"You heard about those robberies?", a security guard asked his fellow security guard. His name tag read Josè, while the former's was Ash.
The latter simply shrugged. "I mean... yeah? I guess? I don't really care."
"Well whatever was stolen just vanished into thin air, it's a common theme.", He said as the two perked up as they heard something. "You heard that?"
Josè looked at him dumbfounded. "Am I fucking deaf? Of course I heard it."
"Okay okay, Jesus relax. I'll go check it out.", Ash said as Josè went to make his rounds around the building while the former checked the noise. The closer he got the more it sounded like... footsteps? Ash looked in shocked as a glass case seemingly opened by itself, the Archamada Book of Spells was lifted into the air by... nothing. Suddenly vanishing into thin air. "What. The. Fuck."
"I can't believe Verdona got rid of that rock monster thing. I could've had a pet rock!", Alex said slightly pissed.
"What're you on about? You can just get a rock from anywhere.", Ben cocked his eyebrow.
"Yeah but that's different."
"NO IT ISN'T!"
"YES IT IS! IT MOVED BY ITSELF AND EVERYTHING!"
"Wait... you're right! We could've had a living rock for a pet.", Ben grabbed slapped his forehead considering he never thought about having a sentient rock as a pet.
Gwen looked at them, looked at an empty can before attempting to mimic Verdona's ability of telekinesis and throw it at Alex. She succeeded but missed and hit some guy sitting with his family. Ben and Alex looked at her with the most smug smiles on their faces. "... stop looking at me."
"Alright alright.", Alex shrugged as Ben shook his shoulder. "What is it?", Ben pointed at a... space? All of a sudden a drink vanished into thin air, the one who ordered it looked around confused. "It just disappeared?"
Gwen stood up and tilted her head. "You don't see her?", she asked as to both Ben and herself, they were seeing some girl go completely unnoticed by the crowd as she casually stole food and as stated before, a drink.
"See who? I mean I know the drink disappeared but, oh well.", Alex shrugged as Gwen looked at him and slapped him on the back of the head. He stood up and tilted his head in confusion. "Who the fuck is that?"
"You can see her now?", Ben asked as Gwen looked at her hand, sort of impressed she smacked something bro him."
"Kinda. It's not clear but I can definitely see someone.", Alex said as the image of the figure started to get clearer the more he looked, but still looked. That's when he felt eyes bore into him, before seeing people being pushed past.
"She's getting away.", Ben shot up and ran after the figure, Gwen nudged Alex forward who begrudgingly chased after them, Gwen following close behind.
The passerby's looked at them in confusion as they chased after something that wasn't there. But to the three there was someone who was sprinting at full speed, as soon as they turned the same corner. The thief was gone.
"Who was that?", Gwen asked as Alex was so close to smacking her on the back of the head but resisted the temptation.
A man floated in the center of an abandoned and run down Mansion, looking at the book of spells intently. "Wow, this was a surprisingly great find. Good on you my niece.", the man has grey skin with black symbols on his shoulders, with his face painted similarly to a skull. He wore dark red attire which looked similar to a a Buddhist Monk, however it looked torn and ripped in some places which exposed some scars and tattoos. He closed the Book of Spells and turned around to see his niece. "Charmcaster, welcome back."
The niece was the thief from before, she was around average height with long, stark white hair that reached to her waist, having slight pinkish eyes and a pale skin complexion. She wore a torn magenta coat with purple at the ends, underneath she wore purple long boots with black straps around them. "Hey Uncle Hex.", Charmcaster waved at him with slight timidness, scratching the back of her head. "So I have some news."
"Did you find the Keystone of Bezel?"
"No. But someone did see me... well more like three people.", she flinched as a staff flew past her head and was caught by Hex.
He slowly uncrossed his legs and floated over to her. "How is that possible?"
"Well, two of them had a very... specific aura to them I guess? The girl had a much more prominent one while the other only had it to a bare minimum. Then there was a third, it was... I don't know how to describe it.", Charmcaster explained as she really didn't know how it was possible, they seemed a bit odd in her perspective.
Hex grits his teeth and grips his staff so tightly his knuckles turn white. "That oversized turtle must've caught up to us finally.", he said as his eyes burned with a golden yellow energy. "Tell me what those scouts look like, I'll make sure to take care of them"
"How... what?", Ben looked at Alex casually eating snails they had in the fridge. "That's so gross."
