World of Warcraft
Most WoW players know the Valley of Heroes in Stormwind. It’s that majestic bridge you walk across to enter the city. Massive stone statues tower over you on both sides, staring eternally toward the city gates. General Turalyon, Alleria Windrunner, Archmage Khadgar, Kurdran Wildhammer, and Danath Trollbane.
For years, millions of players walked past them without knowing their true story. Most probably assume these heroes died a long time ago in some forgotten battle. No, they are pretty much alive and still kicking. These are great heroes and did things no one else dared to do. They walked into hellfire (literally) so we wouldn’t have to.
This is the story of the Alliance Expedition, the reopening of the Dark Portal, and the beginning of the end for Draenor. Before the floating islands of Nagrand and the shattered ruins of Hellfire existed, there was a desperate mission to save Azeroth one last time. (One last time they said.)
The Dark Portal Reopens
It had been two years since the Second War ended. The Horde was defeated, Orgrim Doomhammer was in chains, and the Dark Portal had been destroyed. The people of Azeroth finally slept soundly, believing the nightmare was over. (It was not over, as always…)
On the other side of the rift, in the dying world of Draenor, the elder shaman Ner’zhul (who would later become the first Lich King) had taken control of the Horde. But Ner’zhul was different from his predecessors. He wasn’t in it to conquer Azeroth. He was terrified of the Burning Legion coming to claim his soul. He wanted to escape.
His plan was insane, open countless portals to new, unspoiled worlds and lead the Orcs to a new home. But to tear reality apart and open that many gateways, he needed immense power. He needed specific artifacts from Azeroth: The Skull of Gul’dan, The Book of Medivh, The Scepter of Sargeras, The Eye of Dalaran.
When the Dark Portal flared to life again with red lightning, it wasn’t an invasion force this time. It was a heist crew of orcs. Led by Teron Gorefiend, they infiltrated the Royal Library of Stormwind for the Book, breached the vaults of Dalaran for the Eye, and raided the Tomb of Sargeras for the Scepter. They attacked Nethergarde Keep, distracted the alliance, stole the artifacts in the meantime, and fled back to Draenor before the Alliance could react. King Terenas Menethil II knew they couldn’t keep defending the orc attacks. They had to go on offence.
Sons of Lothar, The Dream Team
To stop the Horde once and for all, the Alliance assembled the greatest strike team in history. They called themselves the Sons of Lothar, in honor of Anduin Lothar, the Lion of Azeroth, who had fallen in the previous war. (Slain by Orgrim Doomhammer in combat.)
Let’s look at the roster of this suicide squad:
High General Turalyon: A Paladin struggling with his faith but wielding immense holy power. He carried Lothar’s broken sword and the weight of the entire Alliance on his shoulders. The leader of the group.
Alleria Windrunner: The Ranger Captain of Silvermoon. Unlike Turalyon, she wasn’t driven by duty, but by a cold, burning hatred. The Orcs had killed her younger brother, and she had sworn to hunt them to extinction.
Archmage Khadgar: Though young in age, he was cursed by Medivh to have the body of an old man. He was the tactician, the only one who understood the magical threat Ner’zhul posed.
Danath Trollbane: The warrior prince of Stromgarde. A seasoned veteran who represented the raw martial strength of humanity.
Kurdran Wildhammer: The Dwarf Gryphon Rider. Loud, boisterous, and eager to smash heads with his stormhammer while riding his gryphon, Sky’ree.
These heroes would go down in history for their acts of bravery and make a name for themselves.
Stepping into Hellfire
Leading an entire army, these five heroes marched through the Dark Portal.
Leaving the lush green forests and blue skies of Azeroth, and stepping out onto the cracked, red earth of the Tanaan Peninsula. It wasn’t the shattered floating rock we know today yet, but it was already dying. The orc warlocks had drained the life from the jungle, turning it into a wasteland similar to the Hellfire Peninsula we know now. The sky was a swirling, sickly void. The air smelled of sulfur. Giant spires of jagged rock and roads paved with bones dominated the landscape.
They were immediately greeted by the Bonechewer and Bleeding Hollow clans. The battles were brutal. The Alliance had to establish a foothold quickly, constructing the fortress of Honor Hold. It stands to this day in The Burning Crusade, a testament to their stubborn refusal to die. Even the background music in that place is bittersweet, making it a lament for the dead.
The Hunt for Artifacts
The Expedition realized that Ner’zhul had already split his forces to gather the artifacts for his ritual. The Sons of Lothar had to split up to hunt them down.
This led to a chase across the continent, from the black temples of Shadowmoon to the jagged peaks of Blade’s Edge. Danath and Kurdran led forces south to Auchindoun to intercept the Bleeding Hollow clan.
But the most terrifying encounter happened when Khadgar, Turalyon and Alleria cornered the courier carrying the Skull of Gul’dan. They were probably expecting an orc. Instead, they found a Dragon Aspect.
Khadgar vs. Deathwing
Yes, Deathwing was there. Surprising isnt it? The corrupted Black Dragon Aspect had made a deal with Ner’zhul. He would let the Horde use his black dragons as mounts, and in exchange, he could safely hide his eggs (which would later become the Netherwing flight) on Draenor.
In the Blade’s Edge Mountains, Turalyon and Khadgar stood face to face with the Destroyer. A mortal mage fighting a Dragon Aspect sounds like suicide. Deathwing mocked them, preparing to incinerate the entire army.
But Khadgar, the absolute madman, realized he couldn’t kill Deathwing with fire or ice. He had to use physics. He cast a simple transmutation spell, not on the dragon, but on the adamantium plates bolted to Deathwing’s skin to hold his unstable body together. Khadgar simply loosened the bolts.
The pain was unimaginable. Deathwing’s body began to tear itself apart from the inside. Roaring in agony and humiliation, the invincible dragon was forced to drop the Skull of Gul’dan and flee into the sky. It was a moment that proved the Sons of Lothar were legends capable of defying gods.
The Stage is Set
Despite their victory against Deathwing, time was running out. Ner’zhul had gathered the other artifacts and retreated to his fortress, the Black Temple (once the holy temple of Karabor).
The constellations over Draenor were shifting. The fabric of reality was thinning. Ner’zhul was preparing a ritual that would shatter the world.
Turalyon gathered his exhausted troops at Honor Hold. He looked at Alleria, Khadgar, Danath, and Kurdran. They knew the next battle would likely be their last. They were fighting to stop the annihilation of two worlds.
The Sons of Lothar marched toward Shadowmoon Valley, into the darkness, unaware that they would never see Azeroth again.
