Chapter Summaries

Vol'jin's rebel forces captured a hall in Orgrimmar and prepared to press on toward Garrosh, while Sylvanas warned that Varian might occupy Orgrimmar if the Horde were absent at the confrontation. Saurfang arrived badly wounded and reported that Thrall had gone ahead alone to face Garrosh, with Mantis Demons blocking the way.

• Vol'jin and Baine's forces captured the hall, and Baine worried over Vol'jin's wound from the battle with Malkorok.
• Sylvanas arrived with Alliance soldiers and warned that Varian might order Orgrimmar occupied if no Horde members were present when Garrosh was confronted.
• Saurfang arrived wounded and told Vol'jin that Thrall had gone alone to face Garrosh, who was beyond the tunnel guarded by powerful Mantis Demons.
• Vol'jin sent Rassuvios and the Forsaken to help the Alliance clear the way, while Sylvanas ordered her soldiers to avoid striking allies.

Heklar delivered captured prisoners to Nathanos, who agreed to help Taran Zhu secure a say in Garrosh’s fate. In Orgrimmar’s Inner Sanctum, Garrosh defeated Thrall and fought Vol’jin and Baine before Sylvanas intervened with a bow.

• Heklar arrived at the Forsaken outpost with prisoners, including Nazgrim, and reported that the rebels had breached Orgrimmar’s gates.
• Taran Zhu explained that Pandaria wanted Garrosh judged rather than executed, and Nathanos agreed to help secure that outcome.
• Garrosh reflected on his victory over Thrall and faced the Alliance and Horde forces as they entered the Inner Sanctum.
• Garrosh’s Hearts of Iron crushed charging soldiers, and Vol’jin challenged him to a duel.
• Garrosh defeated Vol’jin, then overpowered Baine until Sylvanas drew her bow and forced him to withdraw.

Garrosh used the Heart of Y'sharrj to become a monstrous force and nearly killed Sylvanas and the others. Nathanos arrived, saved Sylvanas, and prepared to face Garrosh.

• Garrosh accepted the Heart of Y'sharrj's power, slaughtered Alliance and Horde fighters, and grew larger and more corrupted by Sha energy.
• Vol'jin, Baine, and Sylvanas rallied the survivors to attack Garrosh, but he defeated them and overwhelmed the sanctum.
• Sylvanas threw Quel'delar at the Heart of Y'sharrj, but its Sha energy subdued her and filled her with painful memories of Nathanos.
• As Garrosh moved to kill Sylvanas, a newcomer blocked Sal'ratho, punched Garrosh away, and restored his senses.
• Nathanos healed Sylvanas and comforted her, then sent the Cloud Serpent monks to evacuate the wounded before turning to face Garrosh.

Nathanos fought Garrosh beneath the Heart of Y'sharrj while Belmont’s forces entered the fortress and Sylvanas watched. Garrosh gave himself to the Heart and became a monster, and Sylvanas discovered that Nathanos was breathing.

• Nathanos provoked Garrosh by comparing him to his father and calling him a slave to power, then caught Sal'ratho and countered his first attack.
• Nathanos and Garrosh traded blows, and Nathanos briefly hesitated after dismissing Arthas, allowing Garrosh to kick him back.
• Belmont led Shadowblade forces through the fortress, and Saurfang secretly sent a guard to follow them after directing them toward Nathanos.
• Nathanos wounded Garrosh repeatedly, but held back from delivering a fatal strike and was thrown aside by Garrosh.
• Garrosh fed Sal'ratho to the Heart of Y'sharrj and transformed into a monster, while Sylvanas noticed that Nathanos was breathing.

Nathanos fought Garrosh in a void vision, but Y'sharrj overwhelmed him and severed his connection to Azeroth. Trapped in a dark world of memories, Nathanos confronted his past with Uther, Arthas, and Alleria, then chased after Sylvanas as the darkness collapsed.

