EPISODE IV: REVELATION OF A HERO
What's taking them so long? Ultra Magnus thought.
He and the other Autobots were still held captive on the red planet in the Sol system: Mars. It had been a few days since they had been kidnapped by Omnicron; taken as pawns in a dark ritual to revive Unicron. Ultra Magnus had awakened first. Noticing that he was secured tightly to a large post, he activated his emergency signal device in hope that Rodimus Prime would follow it. Yet that had been days ago. Help probably wasn't coming.
�DON'T LOOK SO GLOOMY,� came Omnicron's voice again. He chose periodic times to speak up and taunt the Autobots, especially Ultra Magnus.
�Why shouldn't I?� Magnus said, clearly angry. �You plan on slaughtering every one of us to resurrect a tyrant who will then take billions upon billions of innocent lives. I think I have a right to be gloomy!�
�HA,� Omnicron boomed. �YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IT IS A TRAGEDY, THESE �INNOCENTS.� THE TRUTH IS, NO RACE IN THE UNIVERSE HAS EVER KNOWN TRUE PEACE. IT IS AN OUTMODED CONCEPT. EVEN YOU TRANSFORMERS ARE CONSTANTLY AT WAR WITH EACH OTHER, AND OVER WHAT? THAT PUNY PLANET, CYBERTRON. NO VALUE WHATSOEVER.�
�It is our home,� Ultra Magnus defiantly stated. �Primus has given it to us, and we must defend it by any means necessary.�
�PRIMUS IS A FOOL! HE IS TOO NARROW MINDED, HE CANNOT SEE HOW GREAT THIS UNIVERSE COULD BE IF UNICRON HAD IT HIS WAY. THE CHAOS-BRINGER WOULD DESTROY EVERY LIVING CREATURE. THEN THERE WILL BE TRUE PEACE, SOMETHING YOU SHOULD APPRECIATE.�
�I guess I understand now,� Ultra Magnus said mockingly. �You are completely insane.�
�SILENCE!� Omnicron roared, furious at his prisoner. �REMEMBER THOSE WORDS WHEN YOU REACH OBLIVION, AUTOBOT.�
Omnicron stood up and walked over to where he had placed the Runes of Cybertron. Still, the incantations necessary to start the ritual had not appeared. He was getting very frustrated: even though he had been careful that no one followed him, he feared that the remaining Autobots would come. Both Primes had been unaccounted for, and they were the same ones who had been able to put up a successful front against him.
Suddenly, the Runes began to glow. As the glow faded, the two large stones became completely black. Then the black color faded to reveal new writing. It was an ancient language, but understandable. Omnicron smiled.
�IT BEGINS.�
He began to read the words.
At that same moment, the Decepticons were approaching the far side of Mars. Galvatron could already taste the victory: he would lead his troops to stop Omnicron from reciting the incantation, destroy him, and then slaughter the Autobots themselves. It was pure genius.
�Lord Zarak!� Galvatron shouted from the hull.
�Yes?� said the Nebulan, piloting Scorponok.
�Have you targeted where Omnicron is?�
Zarak switched on the heat scanner, and immediately saw a large group of life forms. The strange thing was, he couldn�t see a figure that could be Omnicron. It was so strange.
Suddenly, a large explosion rocked the ship. Looking outside, Zarak saw a creature that terrified him to his very soul.
�Zarak!� Galvatron ran to the cockpit. �What is going on?�
Receiving no answer, he followed Lord Zarak�s gaze outside. There it was, a massive being with horns, piercing eyes and a giant ax. The resemblance to Unicron was unmistakable. He couldn�t speak for a moment.
Getting his bearings, Galvatron turned back to his soldiers.
�Decepticons! Evacuate Scorponok! Get down to the surface! Zarak! Get Scorponok transformed!�
Unsure about what was going on, but eager to follow orders, the Decepticons left the ship. Outside they saw why Galvatron had made the order: Omnicron was tearing into Scorponok with zeal. Scattering down to Mars�s surface, they found a giant altar and the Autobots tied to large stakes in the ground.
Up above Mars, Galvatron left the ship just as Zarak transformed Scorponok into robot mode. Still sustaining damages from Omnicron�s initial attack, the giant Headmaster was struggling in the battle with Unicron�s ultimate warrior. Using his ax, Omnicron hit Scorponok across the chest, sending him plummeting to Mars�s surface.
Flying down after him, Omnicron was suddenly hit with a large blast from his right. It struck his hand, causing him to lose his ax. Holding his wound, he wondered who had dared cause him pain.
