Beast Wars and all related characters belong to Hasbro and Mainframe. The story, its original contents and ideas, and any original characters belong to the author and cannot be used or reprinted without the author's permission.

Flying High, Soaring Forever

By nightdragon0

I held my breath as the gigantic doors swung open. I had cover fire behind me, a strong resolution within, and a powerful enemy in front.

Once the doors had opened just enough, I dashed.

Laser fire and explosions were everywhere as I ran, deflecting the shots. However, my destination was an opening right above the door. Lacking the space to take off in the midst of all the shooting, I leapt against the wall, piercing both swords into it.

I used those as handholds to pull myself up.

Suddenly, a hook moved towards me. It was connected to a crane and I saw Muricate operating it from below. Nodding, I took hold and allowed her to maneuver the hook up and closer to my destination.

I had to protect the chain by deflecting laser bursts until I was finally able to jump up into the shaft.

I raced as sections began slamming shut. I rolled, vaulted and used every maneuver I knew, barely getting past the closing sections in time.

As I jumped through the last of the closing doors, a small laser turret turned towards me. Breaking into a forward roll, I lashed out with both swords in that same motion, tearing the turret apart.

Another mounted laser appeared behind me and I spun round, torching it with my fire breath. I stood there, growling, for a moment before continuing.

My next obstacle came in the form of a maze of moving metal pillars. Those shot out and retracted out of the walls, their force and size easily being enough to crush my body in a few blows.

I took the maze at full speed, dashing between each one.

However, the last one was timed differently from what I'd expected. As it collided with me, I braced myself on my hind legs, shoving at the moving pillar with my arms and shoulder.

I screamed, summoning all my power and finally shoved it back, destroying the mechanism at the same time.

Next came a hallway of guns, which I tore through with the two swords I wielded in each hand. (With slow motion shots of him slicing the guns apart.)

Standing amidst the fires of my created destruction, I summoned up my own tsunami of flames. Breathing flames more intense than I ever had before, I shrouded my body with them and flew through the air, spinning and whirling the swords.

Nothing stood in my way than wasn't flattened or charred to a crisp.

That fancy maneuver didn't last very long, but my continued slashing of wall mounted defenses did. (More slow motion shots of tearing guns to pieces.)

At last, I charged into a room filled with blue colored lights. Standing in the center, next to what seemed like a huge power generator, stood my nemesis.

"You think you can defy me?" Omega yelled in rage. "Now, you're all alone. You have no allies to help you this time!"

"I can and I will!" I roared. "For challenging the impossible is what I do best!"

"Fool!" Omega whipped out a large, curved Samurai-style Katana as I charged.

Sparks flew as our weapons collided.

Parrying and blocking each other's blows, a fierce match broke out. I let both instinct and the motion take over my actions, choosing to calm my mind and focus on the enemy.

It certainly frustrated Omega and when we locked swords again, he shoved me onto my back.

Omega attempted a downwards thrust, which I knocked away and retaliated by kicking his chest.

Grunting in pain, he stumbled back and raised his hand. Immediately, a swarm of small black balls flew out and surrounded me. These were miniature drones, which had a single laser built into them.

Whilst they could be used for training soldiers, they could also be programmed to kill.

It must've looked insane to him as I simply closed my eyes and stood still, but the moment the drones fired, my swords flashed, taking them apart faster than eye could see.

Even more angered now, Omega used a telekinetic push to throw me against a wall. He then activated another of his personal defenses, another set of moving, pounding pillars.

Although my back was pressed against the wall, I swiftly dodged each one.

Spinning out of their deadly circle, I moved around then and sliced the defenses apart.

I threw a punch into Omega's face, followed by a kick to his chest that sent him flying. Pulling himself up, he quickly turned and fled.

I gave chase, following him into another tunnel. This one had a recreation of a tornado within it, intended to thrown intruders against the sharp blades on the walls.

Shielding my face from the winds, I timed myself and flew through the very center, the only clam area within.

Omega was waiting for me, just in time to blast me with his yellow paralyzing beam. It had taken me down before, but I let off a fierce roar as I channeled the energy through my body, into my claws, and finally back at him.

