Ultimately, Arthas submerged Kel'Thuzad's remains within the holy waters of the Sunwell. Although the potent waters of Eternity were fouled by this act, Kel'Thuzad was reborn as a sorcerous lich. Resurrected as a far more powerful being, Kel'Thuzad explained the next phase of the Lich King's plan. By the time Arthas and his army of the dead turned southward, not one living elf remained in Quel'Thalas. The glorious homeland of the high Elves, which had stood for more than nine thousand years, was no more.

Archimonde's Return and the Flight to Kalimdor

Once Kel'Thuzad was whole again, Arthas led the Scourge south to Dalaran. There the lich would obtain the powerful spellbook of Medivh, and use it to summon Archimonde back into the world. From that point on, Archimonde himself would begin the Legion's final invasion. Not even the wizards of the Kirin Tor could stop Arthas' forces from stealing Medivh's book, and soon Kel'Thuzad had all he needed to perform his spell. After ten thousand years, the mighty demon Archimonde and his host emerged once again upon the world of Azeroth. Yet Dalaran was not their final destination. Under orders from Kil'jaeden himself, Archimonde and his demons followed the Undead Scourge to Kalimdor, bent on destroying Nordrassil, the World Tree.

In the midst of this chaos, a lone, mysterious prophet appeared to lend the mortal races guidance. This prophet proved to be none other than Medivh, the last Guardian, miraculously returned from the Beyond to redeem himself for past sins. Medivh told the Horde and the Alliance of the dangers they faced and urged them to band together. Jaded by generations of hate, the Orcs and Humans would have none of it. Medivh was forced to deal with each race separately, using prophecy and trickery to guide them across the sea to the legendary land of Kalimdor. The Orcs and Humans soon encountered the long-hidden civilization of the Kaldorei.

The Orcs, led by Thrall, suffered a series of setbacks on their journey across Kalimdor's Barrens. Though they befriended Cairne Bloodhoof and his mighty tauren warriors, many Orcs began to succumb to the demonic bloodlust that had plagued them for years. Thrall's greatest lieutenant, Grom Hellscream, even betrayed the Horde by giving himself over to his baser instincts. As Hellscream and his loyal Warsong warriors stalked through the forests of Ashenvale, they clashed with the ancient night elf Sentinels. Certain that the Orcs had returned to their warlike ways, the demigod Cenarius came forth to drive Hellscream and his Orcs back. Yet Hellscream and his Orcs, overcome with supernatural hate and rage, managed to kill Cenarius and corrupt the ancient forestlands. Ultimately, Hellscream redeemed his honor by helping Thrall defeat Mannoroth, the demon lord who first cursed the Orcs with his bloodline of hate and rage. With Mannoroth's death, the Orcs' blood-curse was finally brought to an end

• Sargeras and the Betrayal
• Codex Azeroth
• The Birth of Azeroth
• The Birth of Azeroth 2
• The Sundering of the World
• the centuries passed
• Part II - The Doom of Draenor
• Rise of the Horde
• exiled Frostwolves charged
• Lothar and his warriors
• Part III - The Alliance of Lordaeron
• the wayward orcs
• new Orcish
• The Birth of the Lich King
• The Battle of Grim Batol
• The New Horde
• War of the Spider
• The Forming of the Scourge
• The Alliance Splinters
• Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos
• Archimonde's Return and the Flight to Kalimdo
• The Battle of Mount Hyjal
• Part VI - The Betrayer Ascendant
• Civil War in the Plaguelands
• The Lich King Triumphant
• Old Hatreds -- The Colonization of Kalimdor