Chapter Summaries

Hexia convinced the Windrunner sisters that he and the Holy Light Clerics were friendly, then brought them to see the Fourth Army Group’s outpost. The sisters marveled at the force’s technology and, after questioning its destruction of the forest, were moved by Hexia’s explanation of the Holy Church’s approach to nature.

• Alleria asked Hexia to prove he followed the Holy Light, and he displayed its healing light before the Windrunner sisters and the Holy Light Clerics lowered their weapons.
• Vereesa pinched Hexia’s cheek as a test, and Alleria apologized when Hexia objected to her sister’s boldness.
• Vereesa revealed that she was three hundred years old, surprising Hexia, who changed the subject by inviting the sisters to the temporary base.
• Alleria, Sylvanas, and Vereesa learned that the outpost belonged to the Fourth Army Group and saw its mechanical spider puppets, mechs, and shuttles.
• Sylvanas challenged Hexia over the destruction of the forest, and he explained that the Holy Church balanced development with caring for nature.

Hexia brought the three Windrunner sisters through a futuristic human stronghold to meet Ria, whose immense power made them question whether she was human. Ria identified herself as Artoria and explained that she remained mortal, though a greater being had illuminated her.

• Hexia led the Windrunner sisters past a fleet of Sky Carriers and through the guarded stronghold, where they marveled at its unfamiliar technology and disciplined warriors.
• Hexia took the sisters up in a Light-Speed Elevator and brought them before Ria, who was waiting behind a golden door.
• The sisters felt Ria's overwhelming aura, and Alleria challenged her claim to be human.
• Ria asked how Alleria viewed humanity, then argued that desire and greed existed in all intelligent beings and that humans could surpass their limits.
• Ria revealed that she was Artoria, still mortal despite her great power, which came from being illuminated by a greater being.

The Windrunner Sisters learned that Ria’s Holy Church had established a temporary base near Quel’Thalas, and Ria said the Church would not invade unless the people sought its protection. The sisters warned Sun King Anasterian and the Silvermoon Council about Ria’s overwhelming power, but Anasterian dismissed their concerns.

• Alleria asked Ria why the Holy Church had come to Quel’Thalas, and Ria said the Church sought no invasion and would not force anyone to follow the Holy Light.
• Ria argued that the Church could establish a temporary base in the border forest and would intervene if the people abandoned their rulers and sought its protection.
• Hexia escorted the Windrunner Sisters away, and they hurried back to report the encounter to Sun King Anasterian and the Silvermoon Council.
• Alleria warned Anasterian that Ria’s power surpassed his by far and urged him to send an envoy to negotiate a peace treaty.
• Anasterian dismissed Alleria and ordered the Windrunner Sisters to withdraw.

Over half a year, the Windrunner sisters watched the Holy Church win the trust of their people through its teachings and conduct. Alleria accepted that the elves were free to believe in the Holy Light, while the prosperous city and the Church’s ideals continued to attract the rangers.

• After leaving the temple, Alleria urged Sylvanas and Vereesa to stay vigilant despite Parliament’s inaction.
• Hexia told the Windrunner Rangers that the Holy Church aimed to build a peaceful world where every race could prosper, and he urged them to pursue that goal.
• Virjare questioned whether any race could create such a world, and Hexia argued that progress depended on someone being willing to try.
• The Windrunner sisters observed that the rangers had come to admire the Holy Church’s character, teachings, and way of life.
• Sylvanas admitted she had no way to stop their people from interacting with the Church without restricting their freedom.
• Vereesa reassured Alleria and Sylvanas that believing in the Holy Light did not mean betraying Quel'Thalas, and Alleria agreed to let the elves believe.

Rich led a hundred Holy Light Clerics into Stormwind City to learn about the kingdom and seek an audience with its king. After seeing the commoners’ poverty and devotion to the local Holy Light, his priests healed the crowd at the city gate.

• Rich brought his thousand-strong contingent to Stormwind Kingdom, then split them into groups to investigate different cities discreetly.
• Rich’s hundred Clerics joined a queue at Stormwind City’s gate, where a captain stopped them and asked who they were.
• Rich identified the group as Holy Light Clerics from a distant land and requested an audience with the king, so the captain went to report to a general.
• Commoners gathered around Rich’s group and prayed, prompting Rich to have the priests step forward.
• Dozens of priests bathed the gathered crowd in healing white light, impressing the people and soldiers at the gate.

