Chapter Eleven: History Lessons
Cade thought that a robotic dragon was the weirdest thing he had seen so far, but the man-sized grey Transformer carrying a silver tray with four tea cups and an ornate kettle definitely topped the list.
"Cade, meet Cogman, my butler," Burton introduced as they entered the castle's foyer. "Cogman, this is Cade."
Cade stared at the butler curiously. He was as tall as him, humanoid, with a round head and cyan eyes that barely showed any hint of emotion. It was a bizarre sight, though Cade had heard of Decepticon Pretenders, and he was wondering if Cogman was the Autobot equivalent when the butler spoke in a polite tone.
"Ah, yes. You must be the carpenter we hired last week." Cogman turned away without a passing glance. "The balcony needs repairs after Sir Steelbane unintentionally bumped into it. And as you can see, the floorboards on the staircase to your right need replacement. Please mind where you walk; some of these decorations caused a year's worth of your salary."
Cade didn't look at the staircase, nor the various statues and vases scattered in the hall. Instead, he looked at Burton with a bewildered expression. The older Custodian flashed him a smile then said to his butler, "Cogman, Cade is not here to fix the castle. He's here as a guest."
At that, Cogman stopped just before the entrance to a long windowed hallway and, to Cade's utter shock, swiveled his head around so that he stared back at him. "Greetings, Mister Cade. Would you like your tea with sugar or honey?"
Utter silence descended, which was only broken when Fowler coughed. "I believe it's best to discuss this at the library," he said.
"But of course, Sir. Please follow me." With that, Cogman rotated his head back to its usual position and resumed walking.
"You didn't tell me you have a crazy Transformer as a butler," Cade muttered to Burton as they trailed after Cogman.
"You have to forgive him," Burton said in an equally quiet tone. "Cogman has a little problem dealing with strangers. But he's a good chap. He's been my family's butler for nearly five centuries now."
Cade raised an eyebrow at that, his curiosity piqued. They headed deeper inside the castle, climbing a set of grand staircases to the third floor, where they passed a hallway with portraits of each family head hanging along the wall. All sat in carved seats and bore some resemblance to Burton, but what caught Cade's attention was how the portraits showed Cogman standing next to the seat.
A Transformer butler who had been serving a European family since the Middle Ages. It was a mystery that Cade really wanted to uncover, but there was no time for that as they soon reached a set of heavy oak doors, which Cogman effortlessly pushed with one hand.
They entered, and Cade found himself inside an impressive room filled with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and tall glass windows, casting bright shafts of sunlight. The windows were opened, offering him a view of the garden where the Autobots and Fowler's escorts waited. There was also a lounge nearby, plush seats and a mahogany table, where people could sit comfortably while reading.
And in one of the chairs sat a woman, casually flipping through the pages of an old-looking book. She glanced up when the door shut, her long raven hair swaying, and she closed the book with a smile as Cogman placed the tray on the table. "Here's your tea, Madam. I trust that you've enjoyed the book?" he said.
The woman nodded. "You do have the knack for picking the right one, Cogman."
"But of course. It's part of my duty." Cogman bowed lightly.
"Ever the gentleman, are you?"
"Gentlebot, actually," Cogman said, earning him a soft giggle from her.
"He's always been like that, Viviane." Burton approached as his butler retreated. "You won't find any other one like him. Dedicated to his duty, a gentle disposition, and," he pointed his cane at the book, "well versed in literature."
"You forgot crazy," Cade muttered.
"Sir Burton." Viviane stood up and embraced the elderly man briefly. "It's so good to see you again."
"So do I," Burton said as they separated. "Lovely as always. I trust you've enjoyed the gift I sent you last time?"
For a moment, the eyes of the woman called Viviane sparkled. "It has been… useful several times," she said. "Though I don't often keep it with me."
"You should keep it all the time," Fowler said, drawing her gaze. "You never know when you might need it."
"You always worry too much about me, Agent Fowler," Viviane said with a half-smile.
Fowler chuckled. "We are Custodians, you and I. Part of our code, remember?"
Cade's eyebrows rose. So this Viviane was a Custodian too? Just how many there were?
Before he could ponder those questions, Burton gestured in his direction. "And speaking of our secret order," he said, "allow me to introduce to you our newest member. Viviane, this is Cade Yeager. Cade, this is Viviane Wembly. A history professor at Oxford. A doctor of philosophy, also at Oxford. And a doctor of letters, too."
