Chapter Summaries

After defeating Ymiron, Ygrim, Aaron, and Archaedas led a large group of Dragonflayer Vrykul away, while worrying about the Lich King and the dangers ahead. Back at the clan, Ingvar defeated the weakened Ymiron and claimed the throne, forcing Ymiron to flee north.

• Ygrim recalled his sleeping Winter's Scorn clansmen as he and Aaron discussed the Lich King, Skadi, and the dangers awaiting them in Northrend.
• Ygrim urged the group to settle the Dragonflayer warriors who had joined them before considering a fight against their own clansmen.
• Aaron prepared to return to camp with the Vrykul, while Archaedas worried that Loken or the Lich King might threaten their plans.
• Ingvar challenged the weakened Ymiron and defeated him, becoming king of the Dragonflayer Clan.
• Ymiron mounted a Proto-Dragon and flew north after warning Ingvar that he had forced his hand.

Aaron brought hundreds of tamed Proto-Dragons and over a thousand Vrykul back to the camp, forcing the expedition to adjust its plans. As Aaron prepared to seek the Dragonflights’ help at Wyrmrest Temple, Liadrin reported that the dead had occupied Utgarde Keep.

• A ranger spotted the approaching Proto-Dragons and rang the alarm, prompting the camp to form a defensive line.
• Aaron halted the Vrykul, landed outside the camp on Grauf, and reassured everyone that the Proto-Dragons were reinforcements.
• Aaron arranged for the Vrykul and their mounts to settle near the camp, and Bolvar began training his soldiers to tame Proto-Dragons.
• Aaron planned to visit Wyrmrest Temple for the Dragonflights’ help, while Kael'thas asked to accompany him and Vereesa guessed he wanted dragons for Silvermoon City.
• Liadrin reported that a group of Dragonflayer Vrykul had arrived with news that the dead had occupied Utgarde Keep.

Aaron learned that Ymiron had seized Utgarde Keep with an army of undead Vrykul, then confirmed the Lich King was not involved. With more than ten thousand Vrykul potentially turned into undead and the camp outnumbered, Aaron faced an unavoidable battle.

• Liadrin told Aaron that the undead had occupied Utgarde Keep, prompting him to halt the planned trip to Dragonblight and investigate.
• Aaron questioned injured Vrykul at their settlement and learned that Ingvar had taken Ymiron's throne before Ymiron raised the sleeping Vrykul of Jotunheim as undead and attacked Utgarde.
• Aaron confirmed that Ymiron's forces lacked the Scourge's distinctive troops and learned that Archaedas had gone to scout Utgarde.
• Archaedas returned without finding survivors and reported that the keep was filled with a powerful aura of death.
• Aaron learned that Jotunheim held more than ten thousand Vrykul and concluded that the camp, with barely over five thousand people, would have to fight them.

Aaron checked on Bolvar’s progress taming Proto-Dragons and learned that the Stormwind soldiers had stalled because the Vrykul method relied on overpowering the beasts. After Aaron explained that Utgarde Keep had become a city of the dead, Bolvar agreed to join the coming battle with the riders they had trained.

• Liadrin said the Blood Knights would not fight Ymiron’s forces alone, and Ygrim assured Aaron that his men were ready for battle.
• Aaron flew to Bolvar’s temporary Proto-Dragon ranch to check whether Stormwind’s soldiers had learned to tame the beasts.
• Bolvar explained that only a dozen soldiers had mastered the Vrykul method of beating Proto-Dragons into obedience, while the rest lacked the strength to use it.
• Bolvar said he had begun raising hatchlings instead, since the adult Proto-Dragons were too difficult for most soldiers to tame.
• Aaron told Bolvar that Utgarde Keep had become a city of the dead, and Bolvar agreed to take his available riders into the battle.
• Aaron returned to camp to gather the available forces and prepare to attack Ymiron.

Aaron led an allied force to Utgarde Keep and found it unnaturally frozen and silent, with Archaedas sensing death spreading through the land. After bombarding the keep with experimental bombs and rockets, Aaron still saw no response and prepared the troops for whatever might emerge.

• Aaron arrived near Utgarde Keep with several thousand troops and noticed the keep and surrounding area had become eerily frozen.
• Archaedas sensed the land wailing and warned Aaron that death had begun to affect the area.
• Aaron deployed the force into battle formation, placing Paladins and Tyr's Guard at the front, ranged troops behind them, dwarves on the flanks, and Proto-Dragon riders overhead.
• Aaron's Proto-Dragon riders dropped experimental bombs on Utgarde Keep, destroying some upper-level defenses but leaving the fortress standing.
• When Utgarde Keep did not retaliate, Aaron ordered gnome craftsmen to fire rockets at its main gate and readied the mages and rangers to attack anything that emerged.

