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{{forumheader|Fan Fiction}}<!-- Please put your content below this line. Be sure to sign your edits with four tildes: ~~~~ --> {{Battle infobox |prev= TBA |conc= |next=[[Forum:Hunt for the Rogues|Hunt for the Rogues]] |conflict= |date= March 24th, 2017 - November 7th, 2024 |place= [[Forum:Aincrad|Aincrad]] <br> '''[[Earth]]:''' [[Forum:Auradon|Auradon]]; [[Cosmodrome]], [[Old Russia]]; [[Old Chicago]]; [[Old Accra]]; [[European Aerial Zone]]; [[European Dead Zone]]; [[Forum:Isle of the Lost|Isle of the Lost]]; [[Plaguelands]], Old Russia; [[Mumbai Push]] <br> [[Moon]] <br> [[Venus]] <br> '''[[Mars]]:''' [[Phobos]]; [[Hellas Basin]] <br> '''[[Saturn]]:''' [[Dreadnaught]]; [[Titan (moon)|Titan]]; [[Cassini]] <br> [[Nessus]] <br> '''[[Jupiter]]:''' [[Io]]; [[Deep Stone Crypt (location)|Deep Stone Crypt]], [[Europa]] <br> '''[[Reef]]:''' [[Tangled Shore]]; [[Dreaming City]]; [[Distributary]] <br> '''[[Mercury]]:''' [[Infinite Forest]] <br> '''[[Unknown Space]]:''' [[Forum:Chinese Dead Zone|Chinese Dead Zone]] <br> [[Ascendant Realm]] <br> [[Black Garden]] |result= City advantage and victory *Deaths of Kazuto and Stacia's evil doppelgängers Kirito and Asuna and defeat of the Shadowkeepers and Shadow Army *Purification of the Darkness and growing influence of [[Forum:Fusion|Fusion]] *Zavala's death is avenged Creation of the [[Forum:Solar Coalition|Solar Coalition]] |side1= '''[[Solar System]]''' *[[The Last City]] **[[New Monarchy]] **[[Dead Orbit]] **[[Future War Cult]] **[[The Hidden]] **[[Vanguard]] **[[Concordat]] **[[The Sunbreakers]] **[[Cult of Osiris]] **[[Mugunghwa Legion]] **[[Black Armory]] *[[The Reef]] **[[Queen's Wrath]] **[[House of Judgment]] **[[House of Spider]] **[[Royal Awoken Guard]] *[[Forum:AJ's Host|AJ's Host]] *[[Forum:Eternal Brotherhood|Eternal Brotherhood]] *[[Forum:House of Lions|House of Lions]] *[[Forum:House of Dragons|House of Dragons]] (Reformists) *[[Forum:Iriksi Syndicate|Iriksi Syndicate]] *[[Forum:Stygian Brood|Stygian Brood]] *[[Forum:Vothriks' Faction|Vothriks' Faction]] *[[Forum:Sumeragi|Sumeragi]] *[[Forum:House of Time|House of Time]] *[[Forum:Sinon's Resistance|Sinon's Resistance]] *[[Forum:Neon Wraiths (reworked)|Neon Wraiths]] *[[Forum:Shadows of Nohr|Shadows of Nohr]] |side2= '''The Darkness''' *[[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)|Shadowkeepers]] *[[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Shadow Army|Shadow Army]] **[[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#House of Shadows|House of Shadows]] **[[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Shadow Swarm|Shadow Swarm]] **[[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Shadow Divisive|Shadow Divisive]] **[[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Shadow Legion|Shadow Legion]] **[[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Reborn|Reborn]] **[[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Cult of Shadows|Cult of Shadows]] *[[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Ghosts of Nagasaki|Ghosts of Nagasaki]] *[[Red Legion]] *[[House of Salvation]] |commanders1= '''Last City:''' *[[Ikora Rey]] *[[Sagira]] *[[Osiris]] *[[Jalaal]] *[[Hideo]] *[[Lakshmi-2]] *[[Lysander]] *[[Aunor Mahal]] *[[Shaxx]] *[[Shiro-4]] *[[Suraya Hawthorne]] *[[Amanda Holliday]] *Lucy Heartfilia *Luther Hargreeves *[[Asher Mir]] *[[Sloane]] *[[Failsafe]] *[[Devrim Kay]] *[[Anastasia Bray]] *[[Brother Vance]] *Glynda Goodwitch *Kakashi Hatake *Jotaro Kujo *[[Forum:Anna Blue|Anna Blue]] *[[Saint-14]] *[[Saladin Forge]] *[[Felwinter]] *[[Colonel]] *[[Shaw Han]] *[[Eris Morn]] *[[Cayde-6]] *[[The Guardian]] ---- '''Underworld:''' *Kazuto Narusaka *Stacia, Goddess of Creation *Iskahn *Scheta *Tiese Shtolienen *Ronye Arabel ---- '''Sinon's Resistance:''' *Sinon *[[Forum:Elisabeth Bray|Elsie Bray]] *[[The Drifter]] *Kibaou *Caesar Zeppeli *Lila Rossi *Sleet *Dingo *Guts *Alex Louis Armstrong *[[Mithrax, Kell of Light]] *Varvatos Vex *Sai Yukitsugu *Hendrickson ---- '''The Nine:''' *[[Orin]] *[[Xûr, Agent of the Nine]] ---- '''Mugunghwa Legion:''' *[[Yuna]] ---- '''Cult of Osiris:''' *[[Eremac]] *Sister [[Faora]] *[[Leanna]] *Sister [[Lupe]] ---- '''The Reef and Associates:''' *[[Mara Sov]] *[[Petra Venj]] *[[Sedia]] *[[Shuro Chi]] *[[Kalli]] ---- '''House of Judgment:''' *[[Variks, the Loyal]] *[[The Mad Warden]] ---- '''AJ's Host:''' *[[Forum:AJ, the Relentless|AJ, the Relentless]] *[[Forum:Joseph|Joseph]] ---- '''Eternal Brotherhood:''' *[[UserWiki:Brayden12012|Brayden-4]] ---- '''Sumeragi:''' *[[Forum:Nova, Herrscher of Sumeragi|Nova, Herrscher of Sumeragi]] *[[Forum:Sakodis, Heir to the Shadows|Sakodis, Heir to the Shadows]] *[[Forum:Aivu Arth, War-Queen of Darkness|Aivu Arth, War-Queen of Darkness]] *[[Forum:Atlas, Chaos Mind|Atlas, Chaos Mind]] *[[Forum:Xa'Lus, Dominus of Black|Xa'Lus, Dominus of Black]] ---- '''House of Lions:''' *[[User:Joskaa|Joskaa, Lion Kell]] **[[Forum:Andiks-5|Andiks-5]] *[[Forum:Grayria|Grayria, Queen of Lions]] *[[Forum:Magnusk, Lions' Wrath|Magnusk, Lions' Wrath]] *[[Forum:Graziks|Graziks]] *[[Forum:BIG BOI SERVITOR (Joke boss)|Mimiks Prime]] *[[Forum:Small boi servitor (Joke Boss)|Mimiks Minor]] ---- '''Iriksi Syndicate:''' *[[Forum:Iriksi, Monsoon Baroness|Iriksi, Monsoon Baroness]] *[[Forum:Velaks-3|Velaks-3]] ---- '''House of Spider:''' *[[The Spider]] ---- '''Stygian Brood:''' *[[Forum:Viznoor, the Black|Viznoor, the Black]] *[[Forum:Ir Azari, Will of Viznoor|Ir Azari, Will of Viznoor]] ---- '''House of Dragons Reformists:''' *[[Forum:Karviks, Dragon Archon|Karviks, Dragon Archon]] ---- '''Vothriks' Taken:''' *[[UserWiki:Vothriks, the Lost|Vothriks, the Lost]] ---- '''Loyalist Remnants:''' *[[Valus Nohr]] ---- '''Neon Wraiths:''' *[[Forum:Dominus Xaruun|Dominus Xaruun]] |commanders2= '''Shadowkeepers:''' *[[Forum:Kirito, the Black Swordsman|Kirito, the Black Swordsman]] *[[Forum:Asuna, Kirito's Betrothed|Asuna, Kirito's Betrothed]] *[[Forum:Tatsuyi Kirigaya, Vibebreaker of Shadows|Tatsuyi Kirigaya, Vibebreaker of Shadows]] *[[Forum:Totomaru, Skyfire of Kirito|Totomaru, Skyfire of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Eobard Thawne, Speedbreacher of Kirito|Eobard Thawne, Speedbreacher of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Malcolm Merlyn, Crystalline of Kirito|Malcolm Merlyn, Crystalline of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Damien Darhk, Magebreaker of Kirito|Damien Darhk, Magebreaker of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Tobias Whale, Gauntlet of Kirito|Tobias Whale, Gauntlet of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Reign, Heart of Kirito|Reign, Heart of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Leopold Fitz, Technohacker of Kirito|Leopold Fitz, Technohacker of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Anton Ivanov, Supremacy of Kirito|Anton Ivanov, Supremacy of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Hiram Lodge, Champion of Kirito|Hiram Lodge, Champion of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Morgana le Fay, Orderwalker of Kirito|Morgana le Fay, Orderwalker of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Zevon, Pride of Kirito|Zevon, Pride of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Fikrul, Armament of Kirito|Fikrul, Armament of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Uldren Sov, Graveburner of Kirito|Uldren Sov, Graveburner of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Djin, Shieldbreaker of Kirito|Djin, Shieldbreaker of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Sasuke Uchiha, Vengeance of Kirito|Sasuke Uchiha, Vengeance of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Phoenixaro Uchihamaki, Threatmaster of Kirito|Phoenixaro Uchihamaki, Threatmaster of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Ruby Hale, Deathkeeper of Kirito|Ruby