Chapter 14 - Ancient threats and the Magic Alliance

MAX POV'S

In all my years since I first became a plumber, I must admit that I don't quite recall having been through so many missions in such a short amount of time. Not only that, but also that except for a few welcomed exceptions we've been practically finding trouble everywhere we went this summer.

I rather not think about how horrible things could've gone had my grandson not found the Omnitrix before it all started. Especially considering the high chance of having it falling on Vilgax's hands, who for all I knew was supposed to be dead the last time we crossed paths, or the ridiculously common occasions where the whole world was in dire need of a hero.

The Plumbers were a thing of the past, I've already accepted that fact, the only remaining active agents being either profiting by scamming the ignorant masses like Phil has been doing, or were just concerned with safekeeping their own lands. It almost makes me wish I could bring those good old times back, but what Ben started by going public to the whole world has the potential to make a real difference that the plumbers couldn't possibly match.

From what Ben and the girls tell me, they already got their hands on a space floating headquarters that officially puts Mt. Rushmore in the past, as it obviously belongs. They offered me the chance to see it for myself, but I've already accepted that my days in space are over and I'm really proud that theirs seem to just be getting started.

Well, that's enough thinking about all of that, we still have plenty of road ahead of us before our summer trip ends.

Speaking of that, arriving in Pittsburgh aboard the Rust Bucket admittedly stirred up another mix of nostalgia and excitement within me. The city's industrial charm and rich history never failed to captivate me, and I looked forward to sharing this with Ben, Gwen, Lucy, and Kate.

Our first stop at the Andy Warhol Museum was a treat. Seeing Ben's fascination with Warhol's avant-garde art and Gwen's deep appreciation for creativity brought a smile to my face. Their youthful curiosity added a fresh perspective to each exhibition.

Over lunch at Primanti Bros., Kate's hearty appetite and Lucy's infectious laughter filled the air, adding a lively energy to our gathering. Lucy's knack for telling jokes and Kate's ideas for her recently improved powers kept the Rust Bucket bustling with chatter even in between tourist attractions.

At the Carnegie Science Center, Gwen's enthusiasm for space and technology shone through as she eagerly explored the interactive displays.

"Look, Grandpa Max!" Gwen exclaimed towards me, pointing at a model of a space shuttle. "Imagine traveling through the cosmos in one of these. It's incredible!"

I chuckled, recalling my past experiences while watching her animated gestures. "You've always had a knack for science, Gwen. Your parents must indeed be proud."

Kate, who had been engrossed in examining a robotic arm nearby, chimed in. "Check this out, Max! This rover uses a similar design to what you've been talking about to me. Isn't it cool?"

"Absolutely, kiddo." I replied, marveling at her keen interest and knowing that she was another gearhead in the making.

As we moved to the next exhibit, Ben continued recalling the principles of astrophysics to Gwen, who listened with rapt attention. Their shared curiosity made the science center come alive with their excitement.

Later ascending the Duquesne Incline, memories of past adventures with Ben and Gwen's fathers flooded my mind.

"Grandpa, are you doing fine?" Ben casually asked me, leaning against the railing and looking out at the cityscape.

I nodded, smiling at the memory this place brought me. "Your father loved this city. He and Frank always said Pittsburgh had a special charm."

"My father once told me that these were his most cherished memories of his childhood." Gwen added. 

"Yeah." Ben agreed, a hint of determination in his voice, as he patted me on the back. "I'm just glad we are carrying out that legacy."

I could only nod at that remark, lingering over its true significance. The idea brought me a sense of unity and purpose that remained as we eventually reached the top, greeted by the breathtaking view of Pittsburgh spread out below us.

As we kept moving on to stroll through Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, surrounded by the serenity of nature, I couldn't help but marvel at how our day had unfolded. Ben and Gwen's sharp wit and shared interests never ceased to spark engaging conversations and heartfelt laughter among us all.

Witnessing their wonder and enthusiasm throughout the day kept filling me with happiness. Our journey in the Rust Bucket wasn't just a road trip; it was a testament to the enduring power of our family and the joy of creating such cherished memories.

As the sun set over Pittsburgh, casting a golden glow over the skyline, we resumed our journey for that day back onto the Rust Bucket, my trusted companion through countless adventures that had carried us through a day of laughter, learning, and the simple pleasure of togetherness.

Asking what the kids thought about visiting Las Vegas next, I was once again impressed by their immediate excitement and eagerness to keep our adventure going.

"Las Vegas, huh?" Gwen exclaimed, eyes widening. "Think of all the cool magic shows and alien-themed attractions we could check out!"

Lucy joined with a grin. "And maybe stumble upon some intergalactic trouble too, knowing our luck. Right, Ben? I mean, not to jinx us or anything, but normal days like this are often the exception."

As Ben nodded back, Kate added with clear enthusiasm. "Count me in for the buffets and testing out my new powers in the bright lights!"

Their infectious energy once again filled the Rust Bucket with laughter and anticipation. I couldn't help but join in, looking forward to the next leg of our journey with these remarkable young heroes by my side.

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MC'S POV

'This is it!' I thought to myself in genuine excitement minutes after teleporting me back to space. 'I finally got my hands on a proper home base!'

The Megacruiser was by far the biggest prize in terms of space vessel during the Classic series, even if you count all the hype surrounding Vilgax's ship. And by the context I got from the Galactic Enforcers, its stealthiness and defenses already had quite the reputation similar to what the Shadow Broker from Mass Effect had.

Although I have been slowly dropping my act of nativity while around the girls, they certainly had no clue of how much use I was about to put this massive ship on. Granted, their expectations for me were more than satisfied once I presented them with the simple idea of how I was going to turn this once illegal Gladiator arena into a respectable watchtower ideal to become Earth's first line of defense against any alien invasion.

Cherry on top was the fact that I've also provided them their own exclusive white room section inside the Megacruiser, which despite their incredibly vast sizes were but small rooms inside this massive cruise ship.

It's just that for now I've decided to keep to myself just how much of a Brother Eye this thing can be for me.

As for what else I was left with, all the security guards that served Slix Vigna were repurposed into my first massive reform. Simply put, I built my own manufacturing facility to finally assemble my Bioid army from the blueprints I got from Vilgax's ship back when I had my showdown with the big bad.

'Yup, pretty freaking awesome, and I don't use that term loosely.' I thought to myself, letting out a casual whistle as I witnessed firsthand its activation.

This ridiculous addition to the Ben 10 lore was an absolute must for me to secure under my control. Sure, it would indeed bring me countless benefits for either study or training, but I would be a fool to underestimate its raw power given how these bland looking androids were enough to match Albedo's inferior evolutionary function.

After using my Ultimate Galvanic Mechamorph (Upgrade) transformation to upgrade the factory I've personally designed with my Ultimate Galvan (Grey Matter) form, I've finally succeeded in putting the line of production at full capacity.

Their base form was considerably stronger than the robot guards Slix Vigma had serving him, and after hacking into the Forever Knights archives I've also granted them the same shapeshifting abilities they would implement while attempting to replace the president of the nation. 

Which also means that I will be able to retire my mud clones and finally put a stop to the weird feeling I kept getting by splitting my attention at so many places.

"Alpha, prepare a simulation room for me to test the first batch of Bioids." I ordered my AI as I was immediately teleported away.

"At once!" Alpha answered back just as I arrived in one of the many massive white rooms, prompting it to alter itself to resemble an inhospitable red waste of a sand desert with two smoldering suns. "Simulation initiated, Planet Khoros selected enhanced immersion."

Casually raising my feet off the ground, witnessing as red sand fell from my shoes, before stepping down again just to witness how easily I could mark the ground with my footprint, I couldn't help but to find it amusing how these chambers managed to fool the senses. Only by channeling my mana through my senses was I capable of peeking through the matrix and seeing the truth behind this highly advanced magic trick.

"Master, the bioid's factory has already finished ten units that have reached acceptable quality standards. How many should I send to you?" I heard Alpha's voice informing me while waiting for my reply.

"Send all of them." I ordered while stretching myself for some action before mentally ordering my Omnitrix to turn me into my Ultimate Tetramand (Four Arms) form. Getting once again used to the massive gain of muscle mass and stature, I noticed being teleported to me ten humanoid looking robots with blank, spherical faces and almost completely white bodies.

