9925/Sorcerer's World: A Fable Darkly

Sorcerer's World: A Fable Darkly
Date of Scene:	31 January 2022
Location:	The Realm of Fable
Synopsis:	At long last the Justice League appears to have truly found Dr. Fate. Now they just have to rescue him... and themselves...
Cast of Characters:	Hal Jordan, Zatanna Zatara, Barbara Gordon

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Hal Jordan has posed:
Time is definitely not their ally.

Indeed, for the Justice League both time and allies are growing scarce indeed. Felix Faust will almost surely seek to enact the ritual that will reorder the Universe and put the supremacy of Magic ahead of Science once and for all. That definitely puts them on a time table. And, as almost always had to be the case, Dr. Doom has proven himself to be an... undependable ally at best, having used the League against his old enemy Mephisto. And while the monarch of Latervia has promised to be there in the final stand against Faust and his allies -- the whole enemy of my enemy thing -- well, suffice to say that trust, always a scarce commodity, has to be running thin indeed.

All of which is to say that this is almost certainly their last chance to save Dr. Fate from whatever alternate reality Faust managed to stash him in when he was overcome. After this jaunt, one way or another it will almost certainly be time to face down Faust, with or without the assistance of the golden-helmed Lord of Order.

Despite the fact that Doom clearly came to the League's aid with his own agenda, the magical ritual he provided to cross the barrier of worlds has proven flawless to date and the meeting room of the Hall of Justice is once again decked out in that black valvet table covering inscribed with the pentagram, the candles flaring bright and that huge multi-faceted ruby glowing with it's inner light in the center of the table, ready to send them on their way.

"This is it," Hal says quietly, some of that customary attitude set aside on this particular occasion. Even he is a little mindful of just what's at stake. And the fact that so far Dr. Fate remains lost to them, despite them having been tossed up against the hordes of Starro the Conqueror, of finding themselves in the midst of a war between two immense powers and even nearly being drowned in the sinking of Atlantis.

Maybe this time will be different?

They will know momentarily as the reddish glow of that gemstone begins to fill the room.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Scowling at the table and its stereotypical magical trappings of the occult, the Mistress of Magic walks around its circumference. The ruby glints as she changes perspective.

"I can't say I miss his face. He never disappoints, does he? The enemy of my enemy until it suits me is so like him," she observes acidly.

In honor of her father, the magician wears her stage clothing, black tux, and white tie, the fishnet stockings disappearing into knee-high boots. Her gaze rests on the others in the room. "We'll manage without his insufferable sense of self. We'll do our best."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara knew of some of this. Faust had left his marks on Gotham too, after all.

She stands here now, in full Batgirl armor with her cape laying motionless behind her as her green eyes peer out from behind her cowl.

"This is beyond insane." She quietly says to Zatanna, as the Magician walks past her. "I understand very little of this, but I've been filled in on the recent ... developments. I'll do what I can to help." She quietly says before the red glowing light fills up the dimly lit meeting hall.

Batgirl's gloved hands curl up in to fists as she tests the strength-boosting features of her suit, perhaps preparing for the worst?

How could she not? Look at all of this...

Hal Jordan has posed:
Surprise, surprise, the monarch of Latveria is not in particularly good standing in the present company. With some pretty good reason. But he's not here. More importantly, at least to Hal, is the fact that if Doom has been stringing them along with this particular ceremony as well, at least they have have some magical assistance of a much more trustworthy nature along for the ride this time. "If you notice anything funky about what he's provided, just let us know. So far it's worked, but I guess you discovered that Doom help always comes with an agenda," the Green Lantern offers back quietly, the intensity of that ruby-red light growing intense enough to make Hal narrow his eyes slightly.

Which says something since he goes whizzing past stars on a regular basis.

"Should have warned you about that Batgirl. It might get a little bright. And be ready. We've been dumped into some pretty dangerous situations doing this," Hal adds, right before that blinding light hit's it's peak. And then, just like that, is gone.

