessing Optimus being thrown into the ocean.
"Oh shit no!" Cade said fearing the worst.
"So what do we do now?" Cogman asked walking towards Cade.
"We need to steal that staff!" Cade replied.
"But how? Lockdown took it and none of us can fly to his ship!" Hot Rod explained.
"It's too late!" Bumblebee said giving up.
"No, no, no it's never too late, I do not want to die a failure. I don't want to see my home perish and I know none of you want the same thing!" Cade began lecturing the Autobots.
"All of you have been living on Earth for quite a while, fell in love with this planet and I don't want to see you give up and let it die!" Cade continued lecturing the Autobots trying to persuade them to continue fighting for Earth.
"We lost too many warriors fighting Quintessa and your Infernocons, we will no longer fight for this world!" Steelbane said.
"No don't say that. What about the knights? Would they want you to…..."
"The knights are all dead, there are none left!" Steelbane said getting up and sizing up Cade trying to intimidate him.
"No they are not dead!" Cade said.
"Get out of my way flesh bag!" Steelbane threatened Cade Yeager getting annoyed by the inferior being.
"Make me!" Cade talked back to Steelbane.
"ENOUGH!" Steelbane yelled and swung his sword towards Cade attempting to kill him.
"NO!" Hound yelled as he, Hot Rod and Bumblebee immediately ran towards Cade but were stopped by the knights. As a reflex, Cade lifted his left arm up but from his right arm, the talisman transformed into King Arthur's Excalibur and Cade took the advantage to swing Excalibur to block Steelbane's sword.
"A knight? Impossible!" Steelbane said in confusion as the lineage of the knights should be no more. The rest of the Guardian knights dropped the Autobots and walked towards Cade Yeager, they surrounded him and raised their weapons chanting "NO SACRIFICE, NO VICTORY!" Steelbane didn't chant with them but felt disgusted in himself yet again.
"What have I done? I….I keep disgracing my kind's legacy. I am supposed to find for honor, truth and justice yet all I've done is treat the humans like slag. There is no way for redemption!" Steelbane believed that he had disgraced his fellow knights by being selfish towards those that weren't part of his species.
"You can still make things right Steelbane!" Bumblebee said trying to comfort Steelbane.
"We Cybertronians live for a long, long time, you have plenty of time to redeem yourself and now is the perfect time!" Hound told Steelbane telling him that he can still redeem himself by saving Earth. After thinking for a while Steelbane walked towards Cade Yeager and begged for forgiveness.
"Brave knight, forgive me for my actions...If you will allow me I can help you save your home as I did for your ancestor!" Steelbane said.
"Steelbane, I'm not forcing you to, everybody has the right to make their own decisions, don't make saving Earth sound as some kind of punishment, think of it as a form of redemption. You and the Knights are meant to do good across the galaxy and now is the perfect time to do so!"
"Thank you Sir Cade!" Steelbane replied.
"Knights, Autobots, Human…..We had gone to stasis waiting for this moment to arrive and the Earth shall not fall today. We are going to steal Quintessa's staff back and drive Unicron back into the cold depths of space where it will rot and die!" Steelbane said explaining their main priority in winning this battle.
"Sideswipe come in, SIDESWIPE!"
"Bumblebee? Is that you?" Sideswipe responded to Bumblebee's transmission.
"Where's Dragonstorm?" Bumblebee asked.
"He is taking out Lockdown's mercenaries and oncoming Infernocons from the air!" Sideswipe explained.
"We need you to order Dragonstorm and Strafe to attack Lockdown's ship!" Bumblebee said.
"Lockdown's ship?" Sideswipe said in confusion while continuing to fire at the Infernocons.
"Lockdown has stolen the staff and we are taking it back!" Bumblebee said.
"Very well…..Dragonstorm, Strafe! Attack the knight-ship!" Sideswipe ordered Dragonstorm and Strafe to go after Lockdown's ship. Dragonstorm and Strafe immediately flew towards the knight-ship and jumped on the roof waiting for Bumblebee, Cade and the others to arrive.
