Editing Hunt for Riven's Clutch

{{Conjectural title}}
{{references}}
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{{Battle infobox
|prev= [[Clash of the Hive Gods]]
|conc=
|next= [[Operation Ahamkara]]
|image= [[File:SeasonOfTheWishActivity1.jpg|370px]]
|conflict= [[War against the Witness]]
|date=
|place=
*[[Dreaming City]], [[Reef|The Reef]]
*[[Black Garden]]
*[[European Dead Zone]], [[Earth]] {{C|briefly}}
|result=
*The Vanguard and the Reef seek out Riven to grant the fifteenth wish
**Riven agrees to grant the fifteenth wish in exchange for safely securing her clutch
***Osiris attempts to find a way to replicate the Witness's link to the Veil fail, leaving Riven as their only option to bypass the portal
***The Sol Divisive capture one of Riven's eggs and transports it to the Black Garden
****The Guardian retrieves the egg from the Black Garden
*****Taranis's corpse chooses the Guardian as his Wish-Keeper
***Riven reveals that only one can follow the Witness into the Pale Heart
****Crow volunteers to go through and use his paracausal connection with Mara to open the way through
****The Guardian successfully secures all of Riven's Egg
*****The forces of Fikrul's attempt at making a wish prevented
*****Riven grants the wish at the cost of her existence, allowing Crow to go through the Ley Lines into the Pale Heart
*The Witness sends the Sol Divisive to invade the Dreaming City
*Hefnd calls the directionless Taken to the castle and uses their corruption to raise the dead House of Kings members as Scorn
**Fikrul sends his Knights to claim these newly risen Scorn
***The Scorn's attempts at harnessing Hefnd's bones thwarted
**The Sol Divisive recreated the [[Black Heart]] with guidance from the Witness, which threatens to undermine the Veil's connection to the Traveler
***The Guardian destroys the Black Heart yet again, which allows Crow to fully cross into the Pale Heart, and meets Cayde-6 on the other side 
|side1='''Humanity:'''
*[[Vanguard]]
----
*[[The Reef]]
**[[Corsair]]s
**[[Techeun]]s
**[[Harbinger]]
----
'''Riven:'''
*[[Riven]]
|side2='''Forces of [[The Witness|the Witness]]:'''
*[[Sol Divisive]]
----
*[[Xivu Arath's Horde]]
**[[Taken]]
|side3='''Scorn:'''
*[[Scorn]]
----
'''Taken:'''
*[[Taken]]
|side4='''Forces of Hefnd:'''
*[[Scorn]]
*[[Taken]]
|commanders1='''Vanguard:'''
*[[Osiris]]
----
'''Reef:'''
*[[Mara Sov]]
*[[Petra Venj]]
----
'''Riven:'''
*[[Riven]]
|commanders2='''Sol Divisive:'''
*'''Temporal Progeny'''
**[[Established Mind]]
**[[Inevitable Mind]]
**[[Synchronal Mind]]
*[[Akardon, Pitiless Mind]]
*[[Aspirational Construct]]
*[[Centroidal Mind]]
----
'''Xivu Arath's Horde:'''
*[[Roln'gur, Blade-bound to the Terrace]]
|commanders3='''Scorn:'''
*[[Fikrul, the Fanatic]]
**[[Rathil, First Broken Knight of Fikrul]]
**[[Elikaa, the Pale Rot]]
*[[Locus of Subjugation]]
----
'''Taken:'''
*[[Ungoloth, Wayward Beast]]
|commanders4='''Forces of Hefnd:'''
*[[Hefnd]]
**[[Hefnd's Vengeance, Blighted Chimaera]]
***[[Locus of Wailing Grief]]
|forces1=*Thousands of [[Guardian]]s
----
*Hundreds of [[Corsair]]s
*Mara Sov's [[Techeun]]s
|forces2=*Black Heart
*Countless Vex platforms
----
*Countless Taken
|forces3=*Countless Scorn
----
*Countless Taken
|forces4=*Hundreds of Scorn
*Hundreds of Taken
|casual1=*Unknown
----
*Dozens of Corsairs
*Unknown number of Techeuns
----
*Riven
|casual2=
*Black Heart
*Thousands of Vex platforms
----
*Thousands of Taken
|casual3=*Thousands of Scorn
----
*Thousands of Taken
|casual4=*Hundreds of Scorn
*Hundreds of Taken
|civilian=
}}

