Chapter Summaries

Diakum fought Sargeras’s avatar and defeated it, though the battle left him badly wounded and forced him to return to High Heaven. As he reunited briefly with Nali, Saloras, and Oreses, a new eclipse appeared, which Diakum identified as An'she moving to extinguish the Void.

• Sargeras’s avatar battled Diakum, whose eclipse nullified the avatar’s healing while his Void and Light-Shadow forms damaged the Dark Titan.
• Sargeras unleashed his full-power Starshatter Slash, and Diakum caught and absorbed the blade’s force before striking down the collapsing avatar with a Solar Halo.
• Sargeras withdrew after warning Diakum that he would destroy fel Zereth Holy Land and later face him on Argus, while Diakum prepared to return to High Heaven because Cosmic Repulsion had resumed.
• Archbishop Nali, Saloras, and Oreses reached Diakum, who embraced them briefly and gave Nali a protective Blazing Sun Seal before sending them back to their duties.
• A new eclipse darkened the sun, and Diakum told Nali that it was An'she’s power, not his own, and that An'she intended to extinguish the Void.

As the battle for the Star Soul Sanctuary intensified, Velen rescued the mortally wounded Kil'jaeden and asked him to return to Argus to organize the Penitents. Kil'jaeden agreed after Velen promised to kill him when the Restoration Army reached Argus, and Velen accepted arrest for helping him.

• Sargeras ordered the demons to fight on, promising Demon Ascension to those who earned it, and demonforging spread across Azeroth's battlefields.
• Several Greater Demons targeted Velen, but the awakened Kil'jaeden emerged from the body bag and helped Velen kill them.
• Velen asked Kil'jaeden to return to Argus and arrange for the Penitents to join their people's restoration.
• Kil'jaeden agreed to go, after Velen promised to kill him when the Restoration Army reached Argus.
• Yrel, Maraad, Eredath, and Lelan arrived, and Velen accepted symbolic shackles and judgment for rescuing Kil'jaeden.

The defenders of Azeroth suffered devastating losses as demons overwhelmed the battlefield, and Lothar died holding them back. Lady Eonar then restored life across the planet, reviving Lothar and countless others, while the newly undead Kargath complained that Blackhand had recruited him into death just before the mass resurrection.

• Kael'thas helped White Pawn defeat Felfire Hounds while Lothar sent Varian away and stayed behind with the Iron Horse Knights to fight the demons.
• Lothar was overwhelmed and killed, and Khadgar recovered his body with Garona and Shaw's help while Kargath guarded them.
• Blackhand revived Kargath as undead and told Little Hellscream that Grom had been obliterated, though Orc ancestral spirits might exist beyond the Shadowlands.
• Admiral Sfurax and Hutton arrived in Azeroth's orbit, and Lady Eonar blessed the planet with life, healing its warriors and awakening the World Tree in Un'Goro Crater.
• The blessing revived Lothar and the dead across the world, and Kargath blamed Blackhand for making him undead just before the resurrection.

As Eonar’s resurrection blessing turned the tide of the war, Argus Lord defeated Gogonas and the living drove back the demons. Eonar, Norgannon, Argus Lord, and Azeroth then rescued Gogonas’s soul from fel corruption, while Argus Lord vowed to face Aggramar next.

• Odin stopped the dead from entering The Maw and, with Helya and the Shadow Valkyr, directed them toward Eluh'ia to be resurrected.
• Argus Lord killed Gogonas with the Shield of Aggramar as Iridikron pulled the Black Corrosion Sword and Gogonas’s heart from his body.
• Aegwynn called the Saviors back to the Star Soul Temple, and the resurrected dead and reinforcements joined the counterattack across Azeroth.
• Eonar and Norgannon tried to pull Gogonas’s soul away from Sargeras and Aggramar, and Argus Lord and Azeroth helped them bring it back into Azeroth.
• Argus Lord saw Aggramar on the plains of Antorus and promised to bring him to justice in the next war.

As Azshara prepared a world-level spell to seal Azeroth from the Twisting Nether, the embattled defenders launched a final assault against the demons. On the Shimmering Flats, Blackhand reunited with Griselda and his sons and challenged them to finish their old fight and learn the chieftain’s inheritance.