"For once I agree on something with you.", Gwen gagged.
"My mom loves making very unique dishes... just not on the level of Max's.", Alex said gesturing to Max who rolled his eyes. Suddenly, the side of the RV was hit with something that caused it to lose balance and fall to its side.
Alex quickly recovered from the sudden attack to the RV, rubbing the back of his neck as the Tennyson's groan in slight pain. Quickly, Alex scrolled through his current arsenal.
Hex floated over the RV before dropping to the ground, Charmcaster appearing in a pinkish light. "Was that really necessary?"
"Not exactly.", Hex said with a deadpan as he pointed his Staff of Ages at the RV. Suddenly, a green flash erupted from the vehicle. "What was that?"
Spidermonkey leapt out and let out a monkey-like screech. "Man your insurance is fucked!", he unfolded his jaw and spat a glob of webbing from it. Hex stopped it with telekinesis before flinging Spidermonkey into the distance.
"I'll deal with this... creature. You deal with the other two.", Hex said as Charmcaster looked... confused, where did that thing come from? "Charmcaster, do you understand me?"
"Yes Uncle Hex.", Charmcaster nodded as her uncle flew off after monkey. The sorceress pulled out a small book and flipped through the pages before holding her hands out. "Eterla Morbulous!", she chanted, pulling out Ben and Gwen from the Rust Bucket, still disoriented.
~
Spidermonkey stopped himself with his spider legs, digging them into the asphalt in order to slow him down. "Berdi Mordo Nata!", the alien's spider sense triggered as soon as Hex chanted this, he flipped out the way of a powerful stream of blue flames.
"Watch it!", Spidermonkey looked at him with his six eyes, which widened. In a quick green flash, Drag Racer zoomed out the way of a barrage of explosive crystals.
"It's a Shapeshifter. Must be like Addwaitya's guards, this one seems... a little different.", Hex kept firing in different directions in order to hit the speeding creature
"Miss me! Now ya gott- okay maybe not.", Drag Racer sped towards the Rust Bucket and rammed himself into Charmcaster, slowing down enough so he wouldn't shatter all her bones but fast enough to disorient her. This also caused Ben and Gwen to be dropped back down.
Charmcaster got up and rubbed her bleeding nose with a slight scowl, pulling out her book again, she outstretched her hand. "Meton Weights!", a red aura encased Drag Racer, who suddenly dropped onto all fours with the asphalt cracking around him.
"What the hell is this?!", Drag Racer lifted his left hand up, struggling against the invisible force that started to make him heavier by the second but still managed to slap the Omnitrix. Muscle Bound leapt up and grabbed her by the head.
"Get away from her creature! Silicus Milez Sasitatio!", A large, rock like hand emerged from the asphalt a second after Hex chanted that. Charmcaster managed to free herself and run out of the way. "Why did you take so long, they should be dead!", Hex looked at her in concern.
"Well... I don't have an excuse actually.", a pink whip made of Mana suddenly slapped Hope on the back of the head. They looked over to see Gwen with her hand outstretched, blood pouring from her nose the more she put into the tentacle-like appendage. "Damn brat!"
Hex looked on in shock as the powerful rock creature was torn into pieces by the four armed creature, who barely seemed to try. "We have to go."
"What?!", Charmcaster looked up at him in confusion as Muscle Bound turned into Crazy Diamond.
"You're not going anywhere!", Crazy Diamond shot out diamond shards from his finger tips, in which Hex slammed the Staff of Ages and vanished into a fiery light, the shards passing through the light harmlessly as it dissipated. "Or... maybe you are.", he scratched his head as he walked over and flipped the RV back on its wheels.
Gwen and Ben hung on to the doorframe as they tumbled onto the asphalt, looking up at him in annoyance. "Couldn't warn us?"
The Omnitrix let out its warning and reverted Alex into his human form. "Sorry?"
Hex and Charmcaster appeared in their hiding place, Hex grasping his shoulder as he managed to get pierced with a flying diamond shard. "Damn.", he grits his teeth as he ripped it out.
"That went horrible.", Charmcaster said as she stepped away as soon as he looked at her with a sharp glare. "Sorry... just trying to lighten the mood."
"No no... it's okay.", Hex said as he used some sort of spell to heal the wound. "Why didn't you kill the other two, the truth this time."