{{Quote|All wishes come at a cost|Riven}}

The '''Hunt for Riven's Clutch''' was an operation directed by [[Mara Sov]] and [[The Reef|the Reef]] to awaken the spirit of Riven so she can grant them the fifteenth wish to pursue the Witness. Upon awakening Riven she agrees to grant the wish with the condition that the Awoken Queen would secure her remaining eggs hidden within her lair. However, upon reaching the vault, the eggs were missing. It would be discovered that the eggs were cast across the Ascendant Plane. To secure the clutch, the Techeuns would use the Ley Lines to pull the eggs back within Riven's Lair.

==Prelude==
===Warlord's Price===
During the [[Great Ahamkara Hunt]], [[Shaxx]] would slay the fearsome [[Ahamkara]] known as [[Hefnd]]. Due to his respect for the beast that killed him 14 times, Shaxx would place its remains within a Dark Age castle in the [[European Dead Zone]].<ref>'''Bungie (2023/12/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Warlord's Ruin]]: [[Warlord's Ruin#Bone 11 (Final Bone)|Bone 11]]''</ref>

Sometime after the Hunt, Shaxx would speak with the former [[Warlord]] [[Naeem]] and tell her about the Ahamkara he had slain and how he had placed its remains within a castle.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/12/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Warlord's Ruin]]: [[Warlord's Ruin#Bone 5 (Dispel 2)|Bone 5]]''</ref> Seeking the power to start anew, Naeem travels to the castle and greets Hefnd wishing for his kindness. Hefnd would respond to Naeem, by saying there was little left. The former Warlord reminds him that they both used their power for selfish purposes in the hopes of survival and asks him to share his kindness with others so they can both make amends. However, Hefnd would reply by stating that wishes with no consequences did not satiate his hunger. Naeem would then offer that she takes the burdens of these wishes to which the Ahamkara agrees, thus her wish is granted.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/12/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]] - [[Zira's Shell]]''</ref>

Travelling to villages, Naeem would use Hefnd's power to grant wishes to the people of the European Dead Zone.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/12/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Warlord's Ruin]]: [[Warlord's Ruin#Bone 8 (Dispel 3)|Bone 8]]''</ref> Overtime a close friendship would form between the two of them. However, the [[House of Kings]] would learn of their existence and storm the castle, killing Naeem in the process. In her final breath, the former Warlord would wish that her "vengeance follows them into the grave."<ref>'''Bungie (2023/12/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Warlord's Ruin]]: [[Warlord's Ruin#Bone 7 (Dispel 2)|Bone 7]]''</ref> Desiring to avenge his fallen friend, Hefnd waits for hundreds of years for the opportunity to enact her final wish.

===Following the Witness===
When the Vanguard learned through Ahsa that [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen|Savathûn]] knew the way to follow the Witness, they would reach out to [[Immaru]] to allow him to revive the Witch Queen in exchange for the information they desire. Immaru would agree to this but with one condition, they must deal with [[Xivu Arath, God of War|Xivu Arath]] first. Despite the setback, [[Ikora Rey]] and [[Eris Morn]] agree to his bargain. 

Using the [[Acolyte's Staff]] created by Eris Morn, the Guardian breaks an illusion to reveal the existence of [[Savathûn's Spire]]. Within the Spire, a recording left behind by Savathûn reveals that only a Hive God of equal strength could possibly defeat Xivu Arath. To challenge the God of War, Eris Morn transforms herself into the Hive God of Vengeance and directs the Guardians to collect tithes within Savathûn's Spire and the [[Altars of Summoning]].

However, Xivu Arath learns of Eris Morn's accession, sending her forces to invade her sister's throne world and retrieve the tithes from within. Due to Eris's transformation, the God of War sees Eris as her new sister and the heir to [[Oryx, the Taken King|Oryx]]. Above the Altars of Summoning, the Guardian uncovers [[The Imbaru Engine|the Imbaru Engine]], created to generate [[Imbaru]], the Witch Queen's method of gaining tribute through others failing to understand her schemes.

