Krasus meditates various memories at his new sanctum, within a mountain near Dalaran. Memories ... some of satisfaction and others of guilt. Suddenly, Krasus senses evil within Grim Batol. As if someone expected him to come meddling within. The bait is laid. He must come. The preservation of Azeroth demands it. Specially if Deathwing is behind whatever lurks within the walls of Grim Batol.

The timeline is very well set up in this book mentioning few key moments in history that mark when in World of Warcraft's time-frame the events take place in. Onyxia was slain by King Varian Wrynn and Nefarian and his chromatic flight have been eradicated. Illidan has fallen. Kalecgos has been sent by Malygos in a special mission to investigate recent magic turmoil within Grim Batol. Kalec is mad at Krasus and blames him still for Anveena's sacrifice at the Sunwell Plateau.

A character found in Shadowmoon Valley makes a key appearance in this novel. Someone you wouldn't expect. But surely you will find out the follow-up and the outcome of this character's plot from the World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade quest.

Dalaran remains within the pink dome and not even Krasus knows what's going on there, making clear he has departed the Kirin Tor long ago, as one of the six leaders. In short, the events of Night of the Dragon take place after the Sunwell Plateau dungeon's events and barely before Malygos' Nexus War against mages. Dalaran hasn't yet been moved to Northrend. Making this book an essential backstory to what led to the events in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. And do I dare say ... what is yet to come? Is that pun? Not even I know. Or maybe I suspect. In my opinion, we see here the origin of the Infinite Dragonflight. Or ... what might have pretty much led to their origin.

This is not your usual pocket-sized book. No. This is a normal-sized book. One I recommend you to order online or to grab from the bookstore's shelf. There is no better pleasure than to personally visit a local bookstore to search and hold a book in your hands. But if it's not possible, an online order will do. Read the book. It will explain so much. And it will discreetly reveal some possible plans Blizzard may have for the long-awaited Grim Batol dungeon. Will it have more than one dungeon wing? That's yet to be seen, but by the description of Grim Batol, that's possible. There are two uncharted locations within the mountain of Grim Batol that no Bronzebeard dwarf nor Dark Iron dwarf dared to delve into before.

A new evil has risen in Grim Batol. The twilight of the dragons starts here with the culmination of years of experiments ... the Twilight dragon seeks to devour all magic and all life. The heroes will have to fight the battle of their lives at their weakest moment, against all odds. Against one who seeks to continue the vision and work of Deathwing, and even Onyxia and Nefarian's. But for personal gain. Yet, unbeknownst, a puppet of something more sinister deep ... so very deep within and beneath Grim Batol ... which reveals a darker future for Azeroth. Great work by Richard A. Knaak and look forward to the upcoming World of Warcraft: Dragons of Outland manga which deals with the nether dragons adopted by Tyrigosa and Jorad Mace. Add that one to your wishlist too. The cure of Malygos' insanity and the beginnings of the Nexus War on Mages starts there.

Below, I summarized a few things from World of Warcraft: Night of the Dragon. Up to Chapter Eight (out of 24).

SPOILER SUMMARY

Prologue

A nether dragon named Zzeraku lies chained with magical restrains by five skardyns in a cave. A female humanoid arrives and welcomes Zzeraku home, referring to him as child among family.

Chapter One

Krasus has flashbacks in his meditation by summoning magical orbs that show him a glimpse into locations or past memories. He browses through them and shift from orb to orb. He has helped ancient civilizations, but nothing he does for the survival of civilizations seem to be enough. The High Elf race is nigh extinct. Thousands of humanoids have died in the past years after the first and second war. Then the Burning Legion and the Scourge. A cure for Malygos' madness has recently made the blue dragon aspect realize his newfound charge as champion of all magic. An annual meeting is held at the Wyrmrest Temple in Dragonblight ever since the defeat of Deathwing where Malygos, Alexstrasza, Nozdormu and Ysera discuss the status in Azeroth, ever vigilant of the return of the evil obsidian dragon.

Malygos recently suggested to purge all magic wielders who represent a threat to Azeroth. Krasus picks another orb and thinks of the rumors about the nightmarish happenings within the Emerald Dream. Finally focuses on another orb showing ... Grim Batol. The Hill Dwarves helped to clean up the Dragonmaw orcs from Grim Batol, but the evil within their fortress made the place improper for living. Krasus left red dragonflight in charge of sealing Grim Batol and guarding the zone to fence off any adventurers.

However, the crimson sentries have fallen sick or died, or gone mad forcing their fellow dragons to eliminate them for fear to any danger they may pose to the locals. The red dragonflight and their dragonspawn have left the lands near Grim Batol a month ago. Krasus felt something evil was within Grim Batol. He suspected Deathwing might be behind it, but he is now thought dead. Other evil could be behind this. With no agents to look after his reconnaissance missions, he decided to take matters into his own hands and investigate until finding the source of this evil wandering the depths of Grim Batol. Even if it meant his demise. Krasus' new sanctum is within a mountain near the remains of Dalaran.

