HSR STIGMA OC CARAVAGGIO PT 1.2

ANTIMATTER LEGION

"The emissary in black asked, 'For what purpose do you live?' He could only give a vague and obscure response, even after thinking about it for a while. A deadly smile appears across the emissary's face, 'Let me put it another way. Why are you still alive?'"

— Fables About the Stars by Adrian Spencer Smith

Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction, commands a vast legion that brings chaos and destruction to the worlds. Loyal followers of Nanook swear to embark on the Path of Destruction, placing themselves at the absolute opposite of life and civilization. They are known as the Antimatter Legion that spreads terror throughout the universe.

The fiercest races of the universe act as vanguards for the Legion. There are also evil strategists who plot out the destruction of worlds and act as the brains of the Legion. Innocent new worlds are ruthlessly destroyed, while proud and mature civilizations are forced to learn humility while on the brink of collapse. The will of Destruction will only slow down when faced with a dying world. The Legion saunters over planets on the verge of being shattered, devouring the chaotic energy emitted by the process of decay. Only when the last flame of civilization has been extinguished will they leave contently to search for their next target.

Worlds swept by the tide of the legion ask helplessly in their dying moments, "why?" Amidst the victims' cries of despair, the countless evils in the Legion sneer so heinously that even the stars shudder. It is said that, as demons and evils roam, sometimes the shadow of Nanook would emerge from the starry sky to witness the tragic end of another world.

DENIZENS OF ABUNDANCE

"One flower blooms, while thousands more wrinkle. Bones tell no tales, to Abundance most fickle."

— Worlds History as a Mirror, Xianzhou

The Denizens of Abundance create poetry and art in the name of their beloved god, spreading the love and kindness of Yaoshi throughout the universe. In the worlds blessed by Yaoshi, the water never runs dry and creatures are free from the cruel binds of time. Life is free to bloom as it sees fit. In the worlds blessed by Yaoshi, age is but a number, and mortals are not afraid of aging and death. They enjoy their lives to the fullest.

Though its denizens come from different worlds, they all tell the same story: Thousands of years ago, war ravaged their lands. The short lives of mortals bred greed and fear, which gave rise to plunder and tyranny. As demons and plagues ran rampant, the very fate of this world and its denizens were at stake in the flames of war... until a kind god descended and planted a flower seed as warm as the sunshine. The moment the seed touched the earth, the whole world was transformed. Parched soil began to heal and muddy waters became clear. Mortals tortured by wounds and disease were no longer in pain. People's hearts were no longer filled by sorrow. Humankind discarded their blood-stained weapons and began spontaneously praising the blessings from the god of Abundance...

Yaoshi ended the suffering of these worlds and bestowed upon mortals body and soul that could withstand the corrosion of time. In return, the Denizens of Abundance made Yaoshi's name known to the universe to show their gratitude. Rumors started to spread that certain hunters who roam between worlds regard Yaoshi as evil and THEIR creation defiled creatures. The Denizens will not tolerate such blatant blasphemy. The heathens must pay.

DOCTORS OF CHAOS

"We do not heal the body, nor free the soul. We do not covet life, nor shun death. We honor existence itself."

— Murong, Doctor of Chaos

"Existence is nothing." When an organism has this thought and applies it as a guiding principle, it begins to walk on the Path ruled by IX and receive the meaningless glimpse of the Aeon from some distant void. This will usually have two outcomes: 1) The organism will devolve and truly become nothing, becoming something called a Self-Annihilator. 2) The organism will be captivated by the magnificence of the Aeon, thus becoming a Doctor of Chaos in their spontaneous curiosity.

Doctors of Chaos uphold a creed of saving the world: If they are able to prove to IX that existence is more than nothing, they could free that large and lonely soul from the depths of the void. What they try to prove is a paradox, and it cannot be done by mortals, yet the Doctors of Chaos seem to enjoy trying — Because the moment they perceived the worthlessness of life, that glance from the distant cosmos inspired within them a futile desire to revolt against meaningless destiny.

XIANZHOU ALLIANCE

"Fight together against countless enemies. Be together through endless turmoil. Of the thousand lifespans encountered, I take but one sip and leave the rest to its fate."

— Worlds History as a Mirror, Xianzhou

In an ancient era of legends, multiple Xianzhou ships were tasked with voyaging across the stars to search for the miracle medicine of immortality. The endless voyage took its toll on Xianzhou, wearing away its conviction and shape over the long years, until their eventual encounter with Yaoshi. However, all that the fruit of immortality brought upon them were sorrows, poverty, and endless war and death. It wasn't until Lan, the Aeon of The Hunt, returned from the Abyss. Using gravity as bowstring and stars as arrows, Lan shattered the Ambrosial Arbor and put the wickedness of Abundance to an end. After Xianzhou returned to the righteous path, it formed an alliance under the guidance of The Hunt and formed a powerful army known as the Cloud Knights. The alliance's goals were to patrol the world and eradicate all Abominations of Abundance, and put an end to the corruption of the undead.

Over the years, the Xianzhou Alliance landed on a great number of worlds that used to enjoy the grace of gods. They eradicated countless undead abominations. Any civilization that worshiped Abundance had to consider the possible threat of the Xianzhou destroying their planet. This kind of deterrence was precisely what the Xianzhou Alliance is hoping to be. They want to be seen as the constant red line for those greedy for immortality, becoming the price that none dares to pay.

To this day, countless souls have gathered upon Xianzhou, all bearing the will of The Hunt and the intent of seeking revenge on the ravaging Abundance. They will not rest until the complete eradication of the Deathless Doom, and their cosmic tours will not end.

STELLARON HUNTERS

"...Blade, Silver Wolf, Sam... The four mentioned above, dead or alive; Do not hurt the Destiny's Slave, and do not let them lose their ability of independent thinking."

— A wanted notice put out by the Interastral Peace Corporation

In a quiet moment in time, the Cancer of All Worlds began to cause ripples across the stars, like a rock tossed into a pool of water. Before anyone noticed, this twisted and unknown matter had already corrupted a great number of worlds, but resplendent and mesmerizing gems accompanied this corrosive mud — gems known as the Stellarons.

Death and despair followed wherever Stellarons went. For many civilizations who have experienced the disasters it brings, Stellarons are symbols of destruction. However, despite the Stellarons' nature, there emerged the fearless few who travel between worlds to obtain Stellarons. They call themselves the Stellaron Hunters.

No one knows anything about the Stellaron Hunters aside from what they have done. Which Aeon do they worship? What do they want with the Stellaron? With the cosmos filled with rumors about them, only one thing is for certain: Though the Stellaron Hunters are few in numbers, each of them holds incredible capacities and powers.