That was a lot of doctorates, Cade noted, and he would have been impressed if not for the stare Viviane gave him. She was looking at him from toe to head, a frown marring her pretty face. It was uncomfortable, but he did not let that show. Instead, he simply crossed his arms and waited for her to finish.
At last she said, "So what do you do for a living?"
Cade blinked. That was her first question? "I'm an inventor," he answered.
"Interesting. And from which university were you from?" she pressed on.
Cade blinked again. He had only gone through college. "Well, I have a college degree in mechanical engineering."
Viviane arched an eyebrow. "But not a doctorate, or even a master's degree?"
"My parents didn't have the money at the time. And my girlfriend gave birth to our daughter." He shrugged, trying his best to ignore her condescending tone; he knew what she was driving at.
"Ah, so you're one of those…men."
"What?" He frowned. "Look. I don't know what your problem is. Yes, I couldn't get into a university. But at least I loved my girlfriend and I love my daughter. And I love inventing."
"And what have you invented?" she asked mockingly.
"Well, a lot of things," he said.
"Like?"
"Like… a lot of things. Stuffs you haven't heard of yet." Cade shook his head in exasperation. "What does this have to do with anything anyway?"
"Because you're one of us, or so Sir Burton has said." Viviane crossed her arms, disdain crossing her face. She was looking less pretty with every second. "Naturally you have to be qualified. Look at Agent Fowler here. He's, well, an agent. Sir Burton is a historian, much like me."
"To be fair, I was a major troublemaker back in my high school days," Fowler commented.
"Yes. And look at you now," Viviane insisted. "The Custodians were the first humans to have contact with beings from another world. We have been tasked with a heavy burden: protecting the most advanced technology from an advanced race. As such, we must have the capabilities to do so." She turned to Cade with a poorly hidden sneer. "Capabilities that you might lack."
"I might lack the right skills, but at least I'm not some uppity British woman who thinks so highly of herself," he snapped, his temper rising, which made her flinch. Turning to Burton, he said, "Is this part of your code, too? Insulting people?"
"Sir, I would advise against using that tone to both Madam Viviane and Lord Folgan," Cogman warned, taking a step from where he stood next to Burton. His voice was calm, but his eyes shone a little brighter than usual.
Cade was not intimidated. "Or else what?" he challenged. Transformer or not, he was not going to back down from a fight.
"Or else I will twist your neck, remove your tongue, and throw you out of the window which, you may have noticed, is three stories high." Cogman's tone remained calm.
"Cogman, control your temper," Burton chided with a sigh. The butler dipped his head and stepped back, though his eyes did not leave Cade. "That goes for you as well, Cade. Viviane," he smiled at the woman, "Cade might not have gotten the same education as we did. But I assure you, he is more than qualified. And besides, the Custodians do not value just intellectual strength. Or have you forgotten that?"
Viviane's cheeks turned red in what Cade hoped was shame, and she murmured an apology to him, an unexpected act that melted his anger somewhat.
"Now why don't we start what I've called all of you here for?" Burton smiled and gestured at the table. Soon they were seated around it, with Cade sitting as far away from Viviane as possible. Cogman had opened several windows, letting the fresh air in and allowing the Autobots to join in on the conversation.
"Thought for a second that you need help," Prowl told Cade, looming outside and peering at the room with interest. The other Autobots crowded behind him, eager to listen, while Steelbane stood a few meters to the right, silent and vigilant.
"I'm not the one who needs help," Cade said, glaring at Viviane; she returned it in kind.
Setting his cane on the table, Burton pressed his palms flat on the surface and cleared his throat, drawing everyone's gaze. "First, allow me to give a full account of the Custodian's history and the mission we've been given. William only gave you a brief explanation, yes?" he asked Cade.
Cade nodded.
"The Custodians are not just a group of people who safeguards Cybertronian relics; we are an order of clans, families, scattered around the world who keep these relics from falling into the wrong hands. Each family is given a relic to hide and a guardian to keep them safe." Burton briefly tilted his head in the direction of Steelbane, who simply grunted in response.
"So you two have guardians?" Cade asked Fowler and Viviane.
There was a heavy pause, and Cade could tell that it was a touchy subject. But why? "I don't have one. But…" Fowler glanced hesitatingly at Viviane. She had looked away at the question, the distress on her face plain to see. Outside, Steelbane uttered a soft growl.
