Chapter 37: 37. Pluto’s Gate

"And what are you smiling about?" demanded Zeff trying to speak over the sound of the boat's motor and the splashing waves as Sylvan sat looking at his phone with a warm smile.

"Nothing. Just looking up some cake recipes." Sylvan called.

"Uh-huh… And surely you know that I know, that that phone can only make calls and texts…"

"I do."

And that was all it took for Zeff to understand that he would likely never know what it was that he had missed out on. But honestly, that didn't bother him all that much. He trusted Sylvan. Zeff knew that if he needed to know something, Sylvan would be the first to tell him.

"So, Dacrien!" Zeff called.  "You're from the Underworld?"

"Born and bred, boy. Born and bred."

"So do you have a gift or--"

"Oh, by the 4 realms, no. I wish i did sometimes though. But it skipped m' generation, it did."

"O-oh. I'm sorry." muttered Zeff. 

"Don' be! M' Da could only boil water with a touch. I ain't missin' much. I got aura though, and that's just as good, dependin' on who you ask?"

"Oh? And what kinda aura--"

"Woah, there, boys! We only just met, now, ain't we? I suppose you be wantin' me bank account numbers next, nuh?"

Zeff especially seemed taken aback by that response, but it was entirely likely that asking about someone's aura was a very intimate or personal thing... Like asking someone there salary. But he hadn't reacted in such a way to being asked about a gift which seemed like pretty much the same thing to Zeff.

Zeff didn't dwell long on that and opted to change the subject. "So. How did you come to meet William?"

Dacrien, without turning around said, "Ah. That ol' fox joined CARA about ten years ago just after it was founded… I don' know the whole story behind how or why he joined, but I heard he was responsible for findin' many of you guys in those early days." At that Zeff and Sylvan exchanged nervous looks. Dacrien went on, "When I began working here, he had already been here for 5 or 6 years. He's a very kindhearted man, that one."

Zeff wanted to say something, but he had no idea what to say to all that. And when Sylvan remained silent, too, he thought it would be better if he let the moment pass. For the next fifteen to twenty minutes the three, Dacrien, Zeff and Sylvan drove in complete silence until finally the boat began to slow.

"So, Zeff." Cried Dacrien over the roar of wind. "Couldya be a Royal and reach under your seat? There's a few somethins' down there for you two." Zeff reached down and grabbed the only things he could find: the small laminated, blue folder (that was already a bit wet from ocean water) and the leather briefcase that Fynn had had earlier. As he picked them up Dacrien slowed the boat down to a stop. "Alrigh'. We made it here with a few moments to spare. I don't know what all he put in the briefcase but open the folder-there." Zeff opened the folder obediently and was shocked at what he found. "Those are your—"

"IDs? Papers?"

"Well, doesn't he have eyes in his rock head? Yeah. On behalf of the Cast-Away Recovery Association, I hereby—"

"The what, now?" interjected Sylvan with a raised eyebrow.

"Huh? The Cast-Away Recovery Association? C.A.R.A?! Doesn' ring a bell, nonuvit?" The two men sat looking with blank stares at Dacrien. "Hoo-now! Don' tell me that scrum didn' fill ya guys in on nothin'!"

"We literally have no idea what's happening to us right now." admitted Zeff with a shrug.

"Flying Finnius!" cursed Dacrien, causing Zeff and Sylvan alike to flinch at the sudden mention of his dad's name. Before they could comment on the strange expression, however, Dacrien looked at his watch and said, "We only got moments now, men. So I'll tell you the mos' impor'ant parts." He cleared his throat. "I work for CARA, same as the ol' blockhead, Fynn. We do our best to bring Cast-Aways like you lot back into the Underworld where you belong, nuh?"

"What is a Cas—" Zeff began, but Sylvan nudged him gently in the ribs.

"Go on." insisted Sylvan.

"Well." Dacrien continued, undeterred. "I guess that's about it. We give you documents and identification so you can live peacibly and safely in the Underworld, and reconnect with your roots. Oh, and in your case, Zeff, we give all student-age Cast-Aways full scholarships to University."

"Thanks… I'm honored…" Zeff muttered.

