While the World Tree Silmalómë remained occupied with affairs on the continent of Valinor, awaiting the awakening of the elves still asleep in the embrace of Lake Cuiviénen, the Keepers continued their duties on Azeroth. They were unaware that far across the reaches of the Great Dark Beyond, a new threat was growing—slowly but surely—lurking in shadows untouched by light.
In a place untouched by starlight or the echoes of time, Sargeras, the titan who had severed all ties with the Pantheon, sat in frozen solitude. He pondered the fate of a universe growing ever more fragile. The fear of void lords who had corrupted the souls of other worlds haunted him, gnawing at every corner of his mind. Doubt and despair crept into his thoughts, eroding the remnants of faith he once held in the order of creation. In that torturous silence, Sargeras reached a grim conclusion: creation was flawed, and the only way to save everything was to purge it in unquenchable fire. Thus began the great and terrifying Burning Crusade.
To realize this Burning Crusade, Sargeras needed a source of power beyond ordinary rage. He knew of only one place that held such destructive potential: Mardum, the World of Banishment. For centuries, it had served as a prison for vengeful demons and uncontrollable fel magic. Their presence had warped the fabric of Mardum's reality, turning it into a nightmare realm filled with distortion and chaos. Waves of fel energy constantly battered the prison walls, bathing the captives in a boiling, raging sea of magic.
Sargeras, having cast aside the last remnants of fear, shattered the prison with unwavering resolve. Demons that had been imprisoned for millennia spilled into the Great Dark Beyond, howling with fury and the thrill of newfound freedom. The explosion of fel magic that followed was so immense, it surpassed even the imagination of the fallen titan. Wild, violent energies engulfed Sargeras's body, surging through his veins, burning his soul to the core. His eyes blazed with blinding emerald fire. Fel volcanoes erupted from his once-noble form, splitting his skin and revealing furnaces of endless hatred.
Yet beneath the monstrous physical transformation, Sargeras's mind remained fixed on a single purpose that consumed all his strength: to prevent the void lords from claiming creation. And for that, life had to be extinguished completely.
By destroying Mardum, Sargeras tore open the boundary between the Great Dark and the Twisting Nether. The rift that formed was not merely a crack—it was a divine wound, etched into reality by a storm of emerald fire. That wound became a silent witness to Sargeras's madness, burning through the weave of existence and remaining as a testament to the destruction he had unleashed upon the universe.
Demons of every shape and size poured into the physical world through the rift, howling in triumph at their long-awaited liberation. Sargeras infused the ravenous horde with his unimaginable power, uniting them in a blaze of fel magic that scorched everything in its path. Though many demons had previously wielded volatile Nether energy, none had ever felt the pure wrath and power now coursing through the demon body of Sargeras. Some creatures grew into massive, terrifying giants. Others felt new cunning and intelligence awaken within them, making them more dangerous than ever before.
At this point, Sargeras had gained deeper insight into the nature of demons, including how to destroy their souls permanently. He offered a simple but absolute pact: fight under his command, or be annihilated without mercy. For the demons, it wasn't a difficult choice. They submitted—not out of fear, but because they sensed a power that promised total annihilation—and they craved it.
To thwart the plans of the void lords, Sargeras unleashed his new army, the Burning Legion, upon countless worlds across the Great Dark. Never before had evil united in such overwhelming numbers. Sargeras wielded power so immense that defiance became impossible. No one dared challenge him. More terrifying still, his followers began to revel in their roles as agents of obliteration, as the right hand of destruction.
The Burning Legion attacked its first world. That world held no slumbering Titan, but had once been governed by the Pantheon. Sargeras's forces incinerated the human civilization that dwelled there, exterminating dozens of living species without mercy. When the constellar assigned by the Pantheon to watch over that world arrived, Sargeras himself descended and destroyed the celestial being, declaring that no power could stand in his way.
