After he had pushed the button… nothing happened for a moment but he felt as if the air had frozen in place. He could feel the hairs on the back of his head and arms stand up, also there was a faint static that was in the air that he could feel on his skin.
He did not realize that by approaching the artifact the rest of his friends have also come over as well since they realized that Raf was not with them. They all have felt that something was calling to them when they were so close to the artifact.
Ratchet, having kept a keen optic on the humans noticed Raf neared the activation button and was about to yell a warning when it was already too late Raf have already pushed the had left him puzzled since none of their attempts in activating the darn thing haven't done anything. His train of thoughts was interrupted when he saw the rest of the humans have come to approach the artifact as well, also been in the same trance as Raf was been.
Whatever that structure was it seemed to only affect the humans and seemed to respond to them only. But… that was preposterous! Humans have not advanced in technology to be able to know how to activate it or… maybe it was the work of something else or someone who left this thing for only the humans to find it seems because only the humans were the strange device responding towards which means it can only be activated genetically.
'Which would protect the device from being tampered with but would be an extreme annoyance in the aft to work with if that is the case.
Before Ratchet could ponder anymore about this strange situation, something strange was happening that had the battle interrupted everyone else was focusing on what was happening with the structure as it started to activate.
Raf could see faint blue lines of some kind of energy running along its surface. The symbols that were carved into it were much clearer to see and from what he could gather was a language of some kind that did not look cybertronian from his time in learning about cybertronian dialect and customs from Ratchet when ever the medic would have spared time to teach him.
He could hear the faint whisper of a voice that was more or less inside his mind. He could barely make out what the voice was saying because it was so faint but he did get a word that was clear to understand.
But, before he could continue to ponder he heard a faint buzzing that only seemed to get louder each second it passed. It became so loud that he could not hear anything and he was worried that he might have lost his hearing and he wasn't alone.
Cybertronians' audio receptors were more sensitive to sound than humans and therefore the most affected as their audio receptors were been blasted by this unknown sound that got them withering in pain. Even those that were flying in the air came crashing down because they could not take the intensity of the sound that the artifact was emitting.
At the same time, the lights were getting brighter and more intense as it was flashing in rhythm with the high frequency that was been emitted.
Raf did not even register getting picked because his sense had been blasted in all directions. He did not even notice that the artifact started pulsed like mad and looked to becoming unstable. But, as soon as the artifact was fluctuating with enough power that started to look unstable and release high pitch static… it abruptly stopped altogether.
With silence left in the air, many took the chance to regain their bearings and Raf started to look around and noticed that he was in Bee's grasp as well as the rest of his friends with Miko with Wheeljack who was with Rachet supporting a now awake Bulkhead to the left side, Jack was with Arcee and Smokescreen had June in his servo while Ultra Magnus had Agent Fowler just on the corner of his eye that he could see.
Bumblebee now noticing that his human friend was out in whatever trance the rest of their human friend were under started to look at Raf closely to see if he did not sustain any visible injuries that he could see.
"[ … Raf are you okay? You were in like some sort of trance of some sorts along with the others…]". His worried tone must have started Raf because he flinched which was not a good sign. After all, it seemed that Raf was still affected. Ratchet would have to check on the humans when they get back to base because all of them were so close when the artifact and he was able to get strange readings that were coming whatever it was and it was not any energy that he was familiar with and make sure that the humans were not affected in any way.
When he saw Raf standing near the artifact, he felt his spark skip a beat as he saw what he considered his little brother be in some sort of trance with the rest of the humans being in the same state.
For a year and a half that he had come to know Rafael, he was a boy with a brilliant mind but a shy personality, and throughout the things that they have been through have come to solidify the bond that they had with one.
He could not understand why only their human allies were affected and not his brethren but he had no time to ponder about it as Raf started to speak to him again. He would reexamine that though later.
" I don't know, I feel like I am fine… but, I am just not sure because it feels like something took a hold on me. I can't exactly explain, but maybe not here". He whispered because he did not want to give the Decepticons any ideas and he was not looking forward to getting kidnapped anytime soon.
