Chapter Summaries

Ye Ting and his companions carried the captured Onyxia toward Grim Batol, where they landed to avoid a patrolling red Dragon. Ye Ting planned to use Onyxia to draw her father’s attention as they entered the fortress.

• Ye Ting held the powerless Onyxia during the gryphon flight while Vereesa and Garona watched them warily.
• The party spotted a red Dragon near Grim Batol and followed Kurdran’s signal to dive and land out of sight.
• Ye Ting decided they would travel the rest of the way on foot to avoid alerting the Dragon and the Orcs.
• Ye Ting told Onyxia that her presence would change their plan to enter Grim Batol unnoticed, leaving her uncertain about what he intended.

Ye Ting learned that Onyxia was secretly at Grim Batol to monitor events for Deathwing while evading her father and brother, giving him a way to disguise his group’s movements. He used her Orc identity to lead the hidden team into Grim Batol, where they entered under her cover.

• Ye Ting learned that Onyxia had been ordered to monitor the Orcs and other dragonflights, but she kept her presence secret from Deathwing.
• Ye Ting learned that Onyxia feared being exploited by Deathwing as a mate and by Nefarian as an experimental subject, though she still enjoyed causing chaos among humans.
• Ye Ting realized that Onyxia’s known presence at Grim Batol could draw attention away from his group and cover their tracks.
• Ye Ting partially released Onyxia’s seal so she could transform into an armored female Orc.
• Ye Ting and his three teammates used invisibility and levitation spells to follow Onyxia through Grim Batol’s gates while keeping her under threat.

Ye Ting and his companions entered Grim Batol under Onyxia’s lead and found a vast, mostly abandoned Dwarven city occupied by the Dragonmaw Clan. While they planned their search, Ye Ting began explaining Dragons to his curious companions.

• Onyxia led Ye Ting, Kurdran, Garona, and Vereesa past the Orc guards and into Grim Batol while they remained invisible.
• The group explored the cavernous, sparsely inhabited city and rested in an empty Dwarven building.
• Kurdran suggested using gryphons to search from the air, and Ye Ting teased Onyxia about flying before refusing to remove her seal until they returned.
• Ye Ting told Onyxia that he could control her without restricting her power, then claimed his ties with Dragons were closer than she imagined.
• Kurdran, Garona, and Vereesa asked Ye Ting what Dragons were, and he began teaching them about Dragons after hearing their assumptions.

Ye Ting’s group infiltrated Grim Batol with Onyxia and found Nekros torturing a captured red Dragon with the Dragon Soul. They took positions to ambush Nekros and seize the artifact, leaving Ye Ting poised behind him.

• Ye Ting had prepared a Silence scroll in case the Black Dragon Princess betrayed the group, while weighing how he might handle her if she proved untrustworthy.
• Onyxia led the group through Grim Batol in her Orc disguise, and they reached the Dragonmaw Clan’s dragon-training plaza.
• Ye Ting spotted a huge red Dragon bound in the plaza while Nekros Skullcrusher used the Dragon Soul to torment him.
• The red Dragon lunged at Nekros, but Nekros activated the Dragon Soul and forced him back into agony.
• Ye Ting told Vereesa, Garona, and Kurdran to take positions for a sudden attack, then moved behind Nekros with the Infinity Blade.

Ye Ting cut off Nekros's right arm and took the Dragon Soul as Deathwing arrived at Grim Batol. Deathwing revealed his human guise as Neltharion and calmly confronted Ye Ting, who kept the artifact intact for a trap.

• Ye Ting's magical ring warned him that Neltharion had detected him, so he severed Nekros's right arm and took the Dragon Soul.
• A colossal black Dragon emerged from Grim Batol's magma, dispelled the group's concealment, and flew toward them.
• The red Dragon urged Ye Ting to destroy the golden disc, but Ye Ting kept the Dragon Soul intact as Deathwing landed and devastated the plaza.
• Ye Ting realized Deathwing was still present when Onyxia trembled, then recognized the human noble before him as Lord Prestor, Neltharion.
• Neltharion calmly acknowledged Ye Ting's knowledge of him and asked why he had come to Grim Batol.

Onyxia rejected Deathwing and joined Ye Ting, who had gathered the Dragonlords to confront him. The five Dragonlords appeared before Deathwing, and Talonixia silenced Malygos and Nozdormu as the confrontation began.

