Chapter Summaries

Rowan mobilized Kul Tiras and sought allies as the Burning Legion advanced and Ysera warned that Zodick had sent a large army into Azeroth. Meanwhile, Khadgar entered Hellfire Citadel to work with Kargath, whose loyalty among the fel orc warlocks remained uncertain.

• Rowan declared a wartime emergency, formed the Wartime Military Commission, and ordered defenses for Kul Tiras and key Eastern Kingdoms ports.
• Byron reported that forty thousand demons had reinforced Southshore and that The Nighthold had reached Tarren Mill; Rowan ordered the Ironclad Army Corps deployed and told Byron to help Thrall.
• Ysera told Rowan that Zodick had spent the Maw's collected anima to send a large army into Azeroth, and she said Ardenweald could offer no help beyond herself.
• Khadgar rejected Medivh's urging to accept the Guardian's legacy and traveled to the Infernal Ramparts to attack Hellfire Citadel.
• Khadgar met Kargath in the Blood Furnace, where Kargath said the fel orcs believed only in power and offered no clear answer about whether the warlocks had joined their side.

Malfurion and Tyrande clashed over whether to restore Nordrassil or pursue vengeance, while Shandris stayed loyal to Tyrande and Maiev sought Illidan. Elsewhere, Illidan entered Icefire Gorge as demons watched him, and Khadgar prepared to help Kargath assassinate Magtheridon.

• Malfurion argued that restoring Nordrassil would protect the forests and lands around Mount Hyjal, but Tyrande rejected his priorities and rode away with the Sentinels to seek revenge.
• Fandral Staghelm emerged from hiding after Tyrande left, convinced that Malfurion had returned to authority.
• Shandris refused to abandon Tyrande, and Maiev questioned her about Illidan while warning that the Wardens would pursue him after the demons were purged.
• The evacuated Night Elf civilians reached Everlook, while Illidan arrived at Icefire Hot Springs and a Pit Lord's scout spotted him in the steam.
• Kargath arranged for Khadgar to attack Magtheridon as the Orc Mages replenished the Pit Lord's fel, and Khadgar planted arcane bombs before unleashing a powerful spell.

Aemeth faced the Burning Legion’s invasion of Northflow Town as Gavinrad’s Silver Hand knights fought to contain the demons near Ferry Town. After the knights suffered heavy losses, a Kul Tiras scout arrived with Moss’s urgent request for help.

• Aemeth argued with Mayor Mark over Kul Tiras’s fleet docking in Northflow Harbor, but the Burning Legion’s warships appeared before he could leave.
• Gavinrad ordered Darion Mograine to carry a message to General Mograine at Fenris Isle, and Darion reluctantly obeyed.
• Gavinrad’s column reached Northflow Coast, where the Legion had taken half the town and civilians and soldiers were being evacuated under the fleet’s cover.
• Gavinrad’s knights fought two hundred demons near Ferry Town and won at the cost of one hundred casualties.
• A Kul Tiras scout told Gavinrad that General Moss and his artillery control unit were surrounded south of Northflow Town and needed help.

Rowan prepared to send Alliance reinforcements to Lordaeron and asked Ysera to deliver a letter to the Infinite Dragonflight. On Draenor, Medivh killed Magtheridon and destroyed the Blood Furnace, while Mannoroth learned that Illidan had returned.

• Rowan judged that the Burning Legion would target Lordaeron City next, agreed to send aid, and called a meeting of military leaders.
• Ysera agreed to seek the Dragonflight's help, then left through a Dream Portal with Rowan's letter for the Infinite Dragonflight's ambassador.
• Khadgar fought Magtheridon in Hellfire Citadel, but spared him after Magtheridon threatened Draenor and Shattrath City.
• Kargath's severed head appeared in the hall, and Medivh revealed himself as the raven before killing Magtheridon with a Lightblade.
• Magtheridon's death caused the Blood Furnace to explode, destroying much of the Shattered Hand Clan's fortress and killing many fel orcs.
• Tichondrius told Mannoroth that the demon hunter he was ordered to capture was Illidan, and Mannoroth vowed to kill him.

