Chapter 25: Rift Between Worlds
On a gray evening over Gotham City, the clouds churned with a sound like distant mourning. In one of the back alleys where light dared not enter, the ground cracked open suddenly, releasing a crystal glow pulsing like a sick heart.
Batman was the first to detect it through his hidden seismic sensors. His voice came sharply through the comms:
> "We've got a spacetime disturbance... and the energy signature matches the crystal surge inside Ben."
At the Watchtower, the core team assembled: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Ben, and Supergirl—along with Gwen and Kevin, who had recently crossed into this world.
Batman displayed satellite images showing the crystal fracture spreading beneath the city. He pointed to a central point:
> "Right here… a symbol was found etched into the rock. Azmuth's symbol."
A tense silence filled the room.
Gwen was the first to speak.
> "No... that can't be. Azmuth would never leave his mark somewhere like this without a reason."
Ben, sweating despite the cool air, said quietly:
> "I feel something… pulling me to that place. Like there's a resonance between me and whatever's down there."
Batman turned to him.
> "Your instincts might be the key. But we're not going in without a plan."
---
On the ground, the team split up: Ben, Gwen, and Green Lantern descended into the ancient cave, while the rest stayed above to protect the city from further crystal breaches.
The air inside the cavern felt thick, like time itself had stalled.
At the site of the emblem, they found it carved into a stone door, pulsating with an energy nearly identical to that of the Omnitrix.
Gwen touched the wall cautiously. Suddenly, a small hologram flickered to life—a projection of Azmuth.
The recorded message spoke:
> "If you've reached this place… it means Kairos is beginning to awaken. Everything started here."
The three exchanged stunned glances.
Green Lantern muttered:
> "Kairos… started on Earth?"
But before they could explore further, the ground began to shake, and waves of black crystal erupted in all directions.
Ben shouted:
> "Back! The crystals are trying to trap us in!"
As they escaped, Ben caught a glimpse of a crystalline image on the wall—a memory of himself activating the Omnitrix for the first time. But behind him… a dark silhouette loomed, one that resembled Kairos.
He murmured:
> "He was with me from the beginning…?"
---
Later that night, atop a high building where the fog draped the skyline and Gotham's lights shimmered like restless ghosts below, Supergirl stood with her arms folded, gazing into the distance.
Ben stepped quietly out of the shadows and sat beside her, avoiding eye contact.
After a long silence, he finally said:
> "I never imagined I'd end up here… far from my world, far from everything I know. And every time I think I'm starting to understand, I realize I've misunderstood everything."
Supergirl didn't respond right away. Then she sighed and said:
> "When I first came to Earth, I was scared of everything. I was supposed to be stronger than my fear… but the truth? I was lost. People here saw a symbol in me, but I couldn't even see myself as just a normal girl."
Ben looked at her at last.
> "So… you felt like a stranger among people who saw you as a hero?"
She smiled, just a little, almost bitterly:
> "Exactly. But over time, I learned that strength isn't about muscles or power. Real strength is moving forward—even when you don't understand. Even when you're alone."
Ben bit his lip, his voice unsteady:
> "But if I stay alone… I won't be me."
She turned to him, eyes soft:
> "Then you won't be alone. Not if I can help it. Even if you lose the Omnitrix… or even lose yourself."
He held her gaze for a long, quiet moment.
> "If there's one thing I don't want to lose… it's you."
Supergirl smiled gently. The usual sharpness in her expression softened, but neither of them moved closer.
Their feelings were still forming—quietly blooming in the silence of a city that never sleeps.
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