Chapter Summaries

Nathanos warned Vareesa that the war might be lost and urged her to protect the Windrunner family, then explained to Alleria and Sylvanas that Arthas would take the shortest, most destructive route to the Sunwell. The chapter ended with Alleria asking what Nathanos would do, and him answering that he would do what he should.

• Nathanos told Vareesa to preserve the Windrunner family if the war went badly and warned her not to tell Alleria.
• Sylvanas and Alleria reviewed the defenses for Arthas’s advance, with Veronalara assigned to command the first line.
• Nathanos argued that Arthas had invaded Quel'Thalas to reach the Sunwell, not to conquer its territory.
• Nathanos drew Arthas’s likely route across Silvermoon City and onward to the Sunwell, predicting that Arthas would destroy everything in his path.
• Alleria asked Nathanos what he would do, and he said he would do what he should.

Arthas sent Dath'Remar to lead the undead assault against Veronalara’s defenses outside Dalsom, while Sylvanas searched for Vareesa and Nathanos assembled a secret mission team of Windrunner Rangers. As the battle continued, Arthas grew impatient and set out to join the attack himself.

• Arthas ordered Dath'Remar to clear the Elven defenders blocking Dalsom, and Veronalara rallied her troops as the undead advanced.
• Sylvanas searched for Vareesa, and Nathanos told her that Vareesa had gone to Morningstar Tower.
• Nathanos gathered twenty Windrunner Rangers and made them pledge their service to the Windrunner family before assigning them a secret mission.
• Arthas learned that fighting still raged outside Dalsom, stopped Farek from joining the battle, and ordered the gates opened so he could attack personally.

Arthas broke through the High Elf defenses while Jaina organized refugees to sail west, and Alleria and Nathanos fought to delay the Scourge. As Nathanos activated a one-use Hearthstone to save Alleria, Arthas revealed Nathanos’s captive mother, leaving the couple’s escape and her rescue uncertain.

• Arthas killed Veronalara and froze Glaire, Cynthia, and the Rangers defending the second line.
• Jaina prepared refugees and Stromgarde supporters to sail for Kalimdor, and she falsely assured Bred Marius that his wife and Nathanos were safe with his son.
• Alleria prepared her forces to delay Arthas, while he ordered Saurfang to attack from the rear and sent troops to intercept fleeing refugees.
• Nathanos and Alleria fought back to back as the Scourge surrounded them, and Nathanos secretly activated Vareesa’s one-use Hearthstone to escape with Alleria.
• Arthas displayed Daphne Marius bound to a cross, and Nathanos let go of Alleria’s hand as she cried out against leaving his mother behind.

Arthas forced Nathanos to fight Devourer Ramsden while holding his mother, Daphne, hostage, then killed him under the Lich King's command. Nathanos died unable to save Daphne or stop the Scourge, and Arthas was left with a trace of remorse.

• Arthas revealed that he had found Daphne and threatened her to torment Nathanos.
• Arthas sent Devourer Ramsden to defeat Nathanos, who fought back but faltered when he saw Dath'Remar threatening Daphne with black energy.
• The Lich King ordered Ramsden to bring Nathanos to Arthas and commanded Arthas to kill him with Frostmourne.
• Nathanos recalled his promises to Alleria, then tried to parry Arthas's blow as Invincible charged.
• Arthas killed Nathanos with Frostmourne, and Nathanos apologized to Alleria before dying.

Arthas resurrected Nathanos as a servant of the Scourge, then was forced to order him to kill Daphne Marius. Nathanos obeyed and accepted Arthas’s next command to seize the Sunwell.

• Arthas watched Nathanos’s body and ordered Frostmourne to raise him as a warrior of the Scourge.
• Nathanos awakened with scarlet eyes and knelt before Arthas, calling him Prince and Master.
• The Lich King ordered Nathanos to kill Daphne, then pressed Arthas to command him to do it himself.
• Arthas ordered Nathanos to kill Daphne, and Nathanos swiftly beheaded her without recognizing her as his mother.
• At the Lich King’s urging, Arthas commanded Nathanos to help him seize the Sunwell, and Nathanos agreed.

