After the great victory in northern Kalimdor, the dragons of Valinor—including Geraint, Velskud, Igneel, Irene, Argenta, and Selene—returned to their homeland alongside their surviving comrades. The skies of Valinor welcomed them with a gentle light, as if acknowledging the bravery they had shown.
Meanwhile, Tyr and the five proto-dragons remained in the frozen tundra. Among the unmelted snow and stones still bearing the scars of battle, they discussed the future. Tyr, with a calm yet resolute voice, began to explain to the proto-dragons the origins of their existence—about the world that shaped them, the Titans who created the keepers, and the great will that governed the flow of the cosmos.
Elsewhere, the keepers—long buried in apathy and distraction—finally saw the truth. They witnessed Tyr, the proto-dragons, and the new Valar fighting Galakrond in Valinor. That sight awakened something long dormant within them: a sense of responsibility.
Though late, they recognized the threat posed by the corrupted and monstrous creature. Tyr's steadfastness and his winged allies became a source of inspiration. The keepers felt ashamed of their years spent guarding machines and vaults while the world nearly fell apart.
But Tyr never condemned them. He did not seek vengeance or dwell on the past. Instead, he urged the keepers to bestow their power upon the five proto-dragons so they could protect the land of Azeroth. He believed that courage and sacrifice were far stronger proof of worthiness than lineage or original design.
Only one opposed the decision: Odyn, the Prime Designate. Though he acknowledged the bravery of the proto-dragons, he rejected the idea that Azeroth's fate should be entrusted to beings he deemed primitive. To Odyn, only the creations of the Titans were worthy of safeguarding the world. He argued that, as the holder of ultimate authority, the final decision was his alone.
But Tyr and the other keepers disagreed. They saw something greater than original design: spirit, sacrifice, and resolve. Through courage and suffering, the proto-dragons had proven themselves worthy to become Azeroth's protectors. Despite Odyn's continued protests, the majority of the keepers stood united.
Once the decision was made, the keepers journeyed to the frozen tundra where the final battle had taken place. Even Ra, the keeper from the distant southern lands, came to take part in the grand ceremony that was to be held. He brought sunlight from his homeland, serving as a conduit of power to summon their creators—the Pantheon.
In the midst of the silent tundra, the keepers gathered and prayed. They pleaded for the creators to bestow their blessings upon each of the proto-dragons—not as ordinary beings, but as Dragon Aspects: guardians of the elements and protectors of the world, who would uphold the balance and hope of Azeroth for generations to come.
Highkeeper Ra channeled the power of his creator, Aman'Thul, into the proto-dragon Nozdormu. Of all Aman'Thul's gifts, Nozdormu was granted dominion over time itself. From that moment on, Nozdormu was known as the Timeless One, and he held sway over the threads of fate and destiny that intertwined across the world.
Freya, gentle and compassionate, called upon her creator, Eonar, to empower the proto-dragon Alexstrasza. Henceforth known as the Life-Binder, Alexstrasza dedicated herself fully to the protection of all living things. Having proven her courage and compassion in the battle against Galakrond, she was crowned the Dragonqueen and given command over her kind.
Freya also prayed to Eonar to bless Alexstrasza's younger sister, the proto-dragon Ysera, with the influence of nature. Ysera was tasked with watching over Azeroth's growing wilderness from within the Emerald Dream. Bound to this ethereal realm, she entered an eternal trance and became known as the Dreamer.
Keeper Loken called upon his creator, Norgannon, to grant immense magical power to the proto-dragon Malygos. From that day forward, Malygos was known as the Spell-Weaver. The realm of magic and hidden arcana became his domain to explore, share, and protect.
Lastly, Keeper Archaedas asked his creator, Khaz'goroth, to bestow a portion of his vast strength upon the steadfast proto-dragon Neltharion. From then on known as the Earth-Warder, Neltharion was entrusted with the mountains and caverns deep within the earth. He embodied the power of the world itself and, for centuries, became Alexstrasza's greatest confidant and ally.
Infused with the energy of the Pantheon, the five proto-dragons transformed into majestic and powerful beings. Nozdormu's hide turned bronze, like shimmering golden sands. Alexstrasza's scales became a deep, striking red. Ysera's slender form shifted to a bright green, reflecting her bond with nature. Malygos turned icy blue, his scales radiating potent magical energy. Neltharion's rugged hide became pitch black, like the earth itself.
From that day forward, these five extraordinary beings were known as the Dragon Aspects.
After the proto-dragons were elevated to Dragon Aspects, the keepers realized they could not safeguard the world alone. Thus began a new creation project—an effort to forge a race that would serve as companions and allies to the Aspects in maintaining the world's balance.
Using ancient magic and the creative power inherited from the Titans, the keepers magically transformed hundreds of proto-dragon eggs. From these eggs hatched creatures resembling the Aspects, though smaller and more diverse. This new race became known as dragons, and they formed five distinct flights, each serving one Aspect:
The Red Flight, led by Alexstrasza, guardian of life.
