Hi everyone, welcome back. I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving, I certainly did. However, before we begin…
I want to take a moment to acknowledge the unfortunate passing of Jason David Frank, who is most known for playing Tommy Oliver in "Power Rangers". He was first introduced in the original show and has been a recuring character throughout the entire franchise. Power Rangers has been a part of my childhood and it has taught me many valuable lessons growing up. It's sad to see yet another beloved actor and icon pass away, but his memories will live on so long as we don't forget them. Rest in Peace, Tommy.
And now, to begin with the chapter that I know you've all been waiting for…
The Sword in the Stone
Rai sat on a chair in the medical bay, completely shirtless, squeezing the fingers of his robotic prosthetic that replaced his left arm. The arm itself was rather sleek and made from a black metal that it seemed almost like a thin armored glove upon first glance.
"Alright, dexterity seems to be normal." Nina said as she looked at the monitor that wirelessly scanned Rai's new appendage. "How are you feeling, Rai?"
"Honestly, this doesn't feel all that different from my regular arm." Rai said. "I can feel it the same way…" He then touched the arm itself. "But I can't feel anything that touches it from the outside."
"That arm is wired directly to your nervous system." Nina explained. "So, it should function like before, but the lack of outer senses can't be helped. I'm sorry."
"It's better than nothing though, thanks for your help, Nina." Rai smiled.
"Well, I think it looks really cool." Rivalz said as he, Shirley, Nunnally and Milly were all present, the blonde holding Arthur in her arms. "Does it got one of those fancy palm repulsor blasts like superheroes got? What about a cool arm-blade like Lelouch's armor? Or hey, how about it converts into an Enegron blaster like the Autobots!?"
"It wouldn't work." Ratchet spoke up as he tended to Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and Warpath, the latter having a new canon installed into his chest. "The human brain wouldn't be able to keep up with the transformation unless the brain itself were to be modified."
"Yeah… I'd prefer to keep my brain the way it is. Already got enough trauma up there." Rai said, trying to instill a joke, but that did earn a wince from most people present, especially Shirley and Nunnally.
"Are you sure you're okay, Rai?" Shirley asked. "Is there anything that you need?"
"Other than my Knightmare being back in shape again, I think I'm good." Rai said as Nina finished the testing, and he stood up straight.
"You mean you still want to get back out there?" Milly questioned in surprise as she set Arthur down, who went over to Rai and purred as he brushed himself against his leg.
"As soon as possible." Rai stated firmly, putting his jacket on. "I'm a Black Knight, one of the best pilots in this little rebellion! I have to get back out there and help finish this!"
"Only after you are officially cleared!" Ratchet insisted. "Same for the rest of you." He looked toward the three Autobots. "Wheeljack may be ready for combat soon, the most he needed were replacement limbs."
"You make it sound so easy, Doc." Wheeljack replied. "Rai's been going through his therapy longer."
"Because human and Cybertronian biology are completely different." Ratchet told him. "Combining organic material with technology is a delicate process, as opposed to our own metallic frames. Warpath still needs to properly test his weapons, and Bulkhead has to regain his full range of motion."
To put emphasis on that, when Bulkhead attempted to stand, he almost lost his footing and had to stabilize himself by putting his hands on his knees. "Yeah… think I might be out of it a while too." He then looked to his partner with a smile. "Well, at least you won't be alone, eh, kid?"
"And when we're back up and ready, we'll make even bigger explosions to make up for all the battles that we missed." Warpath added.
Rai chuckled briefly but looked down slightly in disappointment. He then saw Nunnally grab his robotic hand and look at him in the eyes. "Rai… you said it yourself that you're one of our best pilots, and that's all the more reason for you to rest. If you go out there now before you're ready, we risk losing you for good this time. We can't afford that… I can't afford that."
"I know… you don't have to explain it to me." Rai assured. "But I don't have to like it."
Shirley then came up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't worry. I trust that Nina, Ratchet, and everyone know what they're doing, and you should too. You'll be back in a Knightmare in no time."
Though a part of Shirley didn't want Rai getting into a Knightmare and risk his life again, she knew that not only she couldn't stop him, Lelouch and Optimus needed him on the front lines, the whole world needed him. So, she would support him one hundred percent.
"And in the meantime, we'll keep you company." Milly assured. "All of you." She looked towards the three recovering Autobots.
"And when you guys are back on your feet, you can deck Megatron across the face!" Rivalz pumped his fist.
"Got that right." Bulkhead agreed.
"Thanks guys, you're the best." Rai smiled before looking to his girlfriend. "You especially." She smiled back before kissing him on the cheek.
"Are we sure about this?" Ohgi asked as he, Elita-One, Bumblebee, Ultra Magnus, Ironhide, Cornelia, Euphemia, Tamaki, Arcee, Kallen, and Suzaku, along with several others, stood outside on the empty landing pad where they saw the operational Shinkiro facing Optimus Prime, who currently had the Sky-Boom Shield equipped to his left arm. "Seems a little extreme."
"We need to test whether or not the Sky-Boom Shield can be of aid to our cause, and this is the best way." Ultra Magnus said.
"It seems kinda… overkill though, not to mention dangerous." Euphemia replied. "What if Optimus gets hurt?"
"If this shield is truly as powerful as we believe it to be, then I don't see any reason to be too worried." Cornelia said to her sister.
"We're shooting Optimus right now." Kallen stated. "I know the big guy can probably take it, but come on! This is nuts!"
"The Sky Boom Shield can only be fully activated when wielded by a Prime, and Optimus is the only one available right now. It's useless to everyone else." Arcee said.
"I don't like it either Kallen, but I think this may be our best approach." Suzaku added.
"Hey, come on guys, why so gloom and doom?" Tamaki brushed off. "This is Optimus freaking Prime! If he can lay down the smackdown on old Mega-jerk, he can take whatever we can throw at him." Bumblebee agreed with Tamaki as he gave a single nod.
"If you say so…" Ohgi sounded unsure as they kept their distance and watched the testing take place.
"Don't worry." Elita-One said in a humorous tone. "Worst case scenario, he can just dodge."
"You make it sound so easy…" Kallen muttered. 'But he has dodged energy blasts before, so it's not impossible…'
Meanwhile, Lloyd, Rakshata, and Cecile were watching and recording everything from a nearby tower. "We finally get a chance to see what these co-called Relics of the Primes are capable of. I'm actually quite ecstatic."
"The Shinkiro's chest-mounted cannon is probably the most powerful weapon we've developed thus far. If this fancy shield can actually block it, I'll probably have to start believing in all this alien divinity stuff." Rakshata added.
"We're about to see for ourselves." Cecile said, looking concerned herself.
Lelouch primed the Shinkiro's main weapon and set it to full power. "Everything's ready. Optimus?"
The leader of the Autobots stood his ground and placed the shield in front of him. "Ready."
Taking a deep breath, Lelouch activated the Shinkiro's central cannon at maximum power. The laser shot straight from his black Knightmare toward the last of the Primes. Right before the beam struck however, the Sky-Boom Shield began to radiate a bright blue aura around itself, before it suddenly expanded to project a bright blue barrier around Optimus. The second the beam struck, it broke apart and various stray blasts were shot upward, where it exploded in mid-air.
Everyone watching had to step back and cover their faces from the bright light, with the Autobots standing in front of their human comrades to protect them from any potential shockwave. The trio of scientists watched in amazement as they recorded every detail.
