I'm going to say this now, for everyone:

You are going to hate me for the end of this chapter...

But beside that, I'm interested to see what you guys think :)

Once again, I want to thank you all for coming back another week and contributing to all that is OTSH.

Maybe OTSH Part 2 will be bigger?

I know it'll be better ;)

For now, we'll finish up here,

And I expect to see you all again for Part 2!

Enjoy!

Of The Spark And Heart

Part 1

Chapter 48

"Mommy!" a crack of lightning strikes the sky mercilessly with its blade of white-hot light.

"Mommy! Where are you?" darkness, heavy as thousands of anchors chained to the air, dips within each crack and crevice as if it means to exploit their most intimate weaknesses. Perhaps it did. Stale, wretched air seemed incredibly out of reach as it was sucked from everything. Shaking broke the still long before and after the snarling thunder roared. Shattered calm strangled the space as if it were alive, leaving nothing but creeping thoughts and mutated fears control its appearance. Once, a slithering shadow, waving to the beat of the pulses outside, came too close, causing another shrill wail to pierce the battering storms.

"Mommy-"

"Fera honey, I'm right here, it's ok." a bursting movement threw open the barrier to the comfort of relatives, placing fright where there should be content. Figures clad in black glided along on the noises toward a small bundle in the corner, surrounding her with their shield of bodies. Long, sturdy arms clung on a tiny, trembling body, their heads brought close. "We're right here Fairy, don't be scared." this voice, deeper, brought only tears to surface in the wide, innocent orbs of blue. Smells familiar to the child sucked in through her nostrils in replacement for the air she'd lost, filling her with a sense of hope and security.
Constant pants escaped her in the forms of whimpers, growing ever worse the longer the storm raged. Wracking knees locked together as her arms tightened further, fully encasing her from her quarters of monstrous evil in a cocoon of father and mother.

"Please...please make it go away." such a quiet whisper, breaking off at the sight of yet another crackling light and booming clash. Steady fingers worked their way over her spine and head, stroking in long, even moves. "You know I can't, my Fairy. I'm sorry, but I can't take it away." the child's father murmured in her ear, his breath sweet and warm on her neck. Pure terror drove her to dive into his chest, muffling her eyes and ears to the assaulting weather. "The dark is scary! I want it to go away!"

Beside the crying, a soothing, silky tone took up the night. "Will, let me have her. You try to get the electricity back on."

"Alright Sarah." hands, thick and heartrendingly gentle laid on Fera's quaint shoulders, attempting to separate them, "Fera, my little Fairy, I need you to listen." quick to act, Fera locked her arms around her father's torso, keeping him in place as her fear rose in overwhelming waves. Her nod was barely felt, her eyes squeezing tightly shut.

"I need you to be strong when I'm gone. Protect mommy. Be my little lion, ok? You're not a fairy anymore."

"But I like being a fairy!" she whined, snuggling closer, "I don't want to be a lion!" a frown crossed the father's face, almost invisible in the dim light. Flashes of oncoming gleams brightened the room, exposing menacing coloring books and dinosaur toys. "But you've always been a lion Fera. Fairies turn into lions and become big and strong. You get to roar and scare everything that scares you."

Beautiful ivory skin tilted back to reveal watered icy bulbs. Curiosity flickered in the delicate flame already there at age six, telling of a future ferocity. "Really?" her squeaked question sparked an amused grin from her male parent. This became larger when thunder growled outside the walls of their home, rattling loose objects and feigning a slight earthquake.

"Really truly." he answered back. Fera brought herself once more out of his arms, slowly pulling back until only her fingers brushed his shirt any longer. She was swift to come to her mother's side, her body fitting perfectly next to hers. "Ok, I'll be a lion." she decided, watching her father. Will chuckled, using a hand to shake his daughter's shoulder lightly.

"That's my girl. I know you'll be the biggest, baddest, scariest lion the world's ever known."

"Lions aren't scared of anything! See, watch me roar." a pitiful sound ripped from Fera's lips, her face aimed at the window. Lightning lit up the curtain, causing Fera to jerk back and curl into her mother's side. However, this time, she drew upon her father's words and recovered quicker than previous times. Another chuckle bubbled from Will's throat, giving confidence to the lithe creature beside it's mother. A smile now sit where a frown had once been.

"Wow, look at you! You've got the heart of a lion already. You make me proud Fera...Fera...

Fera...

Fera...

"Fera!" air grew thick again, swelling up a sore throat and burning through pained ribs. Bruised. Definitely bruised.

"Fera! Primus slaggit, wake up!"

Desperation. Fear. Utter anger and frustration. All from a source that was not her own. And yet, this presence, unfamiliar at first, was one she knew and recognized. Black drew into the deeper depths of her mind, bringing her forth into a world of confusion and uncontrollable terror. This was not a place she wanted to be. Where was her mother, whom she was protecting from the storm?

The entity inside her, it was growing. Expanding. Masses of conflicting power clashed inside herself, bringing forth a prowling new level of uncertainty. Blind. She felt blind. There was no cloth before her gaze, nor object or sky to obscure the light. Discomfort jolted throughout her, spanning from a single core to bloom outward in an instance. Throbbing heat wafted from her rear skull, pounding in waves against her brain.

"Fera, wake up!"

A shock of black met the gaze where light should have been. Her eyes swelled wide, cracking past normal to attempt regaining some form of visibility. It was difficult to understand if she were still under, or fully awake. Only when she winced from the muffled earth-shaking rumbling, jostling her sore head, and she reached up to touch her open lids, did she truly believe she was conscious. Maybe she was blind.

