I have returnethed with another chapter! Wow, say returnethed five times fast. lol For once, I actually have no funfacts to share this time around, so I guess you'll just have to read my story. Disappointing, no?

Chapter 12

Despite what had taken place only moments before, the city was still, as if life had not taken a devastating turn for Gwen and Kevin. No panicking, nothing broken… Maybe Ben had managed to regain control at the last second? It was highly unlikely after the display in his bedroom, but one could hope for the better. For now, they were just focused on finding him in the jungle of buildings that made Bellewood.

There was also the unbearable heavy silence to tolerate. Though, to Kevin, it was already becoming intolerable. He wanted to talk, but he wasn't quite sure what to say. Gwen just seemed to radiate a misery that just couldn't be fixed with just words.

She looked continually out the window without really seeing what was outside. He knew she was thinking what could've gone wrong to create such a violent change while all the while still blaming herself when all that could have happened was that the freakish ghost had just managed to catch Ben off guard. But, then again, who really knew what happened? It wasn't really just part of the unfinished ritual, was it?

"… You see anything?" Kevin tried gently, coaxing her out of her mind. She stirred a little, but didn't look at him as the question registered.

"… No… Kevin…?" Her voice was soft, sad but contemplating.

"It wasn't your fault."

"No, that wasn't what I was going to say. I was going to ask… what do you think will happen if we complete the spell? I mean, for the first half it made him look… made him seem…"

"Dead? Yeah, well, does your book have it listed as a side effect?"

"I mean my inexperience! What if something goes wrong? What if something already went wrong? Kevin, I just can't-"

"It'll be okay, Gwen. It always is. If you keep worryin' like that you'll get old real fast." He looked to her, watching the street lights dance across her face as they drove under them; seeing the small unsure frown remain as they continued on.

He was sure they were going to find him unconscious in some alley, fighting the way he usually did, finally back in control, but upon turning onto the next street, he found that he was completely wrong.

Fires lit up the night as screams rang through the air at blood curdling intensity. People ran in all directions, but mostly past the car. An explosion burst forth as a purple laser shot through the smoke, oddly pitched laughter following right behind it as Jetray flew from the debris. He stopped above the street and quickly changed to Big Chill. The moth-man reminiscent cryptid flew through the air lazily but purposely, freezing the frightened humans who frantically ran from him.

"Ben!" Gwen cried leaping from the car, hugging the pure white Manna book to her chest. The Necrofriggian looked at her from a woman he had frozen to the ground, his expression unreadable as it most usually was. Kevin stood beside her after absorbing some of the asphalt in the road. He was ready in case of an attack, but he wasn't sure he could hit back, even if it was for defense.

"Gwendolyn, how nice to see you again." The Ghost greeted in maliciously happy tones. "Here to see what you have wrought upon the world?" The words staggered her, but she didn't back down, finding it easier to stand up to the face of an alien than that of her cousin.

"I know you're still in there, Ben! Fight back!" Gwen cried, anxiously hoping that her shouts were getting through. Big Chill just chuckled menacingly.

"He's gone. You've banished him into the very depths of his mind. Beautiful work I must say." He mused, raising a clawed hand to his head for emphasis. Was he lying? It was hard for Kevin to tell, and he was quite the experienced liar himself. He did have to be careful though. He knew Zs'Skayr was quite experienced in mind games and damaging Ben's body wouldn't be good if they revived him. Correction, WHEN they revived him. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

It was hard for him, though to restrain himself from doing everything but destroy the being who overshadowed his friend. Gwen moved first. She opened the book and took a breath but a sound wave knocked her over into the car.

"I… can't… have… you… doing… that." The sonorosion better known as Echo Echo smirked. Kevin had to give it credit; it learned how to change fast. He ran to her but another small alien stood in his way, blasting him back with another super powered wail.

"You… know… you… can't… win… against… him…" The two aliens mocked. Suddenly, the road underneath them rippled and a huge wave of street came crashing towards them.

"Don't talk about Ben that way!" He shouted angrily, watching his attack connect with satisfaction. He was disappointed to see Humongasaur arise from the debris.