"You should be! I hear Obsidia has a nice institution. Though I wouldn't know, m'self. I'm Divi through and through, after all. But I'm sure you'll love it there!" With that he laughed heartily.

'What the h*ll is this fool even talking about!! Divi? Obsidia?' Zeff thought to himself as he fought the urge to scream at the top of his lungs. He controlled himself, however, and said, "Thanks… I'm looking forward to it…"

"No problem. At CARA, we are dedicated to undoin' the mistakes of the past." With that he smiled so big that Zeff almost forgot his frustration and dread, and he couldn't help but give the sincere old man a warm smile. "So do you fellas know wha' House your ancestors were originally from?"

Neither man knew what to say to that, so they simply kept quiet, looking nervously at each other.

Dacrien sighed. "No harm in not knowin'… It ain't your fault, no way… That so-called cleanse! Hah! It's shameful the atrocities otherwise good people can commit when they're afraid… I'll never understand wha' my ancestors were thinkin' with that one…"

Zeff and Sylvan, looking at each other again with bewildered expressions, were now only more confused than when Dacrien had first began to talk.

"Now." Dacrien said looking yet again at his watch. "The gate'll be openin' in less than a minute. You two will be comin' up at the Embassy, I wager, or perhaps the University, dependin' on how Fynn set it all up for ya." And with that he fell silent, looking out over the water. Leaving Sylvan and Zeff to only imagine what he meant by 'comin' up'.

"Why did you stop me from asking about this 'Cast-Away' stuff?" whispered Zeff to Sylvan.

"Well, we certainly aren't Cast-Aways, whatever that means… And how do you think we got personal documents and ID cards without filling out any forms or paperwork? It's possible that Fynn forged some things due to time constraints so that we could get to safety. He left us this briefcase.—" he pointed to the case in Zeff's lap, "—Knowing him, he left us some info—"

*Shoowaaaah!* The roar of turbulent water suddenly filled the air.

"And here we are!" cried Dacrien over the raucous. "Right on time, nun?"

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The small boat began to pitch and bounce as water and waves rocked it violently to and fro.

"What's happening!" Zeff screamed, his heart beating so loud that it was nearly drowning out the sound of the waves.

"Havyi cookies for ears, Zeff. It's the gate!" Called Dacrien with a laugh that was far to hysterical for someone who had supposedly done this dozens of times.

The roaring of the water only got louder, even though nothing else seemed to be happening.

But then suddenly Zeff caught a glimpse of something moving under the water just beneath the boat. Something black, massive and perfectly round was rising up from the depths at incredible speed. Due to the water, Zeff couldn't tell how deep it was at first. But with each passing second he was both astonished and terrified as the object, just went it seemed that it could get no bigger, continued to expand and grow. At first it had seemed like it was no bigger in diameter than a car, then a bus, then a plane.

It was so massive now that Zeff's imagination began to play tricks on him. He could have sworn a giant ocean monster was rising towards them, his mouth open, ready to swallow their small boat in one gulp like an elephant eat a peanut.

However, as the object drew even closer to the surface, catching more and more light, Zeff realized it was not a living thing but an object. A massive plate-like structure, it's flat face pushing humongous amounts of ocean water out of its way as it rose until *Pushaooh* it broke the surface sending a small lakes worth of water into the air.

"Ahhahaha!" exclaimed Dacrien with glee as the water blasted his boat, capsizing it and sending the man into the water!

Zeff was sure he was about to drown as he fell nearly headlong into the Ocean. But, to his surprise, the men were not thrown into the depths of the ocean but instead were somehow only about ankle deep in it.

Zeff looked around alarmed trying to make sense of what was going on.

"We're walking on water…" said Sylvan, amazed.

"Don't be silly! Just open your eyes." replied Dacrien.

Dacrien was right. As soon as Zeff rubbed the salt water out of his eyes he was able to clearly understand what was going on. The plate-like object, upon hitting the surface, had stopped on a dime at just the right elevation so that the men could stand on it without any problem. It was like a stage platform that had been built in two parts. A lower part where Zeff and the men were standing that took up the outer edge of the platform as well as a slightly elevated central surface that took up the majority of the structures surface area which was about waist high. All and all, the whole thing was shaped like the world's most gigantic top hat that been smushed down. In all it looked to be about 10 to 15 meters in diameter.

