What a pleasant surprise! To be honest, granting sentience to the troops of the Heroes of Might and Magic world was something Rhodes had always considered. He had previously assumed their lack of independent thought was an innate defect that could never be changed, but here was a sudden, life-altering breakthrough.
Rhodes's five Archangels had always been his absolute core force, alongside the Sacred Phoenixes—all of them immensely powerful beings. However, they had remained little more than tools with immense power. While their Holy Light was dense and their melee capabilities were strong enough to strike down Archimonde with the Judgment of Light, they still lacked the finesse of true masters. Against ordinary legends, they were fine; once the opponent reached the level of a Demigod, the fatal flaw of lacking intelligence became glaringly apparent.
With the precise micromanagement of Rhodes, he could produce terrifying results, but if an enemy ever figured out their predictable patterns, the tide would turn. If he could grant his five Archangels true intelligence, he wouldn't just have five summons; he would have five genuine Demigods under his command.
Now, the Well of Eternity had provided a solution. However, there was a catch: the War Unicorn had drunk a significant amount of the Well's waters—even if it was a diluted version from the Queen's bath. According to Rhodes's estimates, it would likely take several drops of the pure essence to evolve a unit's life form and spark self-awareness.
He didn't plan on letting every single troop drink from the Well; the waters weren't infinite. Much like the Sunwell, the Well of Eternity extracted energy from the Great Dark Beyond, producing concentrated fluid only over time. He would need to ask Azshara for more during this war for targeted upgrades. First on the list: the Archangels. Unlike the Naaru, Archangels perfectly fit human aesthetics and were his primary force. Next would be the Phoenixes. Titans were constructs and lacked biological life, so the water likely wouldn't work on them, and the Black Dragons needed the power of the Earth-Warder to truly evolve.
Rhodes confirmed that even with free will, his summons would still obey his commands, so betrayal wasn't a concern.
His mind was racing, but his face remained calm. He nodded slightly to the High Priestess and the other priestesses. "Perhaps it is a miracle. It is my partner's good fortune to have received such an opportunity. Let us set out as soon as possible; we must not keep the Goddess waiting."
He wasn't about to explain the intricacies of his summoning system. Let the priestesses guess for themselves.
The High Priestess gave Rhodes a long, searching look but didn't press him. Everyone had secrets; as long as he didn't harm the Night Elves or defy the Goddess, she wouldn't pry. "In that case, let us move."
The party set out once more. This time, with Rhodes's silent permission and the "Radiance's" eager anticipation, Tyrande rode the unique War Unicorn. Radiance pranced excitedly at the front of the group, its presence acting like a flowing beacon of light that dispersed the gloom of the forest and lifted the priestesses' spirits.
Rhodes followed on the second, obedient unicorn, plotting how to get more Well water. Miss the village, lose the shop, he thought; the Well would be destroyed by the end of this war.
The first two days were smooth, but trouble found them on the third.
As they crossed a desolate valley covered in ancient ruins, the air suddenly filled with the stench of sulfur and decay. The clear sky darkened abruptly as swirls of sickly green Fel clouds gathered nearby.
"Everyone, on guard! The scent of demons!" the High Priestess commanded. The priestesses instantly entered a battle stance, the silver glow of Moonfire flickering in their hands.
Rhodes's eyes narrowed. He felt two powerful evil presences: one cunning and mentally oppressive, the other raw destruction and brute force. He smiled. Old acquaintances. One Dreadlord, one Annihilan. It seemed Xavius had been rescued by his masters and was already plotting his revenge.
"Hahaha! I found you, you insect carrying that repulsive Holy Light!" a piercing, grating voice rang out. With the flapping of bat-like wings, a Dreadlord emerged from the Fel clouds—Lord Destheroc of the Nathrezim.
Simultaneously, the earth shook. A mountain of a figure stepped forward, possessing a demonic upper body and a mammoth-like lower half, wielding a massive double-bladed polearm. It was Destructor Brutallus, one of Mannoroth's lieutenants.
They were accompanied by a host of Legion soldiers: massive Felhunters, Felguards, Infernals, and Shivarra. There were about two hundred demons in total. Since the Legion's portal had only just opened, their numbers on Azeroth were limited, but this was still a significant investment.
With Rhodes's current strength, if he summoned his hidden army, even Archimonde or Kil'jaeden would have a hard time. However, his mission was to ensure the timeline remained intact, so he needed to hide his true power. He would not summon his main army for this fight.
"For the glory of Lord Sargeras! Tear them apart—especially that human radiating golden light!" Brutallus let out a thunderous roar, pointing his blade at Rhodes.
"Sisters, prepare for battle! Protect our guest at all costs; he is the one the Goddess has summoned," the High Priestess declared. She realized the oracle's depth; Rhodes was vital, and the Goddess's anger was likely directed at these demons, not him.
Tyrande and another priestess moved to Rhodes's side to act as bodyguards, their bows drawn.
"Ladies, as a gentleman, how could I let women protect me?" Rhodes laughed. "I am an astral traveler who has visited many worlds. If I didn't have a bit of strength, I wouldn't have survived this long. I can fight too."
He raised his hand and cast several buffing spells: Bless, Shield, Haste, Stoneskin, and Bloodlust.
The priestesses felt as if they were suddenly wearing thick armor, their bodies became incredibly light, and their strength surged. These enhancements instantly made the priestesses look at Rhodes with newfound respect.
"Incredible support magic," the High Priestess noted with a nod.
"Thank you. Now, let's show them, ladies," Rhodes smiled.
"Sisters! Let Lord Rhodes see the power and the fury of the Sentinels of Elune!" At her command, a barrage of Moonfire fell like silver meteors upon Destheroc in the sky and the Felguards on the ground.
Destheroc mocked them, his shadow shields easily deflecting most of the magic. He shrieked, releasing a Carrion Swarm—a cloud of sickly green magical insects that brought disease and fear.
Brutallus ignored the tickling Moonfire. His giant blade let out a scream as it tore through the air, sweeping toward the densest part of the group, intending to cleave them all in half.
"In the name of the Great Holy Light, begone! Holy Crystal Wall!"
Rhodes raised his hands, and a pillar of Holy Light soared into the sky. Several massive, shimmering crystal walls materialized, precisely intercepting Brutallus's blade and Destheroc's swarm.
BOOM!
Brutallus's blade slammed into the light wall with a deafening roar. The barrier fluctuated violently but held firm, sending a massive shockwave back that caused the Pit Lord to stumble. Destheroc's swarm hit the wall like moths to a flame, sizzling and dissolving in the holy radiance.
Seeing their opening, the Moon Priestesses began raining arrows upon the demons.