Chapter Summaries

Antonidas memorized Aman'Thul's instructions for breaking the Holy Light Edict, while Velen secretly gave "Cho'gall" a powerful weapon and advice for killing Imperator Mar'gok. "Cho'gall" agreed to leave Highmaul and the Lightforging Orcs to Velen after Mar'gok's death, though Velen intended to reclaim power for himself.

• Antonidas told Aman'Thul he was accustomed to being enslaved, then memorized the scroll's instructions for breaking the Holy Light Edict and burned it.
• Velen and "Cho'gall" entered Karabor Temple, where Velen revealed that he had dismantled the Draenei's Particle Beam Weapons to preserve his rule.
• Velen opened a hidden space and gave "Cho'gall" Eredar's Extinction, a powerful crystal gun that could pierce several walls.
• Velen warned "Cho'gall" that the weapon could be disrupted by magic and advised him to use Holy Light Frenzy on only a few targets, including Jaina, Antonidas, and Saurfang the Great.
• "Cho'gall" promised to leave Highmaul and the Lightforging Orcs under Velen's control after they killed Imperator Mar'gok, while Velen planned to seize power for himself.

Velen’s attempt to betray Imperator Mar’gok was exposed, but Durotan’s Rune Stone saved him from execution. The two planned to escape the coming age of Holy Light by opening a new Dark Portal to Azeroth.

• Velen received a Rune Stone from Durotan and later followed Blackhand to meet Imperator Mar’gok, where he found Eredar’s Extinction on display.
• Mar’gok revealed that Cho'gall had been loyal to him all along and had pretended to cooperate with Velen, then ordered Velen’s execution.
• Velen crushed Durotan’s Rune Stone and escaped to the Thunderlord Clan’s refuge inside Gromgal’s skeleton.
• Durotan explained that the Holy Light had warned him of Cho'gall’s betrayal and suggested that Ghost Velen had possessed Cho'gall after Oshu'gun.
• Durotan warned Velen that they would not remain safe once the construction at Oshu'gun was complete, and Velen proposed using his Azeroth coordinates to open a new Dark Portal.

Prophet Velen returned to Azeroth through a Holy Light's Gate in Theramore and learned that the Draenei of Exodar had disappeared. He announced the Burning Legion's defeat and invited Azeroth's peoples to Draenor, but Charlga Razorflank proposed to him and he refused.

• A golden gate appeared above the ruins of Theramore, and Prophet Velen stepped through it to meet the fishermen.
• Velen learned that Rakeesh had led the Draenei into Argus World and told the fishermen that the Burning Legion had been defeated.
• Velen announced that the Holy Light's Gate led to Draenor and urged people to join its peaceful Holy Light realm.
• Charlga Razorflank welcomed Velen at a banquet and listened as he praised the Holy Light and the unity of Draenor's peoples.
• Charlga told Velen that a prophecy named him as her destined husband, but Velen refused, saying he had vowed to serve the Holy Light.

Velen’s return alarmed Tyrande and Malfurion, while Ysera warned Xavius that the coming Holy Light could disrupt the balance between the Emerald Dream and the Nightmare. The chapter ended with Ysera giving Xavius the Tear of Elune and proposing they stage a deception.

• Charlga turned down Velen’s offer to spread the Holy Light, and Velen escaped a hostile Centaur group before meeting Magatha Wildtotem at Sweetwater Oasis.
• Tyrande woke Malfurion to tell him Velen had returned with the Army of the Light behind him.
• Malfurion and Tyrande found Cenarius unconscious in Nightmare energy, so Malfurion went to summon three Druid elders while Tyrande was to contact Xavius.
• Ysera secretly met the Shade of Xavius and warned that millions of Orcs were preparing a structure to bring the Holy Light to Azeroth.
• Ysera gave Xavius the Tear of Elune and told him to let it absorb Nightmare power so they could put on an act.

Ysera revealed that she had long planned to hide within the Nightmare to survive, while Malfurion sought help from the three Archdruids to reach Cenarius. After Shon Moonclaw feigned corruption and refused to help, Ysera guided Malfurion toward Xavius and sent the others to retrieve the Tear of Elune.

• Ysera told the Shade of Xavius that she wanted to live in seclusion within the Nightmare, and he agreed to help her.
• Malfurion recruited Elothir and Koda Steelclaw to help him, while each shared his own view of the Satyrs and Cenarius.
• Malfurion found Shon Moonclaw seemingly corrupted, but Shon later revealed that he had only pretended and refused to help.
• Malfurion and the two Archdruids summoned Ysera, who warned them that the Nightmare had corrupted Shaladrassil and pointed Malfurion toward Xavius in Blackheart Thicket.
• Malfurion flew to Blackheart Thicket, while Ysera told the others to accompany her to the Temple of the Moon to obtain the Tear of Elune.

