CHAPTER 48
This room had been kept unoccupied during so many millenaries. It had never been used once.
They'd hoped that they would never come to use it.
All around them, lanterns had been put at each side of the room. White and pale yellow lights, the Circle of Light's main colours, were surrounding them. Wing, Axe, Outrigger, Esmeral, Drift, Jetstorm and Slipstream…
All of them were reunited in front of Dai Atlas's corpse in the crypt.
Despite his violent death, there was a peaceful expression on his face.
Drift had never watched him as serene when he'd been still alive…
Drift had never witnessed a funeral. He'd just caught sight of a glimpse when he'd visited Shadow Raker's gardens. He'd thought that, during wars, these ceremonies were no longer meant to be. People fell one after another, a funeral had been too expensive…
Yet, the Circle of Light kept maintaining traditions.
They were the guardians of the Ancient Cybertron.
And Dai Atlas…deserved this funeral. He deserved this farewell.
By his side, Outrigger uncontrollably sobbed. He was a young bot. That kind of memory would stay in his mind forever. Esmeral had wrapped her arms around his shoulders in order to comfort him. Even if she wasn't part of the Circle of the Light, even if she practiced another religion, her presence was necessary here.
To Outrigger…and specially to Axe.
The other members were far more reserved, even if pain was obvious. Axe dried his optics off in order to make coming tears vanish while Wing made a surprisingly calm speech. A warming speech despite the emotion in it.
A speech belonging to the Circle of Light.
"May Primus be with you"
He paused.
"Until all are one"
This sentence made him shiver.
Drift…wasn't crying. He was unable to. Yet…he still felt a great pain…such an anguish…such a guilt…he wasn't thinking clearly.
At his pedes, Jetstorm and Slipstream weren't crying either.
Maybe were they waiting for his authorization to do?
If Shadow Raker hadn't come back…
He had been trying to convince himself that…it didn't have been his fault. Star Saber had killed him…Shadow Raker participated in it. Because Drift had stolen Minicons.
It had been good-intended but Dai Atlas had lost his life.
Because of his act.
He should have killed Shadow Raker…he should have done something…
He should have done…but what should he have done?
His parents hadn't been buried…their corpses had never been found.
He wondered if he would get such a burial for the time, he would join the Allspark.
He noticed that Wing was watching him.
He nodded. He joined Axe and helped him carrying Dai Atlas to the hole.
Above them, the blue, holographic statue of the Circle of Light's ancient leader.
That's the time.
Wing came closer. As soon as the hole had been covered by the metallic plaque, he put blue flowers on, such as the traditional ritual said so.
One after another, the other members mimicked him.
Drift walked over to the metallic plaque.
He wished he could have said something.
Forgive me…you shouldn't have accepted me in…even if it meant so much to me.
His blue flowers joined the others…though he put them down a bit apart from the rest.
He didn't deserve them.
You will never escape me. I'm the one who made you.
He would return.
He would return…when they wouldn't expect.
He knew where they lived now…
And now…
Don't endanger him.
Dai Atlas was dead now.
And if he stayed, the others would follow as well.
Axe, Outrigger…Wing…
He wouldn't bear to lose them…
He was a Decepticon…but Dai Atlas had given him a chance.
And it had cost him so much…
Killing is an unforgivable sin in the Circle of Light.
Gasket had been exiled.
It would be fair if he followed the same path.
He looked back at his flat.
Everything sounded so small…so empty…but it had been his house during one time.
Someone knocked. He closed his optics.
He knew. He guessed who it was.
"Drift. Open this door, please."
His voice sent him a shiver.
Despite all, he walked over to the door.
Wing appeared in front of him.
Tears were running down his face.
He hadn't cried at the funeral…now he let his emotions out.
It fractured Drift's spark way more.
Wing made another step to hug him.
Drift moved back.
"No…"
"You…"
"No, please. I don't deserve it."
Wing stopped. He stared at him, almost outraged.