But then, a striking set of crystal-clear teal globes floated over her, showering her in their curtain of luminescence. There was no need to speak names to know who this creature was, even if it was not his actual body he belonged to. She felt it. The song of her heart rang in her ears with each beat of her hummingbird pulse. Features too pristine to be fully humane came into focus beneath the hazy glow of his false eyes, their tenseness unwinding when her gaze focused on his own. Silently, he leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers and breathing a sigh of relief. His hand came up the side of her head, resting in a fit of her hair.

"Thank Primus." his breath caressed her face, his fingers coming up to hold the other half of her face, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah...I think so." Fera murmured. Her body drank in the closeness of Sol's body, while her mind mentally stored away his image. It burned deep inside her mental vault, vowing to never slip from her. Sitting up was an easier task to accomplish, however Fera knew she must have hit her head pretty hard for it to be aching like this. Solas moved back, merely seeable by the teal of his eyes and the outline of his face. Fera held the back of her head while she glanced around. Though she was in the inky black, Fera could just make out the fuzzy details of the gazebo roof they'd been sitting under. Solas must have stopped it from crushing them. It was apparently acting as a protective bubble against whatever was going on outside.

Fera dropped her hand and swung her legs under her, getting to her knees. "What's going on out there?" she got on her palms and ducked low, trying to see beneath the gazebo rim. The feel of the ivory wood was cold under the tips of her fingertips, her cheek joining them not long after. Disappointment filled inside of her when she realized she couldn't seen under the domed ceiling, and she huffed, pulling back.

"Decepticons." Sol said simply, "They attacked the manor." instant worry coursed into Fera's blood and her eyebrows came down in concern. Where was everyone? Her mother? Uncle Epps? The other Autobots? "Are they ok?" she nearly whispered, her mind fearful they could be heard even above the roaring of rifle fire and obscured yelling beyond the walls. Solas came forward and cupped her cheeks again, but this time he didn't press their foreheads together. Instead, the mech focused her with a stern look, his thumbs locking her in place. "They've intercepted the Decepticons, but from what I heard, it doesn't look good. There is a full barrage of Decepticon warriors out there, with Arachnid among them."

That hadn't helped Fera's anxiety at all. "But what about my mom? And Epps, and all the other people in the manor?"

"They are safe. They've been evacuated by Bluestring, Smokescreen, Rainwing, Hound, and Firestar. The rest are outside, waiting for me to join them." he explained. Fera noted the hurried edge to his voice and her arms came up, her hands locking around his arms. Uncertainty was a heavy addition to her gleaming irises, while the unforgotten memories of that thunderstorm so many years ago spiked into the forefront of her mind. Could she be a lion? Here and now? "But I need you to listen to me first Fera."

The girl tensed, nodding her head quickly in response to Sol's warning. The 'Bot fixed her face closer to his, where their cores were once again syncing and their breathing mingled. "I am going to return to my true bipedal form. This means I must leave you here for approximately two minutes, do you understand?" terror rolled through the human, but she swallowed it, giving a shaky dip of her head. Solas' own eyebrows burrowed, his expression hesitantly worried. "You cannot leave this shelter no matter what happens to me or anyone else. I will find you and evacuate you to a safer location so we may rendezvous with Optimus Prime and the others."

"What about my mother?"

"She and the others will join us as well." Solas assured, bringing her near. His lips met her own for a split second, but it was enough for her to feel every single emotion pent up in that mech from the first time they'd met until now. Their bond strengthened the connection, and they were left breathless and tingling by the end of it. Hunger burned in his eyes, and Fera wished so badly to feel the scorching heat of his passion again. It was something she'd never had before, but she was beginning to yearn for it. "Please, don't be rash; stay safe Fera. I will return as soon as I can." concern was evident in his eyes, and Fera felt her heart racing at the sight of his impenetrable loyalty. Her lips begged for his own again, but before she could make a move, he dissipated in her hands.

Azure faded from the air, leaving her at the mercy of the darkness. Their ethereal brightness had offered so much against the curtain of black, and Fera hadn't truly noticed their effect until they were gone. Her own produced such a pitiful expanse compared to his, and for a split moment she wished to have that light again. Here, she was trapped in dim and captured in the crushing weight of the unknown. Tendrils of unseen horror could be creeping up behind her- waiting...watching. Exactly as it had been those years ago in the storm.

Gently, Fera drained back into the support of her heels, resting on the balls of her feet as her arms dropped and her fingertips brushed the chilled floor. It was as if they were made of ice than an array of pear-colored wood. A tingling chill crawled up her arm and she shivered against it before turning her head towards the nearest wall. A single hand came up to lay against the aged timber of the gazebo roof and Fera encouraged herself to not simply listen, but to feel what was going on.

Dulled explosions and shouting drifted in from the barrier of her temporary shelter, often followed by rattling and quakes that shook the entire structure. They were close, she could sense it. Heat bled in where there should have been chilled drafts of winter air. Angry growling struck her ears from various engines both jet and automobile alike. Trembles under the tips of her slender fingers made the gazebo appear almost alive. Another more violent attack hit down closer by and Fera jerked her hand away when the whole of the gazebo roof jumped a few inches into the air.

In that moment, a flush of ash and smoke that smelled of cooked rubber and a metallic burn assaulted her senses. Already her air supply was short in such a small space, but now that it was filling with an array of gasses and suffocating gusts, she was fighting to stay put. Lungfuls of the stuff entered her body and she hacked harshly in the cloud. Water built in her eyes from the stinging, and she struggled to even open them. The temperature around her was building, and she knew well enough that it couldn't be good. Sharp pieces of rubble bit into her palms as she got low to avoid the smoke and get fresh air as her former fire safety teachers had instructed she do.

A crack between the roof and floor allowed Fera to press her lips and nose to the ground, providing her with sweet cycles of oxygen. She was unable to get a clear view outside the roof, but when she pressed her eyes harder to the hole and squinted against the shifting smoke, she was able to make out the shapes of two sets of obscured legs and feet. They were moving back and forth, taking stand here, stumbling back there, while the upper halves of their bodies swung and bent in unison. Such an entrancing thing to watch, Fera caught herself staring at the fighting pair.

