Chapter 769

Chapter 769: Long-Awaited Gathering

Jesse hardly remembered when he last attended a Dagger Association meeting. The hall in The Slaughtered Lamb basement rarely gathered such crowds—or rather, Jesse seldom saw so many people here.

Jalane Ayrole, Ursula Deline, Surena Caledon, and Erlan Drudgemoor sat laughing around the fire. The usually quiet hall suddenly buzzed with noise, leaving him uneasy.

Surena wore a dark red robe whose mageweave patterns radiated potent shadow power. She seemed far more relaxed than during their last meeting, her cropped hair framing her face as she lazily crossed her long, firelight-glossed legs while chatting animatedly with Jalane.

Jalane, dressed in light purple, smiled through their conversation. The two appeared quite close. Having integrated fully with the Dagger Association, Jalane now conversed easily not only with Surena but occasionally even Ursula—a stark contrast to before Jesse’s Kalimdor trip, when Ursula had been her fiercest critic.

After a year, Jesse felt Jalane fit better with the group than he did, making him the outsider now.

Erlan clung to his succubus, the diminutive Sakaresh swapping saliva with him so passionately that Jesse caught the demon’s pungent scent from across the room. Ursula focused intently on her book, oblivious to the chaos. Jesse alone sat idle, adrift.

"Master, feeling isolated?" Molofeel embraced him from behind.

When Jesse stayed silent, she murmured, "Want to talk? I’ll stay beside you. Say anything—I’ll answer."

"Thank you, Molofeel," Jesse replied earnestly.

"Thank? Then…" Molofeel leaned against his shoulder, eyeing Erlan’s direction. Her whisper brushed his ear like shadow energy: "See them? Let’s pass time like that. If you won’t let me taste below… at least let me taste above—"

"What’s so good about that?" Jesse’s smile stiffened.

"Anything of yours… is exquisite to me."

Her voice dropped to a near-inaudible rasp, making Jesse doubt his hearing. She tensed abruptly, gaze snapping to the door—Zardeth had arrived.

Greetings echoed as Erlan’s succubus withdrew. Zardeth’s servant Sorrel now carried herself like a true demon leader of The Slaughtered Lamb basement—even Gacresse, the Demon of Pleasure summoned by Surena, bowed to her.

A demon’s power mirrors its master: Zardeth’s shadow mastery had strengthened Sorrel, her eyes blazing with fierce Shadowflame. Yet demons respect hierarchy—when Sorrel spotted Molofeel, she dipped her head. Molofeel answered with a faint smile.

"Apologies," Zardeth announced. "The crowded Mage Quarter forced detours to bring Sorrel here."

He approached the fire. "Tonight’s meeting may decide the Dagger Association’s future."

Ursula set her book down, glancing at Jesse—she likely guessed Zardeth’s intent.

"You’ve heard: Black dragon agents infiltrate the kingdom. Jesse, as a court mage, now aids SI:7 in hunting them. They seek our cooperation… Felhounds detect Wyrmkin disguises where Wizard’s Sanctum mages fail. We want your thoughts."

Jesse studied their reactions. Ursula had clearly accepted, having been briefed earlier. But Erlan and Surena frowned in hesitation. Jalane remained expressionless.

"No rewards?" Erlan demanded. "Free labor?"

"In exchange," Zardeth said, "SI:7 will turn a blind eye to ‘harmless’ Black Magic by Dagger Association members here."

"What’s ‘harmless’?" Erlan shot back. "Summoning demons?"

"Matthias Shaw of SI:7 specified: no harming others," Jesse clarified. "He saw my Felhound summoning and raised no objection. Control your demons, and they won’t interfere."

"Just us?" Erlan pressed.

“Of course,” Jesse said. “I specifically mentioned it was my designated people.”

“That sounds good,” Erlan nodded.

“I’ll join,” Ursula said.

“Honestly, I have concerns about those people,” Surena remarked. “I don’t want to summon a Felhound, so please leave me out.”

“We’re all in this together, Su,” Erlan replied. “You can’t have some join and others not; it wouldn’t be fair.”

Jalane said, “No objections.”

“Then don’t mind my words,” Surena glanced at Jalane helplessly. “But since I can’t help, don’t blame me for enjoying the benefits you earn.”

