Chapter Summaries

Blackmore raised the orc infant Thrall as part of a plan to build a loyal slave army, while the human kingdoms fought over the captured Horde. The chapter left the Alliance and Night Elves with a secret agreement dividing their political leadership between the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor.

• Blackmore brought the orc infant to his fortress, named him Thrall, and arranged an elite human education to prepare him as a future commander.
• Captured Horde soldiers suffered in holding camps as human kingdoms debated how to divide them.
• The Alliance demanded Orgrim, the Saurfang brothers, and several Orc clans, but could not find the infant Gul'dan; Orgrim said he had died.
• Old King Terenas raged at the Alliance's demands, but the weakened northern kingdoms accepted them and planned to settle accounts later.
• The Night Elves and Stormwind secretly agreed to lead Alliance affairs separately on Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms while coordinating on external affairs.

Orgrim and several major Orc clans were released from the Hillsbrad internment camp into Lothar’s custody, bound for the Stormwind Kingdom and then Kalimdor. In Orgrimmar, Durotan celebrated the return of shamanic power and the news that the clans would soon reunite with the Horde.

• Human soldiers brought Orgrim and Orcs from the Warsong, Ragefire, and Gorehowl Clans to a clearing outside the internment camp.
• Lothar presented King Llane’s decree and travel permits, then took custody of the Orc prisoners from Lieutenant Draka.
• Durotan announced that all eighteen of Drek'Thar’s apprentices had communed with Azeroth’s elements and restored the Orc shaman tradition.
• Durotan told Jarod Shadowsong that Orgrim and several major clans were heading south to board ships for Kalimdor, and he thanked the Night Elves for their help.

Lothar explained that the Titan Divine Lord had arranged the rescue of four orc clans, and he told Brox Saurfang that he was destined to accomplish a great deed. Meanwhile, Boss Hu inspected his developing Titan true form, resolved to grow stronger, and brought the Windrunner sisters to see it.

• Lothar told Orgrim that Durotan and Jarod Shadow Song had helped secure the rescue, and explained why the Ragefire, Warsong, Gorehowl, and Firebrand clans had been chosen.
• Lothar summoned Brox Saurfang, then said the Divine Lord had foreseen his future contribution to the world.
• Boss Hu examined his immense Titan true form and its Fel, Void, and Titan powers, then remembered Sargeras and resolved to keep growing stronger.
• Sylvanas asked to see Boss Hu's true form, so he took her, Alleria, and Vereesa to the core of his planetary egg.
• The sisters examined the Titan body, and Vereesa giggled, leaving Boss Hu suspicious about what she was thinking.

Hu Feng tried strengthening his Titan form by consuming a nearby moon, darkening it and terrifying Azeroth’s inhabitants. The resulting panic fueled religious sacrifices as the Holy Crusaders of Truth began a brutal purge across elven lands, ending with Cenarius subdued.

• Hu Feng sent Void energy into one of Azeroth’s moons and began consuming its essence, while Sylvanas and Alleria watched.
• The moon darkened as people across Azeroth witnessed the attack, and frightened mages began sacrificing those they considered insufficiently devout.
• The Holy Crusaders of Truth emerged from the Tower of Slumber and began arresting and killing people across Suramar and Night Elf territory.
• The Crusaders seized druids throughout the elven realm, including Fandral Staghelm, and imprisoned or executed those they accused of blasphemy.
• Cenarius protested the purge, but the Crusaders and Faceless Ones attacked him in Ashenvale and left him badly wounded and subdued.

The Holy Crusaders of Truth carried out a sweeping purge across the Night Elf lands and Quel'Thalas, while the Night Elf government moved toward an empire under Titan Sarodar. The chapter ended with Elisande directing the purge and protecting Fandral Staghelm until Malfurion awakened.