Charmcaster sighed and Telekinetically brought a chair for Hex to sit down, which he did. "It's just, I'm not sure their really with Addwaitya. Don't you find it weird the other two didn't fight back until the last minute, the red head also didn't seem to be too used with her Mana construct."
"Your father told me to protect you at all cost Charmcaster, and I won't let you fall for their tricks. The other one was a shapeshifter too, so that's their main trump card.", Hex said as she turned away from him. "I understand I haven't been necessarily the best parental figure, but you need to see it from my perspective. Our home was attacked by Adwaita, that... thing, this being that overwhelmed our Lord like it wasn't even trying. Your mother and father entrusted me with your safety and hope that one day we could face that monster and bring justice to those slain. And I won't let you get killed by his... scouts."
"I know Uncle Hex...", Charmcaster let out a sigh and looked at him. "You better be right about them."
Max had finally recovered from his blow to the RV, with Alex using Circuit Breaker to repair it before changing back. "So that's what happened.", he nodded at their explanation.
"Yeah, now all we gotta do is find them and get back at em!", Ben pounded his fist together.
Gwen scratched her head as she started to feel less and less dizzy after that. "But how do we find them?"
"Same way they found us.", Alex said with a little smile, the Tennyson Trio looked at him in confusion. "This seemed too planned to be a sudden attack by two randos, and I can believe that girl was the same one we saw stealing a while ago. They must've tracked us down, maybe it would be through Gwen's mana... considering how her Anodite side is coming out. Maybe she can do the same."
Gwen perked up. "I don't know if I can do it. But I can try.", Alex gave her a thumbs up, in which she closed her eyes. She canceled out everything around her and focused on their energy, or at least one of them. "Found them... but."
"There's always a but.", Ben groaned as Alex smacked him lightly on the back of the head.
"I can't really pinpoint them exactly.", Gwen said as Alex nodded.
"Looks like I was right, in that case, let me give you a hand.", Alex activated the Omnitrix and scrolled through his aliens before pressing on one. A green flash erupted and in his place was Parasite. "This'll feel weird."
Gwen nodded and braced herself, she felt the unbelievably cold biomass engulf her. The black mass completely formed over her, creating a tall, feminine yet muscular physique with two white splotches resembling Parasite's eyes. The Omnitrix glowing within the mass. "We found them."
The Rust Bucket arrived in front of a run down mansion somewhere in the middle of the forest, which took a while to find but regardless, they found it. Alex was the first to exit. "I'm gonna be honest, I pictured this, but WAAAAY more fancy."
"Yeah.", Ben kicked him forward as he held his Hoverboard over him. "Let's go.", he said hopping on and hovering next to him.
Max stepped out, brandishing a gun regardless of their abilities. "Don't go in blind, we've gotta maintain our advantage. That being they don't know where here."
"I mean, they tracked us through mana. Meaning they either fooled us or is preparing... let's go.", Alex said as he confidently jumped through a broken window instead of going through the door.
"Sheesh.", Gwen rubbed her brow as she closed the door behind her. "Dramatic much?"
~
"They're here.", Charmcaster said to Hex, who was meditating above a salt circle, possessing symbols regarding their culture. Hex had also decided to be more... presentable.
Hex's monk like attire was replaced with a nomad-like look. He wears a red and black dress and hood, and black pants that are torn beyond his knees. He also has black arm guards and long socks that don't cover his heels or toes. "Good, use our environment to our advantage. If we have a shot at defeating that shapeshifter, it's best that I focus."
"Yes Uncle.", Charmcaster nodded as she zipped out of the room.
The Tennyson Trio and their plus one looked at the decrepit mansion, rotting wooden floor boards here and there with holes exposing the pipes, graffiti with a left over spray can. "Don't mind if I do.", Alex said as he shook the can and proceeded to spray his initials there.
"Alex, stay focused.", Max said as he used Gwen's bō staff to poke him on the back of the head.
"Yeah yeah, it's best we split up to cover more ground that way.", Alex said immediately re-focusing on his task, the three nodded as Alex scrolled through his Omnitrix. "I'll have to maintain a low profile." He said as he transformed into Parasite once more then vanishing.
Gwen and Ben decided to take upstairs, but due to their conditions they just flew up. Gwen sniffed the air lightly. "What's the matter girl? Is Timmy stuck in the well?", Ben jokingly asked as she rolled her eyes.
"Watch out!", Gwen shot a pink tendril and pulled Ben out of the way of an incoming blast, being a light blue color and resembling Crazy Diamond's crystal.
