Chapter Summaries

Twilight Lord Everun confronted Rhode over four gemstones taken from Kel'Thuzad, then used them to summon four elemental dukes. Rhode destroyed the awakened crystals and absorbed their power, but the dukes remained in front of him.

• Twilight Lord Everun arrived with the Twilight's Hammer and vaporized a Defias swordsman who challenged him.
• Everun demanded the four gemstones Rhode had taken from Kel'Thuzad, and Rhode handed them over while asking him to demonstrate their power.
• The Twilight's Hammer performed a ritual that awakened the gemstones into crystals and summoned four Abyssal Council dukes: Ashes, Shatterstone, Breeze, and a water serpent duke.
• Duke Shatterstone attacked Rhode, who used Ice Block to survive the giant's blow and absorb the mana from the first shattered crystal.
• Rhode used his green Fire Orb to destroy the remaining three crystals and absorbed their power, gaining four Fire Orbs around his waist.
• Rhode faced Duke Shatterstone and challenged him to take another step forward.

Rhode crushed Duke Shatterstone, then defeated the Abyssal Duke, Duke Ashes, and Duke Breeze while fighting alongside VanCleef’s group. As Rhode’s seven empowered copies overwhelmed the Twilight Cultists, Aewolan transformed into an Ascendant and revealed a power greater than the four dukes.

• Rhode pinned Duke Shatterstone beneath a colossal Buddha’s Palm and crushed him to death.
• Aewolan ordered the Twilight Cultists to attack, and VanCleef’s group joined Rhode’s side as Lilia and Marin fought the cultists.
• Rhode used his seven Fire Orbs to fly at the Abyssal Duke, severing its heads until it collapsed, then killed Duke Ashes and Duke Breeze.
• Rhode created seven powerful, multicolored copies of himself, which tore through the Twilight Cultists with spells.
• Aewolan transformed into a towering Ascendant, unleashed an overwhelming surge of mana, and left VanCleef and the others terrified by his power.

Aewolan transformed into an Elemental Ascendant and overwhelmed Rhode’s clones with immense strength and rapid regeneration. Rhode combined his Fire Orbs into a giant orb to break Aewolan’s wind wall, and the two prepared to clash again as Aewolan unleashed a freezing attack.

• Aewolan transformed into an Elemental Ascendant, terrifying Marin, VanCleef, and the other onlookers with his oppressive presence.
• Aewolan tore apart Rhode’s orange clone and destroyed three more clones with his elemental attacks, healing his wounds as they fought.
• Rhode revealed that his clones could be restored, then combined the Fire Orbs into one giant orb that broke through Aewolan’s wind wall.
• Aewolan summoned a powerful stream of frost, and Rhode reshaped the giant Fire Orb into a radiant barrier before challenging him to trade attacks.

Rhode countered Aewolan’s overwhelming frost magic with the power of the seven Fire Orbs and defeated the Twilight Lord with his Fire Dragon Crescent Blade. Aewolan died, leaving the Twilight’s Hammer cultists shaken and the Defias Brotherhood too frightened to oppose Rhode.

• Aewolan froze Rhode’s seven-orb light barrier and launched a stronger White Frost attack, but Rhode reignited the trapped flames and sent them against the ice.
• Rhode formed the flames into a dragon and increased his Dragon Flame Spell from level one to level two, breaking Aewolan’s ice sphere and burning him.
• Aewolan claimed the Old Gods had made him immortal, then fled when Rhode raised the Dragon Flame Spell to level three.
• Rhode transformed the fire dragon into a Fire Dragon Crescent Blade and struck Aewolan, reducing him to a frail old man before he fell dead.
• The Twilight’s Hammer cultists watched Aewolan die and began doubting their faith, while the Defias Brotherhood stood in fear of Rhode.

After defeating Aewolan, Rhode questioned the captured Twilight's Hammer cultists and suspected Stormwind Archbishop Benedictus was secretly aiding the Old Gods. As Rhode and the others prepared to escort prisoners to Stormwind City, a goblin bombardment struck the valley, ending with a huge bomb and the attackers claiming everyone was dead.

• Rhode learned from a captured cultist that Aewolan had been the Twilight's Hammer's strongest local fighter and wondered whether Archbishop Benedictus was manipulating events in Stormwind City.
• Rhode agreed with Marin to take the prisoners to Stormwind City for interrogation and further arrests.
• Rhode caught an incoming bomb and threw it back, causing it to explode harmlessly above the valley.
• More than a dozen bombs descended, and Rhode intercepted seven with fireballs before shielding everyone from the blasts of those that reached the valley.
• A super bomb landed in the valley and erupted into a towering mushroom cloud.
• A green-skinned goblin told the woman beside him that the bombardment had killed everyone.

