The multiverse
is more than just a prism…
It is ever expanding and ever growing…
A place where one choice, one fork on the road can lead to many opportunities…
But every spark of brilliance there is a spark of madness…
These are the stories of both…
"So, what's the plan again?" Yolanda asked. "I understand that you guys don't trust the other three, but if they're a danger, why not just take them out now?"
Cain had filled Yolanda in on the situation that they were facing. Not just the actions of Dr. Destiny but also the sinister intent that Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire were all harboring. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be in a position to fight someone that could turn people to ash with just a glare. But she was also not one to walk away from a fight or allow corruption to go unpunished. If she could do something to help, she'd do it.
"Because, right now they are still useful to our primary goal; Stopping Dr. Destiny." Cain looked over his collection of potions and grimoires for something. "I believe they'll make their move once he is taken care of and we're too tired to fight them. Which is why we'll need something to seal them."
"You mean like a capturing tool?" Sideways asked, showing him some of the books. "This it?"
"More a spell than a tool, but not that one." Cain pulled out a grimoire. "I've deduced that Nite Owl's suit and weaponry come from a magical source, his world had no shortage of magic tools those fools known as the Guardians treated like mere trinkets."
"So I can't just cast a spell and put Blackfire out of commission." Raven shifted through the pages of a book. "We need to depower Nite Owl and contain Punchline, all in one single move."
"I could turn into knockout gas. It worked before," Metamorpho suggested.
"A good fighter always prepares for the next round, and not all tricks will work the same way," Bronze Tiger said. "We could use someone to better pin them down though."
"Another member?" Cain stroke his beard, before flipping the page before seeing something that caught his attention. "Found it. A sealing spell that once bounded old gods. It will bound any entity to another as long as they are within a designated location. It just requires three things. The same number of beings to bind, a powerful energy source to power up the spell and a magic circle to hold it all together."
"So, three of them, three of us, someone super powerful to act as a battery and a magic circle? Sounds easy enough," Bronze Tiger said. "Counting Wildcat we're all set."
"Yes, but I'd still like to have some more power on our side, if not for the spell then for an insurance against Dr. Destiny." Cain noticed that one of his pieces started glowing. "And fate answers my call once more." He reached up and picked up a black rock spike that looked to be made of pure obsidian, only now it was affected by a sickly red glow.
"Is that obsidian?" Yolanda asked.
"It looks more like a thorne," Sideways commented.
"I sense magic coming from it," Raven added. "What is it, Cain?"
"This, ladies and gentlemen, is a black rock created from the power of the Moon Opal. One of the three powers that came down from the heavens a long time ago. It is a story of a demon hungry for power and the champion chosen to wield the power to vanquish fear itself. This story I like to call…"
Earth -7102: Tangled The Series
What if Corona was protected by an emerald lantern?
"The Emerald Light."
Far in the reaches of the black space, three forces fell down to the earth.
"This story begins as many old tales do: A long time ago in a land far away, there was the kingdom of Corona. Many years ago, a drop of sunlight fell to the Earth and created a magical flower."
One bright and sunny, gently dropping down like a hew drop in the morning. As soon as it touched the Earth, a bright yellow flower sprouted from the ground, like a light in the darkness.
"But this story you have already heard. But what most don't know was that something else fell to Earth at the same time."
A green rock covered in green flames, cut through the sky like a shooting star. People looked up in awe, wonder, fear and astonishment before it fell down to the earth. Those that saw the green rock, coated in flames of a bright emerald color. Among those was an old man, blind by age but wiser than many kings.
The old man gently pressed his hand on the green rock. His eyes widened as he then turned to the sky and all who could hear him.
"A meteorite containing a green flame landed in a village just outside the kingdom. With its arrival there came a prophecy: "Three times shall this flame burn green. First, to bring death. Second, to bring life. And third, to bring power.""
The old man took the green rock to his home. With his tools and a determination few men could muster, he set out to work. He broke down the rock, reforging it and changing it. His hands moved calmly as though the rock itself wished to take on a new shape. The old man understood his purpose, nodding as he forged the rock into the next shape it desired. As he finished, the green flame brought light to the land around them.
"Found by a local soothsayer, the green flame was fashioned into a lamp."
People watched the bright green light as they remembered the words of the soothsayer. They got their weapons out and kicked down the door of the old man. Their weapons struck fast and deadly, killing the old man, all before the lantern's flames.
And the flames were displeased.
"However, some locals feared that the prophecy might be true and attempted to destroy the lamp and the soothsayer along with it. However, with the death of an innocent old man, so too was the death of those that partook in the senseless violence. The flames burned green that night."
A sea of green flames consumed the killers, reducing them to ash. But the flames did not stop there, they continued spreading through the village and the nearby forest. The emerald glow was seen as far as Corona and the Dark Kingdom, a bright and grim reminder that there were powers far beyond their borders. Even some of the black rocks from the Dark Kingdom were pushed back by the power.
And just as brightly as it flared and unleashed its power, it vanished. All that remained from the burst of the lantern and the village was the lantern itself. It remained there, hidden from sight amongst the rubble and the overgrowth. Nature had taken over what man had once claimed.
One night, the rubble was moved out of the way. An old man pulled out the lantern, battered and harmed by the fire and age. He'd been a soldier that had seen many things in his time. Conflict and death plagued his mind. Yet he felt drawn to the green flame and its power.
"The lamp fell into obscurity until it fell into the hands of a mad old man that reshaped the lamp into a hooded lantern."
The man took the lantern away and fixed it as best he could. The material bent to his will, following the path the green flame allowed him. As he worked and finished putting the lantern together, his mind became clearer and at peace. The light of the flame spread through the old man's land, bringing new life to the nature all around him.
"With this act of imagination and craftsmanship, the lantern ignited with a green flame, bringing with it new sanity to the old man."
