Chapter Summaries

Deren handed the captured Zuluhed over to Alexstrasza as repayment for the Orcs’ crimes against Azeroth and the Red Dragons. Alexstrasza chose to destroy him rather than keep him alive for revenge, and the reunited black dragon mother and daughter turned their attention to Deren.

• Deren had Elaseth disable Zuluhed’s resistance, while Aegwynn froze his wounds and destroyed his teleportation runes.
• Deren condemned Zuluhed for the Orcs’ past atrocities and revealed that he intended to give him to the Red Dragons.
• Alexstrasza arrived with Stellagosa, accepted Zuluhed from Deren, and thanked him for urging her to leave the past behind.
• Alexstrasza planned to torture Zuluhed, but Deren and Chromie warned her against it, so she burned him to ashes.
• Sinestra and her daughter shared a moment together before both turned their attention to Deren.

Onyxia reunited with Sinestra and persuaded her to abandon revenge against Neltharion and return with her. Sinestra learned that Valiona and Morwena were her descendants, leaving the family to confront the question of whether they would accept the two young dragons.

• Onyxia introduced Deren to Sinestra, who thanked the group for rescuing her and prepared to leave.
• Onyxia told Sinestra that Neltharion had been defeated and that Nefarian had also broken free of his control.
• Sinestra explained that Orcs had captured her and forced her to lay eggs used to create Twilight Dragons.
• Deren and Onyxia persuaded Sinestra to return with them rather than seek revenge on Neltharion.
• Valiona and Morwena appeared, and Sinestra revealed that they were her descendants and Onyxia's younger sisters.
• Onyxia asked Alexstrasza what she thought of the two dragons, while Sinestra struggled to accept them.

Alexstrasza asked Deren whether fate could be changed, leading him to challenge the dragons’ reliance on the Timeline and explain that no path could remain free of hardship forever. Her strange response left Deren suspecting that an unfamiliar existence was speaking through her.

• Alexstrasza teleported Valiona and Morwena away, then asked Deren to stay with her in the cave.
• Alexstrasza revealed that the cave was where the Dragonmaw Orcs had imprisoned her and asked Deren whether her capture and rescue had been suspicious.
• Alexstrasza sealed the cave with a Red Dragon barrier, and Deren criticized the dragons for treating her suffering and other disasters as inevitable fate.
• Alexstrasza urgently asked whether anyone could break free from fate, and Deren argued that people could change course but would still encounter difficulties.
• Alexstrasza praised Deren’s words about endless roads, while Deren suspected that someone else was speaking through her.

Deren discussed his theories about the universe with the being possessing Alexstrasza, who rewarded his speculation with the possibility of allowing her kind to bear his children. After Deren suggested she question others about existence, she revealed that she was not one of the Pantheon and did not know them well enough to find them.

• Alexstrasza asked Deren about the nature of existence, and Deren negotiated a reward before sharing his thoughts.
• Deren theorized that Star Souls, Titans, and Old Gods shaped the universe, life, and fate.
• Deren speculated about the origins of Titans and suggested that Azeroth was where the universe began.
• Alexstrasza reflected on the experience of awakening, creating life, and leaving it behind, while Deren feared she might search his soul.
• Deren urged Alexstrasza to seek answers from others, but she said she was not one of the Pantheon and did not know them well.

Deren learned that Rhine, a mysterious Titan, had taken control of Alexstrasza and arranged for her to give him an ability to conceive children with Onyxia. After Alexstrasza transferred the energy to him, she said he would likely be able to have a child with Onyxia, and Deren left reassured that the child would be human.

• Deren questioned Rhine about her origins and how she had reached Alexstrasza, and she said she had recently cut off the Pantheon Titans’ control over the Red Dragon Queen.
• Rhine agreed to give Deren the ability to have children with Onyxia, then Alexstrasza regained consciousness and explained that her modified Life Energy could grant it.
• Alexstrasza prepared to transfer the energy to Deren in the sealed cave, and Deren reluctantly agreed despite worrying about Onyxia outside.
• Alexstrasza transferred the Titan energy mixed with her Life Energy to Deren, leaving both of them exhausted.
• Alexstrasza said Deren could likely father a child with Onyxia, and Deren clarified that Kalecgos would be the first human-dragon parent before learning his own child would be human.

Deren left the prison cave with Alexstrasza after learning that a mysterious power knew of his bond with Azeroth's Soul. Rather than destroy Grim Batol, he persuaded the others to keep it as a place to watch for future evil forces.

