The punch to the 'face' was enough to down the demon.  The team regrouped after the fight to discuss their next move.

"There's a path this way, but it's more exposed," Robin said, pointing to the fork in the 'road' up ahead.  "Raven, Speedy and I will take that way.  Hawk-girl.  You, and Grundy go the back route and come up from behind.  Element will act as bodyguard."

Element knew better than to argue.  Though Robin may have been 15 (younger than any of the teammates) he'd received high praise from other heroes.  Out of the three boys who'd been Robin, he was said to be the most like Batman in skill.

"Element, don't forget that you're in another dimension," Raven said.  She looked like she'd recovered from her earlier exertion.  "Don't hold back.  Balance won't be an issue."

"Sorry, force of habit," Element apologized.  "I'll keep that in mind though."  And he ran off down the back pathway with Hawk-girl and Grundy.

It was about a half an hour before they reached the back of Icthultu.

"Alright," Hawk-girl said, spinning her mace around.  "Let's do-"

The ground underneath them erupted as tentacles leapt and spun around them.  Element was thrown into the empty space that was most of this reality.  Grundy was tossed onto another floating chunk of land.  Meanwhile Hawk-girl took to the air and attempted to dodge the tentacles that arched after her, but to no avail.  Once she was caught they could hear a deep rumble as Icthultu laughed.

"A Thanagarian?!"  Icthultu laughed again as it brought Hawk-girl around to look at her.  "Did you think to kill me with your silly weapon."

Hawk-girl's mace charged with electricity and she punched through her bindings.  More tentacles lashed out, knocking the mace from her hands, then strapped her spread-eagle.

"Ah, Nth metal," Icthultu rumbled.  "You're people were quite successful with that last time, but they possessed significantly more than one mace."

Element used his powers to turn the air around him into solid ground so he could get back on the path.

Icthultu seemed to be completely focused on Hawk-girl

Element attempted to use his powers to turn the air around Icthultu into fire.

"The air around Icthultu burst into flames, distracting him from his chosen target.  Hawkgirl fell free but when she landed her mace was no where in sight.

Knowing that Hawkgirl's mace was the key to attacking Icthultu, Element looked around desperately for the weapon.

The flash of flames made Icthultu flinch giving Element some time to look but the mace was no where to be found.

While looking Raven and Robin flew up (via Raven's telekinesis).

"Hawk-girl, take this."  Robin threw her a staff and pulled out another of his collapsible staff's.  Raven hovered up behind Element and placed her hands on either side of his head.

<Solomon Grundy has the mace,> Raven's voice said in Elements mind.  <He's made it into Icthultu's head.  We need to act as a distraction; I'll use my magic to boost your powers and Hawk-girl and Robin will act as our defense.>

Element pointed his hand above Icthultu, deciding to change the air there into giant stones (earth) to drop on his head.

Large sharp stones appeared in the air and crashed down upon Icthultu who roared in anger but before his tentacles could lash out at them his roaring renewed.  His tentacles wrapped around his head and he flailed in agony and helplessness.  Finally his roars diminished and Grundy burst forth from Icthultu's head.

"Grundy!" Hawk-girl called, swooping away to save their companion.

Element stood agape.  He knew that had been the plan, but actually seeing it was a little gruesome.  He recovered his composure quickly however, and looked to see if Hawk-girl was having any trouble keeping Grundy aloft. (OOC: If she is, he's going to make some earth for them to land on.)

Hawk-girl was falling fast under the considerable weight of Solomon Grundy.

Element turned some air underneath them into a long patch of earth, like a runway, so they would have room to land.

Hawkgirl pulled up hard enough to decrease the impact of their landing but the two still skidded and rolled on the nearly formed ground.  Raven used her powers to grab Element, Speedy, and Robin and flew you all to them.

"Wow, that was amazing!" Element said in awe.  "Hawkgirl was it your plan the whole time to get Grundy the mace in that way?"

"Grundy," Hawkgirl said hazily, shaking her head.  "Go check on him."

Grundy looked the worse for wear, exceedingly beat up with cuts and abrasions all over his body and breathing heavily.

"Get Hawkgirl," Raven ordered Speedy, Robin and Element.  "The dimension is collapsing, we must leave."

She then used her magic to levitate Grundy into the air.

Element ran to Hawkgirl and picked her up, and then ran back to Raven.  "Quick, get out the ankh and get us out of here!"

Element felt the air begin to suck towards the imploding figure of Icthultu as Raven raised the Ankh and the whole group vanished.

* * * *

Reappearing back in Mount Justice, the team landed where they'd left.   Dr. Fate was no longer there, likely gone off to help the Justice League.

Raven lowered Grundy down and by his laboured breathing you could tell he likely wasn't going to make it.

"Grundy!" Hawkgirl said, moving over to him.  "How can he be dying?"

"He used your mace," Raven explained.  "The ant-magic properties likely disrupted the magic keeping him alive."

"It alright, Birdnose," Grundy said, lightly touching Hawkgirl's face.

"But we'd agreed to help find your soul," she pleaded.

"Grundy has already found it."  Grundy sighed then was gone.

Element turned his head to the side as he shed a tear for the fallen comrade.  "At least he died a hero," he offered.

The next day all of the members of Young Justice were gathered around the grave of Solomon Grundy which Hawkgirl had made herself.

"I wasn't sure what to put on the stone," she admitted as she stood up from laying down some flowers.  "But I did the best I could."

"You did just fine," Element said comfortingly, patting Hawkgirl gently on the shoulder.

"Thanks," Hawkgirl said, embracing Lem.

Lem was shocked at the sudden display, but decided Hawkgirl needed the comfort and so hugged her back.

The whole team was given a week off after their heavy first mission and Black Canary offered counselling sessions for any who need it.