The old man lived long with the lantern by his side. His family grew happy and became a lush land that would reconnect with Corona.
Until one day, a hooded alchemist came looking for the fabled lantern. He was a tall man with a metal plate covering his left eye and was covered with a dark brown hood with a red brooch on his left breast.
"Years passed and the hooded lantern was found by an ancient alchemist by the name of Demanitus."
Demanitus examined the lantern with great detail, making notes on what it could do and what the prophecy entailed. His journal was filled with theories and ideas to make the green flame open up and reveal its secrets to him. He tried to open it, but the material easily repelled his tools. He sighed in exasperation. Despite figuring much about the Sun Drop and the Moon Opal, he was drawing a blank on the green flame.
He turned around to see his four apprentices wanting to try their luck.
They all tried through different methods to make the flames work, but none of them worked. It seemed the flame would forever be stuck inside the hooded lantern. But then came the fourth apprentice and it was his turn to try his luck with it.
"He tried to unlock the powers of the lantern but he could not. His apprentices all tried to make it work, but they were met with the same result. Until it came down to the last apprentice of Demanitus, a man by the name of Alan Scott. A gifted engineer and builder with a strong will."
Alan Scott was a young man with bright green eyes and short blond hair. He was dressed in a long sleeved red shirt, a black vest, black pants, a brown belt and dark brown boots. A humble man by trade but with a will many would deem beyond human.
He picked up the lantern, examining it. The flame flared brightly inside and it seemed unwilling to move from inside it. His eyes narrowed, knowing what would happen should the power be unleashed. It was scary but he would not be deterred. He gazed deeply into the lantern, at the green flames that had spread into legend and myth. So much power contained in such a small itty bitty space.
Alan's eyes widened as an idea lit up inside his mind. He took his tools and started reforging the lantern. The flame continued to burn as he turned the lantern into something smaller, into the shape that he and it wanted. Alan lifted his hammer and struck the lantern unleashing its power.
Waves of green fire swirled and spun around him. But he kept on reforging the lantern. His eyes glowed bright green as the flames coursed through his body. He gazed upon his work before putting it on. The lamp had transformed into a bright green ring that fitted in Alan's left hand like a glove. His vest became a long cape with a green inside. His eyes were covered with a bright green mask. And on his chest appeared a bright green symbol of a lantern.
"In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night, no evil shall escape my sight!" Alan swore. "Let those that worship evil's might, beware my power, GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!"
"His will resonated with the lantern, he reforged the lantern into a ring. This brought forth the third part of the prophecy, 'to bring power'. Alan Scott was transformed into a carrier of the power of will itself. He became the hero, the legend, the Green Lantern."
Cain walked through the border of the Dark Kingdom as the black rocks pointed towards him. He looked up, spotting the Green Lantern.
Alan Scott flew through the air in the middle of a blizzard, coated in a bright green aura before descending down to meet his master.
"Master Demanitus." Alan bowed. "It's as you said."
"Zhan Tiri is trying to get her hands on the Moon Opal, isn't she?" Demanitus asked. "There is no other choice, I must stop her for good. Is the portal in position?"
"Yes, master. We'll be able to defeat Zhan Tiri once and for all, with the power of the green flame-" Alan began.
"No." Demanitus cut him off, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I need you to perform a more important duty, Alan. I fear that one of your fellow apprentices is a traitor, seduced by the promises of power. Whoever they are, they're on their way to reach the Sundrop. You must go and find out who it could be and stop them." Demanitus explained.
"But-"
"No buts, the Green Flame is powerful, probably even more so than the Sundrop or the Moon Opal separately. If Zhan Tiri bests me and the traitor gets the Sundrop, you must be sure to be there to stop them. This is my last command as your master, Alan."
Alan didn't like it, but it was what his master commanded him. He nodded in understanding before taking off. Biting down on the desire to stand and fight alongside his master, he set off to where his allies awaited them. He flew through the blizzard like a light cutting through the darkness in search of his allies. The war against the demon woman Zhan Tiri had taken a toll on everyone and he had to admit that each of them had made him question their allegiances once or twice. Tromus had been very intrigued by the idea of collecting magical artifacts and keeping them for his own amusement, like a child with a toy chest. Sugracha loved to use spiritual spells to control people for her own amusement and ambitions. And then there was Gothel, she was far too obsessed with her own beauty to take anything seriously but that also made her delve into ways to retain her looks and youth. All three of them had a thirst for power and an ego to match. But the problem was figuring out which one of them was the traitor.
Alan spotted all three of his fellow disciples walking towards the border towards Corona. It wasn't where they had agreed to meet up. His suspicions grew as he saw the three of them walking without even so much as talking. Floating down, he met up with them. The black rocks sprouted behind them as he touched the ground, cutting back their retreat.
"Tromus, Sugracha, Gothel, where are you going?" Alan asked. "Our master requires you to assist in the battle against Zhan Tiri."
"Oh yes, see, Alan, Master Demanitus asked us to start searching for the Sundrop," Gothel said. "According to his research it could yield the victory over his archenemy."
"Funny, he didn't mention that to me," Alan replied.
"Just because you're the teacher's pet doesn't mean that you have to know everything, little one." Sugracha giggled.
"Sounds like you're getting a little paranoid, my friend. Here's something to help you ease those nerves." Tromus tossed a spinning top at Alan.
Alan acted on instinct, constructing a net over the enchanted spinning top, stopping it from moving. He looked up to see Sugracha wave her skull tipped scepter, spewing a large blot of black ink that turned into a fist. Alan summoned a glowing green construct of his own, punching through the inky fist.
"Master Demanitus was right, there was a traitor," Alan glared at his companions as Gothel pulled out an enchanted mirror. "But in truth, you're all traitors! You sold our master's secrets to Zhan Tiri and for what? Trinkets? Dark magic? Vanity?"
