Power surged through Reed's crystalline body as the ninth fragment resonated within him, sending shockwaves across dimensional planes. The Watcher's perfect form distorted momentarily, its symmetrical features fracturing along impossible angles as it recoiled from the unexpected energy signature.
"ANOMALOUS VARIABLE DETECTED," the entity communicated, its voice embedding itself painfully in their consciousness. "CONTAINMENT PROTOCOLS INSUFFICIENT."
Seizing the momentary disruption, Reed channeled the fragment's power through his transformed flesh. Crystalline formations erupted from his body, spread across the conceptual space, and formed a translucent barrier between the expedition and the Watcher. The barrier shimmered with fractal patterns that defied euclidean geometry, creating a pocket dimension—a temporary sanctuary folded between the layers of reality itself.
