Hi everyone. Well, here we are. The final battle to Code Prime R2 reaches its thrilling conclusion here. Let me tell you that this story has been one amazing ride from start to finish and I am truly grateful for all the support you've given me, I can't thank you enough. I never imagined my series would be so popular. This truly means the world to me.

I apologize for the wait as well, but given how big this chapter turned out to be, can you really blame me? Over 31K words! I only ever wrote one chapter this big and that was in my Fairy May Cry series.

But before we begin, I have a few things to say. Right when this chapter is over, I will be taking a week off from writing to rest and recover. Afterwards, I will have the epilogue to this story posted.

And let me say right now that I am going to be writing an R3, but it won't be up for quite a while. I'm going to be taking a long break from Code Prime after this for a variety of reasons. First, while I had fun writing this story and I'm pleased with how it turned out, it's also been one of my most exhausting stories to date and I need a break. Second, I really want to write a brand-new story that I've been planning for a while, and I do have other stories that I need and want to write as well, so it may be some time before the third part is up. I thank you all for your patience and support.

(Oh, and to my guest reviewers, particularly ICA Agent 47, I said a while back in R1 that I would be deleting any and all guest reviews with Code Prime because for the most part they flood my review box with either illogical arguments or characters they want to see in this story. That and when they have questions, I cannot respond to them like with official reviews on this site. So all guest reviews are deleted from my Code Prime story.)

With all that said… let the conclusion to this amazing story commence!

One Shall Fall

Megatron had stepped forward onto the large platform that was located in the Sword of Akasha. The Spacebridge remained inactive as the immortal leader of the Decepticons walked over to a control console at the end of the platform and pressed the necessary key commands, causing the portal-like device to activate.

"At last." His chest plate opened, allowing him to reach inside and pull out Cera and Nunnally, both looking at him in a mixture of terror and defiance. "The time has come, C.C. The time to finally bring an end to all of this!"

"I will never help you!" Cera glared.

"You don't have a choice." Megatron replied as he activated his own Dark Code, the emblem in his palm, the very one that he used to hold his captives, glowed a dark purple. Already Cera felt the intense and evil presence entering her being as she was bombarded with a variety of images once again, all showing the countless deaths that she had witnessed on Earth, and every other death that took place on this planet, as well as those on Cybertron.

"Cera!" Nunnally held her close as she cried in agony.

The process of Neo Ragnarök was now beginning to activate. A massive dark mass began to emerge from the bottomless void that lay beneath them, taking the shape of a spiral, something akin to a double helix. But was most terrifying was that this mass appeared to be made out of countless human faces, all of which appeared to be screaming. The spiral had already made its way to the active Spacebridge portal above them.

The depths of Cybertron, the inside of the lifeless planet had remained silent for so long. It had been that way ever since the core had shut down, so that the planet could begin the slow process of healing, a process that would take millennia. It was so eerie, that the silence itself was deafening.

However, that silence came to an end as just above the very core to Cybertron, just directly above the dark pit where the heart of Primus himself would be lit with life, a Spacebridge portal had opened.

And emerging out from that portal, the dark mass of human faces began to emerge and slowly make its way to the dormant core. But the closer it got, the slower it became, almost as if the process itself was incomplete, and it needed only just one more key to fully activate and merge with the dormant core.

"Now C.C… surrender yourself to me!" Megatron boasted as his eyes glowed an even brighter purple than before, along with most of his inner workings, the Dark Energon in his body becoming much more active. Even the Dark Star Saber at his back was glowing even more. "Concede to Neo Ragnarök and let my dream come to fruition!"

However, Cera continued to struggle as her own Code glowed brightly, her hair waving to reveal the emblem glowing red, with slight shimmers of purple on the side as Megatron's influence tried to work its way deeper into her, but she resisted with all her might.

"STOP IT! LET HER GO!" Nunnally cried, her eyes balling as she held Cera as tight as she could, hoping it would do something.

However, Megatron didn't appear to be listening as all he could do was laugh triumphantly. The immortal human in his hands struggled against the inevitable. His power will break through and corrupt hers, and Neo Ragnarök will be complete! All sentient life in the universe will be united under a single will… his will. And nothing could stop him!

But, that jubilation turned into shock as Megatron saw a blue energy wave shoot straight up towards the Spacebridge. Fortunately, Megatron was quick on the draw with the Dark Star Saber to slash and send an opposing dark wave to intercept the blast just before it impacted the large portal device.

He then turned around in clear surprise to see Optimus Prime, the Star Saber and Sky Boom Shield in hand, having just arrived in this pocket dimension. Bumblebee, the Shinkiro, and Lancelot were all by his side as well.

"Megatron!" Optimus called out.

"What…?!"

Nunnally gasped too as she saw them. But the minute her eyes set on them all, tears of joy began to fall down her face as she felt her hopes renewed.

"Big brother… Optimus… Bumblebee… Suzaku…" She cried with a smile. "They're here…"

With Megatron's attention turned to the intruders, his grip on Cera loosened, allowing herself to push back on his influence, open her eyes slightly and see her friends and loved ones here. And just like the girl that held her, she too cried in hope and joy.

"Let them go! Now!" Lelouch ordered with Sayoko sitting right behind him, both having a fierce looks on their faces as he readied the Shinkiro's weapons, as did Bumblebee and Suzaku in the Lancelot.

'If we shoot now, we could potentially kill Nunnally!' Suzaku thought with a glare. 'We're so close to all this being over…! If we could distract him a moment, maybe I can…'

"Impossible…! How were you able to enter…?" However, Megatron gazed down by Optimus foot and saw none other than Marianne Vi Britannia, her spirit fully manifested into a physical form identical to the one where she died. "I see…" He glared. "Seems there was a detail I overlooked."

"Mother…?" Nunnally couldn't contain her surprise as she saw Marianne herself, Cera also weakly gazing at her. Marianne said nothing, but kept her eyes focused on her captive daughter and the immortal in her arms. There may not be much she could do against Megatron, but she will rescue them. No matter what.

"How fitting, that you would all be the ones to be here at the end." Megatron mused to his collection of foes. "My oldest friend, the most nefarious and annoying scout, the prince turned revolutionary, the child-assassin who pretends to be a knight. But, if this is to be our final battle… I think we would need a larger and more appropriate arena."

The Decepticon leader's eyes began to glow once more as a dark purple haze began to cover most of the pocket dimension, alerting everyone else.

"What's going on?" Bumblebee questioned.

"My sensors aren't picking up anything!" Suzaku stated as nothing appeared to be coming up on the Lancelot's radar.

"Stand your ground." Optimus told them all as the dark haze continued to spread in all directions. After a moment, it all began to clear like fog liftin to reveal an entirely new setting.

While the space around them still compromised of the Dyson Sphere and the active Spacebridge portal, with the spiraling mass still reaching up towards it, the ground around them appeared to have taken the form of a large gladiator's arena.

"What…? What is this? Where are we?!" Lelouch questioned.

"It looks like… Kaon." Bumblebee recognized this place.

"This is the very arena where Megatron and many other gladiators would do battle." Optimus explained to all of them before gazing at his foe. "But I doubt we are truly back on Cybertron. This is a mere illusion."

"Yes and no." Megatron responded. "This is not the true Pits of Kaon, but not necessarily an illusion. Code bearers have a special ability to control the space of this dimension, not quite reality warping or anything of the sort, but they can mold and change its form how they please. And as you imagine, my stronger Dark Code, grants me even greater control of this space." He casually tossed Cera and Nunnally from his hand, much to the shock of Lelouch and everyone else, only to look in even further surprise as they were caught in a transparent sphere that hovered in the air, trapping them inside.

"Do not fret, they are merely an audience." Megatron assured. "I want them to witness your end, crush their hopes so that Neo Ragnarök has no more delays."

All of them readied themselves for battle. Optimus held the Star Saber and Sky-Boom Shield, Bumblebee readied the Polarity Gauntlet, the Shinkiro's weapons activated, and the Lancelot had drawn an MVS sword in one hand and a VARIS rife in the other.

"Sayoko, the minute we engage Megatron, you and Marianne are going to help Nunnally and Cera." Lelouch instructed. "Get them out of this place. He can't complete Neo Ragnarök without her."

"I understand." She nodded.

"Why don't we even the odds a little?" Megatron suggested as the Dark Code emblem in his hand glowed again and two dark masses formed at his sides. "As I'm sure you're all aware by now, Neo Ragnarök allows me connect to all sentient life in the universe, including those no longer among the living." He explained as the masses began to take distinct shape. "At the moment, I can't fully connect to them with Neo Ragnarök incomplete. But I can bring about a few lost souls and give them some form life, in a limbo-like state. Not fully returned from the dead, but neither truly dead nor alive. Essentially… ghosts. And two that you might recognize."

Both masses took the forms of Knightmares, almost entirely black with dark purple auras around them. They didn't quite appear to be solid, almost like their forms were made entirely out of shadows. The one on Megatron's left bore a striking resemblance to the Refrain unit while the one on the right was that of the Excalibur… but it was their faces that stuck out the most. As while their bodies were that of Knightmares, their faces appeared to be human, albeit in the same dark ghostly state with glowing purple eyes and casting fainting moans whenever their mouths opened. And as Megatron stated, they all recognized the faces, for they were faces of those who previously piloted these units and caused them a great deal of grief and pain in the past.

"Mao…" Bumblebee's optics widened as he saw Mao's face on the ghostly Refrain.

"Father…" Even Lelouch didn't expect to see the ghost of his father in this state.

While Optimus, Sayoko, and Suzaku's eyes all narrowed at this act, Cera, Nunnally, and Marianne all gazed in absolute terror.

"Deal with the others." Megatron commanded the ghosts. "But Optimus Prime is mine!"

The ghosts all moaned as they flew forward to engage the heroes, forcing most to separate while Optimus remained where he stood.

The minute the Shinkiro had took to the air, with Charles' ghost in pursuit, Sayoko had already leapt from the cockpit, flipped in mid-air, and landed on the ground next to Marianne. They exchanged eye-contact and nods as they made their way closer to the captive Cera and Nunnally.

Lelouch fired the Shinkiro's Hadrons at Charles' ghost, but his Knightmare-like body flew faster to avoid it. He had drawn a ghost-like sword and tried to close the distance, but Suzaku was quick to act as his Lancelot blocked the strike with its own MVS blade before quickly pulling the VARIS to fire, forcing Charles back.

"Thanks Suzaku." Lelouch said.

"We can't afford to hold back, Lelouch." Suzaku replied. "Time for the Silver King!"

"Agreed!" Both the Shinkiro and Lancelot flew up higher and spun around together before combining and merging together to form the mighty combiner that was known as the Silver King. It's brilliant blue energy wings and glowing red sword contrasting to the dark ghostly figure of Charles Zi Britannia that moaned once again before charging and engaging the two friends in an aerial battle.

Bumblebee aimed the Polarity Gauntlet at the incoming Mao, but its magnetic energy had no effect on him as the ghostly figure had drawn a scythe and sliced it at Bumblebee, who was forced to block it with his katana. Though Bee tried to stand his ground, he was being pushed back slightly.

"Of course, ghosts aren't made of metal." Bumblebee muttered in annoyance. "I see you're as much of as a pain in the tailpipe as you were alive, Mao!" Bumblebee then let himself fall, allowing Mao to pass over him before Bee pulled back on both his feet and delivered a double kick to knock him off. "I can at least still hit you though. So, that's something." He got back up and faced the ghost again. "This time I'll make sure you stay dead!" He declared right before he fired his Energon blasters.

Optimus Prime stared down his oldest friend turned greatest enemy as he smirked at him. "How truly fitting that we are here, where it all began, old friend." Megatron mused, gesturing to the arena around them as he held the Dark Star Saber tightly. "Our story has come full-circle, Optimus. It began with just the two of us, and here it ends… with just the two of us."

"For once Megatron, we agree." Optimus replied. "Our story does end here, for today you answer for your crimes against Cybertron, and against humanity. One shall stand…"

"…And one shall fall." Megatron finished.

The two metallic titans then rushed one another with battle cries, meeting each other in the middle as they clashed their glowing weapons for their final duel.

Unbeknownst to all of them, there was somebody else present in the Sword of Akasha, watching it all from high above them. The floating and disembodied skull with the Geass Emblem, the haunting spirit of Beleth gazed on them with a malevolent expression.

"Yes… The end comes!"

Meanwhile, the ongoing war outside the perimeter at Darkmount with the Autobots and Black Knights, and all their allied forces, kept up the push against the Terrorcon horde appeared to be slow going. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of Euphemia within the Omniglobe, the army of the living appeared to be making slow but significant strides in pushing ever closer towards the enemy base. The upside about fighting an army of zombies was that the undead force was mindless, unintelligent, and easy to outmaneuver as opposed to an intelligent army. With the right coordination, a whole group of them could be blown to smithereens. But the downside was that because they were already dead, it was incredibly difficult to see to it that they were downed permanently. They had no survival instincts and would keep coming at the living until they either reached their target, or were blown away completely. So far, it appeared that almost half of the Terrorcon army had been obliterated, but at the cost of thirty percent of their own forces.

But Euphemia would mourn later. Right now, she had to focus all her willpower in making sure that all their sacrifices were not in vein. Even as the Omniglobe continued to feed information on the battles around her, she did everything she could to coordinate them to the best of her abilities.

"Ohgi… Elita… you and your forces are about to be ambushed at the rear." Euphie instructed. "Wizard and his allies are coming your way to aid you. Stay focused on those in front of you."

"You got it!" Ohgi responded as he transformed the Gawain Nerion into its hover-tank mode for extra firepower and blasted away three Terrorcons in front of him. He and several Black Knight Knightmares, including Chigusa's Vincent, fired continuously at the Terrorcons in front them until they were nothing more than scrap metal, while Elita would keep their rear covered until reinforcements arrived.

The pink Autobot used her arm-blade to bisect one Terrorcon so that it fell apart completely in front of her and fired her Energon blasters at the legs of another that tried to grab at her, causing it to fall over and she finished it off with a stomp on her head. Though five more made their way towards her, and Elita was more than ready to keep fighting.

Fortunately, a Hadron laser shot down from above to blast away those Terrorcons and the ones behind them, carving a line in the ground.

"Good work Elita!" Wizard told her as the Agravain appeared above her, floating alongside the Gouka Byakuen, Lancelot Trial, Florence Nero, and Lancelot Grail. "We'll take it from here!"

Oldrin was the first to move in with the Lancelot Grail, drawing two of its many swords and proceeded to move with such speed that it seemed like a bladed top to slice and dice the nearby Terrorcons to pieces. Marrybell provided her cover with the Lancelot Trial's VARIS rifle as the two red Knightmares came back-to-back.

Orpheus and Monica followed a similar lead as the Gouka Byakuen went for a direct approach, zapping and slashing any nearby Terrorcons with its various weapons, while Monica blew away those that tried to come in at his blind spots, and those behind it with the Florence Nero's Hadron cannons. And even then Oiagros kept his Knightmare above this particular group to help coordinate their efforts and provide aerial support if the Terrorcons would try to overwhelm them.

Elsewhere, Oscar Hamel group of EU and Chinese Federation soldiers in their Knightmares and heavy artillery vehicles were on the verge of being overwhelmed by the Terrorcons, which had already made its way to them and began to tear apart the non-living machines and the unfortunate humans inside them, despite the soldiers fighting their hardest to stay alive.

"No! Stay back! Stay back…!" An Oscar cried out in terror as a Terrorcon had grabbed onto his Alexander unit and had ripped it open, exposing the terrified human inside, which the Terron crushed with a slam of its hand. And that was just one of many of the group of soldiers that would meet an unfortunate end.

Even as fire rained down from above with Windblade and Jetfire in their respective jet-modes to gun down and drop Energon bombs on the Terrorcons at the perimeter to clear the advancing ones out, allowing the Tristan Divider and Galeschin Conquista to land and destroy all the Terrorcons that were piling onto the defenseless soldiers. While Nonette used her Slash Harkens at their backs and heads, Gino went with a more personal touch as his Tristan had drawn its dual blades to slice through the Terrorcons at rapid speeds until they were all gone.

"We're here! Don't worry guys, we'll…" However, Gino gasped as he saw that there were no survivors of this onslaught like he had hoped. The only thing he saw on his Knightmare's screens were the burning and smashed remains of the machines the Terrorcons tore apart, and small stains of blood.

They were too late.

"Gino." Nonette got his attention. "We have to keep going. I promise, we'll do what we can for them when this is over. But it's not over yet."

"…I understand." Gino tried to steel himself as he glared in the direction of Darkmount. "Let's keep pushing. You guys still good?"

"Yeah, we're good, kid." Windblade assured as the two flying Autobots hovered above them.

"Just got Euphemia's orders." Jetfire relayed. "There's a group of Euro-Britannia soldiers a few clicks from here that are cut off from the main force. Let's get them back in position."

"Right. And we'll save them this time." Gino said seriously as the four flew in the direction Jetfire had said to them.

"Tohdoh, Wheeljack, you're at the front lines." Euphemia contacted the two as the black Knightmare and white Wrecker appeared to be leading the charge along with Drift, Chiba, Safeguard, and Jetstorm. "How closer are we to Darkmount?"

"Inch by inch." Tohdoh reported as the Zangetsu's katana bisected one Terrorcon in front of him and launched his missiles at the horde in front to clear the way while also spinning around and launching the Slash Harkens simultaneously to tear through any other Terrorcons that tried to get closer. "But they're not making it easy!"

Wheeljack grunted as he swung both his blades to tear apart two Terrorcons before throwing a grenade forward to blow up twelve that were mixed in with the advancing horde, but it didn't appear to be doing all that much.

"It feels like we're fighting back a freaking ocean!" The Wrecker said. "How long until the big guy's fixed?"

"T-AI has the Ark positioned directly over Omega Supreme to keep him covered and is giving him some Energon boost to try and pick him back up, but you need to keep pushing forward or we'll be overwhelmed!" Euphie responded.

"Easier said than done." Chiba found herself cornered by five Terrorcons, even as she impaled one with her Knightmare's revolving blade sword, it still grappled at her. Fortunately, Safeguard and Jetstorm leapt at her Knightmare's shoulders and used their respective weapons to bash away and cut at the Terrorcon, while their master used his superior swordsman ship to make short work of the remaining four.

"We must not be discouraged." Drift said. "The fate of the universe rest on our shoulders and we will not dishonor those that led us here!"

"Cornelia, how's the rear?" Euphie asked her sister as the eldest of the former princesses and her group kept up with the push, guarding the command vehicles.

"We've had a few stray Terrorcons come our way, but we're keeping it up even with the loss of Smilas one of the Longdans!" Cornelia reported.

"It helps that Grimlock and all his buddies are keeping the bigger monsters away!" Tamaki said as he spotted a stray Terrorcon. "Got a zombie!" He quickly blew it away with his Wrecker Akatsuki's missiles. "Ex-zombie." He smirked.