"Oh don't act so high and mighty, Alan." Gothel's mirror blasted at Alan, pushing him back. "The straggler finally caught a break and thinks he can boss us around! Ha! What a laugh!"
"Our new master has promised us all we could ever hope to want." Tromu pulled out his staff, firing lightning at Alan.
Alan took to the air, using his ring to block the lightning coming down on him. He turned to see a large black whale coming down on him. Propping a green shield, he took on the full weight of the beast, landing on the ground, pinned. The whale was large and heavy enough that it would've crushed ten men twice the size of Alan. But he wouldn't budge. He could still hear the fallen disciples talking, taunting him.
"Imagine what Master Zhan Tiri will reward us with once we bring him not only the Sun drop but also the Emerald Flame." Sugracha cackled. "I must say, I won't miss you that much, Alan. This world now belongs to Zhan Tiri."
Rage could not describe what he was feeling. No, the best description he could feel was fury. A fury that empowered his will and the green flame burn bright. He thrusted his fist upwards, blasting through the whale made out of ink. The bright flash of power was followed by Alan punching Sugracha in the face with a green fist construct. He turned as Tromu slammed his staff on the ground, sending a rock wave at him. But Alan wasn't faced by it. He unleashed another construct, a bright battering ram that tore through the rocks like they were made out of paper. Tromu was frightened, and quickly got smashed by the battering ram.
Gothel looked at the angry and empowered by the Emerald Flame Alan Scott. His power was easily fighting back the powers of the three of them with little to no difficulty. His constructs were as strong as his will. Blocking and slicing with ease at their magic. Heblastd Tromu to the ground before smacking Sugracha with a shield construct. There was no way that he would go down without a serious fight. She could be killed if she wasn't careful or worse, end up looking like a beat up doll. She pulled out a yellow stone as Sugracha got back up.
"We must use the spell!" Gothel told her.
"But Zhan Tiri said-"
"Screw what that old crone yammered about! Alan is the bigger threat!"
Sugracha nodded, summoning a large snake that coiled around Alan's body.
Alan struggled to get free from the hold of the beast. His green aura shone brightly, shattering the black rocks around him with his strength. If he didn't stop them then the world would be in jeopardy. His will burned through the snake as he unleashed a powerful shock wave, destroying more of the black rocks. The burst of energy took a lot from him but he could still fight. But his ears were soon filled with the sound of a strange chanting.
He looked up and saw all three of his former fellow disciples chanting before a glowing yellow crystal. The crystal spun in the air, growing larger and larger until it was bigger than him. The wind started to pull him in. His eyes widened as he realized what he was being drawn into: A time portal. He dug his feet on the ground, stopping his dragging only slightly. Adding to it, he created enhancing constructs around his legs and arms, giving himself gloves and heavy boots to anchor himself. He didn't know where they were planning on sending him but wherever it was, it was not where he needed to be.
His eyes landed on something sticking out of the corner of Gothel's cloak. It was a copy of the scroll his master had been working on. Win or lose, he had to destroy it. They were focused on him and their chanting was getting stronger. The ground below him was breaking, if he didn't stop them then everything else would fall apart. He didn't know what would happen to him, but he knew that where there was a will there was a way.
Alan released his grip on the ground, aiming his left hand at Gothel's cloak. He fired a green blast of fire, hitting the copy of the scroll.
"No!" Gothel screamed. "What have you done?!"
"Protected the Sundrop." Alan felt the ground break off as he was sucked into the portal.
The three fallen disciples growled at the destruction of their only clue.
"What do we do now?!" Tromu asked. "Don't we have a spare?"
"No we don't! Gothel here was probably too busy checking herself on the mirror to make a second one." Sugracha snapped.
"At least I did something useful, you old crone!" Gothel growled.
"Careful, Gothel, you're getting some wrinkles." Sugracha mocked.
"Enough, we must split up and find the Sundrop," Tromu said. "At least this way one of us will achieve something for our master."
The three disciples nodded in agreement before walking off in their separate ways. They walked away, unaware that Cain had watched everything from the shadows.
He walked up to where the portal once stood, picking up one of the broken black rocks from the ground.
"Ah, the story of a loyal green knight fighting against the darkness and following his master's command at a moment's notice." Cain watched his reflection on the black rock. "Take comfort in knowing that your master will best his foe and your sacrifice will not be in vain. Quite the tale, but I feel like your story is only just beginning, Alan Scott, the Green Lantern. I shall see you in a few thousand years, give or take a hundred." Cain looked at his pocket watch before leaving.
"The tales of knights and warriors are sometimes so legendary that they outlive many of us. Their stories are all that remain. But sometimes, those very legends return for another round…"
"That is the tale of the Green Lantern we must seek." Cain finished his tale.
The rest of the Outsiders were all for the idea of having such a powerful ally on their side. The tale had done the deed and shown their next and hopefully last ally against Dr. Destiny and whatever Nite Owl had been planning. With his strength and power of will, Green Lantern would tip the scales in their favor and put an end to this nightmare.
"Sounds like an awesome guy, I'm in," Sideways said.
"Another colorful fellow Outsider will fit right in," Metamorpho joined.
"He does sound strong if he could take on three practitioners of magic." Raven hummed.
"There's just one problem. Isn't he trapped in a time portal cosa?" Yolanda asked.
"Portals take you places, my dear," Cain smirked. "They pull you in and spit you right out. All we have to do is find out where he'll pop up. Besides, time is up." Cain pulled up his pocket watch before summoning the door.
The door appeared before them in its full glory. The door looked as bright as it did dark, with the light of the sun and the darkness of the moon balancing each other like two opposing sides of power. The paints on the door told a story that showed two forces on a collision course with a third power standing between them. On the left was a young woman with long flowing hair as bright as the sun, with lanterns and flowers surrounding her. One the right was a woman with short blue hair wielding a black sword as black spikes sprouted around her. And in the middle was Alan Scott, holding up his left arm with a powerful green flame surrounding him.
