Chapter Summaries

Aaron escaped from the Val'kyr village with the Frost Giant Yamierde after Xal'atath sent a signal. As the Val'kyr pursued them, Aaron spotted a golden Val'kyr secretly attacking the others with runes.

• Aaron quietly cut through his ropes and waited for Xal'atath's signal while pretending to remain bound.
• After seeing Sargeras's Holy Light signal, Aaron freed Yamierde, a Frost Giant prisoner, and ran for the village gate.
• Yamierde knocked aside several Val'kyr with a log and followed Aaron instead of fleeing east toward Dun Niffelem.
• Aaron and Yamierde fled together as several Val'kyr pursued them, but Yamierde noticed the pursuers were fighting among themselves.
• Aaron stopped and recognized that a golden Val'kyr was secretly casting golden runes on the others.

Aaron learned that Ner’zhul’s ritual was converting abducted Frost Vrykul into Val’kyr, adding to Loken’s forces, and resolved to stop the process by taking Valkyrion. After capturing the village, Aaron examined the conversion pool as he prepared to clear the route to Ulduar and seek the frost giants’ help in rescuing Hodir.

• Xal'atath told Aaron that many of Valkyrion’s Val’kyr had been converted from abducted Frost Vrykul, who showed no resistance, suggesting Ner’zhul had altered the ritual to control them.
• Aaron told Yamierde he intended to attack Ulduar, and Yamierde pledged the frost giants’ aid if Aaron could persuade Thorim to end their war.
• Aaron decided to seek Archaedas’s help with Thorim and identified Valkyrion as an obstacle that needed to be cleared before the expedition could advance.
• Aaron returned Anmilde to the expeditionary camp, then led the rested force in an assault on Valkyrion while ordering that the Val’kyr be captured alive when possible.
• Aaron found Valkyrion surprisingly easy to capture and went to inspect the Val’kyr conversion pool.

After securing Valkyrion, Aaron’s expeditionary force destroyed the runes linked to Ner’zhul and recruited the captured Val’kyr. The force advanced into the Snowdrift Plains, where Lord Itharius reported finding traces of Iron Dwarves.

• Xal'atath explained how she had lured the Val’kyr away from Valkyrion, while Aaron warned that their arrival had exposed the expedition to Loken.
• Aaron and Kael'thas investigated the strange pool, and the Earthen later drained it to reveal a death-magic circle that Aaron destroyed.
• Annhylde and Aradne arrived from Sholazar Basin, and Xal'atath turned the captured Val’kyr to their side in three days.
• Aaron led the expeditionary force from ruined Valkyrion into the Snowdrift Plains, where they found no resistance along the way.
• Lord Itharius landed before Aaron and reported traces of Iron Dwarves in the plains.

Aaron led the expedition into battle against the Iron Legion on the Snowdrift Plains, where the two armies clashed in a fierce contest. After the expedition’s defensive line stabilized and cannon fire proved ineffective, Aaron focused on the flaming giant leading the enemy.

• Itharius reported signs of the Iron Legion, and rangers soon spotted its vanguard approaching the temporary camp.
• Aaron ordered the expedition out of camp and arranged its forces in a defensive formation, with Vrykul shield-bearers at the center and dragons guarding the air.
• The Iron Legion charged and drove the Vrykul line backward until the defenders absorbed the impact and stabilized.
• Aaron fired the Dreadwake’s cannons into the enemy ranks, but the Iron Legion’s defenses and numbers limited the damage.
• Aaron decided to target the Iron Legion’s leader and fixed his gaze on a flame-wreathed giant.

Aaron and Archaedas fought Ignis and his flaming iron golems on the expeditionary force's front line. They destroyed the golems and brought Ignis down, though he insisted his master would still triumph.

• Ignis led flaming iron golems against the Vrykul defensive line and hurled fire-filled canisters at the defenders.
• Archaedas recognized Ignis as Loken's former right-hand man and fought to keep him from breaking through the line.
• Ignis trapped Archaedas amid flames while his iron golems pressed the attack.
• Aaron joined Archaedas, used Frostmourne to freeze and shatter the golems, and urged Archaedas to finish Ignis.
• Ignis attacked Aaron, but Archaedas blocked him as Aaron drove Frostmourne into the back of his neck and struck its pommel with the Silver Hand.
• Frost spread through Ignis as his flames died, and he fell, warning Aaron that his master would still triumph.

