They flew through the clouds, Hanzo saw as he held tight to the transformed familiar. They had long past left the forest as the demons began destroying it in their rage and after some time, they came across a field full of odd-looking constructs. In the center of the field was a large domed structure with what looked like a giant spyglass pointing out of the rectangular opening in the roof.
"That would be Winston's house!" Mei said as Snowball headed downward. They landed near the domed structure and Mei, carrying the jar where she put the peanut paste, knocked on the door. Snowball reverted to his original form as Hanzo watched the door open. The being looked human, but had pointed ears like Moira did in the vision, only this being had short brown hair spiking all over the place and wide brown eyes.
"Mei, this is a surprise love!" The being said. "Winston's in his lab. You know how how he is!"
"I do all too well, Tracer." Mei said. "But this isn't a social visit. I—we need his help."
"We?" That was when Tracer saw Hanzo, who was staring at her. "Ahh...Mei, love, you know who that is, right?"
"I know who and what I am." Hanzo said. "Just as I know you are an Unsellighe." Tracer glared at him.
"I'm Sellighe, actually—a Sidhe of the Bright Court, totally different kettle of fish. And you're the Dragon King, who abandoned his people to Talon and their cronies."
"I do not need a reminder of my mistakes. Now where is this hibagon that knows how to get to the Palace of Mists?" Hanzo moved past Tracer, looking around the household.
"Are you daft?! Mei, is he daft?"
"We need help, Tracer." Mei said. "The demons have been after him."
"Given what I've heard he did, I'm tempted to say let them have him."
"And give Talon a vessel? That's what they want him for."
"Dagda curse them...and you need Lady Mercy's help to stop them."
"Yes." Mei came inside and Tracer closed the door. Hanzo still looked around the domed house, full of odd constructs.
"Mei, love, you know I'm all about helping others, but this? There have been a lot of refugees from Hanamura fleeing to the Palace of Mists. Well, okay, not a lot, just those who managed to live long enough to escape. They talk about the Dragon King—about Hanzo, and they regard him less than they do Talon and the royal court combined."
"How did they escape?"
"With aid of a monk who fled the place before Talon's grip got too firm and Lady Mercy's new champion. They've been doing what they can with her aid, rescuing people from that Danu-forsaken place for the past ten years. What has Hanzo done for them since he left? More to the point, how in the name of Danu and Dagda did you get involved in this?"
"He came into my forest, injured. I healed him, we looked through time, and the demons found him and attacked. When we fled, they were destroying the forest."
"Oh Mei…"
"It'll grow back, Tracer, but right now, we have bigger concerns." Any further talk was interrupted by an explosion. All three of them raced up a fliht of spiral stairs which led to a very large room, which Hanzo saw held the spyglass he saw. The room had all sorts of glass containers and tubes as well as other odd constructs. One wall was made of slate and covered in calculations done in chalk. In front of a smoking table stood a very large monkey-like being wearing glasses.
"Oh my goodness, Winston!" Mei said. "Are you all right?" The hibagon coughed as he fanned away the smoke.
"I'll be all right." Winston said. "Too much sulphur in that mixture. Mei-Ling! This is a surprise!" Then Winston saw Hanzo. "As is this. Why is Hanzo Shimada, the Dragon King, in my laboratory?"
"I need your help." Hanzo said. "I need to get to the Palace of Mists to beseech the Lady Mercy for her aid." Winston just looked at him.
"Ten years your kingdom, your people have suffered and NOW you seek to aid them? After what you did to them, to your brother?" At that Hanzo flinched. "Oh yes, it's well known you attacked your brother, that you killed him for all intents and purposes."
"I have made a grave mistake, many of them. Others should not suffer for my errors."
"But they have, and the Lady Mercy doesn't take too kindly to kinslayers. I'm not sure she'll even let you into her borders if I take you."
"I must try. I must redeem myself."
"Please, Winston." Mei said. "Even if you doubt his intentions, aid is required to battle Talon. Tracer said the Lady Mercy and those in her retinue have been rescuing people from Hanamura, but she said nothing about her battling Talon or their minions." At this, Winston sighed.
"Talon is a very powerful entity." Winston said. "Some say even Lady Mercy's power can't stop them. That's not including the fact Talon's five most powerful retainers are active in the world."
"We know, three of them pursue Hanzo so he could be Talon's vessel; the other two watch over Hanamura."
"Moira and Doomfist. I've faced Doomfist before, long ago. How he escaped from where I sealed him I can't say. But...unless Talon's stopped, the whole world is in danger, so I will help you, Hanzo Shimada, to reach the Palace of Mists."
"Thank you, Winston." Hanzo said.
"Don't thank me yet. Before I take you to the Palace of Mists, you must do something for me in return. I will need certain items to seal Doomfist away again; of all the retainers of Talon, he is the most dangerous. Reaper is said to be the strongest, but Doomfist is a master tactician and strategist; he tends to start wars among others."
"So we have seen in Mei's vision. She showed me things when I first came into her care."
"Doomfist is also a skilled fighter, his instincts are beyond compare. Come here, I will tell you what we'll need to seal him away again, and make up a strategy to deal with the others."