There should be a boost for you laboratory. It would cost you roughly 100-200 gems for the boost and it would only level up one unit (troop or spell) per season. The boost would cut the level up time by half.

Dark paladin: would have great strength and good defense, his special ability would be self regeneration while on the battle field every unit he destroys would regenerate a small portion of his health. The regeneration ability would have to acquired from leveling up your paladin to lvl 2 or lvl 3.