Lelouch stopped the weapon when he saw the Shinkiro's power level drain quickly. He deactivated his Knightmare, quickly opened the cockpit, and looked with concern to see whether or not Optimus was alright.
The smoke quickly began to clear, revealing Optimus hadn't taken any damage whatsoever as he held the shield up proudly, still glowing with its blue aura before it dissipated.
Lelouch, as well as Kallen, Ohgi, Suzaku, Tamaki, Euphemia, Cornelia all looked in such awe and surprise; as did Bumblebee and Arcee, while Ironhide, Elita-One, and Ultra Magnus shared knowing smirks with one another.
'The Shield… took the blast… like it was nothing…!' Lelouch wouldn't believe if it if he didn't see it with his own eyes. 'Is this really… the power of the Primes…?' He looked to see Optimus smiling in assurance and giving a nod, causing Lelouch to smile as well.
"Oh my…" Lloyd's smile turned into an ecstatic grin. "Oh my! Oh my! Just… Oh my!"
"The Shinkiro's weapon just bounced off the shield like water on stone!" Rakshata looked more than a little excited herself. "Readings indicate that Optimus himself isn't even damaged!"
"That's incredible…" Cecile's eyes wavered. "Even the Blaze Luminous System can't compare to this…"
"Oh, the Big Guy and I are gonna spend a lot of time together, now!" Lloyd exclaimed like a giddy child. "I want to know everything about this Prime power!"
"I wonder what other fascinating Relics are still out there!" Rakshata said in the same kind of tone.
That actually was a good question. Cecile then called on their trusted artificial intelligence. "T-AI, how many more sets of coordinates are left on the Iacon database?"
The holographic form of the girl appeared before the trio. "There is only one coordinate left, I'm presently working on decoding it."
"How long do you think it'll take for you to decode it?" Rakshata asked.
"Within a couple hours." T-AI answered.
"Let us know the second it's done." Lloyd said. "I wanna see what juicy Relic we can get our hands on next!"
"Don't you mean keep a potential weapon from falling into the possession of the Decepticons?" Cecile said with a slight glare and raised eyebrow.
"Same difference." Lloyd waved off.
"Don't forget, we also got another little something to look forward to." Rakshata said. "Something Fixit and the others are working on."
Lloyd knew what she was talking about, or rather, who. "Ah yes, Orange boy."
Meanwhile, in a secure laboratory elsewhere on Horai Island, Jeremiah himself laid on a table, currently under anesthetics, thus allowing a group of scientists to get a good look at him inside and out, to make sure there weren't any unexpected surprises. When Lelouch proposed the idea, Jeremiah had volunteered for it instantly. He didn't want anyone to doubt his newfound loyalty to the cause that his prince and princess both fought for.
Fixit, along with Sophie, Anna, Joe, and their assistants were currently up and close with him, all the humans wearing white hazmat-like suits as they operated on him.
"Energon and blood synthetic compound appears to be clear, no sign of any nano solution." Sophie reported.
"Cerebral cortex being scanned now." Fixit said as he held a scanner up to Jeremiah's robotic brain to process all the data that was being scanned.
From the other side of a monitor in the other room, Perceptor was overlooking the data that Fixit was transferring remotely, as well as the X-ray and bio-scans of Jeremiah's entire body.
"Is all this really necessary?" Claus asked as he, Chigusa, Alice, Nonette, Sayoko, and Cera were all in the room with him to observe Jeremiah's operation, with Alice, Sayoko and Nonette being on stand-by in the event Jeremiah were to break out and try to escape, they could subdue him.
"Considering he was under Shockwave's so-called care for so long, I'd say it most certainly is." Perceptor responded to Claus. "We don't know what for sure he left inside him."
"We should also be very careful not to damage him." Cera said. "If he is telling the truth and he does know where to find the Geass Order and Thought Elevators…"
"We could rescue my friends, and put a stop to that monster's experiments for good." Alice finished. "I'm sure Grimlock would be more than happy about that too."
"He's been outside waiting for us to finish. So, he's definitely eager." Nonette added. She also inwardly vowed to tear it all down to the ground. Considering the pain V.V. and the Geass Order put Rai through, she too had a grudge to settle.
Chigusa looked with a complicated expression at seeing Jeremiah again. She remembered him fondly from their time in the Purebloods. Though that was a moment in her life she now regretted, she didn't regret befriending Jeremiah as he was a good man, albeit he had much to atone for, but the fact that he willingly volunteered for this showed that it was possible.
"We'll let Lelouch and Optimus know the second we're done here." Sayoko said before looking to Cera. "You should probably go to them. If they manage to find where the last Relic is, it wouldn't hurt to be there just in case Megatron would send V.V. again."
"I'm doubtful Megatron would be foolish enough to send him into the field, considering he's important for his plans, but I do see your point." Cera said before walking away. 'I too hope that we can finally put an end this madness. The madness that I helped Charles and Victor to create.'
The Nemesis
Soundwave had approached his master, showing a set of map coordinates on his visor.
"You have decoded the final Iacon coordinates?" Megatron asked to which Soundwave nodded in response. "Excellent, Soundwave! Then it is time to beta-test our decoy." He said, upon holding a device that looked an awful lot like a container that an Iacon Relic would be stored in.
"Lord Megatron, if I may…" Starscream spoke up. "…Even if this decoy does work, it would only attract the attention of a small team. The Autobots and Black Knight forces have grown significantly, so it may not put that much of a dent in their forces."
"Perhaps not, but it will at least distract Optimus and Zero long enough for us to retrieve the final Relic. I will not take any chances this time." Megatron replied.
'As Schneizel predicted, he's getting desperate. Good.' Starscream inwardly thought, doing his best not to grin.
Horai Island – Ark bridge
The holographic form of T-AI stood on the central console, standing straight, eyes closed, with data orbiting around her. "I am nearly finished decoding the last set of coordinates." She reported as Optimus, Lelouch, and Cera were present.
Suddenly, an alarm sounded on the bridge, getting their attention. It was a specific alarm that they recognized. "Perhaps you may not need to complete your task, T-AI." Optimus said as they gazed up at the central monitor, which sprang to life to show a set of coordinates and an active beacon being broadcasted. "An Iacon locator beacon."
"It seems the Decepticons have beaten us to the punch." Cera assumed while Lelouch looked deep in thought.
T-AI stopped her work. "I'll ready a Groundbridge and send for a team…"
"No, wait." Lelouch stopped her for a minute, getting their attention. "The timing seems too convenient. The Decepticons don't know we've managed to acquire the Iacon Database, correct?"
"That is what Ratchet and Nina have told us." Optimus answered. "Do you suspect foul play?"
"Considering what we know these Relics to possibly be, most likely weapons of mass destruction, as well as how much we've gained from our recent battles… maybe Megatron could be using a false trail to throw us off." Lelouch offered. "Even though we have the Database, it's mostly a copied version while Megatron has the original."
"But what if it is a legitimate Relic?" Cera asked. "I don't think it's worth the risk to just ignore it."
"T-AI, how much longer do you need to decode the final coordinates?" Lelouch asked the artificial intelligence.
"Not long… maybe ten minutes at most." She answered.
"Get it done. We'll send a team to the beacon just in case, but I want to be absolutely sure." Lelouch ordered. "We can't exactly get in contact with Hot Shot to confirm it, so we'll be attacking this from both ends.