Aaron led the Paladins into the keep and found its undead Vrykul poorly organized and easy to defeat, though Abominations caused some trouble. As Liadrin discussed the assault, a chained figure roared for Ymiron from outside the hall.

• Aaron ordered the gate opened and entered the keep, where he found undead Vrykul wandering without any sign of an ambush.
• Aaron and the Paladins cleared the corridor and hall, defeating the sluggish undead Vrykul with Holy Light.
• An Abomination ensnared a Blood Knight with its chain, and Aaron rescued him before burning the monster to ashes.
• Liadrin noted that the enemies seemed to have no commander, while Aaron warned the Blood Knights to remain cautious.
• A hoarse voice outside the hall called for Ymiron as chains scraped across the ground and heavy footsteps approached.

Ingvar the Plunderer stumbled into the hall, seeking revenge on Ymiron, and warned the Blood Knights that Ymiron was preparing a final ritual with the god of death’s messenger. Aaron convinced Ingvar that his group opposed the god of death and asked for useful details, but Ingvar began recounting how Utgarde Keep fell.

• Ingvar entered the hall in chains and attacked the Blood Knights who tried to stop him.
• Liadrin ordered her Blood Knights to leave Ingvar alone and quieted him by throwing a spear at him.
• Ingvar realized Ymiron had chained him and urged the Blood Knights to stop Ymiron’s final ritual before it was too late.
• Aaron summoned Xal'atath, and Ingvar mistook the group for servants of the god of death until Aaron persuaded him otherwise.
• Ingvar explained that Ymiron had tricked the Vrykul into opening the gates and turned everyone in Utgarde Keep into undead.
• Aaron interrupted Ingvar’s account and pressed him for information that could help them prepare.

Aaron defeated Ymiron in Utgarde Keep, but Annhylde resurrected him for the Lich King before Xal'atath intervened and transformed her into a golden Val'kyr. Xal'atath recruited Annhylde and Ingvar, then left Aaron puzzled by her sudden sour mood.

• Aaron and Ingvar led a mixed squad through Utgarde Keep and defeated Ymiron while Annhylde watched.
• Annhylde resurrected Ymiron for the Lich King, despite his protests, and Xal'atath blocked her as she tried to leave.
• Xal'atath used her power to transform Annhylde into a golden Val'kyr and recruited her to serve a new master.
• After an unexplained interruption left Xal'atath irritated, Annhylde entered Aaron's body and headed for the Halls of Valor.
• Xal'atath recruited the undead Ingvar, then returned to Aaron's mind without explaining her mood.

After defeating Ymiron, Aaron claimed Utgarde Keep and the Dragonflayer Clan’s hoard, then made the fortress the expedition’s new base. With the castle secured and the expedition occupied with repairs and recovery, Aaron flew toward Dragonblight with a group of curious companions.

• Liadrin asked Aaron to let her people keep a chest of treasure, and Aaron realized the conquered keep and its wealth could belong to him.
• Aaron arranged to take the Dragonflayer Clan’s riches while giving some to the Vrykul who had left the clan and joined Ygrim.
• Aaron organized the expedition to burn the undead Vrykul corpses and sent scouts to Jotunheim, where they found the Dragonflayer Clan gone.
• Aaron moved the expedition into Utgarde Keep, whose defenses were repaired and restored over the next few days.
• Aaron buried Ymiron’s last weapon near the castle, then resumed plans to travel to Dragonblight.
• Aaron flew toward Dragonblight with a group of idle companions while the rest of the expedition rested, trained, or explored the keep.

Aaron and Kael'thas traveled toward Wyrmrest Temple, where Stellagosa felt an unexplained call and Aaron revealed she was a blue dragon. A red dragon named Keristrasza arrived to summon her father, and Kael'thas learned that Krasus was actually a dragon, leaving him to wonder why Krasus had tolerated his insults.

