ANGER
The next day, Ben, Rook and Hope had settled down in Rook's apartment. Rook had set a Plumber station up in his living room.
The quiet hum of technology filled the room, the rhythmic pulse of the Plumber radar blipping like a steady heartbeat. Rook sat at the table, surrounded by a cluster of glowing computer screens, his eyes fixed on the digital map as he monitored for any sign of Vilgax. He'd been at this for hours, sifting through energy readings, each beep and blip methodical, his concentration unshaken. The rest of the room had fallen into a tense silence.
Hope was on the far end of the dining table, her face illuminated by the faint glow of her spellbooks. It had been decades since she last practised magic—so long that the once-familiar runes and chants felt distant to her now. She moved her fingers over the ancient pages, whispering to herself as she tried to recall the words, the power she'd once held.
On the balcony, Ben stood, his back to the room. The door was half-open, letting in a muted hum of the streets below. He watched the busy world beneath him, though his gaze was far away. The cigarette between his fingers burned slowly, forgotten. His mind replayed Gwen's final moments, the gruesome image of her lifeless body twisted and broken in her own blood. The memory hit him like a punch to the gut, a wave of nausea rising in his throat. He bit down hard on the cigarette and turned away, trying to shake the image loose.
But it clung to him. Just like everything from Bellwood did.
Inside the room, they moved around each other like ghosts. Rook at his station, Hope lost in her studies, Ben haunted by his memories. The three of them—strangers, really. They had only met two days ago, but there was an odd sense of familiarity between them. It was a cruel twist of fate, Ben thought. They reminded him so much of his old team—Kevin at his Plumber station, Gwen with her nose buried in books, always meditating or learning something new.
He closed his eyes, exhaling the last of the cigarette smoke. For a moment, it felt like they were still there. Like Kevin and Gwen were only in the next room, and everything that had happened over the past few years was just some twisted nightmare.
But it wasn't.
"Ben. Hope." Rook's voice cut through the stillness, pulling Ben back to the present. He blinked, clearing the fog from his mind, and turned around. Hope lifted her head from her book, rising to join them. There was an urgency in Rook's tone that neither of them had heard before.
"You gotta see this," Rook said, pointing at the screen. Ben and Hope stepped closer, their eyes following Rook's finger to the glowing red blip pulsing on the map.
"Energy readings matched that of Vilgax's," Rook explained, his fingers dancing over the controls as he zoomed out the radar, expanding the map.
Ben stared at the screen, his jaw tightening. The blip marked a familiar place, a city that had long haunted him.
"Bellwood?" Hope whispered, her brow furrowed.
Rook tilted his head, confused. "What's he doing in Bellwood?" he wondered aloud, as if asking the question to the room, though he already knew the answer wouldn't come easily.
Ben's fists clenched at his sides. Of all places, it had to be Bellwood. He hadn't stepped foot in that town for years, avoiding it like the plague. It was a ghost of his past, filled with nothing but bitterness and the kind of pain that never fully healed. His mind flashed back to his childhood, to moments of happiness in that place. But the memories were tainted now, overshadowed by Gwen's death, by everything that had gone wrong.
Rook glanced up at Ben, catching the shift in his expression. He could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his face hardened at the mention of Bellwood. Rook's voice softened, his tone reassuring. "Hey," he said quietly, "we're in this together, right?"
Hope looked over at Ben, her gaze steady, filled with understanding. She didn't know the full story of what happened to Gwen, but she didn't need to. She could feel the weight he carried.
Ben gave a slow nod, though the pit in his stomach remained.
Rook offered a small, encouraging smile. "Good. Let's go then," he said, standing from his seat. He gathered his gear with practised efficiency, but his eyes lingered on Ben for a moment longer.
Ben straightened up, the cigarette long discarded, the heaviness still clinging to him. But he forced his feet to move, following Rook and Hope to the door. He couldn't run from Bellwood forever.
Not anymore.
Ben, Rook and Hope arrived at the abandoned park. Vilgax was already there, his back turned against them. But somehow, Vilgax could sense that they had arrived already.
Vilgax condescendingly mocked them. "Not any sooner, not any later." He stated nonchalantly, as he kept looking around, as if trying to locate something.
"What are you doing here, Vilgax?" Hope asked him.
Vilgax turned to look at them and tilted his head, as if trying to study them. "Ben has not told you what this place is, Mrs. Hope?"
Hope and Rook turned towards Ben, who remained silent.
"Gwendolyn Tennyson. Date of death: April 10th, 2025. Age: Twenty two. Cause of death: Suicide." Vilgax continued, as he paced around.
Pain shot up the back of Ben's head as Gwen's name was mentioned.
