The gnome mage Phredaria looked up as the door to her subterranean workshop opened. "Jon, is that you?" she called out, readying both fire and ice should the intruder not be the only other person who knew where the entrance to her lab was.
"Just me, Phred!" confirmed Chess, as he came into the chamber. Phred winced - Jon was wearing the uniform he had worn when operating as the ruthless but efficient assassin for Kul Tiras, under the name of "The Rook". Even his helmet was styled with feathers and a beak; he had joked that he had been trained to be a Rook of the rookery called Ravenholdt. That name had followed him to Northrend, where he had operated with Alliance sanction, specializing in commando operations of the kind that disgusted real soldiers - but saved their lives nonetheless.
Phred felt the kind of frustration only someone who watched a dearly beloved friend commit actions which invariably led to self-destruction. The physical and psychic torture he had undergone at the hands of the Crimson Cabal had been bad enough without them adding the Fel addiction of the narcotic Sa'Diablo into the mix -but they had. Phred felt she was witnessing the slow splintering of Chess' mind into chaos, and it shook her to the core of her being. She had no idea how to help, although she had begun searching, albeit unsuccessfully, through the research archives of the Kirin Tor for a cure.
"I need a locator charm, as fast as you can make it, Phred. One of Elaianna's people has been taken, and we need to find him." Jon didn't mention possible consequences - Phred was all too aware of the stakes in kidnap cases. Fortunately, Phred had developed a great deal of experience in such charms when she had served with Jon in Northrend.
"What do you have to work with, she asked, already pulling ingredients for the crafting ritual from her supply cabinet.
"Can you overlay it onto something already enchanted?" Jon asked. "I have a letter from the malefactors."
Jon handed Phred the letter, and the golden anchor pendant Elaianna had given him for communications.
"Sure, if you don't mind tracking the letters' author, and not the victim himself. This a paying job, as if I don't already know the answer?" Phred was well aware of Jon's personal loyalty to the former Kul Tiran ambassador.
"This one is personal, not professional, Phred. The guy missing is a friend, as well as one of the Anchor Trading Company." Jon grinned, tossing a large purse of gold on her table. "But this is for expenses and the remainder for the fund for relocating Gnomeregan refugees."
Phred nodded absently. When work was personal, Jon and she traded favors, hers most often taking rescue runs into Gnomeregan.
"OK, let me see what I can do," Phred reassured her close friend.
"Excellent... if we can't find Joe directly, the Rook will make sure the author sheds light on his location." Phred shuddered. Jon Chess was a gentle but passionate man and a follower of the Light.
The Rook was a ruthless killer and would stop at nothing to achieve mission success, no matter how much it would cost the Jon Chess part of him.
Phred mourned for her friend and vowed to find a solution to both the Fel addiction and his shattered psyche. Something had to heal Jon before the Rook drove him to destruction.
"Just me, Phred!" confirmed Chess, as he came into the chamber. Phred winced - Jon was wearing the uniform he had worn when operating as the ruthless but efficient assassin for Kul Tiras, under the name of "The Rook". Even his helmet was styled with feathers and a beak; he had joked that he had been trained to be a Rook of the rookery called Ravenholdt. That name had followed him to Northrend, where he had operated with Alliance sanction, specializing in commando operations of the kind that disgusted real soldiers - but saved their lives nonetheless.
Phred felt the kind of frustration only someone who watched a dearly beloved friend commit actions which invariably led to self-destruction. The physical and psychic torture he had undergone at the hands of the Crimson Cabal had been bad enough without them adding the Fel addiction of the narcotic Sa'Diablo into the mix -but they had. Phred felt she was witnessing the slow splintering of Chess' mind into chaos, and it shook her to the core of her being. She had no idea how to help, although she had begun searching, albeit unsuccessfully, through the research archives of the Kirin Tor for a cure.
"I need a locator charm, as fast as you can make it, Phred. One of Elaianna's people has been taken, and we need to find him." Jon didn't mention possible consequences - Phred was all too aware of the stakes in kidnap cases. Fortunately, Phred had developed a great deal of experience in such charms when she had served with Jon in Northrend.
"What do you have to work with, she asked, already pulling ingredients for the crafting ritual from her supply cabinet.
"Can you overlay it onto something already enchanted?" Jon asked. "I have a letter from the malefactors."
Jon handed Phred the letter, and the golden anchor pendant Elaianna had given him for communications.
"Sure, if you don't mind tracking the letters' author, and not the victim himself. This a paying job, as if I don't already know the answer?" Phred was well aware of Jon's personal loyalty to the former Kul Tiran ambassador.
"This one is personal, not professional, Phred. The guy missing is a friend, as well as one of the Anchor Trading Company." Jon grinned, tossing a large purse of gold on her table. "But this is for expenses and the remainder for the fund for relocating Gnomeregan refugees."
Phred nodded absently. When work was personal, Jon and she traded favors, hers most often taking rescue runs into Gnomeregan.
"OK, let me see what I can do," Phred reassured her close friend.
"Excellent... if we can't find Joe directly, the Rook will make sure the author sheds light on his location." Phred shuddered. Jon Chess was a gentle but passionate man and a follower of the Light.
The Rook was a ruthless killer and would stop at nothing to achieve mission success, no matter how much it would cost the Jon Chess part of him.
Phred mourned for her friend and vowed to find a solution to both the Fel addiction and his shattered psyche. Something had to heal Jon before the Rook drove him to destruction.
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