The story takes place right after the season 10 finale, after Dean killed Death, the Mark of Cain was removed and Darkness was released into the world. I mentioned before, new characters will be added and thrown in the story and I will bring back several former characters from the show in the upcoming future.
Chapter 86 Another New World
The surroundings were quite strange and scary mysterious. Everywhere it was neither night or daylight but somewhere in the middle. There were rocks all around and in between were streams of rivers all about. On the ground they were standing on, the grass wasn't green but dark and shriveled up like they were dying. Further along were wooded areas but they were quite creepy as the trees had brown leaves and just like the grass looked old and dying and looked like something out of a scary story. Way further about, was something that looked orange and bright like fire. The sky itself was not very clear but rather dusky and foggy and it felt quite warm outside. This place was definitely like something out of a fantasy or horror flick, another world, another dimension or something and right now they were standing in the middle of it. For Dean it reminded him of the time he spent in purgatory.
In fact, at first, he thought he was back in that hellhole but after looking about he realized this doesn't look anything like purgatory. Then he thought it could be hell but this isn't hell either as he remembered what hell looked like when he was trapped down there. No, this place is something different but what is was he couldn't figure out however, he just knew it was something bad very bad. Dean just stood there on ground just staring in amazement with fear and curiosity trying to hide his fear as he was trying to figure out where exactly are they. Standing next to him is Ava also now looking quite scared and freaked out as the last thing they remembered they were in the basement in Madame Bess's house where Rowena had managed to get free with the help of that witch friend of hers, had tricked them the whole time regarding the spell to bring the Mark of Cain back on Dean. Then she just revealed to them that the book of Damned doesn't have such a spell and she had sent them on a goose chase driving them all the way to Portland to find that dragon's sewer and kill those damn dragons to get one those beast's heart nearly costing them their lives in the process and only to learn it was all a lie.
Rowena had used another spell on them instead that sent them to this creepy place and they basically helped her without even knowing it. They were so stupid to trust a word she said although to be fair they were desperate to lock the Darkness away again since it was because of him and Sam that Darkness was released out into the world in the first place. Rowena played on their desperation and they were putty in her hands. And now they've here whatever here was, Dean remembered Rowena saying something beneath but still can't figure out what she meant as this is not hell she sent them to. Ava was now standing closer to Dean as she stood there with a bewildered and scared look on her face just looking about staring at all over surroundings and turned to Dean.
"Dean where the hell are we?" she asked.
Dean just shook his head. "I have no idea what this hell hole is but we're definitely not in Kansas any more" he replied making reference to the first line he said when they were sent to that parallel world.
Ava wasn't in a mood for a sarcastic remark. "It's like that witch transported us to some another alternate universe like where that angel friend of yours sent us way back" she said.
"Yeah, I guess, it looks more like the gothic version of the Wizard of Oz, instead of munchkins I'm expecting zombies popping out from the looks of this place. In fact, wherever we are reminds me of the time I was in purgatory" said Dean.
Ava just gave him a "wtf" look on her face. "What, purgatory, you were in freaking purgatory?" she asked with that same expression on her face.
"Long story" said Dean.
"I know you'll tell me about it later" Ava finished as she was getting to used to Dean's crazy stories.
There was a bit of pause as the two just kept glancing about their surroundings which still look like something out of a horror story.
"Whatever Rowena plucked us too isn't a paradise that's for sure" he remarked.
"How the hell will we get out of this not so paradise?" replied Ava scared of the thought they could be trapped in this place whatever it is forever.
Suddenly Dean reached into his pant's pocket and pulled out his iphone and soon started dialing trying to call Sam, however he was surprised to discover that he iphone didn't seem to work at all. He tried to dial again and again but there was nothing.
"That's funny I can't seem reach Sam at all" he said.
"What, your iphone doesn't work?" Ava asked curiously.
This time Dean tried to call up Castiel but still there was nothing. Finally, he just gave up shaking is head.
"Dammitt, can't seem to reach either Sam nor Cas, what the hell!" he cried.