"Ben, please! I know you're still alive! You have to be!" Gwen seemed to be okay, but not for long.

"Stop addressing those who can't hear you!" The dinosaur roared, charging at her. The ground crumbled in his wake as he charged through obstacles to get to her. Though Humongasaur was strong, he was slow and that held an advantage for Gwen to get out of the way.

"Yo, ugly!" Zs'Skayr looked to his left to see a piece of building flying at him. It smacked him full on in the face, effectively staggering him back into a building. Gwen saw their advantage in that move. Though Zs'Skayr had the Omnitrix, he had little practice being anyone other than himself. Kevin seemed to see it too.

"Gwen, get started!" He shouted, running toward the gap in the wall upon seeing yet another flash of light. He ducked as a rainbow colored beam of light made its way straight at his head.

"You believe you can win? Let's try your faith in your dear friend!" Chromastone laughed darkly, firing several beams at once. Kevin searched for an opening as Gwen began her chant, pausing several times to avoid the multi-colored beams.

Buildings were crumbling, fires raged on, and the clouds of winter had finally rolled in. It was truly a sight to behold in the quickly decaying city. But there was no time to watch to the rapidly disappearing sights for those trying to save it. Thankfully the people had disappeared, hopefully to safety. Gwen paused again but not because of the constant attacks. A thought occurred to her, a horrible yet unpreventable thought. What if Zs'Skayr found Alien X? He was currently stuck on Chromastone, but he could change at anytime.

The battle was brutal, Kevin taking the most damage. Gwen wanted to get in there and help him, but that was impossible without hurting her cousin in the process. The best she could do for both of them was to continue the Manna centered exorcism, and so she did.

"Are you even trying anymore?" The crystalline alien asked boredly, stopping his barrage to observe the damage. Kevin still stood, but his shield was greatly damaged, still clinging to him in pieces. His head was down as he panted, but when he looked up, he was grinning.

"Please, you fight like a wuss. Now Ben, he presented one hell of a challenge." This obviously irked the alien. He looked angry for a second, but then, he too smiled as though he hadn't played every card yet. Kevin thought what that dark smile could mean. He made a list in his mind of the aliens he had not yet used. Swampfire, Brainstorm, Spidermonkey, Goop… No, not Alien X! He would be unstoppable! Kevin ran at him, trying to stop the transformation without actually knowing how.

He was too late, a flash of the same deep purple light shone and there stood… Ben? The alien looked at his current form as Kevin skidded to a halt, relieved.

"Hm, to many changes I suppose. No matter. This form in only fair on your part, right?" Kevin growled, placing a hand on the metal streetlight next to him, absorbing the steel it was made from. He charged, having a harder time now having to see his true face, yet all the same continued forward.

The phantom could feel how agile this body was just by being in possession of it. He easily evaded the charge, a malicious grin on his face, and grabbed Kevin's arm, whipping him around only to slam him into a nearby wall.

He watched Kevin slowly rise, knowing his opponent was beginning to wear down. Suddenly, something within him seemed to jump and he gasped, grabbing his chest. He looked around for the source of the invisible blow and his violet eyes fell upon Gwen, now standing confidently out in the open, still reciting the written words within the book. He rose, a cold look entering his features. Kevin tried once more, fist raised this time only to have it caught.

"It seems that playtime is over." He hissed into Kevin's face. Before Kevin could find a foot hold, he was thrown into the air at Gwen. She moved out of the way, but a sudden force shoved her into the car. The book flew from her hands and skidded underneath a demolished SUV.

"You know, it is ironic, don't you think?" Zs'Skayr slowly walked over to them, arms behind his back though both continued to be crushed by the invisible force.

"This boy did all he could to protect this disgusting planet and now he will be the cause of its downfall. It's hilarious really. And now he will be the one to destroy you, his very friend and cousin that give him so much life."

"B-Ben…" Gwen coughed, her face contorted in pain. "S-stop…"

"How many times must I tell you that he's-" Zs'Skayr froze, staring straight ahead but not seeing. At the same time, the force against Gwen and Kevin dropped, leaving them on the ground gasping for air.

