After about another hour or so travelling down below the waves, Cogman had called in to everyone to come over to the torpedo bay of the submarine, so they could see what's outside. As they looked out the window into the darkness of the sea, they could see where the submarine was taking them.
"What... is that?" Viviane asked in awe and shock.
"Looks like a city below the waves." Braedey added in, his eyes looking on.
"You are the first to see this ship since the Dark Ages." Cogman stated to them ominously. "Your talisman is the key to unlocking this ship." He added to Braedey.
Everyone could see the vessel looks to be that of a large ring-like structure, with a central spire in the middle of the ring as the central part. The vessel looks to be thousands of feet tall, with a diameter to possibly even dwarf that of the overall length of Central Park in New York City. This ship began to emit a gentle yet ominous blue light within the dark depths of the ocean, the sound of energy building up accompanying it, as a section of the ship opens up for the submarine to enter. Unbeknownst to them, a Navy SEALS submersible was closing in behind the Alliance submarine.
"The ship knows we're here." Braedey breathed out in awe of what he's seeing. "It's alive. It can sense the power of the talisman and the AllSpark."
"AllSpark?" Viviane questioned.
"It is the source of power to create life. It's how the Transformers race was created so long ago." Braedey replied to her quickly. He didn't have time to explain so much to her.
The submarine soon entered what could be a docking bay of sorts, the doors closing up behind it and the Navy SEALS submersible, as the Alliance then came to the surface inside of the docking bay, coming to a halt as the water drains from the room, while still having water to keep the vessel afloat. Braedey climbed out of the sub, then he helps out Viviane and the others out. Braedey walked out to the edge of the submarine, looking around at the interior of the ship.
"Cogman, what do we do now?" Braedey now asked.
"You're the Last Knight. You're the Earl's special guy. You figure it out." Cogman retorted back.
"Yo, Alfred. Is there ever a time when you're not a dick?" Wheelie inquired back.
Elita now jumped in the water, ignoring the cold as she looks around, arming her weapons in case. "Let's go." She called to the others.
"I'm not going in that water." Cogman says defiantly. "My gears would be sucked into my main shaft." Bumblebee rolled his optics and he flicked Cogman into the water. Cogman stood up and looked back at the humans. "Now you're all on my shit list." He threatened.
The group continued walking along through the ship, following Braedey, who held up a light to lead them on, with Bumblebee and Elita also taking point. It was ominous and mysterious as they look about, seeing the intricate details and structure all around them.
"This is unbelievable." Viviane breathed out. "This vessel, the stories, King Arthur, all of it."
"Yeah, it is." Braedey agreed. "I mean, what does Burton expect us to do? This place is the size of a city park, so how are we supposed to find the tomb of Wizard Merlin at all?" He pulled out a flare and popped it on against a wall, making it unexpectedly pull apart and reveal a passageway. "Oh..."
"Whoa..." Viviane whistled as she looks in.
"Bumblebee! Elita! You two find another way round, and meet us on the other side!" Braedey ordered to the two.
"What? Are you serious? Think I like winding up in a place like this?" Bee commented over his radio, then he and Elita climbed up some cables to get over the wall to the other side, as Braedey, Viviane, Brains, Ravage, and Wheelie make their way through the passage.
"Oh, man, this is like being in an Alien movie!" Brains shuddered as he then thought about that familiar sci-fi horror movie. "Walking through hallways, and then BAM! Xenomorph pounces and eats us!"
"Thanks, Brains. I feel better." Braedey said sarcastically back to the mini-robot.
They soon reached what looked to be a large hole in the ground. Braedey took the lead, heading down the hole. Viviane now started to make her way down, thanks to the cables hanging from the roof.
"Uh, if it's okay with you two fellas, Brains and I will stay up here and uh, guard the hole in the floor." Wheelie said.
"Fine. You do that." Braedey replied, not caring if the they came down or not. "We'll be back."