Ava then reach into her pant's pocket and pulled out her iphone. "I'll try to use mine" she said and soon started dialing Madame Bess's home number which she remembered by heart but there was nothing.
Then to test it out she dialed up Dean's iphone number but still Dean's iphone wouldn't ring and then a light bulb went above her head.
"Oh no, mine doesn't work either!" she cried out in shock.
"This isn't good" Dean replied nervously.
"Oh God neither of our iphones work anymore!" Ava cried out.
"Calm down let me try again" said Dean.
He then used his iphone again this time to dialing Ava's iphone number which he also remembered by heart but just like with his there was nothing, no ringing at all from Ava's iphone.
Dean just gave up out of frustration. "Son of a bitch!" he cried out.
"It looks like our iphones don't work at least in this place, I wonder how that is?" Ava asked.
Dean just shook his head again. "Beats me" he replied.
"I guess there isn't any connection in this place" said Ava.
Dean just nodded in agreement. "Yeah, this doesn't seem like place to have any internet connection" he remarked trying to be sarcastic but Ava was too worried to notice.
"That means there is no way for us to contact anybody to let them know where we are!" cried out Ava who was once again scared of the thought of never getting out of this place and getting help.
Dean just turned to her trying to calm her down. "Hey, don't worry, we've been in rough situations before we will get out of this somehow" he told her as he place a hand lightly on her shoulder although he wasn't so sure himself right now.
"How?" cried out Ava anxiously. "We don't know where hell we are just in some creepy looking forest that looks out of a horror flick, how the hell to get out of here and we can't contact anybody face it we're trapped here!" she went on even more anxious than before.
Although Dean was just as worried as she was, he tried to hide it but right now he only cared about keeping Ava calm and he placed both is hand on her shoulders.
"Hey, it's going to be okay Ava, trust me on this, me and Sam have been in sticky situations a zillion times and we survived and overcame them and we will survive this, I guarantee it" Dean said as he was also tying to convince himself this.
Ava gave Dean a brief smile as he removed his hands off her shoulders and then it faded into a frown again.
"I still cannot believe that Rowena tricked us" she said now with an angry tone.
"Yes, I guess we really wanted to believe there was spell to place the Mark back on so I can lock Darkness away and right the wrong me and Sam started" he replied Dean.
"Hey, she fooled all of us as we all wanted to believe we could save the world" said Ava this time trying to cheer Dean up. "I still want to know what is this nightmare place she sent us to" she finished.
Dean just thought for moment as he was trying to figure this all out. "I remember she saying it was underneath and I figured hell at first" he said.
Ava eyes lit up in fear. "You don't think she actually sent us to hell!" she cried out.
"No, this isn't hell I can assure that" said Dean.
"How can you possibly know that for a fact?" asked Ava.
"Well, let's just say I was in hell too at one time and trust me this isn't it" said Dean.
Ava just gave him a look as if to say "it figures".
"You were in hell too?" she replied.
Dean kind of nodded his head.
"And that is another long story you will tell me later I suppose?" said Ava.
"Yes, I guess I got a lot of long stories to tell you" said Dean trying to play it all off.
"Well just tell me one thing, is there any place you haven't been to yet, I mean next thing you're gonna tell me you've been to heaven" said Ava.
Dean just had an awkward look on his face.
"Well now that you mentioned it" he replied.
Ava just have a "Oh my God" look and just shook her head. "Oh boy, never mind, I give up" she remarked as Dean just gave a little smirk.
Then his smirk faded into another worried look. "I just worried about Sam and the rest of them, I mean I hope Rowena and her sidekick hasn't done anything to them" he said.
"Hey, look she didn't kill us so I doubt that she killed them besides maybe they got away or Sam managed to take them both out" said Ava.
Although Dean wanted to believe that he still couldn't help but worry about Sam.
"Still that Isadora witch was able to get by Sam somehow in the first place" said Dean.
"But maybe he got lucky. I sure all of them are okay, we just gotta hope for the best no use fretting about it" said Ava this time trying to reassure Dean although she wasn't so sure herself.