"We will get to that," Burton said gently. He continued, "In any case, most of the families came from here in England, where the Knights Apprentices first revealed themselves to the human race."
"So the Transformers actually met King Arthur?" Cade snorted. To his surprise, Steelbane turned and spoke.
"No. But we met someone who can make flowers appear out of thin air," he said.
"Huh?"
"He meant the wizard Merlin," Burton said. "Yes, the legends are true, though not probably in the way you've always believed. I'll tell you about it some other time. Don't give me that look, Cade. Anyway, where was I? Ah, our history. Yes, the founding families were European, including mine and Viviane's. At first, there were only a few, and there had been instances where there were more Knights than the families they were protecting. But our order grew, we took in more people, and at our peak, there was one family for each Knight, or one Knight for each family. That includes yours, of course."
"But I'm an American," Cade said, frowning. As far as he knew, his ancestors never had any contact with aliens from a different world.
"Yes, you are," Viviane said, her voice oozing with venom. Cade was about to retort—she was getting annoying again—but Burton continued.
"You are both only half-correct. The Yeagers are indeed American, but they were originally from Germania. Jager. That was your family's original surname, Cade. At some point during the 1700s, your ancestors migrated to the United States, changed the spelling of their surname, and have lived as Americans since then."
"But why didn't my family know about this?" Cade asked. "If the Yeagers are really Custodians, why am I only learning of this now?"
Fowler sighed heavily. "It's not that your family didn't know. They just chose to forget about all of this. Because like the Fowlers, the Yeagers have abandoned their duty after migrating to the US. Our families, well, we were deserters."
A pin dropping to the floor could have been heard in the ensuing silence. Cade stared at the agent, mouth agape. His family were deserters? "That's impossible, man," he protested. "My family may be simple farmers and crazy inventors, but we would never break our word."
"And yet it's true," Viviane commented nonchalantly while sipping her tea. "Your family fled like cowards. At least in William's case, they were framed by an enemy lord who wanted their lands, forcing them to leave."
"We still abandoned our duty, Viviane," Fowler said, shifting in his seat.
"Yes. But your ancestors did it out of necessity, or risk facing death." There was that sneer again directed at Cade. "Unlike this American."
It took all of Cade's strength not to react to that. And maybe he should not; the more he thought about the revelation, the more he understood why Viviane seemed so hostile from the beginning. However, there was one thing that did not make sense.
"Why did the Yeagers leave?" He turned to Burton. "There has to be a reason. We couldn't have just left without something, or someone, driving us away."
"Ask Skylynx if you ever meet him," Steelbane commented, peering briefly over a window. "He was your family's guardian before they left."
"How do we find him?"
Steelbane shrugged and turned away. "We can't. At least not easily. We Knights turned off our trackers once we went our separate ways."
"But why?" Cade's frown deepened. "How are you supposed to find each other if something happens?"
"We do it the old-fashioned way." And Steelbane grew quiet after that.
Cade sat trying to process everything he had learned. It was a lot to take in, and he knew they had just barely started. He still could not wrap his mind around his family's real history. It seemed impossible, absurd even, that they would shirk away from their duties.
All his life, Cade never once did that. From providing his girlfriend with all her needs, to raising Tessa when her mother passed away. Cade did everything he could; he gave it his all, plus some more. It was one of the lessons his father had taught him.
Never let anyone down.
But now it contradicted what they had told him. Did his father know? His grandfather? Was that why the lesson was passed down to every generation in the first place? Because of what his ancestors did?
A hand touched his shoulder gently, and when Cade looked, it was Burton. His smile was warm, and there was not a trace of contempt in his eyes. "We would never know why your ancestors did that, so don't let it trouble you. Besides, you are you, Cade. Remember that." His hand left Cade's shoulder and returned to the table.
"Now," Burton continued, "I believe it's time we progress into more pressing matters. While I love talking about history, especially about our order's history, it is not the only reason why I have called you all. William?"
"Yes, sir." Fowler straightened in his seat, his expression serious. "These past few months, Decepticon activity has increased dramatically. And we've confirmed that Megatron has returned."
The atmosphere grew heavy, and Cade noticed Steelbane stiffening at the mention of Megatron's name.
Fowler continued, "We didn't really know what they were after at first; they were targeting libraries and hospitals, with the few military bases thrown in as well, but after the attack two days ago, I believe we have the answer to that." His eyes flicked to Cade.
