Iacon Relic Hunt Part III: Battle of Kumbarilla Forest Part 1
Date: January 6, 2013, Time: 10:05 A.M., Location: Kumbarilla State Forest, 52.5 miles from Toowoomba
The swirling green vortex of the GroundBridge dissipated behind them, leaving Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Shadow-Hunter standing amidst the dense foliage of Kumbarilla State Forest. The earthy scent of damp soil and eucalyptus leaves filled the air as they scanned their surroundings. The coordinates from the Iacon database had led them here, to this secluded region, far from prying human eyes.
Arcee: "Alright team, you know the drill. Keep your optics open and stay sharp. We don't know what we're dealing with yet. Shadow-Hunter, take to the skies. Keep an eye out for unwanted company."
Shadow-Hunter: (transforming into his aerial form) "Understood, Arcee. I'll provide overwatch. Call it in if you need me to drop in fast."
With a low hum, Shadow-Hunter lifted off the ground and soared above the treetops, his keen optics sweeping the terrain below. The remaining Autobots pressed forward on foot, following the precise coordinates. After several minutes of searching, they finally reached a clearing where the Iacon relic lay buried beneath layers of dirt and roots.
Bulkhead: (grinning) "Well, would you look at that? Let's start digging!"
Bumblebee: (emphatic beeps and whirs) "Let's just hope we don't have to fight for it this time."
The team quickly got to work, using their tools to clear away the final layers of soil. As Bulkhead lifted the last chunk of debris, the Iacon capsule revealed itself—its ancient Cybertronian markings glowing faintly beneath the grime of centuries.
Arcee: "We're almost there. Let's crack it open and see what we're dealing with."
Before they could begin, a sharp transmission cut across their comms.
Shadow-Hunter: (urgently) "Heads up! We've got incoming! Decepticons—squadron-sized force. Eighteen flyers, closing in fast. And leading them… it's Havoc-Storm."
A moment of tense silence followed before a deep, guttural voice crackled over the enemy's frequency.
Havoc-Storm: (mockingly) "Autobots! You really thought you could claim an Iacon relic without us knowing?" (stepping forward) "I'd say hand it over, but that would take all the fun out of this."
Havoc-Storm, a towering Decepticon, stepped forward from the advancing squadron. His armor, a blend of dark red and gray, glinted menacingly under the sunlight. His squadron of Decepticon fliers hovered ominously above, their optics locked onto the Autobots below.
Bulkhead: (clenching fists) "Guess we're doing this the hard way."
Bumblebee: (beeps defiantly) "Bring it on!"
Above them, Shadow-Hunter banked sharply, weaving between the approaching enemy aerial units, dodging blaster fire as he tried to return fire. But the sheer numbers were overwhelming—he was outnumbered, and every maneuver only bought him seconds before another wave of attacks closed in.
Shadow-Hunter: (gritted voice over comms) "Could use some backup up here! Not exactly a fair fight!"
Arcee: "Hang on, Shadow-Hunter! We'll thin them out soon enough!" (activating blasters) "Autobots, let's move! We're not letting these 'Cons take what's ours!"
Time: 10:20 A.M.
The conflict escalated rapidly in the dense, shadowed expanse of Kumbarilla State Forest. The Autobots and Decepticons were locked in an all-out battle for control of the Iacon relic, the ground shaking with the impacts of powerful blasts and explosions, and the air thick with smoke and the smell of burning wood. What had started as a reconnaissance mission had quickly devolved into a desperate struggle for a potent ancient artifact that could change the course of the war.
Arcee stood firm over the Iacon capsule, her optics narrowed with determination as she worked tirelessly to open the ancient relic. The deafening sounds of blaster fire and the roar of combat surrounded her, but she remained focused on the task at hand.
Arcee: (gritting her teeth, voice filled with urgency) "I have to get this open... We can't let them take it."
With a precise and calculated strike, Arcee managed to break the final seal of the Iacon capsule. The lid creaked open with a mechanical groan, revealing the artifact inside—a sleek metallic wrist arm bracelet, its surface etched with strange, glowing symbols. The faint hum of energy pulsed through the air as the bracelet seemed to come alive with a quiet, otherworldly power.
Arcee: (eyes widening with awe, voice soft but inquisitive) "What is this...?"
Unbeknownst to her, the object she had uncovered was one of two prototypes of Time Dilation Wrist Arm bracelets, creations developed during the War for Cybertron by Decepticon scientists. These devices were designed to manipulate the very flow of time itself, granting their wearers an extraordinary tactical advantage. However, before the devices could be deployed in battle, the Autobots had successfully captured them and hidden them away in the Iacon Hall of Records, ensuring they would not fall into Decepticon hands. Now, Arcee had unknowingly unlocked one of the most powerful artifacts of the war—its true significance still unknown to her.