Once they make it down the cables downward into the next cavernous section of where they are, all that both Braedey and Viviane could see several larger statues of Cybertronian Knights standing and kneeling down around the room. It seemed to be the inner sanctuary of the whole vessel.
"Whoa. This is definitely something else." Braedey commented and looks over to Viviane. "Now what?" He asked.
Viviane looked down at the floor, now noticing some markings etched into the floor. "It's Celtic." She wondered as she knelt down to take a look. As soon as she touched it, the floor lights up, and in the centre opens up to reveal what looks to be a human-size stone tomb, with the carving of the Wizard Merlin himself embedded on the lid.
"The tomb of Merlin itself." Braedey spoke out in awe. He ran up to the tomb, placing his hand against it. "Wow, this is something else." He added.
"It's real. All of it." Viviane added in, her looking on in awe. She then saw something echoed into the stone carving of the stone tomb. "Wait, it says something. 'No one shall have it'." She spoke up, translating the Celtic writing.
"Don't tell me you're not gonna open it." Braedey said to Viviane wjth a look of contempt.
"Of course I'm going to open it." Viviane laughed slightly.
Braedey nodded back in response. The two, now working together, started to push off the lid on top of the tomb, pushing it over to to the side with a heavy thump, then they both looked inside to see only Merlin's skeleton inside... and it was holding a wooden staff.
Braedey looked on in shock, picking up the wooden stick. "What?! Are you fragging kidding me?! We came all this way... just for a wooden stick?!" He yelled out, then he threw the stick away with a yell. "This can't be how it ends! There's got to be something else here. Both Earth and Cybertron are hanging in the balance!" He grunted in frustration.
"There might be something else we haven't found yet." Viviane suggested as she tries to look around to see if there's anything to tell them where the Staff of Merlin might be located.
Braedey decided to look over to one of the statues that was lying against the wall. He climbed on top of the statue, then he flashed the torchlight in its face. "What the hell kind of a statue is this?" He asked in confusion.
Suddenly, the statute's eyes light up, revealing the stature to be a Knight. The Knight roared, making Braedey fall off as it rose up to its feet. The Knight took out two swords and slammed them on the ground. "Who has come for the staff?!" It roared.
"Shoot him!" Braedey shouted. He whips out and arms a double-barrel pistol, and he started to open fire at the Knight. Viviane now sprinted towards Braedey, tackling him down to the ground as the Knight destroyed Merlin's grave.
"GET OUT!" The Knight roared.
Suddenly, gunfire could be heard just nearby and Braedey looks over to see Lennox, Ken and Santos with several soldiers shooting at the Knights. Braedey rolled out of the way, pulling out a set of cannons similar to Ironhide's, and he opened fire at the Knight, as it now slams its swords down on both sides of Braedey, missing him at once. A soldier now ran in and plants an explosive charge on the Knight's leg, making it explode and sends the Knight falling over the ledge and into the abyss below.
Viviane now ran over to the wooden staff, grabbing onto it to use as possibly a weapon against the old Knights, but she watched on in shock and awe as it suddenly became electrified and energised, then she gasps as it transforms into a silver 6ft tall staff, with the familiar markings on the tip of the staff to that of the talisman.
"Corner her!" Lennox ordered. Santos and the soldiers surround Viviane as Braedey joins in the fray and aims his blasters at Lennox. "Drop the weapon!"
Viviane immediately ran over to the edge and holds the staff out, threatening to drop it in to the abyss. "Go on, then. Shoot me!" She challenged them.
"Lennox, Ken, stop! You don't know what you're doing!" Braedey stated.
"All I want is that weapon." Ken said not keeping his eye off Viviane.
"Go ahead, shoot me!" Vivian taunted at the TRF soldiers. "Both your world, as well as theirs, are at risk. Only I can wield this staff. Go on! Shoot!" She taunted.
"Lennox... don't." Braedey pleaded to them.
