The Top Cow universe has been one of gruesome battles and epic confrontations between heroes and villains endowed with incredible powers, usually stemming from ancient artifacts. These characters already had a long history of running into one another in the pages of their own books, but one massive crossover title would finally bring them all together in a single series. 2010's Artifacts not only saw the Top Cow universe brought to its end, but also bore witness to its rebirth at the hands of its darkest champion.

An enigmatic stranger has captured Aphrodite IX, the high tech super cyborg assassin, and in the process of doing so caused her some serious damage. When she awakes, the shadowy figure explains that they do not wish to harm her, but rather they need her help. They explain to Aphrodite that they wish to gather thirteen artifacts of incredible power, currently in the possession of various individuals around the globe. Once all of the artifacts are in place, they will be able to unmake and remake the universe in their own image, and promise Aphrodite her place in it. Many of these artifacts are being wielded by those who consider themselves heroes, and those must be taken by force by the rest of them who are willing to see the world end if it means a greater status for themselves in the next one.

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NYPD Detective Sara Pazzini, the bearer of the Witchblade, spends her day investigating the murders of several priests, uncovering and eliminating the demon behind the killings before getting a call from her sister Julie. Julie is babysitting Hope, the infant daughter of Sara and Jackie Estacado, host to the Darkness. A normal day in the park quickly takes a dark turn when Aphrodite, posing as a clown, shoots Julie in the head without warning and kidnaps Hope, killing the agents of the Darkness and Angelus who had been watching over the child from a distance in the process.

Elsewhere, Tom Judge, a former priest and bearer of the Rapture, visits the Curator. The Curator is a mysterious individual in his own right, but is known to those aware of him as the go to expert regarding ancient artifacts and their powers or purposes. He's also the one who informs Tom of the conspiracy at play, telling him that it will be his role to oppose whoever is behind the plot by bringing the other artifact bearers to their side of the fight. Tom accepts this new responsibility, and goes to visit Sara near the scene of her daughter's kidnapping and sister's murder. Sara has already been joined by the Darkness and Angelus, and when Tom breaks down the situation they form an alliance.

Aphrodite is also gathering artifacts, reaching out to those who would be willing to join her new master's side of the fight. Aphrodite also brings in the superhero team Cyberforce, convincing them that she is trying to prevent the end of the world. Cyberforce launches an assault on Sara and the others, before realizing their mistake and joining in the heroes' efforts. With Cyberforce, and soon after the black ops organization Hunter-Killer on the heroes side, they are finally ready to take the fight to their still unknown enemy. The conspirator's secret compound is nothing to scoff at, and he doesn't just have his own artifacts battling for him, either. An army of Aphrodite cyborgs are deployed, and in seconds the complex turns into a warzone.

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The mastermind is revealed to be none other than the Curator himself, the last remnant of the universe that existed previously. When his world ended, he was among the thirteen artifacts left over from its unmaking, acting as the Codex for his universe. With all of the artifacts gathered, all he has to do is kill this world's Codex to end it and bring his back, and that sacrifice is Hope. The room floods with a blinding light as the process begins, and Jackie and Sara cradle their child in what seems to be the end of their very existence. Jackie can't let this happen to his family, and strikes back at the Curator as the pages go white.

Somewhere else, somewhere that seems devoid of anything else, Hope is found by Sara, and Sara is found by Jackie, and the three are happy to at least be together in this endless white void. The two of them discuss the idea that Hope is the Codex to their own reality, and Sara tells Jackie that she can't weight their own daughter more heavily than billions of lives. Jackie pleads with Sara, even attacking her in an attempt to save his daughter, but Sara has made her choice. When she strikes with one of her clawed fingers, there is no blood or gore, but rather a field of stars and space erupt from within Hope, and the universe is remade.

This kicked off the 'Rebirth' era of the Top Cow universe. Jackie Estacado is happy living in his villa mansion with a bride who isn't Sara, and his daughter, Hope. Tom Judge can't shake the feeling that something is wrong, and he is spot on with that assumption. Though it might seem like a happy ending on the surface, key figures have moved around in this new reality, and where one mystery ended many more begin.

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