Arcee and Sunstreaker bring Sideswipe's body to Cybertron for interment. As they emerge through the space bridge, they are met by Optimus Prime, who offers them his condolences, though the pair have few words to spare right now. They are followed through the bridge by an excited Aileron, who informs Optimus that the President of the United States has finally agreed to Earth joining the Council of Worlds. Aileron hands Optimus a holographic receiver through which the president's confirmation message will be transmitted once she has the details worked out. To pass the time until the president's message comes through, Optimus, Pyra Magna, and Starscream gather in Alpha Trion's quarters, where the old 'bot tells them a story of the first time Cybertron became united...

Flashback: illions of years ago, the twins Arcee—then identifying herself as male—and Galvatron are champion gladiators who fight for the amusement of Septimus Prime and his Supplicants of Arrius. That changes when, with energon running low, Septimus orders the two to fight each other until only one is left alive... but their battle is interrupted by the arrival of Megatronus, lord of the Darklands, who slays the Supplicants and declares his intent to absorb Septimus's kingdom of Protohex into his. When Septimus refuses to join him, Megatronus hurls him into the gladiator ring for Arcee and Galvatron to kill.

A short time later, the panicked Vector Prime brings news of Septimus's death and the sacking of Protohex before Alpha Trion, Alchemist Prime, Solus Prime, and Nexus Prime—a group of Primes who have all allied to build a settlement they call the Crystal City. The conquering horde now marches toward the Crystal City, but ahead of it comes the Primes' dark brother Onyx Prime and his new companion Liege Maximo, who has also lost his kingdom to the Darklanders. The Primes are initially suspicious of this newcomer, but Onyx and Maximo explain they have come to offer aid to the Primes in fighting off the Darklander army. Onyx hopes they can all agree to work as one, but if they cannot, he and his army of beasts will fight the Darklanders alone. Onyx is scornful of the other Primes' belief in the Guiding Hand, preferring to make history with his own actions rather than following the teachings of what he sees as fairy tales, but Alpha Trion takes him aside to point out the importance of such legends and stories. Those tales are what have helped inspire the building of Crystal City, and will provide the inspiration the people of the city need to join the impending battle, despite the fact they are but poor farmers, rather than warriors. Onyx genuinely begins to appreciate the power that stories hold, and Alpha Trion agrees to convince the other Primes to work him with to combat the Darklanders.

Once an alliance is made, Onyx's beasts train the people of the Crystal City as best they can, but time is short, and the Darklanders are soon upon them, with Arcee and Galvatron leading the charge. The battle is brutal and bloody, and partway into the fighting, the very substance of Cybertron itself begins to quake. From beneath the surface of the planet, three living legends emerge, drawn out by the fighting: Metroplex, Chela, and Metrotitan, the first Titans, who legends claim fought by Primus's side in eons past. The entire battlefield falls silent at this awesome sight... which proves to be just the opening Onyx Prime needs. He scythes his way through the Darklanders, making straight for their leader... but is taken aback to discover that that leader is Megatronus, an old friend of his. The two make peace, and the battle is brought to an end, all eight Primes declaring a truce and that they will work together for a unified Cybertron.

As Crystal City celebrates its new future, Onyx takes a leaf out of Alpha Trion's book, and begins making up stories of his own, starting with one about a "Chosen One" that he tells a drunken Alchemist Prime. Next, Onyx shows Alpha Trion a s

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