Of The Spark And Heart

by Scarlet Nightmare

"You got hurt because of me. That was stupid! You could have gotten killed!" she exclaimed, now looking up at Sol's eyes. He shrugged and let his arm down, bringing her back before him. "The role of a Guardian is that we protect what we are assigned to guard, with our lives if necessary. That's what I was doing. And I would gladly do it again." he stated simply.

80. Chapter 80: The Last Stand

Here we are,

edging toward the end of OTSH.

Primus, what am I going to say to you guys next week? :0

Just expect a lot of 'thank you's :)

This chapter went way too fast for me, I've been waiting to write it since OTSH began over a year ago...

I hope you all love it like I do :D

Enjoy!

---

Of The Spark And Heart

Part 2

Chapter 80

It was easy to see how things could turn as horrible as they did, as often as they did. Little things, like mistakes, often caused us to stumble and make the foolish mess-ups we try so hard to avoid in life. Some things can't be dodged, as a many few seem to understand. But those things we are able to avert, yet cannot, are the most painful wounds we may encounter. The strength to intervene or fight is enough to drive us to destruction. And when we fail…

Failure tends to bring out the worst in others.

---

Tree leaves slapped against the glass of her windshield, scraping her paint and stinging the surface of her frame. Wind roared past her in a cushioning barrier against the world. But unless she kept moving, that barrier would fall. It seemed so strong – so invincible to protect her against everything she feared. And still, it was weak enough to break that easily. It mirrored much of what her life around her guardians had been until this moment.

They were creatures capable of mass destruction. They could kill thousands, level cities, hide amongst the unsuspecting, and destroy entire planets. But what brought them down to this pitiful state of decay was an eighteen-year-old human who had been captured by Decepticons, tortured, beaten, turned into a Cybertronian, and still had no idea as to why she had been the chosen one to bear the largest burden of them all: the Stone of Primus.

Fera swerved on her wheels to skirt the building, following closely behind the rear bumper of her Guardian, Solas Kaon. Around her, scattered amongst the gutted and crumbling buildings, were other Autobots.

She could hear the familiar whirling of their systems keeping them alive, and taste the exhaust they let loose as they sped through a maze of grays and rusty-browns. She could feel the vibrations the many of them gave off as they rumbled across broken pavement and see the fluster of blurry colors of frames spanning from black to gold, red to blue, green to brown, and white to purple. Speed managed to shroud them all in capsules of immeasurable, blurry motion. The knowledge Fera held of them, brought that immeasurable power down to mortal standards.

What she had felt, all those months ago, as a human when she first saw the incredible scene of Cybertronians, was lost to the black void of memory loss. Solus Prime was doing a fine job recovering her memories, but it wasn't always enough. Fera wished at moments that she could go back to that first instant, when she had made the decision to meet the Autobots. She could have stayed safe and ventured away from the danger to go on and live a normal life. It hadn't been inevitable that she would wander into the world her father had been a part of those years ago.

Then Fera would catch herself in the smile of Solas, or having a gentle servo from Optimus or Rethalia on her shoulderbolt in a show of support. Things would become obscured, and she would fall in love with being an Autobot all over again.

At this vision of danger, with her group finally joined by Ratchet's and Rodimus', she was beginning to question her choices. If she had done this, would that have happened? If she had said that, would so and so have suffered? If she had-

~Rodimus, keep the group tight, you're wandering off!~ Ratchet called from somewhere in the cluster of buildings. A storm of dust kicked up over Fera, and she revved her engines to get rid of the stuff that got caught in her vents. She could see the bright Hummer ambulance racing alongside a fiery red Montana pickup truck, scratches and patches of temp plating dotting along much of the truck's frame. Fera was saddened to see Firestar in the battered shape she was in, when her comrades were healthy and active. She knew full well that Ratchet was only there to keep Firestar from lagging behind or possibly getting killed. But it was only a matter of time before Firestar finally gave out.

Fera mirrored Solas before her as he darted to the right and skidded into another road. Their group exited out into the open, throwing them into a wide, lengthy space of meadows and flatland. In the distance, Fera could see tiny farmhouses. Further than that, she could see the misted tops of purple and grey mountains.

How Ratchet and Rodimus' group had managed to find her and the others was beyond her understanding. Optimus had sent out that message to them all to rally their faction together, however, the Prime and others seemed to figure its inner meaning out a whole lot faster than Fera did. For now, it didn't matter, as they still had one more group to locate: Prowl's.

No word had come in on his position, and most likely none would. It was a means of security the Autobots stayed silent. Already they were catching notice from a gathering as large as they had. They could run as fast or far as they wanted, but they could never outrun the Nemesis. Solas had told her that Optimus was trying to get to San Diego to meet the Dinobots, but she could tell he was seriously doubting they would get there before the Decepticons found them.

They were buying time, she knew that.

~Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Stratis, Bumblebee, and Hound,~ Optimus called out, the smokestacks on his alt mode blowing out dark puffs of exhaust. ~Scout a mile-wide perimeter for tracker drones or tailing Decepticons. Report as you encounter. Try to keep all communication minimal otherwise.~

The five 'Bots peeled off, a few actually spinning a good one-eighty and backtracking the way they'd came. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe sped off onto side roads, going in opposite directions because of their ability to use their spark bond as communication rather than comlink. It was that ability they held over the Decepticons that let them go unnoticed on enemy radar.

~Ratchet, get your humans to safety. There should be a civilian population near here where you can leave them,~ Optimus told his medical officer.

Ratchet's group left on their own way, leaving trails of gravel and pebbles fanning out in their wake. All except the medical officer and Firestar ran off toward various barns or farmhouses they saw. When Fera became confused about Ratchet lingering longer than the others, the mech's rough voice came over comlink.

~Captain Epps is refusing to leave,~ he reported grimly. ~He claims that he could be of use.~

~How?~ the Prime questioned, his mighty semi alt form roaring along the dirt road. This line of luxury vehicles and monstrous trucks was beginning to look like a car show was coming to town. ~Captain Epps will only bring distraction to this situation. It is best he leaves while he can, and reunites with his family, until this event concludes.~

Ironhide thundered up next to Fera, his hearty Ram 2500 design shadowing her instantly. With its lifted height and curved smokestacks behind the cab, it was a monstrous vehicle. ~Let the human stay if he wants to,~ the ex-Keeper and Autobot weapons specialist argued. ~It's his life to use as he feels fit, you've got to remember Prime.~

Fera's frame shook, her shocks trembling. A sort of discomfort trapped her as she saw a certain holoform taking the front seat of his cab. One hand held the wheel while the other arm relaxed on the open windowsill. Fake clothing, designed with military-grade camo that had been used and decommissioned some ten years ago at least, flapped in the ripping air. Short brown hair remained cropped, a youthful, tan face giving a small, content grin as they appeared to drive in total obliviousness to the cars around them. It seemed that Ironhide was too used to using a holoform to quit the habit now. She merely wished he would use a different holoform than her late father.

Ironhide and William Lennox had been partners back in the first six years of Fera's life. Solus had recovered enough memory to let Fera catch glimpses of her father coming home from duty, stepping down from the high rise of the aggressive GMC Topkick that came rumbling in every time her father did. Whenever she heard its throaty sounds coming from the front yard, she knew her father had come home. She couldn't recall if she actually knew if Ironhide was a living being back then, but she did see herself resting in Ironhide's cabin late at night when she had nightmares, or sitting by his wheels and telling him stories while she braided flowers into crowns that would later be around his side mirrors.

~We don't have to use holoforms here, we're in the middle of nowhere,~ she stated to the truck next to her, her voice strained and unsteady.

William Lennox's image flickered in and out of focus, his head turning towards Fera. Her systems skipped a beat, making her almost halt to a stop and cause Mirage to hit her rear fender. All of her mirrors turned away from Ironhide's holoform and to the main road. She refused to look to her side anymore.

~I know that, youngling,~ the gruff mech stated. The sound of crackling static reached Fera, telling her the mech had turned off the holoform. ~I didn't mean to upset you. I know how much your father meant to you…he was a good friend to me too.~ Ironhide's awkward apology was well appreciated, even if it was somewhat sloppy. If it had been any other 'Bot that tried using the holoform of her dead father, she would have made a far bigger issue about it. However, this mech had been her father's partner. He understood better than others what it was like. ~I guess it's…odd to not have him sitting at the wheel anymore. Makes me feel kind of empty...Literally.~

She knew that well enough to not say anything else. There was a mutual understanding they had here, no matter if they were more different than water to fire. That sad link connected them forever, and would keep them connected until they met their ends. William Lennox was a man who brought two worlds together. And there was no way Fera could have thanked him enough for that, from the little time they'd had together before his death.

Their group banked around another road, taking them into a grove of trees. The greenery buzzed by at dizzying speeds, the bushes and limbs that had dipped into the way of the road slapping each Autobot as they hurried by.

Fera found Ironhide on her right, and Bumblebee to her left, with Solas to her front, and Mirage at her aft. Around them were Smokescreen, Ultra Magnus, Moonracer, and Wheeljack. Thunderflare was next to Cloudsong and Titanios, with Hawktail and Red Alert tailing. Jazz was up front with Optimus, Rethalia, Ratchet, and Firestar. Rainwing was somewhere in the clouds, becoming visible every so often when her navy underbelly showed through the white clods of fluff. Arcee ran side by side with Chromia, while the Fabials Cameo, Corra, Beta, and Galax kept up pace in the cover of the trees.

