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A Long Road Through Hell	By : errihuseamonster Category: +S through Z > World of Warcraft Views: 7252 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own World of Warcraft or any of its canon characters, nor do I make any money from this fanfiction

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter 5
It seems they would be lucky today, after
all. They evaded more patrols, using the shattered terrain to their advantage.
Laina was glad that she�d gone with dark armor, and Jerlis�s dark brown and
gold choice was less conspicuous than some of the brightly coloured robes she�d
seen on other mages. They darted between the jagged-edged boulders strewn
across the plain, making their way to the high cliffs that loomed like an
impenetrable wall in the distance. The sky was beginning to darken. Laina hoped
they�d reach some kind of shelter soon, but she doubted anything like that
existed.
�There�s a pass in the cliff face, if you
look carefully you�ll see it.� Jerlis said. She�d wondered, but she trusted the
blood elf.
Eventually they reached the forbidding
cliffs. The stone was black, like everything else on this damned and broken
world. In the failing light, Jerlis led her to a passageway that was barely
visible to her human eyes. Before long, they were in pitch darkness. She
gripped the elf�s hand tight, stumbling along after him on the broken and
uneven ground.
�Jerlis, I can�t see as well as you.� She
finally said.
�Oh� right. I think it�s safe, the passage
here is somewhat twisty. Let me just�� a flare of light made her blink at the
sudden brightness. �Better?�
Laina gasped as she noticed that the pass
was actually a thin ledge, no more than about four feet in width. To either
side of her the cliffs towered, and on the right a chasm gaped. She had been
stumbling all unknowing inches from death should she have tripped and fallen.
�Perhaps it would have been better to keep
the light out.� Jerlis sounded concerned at her visible distress.
�No, it�s ok, I just� really don�t like
heights.� Laina said. Jerlis looked back at her briefly and nodded.
�I�ll keep the light going.� He said.
They made their way down the twisting pass.
The wind howled through the cleft, pelting them with grit and ash. Laina
suppressed her fear and concentrated on putting one weary foot in front of the
other. Her left hand was against the cliff side, steadying her walk. She tried
not to think about the chasm to the right.
Finally, they reached a widening of the
ledge. It wasn�t much, six feet instead of four, but it might do. �We should
rest here. We are both exhausted. I don�t suspect we�ll be found here � only
someone who had seen the map would know of this passage, and they would have to
assume that I had never known of it. My guess is they will be searching one of
the portals we came through.�
Laina nodded numbly, too exhausted to
reply. Jerlis sat down, his back to the cliff. She slid next to him. Together,
they huddled for warmth and comfort through the night, sleeping fitfully.
***
Morning brought more grit-laden wind, and
the dim light from the sickly green sky twisting above them. Wordlessly, they
got up, joints cracking from the long, cold night. Jerlis conjured water and
croissants, giving Laina her share. She thanked him, and they ate and drank as
they walked.
�How long is this pass?� Laina finally
asked, after they had walked for several hours.
�Long. I think this whole area was once a
plain, but the part that the fortress was on� fell somehow, or maybe the cliffs
rose, I am unsure. If the map was any indication, this crack goes on for at
least the rest of the day, then it should open up on another plain. At the pace
we�re making, I would say by nightfall.� Jerlis replied.
�Nightfall. How far away is this unguarded
portal?�
�Another day across the plain after the
cliffs.�
�At least we�ll be far enough away that
they will have either given up on us, or be looking elsewhere, I hope.�
�At least.� He replied.
They walked in silence for a while longer,
before Jerlis finally spoke again. �You didn�t have to� have to do that
yesterday.� He said quietly.
�I wanted to.� Laina replied. She had no
need to ask what he was referring to, it was obvious enough. �I like you,
Jerlis. You�ve been kind to me. And to be honest, it had been a long time since
I was last with someone. I didn�t want the demons� abuse to be my last memory �
I spoke true then. And I think, underneath all the dirt, you might even be
handsome.� She had the pleasure of seeing the tips of his pointed ears turn red
at the last. Jerlis didn�t seem to share the vanity that seemed so common among
his kind, or maybe he had been imprisoned so long that he�d lost it. But she
felt a little amused that she could cause him to blush like that.
