Part 1 "Journey to Innbee Tweenerth."
The Young Justice gang was passing the time lazily, relaxing in their headquarters. As per usual they were seated around the large screen TV. "What is it Gandalf?"
Bart had a huge sword draped in his arms. He gazed at the screen mouth agape. "This is the coolest part guys. Aren't you glad you came over to watch it Ciss?"
Cissie stared at the screen dreamily. "I like the Elvin archers. How many times have you seen it Bart?"
"Do you mean when it was theaters or DVD?"
Robin rushed into the room, "I just received a message from Batman, I need your help to catch Poison Ivy."
Bart upon hearing this rushed off. Robin continued, "She's been reported seen breaking and entering the laboratory of a professor Ray Stillin. Just a few blocks from here."
Bart returned with a large green bucket. "Ok Robin take your costume off and I'll throw it at you."
Bart waved the large bucket menacingly at Robin who gasped. "What the hell are you doing Bart?"
"Helping you catch poison ivy." Bart stared at him innocently lifting several green leaves from the bucket.
The gang jumped into the cycle and speeded off. "Professor Stillin was a renowned chemist specializing in crystalline structures. He was involved in cutting edge experimentation." They flew to his laboratory. Professor Raymond Stillin PhD was inscribed on the laboratory door. They entered the room to see Ivy with a shining object cradled in her hands. The bright light enveloped Ivy and then reached out to them. Ivy seemed to disappear before their very eyes before they were completely blinded by the light.
They stared as the haze of pure white about them began to clear somewhat, revealing greenish shapes before them.
Cassie went to rub her eyes. Then she blinked and stared out at a vastly changed world. They were just outside a thick green forest, in a green area of wild weeds and shrubs. Before her were all the members of Young Justice.
"My god you're all naked." She looked down at herself. "My god I'm naked." She quickly hid behind a shrub. She stepped on a half seen object, both hard and sharp to her bare foot. "Ow!"
She looked down wide-eyed to see a pile of humanoid skeleton with various medieval pieces of armor and weaponry. "Oh my god! You'll never guess what I've found."
"Clothing?" asked Kon slyly.
"Of a sort." Cassie began to clamp pieces of the armor to her. She wore a breastplate and a short-scaled skirt as she stepped out to with sword and shield in hand like an Amazon of myth.
"Hey I found some too," said Kon from behind a shrub. "They're all over the place. That doesn't make any sense."
"There has to be a reason for it," Robin stared a skeleton whose helm had been cleaved into, and whose skull was split. "Some sort of battle or massacre."
The gang dressed themselves with pieces from the metal armor and mail from the scattered corpses.
Impulse wore a helm far too large for him. It slumped down in front of his face. "Oh man, this helm's too deep."
Kon pressed his hands to the helm and tried to press the metal together to give the helm a better fit. "Here let me adjust the fit to accommodate your smaller brain."
Superboy strained slightly, then more fiercely as he attempted to compact the metal. He looked to see that he had bent it only slightly. "What's the deal, I should be more powerful then a locomotive but I'm barely to able dent steel in my bare hands. This should be a cinch with my tactile telekinesis."
"Hmm," said Robin. "See if you can fly Kon."
"Sure I can fly." Kon took two steps and launched himself into the air.
He hit the ground with a large thud and looked up surprised. "Huh?"
Cassie called out, "I can't fly either, just jump really high." She leapt into the air. She descended slowly however as a feather would. "Don't fall as quickly though."
Her feet touched the ground. "Does anybody's superpower work?"
That's when Secret came forward, oddly she too seemed naked, no longer wearing the costume suit built and given to her by the D.O.A. She wore strips of armor. Her body seemed unusually solid and flesh like, she no longer trailed a stream of mist in her wake. She smiled radiantly. "My control over my powers is better than ever, effortless. I can turn completely solid. I feel almost human."
She shook her head slightly, her eyes stared down perplexed at a small green ring on her hand, it however looked ghostlike transparent but with the haze like heat rising in the air. "No, no not human."
Anita stepped out from where she stood unlike the others she had not elected to cover herself in armor. She stepped out completely naked wearing only a small cameo necklace around her neck.
Kon stared. "How come you don't wear armor?"
"I have no amour for armor it chaffs. The magical energy in this place is overwhelming. it makes controlling and using magic that much easier." Anita disappeared in a puff of smoke. They saw a plumb of smoke rising from the bushes very far off in the distance. Slobo shouted. "That's my babe, that smoky puff of magic draggin' across the sky."
Anita appeared before them again in another haze of smoke. "My teleport range is unbelievable. I've never been able to go that far before."
