Threat!

Threat! is the 16th installment of the World of Warcraft comic.

Description
Broll receives a mysterious summons away from Theramore on the eve of the summit between King Varian and Thrall. Garona is taken captive by the Forsaken, but to what end? Plus, the return of Rehgar Earthfury!

Plot
In Theramore, Valeera runs into Broll's room after she hears him crying out in his sleep and unsuccessfully tries to wake him up. In his sleep, Broll sees himself as a storm crow flying near Teldrassil, to which he has been summoned; not the physical World Tree containing Darnassus, but its manifestation in another reality. The air itself seems to be tainted by evil, but he manages to find Fandral Staghelm, who summons Broll to Darnassus with the message that Teldrassil is in peril and that some have become trapped in the Dream. Broll suddenly wakes up when Valeera throws water in his face out of fear that he has become trapped in the Emerald Dream. He informs her that he needs to return home and that she can't come with him due to being a blood elf and because she would just be bored by attending a druidic gathering. Instead, she should remain with Varian and Anduin in Theramore, as something tells Broll that Anduin may have need of her.

In Ahn'Qiraj, Garona is held in chains by Stasia and other members of the Twilight's Hammer. She asks where Med'an is, but Stasia replies that they just used the boy as bait to capture Garona. The group enters the huge chamber containing the corpse of C'Thun and come face to face with the Twilight's Hammer's master, Cho'gall. Through a crystal ball, a tauren spy informs the ogre of the upcoming Alliance and Horde peace summit at Theramore. Stasia tells her master that Garona is as deadly as her reputation, having killed most of the Twilight's Hammer company in Duskwood before Stasia intervened and used a control word to paralyze her. Garona begins asking about Cho'gall's motives, but the ogre simply replies that her son Med'an is the focus of an ancient prophecy and that the Twilight cult will focus his great power for their own ends; for now, however, Garona is more valuable as she will pave the way for Med'an's "ascension".

In Theramore, Broll says farewell to Varian, Valeera, Anduin, and Jaina as he leaves for Teldrassil. Valeera is upset by his departure as she gets the feeling that he's heading into something dangerous and may not return, but Varian assures her that Broll is too tough to kill.

In Orgrimmar, Rehgar tells Thrall that he doesn't like the idea of bringing Garrosh with them to the summit. Thrall points out that Garrosh's father freed the orcs from the blood-curse, but Rehgar reminds him that Grommash was also the first to drink Mannoroth's blood in the first place. He further argues that Garrosh should have stayed on Outland, to which Thrall shoots back that Garrosh thinks Rehgar should have stayed a gladiator master. Rehgar doesn't disagree as he considers himself a poor diplomat. Thrall argues that Garrosh is not his enemy just because his vision for the orcs differs from Thrall's own. Garrosh arrives and states that he'll be attending the summit to protect the interests of the orc people — whom he believes should control all of Kalimdor — and because he's curious to see the "impregnable fortress" of Theramore. As Rehgar and Thrall board the zeppelin to Theramore, Thrall mentions that the strength of Jaina's ramparts may cause Garrosh to rethink his attitude.

In Ahn'Qiraj, Garona breaks free of the chains binding her to the floor and begins fighting her captors until Cho'gall uses the word to regain control of her. He instructs her that she will follow Stasia's orders as if they were his own and orders her to assassinate King Varian, with secondary targets in the form of Anduin and Thrall. He continues telling Garona that as soon as she leaves Ahn'Qiraj with Stasia and her squadron, she will forget the existence of both Ahn'Qiraj and the ogre and believe that she is performing her tasks out of free will. While Garona prepares to leave, Cho'gall turns to Stasia and explains that the Horde members of her group will attack the Alliance at the summit and vice versa. Thus, if the attack fails, the Alliance and Horde will blame each other and soon devolve into open war. Cho'gall continues that while he has put blocks on Garona's memory, such blocks can be broken with time, and thus Stasia must ensure that Garona dies one way or another after her task is done.

In Theramore, Aegwynn talks to Valeera about the departure of Broll, who has been a teacher, friend, brother, and father figure to the blood elf. Aegwynn tells Valeera that she once knew her ancestor Relfthra, a member of the Council of Tirisfal. Valeera confides that she found some records of the order when she was little and wanted to grow up to be just like Relfthra, but she doesn't have his gift. The chamberlain assures the blood elf that she has her own talents, as well as her own burdens and dangers. Valeera replies that Aegwynn doesn't need to worry as she has learned the cost of dark magic after her demonic possession.

In Brightwood Grove, Med'an returns from a boar hunt, which was mostly an excuse to wander the forest and search for the orc woman who rescued him and Meryl. After killing an attacking worgen, Med'an continues to Meryl's hut and wonders what the woman could have to do with his mentor, who was born and died centuries before orcs arrived on Azeroth. Med'an stops and hides a short distance away from the hut when he sees the Forsaken Koron arriving on a bat mount, and asks the wind to let him hear Koron and Meryl's conversation. The newcomer tells Meryl that Cho'gall is alive despite rumors otherwise and has captured Meryl's "quarry" to send her on an assassination mission to Theramore, likely resulting in her certain death. Koron finishes by stating that his debt to Meryl is now repaid and he will spy for him no longer, since he doesn't want to risk the Dark Lady's wrath should she find out. Med'an is shocked to learn that the orc who protected him is his mother. He quickly steals Koron's bat and flies off, hoping to reach Theramore and save Garona. When Meryl notices this, he exclaims "Damnation!" and says that he has long feared the boy would do something foolhardy if he learned the truth about his parentage.

A rainstorm envelops Theramore as Jaina, Aegwynn, Valeera, Anduin, and Varian await Thrall's arrival. Aegwynn recounts Thrall's history to Valeera, while Varian confides to Anduin that he is anxious to return to Stormwind and that it goes against his instinct to meet any orc unarmed, even one like Thrall. Not long after, Thrall, Garrosh, and Rehgar's zeppelin arrives. Thrall recounts to Rehgar how he and Jaina became friends, and Rehgar muses that Jaina is welcome to keep Theramore as the damp climate makes his old bones creak. Garrosh, however, points out that the area is rich in timber and stone; things that the orcs need.

High above the clouds, Stasia, the Twilight's Hammer cultists, and the ensorcelled Garona look down on Theramore from atop bat and wyvern mounts. Stasia and Garona bicker, with the latter complaining about how it's impossible to see anything due to the storm conjured by the former's spellcasters. Stasia tells Garona to begin the attack. As the half-orc drops below the clouds, she internally wonders why she agreed to the attack and remarks that it's like the assassination of King Llane all over again.