A group of Holy Light Clerics arrived at Storm King City and began healing the people gathered at its gates. Rich rejected a noble officer’s demand that they serve the nobility first, and the officer rode to report the dispute to the king.

• A soldier told the golden-browed general that a group of priests had arrived, and the general went to welcome them.
• The general ordered his men to clear the crowd around the glowing gateway while the commoners continued to hope for healing.
• The Bailandi Family officer welcomed the Holy Light Clerics and invited them to visit his family before meeting the king.
• Rich refused the invitation and said the clerics would treat people at the gates instead.
• The officer accused the clerics of violating the nobles’ agreement, but Rich explained that they served the Holy Church, not the Holy Light Grand Cathedral.
• Shaken by Rich’s intimidating gaze, the officer left for the Royal Palace to report the matter to the king.

Anduin Lothar learned that hundreds of unaffiliated Holy Light Clerics had arrived in Stormwind and went to the city gates to meet them. Seeing them heal and care for commoners, he was left in awe and unease about what their arrival might mean in a kingdom dominated by nobles.

• A squad leader settled the Holy Light Clerics inside the city and provided them with seats and water.
• Sir Bailandi reported to King Llane and Anduin Lothar that hundreds of unaffiliated priests had arrived at the gates.
• Llane ordered Bishop Aures summoned and directed the gate guards to let the clerics through, while Lothar volunteered to go himself.
• Lothar arrived at the gates and saw the Holy Light Clerics treating citizens as children gathered around them.
• Lothar watched the clerics clean the children and felt awe, while fearing that the nobles would undermine what the clerics could bring to the kingdom.

Anduin Lothar escorted Rich and An Ting to King Llane after meeting the Holy Light Clerics as they treated Stormwind’s citizens. At the palace, Bishop Aures was astonished by the immense Holy Power the two visitors possessed.

• Anduin Lothar introduced himself to Rich, the Holy Church’s First Army Group commander, and asked him to meet King Llane.
• Rich chose to leave his followers behind to continue treating citizens, and he and An Ting summoned white wolves as their mounts.
• An Ting revealed her name, while Rich told Lothar that a surname did not make someone noble.
• Bishop Aures explained to King Llane that becoming a priest required sensing the Naaru, which made a large group of newly arrived priests seem unlikely.
• Lothar brought Rich and An Ting to the palace, where Aures was stunned by their extraordinary Holy Power.

Rich showed Bishop Aures the Holy Light’s ideals of hope, freedom, peace, and equality, but Aures hesitated to embrace the path of changing the world. Rich then asked King Llane to establish Holy Church offices across the Stormwind Kingdom, and Llane agreed.

• Rich had Aures touch a ball of light, revealing the Holy Light’s vision and urging him to challenge the world’s injustices.
• Aures admitted that he had failed to seize hope and questioned whether Rich had the courage to overturn existing rules.
• Rich declared his resolve, and Aures asked whether he still had a chance to follow the path.
• Aures returned to the royal audience and told Llane that he had missed a chance to seize a path toward a world of light.
• Rich asked Llane to establish Holy Church offices that would provide free healing and help people improve their livelihoods.
• Llane accepted Rich’s conditions after Aures explained that their faith was different.

In Moonbrook Town, residents praised the Holy Light Clerics for protecting them, healing them, and improving their work, while stories spread of the Church’s growing power across the Stormwind Kingdom. Locke met with Mayor Munye to discuss ensuring the town had enough food, and the people reflected on how the Clerics treated them with dignity.

• Tavern patrons shared stories of Holy Light Clerics killing beasts and using a machine to harvest crops.
• A mercenary told the tavern that the Clerics and their Knight Swords had defeated Hogger and his Gnoll Legion.
• Locke arrived with other Holy Light Clerics and asked for Mayor Munye.
• Locke invited Mayor Munye to discuss how to ensure everyone in town had enough to eat.
• After the Clerics left, the townspeople praised how respectfully they treated commoners.