�Die!� Galvatron screamed, firing another cannon blast. �I will be damned to oblivion before I let you bring Unicron back!�
Answering back, Omnicron fired a laser blast from his eyes. Galvatron flew out of the way, but was hit in the leg. Howling in pain, he too fell down to Mars�s surface, not far from Scorponok.
�I AM ASHAMED THAT MY MASTER CREATED YOU GALVATRON,� Omnicron said. Smiling, he flew to grab his ax back, then went to Mars to continue the battle.
And so the two clashed, Decepticons versus Omnicron. Every Decepticon opened fire on him, trying to bring the giant to the ground. Scorponok struggled to get to his feet, while Galvatron was still lying on the ground unconscious.
Though the Decepticons tried their best, Omnicron remained standing. Opening his mouth, he shot a large flame at the Decepticon soldiers. They ran for cover, hoping to avoid being melted or fried to a crisp. Omnicron just laughed, but then was knocked off his feet.
Scorponok had transformed into scorpion mode and fired off a bolt of electricity from his tail. The powerful blast had caught Omnicron in the chest and he fell to the ground. Jumping on top of him, Scorponok opened his left claw to crush Omnicron�s head. Suddenly, Omnicron�s hand grabbed the claw and smashed his other hand into Scorponok�s abdomen. Ripping out the Headmaster�s inner circuitry, he tossed Scorponok aside. Getting up, he flew over to his altar to continue his ceremony.
�HO-LEE, VEE-LEE, MELENDUM, SOPALI�.�
Before he could finish the next word, he had been fired on once again. The Decepticons had regrouped and made another assault.
�Decepticons!� Cyclonus cried. �Attack! Do not let our leader fall in vain!�
Howling in pain, Omnicron renewed his attack with tenacity. He did not notice a shuttle land behind the captured Autobots�.
�Hurry Rodimus,� Optimus Prime said. �We have to get the Autobots out of here.�
The two Autobot leaders had finally reached Mars just in time to see the massive battle between the Decepticons and Omnicron. Landing out of the fray, they planned on taking all the other Autobots to safety before engaging in the battle. Both of them knew that if they just left, Omnicron would definitely return.
Optimus Prime ran up to Ultra Magnus, and tapped him on the shoulder. Magnus turned his head, saw who had tapped him and smiled.
�Prime! I knew that someone had to have received that distress beacon!� he said.
�We did, good thinking,� Optimus said. �Now let�s get you out of here.�
Looking down at Ultra Magnus�s bound hands and legs, Optimus saw that it was just regular rope holding him there. On closer inspection, he then noticed that the post was actually some kind of energy siphon; it had been slowly draining the Autobot�s energy and storing it in a battery. Omnicron was smart: this would keep every one of his prisoners depleted of enough strength to escape. It would also give him a good amount of energy for Unicron to use if the Chaos-Bringer would be weak upon his re-entry into the physical universe.
Taking out a medical laser, Optimus Prime cut through the rope and helped Ultra Magnus off. They both walked back to the shuttle and saw Rodimus Prime come out the hanger door when they approached.
�Perceptor�s in there, I�m going after someone else,� he said.
Optimus nodded. �All right, let�s get this done.�
And so the two continued, freeing their friends from Omnicron. As they worked, they heard every explosion and scream from the battle�.
�WE FINISH THIS, NOW.�
Omnicron picked up a massive chunk of rock and hurled at his opponents. The Decepticons scattered and took cover. No matter what they tried, Omnicron would not be brought down. He was in such a fury; it was as if Unicron himself was powering him.
When he saw that the Decepticons had been broken, he moved back to his altar and began reading the Runes once again.
�SOPALIM, ALLAHD, DEE QUELEIM!� he said, finishing the incantation.
Above the planet, dark clouds began to form. Thunder was heard, and a fog swept over the land. The Decepticons suddenly felt a sinking feeling.
As the Autobots were being freed, Rodimus Prime noticed the unusual �weather.�
�Optimus!� he called. �Does Mars have an atmosphere?�
Looking up, Optimus Prime saw the darkness take its hold. Then an even more terrifying image came: the clouds took the form of Unicron�s hideous face.
�By the maker,� he said.
Omnicron began to laugh. �UNICRON, MY MASTER. YOU WILL ONCE AGAIN BRING CHAOS TO THIS UNIVERSE. NOW I WILL BEGIN MY SLAUGHTER.�
Grabbing the Runes of Cybertron, Omnicron left his altar. Before he could walk far, though, the Runes were blasted out of his hands. Omnicron watched them fall behind him. Infuriated, he looked back to see who had dared attack him.
