The Third War

[Lilitha]

Prologue

A few years passed since the end of the Second War. Several events had happened since then. The orcs had been freed once again, now led by Warchief Thrall, son of Durotan. The Burning Legion had returned after thousands of years, Stormwind had been rebuilt, and a strange prophet had appeared and told of inevitable doom. No one would have guessed that the crazed prophet spoke the truth. As the Third War unfolded it would not be a war against the races but a war for the survival of Azeroth.

The Third War

Months had gone by since the Scourge began preparation for their attack. It was Kel’thuzad and his Cult of the d**ned that struck the first blow that sparked the Third War. By infecting the grain, they spread the plague throughout the Alliance, granting those that were infected the “gift” of undeath. Uther Lightbringer and his paladins investigated the regions that came into contact with the plague in hopes of finding a way to stop it. Despite his efforts, the plague was spreading too quickly.

Lordaeron was the first human kingdom affected. Prince Arthas, the sole heir to King Terenas, took up the fight against the Scourge. Aided by Jaina Proudmoore, Arthas killed Kel’thuzad. Still the undead ranks bolstered with every soldier that fell protecting their land. Frustrated by the unstoppable Scourge, Arthas took drastic measures to try and conquer them. He was soon warned by one of his captains that the prince was slowly losing his sanity.

His fear and resolve eventually led Arthas’ downfall. He tracked the Scourge’s source to Northrend, intending on putting an end to the threat once and for all. First stepping foot into the frozen wastes, Arthas came across a lost Dwarven Expedition force and his old friend Muradin Bronzebeard. Falling to the Lich King’s power, Arthas searched for Frostmourne, the cursed runeblade. Sacrificing Muradin and his own soul, Arthas took up the blade, thinking it would save his lost kingdom. The sword did give him the power he sought, but the Frostmourne transformed him into the most powerful Death Knight of the Scourge. His soul gone, his sanity shattered, Prince Arthas led the Scourge against his home. After murdering his father, Arthas destroyed Lordaeron and took the title of king under Ner’zhul’s command.

Arthas had now defeated everyone that he had seen as enemies, but now the ghost of Kel’thuzad haunted him. The ghost spoke to Arthas and told him that he needed to be revived in order to start the next phase of the Lich King’s plan. To revive Kel’thuzad, Arthas gathered his remains and placed them in his father’s urn, slaying Uther and the Knights of the Silverhand in the process. Afterwards, Kel’thuzad needed to be submerged into the Sunwell that was in the heart of Quel’thalas.

Led by Arthas, the Scourge invaded Quel’thalas, leaving nothing but chaos and destruction in his wake. Sylvanas Windrunner, Ranger General of Silvermoon, gave Arthas quite a fight. Eventually the elven army was eradicated and the Sunwell was open for the taking. As a cruel gesture of his domination, Arthas raised the corpse of Sylvanas as a banshee and cursed her to undeath in the service of her conqueror.

Kel’thuzad’s remains were bathed in the Sunwell. The potent waters of Eternity were corrupted by this act though it still allowed him to be reborn as a Lich. Resurrected, the new Lich explained the next phase of the plan. By the time the Scourge left Silvermoon not one living thing remained. After reigning for more than nine thousand years, Quel’thalas was gone.

Now the Scourge marched for Dalaran. There Kel’thuzad would obtain the Book of Medivh and use it summon Archimonde. The Kirin Tor wizards could not match the strength of the Scourge nor stop them from stealing the book. It had been ten thousand years since Archimonde had seen Azeroth and here he was at a second attempt to destroy. Dalaran was not the final destination. Under orders of Kil’jaeden, Archimonde led the Scourge to Kalimdor where they would destroy the World Tree, Nordrassil.

Through the chaos, a prophet appeared to lend the mortal races guidance. This prophet was Medivh, the Last Guardian, returning from the Nether for redemption. Medivh told both the Alliance and the Horde about what was to come and the only way to survive was to band together. In the end, he had to deal with each side individually, leading them across the seas to Kalimdor. Both orcs and humans soon encountered the Kaldorei, or the Night Elves.

Starting across the Barrens, Thrall and the Horde encountered many problems. Cairne Bloodhoof and the tauren joined Thrall after he aided them on their journey through Kalimdor. Slowly the orcs began to succumb to the demonic bloodlust that had plagued their people for years. Grom Hellscream, a long time hero of the Horde, betrayed his brethren and sacrificed himself to the demon, Mannoroth. The Warsong Clan followed their chieftain in an attempt to defeat the Night Elf Sentinels and their demigod, Cenarius. Hellscream and his Clan easily triumphed over the guardians and corrupted the land with the demon’s blood. Though they had claimed victory, the Warsong Clan was now eternally bound to Mannoroth. After a fierce battle between the tainted orcs and the brute force of the Horde, the Warsongs were freed again. Hellscream, seeking to redeem what he had done, aided Thrall in slaying Mannoroth. When the Demon Lord was defeated by Grom’s axe the blood-curse was lifted from all orcs and at a single cost: The life of Grom Hellscream.