Hale, Deathkeeper of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Kate Harling|Kate Harling]] ---- '''Shadow Army:''' *[[Forum:Kotrik, Bloodcrafter of Kirito|Kotrik, Bloodcrafter of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Zharves, Shadowcaster of Kirito|Zharves, Shadowcaster of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Xyurdok, Commander of the Throne|Xyurdok, Commander of the Throne]] *[[Forum:Ahnkra, Devoted to Zharves|Ahnkra, Devoted to Zharves]] *[[Forum:Hydrax, Mindkiller of Kirito|Hydrax, Mindkiller of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Gha'arn, Crownforger of Kirito|Gha'arn, Crownforger of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Thu'urg, Blightmaker of Kirito|Thu'urg, Blightmaker of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Vayeriks, Fatesmith of Kirito|Vayeriks, Fatesmith of Kirito]] ---- '''Shadow Collective:''' *[[Forum:Tyranaks, the Overlord|Tyranaks, the Overlord]] *[[Forum:Kamrak, the Titan|Kamrak, the Titan]] *[[Forum:Lilthis, the Daemon|Lilthis, the Daemon]] *[[Forum:Kroskiks, Student of Kamrak|Kroskiks, Student of Kamrak]] *[[Forum:Thazkul, Hunter of Lilthis|Thazkul, Hunter of Lilthis]] *[[Forum:Xavyskaa, Protégé of Tyranaks|Xavyskaa, Protégé of Tyranaks]] ---- '''Ghosts of Nagasaki:''' *Magda Peterson, Devilwalker of the Damned *Troika, Founder of the Archangel *Dave Strider, the Roaring Phoenix *[[The Fulminator]] *[[Rull]] *Gunmar the Black *Bular the Butcher *Angor Rot *[[Jarus, Ace Defiant]] *Zeron Alpha *Penny Peabody *Malachai *[[Forum:Tesla-0, Traitor of The City|Tesla-0, Traitor of The City]] *[[Forum:Kisaragi, Reaper of Kirito|Kisaragi, Reaper of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Ayumi, Illusionist of Kirito|Ayumi, Illusionist of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Saphir, Fearmonger of Kirito|Saphir, Fearmonger of Kirito]] *[[Forum:Zeed, Raider of Kirito|Zeed, Raider of Kirito]] ---- '''House of Salvation:''' *[[Forum:Eramis, Supplicant to Kirito|Eramis, Supplicant to Kirito]] *[[Atraks-1, Fallen Exo]] *[[Kridis, Dark Priestess]] *[[Phylaks, the Warrior]] *[[Forum:Praksis, Technocrat of the Scourge|Praksis, Technocrat of the Scourge]] *[[Forum:Taniks, Beloved by Kirito|Taniks, Beloved by Kirito]] *[[Bakris, the Adamantine]] ---- '''Red Legion:''' *[[Forum:Ghaul, Supplicant to Kirito|Ghaul, Supplicant to Kirito]] *[[Forum:The Consul, Loyal to Ghaul|The Consul, Loyal to Ghaul]] ---- '''Scorned Barons:''' *[[Elykris, the Machinist]] *[[Hiraks, the Mindbender]] *[[Reksis Vahn, the Hangman]] *[[Araskes, the Trickster]] *[[Kaniks, the Mad Bomber]] *[[Pirrha, the Rifleman]] *[[Yaviks, the Rider]] |forces1= '''Forces of the City:''' *[[Guardian]]s *[[Frame]]s *[[Seraphs]] ---- '''Allies of the Guardians:''' *[[Loyalists]] *[[Iron Lords]] *[[First Crota Fireteam]] *[[Awoken]] *[[Nine]] *[[Forum:House of Lions|House of Lions]] **[[Ketch]]es ***[[Forum:Lionship Andiks-Fel|Lionship Andiks-Fel]] ***[[Wintership Simiks-Fel]] **[[Skiff]]s **[[Walker]]s **[[Brig]]s ***[[Forum:Siege Brig|Siege Brig]]s *[[Forum:House of Emperors|Emperor Reformists]] *[[Forum:House of Dragons|Dragon Reformists]] *[[House of Light]] *[[House of Spider]] **[[Spider's Associate]]s ***[[Avrok, Spider's Associate]] ***[[Arrha, Spider's Associate]] ***[[Brivi, Spider's Associate]] **[[Spider's Servitor]] **[[Spider's Walker]] *[[Weapon Foundry]] masters **[[Häkke]] emissaries **[[SUROS]] emissaries **[[Omolon]] emissaries **[[VEIST]] emissaries **[[Daito]] emissaries **[[Tex Mechanica]] emissaries **[[Cassoid]] emissaries **[[Black Armory]] emissaries **[[Crux/Lomar]] emissaries **[[MIDA]] emissaries **[[Nadir]] emissaries **[[The Infinite Forge]] emissaries *Forces from other dimensions **Rudol von Stroheim |forces2= '''Minions of the Darkness:''' *[[Fallen]] *[[Hive]] *[[Vex]] *[[Cabal]] **Red Legion *[[Taken]] *[[Scorn]] *[[Wrathborn]] *[[Forum:Fanfic Champions#Swordsman's Champions|Swordsman's Champions]] *Allies of the Shadows **[[Forum:Calista Jane Hook|CJ Hook, Daughter of Captain Hook]] ---- '''Technology of the Darkness:''' *[[Pyramids]] *[[Blight]]s *[[SIVA]] *[[Dreadnaught]] *The Shadowdrifter *[[The Immortal]] *[[The Almighty]] |forces3= |casual1= *Many Guardians and Guardian Orders, such as the Sunbreakers, are destroyed *Deaths of [[Zavala]] and [[Emperor Calus]] *Hundreds of thousands of Awoken soldiers *The [[Speaker]] missing, presumed dead |casual2=*Kirito and Asuna and their Shadowkeepers killed, but then resurrected as Nightmares *Numerous Shadow forces crippled |casual3= |casual4= |civilian=All Auradonians massacred by the Darkness and all Danville civilians wiped off from existence by the Red Legion }} {{Quote|Dear Diary,<br> <br> This is pretty much the first time I've written to you. In this new world, that is. The diary from my world doesn't exist anymore. So, the two of us are gonna have to acquaint. Maybe for the rest of my life. I don't know. Everything is a blur now. A dark, unforgiving blur. Much like me. But enough about that. Where do I start? Oh, there's too many places to start, but I guess I should start with why I'm writing to you.<br> <br> It's been exactly 29 days since I woke up into this new world. A world I created. Long story short, I killed Maleficent and avenged my parents, but in doing so, I created a world even worse than what anyone had imagined. Just because this world isn't Maleficent's, it doesn't mean it's any better. The Shadowkeepers rule all of Auradon now. Kirito and Asuna are at the top of it all. That's right. The Shadowkeepers have won. I didn't just change reality. I changed history. To keep it simple, there was a war. A war that lasted 5 years. The Shadowkeepers, as I mention, won. The heroes are all dead, although some few unknown souls are in hiding. Kirito mentioned a resistance, but who knows how big or small it is. <br> <br> As for me, well, I have it all. At least, what the old me ever wanted. A [[Forum:Zevon, Pride of Kirito|boyfriend]] who's proud of me. A luxury bedroom I can call my safe haven. Feared and respected by the entire kingdom. A lifetime supply of strawberries. Okay, that last one wasn't exactly what the old me wanted or expected, but you get the point. But I'm living the good life. The good bad life. I can't deny that a part of me is loving this, but a huge part of me knows this is all wrong. It's not real. It's just an illusion created by some few floating Pyramids. I didn't wish for all this. As far as I'm concerned, everything I created is random. If I ever wished for anything, I'd want to change myself completely. Be the good girl that everyone expected me to be. But I haven't changed. I'm still the same me I've always been. I may not possess the dark scepter anymore, but the transformation I went through when I touched it, it still remains inside of me. <br> <br> My parents. Oh, how I wish they were proud of me for real. For being a sort-of good girl. Not this ruthless, heartless vixen they believe I am. For the past 29 days, I had to keep up the act. That includes acting like a bad girl, which isn't exactly hard. The hardest part so far was what happened on the anniversary of the Shadowkeepers' victory. Apparently, in this world, since I was 13, Kirito presents me with an innocent life to execute just for the fun of it. I know. It's sick. Hypocritical, I know. The next victim was a member of the resistance. A husband. A father. A soldier. I was asked to behead him. But I didn't. I put my sword down in front of everyone. But I knew that I couldn't risk suspicions. So, I burned that poor man alive. He screamed and screamed as his body slowly turned to ash. The Shadowkeepers, as you expect, cheered at the sight of it. You'd think I'd feel pleasure for burning someone alive, well, I didn't feel it. I felt disgusted with myself. The worse part, I barely hesitated. <br> <br> I've kept myself locked up in my room since then. I just couldn't swallow the fact that this is the world I'm living in right now. It's horrible. Everything and everyone I touch, I'm worse than poison. But now, I'm done hiding. it's time I get out there, familiarize myself with this new world, and see how I can manage all this. Like they said, I'm gonna rule it all one day. Might as well start by getting to know everyone all over again, if they don't remember anything. Whoever's alive, at least. <br> <br> I just wish the others are okay. Maybe they've gotten better or worse, but I would really like to see them. Evie. Jay. Carlos. Ben. Oh, Bennyboo. I miss you. <br> <br> 'Til next time. <br> <br> - Mal|A page from [[Forum:Mal's Diary|Mal's Diary]], retrieved by the [[Exo Stranger]].