Chapter Summaries

Vanessa took control of Moonbrook and ordered the mercenaries to stop looting, while Grian sent Furlbrow away with the surviving militia and prepared to hold the gate alone. Elsewhere, Annie and Lana faced hidden assassins, and Annie took Lana’s wand to demonstrate a better way to fight them.

• Vanessa killed an Ogre trying to break into a house and warned Brak’s Goblins and Trolls not to loot in the Defias Republic’s new capital.
• Grian appointed Furlbrow commander of the Westfall People's Militia and ordered him to retreat to Sentinel Hill, then Elwynn Forest if needed.
• Grian entered the gate passage alone to hold off the enemy while Furlbrow watched him go.
• Annie told Lana that her gold came from a world where it was an abundant industrial mineral and offered to let her take as much as she wanted.
• Annie revealed that assassins had been following them, and Lana tried to flush them out by blasting the ground and setting trees on fire.
• After a dagger was deflected by Lana’s Protego, Annie took her wand and prepared to teach her how to handle the hidden attackers.

Annie and Lana defeated the assassins sent after them in Westfall, while King Varian learned that Vanessa’s Defias Republic had captured Moonbrook and that the Northern Expedition had suffered a major defeat. Varian called an urgent meeting as the Kingdom of Stormwind faced crises on multiple fronts.

• Annie used magical doves to reveal hidden assassins, then incapacitated them while Lana watched.
• Annie erased the memories of a Gnome assassin, who ran off believing she was a little girl, and Defias soldiers captured the other attackers.
• King Varian ordered a cavalry captain to support Grian Stoutmantle in Westfall, but Pasonia Shaw arrived and reported that Grian was dead and the Defias Republic had captured Moonbrook with help from the Goblins and Orcs.
• Pasonia told Varian that the Northern Expedition had been routed near Tarren Mill by the Flame Alliance, the Fire Queen, and a Holy Light Titan, and that the Fire Queen had also appeared in Moonbrook.
• Varian canceled the cavalry mission and summoned Duke Bolvar Fordragon, officials, and council members for an urgent meeting.

Vanessa declared the Defias Republic in Moonbrook and promised land and tax relief as she rallied support against Stormwind. Annie rejected Chromie’s appeal for peace, then returned to the City of Flame and was dragged into urgent Flame Alliance meetings.

• Vanessa delivered a speech blaming Stormwind’s rulers for the people’s suffering and declared the Defias Republic founded in Westfall.
• Vanessa promised free farmland and sharply reduced taxes, prompting the crowd to cheer for the republic and its queen.
• Chromie warned Annie that the conflict could weaken Azeroth against looming threats, but Annie said the Stormwind Alliance would have to withdraw, cede territory, pay compensation, apologize, surrender the war’s instigators, and let Vanessa burn Stormwind City.
• Chromie left after Annie fed her macadamias, and Annie returned to the City of Flame through a portal.
• Sylvanas seized Annie and led her to a meeting with Falstad, Calia, and other officials to address the Flame Alliance’s urgent affairs.

After the Horde fleet was devastated by a storm and the Seventh Fleet, Thrall and the surviving warriors landed at Wild Shore in Stranglethorn Vale. Thrall chose to build a foothold there and prepare for war against the Stormwind Alliance, while Saurfang left to report to the Horde elders.

• Thrall grieved over the loss of most of the fleet and roughly twenty thousand warriors after the storm and the Seventh Fleet’s attack.
• Saurfang showed Thrall a Goblin map and explained that Troll tribes and dangerous terrain surrounded the Horde’s camp at Wild Shore.
• Thrall considered sailing north to attack Stormwind City, but Saurfang warned that reefs, hostile tribes, and a lack of money made the plan impractical.
• Thrall declared that the Horde would establish a foothold in Stranglethorn Vale and make war on the Stormwind Alliance, then said he would step down as Warchief.
• Thrall ordered Saurfang to take the wounded back and inform the Horde elders, while he planned to scout the Bal'lal Trolls and recruit more warriors.

The Maiden of Virtue harassed the Stormwind Alliance camp near Southshore while Marshal Reginald Windsor learned the Draenei’s history from Prophet Velen. A new order from Stormwind ended the northern campaign and required the Alliance to withdraw troops to confront the rising Republic of Defias.