�You�re fairly attractive yourself.� He
said, not looking back. Laina noted his red ears and tried not to smile. �Although
I think longer hair might flatter you. The black colour complements your eyes
though. Once upon a time we had different colour eyes, and blue was prized then
too. Nearly every one of my people has green eyes now. A consequence of fel
energy. A mistake.� He was babbling, and she knew it. It was kind of cute,
actually.
�Short hair doesn�t fall in my eyes when
I�m fighting, or catch on my armor, or lump uncomfortably under my helmet.� She
said. �My father never let me cut it short. I have not had it longer than
ear-length since I left my family.�
�Why did you leave them?� he asked after a
few minutes of walking.
�I was the spoiled brat of a noble family.
We had a bit of land but not much wealth. My father arranged my marriage to a
neighbor who was far wealthier. I was sixteen, he was thirty years older than
me and known for lechery and cruelty � he�d already killed two wives, and still
no heirs. Too diseased, I suppose. I ran to Lordaeron, lied about my age and my
origins in order to enlist, and lost my virginity to a random stranger in a
tavern. When my father finally caught up with me, he was livid. He disowned me
on the spot. I later fought against the Scourge, he contracted the plague,
along with the rest of my family. I don�t know if they managed to become
Forsaken or if they�re mindless Scourge. For all I know I might have even
killed some of them during the war against the Scourge. I survived, went to
Stormwind after all shit broke loose in Lordaeron and Arthas killed his father.
Then the Dark Portal reopened and I came to the outlands, seeking glory and
wealth.�
�If they are Forsaken, I might be able to
locate them for you, when we get back� Jerlis offered.
�If you like. Sometimes I wonder. My
father�s name was Hector Merewyth. I had a brother named Joseph; he was the
closest to me of all my family members, the only one whose fate I really wish
to know. My mother died shortly after my birth � I was the youngest.�
They chatted idly as they walked, getting
to know each other. Time seemed to flow a bit faster for it. Laina was able to
forget the narrowness of the pass, and the long fall to the bottom of the
chasm. Jerlis, she suspected, was naturally garrulous. She didn�t mind.
The wind picked up and blew black grit into
their faces. The hike up the trail grew more difficult as it started to wind
upwards. Laina was far more able than Jerlis, for whom months of enforced
idleness and poor nutrition had begun to take their toll. As the day dragged
on, Jerlis became more and more exhausted. Laina started to worry about him;
she suspected the only reason he had held out this long was due to the magical
enhancements of his new gear. Eventually he stopped talking, too worn out and
tired to continue a conversation.
She walked directly behind him then, allowing
him to set the pace and ready for if he should falter. She hoped the end of
this pass was soon near, for it was clear that Jerlis was not going to be able
to continue much longer. Yet it wasn�t the exhaustion that proved to be the
most danger. The only warning Laina had was a slight crunching sound, then the
elf stumbled as the ground started to crumble away from underneath him. With a
sharp cry, Jerlis fell forward, sliding down the new scree into the chasm.
Shouting in alarm, Laina forgot her fear of
heights, forgot the danger. She threw herself on the ground, ignoring the
painful jarring of her cuirass. Quick as a cat she leaned over the ledge and
reached down after the elf, grasping. Her gauntlet caught cloth, and she held
tight. She grunted as the full weight of her companion tugged at her arm, and
heard him make a sharp exclamation of pain.
�Jerlis, can you grab my arm?� she asked.
The elf looked up at her, meeting her eyes.
�It�s the same shoulder that was out before. I think it�s gone out again. I
don�t know if I can get my other arm there. I also don�t know how long my
sleeve will hold.� Despite the obvious pain in his voice and the gravity of the
situation, Jerlis sounded calm.
�I�m going to try to pull you up. Are there
any handholds or anything that you can use to take some weight off the sleeve?�
�Nothing. When the path crumbled it fell
inward. There is nothing to hold on to.�
�We�ll have to do this slowly then. I�m
sorry, it will hurt.� Laina said, and began to lift. The effort was enormous.
Her own arm and shoulder ached with the strain, but she continued to lift.