"Don't let you're guard down! Not until this battle's won!" Guilford instructed.

"I hate to break it to ya, man. But we might be running on fumes here!" Warpath said in his tank-mode as he blasted down two approaching Terrorcons.

"He may not be wrong, Euphemia." Andrea Farnese said from his G1 Command Base, observing the tide of battle. "Our forces are slowly dwindling, and the enemy shows no sign of slowing down. I fear we may tire before they do."

"I've already sent the Grandberry MK II to provide support." Euphie replied. "With the Nemesis taken, we now have air superiority. I'm using every advantage we have right now! Just keep pushing!"

"Optimus and Lelouch… they're still in there, aren't they?" Tianzi asked from the bridge of the Ark with Zhou by her side, observing the battles through the monitor. "Any word from them?"

"Nothing since they entered the fortress." Euphemia responded.

"I have confidence they'll make it." Xingke said without a hint of hesitation in his voice. "They have not let us down yet, I'm certain they'll succeed."

"As am I… just keep going." Euphemia said as she continued to sit within the confines of the Omni-Globe, drenched in sweat as she was becoming more and more fatigued mentally by the minute. As she continued to watch the ongoing battles, her attention turned to the visual of Omega Supreme, to see that the Ark was projecting a transparent beam of Energon onto the mighty Autobot.

"T-AI… how long until Omega Supreme is in fighting condition…?"

"He should reach minimal Energon efficiency in a few minutes. Once that's done, we can move on to the Fusion Cannons."

"Good…" Euphie said. Her eyelids were slowly getting heavy as her vision got fuzzy for a minute. But she rubbed her eyes and focused herself. "Not yet… Not done… just a little more…"

Meanwhile, Grimlock grappled onto the face of the Predacon as he tried to wrestle the larger beast while Swoop came in from above in his Pterodactyl-mode with rapid-fire Energon blasts from his mouth. However, the Predacon charged up its breath attack, even with Grimlock trying to hold it and keep the mouth closed, the inferno inside was roaring to get out. The Predacon appeared to have had enough of this as it lifted spread out its wings to take to the air before slamming down hard with enough force to shake Grimlock off, where the Predacon unleashed a point-blank fire blast from his mouth, an extra amount of force added to it from all the build-up to send him cratering into the ground, leaving a trail.

"Grimlock!" Swoop would have flown to help him, only to get smacked out of the air by the Predacon.

However, Snarl and Slug both charged in with their respective Stegosaurus and Triceratops modes on both sides and struck the Predacon. The force from Slug's charge pushed the dragon-like beast into Snarl, who held his backplates forward to slice into the Predacon's hide, causing it to roar in pain. Slug wasn't quite done yet though as he slammed his horned head into the Predacon's side even more to try and break through. Sludge also decided to add onto this by jumping up in his natural form before transforming into his Brontosaurus mode and landing on the Predacon's back, smashing it more into the ground and to keep it from taking off from all the extra weight.

From there, Slug and Snarl both pressed harder onto the Predacon's side with their horns and backplates respectively, trying to dig in even more, while Sludge not only kept it pinned, but even bombarded the Predacon's face with his own plasma breath.

"Keep it down! We can kill it if we keep it from moving!" Slug exclaimed.

But, the Predacon still struggled against the painful onslaught. It dug its claws more into the ground and pressed up with all its strength. It gave a powerful and mighty roar before it jumped straight up to break away from Slug and Snarl while also flinging Sludge off his back. All three Dinobots transformed back to their natural states as they saw the enraged Predacon land back on the ground and glare at them.

"Uh… I think we only made it mad." Snarl commented as they did their best to dodge the Predacon's charge.

Swoop had managed to recover from the Predacon's tail swipe and made his way over to Grimlock as the leader of the Dinobots pulled himself up from the crater.

"You okay, Grim?" The flying Dinobot asked.

"I'll live…" He groaned before glaring at the Predacon that was attacking his team, having just headbutted Sludge to send him flying up before slamming his tail into Slug. "Get its attention. I'm going in hard!" He ordered before transforming into his T-Rex mode.

"I'm on it!" Swoop flew in his Pterodactyl mode to meet with the Predacon that had Snarl pinned underneath its claws before transforming and firing with his Energon blasters at it to get its attention. "Hey! Tall, dark, and scaly! Over here!" He fired again, drawing the Predacon's attention, and away from Snarl, as it focused on the flyer.

Just as the Predacon was about to unleash its fire breath toward Swoop, it was blasted on the side by the plasma-stream of the charging Grimlock, right until the metallic T-Rex closed the distance. Once he was up and close, Grimlock slammed his whole body into the Predacon to knock it off balance and attacked it while it was down, biting onto its neck while also slamming onto it with its own tail.

"Come on guys! Let's show this fossil who's boss!" Swoop rallied his teammates as all four Dinobots charged once again.

The Terrorcon-Driller gave an undead moan as it tunneled up and through the ground with the Tungsten firing its Energon gatling guns at it, but Lucretia's attacks were barely even getting its attention. But that didn't stop the Terrorcon-Driller from coming up from the ground to try and devour her, much to Lucretia's horror.

"Die, beast!" Jeremiah's Siegfried Loyal spun once again as it barreled down and through the front part of the undead monster, literally carving his way through it and allowing the Tungsten to fly away.

The other Irregulars used this as a chance to move in themselves with the Pegasus and Scorpio quickly flying in with their respective blades to slice at the throat area underneath, or what they thought was the throat anyway. The Ryujin then joined them by firing its intense flamethrowers into the carved opening.

The Terrorcon-Driller then tried to let itself fall on top of those underneath it, but Alice quickly grabbed Dalque's Knightmare and pulled it out of the way along with Sancia just as the monster crashed. All five units regrouped to see the Terrorcon Driller was already getting back up.

"Are you kidding me right now…?!" Dalque questioned.

"Is that even damaged?!" Lucretia exclaimed.

"It's already dead, so I don't think so." Alice said with an annoyed tisk. "As if this thing wasn't a pain enough when it was still alive."

"Just like with all the other Terrorcons here, I think the only way we can stop it, would be to destroy it completely." Sancia assumed.

"But we lack the firepower to complete such a herculean task." Jeremiah commented. "The best thing we can do is keep it occupied until master Lelouch and his comrades kill Megatron. That should put an end to all the Terrorcons!"

'If they can kill him. He's immortal.' Alice thought with a grimace.

"Oh shoot! Gotta move!" Lucretia warned as the Terrorcon-Driller quickly crawled its way toward them…

Only for a powerful red laser to come down from above and blast into the undead abomination with enough force to keep halt its advanced. Everyone looked up in surprise to see that it was the Nemesis itself that had attacked the monster.

"Looks like you guys could use some help." Smokescreen said over the comns, much to the group's relief.

"Never thought I'd be so happy to see that ship." Dalque said with a laugh.

The Nemesis was now only operated by a small crew on the bridge, which consisted of Ultra Magnus, Knock Out, Steve, Jazz, and Smokescreen.

"We just received our instructions from Euphemia." Ultra Magnus began. "You are to move to the front lines and assist in the attack. We'll handle this monster."

"Are you sure? We can help you." Sancia offered.

"Don't worry, we got this." Jazz assured as Undertone stood at the console he was at. "All the fire power's on our side. And we got the best shot of flattening this thing."

"Thank you. We'll do as instructed. Good luck." Jeremiah said as they saw the Irregulars flying off to help in the push through the monitors.

"What's our status and that of the monster?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"All systems are green, though the main cannon will need time to recharge." Steve reported.

"While that thing looks like an overcooked human meat link." Knock Out said as he saw on the screen of his monitor the smoking Terrorcon-Driller that had a giant burning hole in the middle of it.

"Don't you mean a sausage?" Smokescreen asked.

"I don't know what humans call their food!" Knock Out argued. "But… back to the main point… it's overcooked, but why is it still moving?!"

They all saw that despite having the huge hole in it, the Terrorcon-Driller was already picking itself back up as it glared directly at the hovering ship over it.

"Fire everything that we have!" Ultra Magnus ordered. "Don't stop until there's nothing left!"

With that command, the Nemesis rained Energon fire on the Terrorcon-Driller, causing explosions all over its body. But that didn't stop the monster from extending itself straight up to try and close the gap, with its intent to be to tear the warship apart.

As the Irregulars had moved closer to the front line, so too had the Grandberry. Having already evacuated from the downed Ikaruga; Diethard, Claus, Lloyd, Cecile, and Nina had joined up with Toto, Rakshata, Shirley, Fixit, Milly, Kaguya, and Rivalz on the bridge as they saw the progress of the ongoing battle.

"I can't quite tell… are we winning?" Rivalz asked.

"Just barely." Toto answered. "But we're suffering some serious loses."

"But T-AI said that Omega Supreme will be back up and running soon. After that, its victory assured." Milly smiled.

"Let's not let our guard down yet. We still have those Fusion Cannons to worry about." Diethard advised.

"How long until those are up and running again?" Claus asked nervously.

"Based on the data Thundercracker and Sky-Byte have provided, they should be fully operational now!" Cecile said from her station.

"So why aren't they firing?" Lloyd wondered. "Not that I'm complaining."

"We recently received confirmation that Optimus, Zero, and their team had entered Darkmount. I can only assume that some of them have made it to the cannons and are working to sabotage them as we speak." Fixit guessed.

"Any word from them since?" Kaguya asked.

"Negative." Misty shook her head from her monitoring station. "I can't get a signal in."

"Seems like whatever's preventing any us from opening Groundbridge portals into the fortress is also cutting off communications." Rakshata assumed. "My money's on Soundwave."

"Well, there's gotta be something we can do!" Shirley stated. "Let's try shooting down those cannons ourselves!"

"The Grandberry might not have the kind of firepower needed to completely destroy them…" Toto responded.

"But we can at least do some damage! We can't just sit here and do nothing!" Shirley exclaimed.

"Shirley's right! We're not spectators, we're freaking Black Knights!" Rivalz stated.

"All those in favor of trying to take out the cannons, say 'aye'!" Milly told everyone.

"Aye!" She and pretty much everyone else raised their hands, save for Diethard who just shook his head with an expectant smile.

"Just like all our comrades, if we're going out, we might as well go out fighting." The man said.

"I wouldn't have said it any better myself." Claus agreed with a smile.

"Though I would have loved to see my precious Lancelot one last time…" Lloyd said with a far away smile, causing Cecile and Rakshata to roll their eyes. "The thought of blowing up something that Shockwave probably built brings a smile to my face too."

"On that, we agree my dear Asplund." Rakshata herself smiled.

"Well, there you have it." Kaguya said to Toto, who saw all the expectant and serious looks on her comrades faces. With that, she steeled herself and gave the command.

"Fire all opens on those Fusion Cannons! Now!"

The airship then opened fire with all its primary and secondary weapons, including its missiles, turret guns, and even the central Energon cannon at the front. All the long-ranged weapons concentrated on one of the four cannon heads, and while they all impacted the shield and appeared to do no damage to the cannon itself, they would keep on firing until either the shields broke or the Grandberry MK II ran out of power.

Ratchet was thrown against the wall in the Fusion Cannons' control room. Sky-Byte had grappled onto Shockwave from behind, but the one-eyed Decepticon ran backwards to slam his back, and Sky-Byte, into the wall repeatedly to shake him off. Energon blasts struck Shockwave in the side, courtesy of Thundercracker, to which Shockwave retorted with blasts from his cannon, forcing Thundercracker to hover and avoid the shots, taking cover behind the shielded power core and returning fire, but Shockwave was quick to run around it and fire a charged shot at Thundercracker's right foot, blasting said foot off and sending the blue seeker crashing to the ground.

Thundercracker looked up to see Shockwave already on him, his cannon primed and aiming right to his head. But Ratchet had got back up to rush Shockwave, grabbing his cannon and forcing him to misfire at the ground, blasting some flooring. Ratchet then pulled down and let himself fall backwards, pulling Shockwave down with him as Ratchet tried to lunge one of his arm-blades to the eye, but Shockwave had caught the blade with his free hand as he stood back up and used his superior strength to slam Ratchet into the shielded core before throwing him to the ground. Sky-Byte came in next in his shark-mode, biting onto Shockwave's side and causing him to groan in pain before using his thrusters to push and pin Shockwave to the nearest wall. Though Shockwave had slammed his cannon onto Sky-Byte's side to knock him off, the Sharkticon still pressed on as he bit down on Shockwave's cannon while the Decepticon scientist tried to wrench him off.

The Autobot medic tried to push himself up, but quickly realized how this fight was going nowhere. It wouldn't have surprised Ratchet if Shockwave had put some kind of autotimer on the Fusion Cannons controls to set it off on all their friends and comrades below, so they had to find a way to neutralize the cannons now!

That's when Ratchet had noticed the hole in the ground next to him, the one that Shockwave himself had accidentally made when Ratchet forced him to misfire. Looking inside it, Ratchet spotted several cables and other forms of circuitry, notably an Energon line, one that likely lead directly to the Fusion Cannons. That's when it came to him.

"A Wrecker's touch, hmm?" Ratchet mused as he pulled out the grenade that Bulkhead had given him.

Back outside, all five of the Alexanders had combined into the Hercules once more as it engaged in a brutal aerial battle against the Thanatos, clashing their blades together right before the Knightmare piloted by the cybernetic Shin spun around to slash its tail at the Hercules and flew past it.

"Oh no you don't!" Ryo exclaimed as the Hercules flew in pursuit, the two flying close to the ground as the Hercules reached forward to grab the Thanatos.

"Gotcha!" Ayano grinned.

However, Akito had a bad feeling about this as he could practically see his half-brother's smirk even inside the dark Knightmare. "We have to break off! Now!"

But his warning came too late as the Thanatos fired its shoulder-cannons at the wings of the Hercules, disabling them and causing the combiner to crash into a horde of Terrorcons below with the Thanatos flying up to watch as the undead monsters began to crawl over the Hercules even as all five of its pilots tried to fight back.

"We gotta get out of here!" Yukiya said as the Hercules swung its sword and kicked its enormous legs to push the horde away.

"Our wings have been disabled! We can't fly anymore!" Leila said. "And if we split apart, we'll be picked off!"

Akito tisked in fury as he saw the Thanatos fly away from the scene to engage their friends and allies that have come to join them. Shin purposely set it up like this so that the Terrorcons could wear down the Hercules while he goes after their supporters.

Already the Thanatos had caught up with the group that consisted of Sideswipe, Grindcore, Strongarm, Jean, Ashley, and Sokkia and went for Grindcore first, flying down to deal a double-kick and knock the big green Autobot back. Ashley piloted the Dagonet as he and Sideswipe tried to come at the Thanatos from both sides with their respective swords, but the Thanatos blocked both at the same time with its bladed arms.

"Shin, you bastard!" Ashley exclaimed as the Thanatos spun around to slice its tail and knock them both back.

"I'm going to kill all of you right here and now." Shin said. "Take away Akito's friends before moving in for the kill."

"Just try it!" Strongarm fired her Energon crossbow alongside the Aglovale and Vincent Gram, all of which added with their long-ranged weapons, but the Thanatos barreled through all of it and quickly closed the gap, blasting all three away with point-blank shots from its shoulder cannons. The two Knightmares were quickly disabled as their legs were blown away, though Sokkia and Jean were still alive, but it seemed Shin was going for her first as he hovered just above her.

"Shin…. Stop this…" Jean pleaded desperately.

"You really should be thanking me, Jean." Shin told her as the Thanatos lifted its sword-arm. "Now you won't have to suffer anymore. Be free of this mortal world."

Only to be yanked down and slammed on the ground by Grindcore. "You hate living in this world so much, then do us all a favor and leave it already!" He exclaimed as he pounded the Thanatos while it was pinned on the ground.

"We have to help them!" Leila stated as the Hercules tried to fight off the swarming Terrorcons around it.

"Then we can't hold back anymore…" Akito said. "We're giving it all our all to end this! Are you with me?!"

"Always." Ryo grinned

"Till the end." Ayano vowed.

"Let's go out swinging." Yukiya smirked.

With that, the Hercules went into overdrive as it swung its enormous energy sword in all directions to slash and obliterate all the surrounding Terrorcons.

Meanwhile, underground, Bulkhead gave a roar as he charged Soundwave, throwing out his mace, only for Soundwave to parry it with a swipe of his elongated arm and move behind Bulkhead to strike him with his tentacles, sending him crashing into a nearby stone pillar and proceeded to electrocute him. The shock didn't get much father though as the Raiden came in to slice the tentacles off with its katana.

"Come here, you!" Rai exclaimed as he extended his Surger claw straight toward Soundwave, who opened up a Groundbridge portal in-between the two, with Rai unable to stop his Knightmare from rolling in. The other end of the portal opened up directly above Ironhide as he shot at Ravage and Laserbeak with his cannons, which resulted in the Raiden falling and crashing onto Ironhide. Laserbeak and Ravage then went on the attack as they shot at the downed pair, damaging the blue Knightmare that was on top of the black Autobot even as they tried to pull up.

Soundwave was struck in the side by a series of Energon blasts from the recovering Bulkhead as he pushed himself up on the pillar, using one hand to support himself and the other converting into an Energon cannon to shoot at Soundwave, who responded by opening yet another Groundbridge portal in front of him, the other end poping up behind Bulkhead, allowing the resulting shots to pass through and strike Bulkhead in the back, doing him even more damage as he was knocked down.

"Scrap it…!" Bulkhead cursed, but he pushed himself forward and used his the momentum of being shot by his own blasts to close the distance between himself and Soundwave and tackled him to the ground.

At the same time, the Raiden and Ironhide had managed to recover and came back-to-back as Ravage ran around them and Laserbeak flew over them, both shooting at the pair from a distance with Rai rolling around in what direction he could to slice any blast with the Raiden's katana while Ironhide shot with his cannons again, but Ravage was far too nimble and Laserbeak too small and quick, and Ironhide could only shoot at one which would only serve to provide the other a chance to fire and Rai could barely keep them both covered.

"We're getting nowhere, fast!" Ironhide exclaimed.

"If I can just touch Soundwave… but it's those damn Groundbridges of his…!" Rai grunted as the cockpit of the Raiden shook within as he was shot in the side by Laserbeak. It would be so much easier if he could use his Geass on Soundwave, but that Geass Canceller of his made it impossible. Maybe he could use his Geass on either of his Mini-Cons, but Rai was certain that they had the same thing too since they were probably connected to Soundwave like Knock Out said…

'Wait… connected to Soundwave?' Rai thought back for a moment as he recalled what Knock Out had told him and everyone else just before departing.

"Laserbeak and Ravage aren't normal Mini-Cons. Soundwave made them from scratch. They're literally his eyes and ears because they can connect directly to his auditory and optical sensors. There's a reason he's considered the eyes and ears of the Decepticons."

'If they're connected directly to Soundwave…' That's when it hit him. "Ironhide! Go after Ravage and coral him towards me! Forget about Laserbeak for right now!"

