World of Warcraft chronicles (15-28)

Chapter 15: The Guardians of Tirisfal

With the threat of the trolls in the north gone, the elves of Quel'Thalas began rebuilding their homeland, while the victorious armies of Arathor returned to their southern home of Strom. Human society in Arathor gradually prospered. Later, fearing that continued expansion would eventually tear his nation apart, Thoradin worked to preserve Strom's central position in the kingdom. After many years of peaceful development and trade in the kingdom of Arathor, the great Thoradin died of old age, and younger generations began freely expanding the kingdom's borders beyond Strom.

The original hundred mages taught by the elves continued to strengthen their powers and study the mysterious discipline of spellcraft in greater detail. These mages had originally been chosen for their strong wills and noble souls, and they always used magic carefully and responsibly. However, when they passed the secrets and power of magic to a new generation, those young people had no understanding of the harshness of war or the need for restraint. Gradually, the young mages began using magic for personal gain rather than out of a duty to protect their people.

As the kingdom developed and new lands were opened up, the young mages also traveled south. Wielding their mysterious powers, they protected their people from wild beasts and made it possible to establish new city-states in the wilderness. But as their powers grew, they became increasingly arrogant and estranged from society.

Arathor's second city-state, Dalaran, was founded north of Strom. Many fledgling wizards left stifling Strom for Dalaran, hoping to use their newfound powers more freely there. These mages built Dalaran's magical spires and pursued magical research with fervor. Dalaran's inhabitants respected the mages' diligent studies and established a thriving trade network under their protection. However, as more and more mages used magic, the fabric of space around Dalaran grew fragile and began to tear.

The Dalaran mages' unrestrained use of magic drew some of the Burning Legion's minions, banished when the Well of Eternity collapsed, back into the world. Although these relatively weak demons did not appear in large numbers, they still caused considerable turmoil in Dalaran. Most encounters with demons were isolated incidents, and the ruling Council of Tirisfal did everything in its power to conceal them from the public. Some of the strongest mages were sent to capture these cunning demons alive, but they usually discovered that, even fighting alone, these powerful minions of the Burning Legion were far beyond their ability to handle.

Months later, superstitious peasants began suspecting that their wizard rulers were deliberately hiding something terrible from them. As citizens' imaginations ran wild and they questioned the motives and actions of the mages they had once praised, rumors of revolution began spreading everywhere. Fearing a peasant uprising that might prompt Strom to take action against them, the Council of Tirisfal had no choice but to seek help from the elves-the allies they believed were the only ones who might understand their peculiar predicament.

After hearing the Council of Tirisfal's reports of demonic activity in Dalaran, the elves swiftly dispatched their most powerful sorcerers to human lands. The elven sorcerers studied Dalaran's energy flows and wrote detailed reports on every instance of demonic activity they witnessed. They concluded that, although only a few demons were currently ravaging the world, the Burning Legion remained a tremendous threat that could not be ignored if humans continued abusing magic.

The Silvermoon Council, which ruled the elves of Quel'Thalas, reached a secret agreement with the lords of Dalaran's Council of Tirisfal. The elves told the council some of the history of ancient Kalimdor and the Burning Legion, events that still threatened the world. They told the humans that, as long as they used magic, they would have to find ways to protect their people from the Burning Legion. The Council of Tirisfal proposed granting their collective power to a single, supremely powerful mortal who would wage an unending secret war against the Burning Legion. Fearing unrest born of fear and suspicion, they insisted that most humans must never learn of the Guardian's existence or the Burning Legion's threat. The elves agreed and established a secret society to oversee the selection of Guardians and help curb the rise of chaos in the world.

This society held secret meetings in the shadowed Tirisfal Glades, where the elves had first settled in Lordaeron. Thus, they named their secret organization the Guardians of Tirisfal. The strongest mortals were chosen as Guardians and granted astonishing power encompassing both elven and human magic. Although the Guardians always worked alone, their immense power allowed them to resist the Burning Legion single-handedly wherever they went. Because the Guardians were so powerful, only the Council of Tirisfal had the authority to choose a worthy successor from among promising mages. Whenever a Guardian grew too old or tired of the secret war against evil, the council selected another powerful individual and, after ensuring that nothing could go wrong, formally channeled the Guardian's power into this new agent.

As time passed, the Guardians continued secretly protecting humanity from the Burning Legion's minions scattered throughout Arathor and Quel'Thalas. Arathor prospered as magic spread across the nation, while the Guardians continued carefully monitoring demonic activity.

Chapter 16: Ironforge-the awakening of the dwarves

After the Titans left Azeroth, the Earthen they had created continued shaping and guarding the depths of the world. Largely unconcerned with the affairs of the races living on the surface, the Earthen focused solely on exploring the underground world.

The great explosion of the Well of Eternity tore Azeroth apart and profoundly affected the Earthen. Devastated by the earth's suffering, they lost their self-awareness and sealed themselves inside the stone chambers where they had been born. Uldaman, Uldum, and Ulduar were the first cities the Earthen built and named after the ancient Titans. Now buried deep underground, these cities sheltered the Earthen as they slept for nearly eight thousand years.

