Ruby - Transformers: Order and Chaos

The Falling Forest

Ruby and Quintessa stood in a perfectly circular clearing, the nearby trees obliterated by their incoming transport. Jagged tree stumps, branches and leaves littered the crater like a forest graveyard. Ruby shivered in the silk robes Quintessa had dressed her in. The wind whistled through the forest ahead and blasted across the clearing, cold and harsh. Ruby's eyes watered and she pulled her silks tighter around herself. 

There was no horn here. 

Quintessa silently left the ground and drifted upwards. Ruby considered making a break for the forest. The trees would offer some shelter. But, despite her recent treatment by an actual doctor, she doubted she would get far.

Quintessa floated back to her feet and lilac lightning faded from her eyes.

"He is here," she said, staring off into the distance, "I can see him. And he has brought reinforcements. It will not be so easy for me to influence him this time."

Ruby's teeth started to chatter with the cold; "M-Meg-Megatron?"

"Our best bet is to distract him," Quintessa grasped Ruby by the arms; "He may have detected our arrival. If not, I am going to draw him here by another means. I will trap him. Then, we will approach the horn."

Ruby thought it was the dumbest plan she had ever heard. Megatron wouldn't leave the horn unguarded. But she couldn't bring herself to care.

Quintessa gave Ruby a little shake, her lilac eyes glowing, "When I release you, I want you to run eastward until you see the horn, then run towards it. As fast as you can."

"And you?"

"I will follow, making sure he has not caught our trail." 

Ruby nodded.

Quintessa sent a shot of energy into each arm. She let go and sent a flurry of purple sparks high into the sky for every tree, animal and transformer to see.

Ruby turned from her and ran. The silk robes flapped around her. The wind tore into her, as if it was trying to slow her down, trying to push her backwards. Ruby cut through it like a knife and then she was among the trees. She weaved effortlessly through the trunks and the undergrowth, easily leaping over logs and ducking beneath branches. 

Through a thinning of the trees, she saw it. 

The horn towered out of the forest in a valley below, bigger than the previous horns combined. Ruby jumped, using her momentum to turn and push off from a tree in the direction of the horn. It felt good to be able to run at speed again. Her long hair streamed out behind her and the muscles in her legs pulled and pushed her along, faster and faster. 

Quintessa had given her more energy this time. Perhaps she should use it to escape her.

But she didn't know where in the world she was, and before she could even consider it, she arrived at the base of the horn.

And nearly ran straight into a huge black metal claw of a hand. Of course the plan hadn't worked. And Quintessa was supposed to be some sort of goddess.

Ruby instinctively tucked herself into a roll, avoiding Megatron's reaching hand and dirtying her silks. She turned, dragging her hand across the muddy ground to slide to a stop. It took too much effort.

He looked down on her with angry red eyes. Ruby's heart pounded in real fear for her life.

"You look unwell, little human," he snapped, "Let me put you out of your misery!"

He swiped for her again.

Quintessa darted in between them in a flash. A wave of purple light erupted from her body and pushed Megatron back, locking him in place.