• Sargeras’s decree drove the demons into an intensified final assault, and their rapid power gains let them reclaim territory and threaten the defenders.
• After Rastakhan died, Azshara arrived in Zandalar, banished the demons on the island into a black hole, and ordered the empire’s Loa to gather before her.
• Azshara began a world-level sealing spell to cut Azeroth off from the Twisting Nether, and Lothar led the defenders in a renewed charge against the disoriented demons.
• Blackhand kicked Rend away when his son ran to embrace him, then praised Griselda’s fighting spirit and challenged her and her brothers to test themselves against him.

Kael'thas reunited with his father, Anasterian, after retaking Silvermoon City and described his plans to end the Sin'dorei's Magic Addiction. Meanwhile, Diakum reunited with Saloras, Oreses, and Neri in a dream, where they rested together before the coming campaign.

• Kael'thas greeted Anasterian among the Venthyr forces after the Titan guardians and allied factions helped reclaim Silvermoon City.
• Anasterian explained how he became a Venthyr and warned Kael'thas that a king bore responsibility for the Magic Addiction afflicting his people.
• Kael'thas described the Sun State Religion and his plan to obtain the Arcan'dor legacy, then told Anasterian that he had discovered their ancestors were Trolls, prompting his father's furious denial.
• After the exhausted warriors finally rested, Saloras entered Diakum's dream and joined him and Neri on the Krokuun Great Plains; Oreses soon joined them.
• Diakum told the three women about the Shadowlands and the First Ones, then fell asleep as they settled beside him, while he planned to continue the Expedition of Flame and pursue An'she's fate.

Diakum learned that An'she planned to sink into the Sea of Darkness and surrender his power to protect Diakum, but he refused to accept the sacrifice. He promised to lead the Solar Expedition to reignite An'she, while hinting that he had arranged a restorative operation for him.

• Diakum offered Emperor Thoradin the chance to return to the material world, but Thoradin chose to become a battle angel in High Heaven.
• Diakum empowered the Holy Light Walkers fighting demons on Azeroth, then worried about the Eclipse that had appeared across the cosmos.
• X'era and Diakum discussed An'she's worsening condition before Lady Elune arrived and revealed that An'she intended to give Diakum the Radiant Sun's power and become a controllable Eclipse.
• Diakum rejected An'she's sacrifice and told Elune he would lead the light and shadow walkers into the Sea of Darkness to reignite him.
• Elune agreed to send her Night Warrior followers with the expedition, and Diakum reassured her that he had already booked An'she for a restorative operation.

Azeroth’s coalitions began driving back the demons while the undead departed to wage war across the demon worlds. At Eluh'ia, Eonar agreed to dismantle Azeroth’s Everything Unification Field but warned that restoring it on Argus would be nearly impossible, and the Eredar demanded that the Titan Souls help restore their homeland.

• Azeroth’s peoples formed continent-wide alliances and launched a demon-slaying counteroffensive with support from the Holy Light fleet.
• The Shadowlands’ army left a small detachment on Azeroth and sent its remaining forces through the River of Souls to fight demons across the stars.
• Eonar, Norgannon, and Golganneth rested beneath Eluh'ia while Elune’s moonlight helped heal Eonar.
• Yrel, the Twins Archbishop, Archbishop Nali, and the Lightforged visited Eluh'ia as representatives of the Eredar, carrying divine weapons as leverage.
• Eonar agreed to dismantle the Everything Unification Field on Azeroth but said transporting and reinstalling its devices on Argus would be nearly impossible.
• Nali and Saloras demanded that the Titan Souls help restore Argus, and Oreses accused the Pantheon of hiding a ghost.

Azshara arrived to negotiate for the ruins of the Pantheon, accusing Aman'Thul of being shaped by the First Ones and arguing that the Titan Souls had followed the wrong primordial paths. She demanded the Pantheon as a means to gain power against Sargeras, leaving the Titans to decide whether to reveal how to summon it.

