Ben X Chapter 35
Abominatrix Arc
Pandemonium part 1
Ben, Kai, Rook, and Charmcaster raced to the location given to them by Gwen. Up ahead of them they saw Gwen, Kevin, and Julie standing on the bridge overlooking the drainage ditch. The red and blue glow of emergency vehicles lit up their faces in the early morning. A light drizzle of rain fell gently on their shoulders. When they finally caught up with them, Ben felt his heart drop to his stomach as he watched paramedics lining up incredibly frail figures on the ground.
"Are they…" Ben began to ask but a quick reassuring hand by Gwen calmed his fears.
"They'll be okay, eventually. I managed to stabilize them with my mana." Gwen responded immediately, knowing her cousin's fears well. Ben nodded in relief. "Well, everyone but Edwards, the medics said his condition is touch and go." She added as an after thought. Ben nodded again, having had their adventures explained to them all over their plumber communicators.
"More importantly guys. I know what Eon's going after next." Gwen informed them.
"Then we must stop him as soon as possible." Rook spoke. "This is our last chance. He has already acquired three of the four necessary components for the ritual." He stated.
"What's the last component?" Ben asked, eager to get their mission underway. He did not want to waste any more time and give Eon another chance to get away. Gwen turned her attention away from Ben and towards Charmcaster. The young sorceress was confused and felt put on the spot especially as all eyes began to turn towards her. But Gwen's expression was not one of accusation, rather of sadness.
"He's going after the Alpha Rune." Gwen stated simply. Charmcaster's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she schooled her expression.
"No, impossible. He'll never get it." Charmcaster quickly said.
"How are you so sure?" Kevin asked. Charmcaster crossed her arms and turned slightly away from the group.
"Because I got rid of it." She said defensively.
"Did you destroy it?" Gwen asked curiously. Even though she had forgiven Hope for her actions and believed that she had turned a new leaf, she never pressed the older girl for details on what she had done with the Alpha Rune. Gwen wasn't even sure one could destroy such an object of immense power.
"No… But I put it somewhere not even I could get it back easily. There's no way Eon will be able to retrieve it either." Charmcaster explained.
"All the same, I think we should try to get it before he does." Ben said. A shudder ran through Charmcaster's body at the thought, and she took a step away from the group. They all looked at her with expressions of confusion and concern as the sorceress wrapped her arms tighter around her body.
"No, no I can't. I can't go back there. I won't." She said with a shaky voice. Charmcaster turned her back on the group. She knew she was acting suspicious but at that moment she didn't care. Behind her the remaining heroes exchanged perplexed whispers. Gwen in particular felt very conflicted. On the one hand her concern for her new friend made her wish they could simply let the issue be. She had only caught glimpses of a trauma and desperation that Charmcaster hid in her past. She knew something had happened to the sorceress to get her to change her tune but she had been hard pressed to find out exact details, Charmcaster was still very secretive about that. However, the more rational part of her brain knew that they could not afford to simply trust that Eon would be unable to retrieve the Alpha Rune himself. Gwen mulled over her words as the rest of the group conversed around her. She was about to go over to Hope and give words of support but she was surprised to find she was beaten to the punch by Kai of all people. Kai stepped over to Charmcaster and gently uncrossed her arms, squeezing her palm in the process. Charmcaster looked up to see Kai giving her a worn but gentle smile.
"Hey, it's okay. We can do it together. I know whatever it is you can do it." She whispered to her. Charmcaster stared at her with mouth only slightly agape before she turned back to look at the expectant gazes of her new found friends. The sorceress sighed.
"You're all right. The Alpha Rune is too powerful to leave defenseless." Charmcaster finally admitted.
"So you'll take us to it?" Gwen asked.
"Yes, but first, we'll need some help." She responded walking back over to rejoin the group.
"Help from who?" Kevin asked confused.
"From my dear old uncle…"
Hex was having a good day. A much more frequent but still rare occurrence these days. His tea was brewing, his student's papers had all been graded, and he had just received a rare edition of a grimoire that he was excited to begin reading. He had even donned his red bathrobe over his normal attire and put on his favorite pair of fuzzy slippers. All in all, he could say he was finally content at this moment. Such it was that he was only mildly irritated as he heard his door bell ring. He very rarely recieived visitors, aside from the one elderly neighbor who insisted on bothering him. But he knew her to be gone on vacation so he was unsure to the identity of his visitor. He stood from his arm chair and made his way over to the front door where he swung it open to find a very surprising sight.