• Garrosh trapped Nathanos in a vision of Stormwind's leaders impaled, but Nathanos saw through the illusion and attacked him.
• Nathanos pierced Garrosh's eyes and used his power to weaken the Sha energy, but Garrosh gave himself fully to Y'sharrj and overpowered him.
• Y'sharrj severed Nathanos's connection to Azeroth and plunged him into a dark world where memories of his past appeared.
• Nathanos faced Uther's accusations and reconciled with the memory of Arthas, telling him he had forgiven him.
• Nathanos let go of his lingering resentment toward Alleria and wished her well.
• Sylvanas accused Nathanos of loving only Alleria and fled, and Nathanos chased after her as the dark world collapsed.

Nathanos overcame Y'sharrj’s illusion by remembering Sylvanas and promising that neither of them would be alone, then absorbed the Old God’s power with Azerite. He emerged from the collapsing energy sphere changed and armed with a Sha-wreathed warblade, while Sylvanas and the others watched.

• Nathanos realized Sylvanas had sacrificed her ties to her kingdom for him and resolved to find her and promise to protect her.
• The Heart of Azeroth guided Nathanos through his memories until he recognized Sylvanas had always been beside him, and he embraced her and promised they would never be alone again.
• Nathanos broke free from Y'sharrj’s illusion, struck Garrosh, and poured Azerite into their fused body.
• Nathanos absorbed Y'sharrj’s Sha power while resisting its Void influence, and his body transformed as he claimed a crescent-shaped warblade.
• Sylvanas asked to enter the energy sphere, but Taran Zhu warned her against it, then ordered everyone to retreat as the sphere expanded.
• Garrosh was blasted from the sphere, and Nathanos emerged standing on Hellscream’s chieftain’s seat before raising his warblade and extinguishing the remaining energy.

Nathanos stopped Thrall from killing Garrosh and left the Horde and Alliance leaders to decide his fate. After they accepted Taran Zhu’s judgment, Nathanos traveled to Razor Ridge to resurrect the people Belmont had recovered.

• Nathanos blocked Thrall from delivering a fatal blow to Garrosh and challenged Thrall’s responsibility for making him Warchief.
• Nathanos led Sylvanas aside, but she asked to postpone their relationship until Garrosh’s fate was settled, and he returned to Taran Zhu.
• Tyrande urged Varian to destroy the weakened Horde, while Jaina argued that Garrosh alone deserved punishment; Vol’jin spoke for the Horde as its new leader.
• A scout reported that a Forsaken army had surrounded Varian’s camp, and Taran Zhu proposed taking Garrosh to face Pandaria’s judgment.
• Vol’jin and Varian accepted Taran Zhu’s proposal, and Nathanos vanished after the decision was made.
• Nathanos met Belmont at Razor Ridge, confirmed that every body had been recovered, and ordered a portal opened so he could resurrect them himself.

Alleria was tasked by Vol'jin with leading a Horde delegation to contact the Forsaken, while Sylvanas accepted Varian's Winter Veil invitation to improve relations between the Alliance and the Forsaken. Nathanos considered how to establish a Forsaken kingdom through negotiation rather than conquest.

• Rommath urged Alleria to respond to Nathanos taking the Rune Stone, but she dismissed her advisors and agreed to meet Vol'jin in Orgrimmar.
• Jaina gave Sylvanas Varian's invitations to Stormwind, and Sylvanas accepted on the condition that she would speak freely.
• Vol'jin asked Alleria's opinion of the Forsaken and appointed her to lead a delegation to Lordaeron alongside representatives from other Horde factions.
• Belmont reported the Forsaken's expanding territory to Nathanos and suggested establishing a kingdom.
• Nathanos argued that the Forsaken needed agreements secured through negotiations to overcome the living's fear of the undead.

Tirion Fordring and the Alliance leaders debated how to respond to the Forsaken as a Horde delegation arrived in Lordaeron to seek their allegiance. Varian decided to send an Alliance delegation as well and began assembling people connected to Nathanos, while Tirion favored direct talks to rescue prisoners.