• Neri gave the Titan Souls a day to consider the Eredar's terms and told Eonar that Azshara would arrive for the handover of the Pantheon ruins.
• Azshara invited Oveena and the Haranir to join her Elven Empire, and Oveena said they would deliberate before choosing a place in the world.
• Azshara accused Aman'Thul of being a traitor influenced by the First Ones and challenged Eonar to reconsider her spouse's actions toward Elun'ahir and imperfect life.
• Norgannon questioned whether the First Ones had shaped Aman'Thul for a purpose, and Azshara proposed investigating the Pantheon ruins and rescuing Aman'Thul and Khaz'goroth from Antorus.
• Azshara demanded the means to summon the Pantheon so she could draw on primordial Arcane power against Sargeras, warning the Titans that her rule would allow only one voice.

Azshara sought to unite the Zandalar Empire by placing its Loa under royal authority and demanded that Bwonsamdi become its Guardian Spirit of the Nation. Bwonsamdi accepted her decree, leaving the empire poised to gain a second Lesser God.

• Azshara returned to her palace and ordered Bwonsamdi to take Haranir form and rebuild his Other Side to serve all the empire’s peoples.
• Azshara gave Bwonsamdi six months to win recognition across the empire, threatening to replace him if he failed.
• Bwonsamdi argued that he needed Mueh'zala’s anima and more Faith Power to compete for advancement in the Shadowlands.
• Azshara offered to grant Bwonsamdi the title Guardian Spirit of the Nation and direct the empire’s worship toward him, making his power dependent on her decree.
• Old Gani reported that Azshara’s forces had killed Shadra and Malakk and were hunting Hakkar, warning Bwonsamdi that other rebellious Loa had been eliminated.
• Bwonsamdi knelt and accepted the title, asking Azshara to issue her decree.

Bwonsamdi learned that Queen Azshara’s efforts to unify the Empire advanced her Arcane Path, just as a second eclipse raised fears of trouble in the Sea of Darkness. At Karazhan, Medivh reunited with Aegwynn, accepted Aluneth, and prepared to join Azshara’s coming journey while promising to eventually sever his connection to Sargeras.

• Bwonsamdi left Azshara’s palace with authority to build temples across the Empire, then argued with Old Gani about their roles in the Queen’s court.
• Old Gani explained that Azshara’s unification of the Empire strengthened her Arcane Path and warned that obstructing her would bring ruin.
• Bwonsamdi saw a second eclipse, while Medivh studied the phenomenon at Karazhan and suspected a warning connected to the Sea of Darkness.
• Moroes told Medivh that Aegwynn had been informed of his return, and Aegwynn arrived to reunite with her son.
• Medivh and Aegwynn discussed the coming Solar Expedition, and Aegwynn gave him Aluneth to accompany him on the road.
• Medivh told Aegwynn he would eventually sever his dark connection to Sargeras, while she urged him to live freely and return to visit her.

The Eclipse Sect accelerated An'she's fall and prepared to spread the Eclipse beyond the Sea of Darkness, while the Truth Hunter warned that Diakum would oppose them. Diakum then organized the Solar Expedition with the Lightforged Fleet and the exiled children of the Void to reach An'she and reignite the sun.

• The Eclipse Sect leader argued that An'she's weakening made an invasion during the coming Eclipse possible and invited the Truth Hunter to join.
• The Truth Hunter refused, warned that Diakum and the People of Light would intervene, and urged the Eclipse Sect to disband and stop harming An'she.
• The Eclipse Sect leader rejected the warning, vowed to bring about Eternal Night, and threatened Diakum and the Truth Hunter.
• Gristletia told Diakum that more than 589 Light-believing civilizations had joined the Solar Expedition, and Diakum explained that only legendary members could enter the Sea of Darkness.
• Zraly reported that 300 Light warships and 500 naaru were ready to accompany the expedition, while Diakum said the exiled children of the Sea of Darkness would handle the counterattack and return home.

The Queen of Blades returned to the Overmind as the Shadow Chasing Swarm prepared to leave the Twisting Nether for the Sea of Darkness. The Overmind granted the Odachi Insectfolk a new identity and the task of continuing the Great Cycle in the Swarm’s place.

