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The Second Collapse (also known as the Shadowkeeper's Apocalypse) was a massively cataclysmic system-wide conflict fought between the unified forces of the Solar System and The Black Fleet. The conflict began after Pyramidic fleet-elements started arriving en mass into the system. After the Outer System was taken without any meaningful resistance, the Fleet moved into the Inner System, shrouding world after world until only Earth and its Moon remained.
There, in orbit around the dyad worlds, the Fleet deployed the Shadowkeepers and its commanders, the Black Swordsman and its Angel. Most of Earth's landmass was quickly claimed by the Shadowkeeper armies except for the entirety of the southern American continent, where the Last City has grown into a megapolis of unimaginable proportions. Here the enemy forces were stalemated until The Guardian was lured away to the EDZ and subsequently corrupted. The Black Fleet claimed victory, broke the Traveler, and slew most of the Solar System combatants, with few survivors fleeing into new worlds. The enshroudment of Sol complete, the Black Fleet withdrew its forces into its home dimension, where secretly a hidden fortress had been constructed.
Prelude
Birth of Fusion
- "My many years of research has enabled us to reach a new level, because she is a special case. I hereby introduce to everyone, my daughter Mallory Bertha. The first human in the world to wield powers from our future. She is more than just my daughter, but also the hope of humanity."
- — Kaguya Narusaka introducing her daughter Mallory to her colleagues and supporters.
Fifteen years before the arrival of the Traveler, Kaguya Narusaka, her husband Hendrick Yor, and their colleagues Calista Ying, Yukito Narusaka, Aoi Narusaka, and Erik Hidayat were recruited by a lone Hunter named Lila Bray and a renowned Titan named Darius Watanabe to help with the creation of a technologically advanced power source that could revolutionize the entire Earth and bestow a new source of immortality upon their people. Excited by the growing prospect of creating a better world for everyone, she would build various enhanced power structures to help with the formation of this new source, which eventually led to the unveiling of Fusion, a powerful element capable of harnessing the powers of both the Light and Darkness, which she also created as entities that can coexist alongside each other and save humanity from extinction, starvation, destruction, death, and many other plagues that threatened the world, one being the Light, which provides hope and prosperity; and the other being the Darkness, which provides power and knowledge. Astonished by the power it possesses, she would reveal Fusion to the whole world, earning her the support of many other professors and researchers and sufficient resources to extend her research. On December 31st, 1999, she gave birth to a daughter named Mallory Bertha, whom she and Hendrick proclaimed as the hope of humanity and the girl who would unite every people of all species as the Dragon Queen. While Kaguya and her team 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.
Arrival of the Traveler
- "Ever since the Traveler showed herself to our ancestors on Mars, we stared out at the galaxy and believed that we were chosen to walk in the light of other stars. But unfortunately, history had something else in mind for them."
- — Eris Morn.
The Auradonian War
- "So many lives would've been saved if we had just let history run its course."
- — Osiris, reflecting on the aftermath of the Auradonian War and Eaton's destruction.
Project A.L.I.C.E.
Massacre of Eaton
Scourge of Auradon
Overview
The Swordsman's Arrival
Sometime after the First Collapse, the worlds of the Solar system partway drawn into Aincrad from various "Darkness Zones" left behind, the a-life that would come to be known as the Black Swordsman was deposited at the foot of the Signal Tower. Confused and disoriented, Kirito demanded answers from anything that would speak to it, and received nothing. After many long and fruitless months of attempting escape, Kirito gave up all hope and resigned itself to its fate. It was then the Darkness spoke to it, promising rich rewards in exchange for lifelong servitude. The a-life agreed, and was rechristened the Black Swordsman, herald of the Darkness' coming and leader of its armies.
As time passed differently in Aincrad, or perhaps the Darkness had bent the passage of time around the a-life specifically, no sooner had the Swordsman agreed than it was revealed the Black Fleet had been mustering for its second all-out assault upon a weakened Traveler and the small alliance of humans it had rallied. Kirito was sent out from Aincrad into the material realm, reawakening long dormant lieutenants of Darkness and cutting off avenues of escape; at some point, he would be reunited with his Angel, Asuna, who had been waiting patiently for his return.
Preparation
Attack on the City
Age of Darkness
Aftermath
After the Sanctuary dwellers forged an alliance with the inhabitants, they decisively repelled an exploratory arm of the Black Fleet, reacting to a reinvigorated Traveler which had forsaken its spherical body for that of a human, and the entrapped inhabitants of Aincrad. Together, with Sanctuary and their allies launching a physical assault on the Solar System and Mallory infiltrating Aincrad to unmake the Black Fleet's interference, the system was freed and Aincrad locked away. Fusion was liberated from Aincrad.
The High Orbit
Remnants of the Shadowkeepers still lurked within the wilds of the freed birthplace of humanity. The Swordsman and the Angel were hunted to destruction by resurgent Guardian forces, with Cabal and Eliksni Lightbearers among them. Only their "son", Tatsuyi Kirigaya, remained strong enough to rally a number of Shadowkeepers and Nightmares, resurrecting his parents as Nightmares along the way, and attempted a direct assault on Mallory. They were defeated by The Guardian.
Shadows Gathering
List of appearances
- Destiny 2:
- Paradox (First appearance)
- Season of the Inferno (Mentioned only)
- Paradox (First appearance)