Through the weeks of tithing, Eris Morn reveals to the Guardian that she is now ready to confront Xivu Arath. Arriving at the [[Altar of the Sword]], the Guardian slays the God of War's favoured champion, the [[Leviathan-Eater, Bane of the Ammonites]]. After the champion is slain, the God of Vengeance would have Immaru resurrect Savathûn, Eris would then slay her, gaining all of her power and becoming the most powerful Hive to ever live. However, instead of challenging the God of War directly, Eris severs Xivu Arath's connection to her [[Black Terrace|throne world]], making her mortal. Upon completing the ritual, Eris Morn collapsed to the ground from the loss of her Hive form and her power. Savathûn is resurrected once again and Ikora demands for her to reveal to them the way to follow the Witness, however, the Hive God merely remarks she has already shown them the way and states that Ikora does not have the strength to defeat her. The Guardian steps up and claims they do, with a sign Savathûn offers them Immaru as a peace offering before flying away, leaving them confused.

When Savathûn leaves the Vanguard one last gift, the Guardian returns to the engine and lights three braziers to begin the final test. Upon completing the final test, the Guardian enters a room with an uncorrupted Ahamkara egg of [[Riven]]. To keep the egg out of the hands of the Witch Queen, Ikora orders them to retrieve the egg and bring it back to the Athenaeum. When Eris Morn arrives at the H.E.L.M. she discovers that the Guardian is working on something. The Guardian reveals a sketch of a pattern on Savathûn's wings for the Wishing Wall, revealing she had given them what she had promised, the wish to pursue the Witness.

==History==
===Awakening the Dreamer===
{{Quote|Such a long slumber. Such a rude awakening. Grant the Witch Queen's final wish, you say I… refuse.|Riven}}

With the Coalition learning that the only way to pursue the Witness is to make a wish, [[Mara Sov]] assembles her [[Techeun]]s to awaken Riven's spirit so she can grant the wish. However, the Witness sends the [[Sol Divisive]] to invade the [[Dreaming City]]. Thus the Awoken Queen calls upon the Guardian to assist the Techeuns in fending off the Vex and waking Riven from her slumber. Arriving at the [[Keep of Voices]], the Guardian fends off the Vex and retrieves one of Riven's teeth. They deliver it to the Techeuns who conjure Riven's spirit while the Guardian enters the code for the wish at the [[Wall of Wishes]]. The Techeuns succeed in awakening Riven's spirit, however to their astonishment, the Ahamkara refuses to grant them the wish.

Upon arriving within the Keep of Voices, Mara Sov orders the Techeuns to leave while she speaks with Riven. The Awoken Queen demands to know why she refused to grant the wish to which Riven states she has no reason to grant it as she and the rest of her kind are dead. Riven elaborates on how Mara not only sent the Guardians to slay her but had her forces destroy all of her eggs. Or most of them, like the one hidden within Savathûn's Spire. The Ahamkara admits she hid some of her eggs within her lair and if Mara would ensure their safety, then Riven would grant the fifteenth wish. Despite knowing the possible consequences of allowing the Ahamkara to terrorize their system once more yet seeking the way to follow the Witness, Mara Sov agrees to Riven's bargain.

===Breaching Riven's Lair===
With the bargain being struck, the Guardian is sent to infiltrate [[Riven's Lair]] and retrieve the eggs from the vault within. Upon entering the lair they fight through Sol Divisive Vex, as well as Taken and Scorn who were left leaderless with the Witness's entry into the Pale Heart and Xivu Arath's banishment. However, upon reaching the vault they discover it is empty. Riven accuses Mara of stealing her clutch, to which the Awoken Queen quickly states this is not her doing and orders Petra to assemble the Techeuns to discover what happened.

Through the Techeuns' examinations, Petra reveals that Riven's eggs were scattered across the Ley Lines of the [[Ascendant Realm|Ascendant Plane]]. They also detected a tremendous surge of paracausal energy across the transit system. Despite the challenge ahead of them, Petra believes that they can use the Ley Lines to catch Riven's Clutch, similar to when the Techeuns were lost within the Ascendant Plane.

