Here's another chapter for everyone. Set during the big season 1 finale of Transformers Prime. Sort and sweet and to the point ;) enjoy everyone!

I don't own Transformers Prime as the show is owned by Hasbro.

Ch. 14: Rising Darkness

"The decepticon spacebridge 2.0 is nearly ready to launch. All we require is…" Soundwave showed the picture of the item on his face mask with a blinking image making Phoenix smile behind Arachnid. "What Soundwave said, an ample power source."

"This lies within a fortified location, by human standards. Phoenix and I could tunnel in." Arachnid suggested.

"The time of prophecy is nearly upon us. We can no longer afford stealth." Megatron stated making Phoenix frown. Phoenix didn't care the slightest about this prophecy and thought it was just a waste of time for something that wasn't going to happen. They did get to the base and get the artifact but…

"Lord Megatron, packaged secured, but the autobots have arrived."

"Prepare the warship for rondevu. The package will be ready for pickup." Phoenix almost tried to protest, but she knew Carrier wouldn't hear of it this time as he was very determined. The foolish mech. She knew she was right all along. All he cared about was his rule while Elisa lay sick in the berth.

Xxxxxxxx

"The power source will be rigged in no time Lord Megatron. We're nearly at the construction site." Knockout said calmly.

"Nearly isn't good enough. The spheres are aligning I must not miss my moment to…arrrgh!" Megatron grunted when another vision passed in front of him of a volcano. Elisa let out a deep gasp as pain raced through her body for a brief moment. Her body tensed as if something was holding her tightly and she caught a glimpse of a horrible face staring at her. When the pain passed the face was gone, but her body still hurt.

"Lord Megatron are you…"

"Yet again, it is as if I can hear Unicron's thoughts." Megatron said to himself.

"Unicron the Chaos Bringer." Arachnid said confused.

"They say dark energon is his blood. Whatever." Knockout smirked.

"Complete the space bridge there is something I must attend to." Megatron said before he walked away.

"Does he seem to be losing it?" Knockout said out loud.

"A bit." Arachnid added.

"More than a bit." Phoenix huffed in annoyance.

"Carrier." Elisa called out, but no one answered.

Xxxxxxxxx

Phoenix nearly jumped when Carrier's voice came up.

"Here this any decepticon who lays a hand on Optimus Prime will answer to me." Megatron announced and Phoenix nearly gasped as she realized the Prime was on the ship. "Soundwave lock onto my coordinates and lead my opponent to his destiny."

Xxxxxxx

"My destiny…this isn't how it's supposed to end."

"On the contrary Megatron…I could not have allowed this to end otherwise."

Optimus raised his blade high and lightning struck as he swung down.

"Carrier!" Elisa screamed out into the air breathing hard. Her spark hurt so much, but she soon realized not from the blade, but from the poison of dark energon. She shook as her body was covered in sweat and she looked around with blurry vision. Carrier was nowhere to be found. She didn't see that Megatron had caught Prime's blade and glared at him with purple optics.

Xxxxxxxx

Phoenix stared at the purple crystals in wonder at the powerful energy they emitted. She felt a shiver run through her body when she placed her hand on one. It was an amazing sight to see. Apparently the volcano Carrier had fought Optimus Prime at had erupted with dark energon instead of actual lava. Now the whole barren field was covered with the crystals and the Nemesis was above harvesting every crystal within reach. Carrier went back aboard the ship to get his wounds checked and to apparently check on Elisa.

"Elisa are you alright?" Megatron called out. Elisa took one look at him and growled in warning. Megatron's purple optics blinked in surprise at the sound. "Elisa don't be afraid. It's me." Megatron said gently. She didn't answer, but arched her back and her spikes flashed blue as she hissed at him to stay away. Megatron was even more surprised to see that her lovely blue eyes were red with sickness. "Oh little one please let me help." He insisted and walked forward. Elisa only snarled and her mouth glowed blue and she was ready to fire her heatray at him. Megatron froze and slowly stepped back and the door closed behind. Once he was gone Elisa hurried under her berth and huddled into a ball, but making sure to face the door. Megatron walked with heavy steps to the bridge as Elisa had never threatened him in anyway before. It had to be the dark energon that made her sick. Speaking of which when Megatron looked out into the open bridge as the glass wasn't covered it showed an excellent view of the volcano.