Megatron let out a growl as he got back on his pedes and stabilize himself to whatever the frag that was about. He was filled with annoyance when his battle with Optimus was interrupted and was enjoying himself. Moments like these when he was in good battle filled with unnatural glee and pleasure into ripping into his long-time enemy and the rest of those annoying Autobots and their fleshy pets.
Everyone else thoughts was soon interrupted when a loud boom! Was heard that shook the ground and the force that let out made Bumblebee stumble backward and fall off his aft with Raf still been clutched protectively in his hold. He quickly back to his feet and what he saw had him as shocked as the rest when they saw something extraordinary start to happen.
The artifact was levitating off the ground! It continues to rise and rise into the air. Everything around them started to shake all around as giant boulders started to fall on top of them. The battle was unofficially declared to be over as Megatron's voice could be heard ordering his troops to get back to the Nemesis.
Optimus had also started to shout his orders to his team who immediately headed towards the make-shift entrance that they have created while also having to dodge debris that was falling on top of them. On top of that, the ground was shaking and it was hard to stay on their pedes and even more so for Ratchet and Wheeljack who were supporting Bulkhead in getting him to the entrance while Ultra Magnus and Smokescreen were providing cover for them in case any boulder drop to close to their direction they would blast it to pieces.
A few unfortunate Vehicons have had their helms crushed by flying boulders. Knockout was making a beeline towards the elevator, pushing every unfortunate vehicle that was on his way because he did not want his beautiful finish and handsome face to be ruined by a bunch of boulders and be covered in dirt that would take forever to take out.
Some of the vehicons with flight frames try to take to the air but it was quickly proven to be difficult as they have to dodge incoming boulders and with some getting hit and coming crashing down towards the ground and some hitting their fellow Decepticons.
" I am surrounded by incompetent fools! Out of my way!" raged Megatron as he was bulldozing his way across and any unfortunate vehicle that moved fast enough was immediately killed by getting its helm taken off.
It was chaos on the ground with everyone rushing as they were fleeing. Soundwave was having a hard time generating a space bridge for his lord because all of the surrounding areas were filled with flying boulders and debris. He also had to maintain the nemesis afloat because with the artifact continuing to rise it was causing a lot of turbulence that had everyone been thrown sideways.
While that was happening, the Autobots were having a difficult time managing the terrain has transformed into their vehicle modes, while having to dodge flying boulders. They make the shift entrance collapse when the shaking had started and were forced to climb the cavern walls having tucked away their human friends in their subspace hold.
The ground was shaking very badly that some parts of the cavern started to disallow that they have to jump and grip the other side of the cavern. For Ratchet and Wheeljack it was challenging with having to support Bulkhead who was a big mech. At least the big wrecker had recovered enough to be able to climb because if he hadn't it would be a big pain in the aft to have to carry him up.
While both factions were dealing with their problems the artifact had finally broken through the atmosphere of the planet and had stopped as it enter the mesosphere.
Down below the shaking had started to subside which gave both factions a chance to finally get out of the ravine with the Autobots able to climb and the Decepticons able to finally board their ship. The Autobots were gathering their bearings from the intense running that had taken place.
"Ok… what the frag had just happened right there!" exclaimed Smokescreen as he was looking at the rest of his teammates with wide optics. He was met with silence as the rest did not know what to say because out of all the artifacts that they have collected nothing could compare to what just happened.
That artifact was not cybertronian in the design seen as they did not get any energon readings from it and it only seemed to respond to the humans, which that in itself was a puzzle in all of its own.
Optimus was starting to suspect that artifact was not met for anyone else to find but the humans… why only the humans? Before he could ponder anymore he heard his team exclamations of surprise as he saw them look up with wide optics. He follow their gaze and he could not believe what he was seen.
The artifact started to expand and become larger than it already was and the glyphs were glowing with more intensity than before but at the center, it started to glow in a strange black hue glow that started to swirl around until it exploded to what looked like a black hole that looked stable.
