The Necropolis and Conflux Reserves
Rhodes took stock of his hidden Necropolis forces. Beyond the skeletons, he possessed 300 Zombies, 150 Ghosts, 80 Vampire Lords, 60 Liches, and 20 Dread Knights.
The Zombies, slow but durable, were designated as meat shields alongside the skeletons to sow chaos. The Ghosts were upgraded to Wights, a Tier 3 unit with a terrifying ability in Azeroth: the power to drain mana.
Each Wight could siphon magic from enemy casters every "turn." In this reality, they would target the Eredar Sorcerers—the strategic commanders of the Burning Legion whose fel magic surpassed even that of Dalaran's warlocks.
The Vampire Lords were his strike force. Though they couldn't convert victims into new vampires, their "Life Drain" allowed them to resurrect fallen comrades based on the damage dealt.
With high agility and survival, Rhodes planned to have them dive the Eredar Sorcerers immediately after the Wights drained their mana.
For his heavy hitters, Rhodes spent his remaining system gold to upgrade his Black Knights into Dread Knights. Between building the Conflux (Element City) and recruiting these elites, his treasury was now empty, but the potential rewards of this battle would be worth the investment.
Turning to the Conflux, Rhodes had managed to build structures for Tiers 1 through 6, though the Tier 7 Phoenix Nest was still beyond his reach. (Due to system restrictions, his daily income was capped at 6,500 gold.)
His elemental army was smaller but specialized:
150 Pixies (Sprites): These fast, blue-clad spirits could strike without fear of retaliation (causing "paralysis" in this world) before flying away.
30 Storm Elements and 30 Ice Elements: These ranged units were paired with the Liches, with a primary mission to snipe Eredar leaders.
Magma and Earth Elements: Designated as additional fodder, though their upgraded forms could cast protective Air, Water, Fire, and Earth magic.
"Are these more elemental summons, Rhodes? They feel... different," Jaina and Capurnia asked, observing the blue-sparking Storm Elements and the monstrous, ice-radiating Ice Elements.
"These are permanent elemental lifeforms brought by the Titans," Rhodes explained, using his "Titan" cover story. "Unlike our temporary summons, they will not dissipate."
Uther and the mages were awestruck. The idea of permanent elemental life was a breakthrough they couldn't yet grasp. Medivh, however, watched with a silent, knowing gaze.
He realized the "Titan" Rhodes summoned lacked a true soul—it was a hollow, though powerful, construct waiting for a spark of divine intellect. Yet, he chose not to expose Rhodes' secret, seeing the value in the puppet.
Rhodes handed his two most valuable spell scrolls—Lightning Bolt and Summon Fire Elemental—to Medivh. "Lord Medivh, stand at the summit. If the fire army falls, summon them again. Your mana is the key to maximizing these scrolls."
"Leave it to me," Medivh replied gravely, accepting the scrolls. With his Guardian-level power, these two simple spells would become weapons of mass destruction.
Finally, Rhodes deployed two Ballistae from the Conflux blacksmith. These magical siege engines acted as automated turrets, requiring no crew to rain heavy bolts down the mountain.
As the deployment finished, a dark tide began to surge at the foot of the mountain. Under the lash of the Burning Legion's demons, a massive vanguard of Ghouls, Skeletons, and Crypt Fiends launched the first assault.
The Battle of Mount Hyjal had begun.