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Chapter 13: The Creature Within
The Watchtower was silent.
Ben sat alone in the training room, clutching his arm where the Omnitrix had just flared with uncontrollable energy. Moments ago, during a routine mission alongside the Flash, something had gone terribly wrong. Ben had attempted to transform into XLR8, but instead unleashed a blast of black energy that nearly injured the speedster.
Now, the walls bore scorch marks, and the air still buzzed with residual static.
"I didn't mean to," Ben whispered, staring at his reflection in the broken mirror. His eyes flashed briefly with a dark, unfamiliar glow.
Batman arrived moments later. "We need to isolate him."
"Wait—what?" Ben stood up.
"It's not punishment," Batman said flatly. "But until we understand what's happening inside you, we can't risk another outburst."
Supergirl hovered outside the door, conflicted. Her concern was clear, but she didn't interfere.
Green Lantern joined the meeting, bringing troubling news. "Back when I was patrolling sector 2814, we encountered something called Cosmic Seeding. Energy signatures similar to what's now in Ben. It wasn't just corruption—it was... construction."
"Construction of what?" Supergirl asked.
"A new reality," Green Lantern replied grimly.
Later that night, Ben collapsed in his quarters. In his dream, he didn't just see a city—he was inside it. Towers of dark crystal spiraled upward, alive and pulsing. A voice echoed through the glowing streets:
"You are the soil. We are the bloom."
Ben screamed awake.
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