High Roads and Low Roads Archive
There are places that are, and places that aren't. And then, there are places that move between others, nebulous and flowing. Spaces between places are like that. If you find yourself in a hallway, or on the road to some other destination, or in some other misplaced space, chances are, you've wandered into a space between places.
||Continued from HH Jamie's Room||
Slinking silently down the hallway, Jamie could still hear the storm raging outside. He couldn't remember a storm being in the forecast. There was nothing about this place that was familiar to him at all, and that made him very nervous. He couldn't help but think briefly on all the warnings his parents had given, about being captured and used as a test subject in freaky shadow government experiments. He tried to shake the thought off. It was just hyperbole. Shadow governments didn't exist, no one wanted to vivisect him, and even if they did, why would they take him... AND his room... to some run down dusty- house? Hotel? He didn't know what. Trying a few nobs, he found door after door to be locked.
||Continued from HH Yalaa's Room||
Unlike Jamie, Yalaa's entrance to the hallway held no form of hesitance, striding confidently in, sure she could handle any immediate danger. However, in case it was some neutral territory she was heading into, she kept her weapon and shield away from her hands, not wanting to create suspicion that she may be a threat. However, she still stood at over seven feet tall, and in full battle armour, so it was near impossible for her not to be seen as an imposing sight, especially as the glow of her eyes shone through the eye holes of her helmet. Pacing down the hallway, looking at one closed door than another, the room felt like it was one made by Humans. It was the correct height for one, unlike that of Gnomes or Dwarfs, and didn't have the decorative ornamentation of Night Elves. And there was no way it was Horde made, it was too civilized. Maybe it was the Keepers of Time, only they had the power to move a location to another, but for what reason would they need her? Unless there were others who were transported as well, other heroes behind these doors. Stalking down the hallway, Yalaa slowed her step as she saw a smaller figure in front of her, a human boy, or at least it looked like one. God knows Dragons liked to take the form of humans. One way to find out. "Hello, boy!"
Turning at the sound of a voice, Jamie was at first relieved; someone else was here! And they sounded friendly! Then he saw who the someone was. Towering over him and stalking down the hallway on devil-legs, this someone seemed to have a phoenix shaped head, eyes glowing ferociously from some deep location. Weapons, armor, and enough muscle to squish Jamie flat, by his reckoning, this was not a comforting arrival.
"YEEEK!" Jamie let out a shriek, sounding almost like a tea kettle, as he flattened, terrified, back against the door he had just been trying to open. His eyes opened as wide as they could, as he gaped, in horror, at what he assumed was Satan or one of his demons coming to collect Jamie's soul. Stuttering and spluttering, he started mumbling a prayer. It was all he could think to do.
Well, Yalaa had not expected that type of reaction. The boy screamed as if Deathwing himself was swooping down to kill him, and judging from his age, he have more courage than this. Clearly he wasn't an adventurer, maybe just a one of the town folk. She slowly and carefully lifted a hand, showing it empty. "It's alvight boy, I'm not going to harm you." Well, if there were enemies around, they were going to know where they were.
Jamie's trembling jaw snapped shut, cutting his prayer shut. SATAN WAS TALKING TO HIM. AND A WOMAN, APPARENTLY. "Wh... what do you want from me?" He squeaked out. He wished that he sounded more manly, and sure of himself. Then again, he also wished that he FELT more manly and sure of himself. Clearly, he couldn't always get what he wanted. He was suddenly very glad he had left a dupe back in his room.
Hey! Just because she had horns, and a tail, and hooves, did not mean she was a demon! Even if she shared a few features with some demons... Like the hooves, and the horns, and the tails... Offering the boy a smile, then realizing it would not be seen beneath her helmet, Yalaa lifted a hand to pull it off her head. It was just as much of a struggle to get it off as it had to put it on, as while she had grown use to wearing helmets over the years, each new one took some time to adapt to. Holding it in one hand, she kept the smile. "I did not mean scare you, I just vanted to know if you knew vhere ve are. Vhat land are ve on?" Of course, she could always check her map, but lets reserve that thought for when the boy was calmer.