"Sound advice, Lelouch." Optimus granted, seeing the logic in his decision. "Megatron may not know we have copied the Iacon Database, so the element of surprise may indeed remain in our favor."
A Groundbridge portal opened up as the five Alexander units of the Black Wyvern squad, along with Gino's Tristian Divider, Sideswipe, Strongarm, and Grindcore entered a foggy canyon-area, standing on a mountain.
"Remind me again why we're here." Yukiya asked.
"We're here to confirm whether or not there's a Relic here." Akito answered. "Or if it's a decoy the Decepticons are using to throw us off."
"But if it's a Decoy, wouldn't that mean we're walking into a trap?" Ayano asked.
"I sure hope so." Grindcore pounded his fist into his palm. "I love a good trap."
"We'll split into groups of three and scout the area." Leila instructed. "Akito and Sideswipe are with me. Yukiya, Gino, and Strongarm are together. Ryo, Grindcore, and Ayano for the last team. Let the others know the second you find anything."
"You got it." Ryo nodded.
The assigned groups then split off into the three separate directions, unaware of the drone-mode of Soundwave flying through the clouds above them, carrying the decoy that was broadcasting the false beacon.
Meanwhile, the Nemesis vessel hovered above the mountain from which the true Relic was located, with the coordinates identifying it at the very base of the mountain itself. Currently, there was an excavation team led by the Constructicons to clear away at the rocky surface. Megatron himself was present to witness the excavation with Starscream, Steeljaw, and Schneizel by his side.
As rocks and boulders were broken down, lifted away by Vehicons in their helicopter modes, or even melted and drilled through, Mixmaster happened to melt one particular rock before looking past it to see something that wasn't naturally part of the mountain.
"Lord Megatron!" The leader of the Constructicons signaled.
The Lord of Decepticons and his commanders walked closer upon being called. "I certainly hope our new acquisition is of Decepticon origin." Megatron said.
"After our recent setbacks, we could use every advantage we can get." Schneizel said.
"Well, I am confident that my new Apex armor is more than capable of matching whatever we find here." Starscream boasted.
"Be careful Starscream, you may dislocate a landing gear patting yourself on the back." Steeljaw told him, earning a scowl from the Seeker.
However, Megatron got a good look at the Relic they had uncovered. "It cannot be…" That got all their attention as they saw it too. It appeared to be a large sword, the blade firmly embedded in the base of the mountain itself, the handled carried a gold hilt that was intricately shaped and symmetrical on both sides.
"It appears to be a… sword of some kind." Schnzeiel observed, but he glanced in surprise to see Starscream and Steeljaw looking with shocked expressions of their own, but none appeared more shocked or even fearful than Megatron himself.
"Power of this magnitude… must never be allowed to fall into the hands of Optimus Prime… no matter what!"
Schneizel, for one of the few times in his life, was genuinely surprised. The tone in Megatron's voice… he was afraid. He had seen expressions of rage, arrogance, and sadistic joy on the Decepticon leader. But fear? That was something he had never once seen before.
"Just what kind of sword is that… exactly…?" Schneizel asked.
"It… is the Star Saber…" Starscream explained, his face filled with awe and fear. "Not only is it a Relic of the original Primes, but it is also said to be the most powerful one of them all!"
"I have heard the stories myself…" Steeljaw said upon inspecting the blade closer. "The personal weapon of the very first Prime, the one who would lead the charge against Unicron himself. I never once thought I'd ever see it with my own optics."
"The Star Saber?" Mixmaster asked in surprise. "I thought it was just a myth."
"I have seen this blade myself…." Megatron recalled when he still went by the name Megatronous. He and Orion Pax would walk through the halls of Iacon alongside Alpha Trion as he would show them the various artifacts used by him and his siblings, the Star Saber being one of them. "If the legends are indeed true… it must be removed quickly!"
"Then it is fortunate we have found it first." Schneizel said. "Perhaps if we were to wield that sort of power ourselves…" He glanced toward Starscream with a knowing expression, earning a smirk from the head Seeker.
Megatron walked up to the embedded saber and grabbed the handle. Taking a moment to collect himself, he tried to pull the sword out, only to find that it wouldn't budge. He wrenched harder, as hard as he could, even when he gripped both hands on the sword, he was unable to pull it. All the Decepticons looked with curiosity and concern towards one another as they saw their mighty leader struggle.
"Give me…" Megatron used all his strength to try and force the sword from its stone imprisonment. But no matter how hard he pulled, no matter how strong he was, it wouldn't move so much as a millimeter.
Getting tired of this, Megatron backed away and fired his Fusion Cannon at and around the Relic, the objective being to blow away the rock and force the Star Saber to fall to the ground. After the twelfth shot, Megatron ceased fire. He allowed the dust to clear, only to look in surprise to see the stone around the sword wasn't even damaged. He hadn't so much as chipped it.
"The rock is impermeable!" He stated. "The Relic is emanating a protective shield! It will only respond to the power of a Prime…" He growled before turning to his forces. "We will remove it even if we have to take the entire mountain!"
'So even the mighty Megatron feels fear.' Schneizel inwardly mused. 'At this point, it may be only a matter of time until Lelouch and his friends find us, and should they spot this so-called Star Saber, I imagine he'll call on Optimus to remove it if what Megatron said is true. So perhaps, it wouldn't be wrong to hope for that unfortunate outcome, wouldn't it?'
Horai Island
In a private room, the unmasked Wizard, also known as Oiagros, sat on a chair as he faced the group consisting of Orpheus, Oldrin, Marrybell, Monica, Ashley, Jean, Sokkia, Leonhardt, and Makira with Miss X and Toto also present, but they mostly hung in the back. The Oz twins, along with the former princess and Knight of Twelve, glared the hardest as they faced the man who ruined their lives.
"Well?" Oldrin said.
"Start talking." Orpheus finished.
Oiagros took a deep breath before explaining the whole story. "As you know, I'm the younger brother of Olivia Zevon, your mother." He said to Oldrin and Orpheus specifically. "And in the Zevon noble family, only females are allowed to be the heads of the household. Males are either reduced to minor roles within the family or sent off to another household."
"So, you're basically disowned if you're born with a dick?" Ashley summed up, only to get elbowed by Jean.
"I wouldn't use those exact words, but more-or-less." Oiagros replied. "I was born in a powerful noble family within Britannia, and yet I was essentially ignored and looked over by everyone else simply because I was born. I admit, I was jealous, and I wanted the position for myself. I tried to mold myself into a suitable heir, an effective fighter, a competent strategist, I strengthened my body and my mind… but Olivia was just so much better, up to the point she even became a Knight of the Round. I wanted to dig around and see if I could find some dirt on her… but I was blocked everywhere I went. And then, when she had children, or rather you…" He looked towards Oldrin specifically, who narrowed her eyes at him. "…It would seem that my chance of becoming the head of the family had reached zero, because she had a female heir who could inherit it all. I… I guess that was the final straw for me."
"So, you killed her. Your own sister." Oldrin glared hatefully. "My mother… our mother!" She gestured to her twin brother.
"Yes." Orpheus remembered when his niece looked at him with such tears and heartbreak upon seeing her uncle kill her own mother. "After that, not only did I become the head of the Zevon family, I also became the head of Pluton."
"The Britannian black-ops." Monica said. "Very few people knew about their existence, even among the Knights of the Round or royal family."
