Chapter 29: Light in the Dark
Review Replies
B.E.A.T.N: Oh no! The shit has hit the fan! Megatron has his dark energon, Ruin is most likely still alive, Octavia is injured, and Creator is still working out his plan to stop Unicron from being revived! Can't wait to see what happens next. Have a great day/night and stay safe.
ThermalsniperN7: Just read and see.
Techgabe: Damn…. I haven't seen the word "BIONICLE" in YEARS.
ThermalsniperN7: You've obviously grown up with the pre-2010 generation, based on that. Glad you're enjoying this.
Dragon Emperor0: Hopefully this will help you feel better.
Anti-Mage 29: Pretty good story so far, though Miko's statement is a tautology, not an oxymoron. The former is a repetitive statement, like saying there's a bachelor who is single, while the latter is a contradictory statement, like calling someone an honest liar. Sorry for nitpicking, just want to help people learn.
ThermalsniperN7: It was a bit hard to tell if that was tautology. Our bad, and thanks for the info.
Dragon Emperor0: I see. Okay then.
-Autobot Base-
"Easy, you three." Ratchet said as he and the others helped Optimus, Creator and Octavia into the base. "From the looks of things, you've been exposed to a massive amount of Dark Energon." He added.
"That's because there was a volcanic eruption, and Dark Energon came out of there." Creator told him.
"Dark Energon erupting from beneath Earth? That shouldn't be possible." Mathias stated with a frown, not understanding why that had happened.
"Yeah… I was about to say…" Octavia groaned as she was tended to by the minibots.
"But if Dark Energon is within the Earth, what does that mean, exactly?" Jack questioned.
"That it confirms the theory I mentioned earlier–that while Primus composes the shape of a planet known as Cybertron. His brother, Unicron, likely composes the very planet we're standing on." Tiberius explained as he and Miko slowly returned to human form.
"That… explains a lot." Raf sighed as he sat up.
"He's lucky to be alive, you three." June hissed.
"Hey, we didn't mean for Raf to end up in his position." Bulkhead retorted.
Though before anything else could be said, Fowler called them.
"Prime, I hope you have an explanation for what's going on!" The man told the Prime.
"We read you, agent Fowler. And yes, if you are referring to the phenomenon occurring at this very moment, we may have deduced what is causing them." Optimus nodded as he got up with a groan.
"That's great and all, but you should check the news to really see what I mean." Fowler said, which made Sierra turn on the TV and widen her eyes.
There were news reports of various weather phenomena all around the globe from tsunamis threatening Canada's west coast to electromagnetic storms shutting down power grids in the east part of the world.
It was like the movie 2012 was actually happening!
"It's as we feared." Optimus sighed gravely. "Unicron is awakening." He continued.
(Later)
Ratchet then pulled up audio files of the quakes as Fowler arrived on base not long after, and as the sounds synchronized–it became clear that they were steady, like a heartbeat.
"A heartbeat?" Serena noted with a confused frown.
"That can't be right. There's nothing for it to pump… Except…" June trailed off as realization set in.
"The Blood of Unicron!" Raf finished with a gasp.
"So that's where he is: The core of the planet." Mathias sighed as he pulled up a projection of where the earthquakes taking place originated.
"We need to figure out a way to get in there." Fowler declared.
"Optimus, any ideas?" Ironhide questioned.
"When Primus fought his brother for control, he had the original Thirteen Primes to aid him in casting Unicron out." Optimus mused. "There is a chance that we could do the same." He continued before looking at Tiberius. "But if what Alpha Trion said to Tiberius is to be believed, it would be at great cost." He added.
"What do you mean?" The agent questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"We have two ways for Unicron to be dealt with." Tiberius began. "One way involves Optimus putting Unicron back to sleep by sacrificing his memories through the Matrix of Leadership, but that would just be a temporary solution. He'll just wake up when the next alignment comes." He continued. "Or, I can sacrifice my life to scatter Unicron's consciousness so thoroughly, he'll never rise again for the rest of time." He added further.
"Whoa, that second one is pretty extreme!" Fowler exclaimed in shock.
"But worth it, especially since I have a way to come back from it." Tiberuis told him, showing the offworld findings he acquired.
"What the… Son, where'd you find these?" The government agent asked as he looked over the shard and the seed.
"I found the shard in a pyramid beneath the moon that's been there for eons." The boy replied, turning into Creator and projecting a hologram of the pyramid. "And I got the seed for this pleasant fellow on Mars." He added, showing an image of the Traveler over the terraformed portion of Mars.
"... Can I get some copies of this information? This stuff feels like something that should be known by the government." Fowler requested. Why shouldn't he make such a request? There was an ancient pyramid beneath Earth's moon and there was a paracausal entity on Mars that the probes sent there somehow missed.