"How's Adwaita been lately?", Charmcaster said suddenly appearing from the floorboards.
"Adwhatta?", Ben cocked his eyebrow as both he and Gwen looked equally as confused.
Charmcaster took a deep breath and blasted a shockwave from her hand. Gwen gasped and flew up while Ben sped off to find the others. "Thanks a lot!", Gwen sighed as she attempted to keep herself steady.
"I'll have to kill you before he gets back.", Charmcaster said as Gwen slowly hovered down and onto the floorboards, raising her hands up as a sigh of surrender. "I'm not falling for that."
"Look, let's just talk, this is a big misunderstanding.", Gwen knew if they were to fight, the white haired girl would instantly kill her if she wanted.
Charmcaster lowered her hand and narrowed her eyes at her. "What's your game here?"
"Nothing, just wanna talk."
Charmcaster sighed. "I knew I was right, you guys aren't any scouts from that oversized tortoise. I've dealt with them in the past, their way more suicidal then you guys.", she said crossing her arms as Gwen put hers down.
"What's your guys' deal? Who's Adwaita?"
"This is Adwaita.", Charmcaster used pieces of the surroundings to create a humanoid figure before transforming it into a turtle-like creature with pink mana fire-like energy surrounding his head, or what would appear to be mana. His was surrounded by a necklace with long horns. He wears red armbands with yellow cuffs at the top and bottom. He has donned a red belt with yellow cuffs, fitted with a bull skull at the middle. Beneath the skull is a small, red loincloth. "This creature suddenly appeared in my home dimension known as Legerdomain.", she said as the creation turned into ash.
"What's the big deal about him? He doesn't look tough.", Gwen said cocking her eyebrow.
"Adwaita invaded my home dimension and started killing anyone in his way. The best we had didn't even amount to a fraction of what he could do, my father lead the resistance but that didn't last long. Adwaita killed the resistance and turned them into his slaves, but my father and uncle opened a portal for the three of us... and as you can see, only two of us made it.", Charmcaster said, she was ready to kill her if she tried anything.
"So that's why you attacked us. You thought were with him.", the realization hit Gwen like a freight train. "I need to get my cousin and grandpa, and we need to find Alex and your uncle."
Charmcaster just snapped her fingers and teleported Ben and Max to their location, confusing them. "Let's go, he's in the basement."
Hex hovered above the circle of salt, it erupted into a blue fire as his eyes glowed brightly. Little did he know, Parasite was lurking behind him, taking on a humanoid form he brandished a blade made from his biomass. "So far so good..."
"Garos, Garos, Vallah Goros, Huzzah Tempos!", Hex changed as the flames turned into a fire turn red, the markings slowly transforming themselves into a connected figure, similar to a pentagram. "Venesticha Vesa!"
Suddenly, a large black creature formed from the shadows of the room... no, it looked like it was the shadows. It had five glowing red eyes and horn like growths. "I. Am. FREE!", the creature of shadows screamed.
"Your shackles have been loosen, old friend. But not yet broken, until your oath to me has been spoken.", Hex spoke as his eyes bore through the creature 'body'.
"What is your desire, Hex?", the creature asked him.
"I'm giving you a willing magical host in exchange for the death of Adwaita and his army. What do you say?", Hex crossed his arms as the creature tilted it's head contemplating.
"How would it have a host without a head? Hmmmm?", Hex quickly turned to see Parasite finally making himself visible from the darkness.
"Uncle!", Charmcaster crashed through the boards with Max, Ben and Gwen dropping after her.
"I have a much better idea.", the creature leapt up and poured itself into Charmcaster, who coughed out a black cloud similar to soot.
"Dammit, no!", Hex blasted away the fires as Charmcaster continued to cough violently.
"What's happening?", Parasite asked as he reverted back to normal.
"The Lord of the Abyss, Orochi, has taken hold of her.", Hex said as Charmcaster stood unnaturally still, the Tennyson Trio backed away as she grew large, antler like growths, a pair of long ears resembling a Goblin with additional eyes on her face. "Abaeo Exorior!", the possessed sorceress suddenly vanished in a blinding flash of light.
"Do you have anything to send it back?", Ben asked concerned and absolutely terrified.
"Yes, but it'll need time to prepare it.", Hex said as he flipped through his spell book for the spell.
"I'll hold em off, you guys stay here.", Alex said as he started scrolling through his aliens.