"Rivers of your very life blood. Rising from the depths to become one with me." Megatron said with pride before his body shook with another violent vision. He gasped as he saw the planet explode in front of his very optics. He didn't understand what it meant and honestly, he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. The thought quickly passed when Soundwave came up to him. "Is Phoenix still below?" He asked curiously and the TIC only nodded. "What do you think of it Soundwave?" The mech only responded by showing the rise and fall of a sparkbeat which started to echo in Megatron's helm almost immediately. "Stop Soundwave, turn it off. I can still hear it pounding in my brain!" He gasped in pain. Elisa snarled at the loud noise and covered her ears and the sparkbeat continued for a few moments longer.

Dragon… a deep voice called out to her and huddled even further under her berth as she didn't like the sound of the voice at all.

Xxxxxxx

Phoenix picked up a curious scent in the air so she went to investigate. She gasped when she found none other than Magma and his two sons, Rhodius and Rising Dawn, digging up small dark energon crystals and taking them through a ground bridge.

"Well, well, well we have a visitor." Rising Dawn said curiously. Rhodius only glared at her as Magma cautiously stepped forward.

"If you wanted us gone you would have sounded the alarm by now." Magma said with a curious look.

"You know…you're right." Phoenix smirked as she stepped up to her Sire.

"So then what to do you want my little femme?" Magma said with elegance.

"First off I'm not little and second I want to be a true dragon... like you." She said eagerly.

"Really?" Rhodius said with sarcasm.

"I speak the truth Sire. I can't stand Megatron now." She snapped bitterly into the air. "I hate how he thinks he's better than everyone else." She argued.

"All humans do. It is a terrible flaw that must be punished." Magma said darkly.

"All he cares about is this dark energon." She added.

"It is a powerful weapon like you and your sister."

"Elisa is weak. She's no good to you. I'm the better fighter." She stated firmly. Rhodius let out a deep growl and Phoenix glared right back at him holding her ground.

"I already knew that, but trust me two is better than one. If I can't get her willingly then I shall take her by force." Magma stated firmly making her frown. "I need you to stay with the decepticons as a sort of inside agent for me." Magma grinned.

"How will I contact you?"

"Oh don't worry. I will contact you."

Xxxxxxxx

Phoenix returned to the ship to find Carrier had left not too long ago.

"He left me in charge." Arachnid chuckled with delight.

"A wise choice." Phoenix grinned before she turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Arachnid asked curiously.

"To recharge, just make sure the ship is in one piece when I wake up."

Xxxxxxxxxx

"I happened."

Elisa woke to hear her Carrier's voice, but she found he wasn't in her room. She slowly got to her feet and flinched in pain, but now she wanted to get out of her room as it was starting to feel too small to her. She slowly entered the bridge and found Arachnid and Soundwave present. She paid the spider no mind as she settled in front of the monitors that was usually where Carrier stood.

Dragon…

The deep voice called her again and Elisa shivered in fear as she hated the sound of it.

"No word yet from Lord Megatron." Arachnid said distracting Elisa's fear. "It appears our leader has abandoned us while this world erupts in chaos. I believe we must consider the possibility of a future without Megatron." Elisa growled deeply in warning as the spider spared her a curious glance, but otherwise paid no mind to her or Soundwave. Not a few minutes later Elisa dug her claws into the ground as pain flashed through her again.

"Unicron grows ever stronger."

She felt something rub the back of her neck and she looked up to see one of Soundwave's feelers rubbing her in comfort.