After Ursoc and Bolvar’s Stormwind Proto-Dragon riders joined the battle, the expeditionary army gained the advantage over the Iron Legion. The fighting stopped when a deep voice declared that Archaedas’s counterattack would end there.

• Aaron learned that the Iron Council, not Ignis, commanded the Iron Legion, and the legion quickly filled the gap left by Ignis’s death.
• Aaron sent the Vrykul Proto-Dragon riders and dragons into battle, but the Iron Legion’s riders intercepted them and the fighting settled into a stalemate.
• As the expeditionary army tired and the Iron Legion began to gain ground, Ursoc appeared and struck the iron constructs.
• Bolvar arrived from the north with Stormwind City’s Proto-Dragon riders, whose coordinated attacks disrupted the Iron Legion’s formations.
• The arrival of Ursoc and Bolvar’s riders turned the battle in the expeditionary army’s favor, but a resonant voice announced that Archaedas’s counterattack would end there.

Loken appeared on the battlefield and challenged Archaedas and Aaron, revealing his allegiance to Yogg-Saron and his vision of Azeroth’s dark future. Aaron fought him to uncover runes on the Radiant Set, but Loken shattered the armor and knocked him down before turning to face Archaedas.

• Loken appeared among the iron constructs and urged Archaedas to turn back, then called for Tyr to show himself.
• Aaron handed temporary command of the battle to Bolvar and flew down to confront Loken with Tyr’s shield and warhammer.
• Loken recognized Tyr’s weapons and guessed that Tyr had chosen Aaron as his successor; Archaedas then joined Aaron against Loken.
• Loken blasted Archaedas away with lightning and fought Aaron, whose Radiant Set revealed familiar runes as it absorbed the attack.
• Loken’s lightning shattered the Radiant Set, and he struck Aaron down before turning to attack Archaedas.
• Archaedas charged Loken while Ursoc fought through the iron constructs to reach them.

Aaron transformed into a silver rock giant and joined Archaedas against Loken, turning the battle against him. Loken escaped on Razorscale after Aaron reverted to human form and threw Frostmourne at him, leaving Aaron completely exhausted.

• Archaedas realized Loken meant to capture him and prepared to self-destruct rather than become an Old God servant.
• Aaron emerged from the crater transformed into a silver rock giant, and Loken mistook him for Tyr before recognizing him.
• Aaron blocked Loken's lightning and fought him alongside Archaedas, forcing Loken onto the defensive.
• As Ursoc and the dragons converged, Loken summoned Razorscale and tried to flee.
• Aaron reverted to human form, seized Frostmourne, and struck Loken's shoulder as he escaped toward Ulduar; Aaron was left drained of strength.

After defeating Loken’s forces, Aaron and Archaedas hurried to the Temple of Storms to warn Thorim that Loken might target him next. Thorim welcomed them, and Aaron came face-to-face with the Stormlord.

• Aaron traced a rune that transformed him into a powerful stone giant, forcing Loken to flee when the battle turned against him.
• The Iron Legion lost morale and retreated, while Aaron ordered the expeditionary force not to pursue too far.
• Aaron and Archaedas decided to visit Thorim because Loken might attack him after his defeat.
• The Frost Vrykul recognized Archaedas and escorted him and Aaron into the Temple of Storms after Thorim gave permission.
• Thorim rose from his throne and welcomed Aaron as the successor of Tyr.

Archaedas showed Thorim a recording proving that Loken had killed Sif and framed the Frost Giants, prompting Thorim to end the war and join the campaign against Loken. The expedition began gathering support at its camp, while Archaedas traveled to seek the Frost Giants’ aid.

• Archaedas showed Thorim a Disc of Norgannon recording of Loken killing Sif, revealing that Loken had blamed the Frost Giants.
• Thorim ordered the Frost Vrykul to stop fighting the Frost Giants and prepare to march on Ulduar.
• Archaedas rode to Dun Niffelem to ask the Frost Giants to join the battle against Loken.
• Thorim followed Aaron to the expedition’s camp and told Vereesa that Mimiron could adjust the Titans’ Strike after Ulduar was reclaimed.
• Two days later, Frost Vrykul began arriving at the camp on Proto-Dragons.

Thorim’s Frost Vrykul joined Aaron’s expedition as it advanced toward Ulduar and attacked the Iron Dwarves guarding the Engine of the Makers. Their swift victory led Aaron to suspect that Loken had abandoned the facility’s defenses and gathered his main forces inside Ulduar.

