a strangely placed crack in the sky (chapter 5)

Chapter 5

A frustrated Ted sat amidst a field of dried-up tree roots and alien foliage, gazing around with an exasperated expression. He muttered to himself, "Why, what's the reason? Why the heck is there a crack in the sky, especially for me, out of nowhere?" His surroundings were far from familiar, and the atmosphere was an unusual shade of purple, casting a dark and eerie ambiance.

Ted rose to his feet, surveying the peculiar landscape and concluding, "This ain't Earth." Not only was the atmosphere alien and foreboding, but so were the plants, adding to his sense of disorientation.

"It looks like I'll need to change up my plan and put the fundraising on hold," he nearly groaned as he examined the rings adorning his fingers. "Thankfully, you guys don't require spiritual energy to use; otherwise, I would be done." He drew a deep breath and continued to scan his surroundings, contemplating, "Hmm, maybe I can find a useful item to carve a rune onto," he mused, his eyes roving the exotic terrain.

After 43 minutes of searching, Ted emerged holding a large, straight wooden branch. He had etched the same runic letter as the Pyro-Blast ring onto its stem. Observing the new runic item, Ted realized, "So, this world is called the Gemworld?" His surprise was unmistakable as he smiled, noting that it possessed five rune slots.

[ Name: Pyro-Blast (lowest)]

[ Type: Enchantment ]

[ Rune-Slots: 1/5 ]

[ Description: a regular old alien tree from the Gemworld made extraordinary by a rune carver; etched with a rune that unleashes a massive fireball that explodes on impact, causing area damage, and the user is not immune to the fire ]

[ Durability: 100/100 ]

As he contemplated the screen, Ted was jolted from his thoughts by a loud crash. He looked up to see a large green construct and a "truck" plummeting from the sky. He rushed toward the crash site but ended up in a clearing, where he was met with a group of individuals. Among them were a red Robin, Wonder Girl, a warrior girl with pink hair and a sword, a small black teen girl with a Green Lantern ring, a cowgirl dressed in an alien outfit with a peculiar gun, and a red truck with a winged horse nearby.

Upon Ted's appearance, the group tensed, with the alien princess girl wielding her sword threateningly. Ted pointed his newly crafted wooden staff and clenched his fist, adorned with multiple rings. "A human," Red Robin was the first to speak, while the cowgirl inquired, "What's the wood going to do?" as she nonchalantly rested her alien gun on her shoulder.

Without hesitation, Ted directed his staff to the side, conjuring a massive fireball in an instant. When it collided with the alien trees, an explosive burst sent multiple trees crashing down. The group watched in astonishment, some with their mouths agape. 

"A lot," Ted replied, a sly smile on his face. "A sorcerer," Wonder Girl concluded. Ted addressed Red Robin, saying, "A Red Robin, right? You got a way out of here?" Red Robin sighed and replied, "No, not yet. You're from Gotham, right?" He recognized Ted's knowledge of the various Robins. Ted nodded in confirmation, and with a sense of urgency, he asked the entire team, "Do any of you guys know a way to get out of here?" While he inquired, his mind raced, considering what rune he could construct to transport himself back home.

"Maybe a teleportation rune, but given the unpredictability factor, I don't want to risk it unless I can get the second spiritual force, extending my time to 2 minutes," Ted mused, deep in thought as he pondered his options.

Wonder Girl inquired, "How did you get here anyway? Were you also in the metropolis?" Ted looked up from his contemplation, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Ah, no. I was in Gotham, and then a crack opened in the sky, and I got here," he explained, glancing at the members of this strange world. He continued with introductions, "Well, you know me, this Wonder Girl, and this is Amethyst, the princess of this world," introducing the blonde Wonder Girl and the alien princess, Amethyst. "Teen Green Lantern," the Green Lantern girl added.

"I'm Jinny, nice to meet you," the cowgirl introduced herself. Ted responded, "Just call me Edd," although his face was already visible. Suddenly, a mysterious figure appeared – a man with dark blue skin, a floating red cape, and long black hair. His outstretched hands emitted a blue aura. He addressed Amethyst, "Princess of what kingdom?"

Ted lightly stroked his invisibility ring, contemplating the situation. "Some kingdom and politics stuff – not my cup of tea. Plus, there's no benefit in getting involved except incurring the wrath of this world's kingdom and its people, and its leader," he thought as he planned to use the invisibility ring if he needed to attack. When the man introduced himself as Lord Opal, the leader of the Gemworld, Ted's mind raced. "So it's the final boss on the first floor of the game, nope."

"Yeah, although I'm not one to kink shame, I'm not into the kink of owning things, so peace," Ted said, offering a peace sign. He immediately activated his invisibility and intangibility.

His reaction was surprising to the group, and Lord Opal released a wave of blue energy from his hand, uttering, "There is no place to hide." However, Ted was immune to all forms of detection and kept running and running, evading the desperate pursuit.

Lord Opal tried various spells and tactics to locate Ted. "Well, interesting," he mused to himself before turning his attention back to the young Justice League members.