Promotional Artwork: tigressa101/art/Arcee-and-the-Isle-of-the-Allspark-Cover-931607333
They raced back to the Endeavor as the sky seemed to grow with an abundance of rifts clashing and spreading, tearing apart the clouded starry view as more thunderclouds came rolling in like it was just a giant glass screen. Getting inside, they didn't even bother presenting Bolt with their trophies this time. They merely threw the items onto a table within Bolt's trophy room and went to the ground bridge bay where Bolt had the other ten gems in a circle. True to his description, they were fading, blinking off and on like their power was waning with the Allspark's fury. Arcee placed the eleventh and final gem among them.
"I see you made it back with the gem and no giant bugs following you. Good!" Bolt said, "Look, I don't know if it's the portals across the island, the Allspark itself, or the use of the gems draining their energy too fast but they aren't going to last. The ship's shield isn't going to hold any longer either. I've been watching it flicker like mad since you went to Primal Jungle."
"What can we do to help?" Megatron asked immediately.
"I don't know but now that we finally have all eleven gems, you need to take them to the Allspark's Citadel and use them to open an entrance to the inside. Do it by any means necessary."
Arcee frowned, "What about the Endeavor? What if it's destroyed once we leave by the Allspark or the Predator, assuming it's still around?"
The Vehicon made a soft huff of a laugh, "Arcee, it's just a ship. Never will this vessel be as important as our lives or that of Earth's and Cybertron's. Yes, it contains many memories but I'm willing to let it go if I have to."
Moonhunter yowled and Arcee smiled as he ran to her, jumping up and licking at her faceplates. "Yes, yes, I missed you too! Everything's okay now! It's-it's going to be, at least."
Megatron watched the reunion with a small smile before it dropped as he faced Bolt. "I take it you'll be coming with us this time?"
Bolt slowly nodded, "I've done my job as your home support for each area of the isle. Now, there's nothing left but to face the Allspark and stop it from destroying everything we know. I might be able to get you through most of the citadel by hijacking the system while the Allspark is so preoccupied with expanding its power. You'll need every bit of help for this one."
The warlord acknowledged him. "It's been an honor working with you, Bolt. I couldn't be prouder of how much you have done for us and how far you've come. I'm sorry I was a horrible leader to you, after all that time among my ranks. Waspinator was right; the war was my own gain but, in the end, it only hurt people like you."
Bolt scoffed, "Forget what Waspinator said. He's the one who tried to murder and impersonate his brother for glory, remember? You didn't start this war for fame. The very beginning of the war was because you saw how the caste system hurt people and you strived for change. When Orion became Optimus, you felt like you were betrayed by him accepting the Matrix of Leadership bestowed by the very same people who instigated the corruption. You were technically right. Now, you did go overboard with making an enemy of Optimus and whole 'tyranny is freedom' thing but most of what you believed was correct.
"Megatron, you have the chance to make history...again. You stopped monsters brought down by the Allspark, you protected a bot you care for who was once your enemy and now you are going to help stop the Allspark, the embodiment of godhood itself, from tearing apart the fabric of the universe. That's one hell of a chance at redemption, even if the others won't believe you. I'd say the honor is all mine for being able to serve you not just as a subordinate but as your teammate. I'm proud of you even more for finding yourself again, Lord Megatron."
Suddenly, Bolt was dragged into a hug, but he heard Megatron say, "You're a great friend, Bolt...but I don't think the others would believe you if you told them about this either."
"Oh, you smug bastard," Bolt laughed.
Arcee giggled as well at the sight. "Having some quality time there, boys?"
"Yeah, now could you let go of me please? You're about to break my shoulder armor with your gladiator grip," the Vehicon grunted. After he was let go, he rolled his shoulders and said, "Alright, we have less than three hours to fix time and space and whatever else the universe is made up of, don't ask me what. We have a killer entity raining the apocalypse, and we have limited energy in the gems...I'd say this day is getting worse and worse by the second."
He grabbed a bag out of storage with some rope and swept all the gems into it before handing it off to Arcee who wrapped it around her waist.
"That'll make it easier to carry. So, without further ado, let's get this end-of-the-world party started, shall we?"
Megatron nodded and addressed Arcee. "By your lead, my Queen."