In the back of her processor, Fera was adamant on keeping the scouts in her thoughts. Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Hound, Stratis, and Bee were all alone where they were. They didn't have friends with them to watch where they couldn't see, or fight with them when they were attacked. She hoped they could patrol as quickly as possible and get back before danger would beat them to it. At least, before they got to wherever they were going.

~Solas,~ Fera sent through comlink, moving up beside her Guardian. ~Where are we going? San Diego?~

~Too big of a population,~ he answered back, the exhausts on his sides roaring with a burst of speed. ~We're going to Arizona. It's close enough where we can meet with the Dinobots, but there are places within its deserts away from any major populations.~

That is not going to happen, Solus Prime murmured in Fera's audios, her voice echoing faintly off the walls of Fera's cranial unit. The fembot's voice was clear, despite the wind, and Fera picked up on the words easily enough as if they had been screamed. However she had no idea what the Prime meant, or why she had said what she did.

Fera's group broke through the tree line, throwing the group into an explosion of light from the rising sun. Beams ricocheted off the sleek frames dotted around Fera, running in countless directions all around. The Autobots could all space out a bit more without the trees to block them in, and for once since leaving Virginia, they weren't feet away from each other. Driving that close would have been dangerous for a human driver, but, some of these drivers had been doing what they did since before humans had the intelligence to spark a fire.

Ahead on the road, shapes appeared over the crest of a low hill. They were too far away to make out clearly, but Fera didn't pay them much attention. She was more focused on Solus, whom had clearly shown doubt about the Autobot plan. Fera wanted to know why.

When the words were on her processor, ready to be formed, horns blared loud and mighty from the Autobots stationed at the front of the pack. Optimus' bellowing call easily crossed the road, reaching and mingling with the honking of the other cars headed straight for their group. Here, it was easier to make out the shapes, and she felt a stab of relief in realizing that it was Prowl's group.

~Prowl, reporting!~

~Mirage, presente'!~

~Bluestring, here!~ The white and blue mech swerved around his counterparts. ~Hawktail, my brother, I see you back there!~

~Zincar and Tettara, reporting!~

Optimus and the others throttled on, the messages sent between the Autobots almost drowned out. ~What of the Decepticons Bekos and Thunderblast?~

~Here, with us,~ Prowl sent back. ~They are alright-~

Fera would have sighed if she were able to. She was a little too busy being catapulted off the road, her alt form barrel-rolling through fire-slicked air.

Amidst a storm of flying pavement and sparks, time slowed. Sound became a dull hum, the cries through her dash dying off into meaningless whispers, and the blasting of horns falling into wavering beats, like the wings of an insect in sludge. Her spark made the most noise, as it was throbbing in her chassis with incredibly slow, fine pulses. Each rhythmic pump pounded in her audios with enough power to flush all other sounds out. This trip into freedom, quick as it was, was peaceful. Pebbles hit her and bounced off, skittering across her pearl-white paint.

When she hit the ground off the side of the road, things bolted into reality. Too shocked to yell out, Fera felt herself kicked across the earth. Dirt, packed hard, punched her at every angle. Grass lodged within her plates as they creaked apart, brought out of form from the sheer momentum tossing her along. The world became a spinning vortex of color that moved fast enough that the sky mixed in with the Earth. Nauseating as it was to watch, the pain of being beaten by the Earth was worse.

A stone broke her path, sending her flying again a few feet. The landing stole the air from her systems and caused a sharp hiccup to capture them. Everything became dark for a few moments as her entire system was forced to restart. As light peeked into her life, Fera heard a groan. She couldn't tell if that had come from her frame or her vocal capacitor, but either way, it mirrored the discomfort she was feeling.

She sagged on her wheels, finding one was popped and another was dislocated. Carefully, she reformed properly, trying to get past stuck or jerky parts. She ended up on her servos and kneebolts, rolling her shoulderbolt to put the wheel back in its place. She sat back on her peds, checking her arms and helm. Everything was in place. She was more shaken up than hurt.

A thunderous split cracked through the air, painfully clapping against Fera's audios. Her plates rattled with the ferocity of it, her toelinks curling. She hissed, holding her servos to her audios, and turned her helm toward the noise.

Violet and black stole through the skies, stabbing along with a narrow front that curved down toward the undercarriage. Wings, spanning a good mile on both sides of the vessel, stretched in metallic grace to keep the thing afloat in a terrifying show of beauty. Another dorsal wing on top of the ship jutted upwards into the atmosphere, as if ready to slice a hole through the fabric of the sky. Intimidating cannons perched on the flanks, ready and waiting to be fired on the targeted. The air pressure dropped and heightened in enormous fluctuations that Fera felt deep within her very core.

Clouds parted a wide berth around the Nemesis, like they afraid of this structure passing through them. Arching around the front of the Decepticon ship, a tiny plane buzzed past. They aimed straight for the road where Fera and the others had been before, becoming larger and larger. Fera realized it was Rainwing, who had been absolutely dwarfed by Nemesis when she swung past.

Fera's lip plates parted, hanging open. Her arms dropped and her servos lay limp at her sides. Who was aboard that ship was a being she hated and feared in equal level. Walking within those halls would be warriors that had sneered at her, beat her, murdered her friends, and caused her last few months as a human to be a living Hell. Her initial enemy, Arachnid, was probably standing side by side with Fera's new opponent, Galvatron. They would be staring down on Fera, chuckling and sharpening their blades to bring down across her armor to carve out the Stone from her collar…

"Fera!"

The fembot's helm snapped to the side at the sound of her name. Ironhide was standing on the edge of the road, his frame turned for her. His optics were concerned, his stature uneasy. A little ways away was Solas Kaon, gathering himself onto his servos and kneebolts.

Fera shuttered her optics once and gazed all around her. Various bodies were strewn about, some more unresponsive than others. Cameo was busy shaking her sparkmate, Ultra Magnus, trying to get him back online. Prowl was sitting Jazz up on his aft, patting the mech's faceplates to get his hazy optics back into focus. Bumblebee had Arcee's servo in his, helping her to stand. Mirage was on his side, faceplates resting on gravel, without a sign of consciousness about him. Chromia was with Rethalia Prime, aiding Firestar up on her peds. Cloudsong was with Ratchet, calling the mech's name. Titanios was standing behind her, staring up at Nemesis.

Titanios' brother, Bekos, was shaking rubble from his frame. Thunderblast was next to him, helping Tettara to a stand. Zincar had Galax's arm around his neck while they stood to support the mech. Corra and Beta were sprinting across the road, heading for their leader to help her rouse her sparkmate.

And Optimus Prime was by himself in the middle of the road, his helm turned up, staring at the Nemesis ship with the fierce gaze of a Prime backed into a corner.

Ironhide was at Fera's side now, helping her to her peds with a burly servo. She shivered off the pebbles stuck in cracks of her armor and watched Optimus from behind. The mech was standing at the rim of an enormous crater in the street. It was charred black, with the lip of the jagged circle a glowing orange with melting rock. It was clear that a shot from the Nemesis had been the cause of it, and along with it, the condition of the 'Bots.

"Are you alright?" Ironhide questioned, setting a servo on her spinal support.

Fera nodded, turning her helm away from Nemesis to see her Guardian pushing himself up onto his peds. "Solas-!"

"Autobots, gather!" Optimus called over Fera's voice.

Sprinting over to join Solas at his side, Fera followed the Autobots that could move on their own as they made their way to their leaders. Rethalia traversed to be beside her sparkmate, her frame bathed in dust and streaks of white from scraping against the gravel.

"We need a main point of advancement," Optimus said, gaze still locked on the vessel stationed above their group. Fera glanced at it, her digits twitching. She grabbed Solas' servo to steady them and her nerves. Not a single fighter had left the ship yet. Fera felt they were almost mocking as they watched their prey from the sky. What are they waiting for?

Finally taking his optics away, Optimus faced Fera and the others. "Rethalia and I will lead an offensive line across the valley," he said, gesturing to a dip of land beside the road. "Prowl, Smokescreen, Rainwing, Mirage, and Jazz are with us-"

"But that's suicide, getting yourselves trapped like that," Ratchet piped in, his features concerned.

Rethalia shook her helm, raising a servo. "Optimus knows what he's doing."

"Thank you," the Prime told him mate. Twisting his helm on his neck, Optimus looked to Ironhide. "Ironhide and Ultra Magnus will lead our second, defensive group with the Fabials. You all will be in the trees, waiting for our signal."

Ironhide growled, stepping forward. "We're already in the open, Optimus. They know where we'll be!"

At this, a clap rocked the very matter surrounding Fera and the others. They all dropped low, bent on instinct with danger. "Incoming projectile!" Optimus shouted, parting his arms as command that everyone scatter. When he darted away, Rethalia and their group close on his peds, Solas grabbed Fera's arm. Together they shot through the meadow as fast as they could, until they were nearly stumbling over their peds in their rush.