Dean just sighed as he realized Ava was right even though it still didn't make him feel too much better as he was still worried about Sam but just told himself that if Rowena didn't harm him and Ava then maybe she didn't harm Sam and the others maybe Sam ganked them both.
"Still, even if Sam took them both out, he will be wondering what happened to us or maybe she did some hocus pocus on them too and sent them to another dimension or something" he replied now worried again.
This time Ava also had a worried look on her face.
"Come to think about it, if Sam did manage to off those witches then he can't make Rowena do another spell to bring us back" she cried now a bit panicky.
Dean then turned to Ava now feeling a bit bad for worrying her some more.
"Hey, I didn't mean to creep you out even more, I was just thinking the worst, Sam wouldn't just off Rowena like that, he would keep her alive because he would need her to do another spell to bring us back besides even he didn't absolutely have no choice but to take her out he could always contact Crowley for help" said Dean trying to make her feel a bit better.
"You mean your demon sort of frenemy?" said Ava.
"That's right and if she did ship them all off somewhere like she did us, then Castiel would never give up finding out what happened to us and would search all over the country to find her even contacting Crowley for help in tracking her down if that's what it took" said Dean.
Ava didn't look too convinced and had the same worried expression on her face.
"Hey, look I now we're both freak out about this place, but like I said before me and Sam have been in stickier situations in before, I mean we have been to hell and back literally and always come out of it and I'm sure you and I will come out of this situation" Dean finished.
Ava just sighed and nodded her head a bit. "I hope so Dean, I really do" she said although she still didn't seem too convinced.
There was a brief pause between them as Ava started looking around their surroundings again.
"You know rather than stand here fretting our heads off, I suggest we explore this place, although I just hope we don't get attacked or eaten by some beast" said Dean.
"A beast, you think there are some creatures in this place?" asked Ava freaking out a bit.
"Beats me, I was just sorting joking there" replied Dean with a bit of a smirk.
Ava just rolled her eyes at him. "Let's just go already standing in this area is just creeping me out, then this whole place creeps me out" she told him.
They soon started walking about the ground with Ava taking a light hold of Dean's arm as she was still quite spooked out by their surroundings. Dean was creeped out himself although he didn't show it. They just strolled through the spooky wooded area occasionally looking about to see if anything is going to jump out at them. However, the area was quite quiet maybe a bit too quiet which made them even more nervous. As they strolled about they saw a river up ahead of them and walked towards it getting closer and closer.
"Boy, that river looks just as creepy as the rest of this place" said Ava and she was right.
As the walked got more near the river until they were standing on the banks, they could they looked down at the water and could see the water looked quite dark, eerie and filthy looking and it was quite foggy, nothing like the rivers they are used to seeing. They looked across the river only to see the same old thing creepy looking wooded areas.
"I wonder where this river leads to?" asked Ava just being curious.
"Who knows and who cares" replied Dean.
"I'm just curious about this place that's all, still wonder if there is a way out" said Ava.
As they kept staring at the river they suddenly heard a sound and both of them looked turned both way wondering where the sound was coming from. It sounded like water splashing and it was coming from their left. "What was that sound?" asked Ava. Dean just shrugged his shoulders I don't know but it sounded like something is coming from that way" said Dean as he pointed to his left of the river. They sound was getting closer and closer and through the fog they could see a figure that appeared to be a boat and there was a figure standing on the boat and rowing it.
"Look at that, it's a boat and someone is rowing it" said Dean.
"I wonder who could that be?" asked Ava.
"I don't know but now we know we're not the only ones in this place" said Dean.
"Do you think we can ask whoever that is where we are?" asked Ava.
"Wouldn't hurt to try I hope if he's friendly that is but we better be prepared for the worst" said Dean not sure if he should trust this person or not.
"Well here's our chance because he's heading this way and is getting closer" said Ava.