It was the first time he said her title without a hint of malice, as a taunt, or in a fun mockery which she didn't mind. This time it was a simple call of leadership, one that Bolt seemed to agree on as well when he looked towards her for direction.
She sighed, "Saving two worlds was not on my agenda but never a dull moment. Let's do this!"
Megatron smirked as Bolt grabbed his personal weapons with Moonhunter by his side. They exited the ship for hopefully the final time and all four peered up at the energy-stricken Black Mountains with its imposing citadel on top.
As they traversed the marshlands towards it, Bolt saw a few garden leapers staring at him and he simply saluted them despite his former annoyance with them. One of them croaked as if to say "farewell" before diving back into the water.
The monogoliaths and elephants that roamed weren't visible but they knew they were most likely huddled somewhere protecting their young and the weaker members of their herd from any dangers the portals possessed. With the likes of Insecticons and Predacons being transported through, the portals were not meant to be taken lightly.
A portal opened somewhere behind them and they looked back to see a giant tiger-like creature hit the ground in a roll before sprinting away towards the forest angered. Another opened just beyond the jungle into the Cyber Meadows and a whole Brachiosaur-like Dinobot fell through with a bellow loud enough that they had no trouble hearing the pain in its voice.
"The Allspark is displacing creatures left and right in its rage. We might want to hurry before something lands on top of us," Bolt said.
Arcee didn't dispute that. "Agreed."
They climbed up the mountain against the heavy rainfall and the lightning lighting up the eleven biomes among the island. One blast hit the top of the citadel and they grimaced as the energy surged red with the Allspark's power consuming it. Continuing still, Arcee looked towards Mt. Blastburn and the other visible environments noting how different they all appeared since the first time her and Megatron climbed the mountain.
The now-blue volcano and its lavalands were desecrated from the stable home to life it once had. There was no telling what happened to the spiders when lava overtook the ground in the region. To her right, Dark Rock Bay had fallen boulders and rocks everywhere that most likely destroyed part of its coral reef. It was her fault but she had no choice to stop Alpha Ulteria and the Precursor Robot. Other territories didn't have much noise to them with all the monsters gone and she wondered if it was a good decision to get rid of them. Most all of them only attacked because she was invading the little comfort they had in a foreign environment.
When they reached the top of the mountain dwarfed by the citadel before them, it still looked the same as previous with its barren rocky terrain and the pits that fell several hundred meters into the mountain itself. They never found out what lied within the mountain under the citadel but Arcee hoped she didn't ever have to considering what they dealt with so far. It was a long fall too so getting out would be near impossible unless one could fly.
As she moved closer to the citadel's walls, Arcee detached the bag holding all the gems and brought it in front of her. "Bolt, do you know how to do this or...?"
"I'm pretty stumped beyond this. I assume like what you did with the ship's shield, they will react to the dagger but that was with a few of them. All eleven and with them fading, I'm not so sure."
"I'm going to feel stupid if this doesn't work but okay."
She spread out the gems in a circle on the ground with their fading light synced. Bringing out Dagger Prima, she aimed it at the citadel. Nothing happened.
"Oh, come on now," Arcee scowled. "Do your thing. You worked before, why not now?" She made a few jabbing motions towards the citadel before turning towards them and shrugging. "Maybe it's because its afraid to go against the Allspark or defy its rules. I don't know."
Megatron frowned, "If we did all this for nothing..."
"We didn't do this for nothing!" Bolt yelled. "There's something we're missing, something the gems aren't recognizing or are but won't do it under said condition. Unless..."
"Unless?" Arcee asked disheartened.
"Unless, um, the Allspark is tampering with them and there really is nothing we can do. I don't want to admit defeat just yet though."
Moonhunter held back his ears in concern while Megatron looked up at the citadel with disdain. The portals in the sky were growing stronger, their world was crumbling soon and they were helpless to stop it so far.
A roar echoed throughout the mountain top and Arcee was quick to retrieve the gems, not before noticing a dulling in their energy at the same time of the sound. "Bolt, I think the gems are scared."
The Vehicon looked at her. "Scared? They're each an object full of power; how can they be scared?!"
"They are a part of the Allspark but maybe because the Allspark separated them from its core, they are dying after being away for too long. If the Allspark is fully conscious, these things must have some form of its mentality to recognize danger, would they not?"
