Chapter 31: 31. No Time For Questions

Zeff and Sylvan, after swimming for nearly five minutes through the cold, frigid, night water, finally reached a muddy thicket where they were able to pull themselves ashore.

They didn't speak for many long moments. The adrenaline from their fight had worn off about two minutes ago and the two men were mostly exhausted.

The sound of crickets filled the air, and in the distance, on the highway spanning the lake, dozens of police lights could be seen accompanied by the sound of distant sirens wailing into the night.

"What the h*ll was that…?" questioned each man to the other at the same time.

"What do you mean?" They said, again, simultaneously.

Zeff grunted his annoyance, too exhausted to work out who should speak first.

"What was that?" huffed Sylvan, still laying on his back in the thick, slimy, mud. "Could you explain to me why you didn't immediately rush to get me after I was taken away?"

Zeff felt his ears burning. Truth be told, he didn't know the answer to that question and he was too mentally fatigued to reflect on it now. "The shiny guy wouldn't let me." He grumped, but as soon as the words left his lips, he was acutely aware that that was not quite the truth, though he didn't know what was.

Sylvan, however, seemed to be placated by that response.

"And what about you!?" Zeff griped, "How in the world did you get your WHOLE FREAKING ARM back?! And why were you able to fight at full strength for so long?"

Sylvan, after a deep breath, finally sat up. He told Zeff everything that had happened to him after he woke up in the ambulance leaving out the phone and ring. He left out the ring because his mind focused more on Matea and Yessica and what she had said about 'aura' . And he left out the phone because, on top of the fact that he had been pulverized and beaten with it in his back pocket, he had also just taken a dive in the lake… It was likely as good as useless now…

Zeff was silent for a long moment after Sylvan finished the story until he finally said, "'Aura'…? So, that's what Petticoat was using?"

"I guess. I'm as in the dark on this as you are."

"And you said the cops name was—?"

"Yessica."

"I think she has the power to control people." Zeff said as he pooled his legs out of the water and began sliding toward the dry grass a few meters away. "When you nearly— not lived…— she was pointing at you all weirdly and it seemed like she was making you move. She even made you speak, I think."

Sylvan raised his eyebrows in surprise and commented, "Which begs the question: Why didn't she just control you?"

"Don't ask me…" Zeff said, standing to his mud-sodden feet, "I'm just a college dropout with a magic ring."

Sylvan let out a short wisp of a laugh and began pulling himself away from the water's edge.

"And this Matea-lady? She healed you…" Zeff said. It was less a question and more a curious realization.

Sylvan was about to speak, but just as he opened his mouth he caught sight of the massive knife wound in Zeff's back, just above his right hip. It was bleeding, but only lightly compared to how big the wound was. "Speaking of healing, boy! We gotta get you some first aid or something!"

"Oh, this? It's not as bad as it looks."

At hearing that, Sylvan relaxed a bit though his concern was still evident on his face. "Why don't you use that fancy skill you used on me? What did you call it? Dragon's Chilling Cry? Dragon's Lullaby?"

Zeff fingered the tender wound with a wince and corrected, "Dragon's Healing Sigh." with a knowing head wag and a chuckle. "I would if I could… I can't use it on myself…—" He took in a deep breath and then, with a long even sigh, *Shoohw* a thick stream of green mist came from his mouth and enveloped Sylvan dispelling his fatigue and instantly healing the scratches and bruises on his body. "I can only use it on others."

"Woah." scoffed Sylvan in amazement. "But, seriously, what is it with you and mist? First red mist, then white mist, now green mist?" He laughed.

"Like I said—" Zeff began, helping Sylvan to his feet, "I'm just a boy with a magic ring. Don't ask me."

At that, the two shared a short laugh. They were tired. Battered and cold. But after surviving their encounter with Zayn and Petticoat, they were in high spirits.

*Ring-Ring-Ring!* rang something from Sylvan's back pocket causing the man to jump with surprise.

"What is that?!" Zeff inquired critically, at once on guard.

Sylvan was afraid to reach into his pocket. His hands were muddy and he was certain that he would destroy the phone, which was likely cracked and nearly destroyed already. But after several seconds, he finally worked up the courage and reached into his back pocket, pulling out the phone.

He was at once shocked (as was Zeff but for a completely different reason). The phone was in perfect shape. The water and mud slid off of the screen and surfaces as though the phone were made of hydrophobic fabric. Sylvan was to busy marveling and recalling the beating he had just received with this phone in his pocket, that he might have forgotten to answer the call if not for Zeff's terse 'Hey!' snapping him back to reality.

He fumbled with it for a moment until he finally pushed the green 'answer' icon and subsequently the speaker icon so that Zeff would be able to listen in. He didn't know how to answer so he said, "Um—H-hello? Dr. Sylvan White speaking…"

"Very well done, Dr. White." came a high female voice from the other end. "You two performed well enough. I would give you an A+ if not for the seven or eight dead police officers that—"

"Hey!" Zeff interrupted, temporarily unconcerned with who it was that was speaking, as he drew angrily towards the phone so that he could be better heard. "That wasn't my fault! I-I—"

"Calm down, Corad. We know."

Zeff was taken aback but before he could answer Sylvan spoke up, "Matea, we nearly just died. And several people lost their lives… We are not at all worried about whether or not we 'passed' according to your estimation."