The trio of heroes finds that they are no longer in the Hall of Justice. Or Metropolis either it would seem. Heck, they might not be anywhere familiar at all. The green, open field is picturesque enough -- it's either not winter here or winter is very mild indeed -- and wildflowers add a splash of welcome color along with filling the air of sweet scents. It's a lovely, pastoral sort of setting -- a welcome change from some of their past trips. All except one dischordant note perhaps. That huge, twisting, leafy green spire that twists upward, higher and higher until it disappears into the clouds.

"You gotta be kidding me," Hal says, mouth falling open just a little. "This can't be good."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Oh, Barbara, we will do crazy in spades this evening. Count on us and with the extra special touches that Doom always seems to provide."

The light glows brighter until the world shifts and Zatanna finds herself facing a spiraling tower of green. "Oh, lovely," she comments acidly, turning in place until she is facing the tower again. "It is Jack and the Beanstalk."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Babs just keeps her hands at her sides as she looks to Hal next, offering the Green Lantern a light smirk. She hears Zatanna's response, and just gently sighs. "Well... It's nice to be out of Gotham for a change, right? A little vacation is always--"

She's cut off.

They are transported to the flower vista, and it has Barbara's red hair, and black cape gently swaying behind her in the breezes.

"Uh..." She starts to say as her eyes look around, catch the sight of the tall green tower going up in to the air, up and up more...

"Is... is that a bean stock?" She asks. "Are we..." She looks to the Lantern. "Is your name Jack?" She asks.

Hal Jordan has posed:
It is difficult not to get a little frustrated at moments like these. It feels like they have been lead around by the nose far too often as of late, the search for Dr. Fate taking them through time and space. And now it has taken them to a giant beanstalk arching up into the coulds themselves. It's faintly ridiculous -- like they are the butt of some cosmic joke. And really, Green Lantern is getting just a little tired of it.

"I have a brother named Jack, but no. I guess maybe you should have brought him along instead," the space cop says absently, his gaze following that pillar up into the sky with a slow shake of his head. "Still, I can do this," he adds, a glowing green sword springing out from his hand as he swishes it about. "And he can't. So you might have made the right call afterall," he adds helpfully.

Still, one matter remains. "I suppose we can just keep wandering, see if we come across something a little less obvious?" he asks, glancing between his two companions slowly. "Or we can go head on up. I've always wanted to slay a giant," he adds sardonically. "Ooooh, I could whip up a giant green escalator. I've considered an endless staircase to nowhere before and a bunch of clouds would qualify," he points out. "Or I could just fly us up," he says, a glowing green platform appearing amidst the grass as he gives a shrug of his shoulders. "Whatever."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"And we can sing "Stairway to Heaven' as we ascend the emerald steps." Zatanna's frown reflects Hal's mood. She shoots a sardonic smile Barbara's way.

"Next, we will be narrating our own fairytale adventures.If we know our Doom, it will be a box within a box within nested box with a surprise at every turn.

A top hat pops into existence. With a flourish, Zee puts it on her raven-haired head and taps the top. "Might as well be whimsical about it. It /is/ rather idyllic, isn't it? At least in Hell, you never expect the best at the next turning."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara lowers her gaze down to see Hal form that lift for them. She considers it a moment before speaking up again. "Stairs? Eh. I was never a big fan of Fortnite. Too many kids shooting at me, and then teabagging me afterward." What? Batgirl is a gamer...

She looks over to Zatanna, sees the hat, and a grin appears on her lips. "I love your style." She tells the Magician before she reaches for her belt. "But, I think it best if we're going up there, that we don't all sit on the same target. Maybe it's Donkey Kong up there, and he's gonna lob barrels at us. We better make for multiple targets."

And with that, she raises her grappling shooter and BANG!

Batgirl is off, up in to the air, with her cape spreading out as she starts a repetitive process of grappling, gliding around the 'stock' and then grappling again....

The bat starts to rise!

Hal Jordan has posed:
"Hey, wait up!" Hal calls out after Batgirl as she starts ascending the big, leafy stalk that ascends up towards the heavens. "I'm pretty sure the party is supposed to clump up so the fireball can get everyone," he calls out in turn before shrugging his shoulders slightly. Honestly, it's hard to know just how serious to treat this scenario. It certainly feels less threatening then having down a Starro-controlled Superman, or finding themselves in the middle of a pitched battle between Darkseid and Trigon.

