Chapter Summaries

Herad decided to obtain Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire, from Natalie Selin so he could use the artifact to arm an arcane golem. He arrived at the Caverns of Time, where the Bronze Dragons had shifted their attention from timeline patrols to attacking the Qiraji.

• Herad considered using Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire, to arm an arcane golem and decided he could suppress the artifact's influence.
• Herad planned to persuade Natalie Selin to give up Xal'atath willingly rather than exploit conflicts between light and shadow Priests.
• Herad arrived outside the Caverns of Time in Tanaris, where a Bronze Dragon greeted him before resuming its patrol.
• Herad looked toward Uldum but did not attempt to enter the forbidden Titan facility.
• The Bronze Dragons had paused their timeline work and begun attacking the Qiraji, using aging-empowered dragon breath against their hives.

Herad showed Nozdormu Xal'atath and proposed containing the dangerous dagger within an Arcane Golem, while Nozdormu revealed its history of disasters. Archbishop Faol then showed the unedited footage to Natalie and the Shadow Priests, leaving them shaken by the horrors wrought through shadow power.

• Nozdormu praised Herad for tormenting Deathwing on Draenor and agreed to help him deal with Xal'atath.
• Herad explained his plan to confine Xal'atath in an Arcane Golem, and Nozdormu approved while warning him with footage from the timelines.
• The footage showed Xal'atath influencing events that awakened an Old God servant and sparked a war, and it revealed that Natalie later died by a dagger thrust from one of her own.
• Archbishop Faol summoned Natalie and the Shadow Priests to watch the footage, and Natalie realized that her hidden dagger had been exposed.
• The Shadow Priests watched the monster and the sacrifices made to destroy it, and they recoiled at seeing shadow power used by such a horrifying creature.

After a magical video made the Shadow Priests fear corruption, Faol and Herad persuaded them to stop using shadow power and introduced a lightforged P90 as an alternative. Faol tested the prototype and saw its holy-energy bullets punch through a knight’s breastplate and damage a granite wall.

• The Shadow Priests recoiled from shadow power after watching the video, and Faol warned them against using it.
• Herad agreed with Faol and suggested replacing shadow spells with firearms that could use holy energy.
• Herad gave Faol a P90 prototype made from lightforging iron, which the Priests criticized as wasteful and heavy.
• Faol fired the P90 at a knight’s breastplate, and its golden bullets pierced the armor and gouged the granite wall behind it.

Herad helped Archbishop Faol order Priest Submachine Guns and discussed ranged weapons for paladins before examining Xal'atath, a dangerous Dark Artifact brought by Natalie. He took the artifact away and promised Natalie an enhanced Priest Submachine Gun as a safer replacement.

• The priests tested the Priest Submachine Gun, and Archbishop Faol ordered two hundred custom-made guns.
• Faol asked Herad to discuss ranged weapons for paladins, and Herad considered a Lightforging Iron Gatling Heavy Machine Gun for Uther.
• Natalie brought Xal'atath in a locked wooden box, and Herad taunted the artifact until its eye opened.
• Herad identified Xal'atath as a fragment of an Old God’s claw and judged its whispers ineffective against devout believers.
• Herad took Xal'atath from Natalie and promised to deliver her an enhanced Priest Submachine Gun in a couple of days.

Herad silenced Xal'atath with Elune's power, then used the Old God's hatred of Y'Shaarj to reach a preliminary agreement to destroy Y'Shaarj's heart. Xal'atath accepted a role as the energy source for Herad's Shadowstone Small Arcane Golem, though the heart remained inaccessible behind Pandaria's mists.

• Herad quieted Xal'atath by threatening to take the blade to a Night Warrior and revealing Elune's divine power.
• Herad explained that Aman'Thul had torn Y'Shaarj apart, and Xal'atath celebrated the death of the Old God who had devoured much of its corpse.
• After learning that Y'Shaarj's heart remained in Pandaria, Xal'atath asked Herad to help destroy it, and the two reached a preliminary agreement despite the mists blocking access.
• Herad revealed that he had already assembled a Small Arcane Golem made with Shadowstone to house Xal'atath as its energy source.
• Xal'atath admired the golem's purple gemstone body, while Herad privately thought the color did not suit an Old God.

