End the Cycle
Saleer and his team observed the deceased Insecticons. He stepped around the corpses. "Sir, this is the handywork of the Air Commander."
Saleer turned, facing one of the Seekers he'd brought along. "Observation noted." He replied, raising his left arm as a holographic screen formed. He reached out with his right, typing upon the screen. "High traces of unknown energy detected within many of these bodies." Saleer paused as he continued reading.
"Sending data back to Katolis mainframe, results imminent." He waited, glancing back at the bodies. Many of them had been reduced to bits and pieces from imploding, others had signs of being handled roughly.
Other bodies were missing heads, or had holes from a blaster shot. Energon was still pooled around. "The Air Commander and his Autobot comrades did a real number upon these bugs." Another member of the team commented, kicking the body of an Insecticon. "Feel a lot safer when he put him down."
Saleer's screen flashed. He glanced down. "Odd, these readings match that of the ancients. One forged during this war would not have that kind of power." He glanced back at the Insecticons. Callum was more of a threat then he previously thought. "Keep sensors and radars on at all times." He ordered, walking towards the trees, his right arm shifting to form a blaster.
Janai frowned as she came to a stop, her team had remained back at the decided meeting sight. She had gone ahead, to scout out any potential threats. Her optics continued to sweep the trees; every step she took was taken with care. Pyrrah had reported in something strange regarding the Decepticon traveling with Runaan and Rayla.
It seemed he was capable of channelling lightning, using it to overload the circuits of his foes, causing them to implode as a result. She didn't want to believe he had such powers, but then again, Pyrrah said he was brutal, she kept an eye, and reported that he'd taken down more Insecticons then the other two did.
A power like that could help the Autobots achieve victory, but a warrior of this magnitude was not unheard of. She recalled that Grimlock and his Dinobots were warriors of strength, Ultra Magnus and Ironhide were warriors as well, not to mention Warpath and Boardside who were both formidable foes.
But what had caught her interest the most was the fact that this Decepticon was a Point one percenter, she did not remember the last time one of these super sparks was discovered, ten thousand years ago was when Overlord's was discovered, and that was before the war.
She shook her head, no time to dwell on this, she had a mission, one that needed to be completed, she didn't like the reports coming in from Lux Aurea, Autobot command were preparing for a mass evacuation of the planet. Something about the planet shutting down to heal.
Callum frowned as his thoughts went round and round. Like a cycle, a cycle that seemed so real to him. His thoughts drifted to the war, to the personal hatred Katolis had for Lux Aurea. Early in The Golden Age, Katolis thrived, its military academies were famous across Cybertron, its mines full of rich metals.
Katolis had trade with many other City States, making it a city state of wealth. They treated each other as equals, warriors born to protect Cybertron should the need ever arise. Lux Aurea was known for its forges, for the bright lights and golden buildings. Their Energon farms and refineries.
Lux Aurea forged many weapons for Katolis, gave them the Energon they needed to continue on. This relationship was strong, one Callum wished he could've seen himself. But towards the end of The Golden Age, Lux Aurea shifted, they began to restrict the Energon and weapons Katolis received, cut off the trades routes Katolis had with other city states.
Katolis suffered, they feared that if someone of something rose to threaten Cybertron, they would be powerless to stop it. Lux Aurea never listened, they continued to take the freedom Katolis had long held. When the war began, Katolis, learning that Lux Aurea had joined the Autobots, vowed vengeance for the injustice that had been cast upon them.
Callum closed his optics, Katolis had been wronged, Lux Aurea had acted as dictators, tyrants even, over them. Their forces occupied the city. It was only when the war began, and Katolis aligned themselves with the Decepticons, did change come. For the good or bad, Callum wasn't sure.
Lux Aurea suffered greatly for it though, they found themselves lacking metal to forge weapons to aid the Autobots, all the while, the Decepticons were receiving metal to forge weapons of war. When the Autobots discovered the Storm Spire, and the hidden vault of sparks within, along side many untouched Protoforms. They saw a chance to get revenge.
Callum shook his head. A cycle, he was starting to see it now. Katolis fought for vengeance, Lux Aurea to maintain their power. When Katolis attacked the Storm Spire and destroyed the Protoforms, they went to take a refinery.
The refinery now rests as the sight of a devasting battle fought by both sides. Sarai was slain by Avizandum, who was in turn killed by Harrow. Runaan then avenged his commander, killing Harrow. A cycle, one side wanted revenge over the other.
Callum knew it was personal to Katolis and Lux Aurea. Ezran, he wanted to avenge his father, and he was slain for it. Callum sighed. He glanced at his Autobot comrades, the two of them were busy tending to their weapons. 'Break the cycle of war, never be consumed by the desire for revenge.' Callum shook his head, those words were familiar, like he had said them once before.
Callum need to process his thoughts alone, a walk in the trees would suit him well. He glanced up, optics narrowed as he watched Pyrrah in the distance. He knew she'd been trailing them for a while, he couldn't be bothered bringing it up.