They both suddenly hit the deck however, and Fera was confused for a mere second before a ball of blue fire raged from above. A gasp split her lips when she yanked herself back, throwing her hands over her head. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Her breathing became shallow; the feel of the scorching heat became a vortex and ripped any available breath from her. A languid body was moving to the side to avoid the flying objects, but was sadly not fast enough to dodge the roof as it leapt higher than ever before.

Breathless and overwhelmed, Fera was knocked to the ground by the roof. A shock of pain flashed from her spine before she was pinned, her head striking the floor. Light burst before her gaze, quickly followed by the feel of burning warmth blanketing her legs and body. It felt as though her brain had suddenly been blended, her eyesight swimming and her thoughts frayed. She tasted blood in her mouth and felt it beading from her nose. Something heavy and sharp was lain across her back and Fera groaned. She was determined to stay conscious despite her view dimming in and out.

New scores along her arms made it hard for her to slide them up and push herself to her knees. Shaking hands raised when she'd managed to sit up, and two crossing sets of arms steadily came back into focus to reveal new scratches and scrapes along the faint, silver scars already there. Her head felt like it was going to float off and her arm came yup to rub the top, maybe to hold it in place. What if it fell off?

Crystal clear sound that hadn't been there before hit her ears, and Fera blinked her fogginess away, perplexed. In her dumb stare, she abruptly noticed the light had returned to her surroundings and there was no longer a need to slouch in fear of hitting the ceiling. It was gone. And looking around, she found it split in half and resting in two, charred pieces against the bench her and Solas had been sitting on minutes earlier. Horror pierced her heart, and she reached out for Sol. There was no more gazebo. She'd have to move. Now.

She could feel his concern and anxiety coming through her block, but she ignored it, intent on finding somewhere else to hide out. It immediately became known to her that she was now sitting alone in a roofless gazebo, with a volley of fighting aliens directly behind her.
Shrapnel that looked suspiciously like shingled rooftop flew past her, barely missing her by inches. A sharp breath sucked through her lips and Fera coughed on the smoke again. She was hesitant to turn around, but she did so anyway, her eyes widening. Before her, jumbled in various masses anywhere and everywhere she looked, was total anarchy.

From the tops of the giant stone jutting from the once snow-covered hillside, to the trampled flat of a non-existent general's manor, forms of Autobots and Decepticons mixed in separate and constant clashes. Without having to count, Fera knew the 'Cons had the upper advantage with numbers, the 'Bots lacking heavily without their missing mechs and fembots. Fera flipped onto her rear, using her arms as support as she simply froze in the sight of the battle. Not even yards away, Titanios was in a strength match with an equally as large mech. The Decepticon symbol held itself proudly on his left shoulder, glowing an eerie silver against the blue and green of his paint. Snarls and strained moans came from both as they arched, their arms locked above. Fera's eyes flicked beside them where a faster action was taking place. A blur of red mingled with that of a lavender. The sleeker, smaller red figure broke away first, straddling his opponent beneath him. An arm drew back, and Mirage -for she was certain it was the mech- landed a powerful punch to the 'Con.

The larger of the two used his size to force Mirage off, throwing the mech to the ground before rising to his feet and swiftly kicking him in the ribs. Fera's voice burned in her throat, her want to yell in the mech's honor strong. However, before she could, her attention again moved to Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, the twins battling a group of four or so identical silver and navy mechs not too far away. Sunny was a more savage fighter compared to his slick and speedy brother. When the crimson sibling would distract his enemy, a few jabs here, maybe a punt there, and Sunstreaker would come in to make an unexpected cracking impact to their faceplate

A streak of gold was all she saw before the second of the four drones was on the ground, leaving two left. Behind the twins, another group of four Autobots flared at six different Decepticons, Fera recognizing most of them. Prowl and Inferno were currently back to back, their small space surrounded by four opposing 'Cons. Thundercracker she knew, as well as Soundwave -the one who'd tried kidnapping her those months ago, but was foiled when she spat in his face and Stratis came to her rescue-, Thrust, and Ramjet. She would happily spit in all their faces if she had the chance. Now however, she was left to sit and stare as Inferno used his powerful hose to spray each 'Con with a foaming extinguisher, Prowl finishing the job while they were blind.

Never before had Fera figured Prowl to be the fighting type, but by the absolutely ruthless nature he produced, she was shocked. She found it discouraging to say that he was good at what he did too. He sank his sword into multiple slits in their armor, his gun coming out at one point. Ramjet had just wiped away the foam from his eyes before he came face to face with the nose of the Autobot's gun. The next second, a blast exploded, and there was no face to wipe the foam from. Thrust was also taken out, his throat slit by a sneaky Prowl. The mech was on a killing spree.

The other two Autobots were facing their own separate enemies, but they always kept close together. They were not back to back as Prowl and Inferno had been, but they were still rounding around one another, keeping an eye on their weak points. Moonracer and Ratchet. Those they fought: the awful mech Bekos, and Platon. The ones whom had tortured her.

A tight lump formed in her throat, and Fera's hands clenched, her heart racing. Solas pounded on her block, demanding her attention when he felt her cold terror. They were here. All of them. She could even see Dirge towards the back, batting down an injured Lero to the ground. Faces she partially remembered seeing flashed around her, causing memory relapses of her time with the Decepticons to resurface. A turn here, a punch there, she would flinch every time upon recognizing them each.

One, Vortex she thinks his name was, was a black blur when he ducked and clocked Rodimus in the jaw, sending him flying onto his back. Without meaning to, Fera gave an involuntary scream. Slapping her hands over her mouth cut it short, but just that small half second was enough to get a good chunk of the battling to look her way. Distractions costed the Autobots dearly. In the corner of her eye, she could only wince when Titanios had his arm cleanly sliced off his body by another fembot she recognized as Flamewar.

