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TRANSFORMERS BEYOND
LEGENDARIUM
Chapter IV
The Age of Evolution
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The Age of Evolution, also known as the Great Formatting, was an era which saw the rise of early civilization on Cybertron following the fall of the Thirteen Primes.
Approx. 2 billion stellar cycles ago
After Micronus Prime, Onyx Prime, and The Arisen chose to be absorbed by the Well of All Sparks, the spark geyser erupts with an endless array of new lifeforms that would become the second generation of Cybertronians. Before entering the Well, Onyx Prime uses his relic, the Triptych Mask, to scan various lifeforms in the known universe for patterns to base the new Cybertronians on, as the first beings to emerge from the Well of All Sparks were a storm of robotic animals known as the Mechanimals. All kinds and sizes of them cover the land, fill the air and seas, and go across Cybertron. This happens nonstop for days as A-3 tries to log the different mechanimal species that come out of the Well. These mechanimal species range from the metal-eating Scraplets to the nimble Turbofoxes and the equine Thunderhooves to the majestic Singlehorns to the elegant Deatheagles to the vicious Pnema-lions and Alloygators to the reptilian Jurassanoids to the enormous, underground-dwelling Drillers.
On the third day after the Well of All Spark's activation, normal, humanoid Cybertronians similar in design to the Thirteen Primes and the Knights of Cybertron called Commandrons begin to appear. The first wave of Commandrons would gather around the Well, eventually forming the city-state of Tyger Pax. The last remaining Constructicons, Skyraiders, and Protectobots from the Age of the Primes would blend in with this second generation, acting as teachers, heroes and leaders of the tribes which form over the following eons. Among the second-generation Cybertronians was a proud warrior named Maximus Prime, the first "mortal" Cybertronian created by Primus, having been born with memories of the prosperous Age of Primes so that he may serve as a successor to the Thirteen and pass on their knowledge to future generations. Maximus Prime's benevolent reign would last for hundreds of thousands of ano-cycles with the Knights of Cybertron by his side as his vanguard force, who defended the weak and needy with the mystical Artifacts of the Primes.
Titans and other gigantic Cybertronians called Megamasters would then begin to rise into existence from the Well. These massive robots, along with the first-generation Titans, broke down many of Cybertron's endless mountain ranges and terraformed the planet's surface into what it is today.
Soon after, the first Insecticons and Arachnicons, insectoid-like and arachnid-like Cybertronians, emerge from the Well of All Sparks and settle throughout Cybertron's badlands, creating hives and small farms of their own.
On the last day of this first burst of creation, the Well of All Sparks' largest and most powerful creations of all would emerge, magnificent beastformers known as the peaceful Maximals and the savage Predacons. Although they were intelligent and capable of speech, the Maximals and the Predacons-direct lineage of Onyx Prime-adhered to primitive lifestyles; they competed with one another for food and territory in savage duels, and fed off other lifeforms indiscriminately, with some Predacons terrorizing Commandrons across the planet. Among the first and most powerful of of the ancient beastformers is an imposing robotic dragon known only as "the Predaking," who struck fear into the sparks of all but the most stout-hearted Cybertronians like Maximus Prime and the Knights of Cybertron, who were some of the very few standard-formers who bested him in battle.
Unlike the first generation, the second generation of Cybertronians didn't realize that they have a T-Cog, so no one knows they can transform. A-3 and Alchemist Prime initially wondered if they should tell the new Cybertronians about their transformation abilities, but they decided not to as they didn't want to meddle with the new generation and take over, to be seen as heroes to solve everyone's problems, and they just preferred to watch what is developing on Cybertron in slowed-down time.
Approx. 1.7 billion stellar cycles ago
Four massive descendants of Nexus Prime emerge fully formed from the Well of All Sparks, their component protoforms already combined. The four giant Combiners are drawn away from the surface and into the depths of the planet where they are appointed as the Guardians of Primus and take up eternal watch within the Ignition Chamber where the spark-core of Primus resides, entering stasis lock.
Approx. 1 billion stellar cycles ago
Dawn of the Age of Predacons: The Predacons begin to expand to dominate Cybertron, feeding on the numerous other species who struggle to make an existence on the untamed world and marking out their territories in displays of aggression and brutality. Their brutal rule prevents all but the simplest signs of civilization from emerging among the nomadic tribes of Commandrons.
Approx. 990 million stellar cycles ago
The Minicons, the descendants of Micronus Prime, band together into tribes against predatory Maximals and Predacons, forming communities within the mountain ranges and deep in the crystal forests, learning to build more and more complex tools and discovering how to mine energon from deep beneath the surface of the planet. Over the eons that follow, the various Minicon tribes led by their elders will reach out to one another across Cybertron, forming trading partnerships, alliances and eventually ruling councils. Together, they determine to bring a semblance of order to the wild planet around them.