"You've got a friend in the sky." He said, pointing up, turning around he made his way to the forest edge. "I'm going for a walk." He added, vanishing into the trees.
Pyrrah noticed Runaan and Rayla watching her, she noticed Callum vanish into the trees. She decided now was the time to come down, get some answers regarding their survival, and why the Decepticon forces of Katolis hadn't fallen into disarray like planned.
Swooping down, she shifted forms, wings folding along her back while her dragon head shifted to her shoulders. Landing upon the ground, she eyed the two closely. She walked forward; her slim red frame shined in the light of the sun.
Rayla glanced at Runaan, wondering why an Autobot scout had arrived here, no less one who turned into a dragon.
Runaan noticed her slight confusion. "Pyrrah, how long have you been trailing us?" He questioned.
Pyrrah did not speak, she did not wish to. Instead, she moved her body, displaying her words through other means. She glanced at the trees indicting to know why Callum had turned against his faction.
Saleer glanced down at the screen. "Autobot signature detected ahead." He announced, amusement in his tone. "They were foolish enough to transmit their coordinates to a comrade of theirs. Leading us straight to them." He glanced up. "Ready yourselves for a fight, subdue, but do not kill. I wish to learn what they know first." He said, walking into the trees, his Seekers taking to the sky.
Moving through the bushes, Saleer primed his weapon, watching Pyrrah, he took aim. Silence fell as he waited. When his Seekers began their attack, he fired. Crippling Pyrrah's ability to fly. He quickly joined in the fight, deploying several drones from his arms to trap the scout.
Walking forward, he quickly moved for Runaan. He reached out, grasping Runaan by the shoulder and throwing him to the ground. He quickly deployed more drones, kicking Runaan's weapons from grasp and out of reach. He pointed his blaster at Runaan's head.
His team had taken down Rayla, who was now forced to kneel upon the ground. Saleer chuckled, watching Runaan closely. "Where is the Air Commander?" He demanded.
Runaan narrowed his gaze. "Not where you think." He said.
Saleer glanced at Rayla. "Take her arm off." He ordered.
Runaan widened his optics, watching as Rayla's left arm was torn from its place. Her screams echoed around the clearing, energon flowed slightly from the joint. He glanced at Saleer once more. "I'll ask once more Autobot, where is the Air Commander?"
Runaan glanced at Rayla, who was clutching the joint that once housed her arm in pain, small drops of Energon dripping from her hand. "He went into the forest." He said.
Saleer glanced at the three Seekers he'd brought along. "Go and retrieve him." He ordered.
Callum frowned, he couldn't hate Runaan, nor Khessa or Avizandum. No matter how much he wanted to, he just couldn't. A cycle of revenge took away his family, and he wanted to blame someone for their deaths. But where was the honour in blaming others for what the war had done.
There was no justice in their deaths, but what about the countless others who'd lost their own families in the war, families had been torn apart, some now fought against each other. The war had affected everyone. But he needed to break the cycle of revenge between Katolis and Lux Aurea, no one else was capable of making the change but him.
Callum closed his optics, change was everything. Change was strength, honour and loyalty. Callum opened his optics. He blinked, he saw three Seekers heading his way, and Janai walking towards him, unaware of the Seekers behind her.
Breaking into a run, Callum raced forward his blade extending as he moved with speed. "Duck!" He cried, leaping over Janai and drawing his blaster, he fired two shots, downing two of the Seekers before landing with a roll, he sliced the last at the waist.
The Seeker's upper body fell to the ground, legs following shortly afterwards. Standing tall, he turned to face Janai. "Keep an eye on your behind." He advised, walking past her.
Janai turned to face Callum. "You are the Decepticon Pyrrah reported traveling with Runaan." She noted.
Callum nodded. "And?"
"You seem to be the centre of attention."
Callum smirked. "Seems I'm a wildcard." He stopped, optics going wide. "Oh no, if those Seekers were here, then that means…" He trailed off, racing into the trees.
Janai struggled to keep up. Leaping over brushes before diving to the ground beside him. She followed his line of sight, optics falling upon Saleer and his team. Runaan, Rayla and Pyrrah were held down. "Who is that?" She questioned.
Callum smirked. "Viren's a more of a fool then I thought. Why send the communications officer after me?" He said, fingers tapping the ground. "Saleer will die, perhaps that will send a message to Viren, I'm not playing around." He went on, standing tall as he entered the clearing.
"I see Viren's sent you to terminate me."
Saleer glanced at Callum, aiming his blaster at him. "You are smart, but a fool Air Commander, you will die here today, and when we leave, it will look as if the Autobots did the deed, forever embedding their fate as Katolis taking vengeance over the loss of their Air Commander."