"Her funeral was held in Bellwood Memorial Park. It was attended by her family members, friends, and colleagues," Vilgax paused dramatically. "But her remains, as she requested, were buried here. This was where her parents, Frank and Natalie Tennyson, first met."
Ben gnashed his teeth in anger. "Thank you for the trip down memory lane. Now what exactly do you want?" his voice low and filled with rage.
"Death is a human concept, Ben Tennyson. But to become truly human- organic, I figured I have to learn and adopt these concepts." Vilgax answered. "I am simply here to pay my respects for your fallen cousin." He continued, his voice filled with mockery.
"This is sensitive information," Rook wondered. "How could he possibly gain access to such information within the Plumber archives?"
A figure appeared from behind a tree. Ben's eyes widened in bewilderment as the figure walked towards them.
"Kevin?" Ben instinctively asked. "But why?"
Kevin shook his head. "Just don't, Tennyson." he answered coldly. Vilgax turned to leave them, his eyes still scanning the ground around him.
"Whatever," Ben murmured as he ran to chase Vilgax, running past Kevin.
Suddenly, Kevin stopped Ben. "No."
"What are you doing, Kevin?" Ben complained in anger.
"I must not let you stop Vilgax." Kevin's face is unreadable.
"Have you lost your goddamn mind?" Ben exclaimed. "Move out of the way, Kevin!" as he shrugged Kevin off.
Kevin pushed Ben and shook his head again.
"I don't have time for this, Kevin," Ben warned, his voice a low growl, muscles tensed and ready for action. "I don't wanna do this."
Kevin stood unwavering. "Me neither," he replied, the flatness of his tone betraying no hint of emotion.
In an instant, Ben lunged forward, throwing a right hook with all his might. But Kevin danced to the side with an effortless grace, his movements fluid like water. As Ben stumbled past him, Kevin retaliated, sending a punch straight into Ben's face. The impact reverberated through Ben's skull, and he staggered back, barely managing to regain his footing.
Without missing a beat, Kevin unleashed a barrage of punches, each one like a bullet fired from a gun. Ben twisted and turned, blocking and dodging in a frantic attempt to keep up. But Kevin's relentless assault found its mark; a swift strike grazed Ben's left cheek and connected with his ear. Pain exploded in Ben's head, leaving him disoriented, vision swimming in a haze.
"Why are you doing this?" Ben challenged, his voice strained yet defiant. "After all this time? You side with Vilgax?"
"You'd never understand, Ben," Kevin shot back, his eyes cold and unreadable.
"Make me!" Ben exclaimed, desperation fueling his resolve as he launched himself toward Kevin, his knee aiming for a strike.
Kevin intercepted, blocking the knee with a hard thud. Without losing momentum, Ben followed up with a swift kick. But Kevin anticipated the move, raising his right arm to absorb the blow and responding with a crushing left jab. Ben barely evaded it, adrenaline pumping as they entered a fierce exchange of hits.
With a sudden pivot, Kevin landed a powerful punch to Ben's chest, knocking the wind from his lungs. Ben gasped, pain radiating through him like a wildfire, as he fell to his knees. Every breath felt like knives piercing his ribs, and he could taste the metallic tang of blood on his lips.
He coughed violently, crimson splattering onto the ground, a stark contrast against the gritty pavement. As he glanced down, his worn-out Omnitrix caught his eye—the cursed device that had led him down this dark path of struggle and pain.
"You were never the better brawler, Ben," Kevin taunted, standing tall and triumphant over him.
"Damn you, Kevin," Ben spat, fury igniting within him. He felt a surge of determination wash over him. He had fought too hard and lost too much to back down now. Closing his eyes, he activated the Omnitrix, feeling its familiar energy pulse through him. In a blinding green flash, he transformed into Diamondhead, crystalline armor shimmering in the light.
Kevin instinctively kneeled, the ground beneath him cracking as he absorbed a chunk of rock, his skin transforming into a solid, impenetrable surface. "Do your best, Tennyson," he taunted, eyes gleaming with challenge.
Ben stood tall, his Diamondhead form gleaming like a beacon amidst the chaos. "You wanted this," he declared, a fierce resolve lighting up his features as he prepared for the battle ahead.
Meanwhile, Rook and Hope chased after Vilgax who had trailed off. They were suddenly halted as eight CSG Sentries landed before them. They instinctively readied themselves.
"Are you ready, partner?" Rook asked.
"After you," Hope smirked as she projected runes that illuminated against the dark clouds.
The Sentries marched towards Rook and Hope in unison. Rook armed his shotgun blaster and started pumping blasts at them as Hope threw her runes which exploded on impact.
The Sentries shrugged their attacks off and kept marching as they shot back at them in return. Rook leaped sidewards swiftly to evade the blasts while Hope projected a magical shield to protect herself. As Rook rolled on the ground after landing, he threw a few grenades towards one of the Sentries and the blast knocked it down.
