The pain was sudden—sharp and all-consuming. One moment, Zayden Cross was staring up at the blinding lights of a hospital ceiling. The next, everything went black.
But death didn't last.
There was no tunnel of light, no pearly gates—only heat, weightlessness, and a strange hum in his ears. It was like being dissolved and reborn all at once. And when the fog cleared from his mind, he was no longer in a hospital bed. He was somewhere new. Somewhere loud.
Metal clanged, engines roared, and explosions cracked in the distance.
Zayden opened his eyes and sat up fast—his breath catching in his throat. He was surrounded by steel towers and dark skies painted with red flashes. The ground beneath him vibrated as something massive moved nearby. He wasn't on Earth anymore.
And yet… he wasn't a stranger to this place.
"Cybertron," he whispered, eyes widening in awe. "No way…"
He staggered to his feet—if they could still be called feet. No, his body was human. Still tall, still strong, and impossibly real. But the knowledge in his head—the recognition of this battlefield, the city skyline, the blaster shots echoing in the air—this was definitely Cybertron. And not just any era.
This was before Optimus and Megatron's war spilled onto Earth. Before Sam ever found Bumblebee. Before humans knew anything about Transformers.
Zayden took a shaky breath.
"I've been reborn… into Transformers."
Then the pain hit him again—but not from injury. From something searing itself into his wrist. He looked down, and his heart skipped.
A watch-like device pulsed with green light—its circular core glowing brighter with every beat of his heart. It was sleek, alien, and far more advanced than anything from Earth. He'd recognize it anywhere.
"The Omnitrix," he murmured. "Alien Force version. But it looks… different."
As if responding, the watch let out a soft chirp and shifted shape. Not quite the classic model. More angular, dark chrome lining the edges. A faint hum of power radiated from it.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from nowhere—calm, layered with an ancient electronic presence.
> "Welcome, Zayden Cross. Synchronization complete. Recalibrated Omnitrix: Bound exclusively to your soul. No external tampering permitted. Full access granted."
He blinked. "It talks now?"
A projection lit up briefly above the device, showing a list of alien silhouettes—some familiar, some completely new. Over a dozen options.
Zayden grinned.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun."
But fun would have to wait.
Explosions boomed again, this time much closer. The street shook as a massive form stomped into view. A towering Transformer—thick-shouldered, armed to the teeth, and painted in the colors of a Decepticon. Crimson optics scanned the area.
"Great. One of them."
Zayden dove behind a pile of debris just as the Decepticon opened fire. Concrete and steel erupted beside him.
Think, think!
He slapped the Omnitrix, twisted the dial, and selected a form that called to him—one labeled "Voltstriker." Without hesitating, he slammed it down.
A flash of green energy engulfed him, searing across his limbs, as his body shifted. Muscles twisted. Flesh became bio-conductive armor. Electricity crackled from his fingertips. When the light faded, he stood transformed—tall, blue-skinned, his veins glowing with power.
He leapt from cover, raising a crackling arm. "Hey, tin can!"
The Decepticon turned just in time to get slammed with a bolt of raw voltage, sending it crashing into a steel pillar with a snarl of sparks. Zayden moved like lightning—ducking, dodging, and unleashing waves of electric shock.
Ten seconds later, the Decepticon lay smoldering on the ground, its optics dim.
Zayden powered down, breathing hard. In a flash of green light, he reverted to his human form.
"Okay…" he exhaled. "I've still got it."
That's when it really hit him. He wasn't dreaming. This wasn't some virtual simulation or twisted afterlife.
He was alive—reborn in a new world, with power beyond imagination, and knowledge of every moment this universe was destined to face.
And yet… no one would ever know he wasn't from here. His memories, soul, and essence were completely merged with this reality. Scans would show he was born here. History would list him as a native. Not even the most powerful Cybertronian or alien telepath could dig out the truth.
He was the ultimate anomaly. A ghost in the machine. And he intended to make the most of it.
A small drone buzzed overhead, scanning the battlefield. Zayden ducked back under the wreckage.
Time to lay low. The last thing he needed was to show up on any faction's radar before he was ready. The real war hadn't even begun yet. Optimus and Megatron were still clashing in secret, Sam was probably still in middle school, and Bumblebee hadn't even arrived on Earth.
That meant one thing.
He had time. Time to train. Time to plan. Time to prepare for the wars to come.
Zayden stepped out of the rubble and looked up at the sky—a mix of stars and steel. Somewhere up there, destiny was waiting.
And this time, it wasn't waiting for Optimus Prime.
It was waiting for him.
The new savior of this world.