Wilson remembered the last time he spoke to his mother. She was frail and weak from months of fighting her illness. He could clearly recall the stale sanitized smell of the hospital hallways. Fading golden sunlight peeking its way through the curtains. He had curled his knees into his chest as he waited.
"Wilson." He looked up to his sister. Tears streamed down her eyes in a way that mirrored his own. An ancient tome was clutched in her arms. Her voice was soft as she spoke. "It's your turn."
Wilson choked back a sob as he rose to his feet. The twins wordlessly glanced at each other as they passed each other. It had been his mother's wish that she have a private conversation each family member before she passed. He'll never know what she told his brother or sister as they were to be private affairs.
The door to his mothers room loomed heavily before him. He didn't want to enter but forced himself to press them open. Large machines beeped and whirred around a large bed. Cables and tubes were bundled together each leading to bone worn woman. Each breath of hers was forced and laboured. Muscle and flesh withered into bone. She looked fifty years older than she actually was.
"Hey Mom," Were the only words he could muster. His mother patted the side of the bed. Wilson seated himself on the mattress. His mother reached with both hands and Wilson placed his hands in them.
"These hands are going to make so many wonderful things." She made a somber smile as she rubbed her thumbs against the back of his hands. "And they're going to help so many people."
"I wish you could see them," He choked.
She pointed to his head. "Keep an open mind and the world will forever full of things worth exploring." She then placed her hand over his beating heart, "So long this remains filled with love I will always be there. So long as you stay true to it you will never lose yourself."
That memory played out in the back of his processor as he soldered a few wires together. He forced himself to ignore the rumble of battle. Flinching whenever swiftshadow let out a furious roar. It shook him to his hard drive. He wanted to jump into her saddle and a fire off a couple of lightning bolts. Forcing himself to focus entirely on the the device was a far greater use of his abilities.
The lasers and claws worked tirelessly in cutting a fusing the components together. These may not have the same hands his mother held but with any luck they might just still save many lives. His heart may have long since stopped beating but it was still full of love. Perhaps in a way it did not matter if he was the original or not. He was still Wilson and always has been.
Ratchet placed down another panel over the sphere. Just a couple more pieces and it should be done. Wilson laser welded the panel securely in place followed by another in rapid succession.
"Done!" Announced Wilson as he finished the weld. All that was left was to launch it at the pillar. Easier said than done. Just had to get past an endless horde of darklings and cursed beasts.
The large silver sphere fit comfortably in Ratchets hand like a baseball. Wilson looked for someone able to deliver the payload. Magnus was busy wrestling a large blue robotic cheetah that was once was Arcee.
Bulkhead yelped as a stags antlers penetrated his ankle. His body twisted and morphed in a large lumbering robotic bear. Both Wheeljack and Smokescreen sprung into action flanking the orange eyed beast.
Bumble Bee was aiding the frontline keeping the darklings from getting into the hanger. Darklings splattered under the firing of his blasters.
That left only one bot able to do the job. "Wilson, Where do you recommend tossing this thing?" Asked Ratchet.
"As close to the main pillar as possible. Inside of it would be most Ideal." Wilson was already running several simulations on how to accomplishing that. So far the best result only made it slightly more than halfway.
There had to be a way Wilson determined. He just has to keep all options open. Could make a cannon of some sort? Catapult? A slingshot? Wilson scanned the battle field for anything that could be used.
A box of scrap metal caught his eye. Inside of it were some springs, bungee cords, and a tattered tarp. It was was a long shot but he knew he could make something work. He just needed something to tie the sling shot to. Eyeing the ground bridge controls another piece of the puzzle came into view.
"Ratchet can that ground bridge go anywhere?"
"If one has the coordinates,"
Jacking into the console the blueprints of his scheme appeared. Ratchet studied them. "You're sure that this will work?"
"Eighty six percent," Wilson answered, "Which is far greater than the alternatives,"
"Raf man the ground bridge. The rest of you get these cables and springs tied together."
Todd, June, and Fowler scrambled to assemble the device.
Springs were hooked onto the the catwalk. The tarp bound in the bungee cords and tied into the springs. Ratchet cradled the bright nuke inside the tarp. Wilson ran the calculations one last time before uploading the coordinates into the computer.
As Ratchet pulled back the sling and the ground bridge whirred to life, all Wilson could do was hope and pray.
The sphere was released with a shuddering twang and disappeared into the swirling vortex. A second later the outside world was enveloped in a brilliant blinding light.
Swiftshadow rained silver fire upon the horde. Beneath her was an seething sea of darkness and shadow. For every darkling destroyed three more took its place. Her chest burned and ached. Her injury was demanding she rest. If she rested the world was doomed. She had to keep fighting just long enough for the bright nuke to be launched.