Although what awakened them remained unclear, one day the Earthen of Uldaman finally stirred from their slumber. They discovered that their bodies had changed greatly while they slept. Their once stone-hard skin had become soft and smooth, and their ability to control earth and stone had weakened considerably. They had become more ordinary creatures.

Calling themselves "dwarves," these last surviving Earthen left Uldaman and explored the slowly awakening world of Azeroth. Still drawn to the mysteries and security of the underground depths, they built a vast kingdom within the highest mountain on the continent. They named their kingdom after Khaz'goroth, the Titans' god of construction, calling it "Khaz Modan," or "Khaz's mountain." The dwarves built an altar to their Titan father and constructed a great forge at the mountain's heart. From then on, a city known as Ironforge arose beside that forge.

The dwarves were naturally obsessed with working gems and stone and enjoyed mining deep within the mountains for rare deposits. Content with their underground work, they had no dealings with the other races on the surface.

Chapter 17: The seven kingdoms

Strom continued serving as Arathor's center, but, like Dalaran, many new city-states gradually arose across Lordaeron. Gilneas, Alterac, and Kul Tiras were among the first. Although each had its own customs and trade, they all obeyed Strom.

Under the Council of Tirisfal's careful, vigilant supervision, Dalaran became the land's principal center of magical learning. The Council of Tirisfal that ruled Dalaran established the Kirin Tor, a sect dedicated to recording and studying every spell and magical item they discovered.

Gilneas and Alterac became powerful supporters of Strom and developed strong armies. Their expeditions explored as far as the mountainous lands south of Khaz Modan. During this period, humans first encountered the ancient dwarven race and traveled to their underground cavern-city, Ironforge. Humans and dwarves shared considerable knowledge of metalworking and engineering and discovered a common love of battle and storytelling.

The city-state of Kul Tiras was founded on a great island south of Lordaeron and developed flourishing trade based on fishing and ocean shipping. Over time, Kul Tiras built a powerful merchant fleet that traveled throughout all known regions, searching the world for exotic treasures to trade and sell. Yet, although Arathor grew increasingly prosperous, its strongest core began falling apart.

At this time, Strom's lords gradually began moving their wealth to the prosperous northern regions of Lordaeron, abandoning the barren south. King Thoradin's heir-the last descendant of the Arathi bloodline-argued that they should not abandon Strom, provoking resentment among the high-ranking citizens who were equally eager to leave. Strom's lords decided to abandon their ancient city, hoping to find purity and enlightenment in the undeveloped north. Far north of Dalaran, they founded a new city-state called Lordaeron, from which the entire continent took its name. Lordaeron became a coveted destination for pilgrims and all who sought inner peace and tranquility.

Left amid ancient Strom's crumbling walls, the descendants of the Arathi decided to travel south into the rocky mountains of Khaz Modan. After many long years, they finally ended their journey and settled in a place called Azeroth in the north of the continent. In a fertile valley, they established the Kingdom of Stormwind, which soon became self-sufficient.

A few warriors remained in Strom, determined to continue living there and guarding their ancient city. Strom was no longer the empire's center, but it gradually developed into a new city-state-Stromgarde. Although each city-state prospered under its own rule, the empire of Arathor had completely fragmented. As each nation developed its own customs and beliefs, the differences between the city-states grew ever greater. King Thoradin's dream of uniting humanity finally scattered to the winds.

Chapter 18: Aegwynn and the slaying of the dragon

As political and military struggles rose and fell among the seven human kingdoms, the Guardians continued fulfilling their duty to oppose chaos. Many people had served as Guardians over the years, but only one person at a time could possess the Council of Tirisfal's magical power. One of the last Guardians of this era was a powerful female warrior capable of opposing evil and darkness. Aegwynn, a passionate human girl, won the Council of Tirisfal's approval and received the mantle of the Guardian. She worked tirelessly, hunting down and eliminating every demon she found, but she always questioned the authority of the male-dominated Council of Tirisfal. She believed that the council, controlled by ancient elves and elders, had become too old-fashioned and narrow-minded to issue farsighted, decisive commands against chaos. Long, tedious discussions and debates made her intensely impatient. Eager to prove her worth to her superiors and peers, she often acted bravely but unwisely at critical moments.

As her command of Tirisfal's power grew, Aegwynn began noticing powerful demons lurking on the snow-covered continent of Northrend. She traveled far north and tracked them into the remote mountains. There, she discovered that the demons were hunting a surviving dragonflight, seeking to drain these ancient creatures' innate magic. These powerful dragons, which deliberately avoided rapidly changing human society, were locked in fierce battle with the Burning Legion's demons. With the dragons' help, Aegwynn destroyed the demons. As the last demon vanished from the world, a tremendous storm arose in the north. An immense dark figure appeared above Northrend. The Burning Legion's leader, the demon lord Sargeras, stood before Aegwynn, radiating hellish energy. He warned the young Guardian that the Council of Tirisfal's age was ending and that the Burning Legion would conquer this world.

