Chapter 669

Chapter 669: The Plan to Go Home

Puff puff…

"What…?"

Jesse opened his eyes to see a huge black nose sniffing around before him. A brown bear!

Jesse leapt up and scrambled into the lake. Feeling over himself, he found nothing but thin clothes. He grabbed a pebble from the lakebed and pointed it at the bear.

Silently readying a Fear spell, he prepared to unleash it the moment the bear charged into the water.

Dawn had broken. The sun hung overhead as distant mountains stood quietly beneath wispy clouds. The bear merely sat on the shore, watching motionlessly, when laughter drifted from a nearby ledge.

"Vereesa?"

Spotting the green-cloaked ranger above, Jesse sighed in relief. "Did you bring this bear?"

"It was nearby, so I asked if it could wake you," Vereesa replied, whistling as she stood. The bear called back and lumbered away.

"You scared me half to death," Jesse said. "I thought it meant to eat me."

"It might’ve tried if I hadn’t spoken with it." Vereesa hopped down and offered a yellow fruit. "You didn’t even cast at it? Here, taste this."

Jesse bit into the fruit while moving ashore to don his robes. "Was about to."

Vereesa embraced him from behind. "Last night… was beyond words, Jesse."

"Same here," Jesse smiled.

"I wish I could go to Stormwind with you," the ranger murmured against his back. "Then we’d have more time… But it’d take too long. Annoying."

"We’ll meet again soon," Jesse assured. "Remember I’m visiting Quel’Thalas with you."

"When do you leave for Dalaran?" Vereesa asked.

"After handling affairs in Stormwind," Jesse considered. "Should reach Dalaran by the Feast of Winter Veil."

"Less than a month. Since it’s the dwarves’ Feast, will Greed join you?"

"I’ll ask him back home."

"Then we meet in Dalaran for the Feast?"

"Agreed," Jesse nodded. "But before Quel’Thalas, I’ll visit my parents in Lordaeron. The Kirin Tor had them sealed tight to keep me away, but things changed. I must see them first – three or four days. After Quel’Thalas, I’ll return to Stormwind with them."

Vereesa said, "I’m coming too."

"You?" Jesse stared. "To meet them?"

"What? Do your parents hate Quel’dorai too?"

"Too?"

"You disliked us when we first met," Vereesa noted.

Jesse teased, "Shouldn’t you wonder why you treated me so coldly?"

Vereesa countered, "I tracked a black dragon for two months with Master Kaffir and Farstrider apprentices. Then some Lordaeron folk killed it out of nowhere! My Farstrider training faced delays, and the dragon-slayer stood before me. Expect me to welcome you and Greed?"

"Out of nowhere? That dragon attacked Southshore! Shouldn’t locals defend themselves?" Jesse retorted. "Still claim you don’t hate humans?"

"I didn’t know Southshore’s damage then," Vereesa sighed. "Back then, I only cared about my own troubles. Barely left Quel’Thalas. Never spoke to outsiders except Quel’dorai. Learned Common solely because Farstriders needed it for Alliance missions. With Orcs beaten and trolls hiding, no glory awaited beyond our borders."

"Without fighting Teron Gorefiend beside you and meeting humans like you, I’d have stayed that person. Now I barely recognize my past self… Never knew the world was like this…"

Jesse chuckled, "I thought you and Kaffir hunted Gorefiend to rescue a poor human mage apprentice."

"Revenge," Vereesa corrected. "Though I did save you, didn’t I?"

"True enough," Jesse conceded.

"Gorefiend proved stronger than expected," Vereesa shrugged. "Kaffir and I would’ve died without you. I admit that."

Jesse said, "You rushed in blind to your foe’s power."

Vereesa smiled faintly. "I only knew he had to die. Simple as that."

What a strange twist of fate, Jesse mused silently.

"Come with me, Vereesa. I’ll introduce you. You’ll like them."

"Can’t wait!" Vereesa breathed, eyeing the sun. "It’s late. Shouldn’t we return to Thelsamar?"

"Let’s go."

They chatted about past adventures – Vereesa’s flight from Quel’Thalas to find a Death Knight in Stormwind, their shared battles… Back at the inn, Greed still snored in bed.

Molofeel sat nearby, wrinkling her nose. "Never thought love’s scent could pain me so. Who claims Sayaad crave love tokens? Now I yearn to flee this sorrow…"

"Enough acting," Jesse tossed his cloak aside. "Write poetry instead, Molofeel. Earn me some coin."

"Why can’t it be real?" The succubus smiled coyly. "Can’t I love you, Master?"

"Real or not, you’re too late," Vereesa leaned against the wall, smirking. "He’s mine now."

"No love? No magic?!" Molofeel pouted. "You’ve got the Sunwell! Must you steal mine too? Master, you promised your magic would always be mine!"

"Didn’t say otherwise," Jesse replied.

Vereesa shrugged. "That’s between you two."

"At least I’m not left empty-handed," Molofeel sprang forward, clinging to Jesse. "Let me taste the Red Dragon Queen’s blood when we return, Master! Burn me to ashes in her dragonfire…"

"Disgusting," Vereesa hissed. "Demon, step away from him now. Or I’ll reconsider sparing you!"

"Quiet down…" Greed mumbled sleepily. "Stop bickerin’… Gotta slay that… that… Deathwing tomorrow… Shut it… Lemme sleep… Pretty necklace…"

The room hushed until his snores resumed. The imp grinned wickedly as Jesse peeled the succubus’s arms from his neck…

Vereesa glared, voice dangerously low. "One Sayaad is plenty, Jesse Seso. Find a second, and…"

"I guarantee you won’t, Miss Windrunner," Molofeel twirled her black dagger. "Master would never let you meet another."