Chapter Summaries

Zemo rescued Moss from the passage, where his healing magic intensified Moss’s pain, before Xal'atath knocked him unconscious to ease his suffering. As the Allied Forces fought to hold the Wrathgate, Rowan rode Ysera toward the Ancient Kingdom Army, and Binspeed led a fighter attack against the Scourge.

• Zemo found Moss badly burned and used Greater Heal to treat him, but Moss begged him to stop because the healing made his pain worse.
• Zemo carried Moss to the Cannon Position, where Moss ordered the medical priests back to the front; Xal'atath then knocked him unconscious and wrapped him in shadows.
• Rowan discussed the fighter planes with Ysera, then asked her to fly him to the center of the Ancient Kingdom Army.
• Jett divided his reserves to reinforce the collapsing defenses as Rhonin used Powerful Impact to slow the Scourge advance.
• Binspeed led fifty-two fighter planes in a dive over the battlefield and scattered Mage Hunter S bombardment shells among the Scourge corps.

The Allied Forces captured the Wrathgate as the Scourge collapsed, while Arthas opened a gateway to the Shadowlands and began taking his forces into the Maw. Medivh and Tirion tried to evacuate the surviving Paladins, but Arthas confronted them as they prepared to leave.

• Onyxia's bombing runs devastated the Scourge reinforcements, allowing Jett's Allied Forces to seize the Wrathgate.
• Ingvar and other powerful Scourge warriors had their souls drained; Ufrang and Ilda surrendered, but Jett ordered them killed as the gate fell.
• Helya helped Arthas use the Book of Medivh and the Scourge's anima to open the Shadowlands, while Arthas defeated Uther and shattered his Holy Hammer.
• Arthas refused to submit to the Jailer and entered the Maw through a portal, binding the fallen Paladins' souls to Frostmourne.
• Medivh and Meryl opened an evacuation portal, and Tirion led the surviving soldiers toward it while searching for Uther.
• Arthas confronted Tirion at the portal and declared that no one would leave because everyone belonged in the Shadowlands.

Rowan arrived at the Wrathgate as the Allied Forces broke through after the Scourge’s undead lost their ability to fight. After disciplining Galin and securing victory, Rowan learned that the undead souls had been drawn into the Shadowlands and set out with Ysera for Icecrown Citadel to discover what had happened.

• Ysera brought Rowan to the Allied Forces’ defensive line, where Galin mocked him and refused to respect his authority during the military conference.
• Byron reported that the assault forces had broken through because the undead troops had lost the ability to fight, and Rowan ordered a full attack.
• Galin boasted that he had undermined morale before battle, so Rowan had him restrained and disciplined under military law.
• Elder Nadox ordered the Ancient Kingdom Army to retreat, and Rowan let the exhausted troops withdraw as the Allied Forces declared victory at the Wrathgate.
• Ysera explained that the undead souls had been extracted and pointed Rowan toward a breach to the Shadowlands above Icecrown Glacier.
• Rowan asked Ysera to take him to Icecrown Citadel so he could investigate the Shadowlands’ involvement and find out what had happened to Arthas.

Uther sacrificed himself to the Light while fighting Arthas, who opened a Maw portal and escaped with many Silver Hand warriors. Rowan arrived after the battle, learned Arthas had joined the Shadowlands, and began investigating the ruined citadel as Ysera explained how the Shadowlands worked.

• Uther recalled raising Arthas, then shattered his Holy Seal and attacked him with the Light, but Arthas opened a Maw portal and dragged Uther and more than half the Silver Hand into the Shadowlands.
• The remaining forces escaped through Medivh and Meryl Winterstorm's stable portal, and the Maw portal closed after Arthas and Uther disappeared.
• Rowan arrived at Icecrown, learned from Sylvanas that Arthas had betrayed the Alliance, and comforted Tirion over the Silver Hand's losses.
• Rowan sent search teams to investigate Icecrown Citadel and climbed to the Frozen Throne with Medivh and Ysera, where Medivh recovered the Book of Medivh.
• Ysera persuaded Medivh to keep the book so they could reach the Shadowlands, then explained its realms and said Ardenweald was where nature's creatures went after death.