• Onyxia chose to stand with Ye Ting, and Deathwing threatened her for betraying him.
• Ye Ting reassured Onyxia and drew her closer as Alexstrasza appeared and condemned Deathwing for turning against his family.
• Ysera, Malygos, and Nozdormu arrived, with Malygos and Nozdormu arguing while they waited to act.
• Talonixia appeared and ordered Malygos and Nozdormu to stop quarreling until they dealt with Deathwing.
• Onyxia recognized that all five Dragonlords had gathered and wondered whether they had been lying in ambush.

The Dragon Aspects overwhelmed Deathwing, and Talonixia struck him with a devastating bolt of lightning inside Grim Batol. Deathwing escaped into Deepholm, and the Dragon Aspects returned without catching him.

• Deathwing rejected the Dragon Aspects’ accusations as their combined powers weakened him and Talonixia confronted him over his betrayal.
• Talonixia summoned a lightning bolt that blasted through Grim Batol and severely wounded Neltharion.
• Deathwing plunged into the magma and escaped into Deepholm while the Dragon Aspects tried to pursue him.
• The five Dragon Aspects returned to Ye Ting and explained that Deathwing had escaped to a place they could not easily enter.

Ye Ting learned that the red dragons from Grim Batol would join the fight against the Orc fleet, then reassured Vereesa after her mistake during Onyxia’s capture. The chapter ended with Vereesa asking to stay by his side and Ye Ting saying he needed her sisters’ approval.

• Talanistrasz told Ye Ting that the vengeful red dragons from Grim Batol would help attack the Orc fleet, delighting the Alliance’s dwarves and elves.
• Kurdran praised Ye Ting and questioned Garona about their earlier dealings with dragons after Ye Ting asked him to keep some details secret.
• Vereesa thanked Ye Ting for protecting her during Onyxia’s capture and blamed herself for her inexperience, while Onyxia revealed that she had targeted Vereesa as a novice.
• Ye Ting comforted Vereesa and listed his many defensive spells, leaving Onyxia frightened and making Vereesa believe he had prepared them to protect her.
• Vereesa asked to stay with Ye Ting to gain combat experience, and he said he would first ask Alleria and Sylvanas for permission.

Admiral Daelin Proudmoore ambushed the Horde’s enormous fleet near Zul'Dare Isle and began destroying its crude transports with disciplined naval gunfire. As the Orcs suffered heavy losses, Daelin believed he might annihilate their army at sea, unaware that events would soon exceed his control.

• Orgrim abandoned plans to build warships and sent over a thousand crude troop transports, escorted by red dragon riders, toward the Hillsbrad Foothills.
• Daelin positioned the Alliance fleet near Zul'Dare Isle after learning the Horde fleet had set sail.
• At midnight, Daelin spotted the illuminated Orc fleet and waited until it came within cannon range.
• The Alliance ambush panicked the inexperienced Orc sailors, causing transports to scatter and collide.
• Daelin ordered a broadside that blasted apart and capsized many transports, leaving Orcs to drown in the waves.

The Alliance fleet initially devastated the Horde transports, but Orgrim unleashed the Dragonmaw Clan’s red dragons when the Alliance closed in. Daelin ordered a retreat as dragonfire burned his ships, while Derek Proudmoore volunteered to draw the dragons away and the Horde gained a path toward the coast.

• Daelin ordered the Alliance fleet to abandon its line and attack the Horde at close range.
• Orgrim waited for the Alliance’s general attack before ordering the Dragonmaw Clan’s red dragons into battle.
• A lookout alerted Daelin to the approaching shadows, and Daelin recognized them as dragons and ordered the fleet to withdraw.
• The tightly packed Alliance ships struggled to turn as the red dragons set several warships ablaze with dragonfire.
• Daelin received Derek Proudmoore’s message that he would lead the Third Fleet to distract the dragons and help the Alliance retreat.
• Daelin set aside his grief and searched for a way to stop the Horde from advancing toward Hillsbrad or Southshore.

A new dragon flock led by Ye Ting arrived and turned the battle at sea against the Horde, rescuing the Alliance fleet from destruction. The red dragons broke free of their Orc riders and devastated the Horde fleet, leaving Orgrim's forces fleeing through a sea of fire.