Herad trained with Alleria to improve his dagger skills, then programmed those techniques into the Small Arcane Golem, while reassuring her that golems would support rather than replace Rangers. As Quel'Thalas’s military adoption of Arcane Golems seemed increasingly likely, Xal'atath bragged that it could defeat a Faceless general.

• Herad asked Alleria to teach him dagger combat, and she repeatedly defeated him in practice while Xal'atath shouted belated advice.
• After half a day of training, Herad had improved enough to program dagger combat routines for the Small Arcane Golem.
• Alleria worried that skilled Arcane Golems might replace Rangers, but Herad explained that they could take the most dangerous battlefield roles while Rangers provided support.
• Alleria accepted the idea of Arcane Golems leading charges while Rangers attacked from behind.
• Xal'atath excitedly praised the Small Arcane Golem's attack routines and claimed it could take on a Faceless general.

Herad agreed to let Xal'atath test her strength against the Aqir in C'Thun's faction, and she used the Small Arcane Golem to attack a hive in Silithus. After slaughtering the Aqir near the entrance, Xal'atath directed the golem deeper into the hive in search of a stronger challenge.

• Herad rejected Xal'atath's request to fight a Faceless One general and chose the Aqir as more suitable test targets.
• The Small Arcane Golem arrived in southern Silithus and used its Anti-Gravity Rune to escape the sand before heading toward an Aqir hive.
• The golem's dagger, Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire, cut through an Aqir Beetle's hard shell and nearly severed its neck.
• The Aqir spread the warning through the colony and attacked, while Xal'atath directed the golem to slaughter them efficiently.
• After the Aqir at the hive entrance were killed, Xal'atath sent the Small Arcane Golem deeper into the nest to find more challenging enemies.

Xal'atath guided the Small Arcane Golem through the Aqir hive while viewers across Quel'Thalas watched the live broadcast. The golem defeated a massive Hive Guard by targeting its leg joints, and the viewers celebrated as the insect fell.

• Xal'atath ignored the harmless Streetlamp Bugs and led the Small Arcane Golem deeper into the hive, killing Aqir Beetles along the way.
• Herad watched the broadcast from home as magical tablets brought the live exploration to tens of thousands of viewers across Quel'Thalas.
• The Small Arcane Golem encountered a heavily armored Hive Guard, and Xal'atath studied it before choosing to attack its thinner leg joints.
• The Small Arcane Golem injured the Hive Guard's legs, evaded its pincers, and cut through its shell until it dismembered the giant insect.
• Viewers watching from afar cheered as the Hive Guard collapsed.

Herad’s livestream of the Aqir hive attracted a growing audience as the Small Arcane Golem ventured deeper, killing insects and destroying larvae. When it charged into a guarded cavern, more than a dozen hive guards and swarms of other Aqir creatures emerged, leaving the viewers convinced the streamer had reached its limit.

• Herad spent the livestream earnings on supplies for the Draenei and shared information about the Aqir’s past wars with the Troll Empire and the Night Elves.
• The Small Arcane Golem wandered deeper into the hive, stomping Aqir larvae and killing Aqir Beetles and Aqir stingers while viewers worried it might get trapped.
• Xal'atath pushed the Small Arcane Golem onward in search of the mother insect because the hive guards had not provided a sufficient test for the blade.
• The Small Arcane Golem found two hive guards guarding a cavern entrance and charged at them despite viewers’ warnings.
• More hive guards poured out of the cavern, joined by Aqir Beetles and Aqir stingers, and the viewers feared the streamer would be overwhelmed.

Xal'atath wiped out the Aqir swarm, then killed the mutated hive guard and broodmother in their underground cave. Herad recognized Krasus and Kael'thas commenting under their real names, and realized that online arguments in Quel'Thalas could quickly become face-to-face confrontations.

• Xal'atath spun through the swarm with Bladestorm, cutting the bugs into fragments while viewers debated whether small arcane golems could become dangerous.
• Herad entered a vast Aqir cave and found a broodmother guarded by a towering, heavily armored hive guard.
• Xal'atath used the arcane golem's speed to strike the hive guard repeatedly, severing its leg and dismembering it after it fell.
• The broodmother tried to flee, but Xal'atath plunged the divine dagger into its back and absorbed its life force, killing it in seconds.
• Krasus explained that the broodmother's life force had been absorbed, and Kael'thas praised his master in the comments.
• Herad realized that many viewers used their real names and worried that online arguments could turn into physical fights in Quel'Thalas.