"Gwen and Ben Tennyson? And friends?..." He said as his gaze landed on the half a dozen young adults standing at his doorway. But his eyes widened in shock as they landed on certain violet cloaked sorceress.
"Hi… Uncle Hex." Charmcaster waved uncertainly.
The group were shocked however as Hex immediately jumped backwards and began chanting. Suddenly circular red mana constructs appeared in the air between him and the group. They spun slowly with arcane symbols and sigils decorating their perimiter. The air filled with mana as Hex put up his defenses.
"You shall not trick me again Charmcaster!" Hex yelled across the room. "I don't know how you've managed to gain control over all of these individuals but I will not allow it to happen to me a second time." He shouted from a defensive position. Charmcaster's face fell at her uncle's words and her hands dropped to her sides.
"Wait Professor Hex!" Gwen interjected. "Hope is good now we promise!" She said arms out in front of her. Hex's eyes flitted between Gwen, Charmcaster and the rest of the group. His posture relaxed somewhat but he still kept his guard up.
"How can I believe you? More importantly why do you believe her?" Hex questioned.
"Because she's fought alongside us. She's risked her life to keep us safe." Kai spoke up from outside.
"She's even given up the Alpha Rune." Gwen added in defense. Hex's eyes widened again and he scanned over Charmcaster more closely. It seemed true. She no longer had the immense amount of mana that he was previously accustomed to. He lowered his guard and looked at her suspiciously.
"Is this true?" He asked.
"Yes. It's actually why I've come back. I need your help to get it back. Not for me!" She clarified. "But because they need to keep it safe." She said pleadingly. Hex stared at her astonished but shook his head.
"I think you should all come inside." Hex said. He gestured them into his home and one by one the large group filtered into his living room. Hex's abode was a mix of strange and eclectic oddities, decorations, and knick-knacks spread among more modern furnishings. The room had wooden floors and pale cream but faded wallpaper. Large bookshelves lined the room filled with dusty and ancient tomes. Stately furniture sat upon an intricate rug while a victorian like lamp stood in the corner and a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. The room would have been dated but inviting had it not been for some of the more gothic decorations lining the walls and shelves. Even around the small TV was a set of black candles. Strange horrid statues stared at the group as they milled about and either stood around the room or found seating on the couch.
"I think you should explain everything from the beginning, dear." Hex added as an afterthought as he addressed Charmcaster. The young sorceress took a deep breath before beginning.
"When I finally realized that the Alpha Rune's power was corrupting me and making me go… mad, I knew that I had to get away from it. I knew that I couldn't just abandon it and let someone else abuse it. So I devised a plan to hide it away. I put it in a place that I knew wouldn't be easily accessible, and more importantly, I wouldn't be able to get back to it easily if I was ever tempted again." Charmcaster explained. Hex became progressively more and more concerned as Charmcaster spoke.
"Child, please tell me you did not put it where I think you did?" Hex asked with a note of desperation. But Charmcaster only nodded solemnly.
"I left it in Panedemonium, in the Gardens of Madness." She spoke gravely. The gathered heroes all looked confused at the name, but Hex seemed to know exactly what she meant and began pacing nervously in his living room.
"Of all the places you could have put the Alpha Rune. Now I know you truly must be insane." Hex said. But Hope seemed to finally take offense at her uncle's suggestion.
"No, Uncle." She spoke tersely. "If anything, my journey through Pandemonium helped me." She said placing a hand on her chest.
"Ok time out." Ben interrupted. "Can someone please explain what Pandemonium is?" He asked glancing between Charmcaster, Hex, and Gwen.
"Don't look at me, I've never heard of it before." Gwen replied.
"You wouldn't have child." Hex spoke up. "It is a place known mostly to those of Ledgerdomain. It is also known as the Gardens of Madness." Hex explained seriously. "It is a place overflowing with mana, but it also has strange effects on the psyche. It makes foreign paths look familiar, and paths you've taken a hundred times seem utterly unrecognizable. This makes it extremely easy for you to become lost and wander the Gardens forever." Hex finished.
