#john dempsy

As Lycandria exits the main hall at the Ravenholdt League garrison, she pauses for a moment, looking around suspiciously. She keeps her hands loose to her sides, near her dagger handles. She then glances at a passing guard. "Keep your eyes open... Something seems off."

John Dempsy suddenly slides from the roof of the main hall, dusting himself off. "Well that was kinda fun."

She smirks to herself after hearing his voice. "I had a feeling someone was there." She turns around and smiles at him.

"If you heard the hook on the tower, then good on ya'... otherwise your paranoia was a coincidence." He smiles.

"Not adjusting to the move?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Adjustin' just fine... glad to have Yishy moved back home." He replies.

She nods. "Sorry, just being around the manor for so long... it kinda stays with you. Just glad I didn't have to break an arm or stab anyone." She smirks slyly at him. "I'm glad to hear things are going well at least."

"See, now I was thinking the same thing. You'd be funny with a messed up directin' arm." He smiles.

She lightly chuckles and shakes her head. "But really, how are the rest of them? Can't be too happy about the nobles still."

He shakes his head a bit. "Nah, nah... They're right angry with the right to be... Guess I've gotten too jaded to the whole process. Had to put up with it as long as I could remember."

She lightly nods. "It's hard to keep fighting for a side when they like to pull things like this as well... It's not even about them, it's about protecting this world and ours... The people." She pauses. "And honestly, if it wasn't for the structure of government, they would be nothing. A fact some of them don't realize... Who the real backbone is." She glances away. "Gold, property, power... It all means nothing if you can't protect it."

"Dunno, you can always buy the ability to protect your stuff with money." He counters.

"Loyalty still only goes so far, especially once they get the taste of how they can cheat another. Eventually, you run out of takers and gain a reputation... Much like my family has." She trails off for a moment, then continues. "When I was younger, everything seemed in a different light."

"Yeah?" He wonders.

She nods. "I slowly had to watch how what felt like doing the right thing got twisted into something else entirely. It's almost as if we felt endorsed by the Alliance to keep the dissolution of the kingdom of Alterac at bay... The Syndicate as they came to be called... but it slowly evolved into something else... Something I couldn't be a part of anymore." She sighs and thinks for a moment. "Where things like that in Gilneas?"

He considers for a moment. "Not sure what'cha mean."

"Just, unrest... I heard there was a lot of tension behind the wall." She adds.

"When'abouts?" He wonders even more.

She sighs a little. "I only know what Electra has kinda eluded to... Something about a civil war between the rebels who disagreed with the wall, and the nobles who endorsed it... Fight over land and owners."

"Well, a lot of these rebels were also nobles... The title 'country noble' wasn't a compliment in Greymane City... Were always looked down on by the upper crust because they weren't all at the castle a courtin' all the time." He explains.

She slowly nods.

He continues. "The wall wasn't about it's necessity, so much as its geography... though, it's true that Crowley wanted us to stick things through with the Alliance. The biggest thing that brought folk to him was that the wall cut about a quarter of our total territory off, and left it danglin' north of the wall."

She nods again. "I see... that would certainly raise a few hairs. Where people left behind?"

"Dor'd be the better guy to ask about that... His family lived in a small village to the north, near the sea. From what I remember, you had this steady influx of folk comin' in with just the stuff they could haul with them. Not a lot of money... but then they had to be provided for, when most of them were abandoning the farmland that needed to be worked to feed 'em in the first place." He pauses for a moment. "Some of them tried to stick it out and make the best of it... Most of 'em died to the Scourge... Rest of 'em wound up near Baron Silverlane's keep and his land... You know how that turned out."

She lightly nods. "That's despicable... Sounds like fear was the driving motivator."

"For putting up the wall ya' mean?" He asks.

She nods again and pauses. "Care to walk with me?" She raises an eyebrow at him.

"Sure..." He eventually nods.

She nods back and heads off towards the barracks.

---------------------------------------------------------------

He follows and continues his thought. "I mean a lotta' people wanna blame the King, and he's gotta own up to a lot... but there was more goin' on."

She stops at the front of the barracks and glances at all the extra refugees. She then looks back at John when he stops next to her. "As you can see, we have picked up a fair amount of new refugees to train." She nods at him.

"With any luck, they'll slow to a trickle now that the big conflicts are over." He adds.

She sighs a bit with a small nod. "Our goal is to get as many ready as possible before we leave."

He answers with a simple nod.

"There are more out back, and at Alex's outpost nearby." She continues and then waves him to follow once more.

As they walk towards through back gate of the garrison, a clank rings on the stone pathway behind her, revealing some kind of red horn emblem on a necklace chain.

He kneels down to pick it up. "Huh."

She somewhat frantically checks her pockets, feeling a hole in one of her pouches. Her eyes grow wider as she realizes which one. She swallows hard when he picks it up, seeing a symbol he might recognize from not too long ago.

"What's this about?" He questions her.

She looks at him and considers her words for a moment. "Just... let me explain, but not here." She glances around cautiously.

He frowns slightly. "Should keep walkin' then."

She nods at him sternly, then turns around and lets out a slow sigh, forcing one foot in front of the other.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

As they arrive at her favorite overlook, she stares out at the ocean for a good while. "I suppose you are wondering how I came across that..."

"Get on with it." He responds a bit short.

She glances at him for a moment. "And I suppose you remember our trouble with a certain warlock."

He groans and rubs his face, giving her a look.

"When we chased him down to his lair and took him down for good... I found this in his notes and evidence upstairs... I don't think I need to explain who that means is back." She lets out a long, drawn-out sigh. "I've been wondering how to progress from here for weeks... I haven't told anyone..." She trails off before glancing back out at the ocean. "All I know is, when I find her John... I'm going to kill her." She states calmly and cold. "And I need you to promise me you won't tell anyone."