Locke asked Moonbrook Town’s old mayor to organize a farmers’ association and help establish a free school, promising to teach townspeople better farming and educate their children. Though the mayor worried the villagers would refuse, his mercenary son urged him to send his grandson to school, leaving the mayor reconsidering his doubts.

• Locke explained to the old mayor that the Holy Church wanted to form a farmers’ association and teach the townspeople improved farming methods.
• Locke asked the mayor to organize the farmers and encourage families to send their children to a free school.
• The mayor worried that the townspeople would resist and that he could not refuse the priests without offending them.
• The mayor’s mercenary son returned home, heard about the plan, and insisted that his own son attend school the next day.
• The old mayor wondered whether he had been overthinking the priests’ intentions.

The Holy Church's Priests crushed noble forces after the nobles imposed arbitrary taxes on commoners, prompting Stormwind's nobles to demand that King Llane expel the Church. High Retainer Rich defended the Church and challenged the nobles' claim to rule, leaving the royal court tense and furious.

• Nobles imposed arbitrary taxes on their estates, and Holy Light Clerics drove off tax collectors and defeated soldiers sent to expel them, capturing some nobles.
• The people watched the clerics publicly display captured nobles and began to lose their fear of the lords.
• Stormwind's nobles gathered before Llane and demanded that he expel the Holy Church's Priests; Llane, troubled by the losses on both sides, asked Lothar for advice.
• Llane summoned High Retainer Rich and questioned him about the Priests' attacks on noble armies.
• Rich argued that the nobles had provoked the conflict by trying to seize the Holy Church's profits, then challenged their claim that ancestral conquest justified their ownership of land.
• The nobles erupted in rage, and Llane silenced the court while they continued glaring at Rich.

High Patron Rich confronted King Llane and Stormwind's nobles over the Holy Church's power and its defense of the people, while Archmage Medivh arrived to support the king. Rich revealed the Church's overwhelming presence, leaving the nobles shaken and Medivh without an answer.

• Rich refused to punish the Holy Church members who had attacked the noble armies and warned that the Church would answer any retaliation.
• Rich argued that the people supported the Holy Church and could turn against the nobles, especially if ten thousand more Church warriors arrived.
• Medivh appeared before Llane's throne, and the nobles and Llane welcomed the kingdom's Guardian while Lothar embraced him.
• Rich defended the Church's work for the people, and Medivh could not dispute his claims because he knew little about the nobles' actions.
• Rich released a powerful golden aura that overwhelmed the hall and drove guilty nobles to their knees.

Rich left the Royal Palace after overwhelming the court with his Holy Light, while Sargeras sensed the threat and stirred within Medivh. Medivh revealed his corruption by conjuring a sinister hourglass and disappearing, leaving Stormwind facing an ominous threat.

• Rich told Llane that the next decision was his and left the Royal Palace.
• Sargeras was enraged by Rich’s power and began stirring within Medivh.
• Lothar noticed Medivh’s sinister aura and ordered the guards to protect Llane.
• Medivh mocked Lothar, conjured a Birchwood Glass Hourglass filled with black sand, and vanished as black smoke.
• The hourglass crashed before the throne, its sand slowly trickling as the court feared the kingdom’s destruction.

After Medivh’s betrayal, Lothar helped Llane regain his composure and suggested questioning Rich about Medivh’s change. When they went to the Holy Church, they learned Rich was in Lakeshire addressing a contagious illness affecting the villagers.

• Lothar urged Llane to focus on the kingdom’s dangers and investigate what had happened to Medivh.
• Lothar suggested that Llane question Rich because Rich had been involved before and after Medivh changed.
• The next day, Llane and Lothar went to the Holy Church, where clerics told them Rich had left to visit nearby towns and villages.
• A cleric used a Satellite Communication Wristband to contact Rich, who invited Llane to Lakeshire if his business was urgent.
• The cleric explained that a highly contagious illness had weakened more than half the villagers around Lakeshire, though their lives were not in danger.

Llane and Lothar learned about an outbreak among commoners and traveled by flying shuttle to investigate, while their guide explained the Holy Light and its followers. The journey left Llane reflecting on humanity’s powerlessness and the blessing of the Holy Light’s protection.