"I- I don't know. I just woke up here myself, and- and I think someone moved my room, because I don't know where I am either." Taking off the helmet helped... a little. A
very little. Was this hell? Did he die in his sleep and now this was hell? Or! Or! Maybe he was still dreaming. THAT would certainly explain a lot.
Yalaa's smile wavered and she sighed, resting her helmet on her hip with one hand as she reached into one of her bags to pull out her map, hopefully that would give her some idea. The boy was not going to be any help, just a scared civilian. "It vill be alright. Vhat is your name?" He seemed in the same boat as she did. It must be the Keepers of Time, who else would do this? Bring a child into whatever this mess was. But maybe he was to play an important role, as even those who did not look like they could be important often turned out to be. Moving her helmet so her tail held onto it, she unrolled the map, the magic woven into it allow for new areas to be revealed as she traveled. Or that was what it suppose to do, as Yalaa was meet with a blank sheet. Waving a hand over it to zoom out, she was meet with more nothingness, not even a hint of what world they were in. Could it be some sort of vortex? The Light knew it wouldn't be the first time her map was unable to read where she was. "I am Yalaa of da Exodar. I voke up in my own room too, and stepped out to find this," She lifted a hand to motion to the hallway. "I vas hoping to vind somevone to tell me vhere I had been moved to." And why.
Jamie's mind raced. He was sure Cordy had given him some book where telling the devil your name gave it power over your soul. What book was that? Was it 'Rumpelstiltsk
in'? Was that what he was thinking of? It was too much. He didn't know if he should tell her or not, and it was one of those situations where he couldn't do BOTH. "Jamie. I'm Jamie." Well, it wasn't his FULL name at least. A nickname. That was ok, right? He tried not to gape as Yalaa handed her helmet over to her tail. "Where-- did you come from?" He managed to ask. She looked like she had come out of some medieval war scene on steroids. She CERTAINLY wasn't from Kansas.
"Useless..." She muttered, her map vanishing back into one of the little bags placed on her belt. The item itself seemed too long to fit inside such a small bag, but as it began to enter the space, it shrunk to fit in. As bizarre as the race was, Gnome technology was a wonderful thing... when it didn't explode that was. "Nice to meet you Jamie." Yalaa offered back to him, before looking up and down both directions of the hallway. There was such a thing as being too quiet and too still, and considering she came from a world where even inanimate items could come alive and try and kill you, she was not 100% confident that they were in a safe location. Her sight returned to Jamie at his follow up question, letting out a chuckle. "Da Exodar, originally." She was tempted to add an 'of course' to the end of it, as all Azeroth Draenei came from it, but until she knew what world she was on, she would hold back on that comment. "And you, Jamie?" Her accent drawing out the first syllable longer than his pronunciation of it.
Swallowing heavily, Jamie wanted to pull himself off the door, but he felt suction-cupped to it, still. "Me? I'm, ah, I'm from Kansas. I've never heard of-- Exodar." He felt this conversation was surreal. He was talking geography with some strange polite purple demon in a hallway he'd never seen before. This had to be a dream. One which he was more than ready to wake up from. "Is it, uh, in Europe?" Or hell?
"Kan-zuz?" Her pronunciation of it was hesitant, trying to take care in repeating it correctly. "Vhere is dat? Azeroth?" Maybe the Eastern Kingdoms? If she didn't know any better, she would swear it was out of Westfall. No doubt a Human township, as it did not sound like any other location founded by Alliance members. "And dis Youu-rrip, is that also in the Eastern Kingdoms? I have no seen it in my travels. Ah! Maybe you are from da Outland, yes?" But she also had traveled around them extensively during her training and while seeing the history of her people. The boy's lack of movement began to worry her, as he appeared frozen with fear. Shifting her mace so it was out of the way, Yalaa bent down to crouch on one knee, trying to remove some of the intimidation of her height. It was a strange sight for Jamie, no doubt, considering her legs bent at such an angle. "I do not mean to scare you. I vas vorried vhen I left my room dat I could be attacked, so I vore my armour. It does not mean I vill hurt you."
