The transformation had been agonizing, a searing violation of Ben's very being. Now, standing before Gwen and Kevin, he was a grotesque parody of himself. His skin was a sickly green, marred by pulsing black veins. His eyes glowed with malevolent energy, and his teeth were sharpened into cruel points. The Ultimatrix symbol on his chest pulsed with an unholy light. This wasn't just a new transformation; it was a corruption, a perversion of everything he stood for.
Gwen and Kevin stared in horror, their faces pale with shock. They had faced countless threats, but this was different. This was Ben, their friend, their brother, twisted into a weapon against them.
"Ben?" Gwen asked hesitantly, her voice trembling. "Is that you?"
The corrupted Ben chuckled, a chilling sound that sent shivers down their spines. "Ben is gone," he said, his voice a distorted echo of Ben's own. "There is only Malakor now."
Kevin stepped forward, his fists clenched. "We're not going to let you hurt anyone, Malakor," he said, his voice filled with determination. "We'll bring Ben back."
The corrupted Ben laughed again, a mocking sound that echoed through the ruined Plumber HQ. "You can't save him," he said. "He's mine now. And soon, you will be too." He lunged at Kevin, his hand outstretched, ready to strike.
Gwen reacted instantly, unleashing a wave of mana towards the corrupted Ben. But he was too fast. He dodged the attack, his movements fluid and unnatural. He grabbed Kevin by the throat, lifting him off the ground.
"Kevin!" Gwen cried, her voice filled with panic. She unleashed another wave of mana, but the corrupted Ben simply absorbed it, his body glowing with the stolen energy.
"Your magic is useless against me," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "Malakor has shown me how to use it, how to twist it to my own ends." He tightened his grip on Kevin's throat, choking the life out of him.
"Let him go!" Gwen screamed, her eyes filled with tears. She charged towards the corrupted Ben, her fists clenched, ready to fight.
The corrupted Ben smirked. He tossed Kevin aside like a rag doll, sending him crashing into a pile of rubble. He turned his attention to Gwen, his eyes burning with hatred.
"You're next," he said, his voice a low growl. He lunged at Gwen, his hand outstretched, ready to deliver the final blow.
But just as he was about to strike, a figure appeared between them. It was Diagon, his body still weakened from Malakor's attack, but his eyes filled with determination.
"I won't let you hurt them," Diagon said, his voice filled with resolve. He unleashed a surge of energy, pushing the corrupted Ben back.
The corrupted Ben staggered back, his eyes widening in surprise. "You?" he said, his voice filled with disbelief. "But you're weak. You're nothing."
"I may be weak," Diagon said, "but I will not stand by and watch you destroy everything I care about." He unleashed another surge of energy, striking the corrupted Ben with full force.
The corrupted Ben cried out in pain, his body convulsing. He staggered back again, his grip on reality weakening. For a brief moment, Ben's own consciousness flickered through, a spark of light in the darkness.
"Gwen! Kevin!" Ben cried, his voice weak and distorted. "Help me! I can't control it!"
But the moment passed, and the darkness returned. The corrupted Ben regained control, his eyes glowing with malevolent energy once more.
"Fool," he said to Diagon. "You cannot save him. He is lost forever." He unleashed a wave of dark energy, striking Diagon with full force.
Diagon cried out in pain, his body convulsing. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Gwen and Kevin watched in horror as their friends fell one by one, victims of Malakor's corruption. They knew that they had to do something, but they were powerless. They were outmatched, outgunned, and out of options.
Suddenly, Gwen had an idea. It was a long shot, a desperate gamble, but it was the only chance they had. She reached out to the corrupted Ben, not with force, but with compassion. She focused her mind, channeling her memories, her emotions, her love for Ben. She showed him their past, their present, and their potential future. She reminded him of their friendship, their bond, their shared experiences.
She showed him the good in himself, the hero within, the person he was before Malakor's corruption. She showed him the hope, the love, the compassion that still lingered within his heart.
The corrupted Ben paused, his eyes widening in surprise. He seemed to be struggling against something, fighting against an unseen force. He looked at Gwen, his expression changing, softening. He saw the truth in her words, the sincerity of her compassion. He realized that he wasn't alone, that he was loved, that he was worthy of forgiveness.
The darkness within him began to recede, the corruption weakening. Ben's own consciousness began to reassert itself, pushing back against Malakor's influence.
"Gwen," Ben said, his voice weak but clear. "I…I can't…control it…Help me…"
Gwen reached out to him, taking his hand. She poured her mana energy into him, bolstering his will, strengthening his resolve. Kevin, still recovering from his injuries, joined her, adding his own energy to the mix.
Together, they focused their combined will, channeling their energy towards Ben. They showed him the good in himself, the hero within, the person he was always meant to be. They reminded him of his responsibility, his duty, his purpose.
Slowly, gradually, Ben began to regain control. The darkness within him receded further and further, the corruption weakening with each passing moment. The Ultimatrix symbol on his chest began to glow with a pure, green light.
Finally, the transformation reversed. The corrupted Ben was gone, replaced by the Ben they knew and loved. He stood before them, exhausted but free, his eyes filled with relief.
"Gwen," Ben said, his voice trembling. "Kevin…I…I don't know what happened…"
Gwen and Kevin embraced him, their hearts filled with joy. They had saved him, they had brought him back from the brink. But their celebration was short-lived. As they embraced, the ground began to tremble. The Plumber HQ began to collapse around them.
"We have to get out of here!" Kevin shouted, his voice filled with urgency. They turned to flee, but it was too late. The ceiling collapsed, trapping them beneath tons of rubble. As darkness closed in, Ben saw one last thing: Malakor's phantom, rising from the rubble, its eyes burning with hatred. And in its hand, it held the Ultimatrix. Ben knew, with chilling certainty, that Malakor had just obtained the ultimate weapon. And now, with the full power of the Ultimatrix at his disposal, there was nothing to stop him from reshaping reality itself. But what horrifying form would Malakor's new reality take? And could Ben, Gwen, and Kevin possibly survive long enough to stop him?