• Thorim arrived with Frost Vrykul riding Proto-Dragons and more than a hundred Storm Giants, making the nervous Yamierde retreat from them.
• Aaron ordered the expeditionary army to continue toward Ulduar after Thorim’s followers joined.
• The Frost Vrykul spotted the Iron Dwarves’ defensive lines near the Engine of the Makers and charged without waiting for the expeditionary army to intervene.
• The Frost Vrykul flew behind the Iron Dwarves’ defenses and routed them while Aaron watched.
• Aaron told Vereesa that the easy victory suggested Loken had abandoned the area and concentrated his main forces in Ulduar.

Aaron’s expedition reached the canyon barring the direct route to Ulduar, where the collapsed roadway left them without an obvious safe crossing. Archaedas, Ironaya, and Thorim identified another route, and Aaron found a narrow passage near Ulduar’s southwestern corner.

• Worried that Loken could use the Forge of Wills to build an overwhelming army, Aaron ordered the expedition to advance toward Ulduar.
• Archaedas persuaded the Frost Giants from Dun Niffelem to join the expedition, and Thorim restrained his Frost Vrykul followers from clashing with them.
• Aaron assigned the Frost Giants and Frost Vrykul to opposite flanks before the vanguard reached the deep canyon separating Ulduar from the Storm Peaks.
• Archaedas told Aaron that rebuilding the fallen roadway would take years, so Aaron searched for a safe route across the canyon.
• Archaedas, Ironaya, and Thorim pointed out another route, and Aaron piloted the Dreadwake to Ulduar’s southwestern corner, where he found a barely passable passage.

Aaron and Archaedas reached the Temple of Wisdom and discovered Mimiron's workshop nearby, where the remaining Mechagnomes agreed to support their attack on Ulduar. After the Earthen finished building steps to the temple, they reported a troubling situation at its summit.

• Aaron piloted the Dreadwake to the Temple of Wisdom, and the Earthen built steps to reach it from the Storm Peaks side.
• Archaedas explained that the temple belonged to Loken and that the nearby structure was Mimiron's workshop.
• Aaron and Archaedas met the Mechagnomes guarding the workshop and learned they had maintained its machines while warning others away from Ulduar.
• The Mechagnomes offered their best machines and sent half their number to join Archaedas's expeditionary force.
• An Earthen reported a problem at the Temple of Wisdom, and Aaron and Archaedas hurried to its summit, where twisted vines surrounded the pillars.

Aaron and the expedition reached the Temple of Wisdom, where they destroyed mind-affecting vines connected to Yogg-Saron and discovered Loken’s old writings about his corruption. The expedition gathered to plan its assault on Ulduar, though Loken’s defenses remained unknown.

• Aaron recognized that the vines around the Temple of Wisdom resembled those found in Azjol-Nerub and burned them away with the Holy Light.
• Vereesa found runes near the throne, and Archaedas translated Loken’s notes describing his nightmares, his feelings for Sif, and his eventual descent into corruption.
• Archaedas regretted failing to notice Loken’s corruption sooner and struck the stone throne in grief.
• Aaron gathered the expedition’s commanders to plan an attack on Ulduar using maps from the Keepers, but they could not scout its defenses from the air.

Aaron and the commanders decided to clear two buildings guarding Ulduar before launching their main attack, splitting their forces to prevent an enemy assault on their rear. Aaron led one group toward the western building containing the Forge of Wills, where Brann accidentally opened its doors and alerted the enemy.

• Archaedas warned that Loken could have troops stationed in the two buildings guarding Ulduar, and Aaron proposed taking them first.
• Halduron, Liadrin, Kael'thas, and Brann agreed to follow Aaron's plan, while the commanders settled on attacking both buildings before regrouping outside Ulduar.
• Archaedas and Thorim led the Titan-forged toward eastern Ulduar, while Aaron divided the remaining forces and left half to guard Ulduar's main gates.
• Aaron took the rest of the expeditionary force to the western circular building, which housed the Forge of Wills, and ordered the troops to rest before attacking.
• Brann examined the building's doors and accidentally opened them, prompting Aaron to raise his shield and call the expeditionary soldiers forward as heavy footsteps approached.

