Ruby - Transformers: The Last Knight

When It All Falls Through

Tom pulled himself up the giant steps to the control panel. Behind him metal clashed against raw energy as Optimus fought Quintessa. Sparks cackled and cracked, so bright stars became permanently etched in Tom's vision. 

It didn't matter, the lever, the miracle he needed, was only a few more steps away.

"Stop!"

Tom froze at Optimus' command. But it wasn't directed at him. He turned his head in time to see Quintessa flying straight for him. Her mouth yawned wide and her eyes glowed, hypnotizing the poor man to the spot. 

Fear rooted itself deeply within Tom. He tore his eyes from the creator to look up at Ruby. She was so beautiful, like a goddess filled with wrath. Except the rushing light stole her life and there was agony on her face.

Sweat beaded across Tom's forehead as he attempted to resist Quintessa's pull. He strained with all his might to get his legs to carry him to the lever. But he only managed to stay where he was. His body ached with the tension threatening to tear him in two. He didn't care. He would endure it. Anything for her.

Optimus smashed his hard fist through Quintessa's shield. The force flung the creator upside down.

Tom dropped to the floor, bruising his knees and tasting blood. He saw Quintessa right herself with alien fluidity. Thankfully for him, she turned her attention back to Optimus.

The autobot leader could see nothing but his creator through his burning rage. He could hear nothing but the agonising cries ringing around his head. And he felt, well, he didn't question what he felt. He channelled the overwhelming power and strength swelling in his spark into his sword.

"You fool!" shrieked Quintessa, "You betray your own kind! We are gods among organic life! I am your god!"

Quintessa may think herself a god, but Optimus was focused on one single thing: taking her down. And he never failed.

"No." he said, "All life is equal." He braced his sword and fought for all life, but with only one in mind.

*

Tom could not reach the lever. It flashed above his head, reflecting the ferocious battle behind him. Exhaustion dragged him down. A second under Quintessa's influence and he couldn't take it. How had Ruby managed to fight for so long? 

The weapons belt around Tom's waist felt heavy as he tried to stand. He yanked it off. What good would knives and gunfire be against magic? That's what Quintessa and Ruby's power was to him. Incomprehensible, unexplainable. Magic.

His fingers closed around a green bulb. Would a grenade be enough to blind Quintessa? He dared to look at her just as she slapped Optimus across his helm, sending him spiralling away. 

Tom didn't even think. He pulled the pin and threw the grenade right at her ugly head.

There was no boom, no shockwave, no sparks. Air rushed past Tom towards the creator. A dome of blue light burst outwards, encompassing her and Optimus in a bubble. The edge stopped just shy of Tom's nose. He blinked. He shuffled backwards. Quintessa's eyes flared with purple fury. But she couldn't move. It was like she and Optimus were stuck in a giant blue blob of jelly.

Tom whirled for the lever. Gravity was too potent, he couldn't jump high enough. 

The weapons belt.

He emptied it, sending bullets rolling across the platform and knives chinking after them. With one end of the leather in each hand, he wielded the belt like a skipping rope. He swung his make-do sling forward. It fell short. The second swing tapped the underside of the lever.

"Come on!"

Tom stretched until his muscles tore, and ensnared the lever. 

"Yes!"

His feet left the ground as he yanked on it. He dangled. The lever was stuck.

Tom wriggled. He pulled himself up with his arms and dropped down. It didn't move. Ruby's screams tittered off. She was dying. 

Over his shoulder, the blue dome started to shrink. Tom intensified his pull ups until his shoulders threatened to dislocate. 

"Argh!"

The lever slid down with a clunk, lowering Tom back to his feet. The rushing hurricane of light went out. The tower fell into silent shadow. Gravity returned to normal. 

And Ruby plummeted. 

Her limbs were loose, her eyes closed. Was she breathing? Did her heart still beat? 

Tom went cold. All logic was chased from his mind as overwhelming instinct threw him towards her, off the platform. 

He fell into the blue dome of frozen time. It stopped him dead. He watched helplessly as Ruby also dropped into it. 

The bubble of frozen time was both merciful and condoning. It stopped them all for falling to their probably deaths, but it also trapped Ruby close to Quintessa. 

The dome got smaller and smaller. It passed over Optimus. He fired up his flight tech and gunned it for Tom. 

"I got you!" He caught him in one hand and raced for Ruby. He reached out to her with his free hand. Something hit his shoulder, knocking his hand away. 

"No!"

The blue bubble burst. And Quintessa got to Ruby first. 

More and more debris rained down, hiding them from view. The tower caved in around them like an avalanche. The catapult had hit. Cybertron was collapsing. 

Optimus curled his fingers around Tom, protecting him. It was harder to protect himself. Sparks singed his hide and boulders dented his flight gear. He swerved round the raining pieces of planet, but they banged and boomed from every direction, forcing him to change course. 

Cursing every name under every sun, Optimus made for Earth.