Proud Aegwynn believed herself capable of opposing this godlike demon and unleashed all her power against Sargeras's body. To her great surprise, she easily defeated the demon lord and successfully destroyed his physical form. Fearing that Sargeras's spirit might linger, the naive Aegwynn sealed his remains in an ancient hall that had sunk beneath the sea when the Well of Eternity exploded. She did not realize that she had done exactly what Sargeras intended. Unwittingly, she had determined Azeroth's fate, for Sargeras's spirit had slipped into her frail body the instant his own body died. Without the young Guardian's knowledge, Sargeras would remain hidden in the dark side of her soul for a long time.

Chapter 19: The War of the Three Hammers

The dwarves of Ironforge lived peacefully for many centuries, but their mountain city's boundaries were too limited, and their society had grown too large. Although the mighty King of the Mountain Modimus Anvilmar ruled all dwarves with justice and wisdom, three powerful clans had emerged within dwarven society.

As Ironforge's traditional guards, the Bronzebeard clan, led by Prince Madoran Bronzebeard, maintained the closest ties to the King of the Mountain; the Wildhammer clan, led by Prince Khardros Wildhammer, lived on the foothills and along the cliffs beneath the mountain and sought greater control over the city; the third powerful clan was the Dark Iron clan, led by the sorcerer-prince Thaurissan, which secluded itself in the deepest mountain mines and plotted to overthrow its Bronzebeard and Wildhammer brothers.

The three clans maintained an uneasy peace for a time, but the King of the Mountain's death shattered it completely. They fought a war for control of Ironforge, and the dwarven civil war raged underground for many years. In the end, the Bronzebeard clan, possessing the strongest army, drove the Wildhammer and Dark Iron clans from Ironforge and won the war.

Khardros and his Wildhammer warriors migrated north through the Gates of Thandol and built their own kingdom atop Grim Batol. The Wildhammer clan prospered there and replenished its treasure vaults. Thaurissan and his Dark Iron clan were less fortunate. The humiliation of defeat only deepened their anger, and they swore vengeance on Ironforge. Thaurissan built a city in the beautiful Redridge Mountains, naming it after himself. Prosperity and passing years did not erase the Dark Iron clan's hatred of its brothers. Thaurissan and his sorceress wife, Modgud, split their forces and attacked Ironforge and Grim Batol. The Dark Iron clan intended to seize all of Khaz Modan.

The Dark Iron armies swept through the armies and strongholds of their two brother clans and nearly conquered both kingdoms. But Madoran Bronzebeard personally led his clan to defeat Thaurissan's sorcerous forces. Thaurissan and his followers fled to their own city, disregarding the battle at Grim Batol and leaving Modgud's army in an even more difficult position against Khardros and his Wildhammer forces.

Whenever Modgud faced her enemies, she used her powers to brand fear deep into their hearts. Shadows moved at her command, and dark things rose from deep underground to lurk within the Wildhammer stronghold. Finally, Modgud breached the gates and began attacking the final fortress directly. The Wildhammer warriors stood united, and Khardros personally entered the battle, slaying the sorceress-queen amid the massed armies. Modgud's death sent the Dark Iron army fleeing before the furious Wildhammer host. As they fled south toward their city, they encountered troops from Ironforge coming to reinforce Grim Batol. Caught between two armies, the remaining Dark Iron forces were annihilated.

The combined armies of Ironforge and Grim Batol then turned south, preparing to destroy Thaurissan and his Dark Iron clan completely. But they had not gone far before Thaurissan's fury unleashed a flood of magical disturbances. Seeking victory, he began summoning powerful supernatural beings and recklessly called upon ancient powers sleeping beneath the earth. To his shock-and eventual destruction-the being he summoned was more terrifying than any nightmare he could imagine.

Ragnaros the Firelord, king of the fire elementals, had been sealed away by the Titans when the world was first formed. Thaurissan's summons brought him back into existence. Ragnaros's rebirth on Azeroth shattered the Redridge Mountains, and his power raised a roaring volcano from the earth-Blackrock Spire, with the Searing Gorge to its north and the Burning Steppes to its south. Although Thaurissan was killed by the power he unleashed, most of his surviving kin were enslaved by Ragnaros and his elemental servants. They remained in Blackrock Spire to this day.

After witnessing the terrible destruction and the flames raging through the southern mountains, King Madoran and King Khardros halted their armies and hurriedly turned back toward their own kingdoms to avoid facing Ragnaros's terrifying power.

The Bronzebeard clan returned to Ironforge and rebuilt its glorious city, while the Wildhammer clan returned to its home in Grim Batol. However, Modgud's death had left an evil stain upon the mountain stronghold. The Wildhammer dwarves found it no longer habitable and grieved deeply over the loss of their beloved home. The Bronzebeard king offered them refuge within Ironforge's borders, but the Wildhammer clan stubbornly refused. Khardros led his people north into Lordaeron, settling in the lush forests of the Hinterlands. There, the Wildhammer clan built Aerie Peak and gradually grew closer to nature, even befriending the local gryphons.

Wishing to maintain contact and trade with their kin, the dwarves of Ironforge built two immense arched bridges across the mountain passes between Khaz Modan and Lordaeron-the Thandol Span. Both kingdoms prospered through mutual trade. After Madoran and Khardros died, their sons jointly commissioned two enormous statues to commemorate their fathers. These statues guarded the passage to the volcanic lands in the south, as though jointly warning anyone who attempted to attack the dwarven kingdoms, reminding them of the terrible price the Dark Iron clan had paid for its crimes.