Fera didn't need to see the missile to know it was there. She could hear the crackling of the flames and taste burning plasma on her glossa. With heat at her spinal support, Fera braced herself for the explosion. Without warning, Solas shoved Fera to the ground and leapt over her, shielding her with his frame.

His name slipped through her lip plates as fire exploded across the space behind him. Dirt went flying, the Earth releasing a plume of grass and debris as it vibrated with impact. Solas' grip on the ground beside Fera's helm tightened. She flipped onto her spinal support to see his faceplates contorted into a grimace. But his optics were singled on her, their color a vibrant teal and red.

"Are you alright?" she demanded worriedly.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he joked weakly, pushing himself up onto his kneebolts. He helped Fera up as well, and grabbed her servo. All humor was gone from him the moment another missile hit the road beside a few Autobots. Fera and Solas ran toward the trees, where cover was secured, but temporary.

~You knew that was going to happen!~ Jazz shouted over comlink. Fera winced at the volume of his voice, pressing a servo against the side of her helm and searching for the silver mech while she ran.

Optimus was already in vehicular mode, racing off with his assigned 'Bots for the valley. ~Ironhide and Magnus, get your group to the trees while we have cover!~ the Prime ordered. ~Bumblebee, Solas Kaon, Bluestring, Hawktail, Thunderflare, and Chromia will round the Decepticons further into the core, where we will be waiting.~ While he spoke, it was clear he was ignoring Jazz. ~Greenlight, Wheeljack, Brains, Wheelie, and Moonracer will be our upper optics. I need patterns and formations in the enemy's movement. They will also be our snipers. Ratchet, Cloudsong, Fera, and Arcee will hold back a defensive stand and evacuate any injured for immediate aid.~

~And what about Captain Epps, or Bekos and Thunderblast, Optimus? They cannot fight,~ Prowl questioned, soaring past on the road after the Primes.

~Hound, lead Captain Epps, Bekos, and Thunderblast to safety,~ Optimus ordered. Where they still out patrolling? Would they get here in time?

~What in the frag was that explosion, Optimus?~ Sunstreaker returned in place of his peer. Fera ducked under a flying piece of pavement as it spiraled her way. She barely missed it by a vent.

~Why don't you vexpas get your afts down here, and find out!~ Ironhide called back.

"Watch it!" Solas cried, pivoting on his heelped and snatching Fera from behind him. His servos were on her arms, shoving her backwards. His upper half bowed over her, covering her from a blast that had touched down a few yards away.

When they parted, Solas did not begin running again. He had his arm out, keeping Fera behind him. His helm was aimed upwards toward the Nemesis. His frame, tense and dirty, quivered before her. Fera had her servos brought close to her chassis, cupping the Stone in anxiety. Her flustered vents worked hard to catch up with her, and she heaved for air while she too turned her optics to the sky.

Dots, Cybertronian in shape, dropped off from the ship in a black hoard. Through the air they free-fell, until they one by one hit the ground. Fera knew that they should have broken apart on impact from that height, but they didn't. They stood right back up, slanted and deformed. She couldn't particularly make out details from this distance, but what she did know what that they were ugly, vicious, and horribly alive.

A good hundred or more of these beings departed from the ship to the Earth's surface. Optimus, Rethalia, Prowl, Mirage, Smokescreen, and Rainwing passed by the crowd of oozing, slobbering beasts. Optimus was closer than any, and dodged around the monstrous creatures with a drifting skid. A cloud of dust kicked up over them. A few dropped, screaming and squirming in positions Fera knew weren't natural.

Others hissed, and to her horror, released gaping mandibles that were broken off their hinges. A strangely-colored fluid shot from their mouths or dribbled from their optics. Blue electricity arched across their bodies, shooting at one another or reaching after Optimus while he escaped. His daring move captured the attention of many of the creatures, and caused many to run after him and his group. Impossible speeds were reached as they ran in bipedal mode after the Prime.

Fera placed a servo over her lip plates, trying to keep from screaming. "What are those things?" she murmured.

~Autobots!~ Optimus hailed, clear and noble across all comlinks. ~Make your stand and fight! We may perish today, but by Primus it will not be in vain!~ Fera jumped from behind Solas and ran toward the road, one servo on her comlink system. Solas called her name from behind, but she ignored him. She desperately searched for Optimus and his group, finally finding him in the middle of the valley. At the bottom of its belly, he was already in bipedal mode, a glowing, red-hot energon sword on one arm, and a rifle in his free servo. His mask was drawn over his lip plates. Rethalia was at his spinal support, her own sword and rifle brandished. Those disgusting creatures from before surrounded them, creeping inward toward the small group.

~Optimus-!~

~If this be our last stand, let in be in the name of the fallen!~ he proclaimed as he rose his rifle. Straight as an arrow, his arm stretched. Rethalia copied him, the both of them a perfect mirror of one another. ~This evil shall not continue, be by my name as Prime. Earth is our home, and I vowed my protection of it, no matter the cost.~

Fera stepped forward as his first shot rang out. The spinning gold bullet exploded against the creature, throwing it back off its peds. After lying there for a split sparkbeat, it slowly gathered itself back up, a hole punched out of the middle of its chassis. There was no spark in that chamber.

Optimus was not fazed for a moment, and so he and his sparkmate leapt apart toward their opponents with bellowing battle cries. ~We will fight,~ he yelled, thrusting his sword through the crowd of creeping, sparking creatures. ~And we will protect!~ A roar came from the Prime, loud enough to even reach Fera from her spot atop the hill. "Until all are one!"

"Till all are one!" shouts from all around Fera answered back.

A barrage of color and mass stampeded past Fera, running toward the Primes and creatures down in the valley. More of those strange things were coming out of the ship. It was as if they were in endless supply, the way they were pouring out. Bumblebee sprinted past with Arcee; Sunstreaker and Sideswipe made an appearance as they jumped down the hill with crazed screams of war; Titanios mowed down a row of the creatures.

However, when the hulking mech came out on the other side, electricity latching onto his frame, he arched. His body lifted onto his toelinks, his arms clenched by his sides. Creatures grabbed hold of him, enveloping his frame and causing a guttural shout of agony to leave him.

Fera gasped, already leaping into a run before she could think about what she was doing. Her name came from somewhere behind her, and the order for her to stay with the medics was as well. She had to evacuate the injured, right? As Titanios fell, Ironhide and the Fabials rampaged through the tree line.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

Fera was yanked right off her peds, snatching her in reverse hard enough to make her choke. She flew through the air, landing on the grass with a jarring slam and rolling a good ten feet before she flipped onto her kneebolt. Solus Prime was there to help her, flowing through Fera's energon just enough to give her the boost she needed.

The one whom had yanked her backwards was standing on four legs, their sharp ends stabbed into the Earth as they bowed with the weight of the body they carried. Her torso was held high, arms at the ready by her sides and oral sheets bared in a shade of psychotic, energon-lust. Her paint was of a deep onyx color, detailed in violets rich as satin and yellows bright as poison. Memories of darkness, a blade, pain, and a hissing voice behind thin lip plates that were pulled back into a cruel smile passed Fera's optics.

"Arachnid," Fera snapped, rising to her peds.

The previous Decepticon leader stalked toward Fera, a chuckle bubbling from her vents. "Look at my dear prisoner now," she sneered, stepping to the side as they began to circle one another. Fera shifted her servo to her hipbolt, where the blade Bekos had given her on the Nemesis would be. When nothing was there, her digits froze, a sense of dread coming over her. Solas still had it.

Arachnid screeched and struck out at Fera without warning. Her movements were lightning fast, and the fembot definitely wouldn't have been able to dodge if Solus Prime wasn't in her system, manipulating her skill.

"What a pathetic excuse of scrap you've become!" the fembot spat at Fera, her spindly legs moving in almost hypnotizing waves.

Fera narrowed her optics at the fembot, trying to figure a quick plan of action in her processor. Movement behind Arachnid caught Fera's attention, and she darted to optics to that, finding Solas going head on head with a creature. It's slobbering jowls swung as it growled and it flung its arms at Solas, trying to grab him. He slashed at it with his sword whenever he could, but did little to slow it down. For some reason, that crooked, twitchy nightmare looked familiar.

In her distraction, Fera failed to dodge when Arachnid jumped at her. Fera drew in a sharp vent as she was tackled, sending her and the Decepticon fembot tumbling down the hill. They rolled as a tangled bundle of black, white, gold, and violet, snarling and tearing at each other whenever they could. Solus forced Fera to ram her elbowjoint into Arachnid's faceplates as they fell. The fembot's helm jerked back, her noseplate erupting in energon as it broke.

Arachnid's sharp digits scaled across Fera's plates, sending burning scratches over her. A few times she managed to nick Fera's protoform, causing energon to dot a path behind them. Though, that could have been more from Arachnid's busted noseplate than Fera's injuries. They tumbled, falling at the peds of Autobots waging battles against Decepticon creatures, or crashing into a few of the beasts themselves.

The Decepticon fembot finally got a purchase on Fera after transforming in the middle of their fall, managing to plant her peds on Fera's tanks. She kicked incredibly hard, sending Fera skidding across the grass. Separated, Fera rolled onto her kneebolt, one servo on the ground. Arachnid was a good three yards away, climbing to her own stand.

