24 Hours of Life for a Favor (DC X DP)
It wasn't supposed to happen like this. John Constantine was the one supposed to be in the circle. There had been so many attacks in the past few weeks by a new enemy that the Justice League found themselves unable to defeat. It was wreaking havoc all over the world, but none of their attacks did a thing.
That's when Constantine approached them. He told them it was a spirit from the Infinite Realms itself, and it was almost impossible to banish them because portals were so rare and complicated to make unless you were a spirit itself. So what was his big plan? Summon another one of these things, but make a deal to send both of them back.
John had planned to offer another piece of his soul. He had sold his soul to so many demons, what was one more right? They needed to offer something in return in order to get the spirit to help.
Well, now Constantine was on the floor unconscious and the spirit was still wreaking havoc. The rest of the League was busy holding the creature back, so they would be unable to help.
Cue one of the League members stepping into the circle. It was the only plan they had after all.
The ground inside the summoning circle split open, an eerie green mist erupting from the cracks and spilling over the floor, surrounding both circles, one of which contained the now much more cautious hero.
What came out was terrifying. Long, protruding horns made of ice twisted and curved on themselves. A hand reaches through the largest of the cracks, charred black skin with claws the same icy appearance as the horns.
Long story short? A complete eldritch horror coming through that summons. It was enough to freeze the hero in their place as they stare in absolute horror at the being before him.
"Why have you summoned me here?" The being spoke, multiple voices whispering and grating over each other in a painful and terrifying sound.
"I need help. One of your own is wreaking havoc in my world, and we don't have a way to send him back to your realm. I want to make a deal that sends both you and him out of my world and back to yours."
The being pauses, glancing down at the hero to ponder at his request. Well, at least that is what the hero assumed considering the being's eyes were no more than lights peering from an inky shadowy skull. It moves its gaze to the circle itself.
"You understand that a summoning circle like this requires that I receive something in return right? I can't leave the circle until you give an offering."
"Well," The hero glances back at Constantine. "What do I have that you would accept?"
The creature seemed to think it over before it smiled. Sharp, needle-like teeth that dripped a horrid green liquid.
The hero froze in confusion. "What?"
"In return, I want 24 hours of you life to claim as mine. Do you agree?"
24 hours. They would have 24 hours less to live if they went through with this. One glance at the chaos behind them left no room for argument.
It took less than two minutes for the creature to complete its end of the bargain. The spirit that had plagued the league for weeks was captured and returned home to where it belonged. The creature itself turned to the hero it made a deal with.
"I will return to collect what you owe."
It was a week later that a scrappy teenage boy with white hair showed up in the middle of a Justice League meeting at the Watchtower with a goofy expression on his face.
"Hiya! I've come to collect my debt!"
All the heroes stared at him in confusion and caution. How had he gotten in?
"debt?" replied the hero. They had never met this kid before
The kid deadpanned in their direction, suddenly pulling a scrap of paper out of thin air.
"You made a deal. 24 hours in exchange for an Infinite Realms Spirit's service. I've come to get those 24 hours."
The hero swallowed. Right, that deal. They didn't know why this kid was coming to collect on that debt, but they weren't about to question it if they didn't have to see that...creature again.
"All right, do what you have to do." They had already accepted that they would miss 24 hours of their life now.
"Great!" The kid exclaimed, suddenly digging into a backpack and pulling out a notebook and pen. "Because I have several years worth of hero advice and training tips to catch up on and i only have 24 hours to learn as much as I can from a real-life superhero before my time's up. This is a once-in-an-afterlife time-experience"
A.K.A. Danny gets summoned in eldritch form by a member of the league and they offer 24 hours in exchange for his help. He comes back later in his regular ghost form ready to spend 24 hours trying to catch up on all the training he missed as a teenage vigilante all while fanboying on the inside.
The question is: which hero was it and how did the 24 hours go? Let your minds run free