The two kingdoms maintained close relations for several more years, but the horrors the Wildhammer dwarves had witnessed in Grim Batol changed them greatly. They began living high on Aerie Peak instead of carving their kingdom deep within the mountains. Vast differences in ideology eventually led the two dwarven clans to part ways.

Chapter 20: The last Guardian

As the years flew by, the Guardian Aegwynn grew ever stronger, using Tirisfal's energies to greatly extend her life. Mistakenly believing that she had destroyed Sargeras, she continued fighting the demon lord's minions for the next nine hundred years to protect the world. Eventually, however, the Council of Tirisfal decided to end her service as Guardian. The council ordered her to return to Dalaran so they could select a new Guardian. Distrusting the council, Aegwynn decided to choose her successor herself.

Proud Aegwynn planned to bear a child who would inherit her power. Determined never to let the Council of Tirisfal manipulate her heir as it had manipulated her, she traveled south to Azeroth. There, she found the ideal candidate: the human mage Nielas Aran. Aran had served as the king of Azeroth's court mage and adviser. Aegwynn seduced the mage and conceived his child. Nielas's innate magical talent was deeply imprinted upon the unborn child, determining the tragic path he would later follow. The mighty power of Tirisfal also entered the child, but it would awaken only once his body matured.

Time flew, and Aegwynn gave birth to her son in an isolated forest. He was named Medivh, meaning "keeper of secrets" in the high elven language. Aegwynn believed her son would grow up to become the next Guardian. Unfortunately, Sargeras's malevolent spirit had hidden within her body and possessed her child while she was still pregnant. Aegwynn never imagined that the new Guardian, who had only just entered the world, was already possessed by his greatest enemy.

After confirming that Medivh was growing healthily and actively, Aegwynn sent the infant to Azeroth's court to be raised by his human father and others. She herself wandered the wilderness, preparing to spend her remaining years there. Medivh grew into a strong, healthy boy, entirely unaware of the immense power within him.

Sargeras bided his time, waiting for the power within the youth to manifest on its own. As Medivh entered adolescence, his exceptional magical skill made him popular throughout Azeroth. He also often went adventuring with his two friends: Prince Llane of Azeroth and Anduin Lothar, the sole heir of the Arathi bloodline. Although the three children often played pranks throughout the kingdom, the common people loved them.

When Medivh turned fourteen, the immense power within him awakened and clashed violently with Sargeras's spirit lurking in his soul. Medivh fell into a sleep that lasted years. When he awoke from his coma, he discovered that he was an adult and that his friends Llane and Anduin had become Azeroth's regents. Although he hoped to use the incredible power within his body to protect the land he called home, Sargeras's spirit twisted his will and emotions toward darkness.

Sargeras appeared in the dark recesses of Medivh's mind. He knew that his plan for a second invasion of this world was nearing fruition, and that this last Guardian would help them carry it out.

Chapter 21: Kil'jaeden and the shadow pact

Around the time of Medivh's birth, Kil'jaeden the Deceiver and his followers were plotting their next move in the Twisting Nether. Under orders from his master Sargeras, the cunning demon lord planned the Burning Legion's second invasion of Azeroth. This time, he could allow no mistakes. Kil'jaeden believed he first needed to send a new force to weaken Azeroth's defenses so the Burning Legion could conquer the world easily. If Azeroth's native races-such as the night elves and dragons-suffered losses while confronting this new threat, they would be too weak to offer any meaningful resistance when the Burning Legion actually invaded.

It was then that Kil'jaeden discovered Draenor, a vibrant world floating silently in the endless darkness. This vast, pastoral land was home to the shamanistic, clan-based orcs and the peace-loving Draenei. The noble orc clans roamed the broad grasslands, herding and hunting, while the studious Draenei built primitive cities upon towering cliffs and mountain peaks. Kil'jaeden realized that, with proper cultivation, these natives of Draenor had tremendous potential to serve the Burning Legion.

After comparing the two races, Kil'jaeden concluded that the warlike orcs would be more susceptible to the Burning Legion's corruption. Using almost exactly the same methods Sargeras had employed to control Queen Azshara long ago, he enslaved the elderly orc shaman Ner'zhul. Through this shaman, the demon spread bloodlust and savagery throughout the orc clans. Before long, this noble race had become a horde of bloodthirsty servants. Kil'jaeden urged Ner'zhul and his people to take the final step into corruption: to exist solely in pursuit of death and war. But Ner'zhul realized that his people would be bound by hatred forever and, for some reason, refused to obey the demon's command.

Frustrated by Ner'zhul's refusal to cooperate, Kil'jaeden soon began searching for another orc who could deliver his people into the Burning Legion's hands. The cunning demon lord finally found a devoted disciple who satisfied him-Ner'zhul's ambitious student, Gul'dan. Kil'jaeden promised Gul'dan limitless power in exchange for absolute loyalty. The young orc gradually became an insatiable student of demonic magic and the most powerful warlock the world had ever known. He taught these mysterious sorceries to other young orcs and sought to eradicate the clans' noble shamanistic traditions. Gul'dan showed his people a new form of magic, a terrible energy that radiated death.