"They are hunting members of the Custodians," Burton deduced, leaning back in his seat with a troubled expression. "It seems our enemies already know. Viviane, that would explain the incidents last week."
"You were attacked?" Cade asked Viviane, genuinely concerned. She may have an unpleasant attitude, but he knew the feeling of being attacked by Decepticons. It was far from pleasant.
The woman shivered. "Not exactly. I was just followed by two of them. At least I think they were Decepticons."
"Can you describe them for us?" Prowl asked.
Viviane scrunched her face as she thought. "Well, one was a red Tesla Roadster. The other was a blue Mercedez. But I never saw their robot forms."
Cade glanced at Prowl. "Do you know them?"
"I'm afraid so." He exchanged an uneasy look with Cliffjumper. "I'm just curious why they are here."
"I think we already know the answer to that," Burton said grimly.
Fowler nodded. "Viviane was being targeted. And now, Cade. It would not be long before the rest of us have Decepticons knocking at our doorsteps."
"Let them." Steelbane's tone was sharp and cold. "It's been a long time since I last swung my blade. And they will find it still as sharp as the day it was forged."
"Steelbane, your sword wouldn't matter if they find what they are looking for," Burton admonished. He stood up and turned to Prowl. "Which means we have to move at once. You're here for the Omega Lock, yes?"
Prowl dipped his head. "Indeed."
"Then follow me. Cogman, could you please show our gigantic friends the way to the East Courtyard? We will be joining you shortly."
"Of course, my lord." With that, Cogman sprinted toward one of the open windows and leapt outside.
The act was so sudden and unexpected that Cade could only stare in disbelief. He could hear the butler's voice, muffled by the distance of the room to the ground. How many stories were they in again? Three?
"He, ah, does that often." Burton smiled apologetically. Outside, Steelbane and the Autobots drew away from the windows as Cogman led them.
Burton took them back to the foyer, where he turned left at the first hallway and continued. The walls here were decorated with paintings, many of which depicted medieval battles; mounted knights charging at an army of barbarians, trebuchets and catapults launching flaming boulders at a castle, and unsurprisingly, a knight fighting a dragon.
"You are familiar with how King Arthur came to possess Excalibur, yes?" Burton asked Cade.
"I know that he pulled it from a stone," said the inventor. To be frank, he was not very familiar with any kind of myth, or even history for that matter. He preferred the present over something that may or may not have happened several hundred years ago. Which was why he just gave the paintings a passing glance, unlike Vivian who stared at them with interest.
"You are correct." Burton smiled. "But I think we have someone who could properly answer my question. Ms. Wembly? If you could please, ah, educate Mr. Yeager about our country's famous hero?"
The woman turned to face them, her expression eager. "Of course, sir. King Arthur was the legendary ruler of Britain and wielder of the mystical sword, Excalibur, from the Arthurian Cycle of myth. He pulled the sword from the stone, prophesied to answer to no one but the rightful king, and reigned for many years in Camelot. He was famous for founding the Knights of the Round, a group of his most trusted knights and advisers formed to help him protect the country. Chivalry, duty, honor, and sacrifice. All of them had sworn an oath to the King to uphold these qualities." She paused, then looked at Cade with disdain. "Almost every child knows this. But there are others who would ignore such an important part of world history."
He snorted. "Well, sorry. I was never much of a history nerd."
"Of course. I would not expect more from someone who tinkers with junk," retorted Vivian with a huff.
"Children," interrupted Burton, "this is not an appropriate time to bicker. I would very much appreciate it if you would simply listen." They fell silent at that, which made him smile again. "Good. Now, as Ms. Wembly have said, King Arthur was a hero for us Britons. He was our King that personified honor and chivalry. And the Excalibur, it symbolizes the absolute success in winning a battle; the Sword of Promised Victory, as some called it."
Vivian frowned. "That's the first time I've heard it called by that name."
"I will not be surprised," the historian said as they climbed down a staircase taking them deeper into the castle. "Only a few know it by that name, myself included."
He stopped in front of a locked wooden door. It was engraved with scripts and symbols that Cade could not understand, but somehow, he felt his heart stirring. There was something beyond the door, something that seemingly called to him.
Burton fished out a golden key from his pocket and unlocked the door. He pushed, and it swung inward on its hinges without a sound. As they stepped inside, Cade's eyes widened.
