A full week had passed.
The world didn't change.
The sky was still red, like it had burned into place and refused to move. The air still carried that dry, heavy dust that never seemed to settle. Even the silence felt the same—thick, constant, and impossible to ignore.
Ben had stopped keeping track of time after the second day.
There wasn't much reason to.
He stayed near the same road most of the time, sometimes sitting on the edge of the broken pavement, sometimes inside the empty bus. He didn't go far. There was nowhere to go.
The bus had become the only place that still felt… real.
Or maybe it was just the last place where everything still made sense.
Ben sat near the window, his back against the seat, one leg stretched out and the other pulled in. His eyes weren't focused on anything in particular. They just rested somewhere outside, where nothing moved.
His mind, however, didn't stop.
It kept going back.
To the same moment.
Again and again.
"I'm tired of this."
He could still hear his own voice clearly.
Not angry.
Just… done.
"I don't want this life."
That part was worse.
Ben closed his eyes for a second, pressing his head back against the seat.
He hadn't even waited for a reply.
Gwen had started to say something.
Max too.
But he walked away before either of them could finish.
At that time, it felt like he needed space.
Now it felt like he ran away.
He opened his eyes and looked around the bus.
Half the seats were empty.
No bags. No voices. No small movements.
Just space.
Ben leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. His hands hung loosely, but they slowly tightened as the thought came back again.
"They were talking to me…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…and I didn't even listen."
That part stayed with him more than anything else.
Not the sky.
Not the people disappearing.
But that moment.
Because it was the last normal moment he had with them.
Time passed without him noticing.
The light outside didn't change much anymore, so it was hard to tell how long he had been sitting there. At some point, he shifted slightly and leaned back again, letting his head rest against the seat.
That's when something small came to his mind.
A memory.
Gwen holding her phone, pointing it at him.
"Say something," she had said.
Ben had rolled his eyes back then. "Why do you record everything?"
"So we can watch it later," she replied. "When things are calm."
Ben let out a small breath.
"…The recordings."
He sat up a little straighter.
Gwen always kept them.
Trips. Random moments. Small talks. Things that didn't seem important at the time.
But now…
They were everything.
Ben stood up slowly and walked down the bus aisle.
His steps were quiet. The sound echoed slightly, making the emptiness feel even bigger.
He stopped near one of the seats.
Gwen's bag was still there.
Untouched.
Exactly where she had left it.
For a moment, Ben just stood there, looking at it.
Then he reached out and picked it up.
It felt lighter than it should have.
He opened it carefully.
Inside, he found a small device.
He already knew what it was.
Still, his hand paused for a second before turning it on.
The screen flickered.
Then the video started.
Gwen's voice came first.
"If you're watching this," she said, laughing lightly, "then it means we actually decided to sit and watch old memories."
The camera moved a little, and Max came into view.
"That would be a good day," Max said.
Ben watched quietly.
In the video, everything looked normal.
Too normal.
Then the camera shifted again.
Ben saw himself.
Sitting the same way. Relaxed. Not thinking too much.
Not carrying anything heavy.
He looked… different.
Gwen's voice came again.
"You know, Ben doesn't realize it…"
She paused for a second, like she was choosing the right words.
"…but he's the reason we don't worry."
Max nodded slowly.
"He carries more than he shows," he said. "Even when he tries to hide it."
Ben's grip on the device tightened slightly.
The video continued.
Gwen looked at the camera again, smiling a little.
"He complains a lot," she said, "but when it really matters… he's always there."
Max added, "That's what makes him a hero."
There was a small pause after that.
Then Gwen said something softer.
"We're lucky he's with us."
The video ended.
The screen went dark.
For a few seconds, Ben didn't move.
He just stood there, holding the device.
The bus was quiet again.
But now it felt different.
He looked down at the screen, his expression slowly changing.
"They trusted me…"
His voice was low.
Not angry.
Not loud.
Just… heavy.
"I didn't even stay."
That thought hit harder than anything else.
Not the sky.
Not the loss.
That moment.
Because he could have stayed.
He could have listened.
He could have said something different.
Ben closed his eyes for a second and took a slow breath.
When he opened them again, something had changed.
Not outside.
Inside.
The guilt was still there.
But now it felt… clearer.
Like something he could finally face.
"I'll fix this," he said quietly.
This time, it didn't sound like a promise to someone else.
It sounded like a decision.
Just then, the Omnitrix on his wrist reacted.
A faint light appeared.
Ben looked down.
The red glow was gone.
In its place—
A yellow light started forming.
"…What?"
He raised his hand slightly, watching it.
Words appeared on the screen.
System Update Initiated
Ben frowned slightly, trying to understand.
"Update…?"
Before he could think more—
A voice came from behind him.
"You have reached the point where you are ready."
Ben turned.
The Grandmaster stood there.
Calm, as always.
Ben didn't react immediately.
He just looked at him.
Then asked, "Ready for what?"
The Grandmaster stepped closer.
"For the next step."
He looked at the Omnitrix.
"It will no longer be just a tool," he said. "From now on, it will be directly connected to guidance."
Ben didn't fully understand.
"Meaning?"
The Grandmaster answered simply.
"I will guide you from within it."
Ben's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You mean… inside the Omnitrix?"
"Yes."
Ben paused.
"That doesn't sound safe."
"It is not," the Grandmaster said.
There was no hesitation in his answer.
"To do this, I must leave my physical form and place my soul into your watch."
Ben went silent.
"And if something goes wrong?" he asked.
The Grandmaster looked at him.
"Your life will be at risk."
The words stayed in the air.
Clear.
Direct.
No hiding.
Ben looked down at his hand.
The yellow light was still glowing.
Then he looked around.
The empty bus.
The red sky outside.
The silence.
"My family is already gone," he said slowly.
He looked back at the Grandmaster.
"This is my only chance."
He didn't hesitate after that.
"Do it."
The Grandmaster nodded once.
Then he raised his hand.
A faint glow appeared around him.
His body started to fade.
Not like dust.
Not like the others.
This was different.
Controlled.
His form slowly broke into light.
That light moved toward the Omnitrix.
Ben watched everything.
Didn't move.
Didn't stop it.
The light entered the watch.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then—
The Omnitrix reacted.
The yellow light turned brighter.
Energy spread across Ben's arm.
His eyes widened.
"What—"
A sudden surge of energy hit him.
His eyes turned white.
Lightning-like energy ran through his body.
He tried to stay standing.
But it was too much.
Everything went blank.
Ben fell to the ground.
Unconscious.
The bus returned to silence.
Author Note
In the next chapter, Ben begins his training and learns how to control his new powers.
If you're enjoying the story, support it and keep reading.
100 powerstone.for advance chapter