He leaves the green 'lift' for Zatanna though he doubts that she needs it, smirking faintly at the hat. "I call dibs on any golden goose eggs. The life of a test pilot is not nearly so glamorous... or financially rewarding as you might think," he says, flashing a brief grin before he two takes to the air, starting to streak up and up, soaring in circles around that central spire that reaches up towards the clouds.

The green platform waits there in the meadow for a moment and then, with or without any passengers begins to rise up in pursuit of that green streak in the sky.

The higher they go, the more promiment, the more puffy that waiting cloud cover becomes. Passing through it, it feels much like one would expect, the mist cool and damp though the oxygen does not seem to thin and the temperature does not precipitously drop. And when they are through they will find it almost disturbingly firm on the far side. Instead of just a brilliant blue sky and bright sun shine a huge castle sits amidst that field of white, all stark stone and menacing walls.

"This place just doesn't obey the laws of physics at all, does it?" Hal chirps.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Clearing her throat, Zatanna wriggles her shoulders straighter and steps onto the magical elevator. Turned to look outward, she gazes out over the fairytale land,rolloing green and perfect into the distance, wondering what or who is behind this chapter of their mission to rescue Fate and turn the tide of reality.

She wipes at the water vapor wetting her skin as the platform rises through the clouds.

Lips compressed into the frown of someone expecting the worst, she steps off the platform to join Hal. The looming castle is perfect for its genre. Will there be heads hanging from the crenelations or heated oil waiting for them? "Magic seldom does," she observes drily.

"Well, shall we?" she nods toward the waiting castle then sets off.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara hangs from the bean stock as they reach its apex. She lets her eyes roam over the top of the clouds and it just makes her shake her head, as her cape and red hair flow in the wind. "It's gorgeous." She comments to the other two who are stepping off of that lift that Hal created. "I'm not sure what to make of any of this. It feels too ... 'nice' to be good. I feel like we're stepping in to a trap. But what choice do we have?"

As Zatanna starts to move onward, Batgirl releases her hold on the stock, and her cape spreads out again as she starts to fly toward the castle, her shadow moving across the top of the clouds.

Her eyes are covered by her cowls sensor lenses now, and her HUD comes up to scan the place for any additional information...

Hal Jordan has posed:
On one hand that castle is just massive, all start stone and towers that seem to dwarf them into insignificance and a drawbridge that looks like it could comfortably fit a few hundred of them. Naturally up, with a moat of 'nothing', just a gap in the clouds and a very long drop cutting them off from the structure itself. It most definitely looks like it is sized for people much bigger then them -- you know, giants -- though none appear in evidence yet.

On the other hand Barbara's sensors will send back all sorts of contridictory information. What is there before them is caught, captured by those sensors and yet they also suggest that it is not really there. That they are, in fact, standing in the very same meadow where they arrived in this reality, as impossible as that might seem.

Then again, maybe it wouldn't come as a surprise to all of them. Certainly this world seems to just radiate magic -- even if Zatanna is the only one amongst them who can sense it. Her point about magic is well founded -- and perhaps an indication of what to expect is Faust should be successful in their own reality.

"I expect that your instincts probably serve you well. Everywhere we've been so far, something horrible is waiting. I can't imagine this is any different," the Green Lantern agrees with the cowled woman before turning to nod to Zatanna. "I think we shall. I mean, we didn't come all this way to turn back just because of some over-large architecture," he asserts, a giant green hand launching itself from his ring, fastening to that drawbridge and beginning to pull it downward, offering a bridge over that gap.

Sure, he could just fly them over but it wouldn't be nearly as fun. "I suppose we should knock. I don't know about either of you, but I'm not feeling terribly neighborly."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"As my mother would say, "It is a wise thing to be polite; consequently, it is a stupid thing to be rude." Admiring the giant hand, she watches Hal pull down the drawbridge.

"I rather think they know we are on their doorstep."

Marching by Hal's side, she asks. Stifling a grin, "What do you expect to happen? In a magic world there will be no logic. Really if we knock, it might turn into a grand joke."

