A Beacon of Light

by Nobrains

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

When they did arrive, Titus couldn't help but be reminded of Goldshire. The strange sight of seeing multiple ponies go about the town performing daily tasks reminded him of his home back in the Elwynn forest. Everyone stop for just a second to catch a glimpse of Titus. He felt like an Orc standing in the middle of Ironforge, needless to say it was a bit awkward, but he shrugged the thought off. They at least smiled at him and went back to their schedules after they were done studying him.

Lyra seemed to tell everyone, or rather as they called it, "everypony", who accompanied her about the landmark discovery she had just made. Most seemed to nod and act polite, but muttered and stared at her strangely while her back was turned. She did not seem to notice, and kept going around town, showing off the "human she knew had existed all along." Titus did not want to be the subject of attention, however, he never did, but he couldn't find it in his heart to stop the unicorn.

This went on for quite a while until Titus's legs seemed to scream in agony from the constant walking. He felt like he knew everyone in Ponyville now. He found their names strange, using objects or other such things to comprise them so. Even stranger was the uncanny fashion that it fit them perfectly, they all seemed to have some skill that corresponded with their name and the strange marking on their flanks.

Titus couldn't help but feel like he was in some sort of child's tale they told to the children back at the abbey, for everything seemed even more surreal than he ever remembered Azeroth or the Outlands being, and some of those places were ridiculously hard for him to comprehend.

Regardless, he yearned already to be back in Azeroth, to be back to fighting unholy evils, and to reach Northrend. Even far out in the Outlands, there was talk of expeditions returning from the frozen roof of the world, and many told of the need of the Silver Hand. Even the Argent Crusade would need help with cleaning up the mess that had been left by Arthas and his undead scourge.

The Paladin was beginning to grow even more weary, and soon found himself leaning against a building while Lyra was explaining to a friend named Carrot Top what exactly fingers could be used for. Titus went from leaning, to sitting and began to doze off, still finding it queer how one little green unicorn could be so obsessed with a race that apparently did not exist on this world until now.

After what seemed only like a few minutes, he felt something lean up against him and then a hoof was gently prodding at his face.

"Come on.. wake up..." he heard Lyra's voice muttering.

Titus shot up out of irritation. The nerve of that unicorn! He turned to look to give a piece of his mind when he found worried eyes staring at him. The worried eyes went to that of relief and apologetic silence. Titus couldn't help but feel bad that he had gotten so mad in the first place.

"Sorry about falling asleep like that..." Titus said lightly, he may have woken quickly, but he was still shaking away the last remnants of sleep from his eyes.

The unicorn went back to grinning hugely, she always seemed to be grinning, and everyone around town seemed to always be grinning. He didn't mind it, but it was a bit offsetting when he compared it to the drama filled world he had come from. This world was too cheerful to be true.

"It's okay." She sat down next to him, in a manner similar to a cat. Titus had never seen any of the equine back in Azeroth do this, but he reminded himself once again that he wasn't in Azeroth anymore.

"I was going to show you to Twilight, but I think it's getting too late." She giggled "I waited for like hours while you just sat there and slept.”

Now Titus felt really bad about the whole thing. He had slept through most of the day, until the horizon was painted in a glorious orange, and she had stayed with him. He didn't understand why she wouldn't have just left him there to doze off in the sun (which he found a remarkable feat, considering he'd done it in plate mail.) She waited patiently for him to wake and only did wake him when she had been concerned.

"Again, I’m really sorry about that.." he trailed off.

"Think nothing of it!" She stood back up on all fours. "Come on, it's getting late. You can stay with me at my house, it's not too far."

Titus got up after her. "I wouldn't really want to intrude. Do you happen to have an inn here that I could stay at, or something of the like?”

She eyed him strangely. "The silhouette never said anything about this..." he heard her mummer. She raised her voice then. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I wouldn't want you to catch a chill out here, especially with all that metal you're wearing."

Titus followed after her. "It's armor." He said trying to justify his strange look.

"Armor for what?" she asked.

"To protect me if someone decides they don't want to see me around anymore."

She turned towards him, horror covering her face. "Why would anyone do that? You seem so nice!"

Titus sighed inwardly. These "ponies" didn't know what living in a place like Azeroth was like at all, it seemed, where you could be attacked on sight for just your racial ties. That was one thing he didn't miss about Azeroth, but he still had to find a way back, but there was also Eleii. He would see if he could find any knowledge about the Draenei tomorrow when Lyra would most likely be showing him more of the peculiar sections of the town. He doubted he'd have any luck since Lyra seemed to be the only one with knowledge of any kind of race outside of this world's jurisdiction. How did she even know about humans? Perhaps they were an ancient race, with signs and clues left behind in their wake, like the Titans. Or just in a far distant land, like how the Night Elves were before The War of The Ancients.

He didn't think about it any further as they arrived at Lyra's home. It was a little house, quaint and cozy looking. She opened the door with a turn of the knob, supplied from the magic emanating from her horn, which caught Titus off-guard. So they could use magic too? Quite the feat. From the way it came from the horn, it must have been a hereditary thing.

“Impressive. I didn't know your kind could use magic." Titus said after following her in. He had to duck his head under as he entered the house, but no different than what he had to deal with when he was with the Gnomes at times.