Moss sent a Blink-Type Mage Hunter squad ashore under cover of sea fog to destroy the Burning Legion’s teleportation installations near Northflow Town. A forged-looking rescue mission drew General Gavinrad and more than a hundred paladins into a fight with Krosus at Griffin Farm, where Gavinrad attacked the Fel Lord.

• Moss planned a covert strike on five teleportation marks and two Teleportation Engines in a fog-covered area near Northflow Town.
• Brannon and Faye raised sea fog while Moss, William, and the mage squad went ashore with a scout Leslie had selected.
• A Kul Tiran scout led General Gavinrad and Whitemane to Griffin Farm, where they found demons guarding a Tower Engine and human captives.
• Gavinrad ordered more than a hundred paladins to charge the demons, then attacked Krosus with the Sword of Wrath and holy magic.
• Krosus unleashed Fury of Annihilation as Gavinrad pressed his assault.

Ysera learned from Chromie that Kairoz had gained the power to cross timelines and worlds, strengthening suspicions about Gul'dan. Meanwhile, Gavinrad's knights waited inside the Tower Engine as Moss recognized the Legion's trap and redirected the bombardment to Griffin Farm, creating an opening for the Order of the Silver Hand.

• Ysera met Chromie at Wyrmrest Temple and learned that Nozdormu had gone to find Kairoz, who could travel between timelines and worlds.
• Krosus attacked Gavinrad but followed the paladins into the Tower Engine, while Tichondrius revealed that Gul'dan had used Krosus to draw the knights into a trap.
• Gavinrad's troops discovered that the imprisoned Kul Tiran scout was a dread demon in disguise, then healed and waited rather than charging into the Legion's prepared defenses.
• Moss and William noticed that Parker still had Leslie's letter and reconsidered why the Legion had lured them toward the Tower Engine.
• Moss redirected the Mage Hunters to bombard the demons building teleportation markings at Griffin Farm, and Gavinrad rallied the Order of the Silver Hand to seize their opportunity.

Jaina struggled to secure Stormwind City's support until Illucia comforted her and promised to confront the nobles with her. As Kul Tiras's forces departed for war, Rowan prepared to join the front and learned that Zodick had made his move.

• Jaina vented her anger over Stormwind City's nobles refusing to provide troops and supplies, and Jenny comforted her.
• Illucia visited Jaina, recognized how badly the nobles had upset her, and promised they would teach them a lesson together.
• Ysera told Alexstrasza she wanted to become an ordinary mortal after the trouble ended, and Alexstrasza agreed to find Nozdormu with Rowan's letter.
• Rowan watched Kul Tiras's forces and war machines depart, then said goodbye to his father, Aldrius, before preparing to leave for the front.
• Medivh told Rowan that Khadgar was suited to become the new Guardian and that the Draenei had reached Azuremyst Isle.
• Rowan set out with Medivh for Agamand Mill after learning that Zodick had acted, while Ellen reported that Rhonin had encountered serious trouble in Dalaran.

Aemeth helped Rowan coordinate refugee aid in Bellchime Town and promised to carry out his military requests. After Moss reported the failed raid and General Gavinrad’s death, Rowan absolved him of blame and prepared an air strike intended to draw Gul’dan away from the front.

• Aemeth discussed refugee supplies with Rowan, who asked her to move civilians near Moor Town and send food south; she agreed.
• Rowan gave Aemeth Black Lotus skincare products, reassured her that they would win, and let Little Rita distribute his cakes to refugee children.
• William reported that the Silver Hand Paladins had destroyed the Legion’s Tower Engine at the cost of their lives, and Brannon, Faye, and Moss exposed Leslie as a disguised dread demon.
• Moss told Rowan that General Gavinrad and the Paladins had died after Leslie’s infiltration led them into a trap, and Moss tried to accept blame for the disaster.
• Rowan told Moss that he had acted well and urged him to focus on fighting the Legion, then explained that he planned to provoke Gul’dan with an air strike and draw troops away from the front.

