"Are you ready Ben?"

The young teenager stood at the foot of the spaceship, his arm in a sling, his body still bandaged up, his legs wobbly but was supported by his Grandpa Max and Kevin Levin. Gwen was the one who spoke, who stood just inside the ship, her hand held forward in greeting and a beautiful smile wiped on her face. Ben smiled back. Finally he was leaving this damned rock and returning to his own world, after a month of practically being held in captivity and confined to his own room, he was leaving and he was so glad of it!

The morning was still and cool, the strange trees of Azmuth's planet wafted in the breeze and sang a song of farewell but looked so lost among the tall techy and dark buildings that towered above them. Azmuth and some other of the main counsel of the planet stood beside the ship to send them off, although Azmuth looked bored and a bit frustrated, Ben could see the relief and happiness in his eyes to see him well again.

"So Ben Tennyson, finally we say our goodbyes," Azmuth said as they approached and Ben stopped before him, waving off Kevin and Max's support, standing a little shakily by himself.

"At least I won't be bothering you any more," the boy replied.

"Yes, well, remember what I've said to you, take it easy, no fighting or getting over exited," Azmuth ordered "And remember to take those pills I've given you, every morning and evening." Ben nodded in answer and smiled slightly, seeing that Azmuth was trying so hard to hide his kindness over orders.

But as Ben turned to leave he saw the little grey alien lay his eyes upon the strange marking on his wrist and paused. Azmuth noticed and looked up to the human boy, all frustration, kindness and goodbyes left his eyes and curiosity and question remained. Ben knew what he was going to ask and he knew how he'd answer, he did not remember. Though his lies felt so hollow and empty in his own mouth and it filled him so much with guilt and hurt.

"Are you absolutely positive you have no idea where that came from?" Azmuth asked one last time and he and Ben's eyes connected, but Ben hid his emotions, running thoughts through his mind.

Maybe he could tell Azmuth, tell him about the strange encounter with Angel and his 'death' but on the other hand, he'd have to stay behind once more. More tests and more nagging him. He did not want that. Neither did he want to put his family and friends through all that worry and hardship again, the path ahead was going to be dangerous, he knew that already and he still needed to find out how and when he'd have to carry out his part of the pact. He was not looking forward to it. Why did you have to do this to me Angel! He screamed in his head.

The sliver mark shone in the morning light as Ben looked down to it, its mysterious marking baffled him as it had done to so many here on this planet. Azmuth was so angry and frustrated on the mark because none of his tests or experiments had come any nearer to finding out what it meant or what it was for. The smartest being in the universe and he had no idea what it was. The marking wasn't a language he recognised, it wasn't a native tattoo or even just a blob on his arm. It had a secret and Amzuth could not despiser what it was.

"Ben?" The grey alien interrupted Ben's thoughts and once again he looked down to him, then he glanced back to the mark.

"No idea," Ben answered and hobbled off up to the ship.

Gwen greeted her cousin kindly and helped him into the main hanger, placing him on one of the chairs where Max joined him on the left.

"I'm glad you're back Ben," he said and all Ben could do was smile back, although inside, he felt that part of him wasn't back with reality at all.

The ship began to rise, shaking a little and the roaring of the engines and fire coming out the exhausts sounded around Ben's ears.

Outside, the counsel began to walk away, leaving Azmuth alone to stand and watch the ship fly off into the sky and he stood there until it was gone for good and he shook his head sadly as he walked back to his lab.

Meanwhile, in the vast and darkness of space, the emptiness of the universe was engulfing a ship as it hovered alone in the black. Its long body stretched far out and inside a creature was being dragged to the bridge by two deadly looking robots, obeying a single command from their dark master.

The prisoner could only look up to see the technology of the ship glow around him, he could feel the pulsing and the energy below him, keeping the ship aloft. The humming of the dark robots either side of him annoyed his ears and he observed them as their glowing red eyes faced forward, no noticing his cold look upon them. So many times had he tried to break free of them, but had been overpowered and struck down with their electric weapons and defences and dragged off once again to his cell.

They approached a tall, dark looking door and the prisoner recognised it immediately. One of the robots reached forward and hovered a hand over a panel, it made a beeping noise as it recognised who it was and obediently, the doors to the bridge opened.

Inside there were panels and strange technology stuck to the walls and the ceiling, orange coated wires hung from monitor to monitor, some lay by the window where robots and other aliens sat pushing buttons and holding the ship steady. And in front of them all was the massive chair for the captain. He sat there, back faced away from the door, all the better to hide his ugly face! The prisoner thought coldly and frowned upon the dark figure who stood up from his perch.

"Did you feel it seer?" The hissing, evil voice asked.

The prisoner did not answer.

"I trust that you did, tell me, has the prophesy now been broken? Has the darkness prevailed now?" But still the prisoner did not answer the captain's question, instead he carried on staring with a dark look that could have made you shuddered with fear. But not this captain, who had faced things that the prisoner could only imagine.

"Answer me!" The voice growled, his head whipped round, but still covered by the darkness of the room.

The prisoner hesitated for a moment but then spat out his answer, pleased that it would not be what the captain would like to hear "It has merely faltered my lord,the prophesy is still there, but looser than before, you should have acted faster, because the one you sought to kill is still out there!"

The captain hissed in anger and stepped forward from the shadows, snatching the man off his feet and holding him aloft by the neck. The prisoner gasped for air and coughed as the alien tightened his grip on him.

"You are lying to me!" The captain hissed through gritted teeth.

"I am not...the one to lie...lord..." the man gasped tried to loosen the alien's grip, but it was no use, the captain had to much of a tight grip.

"Then why is the prophesy still intact! Tell me that seer!" He shook the man for a moment then realised his grip on him and the prisoner yelped as he fell to the floor with an almighty bang, he cried out as his arm made a terrible cracking noise on impact.

The man glared at the alien with a hard gaze and screamed at him in anger, but with triumph too "Because he is still alive!" and seeing the look on the captain's face he laughed hysterically, clutching his arm still and rising to his feet.

The alien growled and lifted an arm to knock the creature away and be done with him but hesitated and lowered it. He needed this man and he could not loose him...yet. He hissed angrily and barked "Take him away!" To his robots and obediently, they snatched the man off his feet and dragged him away from the room, but he fought back strongly, calling out insults and foreshadowing to his captive.

"You will never win! You'll never win! He'll see to that! Its still there! The prophesy will stand and you will die, the almighty VILGAX!" And finally he was taken away, his cries blocked out by the doors that closed behind them.

The alien frowned in frustration and anger and whispered in a dark hiss "We shall see..."