Using the Ley Lines, the Techeuns successfully pull one of Riven's eggs back within her lair, sending the Guardian to retrieve it. They destroy hordes of Vex and a [[Raging Ogre|Taken Ogre]] imprisoned by the Divisive to arrive at [[The Pavilion|the Pavilian]] to confront the [[Aspirational Construct]], a Hydra that contains a dark core and serves as the eyes and ears of the Witness. Despite its power, the Guardian destroys the Construct and acquires the egg.

Shortly after retrieving the first egg, the Guardian meets with Mara Sov to which she expresses her dissatisfaction with working with Riven. Osiris then arrives and reveals his studies to recreate the Witness's link through the Guardian's Ghost.

===Blighted Vengeance===
With the Taken left masterless with Xivu Arath's banishment, Hefnd begins to direct Taken to his castle through his formidable will and uses their corruption to raise the dead House of Kings members as Scorn.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/12/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Warlord's Ruin]]: [[Warlord's Ruin#Bone 3 (Dispel 1)Bone 3|Bone 3]]''</ref> With the Scorn emergence in the European Dead Zone, [[Fikrul, the Fanatic]] who was leading his own gang of Scorn independent from the Witness sends his Knights to claim them.<ref>'''Bungie (2023/12/1)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Weapon|Weapon Lore]]: [[Buried Bloodline]]''</ref>

Upon discovering the Scorn presence on Earth, Petra Venj and [[Uldren Sov|Crow]] would send a fireteam led by the Guardian to investigate. Upon arriving at the mountain they defeat [[Rathil, First Broken Knight of Fikrul]], however, a Chimera serving as Hefnd's avatar transports them into a prison cell. Escaping the prison cell, the fireteam fight through swarms of Taken and Scorn to arrive at the castle Bailey and defeat the [[Locus of Wailing Grief]]. The fireteam then traverses the mountain to arrive at the summit and slay the Ahamkara's avatar, [[Hefnd's Vengeance, Blighted Chimaera]]. Continuing their exploration of the castle they learn more about the relationship between Naeem and Hefnd.

===Retrieving the Lodestone===
When the next egg was located by the Techeuns, the Guardian would return to the lair to recover it. Across the lair, they defeat swarms of Taken while Riven taunts Petra Venj of the Corsairs suffering from the Curse of the Dreaming City. Upon the Guardian defeating [[Ungoloth, Wayward Beast]] and retrieving the egg, Mara would express her anger at Riven for making them secure her clutch to which the last Ahamkara would remind the Awoken Queen of the terms of their bargain and how she would not grant the wish if they didn't secure her clutch.

As the egg was successfully secured, the Guardian would speak to Petra through a holoprojector. The Queen's Wrath would state that the remainder of the eggs would not reach them if they remained on their current trajectory. Thus she orders the Guardian to retrieve a Starlight Lodestone to use as a signal to Mara's personal [[Harbinger]] so it can travel the Ley Lines and traverse the clutch back within Riven's Lair. The Guardian would acquire the lodestone and bring it back to Petra.

Within the H.E.L.M. Crow expressed his frustration at working with Riven and blaming himself for the curse. Petra would confront him and they would both agree that pursuing the Witness was the top priority. Shortly after this conversation, Osiris would speak with the Guardian and tell them about the natural paracausal link between the Traveler and the Veil that the Witness accessed. The Great Phoenix tells them that his attempt to recreate this link was unsuccessful and orders them to continue to aid the Awoken Queen.

===Signalling the Harbinger===
Now that the Lodestone now secured, the Guardian would be tasked with calibrating it by collecting Wishing Glass within the lair. With the lodestone secured, the Young Wolf would retake the [[Oracle Engine]] and attune the Lodestone to the Confluence.

Due to the Harbinger redirecting the egg's course back to the lair, the next of Riven's Clutch would arrive. Throughout the lair, the Guardian defeats mobs of Scorn while Crow was taunted by Riven in his role in the Scorn's creation. Strangely the Scorn appeared to be receiving new orders despite the Witness's absence. Shortly later the Young Wolf defeats their commander, the [[Locus of Subjugation]], and obtains the egg.

When the egg was secured, the Guardian would witness a conversation between Mara and Crow. The Awoken Queen apologized for Riven's taunts. Crow speaks about their extraordinary connection and how he could feel her heartbeat even when she was lost within the Ascendant Plane and that was how Riven was able to manipulate him. Despite feeling extreme recourse for his poor choices, he will never apologize for why he made them and that nothing can break their bond as siblings.