It seemed as if he had stepped inside a medieval room. The hall was massive, and the walls were hung with red and golden tapestries and banners with insignia of lions and dragons. Empty suits of armor stood at intervals like sentinels, tall and proud. An assortment of weapons were on display in racks, their blades gleaming as if recently oiled. Cade ran a finger on the edge of a double-bladed axe, and he recoiled upon touching it; there was a cut on his finger. It was still sharp.
He looked around. Viviane was talking to Fowler about something, both of them inspecting a suit of armor. Burton was striding toward the back of the room, his cane making a soft clack across the polished floor. There was a lot to take in, but what drew his attention was a painting that seemed out of place.
Cade approached the artwork and stared intently. It seemed so familiar, a planet in the dark canvas of space, flushed with a golden sheen. A golden planet. With a start, he looked closer and saw the shiny gloss of the surface, the texture, captured perfectly by the artist, whoever he was. It was metallic.
"Cybertron," Cade whispered. He had seen the planet only once, several years ago when the dead world was briefly brought near Earth by the Decepticons, but this was the fist time that he had seen it in full. And judging by Cybertron's state in the painting, it was before war and death consumed the surface.
"It's sad, isn't it?" Viviane spoke gently next to Cade, startling him a little. He had not heard her approach, preoccupied as he was. "It's beautiful, maybe much more than ours. But now…" She shook her head, expression somber.
"I know." Despite their clashing personalities, this was one topic he could agree with Viviane. "Makes you wonder if we are heading in the same direction, huh?"
Viviane's expression turned thoughtful, and it was another minute before she finally spoke. "We humans live fleeting lives, unlike them. And so unlike them, we can… change faster. I still believe that we can find a way to save our own world from whatever fate awaits it."
"Provided that everyone can work together," he muttered. Cade returned his gaze to the painting, and soon the two of them were lost in their own thoughts.
It was not long before Burton returned, an object wrapped in a white cloth tucked firmly under one arm. It was as big as a dinner plate, and thick if the bulge was anything to judge by.
The moment Fowler and Viviane saw it, their eyes widened. "Sir, isn't that—" Fowler began, but Burton held up a hand and stopped him.
"Yes, yes, it is. I will answer your questions outside." Burton winked, and he continued on his way.
They followed him back to the castle grounds, past several smaller buildings, and into a wide courtyard where Steelbane and the Autobots had gathered. Bumblebee and Cliffjumper stood together, talking in soft beeps and murmurs. Prowl paced around in the grass, while Drift practised his swordsmanship a few meters to the left. Cogman was busy watering a bed of flowers along the wall of the nearest tower, and watching over everyone, like a dutiful sentinel, was Steelbane.
As Cade and the others approached, the Autobots stopped what they were doing and stared as Burton waved them over. Perplexed, the mechs clustered around him and Cade, their eyes staring curiously at the wrapped object under Burton's arm. Steelbane tracked them with his gaze, and Cade could tell from the knight's surprised expression that whatever Burton had was an important item.
"Cogman," the older Custodian called, "could you please hold my cane for me? I've nearly forgotten how heavy this one is." He patted the object.
At once, the butler rushed to his side and took the cane, retreating a few steps while Burton held the object in both hands. "Cade Yeager," he began in a rather formal tone, "this may not be a sword much like King Arthur's Excalibur. It doesn't need to be pulled out of a stone, but it shares one similarity: it is created to defeat evil. Though Cybertronians could all use it, we humans have been granted the ability to do so as well, as long as we use it for the sake of good. Steelbane and my family have guarded it for centuries, and now as the last scion of my house, I am passing it to you."
And then Burton let the cloth fall, and the Autobots gasped, for in the Custodian's hands was a disc two feet wide, made of a metal that Cade knew could not be found on Earth, engraved with Ancient Cybertronian letters that seemed to glow faintly even in daylight. There was a switch in the center, the purpose of which Cade was itching to learn.
After all, he was an inventor. And the relic that Burton held looked very much like a piece of technology.
"What is it?" he asked. To his surprise, it was Prowl who answered.
"The Apex Armor." The Autobot tactician knelt on one knee and took a closer look, his eyes gleaming with awe. "I thought it was just a myth."
Burton shook his head and smiled. "Now you know it's not just a myth. This is just one of the relics that the Custodians were tasked to protect with their lives. The Primes left this on Earth in preparation of a coming darkness, one which I believe is already at our door." He offered the relic to Prowl. "Here. Try it. Cade may be its guardian now, but it still belongs to its original owners."