"Arahg!" Fera shouted, reaching onto her spinal support. She ran straight at Arachnid, the Galvanizer snapping longer. The prongs at the end spun, coming together at a point like a spear.

She whipped around, swinging the Galvanizer with her across the air. Arachnid hopped out of the way, hissing. "Putrid spawn of the Autobots!" she yelled, jabbing out with the appendages on her spinal support.

Fera was able to evade three of the legs, but the fourth caught her in the shoulderbolt with enough force to disturb her balance. Without letup, Arachnid took Fera's missed step and punched her square in the faceplates. Fera's body jolted with the attack, almost bringing her off her peds again. However she was able to stay up, just in time to receive a kick to her midsection.

The fembot stumbled backwards, holding her tanks with an arm. Her other servo held the Galvanizer, its helm glowing a vivid blue color. "I…" she sputtered, coughing. Arachnid lifted herself up, ready to strike out at Fera again. The Keeper was unconsciously preparing herself for the attack, fearing that the sound of her comrades' agonized screams as they were overwhelmed with mutated Decepticon soldiers would be the last thing she ever heard.

However, to her surprise, a great surge of energy passed through her lines. Her grip on the Galvanizer became far tighter, the helm blurring at the edges as it vibrated. Glyphs appeared along the staff, shining with the crown. Arachnid stabbed out with the appendages on her spinal support again.

Fera suddenly wrenched the Galvanizer upwards, slicing it through the space between them, and evidently, Arachnid's legs.

The lengthy things dropped to the ground, the severed wires sparking and the ends curling inward. Arachnid screamed, backing up as energon dripped from the stumps that used to hold her prized spider legs. Her servos cupped the open wounds, her features mixed between fury and pain.

Fera held the Galvanizer with the staff across her spinal support, her stance wide and grim. "I do not fear you, or your master, Arachnid," she called, her voice far steadier than she felt. The Decepticon fembot snarled, opening her clawed digits. The edges were wet with energon that Fera had been the one to make her shed. A sort of pride came with that. For once, she had made Arachnid the one to bleed. "I feel sorry for the both of you. You, a once perfectly sane being, are now an absolutely sad show of submission. And him, well he's only a resurrected statue practically begging to be taken down."

Arachnid's optics widened, her lip plates hanging open. Fera took a step forward, and began to walk toward Arachnid with the Galvanizer held firm in her fist. Her optics were shadowed with her furrowed optics ridges, giving her a chiseled warrior's faceplates.

"Shut up," Arachnid bit lowly. She began to back up as Fera walked closer.

"That miserable thing you call 'Master', is a joke," she went on, her gaze unforgiving. The injuries that had once made her look broken, now made her look strong. "An old, weak, worn-down enemy who was woken up, only to die for a third time."

"Shut up!" Arachnid screamed, throwing her servos up to clap against her audios. Her features were open in crazed terror. Fear had never been so raw on any Cybertronian's faceplates before that Fera had witnessed. It made her want to go on.

"It's only a matter of time before him, your supposed 'empire', and everything you have ever believed in tumbles into dust around you."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Fera lifted the Galvanizer, her tone stony. "Because truly, what is a slave without its master?"

---

Solas snarled, swinging his sword around himself to slash at the ugly creature advancing on him. It was a wretched thing, with sharp and rusted oral sheets that hung open wide on a broken mandible that Solas had, in fact, been the giver of. Sickly, yellowish-green acidic fluid leaked from its lip plates, splattering about the grass and causing it to sizzle. Solas jumped back, but was unable to move quick enough to get away from a splatter of the ooze. It hit his armor, burning through frighteningly quick.

Hissing in pain, the mech batted at his armor. The creature lifted its arms, which were popping with sparks, and launched itself at Solas. The previous gladiator fell backwards with the being on top of him. They slid across the blacktop, kicking up sparks and sending out a shriek of armor-on-cement.

The monstrosity grabbed Solas' shoulderbolts with its clawed servos, stabbing into the dips of it and attacking the sensitive protoform beneath. Solas gritted his oral sheets and squeezed his digits, which were clamped around its neck. Spots of his armor melted away from the acid, sending popping sprinkles up into the air. Electricity ran along Solas' arms and body from wherever the thing touched him. A strangled cry of effort and desperation left him. He could feel his energy leaving his frame at a startling pace. This fight shouldn't be draining him this quick.

Sol shoved his peds underneath the being and pushed with all his might. It was sent flipping over his helm, rolling across the pavement. Solas shoved himself onto his kneebolts, one arm down to support himself. His plates tremored slightly in rising exhaustion. He felt his energy leveling out again, but a good portion of it was long gone. Cooling oxygen coursed through his vents harshly, his chassis heaving. The creature that had attacked him jerked spastically where it laid. Over its struggling limbs, Solas caught sight of Fera. Fighting Arachnid.

Instant fury struck the mech at the sight of his charge, damaged and leaking, standing off against the fembot that had caused them so much suffering. If he felt any better about it, it was because he saw Arachnid's prized legs severed from her spinal support. Fera seemed to be keeping her own for now, which was more than what Solas could say for himself.

The creature shot up again, charging Solas with its claws exposed and its oral sheets gleaming with sludgy acid. Blue lightning arched off its frame, stabbing at the ground when it ran and reaching for any Autobot it passed.

Wait a moment…

Solas jerked in surprise, being caught off guard when he saw the creature only a few feet away now. The Autobot punched the dirt of the ground beside the road, tossing it up into the faceplates of the Decepticon soldier. The cloud enveloped the mutated creature and it screamed with a high-pitched voice that Solas feared would bust his audios. While the being clawed at its faceplates and fell to the road on its side, he sprinted off the road, taking refuge behind a nearby tree. Its thick trunk shielded him while he fought to regain his venting. His energy was dropping too fast for his liking, and so he remained where he was.

Beside him, the trees shivered, releasing a few leaves. Solas growled, bringing out his sword in preparation to stab at the Decepticon that would be standing there. Instead, it was Mirage, his spinal support against a tree and one of his prized blades held up. His servo was opened at Solas, as if to catch the blade that would have sliced him in two if Solas didn't stop himself.

Solas groaned, flopping back against the tree, and Mirage chuckled. "Good fight, eh idiota?"

"If you mean being overwhelmed by mutant, acid-spewing, Pit-spawn, then yes, this is a fantastic fight."

"That's the best part!" he whooped, laughing again. "We're outnumbered. It seems equal odds in my optics."

"You're insane," Solas stated, unable to help a grin from touching his lip plates.

Mirage smiled brightly, the energon upon his blade bouncing rays of light off his handsome features. The scarlet mech curbed around the trunk, craning his neck to get a look around. Solas watched him, able to vent a little better than before. When his comrade returned his spinal support to the tree, he jabbed his blade toward the valley.

"I will distract them," he offered, his optics wild. "You can stay here and recover."

Solas' optics became wider, and he stood off the trunk to face his body toward Mirage. "What-" he stuttered. "Are you fritzed?! You can't go out there by yourself!"

Mirage smiled a sad smile, cocking his arm back to lock his blade in place. The edges hummed, their vibrations so quick that they would slice through armor like it was water.

"Solas, there was a saying told to me by humans not so long ago," he said. "It is something I ask you now: Do you live on your knees, or die on your feet?"

He jumped up, about to run out from the cover of the trees. Solas' arm shot out, catching his peer on the arm. "Wait!" he called, yanking his brother-in-arms back into the shadows. His digits lifted, pointing at his optics. "Aim for their optics. Use whatever you can to stifle that charge they're emitting or mess with their sight. Dirt, dust, sand – whatever can smother electricity. They don't do well with it."

Mirage nodded, beginning to run off again. When Solas held him back for a second time, the Guardian flashed his oral sheets, his lip plates in a hungry grin. "You think you're going out there alone?"

A final pat to Mirage's arm, and Solas darted into the heat of battle, kicking up dirt and slicing at frames left and right.

---

Fera hung on for dear life, energon roaring in her audios and Arachnid's shrieks piercing her very spark. The Keeper was on Arachnid's spinal support, legs locked around the fembot's middle. She held on by the Galvanizer, which was pressed to the front of Arachnid's neck. Her arms strained to keep her grip, her upper arms clenching or readjusting.

Arachnid was spinning around, her digits vying to get under the Galvanizer and get it away from her neck, where it was pinning her throat closed. If Fera could hold on just long enough, she could get Arachnid's jugular line to burst, killing the fembot instantly. However, the former leader of the Decepticons was no regular fembot. She was skilled enough to toss herself to the ground, dislodging Fera and pinning her to the ground in rebuke.

"You've lost here, don't you see that?" she ground out, her servos now around Fera's neck. She threw up her shoulderbolts, trying to knock off Arachnid's grip. To no avail. Arachnid dipped lower, stopping close enough to almost brush noseplates with Fera. "This is your end." She smiled, chuckling softly. "Notice anything about my master's creations? Something familiar about them, perhaps?"

Fera's optics flickered around she and Arachnid, catching glimpses of the poor sparks who had fallen victim to Galvatron's control. Behind the ooze and sparks and mutilated limbs, Fera did notice something. She'd seen these beings before.

"You…" she wheezed, her vocal capacitor unable to form words properly under Arachnid's weight on it.