Seeking absolute control over the orcs, Kil'jaeden helped Gul'dan establish the Shadow Council, a secret sect intended to manipulate the orc clans and expand across Draenor through sorcery. As more orcs began practicing sorcery, the peaceful, vibrant world of Draenor grew dark and withered. Over time, the broad grasslands where the orcs lived and multiplied gradually shrank, leaving red wasteland everywhere. Demonic energy was slowly destroying the world.

Chapter 22: The rise of the Horde

Under Gul'dan and his Shadow Council's control, the orcs became increasingly aggressive. They built enormous arenas where they honed their killing skills and experienced war and death. During this period, a few clan chieftains strongly condemned their race's corruption. Among them, Durotan, chieftain of the Frostwolf Clan, warned that the orcs had lost themselves to hatred and rage. But no one heeded his warnings. Chieftains of powerful clans-such as Grom Hellscream of the Warsong Clan-stepped forward to welcome this new age of war and conquest.

Although Kil'jaeden knew the orc clans were nearly ready, he still needed to ensure their absolute loyalty. Through the Shadow Council, he secretly summoned Mannoroth the Destructor, a raging demon consumed by a lust for destruction. Meanwhile, Gul'dan gathered the clan chieftains and convinced them that drinking Mannoroth's raging blood would make them invincible. Led by Grom Hellscream, every clan chieftain except Durotan drank the blood, surrendering their destinies completely to the demons and becoming slaves of the Burning Legion. Under the influence of Mannoroth's blood, the chieftains unwittingly spread their lust for conquest among the people who trusted them absolutely.

Completely consumed by this bloodthirsty curse, the orcs were ready to unleash their fury upon anyone who stood in their way. Deciding the time was ripe, Gul'dan united the warring clans into a single, unstoppable Horde. However, concerned that chieftains such as Grom Hellscream and Orgrim Doomhammer might contend for supreme command, he installed a puppet chieftain to rule the new Horde. Blackhand the Destroyer, an exceptionally corrupt and evil leader, was chosen as Gul'dan's puppet. Under Blackhand's command, the orcish Horde began testing its fighting abilities against the simple Draenei.

Within months, the Horde had nearly exterminated all the Draenei on Draenor. Only a handful of survivors clung to life, hiding from the orcs' terrible fury. Exulting in victory, Gul'dan spent his days reveling in the Horde's might and authority. Yet he knew perfectly well that, without enemies to slaughter, the orcish Horde would destroy itself in endless civil wars driven by its uncontrollable bloodlust.

Kil'jaeden also realized that the Horde was fully prepared. The orcs had become the most powerful weapon in the Burning Legion's hands. He reported this to his master, and Sargeras agreed that the time for his revenge had finally come.

Chapter 23: The Dark Portal and the fall of Stormwind City

As Kil'jaeden feverishly prepared the Horde to invade Azeroth, Medivh continued struggling with Sargeras for control of his soul. King Llane of Stormwind City grew increasingly disturbed by the darkness consuming Medivh's spirit and shared his concerns with Anduin Lothar-the last of the Arathi bloodline and the army commander personally appointed by the king. Yet neither could imagine what disaster Medivh's gradual descent into madness would bring.

Sargeras promised Gul'dan great power in return if he agreed to lead the Horde into Azeroth. Speaking through Medivh, he told Gul'dan that he could become master of the world if he found the underwater tomb where the Guardian Aegwynn had sealed Sargeras's remains more than a thousand years earlier. Gul'dan accepted Sargeras's terms and decided to find the legendary ancient tomb and claim his reward after defeating Azeroth's inhabitants. Once certain that the orcs would obey him, Sargeras ordered the invasion to begin.

Medivh and the Shadow Council's warlocks worked together to open a passage through space called the Dark Portal. Linking Azeroth and Draenor, it was large enough for an entire army to pass through. Gul'dan sent orc scouts through the Dark Portal to survey the continent they would soon conquer. The information they brought back convinced the Shadow Council that the time to seize Azeroth was ripe.

Durotan still believed Gul'dan's corruption would bring about the Horde's destruction and once again protested to the warlocks. The hero declared that the warlocks were betraying the noble, pure orcish spirit and that their reckless invasion would ultimately doom the orcs. Unwilling to risk killing such a famous hero, Gul'dan schemed to exile Durotan and his Frostwolf Clan to the fringes of the new world.

After the exiled Frostwolf Clan rushed through the passage, only a few orc clans followed them into the new world. These orcs quickly established a military base in the Black Morass, a dark swamp east of the Kingdom of Stormwind. As they began expanding and exploring this new land, they immediately clashed with Stormwind City's human guards. Although these skirmishes ended quickly, they clearly revealed both sides' strengths and weaknesses. Llane and Lothar never learned the orcs' exact numbers and could only guess at the magnitude of the threat they faced. Several years later, most of the orcish Horde had entered Azeroth, and Gul'dan decided the time had come for an all-out assault on humanity. Gathering all its strength, the Horde attacked the unsuspecting Kingdom of Stormwind.