"All our powers are changed." Secret looked at them earnestly. There is only magical energy here and only those who can access the energy can wield great power as she said this she grew in statue, she towered above them. The armor on her body grew with her and changed from a harsh blacked iron to gleaming polished silver. The ripped and rotted cloak she wore lengthened into a beautiful thin white and silver cape.
The others gaped at her astonished. "Just how powerful are you?" Robin asked.
Secret returned to her previous size but remained wearing her new vestments, which shrunk with her. "Very. Although, I think, not powerful enough, not for what's faces us."
Slobo questioned her. "What are we facing?"
She looked at Slobo with sadness and sympathy in her eyes. "Something very, very bad. But what I can't say exactly. I feel I know but it's a tale untold."
Suddenly they heard screams in the distance, in a language utterly foreign to their ears. "Behold great evil. Begone face of evil."
"Let's go." Cassie commanded. The gang ran toward the sound of the screams through the brush. There, in a clearing ahead of them, they could see a group of short stocky creatures clad in thick armor, they wore full face helms which shrouded their faces, which was just as well, for they lay scattered about on the ground dead in front of them.
Before them they could see three huge pig-like creatures dresses in crude and loose fitting plate and mail armor.
A man in a hooded cloak ran toward them. He screamed at them.
"Help. Help."
The man in the cloak ran past them. The three pig-like creatures came running toward them slinging their weapons menacingly.
Slobo ran out to great them he swung the mace he had found at the first pig man hitting him squarely in the side of the head and denting in his helm. "How ya like I mace your face?"
The creature was unmoved and went to swing its mace at Slobo who zipped out of the way cautiously. "Wow! That didn't even, how should I phrase it? Phase it."
Cass stepped up to on of the creatures and swung her sword butting the flat end of it against the creature's temple. The creature merely smiled at her and went to bring its giant halberd down on her.
Cassie leapt backwards high up into the air escaping its blow.
"They feel no pain. They are creatures of evil magic. They are not alive they have no souls. The only way to defeat them is to kill them" With this Secret stepped forward and motioned to one of the pig men who was read to take another swipe at Slobo. In the next instant the pig man began to dry up and fall into dust. He collapsed into a powder of black dust.
"Fraggin' A!" yelled Slobo who unleashed the full power of his might. He whipped his mace around, crushing in the head of another of the pig men.
The remaining pig man looked at his two dead comrades confused, as if wondering why they weren't fighting anymore. Then a harsh sound was heard from the bushes behind him. The pig-man smiled revealing his rotten teeth.
"What's he so happy about?" Kon questioned.
From out of the bushes bound a huge white creature about the size of a polar bear with similar claws and fangs. However his body was not coated in fur but what looked too be hard crystalline shards. It towered above the Young Justice members.
A gust of wind swept the Young Justice members off their feet as they were thrown backwards. All save for Secret, she now stood growing in size before them facing the giant white creature. "All of you back."
The creature roared at Secret. Bringing its huge paw back to take a swing at her.
Secret motioned to the creature's arm, as the creature brought it forward. It simply fell off. Black thick blood spilled out from the creature. It roared savagely and opened its jaws to devour Secret. Then its lower jaw fell off. Its head fell off backwards and it tumbled to the ground, crushing the other pig man, underneath it.
Secret fell to her knees in horror. "What have I done?"
Anita looked to her. "But they're not alive, you said."
Secret peered at her confused. "Yes, yes that right, not living." The gang rushed forward.
Robin approached the area where the creature had fallen. He pawed at the ground and saw the entire creature had crumbled into a pile of white crystals steeped in a black sludge. "Hmm." Robin said sniffing it. "Almost smelled like salt, salt and crude oil."
The man in the hooded cloak approached them.
"Oh thank you thank you you have saved my life"
"What the heck is he saying?" Cass questioned rhetorically.
"He's thanking us for saving him." Secret closed her eyes and concentrated. "I'll make it so you all can understand."
"Thank you, thank you, a thousand thank yous ".
The man lowered his hood. He was about 4 ½ feet in height. His arms and legs were stocky and his head was covered in thick hair, he was relatively clean-shaven with short sideburns and a trim moustache. "My name is Ariss Tawtell of the clan Howtoodoowit. Head adviser to the king."
"The king?" Impulse chirped enthusiastically. "You mean Elvis."
"Why would I, a DeWorfer advise the El Fvis king? Have the children of Men, become so blind to the races that they cannot tell DeWorfer from an El Fvis?"
Cassie explained. "Well we're not from around here, we're from far and distant lands."
