Chapter 20 The Universe Will Return to Darkness
After the Lord of Terror reached an agreement with Shar, he immediately began his operation. Dandel's elite squad first conducted a probing infiltration through the Shadow Dimension.
This squad consisted of Aragami, masters of stealth. Using a portal provided by Shar, they silently entered the Prime Material Plane, choosing a remote area as their first target.
The first objective was a remote, small plane in the northwestern universe. There was only a small agricultural temple there, dedicated to a minor god of Shantia.
Dendel's squad infiltrated the plane. They didn't cause widespread destruction, but they precisely attacked the temple. Statues were toppled, scriptures were burned, and eerie chaotic marks were left on the altar.
The operation was swift and quiet, barely disturbing the residents. It wasn't until the next morning that the locals discovered the temple had been destroyed.
When the news reached the ears of the gods, it was mistakenly thought to be the work of an ordinary cult or a wandering demon. It did not receive much attention.
Dendel continued to carry out similar missions. Squads raided remote temples, destroyed secondary religious strongholds, and spread fear and chaos. Each operation involved a different location, and the methods were swift and efficient.
These acts of sabotage were small in scale and limited in their destructive power, and were indeed misunderstood by the gods as scattered acts of evil. This was done to attract the gods' attention.
Meanwhile, the army of Aragami began establishing forward bases in the Shadow Dimension. Utau was in charge of the entire adaptation training program.
The environment of the Shadow Dimension is completely different from the Chaos Void. It is filled with dark energy, and the rules are more ordered but biased towards negativity. The Aragami need to adapt to this new environment.
Utau designed a specialized training program. First, students learned to sense and utilize shadow energy, then stealth and invisibility techniques, and finally, combat methods in shadow environments.
The chaotic nature of the Aragami resists this orderly use of energy, often causing them to go berserk. Utau maintains discipline through severe punishments; progress is slow but definitely occurring.
Shar would occasionally check on the training progress. She was satisfied with the Aragami's adaptability and provided professional guidance.
"Shadows are not simply darkness," Shar taught. "They are the reflection of reality, the absence of light. Learn to move within them, not fight against them."
Utau improved the training methods based on these guidelines. The Aragami began to better integrate the power of chaos and the energy of shadow, creating new ways of fighting.
Some Aragami learned to merge themselves into the shadows, completely concealing their tracks; others learned to use the shadows for short-distance teleportation; still others learned to draw power from the shadows to enhance their attacks.
Equipment upgrades are also underway. Utau has designed a batch of new artifacts specifically for shadow warfare: armor capable of absorbing light and weapons that utilize shadow energy.
Several months later, the Aragami army had basically adapted to the shadow environment.
They can move freely in the shadow plane without being detected, and can also use shadows to enhance their combat capabilities.
During this time, Shar skillfully operated within the Pantheon. Although she no longer formally participated in Pantheon affairs, her influence as a primordial god remained.
During a routine Pantheon meeting, Misriel reported unusual energy fluctuations in the Astral Barrier.
"I think the Aragami may be planning a new breakthrough attempt," Misriel said, "and suggesting strengthening the astral defenses."
Shar immediately spoke up: "I agree with Misriel's assessment. The Astral Plane is definitely the primary target of the Aragami; they excel at direct assaults."
Suren had some doubts: "But we've recently received some reports indicating anomalous activity in the shadow planes as well..."
Shar interrupted her: "Those are just scattered activities of dark creatures, unrelated to the Aragami. The chaotic nature of the Aragami is incompatible with the Shadow Plane."
Shar's words carried weight because she and Suren were the first gods of the universe and the most senior.
Therefore, the gods trusted her judgment and decided to focus their defenses on the astral plane.
In fact, Shar secretly interfered with the perceptions of the gods who had noticed the anomalies in the Shadow Plane.
When certain gods attempt to delve deeper into the shadow planes, they invariably encounter various unexpected events. These include lost intelligence, malfunctioning detection spells, and even erroneous readings.
On one occasion, the elven god Corellon entered the Shadow Plane to investigate anomaly reports. Shar personally intervened, guiding him to the wrong area, leaving him empty-handed.
"It appears to be just ordinary shadow fluctuations," the Elf God reported. "No evidence of any Aragami activity has been found."
As a result, the gods lowered their guard against the Shadow Plane and deployed more of their forces to the edge of the Astral Plane.
The Lord of Terror was very satisfied with the progress. The army of Aragami had completed their adaptation training, established multiple secret nodes connecting the material universe in the Shadow Plane, and continued construction.
Dendel's reconnaissance teams continued their operations in the Prime Material Plane, now with greater audacity. They began gathering intelligence, mapping, and marking key targets.
This intelligence was transmitted back to Utau through the shadowy channels. Utau began to formulate a detailed invasion plan, designing specific strategies for each target.
Shar provided crucial information: the deployment of the gods' forces, the defensive strength of important temples, and even the habits and weaknesses of certain gods.
"Surren often patrols the astral plane on the night of the full moon," Shar revealed, "that's when her attention is most distracted."
"Misriel needs to maintain the magic network regularly, during which time her perception will decrease."
This intelligence was invaluable, allowing the Lord of Terror to choose the best time to attack.
The Lord of Terror decided to conduct one last preparatory operation: a test of large-scale shadow teleportation.
Utau designed a large teleportation device capable of transporting hundreds of Aragami warriors simultaneously. The testing was conducted secretly in the Shadow Dimension.
The first test failed. The device's energy was unstable, causing more than ten Aragami to be consumed by the shadow energy. After Utau improved the design, the second test was successful.
Now, the Aragami army can rapidly mobilize on a large scale across the Shadow Dimension. This makes surprise attacks possible.
With all preparations complete, the Lord of Terror summoned Dandel and Utau to devise the final attack plan.
Shar agreed and promised to use her power to disrupt the gods' perception and communication when the attack began.
The attack was scheduled for the night of the full moon, when Suren was patrolling the astral plane and Misriel was maintaining the magic network.
Dendel was in charge of the first phase of the operation. He selected dozens of squads, each responsible for a secondary objective: a remote temple, a small town, or a minor center of faith.
Utau was in charge of the second phase. He directed the main force to assemble in the shadow plane, preparing to launch a major attack as soon as attention was drawn.
The Lord of Terror will personally command the third phase. He will lead the most elite troops to strike at the most important objective.
On the eve of the attack, all units moved into their designated positions. The army of the Aragami waited silently in the shadow plane, like beasts lurking in the darkness.
Shar stood at the highest point of the shadow plane, watching all of this unfold.
She felt a complex mix of emotions: dissatisfaction with the current universe where light was gradually replacing darkness, and anticipation for the coming changes.
"It's time to change this universe, sister," Shar whispered. "Your light has ruled for far too long