Chapter 50: After the Light

📘 Chapter 50: After the Light

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📌 Inside the Watchtower – After Ben's Return

The silence shattered as if time itself had paused.

Every eye in the Hall of Heroes turned toward the podium, where Grandpa Max had just delivered what was thought to be the final word.

But it was no longer the final word.

A green beam erupted in the center of the hall, twisting like a living pulse until it took the form of a complete human silhouette.

And in a wave of stunned awe…

There he stood.

Ben.

His face hadn't changed much—but in his eyes… there was something different.

Not just strength. But a strange blend of wisdom, longing, and pain.

Behind him stood Azmuth, silent as a shadow, watching the room with wise, timeless eyes.

Supergirl was the first to gasp. She couldn't speak. Her hand covered her mouth, and her knees nearly gave out.

Gwen stood, eyes wide and overflowing with tears once more—but this time they weren't just of sorrow.

Joy? Shock? The fear that it might be a dream? Perhaps all at once.

Kevin didn't move. He didn't even blink, as if afraid Ben might vanish again if he looked away.

As for Grandpa Max…

He simply murmured, his voice carried by the weight of the moment:

> "You always knew when to come back, son."

Ben smiled—that familiar, missed smile—and replied softly, almost in a whisper:

> "I came back… just not the same."

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📌 (The Reunion)

Gwen rushed forward and hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest, eyes brimming:

> "This time… I'm not letting you go alone, got it?"

Ben smiled, replying in a hushed voice:

> "I missed you all."

Then came Kevin.

He stared at him for a moment, then gave his shoulder a playful bump:

> "Next time, try being less dramatic."

They both chuckled—for the first time in what felt like forever.

Then came Grandpa Max. He stood in front of Ben, then pulled him into an unexpectedly strong hug:

> "I'm proud of you, kid… more than you'll ever know."

But the most emotional moment was when Supergirl stepped forward.

She kept staring, as if afraid he would disappear if she blinked.

Ben broke the silence:

> "I'm sorry."

She replied, her voice trembling:

> "I was ready to die for you… not for you to walk away."

He nodded, his expression pained, then placed a hand gently on her shoulder:

> "I didn't leave… I was protecting you all."

She looked into his eyes, then—finally—embraced him.

Quietly. No words.

And in that moment, the wall between grief and joy dissolved.

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But the joy was fleeting.

Supergirl looked at him again. She noticed something she hadn't wanted to see. She looked deeper into his eyes, his expression… and whispered:

> "You're going back to your world, aren't you?"

He didn't answer. But silence was enough.

Supergirl, after a moment of silence, gave a faint, sorrowful smile and said:

> "I kept trying to convince myself that your return meant everything would go back to the way it was… but the truth? You have a new place now… and I can't ask you to leave it just for me."

She sighed, averting her gaze from Ben:

> "But part of me… still wished you'd choose to stay."

Ben stepped forward, his voice low and rough:

> "I didn't choose to leave you… but I have to be where I can help the most."

At that moment, Azmuth approached with quiet, deliberate steps.

But instead of interrupting, he paused, looked at them for a long moment, then spoke calmly:

> "Perhaps… you don't have to choose between staying and leaving."

Everyone turned toward him.

> "Ben didn't die. The Omnitrix became part of him… and a fragment of Kairos fused with his consciousness."

Everyone went quiet.

> "He now holds the power to aid the very dimensions that were almost lost. He's not just a hero… he's the bearer of balance."

> "But… he can't stay here. His new energy requires movement—action. The universe doesn't wait."

Supergirl closed her eyes briefly, then opened them with clarity:

> "Then… I'm going with him."

The entire hall turned toward her.

Superman stepped forward:

> "Kara… this decision—"

She interrupted, calm and steady:

> "I'm not a child, Clark. I've seen death, sacrifice, entire universes collapsing."

She added:

> "And I've found the path I want to walk. I need to be part of this journey."

Superman looked at her for a long moment… then finally smiled and pulled her into a hug:

> "You've grown… You're a leader now."

> "Take care of yourself… and of Ben."

Kara later visited the Kent family at the farm to say goodbye and thank them for everything—how they welcomed her when she first came to Earth and the warmth she found with them.

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After few days :

Ben, Supergirl, Gwen, and Kevin stood before the dimensional portal.

Behind them stood the heroes of the multiverse, Azmuth, and Grandpa Max.

All eyes were on them.

Ben turned around to face them one last time:

> "This isn't the end… it's just the beginning."

He took Supergirl's hand. Gwen and Kevin stood behind them, smiling with confidence.

A burst of green energy lit the room.

The portal opened.

The four stepped through.

And the portal closed.

The universe remained…

More balanced.

More hopeful.

Ready… for a new kind of hero.

> "The universes learned from Kairos' mistake… and I'll make sure they stay free."

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📌 (Somewhere Else… in a Warped, Uncharted Dimension)

A dark void.

Shattered planets drifting, the echoes of dying realities whispering through the black.

A broken black star spun slowly.

Ash clouds coiled around a steadily widening time rift.

From the shadows… a creature emerged.

Not one of Kairos' creations.

Not anything from known records.

Its form constantly shifted—forming and decaying simultaneously.

Its eyes glowed a deep, malevolent violet.

It stared into the rift and spoke in a fragmented, metallic voice:

> "Balance has returned…

But who said it will stay?"

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📌 (In Another Dimension – A Few Days Later)

A sky of emerald green.

Floating buildings drifted above the surface.

A world teetering on the edge of a time collapse… but still resisting.

A massive portal tore through the sky, glowing.

From it emerged Ben, in his new form, surrounded by Supergirl, Gwen, and Kevin.

They landed on one of the tall towers, as inhabitants peeked out from behind their protective barriers, staring in awe.

Ben looked around, feeling the danger in the air.

He stepped forward, firm, eyes shining with purpose.

Then he declared:

> "New world. New fight.

Let's bring the light back… before darkness claims everything."

A green flare lit up in his eyes—

And the mission began.

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The story is over. Sorry for the mistakes or rushing into the plot. This is the first novel I've written, and I hope you like .Thanks

Note:Some of the first twenty chapters will be edited due to some errors to improve the way they are written, but they will not change the events of the story.