Chapter Summaries

Varian revealed that Lisha Starwind had come to him willingly, and Vereesa accepted her companion’s choice after warning Varian not to mistreat her. Sargathas agreed to honor her promise not to harm Varian’s kingdom, while the Alliance’s campaign in Northrend remained stalled between two demon strongholds.

• Varian told Vereesa that Lisha Starwind was with him, and Lisha explained that she had sought him out willingly.
• Vereesa accepted Lisha’s decision to stay with Varian and warned him that the Elf Rangers would protect her.
• Sargathas flirted with Varian, but he reminded her of her oath, and she promised to honor it.
• Varian appointed Sargathas as his Elf advisor and arranged a room for her near his own.
• Scouts reported that Mannoroth’s forces were fighting Yogg-Saron at Ulduar while low-level demons gathered near Icecrown Citadel.
• The Alliance leaders debated whether to attack Icecrown Citadel or Ulduar, but feared a pincer attack and reached a stalemate.

Varian welcomed Saurfang’s Horde forces to Northrend and coordinated a joint campaign against the Burning Legion, assigning the Horde to Icecrown Citadel and the Alliance to Ulduar. Alexstrasza warned Varian not to trust the Orcs, but he chose to work with them while remaining prepared for betrayal.

• Varian learned that Horde forces had landed on Dragonblight’s beach and rode out to meet them.
• Saurfang told Varian that Thrall had sent the Horde north to fight the Burning Legion, and Varian invited him to a military council.
• Varian and Saurfang agreed that the Horde would attack Icecrown Citadel while the Alliance struck Ulduar.
• Alexstrasza privately warned Varian that the Orcs could not be trusted, and Varian assured her that the Alliance would stay alert.

Varian encountered Undead forces in a Northrend valley and reunited with Arthas, his childhood friend who had become a Death Knight. Arthas began to reveal the secret of Frostmourne, leaving Varian listening as he prepared to explain his past.

• Varian led a scouting party into a hidden ravine after scouts reported Undead nearby, and Sargathas used magic to check for danger.
• An Undead Vrykul attacked the group from the snow, but Varian struck it down with Holy Light.
• Varian spotted an approaching Death Knight, who greeted him as Brother Varian.
• The Death Knight removed his helmet and revealed himself as Arthas, then blamed fate for turning him into an Undead and making him destroy Lordaeron.
• Arthas drew Frostmourne, argued with Varian about the sword's curse, and said he would reveal its greatest secret.

Arthas told Varian and Sargathas that Frostmourne was tied to Death Power, and Sargathas discovered that it contained an incarnation of N'Zoth. Varian agreed to leave the sword’s origins unexplored, while Arthas chose to remain forgotten in Northrend until Azeroth needed him.

• Arthas explained that Frostmourne consumed Death Power and that the Pit Lords might serve a force connected to the Shadowlands.
• Varian and Arthas suspected that Frostmourne and the Lich King’s helmet were part of a Shadowlands conspiracy.
• Sargathas examined Frostmourne and revealed that it contained an incarnation of N'Zoth, whose whispers had corrupted Arthas.
• Sargathas warned Varian not to investigate the sword’s origins further, and Varian agreed.
• Varian advised Arthas to stay hidden in Northrend, and Arthas took the name Arthas the Forgotten.
• Arthas refused to keep Frostmourne and departed, promising to wait until Azeroth needed him.

Varian and Sargathas sealed Frostmourne’s hilt in an iron box before she secretly warned him that the dragons and the crusade against Yogg-Saron could be dangerous. She also revealed that she would tell him Yogg-Saron’s weakness, leaving Varian with intelligence about the Old Gods that he would need to verify.

• Varian asked Sargathas how to handle Frostmourne, and she said its death power was mostly spent and suggested sealing it in the iron box.
• Sargathas detached Frostmourne’s hilt, sealed it in the box, and collapsed into Varian’s arms from exhaustion.
• Sargathas asked whether Varian understood Yogg-Saron’s abilities, then warned him that the dragons could turn against the Alliance under the Titans’ command or Yogg-Saron’s corruption.
• Sargathas questioned why N'Zoth's avatar had appeared in the sword and what role the self-proclaimed paragons of light and justice had played in the Scourge.
• Sargathas promised to reveal Yogg-Saron’s weakness and shared secrets about the Old Gods before fainting.
• Sargathas woke in Varian’s arms, praised his response, and said she had underestimated him.