Off by the rear of the battleground, she found Optimus Prime alongside his mate Rethalia, their movements fluid and rich until they'd been attracted to Fera's noise. Their eyes wide and their expressions surprised, the two Cybertronians had no chance when Rethalia was swatted by Skywarp. Optimus was attacked by none other than Arachnid herself, her accomplished cry ringing and high when she struck him. The both of them. They were responsible for pretty much all of Fera and Solas' initial pains. Skywarp, that damn beast; he who had nearly stripped her Guardian of life. And Arachnid... what was there not to say against the fembot leader?

Cameo thankfully came to the aid of her companions, her larger frame thrown at Arachnid while Ultra Magnus appeared from nowhere to clash with Skywarp. Optimus and Rethalia regained themselves so they could return to fighting. She dipped and he swung, her movements perfectly in sync with Optimus' no matter where they landed or who they aimed for. Optimus shot once with his rifle and then grabbed Rethalia's arm, using her as a living weapon as she circled around to his back, dropped down, and shot Skywarp in the shoulder.

Before the violet and black mech had hit the ground, she pivoted on her heel and began towards Fera, her eyes set and her gun tucked at her side as she ran through the fray. She never made it, despite Fera's almost hopeful belief, as a random and unexpected mass of yellow and orange mech tackled her from her side. Sunstorm. The two began to wrestle, disappearing behind the bulk of Ratchet and Inferno. The two mechs were backing up, their weapons drawn and their free hands cupping fresh wounds.

Chaos. That's what this was. Everything was happening to fast to comprehend clearly, and it made her head ache trying to take it all in at once. Glowing blue lifeblood sat in pools around Fera, coating the soggy patches of mud and dead grass with an oddly disturbing hue. Random parts lay detached from their owners along with the alien gore. With a cry, she hid the floor again, a stray blast from a gun touching down not far away. Her nails bit into her scalp, her eyes dancing in an attempt to find one safe area.

Her instincts took over, and she was forced to jump to her feet and sprint into the nearby grass when Sunstreaker was launched onto what remained of the gazebo. Fera tripped and landed on her stomach, but she was quick to turn onto her elbows, her face set on the shape of the golden twin as he sit groaning on the gazebo ruins. Planks spread beneath him in a makeshift padding, his energon leaking onto them from various spots on his body.

Sideswipe hurried to his brother's aid, standing guard at his head while he shot, waiting for the brutal warrior to once again take stand. The bravery in him was short-lived when he attempted to defend his brother against an enemy nearly twice his size. His body was soon flung across the field like a ragdoll. Sunstreaker however, managed to wake up before the large black and purple mech slammed his fists down on him. Sunstreaker's eyes were mixing with a dangerous shade of purple, the energon on his vents now foaming like the maw of an enraged rottweiler. He was able to stab into the mech's back, right between two shuttle-ish wings locked there, before the 'Con roared and whipped around, catching Sunstreaker on the face and sending him, and his energon, sailing.

There was no longer a clean scene here, for many, if not all the beings were soaked in their own trails of blue. Parts were missing and scattered across the melted meadow and wall of rock in a form of sick confetti; sprinkles of blue remain here and there over the liquefied earth; entire limbs were sliced off and now remain in a bundle of scrap, and even a few bodies -thankfully all Decepticon so far- lay lifeless and motionless. Even as they were the enemy, Fera couldn't suppress her discomfort with seeing their coal-black stares.

Weakly, she stood, fighting down the vomit in her churning stomach, and withholding her own screams as she heard that of her family's. She became even more horrified when she noticed a greatly familiar figure, mech in nature, striding at her. Orange and navy caught her eye. Then scarlet eyes. And finally, that sick, twisted, demeaning smile that had been on his face the day he put that scar on her chest. Fera reeled backwards, her hand snapping to her collarbone where a particular arch-shaped scar lay.

Dirge.

"Come here, my little misbehaved fleshling." he called from across the field, "You've been a very naughty pet... But now my master calls for your presence." his voice was cool and collected, as if there wasn't a war raging around him and there weren't a stream of his life dribbling down his chin. In the immediate distance, Fera heard Optimus' voice call her name, and she even saw Rethalia searching for her over the dead body of Sunstorm. Dirge never paid them a single mind though, his eyes aimed avidly on Fera's body. The girl panicked and bolted, heading straight back as far as she could before her unsteady legs gave and she was sent tumbling.

Dirge was close on her heels, his steps rumbling the ground within the heartbeat. Fera didn't try to hide her fear as she once again flopped onto her elbows, her head tipping back as the 'Con neared. His eyes slit, his grin widened, his energon bubbled over his teeth, his hand outstretched for her vulnerable body...
He never had the chance.

Just as Rethalia had been tackled, Dirge was speared from the side as well. The impact of the crimson and black against the navy and orange was astonishing. A thunderous roll of mech on mech collided with the ground, no reaction time given as the one on top split away and began wailing on his adversary. Fera could see from this angle her Guardian's one red eye, and it frightened her and pleasured her at the same time to see him being so savage with the one whom had nearly killed her. Solas was adamant on ending this mech, and Dirge held no chance of escape.

Uselessly, his arms came up to protect himself, only to have them batted away by Solas to expose a shattered nose and dented face. Solas didn't stop there however. He strengthened his blows and began pounding over and over and over on Dirge's head until the 'Con's arms dropped and sparks flew. Energon, both Dirge's and Solas' from the strain on his fists, spurted from the mech's concaving face. Red eyes faded to black before cracking and splitting to tiny pieces. It was then that Fera called out for the Guardian to stop, her mind too overwhelmed and her senses too jumbled. Was this what she wanted? As she looked down now upon her heaving Guardian sitting atop one of her most hated beings, did she truly feel that she wished this kind of end on any of them? Solas lifted himself off of Dirge, but for good measure, the mech withdrew his weapon and shot point blank on Dirge's chest.

