[.Ţ̛̼̗͙̞̠͕̲͍̺̈͂̈̽͌́̊̄̚į̴̨͉̱̬̼͍̼̎͛̽̈̔̃͞ͅm̵̧̗̟͚͎̒̒͋̓̅̐́̕͘̚ẻ̵̢̘̻̭͍̤̤̌́̂́̾̚͟͟ą̶̟̗̝͍̘̼̱͇̣͂͑̎̏̒̈͘͞ǹ̵̢͚̮̠̤̽̀͒̀̋̚ḏ̨̛̰͓̣̱͉̣̞͑͊͆̆͘͠͞ S̰̟̟̺͕̞̟͆͂̍̎̾̋͟͠p̷̨̯͕̪̤̃͌̽͋̌̆̄͆͂̕a̶̝̜̦̹̮͉͇̔̉̃͑͘̚͝ç̶̯̮̣̖̃̊̉̒͌͟͡͠͝è̴̲̘̯͇͇̜̜̜̥̆́͌̀̈́ i̜̟̞͇̗̺͂̾̍́̕͡͡s̨͖͈̼̟̹̔̏̀̓̍̈́͝ R͎͔̬̘̩̦͐͆̐̏̈̀̓ͅë̶̤̦͍̹̘̜͕̤̆̔̽̐͟͡l̸̨̬̱͈̙̓͂̆͛̌̀̎͝a͔̦̥͔̭̣̺̋̂͊̍̿̈̋̑́̐t̷̨͈̼̮͖́̊̾͂̓̾͒͂͘͞ͅi̷̛̲̥̪̺̫̻̱̞̅̀̂́̽̕͟v̧̱͖̱̯̰͉͚͋̅́̒̿̊́̈͢ȩ̴̘͎͎͖͖͋̾̒̉͒͞..]
[.Ş̵͖͈͍͙̜̙͓̞͒́̊͆̚i̬̣͕̘̲͕͑͋͒̍̐̉́̚͢͟͡g̢̨͔͚̤̬̞̝̠̅̃̃̓͗͢i̫̱͉̳̟͕͊̆̄̐̊͂̐͒̕̚l̡͎̟͔̗̯̿̽͆̏͊͢,̺̦̰̙̱͇̟̈́̊̓̏̅͆̏͢͢͞ C̴̦̞̲̱͉͎̻̻̟̦̑̿̐̑̉̀̓͒̚͝i̴̲̯͙̺͇̝̗͔̒̊͘̚͠t̡̠͔̘̳͔̫̯̀͐̓͐́̄͘͠y̷̙̥̫̜̜̑̓̋̒̊̏̿̐̉͂ o̱̣̹̤͓̅̂͌̉̒̄̏f̵̨̣͍̝̥̻̮͚͒̉̇͐̄̈́̓̊͡ D̨̼̤͈͕̼́͊̂̾̇̅̚͘ö̧̤̟̭̺̪̭͙̗́͛̑͋̃̾͘͝o̤̝͈̩͆̏̉̈̆̽̿͢͠r̴̡͔̫̻͕̥͉̆͛̒̐̐̍̿̽̂ș̢̡͚̞̟̣̖̳̅̀͂͂̍̈́̊͝͞͠.]
"So we have directions of a sort, with three-quarters of our stories at least coming pretty close in terms of location and direction?" I asked more than stated as our merry band reunited and walked a distance away before discussing the matter. Suspicions confirmed; we were in the Markets and Guildhalls District, Hermes Temple was in the Lady's District a distance (if that had true meaning) away, and while a Mind Flayer or two had been seen from time to time – none had been seen in the last few days no matter the persuasion or bribery attempts, subtle or otherwise.
"It does seem to be the case, but hardly trustworthy in many cases. I'd expect to consider several of the...wares...that some of these merchants offer for sale" Lantern Stewart agreed as we walked amidst the bustling crowd of the rather massive, yet somehow cramped, marketplace. Just a minuscule portion of the wares from dozens, maybe hundreds or even thousands of realities, on offer in just this area visible to us; to customers so varied our merry band didn't stand out in the sea of sentient, and barely sentient in some cases, beings. Wares that in several cases disgusted me as much as they did Stewart and the others; though that was why this group had been sent rather than certain others who might have reacted poorly to the legal selling of those things.