“It’s fine, Surena,” Zardeth said. “I’ve always hoped we wouldn’t hide in The Slaughtered Lamb basement all the time, but could show ourselves a bit, letting the kingdom accept us slowly. Jesse’s chance he fought for us… was a big step.”

“But don’t let SI:7 know where we meet, Zardeth,” Jalane reminded. “It feels unsafe; we’d better go to their place.”

“Of course,” Zardeth said. “Jesse and I already thought about that.”

Jalane nodded. Erlan said, “I think it’s time to contact them. Whenever I hear about warlocks being caught, I fear we’re next, so this makes me feel safer.”

“Then we’ll go with this for now,” Zardeth said. “Next, Jesse has a special chant to share.”

“What chant?” Erlan asked.

“A summoning Magic Circle,” Jesse replied.

“What demon’s circle?” Jalane asked curiously.

Jesse said, “It can summon others or demons. Specifically, it targets a marked person, needing a token tied to their essence.”

“Oh my,” Jalane exclaimed. “I’ve heard of such spells; I thought they were made up by warlocks who worship dark magic. Can it really summon someone from far away?”

“It can even summon someone from the Twisting Nether,” Surena’s incubus servant, Gacresse, explained. “I know this magic. Summoning a mortal from the Twisting Nether to Azeroth would be very dangerous.”

“That doesn’t relate to us,” Erlan responded. “We’re not demons; why go to the Twisting Nether?” Jesse glanced at Molofeel, who looked back.

They both knew the other’s thought—Draenor.

If they wanted Kallez to open a portal to Draenor, it would likely involve the Twisting Nether.

“At least I knew this magic had no problem sending someone from Stormwind to Lakeshire,” Jesse said.

“That distance is impressive,” Jalane remarked. “Not many mages in Dalaran can teleport that far.”

“But this magic needs three people to work,” Jesse said. “One leads, two assist. The leader must be good with Shadow Magic or summoning magic. I think the Dagger Association needs at least two leaders for this spell, so if one isn’t in the basement, the other can summon them back.”

“After all, Jesse, you’re rarely here. Even if you learn it…” Ursula raised her eyebrows slightly, making others chuckle.

Jesse replied, “Actually, I don’t know it. I just brought the chant and haven’t studied it. It’s complex, and I might not learn it quickly.”

“Then let’s copy the chant and how to cast it today,” Zardeth proposed. “Everyone practice at home, and we’ll find time to practice together.”

The warlocks’ servants quickly took out pens and scrolls to help copy the summoning chant. Erlan watched them and said, “I might be the first to learn it…”

“Demon magic makes you confident, Erlan,” Surena said. “The summoning circle is demon magic too, right?” Erlan laughed.

Zardeth handed Jesse some scrolls, saying, “Here are two spells we prepared, Jesse. One is Scorching Pain, the other is Sacrifice, a scary spell that burns enemies’ souls with fel magic. Don’t practice in Stormwind; fel flames are hard to control. Once, Erlan almost burned his house down, and fel stench is easy to spot, unlike shadow. After the Dark Portal incident, everyone in Stormwind knows what fel fire smells like.”

“I’ll remember,” Jesse nodded.

Jarel shouted from above, calling everyone to the kitchen for pumpkin pie and lamb soup. Erlan and Surena went to get beer, while Jesse and the succubi set up the tables. Jarel had fruits, cheeses, and boiled potatoes ready. After setting up, it looked like a grand feast.

Especially with the succubi serving around, the firelight flickered. The warlocks chatted and laughed…

Though it was dark and eerie, Jesse looked at his friends and felt this place was different from the Storm Altar.

By midnight, the dishes were cleared. Surena sat on Erlan’s lap, holding a glass. Zardeth pulled Sorrel into his arms, his hands under her skirt.

Ursula, a bit drunk, secretly drank a vial from her pocket and suddenly looked alert. Gacresse was talking to Jalane, and their looks suggested it wasn’t serious.

Jesse finished his beer and said, “Come with me, Molofeel.”

“Oh, Master, you’re finally getting it,” Molofeel smiled. “What game this time? How about… I use my tail?”

“Let’s go to the practice room,” Jesse whispered. “Let’s try that enhancement spell; remember? I haven’t used it.”

“Alright, at least it’s a different kind of fun,” Molofeel tilted her head.