Approx. 954 million stellar cycles ago
The nomadic Commandron tribes, struggling to survive on a Predacon-ruled Cybertron, begin to ally themselves with some of the less aggressive Maximal packs and prides that roam the plains and crystal forests, providing them with energon and shelter in return for defense and early warnings of Predacon attacks. Over the course of the next several million years, the relationship between the two races will deepen until both work together as equals. In the more civilized times to come, the descendants of these early Maximals in the near future will come to be known as modern beastformers and otherwise thought of as part of the same Transformer race as the descendants of the Commandrons.
Approx. 916 million stellar cycles ago
The Minicons discover their T-Cogs and how to use them to adapt themselves to a variety of forms to better aid them in their work, becoming tools and equipment. Able to transform, the Minicons are able to move about on the surface without attracting undue attention, allowing them to work on the surface for short periods free from predators. From time to time, they are glimpsed by passing Commandrons or sensed by their Maximal companions, triggering legends of shape-shifting creatures among the Commandron tribes.
Approx. 897 million stellar cycles ago
Fleeing from a pack of Predacons on the surface, a newborn Commandron fresh from the Well of All Sparks finds himself lost beneath the surface, heading deeper and deeper into the ancient caverns. Finally, almost on the verge of stasis lock, he finds himself in the Ignition Chamber within the core of Cybertron, summoned by a voice in the depths, and there discovers the slumbering spark-chamber of Primus. He is addressed by Vector Sigma, which names him the Keeper, and charges him with protecting Primus from intruders during his hibernation until the day he is awakened.
Approx. 870 million stellar cycles ago
Dawn of the Age of Heroes: Though many more of their kind continue to live a traditional nomadic lifestyle across the planet, several Commandron tribes begin to settle in one place rather than constantly migrating in search of energon, building ring forts and fortified settlements and mining energon and metals from beneath the surface. Though this early form of Transformer civilization is limited by the domination of the Predacons over the surface, the settlers band together into larger and larger communities as the eons pass, leaving traces of their presence in fragments of tools and the foundations of their forts and settlements.
Approx. 865 million stellar cycles ago
The legendary Kingdom of Khebex is founded by the mythologized warrior-prince who would become known as Pion Rex. Legend claims that on his path to the throne-aided by his trusted Minicon companion Sparkgrinder who was able to assume the forms of an endless variety of melee weapons-he slew the tyrant Floron of Stygiax, cowed the Beast-Lords of Ghekk, defended the settlers of the region that'll become the modern-day Tagan Heights from Predaking himself, and conquered the cannibal tribes led by Cannibaron of the Great Waste, and that from the throne of Khebex he became renowned as a maker of laws, defender of the innocent and wise philosopher-king.
Approx. 821 million stellar cycles ago
Autonomous Maximus decides to step down from his position as Grandmaster of the Knights of Cybertron, handing over the title to the young Sentius Nobilius. Following this, he suddenly disappeared from the face of Cybertron, his exploits as the first Knight Grandmaster fading into the fog of myth and legend. Autonomous Maximus's name would be forever lost to history, resulting in incomplete folktales referring him as "the Ultimate Warrior" or "the Soul of Cybertron." According to what could be translated from illegible texts in the Covenant of Primus, it's believed that Autonomous Maximus decided to descend into the planet's depths as a solitary vigil, entering a long stasis until he's called upon to once again protect his people in the prophesized "Day of Final Judgement."
Approx. 750 million stellar cycles ago
The Great Cataclysm: Near the Hadean System, a passing red supergiant star goes supernova. The radiation and heat from it interferes with Cybertron's star, triggering a planet-wide bombardment of comets and asteroids that lasts for tens of thousands of years and triggers deadly solar flares that irradiate the surface of Cybertron. Maximus Prime quickly decreed that every surviving Cybertronian would go into stasis underground until the radiation subsided and the surface was habitable again. While many humanoid Cybertronians took shelter underground in stasis lock, the Maximals and Predacons remained unshielded on the planet's surface, eventually leading to their extinction. Most of the Titans and Megamasters were killed during the extinction event, however, a few managed to go into deep stasis within Cybertron's underworld, though they remained dormant in their alt-modes.
The Order of Protectors is founded by Maximus Prime, A-3, and Alchemist Prime: a hospitalizer order of volunteers who will spend the long eons of the Great Cataclysm caring for their sleeping brethren deep within the planet while waiting for the chaos on the surface to subside. Many of the Protectors will die during the long wait, victims of long-term radiation poisoning and other after-effects from the Cataclysm, but thanks to their efforts the majority of their charges will survive to return to the surface in the coming age.
Thus, the Age of Evolution ended.
When the Cybertronians woke up thousands of years later, they began to rebuild their wounded world in the new era to come...