"Arcee has a point, Bolt," Megatron replied. "Diverting portions of itself to form a shield around the island might have made the gems dependent on its constant feeding to stay alive. With the Allspark now trying to focus on tearing apart the universe starting with Earth, it may have separated the gems from its hold therefore that's why they are weakened. And maybe...that's why the Allspark is doing this. Separating segments of itself must have made it lose portions of its consciousness and with it, its reasonability and other normal emotions. It was never right in the head this entire time."
Arcee and Bolt were silent upon that realization when another roar, closer this time, rang out. Suddenly, the echoing footsteps directed their attention to the farther side of the mountain top. To their horror, they spotted their enemy approaching.
The Cybertronian Predator stomped among its territory on all fours breathing heavily and battle-scarred, remnants of Energon blood still upon its side, snout and neck. Bite marks from the Dinobots that fought back, including the late Klea Pakora, were the most notable injuries but they didn't seem to slow the Predator. It's damaged optic missing its protective glass was bleeding as well from the socket itself but was otherwise still functioning.
"Oh, Primus help us," Bolt muttered.
The Predator paused upon seeing them like it was stunned they dared to trespass but while it stared for a few seconds, its brows furrowed with a growl as it stood on its hind legs. The muscular build of the beast reminded Arcee of Predaking and Grimlock upon first seeing them turn from beast mode to robot mode. Its stance made it look more intimidating that previous as its tail dragged side by side stirring up debris along the mountain top ridge. Arcee could tell it was slightly slower in movement from a small shiver in its Dinosaur-like legs as it raised up. Klea Pakora had ripped some armor out from its hip, most likely being one of the few bots known to give the Predator a good fight. But regardless of these inconveniences, the Predator was hardly fazed by them.
Letting out a massive, irate bellow, the Cybertronian Predator leaned forward to stomp towards them, the claws on its feet swiping up rock with each step and damaging the ground along the way. What was worse was its black color scheme blended with the background and the only indication of its approach was through the red stripes and bio lights it possessed and the sound it made, otherwise it would have been invisible.
"I'm going to kill this thing, I swear," Arcee snarled.
"If you kill this thing, you are a god," Bolt said.
She tipped her head angrily. "Watch me."
Megatron didn't say anything against that and smirked at Bolt. "You have to admire her determination."
The Cybertronian Predator slowed down coming within five hundred feet of them and gave a short warning roar. It shook its head, armor shifting into an alert position as its rows of teeth were on display.
Moonhunter hissed back but didn't cower, instead he stood alongside his owner. Bolt grabbed an axe from his backside and twirled it in his servo as Megatron prepared his swords. Arcee was the last ready as she stared back into the optics of the beast, bringing out her arm blasters.
All four charged at it. Moonhunter raced forward and latched onto its face, scratching everything he could reach while trying to tear out the damaged optic he was responsible for. The Predator headbutted the ground and the Nitrotiger fled, replaced by Arcee who immediately started to fire upon its head and neck.
Megatron and Bolt tag teamed and aimed for the joints of the monster. The warlord impaled the knee joint and the Predator was forced to kneel, growling before reaching back to swat him. It missed two attempts but caught Megatron off guard with its tail smacking him to slide right to the ledge of an open pit. His claws made a terrible screeching sound upon the rockface to prevent from falling.
Bolt ran to him and tried to help him up. "Boy, you are way heavier than you appear."
"Save it for later!" Megatron growled.
Bolt grunted when the Predator's clawed servo captured him, letting go of his former master who nearly slipped and was about to have his head bitten off when an explosion rippled among its abdomen. Arcee tossed another one, not noticing the cracks that were slowly creeping along the ground from the battle. The Predator grimaced until Bolt whistled to get its attention and it glared at him.
"Hi, just so you know, your face looks prettier with blood."
The Cybertronian Predator grunted deadpan at the remark until Moonhunter and Arcee both leapt from its back and brought down claws and Dagger Prima onto its forehead. The blade of the dagger didn't go far and it snarled as it let go of Bolt.