Aaron's expeditionary force fought through Stormforged Vrykul and reached a junction in the Halls of Stone, where Aaron remembered they needed to take the right-hand passage before opening the door to Sjonnir. The door opened on its own anyway, and a Stormforging Giant emerged to confront them.

• Vereesa spotted Stormforged Vrykul approaching, and Aaron's expeditionary force formed ranks and fought them in the narrow passage.
• The expeditionary force defeated the Stormforged Vrykul and advanced to a junction with a sealed stone door and a passage to the right.
• Brann approached the door, but Aaron stopped him; Kael'thas detected that its pedestal was connected to the right-hand passage.
• Aaron remembered they needed to go right before opening the door to Sjonnir, but the door began opening without anyone touching it.
• A Stormforging Giant emerged from the door and roared at the expeditionary force.

Aaron and his companions were trapped by Sjonnir in the Halls of Stone, where he used the Forge of Wills to create an endless stream of Iron Vrykul. Brann stopped the Iron Vrykul production, but the Forge began producing Earthen instead, and Sjonnir was killed as his forces fell.

• Sjonnir trapped Aaron, Vereesa, and several Paladins behind a sealed stone door and attacked them with Iron Vrykul.
• Vereesa spotted iron-gray ooze forming into new Iron Vrykul, and Aaron realized they needed to stop the machine behind Sjonnir.
• Aaron used Avatar to smash through the Iron Vrykul blockade and sent Brann to operate the control console while he and Vereesa kept the enemies back.
• Brann figured out the console and stopped the production of Iron Vrykul, but the Forge of Wills began producing Earthen that attacked them.
• The Earthen and Aaron's group overwhelmed the Iron Vrykul, and Sjonnir died after failing to reach the console.

Aaron’s expedition reached the Tribunal of Ages, where Brann activated the chamber’s defenses and became trapped inside. Aaron and Vereesa pushed through the deadly beams to reach him, and Brann finally shut down the security system.

• Aaron had Brann shut down the Forge of Wills, then sent Xal'atath outside with the Earthen who followed her while the expedition continued exploring the Halls of Stone.
• After clearing hundreds of Iron Legion members, Aaron led the expedition to the Tribunal of Ages and recognized its three enormous stone statues.
• Brann approached the Titan console despite Aaron’s warning, and the statues spoke before firing beams that forced the expedition to retreat.
• Aaron charged back into the chamber to rescue Brann, while Vereesa deftly dodged the beams and followed him.
• Aaron used Truthguard to shield himself and Vereesa as they advanced, and Brann’s laughter rang out after he shut down the security system.

Brann discovered that the Tribunal of Ages was a false archive created by Loken, while Aaron realized Loken still feared the Pantheon and understood why Yogg-Saron remained imprisoned. After clearing the Halls of Stone, Aaron led most of the expedition toward Ulduar to join the other forces and begin their assault.

• Brann shut down the Tribunal of Ages’ defenses and found fabricated records portraying the dwarves as allies of the Old Gods.
• Aaron explained the Pantheon and Khaz'goroth to Brann, then concluded that Loken had built the false archive to hide his transgressions from the Titans.
• Aaron warned Brann to disable the remaining defenses, and Brann recorded the hall without destroying its ancient records.
• Brann led the Explorers' League in documenting the Tribunal of Ages while Aaron's expedition searched the Halls of Stone and found the Maiden of Sorrow.
• Aaron's forces defeated the Maiden of Sorrow, left a small contingent to hold the Halls of Stone, and marched toward Ulduar to join the other expeditions.

Aaron’s expedition entered Ulduar and found the Iron Legion pouring into its forecourt through portals while its flying machines defended the plaza. As the battle intensified, Aaron recognized that the portals had to be shut down and prepared something for Krasus and the dragons.

• Krasus told Aaron that Ulduar’s gate had remained quiet, and Archaedas later joined the expedition after clearing the Halls of Lightning.
• Aaron led the expedition through Ulduar’s gate into the forecourt, where Iron Dwarves, Iron Vrykul, Iron Giants, and flying machines crowded the plaza.
• Archaedas suspected that Mimiron had been corrupted, and Thorim struck down several flying machines with chain lightning.
• Liadrin formed the Blood Knights’ battle lines as the Iron Legion charged, while Thorim and Archaedas helped the expedition hold its ground.
• Aaron decided the spires feeding Iron Dwarves into the plaza had to be shut down, and Krasus agreed to take the dragons after Aaron promised him something useful.