Engines roared as four Warthogs sent dust flying across the morning desert horizon. Optimus' brakes squealed as he came to another dead stop at a cliff edge. "I can't go any further, Chieftain." Cheif jumped out and looked over the cliff only to see a team of reds and a team of blues mascaraing eachother. "This is our first stop. Command should have sent a message to them saying we were coming."
Once the fighting had slowed down, Cheif took a leap off the cliff and in the middle of the battle; the Zealots gasped. "It's the High-Flag! Come to rule over us for eight glorious months!" A Blue Zealot yelled as the teams stopped firing. Two others, one red the other blue, walked out of the bases. Their armor a different shade from the other Zealots'; they walked up to Cheif. "The Higher Powers told us that you would be coming for our flags." The Blue said. "We are their holy guardians, and if the Higher Powers tell us that you are our prophet. We have no choice but to hand over our precious symbols." The Red said.
"B-but, holy one! How do we know that he i-is the prophet?!" A Blue Zealot yelled. "They said that he would be in Jade armor and have armies of red and blue." The Blue said, directing the last part to Cheif's troops. "And a guardian like our God." The Red finished, looking at Optimus. "But how will we live without the flags!? They have always brought us back to life!"
"The Higher Powers have also told us to follow along with the prophet." The Blue looked at the Zealot. "Now, fetch the flags!" The Red ordered, soon a red and blue Zealot ran back with both flags. Cheif pressed the switches, the poles folded and the microchips fused together. "Get back!" Cheif yelled at the teams.
Soon a bright yellow robot stood in the middle of the river. "Ratchet." Optimus said, looking at his comrade. "That explains why these guys kept responding after death." Cheif looked up at Ratchet. "Comma-I mean, the Higher Powers said for you to come with me. Get your supplies ready and we need to be out of here within the next two hours!" Cheif yelled and the teams scrambled.
"Holy one." Cheif felt corny calling them that. "Would you happen to have any vehicles here?" The Red Guardian nodded. "A few, the Gods bestowed them upon us yestermorn. They called them 'Hornets'." He pointed to the top of the Red and Blues bases; two Hornets sat on the top of each. "Ratchet, that will be your new form." Cheif pointed to the Hornets; Ratchet scanned over one and was in the form of it.
Soon the teams were ready to go; both Optimus and Ratchet helped them to the clifftop. "Holy ones, you can stay here and watch over the bases." Cheif still felt weird calling them that; they bowed and watched as the Hornets flew off and as the rest drove off. Soon they were out of sight and the two Guardians walked off into their bases.
As Cheif's troops dredged on through a vast jungle and across a Barron plain; the sun began to set for the night. Cheif stopped them and began to set up his tent. "Are you actually going to sleep tonight?" Cortana asked as he pulled his helmet off. "Possibly." He sat by the fire Doc started and set his helmet by him. "What is that supposed to mean?!" Cheif brushed the last comment off and watched the fire.
He noticed Junior's head was lain in Tucker's lap and he was fast asleep. Doc was chatting away with Donut, Church and Simmons were having a conversation about Grif's laziness, Grif was already asleep in his tent, and the newly recruited Zealots were just chatting away about nothing in particular.
He was dragged out of his little trance when K sat down by him; he could swear he herd a comment from Ratchet about 'human pheromones', but wasn't sure who it was directed to. "How many more robots do we need until we have them all?" K asked, sighing. "We still need Bumblebee, Ironhide, and Jazz." Cheif leaned back on his hands.
"I wonder how many O'Malley has..." Caboose jumped in. "No telling, he could have two or three. We destroyed one, so he can't be much further than we are." Cheif said, looking over at Optimus and Ratchet, who were shutting down for the night. The teams dispersed into their separate tents and it was just Cheif and K out.
"I'm turning in for the night." K said, standing up and waving to Cheif. "Don't have anymore nightmares." Cheif chuckled when he saw K's reaction. "Wha-?" She turned around to see Cheif walking past her and to his tent. "You've already forgotten?" Cheif laughed again while K fumed. "Spartans minds are connected." Cheif climbed into his tent leaving K alone. "They're your fault anyway..." She mumbled as she laid down in her's. "I herd that!"