"You got it, kid." Ironhide knew Rai long enough to trust his judgement and didn't need to know all the details. With that, he transformed and drove at high speeds towards Ravage, his Energon cannons firing at him, forcing Ravage to run and avoid the shots with Ironhide quickly closing in with his vehicle mode. Laserbeak tried to fly after Ironhide and shoot at him, and despite landing a few successful shots, Ironhide ignored the pain as he kept his pursuit over Ravage.

Ironhide shot one blast at Ravage's right, forcing him to leap to a nearby pillar as Ironhide went into maximum overdrive to close in before transforming again and pulled his fist back for a mighty punch, which he added on with a blast form his cannon, to obliterate the pillar that Ravage was on, forcing the jungle cat-like Mini-con to leap from it and over Ironhide…

Right into the open Surger claw of the Raiden!

Unable to dodge in mid-air, Rai grasped the Mini-Con. "Uploading the virus now!" He wasted no time in activating the program that Knock Out had designed. All he needed was physical contact and now, he had that.

Ravage didn't even have time to struggle as the virus was upload directly into him and by extension, his creator and fellow Mini-Con due to their connection. An electric surge caused Ravage to freeze up in the Raiden's' grip, with the same thing happening to Laserbeak, who fell and crashed to the ground.

At the same time, Soundwave had blasted Bulkhead off of him the raw force of the Resonance Blaster set to maximum. He would have gone on the attack… only to freeze up as a foreign virus was remotely uploaded into his drives. Soundwave tried to quickly work and reroute power into his systems to try and purge the virus, but it worked too fast for him as it already went straight into his Groundbridge program and corrupted it. Soundwave tried to force open a Groundbridge portal, only for it to fall apart instantly. He then tried to repair the corruption, only to find it had already deleted the entire programing from his memory bank.

Soundwave was completely stunned to find that his greatest asset was now taken away.

"Gotcha!" Rai grinned as he activated the Surger, sending a deadly electric charge into Ravage, causing the Mini-Con to burst into flames right before he crushed it in his grip. Ironhide followed his lead as he shot at the downed Laserbeak, obliterating it instantly.

"Bulkhead, you good?" Ironhide asked as the green Autobot pushed himself up.

"Leaking, but still kicking." Bulkhead responded with a groan.

"It's done." Rai told him. "The virus was uploaded, and his pets are toast." He gave a hallow chuckle. 'I might just end up buffing Knock Out's finish as thanks for this.'

"You're not walking away from this one, Soundwave." Ironhide told him as all three of them circled their silent foe. "Last chance… surrender."

"Or don't, and if you got any last words, you'd like to share…?" Rai asked mockingly.

Soundwave offered no response, but if he could glare at all of them, he would. He armed the Resonance Blaster and fully charged it, standing defiantly to all three of them.

"Guess that's a 'no' for both." Bulkhead commented as he punched his fist into his palm. "Fine with me."

Meanwhile, at the artificial Thought Elevator, Steeljaw had ran on all fours like a rabid wolf, gunning straight for the airborne Guren as it activated its energy wins and Kallen rained fire down onto him, but Steeljaw was quick enough to already get close and leap up to grab the Guren by its feet and slam it down before throwing the red Knightmare at the incoming Arcee, sending them both skidding across the ground and rolling on top of each other. Steeljaw then leapt and pinned the Guren down while it was flat on its face and used his claws to tear out a chunk of its back.

But as he did, Arcee, who was still lying flat, quickly aimed her Energon blaster and fired right into his face, blasting Steeljaw in his left optic, causing him to growl in pain as he backed off of the Guren, with Kallen throwing out her Surger Claw and striking him bluntly to knock him off.

"Kallen? Are you okay in there?" Arcee asked.

"Yeah… but he ripped out my wings… I'm not gonna be able to fly anymore…!" Kallen grunted as she saw the readings on her cockpit's screen fuzzing in and out.

"I could never fly, but when has that ever stopped us?" Arcee smirked, causing the young redhead to smirk back before they gunned straight for Steeljaw just as he was recovering.

Arcee moved in first using her arm blades to leap and slice at him, briefly knocking him off balance before Steeljaw retaliated by slashing at Arce with his own claws to break off her onslaught and brought both his fists down to slam them onto her and onto the ground. The Guren then rammed right into him with Kallen keeping up the pressure as she rolled her Knightmare to ram Steeljaw into a wall. Kallen grabbed him by the back of his head with the Surger Claw as she had him pinned and tried to activate it…

Only for Steeljaw to slice his claw upwards to slice off two of the Surger Claw's fingers, allowing him to roll away just as a wave of radiation melted the stone wall. He then gave a roar as he grabbed the Guren by the shoulders and brought it on the side to slam it into the wall adjacent from the molten spot.

"I'm going to tear you out of that tin can and eat you alive!" Steeljaw exclaimed rabidly. Only for Arcee to leap on top of him and wrap her legs around his neck as she pulled backwards to push him off, freeing the Guren and allowing Kallen to drive her Knightmare's knife into his side.

But despite the pain, Steeljaw kept going as he grabbed Arcee and used her like a blunt weapon to smack the Guren off before kicking Arcee into the Guren and knocking them away. But even as Steeljaw charged forward, the two partners had already recovered and charged back, neither side willing to back down from this bloody battle.

Unbeknownst to all of them… as she lay unconscious in the open cockpit of the Mordred… Anya's eyes slowly began to flicker open.

Meanwhile, the pocket dimension that was known as the Sword of Akasha practically exploded with energy in virtually every direction as the battles continued in the illusion of the Kaon gladiatorial arena. In the sky, the Silver King continued to do battle against the ghost of Charles Zi Britannia, flying and clashing blades with one another with each pass. On the ground, Bumblebee ran along the side as shot at the ghost of Mao that tried to close in with a swing of his scythe, which Bumblebee ducked to avoid before delivering an uppercut to the jaw and a flip kick in the same spot.

But what stood out the most of course was Optimus Prime clashing the Star Saber and Sky Boom Shield against Megatron's Dark Star Saber. Just like with each of their previous battles, whenever the opposing swords clashed, it created a mixture of blue and purple energy that surged around both combatants, and whenever the evil sword clashed against the noble shield, it created a backlash of energy against the evil tyrant, but neither was willing to give up as they clashed swords again. An downward slash of the Star Saber was met by an upward thrust of the Dark Star Saber, followed by a swing of the dark sword that was blocked by the Sky Boom Shield with Optimus causing the shield to expand and push Megatron back, who retaliated with blasts from his fusion cannon at Optimus' feet in an effort to trip him up. Using this brief moment, Megatron tried to rush Optimus and swing the Dark Star Saber at him, but Optimus quickly took to the air to avoid the swing before letting himself fall back down as he raised the Star Saber up, which Megatron blocked once more with his own twisted knock off of the sacred relic.

As Cera and Nunnally remained trapped in the sphere, neither could take their eyes off the clash of titans that was occurring before their eyes. Nunnally's in particular wavered at the flashes of blue and purple as she saw her father-figure do battle with what she thought was the devil himself. At the same time though, it pained her to remain trapped and helpless and unable to help not only Optimus, but her those she considered her brothers as well.

"Isn't there something we can do…?" Nunnally hoped. "Megatron said his Code could control this place... can't you do the same thing?"

"Not while we're trapped in here." Cera replied as she tried to press her way out but she was unable to break through the barrier.

"Then let us remedy that." Both looked below to see Sayoko and Marianne standing at the ground beneath them. The later briefly disappeared and then reappeared, floating in front of the sphere before pressing her hands on them. Using her own unique powers while as a ghost within the dimension, cracks began to form along the sphere, which Sayoko used to her advantage as she leapt into the air and delivered a kick to shatter the sphere entirely.

As they fell to the ground, Sayoko grabbed a hold of Nunnally and landed on her feet while Cera landed on her hands and feet somewhat hard with Marianne reappearing on the ground.

"Sayoko…!" Nunnally wrapped her arms around her in relief and joy.

"It's okay. I'm here. I'm here." Sayoko soothed as she held the girl in her arms, looking to Cera with a smile, which she quickly returned.

"Nunnally…" Marianne tried to speak to her daughter.

"I know the truth." Nunnally turned to her mother with a glare. "Cera told me everything." Marianne could only look away with a guilty expression. "I will never forgive what you've done. To me, to Lelouch, and to so many others. Don't ever speak to me as your daughter again."

Marianne had expected that to be the reaction given what she received from her son and everyone else, but that didn't mean it hurt any less.

"I understand…. Hate me as much as you want. But we have to get out of here." Marianne said.

"No… they can't kill Megatron." Cera shook her head. "Even if we all do escape, it may not be enough to trap him again like last time. We have to stop Neo Ragnarök, and to do that, we have to destroy the Spacebridge." She looked up towards the active portal where the spiraling dark mass continued to stretch up into it.

"Could your powers do something about that?" Nunnally asked.

"No. My Code isn't as strong as Megatron's, I don't think I can destroy it." Cera replied. "But I know something that can." She looked towards the duel once again, paying close attention to the Star Saber as it clashed against its dark counterpart.

Bumblebee fired his Energon blasters at the scythe that Mao swung at him, blasting it away and leaving Mao open for Bumblebee to thrust his katana right through the ghost's chest. Only for Bee's optics to widen as he saw the scythe re-appear in Mao's hands, which he used to swing at him and knock him back. Bee got up and watched as Mao yanked the large katana from his chest and threw it away, the injury healing instantly.

"Right. Ghosts. Can't die again." Bee grunted in frustration.

At the same time, Lelouch and Suzaku found themselves in a similar predicament as the Silver King clashed its sword against that being wielded by the ghost of Charles, with Lelouch pulling on a switch that caused the Silver King to kick Charles away before Suzaku went on the attack, activating the Silver King's energy wings to rain fire down on their ghostly enemy, creating multiple explosions that would have torn their foe apart.

However, as the smoke cleared and they could see that while the ghost of Charles was blown in half, all his injuries quickly regenerated like smoke and vapor as his ghostly body reconstituted itself.

"Damn… even in death I still can't be rid of him." Lelouch groaned.

"Lelouch, we can't keep this up! We need a new plan of attack!" Suzaku told him as the Silver King flew upward to avoid the advance and sword slice from Charles.

"I know! I know!" Lelouch tried desperately to think of something. 'The Star Saber may be able to finish these ghosts, and I know for certain it can destroy the Spacebridge! But it's also the only thing that can withstand Megatron's sword! We're stuck!'

However, as the Silver King happened to fly close towards the clash of Optimus and Megatron, both Lelouch and Suzaku, as well as Bumblebee looked in surprise to see the large cracks forming all across the gladiatorial arena, with even large pieces of it breaking off and falling into the bottomless abyss below, almost as if the area had been hit by a powerful earthquake.

The breaking of the illusion also caught Megatron's attention as he happened to turn around to see the source of the problem.

It was Cera as she placed her hands on the ground; Nunnally, Sayoko, and Marianne all around her as they provided her what strength and support that they could. Cera's hair waved around her, the Code emblem on her forehead glowing brightly as she used whatever powers she could.

"You're not the only one who has control over this space, Megatron!" Cera declared as large chains and shackles broke out of the ground to bind Megatron's wrists, pulling them away. They quickly lowered as Megatron was brought to his knees.

"Optimus, go!" Nunnally called to him. "Destroy the Spacebridge!"

The leader of the Autobots realized what they were doing and knew that it was probably the best course of action. Destroy the Spacebridge, halt Neo Ragnarök, and they could detain Megatron afterwards.

"I understand!" Optimus' wings extended as he flew straight up to the active Spacebridge portal, much to Megatron's shock.

"NO! STOP HIM!" He ordered.

Immediately, the ghosts of Charles and Mao broke off from their respective fights and flew in pursuit of Optimus. And it wasn't just those ghosts. The dark spiraling mass that led up to the Spacebridge also began to shift and glow before countless ghosts emerged from it, and all began to swarm around Optimus, who was forced to use the Sky Boom Shield and create a spherical barrier around himself as the ghosts circled around him, with Charles and Mao joining in, as they slashed and hacked in every direction to try and break through and stop Optimus' advance.

And Beleth watched it all. Though it was impossible to read the expressions of a skull, he could only glare in annoyance.

"Bothersome pest!"

At the same time, Megatron gave a roar as he used not only his own Code powers, but also his superior strength, to wrench himself free from the chains that kept him bound. He glared at the four human females as he raised the Dark Star Saber to try and swing at them…

Only to be caught in a magnetic force that kept him from moving, courtesy of Bumblebee with the Polarity Gauntlet.

"Immortal or not, you're still made of metal!" Bee stated.

And this provided the opening that Lelouch and Suzaku needed, the Silver King flying down at high speeds to swing its sword for a mighty slice that severed both of Megatron's arms as well as his head all at once.

The Dark Star Saber was flown back quite a distance before it landed, it's blade stuck in the cracking ground as Bee and the Silver King gathered around the armless and headless Megatron.

However, his body did not fall. And they, along with Cera, Sayoko, Nunnally, and Marianne could only watch as transparent energy, taking the form of data spheres, almost like three-dimensional blueprints formed at the stubs where his arms and head used to be. The energy took the distinct features of his missing appendages before solidifying and fully regenerating.

"He really is immortal…" Suzaku muttered.

Megatron glared at all three of them as Bumblebee stood behind him, blocking his path to the Dark Star Saber; while the Silver King stood in-between him and their human friends. The scout whose voice box he had ripped out and then left for dead, only to come back and stand in his way multiple times since then. The human boy that he had attempted to manipulate to his side, only to be discarded when he saw there was no use he could give, and treated as a nuisance, only to get stronger and stand against him and get in his way ever since then. And finally… the son of his former protegee… whom his greatest enemy took under his wing. Megatron had left him in a state that he was certain would kill him, and even then, took every chance he had to break him. Only for this boy to come back stronger than ever and repeatedly stand in his way. Looking back on it, there were many chances where he could have killed each of them, but he didn't. And now, they were here, standing in his way, between him and his ultimate victory.

"My greatest mistake…" Megatron muttered. "Was ever allowing you three to live! Be assured, that ends now."

"It is a mistake that you will pay for now!" Lelouch declared. "This ends! With your defeat!"

Back outside, the Black Knight-Autobot alliance, and their allies, kept up the push as they made their way closer to Darkmount. With Irregulars joining everyone else at front lines, they were able to carve their way through the Terrorcons. Jeremiah's Siegfried Loyal did the most damage with its spinning-sphere attack as well as its vast amount of missiles. Between the speed of Alice's Pegasus, the firepower of Dalque's Ryujin and Lucretia's Tungsten, and the strength of Sancia's Scorpio, the Terrorcons at the front most of the defending horde were smashed and torn to pieces. Ohgi, Elita, Chigusa, Jetfire, Gino, Windblade, and Nonette had been redirected to the rear line to help Cornelia and the others defend the advancing mobile bases.

And the Grandberry had kept up its relentless assault on the Fusion Cannons, firing everything it had on the massive guns even as the shields were still defending it. The airship fired yet another blast from its main cannon, concentrating it on the shield that was surrounding one of the guns and it seemed like the shield was weakening. But unfortunately, the main cannon and lost power first.

"Fire again!" Kaguya ordered.

"We can't! The cannon's overheating! We have to cool off!" Toto reported.

"Then just fire missiles and everything else we have! We have to be breaking through by now!" Milly stated.

The Hercules kept hacking and slashing at the swarming Terrorcons all around it. The Combiner's large sword bashed and crushed any undead Cybertronians, as did its hands and feet, and yet despite that, the Terrorcons continued to swarm over and around, gripping the mighty Combiner and keeping it from flying away as it was quickly pinned down under the heavy metal that continued to pile up from both the moving Terrorcons and the crushed scrap metal that was made as a result.

"Why can't we just fly out of here?!" Yukiya exclaimed.

"Too much weight… and our wings were torn out…!" Leila looked at the readings.

"Come on! We're not going down like this!" Ayano stated.

Akito grunted in frustration as he looked on to see his friends fighting for their lives against his relentless half-brother.

Grindcore tried to hold the Thanatos in a bearhug, but the Knightmare flew upwards and came back down to slam Grindcore on the ground to shake him off and release his grip. The Thanatos hovered up briefly and fired its shoulder cannons point-blank at Grindcore, blasting him and sending him rolling across the ground.

Sideswipe gave a warrior's yell as he rushed Shin with his sword, who blocked and parried the blade, with Ashley in the Dagonet coming to help as the gaudy red Knightmare fired its gun and slash harkens at the Thanatos, to deal some damage, but it wasn't enough as the Thanatos grabbed Sideswipe's sword for the next slash and threw him into Ashley's Knightmare.

Shin then turned his rabid gaze towards Strongarm as she provided cover for Jean and Sokkia, both outside their Knightmares.

"The time has come for you to die!" Shin declared madly as the Thanatos flew directly at them, Strongarm firing her Energon crossbow at him in response.

"NO!" Akito cried out as he and the rest of team continued to try and fight off the Terrorcons swarming around them.

The Thanatos had already closed the distance and raised its sword arm to be brought down on Strongarm as she turned her back toward him to provide some cover for the defenseless pilots. Both Sokkia and Jean looking in terror as they saw Strongarm give an assuring smile as she would lay down her life to protect her comrades.

"It's been an honor." She said with acceptance. But just as the blade was brought down…

*CLANG!*

"Don't be so quick to throw your life away, Strongarm." Marrybell said as the Lancelot Trial had arrived in the nick of time, its dual MVS blades drawn out and crossed like an X to block the Thanatos' strike. "Not when you have friends to live for!"

"Marrybell…!" Shin growled.

"Hey there, Shang. Miss me." Marrybell smirked as Monica's Florence Nero had also arrived, flying above the Lancelot Trial to fire a Hadron blast straight at the Thanatos, scoring a direct hit to blast the deadly Knightmare away.

"We heard you could use some help." Oldrin said as she and her brother had also arrived in their respective Knightmares, coming in to kneel down and open the cockpits for Jean and Sokkia to enter. "I've lost enough friends already, I'm not losing any more."

"Oldrin…" Sokkia looked up with a teary gaze.

"Ha! Marrybell and the Oz twins to the rescue!" Ashley sung as he and Sideswipe got up, along with Grindcore. "Our luck's not run out yet!"

"Absolutely not!" The Agravain had appeared above the Hercules to blast its own Hadron cannons and clear away the Terrorcons in front of the Hercules, carving a path for Leila and his team. "You might wanna move now!"

"Wizard, you're a life saver!" Ryo grinned as Leila, Ayano, Akito, and Yukiya all felt immense relief with the Hercules quickly running out through the path that Oiagros had made, right before he fired a volley of missiles at the advancing Terrorcons.

Shin pushed the Thanatos up with a growl as he looked to see everyone had gathered together to face him. The Hercules, Grindcore, the Lancelot Trial, Sideswipe, the Lancelot Grail, Strongarm, the Dagonet, the Gouka Byakuen, and the Agravain, all facing the Thanatos together.