This boat was indeed getting closer as it was heading towards their direction. Dean and Ava just stood there waiting wondering or not if this person could possibly help them or if this was even a person for all they knew it could be a demon or something and both of them were preparing for the worst. They boat was close enough for them to see that the person rowing was a hooded figure wearing an old looking grey cloak. This figure soon rowed towards the bank of the river where they were standing and when they really got a look at it they could see it was a very pale and frail looking old man with a grey beard. There was no color in his eyes and his skin was rather frail and saggy looking and he was very bony almost to the point of near skeleton. Both Dean and Ava were a bit taken back by the looks of him and they wondered if he was some kind of zombie or something as face appeared to be that of a dead person. Both of them backed away as the boat soon stopped at the edge of the bank and this hooded person just turned and stared right at them as neither knew what to make of this or who he was.
Ava was stood closer to Dean and leaned over to his ear and slightly whisper, "Dean what do you suppose we do now?" she asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine on this one" replied Dean.
The hooded figure took out his right and reached it out to him as if he was inviting them to get on. Ava just gave "what the hell look".
"I think he actually wants us to get in the boat" she cried out trying to make sense to all of this.
"Well, if this place isn't creepy enough now we're being offered a boat ride by the walking dead here" Dean remarked.
The hooded figure kept his hand forward and continued gesturing them to get in the boat.
"I don't know about all of this, I mean what do we do, do we just take him on his offer or not?" Ava asked.
Dean just paused a bit and kept looking at the hooded figure who still continued gesturing to them with his hand.
"You know he seems intent for us to get in his boat although I don't know if that's a good thing or not" Ava remarked before Dean had a chance to answer her.
Dean still looked a bit skeptical. "You know I think this fellow wants to take us somewhere, where I don't know and the only option if for us to either get in the boat and not" he said.
"I' m just worried about where part he would take us" said Ava.
"I know but after everything we've been through already, we can deal with that later, I think we should just take the risk besides come to think of it we might be safer on this boat with the walking dead here than walking about in those woods not knowing what to expect, besides if the walking dead here tries anything I think the two of us can take him, so how about it?" said Dean as he turned to Ava.
Ava paused still looking uncertain but after few seconds she just shrugged her shoulders.
"You're probably right, I'll admit I would probably feel safe being ferried in boat by that hooded zombie here than on land right now knowing if some creatures are lurking about to pounce on us so okay let's do this" she said.
Dean felt relieved that they were on the same page on this and he didn't have to debate this with her.
"But I will say I'm not comfortable being ferried across the river by the night of the living dead here and if he takes us somewhere far worse like to our doom or something, I'm totally going to kill you, you got that" she said.
"Fair enough" said Dean who didn't want to argue about this.
They both turned to face the hooded figure who still had his hand up gesturing them with the same expression on his face.
"He's persistent that's for sure" whispered Ava to Dean.
After pausing for few more seconds, Dean said, "Well here it goes".
They both walked to the boat at the same time with Dean walking ahead of Ava and stepping onto the boat first and then turned and reached out his hand to take Ava's hand and help her onto the boat which she accepted.
"Thanks" replied Ava as she stepped into the boat and soon they both sat dawn onto the boat which actually felt quite cool.
After they both were safely in the boat, the hooded figure moved his right hand back and place it back on the boat oars and with both hands he started rowing the boat within seconds. Although the boat moved quite slow, in no time they were being ferried down the river and both Dean and Ava continued looking around their surroundings among the fog which was pretty much the same, creepy wooded areas with some rocks on the banks of the river.
"You know all of this would normally be romantic if we weren't being ferried out a river among a creepy place out of and old horror film by some zombie looking hooded old dude here" said Ava.
"Let's just keep our cool and let this dude take us to wherever and deal with it, no need to be fretting about how spooky all this is anymore" said Dean.
Ava just smiled a bit. "I know, I'm just relieved I'm not going through all of this alone, you're here" she replied.
Dean just smiled and said, "Same here" as he two was relived not to be alone in all of this and even though he had to admit he preferred it to be Sam, he's glad it's with Ava since Sam isn't here.