"Which is partly why I hid the Alpha Rune there in the first place." Charmcaster explained. "Navigating the Gardens is difficult, and I knew it would be safe there. The other reason was that many years ago Pandemonium was seen as a sacred place by our people." She said gesturing to both herself and Hex. "It was often used as a place of introspection and to gain wisdom." She explained.
"Yes, back when our civilization thrived and we had guides and knowledge. Without that guidance you are lucky you made it out alive." Hex said. "Since you somehow made it out safely, I cannot possibly fathom why you would wish to go back in there. For what purpose do you need the Alpha Rune again?" He asked.
"There's a villain named Eon who's gone around capturing all my enemies in a version of my Omnitrix who wants to resurrect an ancient transdimensional omnipotent alien deity so he can gain its power and the Alpha Rune is the final piece of the ritual he needs to make that happen." Ben said succinctly. "I think that about sums it up." He added. Hex took a very deep breath as he processed that information, hands near his face and fingers pressed in concern. But his concentration was broken as Charmcaster stepped up to him.
"Uncle." She said quietly. "I know that I've done, truly horrible things, not just to you but to others as well. I've never apologized until now because, maybe I felt I needed to earn it somehow. I know you may not trust me, but they do." She gestured to her friends. "And they need our help. You know as well as I do that Pandemonium can only be reached by a powerful incantation. I'm, not strong enough on my own any more. I know you've turned over a new leaf, and I only want the same thing. You're… the only family I have left. So please?" Hope asked pleadingly. Hex stared at her a moment, searching her eyes before smiling gently.
"Of course." He said. The two family members embraced in a hug, Hope hiding her face in the crook of Hex's neck. "It is good to have you back, my niece." He whispered. The pair ended their embrace, still smiling. But Hex's smile faded as he turned to regard the rest of the group more seriously.
"I have agreed to help, but I must insist that we discuss your plan. The Gardens hold more dangers than you might realize, first and foremost being the Gardener himself." Hex explained.
"Who is this Gardener?" Kevin asked intrigued.
"The Gardener is a large construct of mana and stone. It serves as the protector of Pandemonium, as well as its caretaker, changing the landscape of the Gardens as it sees fit. It will attack any it deems unworthy to traverse Pandemonium." Hex elaborated.
"Can it be reasoned with?" Gwen asked from the sofa. But Hex sadly shook his head.
"It's sentience has always been dubious at best. If the Gardener decides you don't belong it will stop at nothing to eject you." Hex said. Ben regarded the information thoughtfully.
"Charmcaster, you've been to Pandemonium before. Did you ever run into the Gardener? And if so, how'd you avoid it?" Ben asked.
"Oh, uh…" Charmcaster rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I actually never encountered the Gardener. I could sense him around me but I did my best to avoid him and it seemed like he never noticed me." She said with a shrug.
"Which is precisely why I am proposing that only a small number of us enter the Gardens." Hex interrupted. "The less people to enter, the smaller the chance of us running into the Gardener and more importantly, the less risk of losing people inside." Hex explained to a mixture of concerned reactions of the group. "I suggest that myself, Charmcaster, and Gwen be the ones to venture into the Gardens. We are the only magic users of your group and will have a natural advantage in Ledgerdomain." Hex proposed. Around him some of the group seemed to nod in acceptance of the logic of the plan. But Ben stood from his seat.
"Sorry Hex, but I can already see a problem with your plan there." He said gathering the attention of the group. "If Eon is going to be going into the Gardens as well, then we'll need to send more than just three people to deal with him. We already know he can handle just a few of us with how powerful he is. Even with the power boost you three will have I don't know if that will be enough, remember he still has access to Addwaitya through the Abominatrix." Ben pointed out.
"If Eon has access to Addwaitya's memories, then navigating the Gardens will likely be easier for him. That's where Addwaitya originally obtained the Alpha Rune." Charmcaster added. Hex crossed his arms in deep contemplation.
"This is truly a predicament you have found yourselves in." Hex stated. He raised his head to look around at the gathered young adults in his home. "Are you all prepared to enter Pandemonium, knowing all of the risks that I have told you about?" Hex asked them all.