}} The '''Shadowkeeper Apocalypse''' (also known as the '''Apocalypse''', the '''Shadowkeepers Apocalypse''', and sometimes the '''Second [[Collapse]]''') was a massively cataclysmic system-wide conflict fought between millions of [[Guardians]] and inhabitants of the [[Solar System]] and [[Forum:Kirito|Kirito]] and [[Forum:Asuna|Asuna]] and their armies of [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)|Shadowkeepers]], [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Shadow Army|Shadow Army]] minions, and [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Ghosts of Nagasaki|Ghosts of Nagasaki]] to take back Auradon, save [[Forum:Mallory Bertha|Mallory Bertha]], and protect the Light. Although this crisis was initially triggered when Mal killed Maleficent, it actually began when the Shadowkeepers murdered countless people in Auradon, including Ben, Evie, Suguha Kirigaya, [[Emperor Calus]], the Auradonian Kids' parents, and Commander [[Zavala]], in order to take over all of Auradon and begin an eight-year reign beyond the heart of Aincrad. Unlike the previous enemies the Guardians killed, the Shadowkeepers sought to rewrite history and create a dark future, with them controlling all worlds as gods. After years of fighting against the proxy forces of the [[Darkness]] and emerging victorious, the Guardians found themselves traumatized and losing the will to continue fighting when the Shadowkeepers launched a surprise attack on Auradon, brutally killing Zavala and terraforming it into a realm of Aincrad. With replicas of their powers and arsenals corrupted by the Shadow Army and their timeline fractured, the Guardians ventured into the birthplace of the [[Shard of the Traveler]] and acquired [[Forum:Fusion|Fusion]]. Shortly after reuniting with [[Cayde-6]], the Guardians recovered and planned a counterattack in order to save their home and legacy. After much sacrifice and determination, the Guardians succeeded in killing Kirito, Asuna, and the Shadowkeepers, driving the Shadow Army and Ghosts of Nagasaki away, saving Mal, and destroying the Darkness for good. Despite this momentous victory, various figures of the Shadow Army, including Kirito and Asuna's eldest son [[Forum:Tatsuyi Kirigaya, Vibebreaker of Shadows|Tatsuyi Kirigaya]], would resurrect the Shadowkeepers and his parents as [[Nightmares]] and attempt to carry on the Shadowkeeper Apocalypse, either for their own purposes or to finish what the Shadow Army elites and the Darkness had started in destroying the Guardians. Despite these new foes, the Guardians maintained their strength and determination, while also contending with major threats besides the Shadow Army and Ghosts of Nagasaki. ==Prelude: The Swordsman's Arrival== ===Nagasaki's Campaign of War=== ====Birth of Houkai==== {{Quote|Pain... Your suffering. Your death. Your misery. Your despair. This is what I fight for. I fight to one day see the despair of all humans. The fear twisting their expressions. The despair of seeing your children screaming as I violate the bodies of their parents. The screams of mothers losing their babies. The fear that I'll cause to all your friends and family. I was born to deliver the justice mankind so greatly deserves. To make them look at the world they destroyed. In this universe of billion years, your existence is nothing. You're absolutely nothing. That's why all your kind is unnecessary. Every life... every intelligent life in this universe is unnecessary. Your fate is inevitable. And so is all of this reality. This place is not worthy of my presence. Humans, your existence is a mistake. War, cheating, jealousy, greed. You once made me lose everything. But today, I will devour everything. Because I am the Honkai!|[[Forum:God Kiana, Herrscher of the End|God Kiana, Herrscher of the End]] to the civilians of the Old World.}}<ref name=HonkaiImpact3rd>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-b6rdyIJsY '''Honkai Impact 3rd''': ''Will of the Herrscher - Honkai Impact 3rd Animations '']</ref> [[File:Placeholder.png|300px|thumb|right|God Kiana, or Past Sirin, the last Herrscher who brought the Apocalypse of the Old World.]] The [[Forum:Houkai|Houkai]] have no background and it's speculated the Houkai, or the Will of God, exist since before the creation of the universe. Million years ago the extinction of the dinosaurs in the [[Wikipedia:Cretaceous|Cretaceous period]] happened because of the first outbreak of Honkai, but it's unknown whether they showed up before humans could have existed. Despite being represented as monsters, the Houkai is actually a sentient cyclical natural disaster phenomenon, a rhythm of periodic adjustment of the universe that appear once in a while to start the end of a civilization. Every once in a while, the Houkai will break out in some unknown form; it can be in form of zombies, plagues, digital virus, meteors, tsunamis, earthquakes or even monsters and beasts. 50,000 years ago, when humanity reached the top of its existence, Houkai evolved in the form of Herrschers and caused the eventual destruction of mankind by the hands of the last Herrscher after decades of intense war, Herrscher of the End, also known as Past Sirin or God Kiana. This Herrscher, who was later sealed inside the moon by Dr. MEI, became the new Houkai God in the ancient legends. However, a few humans managed to survive the Apoclaypse and repopulated the planet again; humanity had another chance to fight again the creatures that once caused their extinction. After million years spent fighting the Houkai, the outbreak time of the Houkai was considered irregular and difficult to predict the Schicksal organization was founded thousand years ago to prevent disasters like the Black Death, started by the Herrscher of the Corruption from happening again. As the world changed, the Houkai Eruptions grew stronger with the rise of more Herrschers, each possessing dark forms of energy capable of devastating countless worlds. Manipulating Kiana, the Herrscher of the Void invaded her body and killed her father with her own hands before sealing her memories away to keep it a secret so she could use her in the future. Later, Anti-Entropy invaded St. Freya Academy, and Kiana's group sneaked into the battle of the Anti-Entropy Battleship "The Moonlight Throne"; the result was resonated by the consciousness of the Second Herrscher. Then "Moonlight Throne" crashed in the St. Freya Church. Kiana accidentally touched the core of the Second Houkai Herrscher buried deep in the church. Cocolia originally wanted to take her out of danger in good faith but she only want The Fusion to become true, and later from the mouth of Cocolia, accidentally learned the whereabouts of Siegfried and his own life. Kiana, having learned the truth, fell into Houkai will, and finally awakened to become The Ultimate Herrscher. In front of its overwhelming absolute power, all of Kiana's group members perished. During the final battle, Sirin slaughtered all of the Valkyries of the world, including all heroes of capital ship. As the final trump card, Raiden Mei (in her Herrscher of