"Knock, knock."

"Whose there?"

"Nobel who."

"No bell, that's why I knocked."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Babs just stays airborne.

"I'll be honest here. I have no desire to be stomped on like an ant at the front of some giant's doorstep." She grimly says over the team comms. "And furthermore.... I'm not convinced any of this is real. I think there's a distinct chance that we're even still inside the Hall of Justice, and this is some kind of illusion." Which she's basing off her sensor scans, of course.

The Bat sweeps over the castle, intending to get a further bird's eye view of the place, and maybe scout any incoming Giant's, or whatever else may lay beyond the outer walls...

"Nice one, Zatanna." She says dryly to the Dad Joke.

Hal Jordan has posed:
For his part, Hal has got a glimpse of the path not travelled thanks to his brothers. The wife and kid thing. And while he loves his nephews and neices he doesn't exactly regret charting his own course in life. Zatanna's dad jokes might help keep him on that path too, wincing at the Knock Knock jokes before giving a brief snort of laughter. "Well, whatever fate might be waiting for us inside it can't be worse then that," he retorts with a smirk. "We're ready."

At Batgirl's assertions about the castle itself, the Green Lantern frowns slightly and sweeps an emerald scanning beam across the castle walls as well, brow furrowing as the results come back. "Strange. The ring doesn't often come back with indeterminate," he admits. "But it is picking up the energy signature of the Helm of Nabu from somewhere inside. Not that it guarantees anything of course. We've picked it up every other time too. Faust has found some way to duplicate it," he conceeds with a small shrug.

Still, some hope is better than no hope and their time is growing increasingly short. "I think it's worth the risk," he finally states, though he doesn't seem to consider it the end of the discussion, turning back to the other two.

Meanwhile, beneath them on the cloud 'ground', that fluffy mass shakes ever so slightly as if rumbled by some distant earthquake... or some giant footfall.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Hmmm." The ground quaking beneath her feet is much too regular to be a 'cloud quake.' "Something this way comes," she intones.

To exonerate herself from corny Dad jokes, Zatanna draws herself up and in a stage voice commands, "?kees ew stcejbo eht era erehW" (Where are the objects we seek?)

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Batgirl has found a place to perch on the peak of the castle, her cape flowing around behind her as she stares at the clouds below, shifting and thumping.

"Are we sure that this helmet is not what is generating all these 'other worlds' that you have been traveling too?" She asks Hal. "If this thing has been in each one, perhaps he's using it to generate these seemingly endless 'bases' that you've been having to tople again and again...."

Babs hears the spell that Zatanna casts, and she raises her eyes up to try and spy any sign of an incoming Giant...

Hal Jordan has posed:
Much like the Green Lantern ring, Zatanna's conjuration seems to bring up a golden compass spear that points straight towards the heart of the castle as well. It would seem that magic and science finally agree on one thing -- the Helm of Nabu, his requisite other artifacts and presumably Kent Nelson as well are all within the Giant's castle. Or so it would appear.

"Honestly," Hal begins with a small shrug for Batgirl, "I'm a little out of my depth with this whole magic thing. My understanding is that Faust got his hands on something called the Seige Perilous and that's what has been him access to all these different worlds we've been trekking through, trying to hunt down Fate. I don't know if he's found some way to tap into the Power of the Helm of Nabu itself to help obscure it or not. I just don't know enough about magic to be sure," he admits.

Probably not the answer that anyone really wants to hear. Though fortunately with Zatanna along for the ride she might know more. Certainly about magical principles at least. It is a little reassuring to Hal as well. He's really not comfortable taking mystical advice from Dr. Doom.

The precaution of Barbara proves a good thing as the ground continues to tremble every few seconds, the quakes growing more noticable, and indeed in thie distance -- but swiftly approaching -- is a very large figure. One clearly scaled for the castle they continue to hover just outside of. He does not look the massive oaf, but instead a warrior on a scale several times their own, all armored and helmetted, with a massive flanged mace hanging from his belt and a deer about the size of a train engine draped over his shoulders.