• Tirion Fordring consulted Maxwell Tyrosus about the Forsaken, and they agreed to seek talks rather than rush into war so they could rescue prisoners held by the Forsaken.
• Shaw informed Varian and the Alliance leaders that a Horde delegation had reached Lordaeron, where Nathanos had assigned Mortuus to receive them instead of meeting them himself.
• Velen suggested that the Alliance send its own delegation, and Varian agreed despite Genn Greymane's warning that a friendly visit could legitimize the Forsaken's occupation of Lordaeron.
• Varian spent the night preparing a list of people to contact, including Nathanos's former relatives and friends, and ordered Shaw to monitor Lordaeron closely.
• Shaw left Stormwind Keep to contact Stephan Marius, the person on Varian's list who was closest to Nathanos.

Nathanos summoned Bwonsamdi to claim the promised payment and learned that the death Loa could take him to the greater world after death from his Nether Palace in Nazmir. At Wyrmrest Temple, Kalecgos gathered the Dragon Aspects after discovering that Nathanos had recently activated the Prism of Focus, and Nozdormu and Alexstrasza revealed they knew more about him than they admitted.

• Nathanos told Belmont he would meet the Horde envoys the following night after waiting nearly a week for the Alliance to respond.
• Bwonsamdi appeared before Nathanos, and the Karaksi Paragons surrounded the death Loa before Nathanos ordered them to stand down.
• Nathanos demanded his payment, and Bwonsamdi offered to take him to the world after death from his Nether Palace in Nazmir.
• Kalecgos waited at Wyrmrest Temple, where Nozdormu, Alexstrasza, and Ysera eventually joined him.
• The Dragon Aspects sensed that the Prism of Focus had been activated recently, and Kalecgos explained that Nathanos had used it.
• Nozdormu reacted angrily to Nathanos's name, while Alexstrasza and Ysera indicated that they knew who he was; Nozdormu then asked Kalecgos for the real reason behind the meeting.

After viewing the Prism of Focus’s original history, the Dragon Aspects saw that Theramore was destroyed and Kalecgos died while trying to stop the attack. They decided to support Nathanos and prevent dragons from bringing disaster upon mortals, while Nozdormu remained troubled by the vision.

• Nozdormu told Kalecgos that Nathanos’s changes had saved Alleria and Sylvanas from their original fates.
• At Kalecgos’s urging, Nozdormu used the Prism of Focus to reveal the original timeline.
• The vision showed Horde assassins stealing the Prism of Focus, Grommash using it to destroy Theramore, and Kalecgos dying in an attempt to stop the attack.
• Kalecgos ended the vision, and Alexstrasza assured him that Theramore’s destruction would never happen.
• Alexstrasza announced that the Dragon Aspects would support Nathanos and promised to bring Tethys back safely.
• After the others left, Nozdormu brooded over the vision until he heard a voice calling to him.

Varian prepared an Alliance delegation to visit the Forsaken, while Khadgar asked to join it and raised Varian and Shaw’s suspicions by concealing his real purpose. In Lordaeron, Nathanos assessed the delegation and ordered Marius Farm repaired as the Horde delegation finally prepared to meet him.

• Varian ordered the Alliance delegation to depart for Theramore, but Archmage Khadgar arrived and asked to join it so he could meet Nathanos.
• Shaw warned that Khadgar’s presence could make the Horde mistake Dalaran for an Alliance ally, and Varian refused his request while allowing him to visit Danas Thoradin.
• After Khadgar left, Varian and Shaw suspected he had wanted them to refuse him, but Varian ordered Shaw not to spy on him.
• Nathanos reviewed the eight Alliance delegates with Belmont, judged that some had come to test the Forsaken, and ordered engineers to repair Marius Farm.
• Nathanos told Belmont to announce that he would meet the Horde delegation that night and urged Varian to hurry.
• At the Lordaeron Horde Embassy, Eitrigg, Gazlowe, Lor'themar, and the others learned that Nathanos had arrived.

