Chapter 110: The Great Retreat of the Autobots
"Damn it, comrades! The spark of my dearest brothers has been stolen by that despicable Decepticon! I… the entire Autobot force will retreat!"
Though still stubborn, seeing his wounded comrades forced the mechanical dragon to withdraw for the greater good.
Continuing the fight at this pace would only lead to the deaths of more comrades and the creation of more Decepticon warriors; a losing battle that would bring even greater uncertainty to the universe's future.
"Dinobots, retreat!"
At the dragon's command, Grimlock transformed into his robot form, closely followed by his two companions.
"Captain, this Fallen guy has too many fleas! We can't shake them all off. Do we even have a specific escape route? I mean, where are we supposed to go now?"
That was Flying Darts' question. If it were just the few Dinobots retreating, there wouldn't be a problem. But now, seven heavily injured veteran Autobots were following them. If they ran blindly, they'd soon be discovered and wiped out one by one. Unless they found a proper refuge, aimless flight would only make things worse.
"What good ideas do you have then? You woke up earlier than Grimlock you must have a place to stay, right? How about heading east, to the World of the East, and finding the descendants of the ancient Guardians? I remember those yellow-skinned little ones still worship the Dragon Totem!"
Recalling old memories, Grimlock seemed to have found a supposed "escape route," but after so many years, who knew if the promises of the past still held?
"We've already encountered those Eastern descendants, but they don't know much about the myths of old, so I don't think that's a good idea. But don't worry, boss remember that Decepticon named Starscream? That guy discovered a Decepticon outpost a while back, built by that old mech Skyfire. Starscream gave me the coordinates, so I think we can go there for now!"
Good grief, these Autobot warriors were truly impulsive! At a time like this, the first thing they thought of was a Decepticon base. But so far, that Starscream fellow hadn't shown up, had he?
"I remember Starscream but I think I saw him crash in that forest over there. Don't tell me those Predacons killed him!"
Though Grimlock had only exchanged a brief message with Starscream, he still remembered that strange Decepticon warrior. It turned out Starscream had changed his appearance long ago even his old acquaintance Darts might not recognize his new form.
"Let's ignore that rookie Decepticon. If what the Fallen just said is true, then our problems are only beginning. That Megatron he mentioned is different from these newborns. Retreat!"
Sludge, who still worried about Starscream, couldn't think of anything else at that moment. Whether Starscream lived or died no longer mattered to the Autobots in their current situation. What mattered now was securing that Decepticon outpost as a refuge that was the key to their next move.
"All right, take these veterans with you and fight your way out. If we get separated along the way, regroup at the Decepticon outpost. Understood?"
Through information shared by Darts, Grimlock and Sludge obtained the coordinates of the Decepticon outpost and so did the mechanical Azure Dragon. It seemed these unlucky Autobot warriors had no choice but to reunite there.
"Though I don't trust Decepticons much, that young one named Starscream seems fairly reliable. After all, he carries our Autobot insignia on his chest. I'll trust you this time!"
Perhaps truly desperate, the mechanical dragon chose the same path. Only by securing a position could he plan his next move.
"Since no one objects, let's move! You go first I'll head into the forest to find Starscream. If that guy really died, his spark could create a new Decepticon warrior. As captain of the Dinobots, I think it's my duty to confirm it."
It seemed that though Grimlock appeared cold, his conscience was clear. After all, Starscream had contributed significantly to his resurrection and that of the veterans. If the unlucky Decepticon air commander truly perished, Grimlock would rightfully claim his body.
"All right, we'll head east first. Captain, be careful!"
Though the Fallen occasionally intervened, he didn't attack with the ferocity of the Predacons. He treated the scene like a game, always watching with the eyes of a spectator. Even when the Progenitor Decepticon saw the Autobots fighting and retreating, he didn't immediately pursue. Instead, he called over the one known as Diablo.
"Keep a close watch on those Autobots. You're the first Standard Warrior I've successfully created, so I'm giving you command of this rabble. Of course, if I see you blocking others from converting, you know what the consequences will be."
It seemed the Fallen had other matters to attend to, so he left things as they were. However, because of his deep connection with the Predacons, he had no fear of his subordinates betraying him.
"My esteemed master, Diablo will remain forever loyal! If these brats seize a new spark, I won't stop them. I'll bring the newly born warriors straight to your side, my lord!"
It appeared the loyalty of this ant-like Transformer to the Fallen was absolute. However, compared to the veteran Autobots and Dinobots, this newcomer seemed clumsy in everything he did and said perhaps because he had only just been transformed?
"Very well. Continuing this siege won't work. Leave an opening on the eastern side. I'm also curious to see how those interesting human descendants are doing now. I've always believed those bipedal creatures are the cornerstone of my prehistoric army. Let these Autobots live a little longer!"
(End of Chapter)