Aggramar was the first to realize the death of the constellar. As news of the Burning Legion's cruelty spread like wildfire through ancient forests, he immediately hunted down the demon army without hesitation. He arrived on a world that had just been pillaged, right as the Legion began exploring other regions. Amidst the blazing fires and fractured skies, Aggramar saw their leader: a twisted figure, cloaked in fel magic, radiating an unstoppable aura of destruction. That figure was no stranger—it was his mentor and closest friend, Sargeras.
Aggramar froze, his body paralyzed by indescribable shock. He demanded an explanation from the former champion, hoping that some fragment of sanity still lingered within the titan he once admired. But Sargeras offered no lengthy justification. He simply declared that the Burning Crusade was the only path to purify creation. Anyone who opposed it, he said, would burn in his Legion's fire without mercy.
Realizing that words no longer held power to reach Sargeras's heart, Aggramar challenged him to a one-on-one battle. Before thousands of demon eyes hungry for chaos, the two greatest warriors ever known to the cosmos faced each other. Their clash was not merely a duel—it was a collision of principles, history, and destiny.
Aggramar quickly realized he stood beneath a shadow of unmatched power. Like all titans, he was highly vulnerable to the fel magic coursing through Sargeras's body. The fallen titan's brutal strikes shattered Aggramar's defenses, leaving him staggering in burning pain. In a final, desperate counterattack, Aggramar summoned all his remaining strength and launched a direct blow toward Sargeras.
Their blades met in a thunderclap that fractured dimensions. The explosion of fel and arcane power that followed shook the layers of reality, sending waves of energy sweeping across sky and land. When the storm of magic finally subsided, both titans realized their weapons had been destroyed, their fragments scattered among the ruins of the world.
Grievously wounded and filled with sorrow, Aggramar withdrew from the battle and returned to the remnants of the Pantheon. Disbelief gripped the other titans as they heard what had transpired. The shadow of their most noble warrior falling into darkness shook their faith to its core. They knew such a threat could not be allowed to persist, and though their hearts were heavy, they prepared for war.
Near a world called Nihilam, the combined might of the Pantheon confronted Sargeras and his Burning Legion. Aman'Thul, the high leader of the Pantheon, summoned Sargeras and pleaded with him to end his mad crusade. He spoke of Azeroth, a young world-soul with potential never before witnessed by any titan. This being, he said, was strong enough to defeat the void lords one day. Sargeras listened, but did not waver.
Aggramar, still believing that some glory remained within Sargeras, made one final attempt. He laid down his weapon and approached the titan who had become the symbol of destruction. He reminded Sargeras of their sacred oath, of their glorious battles against demons, and of their promise to protect creation. But Sargeras remained resolute. No words, not even from his beloved protégé, could change his conviction.
With a roar that fused rage and sorrow, Sargeras struck down Aggramar. His shattered fel blade was still strong enough to nearly cleave the titan's body in two. Aggramar's blood and holy light spread across the sky, becoming a symbol of unforgivable betrayal.
Enraged by the unimaginable murder, the Pantheon launched a full-scale assault against Sargeras and his demon forces. Stars withered and died as the battle raged across the cosmos, carving deep wounds into the fabric of reality. Nihilam, later known as the Doomsday World, became distorted by the apocalyptic conflict beyond mortal comprehension.
Though the titans possessed immense power, they could not match Sargeras's strength, now fueled by fel magic. One by one, Pantheon members were destroyed by fel fire that consumed their bodies and souls. To end it all, Sargeras summoned a massive fel storm to devour their entire existence.
But just before the storm reached the defeated titans, Norgannon made one final effort. He bent the raw energies of the universe, weaving a protective shroud around the titans' souls and launched them into the Great Dark. Their spirits shot across the cosmos, while the demonic storm erased the last remnants of their physical forms.
Unaware that the titans' spirits still lived, Sargeras declared the Burning Legion's absolute victory. The Pantheon was gone, and he now held clues about a powerful world-soul named Azeroth and the world tree Silmalorë. Though their existence remained mysterious, Sargeras was certain he would find them before the void lords did.
