Author's Note: Sorry for the delay people, hope you are still with me. Some swearing.. (in the story that is, not from you - hopefully).
/denotes recalled conversation/
''denotes Primus speaking''
Chapter 175 – Unleashed
Phoenix P.O.V
The blast that erupted from Megatron's cannon shot past me, slamming into Starscream's chest. The Seeker's face was a twisted tableau of pain and shock as the fiery blast found its mark. His dermas contorted as if a silent scream of utter rage and anguish were being ripped from deep within, and he fell to the ground in a cloud of billowing smoke and flames.
I barely had time to register what had happened before a flash of red and blue slammed into Megatron. ''I'LL TEAR YOU APART!'' Prime screamed as he tackled Megatron to the ground, the pair rolling over several times, exchanging furious blows. The 'Cons stood confused. Their leader had just killed one of their own - over an Autobot. An Autobot that had deceived them.
Taking advantage of the 'Con's momentary confusion and lack of leadership, Ironhide's gravelly voice rang out behind me, ''AUTOBOTS ATTACK!'' I snapped my battered helm around to take in the scene of the Autobots surging towards the 'Cons. Weapons drawn, voices filled with millennia of hatred and malice, reverberated across the grounds.
''NO! Stop!'' I tried to scream out, but my damaged voice box and throat failed me. I could not be heard. I could only stare in horror; my broken dermas open wide in shock as the scene began to unfold before me. Shaking my helm, I brought a shaky servo up to try and stop the madness - but nothing happened. I shuttered my optics in frustration and pain. My powers had not yet fully returned. Placing the servo over my chest, I tried desperately to stem the flow of energon from my wound as I stumbled forward, sinking to my knees.
Before me, in the distance, Prime was kneeling above Megatron, slamming him bodily into the ground over and over. ''YOU DON'T TOUCH HER! YOU DON'T EVER TOUCH HER AGAIN!'' He roared through his battle mask, his servos curled into fists and the sound of metal crunching against metal echoed sickeningly down towards me as Prime's servos repeatedly found their mark on Megatron's face and helm as he punched him. ''I'LL KILL YOU!'' A ferocity and bloodlust burned within his optics.
The fabled restraint and compassion of Optimus Prime was no more.
Gunfire and voices raised in sheer hatred assaulted my audials as both Autobot and Decepticon sought to obliterate the other. Bee had managed to break free and had ushered the human captives to safety before joining into the fray. /This can't be happening!/. My optics locked on Prime and Megatron. ''NO, no, no, no, no!'' I clutched tighter at the hole in my chest and used my other arm to try and push myself shakily to my pedes.
''PHOENIX! Primus no – Phoenix!'' The sound of Rachet's terrified voice filled my audials as he slid to the ground beside me. ''Stay down, stay still, Don't move!'' He barked at me.
I shook my helm as vigorously as I could and growled hoarsely at him. ''No Rachet! I HAVE TO get up! This can NOT happen! Unicron…I have to...'' I felt the flicker of fames ignite along my frame as anger, pain and fear consumed me and the power of The Phoenix began to flow through me.
Before me Megatron managed to throw Prime off him, lashing out at him with one of his pedes, sending him staggering back. Seizing the opportunity, he leaped towards him, feral look on his face as he drew one of his swords and slashed it down in a sweeping arc as he sought to kill him. He laughed sadistically at Prime as he tried to goad him. ''Now I know how much this Phoenix means to you Prime, I shall take great delight in making her suffer.'' He swung again before he followed through with a right hook that connected heavily with Optimus' face, sending him stumbling backwards and to the ground. My spark ceased pulsing. Megatron's red optics were aflame with malice and twisted pleasure as he advanced on the fallen Prime. ''And in doing so, I shall be doubly rewarded as YOU suffer alongside her.'' He shook his helm as a sneer formed on his bleeding and battered face. ''Oh Prime, how foolish you have been!''
I narrowed my optics and began to move forward towards the two leaders as they sought to rip each other apart. Prime used his momentum to roll to the side under the blade before regaining his footing and unsheathing his own energon blade in one swift motion, growling as he did so. Bringing his left blade down hard, Megatron barely had time to raise his sword and block the frenzied advance as Prime surged forward, his energon blades flying at him from both directions.