Inside the Nemesis lower levels, it was met with chaos and mess as vials and databases were scattered everywhere and inside the cage was Predaking who was extremely agitated about having been woken up from all the shaking and chaos that was happening. He was still recovering from being completely frozen in the arctic.
Shockwave was clutching his monitor and was able to look at what was happening outside.
"It is a portal, it is the only logical explanation for this phenomenon" deduced Shockwave as he was staring at the portal with scientific interest that looked to be glee from the emotionless scientist.
As soon as the portal opened it started to drag everything in its vicinity as trees and rockets were been sucked in.
"Optimus! We have to leave or else we will be sucked right into it!" yelled Ratchet as he saw some vehicons who did not manage to make it to the ship on time get immediately swept from their pedes and get pulled into the air with their screams been heard as they pass through the portal.
" Smokescreen takes Jack with you and keeps him safe," said Arcee as she knew that as much as she wanted to keep her partner in sight her vehicle mode would not protect him in the sightless if they get swept up into the portal and Jack would be turned into a splatter of meat and she did not want to see that happened.
Smokescreen immediately transformed into vehicle mode and opened the door for Jack and June to get in. Jack did not want to leave Arcee but he also knew that it would be dangerous to stay any second longer without being swept up into the air so he sucked up and went inside followed by his worried mother.
The others transformed with Wheeljack having Miko, Raf with Bumblebee, and Agent Fowler with Ultra Magnus. As soon as the rest transformed and their respective humans went inside they went into maximum overdrive to get far away from the portal. But, it wouldn't matter as Bulkhead and Ratchet were getting pulled backward and no matter how hard they pressed to get away, it was useless.
The two of them were in the air and were screaming as they got pulled farther away from the ground and into the portal. As that happened Arcee followed next as her form was much more lightweight and was easy to be picked off the ground and carried into the portal as well with her screams of frustration echoing as she tried to transform but couldn't because her gears were locked.
Bumblebee, Wheeljack, and Smokescreen were picked off as well and their screams along with the humans could be heard as they had to hold on tight and brace themself as they were spinning in the air in all sorts of directions causing them to black out by the g force and been oblivious to the outside world as they passed through as well.
The only Autobots left were Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime with their vehicle mode being that of big rigs that had a lot of weight to them… but even that did not prevent them from being swept up into the air as well. Fowler was screaming like a banshee and cursing like crazy but that soon ended as he was also knocked out and went passed through the portal followed closely by Optimus.
The Decepticon warship the Nemesis, even with its massive mass and thrusters being pushed to the maximum into getting away was futile as it was been dragged towards the looming black hole. The ship was shaking very badly that many officers and soldiers were thrown in all sorts of directions. Even Megatron was also knocked out against the wall of the ship so hard that it knocked him into stasis and many more followed as the sounds of helms got banged as well.
Even soundwave was thrown across the bridge and into the wall making his visor crack very badly and go into stasis as well. Even the predacon was also knocked out as it kept thrashing in his cell and his wings got damaged by being thrown in all sorts of directions.
With everyone else knocked unconscious the Nemesis went through the portal that caused a chain reaction as the nemesis did not have a slipspace drive to flow through the portal. As the nemesis went through the portal instead of having a stable look as before know it was chaotic and distorted.
As soon as that happened the portal deactivated and leaving only the portal structure still up in the sky and the area filled with silence.
Author Note: It took a long time to get this chapter but I am pretty happy with how it turned out we are finally getting into the Autobots and Decepticons getting transported to the Halo Universe and I was going to add a part in which they're dropped into different planets but I decided to save it for the next chapter. Also, I decided to not write out the new chapter for a story I am working on and instead focus on this story because I know I would deviate my attention from this story and abandon it which is something that I do not want to do. Thank you all for being patient while I was working on getting this chapter written out I hope you all have a great weekend and I hope I got the details and personality of Megatron right because I wanted to add more dialogue on the side of the Decepticons and rather than stay completely with the Autobots. Bye guys I will see you all on the next chapter.