In the evening, just as Jess had taken a bath and climbed up to put on his clothes, he saw Gerred looking over from a long distance away.
"Want to go for a drink?"
"Let's go."
As Jess responded, he thought about checking how much money he had in his pocket. But when he reached Gerred, Gerred said, "Tonight we'll go to the Gilded Rose and eat something expensive. I'm treating."
"How expensive?"
"Lion meat. How about it? Mountain lions from Hillsbrad Foothills. Isn't that expensive enough?"
"Let's go! Roasted lion chops!"
The two of them hurried all the way to the Gilded Rose. Sitting at the table, Gerred asked, "How's your leg?"
Jess glanced at him and said, "First you invite me to eat barbecue, and now you ask about my leg. Don't you have some new task that involves me again? I plan to rest for a few days... Now I can earn money, but my body can't keep up anymore."
"No." Gerred said, "I have just been promoted to a noncommissioned officer, so I plan to celebrate."
"Noncommissioned officer. That's good." Jess pretended to praise. Because he really couldn't understand what specific use the military ranks within this inexplicable guild organization had.
Looking at the waiter bringing a plate of lion chops with bones, Gerred licked his lips and said, "As for asking about your leg, of course it's not just out of concern. I want to resume our teaching as soon as possible."
"I have ordered a sword already." Jess said, "It's made according to your sword. I asked a blacksmith in the dwarf district to make it. You can pick it up for me when you have time."
"You're quite proactive. I thought you had learned something..." He glanced at the customers beside them and lowered his voice. "After learning that kind of magic, you wouldn't want to learn swordsmanship at all."
"I think you're right." Jess nodded repeatedly and said, "I want to reduce my contact with those things, Gerred. Let's exercise and learn swordsmanship together."
"Even mages need to exercise." Gerred smiled and picked up a roasted chop and took a bite. Then he complained loudly, "Where's the wine? Could it be that you're brewing it on the spot? This is too slow. When the meat gets cold later, how can we drink with it?"
Jess watched Gerred eating the meat heartily and took a sip of the sour grape juice he had ordered.
At present, only shadow magic has opened its arms to him. Only this path is feasible.
Whether it's the resources provided by the Wizard's Sanctum or the warlock relics he accidentally encountered in Duskwood. This is convenience that other possible paths have not provided.
The Holy Light has rejected him. Arcane magic has rejected him. As for necromancy... he can't even consider it. He came to Stormwind City originally to avoid the Scourge. Could it be that in the end, I become the Scourge myself?
As for the path of nature and the path of elements, is it still in time to find someone to learn from now? Should he go to the trolls in Stranglethorn Vale to find inspiration?
Or without any guidance and help, can he achieve enlightenment alone in a city where there is no path of nature at all? Is there any chance of success?
Most importantly, how long will it take?
The sky was pitch black, empty and dim. Vaguely, one could see a few stars, but not very clearly.
Jess hadn't come home so late for a long time. As he walked, he absent-mindedly observed the passersby.
There were still some old men fishing by the canal. In the distance, a young couple was sitting on the riverbank whispering to each other. There was also a group of dwarves throwing wine bottles into the river to see who could throw farther. At this moment, they were arguing about whose bottle was thrown farther. Even dwarves couldn't see the glass bottles in the water clearly at night.
At this moment, he suddenly felt a sharp object pressing against his waist from behind.
"Keep quiet. I don't want to hurt you. Come with me."
He had heard this voice somewhere before, but the other person deliberately lowered his voice, making it hard to distinguish.
Jess nodded and followed the instructions of the person who hijacked him and walked into an alley next to a wine shop. Finally, the person behind him spoke in a normal voice. "Remember me?"
It was Gargan's voice.
Jess knew that this guy would definitely find a way to take revenge on him. After being on guard for several days, just tonight after having a meal with Gerred and relaxing a bit, he was seized by the other party.
"Remember. Gargan. We met in the Old Town."
"Good that you remember. Tell me, why did my Fear spell have no effect on you? And where did you learn it from?"
"You didn't pronounce the incantation clearly." Jess said.
"That's impossible." Gargan said, "I learned it from the Dark Iron dwarves. Since you are also a warlock, you should know that there is no one in this world who understands shadow magic better than the Dark Iron tribe. Come on, confess. You must have used something..."
Jess suddenly struck Gargan in the face with his elbow. While Gargan was in pain and looking back, Jess directly grabbed his right hand holding the dagger.
Gargan didn't have enough strength. After Jess firmly grabbed his hand and twisted it hard, he let go. The dagger clanged to the ground.
With the dagger out of his hand, Jess had no more scruples. He threw a hook and hit Gargan on the cheek. The latter staggered back a few steps and leaned against the wall. Looking over here, he licked his teeth and touched his nose. There was already some blood.
