Into the Netherworld (Real Terror Universe)

Thomas stepped out of the boat, his hand gripping his scythe and offering his hand to Taryn with a grin, "Well. Shall we go down the creepy tunnel into the Netherworld?"

"None taken," Charon muttered to Lily.

Hanyer reached out a hand to steady Lily, not wanting her to fall into the water, but then pulled his hand back.

"Get seasick easily?"

She stepped up next to him.
"No, I'm afraid of sinking, or falling in." She told him. She pulled out a flashlight and turned it on.
"Secret tunnnneeeel" she sang softly.

Taryn smiled at Thomas, taking his hand and stepping off the boat carefully and half-expecting the ground to swallow her foot or something like that. But it didn't. "We shall." She heard Lily and laughed quietly.

"I can understand that," Hanyer said. He turned to the tunnel and wished he brought a flashlight too.

Charlie was wide eyed, staring at the tunnel. She could only imagine what laid beyond it.

"Let's go!"

"I'm afraid of the daaaark." She sang in that nervous humming one uses to relieve some stress. She waved her flashlight around in a figure eight, and walked with her friends toward the cave.
"Do they have bears in the underworld?"

"I have no idea," Thomas said as he lead Taryn off the boat. He grinned wryly, "I really hope not."

With that said, he took a step forward and towards the tunnel. He spoke, "Everyone ready?"

Charlie and Hanyer nodded. Hanyer looked at Thomas and Taryn and then to Lily who seemed to be feeling about the same as him.

"Don't worry Lily. No one is going to let you get hurt," he said, smiling at her.

"Thanks. But after all, they are the number on threat to the nation." She reminded him with a smile. She flashed him a grin.
"Think you can keep up?"

Thomas frowned as he felt the world spin around him as he stepped into the tunnel. Although it was dark, he still felt like he was going to fall over. When he did fall down, he found himself in a clearing within a jungle. It was strangely empty, containing only a man meditating and pretty much ignoring him.

"Well, that was fun."

Lily stepped into the cave and felt her self falling.
"Shit." was the only thing she could get out before landingnext to Thomas. She was in a jungle.
"Shit." She repeated with much more emphasis.

Hanyer stepped into the cave and let out a "Whoa" before landing next to Lily. Charlie was soon there.

"That was...weird."

Taryn stepped into the cave and before she knew it her face met the ground in a jungle. Not a pleasant way to greet a place.

She arrived in time to hear Lily the second time. She looked up and nodded, "Shit indeed."

"Well, it's better than a cave," Thomas pointed out, pulling himself up. He offered his hand to Taryn once again as he watched the meditating man with interest. He didn't seem to notice that they were there.

Taryn took his hand and pulled herself off the ground, as well. She nodded, but her eyes were fixed on the meditating man. He must've been very focused, very deep into a trance not to notice their presence.

Hanyer turned to Lily and Charlie. "You guys need help getting up?"

Charlie shook her head and stood, smiling. Then she noticed the man too.

"Who is that?"

Lily shook her head as well.
"Probably some kind of jungle cannibal." Lily said dryly.

"Go away," the man announced evenly, "Om......."

"He seems like a grouchy old man to me," Thomas announced wryly.

"Maybe he'll start floating." She joked. She ignored the old man annoyedly.

"That'd be funny," Charlie said, giggling. She covered her mouth trying to stop herself.

"Go away," the old man said again, "I have little patience for children, especially mortal children."

"Hey! We're not kids! We're teenagers!" Thomas yelled at the old man. He merely ignored them, returning to his meditations.

"Well it looks like that guy isn't going to be any help," Hanyer said, frowning. "So what should we do now?"

Just because the meditating man had called them children, she had the nearly uncontrollable and childish urge to pick up the stick that lay in front of her on the ground and poke him with it. And she picked it up. But she didn't poke him with it. Who knew what he could do? This was the Netherworld after all. "Yes. Where to from here?"

Thomas smiled, knowing what she had in mind when she picked up the stick. She and Lily were always impulsive. So was he, to be fair, but he was glad to see that aspect about his best friends wasn't going to change anytime soon.

"I have no idea," Thomas admitted, "This place looks unfamiliar to me."

(Not really able to cook up ideas at the moment. Feel free to use your own ideas, guys.)

(Abeiya your post made me smile. XD)

Charlie looked around. Since they were in a jungle there was a lot of open space. Getting lost here would be no problem.

"Well where are we exactly," Hanyer asked. He then shook his head. "Well maybe we should head towards someplace with more people. Or at least friendlier ones."