a/n: Before things get too far with Megatron, I thought I let everyone know that Megatron isn't the Bayverse version but has been adapted using the Transformers Prime version.
Warning: Minor triggers
The Riddle's Price
Chapter 16
Kate wasn't sure how long Megatron flew. The clouds all looked the same and even the bits of land that peaked through were nothing but a blur of green and brown. It was evening when he finally landed. He transformed with his hands holding her tightly in his grip, his claws pressing into her skin. They were at an abandoned farm with an old rickety two-story house. A woman stood outside the door, her black hair flowing down her back along with the dark purple cloak the graced her body.
Megatron stopped before her and dropped Kate upon the ground. The woman smiled, her eyes flashing violet along with a fragment of blue racing across her face.
"Well done, Megatron," spoke the woman, her voice silky but dangerous. "Take her inside."
Megatron nodded before transforming back into his jet form. Kate heard as the cockpit opened once more as Megatron's human holoform stepped down. He was a man in his low fifties, his dark hair peppered with gray. Scars littered his arms and face as he approached her, his brown eyes with flecks of red narrowing upon Kate. She looked up at him, a solemn look upon her face before she turned away.
Megatron roughly grabbed Kate and dragged her inside. She looked quickly behind at the woman who stood with arms crossed a devilish smile upon her face. The house had blankets covering the furniture. The kitchen held a small table, a broken oven, and a fridge with the door barely hanging on. Megatron pulled her up the worn stairs towards a bedroom with an old queen-size bed within it. He shoved her in before closing the door.
Kate heard as a key turned, locking her in. She ran towards it and jiggled the door handle, it wouldn't budge. Kate brought her hand up, a small fireball appearing. "I wouldn't do that." Kate turned, the fireball disappearing. The woman from before stood within the same room as Kate. "Good. Take a seat."
Kate swallowed hard and moved against the wall before sitting upon the moth-eaten blankets. "Who… Who are you?" whispered Kate. She grabbed her left wrist and held it tightly.
"I am called Quintessa, the Prime of Life." The woman smirked at Kate, her blue eyes flashing violet once more.
Kate narrowed her eyes before they widen in shock, "I thought Optimus killed you on Cybertron."
Quintessa laughed, "No Prime has the ability to defeat me, including Optimus Prime."
"Why do you need me then if you think you are so powerful?"
Quintessa narrowed her blue eyes and slowly approached. Curling her long fingers under Kate's chin, she smiled, "Oh, you have something quite important." Quintessa reached for Kate's left wrist. Using her free hand, she dragged her nail against it causing Kate to hiss and a small ribbon of blood to surface. "You woke my staff. I need your blood."
Kate jerked away from the woman. Quintessa laughed as she backed away and disappeared within a ray of sparks. Kate crawled to the window, pulling her knees to her chest. Tears blurred her eyes and ran down her face as fear settled within her small frame, quiet sobs shaking her body.
.%.
Optimus drove off the C-17, Colonel Lennox running towards him as soon as he cleared the huge plane. Once cleared, he transformed to his full bipedal formed and marched harshly towards the Main Hangar. Ironhide was by his side, his optical ridges raised. Lennox looked over at the weapon master, but Ironhide only shrugged his shoulders. No one knew what was on Prime's processor.
Prime stopped before the catwalk that contained all the monitors. He pointed towards the blinking red light, the one that signaled Kate's tracker. "What are the coordinates for that?"
"Prime, what happened," called out Lennox as he ran down the catwalk to stop before the Autobot leader.
Optimus casted his blue optics towards the Colonel before returning his glare towards the blinking light, his servos reaching forward to grip the rail. "Megatron. He found us and fragging took Kate while I was in recharge."
Lennox gasped along with a few of the Autobots. The soldier pulled up another screen, coordinates blinking upon it. "Her tracker is still active."
"Good," rumbled Prime as he turned away from the catwalk. "I will return."
"Optimus, wait," called out Ratchet. He walked quickly forward, the Cybertronian staff within his hands once more. There was an elder woman walking at his side who Optimus knew. "You need to hear this."
Prime growled as he spun upon his medic, "I don't have time for this. Megatron has Kate."
"There is more at stake than just the Decepticon Warlord holding her captive," spoke the elder woman, her voice aged with knowledge and time.
"You told me to protect her, and I have fragging failed. I plan to not repeat that mistake." Optimus growled and narrowed his optics at the elder woman before marching away, back towards the C-17.
"Anton has returned," stated Kira in a dead-pan tone. Prime stopped, his back rigid before turning to look at the elder woman over his metallic shoulder. "Kate has spoken of the Darkness, hasn't she?"
Prime nodded slowly. He turned and walked back towards the woman. He dropped down to one knee, his optics narrowing, his servo forming a fist upon the hard ground. "Anton searches for her. You don't have the strength to defeat him, only Kate does."
