Ben 10: The Quincy War

Chapter 3: To Err To A Quincy's Cause

"In shadows deep, my throne does stand,

A realm forged by my sovereign hand."

"From darkness, I summon the light,

To shape a world of endless night."

"A stranger comes with power untold,

A force of might, a heart of gold."

"Yet, in this realm, he finds his fate,

Where destiny and duty wait.

Beneath the stars, in silence we reign,

Guardians of power, bearers of pain."

"With wisdom vast and vision clear,

I seek the truth, I banish fear."

"The time has come, the hour is near,

For bonds to form, for truths to clear."

"In halls of ice, where shadows play,

A hero's path is cast in gray."

"With eyes that see beyond the veil,

I weigh his strength, I hear his tale."

"For in this place, where shadows lie,

A spark of hope, a light must fly."

-Yhwach-

Breathing grew soft and steady.

Muscles tightened and nerves grew tense.

Body growing warmer.

Eyes fluttered openly weakly as he regained consciousness.

Ears sharpened even when met with the once deafening silence that was immediately replaced with faint whispers in the shadows.

These were the sensations Ben began to feel all at once as he roused from his slumber, not by choice but by obligation as his already less than ideal detainment cell was about to become far too rowdy for him to even get any further semblance of rest.

Though his vision was practically impaired, as only a faint blue light escaped into the cell room through the window, Ben's weary eyes instinctively glued to the cell door at his right side, a pair of near frantic footsteps belonging to two individuals grew audible as they came to a sudden halt.

The next thing he heard was the lock on the cell door being removed right before the door creaked open, revealing Bambietta and Candice, both with neutral expressions on their faces.

"Girls." Ben greeted with a murmur and a weak smile. "Morning already?"

Bambietta stepped forward, her eyes meeting Ben's with a mix of authority and a hint of warmth. "Rise and shine, Ben. Yhwach wants to see you."

Candice, standing beside Bambietta, crossed her arms and smirked slightly. "You've got an audience with the boss. Better get ready."

"About that time, huh?" Asked Ben slightly rhetorically, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Well, I'm glad he's finally ready to have an audience with me, and so quickly too. Don't know if I would appreciated having to spend another night in here like this...in chains." He tugs lightly at the chains binding his arms and legs with a slight smirk.

Bambietta nodded, her expression softening just a bit. "Yeah, we figured you wouldn't enjoy that. Let's get those off you."

Candice rolled her eyes slightly but couldn't hide her smirk. "Try not to enjoy your newfound freedom too much, Ben. We still have to keep an eye on you."