(Please see all previous disclaimers)
While Mirage and the two mechs with him were working in Iacon, preparing to entomb or entombing those lost during the war, Optimus and Ironhide had managed to reach Kaon, where Mirage had come from. The old kingdom looked awful and they weren't even inside the walls yet.
"It doesn't look like many survived the attack here" Ironhide stated, looking at he gate that barely hung against the broken wall.
"We must go inside and see all the damage that was done, as it is the only way we will know just how much repair it will need in order to become its own free citadel" Optimus responded, carefully walking over the pieces of crumbled wall. He had transformed inti his bipedal mode because the opening into the former kingdom was not wide enough for his semi mode. Hide transformed to his bipedal mode as well and the two went into walled in area that used to be the kingdom of Kaon.
Their optics were met by utter chaos and devastating destruction. Many here apparently hadn't received the warning about Megatron when the bot was on the attempted rise to power, and so many were taken doing routine, mundane things. The hardest thing to see were the sparklings who had met an untimely end thanks to the attack by Megatron. "I don't think many had a chance to escape the coming attack" Hide stated.
"My father told me through the Matrix that he had warned every kingdom, but Onyx and Quartz who ruled Kaon didn't take the warning from my father seriously" Optimus revealed. "I am not surprised to find so many here caught unaware because Onyx and Quartz refused to take the warning seriously."
"This will be an even greater challenge to repair" Hide stated, stunned at the utter devastation.
"Before we go, we must find the remains of Onyx and Quartz. I don't want Mirage to see them if they are in bad condition" Optimus stated, carefully moving around the remains of the bots who had been caught unawares. Hide followed, careful, as a rogue bot could be hiding in this destroyed kingdom. Hide still wanted to protect Optimus no matter what.
The soon reached the castle of Kaon. It was obvious that it had bee attacked and badly burned. Optimus knew by that fact that he wasn't going to like what he found inside. He still went in, knowing he had to protect his mate from what may have happened to Onyx and Quartz. It didn't take long to find the charred remains. They had obviously been left in a manner to send a warning to whoever found them. Optimus shook his head before trying to find something to properly entomb the pair's charred remains. He soon found something, and placed the remains in it, locking the chamber so Mirage would never see what happened to his parents. "This place is in desperate need of repair" hide stated.
"I agree but until all are accounted for and properly entombed and the rebuild started, this kingdom will not be marked as safe to travel to alone. There are too many places for a dangerous bot to hide" Optimus stated. Hide nodded and the pair left, unaware of a small tail that was now following them. The little one hoped these two big bots would help the little one to safety. Only time would tell.