Muscle and joints creaked and she gritted her teeth. As soon as he was close
enough she reached down with her other hand, and grabbed his wrist. �I�ve got
you now. Hold on.� The strain was now shared with both arms and a little
easier. Gingerly, trying not to look at the deep chasm, she inched her entire
body backwards, pulling Jerlis up bit by bit. Every now and then he would gasp
quietly as the jarring motion caused him pain.
As soon as he was able, Jerlis reached with
his good hand for the lip of the ledge. After that, pulling him up onto the
ledge was simple and fast. Laina pulled him clear of the gap in the path. They
both fell against the uphill side of the cliff, panting and gasping. After
taking a few seconds to recover their breath, Laina spoke, �We need to get your
shoulder back in its socket.�
Jerlis winced and nodded.
�Need something to bite?�
�I think I can manage. Just get it done
quickly.� He said. She did, and he shouted in pain. They sat together for a few
minutes longer.
�Thanks.� He said after taking a few
moments to recover.
�I think the socket is damaged, that
sometimes happens after you displace a joint. You�ll need to see a healer about
it if�when we get back to civilization.� She said. He nodded.
�We should get going. I know I�m slowing us
down now, but I really think we�re nearing the end of this path. We will be
able to rest soon.� Jerlis said. They got up, and surveyed the damage.
It wasn�t good. The path ahead now had a
two foot gap. A small portion of it remained, about a foot wide, skirting the
edge of the uphill cliff. Laina didn�t trust it, it looked crumbly. They would
have to jump. She knew she could make it � a two foot leap would be child�s
play; but in Jerlis�s exhausted and weakened state, he might not be able to.
�I�m going to jump across and carry you.�
She said.
�I think I can�,�
�No. You are exhausted, and I am not
willing to take the risk. We�ve come this far, and I don�t want to lose you.�
He looked at her then, realizing what she
had only just allowed herself to admit � that she was developing feelings for
this elf, this member of the Horde, supposedly an enemy. She saw in his strange
eyes an echo of her own feelings.
�Ok.� He said.
They got up. She picked him up, he put an
arm around her neck to support and stabilize himself. �I feel ridiculous,� he
said.
�Just hold on, and don�t let me look down.
This is going to suck.� She said. She took a few steps back, then charged forward,
leaping. The jump took less than a second, but to Laina it felt like an
eternity. They landed on the opposite side of the gap, and she took several
rapid, struggling steps forward as she both felt and heard the ground start to
give. Feeling panicked, she tried to run, fighting the scree. After a few
desperate, terrifying seconds, she realized she was walking on sound stone. She
came to a stop, trying not to hyperventilate.
�Can you put me down now?� Jerlis asked,
breaking her spell of fear. She nodded, not trusting her voice, and let him
down. �Are you ok?� the mage asked, looking at her doubtfully.
�Yes. Let�s just get out of here. Please.�
She gasped.
Fortunately for the exhausted travelers,
the incident with the crumbling ledge turned out to be the worst the pass had
to offer. Fueled by adrenaline from the near disaster, they made their way
through the winding pass. As the sky was darkening yet again, they finally saw
the cliffs part, opening into a cracked and jagged plain. It seemed that Jerlis
was right, at some time some force had lifted a section of land, causing the
cliffs to separate this plain and the one the demons� fortress had been built
on.
Laina stared out at the bleak landscape,
mind dulled from exhaustion and the effort of keeping her fear of heights at
bay all through the long walk. Jerlis gazed about with similar energy. Then
something on the horizon caught his eye, and he cursed.
�What is it?� Laina asked.
�Look!� the elf pointed. Off in the
distance, a dust storm rose, like a black wall.
�A dust storm.� Laina stated, not
understanding the problem.
�The dust storms here can strip your flesh
from your bones. It�s coming this way. We have to find shelter. You might
survive, in that plate, but I�m almost certainly dead when it reaches us.�
Jerlis spoke, his voice low and worried. Laina realized he was right. They
began scanning the terrain for shelter of any kind. The pass wouldn�t do � it
would merely act as a wind tunnel, concentrating the fury of the storm even
further.
Suddenly, a flash of blue caught the corner
of Laina�s eye. She stifled an exclamation, turning to look towards the source.