the Lightning form) fought God Kiana to avenge her friends but ultimately lost the battle. In front of its overwhelming absolute power, all of Kiana's group members have lost. Despite their best efforts, they eventually faced extinction by the hand of the final Herrscher, but not before Mei used her technology to seal part of the Herrscher of the End's power inside of the moon to seal the evil Goddess. Before she could be sealed, Sirin recreated the world, rewriting the humanity with parallel versions of all people in the previous Earth in order to make her new parallel-self carry on her ambitions and one day finish what she started. Fearing that what happened to the Old World would soon happen to the New World, various forces from many dimensions would come together to hunt down God Kiana's parallel-self and prevent the Apocalypse from returning again. ====Rise of the Herrschers==== {{Quote|For all of you innocent souls, I have come to this world with a singular goal: to save our world from a threat that seeks our destruction. Join us and we shall present to you a key to a special utopia that I plan to unveil to the universe. For those who seek my death, I am here for another reason: to liberate my people from yours. You and your people... you all never had the right to be called "heroes." You thought that by killing me, you'd save your precious world... oh, you will have done it... but you will be too late. If you succeed, I will indeed die, but my legacy shall live on... and you won't live to see the birth of my utopia.|[[Forum:Nagasaki, Ender of Worlds|Nagasaki, Ender of Worlds]], revealing himself to the world.}} [[File:Placeholder.png|300px|thumb|right|Nagasaki gathering his army]] During the 16th century, a notorious swordsman known as [[Forum:Nagasaki, Ender of Worlds|Nagasaki]] and his lieutenants led the [[Forum:Herrschers of the Darkness|Herrschers of the Darkness]], an army of Houkai-empowered outcasts in a harrowing series of battles to bring on the end of the age of heroes and transform the entire world into an utopia that would be remade in his image in his plan to enact his revenge against those who abandoned the lost souls of his homeworld and left them for dead. However, while most of the people would join his cause, he would be challenged by numerous heroes, whose lives would meet their end by his hands. Fearing that Nagasaki's arrival would resurrect God Kiana's dark legacy, a group of freedom fighters known as the [[Forum:Flame Watchers|Flame Watchers]] would rally under the banner of a lone rebel known as [[Forum:Alanzo G. Zeppeli|Alanzo G. Zeppeli]] to hunt down Nagasaki and his Herrschers in a daring effort to end their reign of terror. Forming an alliance with various [[Forum:Hamon|Hamon]] users and the first [[Forum:Auradonian Knights|Auradonian Knights]], along with the members of the [[Forum:House of Tudor|House of Tudor]], some of which included the relatives of [[Forum:Bruford|Bruford]] and [https://jojo.fandom.com/wiki/Tarkus Tarkus] and [[Forum:Trish Una|Trish]]'s great-great-grandfather [[Forum:Raphael Una|Raphael Una]], they would manage to destroy the Houkai forces and incapacitate most of the Herrschers, revealing the true origin point of Nagasaki's awakening. Venturing into the heart of [[Forum:Arc City|Arc City]], Alanzo and the freedom fighters would seemingly succeed in defeating Nagasaki and bringing an end to his reign of terror, but little did they know that with his dying breath, he would go on to become the progenitor of the coming Apocalypse. ===Birth of Fusion=== {{Quote|It seems that we're not the only Guardians chosen by the Traveler. Even before it arrived, there were others like us... those chosen to wield these dark powers.|[[Eris Morn]], explaining the creation of Fusion to the Guardian.}} Long before the [[Traveler]] came, there were numerous [[Guardian]]s who were blessed with dark forms of magic that would later become a part of this new power, and among those Guardians were [[Forum:Hendrick Yor|Hendrick Yor]], [[Forum:Kaguya Narusaka|Kaguya Narusaka]], [[Forum:Aoi Narusaka|Aoi Narusaka]], and [[Forum:Yukito Narusaka|Yukito Narusaka]], [[Warlock]]s who were capable of mastering these forms and using them for purposes that benefited [[Humanity]]. Recruited by a lone [[Hunter]] named [[Forum:Lila Bray|Lila Bray]] and a [[Titan (class)|Titan]] named [[Forum:Darius Watanabe|Darius Watanabe]], they would harness this power and combine the Light with Darkness in order to create a strong sense of prosperity, peace, and unity between Humanity and numerous non-human forces. On December 31st, 1999, Kaguya gave birth to a girl named Mal, whom she and Hendrick knew would someday carry on their legacy and use this power to help bring an end to the coming war. Moments after her birth, while Lila and Darius and these Fusion-empowered Guardians were praised and commemorated by most of the Lightless civilians, some of the people, however, grew worried that their discovery would jeopardize the balance between Light and Dark or, even worse, enthrall everyone into abandoning their long-held traditions, creating a chaotic society fueled by anarchy and dark ambition in the process. ===Resurgence of Darkness=== {{Quote|We have watched over majicks and worlds since the stars were young. But man has destroyed the balance. Just as they tried to destroy you." <br> "But you brought us back. Why?" <br> "Because you can right what the [[Guardian|mortals]] made wrong." <br> "How do you know that?" <br> "You come from their world, but fight for ours. You will be the Black Swordsman and Lightning Flash, Overlords of Shadows. You will be the instruments of our reckoning.|The [[Darkness]], speaking to Kirito and Asuna.}} Some time after the Guardians' victory of [[Forum:The Dimensional Wars|The Dimensional Wars]], the [[Darkness]], having found a still-open portal, sent the [[Black Fleet]] into the dimensional gateway to recruit its new allies: Kirito and Asuna. Having known firsthand about how they had seen what it saw and mourned for the deaths of their friends and of innocence, the Darkness not only gave them back their powers from Sword Art Online, but also granted them permanent access to its Pyramids, knowing that they can succeed where its previous forces failed. Between the events of [[Season of the Chosen]] and [[The Witch Queen]], upon accepting the Darkness's gift, after stepping out of their dimension and into the [[The Guardian|Guardian]]'s universe, Kirito and Asuna would go on to recruit various villains from numerous dimensions, including Totomaru, a former member of the Phantom Lord guild and the manipulator of the [[Solar]] element; [[Forum:Eobard Thawne, Speedbreacher of Kirito|Eobard Thawne]], the Reverse Flash and a speedster who murdered Nora Allen, the mother of Barry Allen; [[Forum:Malcolm Merlyn, Crystalline of Kirito|Malcolm Merlyn]], the Dark Archer and the man who orchestrated the destruction of the Queen's Gambit and played a role in Sara Lance's apparent death; Damien Darhk, the leader of HIVE and the man who murdered Laurel Lance; Tobias Whale, a crime lord and the man who murdered Jefferson Pierce's father; The Doctor, a Framework persona of Leopold Fitz and HYDRA's ruthless second-in-command; Anton Ivanov, the leader of the Watchdogs and a powerful mercenary known as Omega; Hiram Lodge, a powerful businessman and the leader of a notorious criminal empire responsible for the emergence of the Ghoulies; Morgana le Fay, the Mother of Monsters and a powerful wizard who was betrayed by Merlin and allied with Gunmar and his army in her quest for revenge on the Trollhunters; [[Uldren Sov]], the Prince of the Reef who was presumed dead during the [[Battle of Saturn]]; Djin, the leader of the Numeros and a former member of M.A.T.A.; Sasuke Uchiha, the lone surviving member of the Uchiha clan who acquired the Sharingan