More roaring could then be heard and they all looked back to the old Knights moving in. "Protect the staff!" More Knights now charged in, and they knocked down the humans in the process.
Suddenly, the sound of a sword being pulled out can be heard, the Knights now getting struck down and overwhelmed behind them as a Transformer struck them down and revealed itself to everyone. It was none other than Optimus Prime, but his optics were purple, while his colours have been switched from red and blue to teal green and grey.
"I have come for that staff." Nemesis Prime growled darkly, his purple optics looking about the cavern. He then stomped over and looked to Viviane. "Give it to me." He demanded.
"O-Optimus? What do you think you're doing?" Braedey gasped as he steps back. Optimus did not seem to have the same aura or energy that Braedey knew the Prime had before. This aura... it was evil...
Nemesis Prime growled as he stomps in, standing in front of Viviane. He then spotted Braedey nearby, so he deploys and fires his blaster at him, sending Braedey flying off his feet, who was yelling out, falling over the ledge and into the abyss below.
"BRAEDEY!" Everyone yelled out.
Nemesis now knelt down in front of Viviane, his purple optics like they're drilling holes into Viviane. "Give me the staff, human. Or I shall kill you myself." He threatened the human.
Viviane shuddered in fear, but she reluctantly handed the staff to Nemesis, with Bumblebee, Elita, and the others all watching on in horror. Nemesis placed the staff inside of his chest, getting to his feet. Santos immediately fired at Nemesis, making the Transformer now take out his blaster and blasts them all back, forcing them to take cover, some soldiers being taken down in the process by the Prime. Nemesis looked around for a moment, before he started stomping away.
"Who dares to challenge me?" Nemesis threatened, leaving the area.
"Are you freaking stupid?! You idiot!" Ken punches Santos across the face.
"Braedey!" Viviane and Bumblebee immediately ran over to the edge, and they saw Braedey hanging below onto a cable with his left hand.
"Little help here?" Braedey grunted, struggling to hold on. Elita immediately reached down and pulled him back up onto the ledge, putting him next to Viviane, who hugged him tightly first, the brunette hugging her back. Braedey now turned to look over at Bumblebee with a firm expression. "Something's wrong, 'Bee. Whatever that thing was just then, that was NOT Optimus Prime. Something's gotten to him, made him into THAT thing. We need to stop him and bring Optimus back. You're his friend, and he would do the same for you, 'Bee." He told him. Bumblebee grew a serious expression on his facial plate, before running off after him. Braedey looked to Viviane. "Go and find Cogman, and get yourself and the others back to Alliance. I gotta go and help Bumblebee." He told her.
"I'll go with her." Elita stated to Braedey, the latter nodding back firmly.
"Get back to the DSV." Lennox ordered to his unit. "Let them know up top that we lost control of the weapon." Lennox now turned to Braedey. "We're gonna find him."
"Alright. Let's roll out." Braedey declared.
As the huge ship began to rise towards the surface, Nemesis was about to swim up to the surface, an attack sub knocked him down, allowing Bumblebee to come in and tackle him. Nemesis twirled around, swimming off with Bumblebee on his leg. As this was happening, the whole vessel soon rose up to the surface of the ocean from the very depths of the sea, churning up the waves in the process. The HMS Alliance had managed to get out of the ship before it reached the surface, and was a few hundred metres away, Elita holding onto the conning tower of the vessel as she looks on in concern for everyone else onboard.
Nemesis prime immediately launched out of the water, with Bumblebee hanging on, and the two tumbled across the top deck of the huge city-size ship. Nemesis charged at him, as Bumblebee now back-swung a large piece of steel into his facial plate. With his enemy disorientated, Bee now grabbed Nemesis by the helm, and he slammed him down into the deck with a heavy impact.
Down below, Lennox and Braedey, thanks to the cables and wires, managed to get to the top deck. "Holy scrap! This thing is huge!" The latter called out, seeing the sheer size of the ship now. Braedey now looked over, and could see Nemesis Prime and Bumblebee fighting on the other side of the ship. "Come on, we can make it!" He said, then he and Lennox ran after them.
