The fall of the empire belonging to those known across the universe as "The First Ones" wasn't a sudden event. Such things never are. It was instead the result of decades of simmering tensions and resentments both personal and political. As the First ones spread across the stars, they encountered a number of strange lifeforms and civilizations. Most were integrated into their empire via diplomacy, economic interest or in more controversial cases, military conquest. From the beginning there were those who argued passionately against expansion through military operations, deeming it redundant as more peaceful methods had proven equally effective in convincing new races into joining willingly without the loss in blood and treasure. This rift in F.O politics would become a hallmark in the time as a space voyaging species.

As the centuries passed however those in favor of military action as the primary means of expansion came to be the dominate power in F.O governments, though the the opposition was never entirely removed from governing affairs and continued to enjoy strong support among the population. This divide was seen demonstrated chiefly among those from the so called "Core Worlds" i.e those worlds who had been among the join the empire and the so called "Frontier Worlds" which had been more recent additions. Core World citizens were usually in favor of the military option deeming it the more efficient way to incorporate new worlds into the empire whereas those on the Frontier tended to be in favor of the more peaceful options. This was based in their own, often violent, annexation which caused resentment especially as the promised economic and cultural advancement came slowly if it came at all. More and more however F.O governance took of the form of military occupation, forced colonization & the extraction of their planets resources, especially the powerful energy known only as Magic.

It was perhaps inevitable that this friction would erupt into open conflict. Outraged by a series of new taxes imposed by the Core Worlds, disaffected citizens across the Frontier Worlds rose in rebellion. The initial phases saw scattered uprisings that were easily- and in many cases brutally- put down. As time went on however, and word of the violence perpetrated by government forces spread, resistance became more sophisticated. On far-off worlds troops were ambushed on patrol, their equipment seized or destroyed & economic operation, particularly the extraction of Magic was disrupted.

As the conflict escalated into full blown civil war and the government & military proved unable to contain the situation desperate measure began to be considered. One such was centered around one of the most recent additions into the empire and had, in part due to the recentness of it's settlement, had remained untouched by the violence that spread like wildfire throughout the rest of the Frontier. The planet's name was Etheria and in it some in the First Ones government saw the answer to all their problems.

Etheria was a world overflowing with Magic. It flowed through the planets native flora & fauna, through the very air on the planet. This much Magical power emanating from a single planet was unheard of. Scientists eagerly made plans to utilize it's immense reserves of energy but this were immediately halted when the military was granted exclusive use of the planets reserves. While this was not an unprecedented event, the idea of such vasts amounts of energy which could be used in so many ways to be used solely as fuel for starships drew fierce condemnation from the scientific community. What was known to only a few in the highest levels of government was that the evergy stores of Etheria were destined to be used in a far more horrific manner.

When Mara Jade was revealed to be the newest Incarnation of the legendary warrior She-Ra she assigned a crucial task. To go to Etheria and properly study it's magic and report back her findings. To aid her in this endeavor, a new weapon was forged. The Sword of Protection. A fusion of First One technology with the Runestones found on Etheria. The stated purpose of the Sword was to aid the new She-Ra more effectively control the immense Magical power inherent to the position. In reality the Sword's purpose was to channel the Magic of Etheria through She-Ra thereby turning her into the key to the Heart of Etheria project. The project would create the ultimate weapon. It's power would stifle any attempt at rebellion and render the empire impervious to attack by hostile power ever again. Mara's ability to survive this it's activation could only be speculated upon but it was ultimately determined that her loss was acceptable as a new She-Ra would eventually be found.

What happened next has never been, and perhaps can never be, fully explained. After a unknown amount of time Mara Jade discovered the truth of the project and determined to halt it's progress. Raising her own rebel group dubbed "Grayskull" from amongst the colonists, she lead a assault on the projects fail-safe and upon it's failure activated the weapon herself. However instead of the intended reaction the weapons power was directed to a different use. Through means never determined Jade used the weapon to transport the entire planet to a unknown location. Before the assault however Jade and her compatriots ensured the truth of the project was leaked to the population.

The effect was immediate. The rebellions which had been reasonably contained exploded in size. Act of defiance erupted across the Frontier and spread to the Core Worlds. Even the First Ones own homeworld of Eternia saw acts of protest by citizens who felt their government had gone too far. Even those within the government itself felt that a line had been crossed. One after another admirals, generals & other officials broke with the government declaring themselves the head of their own personal fiefdoms. It wasn't long before conflict broke out with the government determined to bring all it's enemies to heel. This new phase of conflict was fought with Magic at first but with extraction so heavily disrupted by the campaigns of aspiring warlords and others engaging in strip mine operations, eventually the Magic was used up and the combatants shifted to more purely technological weaponry. Cities were leveled and the population of entire colonies were displaced or killed entirely. After decades of being attacked by all sides the government on Eternia finally dissolved. It was hoped this would bring peace but such hopes were shattered as the now independent warlords began fighting each other for resources and territory. Further complicating matters was that some of the species that had rose in original rebellion had managed to successfully overthrow their planets colonial governments and were eager for revenge on their oppressors.

Yet other worlds lay forgotten in the chaos. Their environment & populations so devastated by war they were deemed irrelevant by the factions squabbling for power among the ruins of the once mighty empire. This arrogance would prove their ultimate undoing. For it was from the ruins of one such world that would arise a power to rival the First Ones. A new empire that would once again spread to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. A unending Horde that would set out into the darkness of space and promise to bring all the universe into a eternal light.

Whether they wanted it or not.