***

A soft lullaby played from a small speaker upon the wall near a sparklings berth, his mother having put him to bed not too long ago. The little one was still in the room for a time…

A lithe cyclebot slipped in through the window with ease, glancing around and scanning the room in search of his target…the sound of a soft whimper in the cradle below him meant that he had found his target. Bending down silently as he was black he picked up the slumbering sparkling, covering its mouth carefully so it would not form any protest that may be heard. Thankfully it was already fast asleep.

The little sparkling shifted in his slumber...though it was young it still noticed that something wasn't right. The smell, the touch of the one holding him...it was all different from before. Slowly white optics began to power on as the little purple and gold sparkling gazed around, suddenly becoming aware of his location.

The familiar cozy walls of his abode were gone, replaced by an open exposed expanse that glittered and shone with bright lights that nearly blinded his young optics. He was not in his warm little berth.

Whimpering with fear upon finding himself in an alien location, the helpless infant desperately searched for the warmth of his mother; the familiar feeling of the warm bond between a child and its parent. It was so distant now, so much so that the little one could barely sense it. The fear began to rise and the sparkling started to wail and cry out for its mother.

"SQRuueee!"

Strange hands suddenly appeared and abruptly lifted him, bronze optics glinting coldly in the light.

"Ah so you've awakened little one. So, so unfortunate, I was hoping to let you go peacefully." one of the hands shifted, pressing on an Energon line in the sparklings neck. "I am sorry you have to feel this..."

The little mechling gasped and cried in fear as discomfort turned to pain, his cries continued to go unheard by his mother as this new danger befell him. Instincts to survive kicked in as he struggled helplessly against this stranger, this larger terrifying mech who held him against his will.

Just as the little mechling began to weaken under the strain to its systems something flared within him suddenly and aggressively...white light began to emanate around the child.

The cyclebot blinked in shock. "Wha- No! Not now!"

A horrible screeching sound suddenly filled the air as the light pierced through the stranger's chest, forming into a sharp sword-like shape while the sparkling still struggled in the offender's grasp.

The cyclebot fell to his knees as a gurgling choke sounded through the cold air. The sparkling neatly deposited upon the altar, as the now colorless shell fell to the floor, spark extinguished and energon leaking across the white tile floor of the temple.

Unaware of what had just transpired the sparkling continued to cry and wail for help; wishing to be held in the arms of its mother.

***

Sharp clacks of metal hitting tile echoed through the air as a teal and silver seeker entered the temple, black cloak swishing through the air.

"Barricade, I wanted to ask you about- What in the name of Zephyrus?"

The seeker ran over to the fallen temple mech. Upon reaching him something caught his optics and he looked over to the altar and found a… a Sparkling? Gently as he could he picked up the wailing flier.

"Shh, little one."

The little mech continued to cry and wail when he felt yet another stranger holding him. Not again, not another one to hurt him. He just wanted his mother. That was all he wanted

After a time the mech continued to cradle and coo to him. The sparkling didn't sense the same malicious intent that the other stranger had for him. After a time he began to calm down slightly yet he was still shaken.

Sending a transmission to security to retrieve the fallen mechs body, the seeker turned and exited the temple with the strange sparkling cradled in his arms.

The little mechling clung to this new presence as the faint jostle of walking calmed him. This new stranger was the first that cradled him just like his mother had only a while earlier.

However he continued to whimper for her touch, the separation still fresh.

As the teal seeker continued to rock the little one in his arms, a new mech suddenly came rounding the corner, sliding to a stop on the pristine white floors of the grand halls. He stood before the seeker, contemplating all that he had just seen...

"High Lord Quickflight, is it true? I heard Barricade was found murdered! How could this have happen?"

The other flier was slightly taller in stature and colored a bright orange and yellow. Quickflight shook his head, moving the sparkling in his arms so that he was lying against his chest.

"I am not sure Sunstorm...…there was no sign of an attacker…just a hole though the temple mech's spark chamber and this little one left up on the altar."

Sunstorm looked down, his optics wide with shock upon hearing the answer. "But a sparkling... how did he get there?" He questioned. "Too what purpose is all this?"

Quickflight shrugged. "I do not question what the gods do, I just react. This little one is unique, though. How many sparklings are born with white optics here in Vos?" Sunstorm nodded in agreement, but was still surprised at the development.

"N-not many I recon... you think he was sent by Zephyrus?" he whispered after a moment of thought.

The teal seeker thought for a moment before nodding. "I believe so, yes. Why else would there be a sparkling left on his altar? Barricade may have been the, as cold as this sounds, trade-off. As they say one spark for another possibly."

Sunstorm put a hand to Quickflights shoulder at that. "Then if that is the case... we can ensure that Barricades sacrifice will not be in vain..." Sunstorm replied looking his trine mate in the optics before looking down to the child in his arms. "This child is a gift sent to us by the gods, let us raise him in the ways of such." he declared.

Quickflight nodded, running a thumb over the child's cheek. "I'll adopt him myself. I will take him into my household."
Sunstorm smiled at this, knowing his closest friend would do so. The teal mech had always wished for a son to call his own and now at long last he had been blessed with one. He retained a responsible and, though some may argue, a strict demeanor. He possessed a gentle and well meaning spark. He would be well suited to raise the child in the traditions...

"Then a celebration is in order for you and the child Quickflight...may the gods bless this child and your house." The two smiled looking down upon the little 'noble.'

To be continued....…