He only caught a glimpse of Galvatron as the Decepticon leader flew up to fire another blast into his face. Omnicron reeled back, lost his balance, and fell to the ground. Now with a smoking hole in his forehead, Omnicron became enraged beyond belief. Even so, Galvatron was still charging, firing off his laser cannon.
Rodimus Prime watched as Galvatron flew on top of Omnicron�s head. Before he could fire off another blast, though, Omnicron grabbed him and stood up. Although Galvatron kept firing, Omnicron took the Decepticon over his head and threw him straight into the ground. The force had knocked Galvatron completely unconscious.
Looking behind Omnicron, Rodimus saw the Runes of Cybertron lying on the ground. He knew that the Runes must have some kind of usefulness, perhaps a way to defeat Omnicron himself.
He turned around. �Optimus! I�m going for the Runes!�
Optimus Prime looked at his friend. �Rodimus, don�t do it! Let�s just get out of here while we can, then regroup somewhere else.�
�No,� Rodimus said. �I�m tired of running. I need to finish this, now. If it looks like I�m a goner, just get out of here.�
�That won�t happen,� Optimus said gravely. �When I get the rest of them in, I�m setting the auto pilot and coming after you.�
Rodimus Prime nodded. �Just get them on that ship!� He transformed and drove off to the Runes.
Meanwhile, Omnicron had gotten his bearings back and realized that the Autobots had been removed from their stakes. Already angered by Galvatron�s last effort, his wrath was doubled at the sight of this. Then he saw the Autobot shuttle.
Rodimus drove up to the large stone tablets known as the Runes of Cybertron. Transforming, he ran to check out what they said. When he read, he saw the predictions, then the incantations that Omnicron had read. But there was something else, something that Omnicron had missed after the incantations:
And so once these words are finished, the being will attempt to reanimate Unicron by starting the slaughter. Yet instead of a triumph of evil, The One shall rise again to save his race while sending the evil being back to Unicron.
He couldn�t believe what he was reading. Rodimus Prime knew that he had been the key figure in the Second Unicron War, but had no clue that his importance stretched this far. Still, here it was written. Optimus Prime had always been the hero, now it was his turn.
�Come on, Grimlock,� Optimus said as he helped the last Autobot onto the shuttle. �We need to get you out of here.�
Then he heard the footsteps approaching. Turning around, he saw Omnicron coming in a fury. Optimus tried to hurry Grimlock inside, but it was no use. The giant would soon be on top of them. Instead of running, Optimus stood his ground.
�There is no way I am going to let you bring back Unicron,� he said to the monster. �And if it is written in the Runes, then I�ll challenge that prediction. You�ll have to get through me first.�
Omnicron raised his eyebrow and managed a laugh. �OH REALLY. YOU�RE GOING TO FIGHT ME.�
�Let�s see you laugh about this!� said a voice behind him.
Omnicron turned and saw Rodimus Prime standing valiantly, aiming his photon rifle. He fired straight at Omnicron�s head. The shot hit its mark, and the giant roared in pain.
�YOU MISERABLE CREATURE,� Omnicron bellowed. �YOU ONCE AGAIN DARE OPPOSE ME?�
�You�re damn right I do,� Rodimus said. �I didn�t have any problems with your master six years ago, so I don�t think I�ll have a problem with you.�
Omnicron roared and grasped his ax. �YOUR SPEECH IS INSOLENT, AUTOBOT. PREPARE TO MEET YOUR MAKER.�
�No, Omnicron!� Rodimus Prime yelled. �Prepare to reunite with yours!�
He transformed and drove straight at his giant foe. Omnicron fired off his eye lasers at him, but Rodimus dodged each blast. Just as Rodimus neared his enemy�s feet, he transformed and opened his trailer. Doing a back flip, he landed right behind the twin barreled cannon that emerged from the trailer, and began firing.
Omnicron howled in pain. Rodimus Prime�s cannon was extremely powerful, and every one of his shots hit their mark. Clutching his wounds, Omnicron picked up his leg to crush the upstart. Just as his foot crushed the trailer, Rodimus leapt off of the gunnery station.
Okay, Rodimus thought, now what?
Suddenly a large object landed in the ground right next to him. It was Grimlock�s energo sword; the Dinobot must have thrown it. Picking up the sword, Rodimus began his second charge. He made a dash and jumped into the air. Omnicron tried to hit him, but the Autobot moved too fast. Rodimus swung the weapon, and cut right through Omnicron, releasing a black liquid.