That is until their primary function took action and they all flashed bright green lights and assumed the appearance of female terramands, with their above average strength and stature. Their synchronization with my Omnitrix even granted them protective gear which I reasoned hailed from what the watch's database acknowledged as belonging to their culture.

'What? Don't look at me like that! It's not as if I am the first who thought about doing it! Ever heard about the Chaquetrix? My Bioid army is of similar concept but with a more practical use.'

As I reflected upon that curious fact, the ten vermillion amazons surrounded my position with tactical intentions to flank me. Even though I didn't grant these Bioids the ability to go ultimate, I knew Alpha's control over them should help lessen the gap of power between us.

The training arena soon crackled with energy as I faced off against the synchronized mind of my bioid drones, each opponent taking into consideration my imposing stature to better prepare their next move. 

Flexing my two massive arms, feeling the surge of enhanced strength coursing through me, my eyes narrowed as I assessed the bioids back, their movements fluid and precise, a testament to Alpha's master mind.

The first couple of bioids lunged forward with blinding speeds, aiming their powerful punches at my midsection, which I countered with a swift block, the impact sending shockwaves through the arena. Grinning fiercely, I retaliated with a series of casual thunderous blows as I casually spawned arms from my muscles fibers, each strike calculated to test the bioids' defenses.

The second duo of bioids circled me from the sides, their movements graceful yet deadly. As each feinted a kick only to quickly pivot into a spinning backhand strike, I anticipated their maneuvers, ducking low and sweeping my leg in a wide arc. The closest bioid was launched miles away by that kick while the closest leaped over my leg, somersaulting away with agility that rivaled what I recalled from Jen.

Meanwhile, the remaining six bioids closed in, attacking with synchronized precision. They alternated strikes, creating a relentless barrage that pushed me to actually take them seriously. Despite their numbers, I still held my ground, my strength proving to be a devastating match even against their collective strategy.

As the spar intensified, the arena echoed with the clang of fists and the crackle of wind pressure colliding. My breath came in quick bursts, adrenaline fueling my determination to outmaneuver my bioids. Eventually I've experienced enough to recognize their patterns, exploiting moments of hesitation and adapting my strategy with each passing second.

With a roar, I unleashed my ultimate move, channeling the full force of my enhanced abilities. My fists blurred as I unleashed a barrage of blows, each strike empowered by my unique physiology. The bioids fought back fiercely, their determination evident in every calculated move, but soon they all began to break apart.

Seconds stretched into a few minutes as the spar reached its climax. Actual sweat glistened on my brow, my muscles burning with exertion. The bioids, undeterred by fatigue and only limited by their durability, continued to press forward with unwavering resolve.

In a final surge of strength, I launched into a devastating combination attack. Pivoting, I delivered a powerful uppercut with momentarily increased density that sent one of the last remaining bioids crashing to the ground. With lightning reflexes, I spun and delivered a sweeping kick that knocked two more off balance only for me to blow them to pieces with the following enlarged punch.

The last remaining bioid retreated a couple of meters, apparently Alpha was recalibrating its strategy in real-time as it adjusted its awareness of the Bioids physical limitations. Not willing to lose the advantage I had acquired while still remaining alert for any signs of trickery, I lunged forward with renewed vigor, determined to capitalize on any opening.

As I managed to neutralize my last opponent without overly relying on my superior strength, I was satisfied with the results I got. I welcomed the challenge, knowing that every spar sharpened my skills and pushed my limits. Just imagine what I will get once their numbers reach past the hundreds, or even thousands. Add to that the fact that they could also switch in between transformations if I so wished for and I could finally understand why Vilgax was so obsessed with getting the Omnitrix for his Bioid army.

"Well done, Alpha!" I complimented my AI. "Next time when I have more time available we will be testing my other transformations."

"Understood." It answered back, before informing me of another matter. "Master, there's an update that I must inform you about."

That piqued my interest. "Really? Go on then."

"It's about protocol Camp Fear and Ultimate Weapon! They have finally reached the conditions to be put into motion." Alpha told me, which reminded me of how useful the Megacruiser was to better plan out my canon encounters. "Which one should your task force prioritize?"

"Has the mask been already secured in secret?" I questioned, recalling that I had almost absented myself for long enough for Max and the girls to start suspecting. "If so, let's prioritize the fungal outbreak. The Mayan temple has waited for so long, I doubt it will mind waiting some more."

"Understood, I will inform the team." Alpha replied back as I prepared myself to teleport back to the Rust Bucket.

'Hmm…I think I still know how to play the theme song of The Last of Us on my guitar.' I mused as the red teleportation spotlight began engulfing me. 'Seems appropriate for the occasion.'

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[CAMP FEAR]

HELLEQUIN'S POV

The command center buzzed with tension as I stood amidst the swirling holographic displays, my tentacle-like hair bristling with anticipation as I failed to suppress a creepy cackle from escaping. With deft hands, I kept meticulously applying my whiteface makeup, each stroke a ritualistic preparation for the coming mission. 

"Alert, the next mission has been put into motion!" Alpha's voice cut through the ambient hum, projecting mission details onto the holographic display. "We've detected signs of the underground fungal outbreak. Our surveillance has shown much earlier than expected what appears to be cordycep-infected campers who are wreaking havoc at Camp Opinicon." Alpha's authoritative tone echoed through the room. "Your mission: neutralize the threat and eliminate the Mycelium brain responsible."

"Understood, Alpha." The fake redhead of our group, Scarlet, answered while nodding sharply. She was our lackluster leader with the red colored technological sword gifted by none other than our great master, which was the only reason why I took her seriously in the first place. "Hellequin, focus on subduing the infected. Amber, Azure, I need you two to secure the perimeter."

I couldn't help but let a mischievous grin spread across my face as Scarlet shot me a cautionary glance. My chuckle reverberated through the command center, my body contorting in a casual stretch that belied the excitement thrumming through me.

"Quin…" Scarlet commanded, her voice held a note of concern, her gaze piercing through my theatrics. "…We can't afford mistakes, especially like the one committed by letting so many Death Angels come to our dimension back at Mount Rushmore. Do your job and try to keep the casualties at a bare minimum."

I nodded eagerly, my mind already racing with the thrill of impending chaos and the desire to impress our wonderful master, the one who had made us worthy of acting as his personal Task Force, a group capable of leveling an entire city if necessary.

As we stormed Camp Opinicon, the supposed fungal nightmare unfolded with eerie familiarity to what we all had been trained for by Alpha through countless simulations. 

Scarlet's sword cut through fungal tendrils with ruthless efficiency, leaving no room for mercy. Amber's spear and Azure's bow were weapons of precision, quickly clearing and blocking paths with their calculated and lethal actions.

As for me, knives danced in wild arcs, slashing through fungal growths with a reckless abandon that thrilled me to the core, not forgetting to make use of my superior strength with precision towards the raging infected civilians, each knockout was accompanied by the audible sound of bones breaking and pained cries of the infected civilians as I subdued them with calculated precision.

"Hold them steady, Quin!" Scarlet's voice cut through the chaos, her sword flashing in the dim light of the campsite. "We need them alive!"

I grinned wickedly, the thrill of battle coursing through my veins. "Alive, but not completely unharmed, right?"

Scarlet's gaze flickered with a mix of amusement and concern. "We were sent here to contain, not to destroy."

"Alright, alright." I replied with an annoyed tone.

Meanwhile, Amber and Azure moved with synchronized precision. Amber's spear jabbed and parried mushroom monsters, while Azure's arrows found their mark with deadly accuracy through the rising spores.

"Cover me, Azure!" Amber called out, sweeping her spear in a wide arc.

"On it!" Azure replied, her voice steady as she fired arrows into the advancing fungal horde.

Minutes blurred into a frenzied dance of battle and survival as Scarlet's leadership drove us deeper into the heart of the infestation, her determination unyielding. The infected campers screamed and stumbled, their wrathful snarls feeding my chaotic delight as I managed to put them to sleep.

Finally, we descended into the labyrinthine tunnels where the Mycelium brain was supposed to be lurking, once we finally found it I came to see a grotesque mass of pulsating malice. 

"This is it!" Scarlet declared, her sword humming with purpose.

I laughed maniacally, leading the charge while believing that ending this threat myself would please my master. Scarlet followed, her resolve unwavering as Amber and Azure fought with disciplined ferocity.