"Well, I'm guessing the story has gotten some additions to." Bronze Tiger commented. "Who are those ladies?"
"A fine question, Bronze Tiger."
Everyone turned to see Nite Owl, Punchline and Blackfire all walking towards them.
"Nite Owl, I take it that you're done shedding the old feathers?" Cain asked as Sideways and Metamorpho held back a snicker.
"I see that you've found another door," Nite Owl said. "Are we going in there?"
"Finally, I wanted to hit something for a while." Blackfire cracked her knuckles with great glee.
Blackfire's eagerness to fight aside, the Outsiders needed to find the Green Lantern and then Dr. Destiny before he managed to get what he was seeking. This could be the last chance they would have to stop him before he made his final move. And to make sure Nite Owl and his allies were distracted, Cain had an idea that could send them on another wild goose chase. But if they started to get suspicious, then it would tip them off to their plans. For now they had to keep them with someone that he trusted to keep them in line. Or at least lead them away from where they needed to go.
"Metamorpho, make sure to get them to stay on task," Cain whispered to Metamorpho.
"You got it boss." Metamorpho nodded.
"I'll go with him just in case," Bronze Tiger glared at Punchline as she passed her thumb over her throat.
The group entered the world through the door, leaving the House of Mystery behind. They soon found themselves in a green field with flowers, not far from where they stood, there was a town that resembled a medieval fair for all to enjoy. It all looked peaceful. The buildings were made out of wood and the streets were made out of cobble stones with kids playing with their toys. The adults were going about their business, forging tools, baking goods and keeping the homes in one piece.
"What a wretched place," Punchline said. "All those happy faces are so fake."
"I can assure you, Punchline, they are genuine." Raven gave the woman some side eye. "They're all happy for the Pie eating contest."
"What kind of person gets happy about that?" Blackfire asked.
"Pie eating contest?! Sign me up!" Metamorpho licked his lips as everyone turned to him. "I mean, um, I think I see Dr Destiny stealing some of them! No forty of them! Let's go!" Metamorpho snatched Blackfire and Punchline under his arms before taking off to the town.
"Hey! Knock it off, damn it!"
"Do I look like a damn sack of produce?"
"We better take care of that," Bronze Tiger said.
"Agreed." Nite Owl sighed. "Signal us when you've spotted Dr. Destiny."
"Will do." Cain waved them all adieu. "Now, to track our time-displaced friend. This way." Cain west before heading in that direction.
"Is he always like this?" Yolanda asked.
"80 to 90% of the time." Sideways took a picture of a colorful caravan approaching the town. "Whoa, check the hair on that girl. It's really long." Raven took Sideways' phone away.
"Come on." She dragged him as they went after Cain with Yolanda following close behind.
Cain and his group went around the town before finding themselves in a plain covered with black rocks. They all seemed to point North, almost like a path or a trail someone was meant to follow. But there was a spot that cut through the path. The marks of where the time portal had once been many summers ago.
"Wow, look at these rocks." Sideways touched the rocks. "They look like spikes. And they're pretty solid." Sideways tapped on one of the rocks.
"They are also charged with magic." Raven passed a hand over them. "They're connected to something heading into the lands to the north."
"Well, they certainly aren't natural." Yolanda tapped one of her claws on the rocks. "No normal rock formations look like this or are as durable. Even diamonds can break. Is this the power of this Moon Opal."
"Makes you wonder what the Sundrop is supposed to do," Sideways said.
Cain dropped down, feeling the soil with his hand.
"There we go, just in the nick of time." Cain felt the magic slowly forming. "Time for the Emerald Knight to come out of his exile." Cain took a step back as the portal formed before their eyes.
The swirling yellow portal opened up, allowing a scream to come through it. Then out came Alan Scott, shooting off like a bat out of Hell. Landing with a loud boom, coated in a green fiery aura, the Green Lantern took a second to catch his breath. He looked around for signs of where he had been sent. His body was still strong and his will made the green flame burn brightly. His hand traced his face, feeling the beard he'd grown while in the time portal. So time had passed in there. He still had plenty of power to fight. Not much looked like it had been changed. But he couldn't take any chances. If this was the past then he could stop his former fellow disciples and help his master. But first he had to answer one question above all others.
"Where am I?" Alan asked, looking around before his eyes landed on Cain, Sideways, Raven and Wildcat.
"To answer that question, you're in the future, about a few thousand years from the last moment you remember, on the same spot you vanished," Cain said. "The border with the Dark Kingdom, not far from where your master defeated the demon sorceress Zhan Tiri, Green Lantern Alan Scott."
Alan didn't like the look of that man or that he knew of him all too well. His company was not giving him any good vibes either, if only given their strange appearance. It was best to stay on guard against them in case they were allies of Zhan Tiri or his former fellow disciples.
"You have me at a disadvantage, sir." Alan prepared himself to create a construct to send them all flying. "I don't even know your name or how you know about me."
"My apologies, Mr. Scott. I am Cain, and these are my companions, Sideways, Raven and Wildcat." Cain bowed before pointing to his allies. "We've come to ask for your services in an important mission we have."
"You still haven't told me how you know of me, Mr. Cain." Alan's patience was running thin as his ring glowed brightly.
"Oh, yes, I'm what you'd call a collector of stories and your story is one of those that I've collected over the course of my time," Cain explained. "But if you have reason to doubt my word, all you must do is go ask your Master. I'm pretty sure he's found a way to stay alive in a monkey's body or something along those lines."
Alan's eyes widened. Was his master alive after all this time? It was too good to be true, but also too good of a chance at answers to pass up. Though he did have his concerns regarding the whole monkey body part Cain spoke of. But he didn't have time to second guess himself. He took off to the skies, leaving Cain and the Outsiders on their own.