The boat just rolled far into the river and soon both Dean and Ava started to feel bit calmer and less scared as nothing happened. They both tried talking to the hooded figure a few times asking them where they are and where is he taking them but he never answered their questions or spoke to them at all during the whole ride as if he was either ignoring them or just a mute so they finally gave up. The ride seemed to go on forever when it finally stopped near a bank of the river across the other side. The hooded figure just stood up again and turned to face them as he extended his left hand out towards the bank.
"I think this is our stop" said Dean sarcastically.
"Yeah, I suppose he wants us to get off now which is okay by me" replied Ava.
Then Dean and Ava both stood up about the same time and like before Dean stepped off the boat first and then turned to grab of hold of Ava's hand to help her step off.
"Such a gentleman" replied Ava as she stepped off the boat.
When they both were out of the boat, the hooded man just turned and with the oars, started rowing the boat within seconds and before they knew it, he was sailing away further down.
"Well, he sure was a friendly rider" said Ava sarcastically.
"Yeah, didn't even charge us" Dean fired back sarcastically and Ava just rolled her eyes.
Dean then turned around and started looking around their new surroundings which didn't look too different from where they were originally at.
"So now what?" asked Ava as she started looking about too.
"I suggest we just explore some more. It's a shame our hooded friend back there couldn't tell us where we are" Dean replied.
"Well, I guess we'll have to figure that out on our own" said Ava.
"Okay lets getting moving now" said Dean.
With that, the two began walking about stepping off the banks of the river and soon found them self walking about in the eerie looking forest looking about to see if anything was going to pop out or not as they couldn't be too careful in a place like this. They were walking about for while chatting among each other until they both looked up as the noticed something that shocked both of them. From a distance they saw what appeared to be people walking about.
"Jesus look at that, there are others here" cried out Dean.
"I'm just relieved we're not the only ones here but I wonder if they are friendly or not" said Ava.
"Well, there is one way to find out lets go" said Dean.
They started walking faster and as drew closer they noticed that these people were quite pale looking, with no color to their faces just like the hooded man in the boat. Some were walking about while others kneeling over another river and drinking the water from it. Then they would get up and also just walking about. Dean and Ava just stopped walking and get staring at them.
"Wow, these folks seem just like our hooded friend back there" said Dean.
"I know, it's as if they are zombies or something" said Ava.
They kept on staring at these strange people who they noticed walked rather slow and seemed to have no expression on their faces but seemed to be in a trance exactly like the hooded boat rider and none of them uttered a word to anybody or acknowledge the others' presence. This definitely was very creepy and Dean and Ava were both weary of it all. Just then Ava gasped as her eyes lit up and a light bulb seemed pop up over a head.
"Oh my" she cried out.
"What it is" cried out Dean as he turned to face her.
"This is going to sound crazy but I think I have an idea where we are" cried out Ava.
"What, this whole place is crazy but where do you think we are!" cried out Dean.
"It didn't occur to me until now but thinking bout the our boat rider back there, the rivers, the creepy atmosphere and now those strange looking people who appear like the undead, and Rowena saying she was going to send us somewhere underneath it all makes sense now" said Ava.
"Well, I'm glad it makes sense to you because it sure doesn't make sense to me, none of this is" said Dean.
Ava just swallowed and gave Dean a look as if to tell him to brace himself.
"Dean, I think we're in the underworld" replied Ava.
"The underworld, what underworld?" asked Dean who still was confused.
"You know the underworld, Hades, where the dead go, Greek mythology, I studied it in college but I never once believed any of it was true but I think this place is the underworld Dean" replied Ava.
"No freaking way, there is no such thing, I mean when you die there is heaven and hell but no underworld that's just a folklore, fairytales just like Santa Claus" said Dean.
"Come on Dean, think about it, there are a lot of things that we know that are real that were believed to be make believe, why is this hard to believe, besides Rowena said she was sending us someplace beneath earth, that is where Hades exist, the land of the dead, and those people I think they are all dead" said Ava.
Dean just turned to look at the people again and watched them in their zombie-like state as they kept walking expressionless in a stiff motion and now the thought finally sunk in that those folks are dead and Ava is right about where Rowena transported them to.
As he thought more about it he could only say one thing, "son of a bitch!"