"Forgive me, Lord Megatron. While I do not question the wisdom of our tactical retreat, know that I am fully prepared to lead the troops in a counter-attack against the Autobots." Dreadwing said.
"Counter-attack? Perhaps you failed to notice Optimus Prime cleave an entire mountain with a single blow. Not even the magic I took from Elsa can top the Star Saber. With that weapon in his possession, my enemy can obliterate us all with a wave of his hand. I must find a way to tip the balance of power back in our favor." Megatron said.
"Do we not also possess a powerful relic of the ancients?" Dreadwing asked. "Indeed, the Forge of Solus Prime. But it is useless except in the hand of a Prime." Megatron started laughing darkly. "But I might wield that power if I were to control such a hand." He said.
"Optimus, what is Alpha Trion saying?" Ratchet asked. "I wish that I could meet you under better circumstances, Optimus Prime. But I fear that Iacon will not withstand the next Decepticon assault." Alpha Trion said. "So, you speak to me from across the ages." Optimus said.
"If you are listening to this message, then I take solace that you now possess the Star Saber. I am certain that you have deduced how these Cybertronian relics and Decepticon weapons came to be found on such a remote world. Indeed, I transported them there not so much to keep them far from Megatron's hands, but to ensure that they reach yours. As you may have long suspected, the Covenant of Primus records events of the future as well as the past. My imperfect understanding of its runes affords me a shadowy glimpse of what is to come. The Covenant's pages foretold that you, Optimus Prime, would journey to the small but significant planet, and there engage in a crucial chapter in the war against the Decepticons. I know neither the nature of the battle nor its outcome. I only hope that these relics of the ancients will aid the Autobots in your time of need. Of utmost importance, in a few moments, I will launch the last of the relics, the most significant and powerful of them all." Alpha Trion said.
Optimus returned to the real world and nearly fell down. "Easy, Optimus." Ratchet said. "So did Alpha Trion ask about me?" Smokescreen asked. "What was the message?" Bulkhead asked and shoved Smokescreen aside.
"It is paramount that we recover the final six Iacon Relics. The Omega Keys." Optimus said. "Keys?" Arcee asked. "To what?" Ratchet asked. "To the regeneration of our home planet." Optimus said.
"Earth's Moon is a barren rock. Is it not?" Dreadwing asked as the Nemesis approached Earth's only natural satellite. "Indeed, Dreadwing. But the Moon is not our destination." Megatron said. They both saw a giant Space-Bridge behind the Moon. "A Space-Bridge?" Dreadwing asked.
"Our very own. Relocated here after the Autobots discovered its whereabouts on Earth. The dark side of the Moon is hidden from prying human eyes and, more importantly, well out of the Autobots reach. Come, Dreadwing. We shall travel to the one place in the galaxy, which may provide us a means of defeating Optimus Prime." Megatron said, and he and Dreadwing transformed and flew for the Space-Bridge.
"Pack your gear. We're going back to Cybertron!" Bulkhead said. Bee buzzed happily. Ratchet laughed. "Well, believe it now, Bumblebee. Civilization at last." He said. "But I just got here." Smokescreen said. "Remember oil baths? The first thing I'm gonna do, planetside, is soak for an entire solar cycle." Chromia said.
"I can't wait to tell Miko!" Bulkhead said. "And Jack, Elsa, and Anna." Arcee said. Bee buzzed softly and looked down.
"Optimus, keys open doors. Can they really revive an entire planet?" Smokescreen asked. "While I am unfamiliar with the lore of these Omega Keys, Alpha Trion knew many secrets, and the ancients possessed technology that has long been lost to what we consider modern science." Optimus said.
Megatron and Dreadwing emerged from the portal to Cybertron. "The devastation to our homeworld is worse than I remember. Curse the Autobots to the Pit!" Dreadwing snarled.
"Whatever their function, this much is certain, we can not restore Cybertron without all Omega Keys in our possession." Optimus said. "Which means we can't afford to lose a single one to Megatron." Arcee said. "Four sets of coordinates from Alpha Trion remain encrypted. It is logical that each coordinates corresponds to the location of one of the Omega Keys. One of these locations will have 3 Omega Keys. I must not waver until I decode them all. The future of our homeworld depends on it." Optimus said.
An old door creaked open. "A tomb." Dreadwing said. "One known to contain the remains of Primes. Please tell me you're not adverse to desecration." Megatron said. "It is just that being in such a place evokes powerful emotions, considering the fate of my twin." Dreadwing said.
"Then you should delight in our purpose here. To exact our revenge of Skyquake and of all our fallen brethren." Megatron said. Dreadwing grabbed the lid and pushed it off. Megatron created an ice knife and sliced something off the deceased Prime
"You shall require a more practical means of carrying such a blade." Ratchet said as he finished construction on the device for Optimus. "I feel funny saying this, but I'm not sure I want to go back." Arcee said. "Who knew we'd ever get so used to our new home?" Bulkhead asked. Bee buzzed. "Yeah, I don't think I'd ever want to leave Miko." Bulkhead said.
