"FAVORITES IN BATTLE - III"

Dwells 2,5,6 played without loads; hero leveling was quite difficult, bases were given one by one as they filled up. In the 2nd week, I popped out into MT; unfortunately, there was no exit from it to the treasure zone. Ran around and leveled up to level 20, crashed in Castle, but without magic. In the 3rd [week], I ran to look for the treasure zone; ran in a circle, but only found it via the penultimate portal at the start of the 4th. During the 4th week, I cleared the treasure zone: 2 minimal Dragon Utopias and 2 Temples (1 maximal), collected all artifacts I saw; not a single artifact for initiative except dragon ones, and overall very mediocre artifacts, but leveled up quite well. When I was finishing the circle around the treasure zone and was near the mentor, an opponent appeared. I was on the move with a full stack of Cave Lords; approached him closer to transfer the army on the next turn, but Argat popped out of a portal, revealed me, and Ossir attacked with a full army. Here I should have retreated after the 1st ATB, would have saved all Lords and killed [him] properly, but for some reason I decided to fight without having either Plague or Word; in the end we traded more or less equally with a slight advantage for the Elf. I lost Seducers and Lords without growth; he [lost] all shooters and 3 dragons, a few dancers, half the horses. He says that he had chances to win, but honestly, I didn't notice that moment. Retreated, bought back the army and went to fight him in a fair battle. The opponent ran around for another 2 days in the practically empty treasure zone and surrendered, or maybe he got damaged in the last fight over the ring of mana reduction, I don't know. Thanks for the game.