Nathanos was resurrected by the Lich King and forced into service beside Arthas as the Scourge invaded Quel'Thalas. After Silvermoon and the Isle of Quel'Danas fell, Arthas corrupted the Sunwell and resurrected Kel'Thuzad.

• The Lich King resurrected Nathanos, stripped away his memories, and compelled him to obey Arthas.
• Arthas used Nathanos's advice to cross a river, then led the Scourge through Fairbreeze Village and the Eastern Sanctum to Silvermoon City.
• The Scourge captured Silvermoon City, and Arthas froze the strait to reach the Isle of Quel'Danas.
• Arthas defeated King Anasterian Sunstrider, shattered Flaming Strike, and devoured the king's soul with Frostmourne.
• Arthas poured Kel'Thuzad's remains into the Sunwell, and Kel'Thuzad rose again as a lich.

Nathanos struggled with fragments of his forgotten past while the Scourge prepared to summon Archimonde through the Dark Portal. After Archimonde sent Kel'Thuzad to Dalaran to find Medivh’s spellbook, the Lich King ordered Nathanos to go to Kalimdor instead.

• Veronalara recognized Nathanos and mentioned Alleria, stirring painful memories that the Lich King suppressed.
• Arthas ordered Nathanos to fight the Orc Horde guarding the Dark Portal, where Nathanos made his first kill since being reborn.
• Kel'Thuzad summoned Archimonde, who instructed him to retrieve Medivh’s spellbook from Dalaran and begin the summoning ritual in three days.
• Nathanos warned that Dalaran’s mages would be prepared and admitted that people there were ones he did not wish to see.
• The Lich King ordered Nathanos to go to Kalimdor.

Alleria awoke in a cave and learned that Nathanos had stayed behind to save her during the battle against Arthas. As Vareesa comforted her, Alleria grieved for Nathanos, unaware of the full catastrophe that had befallen Quel'Thalas.

• Alleria woke, drank water, and ate roasted lynx meat before noticing blood on her fingers and demanding to know what had happened.
• Alleria remembered that Nathanos had tried to teleport her away with a Hearthstone, but she had resisted because she would not abandon her soldiers.
• Alleria recalled that Nathanos’s mother, Lady Daphne, had been captured, and that Nathanos had told her goodbye before she was teleported away alone.
• Vareesa explained that Nathanos had planned to save Alleria and had arranged for Sylvanas and Vareesa to be elsewhere, but he stayed behind when Arthas threatened his loved ones.
• Alleria realized Nathanos had sacrificed himself for her and collapsed in grief as Vareesa embraced her.
• Vareesa kept silent about Silvermoon City’s fall, the Elf King’s death, the Sunwell’s corruption, and what had happened to Sylvanas.

Nathanos sailed west toward Kalimdor with a group of undead elves, questioning the Lich King's control and their mission. Saloren gave him the dragon-forged sword Quel'delar, and the ship reached sight of the coast.

• Nathanos reflected on his forced obedience to the Lich King as he sailed with Veronalara, Liana, Saloren, and other resurrected elves.
• Saloren asked why their group was traveling to Kalimdor, and Nathanos said they were going there to establish a foothold and leave their past behind.
• Saloren showed Nathanos Quel'delar and explained that it had been forged among the guardian dragons.
• Saloren gave Quel'delar to Nathanos because he wanted the sword to have a new master he could trust.
• Nathanos ordered Saloren to find another weapon in the cabin, then saw the coastline of Kalimdor ahead.

Sylvanas crossed the sea to search for Nathanos and learn whether he retained his memories after being turned Undead. Nathanos and the other Undead landed on Kalimdor, where he suspected Orcs had abandoned the ships on the coast and began looking for signs of natives.

• Sylvanas sailed toward Kalimdor with ten Windrunner family guards, despite criticism that Quel'Thalas needed her.
• Nathanos warned his Undead companions to be cautious as they prepared to land on Kalimdor.
• Nathanos examined the abandoned ships and damaged hulls, concluding that Orcs might have left them behind.
• Veronalara and Enya prepared to search for natives after Nathanos proposed learning about the land.
• Veronalara told Nathanos she refused to surrender her humanity and intended to escape her Undead fate, while Saloren sat playing with sand.

Arthas and the Scourge conquered Dalaran while Kel'Thuzad used Medivh's Book to summon Archimonde. Archimonde took command of the Scourge and destroyed the city, leaving Arthas shocked by his power and uncertain about the Lich King's plans.