"Maybe I should've held back some stuff to get him to trust us," Cain stroke his beard in thought.
"Let's get up there before he leaves us behind!" Wildcat said.
"One way up, coming up!" Sideways created a rift for the four of them to walk through.
Alan soared through the air, looking for signs of his master. But it seemed that Cain's words were ringing true. He spotted towns where he had once only seen forest trees, or a small village. It seemed that he was indeed far into the future and the past had been saved by his master all those years ago. But if that was the case, then what was left for him to do. Maybe he could find something of his master and a way back to his time. If there was a way forward in time then there had to be one to go back. Yet, everything seemed so peaceful and at peace. Zhan Tiri's ambition was stopped and the world was all the better for it, if what he had heard from Cain continued to be true. Maybe this time didn't need an Emerald Knight.
"AAAHHH! Stop them! Thieves!"
Alan's eyes shot wide as he followed the screaming. He looked down and saw two men running away with a large bag of stolen gold each.
"I guess they do need a hero at the very least." Alan flew down, landing on the street before the two men. "Halt! Return what you've stolen and I may be lenient with you."
Alan got a good chance to look at the two men. They were both big and looked exactly like the barbarian thugs he'd met in his time. With short red hair and the only difference being one having an eyepatch, the two men looked as intimidating as they did alike. However, their response to his threat was to laugh.
"You're gonna do what?" One of them asked. "You even know who we are?"
"I don't believe I've had the displeasure of meeting you two before." Alan pulled back his left arm.
"We're the Stabbington Brothers." They pulled out their swords. "And you're about to find out how we earned that name."
Alan didn't show any fear towards the two men. He'd dealt with plenty of men like them before, even before getting the Green Lantern ring. A bare knuckle fight would've been all that he'd needed to put them in their place. But they had pulled out their weapons first, it only seemed fair that he did the same.
"In that case, en garde!" Two green swords appeared in his hands.
The Stabbington brothers looked at each other before charging at him together. They swung their blades at Alan, but his will constructs were stronger than what they'd expected. The green blades parried their attacks, drawing them to the ground before them with him slipping past them. He kicked them in their asses, taking them down. Growling in rage, they turned around only to meet two green blades aimed at their throats.
"A bit dull, I know, but I believe I've made my point." Alan dissipated the swords before grabbing the two bags of gold with another construct. "Can I trust you to get yourselves to prison, or would you like a lift?"
The Stabbington brothers growled. They jumped at Alan like a pair of beasts, determined to get the ring and beat the man apart.
Alan didn't give them a chance. He swung his left fist at them, creating a large green construct. A construct of a large green glowing fist that hit like a runaway cart. And just like that, the two criminals were sent flying into the nearby jail cart.
"I told you things would not end well for you two." Alan handed the bags of gold to the proper authorities before he tried to get back to searching.
"Just our luck, if it isn't Rider and his magic girlfriend with the glowing healing hair, it's some freak with a magic ring." One of the brothers moaned, feeling his teeth all loosened up.
Alan stopped himself from flying away. Turning towards the brother, he pulled him towards him with a large green shackle construct. Glaring into the man's very soul, he made sure that the man knew what he was all about.
"What is this about glowing healing hair?" Alan asked.
"J-J-Just Corona's princess, Rapunzel. Her hair glows, heals and it's now indestructible like the black rocks." The brother spilled.
"Does she have to say a kind of incantation?"
"Um, I-I-um." Alan tightened the shackle's hold on the criminal. "Yes, yes! Some weird song!"
"Where is this Princess Rapunzel?" Alan's eyes burnt bright green.
The Stabbington brother didn't know what was scarier, the man or the power he wielded with such ease.
"T-They went into the maze, I think. They were accompanied by a monkey. That's all I know!"
Alan dropped the brother back in the cell before taking off into the air. It wasn't much but if he could see the princess, then he could get answers from her. The description of her hair's properties reminded him of the powers of the Sundrop. Was she like him? Had she found a way to harness the powers of the Sundrop? If that was the case, then he needed to find her and the monkey the two men had mentioned.
"What a weirdo." The brothers agreed.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," Yolanda popped out from behind them. "Have either of you seen a man wearing red, a cape, and a fancy glowing green ring? My friends and I are looking for him."
The Stabbington brothers looked at each other as they gazed at Yolanda's beauty. Even with the mask on, they could tell that she was a beauty that could turn heads wherever she went. If they were going to prison then they might as well try their luck.
"That depends."
"What's in it for us?"
"Maybe you could give us a goodbye kiss to loosen our lips?"
Yolanda smirked, having heard talk like this before from other men. But she had a good way of putting them in their place.
"Let me make you a better offer." Yolanda's sharp claws grabbed hold of their necks, pulling them against the bars. "Tell me now or I'll use your faces as my personal scratching posts. Or perhaps you want me to go lower?" She dug her claws into their skin, making them see she was serious.
"The labyrinth!" They both screamed for their lives. "He went to the labyrinth after Princess Rapunzel and Rider!"
Yolanda released her hold on their throats, letting them tumble down to their knees.
"Let's go." Yolanda turned to Cain and the rest.
"One trip to the nearby labyrinth, coming right up." Sideways created a rift.
"Hopefully, Green Lantern hasn't caught the eye of Dr. Destiny." Cain walked through the rift.
The Outsiders found themselves in the middle of a large stone maze with plants sprouting on the crevices and nothing but their own steps as company. They began walking through the maze, hoping to find any signs of their final member. But it seemed a glowing man was hard to spot amidst the passages of rocks and strange writing on the walls. Their steps echoed through the labyrinth as they searched for Alan, yet they knew they weren't alone.