The images became to similar with Solas' own those months ago when he'd gone into a coma, and Fera knew then what her answer was. No. She didn't want this. She didn't want to become like them. But still, deep within her very core, there was still a sense of sweet retribution brewing.

Sol turned to gaze down at her, his left eye still burning a fiery red. They were hard and vicious, the battle lust within him still present. However, his voice was soft as he spoke. "Fera." relief was obvious in the way he held himself as he approached, but it was not in Fera's own eyes as she witnessed Rethalia behind the mech. The fembot Prime was backing up, her head snapping from side to side as she was repeatedly punched. Her body finally snapped aside, thrown off balance to reveal a thinner figure behind. None other than Arachnid herself.

"Solas, watch-!" her words cut as Arachnid's eyes met her own, the long spindly legs on the fembot's back coming out and stabbing Sol in the left arm. The mech bellowed in agony as the limb ripped off, sending parts and energon splattering. Fera froze, unable to yell, unable to move. She was stuck in her own grip of fear as her Guardian fell to his knees, his right hand reaching for an arm that was no longer there.

The leader of the Decepticons kicked him aside, watching as he fell on his good side before she leaned over and spat on him. Spat. Fera's terror morphed into a steaming sense of anger. Her block with Solas dropped and the force of his pain flooded her mind. An abrupt and incredible agony seared through her left arm and she dropped to her own knees, clutching onto the numb part. It felt as though it was going to fall off, and the unresponsive nature of it only spurred on her venomous pain. Flickers of fire raged along her nerves, collecting at her shoulder and spreading throughout her upper chest and back. As she gritted her teeth, she glanced at her wounded Guardian, vaguely wondering if this was how he truly felt.

Arachnid approached Fera's form, reaching down to simply pluck the girl up in one hand. Her fingers tightened firmly around Fera and the girl cried out breathlessly. Sol's affect on their bond was muddling her thoughts and causing her body to react in panic. It didn't know what to do, or how, and it was lashing out at Fera for it. She was helpless in Arachnid's grip as the fembot brought their faces close, forcing Fera to look at her joyed expression. "What a pleasant reunion Fera Lennox. We've been waiting anxiously for your return."

"I'm sorry I can't say mutually Arachnid." she sneered the name, trying desperately to put as much ire as possible in her words. A hint of irritation showed in Arachnid's face before she pushed it down, but it was enough to egg Fera on. "What could you possibly want with me now? They'll kill you if you take me again."

"Oh, but Fera, we're prepared to welcome you with open arms. Master wills your return, so I am obliged to obey." her hand clenched again, causing Fera to grunt in the closure, "Beside this, the Autobots will have nothing to return to."

As a show of her power, Arachnid twisted around and kicked Solas in the ribs, causing him to roll from his hands and knees across the ground. Fera jumped and her eyes widened in fright. Arachnid did the action again and Solas was left to fumble along the melted snow, his body limp and injured. Why wasn't he fighting back? Where was his enormous spirit and hidden volcano? Where was her invincible Guardian? Arachnid laughed as she punted Fera's mech over and over, spreading his energon and loose parts as a gruesome trail behind him. Fera fought back tears as she stared, sick to her stomach. Her one mech. The true one she shared her crying bond with. Its edges were coming apart as the bleeding stitches of their fabric, unraveling through her scrambling fingers.

"Solas! Stop this, leave him alone!" she finally found her voice, but when she did, it was broken and choked. Arachnid chuckled again and paused in her kicking for a moment to hold Fera before her, sweeping the teen slowly across the battlefield. "Do you see this child? Do you see the mercy we possess? There is none to give." she allowed Fera to see her family being torn to shreds, their wills and strength steadily declining as they fought on valiantly. It was just too much.

Optimus himself was busy with three insect-looking Decepticons, Mirage was down, Sunstreaker and Sides was down, Ultra Magnus was defending Cameo as the fembot tried cutting off the flow of one of her busted vents, Rodimus was down, Lero appeared dead, Ratchet was tending to Moonracer's wounds, Cloudsong was racing around to help those unable to continue, and the others, including Rethalia, were nowhere to be seen.

Fera's breathing quivered, her body becoming liquid in Rethalia's grip. This was not happening. They were not losing. Optimus stabbed one of his opponents. They jabbed back. Fera shook her head. Inferno fell from the cliff, landing with a resounding thud on the ground below. Titanios was unconscious, his arm still gone.

Decepticon bodies littered about as well, but not nearly as many. This was a waning battle. One, that did not appear for the better.
"Stop this." she murmured, her hands now free and folded on Arachnid's hand. Optimus shouted under a pile of Decepticon foes, his mate giving a similar call from somewhere else nearby. Solas shivered from his pain in the mud, his energon mixing like the smoke in the manor's marble tiles with the filth. "Please," Fera's voice cracked, "please stop this."

Arachnid held Fera closer and roared, sending Sol sprawling again when she kicked him harder. Skywarp suddenly stood from his battle with Cameo, leaving the fembot vulnerable in Ultra Magnus' arms. The black and violet warrior smile viciously at his former victim and his leader. Hunger flashed in his eyes and Arachnid gestured him on. Skywarp barked a laugh and began attacking Solas, much to the dismay of his charge.

"No, no! Stop! Stop him! Arachnid, you bitch!" Fera shouted, clawing and scratching at Arachnid's hand until her nails bled, "I'll do anything you want! Dammit, leave him alone!" her furious screeching registered with Arachnid and she raised her hand, stopping Skywarp. The mech was currently digging at Solas' exposed stump of a missing arm, causing the mech to scream. Those cries would forever be burned into her brain.

