//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5: Important Matters 
// Story: Light Our Darkest Hour 
// by Dat Dash 
//------------------------------//


"An ever-feuding race
of mighty metal giants
Half of them are peaceful
but the other half are tyrants

They will come to Equestria
at the end of their war
When Harmony's power
will be needed once more"



--Ancient Equestrian prophecy






"We are ever so thankful you and your friends could join us on such short notice, Twilight," said Princess Celestia as the young mares entered her throne room. Sitting next to her were her younger sister, Princess Luna, and her niece, Princess Cadence. "I hope you and your escort didn't run into too much trouble along the way."

"...escort?" asked Twilight Sparkle, confused.

"The train," replied Luna.

"Oh, Optimus, right..." said Twilight, before here eyes widened somewhat. "Wait... you know him?"

"We've only just met," Celestia noted as Optimus Prime entered the throne room. "We talked briefly, but his endless compassion and dedication to the safety and freedom of his people is truly inspiring."

"I could say the same of you, Princess," said Optimus, kneeling down once again.

Celestia blushed humbly before saying, "This, of course, brings us to the reason why I summoned you all here. Luna, would you do the honors?"

Luna sighed and shuddered somewhat. 

"In my dream last night, I saw a vision... of a terrible, terrible entity," she explained. "He called himself... Unicron."

"Unicron?" asked Twilight.

"An ancient being of great evil, who has existed long before any living thing can remember," Optimus continued, a great sorrow evident in his voice. "Wherever he goes, he leaves only destruction in his wake. Entire worlds... consumed. Nothing remains."

"This Unicron guy eats planets?" asked Rainbow Dash incredulously. 

"Precisely."

Luna continued. "This... Unicron... he wanted to find the Elements of Harmony. To destroy them so nothing could get in his way. So... I lied. I told him that they had already been destroyed, and that he could never get to them. He saw right through my deception, however. But I didn't relent. I defied him to the end."

A tear trickled down from Luna's eye as she looked down somberly. "I've never felt so afraid in all my life."

"So... what does this have to do with us?" asked Twilight.

"Simple. You must keep the Elements safe," said Celestia. "And when Unicron arrives... be ready. You know what is at stake."

Twilight nodded. "We won't let you down," she said confidently.

Optimus turned to look at Twilight. "You and your friends will not have to bear this burden by yourselves, Twilight. The Autobots and I will be here to assist and protect you."

Twilight smiled. "Thanks," she said.

"So... is nopony going to ask why Chrysalis attacked us and was made out of metal?" asked Fluttershy meekly.

The eyes of the three princesses widened in shock. 

"...Chrysalis? What does she have to do with any of this?" asked Cadence.

"She attacked us while we were on our way here," Applejack explained. "She seemed to have been made of metal or somethin'. Ah ain't seen nothin' like it before."

"She has likely become a Herald of Unicron," said Optimus. "A being who acts as an extension of Unicron's will. This would explain why she is no longer an organic lifeform."

Celestia gasped quietly. "It is worse than I feared," she said. "But why? For what purpose would she ally with a being who wishes to consume our planet?"

"Likely revenge for her past defeats," said Twilight. "She's already killed Starlight... and now she's going after us. She knows that we're connected to the Elements--"

Twilight's train of thought was interrupted by a terrifying realization.

"...and we're in Unicron's way."