Tales From the Cave-Wally and the Magic Lamp

Evil Plots

The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon when Wally or "William" returned Artemis to her balcony.  The magic carpet forming down to the floor, he held her hand as she stepped down them, then had the carpet lower itself below the railing, so that he and the Princess were face to face, eye to eye, heart to heart.

"Thank you,", she whispered.  "For the most magical night of my life."  She leaned over her balcony, her eyelids lowered in way that made her eyes look seductive as she batted her lashes.  He smiled dreamily at her.  "Sleep well, my princess.", he said.  Artemis smiled back at him.  "Goodnight...my prince."  The carpet gained a mind of it's own.  Seizing the moment, it jerked Wally upwards, causing his lips to meet with hers.

Closing their eyes in pleasure, they savored their sudden kiss for a minute or two before Artemis pulled away.  Standing herself upright, she walked towards her room, making sure to move her hips in a slinky way to keep his attention.  Pushing a gap between her room curtains, she gave him one last look over her shoulder and smiled before pulling the silken drapes over her.

As soon as she was back in the room, Wally pumped both fists into the air. "Yes!" He fell backwards onto the magic carpet, lying as his back as it floated down from the tower like a flower petal and landed next to the garden fountain. His heart full, he looked up at the single light glowing from the highest point in the tower. "For the first time in my life, things are finally starting to go my way."

What went on next happened so fast, Wally barely remembered it happen at all. One moment, he was lounging in the palace gardens, his gaze fixed on the warm glow emitting from the Princess's bedroom. The next, he was chained and gagged along with the rest of his friends (and Roy), held captive by a group of shady men cloaked in black.  As he writhed against their grip, a long, thick silver pole struck the ground before him.

He looked up to see Count Vertigo, glaring down at him sinisterly, gripping the head of his silver staff.  "My sincerest apologies, Your Highness,", he said, in a tone that was close to hissing.  "But I believe you and your entourage have overstayed your welcome."  He shot Wally a wicked smirk.  "Oh, but don't worry...I will see to it that you make your exit in style."
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Vertigo chuckled as the ball and chain was fastened to Wally's ankle.  He stood at the end of the cliff, watching with amusement as the phony prince struggled against his captors.  Below, the untamed waves of the Mediterranean Sea crashed against the rocks.  Finally, Vertigo grabbed him by his silken shirt and looked him dead in the eye.  "Bon voyage, Your Majesty."  And with that, he flung Wally over the edge of the cliff and into the dark wild waters, his friends following close behind.

As they plunged into the freezing cold seas, Wally noticed the lamp fall off the cinch in his golden belt. Struggling with the chains, he wormed his way towards it. As he began to lose consciousness, his hand floated over and ever so slightly grazed the lamp's surface.

At once, the temperature rose and magic burst from the sprout, freeing Wisp. She took a quick look around and saw her master and his friends on the verge of death, with the exception of Kaldur and M'gann, who had morphed herself a pair of gills and was now giving her boyfriend mouth-to-mouth. Kaldur saw the genie girl, whose powers left her able to breathe in any situation. "Wisp!", he cried frantically. "We cannot save them all at once! Get us out of here!"

"I can't!", Wisp told him. "I can only do so if Wally wishes me to!" M'gann established the physic link between everyone. Wally! Quick! Wish us out of here! Before he passed out, Wally whispered physically, Wisp...I wish...you to...save us... Wisp immediately spring into action. "As you wish!"

When Wally opened his eyes, he was on the cliff, surrounded once more by clear oxygen. He coughed and gasped for air as he sat up and looked at the others doing the same. M'gann cradled Conner in her arms as he caught his breath, while Kaldur checked on his teammates. Wisp was standing at Wally's side, relieved but still looking scared. "What happened while I was in the lamp?", she asked.

"Vertigo...tr-tried to get rid of us...", Wally stuttered out between coughing fits. "He k-kidnapped us, and thr-threw us off a cliff in chains." "But...why would he do that?" Wally composed himself as he rose to his feet. "I should've known. He must've tried to drown us because we were interfering with his plans to claim the crown of Timoria! He tried to get on the Vladivan throne two years ago! He must be trying again, but with Timoria this time!"

"You think so?" "I know so!", Wally said. "Last time he wanted to be king, he tried to kill his own niece! Who knows what he'll do this time!" He turned to Wisp. "We need to get back to the palace, NOW!"