The gathered heroes all exchanged glances with each other. Kevin and Gwen's eyes immediately sought each other out. Kevin knew she wouldn't give up because of something like this and so he smiled letting her know that he would follow her to hell and back. Rook seemed the least intimidated of them all, while going into uncharted territory was somewhat nerve-wracking, his entire plumber career had essentially involved unfamiliar sights and situations, and this was no exception to him. Ben's eyes searched for Julie's and they gazed at each other for but a moment. But in that moment, a thousand thoughts seemed to pass between them. Ship had crawled to lay on Julie's lap, seemingly oblivious to the challenges that laid ahead. But Ben saw that Julie had the utmost confidence in both herself and Ship. For her part she was more concerned about making sure Ben didn't lose his way. If the Gardens really did mess with your head she had to make sure she was there to keep Ben's screwed on straight. Ben knew better to argue with her, despite how much he wanted only to keep her safe. His eyes flickered over to Kai next only to see her gazing at Charmcaster in silent contemplation. When Kai finally noticed Ben's gaze she glanced down at her feet. Ben couldn't tell if she was ashamed or not. Since their fight in the cave they hadn't talked much to each other. Ben was about to say something before Kai raised her head with a determined look in her eyes. She nodded resolutely at Ben who gave a grateful smile back. The entire spate of interactions seemed to happen silently in less than the span of a minute.
"I think we're all good." Ben said proudly.
Hex nodded his head before he clapped his hands. In a plume of fire his outfit had changed to that of his normal magician's attire complete with the normal hood that he wore. He gestured for the group to follow him. He lead them through his home until he reached a room that seemed dedicated solely to his pursuit of magic. If his living room had seemed gothic and arcane this room was even doubly so. Far more ancient tomes lined the walls and esoteric sigils were drawn upon the floor. More of the black candles were spread about, casting eerie light onto the windowless room. The room was just large enough to fit them all comfortably. With a snap of his fingers Hex changed the pattern on the floor.
Hex stood just off center and reached his hand out to Charmcaster with a smile. The sorceress took her uncle's hand. In unison they began to chant. The words seemed to spill from their mouth with practiced ease as they faced the opposite wall. At first nothing happened, but as the chanting continued a portal began to appear in front of them. It started as a pinprick of light which began expanding. A wind appeared from seemingly nowhere and began whipping around the room, kicking up dust and fluttering the pages of the books left scattered about. The portal soon seemed to reach full size and beyond it they could see a strange twisted landscape suspended in a sky of purple and black. One by one the group stepped through the portal until it disappeared behind them.
The group of heroes stepped beyond the portal into the realm of Ledgerdomain. For some it was a return to a place once called home, or at least familiar territory. But for the others who had never been here it was a step into an utterly strange and foreign world. But despite the inherent strangeness of Ledgerdomain, that was not what garnered the majority of their attention. In front of them stood a large and sprawling mass of stone and vegetation. Large floating rocks seemed to serve as the basis for the widespread jungle which seemed to grow in all directions. Verdant leaves the size of cars splayed out into the open air. Trees with winding, twisting trunks grew up, down, and sideways, clinging to whatever piece of earth they could. Rivers of shining teal colored mana seemed to weave their way through the air, illuminating the dense forest. Rushing waterfalls spilled over the sides of the two columns that seemed to frame the entrance of the Gardens. An archway composed of woven vines and branches welcomed them and served as the gateway into Pandemonium. The group stared in awe and apprehension at the massive jungle that lay before them.
"This is… wow." Said Rook, for once at a loss for words.
"Seriously, it's beautiful, I've never seen a jungle like this before, and I've been in plenty." Kai spoke up.
"Do not let it's beauty lower your guard. The Gardens are still dangerous." Hex warned them. He floated into the air and assumed a cross legged position similar to a meditating monk. "If you all truly wish to venture inside then I will not attempt to stop you. However, the least I can do is to remain here and act as an anchor for your sanity." He began to explain. "The spell I shall cast should hopefully help you all to remain lucid and clear minded once inside, so long as you all stay together." He stressed. "One last thing, please try to remain quiet, lest you attract the attention of the Gardener. Now go, be safe, and return unharmed." Hex blessed them. He began moving his hands in strange circling motions, casting his spell. Charmcaster and Gwen were the only ones who detected the strands of mana that attached Hex to them.