Zeff bent over to study the surface of the structure that was just beneath the surface of the water. It appeared smooth and shiny like marble but when he touched it it felt slightly rubbery. To say it had likely been under the water for the last two months, it was immaculately white and free of dirt and wear.

"Foxes and Firebrands…" marveled Zeff as he realized that this whole structure, exactly as he was looking at it, had pushed, with its flat surface, through several tons of water like it was nothing.

"You got that right…" responded Sylvan, his mouth agape. "But. How…? There's no way this massive thing could come to the surface like that without immense amounts of energy…"

"Hoo-boy!" exclaimed Dacrien with glee as he looked at Zeff and Sylvan's shocked expressions. "This is always my favorite part! Seeing the looks on your faces! But jus' wai' until—"

*Ggggghhhr!* Suddenly the large upper platform began to shake and rumble and… melt! The seemingly solid surface of the elevated platform began to melt away, falling away and down into nothingness until the whole upper platform had dissolved leaving nothing but a a pit as deep and ominous as something from a child's night terrors.

Zeff's legs went numb as he looked at the otherworldly sight that had unfolded in front of him. If that was where he was meant to go, into that bottomless pit, there was no doubt in his mind… he wouldn't be traveling to the Underworld anytime soon.

"And now, men, witness how the Underworld got her name…" Dacrien was mostly serious now as he looked, sternly at the scene. "And no, ya never git used to seein' it…"

"Dacrien. W-what do you call this place-- er, uh -- thing?"

"It has many name's to many people, boy... But mos', including m'self, call it 'Pluto's Gate'."

At that moment Zeff chanced a look at Sylvan to see how he would react to the moniker and was surprised to see an excited smirk touching the edges of his lips. "You better stop that smiling, Sylvan!" Zeff demanded sharply.

"Why? Are you not excited, boy!"

"Excited?!" Zeff repeated in disbelief. Even Dacrien raised a critical eyebrow at seeing the wanderlust in Sylvan's eyes.

"Imagine what we're about to experience? A completely new world… A world unseen, full of adventure and danger. Isn't it romantic…?"

At that Zeff raised an eyebrow and whispered, "I guess you're right…" to which Dacrien raised both of his bushy brows and burst into laughter. "Now, I knew you two were a bit fuddled in the ol' head. But this is somethin' else!! Bahaha! Who woulda thunk it. That a sane man could look at this hole to the center of the earth and see adventure and *romance*!? I done seen about everything in all me'days of being a ferrymen to the Underworld. But I never seen that!"

Sylvan and Zeff weren't sure whether to join him for a laugh or to be quietly insulted. But in the end they landed somewhere in between; laughing quietly to themselves.

"Hoo-boy! I needed that one." sighed Dacrien as he rubbed a tear from his eye. "Alrigh'. Might as well ge'to it, then, nuh? This thing will only be open for about 1 minute or so more."

"What!?" exclaimed Zeff. "Only a minute! After all that splashin' and risin'?!"

"Ah, ya thought you'd be able to get yerself 'mentally prepared', is that it?" inquired Dacrien with a sly smile. "Well unfortunately for you, boy, there's no time for that."

Zeff craned his neck cautiously over the edge of the pit so that he could looked for the bottom. And, of course, there was no bottom to be seen…

"Well, it was a pleasure, Dacrien. I'm sure we'll see you again someday." Said Sylvan shaking the ferryman's hand.

"Don't mention it and I'm sure we will." chuckled Dacrien. "Now make sure the boy-there gets his scrum over the edge before it's too late, nuh?"

"Of course." said Sylvan grabbing Zeff, who was still looking gobsmacked into the deep, by the collar of his jacket.

"H-Hey! What are you— No?! Don't you dare!!! Syl—" was the last thing he was able to say before Sylvan had lifted him off of his feet like a newborn baby and thrown him into the pit screaming for dear life.

"Alright, then." He called, giving the ferryman a salute. "Buh-bye!" Then he jumped in himself.

"Bahaha!" roared Dacrien as Zeff's screams faded into nothing. "I really like those two, I tell you! I'd swear by the four realms that they got scrums as big as bowling balls!" he sighed as he began to look this way and that in search of something. "Now… Where's m' boat…"

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