Crawford created various constructs of violet light. From swords, spears, to a bow. A purple arrow loosened from his bow in vibrant streak slaying over a dozen darklings. Magnus pinned down a transformed Arcee. Swiftshadow should've known that not even Cybertronians could be immune to such magic.
She swooped down and blasted a fireball into the great bear that had been once Bulkhead. It distracted him enough for Smokescreen to get out of the strike zone.
She needed more fire power. She reached for the manual override on the saddles shoulder strap. It would give her just enough power to fire off a lightning bolt but she would have only three shots. So she would have to make each one count.
She didn't want to waste it on the horde as her soul fire could take care of it just fine. The bots busy taking care of their own. That left just one target. The pillar itself.
A Text message from Wilson flashed inside her visor. 'BRIGHT NUKE INCOMING! AVERT EYES!'
A siren blared as a ground bridge opened next to the pillar. A large metallic sphere flew from its mouth impacting the pillar and sinking into the shadows. Swiftshadow didn't have much time to set as she activated her visors dimmers.
The radiant light pierced both the dimmers and her eyelids. A terrible hideous shriek shook the sky. For the briefest of seconds she felt a glimmer of something. A sense of familiarity washed over Swiftshadow. A barest shred of an ember mired in the cold indifferent darkness reaching out like a thin fragile thread. Faint but there for only a moment before being swallowed again.
As she cracked her eyes open and flicked the dimmers off, a new sight appeared before her. more than half the pillar was torn to sheds. Only a thin wisp of darkness remained tethered the earth. All the darklings where annihilated.
The beasts scattered blindly. Many fled out to the dessert. Some ran in circles shaking their in confusion. Others simply stood still where they were. Bulkhead was one of the many who went still while Arcee bucked and charged wildly.
She could easily sever the the thin wisp of darkness still tethered to the earth. One bolt of soul fire infused lightning would've been more than enough. Yet instinct held her back.
When she felt that spark of something it awakened some deep instinct that knew what to do. What it was asking was dangerous and possibly suicidal but it was the only chance of winning. She just hoped that she had the strength to follow it.
She winged around back to the hanger. There was a couple things she needed to do before she took the plunge.
Gliding into the hanger she found the remains of team prime and human companions regrouping at the hanger doors. She transformed as she landed. Her wings and tail receded back into her body. Gripping her backpacks straps tightly she approached the group.
"All that and we're still toast?" Proclaimed Miko from the catwalk.
"I had warned such device would not work," Stated Crawford.
"Kelsey!" Todd raced down the stairs skipping every other step. He drew her into his arms. "Are you hurt?"
"Im fine," She assured her brother.
"Any other ideas on how to send this thing back to the shadow realm?" Said Fowler.
Swiftshadow inhaled deeply. "I know a way." The was no going back now.
"What do you suggest, Swiftshadow?" Spoke Ultra Magnus.
She unslung her backpack and placed it in Todd's arms, "Take care of this for me. I'll be wanting it back when I return,"
"What- where are you going?" He fumbled the bag.
"If I told you, you'd try to stop me,"
"You could not be thinking what your thinking, wolf cub," Crawford narrowed his eyes.
"Don't pretend you didn't sense it too, bird boy."
"Hope oft dwells in the darkest of places," Crawford said simply.
"What in Sam Hill are talking about?" Fowler asked.
"The key to victory," Was all Swiftshadow would say.
Todd seized her wist. "Kelsey, don't"
"I need to go." She could feel the window of opportunity closing. The wisp of shadow was thickening as tendrils branched out from the roots and sky merging back into the trunk.
"I cant lose you again," he pleaded.
"Todd. Do you trust me?"
"wha-?"
"Do. You. Trust me?"
"Of course i trust you,"
"Then trust that I'll come back." She pulled her arm from his grip and transformed. "And I'm sorry," She didn't wait for anyone to call out before cloaking herself in illusion. She invisibly darted out of the hanger and took to the sky. She ignored her friends shouts.
Staring down the pillar she knew that this is what she was made for. This moment was why The Wolf Spirit saved her. Why she made a champion. This here was destiny a thousand years in the making. More than that she understood everything.
The wisp had strengthened and was halfway back to its original size. Malic Korvoth's countless eyes burned into her back as she dropped the illusion. A jagged spike launched from the pillar. She veered out of its path then blasted it with soul fire as more fired out of the shadows.
Weaving her way between the spikes and spires she eyed her target. The thing that held the only hope left. Malic korvoth himself.
Diving down at the pillars base she flick on the generator. Electricity skittered up and down her spine and across her wings. She channeled it into her jaws mixing it with soul fire. A mere second before she impacted the pillar she unleashed her fury. Silver lightning blasted from her jaws shattering the pillars inky surface.
The shadows didn't have the chance to recover before Swiftshadow plunged deep into their depths.