Apparently giant sky deer are a thing here. It's probably not the strangest thing they'll see before they're done with this.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
The golden arrow pointing them toward their goal brings a satisfied expression to Zee's face."Guess we know where the Helm is. You kknow often magic and science agree. We just don't always get to the same point in the same manner."

"This is when we may need to be polite," Zatanna suggests with a bemused smile at the giant warrior approaching them.

In reality, she expects a confrontation. Nothing has come easily to them throughout their quest to keep reality functioning 'normally'. She stretches her fingers and stands ready, politely on guard.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara just watches the approaching Giant, and her mouth opens a little. "Okay." She says. "I'm not trained to fight that." She admits over the comms. "I mean, I'm pretty good at thinking on my feet. But... I move to find a way to recruit that guy to our side, rather than go in his house and mess up all his things."

She jumps off of the edge of the castle and takes to the sky again, spreading out wide and looking down to see where Zatanna, and Hal were.

"If needs be, I can try and distract him though, while you two go and retrieve the magical... thing. Or, Hal. Can you create a giant green... woman, to maybe flirt with him?" Babs snarkily asks.

Hal Jordan has posed:
Manners maketh the man?

For his part Hal has always been a little brash. He can be serious when he needs to be, but he has generally found that a bit of an attitude can take him pretty far. And lets be honest, sometimes it is just more fun to snark one's way through a tense situation. And while this situation is certainly tense enough, it is decidedly different then just about any other situation he's found himself in. Unlikely and somehow not quite real. Which is perhaps what makes the stakes feel different.

"Uh huh. So you want me to make a jolly green giant to get busy with our hefty friend over there?" Hal says with a faint hint of disbelief clearly conveyed in his words. "This is the most powerful weapon slash tool in the universe. Do you have any idea what the Guardians would say to me if I did something like that? What my fellow Green Lanterns would say? I mean, none of them would ever consider something like that," he says before pausing. "Well, maybe Kyle. It would probably be an anime giantess. Or Guy. Guy would definitely do something like that."

Either way, while Hal debates the merits of getting flirty with the approaching threat, that massive armored man wanders right up to them, standing before them almost expectantly. Blink. Blink blink. And when they don't act he finally slings that huge deer carcass off his shoulders, sending it thudding to the ground between them. Blink. Blink blink. That helmetted gaze swings back and forth between each of them in turn before a look of confusion filters over the giant's features. "Soooooo... are we fighting here or what?" he asks, actually sounding almost a little nervous.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Lips curved into taunting smile, the homo magi urges, "Go ahead. Dooooo it. We won't post pictures to our Instagram accounts if you treat us all to a nice dinner, Hal. We have your back."

She glances upward and makes a high sign for Barbara's benefit. "Time is not on our side."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
"Oh come on, Lanterns are supposed to do what it takes to get the mission done, I thought?" Batgirl taunts Hal from the skies above.

She swoops in toward the giant again, but tries to stay out of his arms range while she scans him with her HUD inside her cowl.

"He wants to fight... Of course he does. This is why he needs a lady to distract him."

But, Batgirl doesn't keep that up, instead she suddenly swoops down toward where the others are, and lands beside Zatanna. "Come on, lets find this magical item, and see if we can't get out of this... madness, before he stomps us in to little smudges..."

Hal Jordan has posed:
"No, No, No," says a very angry, very petulent voice, seeming to come from all around them -- and nowhere at all.

It is perhaps the giant's reaction to that voice which truly makes it disturbing. Despite his size, that armor and that massive weapon at his side his features just blanche, the blood draining from his expression immediately. He takes an involuntary step back, holding those sizeable, ham-fisted hands up in front of him in a pleading gesture. "Please Mistress, I can do better. It's not my fault, they are not reacting at all like they should," the giant begs, his tone half-pleading, half-whining.

"No." It is a single word, spoken quietly and filled with fury. Mercy, it seems, is not forthcoming today. Almost at once the giant's eyes go wide and that skin that was so pale begins to regain some color. Too much color. The giant's flesh goes from pale white to beet red in seconds... and keeps right on darkening. An agonized wail bursts from his lips and that skin begins to go darker still, dark as burnt ash as flames begin to explode from beneath the giant's skin, a growing inferno that consumes him whole in mere seconds, leaving nothing but ash and flickering embers on the wind.