As the conflict between humans and orcs spread throughout the Kingdom of Azeroth, both sides paid a price. King Llane firmly believed that the brutal orcs could not conquer Azeroth and contemptuously kept his forces in the Kingdom of Stormwind's capital. Lord Lothar, however, believed they should confront the enemy directly, forcing him to choose between his own judgment and loyalty to his king. Ultimately, he followed his instincts. With help from Medivh's young apprentice, Khadgar, Lord Lothar launched a lightning raid on Medivh's wizard tower in Karazhan. Khadgar and Lothar successfully defeated the mad Guardian-the culprit who had started the war. By destroying Medivh's physical body, they unwittingly cast Sargeras's spirit into the abyss. Medivh's pure and kindly soul was also freed and wandered the astral plane for many years.

Despite Medivh's defeat, the orcish Horde still held the advantage. As the orc armies approached victory, Orgrim Doomhammer, one of the greatest orc chieftains, began recognizing the corruption that had spread through the Horde since their days on Draenor. His old friend Durotan returned from exile and once again revealed Gul'dan's treachery to him. Gul'dan's assassins soon murdered Durotan's entire family, sparing only his infant son. Doomhammer did not know that Durotan's sole surviving child had been discovered by a human lieutenant named Aedelas Blackmoore, who raised him as a slave.

That young orc later became widely known as the greatest orc leader.

Enraged by Durotan's death, Orgrim set about rescuing the orcish Horde from its evil corruption. Eventually, he killed Gul'dan's puppet Blackhand and replaced him as leader of the Horde. Under his rule, the merciless orcs finally attacked Stormwind Keep. Having gravely underestimated the Horde's strength, King Llane watched helplessly as his kingdom fell to the green-skinned invaders. In the end, Llane was assassinated by the half-orc Garona, one of the Shadow Council's finest killers.

Lothar and his warriors returned from Karazhan, hoping to minimize casualties and save their homeland. But they were too late. Their beloved kingdom lay in ruins. The orcish Horde continued ravaging every inch of land. Forced into hiding, Lothar and his companions swore a solemn oath to reclaim their homeland at any cost.

Chapter 24: The Alliance of Lordaeron

After Stormwind Keep fell, Lord Lothar regrouped Azeroth's surviving forces and led a mass migration of refugees across the sea to Lordaeron in the north. The leaders of the seven human nations agreed that, unless stopped, the orcish Horde would eventually conquer all humanity. Thus, the seven nations united to form the Alliance of Lordaeron. For the first time in three thousand years, the nations that had split from Arathor stood beneath one banner. Appointed supreme commander of the human Alliance, Lord Lothar carefully prepared his troops to face the Horde's impending massive invasion.

With help from his lieutenants Uther the Lightbringer, Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, and Turalyon, Lothar successfully alerted Lordaeron's various nonhuman races to the rapidly approaching threat. The human Alliance secured support from Ironforge's stubborn dwarves and a small contingent of high elves from Quel'Thalas. The elves, led by Anasterian Sunstrider, had little interest in the coming war. Nevertheless, they came to aid Lord Lothar to fulfill their treaty obligations, for he was the last of the Arathi bloodline, descended from the humans who had helped the high elves centuries earlier.

Led by Orgrim Doomhammer, the orcish Horde brought ogres from its homeland of Draenor and recruited dispossessed Amani forest trolls into its ranks. Launching an unprecedented campaign, it swept through the dwarf-ruled lands of Khaz Modan and southern Lordaeron, effortlessly crushing all opposition.

The Second War ranged from scattered naval skirmishes to massive aerial battles. For unknown reasons, the orcish Horde unearthed a powerful artifact called the Dragon Soul and used it to enslave Alexstrasza, the red dragon queen. Threatening to destroy her precious eggs, the Horde forced Alexstrasza to send her adult children into battle. The noble red dragons had no choice but to fight for the Horde.

War spread across Khaz Modan, Lordaeron, and Azeroth. During the northern campaign, the Horde burned the outskirts of the distant elven kingdom of Quel'Thalas to ashes, prompting the elves to commit their full strength to the human Alliance. Lordaeron's larger towns were razed by the fighting. Despite lacking reinforcements and facing the orcs' overwhelming advantage, Lothar and his allies successfully halted the enemy's advance.

Yet in the final days of the Second War, with the Horde's victory over the human Alliance within reach, a terrible rift erupted between Azeroth's two most powerful orcs. As Orgrim Doomhammer made his final preparations to attack Lordaeron's capital-an assault that might crush the last remnants of the human Alliance-Gul'dan and his followers abandoned their posts and sailed away. Gul'dan's betrayal cost the Horde nearly half its stationed forces. Furious, Doomhammer was forced to withdraw, missing his best opportunity to defeat the human Alliance.

Desperate for power and obsessed with attaining godhood, Gul'dan frantically dispatched search parties to find the Tomb of Sargeras beneath the sea, believing it held the secret of ultimate power. Having already sold all his fellow orcs into slavery to the Burning Legion, he never spared a thought for any supposed duty to Doomhammer. With support from the Stormreaver and Twilight's Hammer clans, Gul'dan successfully found the Tomb of Sargeras beneath the sea. But when he opened the gates of that ancient dungeon, he discovered that only countless frenzied demons awaited him.