"Who is this man, this Darkness that Kate fears?" asked Prime. He watched as the woman sighed deeply before turning away from him.
Optimus watched as she walked back towards the Main Hangar. He stood and followed along with everyone else, both Autobots and humans, back into the hangar. Kira took a seat upon one of the metal stairs as everyone dropped down upon one knee or sat upon the floor to listen to the elder woman.
"Anton was once a powerful Warlock before chaos and destruction found him. He is as old as I am, maybe older, who knows. You know of the power that resides within him for his own brother once existed within the core of your own home world."
"Unicron." It was a joint whisper from all the Autobots. Even Optimus appeared shocked, his blue optics wide as he took in the information.
"Are you sure," demanded Optimus as his servo curled into a tight fist. Kira nodded. "Why Kate, then? What does Kate have that Unicron wants?"
Kira stared dead straight into the Autobot commander's optics, her words void of any mirth, sounding cold and dark, "The power of absolute corruption, one that can either destroy darkness or brighten purity, the magic of Navian itself."
"And how would he receive that power. It exists within Kate's body. It is the very blood that runs through her left arm."
"By the Dark Navian Ritual, a deadly ritual like no other that will kill Kate in the process." Her response caused everyone to shiver and gasp. No one knew the extent of Kate's magic only that she had a certain power that could now activate the Cybertronian Staff.
"A woman has this much power?" asked Ratchet as he glanced at his leader. Optimus narrowed his optics, unsure where the medic was leading and curious on what he was asking.
Kira shook her head, "Navian is a corrupted magic activated through blood. It is neither good nor bad. Combined with Anton's powers, devastation at an extreme high would exist. Universes would be destroyed. Darkness would only exist while Purity would be corrupted. It is a power that nothing can predict the true outcome. It was the reason why that magic was sealed away. As long as Illuminate remains, Navian stays buried."
Optimus stood, his optics blazing white as anger coursed through his energon lines. "We need to retrieve Kate now."
"Yes. We will go together just in case," spoke the elder woman. Optimus nodded before transforming into the Western Star, Kira crawling in the passenger side.
All the Autobots along with the humans watched as Prime rolled onto the C-17, the maw of the plane closing and the huge aircraft driving down the runway before lifting off.
.%.
Megatron approached Kate when the sun started setting in the horizon. A cool breeze drifted through the window blowing the remaining fabric of a curtain. The door was unlocked, and a tray of food was placed upon the small desk. Kate ate the simple meal watching the Decepticon Warlord. His eyes followed her actions as she drank the liquid and moved back to the bed.
"You do not seem afraid," spoke the Warlord. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, one foot bent and pressed against the wall.
"Why should I?" She replied with her own question. "My magic has no benefits for you, only for the staff that woman wants."
"Do you have any idea what that staff actually does?" Kate shook her head and heard the Decepticon leader laugh, his voice dark and rich. "That staff can resurrect Cybertron, but with her using it, she will destroy Earth along with an old enemy."
"Unicron." Kate wasn't sure how she knew the name. It was whispered within the room forcing Megatron to growl lightly before approaching her, his knee slamming upon the ground.
"How do you know that name?" He demanded, his hand reaching out to grab her flesh forcing her to look within his brown eyes.
Kate shook her head, "I do not know." It was a whisper before her eyes rose to meet his, hazel meeting deep brown. "Darkness has returned, his powers are pure chaos. He seeks me and no one has the strength to stop him."
"You act like you know exactly what is going to happen." Megatron released her arm and rose taking a seat upon the bed. Kate turned to look at the leader, fear not from him racing through her skin but what she knows to be true.
"I don't know what is going to happen only that I have the means to prevent it." Her voice was soft as she glanced down at her left wrist. She traced her hand upon the veins, watching as the blue flashed different colors beneath her skin.
Megatron's eyes dropped to her wrist. He watched her cautiously before returning his eyes to her own. Tears pricked within her own and fell like silent rivers. Megatron brought a finger forward, wiping the tears away. "You cry. Are you not scared?"
Kate shook her head, "Every day is a chance to die. I prepare for it, practice what I need to know. I fear what the results might show, but I do not fear death itself."
"Megatron!" Quintessa's voice rose through the wooden floor, anger and venom combined in the single call of the Decepticon leader's name.
Megatron rose, growling. He glanced over his shoulder to Kate before walking out the door, the lock clicking in place. Kate returned to the window; her arms wrapped around her knees as the tears continue roll down her cheek.
.%.
Megatron marched into the dining room. Quintessa stood leaning over the long-broken table, a book within her hand. He stopped at the door frame, leaning against it. "We must prepare to drain that woman of her blood. A certain practice needs to be prepared."
"What exactly are you planning? She is human, is she not?" Questioned the Decepticon leader.