And then she's there. On the surface she hardly looks anywhere near as threatening as the giant. Those pale features, lips painted bright red. The little heart shaped beauty mark and long pink hair gathered up atop her head. The golden choker around her neck golden breastplate covering her chest. The feathers and fluffy lace gathered about her in a cascade of waves, complete with the pinkish-purple cloak that drapes over her back. "You have quite ruined my stories. You should know better than to upset a Queen," the figure says haughtily as she flexes fingers beneath those long, red leather gloves that crawl up her arms, past her elbows.
https://www.writeups.org/wp-content/uploads/Queen-Fables-DC-Comics-Simone.jpg

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Harsh," Zatanna says with distaste, brushing ash from the shoulder of her tux. She neither likes the woman's petulance, manner of dressing or the way she treats her servants. Both Batgirl and the Green Lantern possess strength and acumen that shadow hers but they don't have access to magic. Holding her hands up, palms out, she invokes protective shields again the Queen of Fables. "!meht tcetorP"

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Standing beside Zatanna and Hal now, Barbara just holds her hands at her sides, her red hair gently flowing against her shoulders as she stares at this strange new development. "This really is above my paygrade." Batgirl mutters.

She spares a glance to her left, to the Magician, as she casts a spell, then looks back to the Queen of Fables.

"We are not here for a fight. We are here to stop fights, actually. If you work with us, we'll be on our way. You can go back to your..." Babs very lightly looks around. "Whatever the Hell this is."

Then she just stares again. "I promise you, we're not here for a confrontation. WE are just eager to get what we need, and go."

Diplomacy. A good tool, sometimes...

Hal Jordan has posed:
The Queen's costume might be somewhat silly, her demeanor might be childish in some respects, but certainly there is power there. Which only makes the entire thing that much more worrisome. "I know why you are here and it is to take another of my playthings from me," she says, that petulent note still carried in her words. "He warned me you would come for him. When he gifted him to me. That turbaned sorcerer. I would have made him my plaything, but the helmetted one was such a nice gift, and I have altered him so nicely now," she says, those eyes narrowing. "So you will not take him from me, like you've taken my giant!" she says sternly.

And not quite fairly, since she was the one who burnt him to a crisp from the inside. It seems that she might not be too concerned with the finer points of the truth.

When Zatanna casts her spell of protection those eyes narrow darkly, angrily and she gives a little flick of the wrist. "Oh ho, it seems one of you has some power. But this is my world," she says, the mirthless smile on her face broad but cold as she looks over the trio before focusing on Zatanna. "I do not care for you. Trying to out-do me. Don't you know that I am the fairest of them all? The attention should be on me, not you, you little witch," she hisses. And then she flicks her wrist again. And in an instant that top hat and stylish tuxedo are gone, instead replaced by some high-necked dress, all in browns, that dark hair instead done up in a tight and not terribly flattering bun. "Beware of children looking for a gingerbread lunch," she hisses.

Then her gaze shifts to Barbara, a little less spitefully and a little more thoughtfully. "Mmmmm, yes, I can work with you. And I've needed a replacement..." she murmurs before wiggling her fingers in Batgirl's direction. That magic washes over her and that black bat costume is suddenly very red instead. "Ahhh, such a fine hood. But do be wary of wolves dear," the Queen states with a smug smile.

Finally her gaze turns to Hal and she makes quiet tutting noises. "Green is not your color. Not at all. Blue, I think," she muses. And the emerald space cop doesn't have any more chance to object before that magic washes over him, his ring actually vanishing off his finger as he's left in stunned disbelief, the green glow around him gone as he instead wears a bright blue cloak with a sword fastened to the belt at his side. Hal Jordan, Little Boy Blue.

"Now begone, until it's time to entertain me," the Queen says, growing irritable once more.