"Why are we here brother?" Stormreign asked.
"Sideswipe said so but I don't know the reason behind this!" Dragonicus replied.
"What is it Strafe?" Dragonicus asked seeing Strafe point at the sky and looks towards the direction Strafe was pointing at. He then sees a group of Wyverns flying towards their direction with Bumblebee, Hound, Hot Rod, Cogman and Cade riding them.
"The guardian knights? OUR BROTHERS HAVE JOINED THE BATTLE!" Dragonicus said surprised by the sight of his brothers fighting against Quintessa's armies. The guardian knights land on the ship with the Autobots and Cade.
"Glad you guys made it!" Cade said.
"Steelbane, Silverblade, Executioner, and my brothers it's so good to see you all!" Dragonicus said.
"Right now is not the time for a reunion….We need to get inside the ship!" Silverblade said breaking up the reunion.
"Bumblebee, Cade and I will get inside, we need you to fend off the mercenaries that will try to kill you!" Hot Rod said.
"Understood!" Steelbane said.
"Just like old times brother?" Stormreign asked.
'Just like old times!" Steelbane replied to Stormreign.
"BEE! BLAST IT!" Hound yelled as Bumblebee kneeled down on the roof of the ship and blasted a hole through it. He then jumped inside with Cade, Cogman and Hot Rod.
"Sir! There has been a breach on the ship!" One of the Mercenaries said.
"WHAT?" Lockdown yelled in anger.
"We have intruders, take them all out! NO….survivors!" Lockdown said.
"YES SIR!" The mercenary replied as he and his comrades ran to take out the knights and the Autobots.
"Looks like we are about to have company!" Hound said hearing fighter jets coming their way.
"Stand tall and ready brothers!" Steelbane said as fighter jets flew in front of them and fired at Hound and the knights. Dragonicus and Stormreign combined into Dragonstorm and attacked the fighter jets.
"Hmmm I could use one of those!" Hound said thinking to himself as he stopped firing at the mercenaries. Hound thought the unthinkable and ignored his weight jumping on one of the fighter jets and shooting the pilot.
"Now this is more like it!" Hound said now in control of the fighter jet's steering. Hound began flying and firing at the mercenaries and almost hitting the knights.
"Hey watch it!" Executioner yelled.
"Sorry I'm a sucky pilot!" Hound replied.
"So where is this staff Sir….Cade?" Cogman asked getting annoyed.
"Should be with Lockdown at the ship's command center. Hot Rod replied.
"Oh that's just great!" Cogman replied, Cade then shushed Cogman angering the headmaster even more.
"Don't you shush me!" Cogman yelled at Cade.
"Be quiet!" Cade said to Cogman.
"I hear something!" Cade explained as they all heard rapid footsteps and growling coming their way. In just a matter of seconds they saw a pack of Steeljaws running towards them.
"Steeljaws? Oh why did it have to be Steeljaws?" Cogman said scared by their numbers.
"We can take them on!" Cade said. Bumblebee and Cade began attacking the Steeljaws with Bumblebee blasting them with his plasma cannon and Cade cutting them down with the Excalibur. One of the Steeljaws attacked Cogman who immediately grabbed it by the jaws and broke its metallic skull via. Snapping its jaws and killing it instantly.
"Oh great now I got lubricant all over me!" Cogman said covered in the Steeljaw's green fluids.
"Ugh we don't have time for this! STOP THE TIME!" Hot Rod yelled firing a time bubble at the remaining Steeljaws surprising Bumblebee and Cade.
"Come on let's go!" Hot Rod yelled running towards the command center.
"Steelbane we are going into deep space!" Silverblade yelled.
