The following few days were relatively uneventful, except for every evening when Rhodes would visit the female elf to "inquire" about the progress of the Fire Elemental summoning scroll research.
The two of them would study fire magic in meticulous detail until late into the night. For every secret research session, an Arcane Barrier was deployed to prevent any sound or imagery from leaking out. However, Rhodes noticed that the next day, Cenarius—who was instructing him in Life Magic—seemed to have a rather poor complexion and treated the female elf with distinct hostility.
Had it not been for the impending fight against the Burning Legion, Rhodes felt Cenarius might have kicked her out of the grove entirely.
"Rhodes, the Highborne are not good people. They are arrogant, conceited, obsessed with pleasure, and utterly irresponsible. Do not learn from them, and limit your contact," the Demigod Cenarius suddenly said one day during a lesson.
"Ahem... Teacher Cenarius, what do you mean by that?" Rhodes asked, feeling a surge of awkwardness. Wait, did the Demigod find out something?
"Exactly what I said. You should stay in your room and rest properly at night. You've had dark circles under your eyes lately. Take care of your health," Cenarius said with a stiff face.
You little brat, Cenarius thought. Don't think a flimsy Arcane Barrier can block my senses. Even after ten thousand years, the descendants of the Highborne haven't changed a bit—still a bunch of degenerates.
Rhodes laughed awkwardly. Damn, the old stag was watching a live broadcast. Note to self: no more visits to the female elf in a Demigod's territory.
"Yes, Teacher. I understand. From now on, I will stay in my room every night to study the power of life," Rhodes nodded obediently.
Cenarius sighed. It seemed Rhodes's fate with the Highborne was inextricable—it was the same ten thousand years ago, and it was the same now. He personally felt that if Rhodes wanted an eternal companion, a Night Elf would be a far better choice. For an immortal, a human with a mere century of life wasn't quite suitable. However, the path of a Druid could extend a human's life by centuries, and given Rhodes's favor with the Holy Light and Life energies, reaching Demigod status wouldn't be impossible.
"Teacher, what spell are we practicing today?" Rhodes changed the subject.
Through his Magic Book, Rhodes was a genius at learning pure spells; he understood them instantly. However, when it came to unique Druid abilities like shapeshifting, he was completely hopeless. Cenarius had tried to get him to shift into cat, bear, or moonkin form, but every attempt failed. Even physical skills like Maul or Swipe were beyond him.
"Today, I plan to teach you a special technique—one that is actually related to you," Cenarius said after a moment of contemplation.
"A spell related to me?" Rhodes was curious.
"It is the Summon Earth Elemental spell, but one infused with Life Essence. It's similar to your fire scroll, but it summons an Earth Golem," Cenarius explained. This spell was actually a Druid variant Rhodes had helped him conceptualize. These golems, connected to the earth, would slowly regenerate health as they moved, making them incredibly difficult to kill.
Cenarius waved his hand, gathering emerald Life energy and injecting it into the ground. Before Rhodes's eyes, a five-meter-tall giant made of soil and tree trunks emerged. It looked like a cross between a traditional Earth Elemental and a forest guardian.
"This is a weakened version," Cenarius explained. "A regular Druid can only summon two at most. But when you cast it, you used to summon a formidable number of them."
It turned out this spell was inspired by Rhodes. Ten thousand years ago, they hadn't perfected it, but over the millennia, Cenarius and Malfurion had finished the work using things Rhodes had left behind. Rhodes attempted to learn it, but he found to his frustration that the spell was beyond the scope of his "Basic Wisdom."
This must be a Level 4 or 5 spell, Rhodes realized. In the Heroes of Might and Magic system, Summon Earth Elemental was a staple.
"It seems you cannot grasp the mystery of this Life Magic yet. No matter, Rhodes, you will learn it eventually," Cenarius patted his shoulder.
"I understand, Teacher."
"I told you this so you can integrate it into your own system later. You once dreamed of permanent summons. Is that what you and that Highborne mage were researching?"
"Ahem... you're joking."
"I won't tease you further. I'm only mimicking what I saw you do in the past. If you ever find an Earth Elemental scroll, I might be able to develop a perfect version for you. But for now," Cenarius looked toward the forest edge, "it's time to meet some guests."
Rhodes had been staying there for ten days, and the Night Elves were finally ready. Tyrande had awakened Malfurion, and they were arriving.
Rhodes followed Cenarius to the clearing. Soon, a massive eagle descended from the sky. Upon landing, it transformed into a tall male Night Elf with antlers and feathered arms—Malfurion Stormrage.
Seated upon him during the flight was a slender female Night Elf with emerald-green hair, purple skin, and eyes glowing with moonlight—the leader of the Sisterhood of Elune, Tyrande Whisperwind.