"Stay sharp, gang!" Scarlet's voice rang out as we plunged deeper into the twisting tunnels. "We take out the brain, and this nightmare ends!"

The tunnels echoed with the sickening squelch of my knives meeting fungal flesh, each strike fueled my exhilaration as the brain's psychic shrieks shook the earth and summoned all of its remaining offspring to its defense. 

"We're almost there!" Scarlet's sword carved a path through writhing fungal tendrils. "Keep pushing!"

I felt a surge of adrenaline as I closed in on the pulsating mass for a final strike. With a primal roar, I unleashed my hair, drilling into the Mycelium brain with savage precision as the brain convulsed and decayed under my relentless assault.

"Alpha, mission accomplished!" Scarlet announced, voice steady despite exhaustion.

"Understood. Return for debriefing." Alpha's voice crackled through our minds.

Amber and Azure nodded, expressions a mix of relief and unease. Scarlet's gaze softened briefly, acknowledging our shared victory.

I grinned proudly despite being covered head to toe with the mycelium's goo, my loyalty steadfast as always.

As we left the tunnels, I pondered our glorious purpose. We weren't meant to be heroines nor villainesses, but instruments of our master's will, poised and ready for whatever dark missions awaited us next.

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BACK TO MC'S POV

At last, after the camp incident was finally dealt with, I've finally unlocked some Florauna DNA from that giant Mycelium monster that almost caused a fungus infection zombie apocalypse.

"Ben, we still need to discuss our plans for our birthday this year." Gwen suddenly asked me.

"Dude, I still can't believe you two are like twins but from different parents." Kate remarked with a groan. "I'm sure that I'm not the only one that finds it weird, right?"

"Heh. I think you might be overthinking it, Kate." Lucy joined in with a casual laugh. "From my alien side of the family, we sort of all have similar dates of birth. Not sure if it's some piece of culture I never learned from being born here on earth, but my mother told me it's really common to be born during the change of seasons in our home world."

"I wasn't aware of that, Lucy. Thanks for sharing it." I told her, receiving a friendly nod from her, before turning back to Gwen. "And don't worry about it, Gwen. I will help you out with organizing it later, thankfully we still have six months to send out the invitations. For now, I'm gonna need everyone's help for something."

Standing now farther away from the main road so as to not be bothered by unwanted attention from the casual civilian, the environment around my group and I was not all that much different from our usual stops during our road trip.

"A new transformation?" Max questioned me while the girls perked up at that new information I've just shared with them all on our way here.

"It seems so." I casually shrugged, making it seem less worthy of note than it actually was. "I wanted to test it out now while there's no emergency, better to get used to its new abilities as soon as possible."

"That's some sound reasoning." Max told me with a proud smile. "Go on, champ. We will assist you with what we can."

"Yeah, Ben!" Gwen joined in, raising her sketchbook ready to make drawings of my new form, with both Lucy and Kate showing similar anticipation in their looks. "Please don't keep us waiting any longer."

Nodding at my family's remarks, I mentally selected the appropriate silhouette on my Omnitrix, immediately starting the transformation process and once the blasting green light faded my skin was the one left colored green.

My Florauna (Wildvine) form was a humanoid plant with one blue eye in the middle of my face, five vine-like legs, four long fingers on my hands, venus flytrap-shaped flaps with greenish teeth covering my head, a secondary set of eyes shared on each shoulder and fruits on my back that I knew I could use as either explosives or smoke bombs. 

The Omnitrix badge would've found its place on my chest, but since now I could have it hide away for infiltration purposes, that was my preferred setting for most of my transformations.

So, the first thing that caught my attention was how my senses changed. I could in a way communicate with all the plant and fungus based lifeforms around me, even the ones colonizing human bodies. It's just that their level of intellect wasn't high enough to be categorized as sapient. My green sense, as I would like to call all the thoughts I got from the surrounding green life, helped me gather information about my surroundings like a mixture of both echolocation and thermal vision.

"Wow! You became a giant root!" Kate almost shouted in amusement.

"Root?" Lucy remarked right after as I began testing my stretchy physiology. "Get a clue, Kate! He obviously is a vine! Right, Gwen?"

While Gwen seemed to not notice anything but the specific traits of my transformation, Max stepped forward while caressing his chin. "Hmmm, if my memory is not failing me, I believe that I have seen something similar in the old plumber database. Quite the nasty ambush predator this species is, despite being able to gain sustenance just like regular flowers do, they seem to be more than capable to make do as carnivores."

"I see. Thanks Grandpa, that's an excellent base line for me to start." Was my response to Grandpa's piece of wisdom, which in all honesty wasn't anything that I didn't know already. Stretching my arms enough to swing them around made everyone wince at the loud crack of my improvised whips.

"Uh, being hit by that must hurt like hell." Kate was the first to comment.

"To be honest, I don't think the base species is intelligent enough to implement that sort of attack." Max told us after putting some thought into it. "More likely to lounge and try to ensnare you with its stretchy appendages. That and…"

Just as Max was about to continue, I flexed my body and razor sharp thorns bursted all around my body.

"Yeah, and finish you up with something like that." Max sighed while scratching his nape.

"Is this transformation only good for combat?" Gwen finally spoke up. "I mean, you are some sort of an alien plant, perhaps you can make some flowers bloom or create some powerful medicine herb?"

"I never heard of any Florauna…" Max was about to share his experience with Gwen before I rooted my hands on the ground, soon after a large area on the ground began to quickly grow a thick layer of grass, with several alien yet beautiful looking flowers and even some succulent looking alien fruits.

"Wow! It's so beautiful!" Lucy gushed before running around my instantly made garden. "Are you drawing this, Gwen?"

"You bet I am!" Gwen replied in excitement while crouching down to better inspect a nearby alien rosebud that just bloomed.

"Ah, not to be a downer…" Kate spoke up while pinching her nose. "But I'm not that much of a fan of all this pollen." 

As the girls kept reacting to the green field I just conjured, Max couldn't help but to show how amazed he was with everything. The Omnitrix really was much more than a weapon, never would he have guessed that such a vicious species was capable of accomplishing anything similar.

Leaving them to marvel at one of my minor uses of chlorokinesis, I had my Venus Flytrap close right before testing my digging abilities. I must say that my current underground speed seemed to easily match both my Vulpimancer (Wildmutt) and Petrosapien (Diamondhead) ultimate forms'. 

Rising up from the ground half a mile away through merging with the roots of a tree and coming out of one of its highest branches, I was reminded how much of an ambush and run this transformation was, but since I still wanted to include the rest of the group on my test drive session I picked another ability I wanted to familiarize myself with. 

Stretching out multiple arm-like appendages ahead to grab onto another tall standing tree, I slingshot myself all the way back to there Max and the girls were waiting for me, landing safely after casually swinging around the nearby trees while doing my best Kamui woods' impression, by then I had also learned how to curl my five tendril-legs into a set of limbs more appropriate for running and jumping similar to how my Chimera Sui Generis (Vilgax) form twisted its tentacles in order to gain arms.

"Nice moves, Tennyson." Kate remarked with an impressed whistle, already aware that my spores weren't allergenic triggering, that is unless I wanted them to be. "Though you were going to leave us behind."

"That would defeat the point of calling you guys here." I answered her with a green smile.

"Heh. You know, this transformation rocks and all, but I hope you know that it would only take a fire to put you at a disadvantage." She told me while crossing her arms, the seriousness in her voice being a product of countless times when I had her measure both the strengths and weaknesses of each of my transformations before she absorbed them.

"My plan never was to have a single transformation that would stand in for all the others, although I'm confident that I can mimic some fire retardant plant, if things ever get too out of hand I can always change to a more appropriate one." I explained to her my reasoning, momentarily switching to my Pyronite (Heatblast) transformation before morphing back to my Florauna (Wildvine) form.

"Sure. If you say so." Kate replied before looking past me and began shouting at Lucy. "Hey, mud brain! Don't eat that! Those fruits are— uh, why do you make me have to explain these things?!"

"But it's tasty!" Lucy replied after gulping another berry I've spawned just recently. "Ben, you are delicious!"

That prompted an awkward silence between both me and Kate, who immediately facepalmed.

"Uh, thanks Lucy." I replied with a faltering smile, noticing that even Gwen had joined Lucy once she heard her previous comment.

