After briefly explaining the current situation of Blackrock Depths to Nightmoon, Unas ordered the soldiers to continue guarding the area in case anything went wrong in the spatial passage. He then summoned three horses, and the three of them quickly rode back to the stronghold.
Unas's return certainly caused a stir, but it was quickly quelled because he issued the order to prepare for battle as soon as he arrived at the stronghold.
He returned not out of boredom, but to gather troops from the stronghold as a reserve force. In case the situation in Blackrock Depths turned unfavorable, a surprise force that could suddenly appear on Flamewaker Island could very well turn the tide.
Back in the command tent of the military camp, Unas felt a sense of familiarity on the way there, but now was not the time for sentimentality. He immediately ordered a military meeting to be held.
Helen, that little girl, was the first to arrive at the station, even though her father hadn't managed to snatch her away.
"I knew Lord Unas would be safe and sound!"
Seeing the jubilant little girl, Unas was also pleased. "How has my magical advisor been these past few days? You'll have to help me out from now on!"
"I will serve you to the death, my lord," Helen said playfully, mimicking Knight's oath of allegiance. "I've learned a few new spells from the Blood Elf mages; they'll surely come in handy."
The two chatted amiably for a few moments. It turned out that Earl Ganis had finally given in to his daughter and returned to the Monastery, which saved Unas a lot of trouble.
The officers quickly gathered together, and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Acting Commander Qiaosen reported to him on the situation following the battle with the Flamewaker.
During his disappearance, the stronghold was peaceful, with the only news being the arrival of four new Night Elves.
The first layer of the Mushroom Cave is complete, and all the spores have been planted. Oakleaf and the two new Druids are taking good care of them, and the Dwarves have already begun digging the second layer.
Ranger Captain Perella did not participate in the rescue operation. She stayed at the stronghold to take care of her comrades and replenished her energy using the Fire Crystals she had collected. The Blood Elves had mostly recovered, and all seventeen mages had been revived, which greatly enhanced the strength of the stronghold.
At the front lines of Red Stone Stele, the Giant Spiders didn't make any major moves. The occasional minor harassment was easily repelled by the defenders. Of course, Rosebayne and Haikesi also deserve credit for this. I wonder how their progress is going. Judging from the current situation, it should be quite good.
Unas introduced Marshal Windsor to everyone, and then explained his plans, which drew both support and opposition.
Those who opposed it felt they were barely able to protect themselves and had no power to get involved in the Dark Iron Dwarves' affairs, while those who supported it believed that the current situation at their stronghold was more than adequate, and if they could improve relations with the Dark Iron Dwarves, they would at least not have to worry about weapons in the future.
Windsor joined the discussion, engaging in a verbal battle with the opposition. He made several empty promises, such as persuading the council to provide substantial aid to the Argent Dawn upon his return to Stormwind City. Coupled with his prestigious title of Marshal, the opponents were immediately silenced.
Unas delivered the final blow, "I won't send you all to fight to the death for the Dark Iron Dwarves. I just want you to be prepared for battle; we might need you. Mobilize now! Meeting adjourned!"
The Warden gave the order, and no one objected further; the meeting ended there.
As soon as he stepped out of the Tent, a familiar voice, accompanied by a fragrant breeze, rushed into his arms, "Brother Unas, oh my god, you're finally back!"
Unas patted the small head resting against his chest. "Beryl, I'm sorry to have worried you."
He comforted the girl in the dark for a few words, but she still clung to him and refused to let go.
"Ahem!" Nightmoon coughed twice. "Beryl, quickly release Lord Unas! Time is running out. Take us to the Mushroom Cave and show us the fruits of your and Master Oakleaf's labor!"
Nightmoon still had some control over Beryl, and since they were going to "her own territory," the Elf girl finally let go of Unas's hand and instead clung tightly to his arm.
Unas really wanted to take a look, so the group hurried toward the Mushroom Cave.
The cave entrance remained the same, except for the addition of a squad of soldiers guarding it. This was to be expected, as mushrooms were a vital food source for the future, and it was necessary to protect them to prevent them from being sabotaged by spies.
The caves are completely different inside. As you walk further in, the flat ground of each Cave is covered with a mixture of Black Soil and wood chips, densely dotted with white buds, and the light fragrance of bananas fills the entire space.
The Dwarves ' cave-digging architecture is truly impressive; each Cave has a pool of naturally collected mountain spring water in the center, making irrigation very convenient.
Master Oakleaf and two other Watchers were tending to the seedlings in a Cave. Unas first thanked the two Elves for their rescue, then praised the Druid and Beryl for their work.
The two Watchers seemed quite displeased with Beryl's closeness to him, their attitudes turning somewhat cold, just like when they first met Nightmoon. Unas could only manage a bitter smile to himself.
Fortunately, Oakleaf's laughter saved the awkward atmosphere. According to him, at its current growth rate, if everything goes smoothly, it will be fully mature in less than two months, much earlier than the expected three months.
Unas was quite satisfied with the inspection of the Mushroom Cave, Windsor was also full of surprises, repeatedly saying that he wanted to send people to learn the techniques of mushroom cultivation.
Beryl's emotions had calmed down considerably, and she didn't dwell on it any longer. After Unas to the camp and instructing several centurions to prepare for battle, Unas left the stronghold and went to the front line of Red Stone Stele.
He called out to Haikesi for a while, but received no response; they were probably too far away. Disappointed, he returned to the Crystal Mine Cave.
Nightmoon planned to return to Blackrock Depths with the two of them this time, Unas did not object. In order to rescue him, the female Elf had already figured out the layout of Shadowforge City very well, so she felt more at ease with her around.
The three swam from Flamewaker Island to the shore through Spatial Rift. Returning was not as easy as coming, as they would run into Fire Elemental creatures supporting Shadowforge City. Fortunately, Nightmoon scouted ahead, and once they spotted an impending encounter, they immediately hid in the lava river, thanks to the fire-resistant barrier provided by Crimson Diamond.
After dodging three or four waves of enemies, they finally returned to the tributary and then went back to Torbjorn's Smelting Room through the U-shaped passage, where the three of them could finally catch their breath.
The clanging and banging sounds echoed throughout the Smelting Room. The Thorium Brotherhood mobilized all its blacksmiths to work at full speed, and nearly a third of the steel pipes in the U-shaped fissure had already been laid.
The three found the human team resting in several workshops outside the Arsenal. The elite squad knew as soon as they saw Nightmoon that the two had successfully returned. They exchanged information and found that the situation had not changed much. For now, all they could do was wait.
During this rare break, although Unas had just leveled up and was at full strength, his mental fatigue had not yet dissipated. He took this opportunity to relax, so he sat down against a wall and quickly entered a state of clarity through Meditation.