The disappearance of an Imperial prince was of great concern for the kingdom. Despite intense investigation, magistrates discovered no sign of him. Rumor ran rampant. The mystery of Ailil's disappearance spawned innumerable conspiracy theories about his whereabouts. Some believed it was retribution for Ailil exposing Balor's spies and assassins. Others believed the Giovanni killed him for his ruination of the Medici family. The absence of evidence led many to suspect that he was not, in fact, dead.

Maeve, Widow of Prince Ailil, benefitted considerably from the destruction of Samhain. Many refugees flocked from the destruction to the safety she offered. Leveraging her former husband’s name, she became the governor of the Court of Empires. During the war, Maeve aided in building the culture of the Court of Empires. She sent delegates to other kingdoms, and brought ambassadors to witness Dischordia's splendor. Her etiquette secured even the most wary or adversarial dignitaries to attend court.

Throughout the first year of these diplomatic efforts, the Aether remained ominously silent. Finally, they made their first overt move since the end of the war. Attacking the kingdom of Jukurrpa, the Aether seized New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. With aid of Dischordia and the Jade Empire, Jukurrpa reclaimed the islands. Though driven from the islands, the Aether's corrosive touch remained, staining it black. Many wondered if the Aether's attack foretold a resurgence of open warfare. Others suspected it to be misdirection for a greater attack to come.

Through a cunning whisper in the right ears, Lady Calamity Bambi Rose of Archive planted the seed for Princess Maeve to wed the Ambassador from the Sultanate of Glass. Maeve, eager to be the first to bring another kingdom into Dischordia, lept at the opportunity. After months of careful negotiations, she married Ambassador Fadil of the Sultanate. The event was almost marred, however, by the duplicity of the Vizier of Wind, who plotted to assassinate Fadil, a rival for his position, on his wedding day.

The event was almost marred by the duplicity of the Vizier of Wind. The Vizier plotted to assassinate Fadil, a rival for his position, on his wedding day.

Princess Maeve's marriage to Fadil cemented the alliance between the two kingdoms. With Fadil’s promotion to Vizier of Wind, the couple rose to the title of King and Queen.

Other kingdoms of the world watched the conflict unfold with interest. The diplomacy offered by the Court of Empires became more vital than ever. Nobles of each side attempted to sway the opinions of allies and enemies alike. They hoped to gain support on the battlefield and deny that same support to their enemies. Yet these attempts were to no avail. The other kingdoms shared concerns that the war might distract from the threat of the Aether. Still others watched with amusement as the two powerful kingdoms weakened one another.

The Shadow Court desired the child to complete the ritual of Endless Winter. The Russian witch, Baba Yaga, sought the child for some nightmarish purpose. Some claimed the Silence too had an interest, but their motives remained mysterious. Maeve and Fadil refused to risk the safety of their child. They responded to these alarming rumors with increased security. Yet their precautions proved insufficient. An unknown agent abducted the child from its nursery during the final months of the war.

As Europe reeled from Dischordia's devastating attack, Aether seized their chance to cripple both. Cities which had fallen to darkness during the War of Aether bled shadows like an open wound. Abyssal armies swarmed from these tears in reality. Shadow-eaten vampires, spectres, and demons laid waste to surrounding territories. The Aether fought without regard for their own destruction, and inflicted considerable damage.

The Court of Empires suffered one such attack. Misshapen monstrosities resembling black lizards struck from the Salt Lake from the south. Curious ambassadors emptied into the courtyard to investigate the sounds of alarm. Amorphous creatures of black liquid oozed through the streets. The blobs move with a malevolent intelligence. They trapped and consumed unfortunate citizens, leaving only blackened skeletons in their wake. The ambassadors took up arms, each proving their capabilities beyond mere diplomats. Ambassadors of enemy kingdoms fought side-by-side. They dismissed their hostilities towards one another to fight the common enemy... the true purpose of the Court of Empires rekindled. For some, the fight became a competition to slay more enemies than their rivals.

To everyone's surprise, even the Kingdom of Aether sent representatives. Observing the intent of the gathering, they offered a chance at peace in their own conflict. Of course, they expected certain concessions in return. They demanded that the Court of Empires, formed to combat the Aether, abandon that mission. They further demanded that they be welcome at all gatherings of kingdoms. Though many questioned their obvious ploy, the Aether's diplomats were quite persuasive. Their delegates convinced many other kingdoms to support their agenda. Most agreed out of a desire to keep their enemies close, but the end result was the same. Aether would join the Court of Empires.

The Aether's offer of peace required a difficult choice for those assembled, and a high cost. The first option: accept the darkness into reality and restore the balance of creation and destruction. Or the second, deny them and accept reality's ultimate end. The steep cost of acceptance complicated this decision. Without a vessel to bind Ahriman, a powerful abyssal entity, it would consume the world. But, to bind it required the sacrifice of a child to contain the darkness.

Two children had been abducted from their parents for this purpose. The first, the Last Son of Gwydion, child of Imperial Queen Maeve. The second, the Last Daughter of Eve, child of Hierophant Zachariah Baldric. In the end, it was Queen Calamity of Archive who chose to sacrifice the Last Daughter of Eve. In doing so, she bound the darkness with a name, and ended the darkness' war on reality. The souls of all mankind would be safe from Oblivion. The sacrifice adjusted reality towards an age of enlightenment for mankind. If the path stays true, the next age promises to be an Age of Ascension.

Though it was the Last Daughter of Eve given in offering to the Abyss, the Last Son of Gwydion vanished as well. Due to the mists of Samhain, none recall what led to the child's disappearance. It is only known that his whereabouts remain a mystery. In the aftermath, Queen Maeve became distraught, and Banality eroded away her soul. She vanished without a trace, and those close to her pray that she is dead. There are fates far worse than death, both for her, and for the world.