'And we haven't even hit a slave market yet' I noted as Wonder Woman quietly expressed her agreement to Stewart's observation of the shop selling what most people on Earth would have considered a criminal act at best, and what others here would see as high-grade alchemical ingredients...or just ingredients for a pleasant meal of sorts. One species taboo was another's favourite culinary choice my past-self had noted, humanoids being on certain beings 'tastes nice with BBQ sauce' list in the same manner as we looked upon tofu let alone animals we'd count as livestock. Just because we could identify them, with Lantern's rings, as the result of the little horror show back through the portal did not give us any easy ability to intervene.
"Did those merchants give any hint as their supplier?"
"No, though couldn't expect otherwise really in my experience. This place reeks of others I've patrolled, albeit not in such a restricted way as now. Though I doubt the creature itself was thereafter coming through, our Rings identified the traces as several days old and there wasn't any hint of Lantern Omoto having passed through. This place as a whole is perhaps...unnatural...scans function well enough on specific surfaces and for understood materials" Stewart replied while the bulky Kilowog gave a snort of agreement as my teammates gawked around at the alien beings...well beyond M'gann who seemed off in her own little world at times. Concerning, but the whole situation was concerning and sending her instead of her more experienced Uncle just stank of the Justice League's bizarre reasoning in this reality. Or at least what seemed like bizzaro-logic to me anyway, though there were likely good reasons behind it all...hopefully at least.
"Aye, don't like this kind but they didn't show any recognition...on the species whose body language ah and mah'ring recognised anyways...to either this Mind-flaying pooser, nor on Lantern Omoto beyond thinkin' she were an elf and dat they hadn't seen her"
"Look on the positive Lantern Kilowog, these purveyors and peddlers of wickedness shan't be receiving any more of their foul wares from that creature and its slain undead cohort" Wonder Woman offered encouragement, of sorts, though her eyes moved ever on guard for threats from the jostling crowd. I could relate, anything from pickpockets to assassins were possible on these streets – many often with abilities that ranged from bloody idiots trying to bully a dragon, too potentially disguised dragons going through a streak of boredom. That and this was one of the places within Sigil that actually had something resembling a law enforcement system in place rather than gangs of idiots running about trying to murder each other.
'Course the Harmonium for instance, and the Mercy-Killers either, are more along the lines of what our heroes here would consider despotic knight templar villains so avoiding a clash between the forces of Chaotic 'Freedom or Death!' Good and Lawful 'Do Wut I fucking say or else!' Good was going to such a fun job. I dreaded to think of what it'd be like if Kid Flash or Robin were here, or from the Justice League the likes of Kent or Batson; doing the right thing here could easily be construed as doing evil, and evil must be smote with holy fire in eyes of the enforcers who Judge Dredd would fit right in with, if he wasn't considered a bleeding heart liberal pansy that was.
"So it looks like our best bet is to get the Temple of Hermes, hope he's passed on the good word about us, and we try and figure out where our wayward brain eating monster is trying to make it too. At the very least they should be able to point us in the general direction now that we have some idea of the shops that he and his ilk have been supplying to am I correct?"
"That'd be might be my view as well Lantern Stewart, unless anyone's got a better idea?" I replied glancing around and getting shrugs from my teammate part of the planar adventuring band, then up at the slowly darkening sky as 'evening' fell despite no seeming sun "...and we'll probably be able to get directions to a decent enough place to rest. It'll be night in a few hours looks like"
"How is going to be night? There's no sun! This place is..."
"Weird yeah, and how are you feeling without...well, the sun?" I asked Superboy glancing behind me and getting a confused shrug along with the reply.
"Don't know, I feel as strong as normal. Like when I'm out on a sunny day, because it feels like a sunny day!"
Artemis gave a snort looking up a moment, then back to looking ahead and to the sides "Yeah, if it wasn't for the buildings in the sky and lack of any sun of course. How is there a day and night cycle if there's no sun Skulls?"
I shrugged "No idea, I'd say magic but could be an infinite number of other reasons. In part it's why we didn't bring KF..." beyond the rushing ahead and potentially getting lost forever through a random portal to somewhere "...he'd probably spend all the time since arrived trying to find a 'logical technological' explanation for the reality-defying whatever it is doing it"
Wonder Woman glanced back at us, me, with a faint look of bemusement as she clearly ignored looking at what were clearly two young demons arguing with what appeared to be the stall-owner from an insectoid-like race over what was either fruit or small dead animals "And is that why did not wish your mentor to accompany us? Other than the obvious concerns with his inclusion of course"
"Not really, obvious danger of his running about aside...I'm not sure we'd be able to pry him away from the various market stalls actually, that and the risk of the going near the temple district; especially those Bells that are supposed to ring from the Temple of the Abyss" I answered as we engaged in small-talk to district from the odd combination remaining wary of threats, yet stuck some time walking through strange streets. Because John would be trying to haggle over everything here, a temptation I could relate too with each glance and shout from the markets. Nine hells below I'd already bought a Sonic Pistol and an Arc Emitter for backup and study upon our return to Earth as the tech shouldn't be too far ahead of our own to try duplicate for SHIELD given time, and that was just in the brief stops we'd made for information.