Just then I decided to move forward and activated the Ultimate feature in order to finally see how my recently improved algorithm would evolve my transformation.

As the green wave of energy washed through my body and prompted considerable alterations to my DNA, I found myself as a considerably larger upright-standing plant alien with a pitcher plant-like body the size of the rust bucket, with the same single large eye on my face and four tentacle legs resembling roots. Another difference I noticed were the four long orange claws on each of my hands, covered in a purple toxin I now naturally produced, with barbs similar to my nails located on my forearms and near the ends of my root legs.

"Man, I know I've already said this, but your ultimates are so metal!" Kate reamarked while the others gathered around me. "They all feel like the final boss of an epic video game!"

"Hey, I like that idea." I remarked while easily towering over her and the others. "Mind lending me a hand to test out how useful this transformation might be?"

"Not at all, that's why we are here." Kate said with a grin while cracking her knuckles, as she reached for her belt, both Lucy and Gwen readied themselves for some action.

'Let's start small. Perhaps if I just raised a couple of trees to…' I thought while trying to amp up the chlorokinesis movement I've just pulled minutes ago with the small garden, however instead of having to mentally force each plant within a certain radius of feet, I've actually surprised myself with how quickly massive vines bursted out of the ground.

"WATCH OUT!" Max shouted, pulling Gwen closer while Lucy rescued Kate from being hurt by the massive beanstalk looking vines filled with thorns that kept spawning from all around us.

"HEY! BEN!" I heard the girls shouting out.

On the one hand, I wasn't as careless as to let that slip up of mine keep endangering my family, so the area near the Rust Bucket wasn't all that much affected other than the initial shock, on the other hand, by the time I had completed halted the uncontrollable plant growth I had caused, the scenery at least a mile away from where I stood had been altered to resemble some mythological looking forest.

'Wow, I certainly wasn't expecting this scale of topographical terraforming. Did Technorg's innate ability cause such discrepancies with my evolutionary feature?' I thought, witnessing my instantly made hunting ground after blooming out on top of a massive flower from the highest plant I've raised from the ground. 

Faster than my digging speed, I traveled through the plant life I had summoned and quickly made my way back to my group.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked, startling both Kate and Gwen who were still in complete awe at their surroundings.

"Fortunately, yes." Max said after making sure that his RV wasn't damaged in any capacity. "But I believe you might have overdone it a little bit, champ."

"Apologies everyone, this ultimate form has certainly surpassed my expectations." I pointed out before retracting my colorful claws and eventually better understanding my own physiology, sensing the presence of micro cnidocytes that could shoot out venomous stingers to cause paralysis. "I would rather not risk this paralysis toxin, might give an awful welt to the skin…or worse."

"Ben, isn't this a bit of an overkill?" Gwen asked as she approached us. "Are you trying to scare the bad guys or us?"

"Come on, Gwen! It's not as if he's going to use it on the run-of-the-mill burglar." Lucy defended me while still admiring the change to our surroundings that I've provoked.

"Pinkie here's right!" Kate joined. "We've literally been kidnapped by an alien spaceship not much ago and only came on top of that whole situation thanks to Ben."

Max remained silent, his pondering expression led me to believe that not only was he granting us the space to settle this discussion by ourselves, but he was also reflecting over the points being raised.

"Yeah, you all got a point." Gwen eventually acknowledged without much protest. "So, do you think we can actually help you with anything?"

"Actually…" I gave her a green smile before rooting myself in the middle of the safe area I had kept for them, retracted inside my pitcher body, flipping it upside down before opening it up into two halves which formed a large acidic maw with sharp teeth-like structures. "HOW ABOUT SOME LIGHT TRAINING?"

"Bring it on, Tennyson!" Kate replied defiantly while activating her belt, with both Gwen and Lucy following suit.

Max immediately understood his role in guiding the girls to work together effectively and point out some important flaws in their fighting styles.

What followed next was an arduous exercise session where I focused on mastering all the vast power of my current ultimate form without losing control and the girls were once again to push themselves past their current limits and strengthen their teamwork.

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[ULTIMATE WEAPON]

HELLEQUIN'S POV

"The ancient Mayan temple stands as a testament to forgotten legends and untold mysteries, its weathered stone walls adorned with intricate glyphs that whispered tales of gods and warriors long past clashed against the invasive flora that seemed to have developed inseparable roots with its foundation." Alpha's voice, ever crisp and authoritative, echoed through our minds as we approached the temple's entrance. "Since our scout agents have successfully acquired the Mayan Mask before it was found by external forces…" Alpha intoned. "…your current mission is to retrieve the ancient Mayan sword of Ekchuah, the God of War. Exercise caution, the temple is riddled with traps and, if legends are to be believed, protected by ancient spirits."

Scarlet, with her ruby-colored tech sword humming with restrained power, nodded stoically. "Understood, Alpha. Quin, stay vigilant. Amber, Azure, watch our flanks."

I grinned eagerly while hanging upside down from the ceiling, my tentacle-like hair once again twitching with anticipation before another opportunity to please my master. 

To my annoyance Amber and Azure kept exchanging wary glances, their trust in Alpha's intel evident despite the unease gnawing at their resolve. 

"To think this place has remained untouched for centuries." Amber murmured, scanning the shadowed corridors with a wary eye.

Azure nodded in agreement, her bow at the ready. "The aura here feels… ancient, almost sentient."

"Enough chatter." Scarlet cut in sharply, her gaze sweeping the temple's interior. "Focus on the mission. We don't know what else lurks within these walls, so be ready for anything at any moment."

As we examined the temple's interior, we noticed that it was a labyrinth of shadowed corridors and intricately carved chambers, each step fraught with the peril of ancient traps waiting to ensnare the unwary. 

Even if we were nearly impervious to any kind of mundane weapon, Scarlet's highly advanced sensors and my keen instincts guided us through twisting passages lined with crumbling statues and faded murals depicting bloodcurdling battles of gods and mortals.

Amber's spear and Azure's bow proved their worth, their skills honed through countless training sessions as they disabled tripwires and pressure plates with precise efficiency. 

"Careful, Quin." Amber warned, her voice low. "These traps are old but can surely be inconvenient."

I chuckled softly, twirling my knives in eager anticipation. "Wouldn't be much fun to avoid them if they weren't."

Hours passed in tense silence broken only by the occasional creak of ancient mechanisms and our hushed footsteps echoing off stone walls. The air was thick with a palpable tension that heightened with each step deeper into the heart of the temple.

At last, sooner than I had anticipated we reached the heart of the temple, a vast chamber bathed in the eerie glow of torches fueled by seemingly eternal flames. In the center, atop a Mayan Pyramid adorned with offerings and incense, rested the legendary sword of Ekchuah. Its golden blade shimmered with a hypnotic sheen, pulsing with ancient power that resonated through the very air we breathed and made our hearts skip a beat.

"We've found it." Scarlet quickly informed Alpha, her voice reverent as she approached the sword. "Be on your guard. Ancient artifacts like this are never unguarded."

Just as expected, our triumph was short-lived as the chamber trembled with a dark, foreboding presence. From the shadows emerged a dreadful guardian. His towering form draped in shadows exuded an aura of primal malevolence, his eyes, bottomless abyss, flickered with an otherworldly light as he surveyed the intruders who dared to disturb his domain.

Scarlet raised her sword defiantly, her stance unwavering in the face of what we had yet to realize was divine wrath. Amber and Azure flanked him, weapons poised for battle, while I twirled my knives in eager anticipation. The skeletal creature's laughter echoed through the chamber, shaking the ground and chilling our bones with the weight of centuries-old malice.

"With me!" Scarlet commanded, her voice cutting through the darkness. "We face the wrath of the ancient guardians head-on!"

I grinned maniacally, adrenaline coursing through me as we charged into battle. Amber and Azure fought with disciplined ferocity, their attacks as always precise and coordinated.

Yet this grim titan's power surpassed anything we had faced before. With a wave of his hand, he sent us sprawling, our bodies battered and spirits shaken.

"Stand firm!" Scarlet's voice rang out, her sword blazing with renewed vigor. "We cannot falter now!"

With a gesture, the monster of darkness unleashed a torrent of spectral corpses that tore through our defenses like a tempest. Scarlet's sword clashed with its oppressive force, the clash of powers easily shaking the very foundations of the temple. Amber and Azure fought with disciplined resolve, their attacks weaving intricate patterns of defense and offense.