Callum smirked. "Let me fill you in on a secret Saleer." He began, slowly walking forward. "I was a team leader before I was an Air Commander. I oversaw an elite team of cons, lead them into battle. You heard about The Battle of Hells Point?"
"I was there, fighting on the front line, it was my first taste of action in the war, and my team were brutal. And do you know what team I lead?" Callum questioned. He watched as Saleer shook his head. Callum's smirk turned into a grin. "The Warriors Elite." He said.
He'd be lying if he didn't find the look of fear in their eyes amusing. They had heard about the Warriors Elite. "But that was the past, I am no longer Decepticon." Callum went on. His hands forming fists as he readied to shift form. "I am Callum, Autobot triple changer and aerial warrior." He announced, slamming his fists into the ground.
His body shifted, plates and armour moving to form a new shape. Large wings formed upon his back, a tail forming as he became a large dragon. Several large plates formed around the back of his head, a crown of horns forming. He roared into the sky, moving forward.
Saleer fired his blaster. "Kill him!" He yelled, the rest of his team firing.
Janai watched in silence, at the Decepticons futile attempt to down Callum. She watched, slightly disgusted as Callum tore into those closest to him. Limbs were pulled from their place, Energon splattered all over the place, screams of terror and pain filled the air.
Bodies were sent flying across the ground, sparks emitting from them as the glow of eyes faded away. Saleer backed up in fear, watching as his team was dismantled with a brutal ferocity he hadn't seen before.
Callum took to the air, taking a poor Decepticon with him. The fellow screamed for mercy within his talons, Callum dived, slamming into the ground, the Decepticon shattering from the force of the impact, and the crushing weight of Callum atop him.
Callum turned his attention to Saleer and moved forward, growling as he did so. Shot bounced off his armour, leaving holes in the trees around them. Saleer screamed for mercy, falling to the ground. He crawled backwards, back up against a tree. Callum towered over him, green optics shined bright as they stared at Saleer. A thirst of hatred and vengeance seemed to drip from them.
Callum lunged, jaws snapping Saleer up, he spun, releasing Saleer onto the ground, he quickly leapt forward one of his clawed feet shattering Saleer's right arm, he slammed another down upon the communication officers left arm. Growling, Callum started ripping Saleer in half. Tearing him apart vertically while screams of pain were ignored.
Janai glanced away, busying herself with tending to the injured Rayla, the screams didn't last, as soon Callum turned to face them, his body shifted forms once more. Coming to a stop, Callum glanced at Rayla's broken arm. He frowned. "They will not harm anyone ever again." He said.
Runaan blinked. "You have a dragon form. You're a triple changer."
Callum smirked. "So I am, but I now have other questions I must find answers to. I have memoires that I don't remember, of times long past. Of figures I only recognise from historical records. But they can wait, we need to get to Lux Aurea and warn them of what coming."
Viren clenched a fist in anger. Saleer had left his comm open, so that Viren might hear Callum's pleas for mercy. But instead, he only heard screams and terror from his men as they begged for mercy. Callum was stronger than he initially believed. But he wondered, if even one as strong as Callum, could fend off the firepower of the Katolis Stronghold.
Turning fast, he smirked. "Convert the stronghold to rolling fortress form." He ordered.
Katolis Stronghold shifted, large treads emerging form below as the massive building became a moving fortress. Weapons moved, directing their aim towards the front. Viren stood silently, smirking as he walked forward. "Move on Lux Aurea, we crush them and any other Autobot that comes our way." He cried, crossing his arms as he felt the place move.
This is the longest chapter so far. Well, here's more Transformer knowledge.
The Battle of Hell's Point was a battle that occurred within IDW's Transformer comic run. It was the most brutal battle that saw much, he took place upon an experimental Decepticon warship, the warship met its untimely end when Ultra Magnus stood upon one of the most crucial parts of the ship, moving him would've destroyed the ship. The Decepticons moved him. Should I also mention that Optimus Prime dropped a city block upon Megatron during the battle.
The Warriors Elite are a group from IDW's Transformer comic, they were super warriors, a team of the mightiest Decepticons, they were all given a kill switch, which Megatron could use at anytime with a voice command. They were consisted of Overlord, Heretech, Killmaster, Sixshot and Blackshadow. They all had Ununtrium endoskeletons.
Triple changers are few among the Transformers, as Titans, who tend to have either a gigantic animal form, spaceship or moving fortress and a city form were not classed under this. Nor were those who could turn into limbs for a larger Cybertronian. A triple changer, such as Astrotrain, Blitzwing, Springer or Boardside had their robot mode(Root form), either a land or sea based form and an aerial based form. In Callum's case, his land based form is the dragon while his jet is his aerial based form.
It is hinted that Callum's origin is not as it seems, this is supported by Saleer mentioning that Callum's lightning is the same as the ancients, but also by Callum mentioning that he has memories he doesn't ever remember making.
The Storm Spire will return, and will play an important role in both Callum and Rayla's origin.