In a flash, they are banished from her presence, apparently appearing within the giant castle. At least everything seems sized for very large people. Including the collection of gilded cages that hang and sway from the ceiling. Cages that they find themselves in. Cages filled with what appears to be a collection of outcasts from Disney movies. There are the three pigs gathered around the table, playing cards. In another cage a woman with long golden hair looped all around her sits with shoulders slumped, that mass dangling between the bars of her cage. A great Beast and his lady in a blue dress. A princess, in her glass slippers. Three great bears glowering at a young woman with golden locks. Dozens more.

<<It is as I feared,>> a familiar voice sounds from behind them. <<You have come searching for me and been taken as well. My apologies, my friends.>> And there, sitting behind them is Dr. Fate. If Dr. Fate was a gold-plated Tin-man at least.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Piffle," Zatanna says quite distinctly.

Her voice rings, "Good at cosmetics are you? We didn't come to play dress up with you, you self-entitled sociopath." With a flip of her wrist, the magician's silk top hat reappears in her hand and she settles it on her head, ignoring the Queen of Fables illusion.

Over coms, "I will portal us into the castle. She won't like it but we tried being nice."

Circling her finger in the air, the homo magi marshals her magic and pulls Hal and Barbara into its sphere. Be prepared."

A blue line grows in the air before each one of them. It widens into a doorway. With urgency, she tells them, "Step through it."

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara appears in a full Red Riding Hood costume, with her long red hair sticking out of the hood on either sides of the crimson cowl. She raises her hands up and looks down at herself in the dress. "What." She just dryly says before she looks up then when the talking near by catches her attention.

A cage? She questions, her eyes taking in the sight of all the other 'characters' here. Some part of her childhood is screaming 'Oh my god, I love this!', but the sensible side of her has her spinning around to see the Tin Man Fate, and the others.

"You Justice League types really know how to throw a party, but if we found Fate, I suggestion..."

Red Riding Hood nods to the magic Zatanna is doing. "yeah, that!"

She tries to move, but steps on her own dress, then sighs, pauses, lifts it up with her hands a bit and starts to run toward the portal.

"This is degrading..." Babs grumbles as she goes.

Hal Jordan has posed:
It is, to put it mildly, a shock to the system for Hal to be suddenly parted from his power ring. The ring is much more then a tool, in truth, the advanced artifical intelligence making it closer to a companion in some ways. And now, just like that, he can no longer hear or even sense that consciousness. "Report," he says at once. "Ring, report," he adds quickly when nothing is forthcoming. Could illusion block that connection between them? He has no idea. He's freely admitted that magic is not his strong suit. But he fears that the Queen of Fables' power might be more than mere trickery.

Awash in his own problems, Hal might not be paying quite as much attention to the troubles around him. And while Zatanna seems powerful enough to shrug off the changes of their temporary captor, it would seem that neither Barbara nor Dr. Fate -- if it truly is Dr. Fate this time -- are quite so lucky.

<< Impressive, >> Fate intones as that portal opens for them and he rises -- creakily, as he apparently needs a goof oiling, shambling to join them. << If your magic can truly subvery the Queen's all may not yet be lost, >> he admits, moving to step through the portal.

That magical doorway stands open, beckoning. An escape, their search perhaps at an end. But as Dr. Fate tries to step through he finds himself unable to do so. He tries again, but it is like trying to walk through a brick wall. << I... cannot pass. >> he admits.

Stern-faced and trying to ignore that cloak and sword sheathed at his side, Hal awkwardly tries to do the same. That scabbard seems to want to tangle in his legs as well -- or perhaps it is just being stripped of his ring that has him flustered and off balance. Either way as he steps towards that portal he too finds it barred to him, pushing against it. No physical barrier stands there, and yet, he cannot pass either.

Trapped. At least him and Nelson. "If you can get through, go, see if you can get help. I won't see it ended like this and there's no reason for all of us to remain if we don't have to," he says grimly. "Maybe we can discover more from the rest of these... whatever they are in the meantime," the once and -- hopefully -- future Green Lantern says.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Some of the supreme assurance that animated the magician disappears like a rabbit into a hat. Not many in the occult world can counter her spells. But then again in the land of fables perhaps not everything works the same. Perhaps, two can play this game. If vanity is the Queen's game then, mirrors may be a key.

"Be good to me Wonderland," she murmurs. "We will walk through a glass, darkly."

