CITY: Kaon
[Gladiator Arena]
"Megatronus!"
"Megatronus!"
"Megatronus!"
"Megatronus!"
"Megatronus!
The Cybertronian crowd chanted Megatronus' name, all screaming with excitement and joy at the sight of blood being spilled as they watched two gladiators kill each other with their weapons as they fought to survive the giant, murderous animals modified to entertain the crowd.
The roar of the crowd calling out the gladiator's name was not only heard outside the arena, allowing all the enthusiasts to hear, but it also fed the strength of the one below the arena, in a dimly lit environment, kneeling before an image of Megatronus Prime's face as a worshiper, asking for his strength to be blessed for the most important day of his life.
D-16 had his eyes closed, concentrating only on his prayer, ignoring the worshippers calling out his alias. Being an exceptional fighter, he was one of the few who received what could be called VIP treatment, having his own room where he spent half his day meditating and studying.
D-16's room wasn't much decorated, but it was pretty tidy within its confines, with a few special items like a shield covered in battle scars and a few combat weapons like extra hammers, clubs, or swords. However, the most valuable items to him were not the weapons, but rather small, fragile silver orbs, which at first glance seemed to be nothing special due to their unattractive appearance. These orbs were actually books, books that told ancient stories, books that contained secrets and strategies that D-16 used to excel and survive in the arena for decades.
Having been a slave his entire life, he never had access to such things, but an unlikely friendship with a certain archivist ended up giving him the opportunity to not only learn about Cybertron, but to survive a cruel fate that saw many perish. D-16 eventually became an enthusiast of Cybertronian history and a worshipper of the great original Primes, especially the one he most admires and prays to every day before his battles in the arena, Megatronus Prime.
"MEGATRONUS! You have a visitor." A guard said rudely, holding a key to open the cell. "You know the rules!"
D-16 opened his eyes, revealing them to be a blue color, he sighed tiredly, he stood up, showing his height of 10 meters, dwarfing the guard who was 7 meters. D-16 stretched out his arms and waited to be handcuffed by the guard so he could see his old friend, Orion Pax.
D-16 was once a simple six-meter robot, someone who didn't stand out much, but as he began to survive in the arena and gain notoriety, his body slowly changed each time he was injured, being repaired and rebuilt several times until he had a practically divine body, capable of easily overpowering even a Royal Guard Autobot if he could.
D-16 hated the chains he was forced to wear when he tried to save his friend in the past, who ended up being killed by an authoritarian Autobot and condemned to die in the arena in front of thousands of spectators, but he took the reins of his destiny and turned the arena that would serve as his execution into his theatrical spectacle, killing anyone who stood in his way to survive, and now he was loved for being strong, captivating the Cybertronians with his speeches after each victory, and defying the corrupt High Council of Cybertron.
He was so powerful, imposing and respected that many onlookers, many of his fans and rival gladiators believed he was literally the reincarnation of Megatronus Prime, the Prime of War. Despite his status, however, he was still reduced to a simple slave and a gladiator destined to die. Even if he wanted to escape, he was limited by the collar around his neck.
This collar had several functions, one was the tracking ability, another was the ability to cause intense torturous shocks that could make him faint, and worst of all, the ability to block his T-Cog, making it impossible for him to use his transformation ability, an agonizing act he suffered for a long time where gladiators like him learned to hide from people.
When D-16 finally arrives in the visitor's area, he sees his old and good friend Orion Pax waiting for him. This makes him smile subtly, as he thought he was going to be late.
"Let me guess... Elita dragged you here from the library." D-16 suggested, wondering why Orion hadn't arrived sooner.
"She forced me to commit a crime just so she could come here to support you." Orion said awkwardly, looking embarrassed and a little guilty.
"You're very lucky that she's like that with you. Few women like to go to the library, much less to an archivist who has his head buried in books." D-16 scoffed, making Orion roll his eyes at his comment.
Orion crossed his arms and looked earnestly at D-16, trying to determine if he was nervous or not, for it was an important day. "So, old friend... Are you ready for this?"
"I've been waiting for this day for decades, I can't fail now." D-16 clenched his fists in determination, silently communicating his resolve to his friend. "After everything I've ever done or failed to do, this is the day that defines who I am."
"I read that this guy is very strong, his name is Invictus Maximus if I'm not mistaken, but I don't know much about him." Orion reported worriedly, not knowing much about Kaon's current champion, precisely because he hated to see gladiatorial arenas and the unnecessary violence they displayed.
"Don't worry, Orion, Invictus' days of victory will end today when my sword cuts off his head." D-16 declared confidently, puffing out his chest, ready to face the final consequences. He noticed how uncomfortable Orion was with his last sentence due to his pacifist nature, so he decided to change the subject to something they both liked. "Did you happen to find any more records of the Ancients?"
Orion Pax's expression changed as he heard what D-16 said, along with his own body language. "I found something interesting five days ago when I was looking through the IACON files left in the storage." He pulled out a hidden orb and handed it to his friend, who was immediately curious about what new history he could learn from the past.
"What time period does this file belong to?" D-16 looked at the orb, noticing it was more worn than the others, trying to see what wisdom he could learn, something he always did when night took over the skies of Cybertron.
"This, my friend, is the last record of Megatronus Prime and the Knights of Cybertron before the Eclipse mission." Orion explained, leaving his friend impressed and even more intrigued by the file. "I didn't have time to see the whole record, but you must appreciate it more than I do, since you're a fan of his."
"Thank you, Pax." D-16 carried the small, inconspicuous orb with him and hid it, knowing the guard would break it if he saw it. "Before you go, I have a request."
Orion raised an eyebrow in surprise, his gladiator friend rarely making requests out of pride. "What do you need? Do you want a certain file?"
"I don't want any files right now, I want you to see this fight." D-16 noticed Orion tensing, but decided to clarify his request. "If all goes well, I can become a free man and ask for my freedom in front of everyone when I become champion, a politician named Soundwave said that if people demand my freedom, I can finally leave this place due to social pressure."
"I understand... but, you know, I am tired of seeing this kind of violence." Orion sighed, understanding his friend's request. "Not to mention that I feel like I'm going to throw up when I watch it."
"I understand your position better than anyone, my friend. Kaon's politics reflect one of the biggest problems in our corrupt politics. This arena is just a theater to distract the Cybertronians from the many problems around us." D-16 took a few steps and looked up at the rusty metal ceiling. "I want you to see me regain my freedom, and the next time I see you, I will see you with the eyes of a free man." He raised his arm with a closed fist, ready to clash with Orion.
Orion looked at his friend's clenched fist and smiled, bumping his fist in support. "I do this in the name of our friendship, Megatronus."
D-16 smiled, thanking his friend for his support, and couldn't help but notice that it was the first time Orion had called him by his alias. "When I get out of this arena, we'll change the world, together!"
***
"Megatronus!"
Tum-Tum!!
"Megatronus!"
Tum-Tum!!
"Megatronus!"
Tum-Tum!!
"Megatronus!"
Tum-Tum!!
"Megatronus!"
D-16 walked slowly toward the arena, following the light from the entrance where many who entered never returned. His silver armor gleamed impressively as he heard his name shouted as the drums played in anticipation of his arrival.
D-16's blue eyes turned red for a moment as he saw the gladiator Invictus Maximus, known for having four arms, his golden armor gleaming in the reflection of the sun, holding four golden swords with dozens of different names on their blades, referring to those worthy of being killed with them.
"Let's see how long you can keep your head stuck in your neck." D-16 whispered, getting into his fighting stance.