• Alexstrasza told Deren that the mysterious power knew of his connection to Azeroth's Soul and reassured him about the possibility of another child.
• Deren and Alexstrasza emerged from the cave, and Onyxia embraced Deren and asked what had happened inside.
• Onyxia, Chromie, Aegwynn, Elaseth, Sinestra, Stellagosa, and Alexstrasza considered destroying Grim Batol.
• Deren argued that Grim Batol could attract future secret factions, making it useful to keep as a place to monitor and confront them.
• Aegwynn and Lezi Long supported Deren's plan, while Onyxia teased Lezi Long and Sinestra watched in surprise.

Deren told Onyxia about his encounters with Rhine and Alexstrasza, then reunited Onyxia and Nefarian with their mother, Sinestra. Onyxia revealed that Deren had dealt with N'Zoth, leaving Sinestra shocked by his achievement.

• Deren confessed to Onyxia that Rhine and Alexstrasza had transferred energy to him, and Onyxia urged him to make the most of the opportunity.
• Aegwynn delivered Nefarian to Deren, and he reunited with Onyxia and Sinestra.
• Nefarian and Onyxia told Sinestra how Deathwing had mistreated them and forced them to serve him.
• Onyxia explained that she had ambushed and severely wounded Deathwing with Deren's help.
• Onyxia told Sinestra that Deren had dealt with N'Zoth, and Nefarian confirmed that the Old God had been eliminated.

Sinestra met Deren and learned about his life in Theramore, including his child with Jaina, but she accepted the situation without confronting him. She then turned her attention to Nefarian, urging him to find a mate, while Onyxia proposed that he could seek one after they killed Neltharion and made him Black Dragon King.

• Sinestra accepted that Deren had astonishing combat power and learned that Aegwynn had become Nefarian’s teacher.
• Jaina arrived with Theresa, and Onyxia introduced Jaina and the child to Sinestra.
• Sinestra warmly congratulated Jaina on her child with Deren, surprising both Jaina and Onyxia.
• Sinestra asked whether Nefarian was single, and Onyxia described his idleness and kept him from revealing Theramore’s secret mission in Orgrimmar.
• Nefarian said he doubted any female dragons would want him, so Onyxia suggested he seek a mate after they killed Neltharion and he became Black Dragon King.
• Sinestra agreed with Onyxia’s plan, and Onyxia explained that Neltharion remained injured and hidden in Deeprock Abyss.

Deren and Onyxia shared a late-night energy transfer and teased each other about Alexstrasza, Jaina, and Onyxia’s past in Stormwind City. Onyxia told Deren how she had been forced to play the nobles’ games, then asked him to continue their rounds.

• Onyxia began receiving Rhine’s Life Energy from Deren, and he used Silence to keep her quiet as the transfer took effect.
• Onyxia questioned Deren about Alexstrasza, and he reassured her by comparing the queen to Theramore Harbor and Onyxia to his private Black Dragon Bay.
• After another energy transfer, Onyxia teased Deren about Jaina and told him that Stormwind nobles had spread rumors linking her to Bolvar and other Grand Dukes.
• Onyxia explained that she had infiltrated Stormwind City to create chaos on her father’s orders after he was wounded in Grim Batol.
• Deren comforted Onyxia and argued that Bolvar had been too weak to force her or even recognize her identity, making her laugh through her tears.
• Onyxia invited Deren to continue for another ten rounds.

Deren and Onyxia faced teasing and resentment from their household after a loud night together, before Jaina brought news that Thrall might be gravely ill. Deren explained Thrall’s extraordinary history and warned that his good fortune likely still protected him, leaving Jaina to intensify her espionage.

• Onyxia and Deren came downstairs late, and Sinestra teased them about disturbing the household while Anveena appeared tired and resentful.
• Onyxia blamed Deren for being too rough, and he apologized before promising to work harder on the mission.
• Jaina brought Deren reports that Thrall might be gravely ill and that Horde leaders had gathered at the Crossroads.
• Deren told Jaina, Onyxia, and Sinestra how Thrall survived hardship, freed imprisoned Orcs, founded the Horde, and repeatedly benefited from extraordinary luck.
• Jaina agreed to order her spies to gather intelligence carefully because Thrall’s good fortune might still protect him.