• Kael'thas asked Aaron how he knew their destination was Dragonblight, while dwarves from the Explorers' League mapped the Dreadwake's route.
• Stellagosa told Aaron she felt something calling to her as they approached Wyrmrest Temple, and Aaron confirmed to Kael'thas that she was a dragon.
• Aaron stopped the Dreadwake to avoid colliding with a red dragon, who identified herself as Keristrasza and flew off to fetch her father.
• Kael'thas realized Keristrasza was Krasus's daughter and asked whether Krasus was a dragon; Aaron confirmed it.
• Kael'thas recalled calling dragons beasts to Krasus's face and wondered if Krasus's good temper had stopped him from fighting.

Aaron and the others met Krasus on the way to Wyrmrest Temple, where he discovered that Stellagosa belonged to a much larger blue dragon community than he had known. Stellagosa remained inexplicably sad as Krasus led the group toward the temple.

• Krasus returned with Keristrasza and greeted Aaron, then reacted with surprise to finding Kael'thas aboard the Dreadwake.
• Vereesa told Aaron that Stellagosa was feeling worse, and Aaron brought her out to meet Krasus.
• Stellagosa told Krasus that she had always lived in the Azurewing Whelplands and that several dozen blue dragons lived there.
• Aaron mentioned Senegos, and Stellagosa explained that the blue dragon was her grandfather and was alive thanks to Aaron's help.
• Krasus led the group toward Wyrmrest Temple while Aaron steered the Dreadwake after him.

As the Dreadwake approached Wyrmrest Temple, Stellagosa’s mysterious call grew stronger, and Krasus suggested it might be connected to the Azure Dragonshrine. Aaron brought the group to the temple to seek help, where they saw the young red dragons rescued from Grim Batol before Krasus teased Kael’thas about the structure.

• Stellagosa told Aaron that the strange feeling had grown clearer and stronger as they traveled north, but she could not identify its source.
• Krasus guessed that the Azure Dragonshrine’s connection to the Blue Dragonflight might be causing Stellagosa’s feelings, and Aaron decided to visit Wyrmrest Temple for help.
• Aaron noticed that many of the young red dragons guarding the temple were the impaired dragons Alexstrasza had brought back from Grim Batol, and Krasus confirmed it.
• Kael’thas hoped the young dragons would not be used for evil again, though he understood they had been controlled and could not fairly be blamed.
• After Aaron led the group beneath Wyrmrest Temple, Krasus teased Kael’thas by asking whether it looked like a beast’s den, and Aaron interrupted their awkward exchange to ask if the queen was inside.

Aaron brought Stellagosa to Wyrmrest Temple and learned that Kalecgos sensed a mysterious call from Icecrown Glacier. Aaron recognized that Sindragosa's body lay there and warned Krasus that the situation was serious, leaving them needing to alert Alexstrasza.

• Aaron asked Krasus about Alexstrasza and learned she was resting on the temple's top level.
• Aaron told Krasus that Northrend's wider problems might require the Queen's help and asked him to find a blue dragon to examine Stellagosa.
• Krasus summoned Kalecgos, who said he had also sensed a mysterious call and located it near Icecrown Glacier.
• Kalecgos ruled out Galakrond's grave, and Aaron identified Sindragosa's body as the likely source of the danger.
• Aaron told Krasus that Alexstrasza needed to hear about the discovery, and Krasus agreed the situation was serious.

Balnazzar and Varimathras supervised the excavation of Sindragosa’s remains on Icecrown Glacier, following Ner’zhul’s plans based on advice from the Infinite Dragonflight. They resumed patrolling the site, unaware that Sindragosa’s resentment had summoned unexpected enemies.

• Balnazzar and Varimathras complained about having to oversee undead workers excavating Sindragosa’s corpse.
• Varimathras mocked Ner’zhul for trusting Kil’jaeden’s promise, while Balnazzar warned that Ner’zhul might have hidden plans.
• Balnazzar explained that the Infinite Dragonflight had advised Ner’zhul to excavate Sindragosa and had offered other suggestions to strengthen his forces.
• Balnazzar and Varimathras argued over their failed attempt to detain the dragons, then abandoned the quarrel and took to the air to patrol the site.
• The Dreadlords remained unaware that resentment from Sindragosa’s remains had summoned unexpected enemies.

Aaron met Chromie at Wyrmrest Temple and tried to learn how Malygos recovered from his madness and why the Infinite Dragonflight held a grudge against him, but she refused to explain. After Krasus informed Alexstrasza about Sindragosa, the Red Dragon Queen decided to retrieve her body from Icecrown Glacier.