• Durotan learned from Jarod that the Night Elf Border Guard was under investigation and that he would remain in elven territory during the cleansing.
• The Highborne, Jarod's Border Guard, Shandris Moonwing's rangers, and Tyrande's Temple of the Moon submitted to the Crusaders, while the Dawn Druids helped arrest suspected blasphemers.
• The Crusaders seized power, suspended the Night Four Giants Council, and introduced a law allowing the Night Elves to become an empire; Anasterian cooperated as the purge spread to Quel'Thalas.
• Auriel formally investigated Elisande, who ordered the purge to continue but insisted that Fandral Staghelm be kept alive until Malfurion awakened.
• Elisande told Auriel not to investigate Tyrande and Jarod too harshly, then returned to reviewing government documents.

Hu Feng absorbed the moon’s core essence, stabilized the damaged moon, and returned to Stormwind, where he accepted honorary titles and a fief. He reassured Alleria that her kindness and objections helped him retain his true self, while mysterious cargo arrived at Golden Sand Beach.

• Hu Feng absorbed the moon’s core essence, leaving the moon damaged, then restored it with a golden Eye of Truth on its surface.
• The Crusaders’ purge spread fear across the Alliance, while mysterious people secretly dug up Grom Hellscream and Kargath Bladefist’s graves and took their bodies.
• King Llane named Hu Feng prince of Stormwind and Supreme Marshal of the Alliance, and Hu Feng chose Golden Sand Beach as his fief.
• Alleria worried she could not help Hu Feng, so he told her that her kindness and willingness to oppose him kept him from losing his true self.
• Night Elf rangers brought two long packages to the secret basement beneath Golden Sand Beach’s town hall and told someone to report their arrival to the Divine Lord.

Fandral witnessed the Crusaders torturing Druids and using Cenarius’s suffering and the Dawn Druids to force Night Elves into swearing loyalty to Sarodar. Elisande kept Ysera under house arrest and threatened her when she questioned Elune’s treatment of Cenarius and the Druids.

• The Crusaders repeatedly tortured Fandral and other captured Druids, bringing him to the prison plaza for another interrogation by Auriel.
• Auriel showed the prisoners an image of Cenarius and his followers being tortured, prompting one Druid to swear loyalty to Sarodar.
• Auriel introduced the Dawn Druids, and Anka attacked Fandral before revealing his moonlit Moon Goddess Hunter form and challenging Fandral’s faith in Elune.
• Elisande warned Ysera against resisting the Divine Lord and claimed Elune valued him as her only kin above Cenarius and the Druids.
• Elisande ordered two Nightborne and a Faceless One to return Ysera to confinement.

Boss Hu resurrected Kargath Bladefist and Grom Hellscream as Death Knights, freeing Grom from his demon-blood corruption, and offered them command of their clans in a legion against the Burning Legion. Kargath agreed to serve, but Grom refused and asked to return to slumber.

• Boss Hu used necromantic energy to revive Kargath Bladefist and Grom Hellscream as undead Death Knights.
• Kargath and Grom awakened and discovered their new powers; Grom also found that the demon blood’s corruption had been removed.
• Boss Hu explained that he had revived them in exchange for service and said he intended to build a legion to fight the evil gods and the Burning Legion.
• Kargath agreed to lead the Gorehowl Clan and serve Boss Hu, while Grom asked to return to slumber, declaring that orcs would never be slaves.

Boss Hu persuaded Grom and Kargath to serve Titan Sarodar by swearing to treat the orcs equally and lead them against the Burning Legion. When Lothar brought the orcs to Westfall, Grom and Kargath reunited with Orgrim but chose to remain with the Titans, while Orgrim prepared to take the Ragefire Clan to Kalimdor.