On the other side of the park, Vilgax stopped in his tracks as his sonar sensor picked a very weak trace of signal.
"We meet again, Gwen Tennyson," he murmured to himself.
Meanwhile, Diamondhead and Kevin were locked in an electrifying close combat, each fighter a reflection of the other's resolve. They exchanged blows with a fury that echoed through the battleground, the air thick with tension. Diamondhead struck with raw anger, his crystalline fists glinting in the light, while Kevin countered with brutal precision, his movements a fluid blend of agility and strength.
With a swift motion, Diamondhead summoned a towering glacier of diamond that erupted from the ground, crashing into Kevin with a thunderous boom. The force sent Kevin spiralling into the air, his body arching upward against the darkening sky. Seizing the moment, Diamondhead lunged after him, fists morphing into massive maces, shimmering with lethal intent. He pummeled Kevin mid-air, each impact sending shockwaves that rattled the earth beneath them, the ground quaking as they crashed down.
Kevin fought to shield himself, but with every strike, cracks splintered across the rocky coating of his arms, revealing the battered flesh beneath. The relentless assault drove Kevin deeper into despair, his body trembling under the onslaught.
"How could you do this, Kevin?" Diamondhead demanded, his voice a mixture of anger and deep disappointment, echoing in the silence that followed their battle.
With a powerful swing, Diamondhead raised his arms to form a colossal mace, preparing for a final, devastating blow. Kevin, battered and helpless, instinctively covered his face, bracing for the impact.
But as Diamondhead looked down at his old friend, a flicker of empathy washed over him. The sight of Kevin in such a vulnerable state softened his resolve. He lowered his massive weapon, the maces shrinking back into harmless crystalline fists, and took a step back, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on his shoulders.
"Ben," Kevin called wearily, his voice barely above a whisper, as he struggled to contain the pain wracking his body.
Diamondhead spun around, fury boiling over. "What?! How could you? Have you forgotten what Grandpa Max died for? Have you forgotten what Gwen and we fought for? If only she could see you now, Kevin." His words were sharp, each syllable laced with bitterness.
Shame washed over Kevin as he hung his head, unable to meet Diamondhead's piercing gaze. "Do not bring Gwen into this, Ben," he pleaded, a tremor of hurt in his voice.
"Then what? What could possibly motivate you to betray our cause?" Diamondhead lashed out, his voice rising with indignation.
"I'm doing this for Gwen, Ben!" Kevin finally snapped, his anger igniting like a wildfire. He pushed himself to his feet, the tremors of pain coursing through him but unable to suppress the truth any longer.
"What?" Diamondhead blinked, confusion clouding his features.
"Vilgax told me he could bring Gwen back," Kevin confessed, the weight of shame palpable in his tone. "He said he would do it if I helped him."
"You have got to be kidding me, Kevin. You know it's not possible," Ben muttered under his breath, incredulity filling his words.
Kevin shook his head desperately, eyes wide with determination. "It's worth a try, Ben. Don't you want her back?"
"Deep down, you know this is wrong, don't you, Kevin?" Diamondhead pressed, his voice steady, unwavering. "Trusting Vilgax?" He shook his head in disappointment. "You're truly lost. You're delusional."
"I don't know, Tennyson! All I know is that I'm willing to try," Kevin stuttered, desperation creeping into his voice. "Gwen was your cousin, Ben. Don't you blame yourself for her death?" His eyes blazed with fury, the memories of Gwen's struggles flooding back. "How could you abandon her when she was… broken? Lost? Where were you?"
Ben trembled as the haunting guilt he had buried for so long clawed its way to the surface. "I—" he faltered, the memories of Gwen's funeral crashing over him like a relentless tide. He felt small, drenched in rain, standing beneath a sky that mirrored his despair.
Swallowing hard, he stumbled over his words. "I— I was scared, Kevin. I was a coward. I convinced myself that Grandpa Max would have wanted us to move on. So I—" Ben's voice quaked with anguish. "I stayed away. By the time I realised she needed me, it was too late. She was gone… in a blur." His voice cracked, the weight of his sorrow overwhelming.
"Not a single waking day has passed where I don't blame myself for her death, Kevin," he admitted, his voice choked with grief, trembling under the weight of his trauma. "I wish I could go back and fix everything. My father, Grandpa Max, Gwen. It's like I curse everyone around me."
"But bringing Gwen back doesn't change everything. You know what happened to her when she was obsessed with bringing Grandpa Max back, don't you, Kevin?" Ben's voice turned firm, cutting through the haze of sorrow.
"Vilgax has access to ancient knowledge. He revealed it to me," Kevin interjected, urgency rising in his tone. "This was what Gwen lacked."