"More than that, they were the personal attack force of the Geass Order." Orpheus added.
"It is there I began to see just how dirty Britannia truly was." Oiagros said.
"So, you've met that V.V…. the late Emperor's brother?" Leonhardt asked.
"I did." Oiagros nodded. "Even though he had the body of a child… one look in his eyes and I could tell… he was anything but. He wasn't even human anymore."
"If you thought it was dirty, why not try to leave?" Sokkia asked.
"I couldn't. Once you're a part of the Geass Order, there is no leaving." Oiagros answered. "The Emperor wanted to make sure that nobody would know of their existence. I believe that's why Olivia didn't want me involved, because she didn't want me to be a part of any of that. I suppose she was 'trapped' as well, even as a Knight of the Round."
"So, what? You did her a favor by killing her?!" Oldrin was ready to leap at him in anger, but Marrybell put a firm grip on her shoulder, but still kept a glare on him.
"No. I did it for myself… but now I truly regret it." Oiagros looked down in shame.
"Is that all you regret?" Orpheus asked angrily.
"…You're referring to when I attacked the village that took you in? You and Euliya?" Oiagros asked.
"And myself." Miss X spoke up. "I was there too."
"V.V. told me that some important subjects had escaped." Oiagros explained. "I was tasked with leading Pluton to hunt them down, to either bring them back or kill them. He didn't tell me that it was my nephew I was hunting… or that I thought I killed him, as well as a member of the royal family."
Marrybell clenched her fists in anger. "My sister was kidnapped… I thought she was killed with my mother… only to find she was murdered anyway by the very man that stands before me! Does Lelouch know? About you?"
"He knows." Oiagros nodded. "Him and Optimus, but I was the one who told them not to tell you, because I intended to do so myself."
"Is that why you became Wizard?" Jean asked. "To try and atone?"
"Yes." Oiagros confirmed. "Ever since I attacked that village… I realized what a horrible choice I've made, and if I could take any of it back… I would. But… I can't. So… I decided to do what I can to tear it all down."
"But you still remained with Pluton and Britannia." Makira pointed out.
"So that I can have access to sensitive information." Oiagros replied. "Information that I can spread with Peace Mark. I could play one side and work with the other."
"Until the Cons took over." Ashley said.
"Peace Mark was my only option then." Oiagros responded. "I became Wizard full time." He looked towards Orpheus and Miss X. "I was beyond surprised to see you two alive, I truly thought you both died back there."
"A part of me did." Orpheus looked away, with Monica putting a comforting hand on his back. "I looked up to you… to Wizard. I thought you were someone I can get behind… someone who can help me tear down the evil and cruelty of this world! If only I knew that you were part of that filth…" He stood up with a glare at his uncle. "You think all the good you've done comes even remotely close to all the pain you've caused?!"
"No." Oiagros shook his head. "No amount of good deeds I've done can make up for the blood I spilled, but Orpheus there is something that you need to know. You weren't sold to the Geass Order or disowned by the Zevon family, but rather you were stolen."
That took Orpheus by surprise, as well as Oldrin, Monica, Marrybell, and everyone else present. "…What…?"
"Your mother had twins, but shortly after you were born, you vanished." Oiagros told him. "Nobody knew what had happened to you, it wasn't until after that mess at the village that I realized what had happened to you. I wouldn't be surprised if V.V. was the one who took you."
"I… I was… taken?" Orpheus was still trying to process it.
"Olivia wanted to find you, not because of any noble ties or to make you the head of anything, but because you were her flesh-and-blood. Zevon family traditions be damned, she loved you and she would stop at nothing to find you." Oiagros said. "She was… relentless. I suspect that's why she became a Knight of the Round, because she could use their connections to find you, despite being trapped as the head of Pluton."
"But isn't Pluton also a part the Geass order?" Sokkia asked.
"Not directly." Oiagros explained. "I never saw much of the Order itself or what went on in there, I was only given my assignments by V.V. to carry out. I couldn't have known you were there, and she wouldn't have known either."
Orpheus had to sit back down and let all this process. He had a mother, a mother who loved him and searched relentlessly for him. A part of him felt like he should hate Oiagros even more for killing her, but some of the things he said did make sense. If V.V. had learned that Olivia was searching for him, he probably would have killed her himself to cut off any loose ends. He felt his hand being gently grabbed and turned to see his twin sister trying to extend what kind of comfort she could give, as well as Monica as she wrapped her arms around him from the side. Even Marrybell and the rest of the Crimson Knights came up to give him what support he could give. He almost felt his eyes water as he tried to keep it all down.
"I'm sorry… to all of you." Oiagros said. "I won't ask for your forgiveness, because I know I don't deserve it. But please… let me finish this. I have to see this war to the end, and when it's all over… and you still hate me… you can kill me if you wish. Or… if you can't… I'll just leave and… you'll never have to see me again."
Turning back to the unmasked man who looked down with a sorrowful expression, Marrybell could at least tell that he was being sincere about wanting this war to end. Everyone here wanted that same thing, and given what they faced, they needed all the help they can get.
"Are you truly serious about this? Do you truly wish to atone?" Marrybell asked.
"Yes." Oiagros confirmed. "And to prove it to you, use your Geass on me."
That took them all by surprise.
"Similar to what Lelouch did with Suzaku." Oiagros explained. "This way not only do you not have to trust me, but you can also ensure that I won't die till this war ends. The only ones I'll let kill me are you three." He said to the Oz twins and Marrybell. "Use your Geass to have me live when in combat so the risk of me dying falls to almost zero."
"No." Marrybell refused, much to Oiagros' surprise. "If I did that, you wouldn't really be atoning. You'd just be obeying the command of someone else. If you are serious about this, then you will fight and you will live, but let it be of your own will and not anyone else's. That's the only true way to redeem yourself. Do that, and at the end of this war… we'll see what happens to you." She turned around to her comrades, specifically the Oz twins. "Do you two find this acceptable?"
"Yes." Oldrin nodded.
Orpheus took a moment to collect himself before answering. "That's right…"
"...I… I understand." Oiagros said. "I'll do my best to end this war and survive to see the end, but more than anything… I'll make sure you all survive as well. Not just so you have the opportunity to take your revenge, but so you can all live happy lives."
"Sounds like a deal." Marrybell accepted. "Consider this a contract of our own, between us and you."
Oiagros did his best to push back a happy smile. "…Well then, I accept the terms of your contract."
A contract? Toto thought to herself. A part of her felt like a hypocrite just by staying here and listening to everything given her own past. But, if Oiagros was able to come clean like this, perhaps she can too. Just… not right this moment. She knew that her beloved Oldrin and Marrybell, and all their friends, were going through a lot right now and she didn't want to add on to it. But she would tell them soon. Real soon. And she could only pray, that they felt it within their hearts to forgive her.
Bridge of the Ark
An alarm sounded as a set of coordinates popped up on the central monitor. "Another locator beacon." Optimus noted.
"T-AI?" Lelouch hoped she completed her task.
"Just finished decoding the last set of coordinates." T-AI responded, as the decoding process stopped, and the aforementioned coordinates appeared on the central monitor as well. "They match the location of the beacon."
"So, the first was a decoy." Cera said. "It seems Lelouch was right for once." She joked.
Ignoring her joke, Lelouch was already prepared. "T-AI, get in contact with Leila's team and bring them back. Optimus, why don't we scout the area and see what the Decepticons have unearthed?"