Malfurion entered Blackheart Thicket and agreed to let Il'gynoth scan his memories so it could reveal what the Army of the Light’s arrival meant. Il'gynoth produced a series of cryptic prophecies, and Malfurion and Xavius decided to seek Cenarius’s help interpreting them.

• Malfurion entered Blackheart Thicket, where Xavius reminded him that Tyrande had done nothing to betray him.
• Malfurion asked Xavius to take him to Cenarius, but Xavius requested that he first enter the Emerald Nightmare and consult Il'gynoth.
• Xavius led Malfurion to Il'gynoth, whose branches scanned Malfurion’s memories.
• Il'gynoth revealed a series of prophecies about the empire, the queen, the Light, a returning savior, and other events.
• Malfurion admitted he could not interpret the prophecies as well as Cenarius, so Xavius agreed to take him to his mentor.

Velen foresaw Xavius corrupting Ysera with the Tear of Elune and persuaded Magatha to help him turn Ysera into a Lightforged Green Dragon King. Meanwhile, Ysera and Tyrande discovered that Liasos Blackwood had stolen the Tear, and Ysera sensed someone approaching the Temple of the Moon with powerful Holy Light.

• Velen foresaw Xavius striking Ysera with the Tear of Elune and turning her into a Nightmare dragon.
• Velen told Magatha that Ysera was in danger and asked the Tauren to help make her a Lightforged Green Dragon King.
• Magatha agreed to cooperate with Velen.
• Ysera and Tyrande found the Tear of Elune missing from the Temple of the Moon, and Liasos Blackwood claimed he had stolen it before escaping into the forest.
• Ysera sensed someone with powerful Holy Light approaching the Temple of the Moon and told Tyrande to receive them.

Malfurion and Xavius sought Cenarius’s guidance in the Emerald Nightmare, while Tyrande reluctantly let Magatha’s Lightforged Tauren stay near the Temple of the Moon. As Velen secretly intervened in Ysera and Xavius’s plan, Ysera asked him to pursue Liasos Blackwood into a cave.

• Malfurion and Xavius met Cenarius at the Rift of Aln, where Cenarius urged them toward a course of action and they agreed to work together.
• Tyrande refused Magatha Wildtotem’s request to enter Val’sharah but allowed her Tauren to remain in the square outside the Temple of the Moon for one day.
• Ysera and Xavius reconsidered their plan to send Ysera into the Nightmare after learning that Magatha’s Lightforged Tauren were nearby, and Xavius proposed using Nythendra’s plague avatar as a substitute.
• Ysera pursued Liasos Blackwood until he escaped into a cave, while Velen secretly watched and worried that the prophecy might fail.
• Velen revealed himself to Ysera, and she asked him to help catch Blackwood in the cave.

Velen was captured by the Old Gods, who scanned his memories and released him, while his vision of Ysera’s corruption came true. As corrupted Ysera flew toward the Temple of the Moon, Magatha Wildtotem told Tyrande that they could save her with Tyrande’s help.

• Velen entered a cave to pursue Liasos Blackwood and was captured by the Old Gods, who intended to use him as a pawn against Ysera.
• The Old God demanded leverage over Velen, and Velen revealed secrets before agreeing to let it scan his memories.
• Velen awoke alone in the cave, left without pursuing Blackwood, and followed Ysera as she chased the satyr into a ravine.
• Xavius struck Ysera with the Nightmare-corrupted Tear of Elune, and she emerged corrupted and flew toward the Temple of the Moon.
• Tyrande prepared to retreat from corrupted Ysera, but Magatha Wildtotem said the Holy Light had foreseen events and that Tyrande could help save Ysera.

In the Emerald Nightmare, Ysera and the others learned that the Draenei’s travels had brought doom to a thousand civilizations through the Burning Legion and the Army of the Light, and Il'gynoth showed a future in which Holy Light consumed Draenor and Azeroth. Meanwhile, Velen’s attempt to transform “Ysera” into a Holy Dragon succeeded, but Tyrande warned that his scheme would not go as planned.

• Xavius told Ysera that the Draenei had visited a thousand civilizations, which were destroyed by the Burning Legion or the Army of the Light.
• Xavius explained that the Holy Light spread through civilizations that resisted the Void, then destroyed them and turned their souls into Naaru.
• Il'gynoth showed a future in which Holy Light overwhelmed Draenor and Azeroth, whose dead souls gathered to form Naaru.
• At the Temple of the Moon, Magatha led the Lightforging Tauren in binding “Ysera” with Holy Light and making her praise it.
• The Holy Light transformed “Ysera” into a golden dragon, and Velen declared that a Holy Dragon had been born.
• Tyrande told Velen that his scheme was destined not to go his way.