They could hear steps and faint talks coming from the corner of one of the passages. Raven, using her magic, peaked over to see who was also there. The first was a woman with long blonde hair that reached all the way down to the ground, yet it was braided and tied up. She wore a pink and purple dress. And carried a radiance that Raven could only compare to the sun. The second person was a tall man with brown hair and a small beard to match. He was dressed in a dark blue jacket, light blue pants, black shoes and brown gloves. He seemed to carry himself with an air of arrogance and roguish charm. The last one was a monkey with a turban wrapped around his head. They were discussing how to proceed through the labyrinth.
"I think we should've gone back and taken the turn on the right. That one had less traps."
"A path with fewer traps often leads to where you don't want to go. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about, Blondie."
"Your companion is right, princess," The monkey spoke. "The way to the center of the labyrinth is through the paths with more traps and tricks."
"Not that I trust you, monkey, but glad to see that someone listens to me." The man took a step, pressing down on a tile.
The sound of traps preparing to fire on anyone that triggered them, caught the trio by surprise.
"And now I regret not paying more attention to my surroundings." Eugene winced.
Five spears shot out from the nearby wall, threatening to skewer Eugene like a kebab. He braced himself for the worst, but the five spears didn't even touch his body. Eugene hesitantly opened his eyes, only to see the spears hovering in mid-air as a black energy held them there.
"Wow, nice save there, Demanitus." Eugene let out a sigh of relief.
"This is not my doing." Demanitus looked around. "We're not alone."
"Cool, talking monkey." Sideways poked his head out from one of his rifts, taking a picture of the monkey.
Rapunzel, Eugene and Demanitus turned to see Cain, Sideways, Raven and Wildcat all looking at them. Rapunzel and Eugene drew their weapons, a frying pan and a sword. It wasn't that they were concerned or violent by nature, they were more just surprised that a group of oddly dressed people got the jump on them. However, this didn't make the Outsiders the least bit preoccupied. If anything, they were all the more interested in their selection of weapons.
"Is that a frying pan?" Yolanda asked. "Are you planning on making lunch after this, señorita?"
"Trust me, that is a weapon you don't wanna mess with," Eugene replied before the five spears dropped to the ground next to them.
"And you should learn to read the room," Raven said.
"Who are you? Are you after the scroll as well?" Rapunzel asked.
"Nothing of the sort, your majesty. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Cain and these are my allies." Cain bowed. "We mean you no harm but there is someone amongst you that knows of whom we seek. Master Demanitus, was it?"
"That is indeed my name, and I know of you as well, being from the Dreaming Dimension." Demanitus narrowed his eyes as he climbed up Eugene's shoulder. "Legends speak of your dangerous temper."
"What can I say, I'm made of the stuff nightmares are fabricated." Cain smirked. "But my allies and I do not have any ill will against you. We merely seek the assistance of one of your former pupils."
Rapunzel narrowed her eyes on Cain. She just couldn't help but feel there was something odd about him. The way he spoke and acted reminded her of Tromu and Sugracha, the followers of Zhan Tiri that had been dogging her and her friends for a good while. But despite his strange and dapper persona, she didn't think he was evil. She looked at Pascal, hoping to get some other view on the situation. Sadly, the small chameleon only gave the strangers a quick glance over to just shrug. She would have to get to know them better before agreeing to anything. After all, a queen needed to take cautious steps before making any decisions that could put her people in danger.
"I'm sorry to tell you this but, his apprentices are not the kind of people you want to associate with," Rapunzel said. "Plus, they are all a little too ghostly and evil and in servitude to an evil demon that wants to destroy everything and everyone."
"Wow, that story rings true now, Cain." Sideways looked at him with a thumbs up. "A+ for sticking to the characters."
"Thank you, Sideways, you're too kind." Cain gave him a small bow. "But I'm talking more about your fourth disciple, Demanitus."
Rapunzel and Eugene looked at the alchemist trapped in the monkey's body, wondering what Cain's words meant. But the alchemist knew what he meant, yet he could scarcely believe it.
A bright wall of green light descended upon the labyrinth, separating the Outsiders from Rapunzel, Eugene and Demanitus.
They looked up to see Alan Scott the Green Lantern floating down with his green aura around him.
"No, is it really you, Alan?" Demanitus asked, unable to believe what he was seeing with his own monkey eyes.
Alan turned around, recognizing the voice of his master.
"Master Demanitus? What happened to you?" Alan asked, dropping down the construct.
"I was just about to ask you the same, old friend." Demanitus hugged his friend. "The others told me you were dead."
"Not dead. Just displaced it seems. Has it really been a million years?" Alan asked.
"I'm afraid it has," Demanitus said.
"See? I wasn't lying." Cain pointed out.
"Okay, um, hi, Eugene Fitzherbert here. Slight thing," Eugene said. "What is going on?! Who are you guys?! Who is this guy?!"
Everyone stayed quiet as Rapunzel patted her boyfriend to calm him down. They waited for him to calm down enough for them to talk. It was not surprising that someone had freaked out after all. The Outsiders just thought that it would take the appearance of someone like Metamorpho to make someone freak out. But it at least happened fast and without any major problems they had to fix.
"Some water man?" Sideways offered Eugene a water.
"Thanks. I'm good now." Eugene held up his hand. "So, you were saying?"
"We are on the same side. We don't mean any harm to you, your master or your allies, Alan Scott." Raven added. "We were hoping to ask you for aid against an enemy called Dr. Destiny and to stop three members of our team we believe are planning to go rogue." She calmly explained.
"Rogue partners, yeah, I got some experience with that subject." Eugene scratched his beard. "Though, I was usually the rogue. The trick was to always have a trick up your sleeve from the very beginning."
Alan looked at Cain and his Outsides, taking in the information that he had just been given. It was honestly too much for the Emerald Knight. He'd just now been spatted out from the time portal and arrived many generations into the future and now he was told that they needed his help. Part of him wished that this was all a dream he was suffering from. But deep in his heart, he could tell that this was all real. And he was unable to answer the strange people before him or the people around him. He was up a creek with a fork on the road and not a paddle or damn idea on which way to head towards.