'Ah, she read the briefing material in detail at least' I noted as I saw her face darkened slightly at the referencing of that location in the region we were heading to, though her voice was the same conversational tone as we continued on our way through the crowd "A thoroughly despicable place, to foul creatures...and yet this Lady's Ward as it called is supposedly connected to the positive realms as your deity, and Doctor Fate, claim"
"Mostly to 'better' realms, but the portals open everywhere according to the guide, and I ain't gonna disagree that their people I'd like to give a wiiide broad berth too. But I would guess because these are more areas with links to areas of Law, Order, and the like...and those creatures are Lawful according to our scant info, Evil, but Lawful and..." I admitted; because I did agree in some measure, but the fact was alot of those Abyssal Lords would keep the letter of their bargains with mortals – hence why they were apparently tax collectors for part of that Ward and this one according to both our guide-book and the words of the sales-folk we'd spoken too. That and...well, it would be impolite to point out the Greek Pantheon she followed could be bigger assholes and oath-breakers than said Evil Lords of the Abyss, just several of the ones from my patron's pantheon.
"It's not unsurprising Diana..." Stewart answered quietly without glancing at either of us as he unhappily watched guards, well what I assumed were guards, beat on a young...person?...before dragging the alien/demon-blooded boy off "...Law and Order doesn't always mean Good Law and Order been brought to planet. Some creatures can be monstrous tyrants yet their word is their bond, best we avoid them though"
"How can you all be so calm!" Artemis half snapped, giving me a playful/irritated light punch to my shoulder "...we've just got proof of the afterlife! That demons are real! And Angels! Hell! Heaven! And everything that is apparently in between!"
"Well...we are recording things to prove that to governments, but..." I shrugged helplessly at her as we walked, getting a nod a concerned glance from Paula before the impassive mask returned at that statement by her daughter on the nature of the universe "...I knew this already being, ya know, a priest of a heathen religion as many people would, and have to my face, put it in so many words"
Wonder Woman shrugged, motioning at her armoured body as my blond haired friend gave her an imploring look "I am an Amazon, it was most strange to encounter such lack of belief on such matters when I stepped into Mans World. It seemed very obvious to myself, but many of the public reject what their own eyes could see before them for reasons beyond even me..."
'Great theological discussion to pass the time, joy' I mentally mused as the brief discussion began to take place amongst us; or more-so a more general explanation of things considering my own background, Wonder Woman's, the Green Lanterns general acceptance of 'other energy realms/life-cycles in energy form for some species' that both sort-of had, and M'gann's differing views based on Martian Sorcerer-Priests. Though I'd call them Psionic-Druids based on what their beliefs were, and the nature of their powers, than Sorcerer-Priests she mentioned almost uncomfortably. Hmmm...mental note to self: talk to M'gann later and see there isn't an issue that'll get her distracted in a fight.
In fairness it was somewhat of an useful task; this whole mission had been thrown together on the fly and considering we were heading to a temple where one of the head priestesses was a Erinye named Mad Moll...now might be a good time to educate the few months old clone, the former super-villainess and her super-skilled archer daughter of the nature of things in the cosmos. In truth it was something we'd largely avoided due to events since the events with the splitting the world spell, we'd kept ourselves busy with work to avoid talking about the situation beyond platitudes...and evidently now was the time that Artemis had finally broken and decided she wanted answers. Encouraging her mother do the same in a much calmer manner as the evening slowly darkened around us on the journey to the Temple of the Greek Messenger God...
--
Notes:-
I'll admit slightly fillery feeling, but I somewhat want to lay the groundwork for two or three character things that will kick off in the SI's view in short, and for the fact much of the religious issues got buried due to crises...but are starting to come up even here now that people are getting a chance to think on it. ie. People initially starting to accept magic is real, or something close to it is, but now the religious impacts are kicking off with those who weren't religious and just saw 'magic' as a *maybe-real, maybe-just energy manipulation* thing like the likes of Artemis and Paula. And that the SI (as a Cleric mind you) overlooked a pretty big part of his responsibilities due to the desire to 'lay low' and avoid serious theological discussion on anything other than his own terms - instead letting the issue fester even here.