"Love is weak." the disgust dripping from Arachnid's lips was thick enough to crush Fera. The human felt her tears streaming hotly down her cheeks, strikingly warm compared to the chill of the wind. "It is too full of holes, too unruly, too...inconvenient. Love leaves you vulnerable- exposed. There is so much manipulation with love..." she walked to Solas, who was now stiff on the ground, his optics, alive with fury and pain, staring at Arachnid defiantly. "it is a knife slowly, ruthlessly driving deep within you, tearing all that you know to diminutive, minuscule pieces and then destroying you from the inside-out like a poison."
She must not have liked Sol's gesture, for she kicked him once more across the face, causing energon to fly from his mouth. Fera screamed in seeing the mech tortured, her heart ripping slowly every time the fembot touched him. She was bleeding from the inside out, her fear drowning.

"Worship is so much better..." Fera grabbed at Arachnid's hand as the fembot withdrew a knife, leaning down to get closer to Sol. Skywarp stood on Solas' one remaining hand to keep him from retaliating. "No, wait!"

"It is full of obedience and cooperation. So much more potential is unlocked with worship, and a path is revealed for those who choose to follow. Power is granted to those who deserve it- who will satisfy it. These primitive counterparts of yours- these humans..." Fera is once again constricted, and her body arches, her lungs too tight to give out another yell. Solas reached for her weakly through their connection, and Fera reached back, clinging onto him.
"They couldn't understand worship. They understand nothing." her knife tilts to edge on Solas' jugular, the sharp gleam of the blade bright in the moonlight. Solas' optics are still defiant as he gazes in the face of his possible death, his spirit forever strong.

"We are above them. These abominations don't deserve the freedom they've been given, or the planet they poison. Love has anchored in our sparks for too long; now look at where it has brought us. This planet shall be taken as a trophy for our race, and its inhabitants our prisoners. Worship- no, domination, is the answer."

Suddenly, a click. So small and so quiet that Fera feared she had only heard it. But then Arachnid froze, her hand stalling in slicing Sol's throat. The mech gave an accomplished grin, the energon trickling from his mouth curling up in his inner arrogance.

"You are blind, Arachnid." Fera knew that voice anywhere, "Love is what binds us, and brings us together. Love makes the divided unite as one, as a single power made to overcome the hurdles your kind emit. Love is reckless, yes, but that is why it is so powerful when intertwined. Your ways are not the answer." Rethalia Prime.

Before either leaders may make a move, Solas suddenly wrenched his hand free, using it to grab Skywarp's leg and bring him down. When the mech was on his back, the Guardian heaved himself to all fours and he pounced. Now pinning Skywarp, Solas wasted no time in looking the mech straight in the eye and plunging a short blade deep into his core. Skywarp went rigid, shocked. Solas simply twisted the knife however, appearing far too happy to watch as the mech beneath him slowly faded from existence.

Arachnid was whipped around by Rethalia, her arm waving wildly. Fera held on for dear life as the Prime landed a swift punch to Arachnid's face, the force behind the attack denting her nose. Arachnid screamed as energon flowed from the broken plate, her sharp claws flashing out in retaliation. Rethalia dodged and then feigned to the left, using her momentum to launch forward and jab Arachnid's side. The Decepticon squealed and kicked out, recklessly throwing her hand around. It went on like this, with Rethalia dodging and attacking, and Arachnid taking the hits, but returning stronger ones of her own.

They appeared even at some points, but Fera could barely tell. Her vision blurred and her thoughts swam. She no longer could tell who was whom, knowing only that Solas was near and she wished for him so badly. He felt the same, maybe returning the feeling stronger to her than she to him. What was this? What was she feeling? She felt sick and heartbroken being so far from family again, and she longed for the courage they often gave her in situations like these. Where were they? Where was Solas? She couldn't know. Not now. For oh so suddenly, and far too quickly to be stopped, Arachnid's arm flung out. And she let go.

Fera went flying out of the fembot's fingers. Again, slow motion time took over, and the human became lost for words as she felt the wind whipping against her body and her ears singing. There was no time to think- to understand where she was going. Maybe her only one that was Solas. He was her only worry. Her eyes met his own, his expression shocked and horrified all at the same time as he stood powerfully over Skywarp's dead frame.

His beautiful red and teal eyes.

Before she knew it, Fera heard a sickening snap, felt her body slam into pure concrete, and her world became black.

Through time and wars, battles fought and killings made, many had seen and heard the ferocity that was the war for Cybertron. They'd seen the energon spilled and felt the loss of their home being ripped from their sparks little by little. Family units separated, and whole generations became lost to the blind power of a single tyrant. Though he had not always been cruel and merciless, Megatron had once contained a spark. He'd held the capacity for kindness and a perception beyond control. But as Optimus, one he'd once called brother, became the favored Cybertronian for the mantle of the Primes, he'd allowed himself to be swayed into darker, more sinister ways.

And by the fledgling Prime's side had always been his one true mate, Elita One. She too suffered the loss of one whom she'd considered family when Megatronus fell, and Megatron rose. Often, times passed where she believed her mate may not have the strength in him to carry on in this war that had taken so many, and spared so few. But they'd prevailed together- survived together. Through horrible, gruesome battles that triggered nightmares in the both of them for vorns at a time. They'd clung onto one another for strength through the destruction of the youngling sectors in the massacre of the Dark Hunt. She'd stood by his spark when it had momentarily extinguished and she had taken it upon herself to become his successor.

Thus, Rethalia came to power and directed herself to her sparkmate. And here, she had seen further sacrifice by those she'd cared about. Boltstreak, Scrapheat, Sunraider, Windripper, Metallooper, Silverlight, Flashfall, and Steelrunner. All of them, nothing less than family to Rethalia. And then, to be taken so suddenly, all in one ship...