Rapunzel picked up on that and decided to step in. She knew the man needed to get his mind straight.
"Hey, would you like to talk while we walk to the center of the labyrinth?" Rapunzel suggested. "I mean, it beats standing still under the sun for who knows how long."
"Y-Yes, thank you, um," Alan started.
"Rapunzel. Princess Rapunzel, or just Rapunzel," Rapunzel said. "This is Eugene and well, you already know Demanitus."
"Alan Scott, the Green Lantern." Alan gave her a small bow. "I must confess, that I came here looking for you. I was informed that you hold magic hair that shines like the sun."
"Oh yeah, that's a long story we can talk about as we walk." Rapunzel gestured him to go.
Cain, the Outsiders, Eugene and Demanitus had to admit that she had done a very good job at helping the Green Lantern.
The group continued walking through the labyrinth as they made it deeper and deeper towards the center of it. However, they were unaware that in the shadows, something sinister watched them. Dr. Destiny had followed them to get something dark and hidden inside this maze. He kept his distance, listening as the group made their way deeper and deeper, sharing stories and information to help them better understand the situation. His hand grabbed his mouth to stop himself from laughing.
"And that's how I met Eugene and went back to my real parents." Rapunzel explained as they hoped over another trap.
"Well, it seems Gothel got what she wanted: Eternal beauty at the cost of others." Alan sighed.
"I hoped that her interest in magic would open new doors for her instead of feeding her vanity," Demanitus said sadly.
"And on that sad note, we're here." Cain pointed to a stone fountain carved to look like a dragon holding a scroll in one of its paws.
Inside that scroll was the piece of Demanitus's work, and a dark spell that hid inside it.
"Let's grab it and get going. There's much to do," Alan said. "And decide."
As soon as they took another step, the ground began to shake underneath their feet. It was a violent shake that forced several of them to drop down, grabbing the stone floor. They looked around for whatever trap they had triggered but they couldn't find any.
"What trap did you put here, monkey man?" Eugene asked.
"This is not one of my doing!" Demanitus clung to the stones beneath his feet.
"I can take a guess," Cain said before a ring of black fire surrounded the heroes.
"Don't bother presenting me, Cain." Dr. Destiny stepped into the light. "I'll do my own introductions from now on." He cackled madly as he held the Dream Stone in his hand.
"Oh my gosh, is that a talking skeleton?" Eugene asked. "Yeah, that's going to need a lot of coconut oil to fix up. And maybe a few masks to keep that nightmare fuel you call a face from seeing the light of day."
"You think seeing it once is bad? This is like the tenth time we've seen his ugly mug," Sideways said. "Time to put this guy down." He got up with his hands glowing with energy.
"And it does not get prettier each time." Raven and Yolanda joined him as did Rapunzel and Eugene.
"A Dream Stone?!" Demanitus exclaimed. "I thought they were a myth."
"Oh, there is more than a few myths coming to life, old man." Dr. Destiny turned to the sculpted dragon statue, making its eyes glow a bright red.
The statue release its grip on the scroll as it grew larger and larger. Its stone scales turned black like ash as it sprung large bat-like wings from its back. Its teeth turned pure white as saliva and meat coated them, transforming the jaws into fully functioning instruments of death. Its eyes blinked awake before looking down at the heroes, flaring its nostrils as it climbed down from the fountain. The dragon was now alive and hungry to serve its master. It let out a loud roar of destruction so hot that the stones started to melt around the heroes.
But Dr. Destiny wasn't done. Using the power of the Dream Stone, he altered the labyrinth and the area around them. The scene looked straight out of a fevered nightmare, with black stone floors and walls curving in was no structure should take shape, pools of glowing green poison pouring around the heroes, keeping them in place. Large gargoyle statues came to life, leering and snarling at the heroes as the dragon stomped towards them with a hungry growl coming from the deepest part of its throat.
"Alright, I see why you'd want me to help you fight this man." Green Lantern raised his arm, glowing with bright green energy.
"Glad to see you understand, Green Lantern." Cain summoned his shovel.
"Blondie, this might be a little above our pay grade." Eugene held up his sword.
"You've fought this man-thing before, right?" Rapunzel untied her hair.
"Yes." Cain replied. "He's using the Dream Stone to change reality. We must get it away from him before he can leave some permanent damage to this world." The gargoyles descended upon the team of heroes.
Alan summoned a spiked shield above their heads, blocking the attacks of the stone gargoyles. He thrusted his fist upwards, pushing them back with his burning will ready to fight. The dragon's roar caught his attention, making him turn to face the large beast. Narrowing his eyes, he created a water hose construct to meet the beast's fire breath. He pushed the beast back, but the dragon's intense flames sent him back. Just then a black aura caught him before he could slam down on the ground.
"Need a hand?" Raven asked. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven swung her hand, commanding the chains and iron spikes to attack the dragon.
"I'm not used to being saved by a young lady, but thank you." Alan got back on his feet. "What of your friends?"
She wrapped the chains around the beast while using the spears to pin down the beast to the floor. The dragon fought and struggled against the bonds that tied him down, releasing a torrent of flames at Raven. She thrusted her other hand, creating a dark shield to block the attack. The intensity of the flames made her sweat, but she kept calm, knowing that cooler heads would prevail against this illusion.
"Don't worry, this isn't their first rodeo against Dr. Destiny." She pushed back the flames as Green Lantern looked down at their own battle.
Sideways created rifts around the area, jumping and moving their allies to take down the gargoyles. He jumped out of a rift, punching one of the gargoyles, shattering it into pieces. The toughness of the stone was nothing compared to all the training he'd been doing with Metamorpho and Bronze Tiger. Ducking under a swing from a gargoyle, he opened another rift for Cain's shovel to pierce through the gargoyle's stoney hide.
