"I have to do this, Lynesia.. you know I can't not do this," Jon Chess said. The spectre of Theramore, the deaths of all those he had let himself come to care about and love, still haunted him. He had spent a lot of time after the destruction of Theramore hunting and killing Horde orcs and Bilgewater Cartel goblins, trying to assuage his guilt at having survived when everyone he cared about had perished. Only being called to the Northrend campaign had stopped his depredations... officially. After the war in Northrend, he had been afflicted by a sickness of the spirit, thinking that his only use to anyone was as a spy and assassin. He had settled in Hearthglen, doing scouting for the Argent Crusade, and had met a paladin lady who had thought him redeemable - until she had sent him away in disgust when she had discovered some of the truths of his past. Broken in spirit, Jon had returned to Stormwind, and begun his career as a Private Investigator, trying to help the people of Old Town, using his skills and abilities to protect rather than destroy.
Now, there was a need for him to dust off the mantle of the Rook. The Legion had developed a new type of undead pawn of dreadlords, undetectable, or nearly so There was one in Silvermoon, in Ogrimmar, in the Undercity, and in Thunder Bluff. Others were also located in Alliance capital cities as well, but hunting and killing - "taking the pieces off the board", as Jon called it - was someone else's assignment.
Elling Trias knew that Chess had stopped operating as an assassin for te Alliance military - but need was a harsh mistress.
"I know you have to go, Jonny. I know what it costs you, but I also know how you are about doing what you think you need to do. I even know that Trias wouldn't ask you except in dire need... I just..." Lynesia Deh'lorei turned away so Cjess would not see the tears that threatened to escape from where her will had them constrained. "Promise me you won't despair. Promise me you'll not run down that dark road as 'Rook' again. Promise me... promise me you will come back, safe and still Jon Chess."
Jon could hear the worry and anguish in Lynesia's voice, and softly said: "You always told me you were never worried when I went out in the field on missions, Querida."
Lynesia turned back, tears welling in her eyes and a guilty expression on her beautiful Ren'dorei face. "I lied."
Now, there was a need for him to dust off the mantle of the Rook. The Legion had developed a new type of undead pawn of dreadlords, undetectable, or nearly so There was one in Silvermoon, in Ogrimmar, in the Undercity, and in Thunder Bluff. Others were also located in Alliance capital cities as well, but hunting and killing - "taking the pieces off the board", as Jon called it - was someone else's assignment.
Elling Trias knew that Chess had stopped operating as an assassin for te Alliance military - but need was a harsh mistress.
"I know you have to go, Jonny. I know what it costs you, but I also know how you are about doing what you think you need to do. I even know that Trias wouldn't ask you except in dire need... I just..." Lynesia Deh'lorei turned away so Cjess would not see the tears that threatened to escape from where her will had them constrained. "Promise me you won't despair. Promise me you'll not run down that dark road as 'Rook' again. Promise me... promise me you will come back, safe and still Jon Chess."
Jon could hear the worry and anguish in Lynesia's voice, and softly said: "You always told me you were never worried when I went out in the field on missions, Querida."
Lynesia turned back, tears welling in her eyes and a guilty expression on her beautiful Ren'dorei face. "I lied."
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