Editing War against the Witness

|prev=[[Lucent War|Operation Elbrus]]

|conc=

|image=[[file:WarAgainstTheWitness.png|370px]]

|conflict=

|result='''1st Phase'''

*Savathûn's defeat at the hands of the Guardian begins the war against the Witness

**Rhulk is slain inside the Sunken Pyramid before he could seal the Light from the throne world with the Upended

*Yirix's propaganda operation is halted and Psionic revelations about the future of Sol are uncovered

*The Sol Divisive recreated the Black Heart with guidance from the Witness, which threatens to undermine the Veil's connection to the Traveler, as its final attempt to keep the Vanguard out of the Pale Heart.

**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

*Operation Ahamkara is initiated as Zavala, Ikora, and the Guardian venture towards the Pale Heart while the Traveler resists the Witness’s attempts to calcify the universe.

**The Guardian is separated from Zavala and Ikora.

*The Guardian wounds the Witness by unmaking its dissenters from within the Darkness, before retreating after their Ghost was damaged upon casting them out.

**Retreating to the monolith, the Witness roots itself into the Traveler and begins enacting the Final Shape.

*The Ghost briefly sacrifices himself channeling the Traveler's Light into its body to destroy the Witness, however he is brought back by Cayde-6 who uses his Light to resurrect him.

**Cayde dies his final death, returning to the Light of the Traveler.

**Multiple Echoes depart out of the Traveler as a result of the memories from the Witness.

|side1='''[[The Coalition]]'''

|casual2=*The Witness

*Rhulk, Calus, and Nezarec  

*Thousands of Taken

*Thousands of Hive

==Prelude==

===Birth of the Witness===

It would trick the Krill into accepting the Darkness once it saw the Traveler's intention to uplift them, so it used the Worm familiar to drift into the Osmium Court and warn the [[Osmium King]] of an incoming syzygy on the planet. The King then warned his daughter [[Oryx, the Taken King|Aurash]] of the event. Aurash fled with her sisters [[Savathûn, the Witch Queen|Sathona]] and [[Xivu Arath, God of War|Xi Ro]] as the Osmium Court is overthrown by [[Taox]], the neighboring Helium Court and its residents, the [[Helium Drinkers]]. Sathona recovered the same worm familiar that warned the Osmium King and now her of the God-Wave forming as a result of the syzygy, but it also told her salvation lies within the depths of Fundament's oceans. The sisters would discover the Needle upon landing at Kaharn Atoll and commandeer the vessel after making the necessary repairs to navigate Fundament's depths. The sisters encounter a creature called [[Leviathan (Fundament)|The Leviathan]], who was injured as a result of Rhulk's subjugation of the Worm God [[Xita, the Nurturing Worm|Xita]] and warns them to turn way, lest they get lost in the Deep. The sisters ignore the Leviathan's warning and discover their salvation in the Worm Gods [[Akka, the Worm of Secrets|Akka]], [[Yul, the Honest Worm|Yul]], [[Xol, Will of the Thousands|Xol]], [[Eir, the Keeper of Order|Eir]], and [[Ur, the Ever-Hunger|Ur]]. The sisters accept the bargain with the Worm Gods and transform the Krill into the [[Hive]]. Aurash took on the King morph and transformed into Auryx, who would become Oryx after discovering the secrets of Taking; Sathona took on the Mother morph and transformed into Savathûn; and finally, Xi Ro took on the [[Knight]] morph and transformed into Xivu Arath. The Worm Gods would provide the technology needed to escape Fundament and the Hive's crusades begin after defeating the [[Ammonite]]s and causing the Traveler to flee from Fundament's orbit.

===The Collapse===

Before the Traveler's arrival in the Sol System, it would uplift more civilizations to use its Light. They would range from the [[Harmony]] living on the [[Gift Mast]] to the [[Eliksni]] native to planet [[Riis]], but each time it would flee and the forces of the Witness and the Hive would arrive soon after. The Eliksni survived their cataclysmic event known to them as the [[Whirlwind]] but would degrade into vicious pirates and raiders as they searched the galaxy for the Traveler in a desperate attempt to regain their former glory. After it fled from Riis, the Traveler would uplift [[Human]]ity in the Sol System. The Traveler's arrival in the Sol System began the [[Golden Age]], caused human lifespan to expand threefold, and enabled the humans to colonize other planets in the Sol System. However, like those the Traveler uplifted before, the Golden Age would not last long.