Cain pulled out his shovel before decapitating another statue. Spinning around the shovel, he landed two more gargoyles. He picked up the head of one of them, admiring the macabre look on its face.
"Shame I can't keep it." Cain tossed the head into the air, before using his shovel like a baseball bat.
The head of the gargoyle crashed against another gargoyle, breaking its wings.
Wildcat moved behind the gargoyles, using her speed and cat-like reflexes to her fullest. She kicked a gargoyle through the chest before slashing another one across the face. All her senses were flaring, helping her dodge, bobbing and weaving through their clumsy punches and attacks. It was like dodging large sacks of flour. She sliced the wings of the gargoyles, letting them fall to the ground before jumping into one of Sideways' rifts.
"You picking this up real fast, girl!" Sideways cheered.
"What can I say? It feels like I can cut loose for once." Wildcat ducked as a long strand of golden hair wrapped around one of the gargoyles. "Speaking of cutting loose."
Rapunzel cracked and whipped her hair around, slamming the gargoyles into each other. She spun around, swinging her hair like a dancer before bringing down the gargoyle to the ground. Spotting an incoming gargoyle, she wrapped her hair around the beast's claw, flipping it over her shoulder and into the ground. She pulled out her frying pan and slammed it into the gargoyle's face.
"Wow, I gotta get me one of those," Sideways said.
"Yeah, I like it too." Rapunzel flipped the frying pan.
"Rapunzel, a little hand!" Eugene swung his sword against one of the gargoyles, only to get it stuck. "Seriously?" He ducked under the swing of the gargoyle.
Eugene kicked the gargoyle in the back before jumping into one of the rifts. He appeared over one of the gargoyles, pulling it down with him. He saw two gargoyles coming at him. Swinging his legs back, he let loose, hitting them in the face. But it wasn't enough for the gargoyles to crack. They came back, forcing him to dodge the attacks. He pulled himself up, narrowly missing the swings.
"Eugene!" Rapunzel tossed him her frying pan.
Eugene caught it with his right hand just in time. He swung the frying pan at the gargoyle's face, breaking it into pieces. He did the same to the other gargoyle before spotting another rift. With one final swing he nailed the last gargoyle before falling into the rift. Using the momentum of the fall, he shot out of another rift, spotting the gargoyle with his sword stuck to it. Catching the handle of the sword, he cracked the gargoyle in its face.
"Thanks, blondie." Eugene landed gracefully on the ground.
"Seriously, what's that thing made out of?" Sideways asked. "Mithriel?"
Back with Alan and Raven, they flew around the dragon, blasting it with their respective powers. But despite their combined effort the black blasts of magic and the green flames were doing little to stop the dragon as it breathed fire upon them. Their shields were barely holding on, but it wasn't because of the mighty dragon's breath.
Raven looked at the Green Lantern, her empathic powers working their magic. The grief, the uncertainty, the realization that his world was gone and that he no longer knew what his purpose was. All those fears clouded the strength and powers of the Green Lantern. She only needed to look him in the eye to understand that he was afraid of what he was meant to do. The guilt was crippling his power. But she could also feel something else, the dragon was getting stronger the more he was afraid. The flames grew larger and nearly engulfed them completely. She encased them both in a protective black sphere, blocking the dragon flames.
"You need to get a grip." Raven struggled against the flames.
"What?" Alan asked.
"I know things look bad, and you're unsure of where you belong in this world." Raven grunted. "Letting that fear consume you is what's making the dragon stronger. You need to make your will burn brighter and fight back."
"How can I fight what's unknown to me? The people I saw as friends betrayed me and my master. But still, they were defeated and Zhan Tiri stopped," Alan said. "The world doesn't need a knight like me any longer."
"Why do you think we came here?" Raven asked. "We need you. If you really believed that you have no place in this world then your ring would not be giving you any power. What made you become one of Demanitus' disciples?"
Alan looked at the ring in his left hand. The memories of wonders and help that he had been a part of glowed like embers coming together. All those laughs, all those moments of happiness, of making something. It gave him purpose and a place to strive towards. He might've not been gifted in magic like his former friends, but he'd stuck to his values. The power hadn't corrupted him. The Green Lantern hadn't made him, he had made the Green Lantern. And it was time for the world to remember it.
Raven's shield broke as the flames engulfed them both. But Alan stepped up, with the power of his will burning brightly. He punched the flames with a massive fist construct, pushing them back. His aura blazed as his will grew stronger.
"In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night, no evil shall escape my sight!" Alan chanted as he flew towards the dragon's fiery mouth. "Let those who worship evil's might beware my power, Green Lantern's Light!" Alan unleashed the full power of his ring against the dragon's face, engulfing the area in a bright green light.
Alan kept on going, spotting Dr. Destiny in the shadows. He blasted the nightmare, burning away his left arm. Dr. Destiny cried out in pain as he dropped the scroll at Alan's feet.
Everyone covered their eyes before the light subsided. They then saw Alan looking down at Dr. Destiny with pure power in his eyes.
"You'll pay for this!" Dr Destiny sunk back into the shadows.
"Don't worry, I'll come to you soon enough." Alan picked up the scroll piece. "That spot on your team, is it still open?"
Cain smiled. His team was ready.
Alan bowed saying farewell to his master and Rapunzel, handing them the scroll piece.
"I promise to return soon, princess. Should you need me, I'm at your services." Alan got up.
"You're needed elsewhere, my friend," Demanitus said. "Your destiny is still being written.
Metamorpho finished eating the last of the pie as they regrouped with the rest of the Outsiders.
"So, what did we miss?" Metamorpho asked.
"We got a hit on Dr. Destiny and we got a new ally." Cain gestured to Green Lantern. "We now know where he is hiding. Time to end this hunt. Once and for all, everyone."
"Perfect." Nite Owl smiled.