Suddenly, a large wave washed over the top deck, and was heading straight for them! "WATCH OUT! BIG WAVE COMING!" Lennox yelled, just as they are then swept away into the water.
Bumblebee now struck Nemesis in the side, before backflipping and kicking the jagged steel piece he has out of his hand.
Nemesis snarled deeply. "I am Nemesis Prime! YOU ARE NOTHING!" He elbows Bee down, before he then throws Bumblebee over his shoulder and breaks his back with a loud crunch of steel. Nemesis then threw Bumblebee away, the yellow Autobot landing on his feet, almost unaffected by what happened, and summoned his battle mask.
Lennox now pulled Braedey out of the water, and the two men ran towards the two Transformers as Nemesis gets knocked to the ground. He tried to fire his cannon at Bumblebee, as Braedey climbs on his chest and looks at his face.
"Optimus! Stop! What are you doing?! IT'S ME AND BUMBLEBEE! Please! OPTIMUS, you can't do this!" Braedey yelled at him.
Bee now jumped up and tried to slam a large piece of metal down on Nemesis' helm, making the Prime catch the attack and fire at Bumblebee. Bee pinned down Nemesis with his foot before a large wave washed over them, allowing Nemesis to get to his feet and run.
The ship suddenly began to rise up into the air out of the sea, making Braedey and Lennox go sliding along the top deck. Bee tried to hit Nemesis again, only for the towering Prime to block the strike and throw Bee right into the ground. Nemesis grabbed him, spun him around then he pinned the Autobot Scout down into the ramp. Braedey yelled as he continued to slide down until she stopped on Bumblebee's shoulder. Nemesis punched the Scout twice, before trying to stab him with a sword, forcing 'Bee to block it with his battle mask at the last second. Bumblebee kicks Nemesis back before the Prime rips Bumblebee's battle mask mask off.
"Optimus, stop!" Braedey yelled out loud. Nemesis snarled, summoning a wrist blade from his left arm, preparing to stab Bumblebee! "NO!"
Nemesis tried to stab Bumblebee in the facial plate, but Braedey suddenly jumped up and grabbed the blade with his bare hands. He held it back with all his might, then he looked at Nemesis' purple optics.
"Optimus Prime. STOP! It's me, Braedey Martin!" Braedey yelled out. "Your own son, your successor! Optimus, don't you remember the first time we met back 13 years ago? Or when you and I learnt about Cybertron's past together? You and I, we were like father and son. You even promised me to watch over the Matrix of Leadership until you returned!" He breathed a sigh as he looks on at Nemesis, the brunette looking at the Prime's optics. "Optimus, I see you as a father more than anyone else. You even see me as your own son."
"I would even lay down my life for you... father..."
Nemesis panted out deeply, his breathing ragged, as he stood there for a few moments. But then, he shook his helm as he stepped back, his optics now turning blue as he retracted his blade into his wrist. A second later, his teal and grey paint began to change away, now becoming his iconic red and blue flame colour scheme that he owns.
"B... Braedey..." Optimus gasped out, his optics wide and in amazement. "You... you are here. You... you called me your father. I never thought I'd hear you say those words." The red tribal mark that was on Optimus' face now disappeared from sight, as Bumblebee got to his feet. Braedey slid down and ran up next to Optimus, who looked around at what was going on. "What... have I done?" Optimus breathed out, looking down at his hands.
"It wasn't your fault, Optimus." Elita spoke up as she now ran up. "You were under some kind of mind control. You're not responsible for what happened-"
At that moment, two jets suddenly flew in with a roar of their engines, firing at the group of three Autobots and two humans, forcing them to jump back and knocked Optimus down to the deck of the ship, the jets both transforming and revealing themselves to be none other than Megatron and Nitro Zeus.