"What do you mean?"
Don't hurt him.
Don't get him endangered.
But were these two duties compatible?
"…I killed, Wing"
"You…wanted to find Jetstorm and Slipstream"
He'd given him some excuses…for one moment, Drift wanted to rush in his arms to hug him tight. Staying with him till the morning.
"And Gasket…killed out of self-defence."
There was no justice.
It had been his house.
A lost house that he'd found again.
"…What do you mean?"
Silence fell down.
What did he mean?
Wing had lost Gasket. He'd just lost Dai Atlas…
He couldn't do this to him.
But if he stayed…
If he stayed, he would lose him. He was sure of it.
"You understand what I mean…I…I just can't."
He shook his head. He grabbed his two servos, holding them tight in his. He couldn't suppress a shiver.
"…I can't stay."
"Drift…no"
Wing stared at him, dumbfounded, through tears.
"No"
"I can't. You are…all condemned if I stay. Shadow Raker knows where we are…I can't take any risk. What happened to Dai Atlas…can happen to you as well."
"Please…"
Drift wondered if he would be able to face the white bot's tears. His lover. His mentor.
"Don't say it…I…Don't leave"
"Killing is an unforgivable sin" Drift repeated, as if it was some of mantra.
"Don't do this to me"
Don't get him endangered
"I need you" Wing said, his voice broken. "Gasket is gone, Dai Atlas is gone, and you…don't do the same thing"
"…I made him a promise"
Drift looked down. It was too painful.
He wanted to say 'I need you too'
"You're my home. Here, the Circle of Light…Dai Atlas, Axe, Outrigger…you especially…the true house that had ever given to me…the true home…since my parents' deaths."
A lump in his throat, tears coming up to Drift's optics as well.
It must have happened sooner or later…and watching Wing as vulnerable…
It tore him apart.
"You taught me everything. You never left me." The orange bot said, his vision blurry. "You always believed in me while I didn't deserve it. You showed me the real goal of martial arts…you reconciled me with them…you taught me to read…you made me discover other worlds…"
The conflict between Autobots and Decepticons wasn't the most important thing.
There were other important, wonderful things…things that war had taken away from them.
"And more than anything…you offered me something."
"Don't speak as if…"
As if it was the end.
"…I don't want to lose you" Wing said.
"…Me neither" Drift confessed.
But he must go.
"You're everything to me"
Yes. Wing was everything to him…his mentor, his hero…the person he loved the most…
And he had to abandon him.
One more time, he'd to abandon his house…
Wherever he would go…he wouldn't stay here for a long time.
Wing made another step.
He grabbed his face to kiss him deeply.
Drift savoured the kiss. It was sweet, it was soft…it gave him such an intense happiness and an unbearable sadness.
It lasted like an eternity…before Wing pulled away.
"…I can't tell you to go. I wouldn't bear it"
"I know"
"Don't throw anything away, please…"
Wing dried his optics off, without any success.
"Promise me…we'll stay in touch, right? Wherever you'll go?"
Drift stared at him, surprised.
He'd expected that Wing wouldn't wish to see him again…that he held him as responsible.
"Wing…"
"Promise me. I…I just care for you too much"
I just care for you too, Drift thought.
The orange bot just gave in another impulse.
He grabbed Wing by his waist to kiss him deeply. The white bot, who had been his mentor once, returned that much as well.
Then, both of them pulled apart. Their optics met. They smiled. A sad and bitter smile.
Yet…
"I promise"
He couldn't say no to Wing.
And the idea of cutting ties with him made him crazy in pain…
"…I have something for you"
Wing softly smiled, before taking something from behind his back.
Drift stared at the item.
Something long, wrapped in a package. Drift gently took it, then slowly unwrapped it, one after another.
"…Dai Atlas wanted to offer them to you sooner. But…"
The item appeared under his optics.
It left him speechless.
"You're free to return whenever you want. You…you are one of us, Drift. This place…is yours. You deserve it. You deserve them"
A sword and a katana…blades were black and orange.
