During the crystal implantation process, the Swamp Lord awoke, but still severely injured, it had no chance to resist and could only accept the stronger control of its new master.
Fairy Lake, polluted by Crude Oil, was not suitable for recuperation. After feeding the Seven-Headed Lizard a few pieces of meat, Unas ordered it to return to the Swamp. The monster had long wanted to leave and obediently crawled slowly toward its western lair.
Unas found Gunsel's body in the camp and planned to take it down to have the mages freeze it instantly, then store it in his own Spatial Bag. This way, everything would be safe, and it would also reassure the Lich and make him serve him faithfully.
I also asked Perella about the Menmarri Gem, but the only answer I got was "I don't know." The ranger captain had limited knowledge of mages.
Back at the bottom of the lake, the antidote still hadn't been refined. After a busy day, Unas felt a bit tired, so he sat down to rest with the others waiting outside the alchemy room.
Around the next morning, the door to the alchemy room creaked open, and Natasha emerged carrying the Phylactery, announcing, "Samples of all three antidotes have been produced; preliminary testing can begin."
The group immediately went to the cryogenic chamber and, after some searching, identified three test subjects among the temporarily frozen victims: a dark-skinned Orcs, a tall Forest Troll, and a strong Gnoll.
These three races are mortal enemies of humans and Elves. If they were saved, they would only become prisoners or be killed, making them perfect for testing medicine.
After the mages used their magic to thaw the ice, they immediately administered the three Potions to the patient, and then all they could do was wait.
The Dalaran investigator Fode, pulled the Paladin aside and whispered, "I received a magical message while I was brewing potions. A very important person is coming to check on things in person, and they should be arriving soon."
"Which important person?"
"Archmage Modera, she is a member of the Council of Six."
The name sounds familiar; it must be some minor NPC who has no influence in the game, and Unas isn't quite sure where it comes from either.
But Merlin sought her help in his most critical moment, so the two must have had a close connection.
"Where will she go first, the Mage Tower or here?"
"Here, Arnold and I carry tracking Arcane Artifacts when we're on duty. Our coordinates can be found in the Dalaran Enforcement Hall. I've already reported the general situation here, so she should know what happened."
What kind of person is she?
"They're known for their strictness, but I don't know much else. Archmages always like to maintain an air of mystery, afraid that others will discover their weaknesses."
What's coming will come eventually. As the saying goes, we'll meet force with force and water with earth. We can only wait and see what this Archmage does and then react accordingly.
As time passed, the effects of the Potions gradually became apparent. The dark-skinned Orcs were the luckiest, as their mutations were completely reversed. The Gnoll grew a single horn on their heads, while the Troll suffered from cracked and bleeding skin, all experiencing some aftereffects.
The most effective Potions has been selected, but it still needs further improvement and testing until it is confirmed to have no side effects on friendly races such as humans, Elves, and Dwarves before it can be mass-produced and put into use.
So the mages returned to the alchemy room to continue their work, while Fode and Arnold went ashore with Unas to prepare for the arrival of the important figures.
Unas selected twenty soldiers whose injuries were not serious, had them wash up and dress neatly, at least to make them look imposing and strong, so that they could stand in formation behind him and add to his imposing presence.
He also asked Mati'gosa to revert to her Blue Dragon form, as the colossal beast was far more imposing than her human form.
In less than half an hour, a group of small black dots appeared in the morning light on the horizon. The dots grew larger and larger until they became clearer. The leader was also a dragon, but it was not one of the five-colored Dragon Aspects. Instead, it was a pale purple Elemental Wind Dragon, covered with shiny runes, and looked more like a man-made creation.
A blue figure with a staff stood on the dragon's back, his entire body wrapped in a simple robe, obscuring his true face.
Behind the wind dragon were seven other figures, all of them flying beasts. Unas recognized some of them, including Firehawk, Chimeras, and Nether Rays. Compared to them, the Gryphon of the Fode disciples were utterly weak.
Fode seemed a little surprised as well, "She actually brought the 'Thorn of the Rose'."
"Thorn of the Rose? What are those?"
"A group of seven battle mages is famous in Dalaran, not only for their outstanding combat prowess, but also because the group is entirely composed of female mages."
Besides learning magical knowledge, mages also exchange spell insights and hold seminars, which naturally leads to the formation of various groups, large and small. The Thorn of the Rose is a temporary council composed of female battle mages.
What is the relationship between this group and Modera?
"I used to think it was nothing, but now it seems that it might be a force that Modera secretly built up."
An aura of intimidation washed over them; the Archmage was willing to expose the organization he had secretly cultivated, indicating that his visit was not well-intentioned.
Fortunately, Unas's side didn't lose too badly. The Blue Dragon's status and strength were much greater than the Elemental Wind Dragon's, and the soldiers behind him at least didn't show any fear, which was the result of their rigorous daily training.
Modera's wind dragon and other flying beasts finally arrived above Fairy Lake. They should have seen the people waiting on the shore, but instead of landing, they circled over the lake, letting out strange cries from their mounts, as if in a show of defiance.
This contemptuous attitude was bound to irritate people, and even Fode disciples showed their dissatisfaction, so Unas could hardly tolerate it.
"Are they crowing like roosters first thing in the morning? I've heard women are all noisy creatures, and it turns out their mounts are too!"
His voice was amplified by the Holy Light, causing the lake surface to tremble slightly. It could be heard almost within a kilometer radius, and the celestial mages were no exception.
"You foul-mouthed brat, do you know who you're talking to? The Silver Hand seems to have really declined, actually taking in Paladin like you!" A slightly delicate female voice immediately retorted.
The other party used the word "take in," which clearly indicates that they already knew about his self-proclaimed identity as a "wandering Paladin." Dalaran's intelligence system is indeed powerful; they must have been gathering information about him beforehand, otherwise they wouldn't have known this information so quickly.
"How am I supposed to know who it is if you don't come down? Tell your 'roosters' to stop crowing; my soldiers are already up and training."
In fact, Unas was overthinking it. Information about such a minor figure was limited to just a few sentences, Modera didn't know much about him. That's why she wanted to give him a hard time first. But what she didn't know was that Unas was always the type to respond to gentle persuasion but not force.