• Llane was shocked to hear that nobles had not reported an outbreak affecting commoners, and he asked the Holy Light cleric to take him there.
• The Holy Light cleric brought Llane and Lothar aboard an M1 Cloud Cruiser, and Lothar learned it could travel between Stormwind and Lakeshire in under an hour.
• As the shuttle flew from Stormwind City, the Holy Light cleric described the different Holy Light professions and explained that their power came directly from the conscious Holy Light.
• Llane questioned whether humanity could trust a deity, and the Holy Light cleric argued that people were insignificant beside its power and fortunate to receive its guidance.
• Llane considered the cleric’s words and concluded that the Holy Light’s protection was already an immense blessing.

Llane and Lothar witnessed the Holy Church’s organized treatment of Lakeshire’s people and resolved to confront the kingdom’s corruption and investigate Medivh with High Revered Rich. Rich explained the clerical level system and revealed that the Holy Light was a dimensional god who might have originated in Azeroth.

• Llane and Lothar arrived in Lakeshire and saw Holy Light Clerics treating sick residents with care and discipline.
• Llane realized the people might choose the Holy Church over the Stormwind Kingdom, while Lothar recognized the clerics’ true nobility.
• Llane and Lothar agreed to speak with High Revered Rich about Medivh and to address the kingdom’s corrupt nobles.
• Rich said he had sensed something wrong about Medivh and had tested him with Holy Power.
• Rich described the clerical ranks and explained that the Holy Light was a dimensional god whose origin might be Azeroth.

Rich explained to Llane and Lothar how education and equal participation could let commoners govern and develop the Stormwind Kingdom, while Holy Light Clerics served the public through their conviction. Llane chose to support the transformation, accepting that Stormwind might be branded heretical and separated from the Seven Human Kingdoms.

• Rich told Llane and Lothar that the Holy Church sought to protect common people rather than destroy the Stormwind Kingdom.
• Rich argued that education could prepare commoners to govern and create new advances, pointing to the flying shuttle as an example.
• Rich explained that Holy Light Clerics gained their abilities through study and righteous conviction, and lost them if they betrayed their honor.
• Llane realized the transformation could strengthen the kingdom and accepted the possibility of losing his power for the people's benefit.
• Llane agreed to try Rich's proposal, and Lothar immediately pledged his support.
• Llane declared that Stormwind could endure being treated as heretical if its people benefited, even if the other six kingdoms distanced themselves.

Rich warned Llane and Lothar that Medivh had been possessed and promised to prepare for the threat, while Llane secured Holy Light Clerics to guard the palace. After messengers sent to Karazhan were killed, Llane sought wider aid, but a dispute over the Holy Church drove the nobles from the Royal Palace in anger.

• Rich told Llane and Lothar that a powerful being had possessed Medivh and said he would need to see him before attempting to save him.
• Rich assigned Holy Light Clerics to protect Llane, and the clerics escorted the king back to Stormwind City.
• Three groups of Stormwind messengers were killed at Karazhan, confirming that Medivh had become an enemy, and Llane ordered the Tirisfal Council notified.
• Bolvar urged Llane to seek help from the other six kingdoms as the nobles gathered in the Royal Palace.
• Duke Vilga demanded that the Holy Light Clerics be removed, while Bolvar defended them and Lothar challenged dissatisfied nobles to confront the Holy Church themselves.
• Duke Vilga and the other nobles left the palace angrily, leaving Llane, Lothar, and Bolvar facing the crisis alone.

Llane and Lothar learned that the Holy Church would send nearly twenty thousand Holy Light Clerics to help Stormwind Kingdom prepare for the coming crisis. Meanwhile, the nobles gathered at Duke Vilga’s residence to await the king’s surrender, but his refusal left them angry and determined to continue their standoff.

• Lothar urged Llane to intensify the army’s training because the nobles could not be trusted to help.
• Rich promised to provide Holy Light Cleric instructors and said a force of nearly twenty thousand would arrive from the Holy Church.
• Llane and Lothar took heart from the promised reinforcements and began preparing for their arrival.
• Duke Vilga and the nobles gathered at his residence, expecting Llane to invite them back and yield to their demands.
• When no invitation came by evening, Duke Vilga declared that the nobles would keep fighting, and the angry nobles left the banquet.