With that final warning in mind, the group of heroes made their way into the vast forest. They ventured into the otherworldly jungle, unconsciously adopting a formation amongst themselves. Charmcaster and Gwen took the lead, while Kevin and Ben manned the sides of the formation behind them. In the center, Kai and Julie followed. Kai with her sword held down but at the ready and Julie with Ship's sleek armor encasing her. Finally Rook took up the rear, proto-tool held at the ready. As they walked further and further along the path, they could not help but take in the majesty of the Gardens. Flowers of vibrant colors and iridescent shades lined their way. Strange birds and insects flitted about above their heads while in the distance they spotted small mammalian like creatures scuttling about in the undergrowth. More than once they passed underneath large floating boulders which seemed anchored in place by unknown forces, steady as a mountain. Eventually after several minutes of walking the paths began to split up, one leading up a hill, another descending into a curving road, and another which loomed forward.
"Which way now?" Kevin asked as the group paused to observe their options. All eyes turned towards Charmcaster who gazed on the paths uncertainly.
"I'm… not sure. I don't exactly remember a lot of details from when I was here last." She admitted.
"Whaddya mean you don't remember?" Kevin asked accusingly. Charmcaster turned to him with a hint of her old self.
"We told you guys, this place messes with your head. Last time when I was here I was lost for months I think. It should be easier with Uncle Hex acting as anchor but it's still confusing. Not to mention that legends say the Gardener is constantly altering the landscape in here." She explained.
"Great, so having a guide was actually useless after all." Kevin quipped.
"Kevin!" Gwen scolded him while Kai smacked him over the head for his comment. Ben turned to examine their surroundings, ignoring Kevin's complaining and instead looking for clues that would help them. From the corner of his eye he could see Rook doing the same thing. Ben turned his gaze upwards at the stream of flowing light, noticing that it seemed to follow the path upwards.
"Charmcaster." Ben called grabbing the woman's attention. "What's the deal with those glowing lights? Could they be helpful?" Charmcaster followed Ben's gaze upwards, noticing the stream of teal colored light above them. Her eyes flashed in recognition.
"That's a mana stream." She explained. "They converge towards the center of Pandemonium where I left the Alpha Rune." She finished.
"So it seems our solution is simple. We must only follow the mana stream to find the Alpha Rune no?" Rook conjectured. But Charmcaster shook her head.
"I wish it was only that easy. The mana streams don't always go where we can follow. Sometimes they flow through solid rock or over wide open spaces where there's no ground to walk on. So in short, we can follow them for a short time, but it's unlikely that following a single stream will get us to our destination." She explained.
"Still, it sounds like we've got a clue to work with." Gwen said pointing upward. "I vote we go that way." She said. A brief look was exchanged among the group. But since no one had better ideas they all soon ascended the gentle slope. The remainder of their travel was mostly quiet as they walked up the path. Soon they crested over the hill to look down into a valley of sorts. From their vantage point they could see the majority of the Gardens which seemed to spread out for miles. They watched as the stream of light they had followed veered off the path into the jungle towards it's center, merging with other mana streams like a great river. The mana streams converged on what appeared to be a structure that was part mountain and part temple. It rose up from the surrounding forest where the lights merged and shined like a great beacon in the distance.
"Well, at least now we know where we need to go." Ben quipped. But the rest of the group simply rolled their eyes at him. They followed the path down and noted that it did not seem to follow the mana stream which they previously were guided by. Eventually, the ground evened out and the trees towered over them once more. They followed the path until they came to a great river. The river was bridged by the trunk of a large and ancient tree which had fallen long ago. It was covered with moss and lichen and deep ridges grew in the bark. With no other path forward the group had no choice but to cross over the lumber bridge.
As soon as the last of them had crossed the bridge however, a loud rumbling shook the ground beneath their feet. They struggled to remain upright as the shaking grew more intense and even the trees and foliage around them trembled. Suddenly the landscape around them began to shift. The trees shrunk away or pulled back to be replaced by rocky boulders covered by different vegetation. The river and bridge behind them fell away, the once large timber tumbling downward to be replaced by thick forest. The wooded path in front of them widened into a grassland with tall weeds. As the trees receded though they spotted a strange visage appear through the trees. A massive stone face appeared over the grasses. The face appeared to be that of a human carved in ancient grey stone. A serene happy expression was depicted with a wide chiseled smile and kind eyes. The nose, round and bulbous protruded from the face. Its face ended in a flat line where it reached what would have been the forehead, the remainder of the face sloping downward to curve at the chin. On closer inspection three other stone visages were present. Together they orbited a large sphere of the same blue teal light of the mana streams. The group stared up at what could only be the Gardener.