There was hesitation in Prowl's eyes, but it only lasted for several seconds before he nodded and grabbed the disc. As soon as his fingers brushed the metal, it expanded to twice its size, fitting in his palm nicely.
"Bring it to your chest," Burton said.
Prowl did as he was told, and the disc became stuck in the center of his chest as if caught in a magnet. He pressed the button in the center, and everyone watched in awe as the disc expanded and flowed across Prowl's armor, encasing him in a shining silver suit. As it continued to materialize around his body, Prowl glanced over his shoulder; even the wing-like protrusions on his back were protected.
As he glanced toward Burton, a helmet formed around his head, not unlike a knight's. And with a soft click, a protective plate slid out of the sides to cover his mouth. The transformation took less than three seconds.
With a jolt of surprise, Cade suddenly realized why it looked familiar. Of course, Optimus's head had the same mechanism whenever he entered a battle.
Cliffjumper whistled, and Drift looked impressed. "You look fearsome, old friend," he said.
Prowl nodded, inspecting his hands with wonder, clenching and unclenching them. "It feels so light. I would never think I'm wearing this armor if I'm not seeing it."
"It's impervious to almost any attacks, save from those which came from the same forge it was created, and it will protect you from fire, cold, and even radiation. Of course, it has no weapons. But the strength it provides is unmatched. And it is meant to act in conjunction with the others." Burton looked at Cade. "Now why don't you try it?"
Prowl pressed the button again, and the Apex Armor retracted inside the disc. He brought it to Cade, and as expected, it reconfigured automatically to fit in his palm. But to their surprise, four appendages emerged out of the disc, almost like legs, and it scurried up his arm and stopped in his right shoulder.
"Woah," Cade yelled, slightly terrified. It looked like a killer robot. His heart pounded as the disc latched onto his forearm, where it reconfigured once more so it looked like a metal band with a button in the center. He hesitated for a moment, still fearful of what might happen, then finally pressed it after receiving an encouraging nod from Burton.
As soon as he did, the metal flowed down to his fingers, cold and hard in his skin. There was a faint tingling when it did, as if something had bonded into the very cells of his body. When Cade looked, his whole arm was cast with the armor.
"Reminds me of that man I saw on the news three years ago," Viviane commented.
Fowler nodded. "Yes. The fugitive."
"Why only my arm?" Cade asked Burton, confused but also impressed. It was indeed light, almost like a second skin, even though the plates were tough as diamonds.
"For us humans, it will grow as we do," Burton explained. "The Apex Armor evolves alongside its wearer. Once you have mastered it, the armor will protect your entire body."
Cade nodded, giving his arm a few practice swings. It moved easily, and he could feel the metal responding to his muscles, as if it was an actual part of his body. Kneeling on one knee, he balled his hand into a fist and slammed it onto the ground.
The ground shook.
He looked around and saw everyone balancing unsteadily on their feet. The tremor passed, but Cade's wonder only grew and he marveled once more at his arm. The Apex Armor did pack a punch. A lot of it.
A shadow loomed over him, and he saw Steelbane drawing his sword. Alarmed rippled across the Autobots, and Bumblebee buzzed a warning. Cade rose to his feet as fast as he could, but Steelbane was faster; he brought his sword down with a mighty swing.
"Hey," Cade yelled, instinctively raising his armored hand t defend himself. He knew it was futile—the sword was probably twenty tons, way heavier than his body. So when his arm moved on its own and stopped the blade, his jaw almost dropped to the ground.
"What in Primus?" Cliffjumper shouted.
After a couple of seconds, Steelbane resheathed his sword and nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent. Now you are truly a Custodian."
"You could have warned me next time," Cade grumbled, rolling his shoulder. Despite the strength that the Apex Armor granted him, his arm still went almost numb from the attack. He knew it was a test, of course. But that did not make the experience any less pleasant.
Steelbane snorted. "If I did, you would have dodged, defeating the purpose." He stepped back, ignoring the glare that Bumblebee was giving him.
"You have to forgive Steelbane," Burton said. "This is his way of testing your resolve, whether or not you will flee from danger. Of course, I believe it was unnecessary given your experiences. But that's how we do things in our order." He shrugged. "In any case, you would normally be branded by our symbol, but we have no time. Viviane, come over here."
