After he got bored by reading all that lore, he again started practising spells and slowly regaining his former prowess as a wizard. Only a month after the battle, he was now able to cast most spells up to the second level. Another major discovery he made pertained to the nature of his spellcasting, he did not use Spell Slots. His theory was that it resembled the X amounts of day rule that NPC's had to follow. They were given a certain amount of uses to balance them in combat. Yet for him it was a bit different, from that he felt it draining his constitution. Therefore he had been able to push past anything possible by humans and could cast Level 1 spells all day long with his dragon stamina. The few high Level spells he knew as a dragon were much harder to pull of, as most of those he could only cast two or three times a day.
The Halruaan Kingdom fell into a state of quiet for some time after the attack. Argentarius continued his study and managed to reach the point where he no longer had any spell to learn, at least not the ones they wanted him to know. So he gathered his children, who had become quite annoyed at being poked at every day by curious wizards, on which said wizards had not made satisfying progress. From what he had overheard, they did not manage to decode any of the processes made in the making of them. Only the eyes, made of Transmuter Stones, had been understood and actually appreciated by them. Yet they found the idea to sacrifice such an epic item for a golem terrifying. The amount of power needed to be wielded to pry six of those from probably unwilling high level transmuters, was frightening, and after watching Argentarius battle they had quickly yielded to his request. Tiberius saw him off personally. "My honoured guest, no honoured friend, we all are sad to see you leave. Where are you headed next?" Argentarius marvelled at the man who managed to simultaneously flatter and try to pry information from him. "I will return to the capital and then we will see where Azuth will lead me." Tiberius relented and just waved him goodbye. Thankful to have dogged a lengthy interrogation and possible divining session, he was fast to take of and depart with his knights.
As the four of them flew through the sky, Arthur at the forefront with Hou Yi and Arminius flanking him, they discussed their recent mission and their upcoming journey. Arthur was the first to break the silence. "Father, what is our next mission, when we are back in the Akhlaur Swamp?"Argentarius sighed. "I need you to scout the area for any signs of disturbance. I have heard rumours of dark forces gathering in the swamp and I need to know what we're up against." He really had heard nothing of the sort, but he hoped to make them feel more valued if they did errands for him. Hou Yi asked slightly irritated: "Why do we have to care so much about Halruaa and its people? They don't appreciate our efforts. You saved so many of them, yet they still look at you like some curious animal or potential thief!" He trained his bow on an unsuspecting passer-by wizard, but Arminius grabbed his arm. "The wizards of transmutation just see us as their tools and experiments. They don't care about our well-being. Yet they did not treat us bad, did they?" Argentarius used this chance to placate the other two a bit. "I understand your frustration, my children. But Halruaa is our new home and we have a duty to protect it. And as for the wizards, they are simply trying to advance their knowledge and abilities like us." Arthur grinned wide, showing his bronze teeth. "Some of their experiments are downright comical, though." Hou Yi chuckled and continued in the same vein. "Remember that time when the wizard tried to imbue me with the ability to breathe underwater, but did not see clearly through the murky water?" Arthur trew his head back and laughed. "No, no, the best part was he actually thought a golem would need air!"
Arminius also did not want be left out and said. "Or when the wizard tried enlarge my axe, got frustrated and tried hitting the thing with his staff?" Argentarius chuckled. "Yes, some wizards are more skilled than others and I believe that one had to regrow a few fingers. But they mean well and didn't actually harm you right?" Arthur answered solemnly "We understand, Father. But please never give us to anyone again if they will just use us as their guinea pigs." Argentarius said: "I assure you, my children, that I will never allow any harm to come to you. You are my greatest creations and I am proud to call you my knights."
Soon the three knights and their creator left The Nath behind and travelled towards the lowlands, they passed the capital and continued on towards Lake Halruaa. The landscape gradually changed, the mountains giving way to rolling hills covered in small settlements and grasslands. The air became warmer and more humid as they descended towards the lowlands. As they flew over Lake Halruaa, the water stretched out before them like a vast expanse of shimmering silver, reflecting the blue sky above. The cliff sides hugging the water to the right were dotted in colourful flowers and the occasional magic tower, creating a breathtaking vista.
But their peaceful journey was soon interrupted by a sudden and heavy thunderstorm. The sky grew dark, and the wind howled as rain and hail pelted them relentlessly. Lightning flashed all around them, illuminating the sky in bright flashes of white and blue. The knights struggled to keep their balance in the fierce winds, so Argentarius turned invisible into his dragon form and let them ride him. Thunder roared in their ears, drowning out all other sounds. It was a harrowing experience, but they pressed on, until they reached the next cliff to take cover. Eventually, the storm passed, and they emerged on the other side, drenched and in a bad mood. After two more days they reached the Akhlaur Swamp, lush vegetation and dense mists enveloping them as they flew deeper into the heart of the swamp. Argentarius let out a shout that echoed across the lakes and rivers. "Cower in fear, trout! For your god has returned!"