With his triumph over the Pantheon, Sargeras began deploying more demons to strengthen his army. However, the great battle had revealed a fundamental weakness in the Legion's structure: a lack of strategy. Demons were savage and bloodthirsty, but they lacked tactical intelligence. Many had fallen to the Pantheon not because of their enemies' strength, but due to their own foolishness.
Sargeras needed a commander who was clever and tactical. He found new hope on a world called Argus, home to the eredar—a highly advanced race with extraordinary intelligence. The eredar craved knowledge above all. They believed that by understanding the cosmos, they could shape the universe into a better place.
A triumvirate of leaders ruled the eredar not through power or fear, but through wisdom and deep reflection. Archimonde the mighty had a gift for discovering hidden strength in others. His boldness inspired his people, giving them courage to face challenges. Kil'jaeden, the most brilliant ruler, was a prodigy even among the gifted eredar. He was smart, cunning, and loved solving the cosmos's most complex mysteries. Lastly, Velen, the spiritual heart of the triumvirate, was a tireless peace warrior. His wisdom could soothe conflict and unite scattered souls.
Individually, the three were extraordinary leaders. But together, they formed a synergy that elevated their people to unimaginable heights. And that was what Sargeras saw: the potential to forge an army not only powerful, but also intelligent and organized.
The unity of the mighty eredar was the ideal solution to the fundamental weakness of the Burning Legion. But to recruit them into his dark purpose, Sargeras knew he had to corrupt them completely—not just their bodies, but also the souls and principles they had long upheld. Disguised as a radiant, elegant, and divine figure, he initiated direct communication with the triumvirate of eredar leaders. He did not come as a conqueror, but as a bearer of hope and knowledge.
Sargeras catered to their deepest desires, promising power and insight beyond the limits of any race's understanding. He showed them countless worlds—primitive places they could transform into centers of peace and intellectual thought. He spoke of the potential to reshape the cosmos, not through violence, but through vision and control. He swore to share the deepest secrets of existence, including answers to the fundamental flaw in creation that he believed was the root of all suffering.
In return, the inhabitants of Argus were asked to devote themselves entirely to Sargeras's grand work—a project of cosmic purification that would erase all weakness and imperfection from creation. The offer shook the hearts of Archimonde and Kil'jaeden. They felt honored to be part of such a great endeavor, a mission that seemed noble and full of meaning. But Velen was not convinced. He sensed something unnatural about the being who appeared beautiful and all-knowing. The aura surrounding him was too perfect, too orderly, as if hiding something terrifying beneath its brilliance.
Velen meditated in silence, using an ancient artifact passed down to his race by the holy naaru long before his birth—the ata'mal crystal. Through that sacred relic, he received a horrifying vision of the eredar's future if they followed Sargeras's path. He saw their bodies twisted into grotesque forms, their souls torn and filled with hatred, and their minds controlled by fel power beyond imagination. They would become demons—creatures that knew only destruction and betrayal.
Velen immediately warned his brethren of the vision. But Archimonde and Kil'jaeden rejected his insight. They insisted they intended to accept Sargeras's offer, seeing it as a path to enlightenment. Fearing that his refusal would lead to his death at the hands of the two leaders now under Sargeras's influence, Velen pretended to agree. Though he and Kil'jaeden shared a deep bond of friendship, Velen wasn't sure that connection was strong enough to resist the lure of Sargeras's promises.
Desperate as he watched his people inch closer to ruin, Velen prayed in silence. In those darkest moments, the same being who had given him the terrifying vision reached out again. One of the naaru, K'ure, contacted Velen and offered protection. He was willing to guide Velen and his closest allies to safety, far beyond Sargeras's reach. Filled with new hope, Velen began seeking other eredar he could still trust—those not yet fully ensnared by false promises.