Tyrande saw Elune destroy the holy Dragon and punish Velen and the Lightforged Tauren after their attempt to test the Moon Goddess. Meanwhile, Mar'gok planned to send Lightforging Orcs through a Portal to Light's Hope Chapel under Tirion Fordring, with Amado secretly volunteering to watch over him.

• Elune vaporized the holy Dragon and struck down Velen and the Lightforged Tauren, while Tyrande warned Velen not to test a True God.
• Magatha blamed Velen for the Lightforged Tauren's deaths, and Velen claimed they would be reborn through the Holy Light.
• Mar'gok discussed Velen's spread of the Holy Light with Saurfang, Antonidas, and Zul'jin, then chose Light's Hope Chapel as the site for a new Portal to Azeroth.
• Antonidas pressured Tirion Fordring to lead the Lightforging Orcs and help them find food, and Tirion reluctantly agreed.
• Mar'gok asked for someone to watch Tirion, and Amado volunteered while secretly being Aman'Thul.

Vanessa arranged for Stormwind and Ironforge to recruit most of the Plaguelands’ residents, while Baron Maxwell Tyrosus lamented the region’s decline and dreamed of Tirion Fordring’s return. A golden Portal then brought Grom Hellscream and Tirion Fordring to Light’s Hope Chapel, where Tirion ordered the Lightforging Orcs to treat its people as food.

• Robbie and Vanessa worried that the Lightforging Orcs would attack the people of Light's Hope Chapel, so Vanessa bribed the sheriff to spread news of well-paid work in Stormwind.
• Moira Thaurissan responded by offering even better terms from Ironforge, and two-thirds of the Plaguelands’ population left within a month.
• Baron Maxwell Tyrosus mourned the loss of residents and spoke with Jessica about restoring Lordaeron and his dream that Tirion Fordring would return.
• A golden Portal descended into the Plague Scar, and Grom Hellscream emerged and bit through a soldier’s neck before Tirion Fordring followed with the Ashbringer.
• Tirion Fordring’s return moved the Argent Crusade soldiers, and he pointed the Lightforging Orcs toward Light’s Hope Chapel and declared its people their food.

Aman'Thul, disguised as "Amado," empowered Baron Tyrosus and persuaded him to secretly turn against Tirion Fordring. The baron captured Tirion Fordring and the Orc leaders at Light's Hope Chapel, leaving Tirion beaten and begging for mercy.

• Tirion Fordring ordered Baron Tyrosus to gather the Argent Crusade so its members could become food for the Orcs, then had Kilrogg restrain him.
• "Amado" questioned the baron's resolve, secretly granted him power by fusing Holy Light with Arcane energy, and directed him to gather trusted allies.
• The baron pretended to submit to Tirion Fordring and returned to Light's Hope Chapel with dozens of trusted men.
• The baron and his allies overpowered the Lightforging Orcs, knocked down Grommash Hellscream and the other leaders, and seized the Ashbringer from Tirion Fordring.
• The baron beat Tirion Fordring until he wept and begged to surrender and become the baron's slave.

Baron Maxwell Tyrosus followed Aman'Thul’s plan to turn Tirion Fordring into a source of food for the Old Lightforging Orcs. After Tirion was sealed in a pit beneath Corin's Crossing, Aman'Thul declared that their larger undertaking had only just begun.

• Baron Maxwell Tyrosus asked Aman'Thul how to solve the cost of feeding the Old Lightforging Orcs, and Aman'Thul gave him plans for a structure at Corin's Crossing.
• The baron announced that Tirion Fordring would sacrifice himself to seal an evil monster beneath Corin's Crossing, then escorted him there before a crowd.
• Aman'Thul revealed that his formation would make Tirion a living Holy Light receiver whose power sustained the monster and supplied food.
• Aman'Thul forced Tirion into the pit, where Holy Light transformed him into a huge mass of flesh that would feed the Orcs.
• The baron said the food problem was solved, but Aman'Thul said their great undertaking had only just begun.

The Amani Trolls accepted Zul'jin's call to join the Holy Light, while Aman'Thul prepared to confront Velen's Lightforged Tauren. Garrosh, Jaina, and Sylvanas forced Velen to stay and expand their forces, then asked him to go to Orgrimmar to become a Flesh-Eternal.

• Aman'Thul's letter convinced the Amani Trolls that Zul'jin had returned, and they traveled to Light's Hope Chapel to become Lightforged.
• Aman'Thul told Baron Maxwell Tyrosus that the Argent Crusade would target Velen's Lightforging Tauren in Kalimdor.
• Velen tried to leave Thunder Bluff, but Magatha urged him to stay until Garrosh, Jaina, and Sylvanas intervened.
• Garrosh, Jaina, and Sylvanas stopped Velen from fleeing and led his Tauren in conquering the Quilboar and Centaurs, converting both peoples to the Holy Light.
• Jaina asked Velen to go to Orgrimmar with them and become a Flesh-Eternal to provide food for their forces.