She blushed furiously from the compliment. Titus didn't understand why, but he assumed she didn't get complimented often.
"Thanks. It's what my horn is for." She pointed at her horn to show the Paladin what she was referring to just in case.

The house was as quaint and cozy inside as it looked on the outside. It only had a single living space, a bed in the corner and several comfy looking chairs surrounding the equidistant of it all. She hopped into one of the chairs and sat in it the way a human would. Titus couldn't help but stifle a chuckle from the strange sight.

She just smiled and gestured for Titus to join her. Titus tried to sit in one of the tiny chairs, but found himself sitting on the floor instead, his behind too large for one of the frail chairs to support. He didn't care at this point, he was just glad to be in some place he could rest further without fear of the elements.

He sighed outwardly and caught Lyra staring at him, only to have her eyes dart off in some other direction, furiously. He wondered what about him fascinated her so. While they were sitting here in her house, away from any judgmental eyes, was probably the best time to ask her how she gained any sort of knowledge of his kind's existence.

"So..." He tried to keep his tone nonchalant, but he didn't feel like he was doing so well. "How did you find out about... humans actually?"

Her darting eyes finally stopped, and her hooves ceased their fumbling, obviously glad for the awkward moment to end. Titus couldn't help but feel that she was the only one making it awkward, however.

"Well, I suppose I should tell you. I mean since you're actually human you can't think I’m crazy or anything... like some of the others do." She seemed to be talking to herself, instead of Titus. Her voice lowered to the point that Titus could barely hear as she began her explanation.

"When I was a filly, I had this dream." She caught Titus's strange glance. "Don't look at me like that! I’m serious! It was soon after I got my cutie mark! " She was blushing again, but it seemed this time from frustration.

"I was surrounded by darkness... and then... this silhouette of light came, and he told me all about your kind." She seemed embarrassed and the hooves started to fumble again nervously.

"I know it's a bit weird... but I swear it happened!"

She seemed desperate to get some kind of acceptance from him. Titus did, in fact, believe her. How could he not when he had seen and experienced much more than this pony could ever know? He had been whisked around in the Emerald Dream several times during his travels, and he had learned to believe anyone that spoke with desperate honesty.

"I believe you." Titus finally declared.

Then the load was finally off the green unicorn's conscious. She looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"R-really?" she asked silently.

"Yes, really. Now what exactly did that silhouette tell you about me?"

Nervous fidgeting and fumbling was replaced with a renewed enthusiasm regarding Titus. For several hours, they discussed and joked about all things human. Titus never really had to explain what his people were like or how they acted before. They simply were just another race of the Alliance that everyone knew about and respected (not regarding the Horde, of course) but he found himself pouring out more and more about his people and their culture. He talked about the other races briefly, but she never did hold the same interest in them as she did for humanity. He felt slightly flattered, and he didn't mind the somewhat obnoxious Lyra when they sat and had a nice little conversation such as this one.

He remembered Eleii, and their conversations. They regarded more around where they would travel next, or what they would have to kill for food to eat for the night. He missed those along with his best friend and Azeroth. It was nice to have someone else to talk to, though. He didn't remember ever talking this much in his life, actually.

As moonlight crept through the window of the small house, Lyra finally decided it was time for bed. She didn't seem the happiest about it, however, but Titus assured her that there would be more time to talk in the morning and so forth. So they finally got up from their seated positions.

Lyra, for the sake of hospitality, offered Titus the bed, but after a quick glance at the small thing, Titus insisted that he would prefer the comfort of the ground. He imagined his lower legs dangling aimlessly at the bed's edge. He would be much more comfortable on an even surface. He had slept in much worse conditions after all.

He removed his plate mail, to reveal a red linen shirt. He may have just been removing his armor and such, but the unicorn seemed to be having a nervous breakdown from the scene, and was forced to look away once Titus's leg plates came off. He wondered what the big deal was, but felt he would only make it worse for her if he decided to ask about it.

After Titus was free of the entirety of his armor, Lyra brought a blanket and small pillow from her bed. Titus thanked her and lay down on the hard, wooden floor. He had a busy day tomorrow, but then again, when was his day not busy? He took that bitter thought into a black and empty, yet peaceful, sleep.

Comments

[Emerulf]

"Its armor,"

Its = Something belonging to "it". "Its strange behavior frightened me."
It's = It is. "It's armor."

"Nice, I didn't know you're kind could use magic"
"Nice, I didn't know you're kind could use magic"

Your = Possession. "Is that your pen?" "Your race is strange."
You're = You are. "You're beautiful."
Also, don't forget to punctuate at the end there.

"Titus never really had too explain what his people were like or how they acted before."

"Titus never really had to explain what..."

Story suffers from a few basic grammar overlooks, nothing a pre-reader or a quick edit can't fix.

[Nobrains]

685456

Gotcha. Will hopefully take care of that in the near future.

[Askr]

685465
... said the author, 29 weeks and 4 days ago... :P

[The Shade]

He felt like an Orc standing in the middle of Ironforge,

So he was naked and dancing on a mailbox?

[Bronzer]

Sounds like Lyra met a Naaru.