Fortnite: Zero War

Chapter 3.1

After the events of the previous story, Demi and Laura find themselves in a life-threatening situation, nearly drowning in the vast ocean surrounding the island as they watch it flip over. Fortunately, they're rescued just in time by some old acquaintances: The Seven. This group is determined to free the Zero Point from the Imagined Order’s control, and they want Demi and Laura’s help to achieve that goal. Laura, however, is hesitant. The Seven were responsible for putting her in a coma for an entire year. Though, she does agree to help since they share a common enemy. Demi also faces some initial distrust due to her past as a member of the IO Elite Guard, but she quickly proves her loyalty and value, earning their trust by letting her actions speak for her.

Chapter 3.2

The Imagined Order launches a full-scale invasion on the newly discovered island, triggering an all-out war with The Seven. Demi and Laura, now aligned with The Seven, who call themselves the Resistance, prepare for a final stand. Their mission: defend the island, end the IO’s reign, and free the Zero Point once and for all.

The battle is intense. The Resistance manages to reclaim large portions of the island, pushing back against the IO’s forces. But the fight is far from over. The IO retaliates by sending in their Elite Guard. With their might and power they were able to quickly turn the tide of battle. When the Resistance plans a mission to retake Tilted Towers, they choose Laura to lead the charge since she was powerful enough to retake an area on her own. She succeeds in reclaiming the area, but her victory is short-lived. She ran into Sakuya and Orion. In a brutal and unforgiving battle, Laura is ultimately defeated and captured. She was no match for the combined forces of Sakuya and Orion.

As the IO’s grip weakens, they resort to a final, desperate measure: a doomsday device called The Collider. Designed by Jade, the Elite Guard’s lead scientist, the device is powerful enough to destroy the entire island and everyone on it. Jade intends to use Laura as the energy source for The Collider, exploiting her infinite Zero Point energy output. Laura endures horrific torture, comparable to the suffering she experienced years ago, as Jade attempts to extract the Zero Point's power from within her.

When Demi learns of Laura’s capture, she immediately proposes a rescue mission. But The Seven refused as they focused on the larger war effort. Frustrated and unwilling to let Laura suffer and potentially die, Demi takes matters into her own hands. Relying on her past experience as a spy and Elite Guard member, she infiltrates Covert Cavern, the IO’s central base of operations. There, Demi not only discovers where Laura is being held but also uncovers intel about The Collider. Before she can act however, she walks straight into a trap set by her sister, Sakuya. Initially, Demi hesitates to fight back. But she has no choice. The fight is gritty and relentless, with each sister using every dirty trick they can to gain the upper hand. Eventually, their battle leads them into Jade’s lab, where Laura is imprisoned in an incubation chamber. In a moment of quick thinking, Demi tricks Sakuya into attacking the chamber, unintentionally freeing Laura.

As Laura begins to collapse, Demi catches her and makes a run for it, carrying her on her back. Demi fights off waves of enemies during their escape, determined to protect Laura at all costs. It seems they might actually make it, until Orion appears, waiting for them at the exit. Calm and cold, he congratulates Demi on her effort, but says he has “some cleanup to do.” Exhausted, Demi tries to stand her ground, but it’s clear they’re no match for Orion in their current state. As he charges forward, Demi dodges, but too late realizes she wasn’t the target. Orion strikes Laura instead, killing her in a single, devastating blow. He shows no remorse. If he couldn’t harness her powers, no one would.

Demi is shattered, both by grief and guilt. Fueled by rage, she fights back with everything she has, but her energy is nearly gone. Even with the boost her anger gives her, she’s unable to land any meaningful blows. Orion leaves her alive, for now, telling her that her time will come in the future. But for now, he has other business to take care of. So he left. All that remains of Laura is a fragment of glowing energy. Demi returns to the Resistance, delivering the terrible news and revealing what she has learned about the IO’s final plan.

(Read the “Zero War” comic series and watch the “Collision” live event to get caught up on the rest of the Zero War)

The Resistance ultimately wins the war. The Zero Point is saved. The island is safe... for now. But for Demi, the victory is hollow. They won, but at a cost she hadn’t been willing to pay. Grieving and guilt-ridden, Demi distances herself from the others. She spends months obsessively searching for a way to bring Laura back, chasing any lead she can find. Each one leading to a dead end. Eventually, she finds herself alone at the edge of the island, staring out over the ocean. For the first time since Laura’s death, Demi feels truly powerless. As the sun sets behind her, she whispers into the fading light, “I’m sorry, Laura,” before stepping into the darkness, leaving herself, and the world, to wonder whether they had truly won anything at all.

The End (of Part 2)