Chapter Sixteen: The Voice From Within
Silence hung over the Watchtower. After the recent explosion during the battle with the Crystal Knights, the Justice League had agreed to give Ben some time alone… though he never asked for it.
In a dimly lit room, Ben sat quietly, staring at his trembling hands. The Omnitrix wasn't functioning as it used to—its symbols now glowed with a deep, pulsing black, like a slow, steady heartbeat.
Ben (whispering):
"I'm not okay… something's wrong inside me."
Then… he heard a voice.
Calm. Cold. But familiar.
The Voice (from within his mind):
"You are not alone, Ben."
Ben flinched, looking around sharply. No one was there.
But the voice didn't stop—it grew clearer.
The Voice:
"This is not a disease. It's a message… a calling."
Ben (confused):
"Who… are you?"
The Voice:
"I am you. Or rather… what you can become."
Suddenly, Ben found himself standing in a gray void. No floor. No ceiling. No end. Before him stood a young man who looked just like him… except his eyes were veiled in glowing black crystal light.
The Other Ben:
"Not every voice from within brings destruction… sometimes, it brings rebirth."
Ben:
"Wait… are you Kairus?"
The Other Ben:
"Kairus is not a person. Kairus is an idea… and now, you are part of it."
The scene widened—Ben watched in awe as entire cities made of crystal formed within his mind, growing like planets pulsing from his heartbeat.
Then he snapped back to reality, gasping, drenched in sweat.
Suddenly, Superman and Wonder Woman entered the room—alerted by the Watchtower's sensors detecting unstable energy waves.
Wonder Woman (calmly):
"Ben… you're no longer just a boy with the Omnitrix. You're a gateway to something else."
Superman:
"If this voice is speaking from within, we need to understand it… before it speaks to the entire world."
Wonder Woman (looking into his eyes):
"On my island, Themyscira, there is an ancient temple that reveals inner truths. It might help you understand who—or what—is inside you."
Ben (after a long pause):
"I… don't know if it'll change anything. But okay. I'll go."
The chapter ends with a small ship leaving the Watchtower, carrying Wonder Woman and Ben toward the Amazon island… unaware that a tiny crystal creature has emerged inside a device behind them, feeding silently on Ben's thoughts.
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