"Now do you get, Brother?!" Akito called out to him. "This is what it means to live! To find people who care for you, and you in turn, care for yourself! They will have your back for the rest of your life, and you will have theirs for the rest of their lives!"

Shin could practically see all the faces of the humans inside the Knightmares, looking with glares as they were ready to keep on fighting for their temporary lives no matter what! Them alongside their Cybertronian allies, who looked just as determined as their human counterparts! And it wasn't just them… he even saw the transparent images of those who once cared for him… and died by his hand… His birth mother, his adoptive mother and sister, Maria and Alice Shaing… and even Michael Manfredi… all of whom looked at him with disappointment, and that only infuriated him even more.

"Let this end. Now." Akito told him, giving him one last chance to surrender.

"NEVER! COME ON!" Shin flew directly at them, having lost whatever shred of sanity he had left.

At the same time, the hijacked Nemesis had fired everything it had at the Terrorcon-Driller, but the monster kept pushing straight up despite having large chunks of its body torn up and blown off. Already it was making its way towards the Nemesis' haul and showed no signs of stopping.

"It's coming! We can't stop it!" Steve exclaimed as the crew on the bridge saw the monster's advance through the screen.

"If that thing reaches us, it'll turn the entire warship into a scrapheap!" Knock Out stated. However, it was that phrase that got Smokescreen's attention as it gave him an idea. "We need to move out of the way!"

"Agreed. Take evasive actions!" Ultra Magnus ordered. "How long until the main cannon is ready to fire?!"

"About five minutes! But I don't think we got that kinda time!" Jazz relayed.

"Actually, I got another idea!" Smokescreen said. "Let's blow it all up!"

"What?!" Knock Out questioned as everyone looked towards him in surprise.

"We let that thing get to us and try and eat through this whole ship!" Smokescreen explained. "But we also move the ship up high and drag it away from everyone! You guys all get out of here with a Groundbridge, and I'll use the Phase Shifter to get to the power core and blow it up and take that thing out once and for all!"

"Great plan, except you'll get blown up too!" Steve said.

"Not with this!" Smokescreen showed the Phase Shifter attached to his wrist. "I know it's crazy, but we're short on time! This may be the best way to kill that thing permanently before it kills anyone else!" He turned to Magnus. "Commander… I can do this. Please."

Ultra Magnus took a few seconds to let this process, but as Smokescreen said, there wasn't much time to think. Letting the Terrorcon-Driller onto the ship and moving it out of the way to destroy it did seem like the best way to handle this without as little collateral damage. And he didn't really see any other options, as insane as this plan was.

But before he could make his decision, the entire Nemesis rocked as many Bots were knocked onto the bridge. Jazz looked on the screen at his console to see that the Terrorcon-Driller had already reached the Nemesis' lower haul and had begun to eat its way through.

"Looks like we don't gotta choice! It won't be long before the big boy here eats his fill!" Jazz commented with Undertone nodding in agreement.

"Alright, do it." Ultra Magnus told Smokescreen. "Steve, activate the ship's autopilot and navigate it away from the battle!"

"Already on it!" The defected Vehicon typed the necessary key commands, plotting a random set of coordinates, it didn't matter which direction it went, just as long as it was moving away.

From an outside point of view, the Nemesis had begun to turn westward and quickly fly in that direction. It also began to ascend to a higher altitude, dragging the Terrorcon-Driller with it. Already the monster was off the ground, both from the rising altitude of the ship, and from eating its way deeper into the vessel.

"T-AI, we need a Groundbridge to our location, now!" Ultra Magnus ordered. A portal appeared on the bridge in less than a second. "Evacuate the Nemesis!" Knock Out didn't waste any time in running in, with Jazz and Undertone right behind him along with Steve. Ultra Magnus paid one last look at Smokescreen and nodded.

"Good luck, soldier." The Autobot commander said before entering the portal, which closed afterwards, leaving the young Autobot on the crumbling bridge alone.

"Thanks… I might just need it." Smokescreen said before transforming into his vehicle mode, activating his Phase Shifter at the same time, and drove at high speeds through the wall.

Back on the ground, Shin roared like a rabid animal as he clashed his sword against that of the Hercules again, the Wyvern's combined Knightmare threw a punch to knock the Thanatos back towards Grindcore who grabbed the Thanatos by its tail to flip it over his head and slam it into the ground. Shin growled as he activated the tail-like weapon to slice at Grindcore's hands and fly off to the sky where he was met by the Lancelot Trail and Grail, The two red Lancelot's flew at Shin's sides and slashed their swords at him, forcing him to block with his the Thanatos' arms, but this also left him open for the Monica to try and come in with the Florence Nero's claws, but the Thanatos spun around with its arm blades and tail to bat away Marrybell and Oldrin, with Sokkia riding in the cockpit alongside the later, and shot its cannons just as the Florence Nero got close enough. Monica quickly fired her Hadrons at point-blank to intercept the blast, creating a large explosion that blew them both away, but the Florence Nero had taken considerable damage and was sent falling to the ground.

Suddenly, the Thanatos rocked as a powerful electric surge was sent through its systems, electrocuting Shin himself in the process as his cybernetic body was plugged directly into the Knightmare, all courtesy of the Byakuen and its electrical weapon.

"Monica!" Orpheus exclaimed in a panic as the Knightmare fell, but Sideswipe came in to catch the damaged Florence Nero just before it could crash on the ground.

"I got her!" The red Autobot assured, but was also greatly concerned for his injured comrade.

"I'm okay… Orpheus…." Monica groaned from inside her damaged cockpit, blood coming down from the right half of her face with her left arm sprained and her left leg broken.

Orpheus however was still enraged at seeing her get hurt and activated the Byakuen's bladed weapons to try and cut up the Thanatos, and while he was able to sever the tail, Shin had recovered enough to turn the Thanatos around and slice off the Byakuen's right arm and all its attached armaments before attempting to blast and obliterate it.

Fortunately, both the Trial and Grail flew in to sever the Thanatos' wings, the force of it causing it to misfire, thought he Byakuen's legs did get blasted off as it too was sent falling to the ground. Though Grindcore was quick to catch him as well, while the Thanatos landed hard on the ground with nobody bothering to catch him.

But even that didn't stop maddened Shin from firing his cannons again at the two red Knightmares flying above him, forcing them to split as they barely avoided the blasts. Strongarm and the Dagonet both moved around the Thanatos' sides as they shot at it with their long-ranged weapons, Jean riding inside the gaudy Knightmare that Ashley piloted. But this was only a distraction as the Hercules moved in to close the distance and raise its sword to bring down on the Thanatos, with Shin desperately raising the Thanatos' right arm-blade to block it. But as Akito and the rest of his team gave battle cries and swung with all their might, the Hercules had not only shattered the blade, but obliterated the Thanatos' right arm.

Shin, however, could not be stopped as he lunged the Knightmare's remaining arm, its shorter blades extended, and right into the joint of the Hercules' right arm and swung out…

Severing the whole appendage, and separating Akito from his friends.

"AKITO!" Leila called out in shock, but just as the right arm was severed, a mental shock had shot out form her and spread to the rest of her team, all of whom felt like something was ripped out from their minds as their link was suddenly severed…

And the Hercules had fallen apart into its respective Alexander units, all scattering across the ground.

"Guys! No!" Sideswipe looked in terror.

Within each of the downed Alexanders… Leila, Yukiya, Ryo, and Ayano… they all felt their heads in agony, having their link severed.

But that was nothing compared to what Akito felt as he laid in the cockpit of his disabled Alexander Liberte. His heart was racing as it seemed like he was about to have a panic attack. His survival instincts kicked in as he force-opened his cockpit to push himself outside, hyperventilating the whole time. He looked forward to see the one-armed Thanatos aiming its cannons, all fully charged and ready to obliterate him. The second he saw those guns aimed at him, the red glow down the barrels… he saw the same memory as before.

The memory of his family lying dead all around him as a toddler. All except his older brother, who stared him down with a hateful red gaze. He heard those three words once again, the three words that Shin today said at this very moment.

"Akito… die now."

The Thanatos' cannons fired.

It may as well be slow motion for everyone around them. Leila, Ayano, Yukiya, and Ryo had regained their senses in time as they, Orpheus, and the injured Monica all watched helplessly as the stream of deadly energy slowly made its way to their friend and comrade. Sideswipe had transformed to try and drive in as fast as he could, Strongarm doing the same, while Grindcore ran, all of whom hoped to try and do something to stop Shin or save Akito. Marrybell, Ashley and Jean, Oldrin and Sokkia, they tried to steer their Knightmares in that direction to do the same. But it didn't seem like they would make it in time.

All except one.

The Agravain happened to land in front of Akito right before the blasts could hit. But just before they did, Oiagros smiled as he spoke through his Knightmare's speakers.

"Oldrin… Orpheus… Akito… all of you… live."

As the flashing light was about to consume him, Oiagros looked up to see the image of his smiling sister right as the blast struck.

The Agravain had taken the full force of the Thanatos' last-ditch blast, causing the Knightmare to explode, killing its pilot inside. The resulting shockwave blew back everyone else that had tried to come in and help. It even blew away much of the Thanatos' front, blasting open the cockpit and exposing the cybernetic Shin inside as he was still hooked up to his Knightmare, heavily damaged yet still operational.

Orpheus and Oldrin looked especially shocked as they not only saw it but heard their uncle's final words to them. The very same man who caused them so much pain in their lives, as well as did everything he could to help and make it up to them… he gave his own life so that their friend could live on with them.

"Damn him…!" Shin growled. "All these insects… getting in my way… throwing their lives away for nothing at all! What is wrong with this accursed species?!"

The sounds of an activating machine got Shin's attention. He looked through the resulting smoke with his cybernetic eye's enhanced vision to see Akito's Alexander Liberte had powered back up again, the cockpit still open as Akito looked with an expression of rage as he charged his unit straight forward.

"BROTHER!"

"AKITO!" Using all the strength he had left, Shin let his younger half-brother close the distance as he lunged the Thanatos' remaining arm with a belly-stab to impale the Alexander Liberte. But right as that happened, Akito had jumped from the open cockpit and used the momentum of the charge to vault himself for his brother's exposed body, much to Shin's own shock.

Quickly drawing a tanto knife from his person, Akito had lunged it forward and plunged it into Shin's neck, right as he yanked it to the side to not only rip out much of his throat, but even tear the head off completely.

With that, the Thanatos fell backwards just as Shin's severed head landed and rolled on the ground. It landed with a thud, as Akito was on his hands and knees over his decapitated brother's corpse.

He had done it. He had finally killed his elder half-brother who had been the cause of not only his pain, but so many others across the world. It felt like a huge relief and at the same time, it felt like something dark had settled inside him as he gazed at his hands, which had a mixture of blood and synthetic Energon stained on them.

"Akito." Sideswipe was the first to get to him, kneeling to his level as he offered his hand. "Come on… you know we can't dwell on this now."

Forcing all his feelings back, Akito tried to stand up straight as best as he could. "The Hercules is out of commission. Leila and the others… we're going to need an extract."

"I'll call up a Groundbridge." Sideswipe said as everyone had gathered around. Grindcore and Strongarm had already helped pull out Leila, Ryo, Yukiya, Ayano, Monica, and Orpheus and carried them towards the center of this barren area just as Ashley and Oldrin deactivated their Knightmares to allow Jean and Sokkia to exit, though Sokkia gently grasped Oldrin's hand as she gave her a comforting squeeze, which Oldrin appreciated as she nodded back.

Just as a portal had opened up and Akito stepped down from the Thanatos' remains, Leila had also been set down and she immediately ran up to Akito in a hug, which he returned without hesitation. She helped him into the portal while Orpheus carried the injured Monica bridal style, sharing a sad gaze with his twin sister as they too entered with Jean, Ryo, Yukiya, Ayano, and Sokkia. The portal had deactivated as all the humans inside were brought to the Ark for their safety; leaving Sideswipe, Marrybell, Grindcore, Oldrin, and Strongarm behind to join the others and keep up the assault.

Meanwhile, the Nemesis had flown some distance away from the on-going battle, dragging the Terrorcon-Driller with it as the undead monstrosity continued to burrow its way through the ship, tearing it apart from the inside. It looked as if the Nemesis would fall apart at any given moment.

Inside, Smokescreen drove at high speeds through the shaking and torn hallways, encountering no issues thanks to the Phase Shifter as any and all debris phased right through him and he passed through all the walls as well. It's only when he encountered pieces of the Terrorcon-Driller that he had some trouble. The whole area was being torn apart, not to mention all the literal moving parts of the oversized zombie itself.

"Here we go…" Smokescreen muttered as he drove at his fastest speed possible, using some drebirs like a ramp as he passed through the monster's insides and made it out on the other side of the hallway and right into a nearby wall.

He then emerged from the wall and onto the second floor of the chamber where the power core was located. Smokescreen transformed to force himself to stop, while also deactivating the Phase Shifter, which resulted in him falling and landing rather hard on the ground.

"Ow…" Smoke pushed himself up as he saw the power core, alarms blaring everywhere as the ship continued to shake, pieces of debris were already falling from the walls. He had to do this now.

Running quickly to the power core, Smokescreen tore off the panel that covered the Energon infusion device, activated the grenade and shoved it in there.

"Wreckers, eat your sparks out!" He said as he quickly activated the Phase Shifter and transformed to speed his way out of the core just as the grenade detonated.

This created a chain reaction as multiple explosions erupted from inside the Power Core, which spread all throughout the connecting Energon lines throughout the entire vessel, this resulted in several more explosions blowing away whatever of the Terrorcon-Driller that was burrowing its way inside. Those same explosions erupted from inside and out of the Nemesis until finally…

*BOOM!*

A massive explosion erupted in the sky, one so bright and powerful that it drew the attention of virtually everyone on the battlefield, Autobot and human, including the Dinobots and the Predacon, who stopped fighting to see the bright explosion, even those within vessels like the Ark and Grandberry MK II as they saw the enormous flash of light in the sky, almost like a sun had briefly appeared. This had even caught the attention of Shockwave, Ratchet, Thundercracker, and Sky-Byte, all still in the midst of battle within Darkmount. Everyone looked in awe and shock, even terror in some cases, as they saw the complete destruction of the Nemesis and the Terrorcon-Driller.

Smokescreen fell through the resulting cloud of smoke and fire, completely unharmed thanks to the Phase Shifter, large pieces of debris from the monster and warship fell around him as he accessed his comms.

"Hey T-AI, this is Smokescreen. I could really use a Groundbridge!"

Fortunately, a portal was quickly opened directly below him. He had to deactivate the phase shifter to allow himself to enter the portal, which closed shortly after.

Shockwave had been briefly distracted by the explosion in the sky, but once it was nothing but smoke, he returned his focus to those in front of him as Thundercracker and Sky-Byte, both greatly injured, were pressed up against the wall as they looked toward the one-eyed scientist with glares of their own. While Shockwave himself appeared to be in rough shape like them, he still had enough energy to aim his cannon.

"Ep, ep, ep, ep!" He turned around to see Ratchet barely standing up, using a control panel to support himself. "I'd rethink that if I were you."

"And why would I hesitate to terminate my enemies?" Shockwave asked.

"So, you could best focus on your own escape." Ratchet smirked as he pointed towards a torn-up piece of the ground where a red light was flashing and a beeping sound was heard. Shockwave's optics zoomed in and saw the active grenade that Ratchet had wired into the Energon fuel line that connected directly to the Fusion Cannons and their power core.

Ratchet then pressed a button on the console he was at, which started up the firing systems of the cannon, but that also served as an ignition for the grenade in the floor, causing it to explode.

This also caused a chain reaction that ignited the Energon fuel line, which traveled into the power core, causing it to begin overloading, as well as the Fusion Cannons outside to lose their shielding with multiple explosions erupting from inside the barrels.

"Uh… that wasn't us, was it?" Claus asked.

"Looks like it may have suffered internal damage. Sabotage, maybe?" Diethard observed.

"Probably Ratchet." Nina smiled.

"Oh, definitely Ratchet." Lloyd confirmed. "A battlefield scientist if I've ever seen one."

"Let's make sure it sticks! Blast them to pieces!" Shirley declared.

"Already on it!" Toto replied.

The Grandberry MK II focused its missiles and turret guns on the unshielded and damaged Fusion Cannon closest to it. This caused even greater damage before it exploded more at the hinge, and the entire device began to fall off the top. The Grandberry MK II then moved on to the rest of the cannons, its own main weapon already charged back up as it too was fired into the second cannon, destroying it as well.

"Credit where it is due." Shockwave acknowledged Ratchet as the room began to shake, debris falling to the ground, most of the upper part of Darkmount sustaining heavy damage on its infrastructure. "Even the smallest weapons can leave devastating results with the proper application. That said, I would recommend you retreat before this portion of Darkmount collapses as well." Shockwave fired his cannon at a wall, creating an opening for him to escape, rushing through the hole and jumping outside.

"Let's get of here!" Sky-Byte said as he transformed into his shark-mode and flew over to Ratchet, allowing the Autobot medic to climb on as he and Thundercracker, who had also transformed into his jet-mode, as they too flew out through the hole, escaping Darkmount as the upper part of the tower collapsed, with the remaining cannons falling as the Grandberry MK II finished its work.

Shockwave had managed to land on a stable pedestal on the side of the fortress as he watched the top of Darkmount collapse.

"Soundwave, I require a Groundbridge to my location." However, Shockwave received no response, much to his concern. "Soundwave, come in." Again, no response. Soundwave was either too busy or was possibly terminated. If that was the case, he had to fashion his own escape and was capable of just that.

The side of his cannon opened up to reveal a small screen that contained the detailed image of the Predacon he had recently created and pressed a few buttons before emitting a homing signal.

Sludge wrestled against the Predacon's face as Grimlock pulled up on its wings, but the prehistoric beast managed to shake off Sludge and send him crashing into the incoming Triceratops mode of Slug before standing on its hind legs and falling backwards to smash Grimlock into the ground, seemingly crushing him under his back. The Predacon got back up and was pelted on the side from laser fire from the flying Swoop in his Pterodactyl-mode, to which the Predacon retaliated with its fire breath.

"Whoa!" Swoop tried to fly away, but the Predacon had planned on this as the Dinobots' resident flyer had flown in the direction of the tail that the Predacon was flailing at him. "Oh scrap…!" Swoop couldn't avoid it as he was smashed into the ground. Snark tried digging his spines into the Predacon's sides again, only for the Predacon to push him back and ram him with a headbutt to send him up and crashing to the ground.

The onslaught would have continued, but the Predacon happened to hear the homing signal that was tuned to its specific auditory sensors. It waved its head slightly but ended up turning towards Darkmount, the top area of it where the source of the signal was coming from and took off to fly in that direction…

Unaware that the recovering Grimlock had grabbed onto its tail to hitch a ride, struggling to climb up as the Predacon flew.

Back at the frontlines, the Pegasus had speed through and sliced through half a dozen Terrorcons, just before she heard a familiar roar, her Knightmare glancing up as the Pegasus' screen identified the metallic dragon flying over them and towards the fortress.