and the Rinnegan; Phoenixaro Uchihamaki, the leader of the Akatsuki and Kakashi Hatake's estranged brother; and Ruby Hale, the Destroyer of Worlds and the daughter of General Hale, who had been genetically engineered by HYDRA's leader Daniel Whitehall, forming a notorious organization unlike anything the world had ever encountered known as the Shadowkeepers. They would also resurrect [[Forum:Reign, Heart of Kirito|Sachi]] and [[Forum:Fikrul, Armament of Kirito|Eugeo]] by implanting the respective memories of Reign and [[Fikrul, the Fanatic]] into their vessels' bodies. At some point in time, Kirito and Asuna would also rally numerous enemies of both the Traveler and its Guardians, instilling into them a profound sense of freedom and purpose, promising them that they would be the one to save them and those cast out and left for dead by their own people from the Traveler's lies. During the course of the impending war between the Guardians and the Witch Queen's armies, many key leaders of various Fallen houses, Hive sects, Vex collectives, and other factions would pledge their allegiances to the Shadowkeepers. Moments during the final war between the Traveler and the Darkness, various threats from different time periods would be resurrected, some of them being [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness|Eramis]] and her [[House of Salvation]], [[Dominus Ghaul|Ghaul]] and his [[Red Legion]], and the [[Scorned Barons]]. ===A Paradox's Beginning=== {{Quote|The Dragon's Eye has awakened. It is on a little world. A human world. They would only wield its power… But our allies know its workings as they never will. They are ready to lead. And our forces will follow. The world will be theirs. The universe yours. And the humans, what can they do but burn?|An unnamed Taken commander, speaking to the Darkness about Kirito and Asuna shortly before Auradon would come under attack.}} Moments before the coming assault on Auradon, Kirito and Asuna would be teleported to a court within the [[The Europan Pyramid|Europan Pyramid]], where a [[Forum:Winnower's Servant|servant]] of the Darkness would proclaim about the discovery of the [[Forum:Dragon's Eye|Dragon's Eye]] on Auradon and how Kirito and Asuna would soon lay waste to the kingdom and help the Darkness claim a victory unlike any other. ==Events== ===Attack on Auradon=== {{Quote|I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I just... I thought that... I was afraid to tell you. I thought I was gonna lose my life. But I had to do something! I had to protect my birthright! It's just... I wish things could've been different.|Mal, talking to Petra Venj shortly before leaving with the Shadowkeepers.}} [[File:Placeholder.png|300px|thumb|right|Kirito leading an assault on Auradon]] Upon traveling to Auradon from a few weeks after the Jewel-bilee, the Shadowkeepers and their newly-assembled Shadow Army, led by Kirito and Asuna, breached the gateway to Auradon, eager to lay waste to its hierarchy and destroy everything that symbolized its kingdom. Being the first to respond to the civilians' evacuation from what appeared to be an escape attempt enacted by Maleficent, Zavala and Leafa would rendezvous with Ben, Evie, and Merlin to detain her and send her back; however, by the time they got to her, she was already killed by Mal, who became corrupted by the Darkness. Unbeknownst to them, the Ghosts of Nagasaki, led by [[Forum:Magda Peterson, Devilwalker of the Damned|Magda Peterson]], had already freed the son of Yzma known as Zevon from the frozen prison on the Isle of the Lost, which led to a full-scale assault between the Auradonians and the Shadowkeepers. While Zavala and his crew of allies fought valiantly, they would be slaughtered by the Shadowkeepers, including Kirito and Asuna. [[Petra Venj]] and the [[Awoken]] [[Techeun]]s - [[Shuro Chi]], [[Kalli]], and [[Sedia]] - attempted to kill the Shadowkeepers in retaliation for Zavala's death, but Kirito and Asuna activated the codes for Lightfall, a corruptive-matter system created by the Darkness to destroy every representations of Light, and used it to summon waves of malevolent Blights that destroyed everything that Auradon stood for, killed all living beings of Light and civilians of Auradonian blood within it, and turned the entire city into a realm of Kirito and Asuna's ideal birth worlds, forcing Petra and the Techeuns to retreat as unfathomable armies of Shadows begin to appear across the system in larger numbers, officially beginning the Shadowkeeper Apocalypse. ===Death of a Legend=== {{Quote|We should've been there. This is not your fault. This... is on the head of the Black Swordsman. But if he thinks what he's done is the end, it's not. It's... the beginning. We're going to fight him. All of us. Every [[Titan (class)|Titan]]s and [[Forum:Meister|Meister]]s. Every [[Warlock]]s and [[Forum:Shinobi|Shinobi]]s. Every [[Hunter]]s, [[Forum:Huntress|Huntress]]es, and Huntsmen. We will take Auradon by storm... for our [[Fireteam]]. For Zavala.|[[Ikora Rey]], addressing the Guardians.}} [[File:IkoraCayde.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Ikora grieves over the loss of Zavala]] Back at [[Felwinter Peak]], the Guardians, the Vanguard and people of [[The Last City]] mourn Zavala's loss. [[Ikora Rey|Ikora]], realizing that the Last City does not possess the strength to carry on in the wake of the recent conflicts, declares that everyone, including the Guardians, will have the chance to avenge his death and protect the Last City. Refusing to let Zavala's death go unnoticed, the Guardian would promise Ikora that they would avenge his death and protect the Last City and its civilians. At the same time, numerous Guardians would hunt down the Shadowkeepers in an attempt bring an end to their reign of terror, only for most of them to be slain by Kirito and Asuna, who used the powers of the Darkness to drain them of their Light, while those who survived would retreat. Meanwhile, the forces who remained loyal to Maleficent, including [[Forum:Dio Brando|DIO]]'s army of zombies, would also attempt to kill Mal and revert the timeline back to its original form; however, though all of them would be slain by the Shadow Army, most would eventually mutate into the Ghosts of Nagasaki while the others would become Taken, effectively bringing an end to the existence of the Overtakers. Unbeknownst to the Last City, Cayde-6 would be teleported to a past version of Auradon from during the events of [[Wikipedia:Descendants: Wicked World|Descendants: Wicked World]], where he teamed up with [[Forum:Kirigamine Tougorou|Kirigamine Tougorou]] in the hopes of detaining Zevon and sending him back to the Isle of the Lost without damaging the timeline. During the mission, Cayde would also uncover the blueprints for the Fusion-empowered prototype of a [[Stasis]] weapon known as the [[Salvation's Grip]]. ===A New Aincrad=== ====Kirito's Reign of Terror==== {{Quote|When I was a kid, I entered the world of [[Wikipedia:Sword Art Online|Sword Art Online]] to escape the cruel depths of reality. But now, as I look back, I remember the faces of those I saved from the death game. Klein, Agil, Silica, and Lisbeth, my old friends... may be gone, but they are with us now and always. As for you, my loyal servants, my new friends, my Shadowkeepers... I gather you today because the time has come to rain darkness upon Sol. For too long, the Traveler has prevented the universe from entering the true, final shape - that of Darkness. But now, this ends. Ever since you came to this world, you've helped me do what no one else has done: kill a Guardian. I have already slain the Guardians' [[Vanguard]] Commander, the man they called Zavala. There could never be a better time to strike, now when their morale is low and they are susceptible to falling to Darkness. Go! Unleash chaos upon their people! Create fear in the hearts of those who follow the Light!