"Why didn't you just lie to me then, if this was so important?" He wonders, frustrated.

"Well, technically I've already been hiding this from everyone... and I didn't plan for you to find out either, but fate I suppose had other ideas... I didn't want anyone talking me out of it." She closes her eyes and sighs deeply, feeling a bit ashamed. "She took him away from us, John... I won't let her get away again."

He looks at her. "I get that... I get it fine. Rip her apart the first moment I'd ever see her. But this?... Ly, this is the source of all your damn trouble... You make the deliberate choice to lie to, and pull away from the people who love you. You make decisions for them without their knowledge."

She sighs deeply again and looks down, lightly mumbling. "I know John... I'm sorry." She pauses in thought for a good while. "I feel like a lot of people see me for who I am now, and I feel blessed because of that... but I still have a dark past I can't seem to escape... The manor likes to stay with me wherever I go." She glances at him. "I really do try to fight it, I just..." She trails off and looks away to wipe a tear. "I suppose the monster I used to be has never really left at all, John... All I've been able to think about since I saw that, is spilling her blood because of what she took from me..."

"There ain't take-backs when it comes to certain courses we follow through on, Ly... They don't go away. All we can do is do our best to be better." He pauses. "You're desperate for control..."

"I've never really felt like I've had control of my life... I had to grow up living without choices." She responds.

"But you can see you're overcompensating, right?" He counters. "With this whole 'total control of information' thing, you're chokin' people out of your life... Out of big decisions that affect everyone."

She lets out a long, drawn-out sigh. "I guess it's because I don't want the others in the line-of-fire for my battles."

A long pause proceeds before he responds. "Pretend our spots were switched, and I was keepin' everything from you... and I was plannin' on doing this all by myself." He presents. "I am deciding that you do not belong. You do not get a say. You don't even 'know'."

She looks down and pauses for a moment, then nods lightly.

"And then I die." He continues.

"And I wouldn't know why... and I wouldn't have been able to protect you." She answers, wiping her face. She then glances at him. "I really sorry John."

After a brief moment, he sets a hand on her shoulder and hugs her tightly.

She grasps his arms around her, and does her best to hold her emotions back. "I should have told you... but I guess I just panicked." She pauses. "I just want her to pay... She has to John. All the nights after, when I couldn't sleep... I couldn't breathe... I-I..." She covers her mouth and closes her eyes, as tears slip from her eyes.

"Ly, it's gonna be okay." He comforts her. "You aren't alone anymore. You got friends... Loyal friends, people who love ya'... and they're strong. Can protect, and want to protect you as much as you do them."

She wipes her face and takes a few deep breaths, speaking weakly. "So did he, John." She sniffs and wipes her face again, gathering herself.

He bristles slightly. "I know it's a sore point but... Ly, he did this alone. He didn't give anyone a choice."

"I know... He left me a note before he left to exchange himself for me." She pauses. "He gave her what she wanted, so I could be free... He didn't want me to suffer for his past."

"And that's where you're getting this idea." He adds.

"I don't mean to... I just want her gone." She nods lightly and sighs. A long pause follows, before she glances at him. "So... What will you do, now that you know?"

"Very strongly encourage you to have us do this thing together.. like with the warlock. Don't see how it's any different." He responds.

She shakes her head. "Too many people, and we won't be able to get close enough with how much she loves portals... Seems to be a pattern, and I should have known before with this warlock... In all honesty, I think she sent him here."

"Aww c'mon... Corpse face was always doin' the teleportin' away thing. We can deal with it." He replies.

She sighs. "I suppose we will see, but first we need to find the bitch... and I have a few ideas on how to get it done... We will find out what she has around her, and go from there."

"So what are you going to do?" He asks.

"I have a contact from Dalaran that can get me anything I need to know." She responds. "If someone knows anything, he's the guy. Same guy that gave us intel about our warlock in fact... and I wouldn't be surprised if he already knew."

He nods. "So what 'bout your crew?"

She glances at him. "Honestly, if I can keep them here to train the refugees with what time we have left, it would be best... If things get too big, I'll do what is necessary."

"Will you be telling them?" He wonders.

"Not unless it's needed. They will lose focus on what we need to get done here." She replies.

He pressures her further. "Do you sincerely believe that?"

She sighs lightly and stares out at the ocean. "I just gave the league a grand task to the finish line here on Draenor... The last thing we need is to delay what these refugees need, since we won't have forever... If we need everyone to bring her down, then I'll let them know. But in all honesty John, if you plan to come with me through this... I don't care how many are in my way... It's not about killing them all at once, that's never how I learned to operate."

"You gotta tell them Ly..." He remains poised.

She sighs and looks at him. "I need you to trust me."

"So do they." He counters. "Dor didn't grow up like me... He's never had to lie or keep secrets to live from day to day. He will see it as a wall, to keep him out... A sign of mistrust."

She bends down and picks a blade of grass, then slowly stands up and twists it between her fingers. "If we do this right John... no one has to know. I've already had the feeling he won't understand... but I suppose there are things I'd rather not discuss either."

He sighs and shakes his head, nearly throwing his hands up.

She looks around uncomfortably, as they both stand silently for a few moments. "I suppose I'll let you keep that emblem and let you decide what you want to do, but I don't even need to say what I'm going to do for you to know anyway... So the choice is yours." She says a bit colder in tone.

He sighs and hands the necklace back over. "Ly, I'm gonna help you... but Celestials as my witness, it ain't right how you're choosin' to do it."

She takes the necklace and stares at it for a moment. She then mumbles lightly. "I know John... but it has to be this way... She 'will' die." She claims as she turns and walks away, then pauses for a moment. "And John... Keep your blades sharp."