As the Alliance advanced toward Ulduar, Varian and Sargathas grew closer, and she revealed her mission to save her homeworld, Kael'thas. Varian questioned whether a cosmic monster had implanted the plan in her mind, leaving Sargathas devastated and uncertain of her memories.

• Varian ordered scouts and Dalaran mages to monitor the Horde, Icecrown Citadel, the Frozen Throne, and Dragonblight Temple to secure the Alliance's rear.
• Varian shielded Sargathas from the blizzard, and she joined him in his tent that night under the pretense of maintaining their cover.
• Sargathas told Varian that a cosmic monster had devoured her homeland and that she had been remade as its herald before helping seal it away.
• Sargathas explained that she wanted to restore Kael'thas's energy so the monster could be driven out of the universe.
• Varian warned that the monster might have implanted the plan in Sargathas's mind to make her break its seal, and she collapsed under the possibility that her long struggle had been manipulated.

Varian led the Alliance and its allies into Ulduar, where Sargathas absorbed an Old God fragment from Algalon’s corpse and uncovered the truth about the Titan cleansing protocol. After learning that demons and the Old God had defeated Algalon, Varian ordered the heroes to prepare to fight their way toward the Old God.

• Varian sent heroes and dragons to clear Ulduar while Vereesa kept the rangers at a safe distance and Goblins sold weapons and supplies outside.
• Sargathas sensed an Old God fragment in the observatory and led Varian to Algalon’s corpse, where corrupted demons ambushed them.
• Varian and his guards defeated the demons, then Sargathas absorbed the tentacles while Varian’s party waited outside.
• Sargathas told Varian that Algalon had been sent to decide whether Azeroth should be cleansed, but the demon army and Old God had defeated and corrupted him before he could activate the protocol.
• After a scout reported a route underground, Varian ordered the heroes to form up and prepare for the final battle against the demons and Old God.

Varian's force reached the Old God and Abyssal Lord, but the dragons' attack went disastrously wrong when the Old God's whispers made them turn on one another. With most dragons injured or unreliable, Varian's troops were left to face the coming battle without their support.

• Sargathas searched the demon corpses while Varian refused Alexstrasza's offer to guard her, insisting that he would protect her himself.
• Varian's squad reached the deepest underground chamber and found a wounded Abyssal Lord fighting the Old God's tentacles and Faceless Ones.
• Varian ordered the ranged fighters to hold back the Old God and the melee heroes to attack the Abyssal Lord, while the dragons rushed in with Dragonfire.
• The Old God's mental wave confused the dragons, causing them to attack each other until Alexstrasza intervened and beat some of them back to their senses.
• Sargathas told Varian that the Old God's whispers may have become more effective after it stole Titan secrets from a corrupted stargazer, leaving the dragons badly injured and unfit to fight.

Varian’s forces fought Yogg-Saron while Sargathas protected them and calmed the Dragonflights after the Old God’s mental shock. Varian wounded Yogg-Saron with the Blade of the Dark Empire, and Sargathas absorbed its power, leaving the Alliance victorious and ready to claim the expedition’s spoils.

• Sargathas sensed Yogg-Saron’s attacks and protected Varian as the Alliance fought off Faceless Ones.
• Yogg-Saron’s mental shock drove the Dragonflights into chaotic obsessions and infighting, but Sargathas’s purple energy restored their senses.
• Varian led the Alliance heroes in attacking Yogg-Saron, then secretly pierced its core with the Blade of the Dark Empire.
• Sargathas revealed herself to Yogg-Saron, drove the blade deeper, and absorbed the dying Old God’s power.
• The Alliance celebrated Yogg-Saron’s defeat as Varian led the group onward to pursue the Old God’s treasury and Titan technology.

Vereesa returned safely to Theramore and reunited with Sylvanas and Jaina, bringing news of the Northrend campaign and Varian’s new romance. Deren welcomed the returning Rangers, heard their report, and declared Northrend’s affairs settled despite concerns about the stolen Incarnation.

• Vereesa arrived in Theramore with her Rangers and told Sylvanas that a Ranger had left the group after falling in love with Varian.
• Sylvanas, Jaina, and Vereesa teleported to Deren’s home, where they interrupted a chaotic argument between Chromie and Onyxia.
• Chromie revealed that she was demanding Deren make up for giving Onyxia more attention than her, and Deren hurriedly changed the subject.
• Jaina told Deren that Varian had fallen in love with a High Elf, and Deren suggested inviting Varian to Theramore to ask him about it.
• Vereesa reported that the campaign had driven out the demons and Varian had slain Yogg-Saron, while the Orcs had taken Sargeras’s Incarnation from Icecrown Citadel.
• Deren reassured Vereesa that the Incarnation had no Fel Energy left and said Northrend’s affairs were settled.