Kul Tiras's aircraft devastated the Legion's rear base at Northflow Town, prompting Gul'dan to prepare a counterattack. After the successful bombing, Rhonin returned with news that the Black Dragon Lord had appeared, leaving Rowan facing another major threat.

• Aemeth calmed Bellchime Town's frightened refugees and restored order as Kul Tiras's aircraft arrived.
• Binspeed led seventy-four Liberator Fighters in a surprise bombing of the Legion's base in Northflow Town, causing heavy casualties and disabling many of its teleportation defenses.
• Gul'dan summoned the wounded Krosus and set out to launch a counterattack against Kul Tiras.
• Rowan praised Binspeed's pilots and agreed to bring Binspeed's homeless companions from Kezan to Kul Tiras.
• Rhonin returned after six months away and told Rowan that Neltharion, the Black Dragon Lord, had appeared.

Katrana learned that Rowan had found her father, Neltharion, and asked Ysera to help her bring him to his senses, while Rowan refused to let her join the mission against him. Rhonin revealed that Neltharion was recovering in the Abyssal Reach and preparing new armor, and the chapter ended with Alonsus blessing the knight commanders before they went to hold the final line.

• Katrana told Ysera that Rowan had found Neltharion and asked her teacher to help her make her father realize his mistakes; Ysera agreed.
• Rowan and Rhonin briefed Ysera and Katrana on Neltharion’s survival, his refuge in the Abyssal Reach, and his preparations to recover and forge new armor.
• Rowan told Rhonin that Khadgar would be the first Spearhead, then refused Katrana’s request to join the mission against Neltharion.
• Whitemane mourned General Gavinrad with Renault, while Alonsus comforted Gavinrad’s soul and blessed the knight commanders as they prepared to hold the final line.

Krosus led a Legion force into Rowan's trap at Moor Town, where the Kul Tiras Armored Corps destroyed his army and killed him. Rowan then learned that Blackmoore had abandoned Hillsbrad Foothills and ordered help for the displaced civilians before preparing to go to Ferry Town with Lucille.

• Krosus ignored Anetheron's advice and led his demons through Moor Town, where illusion-covered tanks and Earthshatter Mage Hunters ambushed them.
• Krosus charged the Armored Corps and overturned several tanks, but the Mage Hunters broke his Felfire Barrier and an unseen swordsman killed him.
• At Antorus, Nora whipped Krosus's soul, while Othara ordered the demon souls sent to the Soul Engine and Archimonde arrived to challenge the trial officials.
• Rowan read Ellen's report that Blackmoore had abandoned Hillsbrad Foothills and forced local civilians into Arathi Highlands, then ordered the Merchants' Guild to move the refugees south to the Wetlands.
• Lucille massaged Rowan's temples, and Rowan told her they would go to Ferry Town together before drawing her into an intimate kiss.

Bridget struggled to confront Rowan as Lordaeron and Kul Tiras prepared for the Burning Legion’s assault. Gul'dan launched the attack on Ferry Town, and after hours of brutal fighting, Tirion empowered the Silver Hand and faced Gul'dan directly.

• Bridget followed Rowan to the command camp but could not bring herself to question him, while Whitemane criticized her hesitation.
• Rowan apologized to Lordaeron’s generals for the intelligence failure that led to General Gavinrad the Dire’s death, and the leaders began coordinating Kul Tiras’s aid.
• Gul'dan gathered the Legion’s forces in Silverpine Forest, invoked Sargeras, and opened the battle by unleashing fel fire on Ferry Town.
• Kul Tiras’s aircraft and armored forces suffered heavy losses as the Alliance was forced back, and Binspeed and Leonard fought on amid the chaos.
• Gul'dan devastated the paladin line, and Tirion strengthened his Holy Light into a domain before charging to confront him.

Varian committed Stormwind to the campaign as allied powers across Azeroth prepared to answer Rowan’s summons. At Ferry Town, Rowan assembled reinforcements just as Gul’dan unleashed Sargeras’s World-Ender Fire and the Maw threatened to enter the battle.

