Chapter 28: The Dissolution Trial
It hadn't been long since Ben had removed the Omnitrix, but already his body was beginning to fall apart. At first, it was just lightheadedness, then a racing heartbeat, followed by full-body spasms—like something inside him was trying to pull itself free.
In the Watchtower's medical wing, he lay on a transparent bed surrounded by advanced monitoring systems. Supergirl hadn't left his side, holding his trembling hand, while Gwen stood by a digital console, her eyes fixed on the deteriorating vitals.
> "The crystals…" Gwen muttered, "they're trying to create a new version of him... without the Omnitrix."
Superman stepped in silently, glanced at the screen, then at Ben, and said quietly:
> "His body's destabilizing. The Omnitrix wasn't just a tool—it was acting as a stabilizer."
Ben's voice came out broken as he opened his eyes with effort:
> "I... I can feel something crawling inside me… trying to build… something else."
Supergirl leaned close, whispering as she wiped the sweat from his forehead:
> "You're not alone. We'll stop this. I promise."
But things were getting worse—fast.
Inside his mind, Ben was seeing terrifying reflections of himself: disfigured faces, crystalline creatures that bore his features—each whispering the same sentence:
> "You are the original. We are the future."
Then, with a sudden jolt, his heart stopped beating—for several seconds.
Gwen screamed:
> "His heart stopped! We have to act now!"
With a moment of hesitation, Gwen opened a small, ancient spellbook—one she only used in the most desperate cases.
> "The Soul Restoration Spell… If it fails, his mind could fracture forever."
Superman urged:
> "Do it!"
Gwen began reciting the words in an ancient tongue, and a violet energy began to surround Ben's body—wrapping around him like a pulsing light from the depths of the soul.
Inside, Ben found himself in an endless white space. Before him stood his crystallized self—half of it deformed—staring directly into him.
> "I am you… without limits. Without weakness. Why return to them?"
Ben stared back with quiet determination:
> "Because they're my world. Because they're my choice. Because… I'm human."
And with that word, a hand made of light appeared behind him—Gwen's hand—grasping his and pulling him forcefully out of the distortion.
Ben's eyes snapped open, gasping for air as though his soul had just returned. The monitors around him erupted with signs of stabilization.
Supergirl gasped, tears in her eyes:
> "Ben!!"
Gwen let out a shaky breath, sweat covering her forehead:
> "We did it…"
But her expression grew heavy with concern as she looked at him:
> "That was just the first time… the crystals are still inside you. Something is forming… and the war over who you are is far from over."
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