Making his superiors aware of this info felt mandatory.
"Tiberius, please don't tell me that you're going through with this idea." Serena said, walking up to her son.
"I wish I didn't have to…" The boy sighed. "But if I don't, then it'll fall to Optimus and we'll have a repeat of this problem in a few millennia. I'm not going to let my descendants have to worry about Unicron just because I was scared of sacrificing myself." He declared.
"Then we won't let you go in alone." Miko told him as she sat down next to him, taking his hand into hers.
(Elsewhere)
Meanwhile, back at the Dark Energon volcano, the Decepticons had arrived and began mining the dark substance on Megatron's orders to bring to the Nemesis.
Speaking of which, the warlord in question was watching over the operation from the bridge, where Airachnid approached him. Soundwave was also there, and was playing the sound of Unicron's sparkbeat, which seemed to make the Decepticon leader agitated.
"Stop, Soundwave! Turn it off!" Megatron ordered. "I can still hear it pounding in my brain!" He gasped as he held his head.
"Lord Megatron, the cargo hold is almost filled to maximum capacity with Dark Energon." The spider femme reported. "Can I suggest a tactical retreat? The troops are feeling weakened from exposure." "She added helpfully.
"Yet I grow stronger." Megatron mused as he clenched his fist, turning to walk away. "Airachnid, you are in command until I return." He told the femme.
"From where, Lord Megatron?" The arachnid questioned.
"From my audience with Unicron." The warlord replied.
(Elsewhere)
Meanwhile back at the volcano, a familiar feminine Cybertronian hand splashed out of the Dark Energon filled lava and clawed its way out, revealing a mortally wounded Madame Ruin, who was missing both legs and was smoldering basically everywhere.
"Ugh…" She groaned. 'I'll…get you… for… this… cousin…' She thought, pain plaguing her mind and body alike.
As she clawed her way to the top of the volcano, it erupted again, and below her two purple glowing eyes opened within it.
"I Awaken." A voice, more ancient than any she'd encountered, boomed over the storms above.
And yet… She instinctively knew exactly who it was.
"G-Grandfather…" Madame Ruin groaned weakly, expecting her voice to go unheard.
It wasn't unheard, as Megatron soon landed right in front of her and quickly took stock of her condition.
"I had thought you had perished." He said as he lifted her up. "But clearly you are far more resilient." He nodded.
"I… used the… Bionicle… mask of… Death…" The gravely injured femme managed to reply, her breathing labored. "It… kept.. me… alive…" She added.
"Good. Good. Continue to do so, Ruin. I cannot afford to lose another soldier." The warlord nodded. "Airachnid, have the soldiers be ready for pickup, Madame Ruin is injured. So I expect her to be brought to the med bay, immediately." He ordered.
"She's alive?" Airachnid asked in surprise. "I'll have her treated immediately." She added.
"Good." Megatron nodded as a groundbridge opened up and a squad came through, placing Madame Ruin on a Cybertronian gurney and taking her back to the Nemesis.
Now alone, Megatron looked at the volcano and spoke.
"I sense your presence, share your very spark! I call upon you, o' mighty Unicron, to hear me." The warlord called over the howling wind to the rumbling titan below.
He got a reaction in the form of a cloud of Dark Energon ash accompanied by a malevolent presence. Unicron heard his call.
"Who dares call upon me?" The ancient destroyer demanded, his form covered in shadows with only his eyes and mouth visible via some light.
"Your servant most humble, Megatron, leader of the Decepticons." The warlord replied, trying to appease the being of destruction. "I have come to offer my services to you, as I have orchestrated the events that have led to this momentous occasion." He continued.
"... Is that so?" Unicron hummed before he sensed something. "Why do I sense two sparks of Primus?" He questioned.
"Optimus Prime, the last of the Primes and Creator, Primus' final creation." Megatron nodded. "I have been fighting to keep them from you, Unicron. As has your own progeny, Madame Ruin, whom like me shares your very spark." He added.
"My progeny, you say?" The Cybertonian equivalent of Satan hummed with a bit of intrigue. "If she is truly my progeny, I wish to confirm it myself. Bring her to me." He ordered.
"I would, but she was gravely wounded from a recent skirmish. She is being treated as we speak." The warlord replied.
"I can treat her wounds myself, should her claim of being of my blood be true." Unicron told him.
"It would be my pleasure, Unicron." Megatron nodded.
"Then go, I will take care of the Prime myself." The mighty being nodded as he disappeared again.
(Elsewhere)
Creator sat in a lotus seared position as he concentrated, floating above the ground with Izanami's Vengeance floating in front of him–the Mask of Creation on.
"What is he doing?" Elita whispered to Arcee as the two watched over him.
"No idea." The two wheeler whispered back.