"Look! There's Thundercracker…" Arachnid exclaimed, pointing a sharp digit at a shape not too far away, facing off with Bumblebee. The Autobot was dodging and batting whenever he got the chance, however, it seemed as if nothing he did was working. "And there's Ramjet…and Reflector, and the Sweeps…and Nightbird. Ugh, I hated her with a passion. You know Galvatron killed her for being the leader of the group that destroyed your base? It was wonderful! There were some of us that got away, but it seems we're doing fine with who we have…"

"You…bitch…" Fera choked out, moving her helm and shoving her servos against Arachnid to get her away.

Arachnid looked back down at Fera, tilting her helm to the side at an almost perfect ninety-degree angle. That insanity that had always been fermenting in her optics was fully in bloom at this point, with a rabid, fiery thirst for energon edging every sharp word she spoke.

"Punch is out there too somewhere, you know," she stated, faking innocence. Fera's spark dropped, her grip becoming weak in abed horror. Arachnid lifted her helm, searching the crowd of fighting Decepticons and Autobots. "I wonder where he is…"

Fera screamed, and thrust the palm of her servo into Arachnid's chassis as hard as she could. The move threw the fembot off, breaking the contact between them. Fera scrambled to her peds, giving an enormous call of infuriated sorrow as she grabbed the Galvanizer from the ground and ran at Arachnid.

The Decepticon was able to leap out of the way and rise to her peds. Blinded by anger, Fera flung the Galvanizer in sloppy rounds, each push of the legendary Tool being followed with an angered grunt. Light poured from the Tool, and her optics, the feral touch in her movements pulling away any sense of control from her systems.

Fera, Solus Prime's voice cut in soothingly. You need to calm down.

"I'll kill you!" Fera shouted, the Prime's words curtly shoved to the back of her processor.

You're going to get killed yourself, if you don't think about what you're doing, Solus interjected, louder this time.

Arachnid was smiling, the stumps that used to be appendages on her spinal support bowing. The fembot cackled, leaning back when Fera swung the Galvanizer again. Her expression was mocking, her movements chillingly collected. It made Fera even more frustrated, and she jabbed the Galvanizer at Arachnid in an act of recklessness. Arachnid simply stepped aside, and grabbed the staff of the Tool when it came by her. She pulled Fera forward and the fembot's helm whipped back. With a single slash, Arachnid tore her claws across Fera's front. Sparks flew, followed by a gush of azure energon from the deep gashes down her chassis.

Fera fell to the ground, arms wrapped around herself. Her vents gasped, bubbling with her life as it dribbled down her white and gold armor. Agony bloomed across her in hot flames, dressing her in a blanket of shivering affliction. Everything else was hidden in a veil of numbness that was slowly being eaten away. Whimpers escaped Fera's lip plates to slip along the streams of tears beading down her cheekplates. Arachnid's leg lifted back as Fera picked up her helm, faceplates gleaming.

Before she could move, Arachnid slammed her ped into Fera's chassis, flinging her onto her spinal support. Energon trickled off her chassis and onto the grass as if her body were the one weeping. Grief and anger bore deep within Fera, making it harder and harder to move. She didn't want to anymore. She wanted to quick.

She was tired. Her frame hurt. Her cranial unit hurt. Her spark hurt. Why did everything hurt so much? Where could she go to escape it all? She moaned as she propped herself up on her elbowjoints, chin tipping upwards to see the towering figure of Arachnid over her.

You are a Keeper, Solus snarled into Fera's audios as the fembot curled into herself and placed her servos tight over her audios. Arachnid kicked Fera again, throwing her onto her side. You will not die here.

Another kick to Fera's tanks.

How dare you let yourself give in?

Someone laughed.

You need to survive.

Her name was yelled from somewhere.

You need to finish this.

She felt sick.

"Pathetic, weak, idiotic, useless scrap!"

Keeper! Wanderer! Savior! Key to the peace!

Fera's optics flew open.

"Enough!" she bellowed, sitting up in a flash and planting a firm punch into Arachnid's leg. A sickening crack sounded as her kneebolt buckled backwards, immediately making her fall sideways. She cried out, hopping to keep her balance. Her servos held onto her leg, groaning and shouting in raw, shrill notes. Fera, armor dented and dirty, pushed off the ground. Vertigo hit her in an instant, making her sway. Bowed slightly in discomfort, Fera held an arm around her midsection. Her digits pressed onto her side, keeping her arm from falling uselessly to her side. One of Fera's cheekplates were caved inward. Pieces of her chassis armor was missing. Half of her left bracer was lying in the grass a few feet away.

But her optics were bright and alive.

Arachnid wavered on her lasting leg, holding her broken kneebolt in her servos and huffing in strain. Fera, optics staring at her enemy, stepped over to the Galvanizer, and bent down. Her digits slipped beneath the Tool and it flared to life with renewed light.

"I am a Keeper," she stated, her voice steady and strong. She lifted back into a stand, taking the Galvanizer in both her servos. "I will not die here."

Arachnid's helm snapped up, her sights full of…fear? For the first time since meeting the fembot, Fera was the one causing the fear instead of the other way around. A bout of power waged inside of her frame, filling it until her plates rose on her protoform. They rippled, releasing ribbons of light into the air.

Fera took a step in Arachnid's direction and the Decepticon fembot squealed, jumping to get away. Her leg dragged helplessly as she tried in vain to escape into the fray of creatures. Fera stepped calmly behind, the Galvanizer vibrating in her servos and Solus Prime's presence flowing through her lines.

"You will not cause us any more pain," she yelled into the crowd, her tone booming. She stopped, losing sight of her target. But she still stood there, fully aware of where Arachnid was. Her helm remained still, her optics following where the Decepticon fembot would be.

A creature stepped up next to Fera, reaching for her. With a snarl, she stretched her left arm, hitting the being in the helm so hard that its frame cracked and electricity flowed freely from the stump of its neck.

That creature had once been Punch. Those optics once had light in them. Those vents once flowed with air. Those servos once protected her and offered her comfort. Those lip plates, lined in jagged, rusted denta had once assured her and given her a friend in a place where she had none. He'd helped her live. For that, she could not allow him to live this way. It was the best way she could think to repay him for now.

Movement echoed behind Fera as the sorrow-torn fembot twisted the Galvanizer and pushed the being that had once been Punch onto the ground. She grabbed the Galvanizer with both servos and pivoted on her heelped, plunging the tip of it into the first body she could get it into.

"This is where you die, Arachnid!"

Energon spurted in a gruesome fan. Sparks ran in small tenors up the staff of the Galvanizer. Armor creaked. Black and violet became splattered in blues.

Arachnid's optics were wide open, her lip plates parted. Her servos slowly lifted, touching the staff that was protruding from her middle. Fera was still holding the weapon, unable to let go, no matter how much she wanted to. Arachnid was staring into her optics blankly, with the shock and flickering terror of a spark watching their life escape right before them, coursing bright in her gaze.

"Wha…" Arachnid vented, looking down.

Fera yanked the Galvanizer from Arachnid's frame, causing the fembot to jerk and grab at the empty air. The hole that was in her abdominal slips gushed twice, the innards of Arachnid pulsating pitifully. No longer did the Decepticon fembot stand as the strong enemy she had once been. She fell onto the ground with her servos on her midsection and her optics open wide.

A brick wall struck Fera at that moment, and her features melted. Solus Prime was no longer in control. The glow was still there, but the lust for battle was gone in her.

She'd heard many sounds in this battle. From laughs to gasps, to cries and snorts, she thought she'd heard them all. Then she heard Stratis screaming.

The black fembot was usually so quiet. To hear the audio-tearing, spark-ripping, guttural noise of absolute agony leave her brought Fera into a new faze of numbness. She could feel nothing. The only thing she heard was Stratis. The only thing she saw was Arachnid, lying on the ground, pressing with a fading strength onto the wound in her center in a futile attempt at preserving her life. She knew, and Fera knew, that it was useless. She could see it in Arachnid's optics: I'm dying.

Stratis appeared onto the scene, dropping onto her kneebolts next to Arachnid. The shallow gulps her vents sporadically drew in air with turned into harder hiccups, her energon pouring from her frame. Her optics found Stratis kneeling next to her, and they latched onto her sister's form.

Fera's arm fell to her side as she saw Stratis tenderly pick Arachnid up from the ground and hold her to her chassis. Her black helm fell back, her cheekplates stained with tears and her lip plates hanging open in a silent cry.

Fera stepped back, her trembling servo barely able to keep her hold on the Galvanizer. Air fluttered past her, carrying on it the scent of rotting metal and the sweet stench of death. She felt the earth shudder beneath her peds. She heard Stratis crying, her sobs inclining as she rocked back and forth with her dying sister in her arms. It was strange to see, a just and kind being like Stratis morning the terminal state of a psychotic monster like Arachnid. Then again, they were spark-bound sisters. Which, meant that their bond was slowly tearing apart as Fera watched them. It made her want to cry too, because she knew exactly how that felt. Fera lifted her servo, holding it to her collar, where she expected to feet an arch-shaped scare.

"I was-I was supposed to be great…" Arachnid vented in Stratis' arms, her optics staring up at her sister in what looked like wonder or interest. "I was supposed to lead…I-I-I was…meant to avenge all of them…" A tear slid down Arachnid's own faceplates, and Fera's spark broke. Why did she feel this way? She should be happy – the being that had caused her so much suffering was beaten and dying. Why wasn't she happy?