Rhode, Lilia, and Marin confronted Onyxia after surviving Krixix’s Elemental Bomb, and Rhode destroyed the Black Dragonflight’s cannons and soldiers. Onyxia revealed her dragon form and attacked them with dragonfire, but as Marin and Lilia fought back, she took to the air and began gathering power for another attack.

• Onyxia and Krixix prepared to return to Stormwind City after bombing the valley, but Rhode, Lilia, and Marin arrived alive.
• Rhode identified Onyxia as the Black Dragon Princess and revealed that he had absorbed power from Krixix’s Elemental Bomb.
• Rhode, Marin, and Lilia destroyed the cannons and killed the transformed dragonkin soldiers, while bullets melted before reaching Rhode.
• Onyxia transformed into a gigantic black dragon and breathed fire at the group, but Rhode blocked it with an Ice Wall.
• Lilia dodged Onyxia’s claws while Marin struck her with Frostbolts, slowing her without seriously injuring her.
• Onyxia flew into the air, drew a deep breath, and began preparing a powerful attack.

Rhode, Marin, and Lilia fought Onyxia through her devastating breath and Fear spells until Lilia and Varian struck the dragon’s vulnerable throat and brought her down. After the battle, Varian met Rhode and learned that Rhode had already eliminated the Defias Brotherhood’s leaders and the Twilight’s Hammer cult’s core members.

• Rhode shielded Marin and Lilia behind an Ice Wall as Onyxia unleashed her powerful Dragonfire breath.
• Lilia discovered a way through Onyxia’s attack, leapt onto her, and stabbed her with poisoned daggers, slowing the dragon.
• Onyxia used Fear, leaving Marin helpless, but Rhode resisted with Ice Block while Varian and Lilia wounded the dragon’s vulnerable throat and stopped her shriek.
• Varian arrived with Stormwind soldiers, confirmed Onyxia was defeated, and praised Lilia’s swordsmanship.
• Rhode asked Varian to teach Lilia, and Varian said they could spar when his duties allowed.
• Marin reported to Varian that Rhode had wiped out the Defias Brotherhood’s leaders and the Twilight’s Hammer cult’s core members.

Rhode exposed Onyxia as Countess Katrana Prestor and helped Varian avenge Tiffin, then persuaded the king to invite Archbishop Benedictus to a banquet. Varian brought Rhode and Lilia into Stormwind City, where Rhode toured its landmarks and arrived at the Throne Hall.

• Marin recounted the day's events, and Varian agreed to teach Lilia swordsmanship while Rhode stayed in Stormwind City.
• Rhode identified the dying black dragon as Onyxia, who admitted she had been disguised as Countess Katrana Prestor and backed the Defias Brotherhood.
• Varian learned Onyxia had killed Tiffin and beheaded her, then announced a grand banquet to honor Rhode.
• Rhode asked Varian to invite Archbishop Benedictus, suspecting the archbishop had begun working for the Dark Cult, and Varian agreed.
• Varian led Rhode and Lilia through Stormwind City and the Valley of Heroes to Stormwind Keep, where Rhode's tour ended in the Throne Hall.

Rhode and Lilia waited in Stormwind City for King Varian’s grand banquet, while Rhode prepared to expose Archbishop Benedictus. At the banquet, Rhode made a dramatic entrance and received unexpected respect from Stormwind’s powerful figures, leaving him poised to confront Benedictus.

• Rhode researched the Heart-Draining Art and prepared for Benedictus’s arrival, while Lilia trained with Varian and played with Anduin Wrynn.
• A week later, soldiers Lur and Mack watched Stormwind’s dignitaries arrive and were stunned to see Archbishop Benedictus attend.
• Benedictus and Duke Bolvar discussed Rhode before Rhode arrived with Lilia and Archmage Marin aboard a boat formed from Mage Hand.
• Mathias Shaw greeted Rhode with a salute, surprising the gathered nobles.
• Rhode prepared to speak with Benedictus, the Archbishop of Stormwind’s Cathedral of Light.

Rhode confronted Archbishop Benedictus at Stormwind Keep’s banquet and exposed his allegiance to the Old Gods by using enchanted Fire Orbs to reveal the shadow power within him. As Benedictus transformed, King Varian arrived with Anduin, and Benedictus lunged toward the child.

