Blizzard Entertainment added the new short story: Charge of the Aspects as a prelude to Patch 4.3: Hour of Twilight.

The story written by Matt Burns uses elements in continuity with World of Warcraft: War of the Ancients, Warcraft: Day of the Dragon, and World of Warcraft: The Shattering. Matt masterfully handled an epic story in mere five pages as if the story had been written by Richard A. Knaak or Christie Golden. I’m sure many lore fans would like to read more from Matt.

From what I could read the timeframe of this short story is a few weeks after players rescued Thrall’s spirit scattered throughout the four elemental realms, and shortly after the Dragon Aspects Summit at the World Tree — event experienced in-game in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm 4.2.

The final words of this short story give us an insight into the final cinematic of Patch 4.3: Hour of Twilight.

If the Dragon Aspects were gifted and given purpose to prevent the Hour of Twilight, then … what is their purpose after the Hour of Twilight is averted?

Spoilers and Speculations

  • Nozdormu learns through the death of one of his own the danger of the approaching Hour of Twilight.
  • Ysera and Thrall talk privately.
  • The idea to use the Dragon Soul to end Deathwing’s threat is born — serving as main topic of the three 5-player dungeons.
  • Thrall’s new earth shaman powers allow him to see every corner of the world and its depths.
  • Hint that King Magni Bronzebeard’s spirit lingers in Khaz Modan. The “Commune with the earth” spell actually worked — which brings up the question: “Will King Magni return in Mists of Pandaria?”
  • Thrall senses Pandaria.
  • There are multiple caverns beneath the ground across the globe — reminds me of classic 1864 science fiction novel by Jules Verne: A Journey to the Center of the Earth. Could Blizzard ever make an expansion around that concept? Could that ever mean: Azjol’ Nerub dungeons too?
  • Deathwing has a massive cavern very deep below Mount Hyjal all along … the walls are made of … solid Old god blood. Could this be why Mount Hyjal is one of the most sacred places? Is it harboring one of the Old god prisons?