Omega managed to dodge the counter attack, but lay of the ground staring as I strode up to him, appearing through the smoke and fires of his precious base.

"Impossible!" He yelled.

"You killed me once before…" I snarled, raising my blades. "And I'm here to pay you back for it!"

"No…" Omega muttered.

I knew what he was seeing was the image of Sky Lynx over me as I made my approach. That made me far more intimidating.

Omega brought up a pistol and fired. I stepped to the side to avoid the shot and kicked the weapon out of his hand.

Screaming, he rolled backwards and sprang to his feet, drawing his sword once again. Our sword fight would continue, this time until the end.

Similar to the last fight, our weapons clashed once again in another furious bout. The swords and blows flew about so fast that I couldn't tell one from the other.

A fluid sea of motion, almost beautiful to one watching it.

Finally, I slammed his sword away and drove the Phoenix Blade through his chest.

Omega screamed long and loud before glaring right into my eyes.

"Even in this, my fortress will self destruct, taking you and the rest of this blasted planet to the abyss with it!"

"Never!" I growled, channeling my powers through the Phoenix Blade. "You control this place through your psychic powers, and I will do the same, sending this place up into orbit, where the explosion will do no harm!"

"Then you'd have to remain here as to complete that task! You'll die in the process!"

"True, I will, but I have nothing left to loose…" I yelled, with withdrawing my sword. "Unlike you!"

Telepathically, I sent a private message to Deathwing, telling him to get everybody out. This time, at least, I knew he would listen.

My only regret was that I didn't have time to tell him anything else.

"NNOOOO!" Omega yelled in both rage and desperation.

Taking to the sky, I spread my wings, placed both swords forward and burst into a pillar of flames.

"EMBRACE YOUR END!!" I roared, charging down headfirst.

I no longer heard his screams, that of the explosions, the guns, or the feeling of my allies evacuating the fortress.

I only saw Sky Lynx's image once more, flashing over me as I struck, tearing Omega apart…and awaiting my destiny in the process.

I was briefly aware of myself being thrown violently around. The Phoenix Blade, my faithful companion, being thrown into darkness, its green glow lost forever.

"By the Matrix, he's alive!"

I wasn't sure I'd heard that right. I wasn't sure I'd heard that at all. As much as I didn't want to, something drew me back to consciousness. Had I subconsciously gotten out of that death trap, somehow?

There were garbled voices everywhere, and I felt someone picking me up.

Even my vision was blurred as I opened my eyes slightly and gave a soft moan. However, I recognized that the figure approaching me was Deathwing.

"I'm surprised you brought this back." He said, pulling something close to me: his Gunblade. "You may be the hero today, and I respect that, but our personal battle will still continue. Until we match wits again then…"

(Or…cross swords… ) I sent I telepathic message to him. To tell the truth, that was more of maintaining my image that anything else.

Deathwing didn't turn around as he departed, but made the 'V' sign with two fingers.

I would never know exactly how I'd survived the explosion, only that I was found several hours after the incident amongst the remains of the wrecked base. I was barely functional, but alive nevertheless.

Whilst Deathwing's Gunblade had been found beside me, my Phoenix Blade was gone.

Most of the other Maximals had come to talk to me while I was recovering in the infirmary, but it hadn't helped much. I couldn't undo what had happened to Kirath, Calico or Syndrea for that matter, and it hurt me even more lying in the medical bay thinking about it.

One night, I couldn't stand it any longer. I sneaked out of the base in my favored beast mode. Even through not fully recovered, I made my way high up to the snowy mountain. The place where Syndrea's grave marker lay, among the others that had been placed there.

I knelt down first by hers, then Kirath's.

"What's wrong?" I asked them, of course getting no reply but the howling of the winds. "Why you? Why do the people I care about always have to leave me? No…it's me…I'm just a curse to everyone who cares about me!!"

Roaring in anguish, I dug my claws among the snowy ground and found Syndrea's retractable Energon saber, which had been placed beside the grave marker. I lay there, staring at it for a long time.

End it now…end your suffering once and for all…

Grabbing the Energon saber, I flew deeper into the snowy region, until I didn't even know where I was. However it wouldn't matter anyway. I just couldn't think as I landed atop the cliff.