• The Maiden of Virtue hurled boulders at the Stormwind Alliance camp, then left with Brigitte Abbendis and the Knights of the Silver Hand.
• Reginald Windsor asked Velen about the Draenei’s origins, and Velen recounted their escape from Argus, their flight through Outland, and their arrival in Azeroth.
• A guard delivered orders from Stormwind, and Reginald learned that the Defias Brotherhood had declared the Republic of Defias in Westfall.
• Reginald announced that the northern campaign would end and that at least thirty thousand elite troops would return to fight the Republic of Defias.
• Reginald planned to abandon Tarren Mill, Gavin Heights, and the Southpoint Gate while defending Southshore and Durnholde Keep, and Velen agreed to attend the withdrawal meeting.

Illidan Stormrage used the Argus Seal and his schemes against the Burning Legion to prepare a surprise assault on Argus, while Maiev Shadowsong remained imprisoned in the Black Temple. When Annie Hastur returned and the Flame Alliance demanded Illidan withdraw and report on his plans, he refused and hurried to summon Kil'jaeden to Azeroth.

• Illidan Stormrage recounted how he destroyed Nathreza, killing countless demons and weakening the Burning Legion while the Horde and Stormwind Alliance fought his forces in Outland.
• Illidan told the imprisoned Maiev Shadowsong that he planned to lure Kil'jaeden away from Argus and attack the Legion's stronghold, insisting that he had never betrayed the Night Elves.
• Senior spellbinder Selevol reported that Annie Hastur had returned and opened a portal to the Black Temple, while the other Flame Alliance leaders demanded Illidan withdraw his troops and submit a report.
• Illidan refused to withdraw, ordered Selevol to retrieve a mage's corpse from Dalaran, and sent instructions to secretly gather his elite forces for the assault on Argus.
• Maiev confronted Illidan over his plan to bring Kil'jaeden to Azeroth, but Illidan dismissed her concerns and declared that destroying the Burning Legion was the sole purpose of his life.

Sylvanas and the Flame Alliance’s officials evacuated the City of Flame palace when magical fire erupted from Annie’s bedchamber, while Annie discovered that Azeroth’s World Soul had drawn her into a strange space to ask for help. Annie agreed to help remove the Old Gods but refused to fight Sargeras, and she left the World Soul with the name Tinnie as she considered how it might hatch without destroying Azeroth.

• The palace burst into magical flames, forcing Sylvanas, Calia, Falstad, and the other officials to evacuate while Lana reported that the fire had begun in Annie’s bedchamber.
• Duwan judged the flames to be Annie’s powerful magic, and the guards reported that Annie’s life signs were normal despite the fire surrounding her room.
• Annie woke in a dark, unfamiliar space and heard a confused presence plead for help, then recognized its images of the Old Gods corrupting Azeroth and Sargeras threatening the planet.
• Annie connected with Azeroth’s World Soul, confirmed that the Old Gods were hurting it, and agreed to help deal with them while refusing to confront Sargeras.
• Annie learned that the World Soul had no name, called it Tinnie, and wondered whether its eventual birth would destroy Azeroth before proposing that it use a teleportation gate.

Vanessa strengthened the Defias Republic’s forces and planned to conquer the rest of Westfall before attacking Stormwind, while considering whether Horde Orcs might threaten Duskwood. In the City of Flame, Annie learned she had accidentally burned down her palace after reacting to Azeroth’s World Soul, then agreed to eat at Sylvanas’s villa.

• Vanessa rejected hiring Troll mercenaries and ordered Pete to train the Defias Republic’s recruits, while Pete reported that Horde Orcs were conquering Troll tribes in Stranglethorn Vale.
• Vanessa suspected the Orcs were preparing to march north into Duskwood and ordered Pete to seek instructors from the Flame Alliance as she set a one-month deadline to conquer Westfall.
• Annie woke in the ashes of her bedchamber and accused Tibbers of failing to stop an arsonist from burning down her palace.
• Sylvanas and Lana told Annie that the fire had started in her room, and Tibbers showed her that she had released the flames herself while reacting to the World Soul’s pain.
• Annie admitted she had started the fire but refused to explain her connection with the World Soul, then agreed to go with Sylvanas to eat at her villa after learning a High Elf master chef would cook.

Annie and Chromie secretly returned to the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj so Annie could destroy the weakened C'Thun, despite Chromie's warnings that Elder Gods could not be killed by brute force. The chapter ended as Chromie began undoing the time seal, with Annie insisting she had a way to deal with C'Thun.

