Remnants of a Lost Age
By: Vierge
A Transformers: Generation 1 A.U. Fan Fiction
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Transformers; they belong to Hasbro/Takara. I own all of the original characters here – if they do not appear anywhere in the Transformers multiple continuums, then they're most likely mine, as is the alien culture I wrote about here. Anything else that I might have missed, belong to their respective owners. Any manipulations of history and inconsistencies with actual facts are my own, so please excuse them.
A NOTE ON UNINTENTIONAL BORROWING: I tried to avoid it as much as possible, but I couldn't. I am now very much aware that a lot of my ideas have most likely been used by other people. In particular, I am quite sure that many of my ideas are present in Vision of Escaflowne, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, and Stargate. If there are any other similarities that I might not have mentioned, please forgive me for their usage and not mentioning them earlier on.
RATING: PG-13/T
CONTINUITY: Uh… What's that? Seriously though, this story is best considered an A.U. of the G1 series.
TEASER: The Transformers are not the only aliens who have come to Earth, and the Autobots find out about it the hard way when ruins uncovered in the Wadi El Natrun reveal the existence of a race that lived – and fought – on Earth while they were still sleeping: a race that has more connections to them than they initially imagined. However, their awakening also rekindles an old war between those involved in it that affects Cybertronians and humans alike – in more ways than one.
Prologue: Of Gods and Secrets
Nefret cradled the beautiful alabaster cup with both hands, afraid that she would lose her grip and drop the precious object. Her palms were slick with sweat, and she was trembling so strongly she was afraid that the vibrations would slide the cup from her grasp. She did her best to pull herself together, but she could not help herself. It was not everyday, after all, that their humble temple in the Natron Valley received guests like the one she was serving now.
And quite the guest he was. Though he had come to the temple garbed like a humble pilgrim, the moment he shed his cloak he revealed his true nature, displayed in the gold beads braided carefully into his thick black hair and beard; the dark blue of his clothes; and the sword at his hip, with its bright brass pommel. His features were very much like those of the Sumerian merchants she had seen once or twice before, before she had come to this temple, but this man looked more a king than a merchant.
Yet Nefret knew there was more to this man than his appearance revealed. There was something else, a quality she could not quite describe, that told her this man, though he wore the guise of a man, was far, far above a mere mortal. After serving a goddess incarnate since she was nine flood cycles old, she considered herself a fine judge of what made a man a mortal, as opposed to a god passing himself off as mortal.
He smiled at her then, and she was afraid that she really would drop the cup. It was a kind smile, though, benevolent and understanding.
"Do not be afraid." His voice was rich and mellow, resonant with a quality she could not define. "I merely wish to speak to your mistress."
"Mistress" was not quite the term to describe the way Nefret and the other priestesses looked up to and served their resident goddess, but in some way it was an apt one as well – a softening, she thought, of what they did, raising her up slightly from mere mortal worshipper to a being worthy of attention and some measure of respect, even from a god.
She lowered her head slightly, willing herself to focus on the wine dregs that had settled at the bottom of the cup after he had drunk from it. "We have sent word to her, My Lord. She will arrive shortly."
She saw him nod from beneath her lashes, and she lifted her head just slightly to look at him without calling undue attention to herself. Though dread coiled in the pit of her stomach at her audacity (no mortal could look upon a god directly without being struck down for the insult, so she had been taught), she observed his face, and noticed how it seemed to grow solemn. His dark eyes were drawn to the elaborate wall painting across from him: a scene of fishermen standing in their boats amongst stands of papyrus, casting their nets into the blue water to harvest the bounty of the Delta. Though she would never mention it, lest she be slain on the spot for her cheek, Nefret could see the weight of sadness and weariness in his eyes.
She had always wondered: did gods feel sorrow and pain? Watching their guest now, she began to believe that they did.
The doors at the other end of the room opened, and Nefret bowed her head further in deference to the goddess who stood there, clad in fresh white linen, her ebony tresses falling around her like a cloak to her ankles.
The god-in-a-man's-guise turned to her then, teeth gleaming as he smiled and opened his arms to the goddess of their temple. She, in turn, crossed the room with light footsteps, moving more like a girl than a stately deity, to be enfolded in his embrace.
"Nikitu," she murmured, her eyes closed as she seemed to revel in the embrace of the god-man.