Deren and Jaina discussed the Undead found in Theramore and decided that Deren and Onyxia would visit Arthas in Northrend. Meanwhile, Night Elf leaders urged Tyrande to attack the retreating Orcs in Ashenvale despite her warning that Thrall’s apparent weakness could be a trap.

• Jaina told Deren that Vereesa had taken in the Undead son of Alleria and Turalyon, and Deren suggested sending him to Arthas.
• Deren agreed to visit Arthas with Onyxia and considered bringing Aegwynn, while Jaina hoped to reunite with her brother later.
• Deren embraced Onyxia and said his larger plan depended on resolving technical issues with Arthas.
• In Ashenvale, Shandris and a Druid representative urged Tyrande to launch a counterattack because the Orcs were retreating.
• Tyrande cautioned that Thrall’s apparent injury or death could be a scheme, but a Sentinel captain challenged her to act according to the situation at the front.

Tyrande rejected Shandris’s call to attack the retreating Orcs and ordered the Night Elves to hold their positions, citing the risk of a trap. Afterward, she negotiated a loan from Azshara, who sought Tyrande’s support in the Elf Council through an alliance.

• Tyrande weighed Shandris’s demand to attack against Azshara’s and Deren’s warnings that the Orc retreat might be a trap.
• Tyrande ordered the army to stay defensive, increase reconnaissance, and continue harassing the Orcs; Shandris reluctantly obeyed.
• Tyrande rallied the officers by insisting that the Orcs were running out of resources and that the Night Elves would soon receive stronger weapons.
• Tyrande asked Azshara for money to cover the army’s expenses, and Azshara proposed making Tyrande Commander-in-Chief of Nazjatar in exchange.
• Tyrande recognized that Azshara wanted her Elf Council votes and agreed to consider joining forces, while stressing that they needed to coordinate with Theramore and Deren.

Thrall secretly recovered in an Orc camp while Saurfang helped stage his apparent death and plan a trap for the Night Elves. Saurfang approached Shandris to offer a partial withdrawal, and her attention fixed on the Doomhammer-bearing Orc behind him.

• Saurfang reported that the Orc troops were demoralized by their withdrawal from Ashenvale, while Thrall explained that the dying forests and dwindling supplies had forced the retreat.
• Thrall proposed luring the Night Elves into pursuing the Orcs, and Saurfang concealed the extent of their losses from him.
• Thrall suggested renewing the peace offer to make the Orcs appear weak, then sent Saurfang with a strong warrior carrying Doomhammer.
• Saurfang told Shandris that the Orcs would honor the peace agreement and withdraw part of their frontline forces, and Shandris recognized Doomhammer behind him.

Saurfang offered peace on behalf of the orcs, and Shandris urged Tyrande to exploit the apparent absence of Thrall and attack. Azshara warned them that retaking East Ashenvale could leave the night elves burdened with its ecological ruin, and advised them to wait for the orcs to withdraw or weaken there.

• Saurfang met Shandris and proposed that the orcs uphold the peace treaty, while claiming Thrall had returned to Orgrimmar to recover from a minor injury.
• Shandris reported the offer to Tyrande and said she had seen a guard carrying Doomhammer, which she took as evidence that Thrall was dead or badly hurt.
• Tyrande hesitated to attack despite Shandris's urging and summoned Azshara to assess the unusual appearance of Doomhammer.
• Azshara told Tyrande and Shandris to ignore the hammer and consider the cost of reclaiming East Ashenvale, which had been devastated and would burden whoever occupied it.
• Azshara advised that the night elves could reclaim the territory without a major attack if the orcs withdrew, or let the orcs suffer if they stayed.

Jaina brought Deren and Onyxia to meet Arthas in Northrend, where Deren claimed he could help change Arthas’s fate. The meeting ended with Arthas asking whether Jaina knew the secret of Frostmourne.

• Jaina teleported Deren and Onyxia to a remote valley in Northrend and summoned Arthas.
• Arthas led them to his cave, where Jaina raised a concealed barrier so they could speak freely.
• Deren told Arthas that gods and Titans might offer a way to resolve his situation and restore his future.
• Deren introduced Onyxia as the Black Dragon Princess, and she threatened Arthas when he mocked him.
• Jaina confirmed her closeness to Deren, while Onyxia insisted that Deren belonged to her.
• Arthas asked whether Varian had told Jaina what happened to him and revealed that he wanted to discuss Frostmourne’s secret.

Jaina, Arthas, and Deren uncovered how the Cult of the Damned manipulated Arthas at Stratholme and discussed a pattern of Azeroth’s strongest kingdoms and races being destroyed. The chapter ended with Arthas acknowledging Deren’s insight and congratulating Jaina on having him as her advisor.