"Very well." The Autobot leader accepted as they prepared to leave.
"Wait… I'm unable to establish contact with the Black Wyverns and their Autobot escorts." T-AI said worriedly. "I have their location, but I can't reach them."
"Can you open a Groundbridge?" Lelouch asked.
"Yes." T-AI answered.
"Then find a way to bring them back and get some of the others ready." He ordered. "Send more of our own to pick them up if you have too."
A Groundbridge portal opened some distance away from the decoded coordinates as Optimus and the Shinkiro exited the portal and into a forest. It closed briefly before the two leaders moved on, coming to a stop by a series of rock and trees that separated them from a clearing and a large mountain where they saw the Decepticon excavation team.
Lelouch activated the Shinkiro's sensors to find the beacon and hopefully get an eye on the Relic. He was able to find it quickly as the Shinkiro's monitors zoomed in on the sword that was embedded in the side of the massive rock on the mountain.
"It's… a sword."
"It is the Star Saber, Lelouch." Optimus explained to him as he saw the sword as well. "Much like the Sky-Boom Shield, it was forged by Solus Prime and wielded by the first and eldest of the thirteen, Prima. It is among the most powerful weapons of the Primes."
As he explained, Lelouch looked around to see who of the enemy faction was present, and he saw the leader of said faction. "Megatron is here, so are Starscream and Steeljaw and even…" His eyes widened as his Knightmare's monitor zoomed on his elder half-brother. "Schneizel!"
"The Constructicons are present as well." Optimus noted. "We may indeed require back-up."
"Hold on, why hasn't Megatron taken the Star Saber? It's still embedded in the rock." Lelouch observed. He even glanced up to the top of the massive rock to see Scrapper and Long-Haul attaching cables and devices to the top of said rock. "He can't remove it, can he? The sword will only respond to the power of a Prime, just like the Forge and the shield."
"Correct." Optimus confirmed. "It would seem that Megatron is attempting to move the rock itself if he cannot remove the Saber."
"Removing such a massive object would take him time, even with the forces he has on hand." Lelouch said as he smirked inwardly. 'The actions of someone who is truly desperate. And if he's that afraid of Optimus getting his hands on it, then it's all the more reason to secure this Star Saber.' He spoke to his mentor. "Let's call for reinforcements, I think I have a plan on how we can take it."
The sun had all but set on the area surrounding the mountain, the darkness of night creeping in. The Constructicons and excavating Vehicons had moved away all the surrounding rocks and boulders from the massive stone that the Star Saber was embedded in, with Long Haul and Scrapper finishing securing a hook-like device to the top of the stone before sliding down and giving their leader a thumbs up.
"Everything's secure, Lord Megatron." Mixmaster reported.
"Then commence transport immediately!" Megatron ordered.
Upon his command, the Nemesis deployed a cable from its lower haul, extending down all the way to the massive rock before attaching itself to the hook like a magnet.
"Hmm." Schneizel chuckled with Starscream and Steeljaw nearby. "You know, there is a legend much like this here on Earth, in fact, the old Britannia used to base its actions directly off this legend, believing it to justify their actions. It depicts a legendary sword known as Excalibur embedded in a stone, waiting for the one who is worthy, a true king, to wield it. And only said king could remove the sword from the stone, nobody else."
"Ah." Starscream grinned. "It almost makes me wish Britannia had discovered the Star Saber and tried to remove it themselves, only to fail so miserably. They could have mistaken it for their so-called Excalibur, and when they couldn't remove it… oh what I wouldn't give to see the looks on their faces."
"That would not be happy, I promise you that." Schneizel chuckled.
"Well, considering the Excalibur of legend could only be wielded by a 'true' king, and the fact the Star Saber can only be held by a Prime, I find it too much of a coincidence." Steeljaw put his two cents in. "We've seen evidence of human lore and mythology based off that of Cybertronian, so perhaps Excalibur was inspired by the Star Saber."
"Hmm, you do make a good point." Schneizel commented.
"Well, I'm certain that those characters in that legend would never even think that if they cannot remove the sword, they will take the whole stone." Starscream grinned as they saw the Nemesis' cable slowly hauling the massive rock upward. "And that is why Britannia is now non-existent…"
"And we are not." Steeljaw finished.
The Decepticons continued to watch as the Nemesis vessel slowly ascended, pulling up the massive stone with it. Due to the enormous mass of the stone, it was a bit of a strain on the cable and the Decepticon warship couldn't afford to go too fast without risk of the cable breaking. But already, it was detached from the mountain and rising rather high.
Megatron almost felt the need to smirk as it seemed like a crisis had been successfully adverted…
Only for a series of explosions to erupt all around him, catching his attention as he turned around to see a group of Autobots and Black Knight Knightmares charge in guns blazing.
"Go! Attack, now!" Zero ordered, the Shinkiro leading the charge with Bumblebee, the Guren, Lancelot, Arcee, Ironhide, and pink Akatsuki right beside him, along with Sideswipe, Grindcore, Strongarm, and the Black Wyvern squadron consisting of the five Alexander Knightmares and the Tristian Divider.
Energon blasts and bullets ranged across the now ensuing battlefield as many Decepticons were quickly gunned down. Starscream quickly picked up Schnizel and transformed into his jet-mode before flying back to the Nemesis for safety.
Horai Island – Ark Bridge
Ratchet had a clear visual on the battle that was now ensuing and already quite the audience had gathered, both to witness and be deployed just in case. Such an audience consisted of Ultra Magnus, Nunnally, Bulkhead, Rai, Shirley, Elita-One, Rivalz, Milly, Nina, Tohdoh, Xingke, Kaguya, Ohgi, Tamaki, Alice, Euphie, Cornelia, Lloyd, Rakshata, Cecile, and Diethard.
"So, what juicy little Relic do we have this time?" Lloyd asked.
"It is known as the Star Saber." Ratchet explained. "Said to be the most powerful weapon of the original Primes."
"I'm assuming then that only a Prime is capable of wielding it." Tohdoh said.
"You would assume correctly." Ultra Magnus confirmed. "Which is why Megatron is likely moving the stone himself since he can't take the sword."
"I'll at least give Megatron credit for persistency and creativity." Elita put in.
"A literal sword in the stone, eh?" Rakshata said with a knowing grin.
"It's just like Excalibur!" Rivalz said excitedly. "Hey, isn't the guy who possess the sword supposed to be immortal or something?"
"That's from the scabbard, actually." Cecile pointed out.
"Seriously? Why would you make the sheath magic?" Tamaki questioned. "That makes no sense at all."
"Do you think the others are going to do it? That they can get the Star Saber?" Alice asked. "Megatron himself is there."
"They can do it." Nunnally said with no hesitation in her voice.
"No doubt." Rai said with no hesitation in his voice. "I just wish I was there."
"Same here, partner." Bulkhead agreed. "But there's nothing we can do about it now. Just sit back and watch it all happen."
"And believe in them." Shirley said as she gently reached out to grab Rai's prosthetic hand and smiled toward him, earning a smile from him as well.
Back on the battlefield, explosions continued to erupt as the present Autobots and Black Knights attacked with everything they had. Already several Vehicons had been destroyed with the Constructicons and Steeljaw attempting to rally their forces and make a stand. Megatron remained near the rear to observe the situation unfolding before him.