"Oh no, we got… Wait a minute…" She noticed something odd attached to its tail, her screen zoomed in to get a clearer view, causing her to gasp. "Grimlock!"

This also drew the attention of the other Irregulars as Lucretia focused her own powers, as well as the built in sensors of the Tungsten that were entuned with her powers as she got a three-dimensional map of the area, such as Darkmount and where the Predacon was heading, and who else was there.

"It's Shockwave! He's calling his pet!"

"Not if we can help it!" Jeremiah declared. "Alice, with me! The rest of you, keep up the assault!" He ordered as the Siegfried Loyal flew straight up with the Pegasus right beside it.

Shockwave spotted his creation flying towards him, and once he saw the distance was close enough, Shockwave leapt from the edge of the tower, briefly falling before the Predacon swooped in and allowed Shockwave to land on its back. However, he also heard the sounds of grunting behind and stepped towards the Predacon's rear to see Grimlock just barely hanging on to the tail.

"Shockwave…! I'll kill you…!"

"No, you won't." The purple Decepticon replied as he aimed and fired his cannon, shooting Grimlock and causing him to fall.

Fortunately, the Dinobot didn't fall very far as the Pegasus quickly came in to catch him by the shoulders.

"You're bigger and stronger than me, so why am I the one who's always saving you?" Alice joked.

"Shockwave is getting away!" Grimlock roared.

"No, he is not!" Jeremiah's Siegfried Loyal shot straight up, its form spun around once again and was able to strike the Predacon at its head from below, disorienting the beast as it briefly lost its balance in the air, Shockwave holding on to one of its larger scales to keep himself from falling.

The Predacon stabilized itself as it and Shockwave glared at the Siegfried Loyal that hovered above them both. "You, a machine to the core, following only cold logic without an ounce of real will power!"

"And you, a willing puppet who needs a master to depend on." Shockwave replied. "And you chose the wrong master. Destroy him." The Predacon unleashed a full power inferno straight at the Siegfried Loyal as it spun around rapidly once, barreling straight into the incoming flames, creating a large explosion that seemed to engulf Jeremiah. "An illogical course of action, one that has led to defeat."

"Not quite!" Out of the smoke, came an orange Sutherland, the single unit that was the central component of the enormous Siegfried Loyal. With built in jet boosters, it quickly closed the gap between him and the surprised Shockwave, grabbing onto his shoulders with one arm, while Shockwave simultaneously fired his cannon multiple times to obliterate the lower half of the orange Sutherland.

Only for the cockpit to open as Jeremiah himself leapt out, a glowing blue Energon blade extending from his right arm. "Find the logic in this!" Jeremiah thrusted his blade into Shockwave's only eye, grabbing onto the side of his head as Shockwave himself grunted in pain, stepping backwards and falling off the side of the Predacon.

They both fell quite a bit before Shockwave reached up and grabbed a hold of Jeremiah, yanking him off just as Shockwave landed on the hard and unforgiving ground, breaking up much of his outer armor, but he still had the strength to stand as he could just barely see the man he was holding in his grip through his damaged optic.

"I am Jeremiah Gottwald! Remember that name for what little remainder of your life that you have! The name of one of many of those you experimented upon who now claims his vengeance!"

Shockwave tightened his grip in an attempt to crush Jeremiah, the cyborg groaning in pain. "You are just an experiment! One easily disposed of…"

*SLASH!*

With his optic heavily damaged, he was unable to see the blur that zipped past him to slice off his only remaining hand, leaving only the cannon, thanks to the Pegasus that had dashed on the ground, carrying Jeremiah safely in its arms.

"That was for me, Sancia, Dalque, and Lucretia!" Alice said with a hateful glare.

"And this…" Shockwave was pelted in the back by a powerful stream of plasma from the charging Grimlock in his T-Rex mode. "This is from the Dinobots!"

Despite having much of his already damaged frame melting away, Shockwave still lived, albeit barely, as he used what strength he had left to aim his cannon and fire, but Grimlock tanked the blast and when he was close enough, transformed back into his normal Cybertronian mode and gave a yell as he threw his fist right through Shockwave's body, easily smashing through the damaged and melted frame like it was nothing. He then grabbed Shockwave by the head with one hand.

"YOU DIE!" Grimlock yelled as he crushed Shockwave's head in his grip, finally killing the cold-blooded scientist and claiming his vengeance.

However, any kind of relief or satisfaction that would have been felt by trio was short lived as a familiar roar caught their attention, causing them to look up to the descending Predacon, which already had a glow in its chest, priming its fiery breath.

"Buckle up, boys. This might take a while." Alice said as Jeremiah leapt to the Pegasus' shoulder as they and Grimlock all prepared to fight with everything they had.

But right before the Predacon could attack, a strong attractive force had caught the beast, pulling it straight into the arm-powered tractor beam of Omega Supreme, now fully back up on his feet.

"Energon power at optimal efficiency. Omega Supreme ready for battle once more." The towering Autobot declared as it held the struggling Predacon in its grip before reversing the flow of his tractor beam weapon, creating a repulsing force that sent the metallic dragon right into side of Darkmount, but Omega Supreme wasn't done yet. He aimed and fired his main weapon from his other arm, shooting a large energy beam that struck the Predacon, blasting all the way through the fortress.

"Alright, never mind." Alice commented as Jeremiah and even Grimlock both blinked in surprise.

"Omega Supreme is back in action!" Elita proclaimed as she was at the front lines with everyone else, Ohgi and Tohdoh being closest to her.

"Not only that, the Fusion Cannons are destroyed! The Predacon, the Nemesis, and the Terrorcon Driller have all been eliminated!" Tohdoh stated.

"Then it's time to finish this!" Ohgi declared. A Groundbridge portal opened up beside them as Ultra Magnus, Smokescreen, and Jazz, along with Undertone, all stepped out to join the others.

"Destroy the last of the Terrorcons…" Euphie ordered, her eyes red from exhaustion, her skin pale, and the last of her mental strength fading. "And secure… the fortress… We need to… give aid to… Lelouch and Optimus… they'll… they…"

She fought desperately to keep herself conscious, but strain was too much. She couldn't even finish her sentence as she fell to the ground, the Omni-Globe deactivating shortly after that.

"Euphie…? EUPHIE!" Cornelia called out desperately as she lost all contact with her sister, as did everyone else. "T-AI, what happened?!"

"Euphemia has lost consciousness!" The artificial intelligence reported. "The strain of the Omni-Globe was too much for her!"

"I'll help her!" Ratchet contacted Cornelia specifically. "T-AI, Bridge me to the Ark! Cornelia, leave her to me, just keep going! I promise, she'll be alright."

While her inner soldier told her this was the best move, to have a medic see to the injured while she would help the others in finishing the battle, the sister side of her wanted desperately to go with him to see her younger sibling and find some way to help her.

"Cornelia, she'll be alright." Tohdoh assured as his Knightmare rolled up to her. "She's in good hands with Ratchet, and your sister is strong."

"Damn right! That kid's one of the strongest people I know!" Tamaki added. "She just needs a catnap and she'll be as right as rain."

"She helped brought us this far." Xingke also said. "She and so many others. Let's make sure it wasn't in vain."

"…You're right." Cornelia declared as she steeled herself and gripped her controls. "Let's go! One final push! Everything we have!"

"Well, you all heard the lady!" Warpath said to all the command vehicles at their rear. "Petal to the medal! Let's blow this whole damn thing up!"

With that, the rear line advanced forward to provide what aid they can in eliminating the remaining Terrorcons and securing the fortress. They would even find themselves joined by Sludge, Snarl, Slug, and Swoop, all of whom were in their respective Dino-modes, with even Thundercracker and Sky-Byte flying over them in their jet and shark-modes respectively as all advanced together.

"All units, keep pushing!" Ultra Magnus declared, taking command as he activated his dual Energon blasters and shot at the zombies closest to him. "Destroy every last Terrorcon so that we may establish a perimeter! Once that's done, we'll head inside and provide aid!"

"Then let's do this! For Lelouch and Kallen!" Ohgi proclaimed as he transformed his Gawain Nerion into its Cybertronian tank-form to blast away more Terrorcons.

"For Optimus!" Elita went on the assault with her arm-blades to cut the undead enemy around her to pieces.

"For Ironhide!" Chigusa brought her Knightmare to Ohgi's side and fired her guns and slash harkens at the horde.

"For Arcee!" Jazz launched his Energon grappler to ensnare and pull in a Terrorcon, which he destroyed with a kick before launching Undertone in his disk mode to smash the head of another Terrorcon.

"For Bumblebee!" Smokescreen had his Phase Shifter activated as he ran into a small group of Terrorcons, Energon blasters blazing.

"For Suzaku!" Tohdoh used the Zangetsu's katana to bisect one Terrorcon before going on a slicing frenzy.

"For Bulkhead!" Wheeljack also had his swords drawn as he too sliced and diced the monsters around him, reducing them to scrap metal.

"For Rai!" Nonette led the aerial charge alongside Windblade, and Jetfire, bombing and firing on the horde of metallic zombies from above.

"For Anya!" Gino had joined up with Marrybell and Oldrin to get up close and personal with the Terrorcons.

"For Nunnally and Cera…" Shirley said as she held hands with Milly and Rivalz next to her on the Grandberry MK II, the present group around her standing together with determined expressions.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the remaining Autobots and Black Knights, as well as their many allies, and Omega Supreme, it seemed like the heroes would be able to eliminate the remaining Terrorcons with little more issue.

Ironhide yelled with fury as he fired his Energon blasters at Soundwave, a few blasts struck him, damaging the silent Decepticon before he returned fire with his Resonance blaster, blasting a condensed sonic wave at Ironhide with enough force and pressure that it sent him crashing into a cavern wall.

Bulkhead came in next with a mace to the face, breaking off a piece of Soundwave's visor and exposing some wiring and an internal skeleton underneath. It seemed that Soundwave really had no face after all. This punch sent him straight towards the incoming Raiden who tried to grab Soundwave with his Surger Claw, only for Soundwave to cross his arms like an X and block the strike, but Rai still activated the Surger anyway, sending an electrical current through Soundwave, but this only stunned the Decepticon temporarily as he emitted a loud ear-piercing sound, much like when he was being interrogated on Horai Island, causing Bulkhead and Rai to cover their ears, weakening the Raiden's grip and allowing Soundwave to break free before he swiped one of his elongated arms to sever the whole Surger claw from the blue Knightmare and gave a powerful kick to send back a bit to where it crashed down.

Soundwave then turned towards Bulkhead, who tried to power through the ear-piercing sound that Soundwave continued to emit and throw another mace strike at him, but Soundwave parried the strike and swerved underneath Bulkhead's trust, catching him under his arm and using the green Autobot's own momentum against him to vault him over and send him crashing towards the ground behind him.

But even as Soundwave continued to emit the sound, Ironhide had pushed himself up and ran with all his strength, grabbing Soundwave and pinning him against the wall where, he proceeded to punch him repeatedly in his already broken visor until the sound finally stopped.

"Shut up, will you!?" Ironhide was about to pull back another punch with his right arm, only for Soundwave to lunge his elongated arm into Ironhide's right shoulder with enough force to pierce through it like a blade before swiping to completely sever the limb.

Ironhide yelled in pain and agony, allowing Soundwave to grab him by his throat, lift him up, and slam him hard into the ground.

Rai had come in once again, blood oozing from his forehead, and the only remaining arm of the Raiden wielding its katana. He shot his Knightmare forward with all the speed it had to quickly close the distance and brought his katana toward Soundwave, who blocked it with his left arm right as Rai fired his Slash Harkens to piece through Soundwave's sides. But Soundwave had the Resonance Blaster hooked to his left and blasted another sonic attack that sent the Raiden crashing across the ground.

Soundwave limped for a bit, but aimed his Resonance Blaster again before firing with a bigger and more deadly sonic wave. However, Bulkhead was quick to leap in the way and tank the blast. The force of it was enough to push Bulkhead back slightly, but he dug his feet in to ground himself, even as the intense sonic waves pushed hard against him, nevermind the damage to his audio receptors from the sound itself.

However, Bulkhead pushed himself to take one step forward, followed by another step, and another, and another. Pushing against the intense pain and pressure of the Resonance Blaster and slowly making his way closer to Soundwave. The silent Decepticon increased the output and pressure of the Resonance Blaster, turning it into an all-encompassing wave. But this only slowed Bulkhead down a little bit before he pushed himself with all his might and willpower, roaring as he managed to get close enough and grab Soundwave's hand that held the Resonance Blaster and crushed it all together.

He then pulled Soundwave into a mace strike in his other hand to smash through Soundwave's chest. The green Autobot looked him dead in the eye with a glare as he spoke three simple words.

"Who's inferior now?"

Converting his mace into a cannon, Bulkhead fired and blasted Soundwave to pieces, silencing him forever.

With the enemy destroyed and the immediate threat over, all of Bulkhead's strength went out the window as he fell to his knees and flat on the ground.

"Hey… you guys good…?" He weakly asked as Ironhide laid on the ground as well, completely unconscious. Rai too was out of it as he laid with his eyes closed in the cockpit of the heavily damaged Raiden. "Did we… do enough…?" Bulkhead muttered as his optics began to slowly shut, unable to stop himself from losing consciousness like his friends. "Optimus… Lelouch…"

Deeper inside the cavern, close to the artificial Thought Elevator, the Guren and Steeljaw wrestled against each other fiercely with Steeljaw pressing the red Knightmare up against the wall, to which Kallen retaliated by activating her Surger Claw, despite it being damaged, it was still functional as it gripped onto Steeljaw's shoulder, causing it to overheat and melt. However, this only seemed to send him into a rabid furry as he bit down into the wrist of the Surger Claw and tore the whole thing out, much to Kallen's shock, before throwing the Guren to the ground.

Steeljaw then attempted to pounce on her, only to get rammed in the side by Arcee in her motorcycle form before she transformed while in mid-air to deal a double-kick to Steeljaw and push him to the ground, where she proceeded to land on him and pin him down, pressing her left arm against his throat while she raised her right as the arm-blade popped up. She attempted to bring it down onto him, but Steeljaw was much quicker as he slashed his claws upward, slicing at Arcee's sides with cut so deep that Energon was almost gushing out.

This forced Arcee up, giving Steeljaw a chance to grab Arcee by her legs and with a beastly roar, raised her up high to slam her down on the lower half of the Guren to completely crush that part of it. He then used his claws to tear open the cockpit and expose the frightened and injured Kallen inside as she could only look at his own beat up face, with a blown out optic, glaring at her like a rabid wolf with his remaining eye.

"You…. Are... DEAD…!" Steeljaw was ready to rip her to pieces…

Only for a powerful red energy blast to shoot out and strike Steeljaw in the back, blasting him straight through a cavern wall, as well as blasting off his right arm and left leg as he fell into a nearby chasm with a mixture of a scream and a howl.

Kallen and the injured Arcee both looked up in surprise to see the Mordred, having its Hadron canons out with the awakened Anya sitting in the open cockpit.

"One less monster to worry about." She said before rolling the Mordred over towards the two.

"Arcee, are you okay?" Kallen asked as she stepped out from her torn up Knightmare, the blue Autobot using the Mordred to try and prop herself up.

"I'll live…" She grunted. "You…?"

"Same." Kallen smiled with relief, causing Arcee to smile back. "Thanks Anya."

"Of course." Anya smiled as well, but that smile faded as she turned towards the artificial Thought Elevator. "Five minutes have already passed. Should we destroy it as instructed?"

"No." Arcee shook her head. "They'll come back… they'll pull through."

"Damn right they will." Kallen agreed. "I believe in them."

While the logical part of Anya told her that it would be best to destroy the structure in front of her right now and end the threat for good, something else inside her spoke up, saying the same thing Kallen and Arcee were saying. Ever since she regained her memories, that voice has only spoken louder, and even more so now that Marianne was gone and the only voice, she heard in her head was her own. And that was the voice she decided to listen to.

"Then I chose to believe in them too." Anya declared.

Euphemia was laid on a bed in the Ark's medical bay, the injured Monica laying next to her as she was hooked up to an IV and her physical injuries being treated by Akari, though she appeared to be stable for the most part. Euphie on the other hand, while her physical body was healthy, her mind was a different case as sensors were hooked up to her head and her brainwave activity was shown on a screen as Ratchet, Anna, Sophie, and Joe worked to try and help her how they could.

"Her brainwave activity is off the charts! Prolonged use of the Omni-Globe has caused over-stimulation!" Joe reported.

"We have to administer to pulse to force her neurons to sedate!" Sophie instructed.

"We have to get the frequency just right or her brain could shut down!" Ratchet relayed as he pressed some commands on the console next to him. "Calculating the frequency now…"

"Administering a sedative to calm her nervous system." Anna said as she injected a sedative fluid into Euphie's wrist. This seemed to calm her brainwave activity a bit, but not by much.

As they continued to work; there group outside the med bay consisted of Akito, Leila, Orpheus, Ashley, Ryo, Jean, Ayano, Sokkia, and Yukiya. Eliza sat on Leila's lap while Arthur paced outside the door that led to the medical bay. They were greatly worried for their friends inside for sure, but there was also an air of grief and relief around them as they not only felt joy at Shin, the demon who's hounded many of them, Akito especially, for so long, was gone; but at the cost of one of their own.

As much as Orpheus and Akito hated Oiagros and Shin respectively, there was still plenty of grief there as well. Oiagros was directly responsible for the loss of Orpheus' mother, as well as his first love. But despite that, he gave everything he had to try and make things better for him, his sister, and everyone else he hurt. He even gave his life to save them, with his last words being to live on. As for Akito, he was glad that Shin could no longer harm those he loved, a part of him felt conflicted over having to kill his elder brother. He remembered how Shin seemed like a nice guy when they were kids, even giving him a piggyback when he was a toddler. But as far as Akito was concerned, the older brother he loved died with the rest of their family.

Akito then felt some warm pressure on his shoulder and looked to see Leila leaning onto him, giving him what comfort she could, something he reciprocated as he pulled her in closer by the shoulder.

"Communication is back online!" T-AI reported on the bridge of the Ark with Perceptor, Knock Out, Steve, Tianzi, and Zhou all present.

"They must have defeated Soundwave…" Tianzi said with a hopeful smile.

"I… I can't actually believe that." Steve muttered in surprise. "Soundwave… defeated?"

"Yeah… guess miracles can happen." Knock Out commented.

"I have a lock on their signals!" Perceptor reported as the screen in front of him showed the active Autobot signals for Bulkhead, Ironhide, and Arcee, while also showing the Knightmare signals for those that belonged to Kallen, Rai, and Anya. "But… I can't locate Optimus. Or Lelouch, Suzaku, or Bumblebee!"

"What…?" Tianzi looked with worry.

"Could they have been transported elsewhere?" Zhou asked.

"Unlikely." Perceptor shook his head. "Although, we do know there is an articial Thought Elevator built underneath the fortress."