• Arthas killed Antonidas and the Scourge took Medivh's Book, which Kel'Thuzad eagerly studied.
• Kel'Thuzad summoned Archimonde as Arthas led the Scourge against Dalaran's defenders.
• Archimonde declared that the Demon Lords would command the Scourge because the Lich King was no longer useful to him.
• Kel'Thuzad told the furious Arthas that the Lich King had foreseen this and sent them to find Nathanos.
• Archimonde destroyed Dalaran, leaving Arthas awed by the demon's immense power.

Nathanos's undead party entered a strange forest and discovered the remains of a horned, hoofed native he named a Tauren. After hearing a distant Orc horn, Nathanos followed the birds' flight to track its source.

• Veronalara told Nathanos that the group had been wandering for days, and he ordered her to report if anyone disappeared.
• Nathanos led the party into a forest, where Liana found a large humanoid skeleton with horns and hooves.
• Nathanos identified the remains as a Tauren and examined a carved stone weapon, while Veronalara noticed signs that the creature had been killed by mounted attackers.
• An Orc horn sounded in the distance, and Nathanos told the others to lower their weapons because they were not under attack.
• Nathanos used the startled birds' direction of flight to identify where the horn came from, and Veronalara and Enya followed him.

Arthas learned that he must travel to Kalimdor and find someone among the Night Elves to help secretly defeat the Burning Legion, while Kel'Thuzad stayed behind to expand the Scourge. On Kalimdor, Nathanos and Veronalara watched Orcs battle Centaurs and discovered that both sides wielded shamanism drawn from the world itself.

• Kel'Thuzad explained that the Burning Legion planned to occupy Kalimdor and that the Scourge intended to secretly prevent its victory.
• Kel'Thuzad told Arthas to travel to Kalimdor and find a person among the Night Elves who could help, while he remained behind to expand the Scourge.
• Nathanos and Veronalara spotted Orcs, Trolls, and Tauren facing a large, organized Centaur army.
• The Orcs and Centaurs clashed, and Nathanos observed that both forces used shamanism, including lightning, whirlwinds, and summoned water.

Nathanos recognized Thrall leading the reborn Horde and ordered the undead to track them after their victory over the centaurs. Meanwhile, Sylvanas led her heat-stricken Farstriders north, hoping to find a source of magic that could ease their approaching Fel Addiction.

• Veronalara identified the Orcs’ elemental powers, and Nathanos recognized Thrall as the new Warchief wearing Orgrim’s armor and carrying his hammer.
• Nathanos concluded that the Horde had returned with new allies after the Orcs and Tauren defeated the centaurs.
• Nathanos ordered the undead to follow the Horde alone and leave markers, explaining that the command came from the voice in his head.
• Sylvanas ordered her Farstriders to rest in the shade before traveling north through Kalimdor’s punishing heat.
• Sylvanas explained that magic flowed northward underground and that finding its source might ease the approaching Fel Addiction.

Kael'thas announced the Sin'dorei's new identity and vowed revenge for Quel'Thalas as Rommath sought Vareesa's aid in rebuilding the kingdom. Vareesa refused for now, choosing to care for Alleria while Sylvanas pursued Arthas, and Rommath was left asking whether she would still fight for Quel'Thalas.

• Kael'thas told the gathered elves that they would henceforth be called the Sin'dorei, or Blood Elves, and rallied them to fight for Quel'Thalas.
• Rommath approached Vareesa after the speech and asked her to join Kael'thas's effort to restore the kingdom.
• Vareesa told Rommath that Alleria and Sylvanas were alive, but Sylvanas had left to hunt Arthas and Alleria had lost her fighting spirit.
• Vareesa refused to serve Kael'thas for now, saying she needed to care for Alleria and accusing Quel'Thalas of betraying the Windrunner family.
• Rommath asked Vareesa whether she would still fight for Quel'Thalas.

Thrall’s Horde crossed the Stonetalon Mountains, reunited with Grom and the Warsong Clan, and fought human forces led by Jaina Proudmoore. Thrall flew onward to find the Prophet while Grom headed north, and Nathanos heard an unexplained whisper urging him to follow Grom.