"No, no," Jamie sputtered, trying to shake that fear that she was kneeling down to suck out his soul. "I'm being rude. I'm sorry. It's- all me! Sorry. Sorry! I've just- you look-- I mean--" he had no idea how to finish that sentence without potentially getting maced in the face. And not the spray kind of mace. "I just have no idea where I am, or how I got here, and-" Aaand you look like Satan. But in purple. "And I'm a little high strung."
He was more than just high strung! "Child! I do no know how to convince you more, but I do not mean to hurt you." Yalaa spoke, not considering her raised voice might provoke Jamie's state more. "Unless you are some other being, shifted into da form of dis child, dan I hold no malice towards you. I can leave, if you desire me to, however, I am not sure dis place may be safe for one such as yourself, vithout any veapons or means to fight." She couldn't really leave him alone, could she?! He would be an easy kill for any being with ill intent, and she was a Paladin, she was suppose to watch over those that could not help themselves. "Please, tell me, vhy do I scare you? Have you not seen a Draenei before?" Maybe he was from one of those REMOTE human villages, that even the Alliance barely touched. Or maybe he was a child of the Scarlet Crusade, as while they were dedicated to eradicating the worlds of the Undead, they didn't have a problem turning their blades and magic on anyone that got in their way.
Jamie almost did a double take at the word 'Draenei'. His ears thought they heard 'Demon.' It was what they were expecting! But- no. No, it wasn't 'Demon' it was 'Draenei'.
Whatever THAT was.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm so sorry! I don't know what Draeneis are, and I've never seen anything like you except in pictures of, uh-- well, devils and stuff." He winced, hoping she wouldn't take offense and decide to murder his face. "I- don't want to be damned to Hell, and- and I- well, see you... You're-... I thought- Ughm. I'm sorry." He squeaked out, again. Even with a backhoe, Jamie didn't think he could dig himself deeper, faster.
Ah, well that helped to explain the situation. Strange he hadn't heard of her kind, but it only reinforced for Yalaa her idea that he was from a remote village or sect. "I do share some physical appearances with demons, but I can reassure you, I am not vone. I am a Paladin, I fight against demons and the undead in da name of da Holy Light. So you have not to worry about me damning you." Hopefully, now that she had cleared up the mistaken identity, they could move on to more productive actions.
See, now Jamie had a problem. Demons and devils were, by their very nature, liars. Of course they'd say they were on his side, and could be trusted. On the other hand, what if she really COULD be trusted, and he was being a rude, judgmental ass? It occurred to him that as a mutant himself, he should be more accepting of differences in others.
But c'mon! She was a freaking Demon! Draenei. Whatever.
"I know about Paladins," Jamie finally managed to peel himself off the door, standing, and feeling absolutely foolish in his pajamas. "I'm- I'm sure you're a good person. I'm sorry about how I reacted..." His words were good, but his nervous attitude still screamed out that he didn't fully trust her.
"Dat is alright," Yalaa offered him. "If you do not know vhat a Draenei is, but have seen demons, dan it is understandable you vould confuse us." She tried not to take it too personally, after all, all her kind shared the 'demonic' elements Jamie saw in her. "Now, I think ve should try and figure out vhat is going on, yes? Since both of us are in places ve should not be." And maybe she could get both he and her home.
Jamie nodded, wordlessly, swallowing helplessly at the lump in his throat. "Y-... yeah. This is- we should definitely figure out what's going on." He looked down at his bare feet, and his mis-buttoned pajamas. Then he looked back at her. "You seem- a lot more prepared than I do."
"Dat is because I believed dat my home vas being attacked. Something is not right in my room, da lights are vrong. Vhen I looked outside, I saw it was not how it vas suppose to be, so I put on my armour, in case I needed to fight." Unlike Jamie, Yalaa was from a world of violence, of being surrounded and having to fight her way out, and able to back a punch and take down anything in her way, so far. She wished she had her old team here, her healer and damage back up. The five of them together would be able to sort out things. "Now, I think ve should see vhat ve can find. Maybe dere is someone around dat can explain vhat is going on, yes?" She held out a hand, not totally sure he would take it, but at least giving the offer of trusting her hand to him.