|Kirito, addressing the Shadowkeepers and his elites.}} Moments after taking over Auradon, Kirito and Asuna set up countless programs and [[SIVA]] networks from his computer that the Pyramids used to rebuild Aincrad as they saw fit and split up the Shadow Army into its six respective groups: the [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#House of Shadows|House of Shadows]], led by [[Forum:Kotrik, Bloodcrafter of Kirito|Kotrik, Bloodcrafter of Kirito]], the notorious [[Fallen]] [[Kell]] of Shadows who formerly worked with the [[House of Devils]]; the [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Shadow Swarm|Shadow Swarm]], led by [[Forum:Zharves, Shadowcaster of Kirito|Zharves, Shadowcaster of Kirito]], a surviving [[Hive]] [[Deathsinger]] who formerly served [[Crota, Son of Oryx|Crota]] and [[Oryx, the Taken King|his father]]; the [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Shadow Divisive|Shadow Divisive]], led by [[Forum:Hydrax, Mindkiller of Kirito|Hydrax, Mindkiller of Kirito]], a massive [[Vex Mind]] [[Hydra]] who possessed the ability to stop time; the [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Shadow Legion|Shadow Legion]], led by [[Forum:Gha'arn, Crownforger of Kirito|Gha'arn, Crownforger of Kirito]], a powerful [[Cabal]] warlord who helped restore the Cabal Empire to its full glory; the [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Reborn|Reborn]], led by [[Forum:Thu'urg, Blightmaker of Kirito|Thu'urg, Blightmaker of Kirito]], a [[Taken]] [[Cabal]] commander who sought to seize control of Oryx's army; and the [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Cult of Shadows|Cult of Shadows]], led by [[Forum:Vayeriks, Fatesmith of Kirito|Vayeriks, Fatesmith of Kirito]], [[Fikrul]]'s right hand and a commander of the first [[Scorn]]. Hoping to further weaken the Traveler, they sent their forces across the system to launch countless waves of devastating attacks against its forces. On [[Earth]], the Shadowkeepers led a series of invasions against valiant heroes, including the Justice League, Simon Templar, Milo Murphy, and Legends of Tomorrow, and successfully managed to slaughter them and their fellow allies, including Cisco Ramon, who was killed by Tatsuyi, who fused his [[Necrotic Grip|gauntlets]] and [[Thorn]] with Vibe's metahuman powers. Across the Sol System, the Shadow Army attacked various factions, including the [[Forum:Dusk Splicers|Dusk Splicers]], the Houses of [[Forum:House of Emperors|Emperors]], [[Forum:House of Vipers|Vipers]], [[Forum:House of Dragons|Dragons]], and [[Forum:House of Time|Time]], and other enemy factions, which led to some of the members of these aforementioned factions to pledge their loyalties to Kirito and Asuna, while those who survived the attacks would depart to another worlds. ====Conquest of the Light==== {{Quote|It's a day for pretty speeches and medals. But we know the real fight takes place out there. There's so much more, [[Forum:Sinon|Sinon]]. I've seen terrible things born out in the Darkness. Every moment brings them closer. All ends and beginnings... Our fight is far from over.|The [[Exo Stranger]], revealing the existence of the Darkness to [[Forum:Sinon|Sinon]].}} With Aincrad rebuilt, Kirito and Asuna, along with the Shadowkeepers and their armies, would lead a series of devastating invasions against the forces of Light and people still loyal to Ben, corrupting numerous universes and turning them into realms of Kirito's world along the way. The Stranger, having witnessed the fall of Auradon's forces, the corruption of numerous outcasts, and the deaths of countless champions of the Light, led her forces in an attempt to avenge the Traveler; however, she was forced to retreat after a close encounter with Kirito and Asuna. Fueled by grief and her desire for vengeance, she attempted to reach Mal, but suddenly found herself transported back in time to the day [[Cayde-6]] was named Hunter [[Vanguard]] after his victory over [[Taniks, the Scarred]]. Having determined that this had happened before, she was determined to make sure that she would successfully prevent the dark future from coming into existence. Some time later, she would enter the [[Forum:Chinese Dead Zone|Chinese Dead Zone]] on the [[Unknown Space]], where she would meet with [[The Drifter]] and [[Forum:Sinon|Sinon]], an amnesiac Lightbearer who had been struggling to find out what happened to her in her past life, to uncover the emergence of the [[Cradle]]. Along the way, the Stranger and Drifter would help Sinon recruit many allies to their cause, including Kibaou, Caesar Zeppeli, Lila Rossi, Sleet, Dingo, Guts, Alex Louis Armstrong, [[Mithrax, Kell of Light|Mithrax]], Varvatos Vex, Sai Yukitsugu, and Hendrickson, in the hopes of fighting back against the Shadowkeepers. ===Rebirth of the Red Legion=== ====The Fall of Calus==== {{Quote|Do I miss my arm? I miss my Empire. I would give everything to have it back. And I will.|[[Valus Nohr]], mourning the death of Calus.}} Some time after the Shadow Army launched countless invasions against the Solar System, most of the [[Loyalists]] would become corrupted by Mal's Birthright Jewel, an artifact that Kirito retrofitted with dark runes from the [[Cryptolith]], and turn against Calus shortly before executing him and overthrowing [[The Leviathan]]. But luckily for those still loyal to Calus, [[Valus Nohr]] and her forces escaped the onslaught shortly before sending a distress signal to [[Variks, the Loyal]] and his [[House of Judgment]], who immediately formed an alliance with them, so that they can help Nohr and her Shadows avenge her people and put the Loyalist traitors out of their miseries. ====Destruction of Danville==== {{Quote|Our greatest fear has come true. Kirito has returned.|[[Forum:Dominus Xaruun|Dominus Xaruun]]}} Some moments after [[Dominus Ghaul]] became [[Cabal Emperor]], he sent his resurrected [[Red Legion]] forces across the system to secure more territories for his empire. On [[Mercury]], the Red Legion reinforced the beleaguered Cabal legions battling [[The Sunbreakers]], which turns the tide after centuries of conflict. Although the Sunbreakers fought valiantly, the Legion actually manages to cripple and slaughter the Sunbreakers on Mercury by destroying their Light, putting an end to the once mighty Titan order. On [[Earth]], they began launching an invasion on the Tri-State Area, brutally massacring its civilians and erasing them from existence shortly before terraforming all of Danville into a Cabal empire. On [[Io]], they began to drill into the planet to access the latent Traveler energies within the moon, investigating the possibility to harvest and control the Light. However, their actions attracted the Shadowkeepers and their Cabal Shadow Legion, who formed an alliance with them in the hopes of crippling the Traveler. ====Preparing for War==== {{Quote|Ghaul was meant to die, and now this "Kirito" managed to slip past me during my prophetic resurrection and do the thing that I was meant to do?! This pest is slick and deserves pain!|N/A}} Enraged by their atrocities, the [[Forum:Neon Wraiths (reworked)|Neon Wraiths]] led an assault against the Shadowkeepers and their Shadow Army in an attempt to prevent the Pyramids from corrupting their world with Darkness, but were eventually forced to retreat after a close encounter with Kirito and Asuna. Knowing that even their strength wasn't enough to stop them, they went into hiding and began bolstering what remained of their forces. ===Dawnrise Protocol=== ====Surprise Attack==== {{Main|see=1|Forum:Battle of Bannerfall}} {{Quote|We thought this would be just another ordinary fight against the Fallen. We were wrong.|[[Shiro-4]], moments after the [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#House of Shadows|House of Shadows]]'s invasion on [[Bannerfall]].