�What is it?� Jerlis asked, coming beside
her.
�I saw something � oh!� Laina walked along
the edge of the cliff to her left. She walked about thirty yards, and then
stopped, bending down. In the dirt was a glint of gold and blue � how strange!
It was a piece of jewelry, a bracelet, of beaten gold and a rough cut sapphire.
She picked it up, looking at it curiously, as Jerlis approached.
�What�s that you got�?� Jerlis started to
ask as he leaned against the cliff, then cut off suddenly as he fell through
the solid looking face of the cliff. Laina stared in aghast disbelief at the
sight of her friend�s waist and feet sticking out of the cliff wall, and the
rest of him vanished. The feet kicked, then the mage sat up, his top half
reappearing in the wall.
�What the fuck?� Laina squawked,
bewildered.
�An illusionary wall! But what is an
illusionary wall doing here?� Jerlis said, more too himself than to her. He got
up, turned and face the wall, and spoke a few words in magic. �It�s old, too.
Perhaps thousands of years old. The magic is not demonic either� no, indeed it
feels more like� Draenei? What�s it hiding I wonder?� The mage strode through
the cliff face. Laina stood outside, still holding the bracelet, wondering what
the hell just happened. After a few minutes, she heard Jerlis�s voice from
beyond the �wall�, unmuffled and clear. �I believe we�ve just found shelter.
Come on in, Laina. I think we�re safe here.�
Eyeing the cliff wall with doubt, Laina
inched forward gingerly. She put out her hand to touch the cliff, fully
expecting to feel stone. Instead, her gauntleted hand touched� nothing.
Emboldened, she took a step forward. Suddenly she felt Jerlis�s hand on hers,
pulling her. She yelped and stumbled forward into the wall, her reflexes
automatically steeling her for an impact which never came.
�You can open your eyes, you�re through.�
Jerlis said, still gripping her hand. She�d instinctively closed her eyes, and
now she opened them. The mage had a light ball out, allowing her to see.
They were in a cave. The mouth of the cave
was the same black stone as the cliff, but a few yards in it grew lighter.
There was a twisting passage lined with toothy protrusions. She could hear
water somewhere beyond that passage, and the air was fresh and clean.
�This place is infused with magic.� Jerlis
stated, looking around.
Laina realized that she felt safe, relaxed.
She turned to her companion. �I think we should go deeper in. I don�t know what
we�ve stumbled on, but it�s clear that this cave doesn�t intend us any harm. I
don�t know how a cave can have intentions, but this one� does.� She said. She
didn�t know how she knew it, she just knew. She looked at the beaten gold
bracelet in thought. Jerlis finally noticed the bangle, and came for a closer
look.
�It�s magical, but I can�t tell the nature
of the magic. However it is benign, this I am certain.� He said. �Lets go in. I
smell water.�
Laina nodded, following the mage along the
passage. She stared in wonder at as they walked, the cave was truly beautiful.
After a short walk, the passage opened into a chamber, and they sight they saw
took their breath away.
The chamber was huge. Stalactites and
stalagmites grew from the floor and ceiling like multicoloured, fantastic
sculptures. They glistened wetly. On the opposite side of the chamber a
waterfall poured from a hole in the rock, forming a pool below, which flowed
into a little stream and then disappeared into another hole. She realized the
air was pleasantly warm, and what she had mistaken for mere mist was actually
steam. By the pool there was a large flat area clear of the rocky protrusions
that decorated the cave.
Elf and human walked forward to the
poolside. Laina pulled off her gauntlet and knelt by the pool, dipping in a
tentative hand. The water was warm, but not uncomfortably hot. It smelled
similar to the hot springs in Winterspring, the ones that were supposedly so
good for one�s health. She cupped a small amount, bringing it to her lips for a
taste. It had a mineral tang, too much to be drinkable. Jerlis�s water was
better. However�
�We�ve found some kind of natural hot
spring. I wouldn�t drink the water, but I think it�s the right sort for
bathing.� She turned to the elf with a smile. At her words, Jerlis smiled wide.
�Thank the Light. I would have hated to die
without ever having a bath again.�
Laina laughed at that, and began doffing
her plate.
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A Long Road Through Hell