Because you are a good spark, Solus Prime murmured inside her processor. Her essence tickled Fera's digits as it passed through the Galvanizer and up her arm, connecting Keeper and Tool in a near symbiotic way. You don't take pleasure in seeing others suffer. That is why Vector Prime chose you to be his Keeper. He knew you had compassion – a factor Arachnid lost long ago.

The Decepticon fembot's servo lifted, grabbing Stratis' bracer. There was so much fear and desperation in her optics. Fera looked away. "This isn't how it ends…I-it can't be…"

Rockets soared overhelm, taking all noise with them and capturing all attention. Helms of all color turned to the sky, including that of the creatures. Four sleek, silver jets barreled past, the power in them enough to cause the air to shake. The pressure around Fera increased as they passed, her plates standing on end.

They were almost loud enough to drown out Stratis' cry as Arachnid died in her arms.

Almost.

Multiple blasters and snipers aimed for the jets, preparing to take down the vehicles if they turned out to be yet-unknown Decepticon foes. They streaked around the edge of the valley, making a U-turn and heading back for the group.

"Friendlies!" a familiar, human voice shouted. Fera turned her helm to see Robert Epps racing down the hill, his legs hurrying to carry him toward the Autobots. His arms were waving over his head to catch everyone's attention. "They're military!"

Fera pressed her digits to her comlink system and turned around, trying, and failing, to ignore Stratis' wailing behind her. ~Stand down!~ she called for everyone. ~They're with us!~

As she sent this, the underbelly of the jets opened up, dropping lines of spray across the valley over the creatures and Autobots. The substance dropped on all those below, covering everyone in white. Within seconds, the jets bowed away to escape into the skies, and the white spray they'd dispensed abruptly began to puff up.

The creatures each let loose individual noises of distress, screaming or crying or clawing at their frame as the white foam climbed up their plates to envelop them. Their scrambling revealed the Autobots within their crowds, also covered in the foam, but easily able to wipe it away with stunned servos. A few of the Autobots were unconscious on the ground, drained of energy from the creatures, or knocked out.

Arcee was on the ground, with Bumblebee and Prowl standing near her, their servos still raised in defense as their opponents fell back and foam grew on their armor. Ultra Magnus and Cameo had their spinal supports together, each covered in scratches and dents, with a few looking a bit serious. The Fabials were grouped together in their forms, snarling and hunched as they protected one another. Mirage and Solas Kaon were nearby, standing over the frame of Ratchet as the medic tended to a down Titanios. Cloudsong was there beside him, her brother Thunderflare and his mentor Hawktail standing guard on their other side. Chromia and Ironhide were next to Jazz, their expressions weary behind masks of energon.

Optimus and Rethalia were in the center of it all, still standing despite the obvious wounds afflicting them. Rethalia leaned against her mate, too weak to even lift her blaster anymore it appeared. Firestar had one arm lifted, the nozzle of a hose attached to her bracer as she stood in protection over Greenlight. Wheeljack and Bluestring were tending to the down fembot while their red and orange guard stood watch. Maybe that was how they found out to use the foam.

Rainwing rumbled over everyone's helms, circling like a vulture over the Decepticons. Hound and Moonracer were standing with Sideswipe. Where was Sunstreaker?

Fera got her answer when she turned around, finding the golden warrior beside Stratis, holding her to his chassis. His expression was hard, but Fera saw lubricant in his optics. What grief had he for Arachnid? Why did he care she was dead?

The only reason Fera could think of was that they were past friends or lovers. Which, was totally, unimaginably, astronomically impossible...right?

"This isn't done yet!" Bumblebee abruptly announced. Fera's optics darted back to the creatures. "They're still coming!"

Damn.

Indeed they were. Many of the beings were on the ground, but the larger Decepticons, the ones that had been warriors before they were killed and subjected to…whatever turned them into these things, were still trudging onward. Fera cursed under her vents, grabbing the staff of the Galvanizer and preparing herself to fight.

Out of nowhere, the valley shook. Thundering rumbles coursed into it, rattling all those within. A roar, intense enough to rival the sound of the Nemesis' engines, carried across the open land. It tore open the silence, bringing a ravished rally of fury to the tired Autobots. Many were ready to collapse. And some had. So it was a miracle send that they found six figures loping along the ground, covering more land in each stride than these Autobots did in four.

Grimlock was there, his enormous frame taking the shape of a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex, his mandible lined with sharp, curved denta. Steam billowed from his nasal passages, flowing behind him in a cape as he ran. His long legs carried him in powerful strides, his splayed toelinks stabbing into the earth with their curved talons.

Nightmare was sitting atop of him, holding a blaster in her servo that she pointed into the sky and shot off. Her wild cry was no match for that her lover made, but, she was still as intimidating as he was. Her sharp armor cut into the air like a knife, her narrow optics burrowing into each shape that stood before her.

The other Dinobots that moved by land, Sludge, Slag, and Snarl, tore after their leader, their own calls of entry loud enough to carry into the next country over. Swoop sailed above, sharing the same space as Rainwing while he thrust his wide wings against the gusts.

As Grimlock ran past Optimus, the Autobots cheered, their fists raising into the air and their hails of joy ringing high. Fera joined them, forgetting her sadness for a brief moment and punching her fist toward the sun. Solas found her from across the meadow, his smile big enough to be contagious. Energon was on his faceplates, and a new scratch was etched into the side of his helm, but the injury only made him look more handsome to her.

Nightmare leapt off Grimlock's spinal support as he clamped his jaws around one of Galvatron's creation, splitting it in half. His fembot partner shot her blaster around her, catching each being she shot at square in the helm without fail. Slag snatched up a being in his beak, spearing two others with his horns and stomping them into the dirt. Slag rampaged around the grounds, running over every being he could and crushing them with his weight. Snarl leapt up, flipping himself over and stabbing the spikes on his spinal support into opposing creatures.

One by one, the Dinobots slaughtered the creatures. Fera couldn't help the relief inside herself in knowing that this was finally over. They were saved. This battle was at it's end.

No, it's not, Solus Prime said, low and serious.

Whatever had made Fera turn her helm, she didn't know. Maybe it was Solus. No matter what it was, she was glad they, or it, did.

One of the creatures had gotten away from the Dinobots. Its escape was used to attack Sol and the others, draining each from behind before the others could notice. As they each fell, Solas Kaon was left by himself to defend against a helmless, stumbling Punch.

Fera leapt into action, running as fast as her burning legs could carry her across the hill toward her Guardian. Solas struck out with his sword, catching Punch on his chassis, but it of course, did nothing. His next choice was his blaster, but every shot merely hit the deformed Punch and absorbed into his frame. Solas began to back up, shooting with all he had to offer. Fera pumped her arms, forcing another jolt of speed to reach Sol before it was too late.

Punch lifted an arm, a strike of lightning shooting from his digit tips. It hit Solas, making the mech arch. His arms froze at his sides and his servos balled into fists. Fera shouted with all her might, curling her digits around the Galvanizer.

That was no longer the Punch she knew. He was gone. This thing that was hurting her Guardian, her Solas…was no Punch.

Fera ran toward a mound in the hill, finding out it was the still frame of one of the creatures. She ran over it, using it to leapt through the air. She rose the Galvanizer over her helm, her legs bending and her spinal support arching.

She threw the Galvanizer down, slamming it into Punch. He was thrown backwards, cutting off the connection between him and Solas. The black and red mech dropped to his kneebolts, his venting heavy.

Fera flipped the Galvanizer, giving Punch no time to recover. Hitting him once in the shoulderbolt, and another in the tanks, she pulled the Tool back and clenched her servos until her knuckles complained.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, and stabbed Punch straight through the middle.

The recoil from Punch's body as the energy inside him overloaded made Fera almost drop the Galvanizer. Solus was there to help her keep her balance, but otherwise, it was sheer will that kept her from dropping to the ground and crying. Another friend was gone. Permanently. Because of her.

Sol got up on one kneebolt, staring at Fera as she turned around. "Are you alright?" she demanded, flicking the Galvanizer to get the energon off of it.

Solas stood, his optic ridges coming down. His optics darted from her to Punch, then back. "Where in the frag did you learn to fight like that?" he returned, his sights searching her up and down.

Fera turned, walking away. "When I got one of the Thirteen Primes stuck in my head," she called over her shoulderbolt, watching the Nemesis.

"What?"

It was the last thing she heard from Solas before the pioneer of all the chaos in the universe dropped out of the Nemesis.

Galvatron hit the ground, sending a wave through the valley large enough that Fera felt it from a mile away. The area around him gave in with jagged spires of the Earth's crust, followed closely by a resounding boom. He stood as wind struck Fera and the others, sending many to their kneebolts. Fera stood firm, stabbing the end of the Galvanizer into the Earth to keep her standing. Solas was on his kneebolt as well, staring at the being who had bound him and his charge and nearly bonded with her. It was easy to see the anger in his faceplates and the way a want for retribution settled into his posture.