Before she could examine the device further, the ground shook violently as a blast tore through the air, forcing Arcee to dive to the side for cover. The Decepticons were closing in rapidly, their squadron of aerial units dive-bombing the Autobots below. The battle was far from over, and the situation was becoming increasingly complex.
Above, Shadow-Hunter deftly dodged blaster fire as he zipped between the remaining Decepticon fliers, his jet-like form cutting through the sky with pinpoint precision. He fired back, downing one of the fliers with a direct hit, but the other was relentless, staying close on his tail.
Shadow-Hunter: (voice tight with tension over comms) "One down, but I've still got two more on my tail. Could use some backup up here!"
Just as Shadow-Hunter prepared to take a shot at the last Decepticon flier, an unexpected roar of jet engines interrupted the skirmish. Looking up, Shadow-Hunter's optics widened in disbelief as a squadron of twelve MECHcon aerial forces, sleek and deadly, appeared out of nowhere. These twisted creations—cybernetic human-Transformer hybrids—shot through the sky with deadly intent, their weapons primed and their loyalties firmly bound to MECH.
Shadow-Hunter: (urgently, over comms) "This isn't good… MECHcon just joined the party!"
The arrival of MECHcon was a game-changer. These hybrids, the result of MECH's twisted reverse-engineering of Cybertronian biology, were formidable in their own right. Their human minds, once fragile and mortal, were now merged with cold, calculating machine logic, making them ruthlessly efficient in combat. As if on cue, the MECHcon forces dove into the fray, eager to secure the relic for their human creators.
On the ground, the battle was turning into a brutal, all-encompassing warzone. The Decepticons, led by the imposing Havoc-Storm, pushed forward relentlessly, their ground troops firing indiscriminately as they advanced toward the clearing where the Autobots fought to protect the relic. Despite their overwhelming numbers, the Autobots held their ground, refusing to let the relic fall into Decepticon hands.
Havoc-Storm: (roaring, voice dripping with malice) "The Autobots are always so predictable. You think you can stand against me, Arcee? You'll be crushed beneath the might of the Decepticons!"
With a signal, Havoc-Storm's forces unleashed a torrent of energy blasts, sending shockwaves through the forest and splintering trees into pieces. The Autobots were forced to retreat, diving behind fallen logs and wreckage as they returned fire in a desperate attempt to hold the line.
Arcee: (shouting over comms, urgency in her voice) "Bulkhead! Bumblebee! We need to hold them off, now!"
Just as the Autobots braced for the next wave of Decepticon assaults, the sound of revving engines ripped through the battlefield—MECHcon ground forces had arrived. A squadron of twenty-four heavily armed MECHcon soldiers, including a few massive, heavily armored units, stormed the clearing, their rifles raised and weapons primed for destruction. The MECHcon forces split into two flanking positions, surrounding the Autobots and Decepticons alike, and the battle became a chaotic, three-way fight for control of the Iacon relic.
MECHcon Soldier: (snarling with cold fury) "This relic will be ours! MECH will take it, and nothing you Autobots or Decepticons can do will stop us!"
Bulkhead: (gritting his teeth, preparing for the fight) "Looks like we've got a three-way fight on our hands, then. We've got to hold them back!"
The battlefield was now a true free-for-all. The ground shook with every blast, trees splintered as energy blasts tore through them, and explosions rocked the forest as the Autobots, Decepticons, and MECHcon forces battled fiercely for control of the relic. Havoc-Storm's Decepticons were relentless, their brutal attacks aimed at overwhelming the Autobots and neutralizing the MECHcon threat. But the Autobots, under Arcee's leadership, fought back with everything they had, determined to protect the relic and uncover its true power.
Meanwhile, Shadow-Hunter fought valiantly in the sky, using his superior speed and agility to evade his pursuers and deal out destruction from above. He took down another Decepticon flier with a well-placed shot, but the odds were stacked against him. The arrival of MECHcon had shifted the balance of power, and it was no longer just a fight for an ancient relic—it was a fight for survival.
Time: 10:30 A.M., Location: Decepticon Warship, Nemesis
The bridge of the Nemesis was steeped in a cold, oppressive silence. The massive warship loomed high above the chaotic battle below, its dark metallic hull casting an ominous shadow over the war-torn forest. The hum of the ship's systems was the only sound beyond the occasional murmur of Decepticon officers at their stations.
At the center of it all stood Megatron, his crimson optics burning with impatience as he watched the live battle feed displayed on the warship's main viewscreen. The Iacon relic—an artifact of immense power—remained just out of his grasp.