• Annie contacted Chromie and persuaded her to secretly return to C'Thun's sealed chamber beneath Silithus.
• Chromie explained that the Qiraji could not be eradicated while C'Thun survived and warned that the Elder God was considered impossible to kill.
• Annie urged Chromie to open the seal, promising she had a way to defeat C'Thun that did not involve fire.
• Chromie approached the sealed door with her Staff and prepared to undo the time magic while hoping Annie was right.

Annie awakened C'Thun in its sealed chamber and absorbed its corrupted Shadow energy, trapping the Elder God in a small orb while Chromie helped conceal what happened. The time prison had made a month pass outside, so Chromie became Annie’s mount as compensation, then tried to persuade her to capture Onyxia before Annie rejected the dangerous plan.

• Chromie opened C'Thun's time-reinforced seal and entered the chamber with Annie, who immediately decided to wake the Elder God with a fireball.
• C'Thun emerged and prepared to attack, but Annie transformed into her Dark Child form and frightened it into retreating beneath the Shadow pool.
• Annie drew C'Thun's corrupted Shadow energy into her hand and captured the Elder God inside a small Shadow Orb as the chamber and Silithus shook.
• Anachronos and the Silithus Wardens arrived, and Chromie claimed that she and Annie had eliminated C'Thun without explaining the capture.
• Annie learned that a month had passed outside the time prison and demanded compensation, forcing Chromie to serve as her mount for five years.
• Chromie suggested that Annie capture Onyxia as another mount, but Annie recognized the danger of confronting the Black Dragonflight and refused.

King Varian convened Stormwind’s leaders to discuss the Defias Republic’s siege of Westbrook Garrison and the Horde’s advance in the east. The council failed to agree on a response, leaving Varian to wait for reinforcements and consider abandoning Hillsbrad Foothills to bring back more troops.

• Varian warned the council that Vanessa VanCleef’s forces were besieging Westbrook Garrison while the Horde fought the Twelfth Legion near the borders of Elwynn Forest, Duskwood, and Redridge Mountains.
• Duke Ello Eberlock defended his retreat from Duskwood and traded accusations with Stormwind nobles who criticized him for abandoning his territory and transferring wealth to Ironforge.
• Varian said Reginald Windsor’s thirty thousand Alliance troops were sailing south and were expected to reach Stormwind in eight to ten days.
• Stormwind’s leaders argued over requesting allies, recalling troops from Outland, recruiting militia, and whether to reinforce Westbrook Garrison or protect the capital.
• Varian ended the meeting without a decision and planned to contact Reginald Windsor, while considering abandoning Hillsbrad Foothills to recall part of the Northern Expeditionary Army.

Queen Calia welcomed Admiral Daelin Proudmoore and the Kul Tiras Seventh Fleet back to Lordaeron, while Vanessa VanCleef’s Defias army battered Westbrook Garrison into ruins. As Vanessa watched her troops advance, an SI:7 assassin nearly killed her, but she escaped by transforming into shadow.

• Queen Calia welcomed Daelin and thanked him for helping protect Lordaeron from the Orc fleet, and he agreed to travel with her to Lordaeron City.
• Vanessa demanded Bolvar Fordragon surrender Westbrook Garrison, but he rejected her claim to rule and refused to give up the fortress.
• Vanessa ordered John Mistriel and Brack to bombard the garrison with their Goblin cannons, and the barrage demolished its defenses and killed many defenders.
• Bolvar ordered a retreat through a secret passage after the bombardment made Westbrook Garrison impossible to defend.
• Vanessa sent her monster troops into the ruined fortress and declared she would hang Bolvar’s head over Stormwind City.
• An assassin attacked Vanessa from behind, but she transformed into shadow and escaped the poisoned blade, then identified the attacker as a likely senior SI:7 member.

Vanessa’s forces captured Westbrook Garrison, but the assassin Pasonia Shaw nearly escaped after severely wounding Grubbthok. Annie arrived unexpectedly and burned Pasonia while she was trapped as a frog, and Vanessa then ordered the army to march toward Stormwind City.