• Varian ordered Stormwind’s troops to march despite the nobles’ protests, while Reginald informed Jaina that the expedition had been approved.
• Chieftain Ulan agreed to Rowan’s proposal and summoned Highmountain’s leaders to unite the tribe for war.
• Thalyssra, Elisande, and Oculeth connected the Arcway to the reawakened Eye of Aman'Thul, allowing Farondis to offer Suramar’s aid; the Silvermoon Council also gathered to consider Rowan and Sylvanas’s request.
• Gul’dan unleashed Sargeras’s World-Ender Fire, shattered the Paladins’ defenses, and killed Alexandros as Darion watched; Rowan teleported in and carried the battered Tirion to safety.
• Rowan warned Gul’dan that the Maw’s forces might enter the fight, then called, “Allied forces of Azeroth! Assemble!”
• Evans opened the ley lines, and portals brought the Seventh Army Corps, Gilneas army, Nightborne, Highmountain Tribe, God-King’s Fjord Army Corps, and Guardian Council onto the battlefield.

Khadgar discovered that Medivh was alive and learned that the Burning Legion was besieging Azeroth, then agreed to face the battle despite doubting he could bear the Guardian's power. As Gul'dan pressed the Allied Forces back, Medivh and another archmage appeared on the battlefield to confront him.

• Khadgar charged Lightforging Crystals on Azuremyst Isle to create an anchor point that could help bring the expeditionary soldiers home.
• Medivh appeared to Khadgar as a raven, revealed that the Legion was besieging Azeroth, and offered him the chance to claim the Guardian inheritance power.
• Khadgar refused to accept the power immediately but asked Medivh to open a portal so he could join the fight.
• Aegwynn and Alodi confronted Gul'dan, but Alodi's attempt to suppress his power failed and Gul'dan forced the Allied Forces to retreat.
• Rowan rescued Aegwynn and Alodi from Gul'dan's attack, then watched as astral starlight cut into the World-Ender Domain and two archmages appeared around Gul'dan.

Khadgar accepted the power of the Guardian and fought Gul'dan, whose domain was empowered by Sargeras's divine thought. As their battle reached its height, the Jailer, Zodick, intervened with anima arrows from the Maw and struck both fighters.

• Medivh and the Guardian Spirits completed the Spearhead Ritual, and Khadgar accepted the inherited power to become the new Guardian.
• Farondis, Elisande, and Thalyssra held back Gul'dan long enough for Khadgar's transformation to finish.
• Khadgar teleported to Rowan, exchanged a brief joke with him, then confronted Gul'dan and used Arcane Ultimate Curse to plunder the World-Ender Fire.
• Gul'dan unleashed Sargeras's Gaze Fire, while Medivh and the Guardian predecessors opened the astral realm to contain a void rift and counter the destructive forces.
• Khadgar and Gul'dan withdrew their powers as a rift opened, but Zodick's anima arrows pierced Gul'dan's domain and Khadgar's Arcane Barrier.
• From atop Torghast, Zodick told the shackled Primus that his plan to reclaim the universe's higher eternal authorities had begun.

The Maw invaded Azeroth under Arthas’s command, helping Rowan’s forces drive the Burning Legion from Lordaeron. Arthas returned to claim power in Lordaeron, leaving Rowan facing a political rift in the Alliance as Khadgar began organizing the new Kirin Tor.

• The Mawsworn Army entered the battlefield through the rift, and Arthas led the former Silver Hand warriors against the Legion beside Rowan’s forces.
• Gul’dan ordered the Burning Legion to retreat as the allied armies gained ground, while Arthas approached Rowan and defended his allegiance to the Maw.
• After the war, Arthas returned to Lordaeron, received a royal welcome, and told his aging father that he would reclaim what belonged to them.
• Rowan explained to Jaina that Arthas’s coronation signaled Lordaeron’s intent to break away from Kul Tiras’s leadership and challenge the Alliance’s balance of power.
• Khadgar began forming the new Kirin Tor and recruited Rhonin, who showed interest in the magical treasures Khadgar offered as an incentive.