"Meriat." Her name was a benediction from his lips, an affirmation of who she was.
Nefret turned her head away; not wanting to look upon what she felt was a rather intimate moment. She wished to leave the room, but she dared not move from where she was. Leaving without permission would be a grave insult.
'Nefret.'
The goddess' voice in her head was soothing and gentle, and Nefret lifted her head slightly in acknowledgement.
'You may leave now. Close the door behind you when you go.'
Not quite knowing how to respond, Nefret merely did as she was told. She bowed to the goddess as was proper, and then left with as much haste as politeness allowed.
"Do you not see, Meriat? We have no choice in this matter."
"That cannot be true. Surely there must be something left for us to do…"
"I am afraid not, dear sister. The orders are from Lady Danara herself."
"No…"
"Would I lie to you? I speak these words. I do not lie."
"But-"
"Meriat, please, you must understand. Ever since they came here, we have done nothing but fight a losing battle. Lady Danara has seen that, and I see it too. They have destroyed our homes, and now we are scattered. We must do as she asks us."
"So you would give up, just like that? You would yield to those who took away our homes, our families? You would yield to those who took away your wife and daughter?"
"Meriat-"
"You spoke that promise, brother! You spoke the words! Promises spoken are promises that cannot be broken!"
"Do you think I do not know that?! I intend to seek my vengeance, and by the light of Vedra, Laksma and Toth, I will have it! But not now. Lady Danara was right when she said that we are not strong enough to oppose them now. We have lost too many of our people, too much of our resources. We have no other recourse save this. Can you not see that?!"
"Nikitu…"
"Hush, sister. I am sorry; I did not mean to raise my voice. But you do understand now, do you not?"
"… Yes, I do. … We truly have no choice, do we?"
"Ah, sister, I wish we did, but there is nothing left for us – not at this moment. And the longer we remain out in the open, the greater the chance that they will find us."
"I see. I understand. Where shall you be, then?"
"In Eridu (1). I will be safe there. And you, sister? Where do you intend to stay?"
"I shall stay here. I do not wish to go to Het-ka-Ptah (2)."
"And why not? You will be safer there, instead of here in the wilderness."
"I simply cannot. You, of all people, know why. Please understand."
"… I see. You shall require safety measures. Very well then, I shall make them for you."
"Thank you, brother. Thank you."
Meanwhile, time stopped for no one, least of all for mortals. One entire flood cycle had passed since the arrival of the Sumerian god, and life continued as it usually did in the temple. Nefret went back to her normal temple duties, which included overseeing the novices, and helping maintain the records of offerings left by natron merchants and miners. The goddess had not bespoken her since the last time. Some of the other minor priestesses had already been called upon to bring sustenance, but never once had Nefret been bespoken by the goddess for any reason whatsoever.
Until now.
'Nefret.'
The goddess' voice was gentle in her head, and Nefret looked up from the tallies that she had been carefully writing down. She knew that the goddess would know that she had her attention, but nevertheless, she murmured: "At your service, My Lady."
'Please come to the inner sanctum, but come alone.'
Nefret's heart stilled for a moment, and then returned in triple-time. She was being called to the inner sanctum? The only one who was summoned there was the High Priestess, and even then only when an important feast day was drawing near. Nevertheless, she had been summoned, and she had to obey. Carefully setting aside her scrolls and writing implements, she made sure that she was presentable, and then walked down the cool, dark hallways of the temple to the door of the inner sanctum.
She stood before the heavy cedar-wood double doors that led to the goddess' sanctuary, eyes roving the beautiful carvings that covered it: a pattern of papyrus heads and lotus flowers, all intertwined in and amongst themselves in complicated knots. "I am here as you summoned, My Lady."
This time, the goddess' voice came to her through the doors, slightly muffled. "Come in, Nefret."
Nefret obeyed. She placed her hands against the wooden doors, and pushed, entering the hallowed sanctum within.
The scent of burning incense wreathed itself around her, surrounding her in a fragrant cloud. She lifted her gaze slightly to the goddess, before lowering her gaze again to the floor. "You wished to speak to me, My Lady?"
"I did." She was silent for a while, and then Nefret heard the quiet rustle of fine linen. "Look at me."
Nefret felt herself freeze. Look at the goddess? Surely she was not expected to-
"Look at me."