• Aaron wondered how Malygos had recovered from his madness and realized he could ask Chromie.
• Aaron asked Chromie about Malygos and the Infinite Dragonflight’s grudge, but she refused to reveal the answers.
• Krasus returned with Alexstrasza, who asked Aaron whether Sindragosa was at Icecrown Glacier.
• After discussing the report with Aaron, Alexstrasza decided they needed to retrieve Sindragosa’s remains.

Aaron and the dragons flew to Icecrown Glacier to investigate Sindragosa’s corpse, while Aaron explained how an arcane disaster had crystallized Crystalsong Forest. They found the Scourge’s death-tainted influence on the land and caught Varimathras and Balnazzar overseeing the excavation, leaving the Dreadlords surrounded by dragons.

• Aaron told Stellagosa how the Highborne of Shandaral provoked the Blue Dragonflight and triggered the arcane eruption that crystallized Crystalsong Forest.
• The scouting party reached Icecrown Glacier, where Keristrasza and Kalecgos noticed the land’s death-tainted condition and growing magical sensation.
• Varimathras and Balnazzar spotted the approaching dragons and tried to leave the excavation site.
• The dragons struck Varimathras and Balnazzar with dragon breath and surrounded them.

Aaron and the dragons intercepted the Dreadlords Balnazzar and Varimathras while they investigated undead digging up Sindragosa’s corpse. Balnazzar escaped toward Icecrown Citadel, and as Aaron questioned the captured Varimathras, a horde of undead advanced on them.

• Aaron had the dragons force Balnazzar and Varimathras to land, then questioned them about their names and what they were doing.
• Balnazzar and Varimathras attacked Aaron with fel magic and summoned an Infernal, but Aaron’s golden shield blocked their first strikes.
• The dragons struck Varimathras down, while Balnazzar escaped toward Icecrown Citadel; Chromie helped Aaron destroy the Infernal.
• Aaron questioned the restrained Varimathras about the undead digging up Sindragosa’s corpse, but Varimathras blamed Ner'zhul.
• Aaron sensed an unseen threat, put on his armor, and saw the gathered undead surge toward them.

Aaron fought the Scourge troops at Icecrown Glacier while Varimathras escaped, then a violent collapse beneath the ice revealed Sindragosa. The chapter ended with Sindragosa roaring her hatred for Malygos and Neltharion.

• Aaron told the dragons to kill Varimathras, but the Dreadlord escaped by scattering into bats and fled toward Icecrown Citadel.
• Aaron fought the Scourge army and found its soldiers sluggish and vulnerable to the Holy Light, so he joined the dragons in clearing them away.
• The ground began to shake, and Kalecgos carried Aaron into the air as the ice field cracked and collapsed.
• Sindragosa emerged from beneath the ice and roared that Malygos and Neltharion would both die.

Krasus, Itharius, and Kael'thas watched as Sindragosa emerged from the ice and recognized signs of necromancy. Sindragosa resisted Ner'zhul's attempt to control her, while her presence overwhelmed Stellagosa and Kalecgos, and she flew toward Coldarra with Aaron fearing she was heading toward Ner'zhul.

• Krasus secretly brought Itharius and Kael'thas to watch over Aaron's group as Sindragosa rose from the ice.
• Kael'thas identified Sindragosa's condition as resembling necromancy, and Krasus and Itharius considered whether they could defeat her.
• Sindragosa cursed Malfurion and resisted Ner'zhul, who was trying to make her submit from Icecrown Citadel.
• Aaron realized Sindragosa's presence was affecting Stellagosa and Kalecgos and prepared to get them away from danger.
• Sindragosa broke free, flew toward Coldarra to seek Malygos, and Aaron feared she was flying toward Ner'zhul.

Aaron watched as Sindragosa flew toward Coldarra and neared the Lich King's influence, while Xal'atath intervened to restore her free will. Sindragosa escaped Ner'zhul's control, but Xal'atath had intensified her hatred of Malygos.

• Sindragosa flew toward Coldarra, passing closer to Icecrown Citadel as Ner'zhul's influence made her increasingly confused.
• Aaron asked Xal'atath to save Sindragosa, and Xal'atath decided to awaken her free will.
• Xal'atath touched Sindragosa's forehead, freeing her soul from Ner'zhul's influence and allowing her to fly strongly toward Coldarra.
• Itharius, Kael'thas, and Krasus discussed the change in Sindragosa, while Kael'thas recognized that Xal'atath had used necromancy.
• Xal'atath told Aaron she had strengthened Sindragosa's hatred of Malygos to stir her emotions.