Seconds later, the glaive split apart and started reshaping itself into a different form, constantly sliding and rearranging until the desired shape was achieved.
The glaive now had a white single edged blade that sported a blue light on each side, a black shaft also with blue lights on the side. Opposite of the blade seemed to be a curved component that couldn't be identified right away. Speaking of which, the blade was crackling with electricity that was compressed into a plasma-like monowire.
"At last." Creator mused as he returned to his feet and twirled his glaive. "The Edge of Conception." He nodded as he swung his weapon to test it.
Pointing it at a rock, he pulled the trigger and let a blast of energy blow it to pieces.
"Tell Optimus to keep looking at the epicenters, I'm going to check out one of the others." The first Bioformer told the Autobots as he flew off, transforming into his alternate form.
"No, wait!" Arcee exclaimed as she tried to catch him but he was already at full speed before she could even take her fifth step toward him. "Scrap! Going out in those storms is a terrible idea!" She hissed.
"Maybe he knows how to fly in them without getting hurt?" The pink femme offered awkwardly.
"I certainly hope so." The two wheeler sighed.
(Meanwhile)
With Creator, he followed data Ratchet had gathered on where one of the epicenters was located and landed in a superhero pose before he got up and scanned the area, finding that it was rich in ore.
He could also feel a presence here. That meant one thing…
"You can come out now, Unicron." He called, his voice echoing throughout the canyon.
"Very perceptive of you, child of Primus." Unicron's voice commented from his left, causing him to turn just in time for his evil gruncle to burst out of the canyon wall.
He was indeed menacing, much more than Megatron in fact. He was bulky in appearance, but was likely more nimble than he looked, didn't have any visible hands, but he did have what looked like a drill (and more than likely wasn't) on his right arm and some kind of hook on his left. He had a helmet with horns on it, and two bigger horns jutting upwards from his back.
His optics were, predictably, Dark Energon purple.
"... Multiple horns, of course." Creator sighed as he drew his glaive, while Unicron stepped towards him.
"I have been told that you gravely wounded one whom may be my progeny." The titan stated.
"Ruin's alive? Frag me…" The son of Primus spat. "She is. But she isn't the only one." He continued as he saw Optimus skidded towards them in vehicle mode.
"I see you have met Unicron." Optimus noted.
"I felt it was time I met my evil gruncle." The gold plated Bioformer shrugged in reply.
"So, you are the last of the Primes…" The destroyer noted as he looked at Optimus.
"I am. I am Optimus Prime, and I request your ear, mighty Unicron." Optimus nodded.
"And what would a Prime have to say to me?" Unicron questioned.
"If you continue causing the disasters that plague the planet, then you risk the destruction of humankind, who grew from the seeds of your greatness." The semi-truck transformer explained.
"And this humankind, you consider them my progeny?" The Chaos Bringer questioned once more.
"Indeed." Optimus nodded.
"And you should hold some level of pride in humanity since, despite the fact many wish to deny it, it is a race born from chaos in a world forged from chaos." Creator picked up.
"And what proof do you have to support such a claim?" Unicron asked with a raised eyeplate.
"My proof lies in the countless wars waged over the last several millennia." The Bioformer replied. "We started out primitive, and yet great amounts of blood were still spilled. As time went on, the way humanity conducts war grew in scale and refinement." He continued.
"The beings Creator speaks of is humankind, they inhabit the planet you now constitute." Optimus nodded. "Beings that have grown from the seeds of your very greatness. Your resurrection would only put them in jeopardy." He added.
"... In another time, I would have called them parasites and proceeded with their destruction." Unicron began, which caused Creator to tense. "But I do sense truth in one thing: Humanity is a chaotic species, one that braves chaos in various forms. So, they shall be spared…" He trailed off before glaring at the two before him. "But you will not!" He finished with a roar before he discarded his current arm weapons and grew a pair of hands before blasting his quarry with Dark Energon, sending them crashing to the ground with groans.
"Of fucking course…" Creator groaned as he and Optimus slowly got up, and cleaved the avatar in two with his glaive… only for five more to rise up.
"You may be strong, but I am everywhere!" The avatars exclaimed in unison.
"... Scrap." The two autobots cursed.
Dragon Emperor0: This little situation is shaping to be quite different from what we fans of the original show are familiar with. It's developing in a rather interesting manner, that's for certain.
ThermalsniperN7: Indeed, and we may make some custom additions to this arc. For example: MECH reaching out to the Autobots for answers on what's happening. That kind of thing.
Dragon Emperor0: This is the kind of stuff fanfics excel at, moving in places that the writers hadn't even thought of yet. It's going to be insane. I'm sure of it.
ThermalsniperN7: I second that. Anyway, see you guys next time on this pseudo 2012 arc!