Ysera taught Rowan about the Shadowlands, its regions, anima, and the Winter Queen’s role in reviving Wild Gods. After the lesson, Rowan met a winged warrior from the Shadowlands who accused him of breaking the world’s rules by opening a route there.

• Ysera recalled her long history in the Emerald Dream and explained how she had discovered Ardenweald and found a partner in the Winter Queen.
• Ysera explained to Rowan how Ardenweald used anima to nurture Wild Gods as wildseeds, and warned that the process depended on limited anima gathered from souls.
• Ysera described the Jailer’s threat, Revendreth’s anima shortage and civil war, and the roles of Bastion and Maldraxxus.
• Rowan finished his lesson and headed into Icecrown Citadel’s lower levels after Ysera refused him another cup of tea.
• Sylvanas and Number Zero brought Rowan a winged warrior found at the Teleportation Base, and she accused him of opening a forbidden route to the Shadowlands.
• Rowan asked Ysera whether she knew the warrior.

After questioning Ascended Kalyons about the Shadowlands passage, Rowan concluded the Scourge war and celebrated with the Allied Forces. He invited Sylvanas, Ysera, and Tarecgosa to return with him to Kul Tiras, then sailed at dawn with Jaina as the passage promised further trouble.

• Rowan questioned Kalyons, learned that an anima surge had destabilized the passage, and arranged for her to be escorted away after she refused to speak with him as an equal.
• Meryl Winterstorm and Sakia stayed at Icecrown Citadel to monitor the passage while the Allied Forces withdrew and the Scourge war officially ended.
• Rowan hosted a feast in the Borean Tundra, where he protected Moss from Byron's drinking and offered him a political commissar position.
• At the celebration, Rowan reassured Sylvanas about the failed mission to kill Arthas and invited her, Ysera, and Tarecgosa to return to Boralus with him; Sylvanas agreed and Ysera accepted conditionally.
• At dawn, Rowan sailed with Jaina, who teased him about how crowded her cabin might become.

Lilith escaped captivity and reunited with Maxwell, and Archbishop Alonsus Faol arranged their marriage amid the Silver Hand’s grief over its losses in Northrend. Meanwhile, Ysera took Katrana to help restore Kul Tiras’s forests and encouraged her to consider whether Rowan could help save her father, Neltharion.

• Lilith found food in the shopping district, learned Maxwell was at Light’s Hope Chapel, and rushed to reunite with him.
• Maxwell embraced Lilith, and Archbishop Alonsus Faol explained the northern expedition’s disastrous losses before arranging their marriage at Light’s Hope Chapel.
• Lilith and Maxwell took a week of marriage leave and prepared hot pot together.
• Ysera brought Katrana to a clearing in southern Drustvar to help restore Kul Tiras’s forests and questioned her about her feelings for Rowan.
• Katrana admitted she liked Rowan, and Ysera suggested he might help her save Neltharion if he could be brought back from his corruption.

Kalyons learned about Morris Town’s egalitarian society from Rowan and Hammer, reconsidered her judgment of Rowan, and agreed to share information about the Shadowlands while withholding Bastion’s secrets. Meanwhile, Tichondrius returned to the Burning Legion after his Azeroth mission failed and reported to Kil'jaeden, who took him to the Forge of Souls.

• Kalyons ate breakfast in the Energy Company cafeteria, clashed with Jim over her belief that she was above ordinary people, and watched Rowan and Hammer discuss industry, Hammer’s engagement, and public service.
• After hearing Rowan explain that everyone in Kul Tiras had to contribute labor, Kalyons toured the Morris Industries District with him and came to admire its social order.
• Kalyons apologized to Rowan, agreed not to kneel in Kul Tiras, and offered information about the Shadowlands while refusing to reveal Bastion’s secrets.
• Tichondrius left Icecrown Citadel after Ner'zhul’s betrayal ruined the Burning Legion’s plan and returned to Mardum to face Kil'jaeden.
• Krosus mocked Tichondrius for his failure, but Kil'jaeden said the Jailer had acted first and led Tichondrius to the Forge of Souls.