Osiris continues to speak to the Guardian about his process and explains that the Veil and Ascendant Plane are like opposites. However, even with his extensive paracausal knowledge, he believes he will not be able to recreate the link.

===Sacrifice in the Garden===
With another next egg arriving at the lair, Riven speaks with the Guardian and wonders who scattered her clutch, tho she originally believed Mara herself was responsible, however, the evidence did not line up and it appeared that the one responsible was another Ahamkara. When the Guardian returned to the lair they quickly found it overwhelmed with Vex from the Sol Divisive. Shortly after defeating a Taken Ogre imprisoned by the Divisive, they discover [[Oracle]]s deployed from [[Vault of Glass (location)|Vault of Glass]] mimicking Resonance. Upon defeating the [[Deceptor Mind]] with ease the Young Wolf goes to retrieve the egg. However, the egg was stolen by the Vex who would transport it away and send the [[Centroidal Mind]] to slow the Guardian down. After the Centroidal Mind was defeated by the Guardian, the Coalition discovered the egg was transported into the [[Black Garden]].

Using an entrance belonging to Riven, the Guardian enters the Black Garden to secure the egg, hearing whispers from another Ahamkara. They fight through Sol Divisive Vex and Taken to enter a former Ahamkara lair. Harnessing paracausal sparks left behind by Riven and this unknown Ahamkara, the Guardian uses them to traverse further. Combining the paracausal sparks they defeat [[Akardon, Pitiless Mind]] which learned how to simulate the Techeuns and their ability to track the eggs. They enter the room and discover Riven's egg and an Ahamkara's remains. Crow reveals that the voices were asking to use him as a vessel while Riven recognizes this Ahamkara as [[Taranis]]. Taranis briefly possesses Crow and reveals he's the one who scatters the clutch by making his own wish before he relinquishes his control over Crow and fades away.

Riven reveals Taranis was her mate and explains their story. Back when the Ahamkara were allowed to freely explore the Dreaming City she met Taranis. Unlike the rest of his kind, Taranis never twisted his wishes and the bargains he made were safe. Eventually, he invites her to his lair within the Black Garden where they produce their clutch. When the Great Hunt was enacted they were both separated but continued to whisper to each other. However, when Riven was Taken by Oryx, Taranis made his own wish to scatter their clutch until someone could protect them, resulting in his death. To honor her mate, Riven allows the Guardian to keep the [[Wish-Keeper]] which they had recovered from his corpse.

===The Complete Truth===
As the next egg is about to arrive, Riven discovers that the Taken desire to corrupt her egg and their corruption is spreading into the Confluence through [[Eleusinia]]. The Guardian arrives at the lair to stop them and defeats a Taken Knight of Xivu Arath, [[Roln'gur, Blade-bound to the Terrace]], revealing the God of War still maintains influence over some Taken despite her diminishing power<ref>https://youtu.be/mxhvzI6v47o?si=w8_yuMFQRiI5ckTG</ref>. However, the Taken ultimately succeeded in corrupting the egg. Despite this setback, Mara Sov comes up with a solution to cleanse the egg's corruption: they acquire a Taken Essentia from completing an Ascendant Challenge, then allow the whim to feed on their desires. Following the Queen's guidance the Guardian successfully cleanses the egg.

Shortly after the egg was cleansed, Osiris updates Mara and shares that the Veil alone cannot safely reconstruct the pathway created by the Witness. Riven reminds them that she can grant them the wish, however she reveals that the fifteenth wish only allows for one to enter the Pale Heart. Enraged by this deception the Awoken Queen threatens the Ahamkara, however, Osiris holds her back using [[Strand]], reminding her that the wish is the only way to pursue the Witness. Remembering what is at stake, Mara relinquishes her rage and leaves.