At this moment, his sobs went harder and more uncontrollable.
"So…you're leaving?"
Jetstorm and Slipstream were packing their things when Outrigger appeared in front of them.
"…Where will you go?"
"We'll go wherever Mister Drift will lead us to"
"I know. You owe him much"
Two days had spent since Dai Atlas's death. And Outrigger's guilt was still obvious.
"…It's my fault"
"No! Don't say this!" Slipstream protested.
Outrigger didn't seem convinced. On his shoulderplate, Beak let out a weak cry. As if he was saying "don't leave"
"If I hadn't brought you with me…Shadow Raker…he wouldn't have…and Dai Atlas wouldn't have…"
"You couldn't stay locked here forever…" Jetstorm comforted him.
Slipstream made a step toward the young bot.
"Well…we'd some fun" He said, smiling.
"Yes. Without you, we wouldn't have found out about the planets encircling us" His partner added.
"But…"
Outrigger looked down. Beak nuzzled him.
"Well. We are adventurers, right?" Jetstorm said.
Outrigger nodded.
"Do you think—"
"We'll meet again? Of course!"
"We are sure of it"
"…Wing gave you the ship I learned to pilot with" Outrigger smiled.
His voice slightly shook.
"…It's the best one"
"We believe you on it"
The young bot smiled, a bit more reassured. He walked over to the Minicons and knelt down in front of them. He then held his arms out to them. The two hugged him back tightly.
Along with Drift, he had been their first friend…
"…Until all are one, right?"
"Until all are one"
Beak joined the hug as well.
"So. We'll stay in touch, right?"
Drift, Jetstorm and Slipstream were about to leave. Wing and Outrigger had been already present for their departure. They were soon joined back by Axe and Esmeral. The yellow and purple bot smiled to them, but his optics were wet.
Had they cried for Dai Atlas…or because they were leaving?
Drift stared at him, then nodded. His blades offered by Wing were put back in sheathes at his waist.
"…Yes."
"You still don't know where you are going to?"
"I don't know. Maybe trying to find some cities that…hadn't been ravaged by the war yet?" Drift offered, not even trying to hide his uncertainty.
"They must exist…"
"Not as beautiful as Crystal Cities"
Drift corrected himself.
"The Real Crystal City. The underground Crystal City."
Wing nodded, approving.
Axe put a servo over his shoulderplate.
"…Take care of yourself"
He then walked closer, whispering in his earshot.
"…Wing really cares for you"
It provoked a slight smile from Drift.
"…You too. Take care of yourself. You don't have any excuse anymore"
He glanced back at Esmeral who remained a bit apart. When Axe pulled away, she walked over to him to give him something. Another gift.
A book.
"The stories of Cybertron" He managed to read.
"Now, you can read" Axe nodded.
"I had…a good teacher"
But the feeling touched him.
When he left Shadow Raker, he'd no regret to leave.
But here…regret overwhelmed him, crushed him.
He pressed the book tighter. In his sheathes, blades got him reassured. He felt more powerful…
He turned back to the Minicons. They were ready to go too. As soon as he went for the doors, someone touched his arm.
"…Don't forget honour, Drift" Wing reminded him. "Don't forget…what you learned."
"…Never"
No. He'll never forget.
He would live along with these lessons until his death.
Wing didn't have time to pull back. Drift kissed him again.
A last kiss…he wanted to feel it one last time…one more time…
Wing didn't reject him. Quite the contrary. He deepened the kiss.
"…I'll contact you soon"
"You must" The white bot smiled.
Behind, Axe, Esmeral and Outrigged watched them, tearing up.
Drift wanted to go back. Coming back to them…to the family that had welcomed him…
"…Let's go" He ordered the Minicons.
After one last look, lingering on Wing, who displayed this usual warm smile that had attracted him the very first day, Drift, Jetstorm and Slipstream left the room, heading for the ship.