The two fliers shoot out of the pit at great velocity, while quickly tossing their cargo. Broadwing and Torchwing both collapse on the floor, exhausted from having to go top speed while carrying others.
Pipebomb landed with some grace, and looked at the room around him. Completely stunned by the absurdity.
“For the first time in my entire life… I am left speechless.”
Was all he could say.
Topside scrambles to his feet, narrowly avoiding one of the buzzsaws as it whizzes by his right side.
“Okay,” he pants, parts of his armor still smoking, “anybody… have any idea… what in the Pit this test’s about?”
It was difficult to discern any objective through the chaos: the room and its features were constantly changing shape, with no pattern or obvious function to their forms. Fire continued to spew from the pit in the center, roaring like a furnace. From the ceiling above it, a pyramid-shaped apparatus lowers itself into the fire, its sides rippling, its peak twisting.
“Knowing Amalgamous… It could be anything… A chaotic test from a chaotic mind.”
Broadwing said between heaving breaths.
Starchaser seemed far more worn out than her friend. Having to pull double duty on the rescues didn’t do her any favors.
“Alright I’m not gonna say who… But somebody here better start losing some weight!”
Zepar was kicked out last from the pit and clattered to the ground with very singed armor, “Everyone okay?” He asks.
“The Covenant does detail greatly about Amalgamous’s penchant for trickery, pranks and jokes using his limitless amount of alt modes.” Garand says.
“Sounds like a literal wild card.” Epsilon says.
“Some jokes!” Topside jumps as a jet of flame erupts from the floor beneath him. “This room’s got something of a murderous intent to it.”
As the surface of the pyramid shifts, its paneling briefly parts to allow a glimpse inside: a storage compartment holding a long grey scythe.
“Okay, that’s got to be The Scythe.” Garand says, “It can become anything you can imagine…some rumors say it is almost Amalgamous Prime himself with the amount of forms it can take.”
Zepar steps up and tests the pyramid walls to see if he could reach through. His intentions were first to see if it was possible to get the Scythe then to use the Scythe to help solve this trial and prove their worthiness for the Dark Key.
OOC: you’re going to have us do all 13…aren’t you?
Zepar was going to have a tough go of reaching the pyramid: one of the buzzsaws careening around the room suddenly changes its course and screams toward the angelicon.
He moves to dodge and block with his shield. “Amalgamous’s form was mainly dependent on his emotions or what he thought would be fun…go with the flow?” He mutters as he keeps trying to approach the pyramid, moving with his instincts but tempered by his mind so he was aware of the threats around him.
The buzzsaw clashes with the shield and grinds against the barrier, trying to cut through. It rips itself off its track and goes flying elsewhere in the chamber.
More defenses activate around the pyramid: a machine gun turret pops out of the ground and belches a spray of bullets in a wide arc, aiming for nothing and no-one in particular. Rails rise from the floor to project a laser grid in a wild spiderweb pattern, the beams hissing and crackling.
Topside hangs back, so as to not slow Zepar down. The angelicon’s approach was working: he was deftly avoiding each trap, until he was able to reach the peak of the upside-down pyramid.
Zepar uses the same approach to try and enter the pyramid.
Garand chuckles, “It seems he actually did pay attention during training.”
OOC: figured a lot of this was chaos to scare people and make them overthink…
The sides of the pyramid peel away, and the scythe floats down into Zepar’s grip. It was a solid weapon, rigid in form and function; merely an imitation of Amalgamous’s Scythe.
The chaos around the room abruptly ceases. The deadly instruments are abducted into the walls, and panels pockmarked with bullet holes or blackened by scorch marks are withdrawn and replaced. A hatch in the ceiling rotates downward, coming to rest just above the floor.
“A very well-made replica.” Garand says as he walks to Zepar, “How did you get past all that?” Epsilon asked.
“Followed my instincts and added a dash of logic to be aware of my surroundings; in short, think like Amalgamous Prime.” He answers, he looks at his armor and finds he had several bullets lodged into various points and several burns from other traps…”Okay, that’s gonna take a while to fix.” He says.
“Oh hey. We didn’t even need to do anything. Nice.”
Pipebomb mused.
“Oh slag off. I think I did a lot of something.”
Starchaser said.
Broadwing transformed into robot mode and stood up. He was still tired, but he could move.
“Chaotic, but brief. At least Amalgamous knew some restraint.”
Topside takes a deep breath and looks toward the door that had just opened up, likely leading to the next challenge.
“What’s that make it now,” he wonders, “four more to go? If we’re going in the usual order, next one’s for Quintus.”
“No.” Garand says, “Due to his actions in causing the War of The Primes, Liege Maximo has all but been stricken from the record of Cybertron’s history.”
“I would be surprised if Liege was represented in these trials.”
“Okay, three,” Topside corrects himself. “Three’s good; makes this gauntlet one step shorter.”
The captain is about to walk toward the door, when his commlink buzzes with static. Through the noise, the voice of Shatterpoint fights to be heard.
“Topside! Whatever you’re-… -attack! We’re holding, but-…”
“We need to hurry.” Garand says, seeing the look on Topside’s face.
Topside’s expression is dour, but not surprised; he was expecting the New Decepticons to show up sooner or later. Or maybe they’d attracted some more terrorcons while flying through the ruined system. Whichever was the case, he nods his head, agreeing with Garand.
“Well then lets get a move on!”
Pipebomb said enthusiastically.
He walked over to Starchaser and lifted her by her tail, throwing it over his shoulder. He tried to drag her to the door, but her long and slender dragonic body proved difficult to move.
“Primus! You wanna talk about losing weight?”
The junkion remarked.
“Alright fine. Let’s just say we’re both a little dense and call it at that.”
Starchaser relented.
“I’m carrying a couple thousand pounds of explosives. What’s your excuse?”
Pipebomb joked. Though Starchaser only groaned in response.
Broadwing came over and lifted up her head, resting it over his shoulder.
“If you ask me, you’re not that heavy. I’d say you’re fine just as you are.”
“Well aren’t you a charmer.”
Starchaser said with a sly grin.
“No, that’s no what I-”
Broadwing stammered, but was quickly interrupted by the flying ace’s laughter.
“Relax big guy. I’m just pulling your leg.”
With a bot at either end, Starchaser was much easier to move, and the three head through the door.
The Angelicons and Epsilon follow them.