"We've made friends here, family." Arcee said. "We can always... text them." Ratchet said. "Besides, been fighting for so long, I don't know if I can do anything else." Bulkhead said. "You can go back into construction. The power of the ancients may breathe life back into Cybertron's core, but our war-ravaged cities will surely require rebuilding." Ratchet said.
"I wouldn't make any travel plans just yet. We still have to locate these Omega Keys and secure them before the 'Cons do." Arcee said. "Yeah, like that'll be a problem. Optimus has the Star Saber now, Megatron's end is in sight." Smokescreen said.
"Yes, I can do it, Lord Megatron. If you're certain that's what you really want." Knockout said. "Like nothing I've ever desired before, doctor." Megatron said. "I shall induce Stasis." Knockout said. "No! I wish to bear witness as you attach my new appendage. And I want my gun and sword attached to it as well." Megatron said. "Coming up." Knockout said as he turned his servo into a saw and began to detach Megatron's weapons, then his arm. Inside a container on the table was the arm that belonged to the Prime of Lies, Liege Maximo.
"Autobots, I have decoded the first set of the final coordinates. Divide into teams in the event that I'm able to decode another before the first team returns." Optimus said. "I'm on team one. Who's with me?" Smokescreen asked. "I'll go." Arcee said. "After you, sir, ma'am, commander?" Smokescreen asked. "This should be interesting." Ratchet said as he activated the Ground-Bridge.
Megatron entered the room that held the Forge of Solus Prime. "Yes." He snickered as he felt his magic flow through the Prime arm, and his servo glowed with purple magic. He grabbed the Forge, and it glowed in response. "At long last. The power of the Primes belongs to me." The warlord said.
A Ground-Bridge opened into Egypt, allowing Smokescreen and Arcee to enter and transform. "First one's here." Smokescreen said. "No locator beacon, which means the relic's still buried, right about... here." Arcee said.
Megatron bashed a crystal of Dark Energon that was covered in purple ice. "The Forge of Solus Prime possesses the ability to create anything from raw material." Dreadwing said. "And in this case, said raw material would be a big hunk of Dark Energon that was surrounded by purple ice." Knockout said.
"Uh, Arcee, I-I owe you an apology. I never meant to endanger Jack and Elsa. Humans squish easily, I get that now." Smokescreen said. "This isn't just about Jack or Elsa, Team Prime can't afford any casualties. Human or 'Bot. I've already lost two seasoned partners. I don't need a rookie on my scorecard." Arcee said. "Not gonna happen. Elite Guardsman's honor. Wait, you lost two partners?" Smokescreen asked.
Megatron kept smashing the frozen crystal when Soundwave entered. "You have decoded the next set of Iacon coordinates. Excellent work, Soundwave." Megatron praised.
Arcee and Smokescreen walked through a giant tunnel. "Nice of the humans to pile all these rocks on top of our relic, huh?" Smokescreen asked. They turned a corner and found a giant wall with three Omega Keys imprinted on it. "Pretty much spells things out, doesn't it?" Smokescreen asked.
"Come on, help me move this." Arcee said. They grabbed the wall and pushed it aside, revealing the 3 Omega Keys behind them. "The ancient humans must have thought the Omega Keys were gifts from the Gods." Smokescreen said. "And in a sense, they weren't wrong." Arcee said.
They came out of the tomb, but Megatron blocked their path. "The relic. Now." He said. "Two against one, we can take him." Smokescreen said. Megatron grabbed a purple, jagged blade with a black ice hilt, and the blade emitted violet smoke. "Ratchet, Ground-Bridge now!" Arcee said.
Megatron swung the blade, and a purple umbra wave blew them away. The Omega Keys clattered to the ground. Smokescreen recovered first and fired, as did Arcee, but Megatron blocked the attacks with the blade. He swung the sword, and the umbra wave blew Smokescreen straight into a pyramid, and he seemingly disappeared into smoke.
"Smokescreen!" Arcee yelled in horror. Megatron picked up the Omega Keys. "What manners of treasure did Iacon send us this time?" Megatron asked as he lifted Arcee's helm with the blade. "I would slice you in two right now, but I need you to deliver a message. Tell Optimus Prime that if he wants these relics, he must come for them himself." Megatron threw them to the ground.
"And then Smokescreen was just gone. Like he turned to dust." The Two-wheeler told when she was back at base. "Poor kid." Bulkhead murmered. "Arcee, do not blame yourself. It could just as easily have been -" Ratchet stopped when he heard cannons power up. "I say we go claim a piece of Megatron's miserable, metal hide!" Bulkhead said. "Yeah!" Cyclonus added. Bee buzzed.