"And if it connects to this weird pocket dimension thing, I'm guessing that's where they all are." Knock Out assumed. "With Megatron."

"Is there any way we can help them?!" Tianzi questioned. "Send more or our forces?!"

"I don't think so." T-AI replied. "I'm using the same method as before to establish communication, but there is an active surge of energy that's blocking out all signals. Something big is happening there."

Back in the Sword of Akasha, the illusion of the Kaon arena had been almost completely broken, with several pieces around floating in the void of the pocket dimension, almost as if the broken arena itself was floating in deep space. And said broken arena lit up with multiple explosions as the Silver King and Bumblebee threw everything that they had at the immortal Megatron.

Bumblebee used the Polarity Gauntlet to keep Megatron still while the Silver King flew above to rain down energy projectiles from its wings, creating a powerful explosion that shook up most of the area. However, the smoke cleared and Megatron was still standing, any injuries he sustained were quickly healed thanks to his Code. But Bee still kept him pinned with the Polarity Gauntlet while Lelouch and Suzaku shot their combined Knightmare right at him, their sword drawn and ready to slash.

However, Megatron took advantage of his body's current positon, specifically his Fusion Canon aiming downward and fired multiple shots to blast a hole in the floor, allowing him to fall through just as the Silver King arrived, having missed its slice.

"Scrap it!" Suzaku cursed as Megatron fell, with Bee having lost his grip on him with his magnetic weapon. But Megatron quickly transformed into his Cybertronian jet mode and flew back up, firing at the ground to blast another hole, directly in front of Bumblebee and shot himself up. The force of the resulting blast, knocked Bumblebee back as the flying Megatron turned back around to rapidly shoot at the Silver King, forcing the co-pilots to flee.

Once again, Cera, with Nunnally, Sayoko, and Marianne still beside her, tried to use what control over the Sword of Akasha her Code allowed to erect barriers around Megatron in an attempt to block his path. But he simply gave a yell as he rammed his body through the barriers before spotting the interfering immortal women and those around her. He then flew straight towards them, much to Lelouch and Suzaku's shock.

"No!" Lelouch exclaimed as the Silver King tried to fly and catch up with him, just as Megatron opened fire.

All four braced themselves right as Bumblebee ran right in the middle of the line of fire, activating the Polarity Gauntlet on instinct, hoping it would create some kind of shield. But the activating came a second too late as one of the Energon shots struck his arm to damage the gauntlet, while Bee himself was sent flying over them and landing hard on the ground.

"Bumblebee!" Nunnally ran to him first, looking at his arm to see a smoking hole on it, what was left of the Polarity Gauntlet sparked before Bee swiped it off with his uninjured arm.

"I've had worse." He said as he pushed himself up and stood once again in front of Cera and the others, his Energon blasters primed and ready to keep fighting no matter the cost.

"That damn scout again…" Megatron cursed, but his jet-mode was struck by the Silver King as it grappled with him, causing them both to spiral through the air.

"Megatron!" Suzaku and Lelouch both called out in rage as they drove their combined Knightmare's sword right through Megatron's haul, even as they spiraled out of control.

At the same time, Optimus kept himself protected from the relentless onslaught of all the dark ghosts around him, the Sky Boom Shield's barrier still holding. But he couldn't afford to remain on the defensive. He let the shield decactivate, allowing the ghosts to swarm him just as he swung the Star Saber, sending a wave that carved through many of the ghosts and giving him some ample breathing room to use the sword of the Primes to slice and destroy all the ghosts around him.

Optimus had noticed that upon contact with the Star Saber, all the ghosts disappeared in a form akin to disintegration. Perhaps it was because Dark Energon was used in the process of Neo Ragnarök, and the Star Saber contained the power that would counter and destroy it. But the reason was unimportant now. He gazed up at the Spacebridge once more and resumed his flight.

However, the bright flashes of light were not unnoticed by Megatron who saw Optimus break free. "NO!" Megatron transformed once again, breaking off the Silver King's grip before blasting it with his canon to knock it back. He then transformed and flew at maximum speed towards his oldest enemy.

"Optimus, Megatron is heading your way!" Lelouch warned.

The flying prime gazed downward and saw Megatron quickly catching up to him. He swung the Star Saber to send an energy wave towards Megatron, who turned on his side so that the wave barely missed him, allowing him to quickly close the gap and ram into Optimus. Megatron then transformed again and grappled with Optimus, drawing his arm-blade to slash at the arm that held the Sky Boom Shield, while simultaneously firing his Fusion Canon at the other arm that held the Star Saber, knocking both weapons from his hands.

Lelouch saw both weapons fall, and while the Sky Boom Shield fell at an angle that would land towards the broken arena that served the only form of solid ground in the pocket dimension, the Star Saber was falling towards the bottomless abyss. They could not afford to let that weapon be lost forever.

"Suzaku, break off!" Lelouch ordered. "Help Optimus with Megatron, I'll retrieve the Star Saber!"

"Right!" Suzaku agreed.

The Silver King briefly flashed before it separated into the two individual Knightmares that made up its form as the Shinkiro and Lancelot flew in opposite directions.

Bumblebee watched as the Sky Boom Shield fell towards the arena and broke out into a sprint before transforming into his vehicle mode for extra speed. Once he got close enough, Bee transformed to leap into the air and catch the shield of the Primes just before it hit the ground.

At the same time, Optimus and Megatron continued to wrestle as they spiraled closer to the ground, Optimus breaking off from their grip as he headbutted Megatron to disorient him and kick him off, causing Megatron to land on the ground rather hard, Optimus quickly descending and landing on the ground to face him. The two enemies glared at each other once more, but before they could engage in combat, the Lancelot appeared to deliver an airborne spinning kick to Megatron's back, sending him towards Optimus, who reeled back his fist before delivering an uppercut to knock him into the air where Suzaku proceeded to strike at Megatron to knock him hard to the ground. Once again, Cera used her control over the space to create large metallic chains that busted from the ground to bind Megatron down…

Unaware that they were rather close to the Dark Star Saber, it's blade still in the ground as its handle was pointed upward.

Lelouch flew as fast as the Shinkiro would allow towards the falling Star Saber. He reached out with the black Knightmare's hands and was able to catch the sacred sword. It was somewhat heavy, but Shinkiro was able to hold onto it as its pilot steadied and halted his path.

"Optimus, I have it!" Lelouch said through the communications as he quickly turned around and sped back to the arena. "I'll give it to you, then you destroy the Spacebridge!"

Even while bound, Optimus and the Lancelot advancing on him, with even Bumblebee approaching in his vehicle mode with the Sky Boom Shield hooked onto his top, Megatron noticed the Shinkiro was incoming with the Star Saber in hand.

No! He would not allow this! He would not allow that boy to interfere in his plans ever again! With as much strength as he could muster, Megatron forced himself up, pushing against the chains, to give himself enough room to transform again and ignite his thrusters, delivering enough speed and force that he was able to break through the chains and go straight for something that Optimus, Bumblebee, Suzaku, Nunnally, Cera, Marriane, and Sayoko all saw that made them look in horror.

He was going for the Dark Star Saber!

Without saying anything else, Optimus and the Lancelot flew at high speeds as well, desperate to come after Megatron while Bumblebee was forced to discard the Sky Boom Shield, allowing him to kick into maximum overdrive in his vehicle mode as well.

Cera screamed as she used all her power and strength to erect as many walls and barriers as she could to halt Megatron's path, but he either shot or based through them, getting ever closer to his weapon just as Lelouch was getting closer with the weapon in his Knightmare's hands.

Megatron and the Shinkiro may as well have been at an intercept course with one another at the direction they were going, but Megatron was closer towards the Dark Star Saber. And by the time he reached it, the Shinkiro had almost made it to the arena. Cera then desperately focused all her power on that one single spot, trying to break off the ground the evil sword was embedded into so that it would fall into the void below.

'I have to throw it! If Optimus can catch it…!' Lelouch thought as the Shinkiro was about to vault the Star Saber…. Optimus, the Lancelot, and Bumblebee quickly coming within appropriate range to catch it….

But Megatron had transformed as he reached the Dark Star Saber as it had fallen from the broken ground and quickly grabbed the handle. Though Optimus and the Lancelot had also caught up, trying to grab onto Megatron, they could not stop him as he used the momentum from his speed to his advantage, he swung it upwards, sending a vertical wave of dark energy straight towards the Shinkiro.

Lelouch's eyes widened as the flash of dark light seemed to engulf his vision… his pupils shrinking… To close… No time to dodge…

*BLAST!*

The Shinkiro was hit.

The dark energy wave struck the front of the black Knightmare, point-blank, blasting through, its front body was completely blown away by the dark explosion…

And killing the young Revolutionary who piloted it.

It was a horror show that may as well have been moving in slow motion. Time almost seemed to stop as they could only gaze in terror… watching what was left of the black Knightmare and the Star Saber fall backwards into the void.

Suzaku and Optimus' eyes widened in horror, their eyes so wide they were almost circular as Suzaku's mouth hung open. Bumblebee had transformed, tripping from the momentum, but made his way to the edge as he reached for the falling Shinkiro with futility, optics widened with desperation, fear, and terror.

Nunnally, Cera, Marianne, and Sayoko… they too could only look in shock as the saw the flaming Shinkiro sink, falling from view, their hearts stopping as tears automatically flowed down their eyes.

"No…" Nunnally stuttered. "No… No…! No! No! No! NO!" She tried to run forward, only for the teary-eyed Sayoko to hold her back. "NO! BIG BROTHER! LELOUCH!" She screamed as her eyes were already red as tears overflowed and fell down her face like waterfalls. Cera even fell to her hands and knees in grief as she could not believe what she had witnessed!

And it wasn't just them. Marianne looked in disbelief and in horror. But a look of defiant desperation had formed on her face as she used her own powers to vanish from that one spot.

She reappeared inside what was left of the falling and flaming Shinkiro, gasping in horror at what she saw of her son.

His body was completely unrecognizable. All his skin had been burnt away, along with most of his outer muscles, even some scorched bones were seen such as his ribs, exposing charred lungs, and part of his skull on the left side of his face with the eye reduced completely blown out from its socket.

He was dead.

But she refused to let it happen!

"No! Lelouch! You can't die! Not like this!" Marianne tried to use her powers in some desperate hope that they would somehow bring him back to life. "Please come back! Please!"

Beleth happened to appear and saw the Shinkiro falling into the bottomless void, the Star Saber along with it, and could only laugh.

'Foolish insect. You cannot stop what is to come! Nothing can!'

However, Beleth looked in surprise to see that the Shinkiro, Lelouch's body, the surprised Marianne, were all engulfed by a bright blue light. A light that also shined from within the chest plate of Optimus Prime… the source being the Matrix of Leadership.

Lelouch's eyes widened in shock, standing up with a gasp as he appeared to be in a completely different location. No longer was he in the Sword of Akasha, but in a realm that stretched on as far as the eye can see. The ground was covered in mist that came up to his ankles, and the sky above him was that of a bright starry night. He found himself still clad in his Zero armor, but he was no longer in his Knightmare, and everyone around him was gone.

"What is this…? Where am I?" He looked around before calling out to his friends. "Optimus! Bumblebee! Suzaku! Nunnally! Cera! Sayoko! Anybody!"

"Lelouch!" He turned around in surprise to see Marianne appearing before him in a flash of light, falling to her knees in a daze as she looked up to her son with a gasp. Just a second ago, she saw his mutilated corpse… but now, here he was standing before her.

"Mother…" Despite the animosity he felt for her, it brought him some relief to see a familiar face in this unknown location.

"Lelouch…? You're… alive…?"

"Not quite."

Both looked to the side to see a Cybertronian stepping forward. Though Marriane looked with concern as this being was unfamiliar to her, Lelouch recognized him.

"Vector Prime…" He looked around again. "This… this isn't the Dead Universe…"

"No, it isn't." The Caretaker of Space and Time appeared as well. "This is a place where those whose sparks reside, despite their bodies being destroyed."

"Welcome to the Realm of the Primes." Vector Prime said to them.

"Realm of the Primes…?" Marianne looked in awe, as did her son. But Lelouch knew he heard that phrase before, from Cera when she formed a contract with Optimus some time ago.

"Does that mean… we're inside the Matrix of Leadership?" Lelouch questioned. "I don't understand… I thought you said you wouldn't be interfering again."

"I did say that." Vector Prime confirmed. "But I wasn't the one who interfered here. They were." He pointed in a certain direction, causing Lelouch to turn as he saw eleven more figures stepping out from the mist, all of which had different appearances such as one with wings and a beast-like appearance, another with green plating and tentacles, but the ones that stood out the most were four figures that stepped forward.

One had all white plated armor, another was female with silverish-pink skin, the third was a magenta-red color with a metallic beard on his face, and the fourth was the size of a human with a cyan-green metal frame.

Lelouch didn't recognize most of them, but there was one that stood out among them. One he heard only stories from, someone that all the Autobots he knew, and especially Optimus, spoke very highly of.

"Alpha Trion…?"

"Indeed." Alpha Trion nodded in confirmation.

"Then… y-you're… you're all… the Primes…" Lelouch stuttered.

"In the ghostly metal flesh." Micronous said in a partially humorous tone.

"And you are Lelouch Vi Britannia, otherwise known as Zero." Prima addressed. "We have been watching you for quite some time."

To say Lelouch was in awe would be a gross understatement. He was in the presence of the original Primes! While he did meet Vector Prime once before, it was something else to stand before them all. He fell to his knees as he stared at them with shaking eyes.

Likewise, Marianne also felt incredibly overwhelmed. These were Primes, like Optimus? His predecessors? Each of these towering titans was so magnificent and yet so intimidating. She suddenly felt so very small in the presence of these beings, but she also happened to notice a few of them were glaring at her, and she could probably guess why if they have been watching her son as they have said.

"How am I here…?" Lelouch then remembered being struck by Megatron's attack. "Am I… dead…?"

"Your body has been destroyed, yes." Solus Prime confirmed. "But your spirit lives on."

"The dimension you know as the Sword of Akasha, and the process of Ragnarök connect the worlds of the living and the dead together, as you're already aware." Alpha Trion explained. "And since Megatron meant to connect Neo Ragnarök to all sentient life, such as Cybertronians, it opened up a pathway so-to-speak, allowing us to connect to the mortal realm, and fetch your spirit before it could pass on."

"That is also how I'm able to access this realm." The Caretaker added as she floated near the Primes. "A distortion in space-time as a result of this Neo Ragnarök."

"Though while your spirit technically lives in this state, your body is very much dead." Vector Prime said, making sure that the young man before them understood.

"Why did you bring us here then if I'm dead?" Lelouch asked.

"We only intended to bring you." Micronous clarified. "That one…" He pointed to Marianne. "…Just so happened to be close to you that we ended up pulling her in too."

"And for the record, we know who you are and what you've done." Solus Prime said in a scolding tone towards Marianne. "You helped to foster the initial Ragnarök, which led to all of this. All just to escape reality, blind to the beauty of living and seeing only darkness." Marianne looked away in guilt, making no effort to deny them or give excuses for she knew that they were right.

"That still does not answer my question… why am I here?" Lelouch repeated.

"Listen closely." Prima began. "Megatron's end goal is to assimilate all sentient life into his own will, but we sense an even greater threat. If this Neo Ragnarök is completed, a powerful and near-unstoppable darkness may rise… one that could consume everything. However, in this one moment, we have a chance to stop it, or at least delay it."

"However, as most of us are spirits, and our physical bodies no longer existing, there is only so much we can do. Which is why we must ask you to help us." Alpha Trion said.

"Help you? How?" Lelouch asked.

"To put simply, we can restore your body and bring you back to life." Vector Prime answered, much to Lelouch and Marianne's surprise. "However, there is no guarantee."

"If we have a chance… we should take it!" Lelouch said, getting serious as he stood up fully. "You said something terrible could happen if Neo Ragnarök completed, so let's use this chance and stop it!"

"You do not understand, Lelouch." Solous spoke in a tone of caution and concern. "To bring someone back to life is one thing… but if you are to succeed in stopping this… we must share with you a portion of each of our sparks."

"An awesome amount of power!" Micronous continued. "Just giving a silver of our own power to a Cybertronian alone is strenuous… but to you, who's spirit is physically weaker? In the absolute worst-case scenario, your spirit would be destroyed completely! You would not just die, you would be erased!"

Marianne gasped at that while Lelouch looked more than a little shocked. He looked at his own hands as he let all that process. The Primes are willing to lend him their power? While he was scared at the thought of being 'erased' as he said, there was one thought that went to the forefront of his mind, one he had when Optimus was on his deathbed. This seemed no different to when he was being offered the Matrix and that led him to one question.

"And even if you do survive, our power will not last forever." Vector Prime added. "Even with this rift in space-time."

"Why take this risk with me? Wouldn't it make more sense to give it to Optimus?" Lelouch asked. "He already wields the Matrix so you could probably do the same thing with him! And his body and spirit are undoubtedly stronger than me! I think you would have a better chance at stopping Megatron if you gave him your power instead."

"That is a possibility…" Alpha Trion granted. "But if we did that, you would remain gone." That surprised Lelouch quite a bit. "Are you truly willing to throw away a second chance at life?"

"I… don't understand." Lelouch sounded more than a little confused.

"You were offered the Matrix of Leadership." Prima said. "But when it was offered… you did the one thing that nobody else has ever done. You rejected it. You rejected the power of the Primes."

"Because Optimus would have died if I accepted it!" Lelouch proclaimed.

"And that act right there proves you are truly worthy." Solus said as she kneeled closer to his level. "You rejected power for love. We know how much Optimus means to you, and the fact you were willing to give up a chance at such incredible power so that someone you care for so deeply can live shows us who you are."

"In the beginning, you were angry and vengeful, untrusting of others." Vector Prime spoke. "But as time passed, and you changed. Your interactions with those around you and your experiences have transformed you. And that is the natural order of things."

"Nobody is perfect, not even us." Micronous added. "Some of us lost our way, others found new forms of enlightenment. We all change… we all transform regardless of our origins."

"And you have transformed not only yourself, but those around you." Alpha Trion finished up. "As Optimus has said, the Matrix of Leadership is not found, it is earned. And you have earned your chance to wield this power, but above all… you have a chance to live again. To continue to live with those you love and experience life. Still, we cannot force this on you, it has to be mutually agreed upon."

"A contract…" Lelouch commented, a reminiscent and humorous smile forming on his face, with Alpha Trion mirroring the expression with a slight chuckle of his own.

"Yes, a contract."

"Again though, if you agree, your survival is not guaranteed." The Caretaker reminded.

"But what if you had a second spirit?" Marianne stepped forward, to her son's surprise. "One that could act as a filter or a buffer of sorts, one to help strengthen his own? Would that help at all?"

The Primes exchanged looks with one another before concluding. "That could work." Prima said. "However, while Lelouch's survival is still not guaranteed, even with a higher chance now… your destruction would be all but certain. Your spirit would be erased completely."