The Decepticon Lord rose up as a being of darkness and entropy. The air around him sucked within the vortex of his presence, disappearing into the vacuum of his mass. Obsidian smoke coiled in new volumes around him. His plates had grown more grotesque, curling more and bending at steep angles. Wherever he stepped, the grass rotted and the dirt beneath turned black. His optics were two stones of onyx, the shine of their reflection being the only betrayal of their being there. When he moved, matter revolved around him, reshaping and morphing to his will.

Galvatron was a being beyond the living. He was no mortal. He was a god. A terrible, unforgiving, merciless, powerful god.

Unicron,Solus whispered. The Un-maker. Sire of Chaos. Pit Master…

Galvatron, or should she say Unicron, waltzed across the open land, clearing the distance between himself and the Autobots in the shutter of an optic. Fera jerked, startled that the mech could move that fast. He was but meters away, walking with a leisured pace that commanded respect or terror. Fera felt some of both.

"Keepers!" she shouted at the highest volume her voice could reach, raising her Galvanizer above her helm. "Stand with me!"

Solus swarmed over Fera's body, crawling across her arms and flowing down over her legs. Fera's helm pounded, the back of her optics filling with pressure as they begun to glow. A metallic singe snared her spark, twisting it in a vice that forced it to expand. Fera vented in deep as her cycling systems would allow. Fresh energy wafted along her frame, becoming thick with serenity. Fear was no longer an emotion she carried within her. Courage and determination rose in her throat.

Around her, seven beings stood tall and proud. Their frames shivered, coming to life from the dullness of mortality. Their paint became blinding. Their limbs bulged in withheld strength. Their stances became wide and firm. Beside each of these Keepers, a material appeared in orbs of fragile translucence. They became solid as they revolved in their bubbles, turning into true reality upon their Keeper's touch. A few already with their Tools simply stood, waiting to fight beside their brethren.

Fera Lennox, Keeper of Vector Prime and the Galvanizer. Optimus Prime, Keeper of Primon and the Matrix of Leadership. Rethalia Prime, Keeper of Prima and the Star Sabre. Jazz, Keeper of Micronus Prime and the Chimera Stone. Bumblebee, Keeper of Amalgamous Prime and the Void Triton. Grimlock, Keeper of Onyx Prime and the Infinite Combinortoric. And Rodimus, Keeper of Solus Prime and the Forge. Who would have known that the very mech who knew more about the Keepers than any other beside Alpha Trion, was a Keeper himself?

The Keepers charged all at once, their Tools held out and their glittering forms trailing capes of stars.

Galvatron met Grimlock first, blocking the blow of the Dinobot's blade with a raise of his arm. Grimlock roared, lifting his layered sword and using brute force to slash and stab at Unicron. The Un-maker was able to hold off every move made against him, sending clapping rounds of air to assault everyone at each make of contact. These rebounding waves placed many of the Autobots who weren't Keepers back onto the grass and pinned them there.

Jazz entered in, circling his servo around the Chimera stone. He gathered the force from the Tool and flicked it at Unicron. Explosions of white-hot flames spiked, making the entity's smoke crinkled. His helm whipped around, zeroing in on the smaller silver mech while he continued to block Grimlock's hits. Bumblebee came in, charging with the Void Triton, and stabbed it into Unicron's side. He did not cry out, nor react, other than batting the yellow 'Bot away with the most minor of twitches from his servo. Bumblebee went through the air and landed not feet, but meters away.

Grimlock too was tossed the same way as Bumblebee. Arcee and Nightmare were unable to get up and go to their mechs, for they were trapped beneath the pressure Unicron emitted. It seemed the Keepers were the only ones able to tolerate the weight.

Rodimus called out, lifting the Forge over his shoulderbolt and ramming it against Unicron's spinal support. When the titan did not react, neither did Rodimus. He danced around Unicron, swinging and hitting in quick, short movements. Quite similar to Solus' technique herself, now that Fera thought about it.

Why are we still standing here? Vector Prime questioned, finally taking his place within Fera's frame. Solus Prime was with Rodimus now, surely. We must join our brothers and sister!

Fera bolted forward, peds leaving a blast of dirt to sprinkle out across the grass. The Galvanizer was tight in one servo, two purple, arched blades appearing on her hipbolts. The Blades of Time.

Solas took his turn at Unicron, his swords slicing through the air. He disappeared into it, appearing on Unicron's other side within the shutter of an optic. His dark, black sword sliced through Unicron's armor. Smoke flushed outward as energon would, and Unicron snarled. It was the first sign of emotion yet. Solas was unwavering as he lifted the Chaos Edge, using it to reappear to Unicron's right. The look in his optics was truly that of Megatronus Prime's Keeper.

Rethalia's Star Sabre dashed wherever she thrust it, dazzling in whichever way she diced. Sliver of armor flew from Unicron's frame when she hit it, showing that she held true power over her peers when it came to damaging Unicron. The Un-maker swung his arm out, catching Jazz and Rodimus in the cross-fire. They went sailing, Jazz flying by Fera while she ran.

Rethalia managed to stay standing when she was hit. Her arm buckled, however, that did not stop her for a split second. She continued fighting with her left servo, catching Unicron off the shoulderbolt and sending a chip of his dark armor to the ground. He roared, throwing his arms at Solas and Rethalia. They jumped back, immediately replaced by Optimus Prime.

Optimus planted his servos against Unicron's chassis, shoving him. Light exploded from the contact, and Unicron yelled out.

Fera lifted an arm to protect her optics from the light, coming to a stop. When it was gone, she dropped her arm. Just in time to see Solas punched from his standing. Her Guardian dropped to the ground, his helm drilling into the Earth's surface. Rethalia was grabbed, her upper arms almost disappearing in the black mist of Unicron's servos. He threw the fembot Prime into the air, letting her fly with a toss that could have snapped a regular Autobot in half. Rainwing, somehow having managed to escape Unicron's pressure field and stay in the air, chased after to help.

Before she could turn back around, Fera knew. She felt the darkness coming over her and the hatred seeping into her armor. Everything horrible and wrong about the universe, from a mistake in the fabric of space, to a glitch in the youngest processor, was right behind her. It tore her from the inside, deeming her frame unworthy to be in existence. She could feel herself slowly being un-made.

Ripping around, Fera was snatched at the throat by Unicron. He lifted her up, yanking the Galvanizer from her grip and letting it skid across the grass.

"My prize," he slurred, voice pertaining more to noise than words. Fera gasped, grabbing the servo that held her neck and working to get his digits to unlock her.

Deathly pleasure was in Unicron's optics when he gazed over her, taking her form in from crest to toelinks. The Stone on her chassis was hot enough to burn her, and Unicron chuckled when he saw it, exposing the shadows that made his oral sheets.

Fera felt Vector Prime squirming within her, realizing that he too was held hostage. It seemed Unicron had more power than he let on, if he could control the Thirteen member so effortlessly. The ancient Prime struggled to get free, as Fera did, and she feared they were no match for the corrupt titan. The Keepers had fallen one by one, leaving her alone. The odds were slipping between Fera's digits.

A shifting figure caught her optics over Unicron's shoulderbolt, coating in scarlet and blue. His wide shoulderbolts flexed, his servos alight with twin swords of pure, white, light. Primon's Keeper was no mech you wished to turn your back on.

Unicron frown as Optimus charged, his digits twitching against Fera's neck. She hung limp, watching in concern for the Prime as he spun, whirling his swords in a powerful attack. Unicron turned around, dodging it by the tiniest sliver. His arm came out, raping Optimus against the cheekplate. The mech flew, helm snapped back, and frame straight.

However, the Prime, unlike his comrades, was able to stab a sword into the ground and stop himself. The blade drew a deep line into the flesh of Earth as Optimus held it beside his body. On a kneebolt, the masked Prime got to his peds and yanked his white sword out of the ground. The Matrix of Leadership made the seams of his chassis glow.

"Puny bane of the Primes," Unicron hissed as Optimus started stalking back.

"I follow a path such as that of light, Unicron, not one defiling the carcass of my brethren," Optimus retorted, rising his sword and bringing it down upon Unicron. The god was forced to drop Fera, and crossed his arms across his helm to protect himself. Wind from Optimus and Unicron's contact blasted Fera, causing her to roll a few times. She got back onto her kneebolt and looked around, trying to find the Galvanizer.

Unicron pushed back on Optimus, making the Prime stumble. The Un-maker then flashed out with his own swords of black, which he had made out of the material of his own body. A great ring of light shot out over the valley, blasting the trees by the road and nearly snapping their trunks. "That is because you fail to contain such strength, as every descendant proceeding you," Unicron snapped, lifting his sword. "Primus was foolish in presenting his spark to the Matrix of Leadership."

They clashed, prompting circles of light and shadow to encase them. Fera found the Galvanizer a yard or two away, and leapt the space between her and it to reach. She was smacked back into the ground by a force wave that spawned from Optimus' sword after he bunted it against Unicron's bracer. The Prime leaned into his sword, trying to knock Unicron off balance. The god cackled, his laugh making Fera's audios crack in and out of deafness.

Fera stretched her arm for the Galvanizer, her digits just brushing the Tool. A moan caught her attention, and she stole a glance beside her. It was Solas, attempting to stand. His legs shook and his frame braced against the blasts from Optimus and Unicron's fighting. The Chaos Edge in his servos vibrated lowly. Their optics locked, and the Guardian moved for his charge.