Krasus flies toward Khaz Modan. Rrom, agent of Krasus and leader of the Hill Dwarves helped defeat the orcs during the second war. Now Rom has grown old unnaturally. He blames whatever has forced the red dragons sentries to leave Grim Batol. The Skardyns are described as Dark Iron Dwarves with black hoods and reptile-like features. Accursed survivors of the Three Hammers War (300 years ago) who served Modgud -- Thaurissan's wife. These skardyns have a double-forked tongue, scaled skin, sharp teeths like a lizard and paws. They dig through earth with their bare paws faster than any dwarf.

Rom had attempted to capture a living Skardyn for some time through three missions. Their fierceness wouldn't make that possible, and even dwarves died in order to capture just one alive. Rom attempted to get their captive to talk in their language. With no response, Rom threatened to let Grenda and her two brothers (Gragdin and Griggarth) pursue the old dwarven tradition of vengeance once one of theirs is killed: the Gwyarbrawden. Part of dwarven society kept secret from outsiders. When two warriors swear the Gwyarbrawden to each other, they are bound to seek their comrade's slayer across Azeroth and cause a lengthy torture before death.

The skardyn stilled and looked at Grenda and back at Rom knowing perfectly, as a former Dark Iron Dwarf what it may mean to himself if he persisted in refusing to cooperate. Before any information could be extracted from the skardyn, three massive black drakonids broke into the dwarven hideout. This was no skardyn. It was a trap. The skardyn's shape changed to a taller visage: a blood elf named Zendarin. Rom was left unharmed, barely saved by a distraction. A roar from something that escaped. The blood elf and the three drakonids rushed out in search of the prisoner that fled Grim Batol high into the sky.

Chapter Two

Krasus flew above Lordaeron heading toward Baradin Bay, when he saw Scourge armies marching toward Dalaran. He scorched them down and resumed his flight toward Grim Batol. In Ratchet, a hooded figure requests a ship toward Menethil Harbor. Dizzywig the Wharfmaster doubts any ships will be going there at this time. Suddenly, Bloodsail Buccaneers approach to steal the stranger. Below the hood is a female Draenei priestess named Iridi. She had taken this quest to hunt a target that had led her through false trails. Now she has found the true trail which may take her to Menethil Harbor. After dispatching the Bloodsail thieves without fatal harm to them, she paid for a ship with no crew. Using her knowledge, the ship departed with only herself to man it.

Chapter Three

The dark evil within Grim Batol mentioned in chapter one, is a female humanoid hiding her features behind a veil. Some of her face is charred to the bone. She and the blood elf Zendarin cast a dark spell on a dragon egg to draw the essence and magic of Zzeraku the nether dragon into the egg. High in the sky, a storm brew forth unnaturally. Korialstrasz barely managed to keep himself aloft. The storm's source was magical, and as such repelled anyone. Krasus fought the storm with magic as well, but it intensified a tenfold. Krasus decided to submerge into the sea than to face the hurricane pounding him senseless. Darkness engulfed Krasus and whispers in a strange language assaulted him. With a spell, the darkness was dissipated revealing the source of his assault: Naga. A battle ensued underwater between magical adversaries. Krasus managed to kill two and others fled. Reaching the surface to breath, Krasus found out the battle wasn't over. A Kraken pulled him down to drown him. Krasus once more was the victor, and swam toward the coast. The female naga rose above the waters glancing at the horizon as Korialstrasz vanished from view. The deed had been done. The naga would be spared.

Chapter Four

Iridi's ship reaches Menethil Harbor. Master Garthin Stoneguider welcomed her at the port, surprised to see a single draenei arriving unannounced in advance. Wetlands had been in turmoil lately. Hisses and fearful shrieks have been heard from the distance unnerving Menethil Harbor's inhabitants. The past days the intelligent raptors have been attacking the town in isolated events, but tonight at least twenty raptors have attacked. Iridi followed the dwarf warrior to fend off the attack at the bridge. Iridi managed to get rid of the warrior to continue her hunt deep in Wetlands. Krasus manages to reach Wetlands separately.

Chapter Five

Rom, Grenda and other dwarves come out of the underground tunnel after fleeing the blood elf in Grim Batol. They are now in Wetlands and its natural dangers. An ooze fights Rom and three of his hunters, while Grenda and her group fight crocolisks. Harak is engulfed by the ooze, and perishes before Rom was able to throw an axe at the ooze hoping his companion could free himself from within. Blazing arrows stroke the ooze causing it to disintegrate. The archer never seen by Rom, as the stranger disappeared into the shadows before he could gaze upon.

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