• Boss Hu told Grom that Kil'jaeden and Gul'dan had corrupted the Horde, and Grom agreed to serve him if he swore to treat the orcs equally and fight the Burning Legion.
• Boss Hu swore an oath before Grom and Kargath, and the two chieftains pledged the Warsong Clan to him.
• Boss Hu led Grom and Kargath out of the basement and told them their clans would arrive soon, while Grom asked whether the Gorons would remain under their command.
• Lothar brought the orcs to Golden Sand Beach Pier, where Orgrim joyfully reunited with Grom and Kargath before learning they were Death Knights serving Titan Sarodar.
• Kargath assured Orgrim that the Titans would not attack the Horde and urged him to join Durotan in Kalimdor, while Grom explained that Sargeras and the Burning Legion were their true enemies.
• The Warsong and Gorehowl clans celebrated their chieftains' return, while Mog'gor studied their new armor and the Iron Goron and the Firebrand clan weighed their future.

Orgrim sent the Ragefire Clan to Kalimdor to join the Frostwolf Clan and form the New Horde, while Grom Hellscream led the remaining clans in building the Iron Horde. The Iron Horde armed itself at Golden Sand Beach and secretly arranged with King Llane to defend Stormwind and help rescue Orc slaves, leaving those freed Orcs to choose their future.

• Grom Hellscream announced that the Ragefire Clan would sail to Kalimdor while the Warsong, Shattered Hand, Burning Blade, and Laughing Skull clans remained to form the Iron Horde.
• Orgrim watched the Ragefire Clan sail away and wondered how the two Hordes would coexist and how he could face Durotan after betraying his trust.
• The Iron Horde equipped its warriors with powered armor, weapons, bombs, and muskets, while remotely controlled Steel Stars prepared for battle.
• Grom Hellscream and Kargath surveyed the Iron Horde’s growing fortress and discussed protecting their dire wolves from extinction.
• Grom Hellscream secretly reached agreements with King Llane for the Iron Horde to defend Stormwind in exchange for help rescuing Orc slaves, who would be allowed to choose between Kalimdor and the Iron Horde.

The Northern Kingdoms faced renewed orc attacks by dragon riders while Terenas welcomed Arthas’s growing closeness with Jaina. A delegation including Arthas, Jaina, and Kael'thas traveled south to investigate Stormwind’s new magic academy, with Arthas and Jaina condemning Titan Sarodar as Kael'thas kept quiet.

• The Dragonmaw Clan’s newly hatched Dragons carried orc riders on raids across Lordaeron, Stromgarde, and Gilneas, prompting the Northern Kingdoms to contact Wyrmrest Temple through Dalaran.
• Terenas celebrated Arthas’s rise as a paladin and his romance with Jaina, hoping their marriage would strengthen Lordaeron through an alliance with Kul Tiras.
• Stormwind announced a magic academy staffed by High Elf archmages and occasional Nightborne lecturers, prompting kingdoms to send envoys to investigate.
• Kael'thas and Jaina joined the delegation to Stormwind, and Arthas accompanied Jaina as its highest-ranking envoy.
• Arthas and Jaina denounced Sarodar’s purge and Steel Stars throughout the journey, while Kael'thas silently listened.

Stormwind’s nobles eagerly courted the Highborne instructors at the Royal Academy, while the city’s lively nightlife drew Elves and Iron Horde Orcs into its pleasures and pitfalls. The Orcs spent their wages on junk and fanciful novels that cast them as villains, as Stormwind continued to thrive as a bustling city.

• Stormwind nobles recalled young relatives from Dalaran and showered Highborne instructors with gifts to secure their favor at the Royal Academy.
• Highborne mages sold invented ancient Elven etiquette lessons and joined human nobles at banquets and pleasure houses.
• Nobles arranged carriages to take the Elven mages to the Gilded Rose and other nightlife venues.
• Highborne visitors decided Stormwind’s energy and bustle made it more comfortable than the quiet Elven cities.
• Iron Horde Orcs spent their wages on useless trinkets and melodramatic human novels about heroes defeating Orcs.

Arthas and Jaina arrived in Stormwind City and were shocked to find Iron Horde orcs living and serving openly alongside humans. A confrontation over the orcs escalated when a Highborne Spellblade summoned the Holy Crusaders of Truth after identifying Jaina as an unbelieving mage.