The Gardener paused above them tilting its body downward as if to examine them with its stone face. Immediately when it spotted them, the eyes glowed with the power of mana and the stone faces rapidly spun around the sphere. It eventually landed on a face twisted in anger and rage, eyebrows furrowed and mouth drawn down in a snarl. The eyes alighted again and before any of them could react twin beams of light shot forth from its gaze
"Everyone scatter!" Charmcaster called. With little time to react otherwise, and not knowing how to fight such a being, the group reacted immediately to the command. They dove into the tall grasses, ducking down and praying that the Gardener wouldn't find them. The Gardener floated about almost angrily above them shooting out more of the beams of light from all four of its faces which rapidly orbited the sphere which comprised its body. The sound of the laser fire filled the air as the beams zapped the ground. As Ben hid in the bush his mind raced to think of an alien that would be a match for the mana construct. But before he could even think to transform the Gardener suddenly ceased its attack, floating up and away from them, deeper into the forest. Ben watched the construct fly away with a perplexed expression before he stood from his hiding spot and made his way back to the main path. He emerged to find Kevin and Charmcaster also exiting the tall grasses.
"Is everyone okay?" He called out to the rest of the group.
"NOOO!" They heard Rook call out. The three of them swiveled their heads around to see Rook trip ungracefully into the path. He shot up immediately, Proto-Tool held at the ready and a panicked expression on his face. Ben was taken aback for a minute as he had never seen Rook show such an expression of fear before. "No we are not okay! We're stranded in the middle of an uncharted forest! Who knows what kind of danger lurks here!" He called out in a fear stricken voice. Ben, Charmcaster, and Kevin all stared at him in confusion before another voice grabbed their attention.
"Danger? How could you guys think this place is dangerous?" Julie's voice asked. They watched as she skipped out of the tall grass, a blissful look on her face. "Look how beautiful this place is! How can you guys be anything but thrilled to be here?! I'm just so happy I get to experience such a wonderful place!" She called out.
"AAAGGGH!" Came a warcry from off to their left. Kai emerged swinging her sword wildly at the grass which impeded her. "What are you even talking about? This place sucks! It's hot, it's dirty, it's filled with annoying plants! Ah I hate it here!" She screamed wildly. Her face was twisted into an all too familiar expression of unbridled fury.
"Why are you guys all fighting? Haven't we gone through enough?" Cried Gwen as she emerged from the grass with tears wetting the edges of her eyes. "Was it something I did? Ohhh nooo I knew it, I'm such a terrible person I'm sorry!" She began crying. Ben, Kevin, and Charmcaster stared around at their friend's emotional outbursts, seemingly the only ones unaffected.
"Don't cry silly! We're in such a magical place with so many wonders to experience! I'm gonna go exploring and enjoy myself! Bye bye!" She laughed merrily as she began to skip off into the forest.
"Julie wait! I don't think that's a good idea!" Ben called after her but in a minute she had already disappeared.
"Ben's right! This garden is a death trap! We have to get out of here!" Rook yelled. "Ahh! The path we took before has disappeared! We'll never get out of here now! AHHHH We're doomed!" Rook screamed and ran off in a different direction.
"That fur bag is right! This place sucks! I'm gonna get outta here if I have to tear through every stupid plant and rock in my way! RAAAGGGGHH!" Kai screamed and ran off in yet another direction, sword held proudly into the air.
"Oh no! This is all my fault!" Gwen bawled, tears running freely down her face. "I knew I never should have taken you all in here! Now we're all gonna be lost forever and it's all because of me! Waaaaahhh!" She wailed hysterically before running off into the vegetation with tears blinding her eyes.
The remaining three of the group were soon left alone in the clearing, wondering what had just happened. Eventually the cries of their friends receded as they became lost and alone in the unyielding wilderness of the Gardens of Madness.
A/N: Hey fans! Hope you enjoy this latest chapter. The next few chapters are going to be the last part of the Abominatrix Arc and will lead into the final part of the story. I'm really excited about writing about Pandemonium so hopefully it's as fun for you all.