I wanted it all to end.

Igniting the Energon saber, I held it up only for a second before plunging it into my own chest.

I didn't know how long it was, but I opened my eyes again. The first thing that hit me was the extreme chill of the arctic region. The next thing was frustration.

Damn you fool…you're useless…you can't even commit suicide properly…

I tried to pull myself up, only to find I couldn't move. I was frozen up till my neck in ice. Miserably, I lay my head down and closed my eyes. My fiery breath weapon was currently out and useless, thanks to the cold. I'd have to suffer even more before I could die.

It was ironic, how I'd spent so much trying to avoid death, but now that I wanted it, it wouldn't come to me at all.

Why?

In the midst of the icy winds, I suddenly sensed something which caused my heart to jump. It was something so familiar, yet I couldn't identify it. Summoning my telekinetic powers, I called whatever it was towards me.

The object turned out to be a small, black rectangular box partially buried in the snow nearby. I grabbed it in my jaws once it was close enough and pulled it closer.

I stared at what I saw. Through its transparent cover, I saw two large white eggs, nestled in a pile of straw and grass. It shocked me even more when I probed the eggs and discovered what lay dormant inside.

The unborn hatchlings of the Great White Dragon and her mate.

It didn't take a genius to come up with a theory that during their captivity, their eggs had been taken from them without them even knowing. After the fortress' destruction, their box had ended up here, with the eggs intact. Probably there had been more protective cases for the eggs, which were now gone.

Sad…I told myself. The hatchlings will never emerge, never to see the light of day. They'll freeze to death out here with me, once their protective box's internal heating runs out…

I stopped short.

But…if I just leave them, they'll be more lives I'll be responsible for taking. I have to try…somehow.

I curled as much if my dragon neck as I could around the precious box and put out a distress signal, hoping, praying, someone would find me in time.

What seemed like an eternity passed. Soon, my worst fears were realized. I was too far out to be detected. Temperatures dropped, and my dilemma grew more and more desperate.

It's hopeless… I told myself.

I wanted so much to lie down and just forget about the whole thing, just to lie down and die…but…but I couldn't just leave the dragon eggs.

I roared, focusing what little energy I had left. I was still a Transformer, and there was one option I could still use, if my systems weren't too frozen up.

"Maximize!"

Gears within me shifted as my systems groaned in protest. Once…twice…three times…then…the ice around my body shattered.

I dropped to my knees and reverted to beast mode immediately. However, that process had taken far too much out of me.

I collapsed, my face hitting the snow.

I'm sorry… I said in my mind. I can take lives away so easily…yet saving one is an impossible task for me.

"Don't give up…"

"What?" I gasped, snapping up. It could've been the winds, but I was sure I'd heard a voice.

"That's not the dragon I remember…"

"Syndrea? Syndrea! Is that you?" I called out, glancing around.

Somewhere ahead, I made out the image of a shimmering figure. I couldn't tell if it really was her or not.

"Nightfire…" Syndrea's voice spoke. "You know I don't blame you for what happened to me."

"Syndrea…"

"I've been trying to tell you that, but you've been far too distraught to listen."

"I…I know…" I muttered. "I just…couldn't…"

"I understand." She said with a warm tone in her voice. "Sometimes, you just need to listen to the voice within your heart."

"It…was you right? The voice who told me to listen carefully to the Great White?"

"Yes Nightfire." Syndrea responded. "It pains me to see you like this. You can still find a reason for life…and I know you'll do that, and you'll carry on. However, I can't stay too long. I cannot postpone my journey to the matrix any longer."

"I love you!" I yelled, tears coming to my dragon eyes.

"I love you too." She said, although softer now. "I always will. Keep me close to your heart, and we'll never be apart, Nightfire…"

I howled and ran as the image began to fade. It was gone by the time I dove, hitting nothing but the snow.

"Syndrea…I owe you, more than anything now." I whispered, wiping my eyes.

For her…and for the unborn dragons, I had to live. As I focused on that resolution, and on Syndrea's essence, I began to change. Perhaps it was because I'd absorbed some of Omega's power too.