Speaking with the Guardian at the holoprojector, Osiris states that the Witness likely found a point of weakness that it used to penetrate the Traveler's defences. When the Traveler attempted to attack the Witness, it would counter back by using the Veil. Thus if Riven can imprint the Ley Lines into the Veil, and then dispatch one of us into the Pale Heart, they can open the way for the entirety of the Coalition to enter. After this discussion, Riven speaks with the Guardian claiming that her telling her sooner was a gift. She admits that even an Ahamkara's power is limited and that she is unable to alter the path opened by the Witness which is why Savathûn forged her wish to make use of the Ley Lines. Riven remarks that the Witness's [[Final Shape]] would erase the difference between desire and reality. Furthermore, she orders the Guardian to continue to retrieve the rest of her eggs as the wish cannot be granted, even if she herself desires it.

===Forging the Pathway===
As the Techeuns have learned the trajectory of Riven's final egg, the Guardian speaks with the Ahamkara to learn more. She discloses that the Techeuns are aware of when the egg will arrive, however, its arrival will take some time. Shortly after finishing their discussion with Riven, the Guardian meets with Crow in the H.E.L.M. to talk with him about his plan. Crow decided he should be the one to enter the Pale Heart and by using his and Mara's connection they can open the way inside.

Before making an offering to the Oracle Engine to access the final egg, the Young Wolf destroys Oracles placed in the Confluence by the Sol Divisive to reactivate the Oracle Engine and defeats opponents in the Blind Well to receive an offering to the Oracle. With the offering secured, the Guardian uses it to enter Mara Sov's throne room, where the Awoken Queen speaks about how she and Crow have both changed. Returning to the H.E.L.M. the Guardian witnesses Crow tell Osiris and Mara about his plan. Originally Mara was against the idea, fearing she might lose him again, however, Osiris believes by aligning Crow's connection with the Veil-entangled on either side of the Traveler that he can form a bridge between them. Realizing she can't control his fate, Mara agrees and orders the Guardian to make sure he is safe once the path is formed.

===The Final Wish===
{{Quote|This one, you shall cherish, O Guardian mine.|Riven}}

With the final egg making its arrival, Riven tells the Guardian it will enter the heart of the Confluence and that she will grant the wish once it is secured. She divulges that when the wish is granted the Techeuns will no longer be able to maintain her conjured spirit. The Ahamkara thanks the Guardian for setting her free by murdering her, and ensuring the future of her and Taranis' progeny, realizing she may be more like Taranis like he always believed.

As the Confluence has arrived, the final egg arrives within Mara Sov's court where it was hidden by Taranis. Reaching at the [[Astral Cloister]], the Guardian defeats Scorn who had invaded the Awoken Queen's court. Mara Sov realizes that even tho most of these Scorn were raised by the Witness, some of them were agents of Fikrul likely trying to make a wish using the egg.  Upon arriving at the [[Caliginous Expanse]] they confront Scorn led by Fikrul's champion [[Elikaa, the Pale Rot]], attempting to make a wish using the egg. Despite its power, the Guardian kills Elikaa and retrieves the final egg. With the final egg secured Riven agrees to grant the wish.

Before entering the code at the Wishing Wall, the Guardian speaks with Crow, who thanks them for everything as he prepares to make the journey. Travelling to the Keep of Voices, the Young Wolf enters the code for the fifteenth wish. With the code ejected, Riven creates the portal for Crow to enter. Promising Mara they would find each other again, Crow enters the portal. As her essence is now spent, Riven bids farewell to Mara who has now taken responsibility for watching over her clutch before fading away and facing the same fate as her mate before her. Shortly after the wish was granted, Mara informs the Guardian that while Crow and Osiris form the bridge, they must continue to expunge enemy forces from the Confluence.

===Closer to the Heart===
Sometime later after Crow's entrance, the Guardian arrives at the holoprojector to speak with Osiris. He reveals that an anomaly was casting a shadow across the Veil and resonanting with it, by doing so it was withdrawing the Traveler's connection and taking the Veil's place in the entanglement. Isolating the anomaly's signal, Osiris discloses that the signal was familiar and was located within the Black Garden. Realizing that the Sol Divisive were attempting one final attempt to stop their efforts, Osiris orders the Guardian to enter the Black Garden and halt the Vex's interference. If this obstacle was not dealt with, they would be unable to follow Crow into the Pale Heart

Upon enter the Black Garden, the Guardian fights their way through Vex units being summoned from gateways, and swarms of Taken emerging from rifts. Arriving at the Overland and defeating the Taken within, Vex units begin to arrive through gateways. Destroying the gateways as well as the remaining Vex, the Guardian enter a portal which takes them to the Gateway Crossroads. Upon defeating the [[Withdrawn Mind]] and destroying the nodes, the shield blocking the way further vanishes.