}} [[File:Shaxx cut off.PNG|300px|thumb|right|The Guardians, Redjacks, and Lord Shaxx preparing to fight the House of Shadows]] Some time during the Apocalypse, Kotrik and his House of Shadows and their operatives had managed to compromise the outer sensors, defenses, and outposts; as well as suppressing the Satellite's communication systems of the City and Reef and concealed their presence, stealing Guardian tech and the Last City's arsenal along the way. In anticipation of the heist on the City, Kirito directly sought to use Kotrik's attack to his advantage in the hopes of crippling the Last City's defenses. To achieve this, he even managed to blind the Guardians' precognition and prophetic abilities in order to enable Kotrik's surprise attack to be 100% effective. On the anniversary of the [[Battle of Six Fronts]], the Vanguard discovered that all of their outer defenses, satellites, and outposts went dark in the cover of a storm. In a sudden bombardment, the House of Shadows severely devastated [[Bannerfall]], but the Vanguard survived with the help of Ikora's [[Nova Bomb]], and mobilized against the invasion. As the House of Shadows's Ketch assaulted Bannerfall, a massive Skiff latched onto the tomb of Sofia the First, defiling her corpse and soul. During the chaos, the Speaker's guards would be swiftly slain by the Shadow Splicers, forcing the Speaker to escape to another world, leaving the City and its Guardians questioning his whereabouts. Civilians were successfully evacuated, but the Vanguard and their elite orders were quickly overwhelmed. ====Vanguard Resistance==== Enraged by the atrocities committed by Kirito and Asuna, [[Ikora Rey]] and [[Rasputin]], along with numerous Guardians hellbent on getting their revenge on the Shadowkeepers not only for killing Zavala, but also for robbing them of their arsenal, created Dawnrise Protocol in the hopes of fighting back against the Darkness, retrieving their tech, and saving the Last City, while factions such as the [[Forum:Stygian Brood|Stygian Brood]] and the [[Forum:House of Lions|House of Lions]] would lead countless assaults against the Shadow Army and those who pledged loyalty to Kirito and Asuna. ====A Relentless Battle==== {{main|see=1|Forum:War of Dimensions}} {{Quote|This Lightbearer who calls himself [[Forum:AJ, the Relentless|the Relentless]]... he thinks that he can slaughter you and avenge the man who turned your home against you. He's wrong, and by the time he realizes it too late, you'll have proven that to him already.|[[Forum:Zharves, Shadowcaster of Kirito|Zharves, Shadowcaster of Kirito]], supplying Kirito with help from her Champions.}} At the same time, across numerous known and unknown dimensions within the Void, [[Forum:AJ, the Relentless|AJ]] would rally numerous factions of dimension protectors to fight against the Shadowkeepers; however, although AJ and his crew fought valiantly, the Shadowkeepers managed to cripple the dimension protectors' forces by destroying their Light and slaughtering them, leaving AJ and [[Forum:Cinnamon|Cinnamon]] as the only survivors. Filled with rage and guilt, AJ would lock three dimensions, including his own, shortly before isolating himself on [[Forum:Yavin|Yavin]]. ===Ahnkra's Campaign=== ====The Betrayer==== {{Quote|So, it seems that one of [[Forum:Viznoor, the Black|Vizzy]]'s precious servants turned traitor and joined up with that stupid brat and his boot-licking army. That rat bastard Ahnkra's been tearing up the [[Tangled Shore|Shore]] with a resurrected army of brainwashed soldiers. A trick he picked up from [[Xivu Arath, God of War|Xivu Arath]], I assume. Anyhow, the Shitkeepers are gonna be even more of a problem now that they have knowledge of the [[Forum:Stygian Brood|Stygian Brood]]'s special blend of necromancy, so....you know what to do. Time to take out the garbage.|[[UserWiki:Vothriks, the Lost|Vothriks, the Lost]]}} [[File:Wrathborn1.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Ahnkra's army of Shadow Ravagers fighting the Guardians]] Some time after the War of Dimensions between AJ and the Shadowkeepers, the [[Forum:Stygian Brood|Stygian Brood]] fell under attack by Kirito and Asuna and their army. While most remained loyal to [[Forum:Viznoor, the Black|Viznoor]] despite the damage they suffered, a few did defect to Kirito's army, among them being [[Forum:Ahnkra, Devoted to Zharves|Ahnkra, the Desolate]], who viewed the swordsman as "the true pillar of strength." Ahnkra pledged absolute loyalty to Kirito's cause and the [[Forum:Zharves, Shadowcaster of Kirito|Shadowcaster]], and shared his knowledge of the Stygian Brood's necromancy and the method they used to free themselves of their [[Worm]]s. Setting up a base deep within the [[Tangled Shore]], Ahnkra then began replicating [[Xivu Arath, God of War|Xivu Arath]]'s method in resurrecting a wide array of previously slain foes from Fallen, Cabal and other sects of Hive and corrupting them into his mindless servants, effectively creating the Shadow Army's sect of [[Wrathborn]], the [[Forum:Shadowkeepers (Paradox)#Shadow Ravagers|Shadow Ravagers]]. In the following days, Ahnkra would launch repeated strikes against the Stygian Brood while adding more to the Shadow Ravagers' ranks from across the system. Furious, Viznoor rallied his brood to stage a counterattack on Ahnkra's forces, leading to a violent large-scale conflict between the Shadow Swarm and the Stygian Brood amidst the Tangled Shore. Sometime after the skirmishes began, Ahnkra began preparing a ritual to infest the Tangled Shore with Darkness in Kirito's name, which a Fireteam, led by [[Forum:Anna Blue|Anna Blue]]'s friend [[Forum:Zoe|Zoe]], would discover when they were sent to investigate the Hive activity. Working with Viznoor and his forces, they managed to break through the Shadow Army's defenses; however, before they could have the chance to stop the ritual from being completed, Zoe and her crew would be slaughtered by Ahnkra, forcing Viznoor's forces to retreat. Moments after hearing about Zoe's death, Anna Blue went to her friend's last spot on the Tangled Shore and fought a harrowing battle against Ahnkra. However, just when Ahnkra was about to slaughter her, she is saved by [[Eris Morn]], who sends a series of brutal attacks against Ahnkra, who is forced to retreat, but not before vowing revenge on Eris. Awed by Eris's daring effort, she would eventually work under Eris's tutelage and help forge a powerful weapon of Light known as the [[Forum:Silent Scream|Silent Scream]], her personal [[Scout Rifle]] that combined [[Symmetry (weapon)|Symmetry]] with both [[Void]] energy and Hive runes, which she would soon use against the Hive. ====Strike on the Dreadnaught==== {{Quote|While you have been too busy laying dormant on your throne, I've rallied our kind to carry on what our ancestors began... what you failed to accomplish.|[[Forum:Ahnkra, Devoted to Zharves|Ahnkra]], challenging Viznoor and his Stygian Brood.}} ===Assault on the Empire=== {{Quote|I need to warn Castris and the City... Kirito's planning an onslaught against the Empire and our world. If I can get that message to her in time, we might have a fighting chance.|[[Forum:Robert E. O. Speedwagon|Robert E. O. Speedwagon]] after uncovering [[Forum:Tatsuyi Kirigaya, Vibebreaker of Shadows|Tatsuyi]]'s plan to frame [[Forum:Castris|Castris]].