Later That Night
The kids snuck out, sprinting through rows of crops, their footsteps muffled by the soft soil. They vaulted over the fence, hearts pounding with excitement and fatigue, making their way to the spot Todd had described.
At the edge of the pasture, a massive crater yawned before them, its surface cracked and glowing faintly under the moonlight.
Ben leaned forward, eyes wide. "Think that's where the tomb was?"
Gwen crossed her arms, skeptical. "An Egyptian tomb in South Carolina? Really?"
Ben shrugged, smirking. "Hey, it wouldn't be the craziest thing we've seen."
Fred's voice was calm but cautious. "Still… low chances for that."
Ben crouched, pointing at faint purple prints leading away from the crater. "Wonder where these lead." He slapped the Omnitrix, morphing into XLR8 in a flash of green.
"Be~n," Gwen said, raising her brow. "Why did you turn into XLR8?"
Ben grinned, visor gleaming. "You guys coming or what?" He sped off, following the glowing trail.
As Ben disappeared into the distance, two hulking purple creatures emerged from the hill—mutated bulls, their eyes glowing and horns dripping with strange energy.
Fred frowned. "That doesn't look good." He slammed the Omnitrix, transforming into Blocks. His body shifted into colorful cubes, clattering as he curled into a ball.
The bulls charged, hooves pounding like thunder. Fred rolled forward, muttering, "Gwen, can you whip up a binding spell or something?"
Fred collided with the bulls, shifting mid‑roll into a massive dome, trapping them inside. The creatures rammed against the walls, the dome bulging with each impact.
Gwen sprinted forward, chanting. "Give me an opening!"
Fred opened a hole at the top of the dome. Gwen conjured glowing pink platforms, stepping higher and higher until she reached the top.
Her eyes glowed as she fired a spell into the dome. Vines erupted, binding the bulls tightly.
Fred deformed back to human, revealing the creatures tied up and subdued. Gwen descended gracefully, landing beside him.
They high‑fived, grinning.
"Now that was some good teamwork," Fred said.
"Yeah," Gwen agreed. "Now we just need to find Ben."
Fred transformed into Astrodactyl, wings unfurling. "Hop on." Gwen climbed onto his back, and they soared into the night sky.
A loud thud echoed across the pasture. Fred banked sharply, flying toward the sound. He landed, Gwen sliding off his back.
Ben stood there, reverting from XLR8, his face serious.
"What took you guys so long?" he asked.
"What happened to you?" Gwen pressed.
Ben's voice was low. "There really was a mummy. And it was digging up some kind of purple rock."
Fred's eyes narrowed. "I thought as much."
The others looked at him. "What do you mean?"
Fred shook his head. "We need to get back."
Sneaking back inside, the kids tiptoed to their room—only to hear footsteps.
"Oh, you're already awake," Joan said, entering.
"Huh?" the kids muttered, caught off guard.
"Come on now, time to earn your keep."
The trio groaned, slouching. They had stayed up all night, and exhaustion weighed heavy.
"You kids look like you didn't sleep well," Max remarked as they followed Joan to breakfast.
"Grandpa, there's something we have to tell you," they said tiredly.
Max waved them off. "We'll talk after you finish today's tasks."
Dragging themselves through chores, the kids relied on magic to finish quickly, conserving their energy. Gwen enchanted tools to work on their own, Fred used enhancements, and Ben grumbled the whole way.
Afterward, they rushed to Max, who was tinkering with equipment.
"Grandpa, we really need to talk," Ben insisted.
They explained everything—the mummy, the crater, the purple rock, and the mutant bulls.
Max's face hardened. "Hmm. That doesn't sound good. I'll need my gear. You'll lead me to those bulls."
At the pasture, the bulls were still bound by Gwen's vines. Max knelt, pulling out a scanning device. The screen flickered, reading the energy.
"Well, this explains things," Max said. "These cows were exposed to corrodium—a high‑energy mineral not naturally found on Earth. Must've come from a meteor crash years ago, buried deep in the soil."
Ben frowned. "So we've got a rock‑collecting mummy?"
"Not quite," Max replied. "Corrodium is unstable. Exposure alone twisted these cows into mutants."
Fred's voice was grim. "Meaning the mummy knows exactly what it's doing. If it spreads the corrupting effect of this mineral…"
Be finished the thought. "It could turn all life on Earth into—"
"Corruptoids," Ben said firmly.
Max stood, determination in his eyes. "We need to search for any remaining traces of corrodium before the mummy finds them."
The kids nodded, bracing themselves. The Rustbucket's engine roared to life as Max led them forward—toward the next battle.