The ghost hissed in surprise, holding his hand up in an attempt to continue crushing them, but nothing came. The boy couldn't possibly have escaped! He had been locked into the darkest part of his mind, a metaphorical jail cell where none escaped when he came to possess them. It was mentally impossible!

"Having some problems there, Ghostfreak?" Kevin had recovered enough to be cocky, but was still on his knees, rubbing his throat to free it from the tight feeling.

"Don't think that that was my only power, human. Would you like to know what it feels like to have your consciousness suppressed? To lose control and be only able to watch as you destroy what is dear to you?" Kevin looked on in horror. He wouldn't dare… would he? Could he? Maybe it was just talk. He didn't want to stick around and find out.

"Hey, Gwen?" He called timidly. "Need a little help!"

"…Busy!" She shouted back. It was just out of reach, perhaps an inch or so away from her hand. She forced her arm further under the crushed car, slicing open her shoulder in the process. She couldn't use her powers on it. She'd tried. It had some sort of anti-Manna spell on it, so no one could steal it via the alien power, also preventing her from the obvious way to get it. So, despite the awful nick on her arm, she continued to reach, her fingers just barely brushing the spine of the book.

Kevin couldn't run. His energy had been spent and legs refused to cooperate. He was stuck and his once friend was advancing on him slowly, menacingly. He was instilling the fear hidden within the threat; showing him that it was possible and he would do it.

"C'mon Tennyson, I know you can here me! You're not going to let him win are you?!" The panic increased in his voice as he watched Zs'Skayr get closer and closer. The fire reflected in his eyes becoming clearer with each step.

"I tire of your defiance! Become part of the darkness that you fear!"

"Gwen!" Kevin put an arm in front of him, closing his eyes behind it. If this was the final memory he was going to have of him, then he didn't want it. He wanted to remember a better time when their lives hadn't taken such a horrible turn. A time when they were having fun doing what they did. Video games, DNAliens, road trips… He etched them all into his memory and anxiously awaited the feeling of… was it supposed to be nothingness?

He could still feel everything around him. That could be part of it though, part of making the experience all the more horrible because he could feel it. He lowered his arm and peeked open an eye to see. He gazed in surprise when he saw a solid form of pink energy three inches from his face.

He fell back as he realized that the phantom had been a second away from laying a hand on him. He was now trapped, many tendrils of pink energy wrapping around his waist and limbs, preventing him from moving forward.

"Damn you!"

"You okay Kevin?" Ah, his sweet saviors voice. God, he had to do something really nice for her later.

"For now. What about the book?"

"One second!" She crouched once more, this time holding one arm out to maintain the Manna flow, the other reaching perilously close to the snow white book.

"Fools! Idiotic children of dirt! You think this is over?! You cannot win! As long as the boy exists, so shall I!!" Laughter rang from his open mouth, insane and uncontrolled. He tensed every muscle and forced his strength into moving his right arm down, right on Kevin. Every part of him shook, but, to Kevin's horror, he began to move. Though very slow, with his being unable to move himself, he still felt frightened.

Suddenly, Zs'Skayr froze, an expression of terror on his face. He felt his energy leaving him. He turned his head as far backward as it could go to see Gwen, reciting whatever remained in the book.

"No! I refuse to let go! I shall not be beaten by you! You cannot-" He gave a sickening wretching sound and a deep crimson liquid oozed out the corner of his mouth. It ran down his chin and dripped onto the road in a steady flow as he struggled to retain his ties to his host.

He continued to reach for Kevin, trying to seek some form of refuge in a new host body. Kevin tried to scoot away in a desperate attempt to not be possessed. The world seemed to spin around them both when the final words rang out over the fire and chaos. Over the crumbling buildings, and screams.

"-Omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica!!"

Ooooh, cliff hanger! Hope you guys like this one! I hate to sound egotistical, but I kind of liked it myself. Anywhoozles, I must take my leave. So if this is my last chapter before Christmas, then I wish you all a very merry Christmas one and all!... Yeah, that was cheezy, but I mean it!

-Xangabell 12:30am