Taran Zhu showed Chen Stormstout his settlement in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, where Pandaren willingly prepared to become food for Orcs, and enlisted him to help rescue Tirion Fordring. They reached a veterans’ club in Elwynn Forest, where they heard a human proudly describe his near-miss at becoming Orc food.

• Taran Zhu led Chen Stormstout through the settlement and explained how its Pandaren accepted their fate as food for Orcs.
• Farmers, a merchant, and a Bard each described their pride in serving the Orcs, while Chen Stormstout lamented their beliefs.
• Taran Zhu said Elune had helped Pandaren reproduce rapidly and asked Chen Stormstout to help rescue Tirion Fordring.
• Chen Stormstout agreed in exchange for one tenth of the Pandaren in the settlement, and the two traveled to Stormwind City.
• Taran Zhu and Chen Stormstout joined a veterans’ club in western Elwynn Forest and heard a human praise feeding people to Orcs.

Andre rallied people to fight for the supposedly reborn King Varian and rescue Tirion Fordring, and Chen Stormstout and Taran Zhu joined the journey under false names. After a cramped voyage to Stratholme, Andre presented the passengers to the Lightforging Orcs as slaves.

• Andre claimed King Varian had allied with the Blood Elves and Lightforging Orcs to defeat the Argent Dawn, and he urged people to join the fight to rescue Tirion Fordring.
• Most of the crowd signed up, including Chen Stormstout and Taran Zhu, who used false names and met Lucas, a human noble willing to fight alongside the Orcs.
• Andre led more than two hundred people secretly from Stormwind and packed them onto a ship, joined along the way by several dozen Dwarves.
• After reaching Stratholme exhausted from the voyage, Chen Stormstout and Taran Zhu went on deck and saw armed Lightforging Orcs at the dock.
• Andre called the passengers slaves and asked an Orc officer to inspect them.

Taran Zhu and Chen Stormstout were forced into slavery while Jaina, Sylvanas, Garrosh, and Velen sought Aegwynn beneath Orgrimmar’s haunted lake. Aegwynn agreed to discuss Jaina’s offer but named Kalecgos as the only suitable heir to her magical knowledge.

• Andre took a bag of gold, and a Lightforging Orc officer declared the captured adventurers slaves and killed several who resisted.
• Lucas pledged to serve the Orcs, then an adventurer accepted the role of overseer; Taran Zhu and Chen Stormstout endured as the captives were sent to hard labor.
• Jaina, Sylvanas, Garrosh, and Velen drove ghosts from Orgrimmar’s black lake and summoned Aegwynn.
• Aegwynn learned that Jaina wanted a Flesh-Eternal and offered to help her escape in exchange for better terms than the Lightforging Orcs would provide.
• Aegwynn rejected Jaina as her successor and identified Kalecgos as the one with sufficient magical talent.

Lucas survived a beating and nearly being eaten by the Lightforging Orcs, then learned from Chen Stormstout and Taran Zhu that they were planning to escape and rescue Tirion Fordring. The three escaped by boat, but a Lightforging Orc warship approached and illuminated their hiding place.

• Lucas collapsed while carrying cargo and was beaten by an overseer until the Lightforging Orcs took him to the kitchen to be eaten.
• Chen Stormstout and Taran Zhu hid Lucas, treated his superficial wounds, and told him they planned to escape the docks.
• Taran Zhu explained that the Peace Dove, led by Jaina, had deceived Lucas about the Orcs, and promised to bring him along on their mission to rescue Tirion Fordring.
• Chen Stormstout and Lucas stole a small boat during a fire at the eastern warehouse, then met Taran Zhu at a reef after he ran across the sea.
• A Lightforging Orc warship approached the boat, and Chen Stormstout cast a shadow over it.

Lucas betrayed Chen Stormstout and Taran Zhu, believing the Orcs would reward him, but he was captured and prepared as food for Jaina. At the banquet, Jaina declined to eat Lucas and discussed Aegwynn’s plan to exchange souls with Kalecgos.

• Lucas shouted a warning about the supposed traitors, and Chen Stormstout and Taran Zhu knocked out the Lightforging Orcs before escaping by boat.
• The Lightforging Orc leader praised Lucas, and he was freed from slavery and taken to Light's Hope Chapel for a supposed meeting with an important figure.
• Lucas and a Highmountain Tauren were coated in syrup and prepared as food for Lord Amado’s guest.
• Aman'Thul revealed that he had chosen Lucas as a reward for betraying the Pandaren, and Jaina arrived through a Portal.
• Jaina rejected Lucas as food and told Aman'Thul she wanted to discuss Aegwynn’s request to see Kalecgos.
• Aman'Thul explained that Aegwynn planned to exchange souls with Kalecgos, and Jaina ate a piece of Highmountain beef while Lucas watched in horror.