To punish the orcs who had deserted in battle, Doomhammer ordered his troops to hunt down Gul'dan and bring back the renegades under guard. Gul'dan paid for his recklessness: the frenzied demons he released tore him apart. With their leader dead, the renegade clans were soon routed by Doomhammer's furious armies. Although the rebellion was suppressed, the Horde could not recover from the losses this internal strife had inflicted. Gul'dan's betrayal gave the Alliance not only hope, but also time to regroup and an opportunity to counterattack.

Seeing the divisions within the Horde, Lord Lothar seized the opportunity to gather his remaining troops and drive the orcs back into the heart of devastated Azeroth. There, the human Alliance surrounded the orcs' stronghold at Blackrock Spire. Although Lothar tragically fell in battle at the tower's base, his lieutenant Turalyon rallied the Alliance's brethren at the last moment and drove the Horde deep into the Swamp of Sorrows. Turalyon's forces successfully destroyed the Dark Portal, the mysterious passage connecting the orcs' homeland of Draenor to Azeroth. Cut off from supplies and reinforcements, the Horde finally collapsed before the Alliance's might.

The fractured orc clans were soon driven into heavily guarded internment camps. Although the orcs appeared completely defeated, some still wondered how long this peace would last. Khadgar, now a renowned archmage, persuaded the Alliance's leaders to build Nethergarde Keep to watch over the Dark Portal's ruins and ensure that the orcs could not launch another invasion from Draenor.

Chapter 25: Beyond the Dark Portal

Only months after Nethergarde Keep was completed, the Dark Portal's energies surged again, opening a passage to Draenor. Led by the elder shaman Ner'zhul, the Horde's remaining orcs once again turned their ambitions toward Azeroth. To increase Ner'zhul's magical power, the orcs planned to steal ancient magical implements. They intended to open a new gateway on Draenor so they could escape that doomed red world forever.

Learning that Ner'zhul once again planned to invade Alliance territory, King Terenas of the Kingdom of Lordaeron decided to send a great army to Draenor, eliminating any threat the orcs posed to Azeroth once and for all. Under Archmage Khadgar and General Turalyon, the Alliance army thoroughly defeated the orc forces in the Burning Steppes. Yet, despite the addition of elite troops led by the elven ranger Alleria and the dwarf Kurdran, Khadgar failed to prevent Ner'zhul from opening portals and escaping to other continents.

The excessive energies accumulating in the gateways suddenly unleashed enormous storms across Draenor. As Khadgar struggled desperately to lead his people in a fight to return to Azeroth, Ner'zhul escaped through a portal with only his most trusted servants. Realizing that death was their ultimate fate, Khadgar and his desperate companions selflessly decided to destroy the Dark Portal so Azeroth would not be affected by Draenor's destruction.

After exhausting every method, the heroes finally succeeded in destroying the Dark Portal and saving Azeroth. Whether they escaped the death that was all Draenor could offer them, however, remained unknown.

Chapter 26: The invasion of Draenor

After the smoke of the Second War cleared, the Alliance took an active approach to resolving the orc problem, establishing a series of internment camps in southern Lordaeron to imprison captured orcs. Guarded by paladins and seasoned veterans, the camps proved highly successful. Although the captive orcs restlessly yearned for battle, everything appeared peaceful and orderly under the control of the ancient prison fortress of Durnholde.

Nevertheless, on the hellish world of Draenor, a new orc army stood ready to once again drench the unsuspecting human Alliance in blood. Gul'dan's mentor Ner'zhul reunited the remaining orc clans beneath his banner. Supported by the Shadowmoon Clan, the old shaman planned to open several portals on Draenor leading to new worlds. To strengthen his new portals, he needed ancient artifacts from Azeroth. Thus, Ner'zhul reopened the Dark Portal and sent forth his own loyal troops.

Led by veteran chieftains Grom Hellscream of the Warsong Clan and Kilrogg Deadeye of the Bloodmaul Clan, the new Horde shocked the Alliance's defenders and swept through the surrounding countryside. Following Ner'zhul's precise instructions, the orcs quickly found the artifacts they needed and withdrew to Draenor.

Convinced that the orcs were preparing another invasion of Azeroth, King Terenas of the Kingdom of Lordaeron summoned his most trusted lieutenants. He ordered General Turalyon and Archmage Khadgar to lead an expedition through the Dark Portal to deal with the orc threat. Turalyon and Khadgar marched their forces into Draenor and fought Ner'zhul's clans fiercely on the barren Hellfire Peninsula. Even with help from the high elf Alleria Windrunner, the dwarf Kurdran Wildhammer, and the valiant warrior Danath Trollbane, Khadgar could not prevent Ner'zhul from opening portals to other worlds.

Ner'zhul finally opened the new portals, but he had not foreseen the terrible price he would pay. The immense energy radiating from the portals began destroying Draenor. As Turalyon's forces fought desperately to return to Azeroth, Draenor began collapsing. Realizing that Ner'zhul's mad scheme would destroy their entire race, Grom Hellscream and Kilrogg Deadeye gathered the remaining orcs and fled to Azeroth.