His fingers tightened against the command console, claws scraping against the metal with a sharp screech. The Autobots had reached the relic first. Again.
Megatron: (gritting his teeth) "Havoc-Storm... report!"
A tense pause followed. Static crackled over the Decepticon comms before a voice, roughened by exertion, finally came through.
Havoc-Storm: (breathing heavily, amidst the chaos) "Lord Megatron, the Autobots have reached the relic first. We are engaging them now, but they are holding their ground."
Megatron's optics narrowed. The Autobots—his eternal thorn in the side—were once again proving to be more of a nuisance than he had anticipated.
Megatron: (low growl) "The Autobots… again." (His voice dripped with disdain as he glared at the battle footage.) "Pathetic. But I suspect that is not the extent of your report, is it, Havoc-Storm?"
A brief hesitation on the other end. Then—
Havoc-Storm: "There's... another complication, my lord. MECH has entered the fray. Their aerial forces are engaging both Autobots and Decepticons alike. Their ground units are advancing toward the relic."
Megatron's optics flashed dangerously.
Megatron: (softly, dark amusement) "MECH." (He exhales slowly, voice laced with venom.) "The insolent insects persist in their interference."
His lips curled into a sneer. It was almost laughable, these fragile organics daring to insert themselves into a war beyond their comprehension. Again and again, they attempted to weaponize Cybertronian technology, believing they could wield power far beyond their means.
Megatron: (dark chuckle) "Fools. They scurry about like vermin, believing they have a place in this war."
His gaze flicked back to the battlefield display. Red indicators for Decepticons, blue for Autobots, and now an unwelcome surge of yellow—MECH forces—closing in around the relic site.
Enough.
Megatron: (commanding, his voice edged with malice) "Send reinforcements. I want the Autobots and MECH crushed underfoot. The relic is mine."
A nearby Decepticon officer hastily transmitted the order, while Megatron turned his glare back to the battle footage.
Megatron: (cold, dangerous) "Havoc-Storm, you will not fail me. Secure the relic. Eliminate all who stand in your way—or do not bother returning."
Havoc-Storm: (gritted teeth) "Understood, Lord Megatron. We will not falter."
The comm channel cut.
Megatron exhaled slowly, his fists clenching as he stared out at the battlefield. The Autobots and MECH both sought to deny him his prize. But neither faction understood what it meant to challenge the Lord of the Decepticons.
They would learn.
Time: 10:35 A.M., Location: Battlefield, Kumbarilla State Forest
The forest was a war zone.
Energy blasts and missile fire ripped through the air, lighting up the dense tree cover with violent bursts of red, blue, and orange. Smoke billowed from the wreckage of downed MECH drones and fallen Decepticon warriors alike. The acrid scent of burning metal and scorched earth filled the air.
Arcee ducked behind a fallen tree, her frame tense as she scanned the battlefield. The fight was quickly spiraling out of control.
Arcee: (through comms, steady but urgent) "Bulkhead, Bumblebee, we need to regroup! The Decepticons aren't letting up, and MECH's forces are cutting us off."
A short distance away, Bulkhead slammed his massive fists into an advancing MECH exo-suit, sending it flying into a tree with a sickening crunch.
Bulkhead: (grunting) "I hear ya, Arcee! But it's not just the 'Cons we gotta worry about—these MECH freaks are packing some serious firepower!"
A missile explosion sent a shower of dirt and debris into the air, forcing Bumblebee to swerve mid-charge. The scout transformed in an instant, landing on his feet and opening fire on an advancing squad of MECH troopers.
Bumblebee: (electronic beeps, translated through comms) "We're getting boxed in! We need an out—fast!"
Arcee's optics flicked toward the exposed Iacon Relic, now partially uncovered in the center of the battlefield. It pulsed faintly, its intricate Cybertronian engravings glowing with an eerie blue light.
Arcee: (muttering) "I wonder what this thing does…?"
Before she could finish the thought, a blast struck dangerously close to her position, forcing her to roll aside. A Decepticon trooper was closing in, weapon raised.
Arcee didn't hesitate. She launched forward, transforming mid-air before landing in a sliding kick that sent the Decepticon sprawling. Before he could recover, she fired a precise shot at his chestplate, sending him offline.
No time to dwell. They needed a plan, and fast.
Arcee: (through comms) "We can't hold this position for long! We either figure out how to use this relic or we lose it!"
*Shadow-Hunter is formerly Jack Darby's childhood friend and High school rival High school: Vince Jones and now is an Autobot Ariel flyer and the leader of the Autobot Ariel team. His Ariel vehicle mode is that of a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
*MECH stands for Mechanical Engineering Cybernetic Humans.