A full-frontal assault? Though there was surprise involved, it still wasn't Lelouch's style. Now that he thought about it, the delay between the Relic's unearthing and the arrival of the enemy was surprisingly longer than that of the Relics in the past. Wait… something wasn't right.
"Where is Optimus?" Megatron wondered aloud. He tried to look around for his enemy, his optics glancing up the mountain before he looked in clear shock to see Optimus leaping and climbing up the mountain. He transformed once he reached a certain point and drove as fast as he could, making his way closer to the dangling rock… and the sword that was still embedded in it. He transformed again and then leapt upward toward a ledge, flipping and getting higher and closer to his objective.
It didn't take long for Megatron to realize that this was all merely a distraction. "Keep Prime from the Relic!" He transformed along with three jet Vehicons and flew in pursuit of Optimus, something Zero noticed.
"Suzaku! Kallen! Run interference! The rest of us can handle things down here!" Lelouch ordered.
"Got it." Kallen replied as the Guren took flight.
"Understood." Suzaku said at the same time, the Lancelot transforming into its jet mode before flying to catch up.
Meanwhile, on the ground, the Autobots and Black Knights continued to press their forces as the remaining Decepticons were backed into a corner.
"We have to regain control of this situation!" Steeljaw exclaimed.
"Agreed. Constructicons, combine into Devastator!" Mixmaster ordered.
The Constructicons did as ordered as Long Haul and Scrapper transformed into their vehicle modes briefly before configuring themselves to form the legs with Scavenger leaping on top of them to transform and form the lower torso, Hook and Bonecrusher jumped from the sides to transform into the arms while Mixmaster jumped straight up before transforming to form the upper torso and merge with the rest of his team, where the head of the massive Combiner appeared and came online.
"Devastator online!" The Constructicon Combiner loomed over the whole team.
"Aw scrap." Ironhide cursed as he and his comrades opened fire on the massive Decepticon, who shielded himself with his right arm before forming his drill in his left arm and lunging it down, forcing the heroes to disperse and avoid the devastating and quaking impact that shook the whole area.
"They're scattered! Move in!" Steeljaw ordered, rallying the remaining Vehicons as they charged forward and opened fire.
"That's… one big Con." Yukiya noted.
"Then maybe it's time to size up and even the odds, right?" Ayano asked with a knowing grin.
"I agree. Well, Commander?" Akito asked Leila.
She only smiled in response as her blue Geass activated, the Enigma of Combination that was embedded on her Alexander glowing a bright blue, with the blue rings appearing in the eyes of all her teammates simultaneously.
"Black Wyverns, combine into Hercules!" Leila ordered. The Enigma shined to life as her white Alexander hovered in the air, surges of electricity reaching out to connect to the customized Alexander Valiants of Ryo, Ayano, and Yukiya, as well as the Liberte of Akito. All five units were pulled and merged together; their parts moving and shifting as Yukiya and Ayana formed the legs, Ryo forming the left arm and Akito forming the right. The head-unit activating as the mega-Knightmare came to life and stood tall to face Devastator.
Upon first glance, it seemed that Devastator was almost twice as big, something the Decepticon Combiner noted. "Hmm. Puny humans. Be crushed." Devastator lifted both his arms with the intent on smashing Hercules in, but the Knightmare Combiner leapt backwards to avoid the devastating blow that created a small earthquake. Despite the shaking of the earth below them, Hercules stood strong.
"His head's down! Let's get em!" Ryo exclaimed.
"Move in!" Leila ordered. All their minds were perfectly in sync as Hercules quickly rushed Devastator while he was in that crouching position before jumping into the air and bringing its arms down on the back of Devastator's head to knock him off balance. While he was down, Hercules spun on his right leg to deliver a spinning kick with his left to the side of Devastator's face that almost knocked him down completely, but he steadied himself on his legs and quickly tried to stand up.
"The thing about guys as big as you, you're pretty slow." Yukiya grinned.
"We're at a mountain. Let's use the terrain to our advantage." Akito suggested.
"You guys aren't alone, though!" They looked to see the Tristian Divider gunning straight for Devastator. "Hey big guy! Remember me!?" He fired his slash harkens, which were magnetically brought together to unleash a powerful blast right into Devastator's face, sending him crashing into the mountain. "I'll keep him focused on me! You guys get on top!"
"You got it. Thanks, Gino." Ayano smiled.
"We'll handle Devastator. Do not worry about us." Leila relayed to Zero.
"Alright. Be careful." He acknowledged as the Shinkiro fired its right knee-mounted slash harkens at a duo of Vehicons to cut them down.
"Ah ha, so that's the Knightmare-combiner, Hercules! Truly astounding!" Lloyd grinned madly.
"Okay, that is so freaking cool!" Rivalz exclaimed with a toothy grin.
"And it appears to be holding its own quite well against Devastator. The very thing that devastated the remaining Knights of the Round." Rakshata noted.
"Oh, just imagine the number Britannian elitists that are spinning around in their graves right now." Lloyd smirked. "No offense." He quickly said to Cornelia and Euphemia, the former raised an eyebrow with a slight glare.
"Weren't you a Britannian earl, though?" Bulkhead asked.
"Eh, I was never 'patriotic' to begin with." Lloyd brushed off.
"Come on! Kick their assess!" Tamaki cheered as everyone else continued to watch in amazement or seriousness.
Sideswiped rushed two Vehicons with his sword, quickly cutting the one on the right down before delivering a kick to the second. Three miners on top of a nearby cliffside tried to shoot at him from their position, but they were quickly shot down by a volley of blasts from Arcee and Strongarm. Cera's pink Akatsuki shot toward two Helicopter Vehicons that tried to shoot at her, but she was able to dodge most of them before moving in with her katana to slice off the propeller blades of one of them, causing it to fall before shooting her arm-mounted machine gun in the second's face to destroy it.
Bumblebee shot down a Vehicon before his eyes quickly widened to Steeljaw pouncing on him, tackling and rolling across the ground before stopping to pin him down, and raise his claw to slice at his face. Only for Ironhide to quickly come up and grab the aforementioned claw and used his superior strength to throw the wolf-like Decepticon away.
Devastator swung his left arm towards the Tristian Divider, Gino tried to steer his Knightmare out of the way, but he was still struck in the side which sent him spiraling through the air. Before Devastator could make any move to go forward, he heard a yell from above and turned around to see Grindcore leaping from the side of the mountain and grip around his face.
"As the human kids of Earth say… In your face!" Grindcore pounded his right fist repeatedly into Devastator's right eye, causing the enormous Decepticon a great deal of pain. This left him perfect distracted for the Hercules to climb up to equal level with its upper body.
"There's another thing we say here on Earth…" Ryo began.
"…The bigger they are…" Yukiya continued.
"…The harder they fall!" Ayano finished as the Hercules leapt forward, with Akito bringing its bladed arm down for a devastating flash across Devastator's chest, which not only made a deep cut, but the force of the impact was enough to send him tumbling down to the ground. Fortunately, none of the heroes were close enough to be crushed by the fall.
Meanwhile, as Optimus tried to make his way up the mountain and closer towards the Star Saber, Megatron and his jet Vehicon escort were getting close to intercepting him themselves… only for one of the Vehicons to get shot down by rapid-fire Energon blasts, courtesy of Suzaku, the Lancelot in its jet mode before gunning further to ram directly into Megatron.
"Lord Megatron!" One of the other Vehicons exclaimed, only for him and his partner to be blasted away by a sphere of explosive energy launched by the Guren's Surger claw.