• Vanessa ordered most of her soldiers to surround the clearing while she, Grubbthok, Archmage Korm, and Rehgar confronted Pasonia Shaw.
• Pasonia deceived Vanessa, wounded Grubbthok, and escaped the fire wall, but Rehgar’s Voodoo Totem turned her into a frog.
• Annie fell through a portal beside the totem, pulled it up, and burned the frog before learning that it had been the assassin Pasonia Shaw.
• Vanessa told Annie that her army had captured Westbrook Garrison, but Annie declined to join the campaign and went looking for food.
• Hogger brought Vanessa a severed head and asked for a reward, and Vanessa ordered Pete to prepare the army to march toward Stormwind City the next day.
• Grubbthok bought the head from Hogger for ten gold coins, and Hogger then offered to kill a Troll in exchange for ten thousand gold coins.

As Defias forces approached Stormwind, King Varian and his commanders feared the demigod mage Annie more than the siege itself and considered retreating if the city could not hold. In the Defias camp, Vanessa and Pete debated how to attack Stormwind while Annie urged Hogger to poison a troll for a promised reward.

• Stormwind's leaders learned that the Defias army was nearing the city and discussed its defenses, while Varian revealed that Annie had killed Mathias Shaw and could destroy Stormwind with a devastating spell.
• Bolvar proposed leading a surprise attack against Annie, but Varian and Marcus Jonathan rejected the plan and Varian said the army might retreat to Ironforge if the city could not be held.
• Vanessa and Pete studied Stormwind's plans and debated whether to assault the gates, attack by sea, or use secret passages.
• Annie met Hogger, who wanted to kill a troll chief for five hundred gold coins, and suggested he poison the trolls with herbs and enlist a goblin rogue.
• Hogger decided to gather the herbs and find a goblin to help poison the trolls.

Thrall withdrew the Horde from the crossroads after learning the Defias Republic was marching on Stormwind City, hoping the human factions would exhaust each other. As Vanessa began her siege, Medivh warned of Kil'jaeden’s arrival in Northrend, and Annie left after destroying Stormwind Keep, forcing the Defias army to retreat while Stormwind and Defias exchanged artillery fire.

• Thrall rejected Nazgrel’s plan to attack Company B and ordered the Horde to withdraw to Mistmantle Manor, aiming to keep Stormwind and the Defias Republic locked in conflict.
• Three days later, Vanessa led the Defias Republic’s army to Stormwind City and confronted Varian, declaring her intention to avenge Edwin VanCleef and destroy the city.
• Medivh told Annie that Kil'jaeden had been summoned in Northrend and warned that the Burning Legion threatened Quel'Thalas and the Flame Alliance.
• Annie agreed to prepare for Kil'jaeden, then cast a massive meteor spell that smashed through Stormwind’s defenses and destroyed much of Stormwind Keep before she Teleported away.
• Medivh warned Vanessa’s commanders that Thrall had withdrawn and Stormwind’s Twelfth Army was approaching; Vanessa ordered the Defias forces to bombard the city and retreat.
• Medivh informed Varian and Bolvar about Kil'jaeden, but the Defias artillery opened fire, and Stormwind’s forces returned the bombardment.

Illidan explained to the Flame Alliance that he had summoned Kil'jaeden to draw the Burning Legion into a vulnerable position before attacking Argus. Meanwhile, Kil'jaeden established a base in Northrend and agreed to attack the Lich King after Kael'thas asked him for revenge against Arthas.

• Illidan told Maiev that he had summoned Kil'jaeden and was willing to let Azeroth defend itself while he prepared to attack Argus.
• Sel'ever warned Illidan that the Flame Alliance would withdraw its troops if he refused its call, so Illidan agreed to speak with its leaders.
• Annie inspected Outland through the magical communication, and Sylvanas demanded that Illidan explain his actions and threatened to withdraw the Alliance forces.
• Illidan blocked eavesdroppers and began explaining his actions and plans to Sylvanas.
• Kil'jaeden celebrated the Legion's foothold at Galakrond's Grave and summoned Kael'thas to offer him a reward.
• Kael'thas asked Kil'jaeden to help him kill Arthas, and Kil'jaeden promised he would attack the Lich King after assembling more forces.

At Wyrmrest Temple, Alexstrasza and Malygos urged Azeroth's divided factions to unite against Kil'jaeden's growing demon army, but the leaders remained at odds over their wars and territorial claims. Meanwhile, Annie skipped the negotiations and rode Chromie to scout the Legion camp, where she attacked Kil'jaeden and provoked him into preparing to fight back.