Prince Rivendare visited Deren with gifts from the goblins’ Northrend fortune, then shared intelligence about a missing Stone Coffin that Deren suspected had been sent to Garrosh in Outland. Deren decided to wait and let the divided Horde weaken, while Jaina arranged for him to spend the evening with Theresa.

• Jaina told Deren that Prince Rivendare would visit, and she persuaded him to spend the evening telling Theresa bedtime stories.
• Prince Rivendare arrived with two Goblin Accountants and gave Deren chests of rare accessories and Magic Crystals as a share of the goblins’ Northrend profits.
• Deren asked Prince Rivendare about the Horde and Rustwater Goblins’ return from Northrend, and Rivendare said they had taken a Stone Coffin containing a possible incarnation of the Demon King to Orgrimmar.
• Jaina confirmed that the damaged Stone Coffin had entered Orgrimmar but then disappeared from public knowledge.
• Deren concluded that the incarnation had likely gone to Garrosh in Outland, and he and Onyxia discussed Thrall’s plan to preserve an Orc faction there.
• Deren decided to wait for the Horde to fracture further rather than pressure it from outside.

Aurelia and Sacrolash interrogated Thrall about the Tomb of Sargeras, then decided to investigate Theramore by capturing Deren. Deren went to buy ingredients for Onyxia, but when he failed to return by nightfall, she contacted Jaina.

• Aurelia and Sacrolash subdued Thrall in Orgrimmar and questioned him about how he learned of the Tomb of Sargeras.
• Thrall told them the information had come from Theramore and that he had sent Garrosh to investigate, then secretly arranged to increase surveillance on Theramore.
• Aurelia decided to capture Jaina's Tactical Advisor, Deren, because he had been present at the scene and would be easier to take than Jaina or Kael'thas.
• Deren escaped Onyxia's exhausting supplement soups by going to the market to buy ingredients and cook for her.
• When Deren had still not returned after dark, Onyxia grew worried and contacted Jaina.

Deren was abducted by Aurelia and Sacrolash, who interrogated him about the Tomb of Sargeras. He claimed Kil'jaeden had revealed its location to Velen, leaving the Eredar Twins shocked and desperate to know whether he was telling the truth.

• Deren awoke in the wilderness outside the city after an unknown force had taken control of him and made him pass out.
• Aurelia and Sacrolash revealed themselves as the women who had abducted him and asked whether he knew about the Tomb of Sargeras.
• Deren confirmed he knew about the tomb and pretended he had learned about Sargeras from Velen, pointing the twins to a Communication Crystal in his Space Bag.
• Aurelia found the crystal and believed Deren had a connection to Velen, so she and Sacrolash pressed him for the tomb's location.
• Deren claimed Kil'jaeden had told Velen where the tomb was, shocking Aurelia and Sacrolash and prompting Sacrolash to attack him.
• Aurelia restrained Sacrolash and demanded to know whether Deren understood what he was saying, while Deren used the twins' reaction to gain leverage.

Deren tricked Aurelia and Sacrolash into believing he knew a secret alliance between Kil'jaeden and Velen, leaving the succubi afraid to kill or release him. After knocking him unconscious and discussing how to investigate the supposed secret, the twins woke him and claimed they would escort him back.

• Deren told Aurelia and Sacrolash that Velen had revealed secrets about Kil'jaeden and their former friendship.
• Deren claimed Kil'jaeden, Velen, and Archimonde had secretly arranged Velen's escape from Argus and staged their enmity to preserve Eredar civilization.
• Aurelia and Sacrolash worried that the alleged secret could bring the Burning Legion's suspicion upon them, and they debated whether to kill Deren or let him go.
• The twins knocked Deren unconscious, then discussed tracking down and investigating everyone who might know the secret.
• When Deren woke, Aurelia and Sacrolash treated him gently and promised to take him back, insisting they were not forcing themselves.

Deren returned to Theramore with the Eredar Twins, who posed as Draenei seeking a Portal to Outland and asked him for shelter. Jaina and Aegwynn appeared, and Deren introduced the twins while Jaina agreed to take them home, where Oni was waiting.