Nathanos hosted Horde envoys in Lordaeron and made clear that the Forsaken would not be easily drawn into the Horde, while preparing to negotiate with the Argent Crusade and an arriving Alliance delegation. After the meeting, Ji requested a private audience with Nathanos.

• Nathanos inspected Lordaeron’s reconstruction and discussed the costly underground city project with Mortus.
• Nathanos welcomed the Horde delegation, including Eitrigg, Lor'themar, Lok'han, Gazlowe, and Ji, and discussed trade, prisoners captured at Orgrimmar, and the Alliance delegation’s arrival.
• Nathanos declared that the Forsaken would welcome friendship with the Alliance or be ready for war, then left to meet the Argent Crusade’s envoys and discuss the prisoners he held.
• Lor'themar concluded that Nathanos did not intend for the Forsaken to join the Horde, while the delegation debated whether to end its mission and reclaim prisoners.
• Mortus told Nathanos that Ji had requested a private audience, and Nathanos ordered him brought to the throne hall.

Ji Firepaw asked Nathanos to release Nazgrim, while Alexstrasza accepted Nathanos’s proposal for peace between the Dragons and the Forsaken. The chapter left Alexstrasza seeking answers about Nathanos and Onyxian as she followed Nathanos back.

• Ji Firepaw deduced that the Forsaken had captured Nazgrim and pleaded with Nathanos to release him, but Nathanos said he might trade Nazgrim to the Alliance unless the Horde offered something in return.
• Nathanos told Ji that Aisha Yungge was part of the Alliance delegation and encouraged him to meet her.
• Alexstrasza confronted the Twilight Dragon following her and learned that he was Onyxian, who called her his mother and Nathanos his father.
• Nathanos explained that he had given Onyxian a mind of his own after stopping Deathwing from using Dragon Eggs to create Twilight Dragons.
• Alexstrasza agreed on behalf of the Dragon Aspects that Dragons would not interfere with the Forsaken, and Nathanos promised to release Tethys.
• Alexstrasza asked Nathanos to explain his transformation and Onyxian’s origins, and Nathanos invited her to stay and see for herself.

Nathanos hosted the Alliance delegation in Lordaeron but postponed formal negotiations, prompting the delegates to debate his motives and the Forsaken’s growing influence. He then met Khadgar, who failed to persuade him to return Nethergarde Keep but secured permission for its Draenei to go home.

• Nathanos entertained Jaina, Sylvanas, Shandris, and the other Alliance delegates at a banquet before Belmont summoned him away.
• Shandris demanded formal talks, and Nathanos said Mortuus would meet the delegation after they had rested for a day.
• Jaina and the Alliance delegates discussed the Horde’s earlier approach to Nathanos and the danger of driving the Forsaken into the Horde’s embrace.
• Nathanos met Khadgar on Lordaeron’s city wall, where Khadgar condemned him for taking a ship from Nethergarde Keep.
• Nathanos refused to return Nethergarde Keep but agreed to let the Draenei there return home, and Khadgar warned that many eyes would be watching him.

Stephan escaped SI:7 and reached Hearthglen, where he told Larein he wanted to see his cousin Nathanos and seek help. In Lordaeron Palace, Alexstrasza urged Nathanos not to lose sight of his past self, and Nathanos and Sylvanas reaffirmed their bond.

• Stephan sneaked into Hearthglen and reunited with Larein, explaining that SI:7 was hunting him because it wanted to use him to contact Nathanos.
• Stephan told Larein he felt guilty for helping SI:7 hunt Nathanos and wanted a chance to meet his cousin; he also revealed that he had a partner named Maree.
• Larein told Stephan about his life with Kasha and their two children, then encouraged Stephan to believe he could eventually clear up the misunderstanding with Nathanos.
• In Lordaeron Palace, Alexstrasza questioned Nathanos about mercy and his past, telling him that he had never let hatred replace who he was.
• Sylvanas confronted Nathanos about Alexstrasza and his promise not to hide things from her, and they kissed and pledged to stay together.