Marianne closed her eyes briefly before answering. "That's fine with me." Even Lelouch was caught off guard by that. "I know I have no right to request this, as you're all aware… I've committed many wrongdoings… I helped bring Ragnarök into existence and that led to all of this. But as you said, you have a chance to intervene and stop this, and I see a chance where I can help and actually do some good, for perhaps the first time in my life! A chance… to save my son. Something I should have done a long time ago. Please… let me do this… I beg of you!" She bowed on her hands and knees to them. "Let me help child to live again!"

Lelouch looked to his mother's spirit with a surprised and conflicted expression. He still felt anger and resentment toward her for all she did… but was she really willing to give up her life to increase his chances at living again and stopping Megatron? He felt so emotionally confused by this, that he didn't even know how to respond.

Once more, the Primes looked towards one another as they contemplated their response before coming to an agreement. "Very well." Micronous nodded.

Marianne smiled humbly. "Thank you."

"Again though, it must be his choice." Solus reminded her, pointing to Lelouch. "Neither we nor you can force it."

She picked herself up and turned towards her son, who still looked at her with the emotionally confused expression.

"Lelouch… I've committed many sins… and I know there's no excuse for any of it." She began. "But, the best thing that ever happened to me… was bearing you and Nunnally…" Her eyes were wet with emotion. "When I held each of you in my arms… I felt my whole world… But I was so scared… because I only saw the darkness of the world around us. I was afraid you would be consumed by it… and that fear led me to follow your father's ambitions. I hoped I would create a better world for you two… but I was wrong. This world is just fine. I… I won't ask for your forgiveness; I know I don't deserve it. But… you deserve a chance to live! You have a family… you and Nunnally are surrounded by so many people that love you and I know you love them back! For your sake and for theirs… you have to live! So please… let me do this for you…!"

He could tell just how serious she was. She really intended to let herself be destroyed to give him a chance to live again. And as she said those words to him, he couldn't help but think back to all his past experiences and how much his life changed since he first met Cera and Bumblebee in Shinjuku. He endured so much pain and hardship, but he also gained so much. He reunited with his best friend and helped make amends with him, he found a new father-figure to help guide and bring out the best in him, and by opening himself up to those people they were able to help his previously blind and crippled sister to see and stand again, and she formed so many bonds with other people herself and experienced the world with him. He truly connected to everyone he knew in Ashford and established new and strong bonds with the Black Knights and the Autobots… especially one. Kallen… someone that he saw as a valued ally, then a friend and now… the woman he loved.

All of these people were a part of him, they were his world, and he wanted to keep living in it! He wanted to live this life of his with the people he loved and experience everything that came with it, the good and the bad. He wanted to live! He had to live!

"Alright." Lelouch nodded, much to Marianne's joy. But she wasn't expecting to reach out and grab both her hands, the hair covering his face as she could not see his expression. "Mother… you were right. You've committed many sins… you hurt me and Nunnally… and everyone else I care about. And many of your crimes can't be forgiven." He then looked up to her with tears in his own eyes and a smile of his own. "But what I can forgive… I do."

Her eyes were streaming as she wrapped her arms around her son, who didn't hesitate to return them back. "I love you, Lelouch! You and Nunnally! You tell her that! Even if she doesn't forgive me either… you tell her that I love her, and you live your life with her and everyone else to the fullest!"

"I will… and I love you too." Lelouch cried as he held her tightly.

Many of the observing Primes smiled at this last moment between a son and his mother, even those like Vector Prime and the Caretaker couldn't help but crack a small smile.

While still holding onto her, Lelouch opened his eyes as he looked towards the Primes. "I accept the terms of your contract."

With that, the bright light formed at each of the chest plates of the Primes. Bolts of energy shot upwards and met in the sky above Lelouch and Marianne, condensing and forming a large sphere of powerful energy. This was the combined power of a portion of each of their sparks. A large column of energy was then shot downward, engulfing Lelouch and Marianne as they clung to each other tightly.

Both hovered upwards as they felt the intense energy flow through each of them. Marianne's spirit was the first to react as it turned a bright white and melded itself with Lelouch, causing his body to glow white as well. A light so bright that it engulfed not only himself but the entire area.

As the flash began to spread out and encompass most of the Primes, Alpha Trion spoke up. "Oh… please give Optimus my regards." He requested before he too was engulfed by the light.

Back in the Sword of Akasha, not even one second had passed for them all as they watched the Shinkiro and Star Saber falling, disappearing into the void below.

Nunnally continued to cry and call desperately for her brother, the sobbing Cera and Sayoko desperately holding onto her as both their hearts broke as well. Suzaku and Bumblebee looked into the abyss in grief, disbelief, and terror. As did Optimus… who turned to see Megatron stand fully back up…

And look upon him with a smile of satisfaction.

That smile… that even and twisted smile…. The second he saw that… any sense of restraint or positivity vanished and was replaced with raw hatred and rage.

"NNNOOOOO!" Optimus roared as he got back up with a powerful punch to Megatron's face. Followed by an uppercut to the jaw, a slug across the side of the face, another punch to the face, a kick to the chest, and yet another punch that knocked Megatron back.

Right into the screaming Suzaku, tears of fury pouring down his face as he used the Lancelot's MVS to slash wildly at Megatron like a madman, even stabbing him through his spark chamber. The enraged Bumblebee was next as he leapt at Megatron from behind, relentlessly pounding his face while holding onto his neck. Suzaku wrenched his MVS blade out and gave a spinning kick to Megatron with Bumblebee leaping off just as Optimus brought both his fists down onto Megatron to knock him down. From then on, all three relentlessly pounded and slashed at Megatron with everything they had. They didn't care if he was immortal or not! He took away someone important to them! A brother! A best friend! A son! He would pay! They would make him pay and suffer!

But despite the consistent pounding, Megatron gazed his face up slightly and saw the Dark Star Saber just outside his reach. Even as they continued to pound on him, Megatron was able to reach for the evil sword and give a point-blank slash, unleashing a deadly wave on them.

Optimus took the brunt of the impact, blasting away much of his outer armor, with Bumblebee and the Lancelot also taking the hit as they rolled across the ground, Optimus stumbling over the ledge. Though the Autobot leader was able to grab a hold of the ledge to keep himself from falling. Bumblebee tried to stand up, as Suzaku also tried to get the Lancelot back up as well, only for the former to get stomped and pressed down on Megatron's foot, his injuries already repairing themselves. Megatron then gave a blunt slash with the Dark Star Saber to slice up the front of the Lancelot, exposing Suzaku in the torn cockpit.

Megatron then turned towards Nunnally, Cera, and Marianne with an evil grin as he used his Code powers once again to create a sphere, trapping all three inside. He then used those powers to pull the sphere over towards him and everyone else, breaking it open with the snap of his fingers, and letting all three fall to the ground.

Optimus, Bumblebee, Suzaku, Nunnally, Cera, and Sayoko… they all gazed up in terror in fear as the evilest being they ever laid eyes on raised his dark and unholy sword, ready to deliver the killing blow.

"Prepare to join the late Zero… in oblivion!"

However, just before he could bring his blade down, Megatron noticed something past Optimus. He looked down into the abyss to see a bright blue light shining out of the darkness.

Arcee, Kallen, and Anya all looked in surprise to see the runes on the artificial Thought Elevator beginning to glow. But unlike the normal red glow that would be seen on it and all the natural ones that were destroyed, the runes all glowed a bright blue.

"What's going? What's happening?" Anya asked.

"I… I don't know…" Arcee wasn't quite sure herself.

And while Kallen had no idea what was happening either, something inside her was giving her the answer. She could feel it.

"Lelouch…"

Rai shot up with a gasp. "Wha… what…?" He looked around the damaged cockpit. Despite his injuries, he forced it open to look outside at the injured Bulkhead and Ironhide, both stirring awake slightly. "What… is this…?" Rai felt an odd feeling inside his head as a Geass sigil appeared in both his eyes.

But they weren't red like before. No, these sigils were white.

All across the battlefield outside, many people were feeling it. Marrybell had just finished destroying one Terrorcon as she felt her Geass activate, white sigils forming in both her eyes.

"What…?"

Even Alice and all her friends, Dalque, Sancia, and Lucretia, they all felt an odd feeling within each of them as a white glow formed in each of their own eyes.

Toto felt her head as well, getting everyone's attention on the Grandberry MK II.

"Toto, what's wrong?" Kaguya asked as a pair of white Geass sigils formed in her eyes as well.

Orpheus and Leila also felt this odd feeling in their heads as white Geass sigils formed in both of their eyes.

"Leila?" Akito held her shoulders as she felt her head.

"Hey, what's going on?" Yukiya asked.

"Something's… happening…" Orpheus responded.

Even inside the med-bay, while she didn't have a Geass or connection to it of any kind, something had caused Euphie's mind to stabilize.

"Her brainwaves are stabilizing." Ratchet reported with a relieved smile.

"I think she's waking up!" Sophie said as everyone, including the injured, yet awake, Monica, all gazed at Euphemia as her eyes slowly opened. Just like Kallen, she could feel it. Her heart told her everything.

"Lelouch…"

"Something's happening!" T-AI stated as everyone on the Ark's bridge was alerted to the energy readings. "That energy we detected earlier from the Sword of Akasha, it just shot up! But… it's different…I… I've never even seen this kind of energy before!"

"Please don't tell me the universe is ending." Knock Out hoped.

"No… I think it's the opposite actually." Tianzi smiled as she felt a strong sense of hope filling her being.

Back in the Sword of Akasha itself, Optimus felt his own Prime Geass activate, but not of his own command. The white sigils appeared in his optics, but it didn't feel out of control or anything. In fact, he even felt the Matrix resonate inside him, and it was in perfect sync with his own Prime Geass.

Even Cera felt an unusual feeling as the Geass emblem on her forehead turned bright white.

Suddenly, a blueish white blur shot up from the abyss below and appeared well above them, catching everyone's attention and even Megatron's.

The mass of light began to take a solid shape. It began to slowly resemble something of a Knightmare, taking a form near identical to that of the Shinkiro, but with some notable differences. It was no longer black and gold like before, it was white and bright blue. The damage that had been dealt had been repaired completely, but the face of the Knightmare was different. The face was identical to that of a very familiar mask, but instead of black and dark purple like before, it was white and blue.

In the hands of this mysterious being was the Star Saber, which glowed brightly in its grip along with the glowing blue emblem of the Autobot-Black Knight alliance on its chest.

And at the very center of this glowing machine was Lelouch himself. His previous injuries had healed completely, his armor was now glowing white, along with both Geass sigils that appeared in his eyes, glowing a bright white. He reached out with his limbs, connecting to the machine around him as he could control its movements like it was his own body.

"I am… Zero Prime!"

It was that voice… the voice they all recognized that caused them all to look in clear shock.

"L-Lelouch…" Nunnally stuttered as she, Bumblebee, Suzaku, Cera, and Sayoko all looked in disbelief, even Optimus, for one of the few times in his life, was speechless.

"Impossible…!" Megatron could not believe what he was seeing. That boy couldn't be alive! He shouldn't be alive! And… is he wielding the Star Saber?! Impossible!

With a roar of rage, Megatron swung the Dark Star Saber to send a diagonal wave at the hovering being before him. However, Lelouch… no… Zero Prime… he gazed to his side and saw the Sky Boom Shield on the ground. As his own natural hand extended forward, the hand of the Knightmare armor around him moved the same way.

And as his palm opened up… the Sky Boom Shield was telekinetically pulled right into Zero Prime's grip and activated, projecting a barrier around himself as the wave from the Dark Star Saber hit and washed over like water to stone.

"What?!" Megatron exclaimed as he and everyone else were beyond stunned by what they just saw.

Zero Prime then quickly flew down and appeared in-between Megatron and his loved ones. "My turn." He swung the Star Saber to send his own energy wave, striking Megatron and sending him rolling and crashing across the ground, away from everyone.

"Is… is he… he's wilding the Star Saber… and the Sky Boom Shield…" Bumblebee couldn't find the words as they saw Zero Prime quickly make his way closer to the downed Megatron.

"But… how…?" Suzaku couldn't believe it either.

Optimus knew though. Somehow, the Primes had granted him their power. Optimus could feel the power that was identical to the Matrix within him flowing through and around Lelouch right now. And as he saw him, Optimus couldn't help but smile in joy and pride.

"A true Prime."

Megatron forced himself up with the Dark Star Saber, but Zero Prime was already on him as he swung the Star Saber, which Megatron blocked and parried with his own sword, creating another overlap of opposing energies around them before Megatron struck again, Zero Prime using the Sky Boom Shield to block it.

"No! You can't wield this power!" Megatron bellowed. "You cannot be a Prime! You are just a human! An insect! Weak and unworthy!"

"It's never been about our origins!" Zero Prime replied. "You could never find the Matrix because you couldn't earn it! You don't deserve it, because you've never believed in anything but yourself! And we won't let you win!"

Zero Prime pulled the Star Saber back as Megatron did the same with the Dark Star Saber. They both gave yells as they swung their swords with all their might…

Only for the Star Saber to shatter its dark counterpart into a thousand pieces upon contact, much to the shock of everyone and Megatron's genuine horror.

Using this opening, Zero Prime lunged the Star Saber forward to run it through Megatron's spark chamber, the glowing blade breaking through the other end as liquid Dark Energon already began to ooze out form the wound.

Despite that, Megatron chuckled. "Did you forget…? You can't kill me! I am immortal…" However, Megatron suddenly felt very weak. It was as if all of his strength and power was being negated and he was brought to his knees. The glowing dark purple in his circuits slowly began to fade. "What… is happening… my strength…? How can…?"

"All your power… anything besides your own natural strength… including the acquisition of your V.V.'s Code… it all came from the Blood of Unicron." Zero spoke to him coldly. "But even he wasn't invincible. He was defeated by this very same power that is now purging the darkness from you, including your means to sustain yourself."

It was true. Megatron felt all his power being erased as the Dark Energon was being purged from his body. He even looked towards the dark Geass emblem on his hand… his very Code… and saw that it was being erased. Purple particles were vanishing from it, which then began to spread throughout that very hand, as well as his other hand. He could feel it… He was being erased!

"No! I… I can't… I'm immortal…!" Megatron stuttered. "My power… it cannot…"

"All you've longed for is power." Zero Prime continued. The Zero face of the outer armor opening up, allowing Megatron to see Lelouch's own face as he glared at him. "You've given up everything else for it. Your friends, your home, even those that were loyal to you after Cybertron's destruction… you threw it all away for the sake of your own desires! So many chances to turn back and atone, and you threw them all away too! And this is the result."

The erasure made it all the way up Megatron's arms and to his shoulders, and they would soon spread throughout the rest of his body! Was this it?! Was he really going to die?! Here!? Like this!? And not at the hands of Optimus Prime… but by Lelouch!? Who somehow wields the power that should have been his!?

"You think you've won?!" Megatron shouted in defiance. "Even if you destroy me and Neo Ragnarok… someone else will take my place! So long as free will exists, so to will be the desire to take and destroy! Someone will come and seek to destroy everything you hold dear! And they still will long after you're gone! You cannot destroy that!"

"No, I can't." Zero Prime accepted. "But just as darkness will continue to exist, so too will light to meet. Even when I'm gone, there will still be those that fight for what's right. And nobody can destroy that either. BEGONE NOW!"

With a mighty yell, Zero Prime pulled the Star Saber up and completely bisected Megatron!

The lord and master of the Decepticons screamed in agony once more as a white light emitted from where he was sliced, the erasure spreading out from that along with those that came from the other side before they all met and Megatron vanished completely.

That was it. Megatron, the founder and leader of the Decepticon faction, the one who destroyed Cybertron, manipulated Britannia's rise to power and heinous actions, killed and ruined countless innocent lives, and tried to remove all free will throughout the universe was gone.

Bumblebee, Suzaku, Cera, Nunnally and Sayoko all saw it, and yet they couldn't believe it. The monster that hounded them for so long, the demon that plagued their nightmares, was gone. Destroyed.

After sheathing the Star Saber behind him, Zero Prime quickly made his way over to them and extended his hand to the still-dangling Optimus, who took it without hesitation as he was helped to his feet and handed him the Star Saber.

"You should have the honors." Zero Prime said with a smile.

Optimus smiled back as he accepted the Star Saber, placing a hand on the shoulder of his fellow Prime before extending his wings again and flew straight up to the still-active Spacebridge.

"No!" Beleth cried in horror but was unable to stop it. "No! NO! NOOOOO!"

Optimus Prime lunged the Star Saber forward and used it to pierce the side of the Spacebridge, channeling the sword's power directly into it. Large cracks began to form all across the ring-like device as white energy seeped out, and the vortex began to destabilize. Optimus had pulled out the Star Saber and flown away to avoid the resulting explosion.

*BOOM!*

The Spacebridge had completely collapsed in on itself, a wave of power spreading out in all horizontal directions as a result. Optimus had managed to avoid the shockwave while Zero Prime used the Sky Boom Shield to project a barrier around himself and those behind him for safety.

With the Spacebridge destroyed, the spiraling dark mass began to vanish in the same way that Megatron did. Disappearing and fading away in bright white light, with even the screaming Beleth disappearing along with it.

The illusion of the Kaon gladiatorial arena too began to vanish, revealing only a single platform that everyone else currently stood on. But that wasn't the only thing that would vanish.

Neo Ragnarök had been abated, and with that, so too was the link between Zero and the Primes. Streams of white energy flowed away from the Knightmare armor like steam as Lelouch felt the power lent to him vanishing. He allowed the Knightmare armor to kneel as the Shinkiro's glow vanished and it was returned to normal, even the Shinkiro's damage was still present, including the opening gash from the Dark Star Saber's attack.

Zero Prime had leapt out from said gash as his own armor began to lose its white color, energy evaporating from it like steam before it all vanished, turning into its original black color. But despite that, Lelouch's own Geass sigils had remained white as he deactivated it. He looked towards his own hands, flexing them as he felt his own flesh and blood once again. He gave a content sigh with a grateful smile.

"Thank you." He wasn't sure if the Primes, the Caretaker, or even his mother could hear him, but it was still a nice thought.

Back outside, the fights had suddenly come to an end when all the remaining Terrorcons suddenly fell. There weren't really that many left anyway, thanks mostly to Omega Supreme and the Dinobots, most of the undead forces had been wiped out already. But any that remained had suddenly fell down, the purple glow and energy that had reanimated then had suddenly vanished and they fell to the ground like pieces of scrap metal.

"What the…?" Gino looked around in surprise with everyone else. "What's going on?"

Jazz kicked the head of an unresponsive Terrorcon. "Think these guys are dead. Like, really dead."

Ultra Magnus looked with a serious yet concerned expression as the Gawain Nerion came up to his side. "Magnus… what happened?"

"I'm… not sure." The Autobot commander replied before accessing communications. "T-AI, what's happened? The remaining enemy forces have stopped."