Kil'jaeden secured Sargeras's approval to use time magic to cultivate a new pawn and accelerate the Legion's invasion of Azeroth. Meanwhile, Rowan banned Weldon's proposed lottery scheme and began preparing an expedition into the Shadowlands after learning it might hold the souls of former Guardians.

• Kil'jaeden brought Tichondrius before Sargeras, explained that the Jailer had disrupted the Legion's plans, and proposed traveling through time to find a new pawn.
• Sargeras approved Kil'jaeden's plan and ordered him to invade Azeroth before the Shadowlands Army arrived; Kil'jaeden told Tichondrius to wait on Mardum.
• Illucia cooked for Rowan, and Rowan told her to forbid Weldon from establishing a lottery-like guild or other speculative business.
• Kalyonss sent Shadowlands intelligence to Rowan through Ellen, and Medivh said former Guardians might qualify to enter Bastion after death.
• Rowan decided to prepare for a Shadowlands expedition to scout, gather intelligence, and seek the souls of former Guardians.

Nythendra and Katrana helped restore Drustvar’s corrupted lands while Ysera taught Katrana about nature magic and her relationship with Rowan. After Valeera returned and pleaded to join Rowan’s dangerous Shadowlands expedition, Jaina persuaded her to stay behind; Rowan then began selecting the expedition team and excluded several key figures for other duties.

• Nythendra established a Dream Portal in the Red Forest, and Katrana and Ysera nurtured Nature Seeds that began driving undeath from the surrounding land.
• Ysera told Katrana that dragons and humans could not have children together, then offered her a private lesson after Katrana revealed her hopes of laying eggs for Rowan.
• Capernian and Valeera delivered enchanting materials from Lordaeron, and Floyd explained that Rowan’s planned departure had delayed Capernian’s iron cargo ship.
• Valeera asked Rowan to take her to the Shadowlands, but Jaina reassured her and helped convince her to stay behind.
• Rowan assembled the Council Hall’s senior practitioners and chose Ysera and Kalyonss for the mission, while assigning Bishop Joseph and Medivh to remain in Azeroth and arranging for Aegwynn to join.

Rowan selected a reconnaissance team for the Shadowlands, settled preparations for his departure, and received Xal'atath's Twin Daggers for protection. At the Caverns of Time, Kairoz discovered that his hourglass had turned time back by a day, leaving him and Chromie searching for an explanation.

• Rowan chose Sylvanas and Katrana to scout the Shadowlands alongside Jaina and Rhonin after the two women competed for the role.
• Xal'atath confronted Rowan about being excluded, then gave him the Twin Daggers and told him to use them to summon Shadow Lash if needed.
• Rowan arranged Industrial Zone projects and Alliance trade plans before preparing to leave for the Shadowlands.
• Kairoz brooded over the timeline's disruption and the Shadowlands' influence while Nozdormu left to seek a way to restore order.
• Chromie woke Kairoz and pointed out that his hourglass showed an extra mark even though time had gone back a day.

Rowan and his companions rebuilt the Teleportation Circle in Icecrown Citadel and traveled from Azeroth to Oribos in the Shadowlands. They arrived safely, and Rowan began gathering information about the neutral hub.

• Rowan's group found Meryl Winterstorm and Sakia directing undead mages as they rebuilt the Teleportation Circle in Icecrown Citadel.
• Aegwynn arrived at the Throne, agreed to join the mission, and accepted Jaina's invitation to visit Kul Tiras afterward.
• Jaina and Aegwynn completed the circle's activation, and Rowan's party traveled through the teleportation space to Oribos.
• Kalyonss welcomed the group to Oribos, then left to report to Bastion as Rowan told the others to explore and reconvene in two hours.
• Rowan asked a Cartel Ba specialist for a map or information about Oribos, and the specialist quoted a price of fifty anima.

Kairoz investigated the Scourge war and the Shadowlands’ involvement, but a demon who could see him confronted him before he could report to Nozdormu. In Oribos, Rowan absorbed a Ba Consortium courier’s memories to learn the city’s layout, then asked to see more goods.