Again the giant roared. Rodimus ran vertically up his body, cutting into his enemy�s outer membrane. Wherever he sliced, the oily substance flowed and Omnicron cried in pain. When Rodimus reached the chest, he cut one last time and jumped off. He landed on the ground right in front of Omnicron.
Omnicron swayed, weak from bleeding the oozy black fluid. There had been so many gashes, it seemed like he was covered in the stuff. He glared down at Rodimus.
�YOU HAVE IMPRESSED ME,� he said, smiling. �I AM MORTALLY WOUNDED, AND WILL BE WITH MY MASTER SOON. I MUST CONCEDE TO THE RUNES, YOU TRULY ARE THE ONE. BUT IT ENDS FOR YOU, NOW.�
Using the last of his strength, Omnicron raised his ax over his head. Rodimus looked for a means of escape, but knew he only had a moment before that ax split him in half. Acting on instinct, he threw the energo sword. It seemed to be suspended in the air as Rodimus watched it fly�.right over Omnicron�s head.
Omnicron smiled as he saw the sword bypass him completely. He didn�t smile for long. An object landed on his head: the blade of his ax. The sword had separated it from the rest of his weapon.
�AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!�
With a shriek that would send a chill through any creature�s body, Omnicron�s weapon cut through his head. The razor-sharp blade kept slicing downward, right through the center of his body. It finally hit the ground.
Omnicron, whose body was now completely split in half, was still standing. He let forth one final groan, then both halves crashed to the ground. The oily black �blood� was spewing uncontrollably, and Rodimus Prime looked away in disgust. He walked over to Optimus who was looking right at him.
�Please don�t say anything,� he said to Optimus. �Let�s just get out of here.�
A few hours later, the Autobots were back on Cybertron, healing from their power drains. Both Optimus and Rodimus had hooked them up to an energon power source, giving them the energy they needed. Once they had finished, Rodimus Prime had walked off.
Optimus Prime went looking for him, and finally found him in the Great Hall. The expression on Rodimus�s face reminded Optimus of his days brooding there. He approached his friend.
�What�s wrong?� he asked.
Rodimus Prime just stared blankly forward with the same expression. �I just went crazy. Didn�t show any mercy, just kept slashing away.�
He looked at Optimus. �I know how you felt after you killed Galvatron.�
�Yes, I did feel ashamed,� Optimus Prime said. �I felt like I had become a Decepticon, devoid of mercy and compassion. The same feeling came during my final bout with Jhiaxus. It�s an inevitable feeling.
�But there�s more to it, Rodimus. It is always imperative from to stand up against evil, because it will never give up. Unfortunately, while we fight evil, we find ourselves jeopardizing our Autobot ideals. But do not dwell on the idea of killing Omnicron, remember that today you have saved billions of lives. If you hadn�t destroyed him, he would have been back, and he would have brought Unicron with him. Even the Runes of Cybertron wouldn�t be able to predict the atrocities that they would have committed.�
Optimus put his hand on his friend�s shoulder. �You�re a hero, Rodimus Prime. You have saved the Autobot race from certain destruction. Be proud.�
�I know what you�re saying,� Rodimus said. �And I know you�re right, too. But��
He opened his chest plate, taking out the Matrix. ��.I can�t keep the Matrix any longer, Optimus. You�re the true Prime, the real leader of the Autobots.�
�I appreciate the thought,� Optimus said. �But I must refuse.�
�On what grounds?� Rodimus asked, baffled.
�On the grounds that I was too busy with my grief that I let Cybertron fall under attack,� Optimus said. �Too preoccupied with my self-pity.�
�That shouldn�t matter,� Rodimus said. �You�re so much better than me.�
�No, Rodimus,� Optimus replied. �You�re as good a leader as anyone, and no one is more fit to lead the Autobots.�
Optimus walked out, and Rodimus called after him. �Where are you going?�
Turning back to his friend, Optimus said, �I�m going back to the Vector Sigma chamber. Only now I had a transmitter installed, so I can know what is going on up here on the surface. Take care, Rodimus. You�re doing a great job.�
Rodimus looked out the window and saw Optimus Prime transform and drive off. Sitting back down, he knew that everything would be fine. He smiled, and came to the realization that he had done well. He had saved his friends, as well as the universe. He had become the hero.
Then he began to wonder, what if he had not read the Runes? Would he still have had the courage and the certainty needed to battle the monster? He laughed, and decided to let that question go.
Rodimus Prime got up from his chair and walked to the door. He left the room and turned the light off.
THE END