The mech dropped beside Fera as Optimus drew back his sword and sent it forward, stabbing it into Unicron's middle. Unicron roared and back-handed Optimus with crippling strength. He spun and fell to one kneebolt, his left arm missing from his elbowjoint down. Energon dripped from the stump, and Optimus keeled, his remaining arm pressing against his injury. The sword his missing arm was attached to was implanted within Unicron.

The Un-maker grabbed the end of it, and with a pained howl, tore the sword from his body. Smoke plumed out of the wound, turning to sludge and sinking into the dirt around his peds. The grass turned black, shriveling up before turning into ash. Unicron was upon Optimus in an instant, kicking him off his kneebolt and onto his spinal support. Unicron stepped on the Prime's remaining arm, causing him to cry out in a bellow of agony.

Fera used this moment to snatch the Galvanizer from the ground. Solas helped her to stand, and his optic ridges came down in anger. As he started forward, Fera's arm barred his way, and she shook her helm. "Not yet," she murmured.

"Such energy wasted upon the scum of such a once promising civilization," Unicron grunted in a mockingly tragic way.

Optimus cried out again, faceplates contorted in pain while he spoke. "A civilization lustful for war," he ground in return.

"Precisely! Such beauty!" Unicron leaned against Optimus' arm, causing the armor to pop and the limb to groan. "This is why darkness shall prevail. No matter if these followers of mine have failed," he said, gesturing with one arm at all the motionless bodies that remained of the Decepticon soldiers and warriors. "There are plenty more able to provide replacement."

"Destruction relies on life...where will you gain in such annihilation?" Optimus questioned. Unicron stepped off the Prime and raised his blade, ready to make the final blow.

"Exactly what I had wished for since beginning of time, where my own brother imprisoned me: Chaos."

The sword came down, and Fera jumped at the mechs, leaping in the way of Unicron's blade. She lifted her own Tool of Life, standing with it above Optimus' helm. Unicron's weapon met the staff, and Fera's body exploded outward, then slapped back together. She gasped as she was sent into the ground.

Her shoulderbolts were busted – the cuffs fell clean off, leaving the gears and protoform beneath vulnerable. Fera hissed, her faceplates scrunched into pain as she sat up. Optimus was looking at her, his helm lifted back. His lip plates were in a straight line, his optics cold. But they were the kind of melted ice that Fera had welcomed warmly through this year. In knowing Optimus, her life had gone wrong, right, and upside-down. Where would she be without the Prime and his Autobots? At least she could say she saved him before the unthinkable.

As she lifted her optics, she saw Unicron with his sword pointed at her and Optimus, the end of it shining. "Primus' creatures remain so precious to him, even if they are of such miscreation," he rumbled, drawing the blade up into the air. The sky was a backdrop of precious blue against the merciless black of his sword. Fera felt her arms go weak, the Blades of Time humming against her hipbolts. The Galvanizer was a yard away, its staff cracked.

Unicron smiled. "It shall destroy him to watch their fall, and provide me with such joyous pleasure-"

He stopped speaking.

He looked down, as did Fera and Optimus. They saw a sword there. Planted right through his chassis.

Solas was behind Unicron, shoving the blade further. Unicron grunted, spinal support arching and optics widening. "You…" he trailed off, turning his helm to see Solas over his shoulderbolt. The black and red mech was standing with both servos on the hilt of his weapon, optics shining with the color of Megatronus Prime's spark. Silver.

"I have waited an eternity to do this," Solas growled, his voice changing into the venomous, sharp tone of The Fallen.

Unicron's servos returned to normal, raising toward the Chaos Edge in his chassis. "You…are my follower... How dare you betray me?!"

"I learned from the best," Solas bit, twisting the sword. Unicron growled, and reached for the blade.

Before he could get the chance, Optimus Prime abruptly rolled to his peds, throwing up his lasting arm and impaling his own sword through Unicron. The being went still, his servos frozen. He was locked between two Tools of Life, the satin smoke that leaked from him swelling against his wounds. His features contorted into rage, his oral sheets exposed and his chassis rumbling in a growl that Fera felt more than heard. When he lifted his servo, surely to strike Optimus while he was helpless, his optics beyond furious, a silver glint bounced off the sun's light.

The Star Sabre stabbed clean through Unicron's servo, taking it right off. The god screamed, turning his faceplates to see Rethalia standing meters away, her expression unforgiving and cold.

"No one...touches my sparkmate."

Fera stood, stepping over to the Galvanizer and hefting it up into one servo with shaking digits. Unicron turned his optics finally on her, bringing her into a place of destruction and death.

She didn't want to see those optics anymore. She didn't want to unleash this power upon any other being ever again. She never wanted this mech to make others suffer, as he had made her and her friends suffer. Things needed to end, here and now, or else, Unicron would run rampant through the universe, forever spreading his influence. Fera Rosalie Lennox was the only thing keeping this mech from unraveling the entire cosmos.

She took the Stone of Primus out of her collar, placing it on the top of the Galvanizer, right on the base of the prongs. An orb came into being within them, spinning and pulsating within the blossom of metal. Her sights then flickered up to Unicron, aiming into the very optics that had caused her this fear and pain. Arachnid was finished. It was time to bring down the other source of her nightmares.

"You are not welcome here," she pronounced, lifting the Galvanizer up. With a final beat of her spark, she plunged it forward. "Be gone!"

Unicron roared in pure, unadulterated fury. "FERA-"

A bubble of white burst, spilling across those gathered and wrapping Fera into a choking vortex of epic turbulence. Air was stripped from her, and her plates increased in temperature to the point where she became scared that she would melt where she stood. The alloys in her armor expanded and contracted all at once, blowing outward and sucking back into place in nauseating cycles. Electricity danced on her glossa, zapping down her arms and swirling among her tired spark. It pounded each time harder and harder, until she was sure she could have felt it through her chassis.

She wanted to yell, as she was lost. She didn't understand this feeling, and she cringed from it. Molten gold flooded her processor, dropping in dead weight through her limbs and then exploding into mist. She twisted (or was it in her imagination?) roughly into her old self, reverting and advancing in intervals that threw her into a dizzying turn.

I'm proud of you, Vector Prime stated as he stood before her. He was there, real as could be, with a grin on his faceplates and the Galvanizer in his servo. Within the orb, trapped underneath the tips of the prongs, was a swirling echo of darkness. Unicron. When did Vector get there? And when did he retrieve the Galvanizer? She reached out to touch him; his faceplates, his chassis, his servo, anything. She wanted to thank him, for choosing her. For without him, she would not have met the Autobots and became one of them. She wanted to say she was sorry for all the wrongs she'd made in her life. She wanted to hug him in relief that he was safe and unharmed.

But he disappeared, his frame shedding and splitting to reveal the impossible beauty of Solus Prime behind. She smiled, kind and well, letting her Forge rest against her shoulderbolt. It, along with her image, wavered, and fluttered as a flag in the wind. Fera felt a sob climbing in her throat at the idea that Solus would also be leaving her. She'd felt attached to the Prime. To have her leave, made Fera want to purge.

The Prime stepped up, touching Fera gently on the cheekplate. Fera leaned into the ancient palm, reveling in whatever time she had left in this white world with the one being whom helped her end the wars once and for all.

You did it, Fera, she said, her optics shining. Where those tears? Now go be happy for a change.

---

The world came back into color. No matter how much Fera wanted to stay with the Primes, they were gone. What she was touching was Solas Kaon. Not Solus Prime.

His arms were at his sides, his optics batting away the lasting effects of Megatronus Prime's control over him. The Chaos edge was gone, as was the Star Sabre. Unicron had vanished with them.

A few feet away, Rethalia was helping her sparkmate stand. Other Autobots were rising carefully one after another, looking around in anticipation and hesitance. Fera wanted to fall too. She was really, truly, tired. She didn't think she could stand much longer.

Solas' wonderful teal optics came back into focus, finding her standing before him with her servos on his chassis. Confusion settled in his features, and he lifted his servos, touching her lower spinal support. Concern was great in his features, and Fera wanted to wipe it away. She didn't like him with anything but a smile. But all in all, he was alive, and that was the sole thing that mattered in the end.

"Fera-?"

Tears in her optics, Fera kissed him. The words drained right from his lip plates, feeding her the meaning of them without need to be spoken outwardly. She held tight as she could, trying to hold off the darkness at the edges of her vision. Tears overflowed in wonderful rivers, running down her and Solas' grimy faceplates and washing them in intimacy. She grabbed onto his familiar frame, unwilling to let go. All her emotions, and the feelings she harbored for her black-clad warrior swarmed toward him. When they separated, their venting was heavy, and their frames remained tangled. Fera rested her foreplate against his, taking in his scent; his sight; his sound; his feel...

"We did it," she vented against him.

And she collapsed in his arms.

---

Ask me your questions!

Don't forget guys that I'm open to answer all your questions over OTSH, or just your reading experience in general :D

Anywho, there was a lot that happened in this chapter,

And I'm still recovering from the whole thing...

This is how it all ended. Huh.

I hope I didn't disappoint all of you,

And I hope to see you all for OTSH's final chapter next week! :D

Thank you :')

*Chapter Inspiration: World on Fire= Les Friction*