Chapter Text
With baited breath, the members of the Justice League are about to step through the door.
They received so many lectures through this whole process. Dr. Fate and Constantine even stayed behind, saying that if they all got killed doing this, at least earth will still have magic users protecting it.
Zatanna actually cried. As she explained it, on one hand she gets to see the source of all magic, which no one has ever seen, on the other hand, she'll probably die.
So, here we are. With Zatanna leading the way, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Martian Manhunter on the cusp of the portal into 'Eternity'. More heroes wanted to come, but again, earth needs protectors if this fails and they all get killed.
All they can see passed the portal is a dark void. Zatanna is shaking, Superman can hear her rapid heartbeat as she tries to appear calm. She reaches a foot through and lets out a sigh of relief when it finds something invisible, but solid. The floor lights up with little golden sparkles where she touches that fall down into the void after a moment when contact is broken.
Now more sure, she steps inside. The only light coming from the doorway behind her and faint glow under her feet. The harsh contrast makes her vision blury for a moment, but it seems safe so far.
She turns back to her teammates, "Alright guys, come on."
Wonder Woman strides through without hesitation. Flash follows, unsure how helpful he'll be if he can't see anything. Superman's reservations lie mostly in his weakness to magic, but he'll do anything he can to help. J'onn has been sensing the fear coming off the magic users this whole time, and is having to continuously seperate his mind from it's effects.
Batman is just paranoid. As usual.
The instant all six of them are through, the doorway behind them shuts, plunging them into very low visibility.
"Ummmm, Z? Did our guys just shut the portal on us?" Barry asks.
She gulps, "No. I think it was shut from the inside."
"Well that's comforting," Superman comments.
"What do we do now Zatanna? We'll follow your lead," Batman says, trying to keep them on track.
"Right, um," Zatanna looks around. There is no discernable path forward. No way to tell if they make any progress. No landmarks besides glowing footprints that last only a few seconds after they're made.
She might as well try. "Wohs a draworf htap!" Her words echo into the abyss.
...
Nothing happens.
"Well that didn't work," her shoulders slump. She purses her lips, eyebrows drawn togther in concentration. "Hmm, if I'm right about how our portal closed, the Keeper must know we're here."
"Okay, so what, we try to get his attention?" Flash tries to follow her logic.
"Oh, no. We already have his attention."
"Would there be any use in trying to walk?" Superman asks, unsure if it's a dumb question, but feeling the need to ask it.
"I... doubt it. If there's not even a vague hint like a light in the distance, this space probably isn't meant to be escaped just by walking. Probably."
"Then what do you propose?" Wonder Woman asks.
"First I want to check something. J'onn, can you establish a psychic link between us?" She turns toward the Martian.
"I've actually been trying to do just that. I can feel your surface thoughts if I focus on one at a time, but anything else is like trying to swim against a rip current. The energy around us is too vast, too overwhelming. My apologies," J'onn answers, tone calm as always.
"That's fine, actually. Not what I was hoping for, but fine. It means we're probably in the right place then."
"You don't know for sure?" Batman sternly asks.
"No one would know for sure! No one has ever. Ever! Set foot in Eternity before today. At least no one who's lived to talk about it. The magnitude of the Magical Force of this place feels crazy, I'm proud of myself that I haven't passed out!" She takes a deep breath. "Just, stay close to me, alright?"
Her team nods and steps closer.
Zatanna turns her face upwards, voice a calm whisper, "Guardian of Eternity, our world is in danger. All the magical beings you protect on it are in danger as well. Please, grant us what we need to save it."
She chose her words carefully, as one must when dealing with such beings. She just hopes she was careful enough.
After a moment, a rumbling sound is heard, followed by the ground vibrating under their feet. A wind starts blowing, twisting around them. Zatanna's top hat blows off and Superman grabs it, bringing it back to her. Capes and hair billow, whipping around.
The shaking intensifies, the wind so loud only Superman can hear the others.
Then there's a sudden, unsettling stillness an instant before whatever they've been standing on vanishes.
The heroes who should be able to fly find themselves unable to. All light gone, completely disoriented, they fall.
In pure darkness, they fall...
And fall...
And fall asleep.