The woman hesitated and glanced at Fowler, who gave her an encouraging nod. Rubbing her hands, Viviane approached and stood next to Cade. "Yes, sir?" she asked nervously.
"Relax," Burton said gently. "Take a deep breath… Yes, that's it. Now this concerns both of you." He stared at them intently, even as they exchanged glances. "Cade, I'm giving you a mission. A mission that, I believe, only you can do."
Cade stiffened. He had somewhat expected this to happen, and frankly, he did not know if he should accept whatever mission they would give him. All he wanted was to protect his friends, his family.
Then again, if this mission was the reason why the Decepticons were back, he could not simply stand by and watch as they burned everything he cherished. If his ancestors were indeed deserters, he must not make the same mistakes as they did.
"What do I have to do?" he said in a soft voice.
"You will have to find one of the Omega Keys," Burton responded. "And you will have to work with Viviane."
Cade's eyebrows almost left his forehead entirely. He was about to protest, and he knew that Vivian was about to as well, when Burton cut them off.
"Only Viviane can help you," he insisted. "Only you two can help each other."
The implication of what he said struck Cade, at once everything clicked. What was Viviane's family supposed to be guarding? "Your family," he said as he faced her, "They are guarding one of the Keys, aren't they?"
There was a collective gasp from Prowl and the others, and the tactician took a step toward Viviane, his body shaking with what Cade knew was anticipation. But Steelbane held him back by the shoulder and shook his head.
"Had guarded," Viviane corrected, avoiding his gaze. Her eyes brimmed with tears. "But not anymore."
"What does that mean?" Cade asked, not accusing. He would not judge her, or her family. He could tell by her expression that she was in enough pain, and he would not add more to that.
For a long minute, the only sound was the whispering wind. And then Viviane met his gaze for the first time, her voice thick as she answered.
"Our guardian, Windstorm, went missing twenty years ago… and so did my father."
Yet another record-breaking chapter! This one sits at more than 6k words, by far the longest one in the series. Now I know I said this would feature a big battle scene, but given how big this has become, I have to move that into the next chapter. And even then, I may have to split that into two parts.
Now let's talk about this chapter. There are a lot of story elements I've inserted into this chapter, mostly for backstory and worldbuilding purposes. First, we have the history of the Custodians, as well as a little bit of the Knights. Windstorm, obviously, is an OC of mine. I needed to have a name for Viviane's guardian, and it is the best I could come up with.
Speaking of Viviane, some of you may have expected that she won't appear in this story. However, I decided to include her.
Personally, I find Viviane's character boring and uninspired in the film. But that's why I had an easier time writing her in this chapter. I wanted to reimagine her, flesh out her personality, and give it my own twist. Here, instead of being Merlin's descendant, she is part of the Custodians and has deep ties with the order. Maybe you found her annoying, but that's part of my plan for her character development.
Regarding the Apex Armor, yes, I slightly tweaked it too. The one thing that baffled me in Transformers Prime was how Miko could stand as tall as Starscream while wearing it. Like, just how? It's an armor, not a mech suit. And that's why I changed that in this story.
Anyway, I've included subtle references, or maybe not so subtle if you know which franchises they are, to several things here. Some are not from Transformers, but some are. As I've said in chapter two, or was it three, I plan on using this story as the start of a massive crossover fanfic series. Though for the most part, I want to keep it as standalone as possible.
On a side note, who can guess the identity of the Cons who followed Viviane? ;)
Now, it's time for the Q&A segment!
In response to Wacko12's review, the answer is quite simple. Fowler's little group are Autobot supporters. And in a way, that's their way of giving tribute to their deceased friends. Of course, not all of those sparks are Autobots. Though I didn't mention it, there are also Decepticons in there. Unfortunately, I don't want to spoil you too much, so that's the answer I can only give.
In response to Julien Caeg's review, it's been a long time since I last saw TLK, but I seem to remember that Optimus and the Knights have almost the same height, so I'm using that as a reference point. Regarding Epps, rest assured that he is alive in this story. I just couldn't find a role for him at this point. As for Dino, Jolt, etc, I'm afraid they are dead, at least in this fic.
And that's it. Hope you all like this chapter! I'm spending the next week preparing for some of my personal projects, so the next chapter might not come soon. But I will try to get it done as soon as I can.
Please Read & Review! Until next time!