"Gwen is long gone, Kevin!" Diamondhead lashed out, frustration boiling over. "You of all people should know this! Vilgax is going to destroy the whole world!"
Kevin shook his head, sorrow etched across his face. "You forget one thing, Ben." He paused, his voice heavy with loss. "My world ended when Gwen died. She was my world. She still visits me in my dreams."
Ben paused, his heart aching as he finally understood the depth of Kevin's pain. "Listen, I—" he began, but the words caught in his throat. "I'm done arguing with you, Kevin." He turned away, struggling to walk away from the memories that haunted him.
"I'm not done with you, Tennyson," Kevin declared, his voice laced with determination.
"You know you can't stop me," Diamondhead challenged, unwavering in his resolve. "Not with the Omnitrix."
"Maybe—" Kevin murmured under his breath as he lunged at Diamondhead, desperation driving him forward. Diamondhead, however, swiftly tossed him aside with ease, sending Kevin crashing into the ground.
"Holy shit, Kevin, you're willing to risk everything?" Diamondhead questioned, disbelief etched on his face.
"Everything." Kevin's voice dripped with conviction as his eyes ignited with a brilliant green glow, electricity crackling across his skin like a storm.
Diamondhead looked at his own Omnitrix, which hummed in response, crackling with a similar electric energy. The horrifying realization of what Kevin had done began to sink in.
"What have you done, Kevin?" Diamondhead asked in horror, witnessing Kevin's body contort and distort, a monstrous transformation looming on the horizon.
Kevin groaned in agony, his body writhing and swelling as if being torn apart from the inside. Muscles bulged grotesquely, his once-human form distorting into a monstrous, towering figure that cast a suffocating shadow over Diamondhead. Alien textures and colors flickered violently across his skin, each a brief but vivid flash of Ben's stolen aliens—Heatblast's molten glow, Four Arms' crimson bulk, XLR8's sleek form—only to be forcefully melded into a chaotic, grotesque hybrid. It was as if all of Ben's aliens were fighting for control inside Kevin, their collective power twisted into something far more horrifying.
Diamondhead's crystalline eyes widened in dread. The transformation was like watching a nightmare materialise—a freakish amalgamation that shouldn't exist, reminiscent of something out of a horror film. Kevin had become a grotesque, living Frankenstein's monster, stitched together from the raw chaos of Ben's past battles, each alien's essence struggling to be free yet trapped within Kevin's agonised frame.
The air itself seemed to darken, thickening with a palpable sense of dread. Kevin's groans evolved into an unsettling symphony of voices—an eerie, discordant chorus that rang out from the many forms he had absorbed. Each voice, alien and familiar, resonated with a kind of tortured sentience, layered over one another, giving the grotesque figure an unearthly presence. Kevin was no longer recognizable, his human essence devoured by the alien power he had tried to control. He was a creature born of desperation and suffering, a living embodiment of Ben's darkest fears.
His elongated limbs jutted out at unnatural angles, each appendage bearing alien features that bulged and shifted beneath his skin. Razor-sharp claws extended from his hands, while his face contorted, morphing between various alien visages before settling into something far more monstrous—an alien visage with glowing, empty eyes that oozed malice. It was clear that Kevin was no longer the person Ben once knew. He had become something darker, more dangerous—an abomination.
Each agonising movement he made caused the ground to tremble beneath him, sending shockwaves of fear through Diamondhead. Kevin had not just absorbed alien DNA—he had consumed it, twisted it, and weaponized it in a way that defied nature itself. He was no longer his former self. He was a living nightmare—an unstoppable force of destruction forged from chaos, standing before Ben like the manifestation of every battle and burden he had ever carried.
With each step, the cacophony of voices layered into Kevin's growls and moans, filling the air with an eerie dissonance that made Diamondhead's crystalline form tremble. There was no escaping the realisation that Kevin had become a monstrous reflection of Ben's deepest fears—the fear that his power, in the wrong hands, could unleash unimaginable destruction.
Kevin, now a towering monstrosity, loomed over Diamondhead, casting an ominous, unholy glow in the dim light.
Meanwhile, as the dust settled, Rook and Hope, both panting, stood victorious over the destroyed CSG sentries scattered around them.
"Let's go, Vilgax must not be far," Rook declared. Hope nodded and followed behind Rook.
They stumbled upon Vilgax as he unearthed something from the ground. He produced an object- an ancient book and raised it up, like a claimed trophy, Hope's eyes widened.
"The Ancient Codex of Verdonna," Hope gasped. "I knew it from the cover. I thought it was lost forever." She snapped her finger. "It all makes sense now. Gwen's grave." She spread her arms. "The book. The Emergence. Vilgax is trying to resurrect Gwen!"
