Eye of Ysera

For other uses, see Eye.

The Eye of Ysera, often just shortened to "the Eye", is a place within the Emerald Dream. From  the Eye, the green dragonflight - and Ysera herself - watch over both the dream and Azeroth. It was founded shortly after the creation of  Azeroth (and thus also the Emerald Dream) when the green dragonflight was charged with their task of protecting both realms. The other green dragons honored Ysera by naming the Eye after her.

In Shadows & Light

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft RPG, and thus unlikely to be canon.

This is the home of the great green wyrm and her kin, who watch over the plane with wisdom and vigilance. The valley, nestled amid a ring of green hills, is a fertile field covered with colorful flowers and a thick carpet of lush emerald grass. In the center, a great golden dome rises, surrounded by smaller domes of a similar shape and construction. These are the dwelling places of Ysera and her green dragonflight and are among the few buildings on the plane's surface.

Curiously, despite the fact that the Emerald Dream matches Azeroth place for place, determining exactly what point on the world matches the Eye's precise location is impossible. Perhaps the Eye moves about periodically, or the plane-transitioning magic subtly alters the dreamer's shifted position. Regardless of the cause, entering the Emerald Dream and landing directly in the Eye of Ysera is impossible.

The Eye itself is constantly protected and watched over by the green dragonflight. The green dragons consider the place holy and defend it with all their might. Few visitors are allowed entry into the valley, and fewer still may pass unimpeded into the golden domes. No outsider has ever spoken to Ysera within the central dome, which cannot be penetrated by any known magic.

In Stormrage

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft novels or short stories.

In the novel Stormrage, the Eye is the story's location in chapter 27, "Into the Eye". Planning to drain Ysera's power, the Nightmare has seized the Eye and imprisoned Ysera within it, assaulting her in a storm of magic. Both attempting to break free and help the outside forces lead by Malfurion Stormrage against the Nightmare, Ysera calls upon Lucan Foxblood to aid her. As Lucan approaches the Eye, he is amazed by the golden structures which are "too perfect" to have been built by men. Magically slipping through the main dome's wall, Lucan finds Ysera who asks him to repel the Nightmare's powers which keeps her from contacting Malfurion.

When Ysera finally manages to inform Malfurion about how the Nightmare Lord is not the main force behind the Nightmare, their conversation is also detected by Eranikus. Driven to a furious rage upon discovering her location, he hazardously hurries to the Eye in order to free her. When he arrives, the buildings are being twisted and warped by the Nightmare to both fend him off and hide Ysera's exact location within the Eye. They become "jagged, toothy things that looked ready to impale the dragon" and change places with each other.

Eranikus swiftly discovers which dome Ysera is hidden in, and begins to tear it apart. Not only is he assaulted by the Nightmare's taint radiating from the walls, he is also attacked by Lethon. Temporarily fending him off, Eranikus manages to tear apart the dome's roof before Lethon returns. Continuing the fight with Lethon, Eranikus commands Malfurion to free Ysera while he keeps Lethon away. He somewhat fails thought, as Lethon not only rapidly grows stronger than him by absorbing the Nightmare's power, but also interrupts Malfurion's attempt to free Ysera.

As Lethon begins to overpower Eranikus, he tells how the dragons of Nightmare soon "will be able to fly Azeroth's skies unimpeded". Eranikus decides to destroy Lethon, even if he has to sacrifice himself, to prevent that from happening. Dragging Lethon with him, Eranikus pulls them both into a vortex between the Emerald Dream and Azeroth. Located in the vicinity of the Eye, the vortex connects both realms, creating a turbulent nexus in the middle. Overwhelmed by the shredding power, Lethon is torn asunder, creating a fiery maelstrom which swallows Eranikus.

The maelstrom's powers then begin to roam the area. To contain them and prevent any more destruction, Malfurion manages to steer the energies to the dome Ysera is trapped within, reducing it to mere vapor. Free at last, Ysera ascends to the air above her former prison and emits an aura which brightens the entire Eye. Fully fending off the Nightmare, her aura revitalizes the Eye and restores it to its lush state.