The Second War of the Orcs had finally come to an end.
In this war, the invading Horde lost.
Before the Alliance destroyed the Dark Portal, there were still remnants of the Horde who managed to flee into it, returning to Draenor.
Among them were Teron'khan (Teron'khan Gorefiend) and the other Death Knights.
These creations of Gul'dan had not followed the orcish warlocks to the Tomb of Sargeras. Instead, they remained under Orgrim's command.
However, the Warchief of the Horde never truly trusted them.
After the death of Doomhammer in battle, the Death Knights were among the first to flee.
They successfully escaped through the Dark Portal and brought the grim news of the Horde's defeat back to Draenor.
Worse yet, even the path to Azeroth was now blocked.
When Alaric destroyed the Dark Portal on Azeroth's side, the surge of arcane energy backlashed toward the orcs' homeland.
The portal on Draenor's side also exploded in a magical blast.
The gateway's frame was instantly shattered into rubble.
This severed the orcs in Draenor from any hope of escape. They were now trapped in a dying world ravaged by demons and corrupted by fel energy.
After shedding blood for so long on Azeroth, the orcs had gained nothing. Draenor had no food, no worthy enemies to conquer, only slow, agonizing death awaited them.
Some of the more powerful clans, such as the Shadowmoon, Warsong, and Shattered Hand clans, had never left Draenor.
They were just as bloodthirsty and war-hardened as their kin who had crossed into Azeroth.
Yet after years of civil war, the orc population had drastically declined. Even now, they still had not learned to control their rage.
Their crushing defeat in Azeroth only made their fury burn hotter.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before the Horde devoured itself from within.
As for the Horde remnants left behind on Azeroth, their situation was no better.
Kilrogg Deadeye and the Bleeding Hollow clan had not joined Doomhammer's main force at Blackrock Spire.
Remaining in Khaz Modan, they could only watch helplessly as the routed soldiers fled through the Dark Portal.
Kilrogg had originally intended to lead his army and follow them, but the Alliance forces blocked the way.
Rather than launch a suicidal assault, Kilrogg chose to preserve his strength and bide his time.
Thus, after being defeated in Khaz Modan, the orcs of the Bleeding Hollow quietly vanished into the wilderness north of the portal, plotting their next move.
Rend Blackhand, Maim Blackhand, and many members of the Blacktooth Grin clan also survived.
During the defense of the Dark Portal, realizing they were no match for the Alliance, they retreated to the Burning Steppes.
There, they regrouped with other surviving members of the Blackrock clan.
Once the Alliance forces withdrew from the Burning Steppes, they secretly returned to Blackrock Spire and reclaimed the fortress.
Rend and Maim blamed the Horde's defeat on Doomhammer's inept leadership.
Ever since Orgrim had challenged and defeated Blackhand in a mak'gora, the two brothers had harbored resentment toward the new Warchief.
Now, they began plotting to seize the Warchief's title and reshape the remnants of the Horde into their own vision.
But they knew well that with only a scattering of troops, they couldn't do it alone.
They started reaching out to other surviving groups of orcs, hoping to rally them under their new Horde banner.
Many of the scattered orcs responded to the call.
But the largest remaining force, the Bleeding Hollow, did not. Kilrogg had seen through his fate and disdained to associate with Rend and Maim's "false" Horde.
Even among the Blackrock clan, many shared this sentiment. They fled into the wilderness, some forming small bands, others surviving on their own.
After the Horde's downfall, many began to see through the Burning Legion's schemes and Gul'dan's manipulation. Disillusionment with the Horde grew.
Of course, there was still one clan that had long distanced itself from the Horde: the Frostwolves.
Before the war even began, they had quietly retreated into the Alterac Mountains and had remained hidden to this day.
The Horde's vast numbers had left a deep mark on Azeroth.
Even though the Alliance had decisively defeated them, tens of thousands of orcs still lived, neither slain in battle nor captured by the Alliance.
These orcs were scattered across the Eastern Kingdoms, and it would take enormous effort from the Alliance to root them out completely.
Unfortunately, the Alliance currently lacked the capacity to do so.
They had many other matters to attend to.
While the Horde struggled in pain and desperation, the Alliance was celebrating their victory across the lands.
Humans, dwarves, gnomes, and high elves all rejoiced in the glory of their triumph.
But after the celebrations came a brutal reality, they could never return to the life they once knew.
The war had devastated the Eastern Kingdoms. Countless towns and villages had been razed by the Horde.
From Stormwind to Alterac, from wide highways to mountain passes, corpses lay piled everywhere, scenes too gruesome to bear.
For every Alliance soldier who had gone to war, the destruction of the Dark Portal did not mark the true end of the conflict.
Survivors were tormented nightly by terrible nightmares. Many had lost friends, families, even everything they'd ever known.
Some would live the rest of their lives with permanent injuries.
To find peace within would be a long and agonizing process, far harder than the war against the Horde.
Much of the Eastern Kingdoms now needed rebuilding.
The Alliance rulers soon agreed to pool their resources to mend the wounds left by war.
Of course, Alterac, having betrayed the Alliance, had to be dealt with as well. But its ruler had already died during the war.
The nations of the Alliance had yet to agree on how to handle the traitor kingdom. Debates would rage on for weeks.
Of all the tasks ahead, the rebuilding of Stormwind held the most significance.
King Terenas made the generous decision to help restore the Kingdom of Stormwind and reinstate his old friend, Llane Wrynn, to the throne.
To many, Stormwind symbolized the future of humanity.
If even Stormwind could rise from the ashes, then so could anyone.
The refugees of Stormwind felt a complex mix of emotions about the city's reconstruction.
Many didn't want to return to the ruins of their homeland, afraid that the memories would bring only more grief. They preferred to start anew in Lordaeron.
Still, some chose to return to their kingdom.
Under Llane Wrynn's leadership, most of Stormwind's citizens did go back. Bolvar Fordragon and others stood at his side, throwing themselves into the rebuilding efforts.
Even Anduin Lothar stepped down from his post as Supreme Commander of the Alliance, a role no longer needed, and devoted himself entirely to Stormwind's restoration.
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