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The Wanderer's chest cracked open like a high-tech flower, and Aidan dropped down with the AllSpark in his hands like he was making the world's most dramatic entrance.
"Holy shit, is that—" someone started.
"The AllSpark!"
Every optic on the battlefield locked onto the glowing cube. Five years of hunting, scheming, and dying for this thing, and here it was, casually held by some human like it was his lunch.
But Aidan wasn't done with the show. He pulled out something else—a crescent-shaped artifact that made every Transformer present go dead silent.
"The Matrix of Leadership," Bumblebee whispered, his voice box crackling with disbelief.
Both sacred relics of their entire species, just sitting in human hands like it was no big deal. The audacity was almost insulting.
Aidan hopped onto Optimus Prime's chest like he owned the place and held up the Matrix. With a casual flick of his wrist, he somehow separated the energy from the physical artifact—a crescent-shaped phantom that drifted down into Prime's chest cavity.
The moment it made contact, Optimus convulsed like he'd been hit by lightning. His entire frame shuddered, sparks flying everywhere, and then—
His optics blazed to life.
"No fucking way," Aidan muttered, jumping back as the Autobot leader started moving.
"NO!" Megatron's voice cracked with panic.
A missile streaked through the air, aimed right at Aidan and the newly revived Prime. Starscream stood there with his arm cannon still smoking, looking smug as hell.
Optimus threw up a shield to protect Aidan, but the human was already gone—vanished through some kind of silver portal that appeared out of nowhere.
Starscream was lining up another shot when a matching portal opened right above his head. Aidan dropped through it like an avenging angel, except instead of wings he had a flaming sword that went straight through the Decepticon's skull.
"Lights out, asshole."
Starscream's optics flickered once, twice, then went dark. He toppled forward into the sand with a satisfying thud.
"STOP!" Megatron's voice boomed across the battlefield. "Everyone stand down!"
One of the signal soldiers was practically vibrating with excitement. "Dude, I want to learn that! The portal thing, the flaming sword—"
"Learn what? Get back to work!" His CO smacked him upside the head. "Report this to command!"
"I want to learn it too," Bumblebee said wistfully. "Think our tech can do that?"
Aidan dismissed the sword with a casual wave and walked back to Optimus like he hadn't just executed a Decepticon in the most badass way possible. Man, I love the Joy of Fire, he thought. Though Frostmourne would've been even cooler. Wait, was that the Joy of Fire or the Sword of the Vishanti? Whatever, they're all awesome.
The entire battlefield had gone quiet. Humans, Autobots, Decepticons—everyone was staring at the human who apparently moonlighted as a wizard.
Aidan floated into the air, hands clasped behind his back, until he was eye-level with both faction leaders. He'd considered putting his hands in his pockets, but that didn't seem arrogant enough for the moment.
"Now," he said, voice carrying easily across the desert, "I need your allegiance."
Megatron didn't hesitate. The massive Decepticon dropped to one knee in a perfect knightly salute, submission radiating from every line of his frame.
Optimus Prime, however, stayed standing. "I want to know your purpose."
"Fair enough." Aidan shrugged. "I want to solve Earth's little Unicron problem, fix your dying planet, establish some actual diplomacy between our species, and make sure everyone wins. For that, I need you to follow orders."
"If this is cooperation, why the surrender?"
"Because I need to know you'll listen when I tell you to do something," Aidan said simply. "Or you can choose the alternative—permanent shutdown. I can pull that spark right back out of your chest anytime I want."
Optimus considered this for a long moment. The math was pretty simple: mysterious magic powers, a mecha that could step on mountains, complete control of the AllSpark, and oh yeah, this human had literally just brought him back from the dead.
Also, after spending time with humans, he'd grown to love Earth. It was everything Cybertron had once been.
He knelt.
"Excellent." Aidan landed, pulling out what looked like a contract that wrote itself onto their bodies in glowing script. "This binds both of us—I can't betray you, you can't betray me. Your subordinates, though? Different story."
"What's the plan?" Optimus asked.
"We're going to the dark side of the moon to pick up Sentinel Prime. I need his Space Bridge technology."
"Space Bridge?" Optimus looked confused.
"Ask your brother over there. I already briefed him on everything."
Word spread fast through the gathered Transformers. Their leaders—both of them—had just sworn fealty to a human. Most couldn't wrap their processors around it, but orders were orders.
Aidan didn't particularly care about their feelings. As long as they weren't running around causing international incidents, they could sulk all they wanted.
He spent a few minutes setting up defensive spells around the Star Harvester—couldn't have anyone messing with it while he was gone—then climbed back into the Wanderer. Two more steps and this whole mess would be over.
The sun was setting as the massive mecha took to the skies, painting everything in shades of gold and crimson. The Wanderer cut through the evening light like some kind of metal angel, and everywhere it passed, people poured out of buildings to watch it fly overhead.
Humanity had entered a new age, and everyone could feel it. The betrayers who'd sided with the Decepticons were being rounded up, Lockdown's ship was secured with all its imprisoned alien monsters safely contained, and for the first time in years, people felt genuinely hopeful.
Aidan had barely landed the mecha when Joshua Joyce came running out, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Are you actually a wizard?" he blurted out.
"Yep." Aidan shrugged. "Sorry for not mentioning it. I was trying to keep you alive."
"I knew it! I knew you weren't normal!" Joshua was grinning like Christmas morning. "That's why everything felt so familiar that first day. Oh, by the way, every world leader wants to meet you. Interested?"
Aidan considered it. "Sure, why not. When?"
"Tomorrow. Video conference."
"Fine, I'll write up a report. You can handle the talking."
"You're not coming in person?"
"Not necessary. Besides, you can use this to get more funding for your company. Fill that financial hole we dug."
Joshua looked embarrassed. "About that... could I maybe learn some of your magic?"
"Sure," Aidan said with a grin. "I'll set up a temple once this is all over. Hope you don't mind giving up your company though."
Joshua's face went pale. "Wait, what?"
THROW SOME POWERSTONES PLZ.