Rowan assessed the growing threat from Arthas and the Burning Legion, reassigned researchers, and gave Khadgar and Rhonin the Light-Energy Crystal project. In Lordaeron, Lucille tried to expose Arthas before his coronation, but Faria framed her newspaper as an illegal intelligence operation and ordered her arrested when she demanded arbitration.

• Rowan ordered Ellen to bring Lucille and her team back from the Eastern Kingdoms, then accepted Devos’s promise to return after visiting Ascension.
• Rowan found Khadgar and Rhonin arguing over legendary equipment, took two defensive pieces, and assigned them to research the Light-Energy Crystals.
• Lucille wrote nearly ten thousand words detailing Arthas’s crimes and set out to submit the article to the Newspaper Guild.
• Faria’s Mawsworn soldiers raided the newspaper office, assaulted its staff, and accused Lucille of illegal intelligence trading, presenting Randy as evidence.
• Lucille recognized Randy as a Nathrezim infiltrator, refused to concede, and requested arbitration under Alliance Law.
• Faria ordered Lucille cuffed as bystanders debated whether Arthas had truly betrayed the Alliance.

Arthas consolidated his control over Lordaeron and used Lucille's imprisonment to lure Rowan into confronting him. Rowan and Arthas declared themselves enemies, setting the stage for a struggle over Lordaeron and the souls Arthas sought.

• Arthas forced Lordaeron's nobles to swear allegiance or die, secured the military's submission, and prepared for his coronation.
• Arthas questioned Lucille in the dungeon, revealed that he wanted to use her to bring Rowan to the Maw and make him die, then drained the souls of the prisoners.
• Jaina told Rowan that Lucille had been imprisoned in Lordaeron, and Rowan immediately set out with her to rescue Lucille.
• Reno made Rowan and Jaina wait before Arthas received them, and Rowan demanded Lucille's release.
• Rowan accused Arthas of seeking souls for the Jailer, Zodick, and said he would oppose him even if it caused civil war.
• Arthas and Rowan ended their meeting by threatening each other, with Rowan declaring that Arthas had to die.

Rowan rescued Lucille from Lordaeron's dungeon at the cost of giving up control over public opinion, then planned new intelligence operations with her. Meanwhile, Al'Dimor pursued Duke Philip's diplomatic convoy and attacked Number Two after he arrived to help the duke.

• Rowan freed Lucille, healed her with the Heart of Azeroth, and comforted her as she explained why she had tried so hard to prove her worth to him.
• Rowan told Lucille that he had shut down his newspaper operations and information campaigns to secure her release, then assigned her new intelligence work against Arthas.
• Jaina secretly used invisibility and Blink to spy on Rowan and Lucille, but her spell failed, and Rowan and Lucille drew her into their encounter.
• Al'Dimor followed Duke Philip's convoy toward the Redridge Mountains teleportation point, while Philip feared being sent to the Maw if negotiations failed.
• Number Two entered Philip's carriage to help him, but Al'Dimor attached himself to Number Two as a Shadow of Fear and made his dagger turn toward his chest.

Nefarian ignored Ebonroc's warning and attacked a Lordaeron envoy caravan, while Khadgar subdued the Revendreth hunter Al'Dimor and accidentally captured Nefarian. Katrana learned her brother was in Khadgar's custody and went to find him.

• Nefarian ordered Ebonroc to attack the Lordaeron caravan despite warnings about Lordaeron's strength and Onyxia's message.
• Al'Dimor possessed Number Two and attacked Khadgar with a Sinseeker, but Khadgar's soul remained unharmed.
• Khadgar unleashed the Arcane Ultimate Curse, killed Al'Dimor's gargons, and incapacitated Al'Dimor.
• Nefarian flew into Khadgar's spell and was captured along with Al'Dimor, while Number Two arrested Duke Philip.
• Katrana heard that Khadgar had captured a black dragon and hurried to meet him, fearing the prisoner was Nefarian.