A reddish light emitted from a section on the left of my chest, shrouding me in its light.

My Transmetal armor seemed to suddenly crack and peel off in multiple places. Beneath it, although of a similar black color, lay a more scale-like skin as opposed to my former Transmetal body. It was as if I'd gained a more organic-looking form, yet kept all the new additions and colors from my Transmetal body.

My silver wings had regained their former, leathery property. The 'crown' like helmet over my face was there as well, with the three horns there as I'd become accustomed to. Even the Rail Cannon attached itself to my back.

Even through I lost my 'vehicle' mode, it was an amazing change. As it would come to be know as later, I'd become a Transmetal 2.

Miraculously re-energized, I grabbed the eggs, fought the insane winds with my wings and brought them back to my lair. I hooked up their incubator and hid them. Tracking the signals of the other Maximals, I raced over to the Ark, just in time to witness them being able to halt the time storm and restore Megatron's time disruption. (Season 3 Episode 'Optimal Situation'.)

Events which followed that resulted in great changes for everyone, but as for me, I definitely knew one thing…this time, I was determined to follow the Beast Wars until the end.

And with Deathwing, our battle would continue, until…

At the end of 'Nemesis, Part 2'…

I leapt over Deathwing and swung my sword, Syndrea's Energon saber, blocking blows from both him and Muricate. Yelling and roaring at each other, our weapons clashed again and again.

All of us in robot mode, all intent on finishing this battle.

Jumping up, I sent a flying kick into Muricate's side, throwing her away. I landed in a guarding stance and managed to deflect Deathwing's swing by holding my blade backwards, over my shoulder. Immediately, I spun around and knocked him off.

I rolled under Deathwing's Gunblade and ended up behind him. As I brought my sword up, so did he. However, his blade was in an inappropriate position.

Time seemed to slow down as I sliced his Gunblade in two, the force of the motion sending him stumbling back.

Seeing this Muricate rushed forward with her claw weapons. My sword was already returning in mid-swing and it tore through the Saber-toothed Tiger's chest.

Deathwing screamed in fury and charged, barehanded. However by that time, I couldn't stop my third swing. The killing swing my body had learnt to do on instinct.

In that split second, it was an instinct that was impossible to stop.

All of a sudden, I found myself standing over the fatally wounded bodies of my enemies. While the others had gone chasing Megatron, I'd been drawn away, into a two-on-one battle with the pair. And I'd emerged triumphant.

"Well…fought…" Deathwing breathed as I knelt down beside him. "It was an honorable battle…"

"Brother…" I muttered. "Why? You would've made a better Maximal than me. You could've come over!"

"True, but then…we wouldn't have had…the chance to…finally end this…" Deathwing replied weakly. "It's been between us…but you've proven to…truly be…the greater of us…"

Deathwing moved his hand over to Muricate, who looked up weakly and nodded.

"It could've been different." I said sadly. "I messed up!"

"Haha, wouldn't be you if you didn't…" Deathwing managed to sit up a little. "But, if not for our feud…then I would never have met…my true love."

"Brother…"

"It's nice to hear you…calling me that…one last time." He grinned.

"Now, go stop Megatron…and the Nemesis…" Muricate added in.

"Quit wasting time here when all of reality is at stake!" Deathwing urged.

"Yes…" I nodded, standing up and activating the jets. "Farewell…and thank you."

The last I saw of my brother was his thumbs-up, and for the first in a long time…a genuine smile.

I had been too late and that final task had fallen to Optimus and the others. Well, we all know how that worked out in the end…

"Hey dragon-man!" Rattrap's voice snapped me out of my daydream. "Will ya come on? We're going home remember?"

"Huh? Oh!" I muttered, shaking my head.

I was standing below the ramp leading up to the small shuttle from within the Ark. The same one Rhinox had flown to stop the Nemesis.

The Beast Wars were over, and the Maximals now, after fixing up the Transwarp drives, had a way to return to Cybertron. Everyone had gathered at the ramp, all excited about their hard earned victory. However, I had something else in mind for myself.

"Actually, here's the thing." I declared, looking over each and every one of my comrades on top of the ramp. "I'm not going back…"