Hex looked at him. "Why would you assist me in any capacity? You and the other three."
"This is purely coincidental.", Alex said as he transformed into Drag Racer. "I got this.", he said as he sped off.
The Lord of the Abyss floated above the mansion as the black and blue blur zipped up to the roof. "So, you're the shapeshiftingspecimen the sorcererspoke of. I am unimpressed.", it's own voice was combined with Charmcaster, though hers was a bit drowned out.
"You're in for a big surprised buddy!", Drag Racer sped off with a loud boom, the Abyss cocked its brows before it came back. Leaping up and transforming into Muscle Bound before punching it straight in the jaw, sending the Void flying back.
"Not bad.", Muscle Bound was slammed into the ground abruptly by the reappearance of the King of Black drop kicking him into dirt. "But I've seen better.", The Void held him down before he was blinded by a green light then met with a flamethrower to the face.
The creature hissed as the body it possessed regenerated the wound. "Figured.", Sunburn slapped his Omnitrix again and turned into Circuit Breaker. Dropping into his liquid form and dodged the blasts of energy from the creature, leaping onto the Rust Bucket.
"What is this trickery?"
"Not trickery.", the Rust Bucket was covered with Circuit Breaker, before transforming into a large robotic humanoid, forming a gun from his hand. "Technology."
"Very well then.", The Void rocketed himself towards the alien robot.
~
"He can't hold him for long, hurry up!", Max said with a bit of venom in his voice.
"Calm yourself elder, the preparation is complete. I just need to exorcise her from a distance.", Hex looked at Gwen. "Child, use that spell book and open a breach."
Gwen nodded but the book was tossed to her by Ben. "Okay uhhh...", she flipped through the book... she didn't understand a thing. It was all in some sort of language not native to Earth, however they started to translate themselves to her. "Oh. Borda Morfius!"
A large, blue portal appeared out of nowhere in front of Hex, showing them the battle between the now transformed Cold Soar and Lord of the Abyss. "Botigs Zaborito Carpis Nebegear Gais Liphan Intruders Utien!"
~
Cold Soar gasped for air as he was being strangled by the creature, however a loud demonic screech was heard as the Lord of the Abyss glowed with a pink energy. A cloud flew out of Charmcasters mouth and into the air, reverting her to her normal state as Cold Soar gently placed her on the ground.
The Lord of the Abyss transformed into its own humanoid form, appearing like an emancipated man. "I don't need a body like that to destroy you!"
"You sure?" Cold Soar stood in front of Charmcaster as a smile formed on his face, turning into Sunburn as he held his hand out. The Void screeched and charged at him. "Now burn." The Void stopped as he was engulfed by a massive blast of fire, several times larger then what Sunburn has ever done before up until then.
The Void screamed in pain and agony from the fire burning him before vanishing into nothing. Sunburn coughed out a glob of magma and rubbing his stomach. "... ouch."
The sun finally started rising after the dust settled. "Thank you for the assistance, and I apologize for earlier.", Hex shook hands with Max.
"No worries, it was all lost in miscommunication.", Max said with a nod as they stopped. "If you ever need something, contact us."
"Actually, I do have a favor to ask of you.", Hex said as he gave him a small sketch of a strange symbol. "We are searching for this, the Keystone of Bezel, if you find it please contact us.", Max nodded at this request.
"Here, I think you'll be needing this for a bit.", Charmcaster said as she handed Gwen her spell book. "I got another one, don't worry."
"Wow! Thanks.", Gwen smiled happily as Ben rolled his eyes.
"Why do you get the magic stuff?"
"You got a hoverboard!"
"THAT'S DIFFERENT
Charmcaster snickered a bit as the blue blue zipped around their mansion, more specifically the inside a few times before Drag Racer stopped and transformed back into Alex. "There, got the stuff you need.", Alex said patting his shirt.
"Oh and as a gift of gratitude for helping me.", Charmcaster grabbed his shirt and gave him a kiss on the cheek before pushing him back gently. "I'll be seeing you around. Maybe?", she said as Alex looked completely gone before shaking himself out.
Alex opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, Ben and Gwen looked at him, then looked at Alex, then at each other with a smug smile. "I swear to god, I'll kick the shit out of both you. I don't wanna hear it.", Alex said as he picked up both Ben and Gwen by the collar and walked back to the Rust Bucket.
Hex looked at Charmcaster with a similar grin. "Don't even start."
/End/"