Perking up momentarily, Jamie exclaimed, "That's what happened to me too! I mean, with the, the, it not being how it was supposed to be!" He was happy to finally have something to grab on to. They had SOMETHING in common, if only this one small strange thing. "I think the power's out in my... room... oh..." He trailed off, when he saw her offering her hand. Partially, he was just unused to touching people. But mostly he was just uncertain about touching a freaking demon. He tried not to stare at the offered hand. He didn't want to be rude, but he didn't want to refuse the hand offered to him, either. "Maybe there are others. Who are here, like, uh, us."
Yalaa let her hand drop with a smile, not a happy one, but she understood. The boy didn't know what she was, he was scared, it was understandable. "Maybe, and hopefully, dey vill have more answers. I think ve should go and look. Vill you come vith me? If not, I can come back for you." She didn't like the idea of leaving the child alone, especially since he seemed helpless if attacked, but she couldn't force him either. "Your choice."
Jamie felt like a total heel. This wasn't the kind of person his mother raised him to be. Judging people just because of how they looked. "I- I'd be happy to come. If you wouldn't mind me, I mean." He tried to smile, but it came across as pretty nervous, still.
"Good." One less thing for Yalaa to worry about, but at the same time, one more thing, keeping Jamie safe. But that would be something to worry about when or if they were attacked, not before, as for now, they had to figure out where they were actually going. Looking between their two choices, Yalaa turned her eyes back on Jamie. "Any preferred choice?" It was going to be a 50/50 shot either way.
Jamie followed her look, seeing both the "up" staircase and the "down" staircase at either end. "Er. Well. I guess it depends on where you think we'll find more people. But 'down' is usually a good option. Unless 'down' takes us underground. Then maybe up. Erm. Basically whichever way takes us to ground floor, I guess?" He fidgeted nervously.
Her thoughts exactly, Yalaa did not want to get them trapped somewhere beneath ground. "Ve vill keep an eye open tovards any vindows, if ve are losing light, ve know ve are heading too far down." Hopefully they would run across someone before that happened. Stepping away from Jamie, Yalaa headed towards the stairs to take them down, weapons still harnessed, but she kept her hand close to the handle of her mace. Just in case... She was a tank, she always took first entrance into a room, always drew the attention of enemies, and even if she was intentionally doing that for Jamie, it was just part of her nature and built into her.
"Right now all the windows seem to say is that it's raining out," Jamie noted, slightly miserably. Stuck in a nightmare with a purple demon, you'd think he could at least have some decent weather. But no. "Alright. Let's- head down. Unless you wanna try any of these doors? This one's, uh, locked. I checked." He cleared his throat. Yes. 'Checked.' That would be the nice way of saying 'clawed desperately at, to no avail'.
"I have a feeling dat dose doors vill only open if someone inside vants dem to. Dere may be more like us, moved to this place from deir homes. Should be careful, dey may not be as nice as either of us." Yalaa offered Jamie a smile as she continued down the stairs, having turned back enough to look over her shoulder at him. Her hooves fell softly against the carpet runner that traced down the stairs, muffling the sound as she walked. Her tail swung softly in beat with her step, still gripping her helmet through one of the eye holes. Yalaa didn't want to scare Jamie any more than he already was, but this allowed both her hands to remain free.
Honestly, the helmet being carried by her tail was probably creeper than the helmet being worn on her head. It looked like she was swinging around a decapitated head, this way. Freaky. Very freaky. He sighed, heavily, before padding after her, his own steps light on the carpet. As they headed down the steps, Jamie paused, momentarily, to glance out the window. Nothing but rain. He sighed again, not realizing how annoying that could be, before moving further down the steps.
||Continued in HH Living Room||
Stumble!