Chapter Forty-Two

                                    

                                          
This is the third chapter I posted today, just in case the notifications got to you mixed up at all :)
                          


                          


                          
[Amanda] 

                          
  "You are a poor, overconfident and truly misguided soul if you think you will succeed, darling."
                          
   Valilorna's voice sent a panic through me, and I whirled around, searching the landscape for her. There was no one there though.
                          
   No one?
                          
   Team Prime was nowhere to be seen, and neither were the gold streaks that had been crossing the Cybertronian sky. I was still at the Well of Allsparks, but even there it was empty, the statues of the Primes glaringly absent. Even Optimus' blaster, which I had strapped to my back, was missing too.
                          
   "What the scrap..." I breathed, more confused than scared.
                          
   "This is what happens when you interfere with beings above you." Valilorna's voice came again, as silky and sweet as I remembered. A golden figure materialized before me, her smug smirk being the first thing I saw as the goddess of chaos and war appeared.
                          
   "It truly has been too long, darling," she sighed, tapping a finger to her chin. "Silver does not suit you."
                          
   I dropped into a defensive stance, my hands coating in silver dust. "I like to think it brings out my eyes."
                          
   The goddess let out a laugh that sent chills down my spine. "Oh please. Cleona always put so much false hope in her champions. I had thought that perhaps you were the most sensible of the ones I have destroyed, but unfortunately it takes quite a bit for beings such as us to change." She turned to the empty space beside me. "Is that not correct, dear friend?"
                          
   "Begone, Valilorna." Cleona appeared next to me, her presence cold but reassuring and almost anger radiating off her. "My champion has proven her strength."
                          
   "By summoning a Prime? Please!" Valilorna laughed. "How many have you sent on this death mission, old friend?"
                          
   Cleona fell silent, causing the other goddess to laugh again.
                          
   "And they claim that I am the merciless one." She smirked, gaze shifting to me. "Enough of this, darling. Primus will not aid you, as he never aided any champion before you. What makes you believe that you are any different?"
                          
   "There's a question I want answered." A new figure formed next to Valilorna, and the sound of Tempest tapping her claws against her thigh made goosebumps rise on my skin. "You look well rested, little goddess. Maybe you'll give me a bit of a fight this time, hm?" 
                          
   I froze completely. I didn't understand what was happening, why the four of us were here and no one else was, how we were here in the first place, or if they could hurt us at all in this weird alternate dimension. The unknowns were crushing down on me again, until Cleona let off a small stream of silver dust. In an instant, I was reminded who I was doing this for, and newfound determination replaced the uncertainty. 
                          
   "How about this?" I said, my voice cutting across the space. "Tempest and I face off. If you win, I doubt Cleona and I will have the power to stop the Uprising. If we win, Valilorna goes back to the Zaren Pits and Tempest faces the Cybertronian courts for her crimes."
                          
   Tempest looked to Valilorna, as though looking for permission, and I made mental note of that. While Cleona stiffened next to me, Valilorna's smirk grew.
                          
   "I can accept these terms," she said, looking to the goddess beside me. "And you, old friend? What do you think about your champion's proposition?"