Reaching the source of the interference, the Guardian opens the door to the Garden's Heart, and discovers that a new Black Heart had been created by the Sol Divisive. Shocked about this unfeasible occurrence, Osiris quickly orders the Guardian to destroy it. Upon destroying the Vex kneeling before their restored deity, the Black Heart responds by bringing fourth its vessels the Temporal Progeny: consisting of the [[Established Mind]], [[Inevitable Mind]], and the [[Synchronal Mind]]. Despite the power of this paracausal entity, the Guardian defeats the Temporal Progeny, resulting in the destruction of the Black Heart once again and the end of the Sol Divisive's interference. Osiris then states to the Guardian that this was a simulation of their previous effort. He realizes that they must have been using it to bond themselves with the Darkness, broadcasted that connection, and harmonized its frequency with the Veil to prevent them from entering the portal. Realizing that they had succeeded due to guidance from the Witness, Osiris states to the Guardian that thanks to them, the Sol Divisive will not intervene with their attempts to enter the Pale Heart. With their mission complete, the Guardian leaves the Black Garden and returns to the H.E.L.M.

Shortly after the Black Heart's destruction, Crow successfully enters the Pale. Looking into the distance to see the monolith of the Witness, Crow is then shot by an Exo, forcing him to take cover. Engaging in a brief shootout in the open, Crow takes cover under a rock before dodging away after . Upon being in the open once again with the Exo sprinting towards, Crow quickly recognizes that this was [[Cayde-6]]. Taking advantage of Crow's confusion, Cayde knocks Crow onto the ground, with both of them aiming their guns at each other. As Cayde prepares to shoot, Glint appears, causing him to look at the Ghost. Crow in a panicked tone utters to Cayde that he had died. Cayde responds by saying that he had too, causing them both to release their triggers and lower their weapons. As they both look in the distance as an outburst of Light is sent out from the Witness's monologue, Cayde then helps Crow to his feet, with the former Hunter Vanguard asking him if he no longer has to call him Prince. As another outburst of Light is expelled, Cayde and Crow stand together looking into the distance.

Returning to the holoprojector to speak with Osiris, who states that this interference is over and they must now begin their preparations to enter the Pale Heart. Osiris speaks about what the Witness desires for the Final Shape as well as how Ahaa revealed to them that the Witness merged with its entire species to reshape itself and it was still unfulfilled. Recalling of the calcified remains within the Pyramids that are alive, but not living. Osiris reminds the Guardian that the "salvation" the Witness seeks is a prison and questions what shape it will render the universe too and how it will effect those within. The former Warlock declares that chaos cannot be contained, remarking of all the time he had spent studying to find a way to enter the portal. Understanding that the time was well spent and proclaims they will fend of the Collapse for good. Osiris divulges that Mara felt Crow enter the Pale Heart and tells the Guardian that he has woven the Veil's resonance into their connection. Finally, Osiris tells the Guardian to prepare themselves for when Mara opens the way.

==Aftermath==
Despite their failure to retrieve the egg, forces of the Sol Divisive, Taken, and Scorn would continue their invasion of the Confluence. Through their knowledge of the Darkness, the Sol Divisive would begin their attempts at merging with the consciousness of the Witness, however all of their efforts would be futile. While Fikrul would continue to send his agents to misdirect the Witness's Scorn. Concerned of the possible threat of an Ahamkara resurgence, [[Empress Caiatl]] and her council begin preparations for another Great Hunt if one is to occur.<ref>'''Bungie (2024/1/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Wish]], [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Dragonslayers#Valus Forge's Epilogue|Valus Forge's Epilogue]]''</ref>

==Appearance==
*''[[Destiny 2]]'': ''[[Season of the Wish]]'' {{1st}}
**''[[Episode: Echoes]]'' {{Mo}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conflicts]]
[[Category:Scorn]]
[[Category:Hive]]
[[Category:Taken]]
[[Category:Vex]]
[[Category:Awoken]]
[[Category:Guardians]]
[[Category:Ahamkara]]