Yet this grim titan's power surpassed anything we had faced before. With a wave of his hand, he sent us sprawling, our bodies battered and spirits actually shaken. As darkness threatened to consume us, a figure removed the Godly Sword from the top of its altar, it was our master, his form shifting with the flicker of spectral energy (Ghostfreak).

Our gazes flickered with relief and reverence. "Master..."

"Hold your head high, my servants!" Our master's ghostly presence radiated with a calm assurance that contrasted with his chilling voice and belied the chaos around us. "You've all faced Ah Puch, the Mayan God of Death, and will live to tell the tale."

His singular purple eye, ablaze with chilling determination, locked onto Ah Puch with unwavering resolve as he reached towards the badge barely hidden underneath his grayish ghostly skin and twisted it, leaving it sticking out with four gray spikes as a green wave of energy transformed his already terrifying transformation into something much worse than my deepest fears.

Unable to look at it for long, what I could describe was that his ghostly interior bursted out its gray skin, which now became a black veil that coated his chest, arms and back. His singular terrifying eye now rested on a skull-like head stretched by a long neck, skeletal gauntlets on his arms where his fingers ended in talons, purple wailing specters on his back and a jaw on its tail.

With a surge of spectral gloom, our master engaged Ah Puch in a clash of titanic forces. Arcane energies clashed and intertwined, the very air vibrating with the intensity of their unfathomable struggle. We all rallied our hopes behind our master, our unity and resolve bolstered by the unyielding determination to protect our newfound purpose.

Our master's recently acquired Godly sword in his right hand thrummed with what I assumed must've been limitless power while his left hand carved ancestral runes in the air with its claws as if nails on a chalkboard, his presence alone humming with a resonant energy that echoed through the chamber and defied the Mayan Master of Death itself.

With a gesture, Ah Puch summoned ethereal tendrils of deathly energy that lashed out with spectral ferocity, only for our master to casually swirl through the onslaught, his sword deflecting and parrying with a grace born of unparalleled preparation. His offense and defense moved in synchronized harmony, weaving a metaphorical wall of shields and spears that stood its ground against the relentless assault of the Ancient Grim Reaper.

The air crackled with arcane power as our master unleashed a torrent of necrotic ghosts of himself, their strikes precise and calculated. His recently acquired Godly Weapon eventually struck true amidst that barrage of death, puncturing Ah Puch's ethereal armor with pinpoint accuracy and ancient glyphs that flared with pitch black patterns. Yet Ah Puch's divine essence was formidable, his laughter echoing through the chamber like a death knell. 

However, unbeknownst to me the tide of battle turned over in our favor as the waning belief in ancient Gods proved to be that much of a difference in the end

In a final, decisive moment, our master's spectral form radiated with a power that surpassed the fading glory of Ah Puch's divine reign. The Mayan God of Death recoiled, his form dissipating into wisps of shadow as the master's power asserted dominance over the ancient deity and absorbed what I could only speculate was its Godly spark.

"Master!" We all gasped, our voices a mixture of relief and reverence.

The master nodded solemnly, his gaze sweeping over us with a mixture of satisfaction and expectation. As he murmured, his voice carried the weight of ages past and ancient forces that once held sway over mortal realms. "You have much to learn, my servants. But for now, you all shall rest." 

As we left the long forgotten temple, I'm proud to say that I wasn't the only one to reflect upon the trials we had faced, each step up till now had tested our limits and forged a bond that transcended mere loyalty, binding us together as instruments of a destiny shaped by forces beyond our comprehension.

————————————————————————

MC'S POV

'Whew! So glad that sword didn't crumble to dust the moment I got my hands on it.' I thought to myself once I got back to the USA. 'Sure, I had prepared some charms of momentary stasis in case its time had caught up with it. But until I mastered the mystical arts of Chronurgy picking the sword up was still a gamble, one that would lead me to mainly rely on my Ultimate Ectonurite (Ghostfreak) form, which could've totally backfired if it ended up being susceptible to Ah Puch's divine necromantic powers.'

Raising the shiny golden sword up with my right hand while also staring at the holographic display of my Ultimate Ectonurite (Ghostfreak) form on my other raised hand, I inspected each one with a pleased smile.

'I've finally evolved all of my original ten aliens. And faster than Ben Prime took to experience the master control for the first time.' I mentally patted myself on the back. 'Now as for the sword… sadly it is no Ascalon…but that doesn't mean I will just throw it away, otherwise Grandpa Max might have a similar change of personality to what he displayed during the episode it appeared on the classic series. Besides, I'm also aware of some people that would respect me even more once they learn I have it in my possession. If manicuring them was easy before, just you wait to see what I can make them do now.'

However, before I could prepare myself to make contact with the Forever Knights, I began hearing voices in my head.

{HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!}

'Great, the devil is finally waking up. And all I had to do to make you bold enough to come out and play was to fight off an actual God of Death after evolving you to your ultimate form.' I sighed while hearing the ghostly laughter. 'Well, it's about time, I really wanted to have this pending issue solved by the time I got to see Future Ben. Or will it be Future me? I'll cross that bridge later, alongside my task of finding the three Halloween themed alien transformations that worked together to bring ghost creep here back.''

{HEHEHEH!HAHAHAHA! I'm actually pleased with you mortal! Despite your impressive efforts, you still have so much untapped potential! It will be a pleasure to show you!}

'Hmm.' I thought while retaining my usual calm demeanor, crouching down where I was before starting to carve some lines on the ground. As a result, the demonic voice seemed annoyed at my lack of reaction towards its own words.

{Grrr…I know you can hear me. Obey my commands or feel my wrath!}

"I don't think you actually realize who you are dealing with..." I finally remarked, having just finished the magical circle that had taken me quite some time in my ultimate Galvan (Greymatter) form to make sure would be enough. "…Zs'Skayr."

The magical circle finally lit up with black flames at my last word, finally initiating the ritual I had long been storing up enough of my Anodite energy for.

{What? How do you know that name? ARRRRGH!}

"Does it really matter?" I casually dismissed the ancient being's malicious aura as it became bound to black fiery chains. "I could've very easily wiped you from the sample of ectonurite DNA stored inside the Omnitrix. But I'm after more than your species' innate abilities."

{FOOL! You think this petty magic trick is enough to keep you safe from my WRATH?! I DON'T THINK YOU REALIZE WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH! NO ONE CAN GET AWAY FROM ME!}

"Ugh, sure, go on. Keep resisting and leave my dramatic reveal hanging." I said, disappointed that the encounter I had been planning since I first transformed into my ghostly form wasn't going the exact way I wanted. "Just so you know, the thing I'm after is all of your knowledge."

Drawing up the Godly golden sword I got from the Mayan temple, I buried it deep into the middle of my Magic circle with the utmost care so as not to provoke an explosion that would dwarf even the strongest atomic bombs. I mean, even without that many people following it, the title of Deity shouldn't be underestimated.

Regardless, the black flames that had been restraining Zs'Skayr up till now began tightening and literally burning him, though differently from the usual sunlight allergy the demon had previously displayed during his appearances in the cartoon this time I was confident that there was no coming back.

As the burning creature screamed so loud in panic, I felt its ghostly ashes swarm around me and merge with my very essence the Eldritch Knowledge accumulated after countless eras this entity had been alive.

"Ha! And you had the nerve to speak to me about untapped potential." I said while starting to understand arcane teachings that made the Archamada Book feel like a Children's Alphabet book.

Once the echoes of Zs'Skayr' blood curdling screams had finally ended, I felt the Godly spark I got from Ah Puch pulsating like a dark heart on the right side of my chest while my original heart pulsated with my improved Anodite spark.

The aspect that escaped my notice however was that my hair had become white for a brief moment as I conjured undead shadows of my fallen foes.

————————————————————————

[TOUGH LUCK]

HEX'S POV

The hours passed in the fortress, the stillness broken only by the occasional patrol of Knights moving through the corridors. 

I sat meditating in my cell, the air thick with the musty scent of ancient tomes I could sense being safely stored near me and the lingering bitterness of defeat. Reviewing the events that had led me to this point, the battles fought, the losses endured, and the resilience of my kin in the face of adversity.

My meditation was interrupted by the arrival of a Knight bearing a message—a summons to meet with their leader in the council chamber. 