"No. We have already lost another one of our own today. I will not risk more lives." Optimus stopped them. "Given what Arcee witnessed, it stands to reason that Megatron now possesses might equal to the Star Saber, and his magic makes him more dangerous than he already is. Which means only I have a chance to obtain the Omega Keys." He said.
"The fate of Cybertron rests upon their retrievals." Ratchet said. "Whether Megatron knows it or not." Bulkhead said.
Optimus stepped through a portal into Egypt. The 3 Omega Keys lay on the ground. "Claim your prizes, Optimus. If you can." Megatron said as he appeared and clenched his Prime arm. "By the Allspark, Megatron. What have you done?!" Optimus asked in disgust when he saw Liege Maximo's arm.
"This? I find it affords me certain... advantages. Such as the use of the Forge of Solus Prime." Megatron grabbed the purple blade from his back. "My first creation, fashioned from my ice magic and the very Blood of Unicron. I call it the Dark Star Saber. Slayer of Primes if you will!" Megatron roared as he charged at Optimus.
Optimus grabbed the Star Saber as Megatron released a purple umbra wave at Optimus, but he jumped over it and swung a blue umbra wave at Megatrn, but the warlord cut it in half. Megatron roared again as he thrusted the Dark Star Saber into the ground. Dozens of ice spikes erupted at Optimus, but he jumped aside from them.
Megatron removed the Dark Star Saber and swung it again. Optimus cut the umbra wave, but Megatron swung the Dark Star Saber again. Optimus jumped over a wall as the umbra wave obliterated it. He leaped into the air, and the Sabers clashed, filling the area with the power of Primus and Unicron.
They kept slashing. "At last, we take our rightful places, Optimus. As Gods! Even Elsa is one of us now. Wielding the power of the cosmos." Megatron held Optimus to a wall. "I am but a soldier, Megatron. And you are a prisoner of your own twisted dilusions!" Optimus said and pushed Megatron down.
Megatron swung the Dark Star Saber, but Optimus jumped aside, and the umbra wave cut a pyramid in half. Megatron ran at him again. Their blades clashed again until Megatron hit Optimus on the shoulder, weakening him. "My Dark Star Saber has tasted one Spark tonight. It still thirsts for that of a Prime!" Megatron said.
Their blades met again, and Megatron smacked Optimus down. Megatron yelled as their blades clashed again, but the Dark Star Saber shattered the Star Saber. The shards turned to dust as Optimus fell to the ground, still gripping the handle.
Like a king bestowing a knight, Megatron held the Dark Star Saber above him. "And so it ends, just as I envisioned! With your head beside my new trophies." He raised the Saber. "Oh, you mean these?" A familiar voice asked. A miraculously alive Smokescreen held the Omega Keys. "Finders keepers." He said.
Both mechs were confused, but Optimus took advantage of it and slashed at Megatron's torso with the broken Star Saber. "Smokescreen, fall back!" He commanded. Megatron swung the Dark Star Saber, but Smokescreen jumped aside from the resulting umbra wave. Optimus pushed Megatron down and pinned him. Megatron punched him off and swung the Dark Star Saber. Smokescreen touched Optimus, and the umbra wave passed through them.
"Ratchet, Ground-Bridge!" Optimus commanded. "No!" Megatron growled. "Missed us!" Smokescreen taunted as they ran for the portal. Megatron roared and swung the Dark Star Saber, but Optimus and Smokescreen outran the umbra wave. Instead of being furious, Megatron laughed evilly. "Run, Optimus! Run! Those trinkets from Iacon will not save you. Not when I now possess the power TO TEAR THIS WORLD APART!" He roared as lightning erupted from the Dark Star Saber.
Optimus slumped through the portal and turned away, revealing Smokescreen. "Smokescreen?!" Bulkhead gasped. "And Omega Keys numbers 1, 2, and 3." Smokescreen said and held all 3 relics. "But how? I mean, I saw you." Arcee said. "I, uh, decided to borrow the Phase Shifter." Smokescreen said as he held the relic. "Again?" Ratchet asked when he finished scanning Optimus.
"Good thing too, the wave from the blast hit me like a wrecking ball. The impact must have activated the Shifter. I don't know how long I was unconscious, but when I made my way back outside, Optimus and Megatron were deep in an epic throwdown. I waited for the right moment to make my move." Smokescreen said.
"You're learning." Arcee said. "So can I keep it? I mean, it is really working out for me." Smokescreen said. "Fine, fine." Ratchet said. "Yes! Signature weapon!" Smokescreen said, but his smile faded when he saw the shattered remains of the Star Saber. "You got yours, Optimus lost his." Bulkhead said. "The balance of power shifted again." Chromia said.
"While he may have wielded the power of the ancients for only one day, Optimus does not require it to be the mightiest of warriors." Ratchet said. Optimus decoded the remaining coordinates in silence.