• Kairoz saw his future form turning into an infinite dragon and traveled to Dragonblight to investigate the Scourge war.
• Kairoz observed Rowan command Kul Tiras’s aircraft carrier, then studied the Wrathgate battle and judged the Alliance too divided to resist the Shadowlands.
• Kairoz followed Tichondrius and learned the Burning Legion had planned the Scourge invasion before the Shadowlands forces hijacked it.
• As Kairoz prepared to return to report his findings, a red-cloaked demon appeared and revealed that it could see him.
• Rowan borrowed anima from Ysera to buy memories containing a map of Oribos, confirmed they had no side effects, and asked the logistics officer to show him more goods.

Rowan led his party into Bastion after they passed Soul Scrying, but their arrival turned chaotic when Saurfang fought a Centurion and the Goliath attacked Rowan. Meanwhile, Kil'jaeden captured Kairoz and revealed that Sargeras had destroyed the Pantheon before rewinding time with the Soul of Time.

• Ysera and Jaina bought Rowan a Soul Mirror, which Jaina planned to make him use in front of everyone.
• Rowan's party passed Bastion's Soul Scrying, and Rowan's soul blazed crimson while the others shone with different colors.
• In Bastion, Katrana flew into the sky and Saurfang restrained a Centurion, prompting a Goliath to confront the party.
• The Goliath struck Rowan and Rhonin retaliated with Arcane Explosions before Kalisrein intervened and invited the party to Aspirant's Hall.
• Kairoz fled from Kil'jaeden through time but was caught, and Kil'jaeden said Sargeras had destroyed the Pantheon and given him time power.
• Kil'jaeden activated the Soul of Time and rewound time with Kairoz.

Rowan persuaded Kalisrein to relay his request to Bastion’s Archon to locate the souls of Azeroth’s former Guardians, while his companions explored Candidate’s Rest. Saurfang defeated an Arbiter Captain who had known Durotan, and Rhonin accepted a Goliath’s challenge after learning its former caster opponent may have been Alodi.

• Katrana crushed roadside lilies in anger, but Rowan gave her fresh ones and reminded her to stay focused on their mission.
• Kalisrein agreed to pass Rowan’s request to the Archon and also relay his wish to meet the Archon.
• Sylvanas practiced at a shooting range, Ysera rested in the meadow, and Saurfang challenged the Arbiter Captain to a sword fight.
• Saurfang disarmed the Arbiter Captain, who recognized his honor and told him about his friend Durotan.
• A Goliath challenged Rhonin and described a previous caster opponent with golden eyes and pointed ears, leading Rhonin to suspect he was Alodi.
• Rhonin accepted the Goliath’s challenge after demanding to learn the caster’s name.

Kil'jaeden showed Kairoz the empty Pantheon and pressured him to bring the Burning Legion to Azeroth as protection against the Shadowlands. In Bastion, the Archon allowed Rowan and his companions to enter the troubled Halls of Valor without assistance, where they could also retrieve the human Guardians' souls.

• Kil'jaeden took Kairoz to the Pantheon, where the empty Titan thrones convinced Kairoz that the Pantheon gods had perished.
• Kil'jaeden offered Kairoz a chance to survive the Shadowlands by bringing the Burning Legion to Azeroth, and Kairoz asked for time to decide.
• Kalis Rhine reported Kalyonss's actions and Rowan's demand for the human Guardians' souls to the Archon, while Devos described the dangerous arcane aberrations in the Halls of Valor.
• The Archon authorized Rowan and his companions to enter the Halls of Valor without assistance and agreed to speak with Rowan after its troubles were resolved.
• Kalis Rhine stopped Rhonin's duel with a Goliath, who revealed that a half-elf, half-human Guardian was hiding in the wilderness near the Halls of Valor and the Spire of Ascension.
• Kalis Rhine told Rowan that his group could enter the Halls of Valor, but Bastion would not help them.

Aegwynn explained how Guardian inheritance power could contact Alodi, but Ysera’s nature spirits ultimately summoned him at the Halls of Valor. Alodi briefed Rowan’s team on the dangers below, and they entered the temple to begin navigating its arcane traps.