"You have finally figured my schemes out, Mrs. Hope." Vilgax addressed Hope as he turned around.
"Is that even possible?" Rook asked Hope.
Hope shook her head. "I- I don't know the details," she paused. "I haven't read the book, but it's possible. I have heard of an ancient ritual that could bring the dead back," she said, as if she's speaking to herself. "I need to study the book to find the details out."
Hope shot a grim look at Rook, a sense of urgency in her eyes. "And whatever happens, Vilgax must not resurrect Gwen at any cost." she stated in a dead serious tone.
Rook nodded resolutely, both warriors advancing to confront the menacing figure of Vilgax. With a swift motion, Rook armed his blaster and unleashed a barrage of energy blasts that lit up the dim park like fireworks. Vilgax, quick to react, dropped the Codex with a metallic clatter and expertly parried Rook's shots, his eyes glowing a furious red, igniting with the fury of a raging storm.
The air crackled as Rook rolled nimbly to evade a deadly beam, feeling the heat radiate off the ground where it sizzled violently, leaving charred scars in the earth. At that moment, magical runes erupted around Vilgax in a stunning display of purple explosions, momentarily obscuring him in a cascade of light and power. Vilgax groaned, momentarily taken aback as he turned towards Hope, surprise flashing across his features at her boldness. She stood defiant, her hands crackling with energy, continuously launching explosive runes at him.
With the fury of a rampaging rhinoceros, Vilgax charged through the magical onslaught, shrugging off the detonations that burst around him, relentless in his pursuit of Hope. Just as he leaped at her, she narrowly dodged, feeling the wind from his massive frame whip past her. The ground shook violently as he landed, sending a shockwave that knocked Hope spiralling into a nearby tree, stars bursting in her vision as blood trickled from the back of her head.
"Kh-" she gasped, pain radiating through her skull, her vision spinning like a chaotic whirlpool.
"Hope!" Rook shouted, alarm flooding his voice.
In that moment, Diamondhead crashed down just feet away from her, a formidable presence amidst the chaos. But from the depths of the trees, a disfigured Kevin emerged, a malicious glint in his eyes that sent chills down Rook's spine.
"What in the—?" Rook's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Yeah—I know, I know." Diamondhead replied, grim determination masking his pain. Suddenly, Kevin launched fireballs that exploded upon impact, sending Diamondhead soaring into the sky, a brilliant flash of light against the darkened backdrop of the forest.
Vilgax picked up the fallen Codex, scanning each page with a keen eye, the air around him thick with tension. Rook seized the opportunity. "Hey, metalhead!" he shouted, pumping his blaster at Vilgax, who furiously tossed the book aside, turning to Rook with a guttural roar and eyes glowing like molten lava.
Rook danced around Vilgax, blasting away as the villain absorbed the hits with a grim resolve, each shot echoing like thunder.
Meanwhile, Hope struggled to her knees, her vision slowly clearing. The Codex lay just inches away, and with a surge of urgency, she crawled toward it, flipping through its pages as ancient words slipped from her lips, glowing with power.
Diamondhead lunged at Kevin, but the disfigured foe vanished, turning intangible as Diamondhead's form passed harmlessly through him. Kevin reappeared in a flash, striking Diamondhead with a brutal backhand that sent him crashing into a tree, and then, like a ferocious whirlwind, Kevin pummeled Diamondhead from side to side, tossing him around like a helpless toy.
With a vicious grip, Kevin seized Diamondhead by the leg and hurled him into the sky. As Diamondhead soared upwards, Kevin unfurled his enormous wings and followed, pumelling Ben down with bone-shaking force. The impact created a thunderous shockwave that reverberated through the park, the ground trembling beneath them.
As dust and debris swirled around, Kevin, still hung on the air, his monstrous form casting an ominous shadow on the ground, covered his eyes, his gaze flaring green with an otherworldly intensity. He unleashed a concentrated heat beam that seared through the air toward Diamondhead.
When the assault ended, Kevin dove toward the ground, landing atop Diamondhead with enough force to create a massive crater, levelling the trees around them in a stunning display of raw power.
Kevin roared triumphantly as he began to pummel Diamondhead, each strike resonating like a war drum, drowning out all other sounds.
Before long, Diamondhead succumbed to the onslaught, reverting back to Ben, exhausted and battered. Kevin let out a final victorious roar, standing atop Ben's unconscious body, a dark king surveying his conquered realm.
Amidst the chaos, Vilgax shielded himself from Rook's relentless attacks, his eyes narrowing in frustration. But then he spotted Hope, glowing a brilliant purple as she floated mid-air, flipping through the pages of the Codex while chanting ancient spells that filled the air with palpable energy.