For a second there was silence on the other end of the phone until finally Matea replied, "Please, forgive me… I did not mean to be insensitive."

Sylvan didn't waste another second, though he looked reassuringly at Zeff, whose mood was at once brought down by the woman's remarks. "Don't worry about it. Just tell me why you called."

"And how in the world did you get that phone in his pocket?!" Zeff added.

"W-Wha—" Stuttered Matea upon hearing Zeff's question.

Sylvan at once put his hand over the receiver and explained that Matea had given him the phone and he had had it during the whole fight.

When he was done, Matea added, "And it still works even though you guys just took a swim because it wasn't made in the Overworld. It's an Underworld phone."

"O-of course it is…" Sylvan countered, embarrassed that she had heard him despite the fact that he covered the receiver.

"Anyways." Matea intoned. "We don't have much time. The Rings will be on top of you before midnight unless you do what I say."

The two men didn't comment.

"Sylvan. Give the ring to Zeff."

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"He already did… That's how I got these pow—"

"No, boy. She means this ring." Replied Sylvan as he reached into his pocket and produced a shiny red ring. "This is how I was able to fight. This thing removed dRas from my system. The dracoEx, it's called."

Zeff looked at the ring with equal parts awe and concern. This, too, was tech created by the Rings or Rutigorn.

Matea, seemingly reading Zeff's mind, reassured, "Don't worry. This ring only serves three purposes: Removing faulty dRas nanotech from a subject and repairing it. Re-administering that tech if need be. And, most importantly, disrupting the tracking signal that is being admitted from the dracoRex on your hand even as we speak."

Zeff flinched at hearing that. But said, "Why should I trust you, woman!? And I thought there was no cure for—"

"Zeff." Interjected Matea sternly, "We don't have time for questions. You need to take that ring and put it on. Now. On the same finger as the dracoRex."

"Here, boy." Said Sylvan softly. "Do as she says. I trust her."

Zeff huffed defiantly but took the ring into his hand obediently.

"Make sure that when you are prompted by the system you answer 'no'."

Zeff didn't wait another second. He slipped the ring onto his finger as the world instantly slowed and faded to gray, a familiar azure terminal popping open in front of him.

>> DracoEx Model 1.19

>> Capacity 93.55% Full

>> NanoManipulator (dRas) extraction & containment: Successful

>> dRas Repair: Successful

>> Would Subject-01 like to re-administer dRas at this time? (y/n)

"N-No!" Zeff stammered, somehow afraid he would accidentally say yes.

>> Understood. Initiating system tracking.

>> Goodbye.

*Fwoo* came the sound of wind as the world at once sped up and filled with color yet again.

"Is that it?" Asked Zeff surprised.

"That's it."

"Why not just have Sylvan slip this baby on and have—"

"Zeff…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… No time for questions…"

Through the phone, Matea could be heard sighing exasperatedly. "Look, you two. All your questions will be answered if you can make it to my Master in time. You have to get here *within* 36 hours, okay?"

"And where is your Master, exactly?" inquired Sylvan. "And why aren't you two together?"

"Those are questions, Sylvan!!"

"C'mon! Give us something!" Retorted Zeff with frustration.

"Gosh! Okay. But then you guys need to move!"

The two nodded, despite the fact that it wasn't a video chat. "I am not with my Master. Because I am on a mission. I'm working as a Spy... And it's a job only I can do for certain reasons which I won't get into. Now, open the navigation and you will see the 'where'."

Sylvan at once began looking for the navigation app on the phone. It was easy to find, as it was the only app on the home screen. "Well." he began, "Depending on where you are... we— HOLY COW! Los Angeles?!" He exclaimed suddenly showing the screen to Zeff, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Is Los Angeles that far…? I've never been."

"Boy it would take us nearly a month to get to LA on foot. And even if we hot-wired a car, we'd be lucky to make it there in 30 hours if we didn't stop to rest."

"Why are we on a time limit, anyway. If the Rings can't track us anymore, why not just take our time."

"Because you don't have time!" barked Matea. "Do you think there's an open path going straight into the Underworld?! Six times. Six times a year there is a small window to pass from this plane into the Underworld. If you miss this window you will have to wait two whole months before you can get in again!"

"Well, that's not so bad. We—"

"And the ring can only hide you for 3 days at most."

"Oh, dear…" Responded Zeff and Sylvan in unison.

"*Yeah* oh, dear. After that, the Rings will be on you again in no time. And they'll have two months to find you. And trust me, they *will* find you. And Leo won't be playing around next time."

"Okay." Sylvan acquiesced with a sigh as his eyes fell on a nearby apartment complex surrounded by dozens of cars. "We'll be there in 36 hours." he said pointing with his chin toward the complex so that Zeff could get an idea of what he was thinking.

"Great. If it's you two, I know—"

"And you better have a large stuffed crust pizza waiting on us when we get there!" Added Zeff grumpily.

"And some of those little chicken wings, too!" Demanded Sylvan. "With the garlic and the Parmesan, you know the ones!"

"Yeah! And a 2 liter Hoca-Hola—"

"You guys are unbelievable!" Exclaimed Matea. "Just get here ASAP!" *Click*"

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