In the council chamber, lit by flickering torches and adorned with ancient tapestries depicting battles of old, an imposing knight with a golden mask and a crown awaited my arrival, flanked by his guards and a weird looking scientist. The atmosphere was tense yet charged with a shared feeling I was having a hard time discerning.

"Enoch." I acknowledge with a mix of suspicion and wariness. "Shall I feel humbled by being regarded as such an important person to deserve an audience with the current leader of the Forever Knights? Surely your forebears would raise you to believe so, isn't that right?"

Enoch's mask betrayed no emotion, with his stance just as imposing as he sat towering over me from his raised throne.

"Such arrogance was already expected from one of the accursed immortals, especially from the infamous Hex. But to remain as such after being humiliated and defeated by the young vigilantes that have been appearing throughout the news…" Enoch began, his voice carrying the weight of unspoken intentions as the present knights let out a few snickers of disdain towards their prisoner. "Seems I have greatly underestimated your pride."

Before I could respond, a knight without his helmet who had a short beard, blue eyes and a semi-bald head of black hair, stepped forward. 

"My liege, please allow me to interrogate the prisoner! I'm sure someone as long lived as him would have valuable insight in regards to the existence of the male vigilante." He declared, a hint of obsession lacing his voice. 

"Silence, Sir Driscoll." Enoch's voice intimidated the man near me, with his raised hand he halted the knight right in his tracks. "Your contributions to our cause have already granted you a special place amongst our ranks, but I advise you to not test my patience."

The Knight whose name I've uncovered to be Driscoll immediately bowed down seeking forgiveness, to which Enoch merely waved away.

"Indeed, you've demonstrated your authority." I nodded in acknowledgment with a thoughtful tone, my gaze flickering between Enoch, the group of knights and the strange scientist from before. "But if I may be bold to request the reason for why you brought me here, boy? Surely this isn't a social visit just to brag about capturing another one of my…kind."

Enoch exchanged a meaningful glance with the now grinning Doctor before addressing me with measured authority. As a matter of fact, as strange as it may seem, the leader of the Forever Knights actually appeared to adopt a less hostile attitude towards me.

"Since you've requested for strainfowardness, I won't equivocate, I seek an alliance with you, warlock." He declared, his voice echoing in the confined space. Some of the knights began discussing amongst themselves, hinting that it wasn't a topic that had been thoroughly discussed beforehand. "As I'm sure you might've noticed in the past few decades, my organization has shifted its focus away from magic, granting your kind some breathing room to wander around. Not to imply that we stopped keeping tracks of magical threats, proved by the fact of how we got our hands on you. But what you may not be aware of is that our focus now resides over the threats from outer space. Some…of our most influential figures have persuaded me that your abilities could prove invaluable in this new era."

My brow furrowed, struggling to grasp the weight behind the offer that has been made while also undoubtedly failing to prevent skepticism from tingeing my features. 

"An alliance?" I repeated, my voice laced with incredulity. "After centuries of hunting down magic wielders, you now seek my assistance? It would be hilarious if it wasn't so disrespectful. Eons will go by before I forget the fate your organization granted my brother, a prisoner for hundreds of years who probably still endures all sorts of attempts to terminate his life."

"I would never challenge your memory to forget that, but it has been brought to my attention that the Dark Dragon of Dagon has proven himself a danger to even your own people." Enoch acknowledged boldly. "The least I can claim to appease your indignation is that since my organization has sealed him, none have dared to trespass his containment."

As I dwelled upon his words, conjuring up memories in my mind of my last moments with my brother and how ruthless he had become, I was left actually contemplating the frankness of my enemy. "What guarantee do I have that this isn't a ploy to get rid of the still remaining few of us?"

"I cannot undo the past, Hex." Enoch's posture hardened, his resolve unyielding as he admitted, his voice seemingly heavy with the weight of tradition and hierarchy within the Knights. "But I can grant you the authority to manage our sector of magic, which also implies that I will be trusting you with our long preserved and guarded artifacts. If your worth is proven to us, I will advocate for you to recruit more of your own."

I bristled at the implication of the offered perks. "And what of our continued autonomy?" I interjected sharply, my voice cutting through the tension amongst the other knights. "Will the Forever Knights respect our ways, our traditions?"

Enoch regarded me with a measured gaze, his respect for my resilience evident. "Your autonomy will be respected." He assured me firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "This alliance is a partnership of equals, each bringing unique strengths to the table."

I exchanged a knowing glance with the previous knight who requested to interrogate me, silently hating the delicate balance of power and potential within our centuries old enemies' grasp. "For Spellbinder's sake and the future of magic." I declared, my voice resonating with determination. "I will entertain the possibility of joining this alliance. But know this, Enoch—we will not be deceived again, my trust must be earned."

Enoch nodded in agreement, his gaze steady as he met my scrutiny. "Trust is earned through actions, not words." He affirmed, his voice carrying the weight of his convictions as he descended from his throne. "Let us prove ourselves to each other, Hex. Together, we can forge a future where both factions can coexist in harmony."

I paced the confines of my shackles being unlocked, my mind racing with the implications of Enoch's offer and my current lack of alternatives. I have always known that the Knights were pragmatic, but this shift in their focus—from magic to the extraterrestrial threats—was a revelation. Enoch's outstretched hand waiting for a handshake signaled a potential turning point in our long-standing enmity.

As I shook his hand, the unease amongst the knight immediately ended, as if it was too late to protest anything.

The doctor tailing the leader of the Forever Knights finally stepped forward eagerly, similar to the man known as Driscoll but with a clearly more friendly attitude, he cleared his throat and spoke. "Greetings, my name is Dr. Aloysius Animo. I must admit that I find your command over—- what you call magic—it's unprecedented to my understanding. I can barely imagine what we could achieve, blending your arcane knowledge with my scientific advancements. The intricacies of how you channel energies that defy our understanding—it's a puzzle I'm yearning to solve."

Regarding the scientist with a raised eyebrow, I had to admit that I found the Knights' shift from religious zealotry towards science through the ages actually intrigued me. "And what do you propose, Dr. Animo?" 

Animo's eyes gleamed with enthusiasm before promptly stepping closer to me as if bridging the gap between our worlds and replying. "Collaboration!"

Right then, my curiosity was piqued by the scientist's unorthodox interest in magic. Animo appears to be a scientist first and foremost, with his fascination with magic being driven by a thirst for knowledge. If I can offer him insights that align with his ambitions, he may prove to be a valuable ally inside the organization.

Meanwhile I began making plans for my future, unbeknownst to me, Driscoll observed our interaction with a mix of resentfulness and begrudging curiosity. Despite his mistrust and personal feelings towards both my kind and the Knights, he couldn't deny the allure of potential knowledge and power that such an alliance could bring. Yet, his ambition to one day become the true protector of earth remained steadfast, a reminder of the sacrifices and battles he had endured since he left the Plumbers.

As the discussions continued late into the night, I navigated the delicate negotiations with a mix of skepticism and shrewdness, my resilience a testament to both magical heritage and unyielding resolve gained from centuries of experience.

Outside the council chamber, the fortress of the Forever Knights stood silent and watchful, its ancient stones bearing witness to the dawn of a new era.

————————————————————————

MC'S POV

Elsewhere on a highway bridge in the Nevada desert, a retirement bus was hanging precariously off of the edge, dangerously close to falling. The senior passengers inside were panicking before they felt a sudden jolt on either side.  

They looked behind them to see Kate, who had absorbed the Tetramand's (Four Arms) DNA from her belt, pulling back on the bus' bumper with a groan as Gwen was out front, pushing with all of her telekinetic energy while standing over her alien hoverboard towards the front of the vehicle. 

Once they had set the bus back safely on the bridge, Kate broke the back door off and gazed at the senior citizens within. 

"It's okay, everyone. Everything's alright now." Kate said as she started to walk away with Lucy giving an 'ahem' to her while nudging, gesturing to the passengers.  

"So, you're not gonna help us off, Ms. Red Giant?" An old man asked as Gwen hovered up towards her. "Who raised you anyway? I'm sure that other hero, Omni-boy, would help us till the end without us having to ask."  

"Sorry about that, everyone." Gwen said apologetically, her identity disguised by her hero suit. "We are still heroines in practice."  