• Arthas drew his sword when he saw two Iron Horde orcs in Stormwind City, and their insults sparked a standoff with his guards.
• A Stormwind City Guards captain explained that the orcs were regular Iron Horde soldiers and described the city’s trade and growing ties with them.
• Arthas and Jaina reacted with disbelief as more orcs, human soldiers, and a Highborne Spellblade arrived at the scene.
• Kael'thas learned what had happened and stayed among the onlookers after spotting the Highborne Spellblade.
• The Highborne Spellblade drew an Energy Longsword and called for a Crusader squad, identifying Jaina as an unbelieving mage and alarming everyone present.

Grom Hellscream trained in Death Knight techniques while Kargath Bladefist opened the Shattered Hand Arena to a major gladiatorial event. Lothar completed the Hundred Man Killer trial, befriended Kargath, and helped pave the way for Iron Horde orcs to walk freely in Stormwind City.

• Grom urged Kargath to practice his Unholy spells, but Kargath focused on hosting the Shattered Hand Arena’s first match.
• Kargath announced the deathmatch rules and a ten-thousand-gold prize for defeating one hundred Gorehowl Clan gladiators after winning ten matches.
• Oscar Flashdrill and Sitharis Mograine won their first match with bombs, then surrendered during a chaotic second match involving guns, bombs, and Arcane Missiles.
• Lothar and his Royal Guard fought through the Hundred Man Killer trial, leaving Lothar to challenge Kargath as the hundredth opponent.
• Lothar passed the trial, earned the Gorehowl Clan’s respect, and formed an unlikely friendship with Kargath.
• With the Titan Divine Lord leading and Lothar supporting him, Stormwind City began allowing Iron Horde orcs to visit and shop in its streets.

Jaina was arrested by the Holy Crusaders of Truth and endured several days in a black prison before the Titan Divine Lord pardoned her. After her release, Arthas vowed to seek justice, while Kael'thas worried that provoking the Night Elves could endanger Quel'Thalas.

• A Highborne Spellblade accused Jaina of disrespecting the Titan Divine Lord, and Nightborne Crusaders seized her in Stormwind while Arthas tried to intervene.
• Arthas publicized Jaina's arrest and sought help, but the Night Elf and Highborne ambassadors and King Llane passed responsibility between them, leaving the nations unable to rescue her.
• The Titan Divine Lord personally pardoned Jaina after she spent several days in a black prison, where her mana was drained and her staff was confiscated.
• Jaina told Arthas and Kael'thas about her ordeal, and Arthas promised to condemn the Alliance and the Night Elves publicly.
• Kael'thas urged caution and worried that the Night Elves' possible rise to empire could threaten Quel'Thalas.

Hu Feng discussed plans to unify the Night Elves and ordered Jaina imprisoned, while Jaina, Arthas, and Kael'thas attended Stormwind’s new magic academy and faced its religious demands. Kael'thas’s growing suspicion of Arthas deepened as an unseen mass of eyes watched him from beneath the academy.

• Hu Feng ordered Jaina held for a few days of mental torment and said he might turn the Night Elves into an empire to strengthen them for war.
• Jaina and Kael'thas inspected the Stormwind academy’s course schedule and learned that students had to worship Sarodar and follow the Eye of Truth.
• Arthas condemned the academy’s religious requirements, and Jaina called them brainwashing.
• Archmage Kaelar rebuked Jaina and led the nobles away as they mocked her, Arthas, and Kael'thas.
• Kael'thas heard the whisper that Arthas would destroy him and the High Elves, and that only the gods could help his people.
• A mass of flesh and eyeballs watched Kael'thas from a secret chamber beneath the academy.