The Green Flight, led by Ysera, guardian of dreams and nature.
The Blue Flight, led by Malygos, master of magic.
The Black Flight, led by Neltharion, master of earth and the deep.
The Bronze Flight, led by Nozdormu, master of time.
Though each flight had its own duties and domains, they were all bound by a single oath: to protect Azeroth from destruction. To strengthen this bond, the keepers built a grand tower in northern Kalimdor known as Wyrmrest Temple. This tower became the cultural heart of dragonkind—a sanctuary and a forum for interflight discussion. But most importantly, Wyrmrest stood as a symbol of unity—a reminder that true strength is born from cooperation.
Satisfied with their creation, the keepers slowly faded back into their places of rest. The world was now in the hands of the Aspects and the newly born dragon race.
But not all keepers accepted this decision quietly.
In the cold, silent corridors of his fortress, Odyn brooded. He was restless—not only because his will as Prime Designate had been ignored, but because he truly believed the Dragon Aspects would fail. To him, entrusting the fate of the world to creatures once wild and untouched by Titan hands was a grave mistake.
For the sake of Azeroth, Odyn decided to take matters into his own hands.
He would create an elite force of his own design—a legion he could summon whenever the world was in peril. To fill its ranks, Odyn chose the vrykul, a mighty warrior race he had long admired. In Odyn's eyes, the vrykul embodied the true spirit of a fighter: strong, fearless, and unyielding. They surpassed all other titan-forged beings in resilience and valor.
When Tyr and the other keepers returned to Ulduar, they immediately demanded that Odyn abandon his plan. To them, his actions were a betrayal of their collective decision and a threat to the fragile balance they had just achieved.
But their words did not sway the Prime Designate.
Odyn remained firm in his purpose. He believed the world needed true guardians—not beings born of compromise and compassion. He invited the other keepers to join his project. When none of them agreed, Odyn declared he would carry out his mission alone.
With unwavering resolve, Odyn began building his army in a hidden place—far from the watchful eyes of the Aspects and the other keepers. He swore that when the world once again stood on the brink of destruction, his army would rise… and he would prove that only strength forged by Titan will was worthy of protecting Azeroth.
Halls of Valor and the Fall of Helya
After rejecting the decision of the other keepers, Odyn took an irreversible step. He secured one wing of Ulduar, the grand fortress of the titan-forged, and declared it the headquarters of his new army. But Odyn knew that to realize his vision, he had to sever the place permanently from the influence of the other keepers.
To do so, he summoned the titan-forged sorceress he trusted most: Helya. For years, Odyn had regarded Helya as an adopted daughter—a spiritual heir he had guided with care and hope.
Helya cast a great spell that wrapped the keeper's fortress in layers of ancient magic. Then, focusing all her power, she tore a massive section of Ulduar from the earth and lifted it into the cloudy skies. This floating fortress would come to be known as the Halls of Valor—a sacred place for warriors who fell with honor.
From the heights of his fortress, Odyn issued a proclamation to all vrykul:
> Those who fall nobly in battle shall live again in the Halls of Valor. Their souls will be brought to this fortress and given new bodies forged by storm. They will become the Valarjar—eternal champions who guard Azeroth from ruin.
But one problem remained: how to bring the souls of the fallen to the Halls of Valor?
Odyn studied the flow of energy connecting the physical world to the Shadowlands. From this knowledge, he created spectral beings capable of traversing both realms: the Val'kyr. These shadowy servants would guide the worthy vrykul souls to the Halls of Valor. But those who became Val'kyr would be cursed to live as ghostly entities forever.
No vrykul willingly accepted this grim task. So Odyn, driven by ambition, chose to create the Val'kyr by force.
Helya rebuked the keeper sharply. She rejected the idea that titan-forged beings should be twisted into mindless servants. Their argument escalated into an ideological clash that nearly erupted into battle. Helya warned that if Odyn did not change course, she would return the Halls of Valor to Ulduar.
But Odyn saw Helya's defiance as a threat to Azeroth's future. Blinded by ambition, he struck the sorceress. In one brutal act, Odyn shattered Helya's physical form and twisted her spirit into the first Val'kyr.
Helya's scream of pain and fury echoed across Azeroth and pierced the heart of the Shadowlands.
This transformation darkened Helya's soul forever. Though she despised Odyn for his unforgivable betrayal, she remained bound to obey his will. Under Odyn's command, Helya began converting unwilling vrykul into cursed Val'kyr.
For centuries, Helya and the other Val'kyr ferried heroic vrykul souls to the Halls of Valor. The fortress filled with Valarjar—warriors forged by storm and trained directly by Odyn. He strengthened them, shaping a force without equal.
Odyn felt no remorse. He did not regret his separation from the other keepers, nor his betrayal of Helya. In his eyes, everything he had done was for the salvation of Azeroth and in honor of the great will of the Pantheon.
But deep within the Shadowlands, Helya's vengeance burned. She waited for the moment when the curse would turn… and the world would witness the true cost of a keeper's ambition.