"Kevin Levin!" Vilgax bellowed, his voice like thunder. "The girl!"
At that command, Kevin's focus snapped to Hope. A fireball ignited in his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, it erupted toward her, knocking her from the air in a brilliant explosion.
Rook's heart sank as he halted his attack, realizing too late that Vilgax seized the moment to deliver a devastating blow, sending Rook spinning and crashing into the ground. Pain exploded in Rook's side, but he grit his teeth, rising to his feet, determined to save Hope from the clutches of darkness.
Rook's side exploded in pain, but he rose to his feet and helped Hope out.
"Your head is bleeding," Rook pointed out.
"I'll be alright," Hope muttered, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her. "The book. The ritual—" She faltered, her eyes flicking toward Rook with a haunted, broken expression. "I read it. Vilgax never intended to bring Gwen back. She was the last Anodite. He needs her resurrected body as a vessel for the Emergence."
She turned sharply to face Vilgax, her voice hardening. "Isn't that right, Vilgax?" Her voice cracked like a whip. "Why don't you tell Kevin the truth?"
Kevin froze mid-stride, eyes widening with confusion. He looked toward Vilgax, waiting—hoping—for some kind of explanation, a denial.
For a moment, Vilgax said nothing. Then, a hollow, mechanical laugh rumbled from his core, dark and devoid of any warmth. "Ah, the truth. A concept irrelevant to my programming." His voice resonated, cold and devoid of empathy, a robotic monotone. "But very well, Kevin. You deserve to know."
Kevin's chest heaved as Vilgax's words slithered through the air.
"The truth is, your perception of my intentions was flawed from the beginning. I never possessed the power, nor the desire, to resurrect Gwen. She was merely a pawn—a variable in the greater equation. A means to an end." Vilgax's gaze sharpened, unfeeling, mechanical. "Your grief? A convenient tool. I am above sentiment. Your anger—your rage—is irrelevant."
Kevin's world shattered in an instant. His heart pounded wildly, his breath quickened, and the ground beneath him seemed to fall away. His grief, the anger that had driven him to the edge—it had all been for nothing. His face twisted in agony as the truth slammed into him like a freight train. A howl of raw, primal anguish tore from his throat.
With an explosive roar, Kevin lunged at Vilgax, his body morphing grotesquely—twisting, expanding as his monstrous form grew even more savage. His skin rippled, dark matter pulsing through his veins, muscles swelling as jagged armour plates erupted along his back. His eyes burned with fury, glowing like molten fire.
Vilgax remained unfazed. "Futile," he intoned, his metallic body humming with energy. But Kevin was beyond reason.
The battlefield trembled under their clash. Kevin swung a colossal fist, the force behind it shaking the earth, and when it collided with Vilgax's chest, it sent shockwaves through the air, rattling the very foundations of the building. Vilgax staggered but quickly retaliated, his arm red-hot. He slashed downward, carving a burning line across Kevin's shoulder.
Kevin growled, the scent of seared flesh filling the air, but the pain only fueled his fury. He lashed out, landing a brutal kick to Vilgax's side, followed by a crushing hammer-fist that cracked the ground beneath their feet.
Blow after blow, they traded brutal strikes, each hit harder than the last. Kevin's grotesque form barreled forward with reckless abandon, his fists leaving craters in the concrete as he pummeled Vilgax. Sparks flew as Vilgax deflected his strikes with cybernetic precision, his body a blur of glowing circuits and humming machinery. But Kevin's strength—feral and unrelenting—pushed Vilgax back, inch by inch.
Vilgax's eyes flickered with cold calculation. With lightning speed, he extended a plasma-coated arm, driving it into Kevin's ribs. The molten metal hissed, burning through armour and skin. Kevin snarled, ignoring the searing pain, and countered by seizing Vilgax's arm, twisting it with bone-crunching force. A sickening snap echoed through the air as Kevin snapped the appendage clean off.
Vilgax didn't flinch. His remaining arm surged with energy, glowing crimson as it powered up. "You've grown stronger, but strength alone will not save you," Vilgax intoned. He swung his arm in a blinding arc, aiming directly for Kevin's heart.
But Kevin was ready. With a roar, he dodged, driving his fist into Vilgax's chest, shattering metal and wiring. Vilgax stumbled back, his internal circuits flickering erratically. Kevin didn't relent—he grabbed Vilgax by the throat, lifting him into the air and slamming him into the ground with a thunderous crash. The impact shattered the floor beneath them, sending debris flying.
He roared, plunging his hand deep into Vilgax's chest, ripping through wires and servos. But Vilgax's remaining arm crackled with intense energy—he wasn't finished yet. In a desperate move, Vilgax's hand glowed white-hot, and he thrust it into Kevin's chest. The energy surged through Kevin's body, searing through flesh and bone like a molten knife.
