Transformers Big Bang Preview!
That's right, this year I participated in the Transformers Big Bang hosted by @tf-bigbang, with my lovely partner @echoblaze5. I'm real excited to share the work we made together, so to get you hype as well, here's the title, summary, and a snippet.
Summary: When several members of her coven are murdered, Miko Nakadai is the only one able to enter the Underworld to bring them back. When her efforts are thwarted by Megatron, the Dragon of the Dead, Lord Ruler of the Underworld, she demands a Challenge to prove herself. The Challenge she is given is to dance the night away at the Dragon’s Ball without sitting or falling, and if she succeeds, he would release her friends. She accepts, quickly gaining the attention of the entire Umbral Court. But Megatron’s attention might run deeper than just fascinated curiosity.
“A one track mind, I see.”
“I call it ‘keeping focused’,” she said, affecting the same tone she did when Magnus caught her in a Wheeljack-advised stunt. The corner of the Dragon’s mouth twitched. Was that almost a smile?
Miko blinked, not sure she heard the question correctly. “What?”
“Can you dance? Court dance, country dance, temple dance - any kind will do, if you can.”
“I absolutely can!” She cast a drying spell over herself, and steam wafted off of her. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“That will be your Challenge.”
The Dragon laughed, a low chuckle, then looked over Miko’s head. “Ah, Soundwave, timely as always.”
Miko turned around and saw a woman walk out of the trees. She was tall and willowy, pale as milk glass with indigo hair cropped in a bob. She wore an indigo hanbok with long white ribbons and trim, and as she got closer Miko could see Nebulanese features in her face, most notably her slanted red eyes.
“You called, my lord?” Her voice echoed in Miko’s mind, and she threw up her mental defenses on instinct. Soundwave turned towards her, head tilted a fraction but her face remained still and neutral. “Decent enough defenses for a mortal mage. Please leave this connection open, else we won’t be able to communicate.”
Sorry. Miko winced, then straightened, turning back to the Dragon. “So what is this Challenge?”
The Dragon looked down at her, and the weight of his magic grew so that Miko could almost taste it. “This is the Challenge I present to you; tonight, you will attend the Dragon’s Ball as my guest. It will last ten hours, the start, end and each hour signaled by the ringing of bells. From the first bell to the last, you must remain on your feet, and dance the majority of that time. Should you sit, kneel, or fall to the floor, you will fail.”
Miko frowned. “And no one will attempt to trip me to make me fail?”
“No one will intentionally interfere with the Challenge. You will succeed or fail purely on the merit of your own balance and self-awareness.”
“And if I win, June Darby, Strongarm Magnus, Bumblebee Pax, Moonracer Navitas and Tailgate Rivett will be free to return to life in their bodies in the Mortal Realm, with no marks on their souls?”
“If you win, it will be as you said.” The Dragon smiled, a cruel curl of his lips that revealed sharp teeth. “If you fail, then all five will be remanded to my personal court, for me to do with as I please.”
Miko bit her tongue to keep a protest from flying out. That was a steep price, keeping them from the afterlives they should have gone too. But, it had to be. She was asking for five souls to return to life, the highest number she’d ever heard of. A great reward had to have a great cost.
“Alright.” She stood straight, holding her right hand out. “I, Mikoto Nakadai, Mage of Iacon and Jion, agree to the terms of the Challenge, and will abide by the Rules set. So I Swear by the Magic of the Realms.”
The Dragon clasped his hand around hers. “I, Megatron, Lord Ruler of the Umbral Court, agree to the terms of the Challenge, and will abide by the Rules set. So I Swear by the Magic of the Realms.”
A deep violet glow surrounded their hands, and when it faded, an Umbral glyph appeared on the backs, which would remain until the Challenge was completed. She’d expected that. She hadn’t expected the Dragon to shift his hand to hold her fingers, or for him to bend down and press a kiss to her glyph.
“May the better of us win.” He released her hand and straightened before she could respond. “Soundwave, see that Lady Nakadai is bathed and dressed in time for the Ball.” And then he left, walking further into the garden, which had to have some illusion on it because she blinked and he was gone.