"He's alive Soundwave. I hear him." She mumbled before she tried to fall back to sleep.

"Fellow decepticons, while out loyalty to Megatron's command has always remained steadfast our leader's recent behavior has been questionable at best and it would seem as though earth has become nothing short of a failed experiment." Arachnid announced.

"Commander Arachnid, you're not suggesting that we abandon Lord Megatron?" Knockout asked in a very curious tone with Breakdown beside him as usual.

"Despite Soundwave's efforts we have been unable to detect our master's signal. Megatron is either permanently offline or in the thrall of Unicron. Neither is in the best interests of the decepticons. So I am deeming an exodus to be the most prudent course of action unless anyone has a problem with that." She smiled when no one spoke up. "Set course for Regulon-4." Arachnid ordered, but she blinked in surprise when she looked to seen Elisa on all fours baring her teeth with Soundwave right behind her. "You have something to say Elisa…Soundwave?" Arachnid teased. Elisa only growled and bared her fangs even wider. "I command this vessel you will resume your posts." She snapped transforming into her spider mode. Neither dragon or mech moved. "Phoenix doesn't care Elisa." Arachnid added, but it didn't work as her spikes flashed blue in warning. "Step aside." She nearly shouted. When they still didn't move Soundwave got in front of Elisa as Arachnid charged. He easily blocked her blows with his left arm then right then left so fast that Arachnid never realized he grabbed her leg until he had her in the air by her throat. He quickly threw her to the ground like trash. "I'll tear out your spark for that." She froze when she saw Elisa missing. She hissed when the dragon appeared behind her, easily crawling in the wall by gripping it with her claws before she started to fire at the spider. She didn't get far before she was hit hard and fell onto her stomach. She grunted when Elisa dug her claws into the back of her neck. "I yield." She muttered bitterly.

"Get out."

Arachnid quickly did just that.

"Watch out for the quiet ones."

Megatron do as I command…destroy the Prime!

Elisa roared in pain as high pitch sound rang through her head for a moment. Knockout and Breakdown were next to her instantly, but she snapped at them to get back before she huddled next to Soundwave.

Megatron…destroy the Prime. I command you.

Elisa bit her lip as her body shook in pain.

Matrix of Leadership I call upon you.

"Get out!" Elisa screamed as she felt the deep voice invade her mind and spark. However it was the voice of Optimus that seemed to fight for her, even though she didn't hear the other voices right next to her.

The power of the Matrix will light our darkest hour!

A soothing sensation started to settle on her as if an antidote for her pain before finally everything went away and there was no more deep voice inside of her. She looked up to see that Soundwave was plugging in the coordinates for a groundbridge as Carrier had been found. She smiled as the troops gathered in the bridge and they knelt down when he entered.

"Welcome back Lord Megatron." Knockout said with his trademark grin. Everyone instantly reacted when none other than Optimus Prime came in next. Breakdown charged first with his hammer ready.

"At ease Breakdown. That is no way to welcome a long lost comrade. Orion Pax is one of us." Megatron said quickly. Elisa's eyes went wide when she heard the name and who it belonged to. She suddenly grew unsteady on her feet and she quickly fell to the floor again. "Elisa!" Megatron called her name as he ran to her. She only moaned as her body still felt terribly sore from the dark energon ordeal.

"The dark energon took it's toll on her my liege." Knockout said quietly so Orion couldn't hear.

"Soundwave take Orion to Elisa's quarters. I will take Elisa to mine." Megatron ordered. Elisa groaned as Megatron lifted her into his arms and held her tightly against his chestplates. She purred quietly as the warm feeling of his spark returned and brought assurance to her own spark.

"Carrier." Elisa called out as he tucked her into bed.

"Rest now Elisa. It's been a long night for all of us." Megatron said before he kissed her forehead. He quickly left the room and Elisa was left to her own mind again.

"Orion Pax is now…Optimus Prime."

Watch out for Phoenix things are going to get nasty!