Jaina's words struck Rhodes like a bolt of lightning. Odyn? Chief Guardian? Valkyr? This girl's imagination is as rich as ever!
Rhodes didn't intend to admit this matter, nor did he intend to deny it. You can guess all you want! I never admitted anything.
However, strictly speaking, human legends about angels indeed originate from Valkyr, so this misunderstanding isn't a big problem.
"The wisdom and power of the Guardians are far beyond what we mortals can fully fathom, Jaina. Your insight is truly admirable; even I hadn't guessed their origin." This was an evasive answer.
To Jaina, it was tantamount to an admission. Jaina's azure eyes sparkled with excitement and a hint of triumph.
"I knew it!" she exclaimed softly, circling the two angels who stood still as statues, her gaze intently examining their pristine white wings and the golden halos above their heads.
"Male Valkyr—this is a groundbreaking discovery! The Guardians' power is indeed unfathomable, able to even break the rules of Valkyr transformation!
Rhodes, you are truly fortunate to be able to communicate directly with such great beings."
Rhodes suppressed the twitch at the corner of his mouth, trying his best to play the role of "Odyn's Spokesperson."
"Ahem, the will of the Guardians is profound and inscrutable. Now, the most urgent matter is to perform the Holy Light baptism ritual. I need an absolutely safe, energy-stable magic laboratory to summon the Holy Light Elemental."
"No problem!" Jaina immediately responded, the annoyance of her canceled date now replaced by immense academic curiosity.
"Dalaran has no shortage of top-tier magic laboratories! Come with me, I know a quiet room deep within the castle, specifically for high-energy elemental experiments. The protective array was personally reinforced by Master Antonidas, absolutely safe!" Jaina took Rhodes' hand and left excitedly with the two angels.
Led by Jaina, Rhodes and the two silent angels walked through Dalaran's bustling streets, attracting countless astonished and reverent gazes.
The angels' appearance highly matched the descriptions in the Holy Light scriptures, and with Jaina Proudmoore, the Princess of Kul Tiras and a rising genius mage of the Kirin Tor, personally leading the way, rumors of "divine miracles descending" and "Holy Light incarnations" spread like wildfire throughout the city.
Dalaran is not only inhabited by noble mages but also by ordinary people making a living here, most of whom believe in the Holy Light. Many High Elves in the city also study the Way of the Holy Light as priests.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Rhodes' mouth. Good, just like that. The news of the angels must spread.
Soon, the two entered the depths of the castle. The heavy magic door slowly opened after complex incantations and identity verification, revealing a spacious and solemn laboratory. The floor and walls were inscribed with intricate magical runes, and the air was filled with pure arcane energy. In the center was a huge energy-focusing magic array.
"This is it." Jaina gestured for Rhodes to stand in the center of the array. "I'll maintain the protective barrier outside and monitor the energy fluctuations. Rhodes, you can begin."
Walking to the center of the array, the two angels stood at his sides like the most loyal guards.
Rhodes took a deep breath, concentrated, and communicated with the system space through his mind, equipping the magic scroll for summoning Fire Elemental.
He skillfully injected Holy Light and then activated the summoning magic, spending 5 strength points to summon 5 Holy Light Elemental with perfect female forms, graceful figures, and hair glowing with golden light.
After learning Basic Air Magic, Rhodes found that the Holy Light Elemental summoned this time had an extended existence duration, and their Holy Light was even richer.
Rhodes commanded the Holy Light Elemental: "Approach the angel on the left and try to guide your Holy Light into his body."
The five Holy Light Elemental simultaneously turned to the angel on the left. Their movements were light and sacred, like pilgrims approaching an altar. One of them, seemingly the most condensed Holy Light presence among them, extended an arm shining with brilliant golden light and gently touched the angel's chest.
Buzz—!
The moment the Holy Light Elemental's finger touched the angel's chest, a soft yet incredibly grand resonance echoed in the laboratory! It was as if two divine powers of the same origin and nature had finally found each other!
The angel's golden halo, which had merely been decorative and emitted a constant faint glow, suddenly burst forth with dazzling light! Its brightness instantly increased several times, as if a miniature sun had been ignited! The light on the halo was no longer static but flowed like molten gold, emanating a warm, majestic, and sacred aura.
As Rhodes had guessed, these angelic beings have a natural affinity for Holy Light. The Holy Light immediately caused a violent reaction upon entering the angel's body.
The faces of the two angels before him shone with divine radiance, and their eyes glowed with golden Holy Light.