Much to their regret, the Predator snatched Moonhunter off immediately and threw the cat somewhere behind it before ramming its head right into the citadel, crushing Arcee. The femme was briefly stunned but not dead and hit the ground seeing stars. They were overwhelmed quite fast and Arcee didn't know what to do when the Predator made its next move. Arcee was pushed back as the teeth of the Predator threatened to impale her. She caught its jaws but her strength was giving out too quick as she was forced to the ground by its head pursuing.
Bolt saw Arcee struggling to keep it from crushing her with its jaws, hearing her cry out and immediately ran to her aid. With a swing of his axe, he cracked the creature's good optic with the blade end and left it there as the optic fizzed out. Bolt was launched to the side as the Predator swung its head around to snap at him. Focusing now on the Vehicon, it stomped towards him with utmost malice.
"It's just you and I, dragon breath! Forget about them! I'm the one you couldn't kill! Well, here I am! No more hiding behind a shield; no more staying inside a ship! Come and get me!"
"Bolt, no!" Arcee cried out as the Vehicon began to pace backwards.
He laughed like a maniac. "Don't worry about me, Arcee! I'm a Vehicon, born and raised to serve! Cannon fodder, remember?! When have I ever done otherwise?! Find a way into the citadel! I'll give this thing something to hunt."
Moonhunter appeared beside him and hopped a few feet before yowling.
"Cat, unless you want to become an appetizer, I strongly suggest you bail." The Nitrotiger refused to leave his side and he would have smiled if he could. "To the end then. As much as I didn't like you at first, I'm glad we kept you. You're an awesome feline. Try to keep up though, huh?"
Bolt sprinted as the Predator lunged at him and the Nitrotiger. Moonhunter kept in front of him for a while leading it away from Arcee and Megatron before turning abruptly and using escalated rocks to zoom up to jump off of right onto the Predator's spine. The beast slowly and reached behind to snap at him as he gnawed at anything in reach trying to draw as much blood as possible.
While Moonhunter ran alongside its back, Bolt converted his arm into a blaster and fired upon the Predator. He knew the blasts wouldn't do anything against the armor but that wasn't his intention. He was going to buy both of his friends time to fix everything.
Meanwhile, Megatron managed to get a firm grasp on the ledge he was nearly tossed over and clawed at the ground to pull himself up. He then raced to Arcee. "Are you okay?"
Arcee sighed, "Maybe I was a fool."
"No, you're not. Prideful, but you wouldn't be Arcee without it. Just remember you've done great things with that ego of yours, use that to your advantage. Where's Bolt, by the way?"
She scowled, "He's keeping the Predator away from us! We have to help him!"
Before she could pursue though, Megatron caught her servo. "I'll try and help him. You need to figure out the gems first."
Arcee made one pull of her arm but remembered her mistake of not listening at Crystal Lake. She then closed her optics and sighed, "I trust you, but please don't make me regret this by losing you too. Last time I let a partner go on his own..."
"Cliffjumper knew the risks, Arcee. Damned that my crew was responsible...but remember, Bolt and I would sacrifice anything for you. We're stubborn like that," he joked.
"Be careful."
"I will."
Megatron let go of her servo and gave her an assuring smile before running in the direction of the fight. The mech came about the Predator's rear and grabbed its tail in its distraction. Rerouting all power to his pumps regulating his maximum strength, he yelled as he dragged it backwards much to its surprise as well as Bolt's. Enraged, the warlord made it trip onto its side and dragged it around before tossing it low to bounce onto the ground. The Predator caught itself and slid with all its claws extended.
"Damn, I knew you were strong but I never knew you were that strong!" Bolt emphasized.
"Savor the moment, that took a lot of energy to do and believe me when I say my system pressure is rising again. I can't do that anymore."
"Oh, getting old now? Since when has that ever stopped you?"
Megatron said hiding a smile, "Shut up."
The Cybertronian Predator shook off the impact and growled. Megatron made an animalistic snarl back. He had fought Predaking and Unicron and survived both; this beast was not going to get the better of him either.
When it charged again, both Bolt and Megatron ran at it with Moonhunter trailing them. The warlord grabbed the Vehicon and flung him up for a better shot while jumped himself and sank one of his blades into the beast's shoulder. Bolt fired at its face, some of the blasts hitting its destroyed optic and the axe still embedded in it.