The Millennium Eye Demon secretly influenced Kael'thas and established a Twilight's Hammer cult in Quel'Thalas to prepare the High Elves for change. Kael'thas, consumed by jealousy and suspicion of Arthas, decided to seek guidance from the Titan's incarnation before leaving Stormwind.

• The Millennium Eye Demon infiltrated a chamber beneath Stormwind's Royal Academy with a piece of his flesh to whisper to Kael'thas, while his main body pursued a plan in Quel'Thalas.
• The Millennium Eye Demon guided minor nobles and mages to form a secret Twilight's Hammer group that viewed Kael'thas as its future leader.
• The cultists spread visions of Twilight Judgment and embraced the Millennium Eye Demon's twilight power, believing their god served Sarodar and the New Pantheon.
• Kael'thas investigated the whispers in his mind but found nothing abnormal and accepted their encouragement to reclaim what he believed was his.
• Kael'thas decided to meet the Titan's incarnation in the mortal world before leaving Stormwind, hoping to learn how to deal with Arthas.

Talon Bloodfiend tried to recruit Ner'zhul to lead the Horde, but Ner'zhul submitted to Kil'jaeden and was transformed into the Lich King. Elsewhere, Dragons investigated a strange energy surge in Northrend, while Kel'Thuzad advanced his forbidden undead experiments in Dalaran.

• Talon Bloodfiend asked Ner'zhul to reunite the Horde and seize artifacts in Azeroth, but Ner'zhul refused, convinced the Orcs had no hope against the Alliance's Titan.
• Tichondrius drove off Talon Bloodfiend and the other Death Knight, then demanded that Ner'zhul submit to Kil'jaeden.
• Ner'zhul submitted, and Kil'jaeden transformed him into a powerful soul imprisoned in ice and named him the Lich King; the Legion also ordered the Dreadlords to forge Frostmourne.
• A surge of energy from Icecrown Glacier puzzled the Dragons at Wyrmrest Temple, who sent scouts but found no source.
• Kel'Thuzad successfully animated a rabbit skeleton in his secret Dalaran laboratory and considered experimenting on a human corpse.

Blackrock traveled to Lordaeron to negotiate a major arms deal directly with King Terenas, after reporting the kingdom’s request to his Titan master. The chapter ended as Terenas prepared to bypass the Alliance and secure Blackrock Syndicate’s weapons for Lordaeron.

• Blackrock expanded the Blackrock Syndicate’s investments and influence in Gadgetzan and Booty Bay while developing weapons to earn his Titan master’s favor and promised immortality.
• Blackrock reported Lordaeron’s invitation to his Titan master and followed the approved list of downgraded weapons for export.
• Blackrock arrived in Lordaeron with armed goblin bodyguards, and a baron welcomed him while worrying that the kingdom could not afford to lose the deal.
• Blackrock rejected the welcoming banquet and insisted on getting straight to business.
• King Terenas sought a direct, long-term arms arrangement with Blackrock Syndicate so Lordaeron could reduce its dependence on the Alliance.

Blackrock sold weapons to Lordaeron and other northern kingdoms, secretly profiting from outdated arms and hidden controls. With the Northern Alliance established to counter Stormwind’s Southern Alliance, the kingdoms settled into a tense political standoff while the Titan Divine Lord remained in Stormwind.

• Blackrock sold Lordaeron Steel Stars, firearms, bombs, and rocket launchers at high prices, and Terenas agreed to long-term arms cooperation.
• Blackrock revealed that the weapons sold to the northern kingdoms were mostly outdated models, and the Steel Stars had hidden remote-control backdoors.
• Blackrock completed his tour of the Northern Kingdoms with about five million gold coins in initial payments and began planning a lavish palace in Booty Bay.
• Terenas convened a conference in Lordaeron City, where Lordaeron, Gilneas, Dalaran, Alterac, and Kul Tiras established the Northern Alliance to counter the Southern Alliance.
• Stromgarde remained neutral between the alliances, while both Terenas and Llane avoided another war as their kingdoms recovered from the Orc War.