• Alexstrasza reported that Kil'jaeden had been summoned eight days earlier, that the Legion had nearly one hundred thousand demons, and that their army could grow to between five hundred thousand and eight hundred thousand.
• Tyrande, Bolvar, Sylvanas, Thrall, and Varian argued over the factions' ongoing wars, Stormwind's occupied lands, and whether the Flame Alliance could be trusted.
• Alexstrasza and Malygos gave the factions two days to settle their disputes and agree on a joint campaign, warning that the dragons might otherwise withdraw from Northrend.
• Annie avoided the meeting and persuaded Chromie to fly her over the Legion camp at Galakrond's Rest.
• Kil'jaeden attacked Annie and Chromie, but Annie dodged his lightning and struck him with a fireball that damaged his armor and injured his arm.
• Kil'jaeden recognized Annie as the mage who had fought Archimonde and gathered fel energy to test her as Annie urged Chromie to dive at him again.

Annie and Chromie attacked Kil'jaeden’s Demon Forge Camp, then dropped the captured Old God C’Thun into the demon army to distract the Burning Legion while they watched from the sky. At Wyrmrest Temple, the leaders saw the battle and concluded that the demons’ losses would buy their forces time to prepare, though the Flame Alliance’s power made the other factions wary.

• Annie and Chromie attacked Kil’jaeden from the air, and Annie’s Infernal Rain devastated the Demon Forge Camp until Kil’jaeden’s soldiers used Hell Hounds to drain the Infernals’ Arcane energy and destroy them.
• When Fel cannons wounded Chromie’s wing, Annie turned back and dropped C’Thun onto Kil’jaeden and the demon camp, provoking a fierce battle between the Old God and the Burning Legion.
• Annie and Chromie watched C’Thun fight Kil’jaeden, while Annie explained that she had thrown him into the camp because he had refused to submit to her.
• A Red Dragon reported the battle to Alexstrasza, who used a magical image to show the demon camp to the leaders gathered at Wyrmrest Temple.
• Alexstrasza said the demons’ casualties would give the allied forces more time to prepare their Northrend deployment, while the Orc Horde and Stormwind Alliance viewed the Flame Alliance with new suspicion.

Annie and Chromie surveyed Sholazar Basin, where Annie ate Devilsaur eggs, learned about the Titan systems, and befriended the Spirit Beast Loque'nahak. Meanwhile, Arthas awakened as the Lich King, raised Sindragosa, and prepared to unleash his undead army on Azeroth.

• Annie and Chromie visited Sholazar Basin, and Chromie explained that its five Titan pillars maintained the basin's environment and protective barrier.
• Annie ate a Devilsaur egg while Chromie refused to eat it, and Annie asked about Dragon eggs before Chromie warned her away from the Dragonflights' sacred sites.
• Chromie suggested that they capture Yogg-Saron, but Annie refused to infiltrate Ulduar with only the two of them.
• Annie offered the leftover cooked eggs to a Spirit Beast, met Loque'nahak, and revealed that Chromie was a Bronze Dragon serving as her mount.
• Arthas awakened from the ice on the Frozen Throne, claimed Ner'zhul's power, and raised Sindragosa to rally his undead army.

Arthas awakened as the new Lich King and learned that the Scourge faced the Burning Legion and Azeroth’s armies in Northrend, forcing him to prepare for war instead of invading the Eastern Kingdoms. At the Flame Alliance camp, Chromie warned the leaders that the Scourge was moving, while Annie gave Sylvanas Loque'nahak and revealed that his mate was held in Zul'Drak.

• Kel'Thuzad told Arthas that the Scourge could not march south because the Wyrmrest Accord and the armies of the Horde, Stormwind Alliance, and Flame Alliance were in Northrend, while the Burning Legion was advancing toward Icecrown.
• Arthas abandoned his immediate invasion plans, ordered Kel'Thuzad to awaken the Scourge’s forces, and prepared to defend against the approaching enemies.
• Annie gave Sylvanas the Spirit Beast Loque'nahak and explained that his mate, Har'koa, had been captured by Drakkari Frost Trolls in Zul'Drak.
• Chromie warned the Flame Alliance leaders that Arthas and the Scourge had returned, then reported that the Burning Legion was attacking the Scourge rather than joining forces with it.
• Chromie explained that the Scourge had betrayed the Burning Legion, and Sylvanas and the other commanders considered how the two enemies’ conflict could affect their defense.