• Thrall learned that someone was following the Horde but ordered Nazgrel to keep marching toward the Prophet.
• Thrall and Nazgrel found the Warsong Clan fighting humans and helped defeat the human force led by a gray-haired mage.
• Grom told Thrall that Jaina Proudmoore had led the humans north to block the Orcs’ route, and Thrall planned to avoid them while scouting the area.
• Nathanos watched the Horde establish a camp and heard a strange voice in his mind that was not the Lich King.
• Grom disobeyed Thrall and attacked the humans, forcing Thrall to order attacks on nearby human camps before Goblin airships arrived.
• Thrall rebuked Grom and flew toward Stonetalon Peak, while Grom took the Warsong Clan north and an unseen voice told Nathanos to follow him.

Nathanos followed Grommash into Ashenvale, where the Warsong Clan began cutting down trees and encountered the forest’s defenders. As Grommash fought three masked Elves, Nathanos’s memories stirred, and the Lich King’s punishment left him unconscious.

• Nathanos obeyed the Lich King’s order to follow Grommash north into Ashenvale, despite the forest’s ominous atmosphere.
• Grommash’s Warsong Clan built a camp and began harvesting lumber, dismissing warnings that the forest was too quiet.
• Strange murmuring and glowing spirit lights appeared, but Grommash destroyed one and ordered the Orcs to keep chopping trees.
• Three masked Elves attacked the lumbering Orcs, and Grommash charged at them.
• Nathanos recognized the attackers as Elves and struggled to recall other figures, but the Lich King’s mysterious force overwhelmed him and he collapsed.

Grom fought three Elven women while Sylvanas Windrunner led her Rangers to rescue humans surrounded by Orcs. Sylvanas learned that Jaina Proudmoore had brought the refugees to Stoneclaw Mountain to seek a prophet.

• Grom Hellscream fought three Elven women, dodged their bladed discs, and drove them to retreat without killing them.
• Sylvanas Windrunner learned that humans and Orcs were nearby and decided to help the humans, despite a Ranger questioning the alliance.
• Sylvanas and her Rangers climbed to Stoneclaw Mountain, where they found Orcs surrounding human soldiers and a mage.
• Sylvanas and the Rangers attacked the Orcs and saved the humans, then introduced themselves to Tervosh of Dalaran.
• Tervosh told Sylvanas that Jaina Proudmoore was leading the refugees and had come to the mountain to seek a prophet.

Nathanos heard from a mysterious voice promising to help recover his missing memories, but the Lich King interrupted and sent him to a spring. There he witnessed Tichondrius and Mannoroth corrupting the water to empower the Orcs, then used a ritual to glimpse a chained prisoner who saw him in return.

• A mysterious voice contacted Nathanos and offered to help him recover his missing memories, but he awakened before they could speak further.
• The Lich King ordered Nathanos to find a spring near the Orc camp and observe what happened there.
• Tichondrius persuaded Mannoroth to pour his blood into the spring so the Orcs would drink the tainted water and gain power.
• The Lich King guided Nathanos through a ritual using the corrupted water, showing him a heavily guarded prison and a chained, gaunt figure.
• The prisoner raised his head, smiled, and told Nathanos that he could see him.

Nathanos received the Lich King's order to rescue Illidan Stormrage, while Sylvanas and Jaina encountered Thrall in a cave and heard the prophet's warning about a demon threatening the world. The prophet urged the Horde and Lordaeron's survivors to unite and directed Sylvanas to Ashenvale to help the person she sought.

• The Lich King identified the blind man in Nathanos's vision as Illidan Stormrage and ordered Nathanos to rescue him within half a month.
• Nathanos left the Orc camp, then saw a flash of light as the Lich King said the Orcs had completed the demon's task.
• Sylvanas met Jaina in the Stonetalon Mountains, and the two entered a hidden cave in search of Jaina's prophet.
• Thrall and Cairne led Horde warriors into the cave, where they encountered Jaina and Sylvanas at the same destination.
• The prophet warned Thrall and Jaina that a demon threatened the world and urged them to join forces, revealing that Grommash Hellscream had been enslaved.
• The prophet promised Sylvanas help finding the person she sought, and she lowered her weapon before he told her to go to Ashenvale.