• The Horde's red dragons stopped attacking after a distant roar, giving Daelin time to retreat while Orgrim demanded that Zuluhed regain control of them.
• A huge dragon flock led by a giant dark crimson dragon approached, and Daelin recognized Sandor Liver and other Alliance allies riding on its back.
• The enslaved red dragons threw off their Dragonmaw riders, killed them, and joined Ye Ting's dragons in attacking the Horde fleet.
• The dragons swept across the Horde ships with their breath, setting the fleet ablaze and forcing the surviving Orc warships to scatter.

After the Alliance fleet defeated the Horde at sea, Ye Ting and Lothar hurried to reinforce Stromgarde, only to learn that the Horde had already taken Thandol Span and surrounded the city. A report of undead warriors and hooded riders revealed that the Horde’s Death Knights had joined the war.

• The Red Dragons and Alliance fleet routed the Horde’s ships, though Orgrim escaped aboard an ordinary warship.
• Talanistrasz brought Ye Ting and his party aboard Daelin’s flagship, where the sailors welcomed them as saviors.
• Ye Ting and the fleet returned to the Hillsbrad Foothills, and Lothar learned that the Horde could now invade only through Thandol Span.
• Ye Ting and the Alliance army set out to reinforce the Stromgarde Kingdom in the Arathi Highlands.
• At Thoradin’s Wall, the Alliance learned that the Horde had taken Thandol Span and surrounded Stromgarde, where King Thoras Trollbane was defending the city.
• The defenders reported that a foul fog, risen dead, and hooded riders on skeletal horses had broken Stromgarde’s army, revealing the Horde’s Death Knights had entered the war.

Ye Ting and the Alliance commanders considered how to defend against the Horde, and Sylvanas proposed using Hinterlands as a natural barrier while Ye Ting recommended supporting Stromgarde by sea. The strategy was accepted, but Ye Ting argued that the Alliance still needed a head-on victory to restore its soldiers’ morale.

• Falstad asked what would happen if the Horde crossed the Alterac Mountains into Hinterlands, and Sylvanas argued that its terrain would trap the Orcs in a costly war of attrition.
• The commanders realized Ye Ting had weakened the Horde’s options by leading the Alliance forces to eliminate the Trolls in Hinterlands.
• Uther questioned whether the Alliance would abandon Trollbane and Stromgarde, so Ye Ting proposed supplying and reinforcing the city by sea.
• Lothar praised the plan, which could keep Stromgarde standing and force the Horde to divert troops to guard against it.
• Ye Ting urged the Alliance to win a direct battle against the Orcs so its soldiers would see that the Horde could be defeated.

Ye Ting prepared for battle at Northfold Farm, where the Alliance planned to meet the Horde in the Arathi Highlands. As the troops moved toward the battlefield, Vereesa admitted she was nervous, and Ye Ting encouraged her to accept her fear.

• Ye Ting equipped himself with an enormous supply of magical scrolls and potions while Onyxia attended him as his maid.
• Vereesa and Garona joined Ye Ting, with Vereesa serving as his new guard to keep watch on Onyxia.
• At Northfold Farm, Lothar and the Alliance officers ate breakfast in silence before their planned encounter with the Horde.
• Ye Ting and the three women headed toward the battlefield, and Vereesa confessed that she was nervous.
• Ye Ting told Vereesa that fear could prevent carelessness, sharing advice Lothar had given him after a battle.

Vereesa overcame her nerves when she spotted the approaching Horde, and Lothar led the Alliance cavalry in a charge that broke through the Orcs’ disorganized front. As Orcs surrounded Lothar, Ye Ting rode to his aid with Vereesa and Onyxia.

• Garona reassured Vereesa, who felt encouraged by the half-Orc’s support.
• Vereesa spotted the Horde approaching the hills and alerted Ye Ting, who ordered the Alliance to prepare for battle.
• Lothar launched the Alliance cavalry into the Orcs before they could assemble, and his magically strengthened sword tore open their ranks.
• The cavalry scattered the Horde’s leading troops, but the Orcs pressed toward Lothar instead of retreating.
• Vereesa shot an Orc blocking their path, Onyxia blasted several more with a Fireball, and Ye Ting reached Lothar as the warrior stared in shock at Onyxia’s power.