• Jaina told Arthas that Deren suspected the Uther at Stratholme had been a disguised Pit Lord, and Arthas recalled how strangely Uther had abandoned the city.
• Deren and Jaina explained that the staged events at Stratholme pushed Arthas toward guilt, revenge, and Frostmourne, and Deren hinted that the dragons’ dealings explained why Lordaeron had been targeted.
• Deren described how powerful groups in Azeroth, including the Night Elves, Stormwind, and Lordaeron, had suffered disaster, prompting Jaina to recognize Theramore as the next likely target.
• Jaina connected the theory to Garrosh’s attempt to attack Theramore, while Onyxia described the dragons’ past calamities and Deren called them all pieces on Azeroth’s chessboard.
• Arthas told Jaina that Deren’s insight surpassed his own and congratulated her on having such a fine advisor.

Deren asked Arthas to find a way to infuse a soul into a modified High Elf Undead, and Arthas agreed to investigate so he could reunite with Jaina. Before leaving, Jaina arranged to bring Arator to Arthas for temporary care, leaving Arthas stunned by the revelation about the child’s parents.

• Deren asked Arthas whether he could create a High Elf Undead with modified hands and infuse a soul into its empty body, and Arthas agreed to experiment despite being unable to promise success.
• After Jaina said she was in Theramore, Arthas promised to solve the soul-infusion problem so he could see his sister again.
• Jaina gave Arthas her Communication Crystal, and Arthas apologized for having pushed her away when they were young.
• Arthas warned Deren not to hurt Jaina, while Onyxia promised to keep an eye on him.
• Jaina asked Arthas to care for Arator temporarily and revealed that two of the heroic statues at Stormwind City’s gates were his parents.
• Jaina teleported away with Deren and the Black Dragon, leaving Arthas standing in place, overwhelmed by loss.

At Deren’s home in Theramore, Sylvanas questioned why Arator had been sent away and learned how Deathwing’s actions had tangled the sisters’ timelines and memories. She reluctantly accepted that Arator was safer away from the city and trusted Arthas to care for him.

• Sylvanas complained to Deren and asked why Alleria had entrusted Arator to Vereesa without telling her.
• Deren explained that Deathwing’s actions had caused contradictory events and memories to become interwoven in Vereesa’s life.
• Sylvanas concluded that Vereesa’s memories seemed stitched together from three different versions of her life.
• Sylvanas worried that Alleria would be heartbroken and questioned why Arator had been sent to Arthas.
• Deren reassured Sylvanas that Arator was safer away from Theramore and that Arthas had regained his free will, so Sylvanas reluctantly agreed.

Deren told Sylvanas that his plans would require her hands, and she agreed because he had saved her life. They discussed Alleria and Laras’s wartime separation and left open how the Windrunner siblings might repay Deren if they reunite.

• Sylvanas mistook Deren’s interest in her hands for attraction, then agreed to help with one of his plans when he explained what he needed.
• Onyxia teased Sylvanas about her earlier demand to be called Queen, prompting Sylvanas to resume her proud demeanor.
• Jaina took Anveena to the kitchen for more bread, where Anveena teased her about making breakfast with Deren.
• Deren and Sylvanas discussed how Alleria had joined the Expeditionary Force to protect Quel'Thalas and how Laras had survived after being presumed dead.
• Sylvanas wondered how the Windrunner siblings could thank Deren if they reunited, while Onyxia asked what he would do if Sylvanas offered herself to him.

Jaina told Deren that her father, Daelin Proudmoore, had arrived, so Deren went with her to find out what he wanted. While he was away, Onyxia reassured Sinestra about her trust in Deren and revealed how wealthy he had become, ending with the secret that the Goblins’ fortune came from Yogg-Saron’s treasury.

• Jaina told Deren that Daelin Proudmoore had arrived, and Deren agreed to meet him with her.
• Onyxia reassured Sinestra that she trusted Deren, explaining that the Bronze Dragon had called him the singularity of the world.
• Onyxia offered to take Sinestra shopping in Theramore and said Deren earned money while they spent it.
• Onyxia told Sinestra that Deren’s household had more than a million gold coins, much of it from investments and Goblin cooperation.
• Onyxia whispered that the Goblins had obtained Yogg-Saron’s treasury, and Sinestra covered her mouth in shock.