Eon's appearance sent a chill down Ben's spine. Another time-manipulating villain? Working with Chronos? The situation was rapidly spiraling out of control.
"Eon? What are you doing here?" Ben demanded, his voice filled with anger.
"Helping a friend," Eon replied, his eyes gleaming with malevolent glee. "Chronos has a vision, Tennyson. A vision of a universe without time, without consequence, without… you."
"You're insane!" Ben shouted. "You can't just destroy time! It'll unravel everything!"
"That's the point, Tennyson!" Eon cackled. "To create a new reality, a reality where I am the master of all!"
Chronos appeared beside Eon, his eyes burning with hatred. "The Celestial Clockwork will be destroyed," he said. "And with it, the timeline itself. A new era will dawn, an era of chaos and destruction!"
Paradox stepped forward, his face grim. "You cannot do this! You will destroy everything!"
"Silence, old man!" Chronos snarled. "Your meddling ends here!" He unleashed a wave of temporal energy towards Paradox, aging him rapidly, turning him into a frail, decrepit old man. Paradox collapsed to the ground, his body withered and weak.
"Professor!" Ben cried, rushing to Paradox's side. "Are you okay?"
"I'm… fine, Ben," Paradox gasped, his voice weak. "But you must… stop them… before it's too late…"
Ben knew what he had to do. He activated the Ultimatrix, his determination hardening. He slammed down the dial, transforming into… Alien X.
The universe warped around him, the Celestial Clockwork fading into a swirling vortex of colors. He was in the realm of Serena and Bellicus, the two warring personalities that controlled Alien X's power.
"Ben Tennyson," Serena said, her voice ethereal. "You seek to control us again?"
"We disapprove," Bellicus roared, his voice thunderous. "We have no desire to interfere in the affairs of mortals."
"I don't have time for this!" Ben shouted, his voice echoing through the realm. "Chronos and Eon are trying to destroy the timeline! I need your help to stop them!"
"The destruction of the timeline is of no concern to us," Serena said. "We are beyond such trivial matters."
"Think of the countless lives that will be lost!" Ben pleaded. "Think of the suffering, the chaos, the destruction! You can't just stand by and let it happen!"
Serena and Bellicus were silent for a moment, considering Ben's words. Finally, Serena spoke. "Very well, Ben Tennyson. We will grant you our power… this once. But do not think that this makes us allies. We are merely… observers."
Ben felt a surge of power coursing through him, the combined power of Serena and Bellicus. He was Alien X, the most powerful being in the universe.
He returned to the Celestial Clockwork, the realm of Serena and Bellicus fading away. Chronos and Eon stared at him in disbelief, their faces etched with shock.
"Alien X?" Chronos gasped. "Impossible! You cannot control such power!"
"I can," Ben said, his voice resonating with cosmic energy. "And I will. You will not destroy the timeline. You will not bring chaos to the universe."
He unleashed a wave of cosmic energy, targeting Chronos and Eon. They tried to defend themselves, but their powers were no match for Alien X. The cosmic energy washed over them, nullifying their temporal abilities, stripping them of their power.
Chronos and Eon screamed in agony, their bodies dissolving into particles of light. They were defeated, their reign of terror brought to an end.
Ben, as Alien X, turned his attention to the Celestial Clockwork. He focused his will, repairing the damaged mechanisms, restoring the flow of time. The timeline was stabilized, the universe was safe.
He reverted to his human form, exhausted but triumphant. The power of Alien X was immense, but it came at a cost. He could feel the strain on his mind, the pull of Serena and Bellicus, the constant struggle for control.
Paradox, his youth restored, approached Ben, his face filled with gratitude. "You have done it, Ben," he said. "You have saved the universe."
"It wasn't just me, Professor," Ben said. "It was Gwen, Kevin, even Albedo… we all played a part."
"Indeed," Paradox said. "But it was your courage, your compassion, your unwavering commitment to justice that made the difference."
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the Celestial Clockwork. "Impressive, Tennyson. But this is not over."
Ben turned to see Albedo standing before him, his eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity. He held a device in his hand, a device that shimmered with temporal energy. "You may have defeated Chronos and Eon," Albedo said, "but you have merely paved the way for my ascension."
He activates the device, revealing that it is a temporal siphon, stealing the energy of the Celestial Clockwork.