After being rammed, Megatron had transformed and gripped the Lancelot, which also transformed with the Decepticon leader gripping onto its face, both of them falling from the sky. "I will rip you out of your precious Knightmare and crush you in the palm of my hand, Kururugi!"
Suzaku struggled to escape Megatron's grip, but he would soon receive aid as the Guren flew in to slice its MVS dagger across Megatron's back, forcing him to let go and allow the Lancelot to fly away, where the Guren grabbed Megatron by the face while the two were airborne.
"Let's see you take the heat." Kallen activated the Surger, which sent the harmful radiation directly into Megatron's face, but he quickly brought up his Fusion Cannon and fired directly into the Guren's chest to blast it back, forcing it to release him.
However, this momentary distraction was everything that Optimus needed as he had transformed again upon reaching the very summit of the mountain and kicked it into maximum overdrive. He gunned it right over the cliffside like a makeshift ramp, using the gathered momentum to propel himself at the right angle straight toward the massive rock. He transformed and reached out his hand to just barely grab the Star Saber by the handle, causing himself to hang off the rock, the sword being the only means of maintaining a solid grip.
All the Autobots and Black Knights watched in suspense, wondering what was about to happen, while Megatron's optics widened in shock and fury.
The very second his hand touched the sword, the blade of the Star Saber began to shine a bright blue, pure energy radiating from it as it responded to the Matrix of Leadership that he kept inside himself. The Star Saber was then pulled from the rock, causing Optimus to fall with the sword back to the ground.
Using this opportunity to retreat, Megatron quickly transformed and flew back toward the Nemesis while a Groundbridge was called in to pull out Steeljaw and the disbanded Constructicons.
Kallen and Suzaku both flew in to try and help the falling Optimus, but that proved to be unnecessary as the energy radiating from the Star Saber enveloped Optimus like blue-white fire, almost like it was a shield.
He landed on the ground almost like a meteorite with excessive energy exploding outward. The dust quickly settled and in the middle of the impact zone was Optimus, the glowing Star Saber embedded the ground from the impact. With one hand, Optimus pulled out the Star Saber and held it up high, it's bright light illuminating the night like a bright star.
The Guren and Lancelot flew down to regroup with the Shinkiro, Tristian, pink Akatsuki, and Hercules, alongside Bumblebee, Arcee, Ironhide, Sideswipe, Strongarm, and Grindcore as each of them looked impressed.
"Okay… you guys gotta admit that looks freaking badass." Yukiya commented.
"No argument there, buddy." Grindcore agreed.
From the bridge of the Nemesis, Megatron growled in fury. He was not about to let Optimus get away with such a dangerous weapon.
"Drop the mountain on him!"
The magnet detached the massive rock, causing it to fall and crash on a huge hilltop. Much to everyone's shock and horror, they saw the rock roll downhill straight to Optimus with no sign of stopping. Something that massive would undoubtedly crush him.
"Optimus! Retreat!" Arcee warned to him.
"Get out of there, Prime!" Ironhide warned.
"Let's blast that thing with everything we got!" Kallen readied her Guren's weapons.
"No time to prime everything!" Suzaku exclaimed.
"Can't we stop it?!" Ayano questioned.
"That thing is too large even for the Hercules!" Akito stated. "We would be crushed under its momentum!"
"T-AI, deploy an emergency Groundbridge to Optimus' location! NOW!" Lelouch ordered.
"Wait a minute!" Cera stopped them all, much to their surprise.
"What?! Cera… what are you…?!" Leila questioned.
"Just wait!" The immortal girl insisted even as the enormous stone was right before Optimus.
The leader of the Autobots turned around to face the gigantic rock, right when it was about to roll over him, but he wasn't the least bit phased. He pulled back on the Star Saber and just as the stone was about to make a devastating and deadly contact…
*SLICE!*
Optimus Prime had swung the Star Saber upward…
Cleaving the entire stone in half, both halves rolling behind him before coming to a stop. And it wasn't anything rough, it was a clean and perfect cut. Almost like a hot knife through butter. And there wasn't even so much as a scratch on either Optimus or the bright glowing saber.
"Wait…. What…?" Kallen stuttered.
"D-did… did… did he just…?" Sideswipe stuttered as well.
"[Cut right through a mountain?]" Bumblebee bleeped. "[Yes, I believe he did.]"
"No way…" Ryo's eyes wavered in absolute shock.
"That… that's… amazing…!" A wide and awe-struck smile formed on Gino's face, looking at the Prime as if he were a comic book superhero.
Arcee, Strongarm, Leila, and Suzaku each looked with circular eyes and open mouths, their pupils wavering in amazement. Yukiya, Grindcore, Ayano, and even Akito were all rendered speechless, not believing it if they weren't seeing it for themselves.
Though shocked as well, a knowing smirk fell on Ironhide's face as he gave a single nod, something Cera felt as well.
'He never ceases to amaze me.' The immortal thought internally.
As for Lelouch… the sensation that he felt couldn't quite be described to mere words. It was almost like he was hit with shock and amazement all at once and ten-fold. A part of him had expected Optimus to do something amazing, but he never expected anything like this. Before he knew it, a smile had formed on his face almost automatically.
"…Holy shit…!" Tamaki muttered as everyone else on the Ark's bridge had seen what had transpired as well.
Rivalz, Milly, Alice, Cecile, Nina, Ohgi, and even Cornelia all felt their jaws drop from their mouths; Rakshata was so shocked that she had dropped her pipe and let it fall to the ground just as Lloyd fell to his knees, his eyes shaking as he was rendered completely speechless. Even those normally stoic like Tohdoh and Xingke.
"P-please… please tell me that was recorded…!" Diethard stuttered as his inner fanatic once again came to the surface. "T-t-t-T-AI! That was recorded, wasn't it?!"
"Oh yes. Down to the millisecond." The artificial intelligence herself confirmed.
Rai and Shirley were both completely awestruck, the girl placing a hand over her mouth as they not only looked toward themselves in shock, but even Bulkhead who was just as shocked as they were.
"Amazing…!" Kaguya's eyes sparkled as she smiled like a child on Christmas morning.
"He truly is…" Euphemia smiled warmly in agreement as she and Nunnally looked on with emotional smiles before turning toward Ratchet, Ultra Magnus, and Elita-One. They too were just as amazed as they smiled at the girls, looking at them with the same hope-filled optics.
On the Nemesis' bridge, Starscream and Steeljaw were both rendered speechless, as was even Schneizel. It was incredibly rare to see genuine shock on the former Britannian prince's face, but this was one of those times. He had just witnessed Optimus Prime cut through a mountain like it was paper.
Of course, none of that could compare to what Megatron felt. He had heard the stories from Alpha Trion of what the Star Saber was capable of. But to actually see it with his own optics… and in the hands of his greatest enemy… For one of the very, very, very, very, few times in his life, Megatron felt something that he never once imagined he'd ever feel again. Particularly from Optimus.
Fear.
Optimus Prime then ran forward, swinging the Star Saber around himself, and generating a trail of energy with each swing before giving a yell and one final swing to send a wave of blue energy straight for the retreating Nemesis.
The wave struck from behind, near the engine area, shaking up the whole vessel and causing it to fall downwards. However, it was quickly able to stabilize itself, pick itself back up, and fly away at high speeds.
"Incredible…!" Leila looked in awe as the other Autobots and Black Knights present all began to cheer and holler in victory.
