It was to be expected. Luke had only thought that he should travel the long way round to when the Krillitanes took over Deffry Vale and figure out how to get involved from that point, but never considered that he could just pop to the future. This was the thought that Luke was thinking on as they traveled through the Vortex.
As for how long they were going to take to arrive, the console gave him a very accurate reading: two hours.
"Howcome it takes two hours to travel a few months into the future?" Luke asked out loud. "I thought we would have arrived in minutes like with the TARDIS."
"That is a good question," Michael replied as he hovered over the console, checking the arrival time. "I don't know why that the Voidship isn't reducing the arrival time to 99.99% of its actual duration for us, but I do have a theory. These kinds of ships run on Energy as fuel and, at least in this universe, it is taking some time to adjust to a different fuel source."
"Wait, doesn't everything take energy to run?" Luke asked, confused.
Michael immediately knew what Luke was asking and sighed. "That isn't the type of energy I mean. In this particular case, our ship runs on a specific type of arcane power simply called 'Energy' but other worlds, like your original world, would call it 'Mana'."
"Then why not just call it 'Mana'?" Luke asked.
"Because Energy is far different than Mana," Michael replied. "With Mana, you are limited to specific types. Some worlds call more powerful arcane power 'Mana' or, like with Gielinor, 'Anima'. Energy, from the world I come from, is more broader of a concept than Mana. Still used in casting magic, but can also be used as fuel."
While Luke listened, he was having some trouble processing what Michael meant. This would inevitably continue until they only had half an hour until they arrived at their destination with only one thing left clear.
The ship was adapting to an alternative fuel source.
===[DW:NG]===
Thirty minutes later...
The sound of chimes, quiet yet full of volume, echoed in the area as the Light of Hope manifested from the Time Vortex. Luke didn't know what his ship sounded like when he materialized and dematerialized, but he didn't seem to mind not knowing for now. Before full materialization was completed, Luke and Michael double-checked the arrival coordinates on the console.
"Two months from my departure, give or take a few hours," Luke stated. "We are in the basement of Deffry Vale, parallel to the TARDIS."
"Exactly where we need to be," Michael nodded as Luke began to prepare himself. "It should be just after Sarah Jane discovered the TARDIS and we will meet them both just before Mickey shouted from the packaged rats."
Anima Runic Script floated around Luke, forming a ring around his chest, as he prepared his spells ahead of time. As it is with the Doctor, Luke wanted to make sure the first spell to activate was the spell that transfigured his physical form into an older version of himself he used with the Sycorax. For the other spells, he knew he'd need to prepare a few combat-orientated spells for the Krillitanes.
One such spell was from the Gielinorian standard spellbook: [Fire Surge]. Another was a type of ancient magic from the continent of Ashenfall: [Tempest Shield].
"So, should I think that my future self is out there right now?" Luke inquired as he finished his preparations.
It was the System itself who responded to that.
==={+}===
With your arrival to the future, the System has generated the Instance Area for the canon event: School Reunion. This area has been locked down by causality and the System, which will prevent your future self from assisting you. Your future self has been notified of the ongoing event.
To complete this canon instance, you must complete the following objectives:
> Aid the Doctor in defeating the Krillitanes: 0/1
> Prevent the Krillitanes from solving the Skasis Paradigm: 0/1
> Secure a friendly relationship with Sarah Jane Smith: 0/1
Full completion of this instance will reward you the following:
> Full access to the canon quests: Rise of the Cybermen and Age of Steel.
> World Unlock: [Ben 10 (Classic Timeline)]
> Partial access to: Canon Eventline: The Sarah Jane Adventures
==={+}===
"Well, at least I can understand why two of the rewards are there," Luke said as he walked towards the exit. "Yet, why does this quest give me a World Unlock? I thought it would be for special occasions like my birthday with the Minecraft world and access to the Warhammer universe?"
"Perhaps since the quest revolves around children, the System gives you access to a universe with a child hero?" Michael theorized as Luke soon arrived at the exit to the ship. "After all, wasn't one of the one-time characters from the episode technically a child hero? Helped to save the school because he wasn't allowed to eat the chips soaked in Krillitaneoil?"
As Luke opened the doors to depart from the ship, he recalled what he remembered about the classic Ben 10 series. He never bothered to pick back up Ben 10 for either the Doomsday or Reboot series once Ben 10: Ultimate Alien ended, so the extent of his classic knowledge ended right there before Ben 10: Omniverse. In fact, it can be argued that he had long forgotten about Ben 10 for a long time before the quest reward showed up.
Even now as he left the voidship and transfigured into his older self, there were very little he remembered of the full plotline.
Essentially, it went that Ben Tennyson went on a summer roadtrip with his grandpa Max and his cousin Gwen, but during one fateful night, Ben encountered the Omnitrix. Once his wrist was within range of it, the Omnitrix locked onto his wrist and was not able to be removed due to it bonding to his DNA. From there, he encountered his main villain of his career (Vilgax) who would stop at nothing to claim the Omnitrix and use it to dominate the universe.
While the main series would end with Ben having defeated Vilgax and getting the Omnitrix removed, he ended up using his powers somewhat responsibly to save Earth dozens of times. It wouldn't be until the DNAliens and the Highbreed start up on Earth that Ben would pick back up the Omnitrix in Ben 10: Alien Force and save the galaxy again.
"If I get the chance, I'll befriend Ben, Gwen, and Max. Never know if that Plumber tech will be useful in the Whoniverse considering all of the aliens here," Luke thought to himself as he walked up to the door that Sarah Jane used to flee from seeing the TARDIS.
"The only problem will be Professor Paradox," Michael noted. "He's essentially the guardian of time and space for the whole of Ben 10. We will need to make sure Paradox doesn't see us in a negative light."
"That is the plan," Luke whispers in response to Michael as he takes in a deep breath.
==={+}===
As Sarah Jane asks about the Doctor and how she noticed how they have regenerated, it was only after the Doctor replied about how it was a half-dozen times since they last met that the door behind Sarah Jane quietly opened behind her. This startled Sarah Jane and the Doctor too, but only the latter seemed calmer because of who opened the door.
A young teenager with long flowing white hair, toned white skin, and glowing blue eyes that held a gleam in them that would drive some mad came out of the door to look directly at the duo before him. Even while dressed differently than when he went to fight against the Sycorax on Christmas, the style of his clothing was impressive. He immediately looked at the Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith with a kind warm smile before greeting them both.
"Hello again, Doctor. Miss Smith, hello. Am I late to the party?"
===[DW:NG]===
Continued in: The God-Maker.