Optimus did not speak. He did not bite at the bait that was cast before him. His optics were focused intently on the foe that stood before him, a cold, calculating look and an icy rage blazed within them. A look of fear settled on Megatron's face as he desperately fought to hold back the enraged and merciless onslaught of the Prime.
All at once Optimus retracted his swords and stepped forward into Megatron who had left his chest exposed after swinging to block Prime's rapid advance. There was a grunt of effort from Optimus as he landed a massive uppercut to Megatron's jaw that surely shattered denta, busted his dermas and cracked metal plating. Megatron growled in shock and pain and staggered backwards, clutching at his face.
Behind me, Rachet hissed at me. ''For fuck's sake Phoenix, you have to lie down and let me help you!'' I felt his servos reach out to try and grab me and force me back to the ground.
The flames along my frame leaped higher as the pain that had wracked my body began to subside. The power of The Phoenix once again began to course through me and I snarled at him as I stepped out of his reach, ''DON'T TOUCH ME!'' He froze, dermas wide in shock and indecision at the vehemence in my words. Some of the venom left my voice as I looked at my friend. ''Rachet I must stop this.'' I slowly shook my helm. ''This cannot happen.''
Rachet shook his own helm at me in defiance. ''Phoenix, this,'' he gestured at the chaos around him with his servo, ''is what millennia of hatred, lies, manipulation, greed, arrogance and vengeance has wrought. You cannot stop what is inevitable.'' Rachet reached his servo out once more to try and pull me back towards the ground. ''Please, let me help you.'' I stood there, torn. /Megatron and his Decepticons had done much to deserve the wrath of the Autobots and especially Prime. Perhaps Rachet was right../.
I flicked my optics back towards Prime and Megatron. Prime had taken advantage of Megatron's disorientation and was landing blow upon blow on his helm, his chest, anywhere he could reach the larger mech. Megatron tried to block him but Prime fought with a savage fury I had never seen. With each blow he bellowed in a voice filled with millennia of pain and anger that was finally unleashed. ''NEVER. AGAIN. WILL. YOU. HURT. HER. OR. ANYONE!'' Megatron had sunk to his knees under the vicious and frenzied advance. One of his servos raised in a vain attempt to halt the savage attack.
''DECEPTICONS!'' Megatron screamed in desperation, ''ATTACK!''
The energon in my lines froze as images of Prime lying dead in the forest assaulted me. ''NOT THIS TIME YOU DON'T!'' Ironhide roared as he surged forward and took out Onslaught as he prepared to attack Prime from behind. The two fell to the ground in an almighty crash, as Jazz and the Twins, Sustreaker and Sideswipe, rushed in to form a defensive circle around their Prime. /Thank Primus!/.
Optimus stepped forward and swung his pede, kicking Megatron in the chest and sending him sprawling. An enraged scream erupted from Prime's dermas as he watched the one he once called brother, collapse in an undignified and broken heap before him. Prime stalked around behind him, and, unsheathing his energon hook in his left servo, he sunk it into Megatron's chest, seeming to delight in the pained cry it drew from Megatron's shattered dermas. In that moment it appeared as though the one had become the other, a shattered glass reflection of what the other had been. I shook my helm as Prime hauled Megatron to his knees once more. ''GET UP YOU VILE PIECE OF SCRAP!'' Prime barked at him in a cold and mocking voice as his energon sword slid out ominously from his right servo.
I felt a shiver run along my back as I watched Prime. Gone was the calm, reserved and honourable Optimus Prime. In his stead was a ruthless, vengeful and cold sparked mech who did not hold back. A shuddering sob made its way out of my dermas. It was borne not just from pain and fear, but sorrow, as I watched the one I loved become something he devoted his life to protecting others from! /But Megatron deserves this! Doesn't he?/. The voice whispered mockingly.
Megatron growled in anger and pain at the red-hot hook buried in his chest, his digits clawing at the ground beneath him trying to gain purchase. Rivulets of energon tracked down his battered and damaged body as Prime hauled him to his knees. I felt myself shaking my helm as Prime raised his energon sword behind Megatron's back.
I wanted to move but I was transfixed, horrified. ''Prime! NO! PLEASE!'' I tried to scream out to him. But he did not hear me. He did not want to hear me.