He glanced at the dagger. Jess stepped on it and asked, "Now what are you going to do? Recite an incantation?"
"I know. At this distance, I can definitely not successfully cast any magic." Gargan said.
"Good that you know." Jess said with a smile, "Last time you and Sulena Keldon still owe me two silver coins. But considering the result, I won't hold it against you."
"I don't care about those two silver coins, young man." Gargan said, "I'm just curious. Why did my Fear spell have no effect on you."
"It had an effect." Jess said, "But not everyone will be afraid, Gargan. Some people can still stand still and remain rational even if they are hit by a Fear spell stronger than yours instead of panicking and running away immediately."
Of course, he wasn't talking about himself. After all, he had withstood it by relying on the Shadow Protection Potion.
He was talking about Gerred. Gerred had endured his Fear spell like those wolves. And it was still enhanced by that strange staff. Unexpectedly, he recovered on his own not long after.
But Gargan's words also solved one of Jess's doubts. That was why when he reproduced the incantation he heard from such a third-rate warlock, it immediately had an effect.
It turned out that he didn't hear a third-hand incantation by hearsay. Instead, he heard a real incantation from a dwarf who had truly learned dark magic.
This warlock leader still had something of his own. Perhaps this entire group was not as simple as he had initially imagined.
"I understand." Gargan said after thinking for a while. "The dwarf told me that the Fear spell doesn't have a full effect on everyone. But before, I tried it on beasts and it worked very well. It also worked well on a beggar before. I didn't expect that a young man could resist it."
"Well, this dagger can be regarded as your apology for threatening me. And by the way, make up for the debt of those two silver coins." Jess put this rather beautiful-looking knife into his belt and said, "Next time if you dare to sneak attack me again, I won't be so polite."
Although he said so, Jess's heart was still pounding. After all, these days, not many people who are willing to fight with him are as weak as this warlock. Before, when there was a conflict on the construction site, he was always the one being beaten up. There were few times when he won.
Perhaps it was also the training with Gerred this month that had made him grow a lot.
Now he understood even more the necessity of Gerred asking him to practice swordsmanship. Before the spells he mastered brought about a qualitative change in helping him, these casters all lacked the ability to protect themselves.
At this stage, close combat skills and physical fitness were extremely important for actual combat. Spells could only serve as an auxiliary.
Just as he was about to leave, Gargan suddenly asked, "By the way, your name is Jess. I remember correctly, right?"
"What do you want to do? Report me to the church?" Jess turned his head and said, "I know the background of your group. If we report each other, let's see who dies worse."
"Of course not. No one wants to end up in a lose-lose situation." Gargan patted the dust off his body and stood up. He said, "But what you said makes sense. We are now in the same boat."
Jess knew what he meant.
"You want me to join you?"
Gargan nodded and said, "Not only that. Now we... lack some fighters like you. We only have one Elran Dudmore. But although he is among us, he doesn't have the patience to study magic. He is from the Stonecutters' Guild. Coming to the Slaughtered Lamb was also accidental. I believe he didn't come here to study magic either. He only knows how to act arrogantly here and threaten me and other members with his strength. I hope to have someone who can counterbalance him. And these days, there are too few people willing to pursue the dark arts. There are even fewer young people with courage and strength among them. I don't want to let go of a potential member with talent like you."
Elran Dudmore was the young strong man who was having an affair with Sulena when Jess first entered the Slaughtered Lamb.
At that time, Jess hadn't figured out the situation yet. And he was also afraid of being accidentally killed by shadow magic. And Elran was as strong as a bear. He couldn't resist at all.
But no matter how strong... he was just an ordinary person. Since Jess had embarked on this path, he shouldn't be afraid of this person. Instead, Gargan's knowledge was even more important to him.
Jess asked, "So, you don't hold a grudge against me for using the Fear spell on you that night?"
"On the path of pursuing the dark arts, there are sacrifices and setbacks much greater than this." Gargan said, "But sacrifices can never be without value. I think the reward this time is meeting you."
Jess thought for a while and said, "I also have conditions."
"Sure." Gargan said, "Although we are not extremely rich, we do have some small money. If you are willing to join us..."
"Money is necessary, but it's also secondary." Jess said, "After joining, first teach me a valuable incantation."
"That's the spirit. Elran, that muscle-headed fool, will never be able to make such a request in his entire life. And this is exactly the original intention of us establishing this organization, Jess." Gargan said excitedly, "Don't worry. On the first day you join, I will teach you an absolutely valuable incantation. You will be satisfied."
"In addition, I am not your student." Jess added.
"Sure. We are partners, colleagues, and friends." Gargan said with a smile.