Modern Warfare 3 Zombies has been one of the most popular recent Call of Duty game modes and has created a massive fanbase of its own. Since the Zombies mode was introduced to MW3, players have loved grinding in this mode and exploring every detail featured in the game. Therefore, Dark Aether can’t be missed at all. However, the only problem is that Dark Aether can’t be randomly accessed. It requires a proper process to enter its world.

Dark Aether is indeed the toughest location to explore, but it has lots of mysteries and hidden secrets. So, entering it is nothing surprising. But if you get stuck in the process and require some help to know where to find the keys to enter Dark Aether in Season 3 Reloaded, this guide will provide you with all the required information.

What Are Dark Aether Rifts in MW3 Zombies?

Veteran Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Zombies players don’t need to know about the Dark Aether Rifts after passing two seasons playing the game. However, if you are a newcomer who has joined the game this season and are confused about the Dark Aether and Dark Aether Rift, let’s discuss these concepts a little before looking for the keys.

The Dark Aether is a parallel world to the in-game MW3 Zombies’. However, this parallel world is more dangerous and full of high-tier enemies and bosses. So, roaming around the locations in Dark Aether requires powerful weapons and equipment. Though tough, players often need to visit the Dark Aether for valuable schematics or to complete missions.

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The most important part is that players can’t randomly enter Dark Aether. The entire Urzikstan map has a few Dark Aether Rifts located at specific coordinates. These rifts work as passages to travel to the Dark Aether, but again, this method requires the exact items to be placed on specific altars. Here we are going to talk about these Dark Aether Rift Keys to activate these rifts and go to the Dark Aether.

How to Get All Dark Aether Rift Keys in MW3 Zombies

Like every other season, Season 3 Reloaded has brought lots of new content to the game, including four new Dark Aether Rift keys. Each of these keys needs to be gathered individually to gain access to the Dark Aether. Following are the keys you need to find:

• Giraffe Toy
• Science Journal
• Imaginary Friend Drawing
• Laptop with Stickers

Now that we are aware of the keys, let’s check their locations. For the Giraffe Toy, players need to complete the Union story mission. This is the new story mission that Season 3 Reloaded has introduced to the game, and once players begin it, they will have to complete two objectives: Investigate the Anomaly and Extract From Dark Aether.

These objectives clearly say that the mission needs to be completed in the Dark Aether. But once you escape the location at the end of the mission, you can’t access it without these keys.

As you keep completing these mission objectives, you will ultimately reach the Taoxia boss fight at the end. Defeating this boss not only opens the extract portal but also a Reward Rift, offering you the Giraffe Toy.

Next, players need to find the second key, which is the Science Journal. Finding this key requires players to go to the Aether Storm and kill 50 zombies inside it. The Aether Storm is not at all an easy location to get the kills. Hordes of zombies will attack you once you enter the Aether Storm, so ensure to upgrade your equipment and Pack-A-Punch your weapon before approaching.

Once you kill 50 zombies inside the Aether Storm, a Reward Rift will appear, offering you the Science Journal. Pick it up and leave the location. Don’t even try to beat Stormcaller.

The third Aether Rift key, Imaginary Friend Drawing, will be found at Zohoor Ranch. Open the tac-map and locate the area on I7 coordinates. Travel there, and you will find the main building, where, under a bed, you will find an object to interact with. Interacting with that object will give you the third Dark Aether Rift key. 

The fourth and final key is the Laptop with Stickers. This one is a bit tricky to acquire. To get this item, players need to locate a Mercenary Camp and spot the Sergeant. Once you have located the enemy, all you need to do is summon a Hellhound and let it kill the Sergeant. After the hound kills the Sergeant, a Reward Rift will appear, giving you the Laptop with Stickers. Players can use the Dog Bone and any Dog House to summon Hellhound.

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Once you have collected all four keys, it is time to upgrade them to legendary before placing them on the pedestal. Only the Giraffe Toy doesn’t need to go through the process. The upgrade process requires players to find small rune triangles and stand on them. Next, they have to shoot the runes and locate a nearby spot where you can line them up to form a giant triangle. You need to find the small triangles on E4 and F5, respectively. 

Upgrade your Science Journal at E4, and then on F5, you will find two small rune triangles to upgrade both Imaginary Friend Drawing and Laptop With Stickers. After you are done with the upgrade process, place them on their respective altars to summon the Dark Aether Rift and get an Elder Sigil to enter the Dark Aether.

That’s everything players need to know about how to get all the Dark Aether Rift keys in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies Season 3 Reloaded. For each visit to Dark Aether, this process should be followed. Though the process is time-consuming, there’s no alternative way to explore the Dark Aether yet. 

For further help in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies, we recommend you visit our guides and news updates on the game. We hope to resolve all your issues and make your journey smoother.

If you’re looking for how to get all the Dark Aether Keys in Season 1, or all of them in Season 2, we have you covered there too!