"8 brave youth from distant lands! Alas it may be as the legends say. Could it be true?" Ariss gazed at them in wonderment.
"Could what be true?" Cass asked confused.
"Enough! All will be explained. We must return to the city, before we run afoul of more such evil creatures that do plague us of late." He led them to grassy area. Before them stood wide grassland plain that stretched very far into the distance, behind which they could see a huge jumble of mountains.
He moved a large flat stone on the ground before them revealing a deep hole.
Ariss dropped down into it. "This is the way into the city."
"We entering through the sewer?" Cass looked down into the hole disgusted.
Slobo stared at the semi-clad form of Anita, as she descended into the hole. "Doesn't bother me, I already got my mind in the gutter."
The gang followed Ariss though the wide short tunnel. Ariss managed ok being about a foot shorter than the gang. They had to duck their heads however to avoid hitting the ceiling.
The tunnel was extremely well constructed with square smooth walls. Robin felt his hand against it in the dim light. "Its almost as smooth as glass I haven't been able to find any seems in it whatsoever."
"You won't either. It's not like human construction. The walls are carved from the very rock. This entire plane is a giant marble bed." Ariss responded.
"It is from that that we have constructed the great city." The tunnel ended and they climbed up into a small room. There was a great deal brighter here and they could see the smoothly carved and ornamented walls of green marble
"This whole room is carved from one piece of stone that's incredible." Cassie exclaimed.
"Whole room…" He led them out of the door. From which the light was cast into the room.
He spread his arms wide before the vista before them. "The whole city. The entire city of Elhm Erawld is carved from green marble."
There below them was what looked to be an entire medieval city. Not built in wood and stone but carved from green marble. At the far end of the city they could see a giant marble wall and carved into the wall itself high above the rest of the city was a great square towered castle.
"Come you must see the king."
They passed through the streets of the city. They walked the narrow streets seeing the citizens walk past. All were similar to Ariss in stature and build. They were however looking a good deal more sickly and thin. Every now and then they could see someone pushing a wheelbarrow full of goods.
"A lot of wheelbarrows." Kon noted.
"The carts and horses of men are not suited to our ways. As yet however I do wish we but had them so that we could eat of their horseflesh."
"You eat horse?" Cissie asked.
"When one is staving there are many things one would eat. You would not hold at horses." Ariss looked to a small thin DeWorfer child.
They gang strode up into the steps of the palace following Ariss Tawtell and a group of guards decked out in loose armor. They entered through the doors of the castle, which were guarded by guards in strange shimmering silver armor. Robin looked toward them curiously. As they entered a youngish DeWorfer wearing no armor came running up to Ariss Tawtell. "Ariss you're still alive. I had feared the worst. Who are these strange humans you bring with you?"
"Your majesty. Indeed fate has smiled upon us. These humans rescued me as I attempted to gain audience with the lady of the wood. These humans come from a far away land, and possess great magical powers."
"Magical powers, as was spoken of in the legends? I dare not think it true. I had long ago given up hope in such miracles. Yet there are eight, one for each number of the stones as is written on the slates."
"Greetings strangers from far off lands. I am King Aleks Ahnder of the Royal Howse Clan. " He bowed before them.
Cass stepped up to him. "And I'm Cassie of the clan Sandsmark. I am pleased to meet you. But we really don't understand. What kind of threat are you under? What are these prophetic slates and what's all this about stones?"
"Come follow me to the great library. All shall be explained."
They entered a huge room in the castle. Lining the walls were thousands of large books, stacked as well were huge files of green slates.
Ariss motioned to the walls. "This is the great library of Aleks Ahnder. For many years we have been collecting all that is known about our world into this great library. Most of the books are from the worlds of men. As well our own peoples newer writings are also on paper. The great works of old are carved on giant slates. They do not wither and turn to dust with age. Even fire should not harm the knowledge contained in them."
He pulled out one of the large states, and showed it to them. "This is the prophecy that speaks of you."
"Eight stones there were, and staked for each too a hero in its wake.
To save the world when the lord awakes to make the heavens quake. "
"Secret can you do that thing again I can't understand a word of it." Robin asked politely.
A cloudy haze began to cover the picture it rearranged itself until it became the more familiar
Eight stones there were, and staked for each, a hero in its wake.
To save the world when the lord awakes to make the heavens quake.
"The lord? What lord is he taking about?" Cassie asked.
Aleks was surprised. "Do you not know? In what lands on Innbee Tweenerth do you live?"
"Oh we don't live in Innbee Tweenerth, we live far away on regular earth." Impulse explained.