Kevin's roar of pain filled the air as Vilgax's hand tore through him, his heart pierced by the fiery glow. The two titans stood locked together, each one inflicting mortal damage on the other. Kevin's grip weakened, and his monstrous form trembled as life began to drain from him. Blood dripped from his chest in slow, heavy drops.
Vilgax pulled his hand free with a slow, deliberate motion, watching as Kevin staggered backward, clutching his chest. Kevin's breaths became shallow, ragged. His eyes—once blazing with anger—dimmed, replaced by an expression of sorrow and regret. His gaze flicked to Ben, who had begun to stir on the ground.
Ben's eyes fluttered open, his body still wracked with pain. His vision blurred, but he saw Kevin—broken, bleeding—looking at him, pleading silently for forgiveness. Kevin's lips moved, but no words came out. The regret in his eyes said it all.
And then, Kevin collapsed, slumping to the ground as the light in his eyes faded completely.
"Kevin…" Ben whispered, his voice raw, thick with emotion. He tried to rise, but his strength failed him. His hand reached out toward Kevin, but the pain overtook him, and he fell back to the ground.
Meanwhile, Hope produced a dagger from her pocket as she finished her enchantment. With a thrust, Hope stabbed through the book.
The book produced a horrifying shriek as ominous spirits left the book and rose into the sky. Before long, the book was gone. The surrounding grass withered out, burnt from the ritual.
Vilgax turned towards Rook and Hope.
"It's over, Vilgax. The book is gone." Rook declared, victoriously.
Vilgax produced a low, mechanical laughter. "Fool. You would think that I need the book. No. I have already scanned the pages. It has been recorded in my memory processor." Vilgax walked over to Gwen's grave and unearthed her remains. Ben, who had fully recovered, joined Rook and Hope.
As Vilgax plunged his sword deep into Gwen's skeletal remains, a deafening clap of thunder reverberated through the air, coursing through the blade like a sinister lightning bolt. The sword acted as a conduit, channelling dark energy that surged and crackled, illuminating the scene in a ghostly glow. Gwen's skeletal remains pulsed with a vibrant purple light, forcing Ben, Rook, and Hope to shield their eyes against the blinding radiance.
In an agonising display of horror and awe, flesh and skin began to envelop Gwen's bones, twisting and writhing as the corpse emitted a low, mournful groan. The very air seemed to shudder as her form reconstituted itself, though it was tainted by an eerie pallor, a haunting reminder of her former self.
"Yes," Vilgax murmured, satisfaction dripping from his voice like poison.
"We're too late—" Hope whispered, despair clouding her gaze.
"No, we are not!" Rook shouted defiantly, his blaster raised high. He unleashed a barrage of blaster fire at Vilgax, the blasts sizzling through the air with deadly precision. Simultaneously, Ben transformed into Cannonbolt, curling into a formidable sphere and launching himself at Vilgax with unstoppable force. Hope raised her hand, conjuring shimmering magical runes that danced in the air before she hurled them at their foe.
Vilgax roared in fury, deflecting Rook's blasts with a swift parry as he charged forward. Rook narrowly dodged the deadly arc of Vilgax's sword, adrenaline surging as he evaded the lethal strike. The runes exploded upon impact with Vilgax, a cacophony of purple flames erupting in a brilliant display as he howled in agony.
Cannonbolt struck Vilgax with the force of a freight train, sending him staggering backward. Cannonbolt ricocheted off the trees with relentless determination, each impact driving Vilgax further into a frenzy as he struggled to counter the onslaught. In the midst of the chaos, Hope sprinted towards Rook, extending a hand to help him rise.
Amidst the flurry of strikes, Vilgax observed Cannonbolt's movements, calculating and waiting for the perfect moment to retaliate. With a sudden, brutal force, he intercepted Cannonbolt, striking him down with a powerful blow that crushed him to the ground. Vilgax seized Cannonbolt by the scruff and hurled him toward Rook and Hope like a ragdoll.
Gritting his teeth, Cannonbolt transformed mid-flight, morphing into Four Arms with a furious roar that shook the ground beneath him. He landed with an earth-shattering thud, sending debris flying in every direction.
"THIS IS FOR GRANDPA MAX! FOR GWEN! FOR KEVIN!" Four Arms bellowed, each punch fueled by a tempest of rage and sorrow as he unleashed a relentless barrage of blows on Vilgax, pinning him down beneath the sheer force of his fury.
Vilgax's eyes blazed with malevolence as he unleashed a searing energy blast, sending Four Arms Soaring into the sky, the dark clouds swirling ominously above as the battle raged on.