"Oh, be a dear and carry me, would you?" An old woman with a walker asked. "My bunions are killing me."  

"Your bunions, my butt!" Another old woman asked. "My new hip is killing me! I'm first!"  

"Why did I come along again?" Lucy asked in amusement as Gwen and Kate got to work in helping the seniors out.  

Back in the Rust Bucket, I couldn't help smiling as I was enjoying my free time on my laptop, researching magical artifacts and wizards like Stonehenge, dream catchers, charm bracelets, etc. before I looked at my right arm where I could feel faint marks of my collection of charms.  

"Only the Keystone is missing." I smirked. "Hopefully there won't be anyone else looking for it since good old Hex and Charmcaster appear to be behaving well."

"Ugh." Kate sighed back to her human form as she, Gwen and Lucy walked inside with a groan. "Sometimes this hero stuff gets way old."  

"Hey Ben, now that the Omni-boy is public knowledge, everyone seems to measure us to you." Gwen sighed as she removed her hood and mask. "As much as I like it sometimes, today wasn't one of those times."  

"You should be proud of yourself, girls." Max told them. "Those folks would've been in a real pickle without you three."  

"I know." Kate said as Lucy dragged her to the kitchen to help cook dinner. 

"It's just that we would like just one regular summer day where we can just sit back and do nothing." Gwen said as she sat down next to me with a sigh as she looked at my Omnitrix. "It just feels like these powers are both a blessing and a curse."  

"The worst part of that whole bus thing was when those old grannies wanted us to go with them to some boring magic convention in Las Vegas." Kate remarked while helping Lucy. "As if."  

That was when I saw Gwen's eyes widening in wonder. "Magic convention? Grandpa?" 

"Well, we are still planning to go visit Las Vegas. So why not?" Max suggested with a friendly smile.

"Me and my big mouth!" Kate groaned to herself as Lucy laughed. "Weren't you supposed to be more into science, Gwen? Geez!"

In Las Vegas, the gang had parked outside Caesar's Palace, where the magic convention was taking place. They stepped inside the hotel, looking at the wonder and excitement that was going on as they passed by Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen restaurant in the hotel before they moved towards the magic convention.

Later on at said convention, they looked towards the stands and saw magic acts with cheap card tricks, connecting rings, and LARPers playing Dungeons and Dragons at a table. Needless to say, nothing really magical.  

Gwen groaned in slight disappointment as she looked at the banner overhead. "Magician of the Year Expo? It's just a bunch of cheap junk and gross-out tricks! I thought it was going to be magic magic. Not cheesy magic."  

"Hey, look, fake bugs in ice cubes, fake barf, fake dog puke!" Kate said after looking through the cheap gags, her current excitement being such a stark contrast compared to her previous remarks.

"Yeah, we get it, Kate." Max said while Lucy began making fun of Kate's childish excitement. "Still, as long as we're here, we might as well look around."  

Gwen nodded back as they walked over to the Magic Jewels section where they examined the selection of jewels with the shopkeeper reading a book.

"I don't suppose you have any real magi—" Gwen began asking before being cut off by me.

"Come on, Gwen. Imagine going up to someone like that seriously." I tried to make her realize her mistake. "I mean, if these people really knew they had something magical in their hands would they really sell to you for a few bucks?"

"I-I, I mean…you are right. I should just give u—" Gwen began replying before once again I interrupted her.

"I never said you won't find anything magical here, it's just that you should rely on your own connection to magic." I pointed it out, displaying a faint glow on my eyes that only she noticed, before turning back to gaze over the selection only to see a blue and gold bracer with a familiar looking red and black keystone in it that shimmered before my eyes. 

'The legendary lost Keystone, rumored to increase ten times the powers in scale of the one who possesses it.' I thought before slipping it on with a smile as I looked at the shopkeeper. "I'll take it."

"Excellent eyes, honey." The shopkeeper said, before trying to convince me this piece was some rare artifact lost to ages that her family found. Which sure, it really was the legendary Keystone of Bezel, but I doubt the shopkeeper knew that, otherwise I doubt she would sell it to me, much less for such price.

Turning to my cousin, I asked her. "Gwen, have you found something you like?" 

"Yeah, I can feel something from it." She had picked a piece octagonal in shape which appeared to be made out of carved gray stone, the size of a golf ball, fitting perfectly in the palm of Gwen's hand. In one of its faces it had depicted the image of two mirroring white tigers.

'No way.' Was my immediate thought as we paid the shopkeeper. 'A freaking talisman? What is it doing here? Does that mean-'

We all heard a screaming outside as a helicopter was smoking with an escape artist in a straight jacket dangled from a rope.  

"Help!" He shouted as the others ran out as they examined the case.  

"Something tells me that's not part of the act." Max said as he looked towards the girls and I.  

"I know, I know." Kate said, absorbing the Petrosapien (Diamondhead) DNA from her belt. "Hero time."  

"Let's do it." Gwen said as conjured up her disguise and ran off with Lucy on her hoverboard  

"Should I help them?" I asked Max, still intrigued by what Gwen had just found.  

"Not yet! Let them keep gaining experience." Grandpa said as we followed the girls off in the same direction.  

The helicopter careened out of control and severed some power lines as it crossed them as the escape artist dodged them in fear as both Gwen and Lucy grabbed onto either side of the helicopter, trying to stabilize it.  

"Everything's under control!" Lucy shouted as the tail fin of the helicopter broke off and was sent spinning down towards the crowd as the girls gasped.  

"Never say things like that under these conditions, mudgirl!" Gwen shouted.  

Max and I looked as the tail blade spun towards us as I raised an eyebrow.  

"Now?" I casually asked.  

Max glared as he nodded, slightly concerned. "Wait."  

Kate suddenly fired her diamond shards that hit the finn dead on, slowing it, but not nearly enough.  

The blade was spinning right in Max's path as Kate gasped and I sprung into action, with the bracer around my right wrist glowing, I effortlessly casted a telekinetic blast that stopped the blade in its tracks.  

"Way to go, Ben. Thanks." Max remarked as Kate looked from afar with a apologetic expression.  

"Don't mention, grandpa. I better lend out some help to the girls." I said before running off while activating my Omni-boy suit.  

In the sky, Gwen and Lucy were hanging from the helicopter as they tried in vain to stabilize it.  

"Making this thing lighter with magic isn't enough! Do something!" Gwen asked Lucy who immediately nodded and shot out one of her elongated arms, while still attached to the helicopter, grasped the building on the other side. 

Repeating that same action with extra limbs of hers she kept spawning eventually led to her to create a web of mud that caused the helicopter to be stuck to the buildings.  

"Hold on just a few seconds longer!" Gwen shouted as the fire burned through the rope, breaking it.  

The escape artist screamed as he plummeted to the ground with Kate diving after him, trying to close the gap by switching transformations mid action.  

"Not good!" Kate said just as she assumed her Lepidopterran (Stinkfly) form and took flight. 

That was when I ran up onto a car and backflipped onto a bus, shouting out as I jumped off and caught the falling escape artist before bouncing off an awning and landing safely on the ground as the girls ran up to me, shocked at what they just saw me accomplish without becoming alien.

"Teny—er—Omni-Boy?" Kate asked with her high pitched voice.  

That was when the crowd cheered out at our heroics before I turned to them and said. "Sorry about cramping your superhero style, girls."  

"Hey, the more the merrier." Kate spoke first, clearly glad that I caught the stuntman just in time. 

"But how did you do that without using the Omnitrix? Was that magic? Can you teach me? " Gwen asked, picking up her spell book eager to take notes.

"Sure thing, Cuz." I told her while thinking about the existence of the twelve talismans and how this first one Gwen found could help me balance my contrasting hearts. "But perhaps we should first enjoy our stay here in Las Vegas, I've heard our next stop will be very far away from here so we will certainly have some time for that."

"I guess you have a point." Gwen admitted with a disappointed expression. "As usual."

Hearing that, I couldn't help myself from cheering her up with a wink and a friendly smile.

————————————————————————

CHARMCASTER'S POV

'So, this is it.' I told myself, steeling my mind for the plan I was ready to perform.

The fortress of the Forever Knights stood defiant against the night sky, its ancient stones whispering tales of centuries-long battles against magic. 