• Deren learned that the twins called themselves Aule and Sara, and they agreed to keep quiet about his earlier remarks concerning Prophet Velen and Kil'jaeden.
• The twins persuaded Deren to take them in temporarily, and Aurelia used a fire Portal to bring them back to Theramore.
• Jaina and Aegwynn arrived through an arcane Portal, and Deren introduced the twins as lost Draenei from Outland.
• Jaina played along with Deren's cover story and welcomed the twins to Theramore, while Sacrolash trembled under Aegwynn's power.
• Jaina said Oni was worried about Deren and had nearly blown up Theramore, making the twins' hooves tremble.

Deren returned home with the Eredar Twins disguised as Draenei and persuaded Onyxia not to kill them, explaining that he had bluffed them into fearing exposure to Sargeras. The twins remained trapped in Aegwynn’s guarded guest rooms, waiting to learn what Deren wanted.

• Jaina teleported Deren, Aegwynn, Onyxia, and the Eredar Twins back to Deren’s home, where Deren introduced the twins as lost Draenei.
• Onyxia welcomed the twins, and Deren arranged for Aegwynn to house them in Theramore while they waited for a way back to Outland.
• Deren told Onyxia that the twins were Aurelia and Sacrolash, Burning Legion demons investigating what happened to Sargeras’s avatar in Northrend.
• Deren explained that he had frightened the twins by claiming he could expose Kil’jaeden and Velen’s act to Sargeras, and Onyxia praised his bluff.
• Aurelia and Sacrolash realized their guest room was sealed and decided to wait for Deren, hoping he wanted to negotiate rather than expose them.

Deren negotiated with the Eredar Twins, Aurelia and Sacrolash, and arranged for them to serve in Outland under Vashj while secretly assisting Theramore. After they left, Jaina joined Deren as he considered his future plans.

• Deren revealed that he knew Aurelia and Sacrolash were succubi investigating the Tomb of Sargeras incident.
• Deren required the twins to report that Orcs and elves had found the Tomb's coordinates and to monitor Shattrath from Outland.
• Aurelia and Sacrolash agreed to Deren's terms and learned that Kil'jaeden had recovered the Frozen Throne and was torturing the Orc souls inside it.
• Deren introduced the twins to Vashj and assigned them to serve under her in Outland without revealing their identities to Shattrath.
• After Vashj and the twins departed, Jaina joined Deren and massaged his shoulders as he planned ahead.

Varian returned from a bitter council meeting and reunited with Anduin and Sargathas at the palace. After Sargathas learned that someone had mistreated Anduin while Varian was away, she secretly dealt with those responsible, and the family agreed to visit Theramore.

• Varian argued with the Noble Council over rewards for Northrend soldiers, but the nobles approved bonuses only for officers.
• Varian comforted Sargathas, and Anduin joined them, greeting his father and Lady Starwind politely.
• Varian asked Anduin about his time alone in the palace, while Sargathas noticed the boy's fear and questioned his attendant privately.
• Sargathas learned that people had made Anduin's life difficult and secretly buried several fresh victims in the palace garden.
• At dinner, Varian proposed that he, Anduin, and Sargathas visit Theramore after receiving Jaina's invitation, and they agreed.

Deren asked Elune to help prepare the Night Elves for future wars by changing their military organization. He revealed that Illidan Stormrage could serve as Tyrande’s military deputy, and Elune recognized the devotion behind his preserved flower.

• Deren and Aegwynn visited Theramore’s Temple of Elune and asked a senior priestess to let them speak directly with the goddess.
• Elune possessed the priestess, and Deren warned that the Night Elves lacked a strong military structure to withstand a major war.
• Deren proposed appointing a powerful commander to organize a new force and coordinate with High Priestess Tyrande.
• Deren and Aegwynn showed Elune a wildflower Tyrande had given to a companion more than ten thousand years earlier.
• Elune traced the flower’s history and realized Deren intended Illidan Stormrage to become Tyrande’s military deputy.

Deren persuaded Elune to support Illidan’s release and outlined a plan to bring his imprisonment before the Night Elves. The chapter ended with Deren proposing that Illidan follow the path of the Holy Light after his return.

• Deren convinced Elune that Illidan could become a capable military commander, and she agreed to tell Tyrande about his situation.
• Deren argued that the Druids, Maiev, and possibly Malfurion had kept Illidan imprisoned for personal and political reasons, and Elune reconsidered her view of the situation.
• Deren explained how Tyrande could raise Illidan’s omitted role in a public Heroic Chronicle, leading Elune to reveal where he was imprisoned and enable his release.
• Deren asked Elune to protect Illidan from anyone who might try to kill him, and she agreed that he could be at risk.
• Elune asked what Illidan should do after returning, and Deren suggested that he follow the path of the Holy Light.