Chapter 678

Chapter 678: News from Ironforge

On a morning a few days later, Jesse heard that Zardeth would come to the basement that day. So he went to the Mage Quarter to check on the Voidwalker at The Slaughtered Lamb. Before leaving Stormwind, he wanted to settle this matter. It would be even better if he could solve the Demon Guard problem too.

Jesse thought the Demon Guards summoned by those people couldn’t match those called by that Blood Ring Orc Warlock. With Molofeel nearby, he didn’t need to fear any harm from the Demon Guards.

Besides, Molofeel was now much stronger than when she scavenged in The Black Morass.

Lost in thought, he hurried to the garden under the Wizard’s Sanctum when he suddenly heard someone call out, “Mr Seso, wait a moment.”

Jesse turned to see Malin catching up to him.

Malin said, “Master Andromath wanted to see you. He learned at yesterday’s meeting that you had returned to Stormwind and had been eager to find you. If you had time, it was best to meet him since he didn’t know where you were staying now.”

“I understand,” Jesse replied, glancing up at the Mage Tower’s top. “Then I’ll go now.”

“That would be great,” Malin said. “He should be in his office now. I have a shaping spell class to attend and can’t go with you.”

“I have a good idea of what you do, Mr Seso. Did you really see Deathwing?” “I did. He died,” Jesse said.

The old mage looked at Jesse and said, “King Magni Bronzebeard’s letter said that if it weren’t for you, Greed Thunderfist from Aerie Peak, and Vereesa Windrunner from Quel’Thalas… Deathwing might have destroyed all of Khaz Modan.”

“From what I saw, that wasn’t an exaggeration,” Jesse replied.

The old mage continued, “Many people didn’t understand how terrifying Deathwing was, including mages who thought he was just a bigger black dragon. But I knew who he was. Facing him took courage and will I couldn’t imagine, let alone fighting him. I believed even those who feared you over the Nethergarde incident wouldn’t doubt you now.”

“Go ahead. When you have time, I really want to talk with you.” “I will come to see you, Master,” Jesse said.

“Feel free to come anytime. Good luck, Mr Seso.”

After saying goodbye to his teacher, Jesse climbed the steps into the Mage Tower. He went to the top floor, passing through the corridor lined with portraits of the greatest mages in the Wizard’s Sanctum’s history, and entered the final door.

Sunlight from the high windows hit his eyes, used to the dark stairs and halls, making him blink.

“Mr Jesse Seso.” A middle-aged mage in a blue robe with brown hair called from a distance. The man was Maginor Dumas, the overseer for investigating necromancy, demon, and Black Magic cases in the Wizard’s Sanctum. Jesse always felt nervous near him.

Hearing his name, many mages in the hall turned to look. The whole space fell silent.

Several mages stood nearby, including the mage instructor Jennya Cannon, and the high mage Andromath, head of the Wizard’s Sanctum.

Andromath waved and said, “Over here, Jesse. We have something to ask you.”

As Jesse walked over, he heard nearby mages muttering about the orcs of Grim Batol, Red Dragons, and black dragons with shock and confusion.

At the table, the black-haired high mage stared at him and whispered, “Jesse Seso, you freed the Red Dragon Queen from the orc’s grip, and now you wander Stormwind? Days ago, Malin said you wanted to learn fire spells. Are you not planning to report to the Wizard’s Sanctum, like me or your teacher? You handled Grim Batol, the Dragonmaw Orcs’ stronghold. Without taking that fort, Khaz Modan would never know peace. Links between Stromgarde, Stormwind, and Ironforge would stay broken. Do you know what a big help you gave the Alliance, yet you said nothing? I had to hunt for you.”

“Calm down, Master Andromath,” Jennya Cannon reminded.

“Sorry,” Andromath said. “I do get too worked up.”

“Actually,” Jesse explained, “Kirin Tor hadn’t given me any word, Master. I didn’t know how they would judge my mission. After all, they didn’t let me tell anyone.”

He had hoped Krasus would reach out, but neither Krasus nor other Kirin Tor mages had shown up lately.

Andromath said, “The Kirin Tor was right about that. More hidden followers of the black dragon lurked in the Kingdom of Stormwind than we thought. They teamed with orcs, maybe leaking plans to the black dragon.”

Maginor Dumas added, “But since Ironforge told us Grim Batol’s crisis was over, we could relax a bit.”

“Very true, Master.” Andromath looked at Jesse. “The king wished to invite you and Mr Greed Thunderfist to Stormwind Keep within a week. You could pick a time or talk with Mr Greed. Then you could ask to join the royal mage order, Jesse. Wasn’t that your dream?”

“Really?” Jesse asked.

Andromath sighed, “You broke into the orc fort to save the Red Dragon Queen and beat Deathwing. If King Terenas II was clear-headed, he should offer his daughter to you.”

Just then, Jesse heard two mages whispering nearby.

“I heard Princess Menethil had fallen for an Alterac noble.” “It was Lord Dalaran Prestor.”

“Didn’t he hold the claim to the Alterac Kingdom’s throne?” “I heard he was smart and handsome.”

“A rising star. I can’t recall when such an idol last shone in the seven kingdoms.” “I wasn’t alone,” Jesse said.

“Of course, I believed the king would think it through,” Andromath said. “But why did the Kirin Tor skip us and come to you? Who found you?”

“It was Master Krasus,” Jesse replied.

“You mean Krasus from the Council?” Maginor asked, surprised.

Nearby mages gasped at Krasus’s name. One said, “I’d been to Dalaran many times but never saw Krasus. Many Kirin Tor folks doubted he existed.”

Jesse explained, “He promised that if I finished the task, Kirin Tor would let me restore my name.”

Andromath sighed, “The Kirin Tor knew you were eager to have your true name accepted by the Alliance, to stop living as a dead man. So they thought you’d take the risky job. They guessed right. If they’d come to me first, I’d have struggled to tell you this. But I also couldn’t find anyone in the whole Wizard’s Sanctum better for the job, so I’d have refused.”

Jennya Cannon said, “But no matter the danger, you did it, Jesse Seso.”

Andromath said, “The Kirin Tor stole the Wizard’s Sanctum’s findings on Grim Batol in the Wetlands and Redridge—those proud fools. Yet they expected Sanctum members to finish the job under their name. Luckily, the Red Dragon Queen knew who truly gave all and who just watched. Whatever Kirin Tor does, the king won’t cheat you, Jesse. Go to Stormwind Keep. You’ll see.”