The haunting screams and shouting ailed her even now. There was no deleting these memory files either, nor would there be a time where she felt completely whole again. Back in the present time, even Optimus hadn't enough stability to support her when she froze.

Fera's body lay crumpled in a heap at the base of the mountainside, her frail body still and motionless. A keening wail unlike any other heard by the Prime before struck the chilled airs, its climbing pitch causing her energon to go cold. A ghostly howling rattled her armoring and caused her spark to skip a beat. A wave of pure, naked agony laced throughout her processor in the form of a large, general message com, the full amount instantly overloading her CPU. The core of her frame twisted along with that of the message, and she grabbed at her chassis desperately. It felt as if her spark was on fire, the two halves of herself and Optimus being torn in two.

Arachnid was no longer her sole worry at the moment, for she now couldn't think of anything else but the roaring lament echoing deafeningly across the destroyed meadow. Rethalia stumbled back when another wave hit her, causing her processor to scramble and her vision to swim. Boiling hot flames coursed along her spark chamber, and Rethalia fought to rein in her own form of pain-induced crying. Her optics squeezed closed as the roar rocked the space again, dragging on in a never ending scene of unadulterated fury and pain.

Those around the fembot Prime and Decepticon leader went rigid in place, neither Autobot or their enemies able to make a move. Horrible visions of past battles danced before Rethalia's optics, and she felt the waves of heat fully consuming her now. Her lip plates opened in a silenced yell, the faceplates of dear lost ones too much to handle at once. Her tanks dropped into her peds, causing nausea to rise the acidic energon in her throat. Limbs felt like lead, the emotion of disparity and an enormous grief that was not her own causing her wiring to spark.

It was then that she fell on her kneebolts, grabbing her helm with both servos. She wished so badly for the images to go away; that the fire and raging flurry of sadness and anger would leave along with them. Her digits dug into the armor of her helm, the small dents taking her CPU off the view of her lost comrades for a short click. Shaking and cold as ice, Rethalia swung around, hurriedly looking for the source of unimaginable suffering. Her processor hissed, feeling as though it was about to explode.

Solas Kaon. It was coming from him.

The black and crimson mech was also on the ground now, collapsed in a bundle with his one remaining arm wrapped around his midsection and his helm tucked into his chassis. Scores down his front appeared fresh and self-inflicted, meaning he had also attempted reaching the essence. Rethalia moaned quietly, her spark fluttering between the wholeness of her bond, and of that of when she felt Optimus' spark gone. It hurt like no other pain before inflicted upon her, and she distantly wondered if maybe Optimus felt as helpless as she.

Solas' energon was foaming from his lip plates and vents, frothing down his body as he jerked and spazzing violently in his tight ball. Wiring sparked between his armor, spraying him with glittering shocks of electric rain. His faceplates were shadowed in intense affliction, his neck swelled in his strain. Another harsh rock of his chassis and the mech threw back his helm, releasing a phenomenal scream that seemed to shatter the Earth itself. Rethalia's servos snapped back to her audios, ineffectively shielding them from Solas' bemoaning.

Arachnid's form slunk away from Rethalia's on the ground, her servo cupping a wound on her side. The rest of her warriors whom remained began to follow carefully behind. Her optics were hard and unreadable, the expression on her faceplates uncomfortable. Not even she couldn't be bothered by this.

Rethalia hugged herself to maybe keep herself from falling part, the feel of her spark expanding, splitting, then returning to one both disorienting and frustrating her. Optimus was reaching for her, she could tell, but it was almost as if she were being blocked from him. He was only a yard away, but he felt so much further. Snapping her gaze around now, she was able to see Inferno on the ground as well, his servos on his chassis, above his spark. Firestar was in a similar position by the manor ruins. Rethalia was quick to see a pattern forming between the sparkmates along the battleground. Each was incapacitated, and hazily searching for someone that was merely feet away.

Rethalia was able to fight down the next wave, but she noted Solas' failing strength and the way his optics faded in and out after each scream. The bond. His bond was breaking.

A blur of light blue and green flashed by Rethalia's view, and she watched, unable to at first understand what was happening, as Ratchet rushed at Fera's prone body at the foot of the hills. Moonracer and Prowl had gotten there first, but when Ratchet ran behind them, he waved a servo and roughly shoved the mech off. "Don't touch her!" he bellowed over Sol's strangled keening. Rethalia's helm went light and her sight suddenly dipped, causing her to sway precariously. Where was Optimus? The others? The Decepticons?

Gone, she thought in disgust. They wanted to sneak away while we dealt with...this. She winced as Solas' emitted another wave. Well better they be gone and away from the injured than using this as an opportunity for revenge. Rethalia forced herself to her peds just in case, her shoulderbolts and upper body slumped forward as her weight threatened to drag her down again. Her arm hung limply while the other held her tanks. Nausea struck her again, forcing her to purge whatever was in her tanks across the muddy grass. She wouldn't stand a chance in another battle if the Decepticons wished to return, but she was determined to stay standing and at least slow them down.

"Prowl and Moonracer, you both need to contain Solas and sedate him accordingly. He's involuntarily transmitting an sympathizer signal to the sparkmates in the immediate area."

An sympathizer wave? Solas was capable of creating something so powerful without an amplifier? Awe filled Rethalia and she stumbled back when she returned her withering blue optics to Solas Kaon's form lying in the mud and dead grass. The stump of his arm fizzled pathetically, only adding to his anguish. No. She couldn't be. It wasn't possible.

Rethalia hesitantly looked back to Ratchet, where the mech was carefully checking Fera's vitals, his face grave and blank. She couldn't tell if the human was doing well with the medic's test, or if the outlook was not at all good. What she did know however was that Solas was waning her strength and sapping what energy she had to feed into this...this unexplainable emotion. She was being torn in half, right beside him. Was this the feeling of breaking a bond? She shivered, praying that she may never live long after Optimus to understand. His previous termination had been but a deep coma. Near death, but nothing definite.