Even more astonishing was the pair of pure white wings on the angel's back! The edges of the white feathers instantly became tinged with a flowing golden halo, as if ignited by holy flame!
It was not burning, but sublimation! Each feather seemed to transform into a wing of light, and the holy aura spread out tangibly, as if purifying the arcane energy throughout the laboratory with this pure divine power.
"It worked?!" Jaina exclaimed in the observation room, her beautiful eyes filled with unbelievable shock. "They're merging! And it's a perfect fit! Holy Light can really merge with Valkyr."
Rhodes smiled and said, "Continue! All Holy Light Elemental, inject simultaneously! Target, both angels!"
The affinity between Holy Light and angels is very high; they are a perfect match. However, it's not the same with Valkyr. Although Valkyr's evolution appears golden and shining, they are, strictly speaking, products of the Shadowlands, the realm of death.
The other four Holy Light Elemental immediately responded. They floated towards the two angels, and eight shining Holy Light arms simultaneously extended, gently pressing onto the angels' chests, backs, and even the roots of their wings!
Boom—!
A richer Holy Light aura erupted, and an even more intense light burst forth!
The light from the five Holy Light Elemental poured into the two angels' bodies like a bursting dam! The angels' bodies seemed to become bottomless pits, greedily absorbing this divine energy of the same origin. Mysterious and complex golden patterns began to emerge on their bodies, like natural magic runes, spreading from their hearts to their limbs and bones, finally converging on the halos above their heads and the wings on their backs.
But unfortunately, the strength of the 5 Holy Light Elemental was limited. As level 4 units, they clearly couldn't evolve level 7 units. In just a few dozen minutes, the Holy Light Elemental, which could normally exist for a full day, directly dissipated, just like when they teamed up with Uther to evolve the shadow crystal.
"Rhodes, it seems the Holy Light isn't quite enough!" Jaina said, looking at the dissipated 5 Holy Light Elemental.
Last time when purifying the shadow crystal, Lord Uther was the main force, summoning a full 10 Holy Light Elemental. But this time, Rhodes' five were clearly insufficient.
After the Holy Light Elemental disappeared, although a trace of Holy Light still flowed through the angels, they returned to their original appearance.
"Indeed, as you said, Jaina, it seems that for these two angels to evolve, we will need to spend a lot of time, and Holy Light Elemental will have to be summoned continuously."
"How about I write a letter to Lord Uther and ask him to come and help?" Jaina asked Rhodes.
"No need, such a small matter doesn't require bothering Lord Uther. The plague is breaking out everywhere right now, and Lord Uther's help is needed more there. Don't worry! Leave the rest to me, though I might have to stay here for a long time." Rhodes said. He now had 100 mana points, and summoning Holy Light Elemental cost 25 mana points.
Although Holy Light Elemental would be strengthened by Air Magic, this Fire Elemental scroll was fire-based, so it couldn't benefit from the bonus.
With 25 mana points, he could summon five Holy Light Elemental every day for infusion. Five Holy Light Elemental could last an entire day, which is 10 hours.
This would allow for continuous purification work. I don't believe I can't get you two evolved in over a month.
"I understand. During this time, I will fully protect you and explain this matter to Master Antonidas." Jaina nodded and said.
This also counted as time alone for the two of them, a special date, perhaps!
For the next month and a half, Rhodes, apart from going back to sleep every night and occasionally visiting Master Antonidas,
or checking the progress of weapon runic enchanting and holy light crystal inlay with Kael'thas, spent almost all his time in the laboratory, working with the Holy Light Elemental to transform the two angels.
He even occasionally summoned Holy Light himself to help with the absorption. With daily absorption of Holy Light, the changes in the two angels were almost visible to the naked eye.
The magic tower they were in even periodically leaked Holy Light.
And the news of the two angels' appearance, inadvertently spread throughout Lordaeron through the common people of Dalaran. At the same time, perhaps due to the angels' appearance, the Undead Plague had actually decreased recently, and most of the scourge had even retreated.
At this time, the official announcement from Lordaeron stated that Prince Arthas had defeated all the undead and was leading his army back in triumph.
Because the source of the undead in Northrend continent had been eliminated, this Undead Plague was now over.
Lordaeron was cheering everywhere. First, the angels appeared, and then came the good news of Prince Arthas. This country was saved.
Meanwhile, in Dalaran's magic tower, the evolution of Rhodes' two angels had reached its most critical moment; the Holy Light infusion was nearing completion.