"Then you do not know the tale then of the lord of the stones?" He showed them another slate. On it was written:
In the dawning of the world came the wizard of the stones.
Beneath one flag unfurled he joined the kings upon their thrones.
For together they would fight and together they would stand.
For thus combined in might they might slay the evil creatures of the land.
So the wizard forged his arts with all that he had known.
And so came the first of parts of the treasures made in stone.
To far lands they traveled he brung an army with full wagons.
Yet with but the red flaming stone he flung from the sky the dragons.
With fleets he sailed the oceans blue and was not harried in the least.
He motioned through the stone of blue and destroyed the water beasts.
The Eeklipsez were an evil lot who blinded men with fright.
It must be said in vain they fought the yellow stone of light.
With skill his arts thus did progress thus came the stone twas clear.
With this stone he dispossess of life the wolves who huffed and puffed the air.
The strolling trees would with their roots prey upon the structures of the town.
These roots were changed to soot and clay by the earthen stone of brown.
The beast of Plaeg It had killed many. Man kneeled before it reeling.
But life, it nevermore stilled any, its fate sealed by green stone of healing.
And so it was with near nil beasts left to kill, with so many prone and beaten.
Though its creation was his will, he was still without the white stone of Eden.
The lord of stones could not admit defeat nor could he be at fault.
For he but lacked the bits of meat of the gentle creatures made of salt.
But how to slay these strange creatures who even but lacked breath.
He took all the stones rearranged features into the stone of black and death.
The gentle creatures knew of fighting not and looked at him but sad.
The stone of death slew them with a biting rot that drove the wizard mad.
Now gone was that which could create the Eden stone of white.
Gone was that which could twist his key fate from that of locked in night.
Somewhere deep inside the salt above, somewhere deep he moans.
For he who thus killed all he loved became The Lord of the Stones.
Ariss explained. "The lord of the stones is immortal. He is said to have been born thousands of years ago. By creating the stones He helped man slay all the beasts of the world. But he went mad and has remained for over 2000 years in the barren salted wastes of P'Taetoe Tship. But he has awoken. He seeks to wish to destroy us though I know not why."
Kon smiled confidently at him. "Seeks to destroy you? You talking about the few uglies we met on the plain above? Don't worry buddy we'll have your problem solved in no time."
"I'm afraid there is more to it then that." Aleks exclaimed. He led them up a large square staircase. They followed it till they came to the top of a great tower. It stood overlooking the wall surrounding the city. They stared at the jagged mountains and a gigantic waterfall they could see falling from the elevated mountain face high above them. It sent tons of water careening downward with incredible force.
"Cool!" Bart leaned over the wall. "That's like the size of Niagara falls only tons bigger."
The gang approached the edge of the tower and looked down from it. That's when they saw the problem. The city walls rose near vertically upwards from a lake far below them that the falls poured into. On the opposite side of the lake at a lower elevation they could make out thousands of P'Orhks in combat gear and makeshift armor. "We have been under siege for over a month. My people are starving. And we can neither escape nor bring supplies in. And to think our isolation once use to protect us and made us both wealthy and learned."
He pointed to a structure to the left of them. It seamed as if huge steps had been carved into the rock right up to the mountainous elevation close to the edge of the falls. But those steps were cracked and battered crumbled like a bombed out building. "Those are what remains of the great boating locks of Haerr. We joined together the highlands and the lowlands, and thus were a great and wealthy center of trade. Alas the locks lie beyond our walls and we could not do anything as the P'Orhks and other evil creatures of magic destroyed them."
They looked in awe at the now destroyed massive locks. "I can't believe that. To build that thing by hand must of taken hundreds of years. "
"That is but a trifle should the city fall. My ancestors first arrived here thousands of years ago, and mined the marble and sent it downriver to the lowlands of men. This was a time of great prosperity as the lands of men were growing. And so too the demand for marble for their castles, and cities. So the city was carved from the mined stone. Then nearly 500 years ago the lady of the wood arrived among the El Fvis, whose lands had grown smaller and people grown weaker. She barred all passage through her realm. And stopped all contact between the highlands and the lowlands. The kingdoms fell into disarray. The lands are more divided then ever. The great kingdoms fell. And the lords of the lands fought each other. We built the locks and thus became the only route between the highlands of the north and the lowlands of the south."
Alex led them to a large carved slate that resembled a map.
"Having the great forest of El Eeg at our backs used to be to us a blessing protecting us from our enemies, but now it does nothing but prevent our escape."
"Then here's what we'll do," said Cassie, looking at a carved slate of the lands of Innbee Tweenerth.
End of Part 1
"The Lord of the Stones" m