"Knights fall back!" Steelbane yelled as he and his knights all transformed into Wyverns and flew away from the knight-ship except for Strafe who stood behind showing his loyalty to the Autobot cause. As they entered space, Cade suddenly had a hard time breathing until the opening on the ship's roof was closed by an extra, retracting covering. The Autobots continued heading to the command center and found Lockdown handing the staff to Quintessa.
"Here it is, the staff as I promised!" Lockdown said handing the staff to Quintessa.
"Excellent job Lockdown…you did much better then Megatron and Optimus!" Quintessa complimented Lockdown.
"Anything to get paid and to get my home rebuilt!" Lockdown said explaining his motives.
"And now for Earth to die and for Unicron to rise!" Quintessa said floating away with the staff.
"Over my dead body b*tch!" Hot Rod yelled.
"INTRUDERS? Lockdown kill them!" Quintessa ordered Lockdown to attack them. Lockdown fired at them with his head-cannon but missed and Bumblebee took the advantage to fire at Quintessa. The hit from Bumblebee's blaster caused Quintessa to vanish and to drop the staff.
"PIN HIM DOWN!" Bumblebee yelled going after the staff as Hot Rod and Cogman tackled Lockdown pinning him down.
"I did it, I got the staff!" Bumblebee said picking it up from the floor.
"Excellent job, now Lockdown take us back to Earth!" Hot Rod ordered Lockdown in a threatening tone.
"I will do no such thing!" Lockdown replied.
"Do you want to die bounty hunter, I'm not like Optimus, and I will show you no mercy!" Hot Rod threatened Lockdown.
"Look how about this, take one of my fighter jets to get back to Earth and I'll leave immediately with Unicron and the remaining Infernocons!" Lockdown offered them a few of his jets.
"But Cade won't survive in space!" Cogman explained scaring Cade Yeager.
"Not my problem!" Lockdown replied and began being crushed by Hot Rod and then Bumblebee aimed his plasma cannon at Lockdown's head.
"Okay, okay there is a fighter jet designed specifically for transporting organics, use that to take the human back just let me go dammit!" Lockdown said.
"Thank you now get out!" Lockdown yelled at the Autobots wanting them to leave. Cade and the Autobots left the command center and met up with Strafe.
"Strafe? What are you doing here?" Cogman asked.
"He must've stayed behind to help us, now that's loyalty!" Hot Rod said.
"Okay, you guys go to the fighter jet I'll hitch a ride on Strafe!" Bumblebee said.
"You sure Bee?" Hot Rod asked.
"Yes I am certain!" Bumblebee replied, Hot Rod didn't reply back but went to the fighter jet with Cade and Cogman. Back on Earth, the Autobots and the Knights watched as Unicron began to leave Earth's atmosphere and cheered.
"WE WON! WE WON!" The Autobots cheered, they then cheered even more as they saw the knights and Hound flying down to the ground.
"Hell yeah, we are victorious!" Hound yelled happy that they beat Quintessa and the Infernocons.
"Yeah but where's Bee?" Dino asked.
"And Hot Rod?" Dino said.
"And Strafe?" Slug asked. They looked up fearing the worst when suddenly they saw a fighter jet with Cade, Cogman and Hot Rod inside while Bumblebee was riding on Strafe.
"Bee! Hot Rod! I'm glad you both are alive!" Sideswipe went towards Hot Rod and Bumblebee happy that his students survived the battle.
"Yeah we won, but at a grave cost!" Bumblebee said.
"Don't worry little one, we will find Optimus Prime!" Dragonicus said.
"No matter what!" Stormreign finished Dragonicus's sentence. The knight's walked towards the Autobots showing their allegiance and willingness to help the Autobots find their leader who unbeknownst to them washed up on shore in Scotland and has been found by Megatron and the Decepticons.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Yeah you guys probably thought this was the last chapter right? Even with Megatron and the entire main cast of Decepticons still around? No way there are more chapters coming. Thanks for reading this chapter and stay tuned for Chapter 22.