Ye Ting and his companions fought through the Orcs and returned to the Alliance formation, where Lothar and Turalyon organized a spear-and-shield defense. After the Horde’s charges were repelled, Death Knights appeared and used dark magic to bring down Alliance soldiers.

• Ye Ting strengthened Lothar, Vereesa, Onyxia, and the others with buffs, and they cut through the Orcs together.
• Ye Ting cast Charged Sonic Boom to clear a path, allowing Lothar to lead the cavalry back to the Alliance formation.
• Lothar ordered the soldiers to form spear-and-shield ranks, and Turalyon helped restore the shield walls after repeated Orc charges.
• The Orcs’ attacks eased, and cloaked riders carrying crimson batons charged the shield wall and attacked the Alliance with dark magic.
• Ye Ting recognized the riders as Death Knights.

The Horde’s death knights and ogres shattered the Alliance’s shield wall, but Ye Ting’s contingency plan helped most of the soldiers retreat and regroup. The Alliance held a new defensive line, though the ogres remained an immediate threat.

• Death knights attacked the Alliance line with death clouds and raised corpses, causing the infantry to lose morale and flee.
• Ye Ting ordered the paladins forward, and Liadrin, Uther, and the Silver Hand used the Holy Light to counter the death knights and steady the soldiers.
• Orgrim recognized the threat posed by the Alliance paladins and resolved to use more of the Horde’s strength.
• Ogres joined the assault and smashed through the shield wall, prompting Ye Ting to order the soldiers to retreat in squad defensive formations.
• Alliance squads fought their way back to a new shield wall, where Turalyon and the other commanders organized the defense while Alleria’s rangers covered them with arrows.

Lothar and Ye Ting led the Alliance in a final assault that broke the Orc army and drove it back toward its camp outside Stromgarde. As Turalyon urged pursuit, Lothar and Ye Ting chose to recall the exhausted, undersupplied troops instead.

• Lothar led the cavalry in a charge through the disordered Orc ranks while Ye Ting directed the High Elf Rangers to cover the riders’ return.
• Lothar and Ye Ting began a third charge, with the Alliance infantry and Rangers advancing against the scattered Orcs.
• The Orcs sounded a retreat, and the Alliance pursued them across the chaotic battlefield.
• Ye Ting warned that the Orcs were returning to their camp to gather strength, while Turalyon argued for pursuit and showed hostility toward Ye Ting.
• Lothar pointed out that the Alliance troops were exhausted and low on supplies, and he proposed sounding the recall rather than chasing the Orcs.

The Alliance withdrew behind Thoradin's Wall while the Horde returned to besiege Stromgarde, only to find that sea routes had restored the city's supplies and reinforcements. Ye Ting proposed using cavalry to harass the Horde's rear, and Lothar began to see how the tactic could wear down the Horde without a direct battle.

• The Alliance retreated behind Thoradin's Wall, where the Horde's probing attacks failed and Orgrim returned to continue the siege of Stromgarde.
• The Horde found Stromgarde's defenses strengthened by fresh supplies, troops, and contact with the Alliance by sea.
• Orgrim learned that the Horde's loss of naval power had enabled Stromgarde's resupply and undermined the Horde's campaign in the Arathi Highlands.
• Ye Ting proposed forming an all-cavalry force to harass the Horde's rear.
• Lothar considered the proposal and recognized that repeated raids could gradually weaken the Horde while the Alliance remained on the defensive.

Ye Ting planned a fast harassment campaign against the Horde and assigned Rangers, Gryphon Riders, and Paladins to carry it out. He chose Alleria to lead the Rangers, leaving Sylvanas at the main camp to oversee the High Elves and support the defenses.

• Ye Ting explained that Rangers would harass the Horde's rear, Gryphon Riders would scout, and Paladins would heal and handle unexpected threats.
• Ye Ting began arranging the reassignment and went to the Windrunner sisters' tent to settle who would lead the Rangers.
• Alleria and Sylvanas each argued that she should lead the operation, then left the decision to Commander Sandor.
• Ye Ting chose Alleria and explained that Sylvanas needed to remain at the main camp because she was Ranger-General and had proposed the defensive plan.
• Alleria left with Ye Ting while Sylvanas watched them go and resolved not to compete with her sister over rank again.