"We're no longer detecting any dark energy readings within the immediate area." T-AI reported as she, Perceptor, and Steve were at the different consoles on the Ark, scanning the perimeter around Darkmount."

"There no Dark Energon signatures anywhere. It's like it all just vanished…" Knock Out commented.

"Does that mean… it's over…?" Steve asked with a sense of hope.

An alert got Perceptor's attention as he looked towards a monitor. "Optimus and Bumblebee's signals have popped back online! I'm not getting any readings from the Shinkiro or Lancelot however… but that's only for the Knightmares!"

"What about Megatron? Can't you pick up his signal?" Zhou asked.

"Negative. I'm not picking up any other Decepticon signals in that area." Perceptor reported.

"Then establish communications right away!" T-AI instructed. "We need to know what's happened!"

Optimus landed once again on the platform, the Star Saber sheathed at his back. As he collected the Sky Boom Shield as well, he looked towards Lelouch who stared up at him with an emotional smile.

"Alpha Trion sends his regards." Lelouch said.

Though momentarily surprised by that revelation, that also told Optimus everything he needed to know, to which he gave a smile and a nod.

"L-Lelouch…?" Hearing his sister's voice caused the smiling Lelouch to turn around to see not only Nunnally, but also Suzaku, Bumblebee, Cera, and Sayoko, all staring at him in emotional surprise. "Is… is that… you…?"

"A-are… are you… really here…?" Suzaku stuttered.

"Yeah… it's me. I'm here." Lelouch confirmed.

"B-But how… I… I don't understand…" Bumblebee couldn't find the words.

However, despite the emotions she felt, Cera herself had a good idea, feeling her forehead briefly. In that instant where Lelouch came back, she had felt a familiar presence, one that she felt before when she touched the Matrix and formed a contract with Optimus.

"The Primes…"

"Including Vector Prime and even the Caretaker." Lelouch confirmed. "Neo Ragnarök was a process that connected the living and the dead, this allowed the Primes to bring my spirit to their dimension, where they let me borrow a portion of their power to come back. But it wasn't just them… it was our mother."

Nunnally gasped at that.

Lelouch kneeled to his sister's level and put a hand on her shoulder. "She sacrificed herself to give me a chance to come back. Nunnally… there's no denying that she hurt us… and some fo the things she did can't be forgiven. She accepted that. She told me to tell you, that it's alright if you can't forgive her. But that shouldn't stop you from living your life to the fullest. She said she loved you, and me… and I believed her."

Tears flowed down Nunnally's face as so many emotions flooded her mind. First there was regret in saying how she would never forgive her right before she died all over again, and while she was right to say that and there were many things she couldn't forgive, her mother gave herself so that her brother could live again. She gave her the greatest gift of all… bringing her precious brother back! And it was him who destroyed the monster that caused them all so much grief.

She leapt into her brother's arms and buried her face in his shoulder, balling her eyes out. He smiled as he embraced her back. Suzaku and Sayoko both joined in next as they embraced Lelouch, both balling as well.

"Welcome back… master Lelouch…" Sayoko cried.

"Don't ever do anything like that again…!" Suzaku said emotionally.

"Seriously!" Bumblebee kneeled as close to them as he could. "I know you got a thing for the dramatics but… if you ever die again… I'll kill you!"

Lelouch laughed as tears of happiness filled his eyes. "I'll try my best." He looked to see the emotional Cera, standing there and looking with a happy smile towards them. Lelouch offered his hand to her, which she accepted before he pulled her into the group embrace, all shedding tears in that it was all over.

Bumblebee remained kneeling as he looked up towards Optimus with a smile, the leader of the Autobots nodding to one of his best and oldest friends. After so many years of struggle, strife, and destruction… after the loss of their home… it was over. Everything that's happened, good and bad, it's all led to this. They had won.

"Hello? Hello?! Does anyone read me?!" T-AI's voice was heard over the communications.

"Yes T-AI, we read you." Optimus responded.

"Optimus, what's happened? All the Terrorcons outside have collapsed and the dark energy readings from before have completely vanished!"

"T-AI, am I able to contact everyone else outside despite being in this dimension?" Optimus asked. "I wish to address the troops."

"Of course…" T-AI confirmed as communications was established between the leader of the Autobots and all the allied forces outside.

"Optimus Prime to all units…."

"…Megatron is no more."

All fell silent on the bridge of the Grandberry as they heard that. Those four words that they had all hoped to hear, and yet to actually hear them… it was almost as if time had stopped before it finally processed in all their minds.

"Did I hear that right…? Megatron… is dead…?" Lloyd questioned.

"You heard that correctly." Fixit confirmed in an awed tone of voice as well. "There was no miscommunication."

"Megatron is gone…" Milly muttered before a happy smile formed on her face as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "MEGATRON IS GONE! WE WON!"

Nearly everyone on the bridge of the Grandberry all cheered as they celebrated, Cecile ended up pulling in both Rakshata and Lloyd for a group hug, and while they didn't return the gesture, Rakshata did smile while Lloyd laughed his head off. Claus fell to the back of his seat in relief as Misty simply smiled, Toto placing a hand over her mouth as she let herself relax in the command chair with tears in her eyes. Diethard couldn't help but laugh his most joyous and arguably fanatic laugh he could muster.

Shirley placed her hands over her heart as tears of joy were already shedding down her face, and that increased even more as Milly had pulled her, Rivalz, Kaguya, Nina, and even Fixit into a group hug as all six of them cried in joy together, or rather five as the Mini-Con couldn't naturally shed tears. This would also mean that Lelouch, Suzaku, Kallen, Rai, Anya, Cera, and Nunnally were all safe too! They won!

"Megatron is dead…?" Knock Out couldn't believe it if he didn't hear it himself, even Steve looking completely surprised.

"I… I can't believe it…" The former Vehicon stuttered. As former Decepticons, it was nearly impossible for them to comprehend the near unstoppable leader that had come back from the brink of death multiple times to be killed off permanently.

"Requesting confirmation, Optimus. Megatron is truly gone?" Perceptor requested.

"He is indeed, Perceptor." The Prime relayed. "Struck down by the Star Saber, Code and all. And Neo Ragnarök is no longer a threat."

Tianzi fell to her knees as she cried in joy, Zhou kneeling to her level to put a hand on her shoulder just before the younger girl wrapped her arms around her in jubilation, with the female soldier not hesitating to return the embrace.

"Hey, you guys heard that right?!" Ryo exclaimed as he and Ashley were the first to burst into the med bay with Akito, Leila, Orpheus, Ayano, Yukiya, Sokkia, and Jean right behind them. Monica and Euphemia had both woken up as Arthur leapt into the bed and nuzzled up against the pink-haired girl.

"Ryo, you can't just burst into…!" Ayano tried to stop him.

"Megatron is freaking dead! It's over! We won!" Ryo cheered for everyone.

Despite his rude burst earlier, everyone in the med bay couldn't help but celebrate. Euphemia, Sophie, Akari, and Joe all cried in joy as Ryo had pulled Yukiya and Ayano into a group hug, which they returned instantly. Leila had pulled Akito into a kiss right as Anna hugged them both with tears of joy streaming down her eyes while Eliza rubbed herself against their legs with a purr, Ashley pulled Jean into an arm-lock as they both laughed with Sokkia leaping at them with a hug, and Orpheus shared an emotional smile with Monica.

Ratchet also laughed as loudly and triumphantly as he could before letting out a sigh of relief and emotional gratitude. "It's over…"

"Hey uh Ratchet… if you're not too busy celebrating… Ironhide and Bulkhead could use some medical attention down here." Rai requested over the comns, though the Autobot medic also heard the joyous laughs from not only Rai but the aforementioned Autobots who were undoubtedly with him, celebrating despite their injuries.

"We'll survive… but a little help wouldn't hurt." Ironhide gave a joking laugh.

"They're not the only ones." Arcee said in the same tone. "Could use a patch up myself."

"Hold on… we'll limp our way there and save the old bot the trouble…" Bulkhead joked.

Ratchet laughed again before responding. "I'm on my way. Anna, please work with T-AI in coordinating any medical attention needed for our troops on the field while I'm gone."

"Leave it to me." Anna nodded.

"Please… let me come with you…" Euphie tried to stand up out of her bed.

"Euphemia…" Leila tried to ease, but the girl stood up straight despite that.

"I have to see them…" She didn't lose her emotional smile as Arthur leapt into her arms. "After everything… I have to see them…"

"I'll come to." Akari volunteered. "Make sure she doesn't overdo it. And I'd like to give my daughter the biggest hug and kiss I can give." She said as she cried.

Ratchet couldn't help but smile, maybe it was from the relief of their victory, or simply him being understanding, but he allowed it with a nod.

"We won…?" Ohgi stuttered as he the Gawain Nerion's cockpit opened, allowing him to stand up as he looked towards Ultra Magnus, who gave a smile and a nod of his own. "We won…!" He wiped the tears from his eyes as he turned to his side to see Chigusa emerge from her Knightmare, an emotional smile on her face. "We won!" He raised his fists in the air as he shouted as loud as he could. "WE WOOOOOOON!"

Cheers and victorious yells and laughed echoed throughout the battlefield as every human and Cybertronian present celebrated.

"LONG LIVE THE BLACK KNIGHTS AND AUTOBOTS! HIP-HIP-HOORAY!" Tamaki cheered as he stood at the shoulder of his Wrecker Akatsuki and waved his jacket around in joy.

"KABALAM!" Warpath yelled in joy as he fired his canon straight into the air, in contrast to Xingke who stood up from his Knightmare and looked to the sky, taking a deep breath before smiling in joy.

Cornelia too emerged from her Knightmare as she cried in joy, Guilford rolling up to her in his own Knightmare as he looked to her with a smile of emotional relief, which only caused her to joyously cry even more.

Andrea stood up with a smile inside his G1 command unit as everyone in the mobile base all celebrated, hugging and crying with one another, while the man only gave a simple nod.

Nearly every Black Knight stepped down from their Knightmares alongside the allied soldiers who joined them in this battle as they celebrated their victory. This included Gino, Nonette, Marrybell, and Oldrin wrapped their arms around one another for a group hug, right before Oldrin and Marrybell shared an emotional kiss. Tohdoh had stepped down as he saw Chiba running towards him before she leapt at him with a hug and laughter of emotional joy, and he happened to return the gesture by placing one arm around her. As they parted, they saw Drift approach them along with Jetstorm and Safeguard, the Autobot master and his Mini-Con students bowed to them in respect, something Tohdoh and Chiba both returned.

"OOHA!" Wheeljack cheered as he and Grindcore shared a belly smash as fellow Wreckers right before Grindcore pulled in not only Wheeljack, but also Sideswipe and Strongarm into a group embrace as usual.

It seemed only natural that the Autobots would celebrate as well given this marked the official end of the war that had ravaged their home world for so long. So many friends and comrades lost can now finally rest in peace, knowing that they have been avenged. Windblade and Jetfire both landed and shared smiles as they joined the celebration with Jazz and Smokescreen sharing an arm-clasp with one another, with even Smokescreen offering a fist-bump to Undertone, who accepted it wholeheartedly.

Elita felt so much emotional relief that she had fallen to her knees. So many eons of fighting and sacrifice… to know that it was no longer in vain… it brought her so much happiness. She saw a hand being offered to her, this hand belonging to none other than Ultra Magnus, and she accepted it. But as she was helped back to her feet, she and Ultra Magnus both turned to see Thundercracker and Sky-Byte approaching.

While everyone else celebrated, the two Decepticons didn't quite seem as joyous. It was a relief to know that Megatron's plot was foiled, but where did that leave them now? Given there was no real way for them to escape, and no further need to continue fighting… the blue Seeker and Sharkticon offered their hands up as a sign of surrender.

Elita looked towards Ultra Magnus, the Autobot commander reading his friend's gesture before smiling and giving a nod. Elita then walked up to the pair of former Decepticons and offered her hand to them, a gesture of peace and a desire to begin anew, after making some amends of course.

Though surprised at first, Sky-Byte joyously accepted as he shook her hand with both of his. Even Thundercracker walked towards Magnus as they too shared a handshake.

Alice and emerged from the Pegasus, as did the other Irregulars that she regrouped with as all four of them held each other and cried together. Such a scene made not only the observing Jeremiah smile, but even Grimlock as well. The Orange Knight looked towards the leader of the Dinobots as he gave a salute, to which Grimlock nodded in response. Grimlock then turned to the side to see his team approaching him, all of whom except Sludge all smiled, especially Swoop as he leapt at Grimlock for a bromantic hug. Grimlock smiled as Swoop set down before nodding and smiling towards Snarl and Slug. He then walked over to Sludge, the two sharing an awkward silence for a moment… right before Sludge smiled and offered his hand to his leader, which Grimlock accepted.

Omega Supreme continued to stand tall in the massive crowd of fellow soldiers as he saw everyone celebrate. Though he wasn't capable of as much jubilation as they all were, he did feel a great deal of satisfaction in knowing that not only was the war over, he played a role in it.

"Till all are one." Omega Supreme said aloud.

"TILL ALL ARE ONE!" Everyone on the battlefield all shouted as they raised their fists in celebration.

However, not everyone was celebrating in the area. On the other side of Darkmount, having been blasted right through the fortress, the heavily injured Predacon had forced itself back up on its legs. It heard all the celebratory joys on the other side of the besieged fortress, but more importantly… its masters were dead. It saw Shockwave's death, but something other than its basic instincts told it that the same applied for Megatron and everyone else who sided with him.

A part of the beast wanted to seek vengeance, but it knew that with the vast number of enemies and the combined power the all had, not to mention its own injuries, the Predacon would lose this fight. Perhaps retreat was best for now.

The dragon-like beast then spread out its wings and took to the sky once more, flying in the direction of the sun, using its bright light to obscure its form and hopefully avoid being detected.

Bulkhead had helped Ironhide to limp over to the artificial Thought Elevator as they sat beside Arcee, but despite the injuries they all sustained, they couldn't be any happier. The war was over. They first remembered coming to Earth aboard the Ark, never thinking they would get a chance like this, and yet it still happened. They had won the war! Not only that, they had forged unbreakable bonds with the humans who sat beside them. Kallen, Rai, and Anya held each other close as they cried in joy over their victory. And while it came at a heavy cost, such as Cliffjumper, Naoto, Dreadwing, and a number of other Autobots and human friends and family, their sacrifices helped them to get to this point. They would never be forgotten.

A Groundbridge portal opened up near them as Ratchet stepped out, with Euphemia and Akari right beside him, and even Arthur just below Euphie's legs. The older woman wasted no time in running to her daughter, wrapping her arms around her as she and Kallen both cried. Akari only pulled back just so she could kiss her beloved child all over her face, only causing Kallen to laugh. Euphie also came to Rai and Anya, happily hugging both of them as Arthur purred up against Rai's side. Ratchet kneeled down to his fellow Autobots and got to work mending their wounds, but he also shared a happy and emotional smile with them all, especially his oldest friend in Ironhide, who nodded to the doctor.

Just then, the artificial Thought Elevator shined a bright light, and when it subsided, Optimus Prime, Lelouch, Bumblebee, Suzaku, Cera, Nunnally, and Sayoko had all stepped out.

More tears were shed and smiles were shared as Nunnally immediately ran to Euphie, both half-sisters embracing each other happily and crying the whole way. Nunnally then broke away so she could hug and cry with her half-brother Rai, and then Anya, who then ran to leap at Suzaku with a hug as he cried along with her before moving over to his cousin and hugged him too. Euphie had ran over to hug Cera and even share one with Sayoko before leaping at Lelouch, both half-siblings crying as they held one another. Even Kallen and Suzaku shared a handclasp before hugging one another as well.

Bumblebee walked over to his fellow Autobots and kneeled to their level, sharing a fist-bump with Bulkhead as well as a nod with Arcee, Ironhide, and even Ratchet. Bulkhead and Arcee then gazed up at Optimus with emotional smiles and he too smiled and nodded. But when he looked towards Ironhide and Ratchet, his oldest friends, that's when the emotions were at their highest. They were together when the war started, and now they stood together at its end. And none of them could be happier.

Nunnally had hugged Kallen with all her might before sharing a brief one with Akari, which caused Kallen to look towards Lelouch, and at the same time, just as he and Euphie broke off from their embrace, she looked towards Suzaku. All four of them looked so emotional as they went towards one another. Euphie wasted absolutely zero time in pressing her lips against Suzaku's as they embraced wholeheartedly.

Lelouch slowly made his way over to Kallen, seeing the sheer relief and joy in his eyes made him feel just as much. When he was finally up and close with her, Lelouch cupped Kallen under the chin and kissed her on the lips. Tears of joy fell down her eyes as she pulled herself in for a deeper and the most passionate kiss she could give.

Cera's tears were still flowing as she saw Optimus slowly walk toward her. He smiled and nodded towards her, to which she smiled and nodded in return. They both then turned towards the artificial Thought Elevator as Optimus drew the Star Saber once more to slash and destroy the Decepticon constructed monolith. With that, everything that she had helped Charles and his party to build was now gone. Ragnarök was no longer a threat to anyone.

The war had ended.

It was over.

Done.

I knew this would be a big chapter, one of my biggest so far, and who could blame me? I mean, so much happened in all of this.

But the biggest takeaway… the Autobots and Black Knights have finally won! Megatron, Shockwave, Soundwave, and Shin Hyuga Shang were all defeated after one long and bloody battle. The Decepticons were defeated, the artificial Thought Elevator destroyed and Neo Ragnarök halted, the war was over.

Lelouch had also wielded the power of the Primes... becoming Zero Prime! Wielding the Star Saber and Sky-Boom Shield in the process and using both to destroy Megatron. As he said, it was the power of the Primes that defeated Unicron in ancient times, so it would make sense that same power would be used to destroy the Blood of Unciron that was within Megtron, and helped him to sustain his Code, erassing it and killing the Decepticon war monger in the process. But that power boost was only temporary, he can't just call on it again. Although, his own Geass may have changed as it flashed white at the end (the Geass powers of the other users here did not change, they only just felt the 'disturbance in the Force' LOL, just a minor side effect)

Yeah, unlike in canon, Soundwave and Shockwave are both dead this time around. Mostly because I no longer had any reason to keep them alive at this point. It just felt like this was the best way to give the best send off to Megatron's two most loyal subordinates.

We even had a heroic sacrifice from both Oiagros and Marianne so that their kin could live with those they loved.

Though the Predacon managed to escape… as for Steeljaw and Beleth… well… you will just have to see.

I once again apologize for the delay, but so much has happened here and I had to take my time to see to it this chapter would be done just right, and I'd say I'm very satisfied with how it turned out.

As I've said before, I will be taking a week-long break to rest and recover, while also going on a long weekend vacation with my family, and then I will have the epilogue to this chapter posted. So please stay tuned, as I'm sure you'll love what I have planned to give this story a proper send off.

Thank you for all your patience and support, and I will see you soon with the final chapter to Code Prime - R2: Revolution.