The Small Arcane Golem traveled across Silithus to the Scarab Wall, where Herad inspected the magical seal and the Aqir war machines trapped behind it. The Anubis attacked the golem with Shadow Bolts, but the wall intercepted them, and the viewers learned that the huge black creatures were immune to magic.

• After killing the broodmother, the Small Arcane Golem retraced its route and headed south toward the Scarab Wall.
• The golem crossed the desert as the livestream audience grew, with viewers eager to see the famous seal.
• The Small Arcane Golem reached the twenty-meter-tall Scarab Wall and saw enormous Anubis and towering obelisks on the other side.
• The Anubis gathered beneath the golem and fired Shadow Bolts, but the Scarab Wall's magic intercepted the attacks.
• Studying Hard for World Peace explained that the wall was a sealing artifact, while Kane identified the Anubis as obsidian-like creatures; the viewers then learned they were immune to magic.

Herad showed viewers the Aqir threat behind the Scarab Wall and explained why the High Elves needed obsidian golems and trade with the Night Elves. He ended the livestream and teased that the next one would follow the streamer to another planet to kill demons.

• Viewers saw how the Anubis could overwhelm spellcasters and ordinary golems, while even the Dragon Aspects had struggled against the Aqir.
• Anasterian called for more demigod arcane golems, and High Elf council members agreed to establish trade with the Night Elves for obsidian.
• Herad worried that killing the Aqir would not solve the danger posed by C'Thun, imprisoned beneath Silithus Desert.
• Herad turned off the Small Arcane Golem's shared vision, ending the livestream.
• Studying Hard for World Peace told viewers that the streamer would travel to another planet to kill demons in the next livestream.

Herad learned that Xal'atath could repair its damaged blade by absorbing life force, then sent it and Ulthalesh to Mardum to attack the Burning Legion's ruler. The pair reached the Legion's stronghold, where the viewers discovered that its strange tower was actually a starship.

• Herad realized Xal'atath's blade had begun to repair itself, and Xal'atath explained that absorbing life force could mend its damage but could not restore its original body.
• Xal'atath estimated that absorbing ten more Broodmothers could fully repair its blade, so Herad told it to hunt Burning Legion demons instead.
• Herad deployed Xal'atath and Ulthalesh into Mardum's central area to launch a decapitation strike against Spider Queen Tyranna, assigning Xal'atath to command and assassinate.
• Xal'atath and Ulthalesh activated shared vision, and viewers chose between watching Xal'atath inspect the tower or Ulthalesh charge into the demons.
• Ulthalesh flew to the tower and smashed through demons while Xal'atath discreetly searched inside; Herad revealed that the tower was a Burning Legion starship.

Xal'atath wore down Spider Queen Tyranna while Ulthalesh slaughtered the demons below and killed Tyranna's mate. When Ulthalesh reached the upper floors, Tyranna faced both attackers alone, with her reinforcements still on the way.

• Spider Queen Tyranna sent her upper-floor troops to confront Ulthalesh and summoned nearby forces to reinforce her.
• Xal'atath attacked Tyranna's knees at high speed, draining her life force and gradually repairing the chipped blade.
• Ulthalesh cut down the demons below, including Spider Queen Tyranna's mate, the Spider King.
• Spider Queen Tyranna stayed upstairs, unable to escape or face Ulthalesh, while she waited for Foreman Brutag or General Voros.
• Ulthalesh came upstairs carrying the Crimson Greatsword, leaving Spider Queen Tyranna in despair.

Xal'atath weakened Spider Queen Tyranna with repeated cuts while Ulthalesh kept reinforcements at bay. Her Holy Water Bomb badly burned General Voros, and Xal'atath drained Tyranna's life force to repair the artifact dagger.