"You blew your chance to win!" Nitro Zeus sneered at Optimus. "You blew it!"
Megatron walked over, ripping the staff right out from Optimus' body, sneering down at him with his red optics. "I knew you couldn't do it, Prime. Your time is over. You failed." Megatron then grabbed Optimus by his helm as he leans in. "You turned your back against our Goddess. Now, you shall watch both Earth and Cybertron DIE!" Megatron pushes Optimus away, then both he and Nitro Zeus then transform into jet mode and they flew off with the staff!
"NOOOO!" Braedey yelled.
Suddenly, the Guardian Knights climbed up to the top of the ship, and they began to make their way down, and they all started to attack Optimus, punching and stabbing him with their weapons, knocking Optimus about and forcing him down to his hands and knees, all of them attacking the Prime without hesitation.
Onboard the Alliance, Cogman, Viviane, Ken, Ravage, Brains, and Wheelie all looked on to see the large ship airborne, all the while concerned for Braedey and Bumblebee up above.
"Not going so well." Cogman commented offhandedly.
Braedey now slid out of the way, and he and Elita all watch on with anguish and horror as the Knights continued their onslaught on Optimus, bashing about the Prime without mercy.
"You betrayed your own kind." A Knight growled.
"You chose the wrong side." Another Knight added.
Optimus sighed deeply. "The Guardian Knights... are going to kill me." A Knight struck Optimus, making him fall to his side.
"Quintessa is the great deceiver!" A Knight roared as it then slammed its axe into Optimus' back, as well as another kick to his chest.
"The judgement is death!" A Knight spun about, holding up its sword, and goes to strike Braedey for the final blow.
Braedey suddenly felt something inside of him snap when he heard that. "NOOOO!" He immediately stood up and ran forward, just as part of the talisman transforming down his arm, becoming a sharpened sword with a bright blue blade like it's made of Energon. With a mighty yell and swing, Braedey amazingly blocks the Knight's attack from hitting Optimus, a loud metallic clang emanating from the impact as a crack of thunder echoed all around them, and a bolt of lightning struck the very blade itself.
The Knights all looked down at Braedey in shock as he held back the strike, all of them now seeing the very sword he's wielding in his hand, plus the very energy of the AllSpark emanating from within him. Bumblebee, Elita, and Lennox soon ran in and they saw the Knights all looking at Braedey as Optimus also looks on, the brunette looking on at the sword and seeing what he had just done, him taken aback.
One Knight now stepped forward, and it held out its sword over Braedey. "Seglass ni Tonday... Nihil Hostiam, Nulla Victoriae..." It spoke out.
Another Knight does the same with its battle axe. "Seglass ni Tonday... Nihil Hostiam, Nulla Victoriae..."
All the Knights now level their weapons up over Optimus and Braedey, while they spoke out their Cybertronian mantra in respect. Elita now looked to Optimus, kneeling down to see if he's alright. Bumblebee could only look on in surprise and amazement as he and Lennox look over to Braedey.
Optimus now looked at Braedey, who recollected himself and stepped up to the Autobot leader. "Braedey Martin, I am sorry. I have failed you. I have doomed both Earth and Cybertron." He said with sorrow in his voice as he looks on at the very land beyond them. "Earth, the only place in the universe, whose people let me call it... home." He said solemnly.
Braedey turned and he placed his sword in front of Optimus, looking at his father figure with a firm look. "WE can fix this, Optimus. I can't win this fight without you. One shot, that's all we got. It's up to us all, Optimus. Without either one of us... we are ALL doomed."
Optimus looked at Braedey, nodding sharply back at his words, now picking up Braedey as he rises to his feet, then he picked up his sword, and he looks over to the Knights. "Guardian Knights. My brothers. I will never betray you again. I am Optimus Prime. To save both Earth and Cybertron, we must go forth to Quintessa's planet, and destroy her... once and for all!" He declared firmly.
