"Can you take passengers?"

"I haven't tried. The woman I was copying could both open portals and simply move herself and others, like a teleport."

"Mm. I do not have any means of dimensional transit, myself."

"I suspect I'll have an easier time with portals, at least, but I'm not planning on stranding you somewhere unpleasant, even if figuring out transit takes a while."

"Speaking of unpleasant places..."

The city comes into view before them. It is built on cliffs, a rough half circle encompassing a jagged cut in by the sea. Even from this distance, it is clear that the lower tiers of the city are much less pleasant than the higher. A palace caps the northeastern edge. A quarter of the circular walls around is what looks to be the main gate, with a road stretching broad to the north before curving west. In the southwest, a fortress guards the coastal entrance. The outer walls are interrupted at intervals by carved figures with bowed heads, stretching up almost their full height.

"How quaint."

"I suppose we're sneaking in?"

"Unless you have a sorely pressing wish to do otherwise."

She laughs. "Not particularly."

"Stealth, then." She contemplates the city for a moment, then points at a particular section of wall. "Crossing there affords us the best chance of success."

She examines the city. "That's my analysis, too. I can go through the wall, probably, or almost certainly under it."

"I can get us through wall. And veil our passage from the sentries."

"Oh, good. A very useful skill."

"One of many I possess. Stay close." One of the ghosts spreads something like a net over the two of them. The colors of the world outside become faded, washed-out, and the two of them within the net's confines look brighter to their own eyes, more vibrant.

Fascinating.

She looks around with interest.

"Do I need to stay silent for this?"

"If this power were working alone, yes. But I have compensated for that shortcoming." She gestures for them to begin walking. They'll need to stay within arm's reach of each other.

Hisame stays close enough, humming.

She brings them right up to the base of the wall. The carved figures, on closer inspection, have chains around wrists, ankles, and necks.

She conjures a ghost that raises its arms and presses its hands to the wall. A black doorway opens between them, and it steps away.

"Through here."

They have strange taste in architecture.

She steps through.

It only takes a single step, and they're on the other side of the wall. The alley they find themselves is littered with rubbish, with weeds both brown and green tangling through the cracks of the cobblestones and a pair of rats gnawing on a dead pigeon.

"Maybe we can inspire them to start a public cleanup while we're terrorizing them," she says, wrinkling her nose.

"One hopes they will at least have sewers."

"If they don't, I suggest torching the place."

"I," she says firmly, "quite agree. Let us see if the main street is better maintained." To their left is a gap between estates, and beyond, the street. It is, thankfully, clear of trash and dead animals.

An improvement, at least. She examines the people she can see, trying to find if she can glean anything about them.

There aren't that many still on the streets, with the sun's last light a fading memory. Those that are still out are walking quickly, finding their homes and locking the doors after. Some wear fine clothing, well-tailored and extravagantly dyed. Others have less extravagant clothing, but no one visible is shabby.