She was experiencing a chance that shouldn't have been given to her. She didn't deserve the understanding or the ability to relate. Optimus again reached for her, and she used this brief clarity to knit herself around him as well. Though she was stuck on Solas, staring at the poor mech as Moonracer and Prowl approached to inject the sedatives, she saw her sparkmate rising in the corner of her optic. He was here for her. They still had one another under this trick of the spark. But what had Solas left? Suddenly, Rethalia's despair was her own, and she felt a sense of longing to help the being flailing against his comrades. A servo touched her on her arm. She jumped.

Optimus was next to her, falling to his kneebolts as he was unable to remain standing. His helm settled against her hip, his hand held her side to perhaps keep her from moving. Rethalia rested a servo on his crest, her digits the only thing anchoring her belief that her sparkmate was indeed still alive and next to her. Together, they watched as Prowl grabbed Solas' limbs and attempted to hold him down. Sol struggled and fought, but he was simply too impaired to do anything much. Moonracer was able to inject the sedatives into his neck, and she leaned back with tears streaming down her cheekplates.

Solas' influence on the sparkmates began to dwindle, but the general pool of emotion between each Autobot standing, kneeling, or sitting was stronger than ever. Not one Autobot was cut off. This was too similar to the event of Fera's kidnapping those Earth weeks ago, when they'd each felt disappointment and failure as heavily as a second protoform. This time, it was multiplied, with each warrior dealing with it all in their own ways.

Sunstreaker, standing with his shaking fists of fury and his red twin sitting beside him with his helm bowed and his shoulderbolts sagging. Mirage and Rodimus, standing off silently in quiet as they laid broken optics upon their human friend in the medic's servos. Titanios holding Cloudsong near as the fembot abruptly began to cry at the sight of so many fallen. Bodies strewn around Inferno and Firestar, the two wrapped up in each other's arms to assure that they were truly there. Smokescreen and Rainwing, their foreplates touching as the mech tried keeping his fembot from falling into unconsciousness. Ultra Magnus with Cameo, leaning on one another by the lip of the cliff above the sea of their peers and deadsparked enemies. Lero...still lying motionless on his front by the rear of it all. His optics were offline.

"By Primus..." she whispered, her voice breaking with emotion, "I never feared I would endure a battle such as this one." her tone, once proud and noble, was now soft and edged with fear. Optimus brought a servo up to hold her's on his helm, his grip also frail and trembling slightly. "Neither had I." he admitted, his own volume lowered as if he were afraid he'd break the very air, "I had prayed I would never experience the break of one's bond."

"We were winning...how could this have happened?"

"They cared not for our comrades, nor for themselves. They were here to ensure this very crack in our conviction. However, not even they could have predicted such an end as this." he vibrated with sorrow under the tips of Rethalia's digits as he panned his incredible optics around him, spying body after body of mechs that had once been the same as he. They were once equals. Brothers even. Now...

"Fera Lennox, she..." Rethalia trailed off, fearful to continue.

"Ratchet will do what he can for her." Optimus assured, squeezing her side with his servo, "Though I fear what he could do for our comrade."

His pointed comment caused Rethalia to glance over to the now still frame of Solas on the ground, his optics shuttered in recharge and his one lasting arm draped over his midsection. More injuries and varying levels of wounds decorated his armor than any other Autobot on sight, while the tension in his faceplates remained even under consciousness. Rethalia's spark broke at the sight of him, her processor finding his position all too closely to that of Fera's by the rock. The moment Arachnid's servo had released that female...

It was all too clear to see: The shock of witnessing her flying; Time's too quick passing to try catching her. All of it was positively her fault. If only she was more careful and had grabbed the female when she had the chance, none of this would have happened.

"Rethalia," the way Optimus spoke her designation, Rethalia knew she must have been sharing thoughts, "Fera's injury is not your own mistake."

"Optimus, I was the one responsible for her safety. I allowed myself to falter for a moment and look where we are now." she removed her servo as Optimus began to stand, the both of them studying Ratchet as he transported Fera's body onto a gurney, her neck braced and her body held down. He was quick to transform and have Cloudsong place the female in his back, his sirens blaring as he took off. Solas was adjusted as well and was carted off by Titanios on a flatbed attached to the mech's aft.

Optimus' cranial unit ducked close to hers, his lip plates brushing her audio as he spoke, "We are at war, Rethalia. Mistakes are made. But we learn from them. That is our strength in this world."

"Mistakes are not made." Rethalia intoned icily, "Not if you wish for the destruction of your comrades." she spoke not only for Fera, but of her crew on the Hope. All from mistakes by her doing.

"Be that as it may, I refuse to stand down against our adversaries. Not ever shall we cave to their whims and murderous tactics." he faced his ailing comrades and Rethalia did as well, taking in the sight of her shattered family and storing it for memory. This was a time to learn from. Mistakes were made, no matter her capabilities as a Prime. There was more to come, she was sure of it. Things were far from over.

"Our darkest hour is upon us, Optimus Prime." she murmured, nudging their bond. Optimus curled around their astral connection, refusing to let her go.

"Then let us light our way."

I Know, I know,

I'm sorry for dropping this touchy-feely bomb on all of you.

But I promise, I will fix this-

You'll all just have to trust me :)

BTW- before anyone asks:

Fera is not dead - I'm not that mean

Moving on:

Next chapter the OTSH Fanart competition closes!

By chapter 50, the polls will be up to vote on and will stay active until OTSH Part 2 is put up :D

Thanks to everyone, and I hope to see you back here next week!

*Chapter Inspiration:

1.)Battle Begins= Mervin Mathew

2.) Eve Of Battle= Audiomachine*