User:ProfessorPeanut

"Where is this place? The stars...Are they showing me this for a reason?"

- Starfruit Cookie

Story Run: Cradle of Darkness is a special event in Cookie Run: OvenBreak. It began on April 6th, 2021, and coincided with the addition of Dark Enchantress Cookie's Magic Candy and Combi Pet, Eternal Eye of Darkness.

Gameplay Details
"Face off against the Cookies of Darkness in this exciting new chapter in Story Run! Run to earn rewards and learn about a grand and evil scheme!"

Similarly to Story Run, Cradle of Darkness consists of 5 special stages. Each stage has one main mission that involves reaching a certain score in a single run, and two sub-missions that can only be cleared if the main mission is cleared as well. Completing the main mission allows you to proceed to the next Stage. If all 3 missions within a Stage are cleared, Magic Ingredient pouches on that Stage will have better chances to have particular Ingredients inside them.

Playing a Stage cost 3 Tickets. Tickets refill at a rate of one every 30 minutes, up to a maximum of 30.

In each Stage, a particular "Cookie of Darkness" will appear, launching attacks and creating obstacles. They can be attacked only by collecting certain items that appear in the Stage:


 * Arrow Jellies: A light-themed arrow that is immediately fired.
 * Bomb Jellies: A black bomb with a skull symbol. Its fuse takes a few seconds to burn down before it is lobbed, unless the player collides with an obstacle.
 * Laser Jellies: Three crystals that, when collected, fire a long salvo of energy shots. Visually identical to the crystal jellies in Chapter 9 of Lost City of Sugarteara.

Attacking the Cookie of Darkness causes them to drop Crimson Coins, which can be spent in the Cradle of Darkness Shop. Additional reward options in the Shop are unlocked as Stages are cleared. Running with certain Cookies, Pets, and Treasures increased the amount of Crimson Coins earned at the end of the stage.

Master Mode
Completing all 3 of a stage's missions (the main mission and both sub-missions) unlocks Master Mode for that Stage. In Master Mode, Energy drain is disabled, but colliding with an obstacle or falling into a hole will immediately end the run Cookie, Pet, and Treasure effects are unavailable. There are 3 missions in Master Mode; the main mission is to reach the end of the level, while the two sub-mission involve reaching a specific score. Once you've completed all three missions, your scores will be granted entry into the Hall of Fame.

Cradle of Darkness Shop
"Everything has a...particular price."

- Dark Enchantress Cookie

Items that are marked in purple are special items.

Story
The event is framed as a series of visions held by Starfruit Cookie. She hopes that by completing the stages, they may learn how to defeat the Darkness.

Dark Enchantress Cookie has gathered her followers together, noting how their attempts to corrupt the legendary cookies have utterly failed. Dismissing their various thoughts on their current progress, she commands them to approach her one by one so that she may give them new orders to follow.

Dark Enchantress summons Pomegranate Cookie first, remarking on how she has traveled far, yet failed to yield any true results. While Pomegranate apologizes for her failures, Dark Enchantress assures her that she is aware of the numerous Cookies that have interfered thus far. She orders Pomegranate to spread as many of the Seeds of Darkness around the land as possible, in order to turn the Cookies to her side and create a force that not even the legends of old could stand against. Pomegranate gladly re-professes her complete loyalty to Dark Enchantress' cause.

Dark Choco Cookie is commanded to approach the Dragons while their power declines, as he had already built a "rapport" with Pitaya Dragon Cookie. Dark Choco mutters that any of the dragons would be a formidable foe, to which Dark Enchantress reminds him that he wields the fabled Strawberry Jam Sword, capable of felling kings and kingdoms with one swing. Dark Choco rebuffs that he isn't open to discussing his past, to which she assures him that they lack the time to discuss his "achievements". Dark Enchantress then mentions that two young ones from his old kingdom will be joining them; Pomegranate taunts that it must be good for him to reunite with the cacao lineage, while Licorice jeers that he will be stuck on babysitting duty. Dark Choco quickly motions to leave, which Pomegranate sees as a disrespectful transgression that will not be easily forgiven.

Lobster Cookie appears ill-content, which Dark Enchantress takes as a sign that his claw is healing. She orders him to spread the word of the fall of Sugarteara, which would dishearten those hoping to find it and thus make them more vulnerable to the Darkness. Pomegranate Cookie remarks that there is still a Cookie near the depths of the former city, which Lobster realizes might be Mocha Ray Cookie. She then reminds him that it would take more than Cookies to bring the legacy of Sugarteara back. Seemingly understanding what she means, Lobster agrees to do what is asked of him.

Licorice Cookie, who has made constant interruptions up to now to be given a chance to prove himself, is shocked when Dark Enchantress commands him to simply trail GingerBrave. Pomegranate suggests that he ought to follow orders instead of questioning Dark Enchantress, lest he end up cast aside like Matcha Cookie. Dark Enchantress says that though GingerBrave and his group will play a key role in the future, it is unknown whether they will stand with or against them, and so requires Licorice to observe them cautiously, interfering only if they meddle in Dark Enchantress' plans. Licorice begrudgingly agrees to his task, quietly wondering whether he could get rid of them, and nurses his ambition to take Pomegranate's place.

Having delivered her commands, Dark Enchantress Cookie dismisses her servants, each of them affirming that they will carry out their given orders. She welcomes the approach of the eternal night...

Trivia

 * The aforementioned attempts to corrupt the legendary Cookies directly refer to the events of City of the Millennial Tree, Lost City of Sugarteara, and Story Run. They also allude to a subtle hint in City of Wizards, where The Last Seal that contained Moonlight Cookie's new costume was marked with crimson pomegranate seeds.
 * Dark Choco Cookie's story chapter alludes to a moment in The Dragon Awakens where Pitaya Dragon Cookie mentions that a Cookie touched by the Darkness had just left.
 * Throughout the story, the only image that Lobster Cookie uses is the one that appears at the end of Lost City of Sugarteara, where he had lost his claw along with the rest of the city. His facial expressions throughout the story remain unseen.