• The Queen of Blades admired the Shadow Chasing Swarm’s expanding war effort and learned that the Light Weaver had summoned it back to the Sea of Darkness.
• The Queen of Blades greeted four elder insects and met the Odachi Insectfolk gathered with the Overmind.
• The Overmind appointed the Odachi Insectfolk to lead the Twisting Nether’s Swarm after the Shadow Chasing Swarm departed and named them the Toranar Swarm.
• The Odachi Insectfolk elder accepted the new name, offered to undergo Abathur’s modification surgery, and named a victorious Valkyrie as their Queen of Blades.
• The Queen of Blades warned that the Toranar Swarm would face a fierce demonic counterattack after losing the Swarm champions.
• The Odachi Insectfolk elder vowed to retreat and rebuild elsewhere in the Twisting Nether before restarting the war, while the Shadow Chasing Swarm went to the Sea of Darkness.

After the demon invasion, Kael'thas struggled to decide how Quel'Thalas should treat its undead citizens and proposed gathering them into a separate realm. At the Star Soul Temple, the leaders debated the dead and prepared for the Solar Expedition, which Kael'thas suspected would involve a ritual to ignite the sun.

• Kael'thas learned that many Sin'dorei had become San'layn and received letters from undead elves who wished to keep serving Quel'Thalas.
• Lanathel advised Kael'thas to seek the World Mother's guidance and described proposals from Emperor Lothar and the Blue Dragons about the undead.
• Kael'thas proposed gathering Azeroth's undead in one place, then went to the Star Soul Temple to discuss his idea with the other leaders.
• Princess Talanji urged the leaders to include death in their peoples' faiths, warning that ordinary believers could otherwise face judgment in the Shadowlands.
• Lothar told Kael'thas that leaders of the People of Light would soon join the Solar Expedition, and Kael'thas suspected Diakum had assembled them for a ritual.

Archbishop Oreses explained how the Lightkindling Ritual would unite the faith of the People of Light to rekindle An’she, while Commander Diakum refused to become the Sea of Stars’ new sun. As the Solar Expedition prepared to enter the Sea of Darkness, the Truth Hunter welcomed the returning exiles and urged Diakum to become the force that would reshape the Void.

• Oreses told the Argus Five and Draenor Five that Diakum would use the Lightkindling Ritual to awaken An’she, and explained why he would not accept the role of the eternal sun.
• Yrel objected that a new sun could displace Diakum, but Oreses and Eredath assured her that his place as Lord of Dawn would remain unchanged.
• Oreses assigned the Army of the Light to maintain the ritual during the expedition, while Fareeya reported that at least ten Night Warriors would join them.
• Staghelm and Marlis reached the Sea of Darkness and found that it welcomed their return, then prepared the Shadow-Chasing Beacons for the swarm’s arrival.
• The Truth Hunter told Staghelm that the Void would accept the Light Weaver’s return and asked him to urge Diakum to open Heaven’s Gate and correct the Eclipse Sect’s course.

Diakum led the People of Light and five thousand angels through a rift into the Sea of Darkness to reignite An'she, declaring a holy war against the Void. The battle began as the Shadow Chasing Swarm and forces from across the star sea answered the invasion, while Diakum told Kael'thas to record the People of Light forging heaven through their own efforts.

• The Vigilant opened a rift to the Sea of Darkness and assembled five thousand angels beneath Xe'ra and Kyrestia.
• Diakum projected himself across the star sea, declared war on the Void, and blessed the People of Light with power and sacred weapons.
• The People of Light opened gates to the Sea of Darkness as their other forces began hunting Void cultists across the material star sea.
• Diakum entered the Sea of Darkness, where the abyssal people attacked and the Shadow Chasing Swarm rose to meet them.
• Leaders of the People of Light and angels poured onto the battlefield, and Diakum asked Kael'thas to paint their campaign as a war to forge a true heaven.

Diakum gathered the People of Light and opened a path to An'she's resting place in the Void Heart. As the battle began, he struck down a Void god with a Holy Light version of Sargeras's Starshatter Slash, leaving the Eclipse Sect stunned.