Calling on a magic, she seldom uses, Zatanna conjures a mirror for them all. "!rorriM nepO"

"Look into them and see your true selves. Then believe and step through it," she whispers, magically bringing her voice to each of them but the Queen.

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara stands there in front of the mirror, she holds her dress in her hands, then just releases it and speaks the words...

When her Bat costume comes back, she breathes a sigh of relief, then glances down at herself again.

"I'm not sure which outfit I like more, I'll be honest." She murmurs before she looks up again and starts to just walk right toward the mirror.

"This should be fine, I'm sure." She says to the others....

Hal Jordan has posed:
The magic of this dimension might be keyed to the Queen of Fables, but there is so very much mystical power at the ready. Power that can be called on by Zatanna too. When the portal proves... difficult, she is there at the ready with another option, those mirrors appearing, casting those odd, dark images back at them, their selves seeming to shift and flicker in the conjured glass, sometimes reflecting the appearance of them as they stand there, in their giant gilded cage, sometimes reflecting the image of who they truly are, back on their world, and sometimes glimpses of the could-be's and never-should-be's dance across the mirror in brief teasing or taunting glimpses, fading away almost before the eye can track the dark promises.

It would appear that the League's resident mystic just might be on to something as the harder one focuses on their 'true' self, the more it seems to resolve in the conjured glass before them. And as that image resolves, it is almost like a door opens -- a way back to their world. Escape, it would seem, is at hand.

"What are you doing!" comes that familiar, screeching voice, full of anger and disbelief. That anyone would defy her wishes. That they would not simply take the gifts she offered and wait patiently to be called upon to perform their part in one of her 'Fables'. The Queen appears, hovering right in the center of all those hanging, golden cages, those pale features a mask of rage. "You are all mine!" she shrieks, gesturing towards those mirrors as the quartet of heroes steps forward. As they step forward, as they move to escape back to their world that glass suddenly shatters. An explosion of razor sharp glass engulfs their cage, thousands upon thousands of tiny mirror images of themselves leaping from the shards of glass. In time to drag them down? To overwhelm them with their tiny, but formidable selves. Who escapes? Who does not?

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Faced with an ego that reaches to the horizons of the fabled Kingdom, Zatanna has no choice but to protect herself from the shards meant to blind and maim them all. She covers her face, more concerned for the others than herself. Shield pierced, occult protection rendered useless, walking through dimensions nullified, mirrors shattered every disaster has proven her to be out mastered.

Failure to protect the others nearly undoes her.She crumples into herself, and crouches in the bottom of her cage. Her top hat has somehow survived.

Thinking furiously, she riffles through her knowledge of arcana, ignoring the sting of glass that stud the skin on her forearms "Books, Fables are stories. This is her story, not mine. I will not be her slave." Zatanna will not leave this realm without the others.

Through the coms, <Are you alright? I don't know what to do. Let me think.>

Barbara Gordon has posed:
Barbara had a hair quicker step pace and she makes it through the mirror portal before it goes up in shards. But she does turn around to hear, and see it happen. It is a strange thing, like she's seeing it from the other side, and even has tso raise her cape out of reflex to block the glass shards, only nothing hits her cape...

She lowers it, to see that the mirror portals are gone, and she's left here on the other side?

"Fu--" Yeah, the Batgirl curses.

Hal Jordan has posed:
So close and yet so far.

The mirrors are gone and it appears that none of them have made their escape out of this alternate reality, out of this deranged universe with it's insane ruler. Shards of glass litter the floor of their gilded cage and hundreds of their little miniature duplicates race about, dark reflections of the quartet of heroes.

<Fate and I are still here too. We'll figure this out,> Hal says grimly. On the plus side, when he lost his ring he apparently still kept his comlink. It's not much, but it's something.

Looking over the chaos wrought by her interference, the Queen of Fables gives a satisfied nod. "Do /not/ make me come in here again," she says with a distasteful sniff. "Of you will be very, very sorry," she adds before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

In a nearby cage the great Beast mutters. "What a bitch."

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

There will be a reckoning. And soon. The Queen of Fables will surely regret interfering with the Justice League and their allies.