• Ulthalesh guarded the lift and cut down demons trying to reinforce Spider Queen Tyranna.
• Spider Queen Tyranna grew confident when General Voros, a powerful Pit Lord, approached to help her.
• Ulthalesh dropped a bottle of Herad's concentrated holy water, which Voros shattered and splashed across himself, badly burning his face.
• Xal'atath cut Tyranna's calves again, and the stolen life force left her too weak to stand or resist.
• Xal'atath climbed onto Tyranna's back and drained the last of her life force to repair the artifact dagger.

After Tyranna's death completed Xal'atath's restoration, Ulthalesh tested its strength against General Voros, a Pit Lord. Voros arrived at the High Tower only to have Ulthalesh slash his throat, leaving him helplessly bleeding and the spectators mocking him.

• Xal'atath completed its restoration after Spider Queen Tyranna died, though Herad had no suitable target to test its sharpened blade on.
• Ulthalesh waited for the lift platform, then flew at General Voros as he reached the High Tower and sliced a deep gash into his throat.
• The spectators marveled at Ulthalesh's power and its ability to wound a Pit Lord whose defenses rivaled those of Dragon Aspects.
• General Voros tried to stop the bleeding by pressing his blunter one-handed sword against his wound, since he had no hands.
• The spectators mocked General Voros as he slowly bled, calling him the most wretched Pit Lord in history.

Herad killed General Voros and began securing Mardum by cutting off its connection to the Burning Legion. Ulthalesh destroyed portals and disabled energy facilities, leaving the shattered planet isolated and under Herad’s initial control.

• Xal'atath attacked the wounded General Voros until he died, and Ulthalesh captured his soul before it could return to the Twisting Nether.
• Herad decided to occupy Mardum after the raid had already succeeded with Spider Queen Tyranna’s death.
• Herad sent Ulthalesh to destroy the Burning Legion’s portals across the continent, severing Mardum’s connection to the outside world.
• Ulthalesh tore through Felguards and Fel Lords to disable the internal cores of the Burning Legion’s Fel Forges and other energy facilities.
• Ulthalesh needed several strikes to kill the heavily armored Mo'arg Brutes, the only foes that offered meaningful resistance during its advance.

Xal'atath fought through Mardum, survived a Mo'arg brute's hammer strike, and faced the gigantic demon Brutag. After Brutag taunted it into stopping its retreat, Xal'atath attacked his unarmored body and began wearing him down.

• Xal'atath stealthily killed demons near the tower until a Nerubian ambushed it, letting a Mo'arg brute smash it into a mountainside.
• Xal'atath pushed through the rubble and returned to the fight, reassuring the viewers watching the livestream.
• A giant Mo'arg brute named Brutag pursued Xal'atath and taunted it as it fled through the battlefield.
• Xal'atath turned to fight Brutag, repeatedly slashing his exposed neck and other unarmored areas while he failed to stop its swift attacks.

Herad and Xal'atath defeated Brutag, then Herad explored the Fel Hammer and discovered that its star map did not show Azeroth. He planned to turn Mardum into a fortified Burning Legion stronghold and develop fel-powered planetary defenses.

• Herad teleported Ulthalesh to the battle, and the Crimson Greatsword paralyzed Brutag by severing his spine.
• Xal'atath embedded herself in Brutag's wound and drained his life force until he died, while Ulthalesh collected his soul.
• Xal'atath and the Small Arcane Golem resumed hunting demons as viewers argued over daggers and greatswords.
• Herad explored the Fel Hammer and used a Mo'arg engineer's memories to activate its star map, which showed no record of Azeroth's galaxy.
• Herad concluded that Archimonde might reveal Azeroth's location and planned to fortify Mardum with fel-powered planetary weapons.

Herad brought Archbishop Faol a Dreadlord’s head from Mardum, and the Church of the Holy Light prepared to display and burn it in Stratholme. He also delivered the first batch of Priest Submachine Guns, leaving the priests eager to test their new weapons.

• Ulthalesh continued hunting demons on Mardum after killing a Dreadlord, whose head Herad took as a trophy.
• Herad emerged in Stratholme with the Dreadlord’s head and brought it to Archbishop Faol at the cathedral.
• Faol thanked Herad and ordered a public Holy Light burning of the head in Stratholme’s main square.
• Herad brought out fifty Priest Submachine Guns for the Church of the Holy Light to trial.
• The priests eagerly handled the guns, while Faol welcomed the weapons as a way for priests to defend themselves with Holy Light bullets.