"Yeah! That's right! You better run!" Sideswipe called out. Even Suzaku, who wasn't known for celebrating too loudly, couldn't help but laugh in genuine joy and happiness. Perhaps this war may come to an end sooner than he thought. Once again, he was glad that he had chosen the right side.
Lelouch looked to his mentor in awe once more as he wielded the bright and glowing Star Saber. "Long live the king."
As the Nemesis retreated, and those on the bridge regained their footing from the whole vessel shaking at the Star Saber's attack, Megatron couldn't hide the fact that despite every victory they've gained so far… it could all mean nothing as the Autobots and Black Knights now possessed arguably the most powerful weapon in the universe. With the Star Saber in Optimus' hands, even Neo Ragnarök was now at risk.
"We Decepticons… now face our darkest hour…!"
'Hmm, your darkest hour… might be the key to my brightest day.' Schneizel mused inwardly. 'You certainly know how to pick your mentors, don't you Lelouch? And Optimus Prime, you never cease to amaze.'
Upon returning to Horai Island with the rest of his team from the mission, Optimus Prime, was greeted with an absolute standing ovation as everyone on the bridge of the Ark cheered and clapped for him.
"Go Optimus!" Shirley cheered.
"You were amazing out there!" Kaguya cheered.
"Truly incredible." Tohdoh clapped.
"Here thought you couldn't get any more amazing." Ohgi clapped as well.
"That sword is literally the coolest thing ever!" Tamaki practically screamed.
"Damn right! Did you see what he did!? Slice!" Rivalz motioned a sword slice with his arm.
"Just imagine what would have happened if that thing were to hit Megatron in the face!" Rai grinned.
"Buckethead would be pushing up lugnuts for sure." Bulkhead also smirked. "Not even he could survive that."
"How truly wonderful!" Lloyd looked especially excited. "Please tell me you'll let me get a closer look at that amazing weapon!"
"Sorry Lloyd, but I already called first dibs." Rakshata grinned, causing him to pout.
"Optimus you… you were amazing…!" Nunnally practically cried as Euphie held her close. "That was…"
"I think… I think this war might actually be coming to an end soon…" Euphie herself added as Cornelia held her sister's hand with just as much emotion.
"Let's not get too carried away." Ultra Magnus spoke up. "Yes the acquisition of the Star Saber is a victory, but so long as Megatron remains free, the war is still far from over."
"Ah man. Why do you always have to be such a killjoy, Magnus!" Tamaki complained. "Just enjoy the victory party, dude!"
"No, Ultra Magnus is right." Ratchet added. "We can't afford to get too comfortable, especially since Megatron has done the impossible before."
"Such as acquiring his own Geass." Elita added.
Lelouch, Kallen, and Suzaku each shared concerned expressions with one another. Despite the clear victory today, they all knew personally just what Megatron was capable of, so they also knew they weren't in the clear yet.
"Then perhaps it's time to deal a decisive blow. One that they cannot recover from."
Everyone turned toward the entrance of the bridge to see Fixit, Sayoko, and Chigusa escorting a certain cyborg inside, one that everyone recognized as many looked at him with either glares or concern.
"Jeremiah Gottwald. Or do you prefer, Orange?" Lelouch greeted coldly.
That last name earned a grin from him. "You call me what you wish, Zero, or Lelouch." That last comment caused Lelouch to glare slightly up at Nunnally. He never imagined he'd ever glare at her before, but her revealing his identity to him without his consent wasn't exactly something he approved of. Nunnally looked at him with a serious expression of her own, silently telling him that she knew and understood why he was mad but didn't regret her actions.
"Are you guys sure he's clean?" Kallen asked. "Considering we don't know exactly he went through."
"Especially at Shockwave's hands." Arcee added. Despite being on the same mission that saw Jeremiah's defection, she was still cautious.
"We're one hundred percent certain of it." Fixit confirmed. "We ran a thorough scan through Jeremiah's techno-organic internal systems, and there is no trace of malware or any other form of danger inside him whatsoever. Any connection to the Decepticons has been severed. He is now free."
"Even after everything you've done, especially to some of us here…" Lelouch began, glancing at Suzaku first before glaring at the former head of the Purebloods. "Do you really expect us to trust you?"
"Zero, if I may?" Chigusa spoke up. "Wasn't I also on the same side as him, and you allowed me into your ranks, as well as other former Britannians that were once your enemies. Even a few former Decepticons. If you were willing to give them a second chance, shouldn't you do the same for him?"
"She does have a point." Suzaku agreed. "You gave one for me too even after everything I did."
Lelouch sighed, seeing that they were right. It would be hypocritical of Lelouch for him not to at least give Jeremiah a chance.
"I won't ask for your forgiveness, that is something I must earn, I've already come to terms with that." Jeremiah spoke directly to the young revolutionary. "But… my failing to protect your mother has been my single and greatest regret. So, allow me the chance to atone, not just for failing her, but for all the times I've tried to hurt you and your friends." He bowed to him, kneeling before the former prince like a knight would royalty. "I will pledge my undying loyalty to the cause of the Autobots and Black Knights. I will give everything I have to rid this world of the Decepticon vermin that seek to destroy it, and anyone else who would threaten you. Let us begin… with the complete and total destruction of the Geass Order."
Optimus then spoke up. "Are you certain you know of its location?"
"And every active Thought Elevator on this planet." The cyborg confirmed. "And my vow is not only to Zero. It is to you as well, Optimus Prime. I pledge my loyalty and life to you, and you will expect nothing less than perfection from me. I will even face Megatron himself in single combat if that is your wish."
"Damn… I think I actually believe him." Tamaki commented.
Lelouch and Optimus shared eye-contact with one another. One look and they both came to a silent agreement as Lelouch walked over and extended his hand to the kneeling cyborg.
"Then let's not waste any more time. We'll begin immediately. What do you say, Orange?" The leader of the Black Knights offered.
Jeremiah gave an ambitious smirk as he firmly gripped his newfound leader's hand. "Indeed… yes, my master Zero."
Done.
And with that, the Autobots have managed to secure the Star Saber. Not only that, good old Orange is back up and running and the heroes are about to stage the long-awaited assault on the Geass Order and it is sure to be epic. (You can likely expect it to take place over the span of two chapters as there will be a lot of ground to cover).
However… we all know what's about to come next as Megatron will try to counter this with the creation of a sword of his own. Oh, and let me just say that even though Optimus also possesses the Sky-Boom Shield, Megatron will not be making his own dark copy of it. Not that he's incapable, he's just not the type to use a shield because he's confident in his own strength to not need one, at least he thinks he doesn't. So just the sword will do for him.
Oh, and that one part between Wizard, the Oz Siblings and their friends, especially with the reveal that Orpheus was actually taken from his mother, I don't know for certain if that's true or not, it's just something I made up for this story to give Orpheus' story a bit more depth and tragedy. I was partly inspired by the backstory of Black Widow from the MCU for that, so I'm sure you can notice the parallels.
I should also add that I've omitted the message from Alpha Trion that was embedded in the Star Saber for Optimus, because the Omega Keys will not be present here. Though they will make an appearance later in the story (in R3 specifically), they won't have an impact any time soon.
Expect lots of explosions in the upcoming two chapters for the Assault on the Geass Order will not be an easy fight. Until then, stay safe and stay healthy out there. I love you all.
