Rhodes spent a bit more effort smoothing things over before finally calming Jaina down; for now, they would maintain this private understanding.
Once he saw the sorceress fall asleep, Rhodes began reviewing his Heroes of Might and Magic system. Checking the construction queue for Conflux (Element City), the basic Phoenix Nest was complete. He could now recruit two Firebirds per week (which could be upgraded to Phoenixes via the Hill Fort).
By next week, he would have four Phoenixes—provided he had enough Gold and resources to upgrade them. Interestingly, Phoenixes were the most cost-effective Tier 7 unit.
A Firebird cost only 1,500 Gold, while a Phoenix required 2,000 Gold and 1 unit of Mercury. Compared to the Ghost Dragon, which cost 3,000 Gold and 1 Mercury, the Ghost Dragon was an absurdly overpriced piece of junk.
Phoenixes were a third cheaper yet significantly stronger. The reason Conflux was considered a "broken" top-tier race in competitive play was precisely because their Tier 7 units were cheap and fast to produce.
The Phoenix's stats: Attack 21, Defense 18, Damage 30–40, HP 200, and a Speed of 21—the fastest in the entire game. They also possessed powerful specialties:
Fire Immunity: Total immunity to all fire spells, making them perfect for "Armageddon" tactics.
Breath Attack: A dragon-like breath that hits two adjacent hexes without losing damage.
Rebirth: In the Azerothian adaptation, the mechanic was unique. If only one Phoenix was present, it wouldn't resurrect; a stack needed at least five to trigger a guaranteed rebirth of one.
Compared to the native Azerothian Phoenixes—like the one Kael'thas summons—this version was slightly inferior, as the native ones turned into eggs to reborn regardless of quantity.
However, compared to a Ghost Dragon, the Phoenix reigned supreme. The Ghost Dragon was practically the weakest Tier 7 unit, arguably losing even to its own faction's Tier 6 Dread Knight.
Rhodes noted the 20% rebirth chance was a bit of a letdown. He planned to consult Kael'thas in the Eastern Kingdoms to see if the Blood Elf Prince could help "optimize" his Phoenixes into 100% rebirth through eggs.
Upgrading four Firebirds would cost only 2,000 Gold and 4 Mercury, plus the 6,000 Gold recruitment fee. His Tier 7 roster was growing formidable: 4 Titans and 2 Archangels—a terrifying force capable of shifting the tides of a minor war.
The next morning, Rhodes brought Jaina and Capurnia to the training grounds. The meeting between the two women was slightly awkward. Jaina had suspected the relationship between Capurnia and Rhodes, but after last night, she knew. She cursed Rhodes internally for calling them both here so early.
"It seems Miss Jaina had a wonderful night," the female elf teased with a smirk. "Don't worry, your little boyfriend and I are just having fun. If you're open to it, we could all 'play' together sometime."
"..." The suggestion of a threesome completely shattered Jaina's world-view, leaving her face flushed deep red. Capurnia let out a melodious laugh, finding the young human's reaction adorable.
"If you don't object, I'm all for it. I'll vote with both hands and both feet," Rhodes said, giving the elf a thumbs-up. No man in his right mind would refuse that.
"Be quiet. I refuse," Jaina said, shaking her head. She had yielded to Rhodes last night, but that didn't mean she was ready for that. She decided then and there to keep Rhodes away from these "corrupting" High Elves—or Blood Elves. Rhodes used to be so simple before this elf led him astray.
"Fine, as you wish," Capurnia said, turning to Rhodes. "But why did you call us here? Surely not just to 'clarify' our relationships?"
"Of course not. We're heading to the Eastern Kingdoms soon. I want to use these few days to teach you some practical 'Hero Magic'—the kind I use," Rhodes explained. He then summoned his hero, Solmyr.
"You mean... you're going to teach us Titan spells?" Capurnia's eyes lit up. She had asked about the principles behind his magic before, but Rhodes had always claimed he didn't know the theory—he just "knew" how to do it.
"Rhodes, these spells were given to you by the Titans. Is it okay to share them?" Jaina asked hesitantly.
"It's the Watchers' wish. And I'm not the one teaching you—he is," Rhodes pointed to the blue Genie hero, Solmyr.
"So this is a bodyguard from the Watchers? That's amazing. Rhodes, I really want to learn how to summon those Fire Elementals," Capurnia said eagerly.
"That's high-level magic. I still need a scroll for that," Rhodes coughed. "I can only teach you the basics for now. Specifically, the offensive spell I've used many times: Magic Arrow."
"I remember that," Capurnia said. "Pure magical energy. It's not as flashy as Lightning Bolt, but it's incredibly powerful." For Rhodes, it was a weak spell, but for her, a spell that could one-shot a demon was far superior to her current Fireballs or Flamestrikes. Jaina also nodded, recalling how Rhodes had used it to blast an Abomination when they first met.
"Exactly. Let's see your talent," Rhodes signaled to Solmyr.
Solmyr approached the female elf. Using his Scholar skill, he reached out a blue hand of pure energy and touched Capurnia's forehead. He bypassed standard learning and forcibly imprinted the "Magic Arrow" spell model into her mind.
Capurnia's body jerked. Her face went pale, and beads of sweat formed on her brow. She gritted her teeth, "seeing" the complex, spinning runes of the Titan spell.
"Agh! Damn it! My head feels like it's going to explode!" she screamed.
A few minutes later, Solmyr withdrew his hand. He had successfully etched the spell into her consciousness. Capurnia collapsed, wobbling, straight into Rhodes' arms.
"Capurnia, how do you feel?"
"Heavens... I feel like my skull is splitting. The Titan magic was carved into my brain. I can cast it now—maybe ten times a day—but don't ask me to learn anything else for a few days. My mind can't take it," she gasped.
"That's terrifying," Jaina said, looking a bit pale. "Rhodes, do you have to go through this pain every time you learn a spell?" She looked at the Ice Bolt scroll he had given her earlier and wondered if she even wanted to try the Magic Arrow.
"It's just a little sting. It'll be over before you know it, Jaina," Rhodes said with a mischievous grin. He nodded to Solmyr.
Solmyr lunged forward, pressing his palm onto Jaina's head. A moment later, a high-pitched soprano scream echoed through the woods.