At Vol'jin's modest coronation feast, news that the Forsaken held Nazgrim led him to seek an agreement with Nathanos before the Alliance learned of it. In Hearthglen, Maree recounted how the Scourge had taken her first husband and daughter, then urged Stephan to reconcile with his Forsaken cousin.

• Vol'jin read Ji's letter and told Thrall and Saurfang that Nathanos planned to use treaties and prisoners to keep the Forsaken independent.
• Thrall and Saurfang agreed Nazgrim should be returned to the Horde, and Vol'jin decided to meet Nathanos's demands to prevent the Forsaken from siding with the Alliance.
• Stephan brought Maree to Larein and Kasha's home, where she introduced herself and joined the family for a meal.
• Maree told Larein and Kasha that she had escaped the Scourge but lost sight of her first husband and daughter during a breakout from Silverpine Forest.
• Maree recalled how Stephan's father had opposed their marriage before accepting it, and she encouraged Stephan to reconcile with his Forsaken cousin.

Nathanos rejected the Alliance’s territorial demands while negotiating an agreement with Vol’jin and offering guarantees for Theramore and Southshore. After learning that Garrosh’s judgment would be announced in seven days, Nathanos suspected the verdict would provoke anger and then received an unsigned message marked “Family.”

• Nathanos told Sylvanas he had rejected the Alliance’s demands and reached an agreement with Vol’jin that allowed Horde members to cross Forsaken territory toward Gilneas.
• Nathanos said the Forsaken would recognize Theramore and Southshore and would not initiate attacks against either stronghold.
• A messenger from the Order of the Cloud Serpent invited Nathanos, Varian, and Vol’jin to the Temple of the White Tiger in seven days for Garrosh’s final judgment, with no soldiers or weapons allowed.
• Nathanos warned Sylvanas that the judgment might dissatisfy everyone and said he would not attend the meeting in person.
• Rennid Bartholome delivered Nathanos an unsigned message, which bore the word “Family.”

Nathanos received a letter from Larein asking him to meet his cousin Stephen, but he hesitated to face his past and his aging father. He chose to proclaim sovereignty over Lordaeron, and as the Forsaken gathered, he finally answered their cheers.

• Basalome delivered Nathanos a letter from Larein apologizing on Stephen Maris's behalf and proposing a reunion at a place Nathanos chose.
• Nathanos recognized the Quel'Thalas coin Stephen had once received from him, but he refused to arrange a meeting and said he was not ready to face the past.
• Nathanos told Sylvanas he would proclaim sovereignty over Lordaeron in three days, and he asked her to remain by his side.
• Mortuus and Belmont raised concerns about the rushed ceremony, so Nathanos ordered Kalimdor's Forsaken to send representatives and reviewed the agreement recognizing Forsaken territories with the Horde.
• After days of meditation, Nathanos rose when Mortuus called him Your Majesty and went to address the waiting crowd.
• Nathanos saw Forsaken and faction envoys gathered for the ceremony, then raised his hand as the crowd cheered.

An Infinite Dragon disguised as a Dwarf interrupted Sin Slayer’s murder of Archbishop Benedictus and used an hourglass to take him away from his fight with Varian. In Lordaeron, Nathanos suspected the missing Zaela and much of the Dragonmaw Clan had escaped, and promised Alexstrasza he would deal with them.

• The disguised Infinite Dragon watched Sin Slayer kill Benedictus and battle the soldiers who rushed to stop him.
• Varian confronted Sin Slayer, but the Infinite Dragon froze everyone else with an hourglass and persuaded Sin Slayer to leave with him.
• Nathanos told Mortuus that Zaela and many Dragonmaw Orcs were unaccounted for after the war and might be regrouping.
• Alexstrasza appeared before Nathanos, and he promised to deal with the Dragonmaw Orcs completely.