• Benedictus asked Rhode to speak in private, but Rhode challenged him publicly about the relationship between the Holy Light and shadow.
• Benedictus accused Rhode of studying shadow, and Rhode countered by suggesting Benedictus had studied it himself.
• Rhode sensed Old Gods’ power in Benedictus and called him the Twilight Father, while Benedictus tried to have Rhode arrested for betraying the Alliance.
• Rhode used the Fire Orbs to disrupt Benedictus’s magic and reveal shadow energy coursing through him, causing tentacles to sprout from his shoulders and darkness to replace his eyes.
• Varian arrived with Anduin, and Benedictus moved toward Anduin in a dark blur.

Benedictus attacked King Varian and Prince Anduin, but Rhode stopped him from taking them hostage or escaping. With the king’s approval, Rhode faced Benedictus in a one-on-one duel outside Stormwind Keep, and their clash of shadow and arcane magic began.

• Benedictus lunged at King Varian and Prince Anduin, but Rhode struck him with a Dragon Flame Spell, allowing Varian to carry Anduin into Stormwind Keep.
• Bolvar attacked Benedictus with the Holy Light as guards and officers joined the fight, forcing Benedictus to try to escape skyward.
• Rhode stopped Benedictus with a Defensive Barrier made from Fire Orbs and challenged him to a one-on-one duel.
• Varian approved the duel after Lilia and Marin expressed confidence in Rhode, and the onlookers cleared a space before Tempest Keep.
• Rhode and Benedictus began casting spells, starting a clash between shadow and arcane magic.

Rhode and Benedictus fought outside Stormwind Keep, where Benedictus unleashed a hidden shadow formation powered by Shadow Fiends. Rhode survived the formation’s overwhelming attack, and the chapter ended with him standing calmly as the black mist cleared.

• Benedictus attacked Rhode with shadow tornadoes, but Rhode’s blue vortex pierced them and forced Benedictus to shield himself.
• Benedictus activated a shadow magic circle beneath Stormwind Keep, summoning Shadow Fiends into a growing black vortex.
• Archmage Marin explained that Benedictus had spent years preparing the formation, while Rhode chose to let it gather all its power before destroying it.
• Benedictus used the formation’s power to attack Rhode, but Rhode answered with a multicolored pillar of light that collided with the black mist in a massive explosion.
• As the mist dispersed, Lilia and the others saw Rhode standing unharmed in his blue Mage Robe.

After defeating Benedictus, Rhode accepted King Varian as his brother and learned that Dalaran had named him an Archmage. The Sun King Anasterian then challenged him, drawing crowds toward Quel'Thalas, while Rhode set out there with Lilia.

• Rhode defeated Benedictus, and King Varian thanked him and declared him his brother.
• News spread that VanCleef, Onyxia, and Benedictus had died, and Antonidas's letter announced Rhode's elevation to Archmage and Anasterian's challenge.
• People across Azeroth traveled toward Quel'Thalas to witness the contest, while Lordaeron increased patrols around Stratholme.
• Rhode spent several days in Stormwind City, then used Portal to return with Lilia to Southshore and travel toward Quel'Thalas.
• Rhode and Lilia arrived at Corin's Crossing.

Rhode and Lilia followed Mage Norn to Baron Rivendare’s manor, where powerful visitors were gathering before traveling to Quel’Thalas. Disguised as Ronaldo and his attendant Macy, Rhode entered the gathering and listened as the guests discussed the archmage he was secretly pretending to admire, just before Baron Rivendare arrived.

• Rhode and Lilia followed Norn to Baron Rivendare’s manor after paying him with two runes.
• The manor guards challenged Rhode and Lilia, but Lilia demonstrated her skill and secured their entry.
• Rhode introduced himself as Ronaldo and Lilia as his attendant, Macy, to avoid drawing attention.
• Norn introduced Rhode to Mullen Stormpike, and the guests discussed Mage Rhode’s remarkable rise as an archmage.
• A herald announced that Baron Rivendare had arrived.

At Baron Rivendare’s gathering, he claimed Rhode had commissioned him to buy magical items to support Rhode’s duel against Anasterian Sunstrider. Rhode refused increasingly generous offers for his runes, leaving Rivendare’s intentions uncertain as dinner was served.