In a fury, the Predator whipped its head in every direction chomping at anything in reach and nearly catching Bolt who staggered back. Grabbing its snout upon another snap of its jaws, the Vehicon climbed on briefly and fired and hit one of its horns. The metal broke and collapsed onto the ground.
Megatron dodged its servo trying to flatten him before shifting to the use of his cannon and firing a blast right into its chest. Pieces of armor flew off but the spark chamber was still heavily guarded for a killing shot much to Megatron's ire.
"This is no use! It's indestructible!"
"Told you!" Bolt yelled trying to keep stable as the Predator shook frantically to get him to fall off of it. "This thing was never killed for a reason!"
As they continued to fight their ancient enemy, Arcee placed the pieces back in a circle and grew furious when they still wouldn't budge from their faded stance even while holding the dagger.
"You worked before and now you aren't going to?! Look, I know you can hear me and I know for a fact you are all more than just mere gems. You're a part of the Allspark, act like it! We don't have time to be picky," she stressed.
Frustrated when nothing happened still, she gave a loud sigh and peered up only to pause. High above her, very faint past an opening in the clouds, she noticed a circular pattern of the orange Allspark-altered stars shining directly above the citadel like a ring. Eleven of them but there was a faint red star right in the middle. If the Allspark had power over the cosmos, it could alter formation of the stars and if it made that clue, maybe it was conflicted with itself. But if the red star didn't represent the Allspark or the dagger, what did?
She thought upon that until she remembered a cosmetic detail on the Predator. Upon its snout, the tip of its anteater-esque upper jaw held a red gem-like formation...
"Megatron, I need the red gem on its face!"
"Okay?" The warlord was a bit taken aback by the request but as he paused, the Cybertronian Predator suddenly struck him. He went flying into rocks, shattering them.
Moonhunter bit down upon the Predator's leg when he was instantly hit by its tail. Moonhunter whimpered as the tail floored him, the cat forcing himself upright almost lifeless and breathing erratically from the crushing force.
"Come on, cat, get up!" Bolt shouted.
Moonhunter could only stare up as the Predator threw Megatron and raised its free servo up to smash him to pieces. The Nitrotiger stayed calm among his impending death, looking into the remaining optic of the beast with a small hiss. As the servo came down, he winced when he was abruptly pushed out of the way. He whined when he heard Bolt cry out.
The Vehicon caught the paw of the Predator but its other servo snagged him when he pushed against it. He was squeezed tightly as the Predator roared in his face, but he refused to plea for the sake of a monster like it.
"Is that the best you can do?!" He yelled as he struggled against its hold.
He was suddenly brought down and slammed into the ground before being lifted and brought down again. The Predator held a sick grin among its bloody face as Bolt attempted to get back up, still daring to point his blaster at it.
"I'm still standing..." He groaned on shaky legs, "You're going to have to try harder than that."
The monster lost its grin and raised up as Moonhunter whined though the cat could do nothing but watch. Megatron shifted from his impacted area and stared as Bolt still squared off against it, refusing to run.
The Vehicon stumbled a bit as the shadow of the beast dwarfed him but he still stood confidently. "You are nothing but bastard. One day, I hope you get rabies and die a long, painful death...can you even get rabies? I don't know but you know what I'm implying, I know you do."
The Cybertronian Predator's spine rattled angrily.
"And one more thing," he said with a smug laugh, "thank the human language for this speech, baby. You may kill me, but I'm going to be waiting to kick your armored ass in the Pits. Or as the humans say, see you in Hell, you dumbass, vile, pathetic, MOTHERF-!"
Jaws engulfed Bolt right as he shot at it to the horror of Megatron and Moonhunter alike. The Predator wasted no time in tearing him apart by grabbing anything that was unable to fit inside its mouth. Swallowing the remains of the Vehicon, the Predator gave a triumphant roar.
Arcee even heard this and stopped what she was doing with the gems, standing up in disbelief as she didn't see Bolt among the battle. Her spark sank along with the others.
AN: I refuse to believe the Cybertronians wouldn't pick up on human curse words because you have to admit, they are effective getting insults through...not that the Cybertronian Predator would understand each word but it would be smart enough to understand it was being cussed out. Moment of peace for our friend, Bolt, please...
Featured monsters:
Cybertronian Apex Predator