• Aegwynn revealed that the Guardians’ inherited arcane power had originated in Alodi’s Spearhead Plan and proposed simulating it to find him.
• At the Halls of Valor, Aegwynn, Jaina, and Rhonin created golden-orange mist, but Alodi did not respond until a Faerie Fox called and Ysera’s nature spirits drew him out.
• Alodi explained how the Dusk Bell had damaged the Guardian souls and described the temple’s four underground levels, their dangers, and the need to rescue the true souls.
• Rowan proposed retrieving Alodi’s inheritance fragments if the Arcane Aberration Spirits appeared on the upper levels, and Alodi approved the plan.
• Rhonin opened the temple gates, and Rowan’s team entered; Jaina detected an arcane trap, while Rhonin and Sylvanas prepared to expose and shoot its hidden points.

Rowan’s team defeated the Arcane Aberrations and the giant Construct in the Temple’s first basement, then helped Aegwynn restore her mentor Skevyn’s awareness. Skevyn warned that the battle’s noise would draw aberrant arcane spirits, leaving the group needing to move quickly.

• Alodi and Aegwynn transformed into ravens to search for the Guardian Spirit while Rowan’s team stayed behind to deal with the hall’s defenses.
• After ranged attacks and Rhonin’s Spell Clone scouting failed, Rowan deduced that the Arcane Fire Sources marked safe repair points and that the Arcane Aberrations could not move.
• Jaina teleported Saurfang and Sylvanas beside the Arcane Aberrations, where they killed the creatures with close-range attacks while Ysera and Rhonin protected them.
• The remaining Construct fragments merged into a giant Construct, and Katrana’s Black Dragon’s Flame disabled the hall’s defenses while the team destroyed it.
• Alodi and Aegwynn returned, and Aegwynn placed Skevyn’s stored spiritual consciousness into his soul, restoring his awareness.
• Skevyn warned that the explosion would attract aberrant arcane spirits, then reacted in alarm to the destruction in the hall.

Kairoz accepted Kil'jaeden’s terms and used the Soul of Time to take them to Draenor thirty-five years before the Dark Portal, where Kil'jaeden sought to turn the suffering Gul'dan into his servant. After the Elemental Lords rejected Gul'dan, Kil'jaeden intervened with fel magic and declared that this was his true destiny.

• Kairoz decided to submit to Kil'jaeden, who gave him the Soul of Time and asked him to open a passage to Gul'dan in Draenor thirty-five years before the Dark Portal.
• Kairoz and Kil'jaeden arrived in Tanaan Jungle and found Gul'dan, a crippled young Orc enslaved in a mine.
• Gul'dan endured hunger, abuse, and dangerous escapes as he struggled to reach the Throne of the Elements.
• Gul'dan begged the Elemental Lords to end his suffering, but their power abandoned him when he reached for it.
• Kairoz tried to help Gul'dan, but Kil'jaeden acted first and summoned fel fire beneath him, declaring, "Gul'dan, this is your true-destiny!"

Gul'dan embraced fel power, confronted Durotan, and was shown the fate of his counterpart before Kil'jaeden urged him to abandon Draenor for Azeroth. Meanwhile, Rowan's team fought the Arcane Aberration Spirits, whose anima assault devastated their minds, and discovered that embracing Rowan restored their mental strength.

• Gul'dan touched the fel fire at Kil'jaeden's urging and mastered its power, while Kil'jaeden and Kairoz traveled onward to Tanaan Jungle.
• Durotan condemned Gul'dan's use of demon blood and slavery, but Gul'dan refused his advice and challenged him to fight at the next day's departure ceremony.
• Kil'jaeden and Kairoz showed Gul'dan his counterpart's defeat and death, after which Kil'jaeden offered him greater power if he abandoned Draenor for Azeroth.
• The Arcane Aberration Spirits attacked Rowan's team with arcane and temporal magic, then injured the team's souls with an anima blast.
• Rowan discovered that embracing Jaina and Rhonin rapidly restored their mental power, and Aegwynn prepared to embrace him.