John Constantine knew of the inhabitants of the Infinite Realms, as any true user of dark magic would. That said, he’d never actually encountered one. No Realms ghosts, or Neverborns, or Ancients; and for that he considered himself lucky.
Even young Realms ghosts were ridiculous powerful, capable of things that made the strongest of warriors tremble in fear. And a powerful one? Even a mid level one?
That image alone was enough to create nightmares.
He remembered when he was young his father would tell stories of Realms ghosts to Jack and him; stories that typically focused on hunting the creatures.
Call John mad in the head but he could never hunt them. Not just because they were clearly sentient and intelligent beings, but because they very idea of starting a challenge with such creatures was ensuring a fate worse then death.
Constantine liked to think out of the very many things he’d done wrong in his life, staying out of the Infinite Realms business was something he’d done right.
It’s too bad Jack didn’t—really bad.
“Are you bloody serious!?” John screeched, “A portal?!? A bloody portal?!?”
“Yep!” Jack beamed, oblivious to his stepbrother’s concern, “All the way to the Ghost Zone!”
“Infinite Realms,” Both Constantine and Danny, who was leaning against one of the lab tables and watching the exchange going, corrected at the same time.
The two nonhumans gave each other a quick look.
“Isn’t it great?” Jack said, slapping a hand on John’s back, knocking the wind out of the smaller man, “We can study the ghosts that come through and everything!”
“Come through?” John echoed, “Good lord,”
“It really is fascinating,” Maddie stepped forward, “the way ghosts pretend to have human actions and mannerisms; it’s very realistic. Especially that Phantom, you should look at some of our recordings and data of it, it’s imcredible lengths ghosts will go to mimic emotions,”
“Mimic emotions?” John’s eyes widened, “Are you actually serious? Is this a prank? Ghosts are bloody made of emotion! That’s how they form! Where their power and drive to go on comes from! How could you think they’re emotionless?!”
Maddie frowned, her stare suddenly very icy, “They’re ghosts. They can’t feel, they’re just imprints,”
“Imprints, she says,” Constantine places his hands on his face, “Can’t feel she says, as if a ghost’s emotional state couldn’t level a city,”
“So you agree that they’re dangerous,” the female huntress said smugly.
“Dangerous like a lion is when you’re waving a giant slice of meat in front of it instead of leaving it bloody alone!” John pointed at the portal, “And look-it-here! A giant piece of bloody meat!”
“Our portal is perfectly safe!”
“That’s what those damn people in Jurassic Park said!”
“Alright, alright,” Jack stepped in front of his wife and stepbrother, “Maybe we should take a break from ghost talk—how about some fudge?”
“You’re messing with things you don’t understand,” Constantine ignored him, “taunting beings beyond your comprehension,”
“We know what we’re doing,” Maddie gritted her teeth, “and everything in our lab is perfectly safe. Danny cleans the lab on the daily, he was even here when the portal turned on and he’s completely fine!”
“He was what?” The magic user turned to stare at the boy, who was staring down at his shoes and looking like he’d rather be anywhere but there.
Danny glanced up and met his step-uncle’s eyes.
A flash of toxic green glowed between them.
This, John thought, is even worse than I could have ever imagined.
His nephew was a halfa, and not just any halfa,
He was chosen by Death herself.
He definitely didn’t have a spell or a favor for this.
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