On Draenor, Turalyon and the mage Khadgar finally decided to destroy the Dark Portal from their side. Although they understood that they would never be able to leave Draenor, they also knew this was the only way to ensure Azeroth remained unaffected. As Grom Hellscream and Kilrogg Deadeye desperately cut a bloody path through the human forces to freedom, the Dark Portal exploded behind them. For them, and for all the orcs remaining on Azeroth, any hope of returning home was lost forever.

Ner'zhul and his trusted Shadowmoon followers passed through the largest of the new portals. At the same time, an immense volcanic eruption tore Draenor apart. Burning oceans ripped through the entire continent, and finally Draenor was destroyed in a tremendous explosion.

Chapter 27: The birth of the Lich King

Ner'zhul and his orcs entered the Twisting Nether, an alternate dimension linking all worlds through endless darkness. Unfortunately, Kil'jaeden and his demons were waiting there for their arrival. Having sworn to make Ner'zhul pay for his defiance, Kil'jaeden brutally tortured the elderly shaman, cutting the flesh from his body piece by piece. He kept Ner'zhul's soul intact, forcing him to endure the agony of dismemberment. Although Ner'zhul begged the demon to release his soul and grant him a swift death, the demon coldly replied that the blood pact they had made long ago remained binding, and Ner'zhul was therefore still useful.

The orcs' failure to conquer Azeroth as the Burning Legion intended forced Kil'jaeden to create a new army to sow chaos there. Unlike the orcs, this army could not be plagued by constant internal strife. It had to obey the Burning Legion absolutely, act ruthlessly, and devote itself entirely to its mission. This time, Kil'jaeden could not fail again.

Holding Ner'zhul's helpless, endlessly tormented soul in his grasp, Kil'jaeden offered him one final chance to serve the Burning Legion or suffer eternal torment. Once again, Ner'zhul recklessly accepted the demon's terms. His soul was placed inside a carefully carved block of ice, gathered from the distant reaches of the Twisting Nether and as hard as diamond. Once enclosed within this icy vessel, Ner'zhul felt his mind expand tens of thousands of times over. Twisted by the demons' chaotic power, he became a spectral being. From that moment, the orc shaman Ner'zhul vanished forever, and the Lich King was born.

The death knights and Shadowmoon followers loyal to Ner'zhul were also transformed by demonic power. The evil warlocks were torn apart and turned into skeletal liches. Through this method, the demons ensured that Ner'zhul's followers would serve him with absolute devotion even after death.

When the time was ripe, Kil'jaeden explained his plan to the Lich King: Ner'zhul would spread a plague across Azeroth, shrouding it in death and fear and ultimately destroying human civilization. Every creature that died of the terrible plague would become undead, its soul forever controlled by Ner'zhul's will. Kil'jaeden assured the Lich King that, if he completed his task of destroying the human world, he would be released from his curse and given a new, healthy body.

Although Ner'zhul was eager to complete his mission, Kil'jaeden still doubted his loyalty. The demon imprisoned the Lich King's soul within an icy shell to ensure he followed the Burning Legion's commands, but knew he had to remain constantly vigilant. To address this problem, Kil'jaeden summoned his elite demonic guards-the vampiric dreadlords-to watch Ner'zhul and ensure he completed his task. Tichondrius, the strongest and most cunning dreadlord, accepted the challenge. He was fascinated by the plague's effectiveness and the Lich King's boundless creativity in genocidal slaughter.

Chapter 28: The Frozen Throne and the Frozen Throne

Kil'jaeden sent the icy vessel containing Ner'zhul's soul back to Azeroth. The hard crystal streaked across the night sky and crashed onto the cold, desolate continent of Northrend, burying itself within the unfathomable depths of Icecrown Glacier. The immense energy released by its impact twisted the icy shell imprisoning Ner'zhul's soul into a throne, to which his vengeful spirit remained bound.

Ner'zhul began projecting his thoughts throughout the domain of the Frozen Throne and contacting the minds of Northrend's native creatures. He easily seized control of many local creatures, such as ice trolls and ferocious yetis, drawing them beneath his ever-expanding shadow. Discovering that his mental power was nearly limitless, Ner'zhul used it to build a small army and stationed it within Icecrown's labyrinths. Under the dreadlords' watch, the Lich King controlled his increasingly powerful forces and discovered a human settlement on the edge of the Dragonblight. Ner'zhul decided to test his powers on these unsuspecting humans.

From the depths of the Frozen Throne, Ner'zhul unleashed the Undead Plague across the cold wastes. Controlling it with his will, he guided it into the human village. Within three days, every human in the village was dead. Shortly afterward, the dead villagers became zombies. Ner'zhul could feel each person's soul and thoughts as though they were his own. Their wails echoing through his mind made him stronger, as though their souls were nourishment he desperately needed. He discovered that controlling these zombies' movements and ordering them to do anything was effortless.

Over the following months, Ner'zhul continued directing his plague through every human settlement on Northrend. As his undead army grew stronger by the day, he knew the true trial was approaching.