Megatron's gaze found mine and a small, wistful smile appeared on his bleeding and broken dermas. One of his servos seemed to reach out for me. My own optics were fixed on the scene before me, and I found myself reaching out. To Prime, to Megatron. I did not know.
Optimus saw Megatron's servo, and the direction of his gaze. His optics darkened and narrowed menacingly. Leaning down he snarled in his left audial. ''Phoenix is MINE Megatron. When I am done with you, you will NEVER be able to touch her or Elita again!'' He brought his sword arm back, unleashing an almighty scream as he drove the blade through his enemy's chest, the force and the power behind it, lifting Megatron to his pedes. A scream was torn from my shattered dermas as the blade sliced through his chest and Megatron's optics widened in shock and pain.
I should have felt glad. A sense of retribution for the pain he had inflicted upon me, upon Optimus himself, upon Elita. I should have been filled with a deep sense of satisfaction, satisfaction for the revenge for all the lives he had destroyed or shattered in his twisted and dark path. And yet. I felt sorrow and pity. Megatron could have, perhaps should have, shot me and yet, he did not. He chose to kill Starscream – his own. He spared me. /Why?/.
In a rush of clarity, I recalled Primus' words once more: /You must stand together, despite the trial that awaits, For if you break ties, the impending darkness will seal all fates/. Comprehension crashed down upon me in a thunderous wave. /It is not just Prime and I that must stand together against Unicron, but Megatron and Prime. Autobot and Decepticon!/.
A warmth flowed through me as though I had been embraced. The echoes of a voice as powerful as the cosmos itself, filled my spark and processor. ''That which seeks to tear you apart will unite you - IF you allow it''. As Prime removed his energon hook, and a distant, cold look filled his optics as he reached for his blaster, I knew what I had to do.
I surged forwards towards them both, my arms raised in the air above me, flames dancing and leaping in their palms. ''Phoenix? What are you….'' Rachet called out incredulously behind me, his servo once more darting out to try and grab me and hold me back.
My voice was deep and commanding. ''GET AWAY FROM ME RACHET – NOW!'' With a final nod of his helm and a groan of frustration, Rachet, backed away from me quickly, though I could feel his optics watching me. I felt my chest heaving as I fought to control the power that built inside me.
I gave a tremendous scream that erupted as a deafening screech as I found my voice yet again and stalked towards both Prime and Megatron. For a moment all thoughts of fighting were forgotten as all optics on both sides were drawn to the flaming figure that seemed to walk on air towards their leaders. ''OPTIMUS PRIME, STOP!'' My voice boomed across the grounds with such authority and resonance, I barely recognised it. My optics fixed on the other half of my spark. ''DO NOT DO THIS!''
Prime briefly flicked his optics to mine. Torment, rage and guilt swirled about in them. ''I must. He deserves to die for what he did to you Phoenix, to Elita.''
Still impaled on Prime's energon sword, Megatron laughed, droplets of energon flying from his mouth. ''The noble Optimus Prime finally shows his true colours!''
Prime hesitated, lowering his blaster as if he was slowly becoming aware of what he had done, what he was about to do. ''Phoenix I.. ''
''DO IT!'' Megatron screamed in desperation.
Prime stood torn. His previous bloodlust dissipating as he watched me approach.
Growling in frustration and anger, Megatron sneered down at Prime. ''Then I'll make you do it!'' Megatron raised his cannon towards me and fired.
''NOO!'' Prime screamed as he once again raised his blaster to Megatron's back, preparing to fire the killing shot.
I swept my left arm down to the ground, easily deflecting the blast from Megatron's cannon. At the same time, I flicked my right servo, tearing the blaster from Prime's servo and flinging him back away from Megatron. Megatron grunted in pain as the sword was reefed back through him and he fell to the ground.
Almost immediately, Megatron scrambled to try and fire upon Prime. I snarled out loud, ''ENOUGH!'' My body was consumed in flames as I flicked the cannon from his arm and pinned him in place. With another loud screech of irritation and frustration, I sent a mountainous column of flame leaping high into the air and roaring across the battlefield. I could hear the cries of shock and confusion as both sides ceased fighting and stared at the towering pillar of flame that stood before their leaders bearing down upon them as the very air around them seemed to burn. The ground began to shake as tremors wracked the earth.
The Phoenix had been unleashed.