Transformers Prime: Shrouded Truth (#4) [Completed]

Chapter 41

Smokescreen's P.O.V.
The amulet of death glowed as Unicron caught it. There was no time for any of us to react before all the clones turned into streams of dark energon and flowed into the amulet. Instantly, a wave shot out. I jumped to grab Lora, phase shifter already on to protect us. The wave reached us first.

It caught me, neutralizing the phase shifter, and shot me to the ground. It hit my back hard. I heard the impacts of everyone else around me. Struggling started almost instantly.

The wave stayed over me, keeping me down. No manner of struggling made me rise, only seeming to make the bonds tighter. I only stopped to watch Unicron.

The titan walked over to Lora, prideful. He bent over her motionless form; the injuries Optimus had inflicted upon him healing up in wisps of purple smoke.

"No!" Alpha Trion yelled, struggling to rise. His optics were desperate as he tried to get to Lora and stop Unicron. It didn't work.

Unicron stuck out his hand and called the amulet of life to it. It snapped from around her neck, smacking into Unicron's hand with a thud.

Unicron shook his head. "You fight a god. I can not be stopped, not by any transformer, nor by a human with an ancient relic. And you thought you had a chance," He scoffed and walked away, taking the amulet of life with him.

I growled when Unicron passed me. "You won't get away with this."

"I already have." He turned back to reviving himself. Megatronus sneered and stood beside his master. Shaking took over the world, more power flowing into Unicron's true form. Megatron's head was tipped back, and his eyes glower fiercer. There was a breath of relief as his body grew stronger.

I let lose a yell, throwing all my strength against my bonds. I heard Grimlock roar, I watched as Slug released a plume of fire, and watched as Arcee tried to cut through the bonds. Everyone was struggling, trying to break free. Everyone but one.

Lora remained frozen on the ground. She didn't struggle, barely breathed. I thought she was dead until she looked over at me.

Her eyes were emotionless. The light that was always there had vanished. I had only seen this look once, the time when I had first saved her from Derek. That time was so long ago, but I would recognize that look on her anytime. Defeat. Hopelessness. Fear.

"Please, keep on fighting. Do not give up. Not yet," I begged. "There is always hope."

She looked away before I could say anything. I watched as she pulled in a breath and closed her eyes. Her body relaxed and I could see that she was centring herself. Slowly, she pushed herself off the ground. The bond around her strained, but I could see it slowly becoming tainted with blue. No, cleansed into becoming energon.

Lora moved to her hands and knees. All the while, her breathing remained even. She rose to her feet, slowly, pushing herself into a standing position. By now, everyone had stopped struggling and had their attention frozen on her. She didn't notice.

She straightened, her shoulders back, chin up and back straight. Her hand snapped out. The amulet of life was ripped out of Unicron's hand. He whirled around, the shaking subsiding as he watched Lora with shock. The amulet arrived in Lora's hand, but she did not open her eyes, nor did she stop rising.

Energon was swirling all around my charge, carrying her higher. Dark energon curled down from the slumbering body around us, twisting into energon once it was within a certain radius of her. A figure began to form around Lora. Legs formed, moving up to the torso, arms, neck, then finally the head.

Megatronus turned around, his purple optics widening at the sight.

It was a suit of armour, made from pure energon. It stood as tall as Grimlock, with a lean build like Slash. In the center of its forehead was Lora. Her eyes snapped open.