When Sargeras arrived on Argus to eliminate the unsuspecting eredar and cement his dominion, Velen and his followers fled in desperation. They gathered aboard the massive dimensional fortress of the naaru known as the Genedar, and with K'ure's help, they left their homeworld forever. From that moment on, Velen and his followers were known as the draenei—"the exiled ones" who chose hope over destruction.
On Argus, Sargeras twisted the remaining eredar to match his wicked will. Fanatical whispers of fel energy flooded their minds, drowning their ability to think clearly. He injected fel power into their bodies, transforming their forms into terrifying demonic creatures, full of hatred and bloodlust.
Sargeras quickly put his newly corrupted followers to use. The transformed eredar became the primary commanders of the Burning Legion. Kil'jaeden and Archimonde stood out as the most gifted and powerful among them. Sargeras shaped Kil'jaeden's natural cunning and intelligence to fit the Legion's plans. Later known as "The Deceiver," Kil'jaeden was tasked with manipulating mortal civilizations across the physical universe, infiltrating their cultures, and turning them into agents of destruction.
Archimonde, known as "The Defiler," became the primary instrument for driving the demon masses into acts of extreme violence and barbarism. He stirred and suppressed rage within the Legion's servants, turning them into merciless weapons of annihilation.
Under the leadership of the corrupted eredar, the ranks of the Burning Legion swelled with new demonic races gathered from the Twisting Nether and the worlds of the Great Dark. Archimonde empowered the lords of horrific pits and recruited them as living siege engines. They instilled paralyzing fear in all who faced them.
The Mo'arg, a demon race known for their ingenuity and tireless work ethic, became the Legion's chief weapon smiths. They forged fel-infused armaments and constructs to besiege the worlds of the cosmos. Kil'jaeden also brought in succubi—deceptive and manipulative demons—to infiltrate target worlds, gather intelligence, and corrupt social structures from within. The brutal Doomguard, demonic warriors of unmatched strength and cruelty, fought as shock troops, smashing enemy defenses with unstoppable force.
Velen's rejection of Sargeras's grand vision and his escape from Argus ignited an unquenchable fury within Kil'jaeden. The Deceiver, who had once regarded Velen as a brother and the wisest of allies, felt personally and ideologically betrayed. Though the draenei had vanished without a trace, hidden in untouched corners of the cosmos, Kil'jaeden swore he would never stop hunting them. He was determined to exact vengeance for what he saw as a disgraceful insult to Sargeras's will and the Burning Legion's grand design.
In an effort to reinforce the spiritual and ideological structure of his army, Sargeras elevated the shivarra—multi-armed demons with beautiful yet terrifying faces—as the Legion's mystics and chief advisors. The shivarra, fervent and fanatical, began spreading the doctrine of purification through destruction. They cultivated absolute loyalty to Sargeras, preaching that annihilation was the highest form of cosmic compassion. In horrific fel rituals, they burned away the free will of demons and replaced it with unwavering dogma.
These wicked beings, along with many other demonic races, strengthened the Burning Legion to a scale never seen before. Sargeras's army now consisted of entities not only physically powerful, but spiritually and ideologically bound to the fallen titan's will. They no longer fought for power or revenge, but for a singular vision: the total purification of creation.
Satisfied with his ever-growing and increasingly organized forces, Sargeras unleashed his demons into the Great Dark Beyond, renewing his Burning Crusade with greater intensity than ever before. Worlds that had previously escaped notice now became prime targets. No place was safe, no civilization hidden well enough to escape the Legion's gaze.
In the days to come, the Burning Legion would annihilate countless worlds and civilizations. Cities would burn, skies would crack, and oceans would boil beneath the march of demons. Civilizations that had built knowledge and peace over thousands of years would fall in mere days. On every world they conquered, the shivarra would erect fel altars—sites where Sargeras's will was worshipped and spread. Kil'jaeden would continue his relentless pursuit of Velen and the draenei, not only to avenge betrayal, but to erase the last trace of hope left in the universe.