The Domain of Darkness

  Somewhere deep within the Domain of Darkness—an ominous, dark chamber lined with Grimm growth and black stone. The inner sanctum of the enemy's war council. A black witch named Salem gazes into the seething black pool.

  "Everything is falling into place. The Fall Maiden will be ours... and Beacon, next."

  Arthur Watts taps away at a holographic screen. Hazel stands like a silent wall near the edge of the room. Tyrian paces like a mad hound, grinning ear to ear.

  "Emerald’s illusion is set. The girl’s anger will ignite a storm," Watts summarizes.

  "Still feels like too much risk," Hazel disapproves.

  "But such delicious risk! Chaos always has the sweetest flavor," Tyrian laughs.

  *BOOM!*

  A sudden pulse echoes through the chamber, silencing all voices. The black pool begins to bubble. The entire room darkens, and above them, a rift forms in midair, violet and red like a bleeding scar across dimensions.

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  Salem is alarmed but calm. "This is not... Ozpin’s doing."

  A distorted, mechanical voice begins to crackle from the rift. [Anomaly detected. Entropy-rich signatures found. Capturing dimensional threats… fragment convergence in progress.]

  Salem’s eyes narrow. She raises a hand—Grimm tentacles surge upward to block the rift. But they're shredded in an instant by jagged, code-like chains.

  Watts is going through his screen profusely. "What is this? Who’s accessing—?"

  A black lance made of pure glitch pierces the chamber. One wraps around Watts. Another lashes Hazel’s leg and pulls him down like a weightless doll. Tyrian’s laughter turns to manic shrieking.

  "No fair—I was going to cause the panic today!"

  Salem’s eyes glow as she begins to shout, "This world will not be taken!"

  But it is. All four are ripped into the vortex. The rift closes, leaving behind a pulsing glyph on the floor, slowly fading like a brand burned into reality.

  Amity Coliseum

  Just as Yang Xiao Long winds up to strike, everything slows. The camera zooms in on Yang’s attempted punch on a defenseless student, until—

  *BOOM!*

  A massive tear splits the sky above the arena. A thunderclap of cosmic distortion silences the crowd. Yang’s fist halts mid-swing, trembling, and even Emerald’s illusion drops as everyone looks up.

  "What… is that?!"

  General James Ironwood turns on the radio. "All units! Eyes on the sky! This isn’t part of the broadcast!"

  A white-haired principal with a cane can only stare in shock. "No… It’s begun."

  Suddenly, the stadium loses power. Grimm, Voids, Shadows, and corrupted Nox units begin pouring from the crack above, along with an unnatural wind echoing the voice: [Keystone fragment not detected. Initiate convergence. RW-003: Infiltration active.]

  The Fall of Beacon… never happens.