• The Arathi Emperor led the Holy Flame Order into the Sea of Darkness, where their fanatical priests joined the People of Light's forces.
• A Qiraji warband charged the landing ground, but the People of Light overwhelmed it with a holy charge protected by the Naaru's mental barrier.
• Diakum assigned Kyrestia command of the expedition and warned the gathered leaders to keep their forces inside the holy mental barrier.
• Velen arrived in shackles, and Diakum urged him to survive the battle; Velen said he hoped to witness Argus's restoration and asked Diakum to visit Hutton.
• Xal'atath helped Diakum use the Chorus of All Things to open a gate to An'she's resting place in the Void Heart.
• Diakum cut a Void god in half with a Holy Light Starshatter Slash, and the Eclipse Sect recognized the sword technique as Sargeras's.

Diakum led the People of Light into Void Zereth, where he used An'she's eclipse power to overwhelm the Eclipse Sect and revealed that the Void Will wanted the Sea of Darkness reunited under a stronger leader. As the battle raged, Diakum confronted the sect's leader and declared that the Truth Hunter had already become the Hand of Truth.

• Diakum's Solar Starshatter Slash shattered the Eclipse Sect's confidence, and he killed another Void Lord by turning An'she's eclipse into fuel for dawnfire.
• The Eclipse Sect's Void Lords scattered, but Velen, Xera, A'dal, Yrel, Kazzak, Lothar, the Stonewright, and the People of Light attacked and cut off their escape.
• Diakum flew to An'she's resting place in Void Zereth and explained that An'she's fall had destroyed the holy land and corrupted its reality-shaping power.
• The Eclipse Sect's leader confronted Diakum, who explained that the Void Will sought to reunite the Sea of Darkness's divided powers and that the leader had failed its cause.
• Diakum prepared to kill the leader, saying that the leader's death would allow a stronger being to rise and that the Hand of Truth had already been born.
• Outside the Void Heart, the Truth Hunter sneezed and wondered who was talking about it, then complained about bearing the hopes of the entire Void.

Diakum defeated the Eclipse One after driving it away from An'she's reality-remaking power and trapping it with Queen Azshara and Medivh. Before the Eclipse One's mind collapsed, Diakum revealed that he would be expelled from the Void faction but would preserve its seed for the future.

• Diakum overwhelmed the Eclipse One with his Light and Void powers as the battle turned against the Void forces.
• The Eclipse One tried to reach An'she's Sea of Eclipse and use its reality-remaking power to spread darkness across the worlds.
• Queen Azshara and Medivh trapped the Eclipse One in a Cipher of the First Ones sequence and cast it back before Diakum.
• Diakum struck the Eclipse One with his divine sword and hammer, destroying its body and mind.
• Diakum said he would return the Eclipse One's purest Void seed to the Sea of Darkness and revealed that the Void Will had expelled him from the Void faction.

Medivh and the Nether-Stalker discussed the power and risks of cipher sequences while Azshara examined An’she’s ruined divine body. Diakum entered An’she to persuade him to be rekindled, while Azshara, Medivh, and the Nether-Stalker defended his body as the chapter ended with Diakum refusing to claim the role of the cosmos’s sun.

• Medivh described his role in giving the Vigilant the chance to strike down Lord Eclipser, and he and the Nether-Stalker discussed the limits and dangers of cipher sequences.
• Azshara examined An’she’s wounded celestial body and honored his sacrifice, while Medivh called him a good person whose purity surpassed Sargeras’s.
• Diakum arrived and explained that he needed to enter An’she’s eclipsed body, asking Azshara, Medivh, and the Nether-Stalker to protect him while his Holy Spirit was away.
• Diakum entered An’she and told him that the People of Light had come to save and rekindle him, with Lihuvim prepared to separate Primordial Darkness from him afterward.
• An’she worried that rebirth would also revive Primordial Darkness, but Diakum urged him to witness the thriving life his light had made possible.
• Diakum told An’she to become the sun of the cosmos and said he was content to be remembered as the Dawn of Dawn.