Nefret nervously lifted her gaze, which fell first on the goddess' chin, then her mouth, then her nose, and finally came to rest on her eyes. When that happened, Nefret realized that she could not turn away, intrigued as she was by what she saw: weariness, pain, and something deeper, darker, that Nefret could not begin to fathom.
The goddess smiled, approaching her, and placed a hand gently on her head in benediction. "You are a good person," she said, her voice quiet but certain. "You are young, but you have taken the weight of responsibility very well."
Nefret bowed her head again. "It is my honor that you should think so, My Lady."
"There is one thing I would ask of you. It may be a burden to you, for you must keep what I show you a secret. I ask you: do you accept the burden I shall place on your shoulders?"
Fear suddenly coiled tightly in her stomach, and Nefret could not help but look up at the goddess, suddenly unsure. Why had the goddess decided to call upon her, and not upon someone else? Why her, and not the High Priestess? Surely the High Priestess was more suited for this…
"I believe you are more than ready," the goddess reassured her, and Nefret remembered belatedly that there was nothing she could hide from her.
Nefret bowed her head again, clasping her hands together in front of her. If the goddess herself thought her ready, who was she to deny whatever it was the goddess wished her to do? She stepped back, and bowed. "I am yours to do with as you see fit, My Lady. I beg you: do not let my doubt stop you. I am merely mortal, and my view of myself is not so clear. If you believe me capable of accomplishing the task you set before me, then I am ready to do your bidding."
With her gaze fixed on the goddess' feet, she noticed how she had gone quite still, since the linen of her dress did not so much as ripple. "I am giving you a chance to nay-say my decision. You have but one chance."
Who was she to deny her fate? If this was her fate, then so be it. Nefret looked up at the goddess, meeting her gaze head-on, unafraid. "I am ready, My Lady."
The goddess nodded slowly. "Very well then. Close your eyes."
Nefret did as she was told, and a few heartbeats later her mind reeled as images, sounds and smells crowded themselves into her mind so quickly that she did not have time to identify them all. And yet, as they came to her, they coalesced into knowledge: knowledge of something so great and so terribly sad that it robbed her of the words to describe them.
Almost as quickly as it had started, it was all over. Nefret opened her eyes slowly, and stared at the goddess, who smiled sadly back at her. She would never understand how the goddess accomplished it, but now Nefret knew certain things: in particular, what she and the god from Sumer had been doing since the last flood cycle. She also knew what it was their goddess was going to do – as well as why she had to do it.
"You cannot leave us," she murmured then, her voice no louder than a whisper. "We still need you here, My Lady. We shall continue to need you."
The goddess shook her head, and came closer, reaching out with a square of linen to dab at Nefret's cheeks; she had not even noticed that she was weeping. "It must be done. Our time to walk amongst you has come to an end."
"But My Lady-"
"Hush." The goddess leaned forward, and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You must speak nothing of what I have shown you, do you understand? I have shown it to you because I could trust you, and my faith in you is great."
Nefret swallowed against the lump in her throat, forcing herself not to cry. "It will be as…as you wish, My Lady."
"Good." The goddess stepped back, and Nefret looked at her: graceful and beautiful and now, completely, utterly unreachable. In her later years, Nefret would remember her that way: a goddess in all aspects, save for the heartbreaking sadness in her eyes.
She bowed deeply to the goddess, straightened, and turned around, not daring to look behind her as she exited the inner sanctum and closed the door behind her, knowing that it would never open now, not for anyone or for any reason, knowing that there would be no voice summoning anyone to enter the chambers, to speak a few words with the goddess they had all come to love and serve.
She choked on a sob then, covering her mouth to keep it from escaping, and she squeezed her eyes shut, logic and reason brutally asserting control over her emotions. She would have to keep the secret in every way she possibly could…and she already had the beginnings of a plan in mind.
Nefret straightened slowly, her mind working quickly to order her thoughts. She wiped away all traces of tears from her cheeks, and ensured that none of the emotions that roiled in her heart were visible on her face. As she walked forward, she could already feel the weight of responsibility settle upon her shoulders, but it was a weight she could bear – a weight she would bear.
The goddess had entrusted this secret to her. She would not fail her.
NOTES:
(1) "Eridu" was one of the oldest Sumerian cities, and was a cult center for the god Enki (a god who would later be called Ea by the Babylonians).
(2) "Het-ka-Ptah" is an ancient Egyptian name for the city of Memphis.