"Ben!" Hope cried, her voice a desperate battle cry as she positioned herself to confront Vilgax. Rook joined her, their resolve ignited, and together they launched a fierce attack against their foe. Meanwhile, Four Arms struggled to his feet, each movement sending waves of agony through his battered body.
"Ben Tennyson," Gwen's voice echoed eerily, hollow and ethereal, as her eyes fluttered open.
"Gwen!" Four Arms' voice cracked, choked with raw emotion. "Is that really you?"
"In a way, yes," she responded, her voice distant and fragmented, like whispers carried in the wind. "I am but a shadow, a fleeting projection of what Gwen Tennyson once was."
"I'm so sorry—" Four Arms stammered, his heart heavy with regret.
"Sentiment holds no place in this realm, Ben Tennyson," Gwen interjected, her tone commanding, yet imbued with a sorrowful finality. "This form is merely a conduit, inconsequential in the grand design. Your duty transcends personal attachment."
"There is but one path to halt Vilgax's insidious designs. You must eradicate this vessel," she continued, her voice booming with otherworldly power that seemed to shake the very air around them.
"What? Gwen, I... I can't..." Four Arms hesitated, the weight of her words sinking in. "I don't know if I have the strength... if I can bring myself to... I've lost you once, Gwen. I can't bear to lose you again." He swallowed hard, pain etched across his features.
"Strength comes from resolve, not emotion," Gwen urged, her voice resolute and fierce. "You possess the power to act where sentiment falters. Vilgax must not gain access to the Emergence under any circumstances. The fate of worlds hinges on your resolve."
As Four Arms absorbed Gwen's cryptic counsel, the realisation washed over him: sentimentality cannot alter the course of destiny. He steeled himself, preparing for the solemn task ahead, guided by the understanding that his actions served a higher purpose, transcending personal connection.
"Ben, hurry!" Hope gasped, struggling to keep Vilgax at bay within her glowing magical runes. "I can't hold him any longer!"
"Ben Tennyson, you must hurry. There's no time!" Gwen urged, her voice an urgent echo through the chaos.
Ben closed his eyes, gnashed his teeth, and felt a surge of energy building within him. A brilliant flash of green light erupted around him, transforming him into a crystalline humanoid—Chromastone.
"I'm sorry, Gwen—" Tears welled in his eyes as he reached out, grasping Gwen's ethereal form with his left hand. With each surge of energy he absorbed, he glowed brighter, radiating with power. As the energy coursed through him, Ben closed his eyes, a storm of emotions swirling within him. Memories flooded his mind—childhood moments shared with Gwen that now felt like fragments of a dream. He recalled the laughter of summer days spent chasing each other through the woods, the warmth of her hand in his as they explored the mysteries of the universe together.
In an instant, he saw them both at the summer camp, sitting by the campfire, her face illuminated by the flickering flames as she told ghost stories, her eyes wide with excitement. "You're not scared, are you, Ben?" she teased, nudging him playfully.
The warmth of their bond enveloped him like a comforting blanket, but the memory twisted with pain as he remembered the times they faced danger together, fighting side by side, their bond solidified by every challenge they overcame.
Chromastone let out a desperate wail, the sound a mix of anguish and determination, as he drove his right hand into Gwen's shimmering body, overwhelming her with pure energy.
Gwen's ethereal form began to pulse with a brilliant purple glow, cracking and splintering as if unable to contain the surge. In a blinding explosion of light and dust, her essence shattered, releasing ethereal ashes that floated into the air, mingling with the remnants of her former self. A long, resonant sigh seemed to echo through the void, as if Gwen were finally set free from her spectral chains.
A titanic shockwave rippled outward, sending Hope and Rook scrambling for cover as they shielded themselves from the force. Chromastone was hurled away, crashing into the nearest rock with a thunderous impact.
As the dust settled, Hope lowered her shimmering shield, her heart racing.
"Ben!" Rook called out, rushing towards the fallen hero.
Chromastone knelt before the remnants of Gwen, his expression a tumultuous storm of grief and resolve. Rook and Hope hurried to his side. In a brilliant flash of green light, Chromastone reverted back to Ben, collapsing onto all fours, his chest heaving with pain. Desperately, he reached out to the ashes, tears streaming down his face, mingling with the remnants of Gwen.
"No," Vilgax roared as he staggered to his feet behind them, a vicious snarl twisting his features as he beheld the destroyed remains of Gwen. Rook and Hope instinctively turned to face him, their bodies tensed, ready to strike.
"If this planet cannot be rid of humanity with the Omnitrix, then I shall purge it by other means," Vilgax declared, his voice a chilling promise. "This is not our final encounter. Humanity will be eradicated."
With a surge of dark energy, Vilgax ascended into the air, disappearing behind the thick shroud of dark clouds that loomed overhead, which began to clear, revealing the battered landscape beneath.