From my concealed perch on a jagged outcrop overlooking the fortress, I surveyed the sprawling structure with a mix of determination and caution. Inside those imposing walls, my uncle Hex, a warlock of unparalleled power, languished, his magic subdued but not extinguished by the knights.

As his underling and fellow wielder of formidable magic, I harbored a complex relationship between us. 

'As if…' I smirked at that thought. 'Since I was little the old creep was always bossing me around. Telling me tales of how my father entrusted me to his care before passing away by the hands of these despicable knights.'

Regardless of all that, tonight urgency underscored my objective: I had to infiltrate the fortress, acquire my uncle's Staff of Ages that was in the possession of those who sought to eradicate our kind for ages, then seek to free my uncle from his bindings. Perhaps the decrepit old man would finally start treating me like an equal.

Cloaked in shadows that rendered me nearly invisible, I slipped through the outer defenses with the grace of a seasoned ambusher. The knights, bolstered by their newfound weird technology, patrolled with an air of misplaced confidence. Energy weapons hummed and crackled in their hands, a stark contrast to the archaic weapons they had once wielded, crafted from the resources they obtained from the magical world.

Navigating the labyrinthine corridors, I honed in on the pulsating aura of my uncle's magic, but the stifling energy-disrupting generators that pulsed through the fortress were hampering me more than by just causing more than a few headaches. In any case, with each step forward, my determination grew stronger, fueled by the urgency of my mission in this ever-shifting battleground.

Approaching the castle's vault I manually unraveled the technological bindings that blocked any external access. The air crackled with suppressed energy as I delved into this confined area, its innate presence commanding despite not being the possession of a master magician.

"Excellent…" I said while grasping the ancient Staff of Ages, a relic that I could not yet wield myself. At least not until I got what I needed from my uncle. "…now as for the devil himself…"

Navigating the fortress's defenses with a lethal combination of both my formidable sorcery and strategic cunning, I left the section where they kept the stolen magical artifacts without much difficulty.

Until a unexpected sense of vertigo cause me to fail in concealing my presence from the patrolling Knights, so I was forced to improvise. 

The knights, caught off guard by my unexpected attack, fell before me like wheat before the scythe. Spells clashed with the metallic clang of weird energy weapons, the air thick with the scent of magic and ozone. Occasionally my magic surged, a primal force that tore through the knights' ranks with devastating precision as I danced between enemies, weaving spells that incapacitated and disoriented, clearing my path towards where I assumed were the containment cells.

Unfortunately I had no success in finding the segment of the castle my early scouting had shown me to be the place where I would find my uncle. It was as if the castle itself had decided to change its location to somewhere else.

Yet amidst the chaos I kept causing in order to forcibly locate my uncle, a figure emerged clad in the regal armor of the Forever Knights, wielding advanced technological weaponry with deadly precision. 

From a first sight, he was a Knight of higher rank than your run of the mill metal head, standing resolute against me, his demeanor a stark contrast to the lesser knights who had already fallen before me. His armor gleamed with the residue of spells deflected and his energy lance crackled with potent alien energy.

Meeting the Knight's challenge with a measured yet potent counterstrike of magic, arcane energy clashed with blazing technology, the air sizzling with the intensity of our conflict. Spells and energy beams danced in the night, each side testing the limits of our opponents respective strengths. 

I kept weaving intricate spells that disrupted my opponent's precision and diverted his attention. The battle raged on, an intricate dance of power and strategy that pushed us to the brink of exhaustion.

As what I assumed to be dawn began to break over the horizon on the closest windows, my magic surged with renewed vigor, overwhelming my opponent's defenses with a final, decisive strike. The Knight of higher rank staggered back, his armor smoking from the onslaught, a testament to the resilience of both magic and technology in the face of relentless opposition.

As we stood amidst the aftermath of our hard-fought encounter, my gaze lingered on the prospect of my adversary receiving back up with a mix of caution and contemplation. 

My initial intent was to rely on one of my last resort spells which would buy me enough time to make an escape until I heard a voice resonating throughout the stony walls of the enemy's castle.

"That's enough for now." The voice said as the Knight before me bagan to shapeshift right before my eyes, morphing into the image of a mechanical human-sized white blank doll.

Suddenly, the other knights which I've left previously unconscious on my way here got up and had their appearance morphed in similar fashion before all vanishing away in a red light. As a matter of fact, the whole environment around me began breaking apart, leaving a vast and empty white void around me.

This near maddening experience eventually brought my attention to the arrival of someone who manifested itself after another red light illuminated the area before me, this time however my captor's identity was hidden underneath a silver white mask and tuxedo.

"I'm truly sorry for putting you through this charade, my dear." The individual said in an apparently friendly tone, though that still didn't prevent me from raising my guard and magically bolstering my defenses.

"Whoever you are, how do you dare play mind tricks with ME?" I asked, admittedly letting my displeasure at being made a fool get the better of me. "Do you even know who I am? I AM CHARMCASTER, HEIR OF SPELLBINDER, TRUE RULER OF MAGIC AND I WILL NOT BE—-"

"Oh, of course I know who you are…" The figure interrupted me mid-rant before startling me with his final word. "Hope."

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(03/07/2024)

(01/11/2024)

*Hey there! Thanks for reading my work! I hope this chapter is of your liking. 

Any ideas for powers, adventure arcs and girls are more than welcomed. I might not use anything, but you will have my gratitude for trying.

If this chapter is a mess of grammatical errors, please wait, I'll promptly try to fix it. But for that I need your feedback.

Thanks as always for your time, hope you have a fantastic day and please stay safe.

Bye.

**Happy Halloween everyone! 🎃💀👻

***Yeah, like always I took my time writing this latest chapter, hopefully I was still able to make it worth the wait. 😁

Quick discussion about what I wrote in this chapter.

Although I decided to make the kids less overly reliant on Grandpa Max, I still want to display his POV from time to time. Even though I have my plans for him in the future, I'm still open to any suggestions of how I should keep developing his character.

Honestly I wasn't all that interested to linger longer than necessary on the Camp Fear episode. For what it's worth, I at least had some fun introducing Wildvine and his plant based powers to the arsenal of my MC. Even got to display more of the POV of the secret task force composed of some of the female super villains, showing how their view towards the MC is slowly but surely developing into clear devotion.

As for the episode of the Mayan sword, the main difficulty I was having in planning out how I wanted to handle it was in regard to the literal Mayan God of Death. Balancing out its inherently OPness while still letting it be defeated after a single fight was probably one of the major causes of why I took so long to write this chapter. I mean, the TV series just brings it up as if it was nothing, with both Max and Enoch more concerned with acquiring the sword. Which by the way, I see no problem with making it as powerful as Max claimed it to be, I mean, hopefully I've already shown you how broken some of the early alien transformations were, especially now with the evolution feature.

I already got rid of Ghostfreak because I felt it was the perfect moment to justify how my MC would merge with it. I wonder if someone caught the two references I placed near the end of that segment.

Now, finally with the introduction of Charmcaster. First of all, I'm indeed planning to have her join the secret task force alongside frightwig/Hallequin, Rojo/Scarlet and her reformed biker gang/ the forever rangers. It's just that I want to make her relationship towards my MC a bit different than what the others have. Just like with Max, I have my plans for the future chapter and onwards, but I'm still open to more suggestions.

As for Hex, I've actually changed my mind about him. Initially his survival from his first encounter with my MC was meant to be merely a way to naturally introduce Charmcaster, which I've still done regardless of her not actually meeting him. Right now I'm really interested in forcing his quick development toward the part where he actually was a teacher of magic, just instead of having him teaching the masses and comically mention how his skull tattoo on his face limits his job opportunities, I leaned on the magical aspect and made him join the Forever Knights.

In case I wasn't able to make it understandable during the chapter, both Hex and Charmcaster are magic beings with a massive life span. I've tied their background to the Forever Knights by getting rid of that dragon-like alien that was kept prisoner for a thousand years and let it be Spellbinder, though in his case he was the dark dragon that appeared during the flashbacks where Sir George appeared. I mean, the man wasn't a match for the real Dagon, so I just made that adjustment to make a bit of sense powerscaling-wise.

Obviously I didn't cover every single minute detail of the chapter, but I believe I got the biggest topics where some of you might be interested to get some explanation from me.

In any case, if you still have more doubts, feel free to ask it in a comment and I will try to help you out. 😉👍

Thanks for your attention as always and until next time.