• Baron Rivendare welcomed the guests and announced that he was buying magical items in Rhode’s name to strengthen Rhode before the duel.
• Maleki examined Norn’s felweed runes and offered to buy them, but Rhode refused to sell his own runes.
• Maleki offered Rhode money and magic lessons, while Alyane proposed a position with the Rivendare Family, but Rhode still declined.
• Rivendare promised Rhode the privileges of his family throughout the Lordaeron Region in exchange for runes and future herb supplies, but Rhode refused again.
• Rivendare ended the discussion and ordered dinner served, while Rhode invited Lilia and the worried Norn to eat.

Rhode, Lilia, and Norn were ambushed by Maleki, Alyane, and their fighters, who wanted to steal the runes. Lilia defeated them all, and Rhode decided to pursue the surviving assassin to learn the Baron’s plans.

• Maleki and Alyane confronted Rhode and demanded that he hand over the rune, while Norn tried to protect Rhode and Lilia.
• Rhode asked Lilia to show her skills, and she killed or disabled the attackers with ease, including Alyane and Maleki’s fighters.
• Rhode subdued Maleki with his mana and questioned him about the Baron’s interest in runes, but Maleki admitted he did not know the exact purpose.
• Rhode ordered Lilia to kill Maleki when he tried to flee, then revealed that they would follow the escaped assassin to find the Baron.

Baron Rivendare tried to seize Rhode’s runes and recruit him by offering Anastari, but Rhode exposed his alliance with the Scourge using a recording from a reconnaissance robot. Rivendare summoned the ghostly mage Skul and threatened to kill the party, while Rhode remained unafraid.

• Rivendare learned from a surviving assassin that Lilia had killed the others sent to steal Rhode’s runes, then watched the assassin die from a sword thrown through the gate.
• Rhode, Lilia, and Norn entered Rivendare’s courtyard, where Rivendare offered Anastari as a companion to win Rhode’s favor.
• Rhode revealed that he had recorded Rivendare discussing the Scourge and Kel’Thuzad’s resurrection, exposing Rivendare’s treachery.
• Rivendare summoned the ghostly mage Skul and threatened Rhode unless he surrendered the runes and destroyed the recording.
• Rhode told Rivendare that he was not afraid of making an enemy of the Scourge.

Lilia fought Ramstein and Skul after Rivendare sent both Scourge warriors against her. She unleashed her hidden strength to kill them, leaving Rivendare stunned and facing Rhode’s side.

• Rivendare summoned Ramstein the Gorger to fight Lilia alongside Skul.
• Lilia dodged Ramstein’s powerful attacks and wounded him, but Skul joined in with shadow spells and forced her onto the defensive.
• Rivendare offered to spare Rhode and Norn if Rhode surrendered the rune and magic herbs and kept quiet.
• Lilia activated Recklessness and Bloodlust, wounded Ramstein with a swift strike, then killed him with Execute.
• Lilia used Spell Reflection to send Skul’s Shadow Bolts back at him, killing him and leaving Rivendare shocked.

Rhode forced Baron Rivendare to reveal Dar'Khan's schemes in Quel'Thalas and his plan to resurrect Kel'Thuzad, but Rivendare and Anastari transformed into undead fighters and attacked. The chapter ended with Rhode shattering Rivendare's dark-energy fist and turning its shadow aura back against him.

• Rhode questioned Rivendare, who revealed that Dar'Khan was gathering magical items, seeking the three Moon Crystals, and manipulating the Sun King into arranging a duel in Quel'Thalas.
• Rhode used a Reconnaissance Robot's recording to force Rivendare to accompany them and expose Dar'Khan, so Rivendare and Anastari drank potions and transformed into a death knight and a banshee.
• Lilia fought Rivendare but was overpowered, and his black-energy sword damaged one of her shortswords before Rhode caught her with Mage Hand.
• Rivendare hurled a giant fist of shadow energy at Rhode, who countered with Mage Hand and smashed the attack apart, sending its shadow aura surging back toward Rivendare.

Rhode overwhelmed Rivendare with powerful spells and physical blows while Lilia fought Anastari. Rivendare surrendered after Lilia defeated Anastari and Rhode left him unable to continue.

• Rhode knocked Rivendare through a wall with a Mage Hand, then assigned Lilia to fight Anastari.
• Rivendare attacked Rhode with binding death mist, but Rhode cut it apart with golden blades of light.
• Rhode bombarded Rivendare with weapon-shaped Mage Hands and a flaming hammer, forcing him to retreat and defend himself.
• Rhode seized Rivendare with a giant hand and struck him repeatedly, sending him crashing out of the courtyard.
• Rivendare surrendered to Rhode, while Lilia drove her sword through Anastari's chest and the banshee vanished into the night.