}} [[File:Placeholder.png|300px|thumb|right|Speedwagon about to face off against Tatsuyi]] Some time during Dawnrise Protocol, Kirito and Asuna and their daughters Yui and Konno and sons [[Forum:Tatsuyi Kirigaya, Vibebreaker of Shadows|Tatsuyi]] and Yuji met up with [[Forum:Castris|Castris]] and her Elites, offering [[Forum:Castris's Criminal Empire|them]] a chance to work alongside his syndicate. At the same time, [[Forum:Rudolph McAlister|Rudolph McAlister]], one of the spies whom [[Forum:Robert E. O. Speedwagon|Robert E. O. Speedwagon]] dispatched to investigate Castris's criminal empire, found numerous evidences about Castris's past and attempted to rendezvous with [[Forum:Ashe-5|Ashe-5]] so that they could bring down the empire, only to find that Ashe had been slain by a Guardian-issued [[Sword]]. Appalled and shocked by this, he attempted to find Castris and apprehend her, but is suddenly attacked by [[Forum:Kotrik, Bloodcrafter of Kirito|Kotrik]], who immediately slaughtered him, but not before Rudolph sent a message to Speedwagon, telling him that Kirito had returned. By the time Speedwagon and his associates arrived, Castris had already escaped. As Speedwagon attempted to pursue Castris, he runs into Tatsuyi, Kirito and Asuna's eldest son who had stolen Cisco Ramon's metahuman powers and fused them with both his [[Necrotic Grip]] gauntlets and [[Thorn]] before murdering Vibe. Enraged by Vibe's unjust fate, Speedwagon summoned his version of the Burning Maul, an alternate form of the [[Hammer of Sol]], and attempted to end Tatsuyi's life, but finds himself temporarily paralyzed by the effects of Thorn, which gave Tatsuyi an escape plan. Some moments after Kirito's family escaped, Speedwagon, no longer paralyzed, woke up to find his associates dead and vowed revenge on both Castris and Tatsuyi. Picking up on the investigation, however, he would discover a distress call from the syndicate's main arms supplier, Wren, who stated he and his band of smugglers was currently under siege from the syndicate. Perplexing the [[Titan (class)|Titan]], he followed the distress signal to the gunrunners personal [[Cabal carrier]] and provided support for his gang. He would meet up with the [[Warlock]] and would begin interrogating him about the syndicate and it's prior transgressions to which the Warlock stated that the syndicate is currently still neutral at this time. When Speedwagon told about Ashe's fate and the sword used to slay her, Wren was shocked, stating that the [[Dreaming City]]-make sword was recently purchased off him by one of the Empire's associates. Before he could let on about the buyer, the two are attacked by two mysterious Fallen assailants armed with a [[Forum:Fusion|mysterious power]]. The two are quickly overwhelmed by the empowered hostiles and Wren would end up abducted while Speedwagon would be knocked out, but not before meeting a [[Forum:Tyranaks, the Overlord|third assailant]] who threatened his life if he got in the way again. The Titan would be awoken by one of the Empire's Barons, [[Forum:Solviks, the Gunslinger|Solviks]], who consoled him that Castris and her Empire were allies, not enemies, albeit unconventional. Speedwagon would also meet one of the Empire's lesser known, yet most treasured associates [[Forum:Myra Winters|Myra Winters]], who told him that she had upgraded his [[Ghost]] with tech that just might help with his investigation and prove the Empire's standing on the Shadowkeepers, starting with a previously recorded conversation between Wren and his trusted [[Psion]] friend, [[Forum:Lithwe|Lithwe]], who were conversing about Castris's decision on the deal with the Shadowkeepers as well as what might happen if they did accept. But before the two could let on about her decision, the two are interrupted by a familiar looking, muscular [[Fallen]] brute who was asked if he could purchase a special sword; Speedwagon recognized the Fallen brute as one of the attackers who snatched Wren, learning his name was [[Forum:Kamrak, the Titan|Kamrak]]. The Titan hesitantly thanked the two Criminal associates before the two left, stating that they had some business to attend. Continuing the investigation, he would utilize the "ECHO" tech to discover the murder of Ashe, where he would see the Vanguard representative being escorted by some of the Empire's associates, learning that they were there to guard her on her way to Rudolph. Expecting them to turn on her, he would, instead, discover that the squad was picked off one by one and the Exo Hunter would be murdered by the other mysterious assailant from the night prior. Raising even more questions, the Titan would attempt to go back to where he meet Tatsuyi to learn more. Going back to the site and activating the recording software, seen from his eyes, the Shadowkeeper scion would be seen conversing to the members of the assailants and gave them new orders, attempt to frame Castris and rope the faction into war, telling the [[Forum:Lilthis, the Daemon|female assailant]] to stay here and wait for Speedwagon and attempt to escape to give the guise she was Castris while telling the other two to hunt down and capture some of the syndicate's higher weapons designers and suppliers such as Wren and [[Forum:Vyslaks, the Technomancer|Vyslaks]] to which a respected new member of the Shadowkeepers would get them to replicate some of the Empire's work. It all came to the Titan that this was a conspiracy, one that will force the Empire into war with the Shadowkeepers. ===Guardians Rising=== ====A New Consensus==== {{Quote|Long before the Traveler came, I made a promise to live on for the sake of my friends and Fairy Tail. Now, it has called on me to speak on its behalf and help you fight back against the Black Swordsman and the Lightning Flash.|[[Forum:Lucy Heartfilia|Lucy Heartfilia]], speaking to the Guardian moments after becoming the new Speaker.}} [[File:Placeholder.png|300px|thumb|right|Lucy Heartfilia as the Eighth Speaker]] Some time after Dawnrise Protocol's initiation, Ikora Rey appointed [[Shiro-4]] as the [[Hunter]] [[Vanguard]] and [[Forum:Luther Hargreeves|Luther Hargreeves]] as the new Vanguard Commander representing the [[Titan (class)|Titan]]s, while the [[Consensus]] would appoint [[Forum:Glynda Goodwitch|Glynda Goodwitch]] as the [[Forum:Huntress|Huntress]] Vanguard, [[Forum:Kakashi Hatake|Kakashi Hatake]] as the [[Forum:Shinobi|Shinobi]] Vanguard, [[Forum:Jotaro Kujo|Jotaro Kujo]] as the [[Forum:Meister|Meister]] Vanguard, and [[Forum:Lucy Heartfilia|Lucy Heartfilia]] as the new [[Speaker (title)|Speaker]] in order to strengthen the defenses of the City and provide more protection for the Traveler. At the same time, the Vanguard would permanently lift [[Osiris]] and [[Lysander]]'s exile so that Osiris could help assist with enhancing Rasputin's defense system so that the Last City can fight back against Kirito's forces while Lysander would rally his [[Concordat]] forces to unite the lightless Guardians against the Darkness. Meanwhile, Cayde-6 would return to his own time and form his own Fireteam, consisting of himself, Petra Venj, [[Suraya Hawthorne]], and [[Banshee-44]], along with the other members of his crew - [[Jin]] and [[Nadiya]]. Hoping to draw attention to those looking for danger, Cayde would set up base within an abandoned court on the [[Twilight Gap]]. ====An Unexpected Encounter==== {{Quote|So, are you done cheering me up?"<br>"Perhaps... I just wanted to talk, really.|[[Forum:Anna Blue|Anna Ciel]] and [[Forum:Morgana Archwell|Zinaida]].}} Some moments after the reconstruction of the Consensus, [[The Hidden]] would come across reports of various Guardians who had supposedly deserted the Light, one of them being a rogue [[Warlock]] known as [[Forum:Morgana Archwell|Zinaida]]. Fearing that they would be enthralled into joining the Shadowkeepers, [[Aunor Mahal]] would task Eris and Anna with investigating this disturbing matter in the hopes of confirming those rumors to be false. Later on, Eris would deploy Anna to a facility within [[Europa]] to replicate her memories and transfer those into an [[Exo]], whom she would call Anna Ciel. ===A Power Reforged=== ====Unlocking the Past==== {{Quote|Up until now, we only knew about the Light and the Darkness. But what if I told you that there's a way to claim ancient powers and save Humanity