Quintessa raised her eyes towards the Decepticon leader, "She is not, but a powerful magic one that existed before Cybertron was even formed released when Unicron and Primus fought within a great battle."
"She looks human and act humans. There is nothing showing that she is magic," growled Megatron, his hand flexing before returning to a tight fist.
Quintessa laughed, her voice dripping with venom, "Her blood is the magic. She will revive Cybertron and defeat Unicron. I will control the magic of chaos and we will rule the cosmos together."
Megatron turned away from the woman, walking out the front door to lean against one of the posts that held up the porch's roof. He heard the stories of Unicron and Primus. He agreed to follow Quintessa when her idea was to use the Cybertronian Staff to resurrect Cybertron. Prime stopped her, kicking him out of the Ignition chamber. He recovered, but over time, he learned more regarding that staff, and anything related.
Something was coming. He heard the voices in the wind regarding a power, darker than anything that Cybertronian or human has fought. Could that young woman be the key? Was everything she talking about referring to Unicron's return? Megatron glanced to the second-story window. There was something about that woman, something that he wanted to find out.
.%.
Kate sat near the window as the stars twinkled above. The moonlight from the full moon lit the room casting shadows upon the walls. Kate gripped her hands tightly. Fear continued to race through her body as she thought about what she told the Decepticon Warlord along with that strange woman.
Darkness had arrived. It was hunting for her. Kira only told her once about the Darkness, how a certain ritual was performed to give life to Illuminate. The baby was hidden using a time ability till Darkness faded into the histories. Kate trained throughout her life learning how to control the powers of Navian. Sure, multiple times she could have used it, mostly if she wanted to escape the Autobots or even defend herself such as the case where she was trapped, but even she knew the consequences of that action.
Navian was a corrupted magic, no matter what extent she would use, corruption would take over. She would have no control with the final destination being death itself.
Kate heard the lock undone as the Decepticon Warlord approached her beside, the door slamming shut behind him. "Quintessa has summoned you," spoke Megatron, his voice deep forcing fear to pick up a notch.
Kate tried pressing against the window, but Megatron reached for her, dragging her off the bed and through the bedroom door. They traveled down the stairs towards another door. It led down rotten stairs to a hidden cellar beneath the old farmhouse. Quintessa stood waiting, a dagger within her hand along with some rope upon a wooden workbench.
Kate dragged herself away from Megatron's grip. She curled her hand forming a small ball of fire, hoping to aim at the Decepticon Warlord. Electric lines pulsed through her body forcing a scream to escape her lips. Kate flicked her eyes to the woman. Quintessa's hand was raised, glowing a bright blue. She squeezed and another burst electricity raced through Kate's body.
Exhaustion gripped the young woman as she was pulled before Quintessa. She carried a devilish smirk upon her face as she twisted the dagger within her hand. She signaled Megatron to place Kate upon the workbench when a loud crashing sound vibrated throughout the whole place.
"Find out what is happening," bellowed Quintessa, her hand smashing against the workbench, the dagger going flat against the wood.
Megatron nodded and dismissed his holoform. Kate heard as the transformation took place before a loud crash echoed throughout the space. Quintessa's eyes burned brightly blue before she dismissed her holoform. Kate rolled from the table and ran up the stairs. Most of the farmhouse was destroyed, fire licking some of the sides.
Kate quickly looked around the area. Megatron was leaning against a huge grain silo while Quintessa was flat against the floor a twisted dark purplish blade jammed into her chest. Kate followed the blade towards the owner, her eyes widening as she slowly backed away.
Dark purple eyes locked with hazel. Kate felt her magic jump and boil. Fear ran down her spine as she slowly migrated towards the down Decepticon Warlord. Megatron groan, his long metallic talons resting against his head.
"Megatron, wake up," cried Kate as she climbed the gunmetal leg. "He's here, the Darkness. I can't fight him. Please, Megatron."
Megatron shook his head. His blood eyes traveled to the woman. She begged him with her eyes as she glanced over her shoulder. The man pulled the blade from Quintessa's chest, the twisted sword covered in a bright blue liquid. He twisted it in his hand and turned and locked eyes with Kate.
Kate banged against Megatron's metal leg, "Megatron!"
Megatron growled as he glanced down at her and then towards the man. He raised his fusion cannon and fired. The dark man lifted his blade and blocked the blast, sending it away. The blast landed against the farmhouse, the rest of it blasting, sending wood and glass in every direction.
Megatron dropped his crimson eyes to Kate before rolling to his knees. His hand was placed flat upon the ground for Kate to climb on. She rushed, her head turning to look over her shoulder. She felt as he transformed around her before his jet fired the thrusters and disappeared into the sky.
Kate turned to look out the window. She watched as anger graced the dark man's face, his blade being jammed into the ground and a loud scream echoing from his dark lips.