While Medivh weaved the humans and orcs into an alliance, the Night Elves fought the Legion in their own secretive ways. Tyrande Whisperwind, the High Priestess of the Night Elves, fought desperately to protect Ashenvale from the demons and the undead. Realizing that they needed help, she set out to awaken the Ancients and the Druids from their sleep. Her love, Malfurion Stormrage, was the first and most powerful druid that awoke to fight the Legion. Nature herself rose to his call to vanquish the Legion and the Scourge.

Malfurion and Tyrande soon began searching for the remainder of the hibernating druids. Traveling deep into an ancient den that kept the druids out of harm’s way, Malfurion found the prison where he had chained his brother for all eternity. Convinced that Illidan had changed, Tyrande fought against the jailors and set him free. The Demon Hunter had not changed, though he did off his aid against the Legion. Soon afterwards, Illidan left to pursue his own interests.

The night elves braced themselves and fought the Burning Legion with grim determination. The Legion had never ceased in its desire for the Well of Eternity, long the source of strength for the World Tree and itself the heart of the night elf kingdom. If their planned assault on the Tree was successful, the demons would literally tear the world apart.

Under Medivh's guidance, Thrall and Jaina Proudmoore realized that they had to put aside their differences. Similarly, the night elves, led by Malfurion and Tyrande, agreed that they must unite if they hoped to defend the World Tree. Unified in purpose, the races of Azeroth worked together to fortify the World Tree's energies. Empowered by the very strength of the world, Malfurion succeeded in unleashing Nordrassil's primal fury, utterly destroying Archimonde and severing the Legion's anchor to the Well of Eternity. The final battle shook the continent of Kalimdor to its roots. Unable to draw power from the Well itself, the Burning Legion crumbled under the combined might of the mortal armies. The forces of Azeroth are victorious.
The War Continues

The Night Elves

After Tyrande had freed Illidan, the Warden Maiev Shadowsong began to pursue the former prisoner. While traveling Azeroth Illidan had gained the allegiance of the Naga, former Night Elves who adapted to underwater life, but they did not stop Maiev. She follows Illidan from Kalimdor to the Tomb of Sargeras, then all the way to Lordaeron. During her chase, she asked for the assistance of Malfurion and Tyrande, but Maiev held a grudge against Tyrande for her actions in releasing Illidan in the first place. Lying to Malfurion about Tyrande’s death, the two successfully prevented Illidan from using the Eye of Sargeras. Maiev’s treachery comes out and the brothers Stormrage joined forces to save their mutual love. Furion then pardoned Illidan, though he did not revoke his exile, and Illidan departs... Maiev still on his heels.

The Blood Elves

When Quel’thalas was destroyed, Prince Kael’thas took command of the remaining elves and renamed them the Blood Elves after their fallen comrades. Originally helping the Alliance, the Blood Elves are imprisoned by a racist Human knight, and eventually rescued by Lady Vashj and her Naga. Vashj then took Kael'thas to Outland, the remnants of the Orc realm Draenor, to meet (and free) their master, Illidan. After fending off Maiev and gaining the allegiance of the native Draenei, Illidan conquers Outland, where he hopes he will be safe from his failure to use the Eye of Sargeras to destroy the Frozen Throne. But his master, Kil'jaeden, catches him. The last moments are lost in memory, but it is said that Illidan renewed his vow to kill the Lich King.

The Scourge and the Forsaken

In the blighted lands of Lordaeron, now known as the Plaguelands, a civil war took place within the Scourge. The Undead forces splintered into three major factions: Arthas and Kel'Thuzad, who are loyal to the Lich King; the Forsaken, led by the Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner; and a third group still loyal to the Burning Legion, led by the Dreadlords who are unaware of the Legion's defeat on Mt. Hyjal. King Arthas began his journey to Northrend to assist the Lich King. While he was away, Sylvanas began a war against the Dreadlords for control of the Plaguelands. In the end, she emerged as the nominal ruler of the Plaguelands. Arthas fought against ancient creatures, Naga and many other things on his way to the Lich King. The Nerubians, large scarab-like creatures that followed the Lich King, aided him on his journey. Only Illidan remained to face him. In a one on one duel, Arthas ascended the Frozen Throne and became one with the Lich King.