At the final moments of the Collapse, Savathûn would betray the Witness by killing Nezarec and hide the Veil on Neptune, and then the Traveler would sacrifice itself to create the [[Ghost]]s and push back the Black Fleet, temporarily stopping the Witness from enacting the Final Shape. Humanity would soon enter the [[Dark Age]] with the arrival of the [[Cabal]], the Eliksni who are now known to the humans as the Fallen, and the existence of tyrannical [[Lightbearer]]s called [[Warlord]]s in the Sol System.

After destroying the Black Heart, the Guardian continues their mission to push back the minions of the Darkness. They infiltrate the [[Vault of Glass (location)|Vault of Glass]] to prevent the Vex from using time-altering powers to destroy them, then assist [[Eris Morn]] with delaying the return of an [[Ascendant Hive]] warrior named [[Crota, Son of Oryx|Crota]], who had his brood build the Hellmouth close to Nezarec's dormant Pyramid and slayed thousands of Guardians during their attempt to reclaim the Moon, then work alongside [[Mara Sov]] and [[Petra Venj]] to stop the [[House of Wolves]] led by [[Skolas, Kell of Kells|Skolas]] from uniting other Fallen houses. Finally, they would participate in the [[Taken War]] by infiltrating the [[Dreadnaught]] and stopping the [[Skyburners]] invading it and Oryx, the father of Crota, who has the ability to create armies of [[Taken]] and arrived in the Sol System to seek vengeance for the death of his son. The Guardian would challenge and defeat Oryx in the [[Ascendant Realm|Ascendant Plane]], slaying the God-King of the Hive. They then had to return to the Cosmodrome to stop the [[SIVA Crisis|spread]] of [[SIVA]], nanotechnology produced by [[Clovis Bray (corporation)|Clovis Bray]], and the House of Devil [[Splicer]]s who worship it with assistance from [[Shiro-4]] and [[Lord Saladin]], the last surviving [[Iron Lord]]s along with [[Lady Efrideet]]. They confront the Devil Splicers within the [[Plaguelands]] and defeat [[Aksis, Archon Prime]]. With Aksis's defeat, the Last City begins to celebrate the [[Age of Triumph]]. However, the Age of Triumph did not last, for it was the calm before the storm and the storm would become the [[Red War]].

===The Black Fleet's Return===

The Hive would reemerge, this time under the Daughters of Crota: [[Hashladûn, Daughter of Crota|Hashladun]], [[Besurith, Daughter of Crota|Besurith]], [[Kinox]], and [[Voshyr]]. They would build the [[Scarlet Keep]] above the Lunar Pyramid uncovered by Eris Morn. After it is uncovered, the Nightmares are unleashed all across the Lunar surface, leading the Vanguard to push back the Hive resurgence and discover the existence the Lunar Pyramid. Eris Morn tasks the Guardian with collecting enough Nightmare Essence to craft the Dreambane Armor and bypass the Lunar Pyramid's warding. While exploring the derelict Pyramid, a Voice in the Darkness contacts the Guardian through their Ghost and inform them of the Light's failures. Undeterred, the Guardian recovers an [[Unknown Artifact]] and receives a vision in the Black Garden. At the same time, the Sol Divisive begins their invasion on the Moon led by [[The Undying Mind|the Undying Mind]], whose purpose is to keep the Black Garden locked out of space and time and also to recreate the Black Heart. Ikora Rey and the Guardian worked together to lure out the Undying Mind across different timeline and slay it. With the final copy of the Undying Mind dead, Osiris discovers a future where the Black Fleet hovers over the skies of the Last City and makes his way back to Mercury's surface, but he learns that the [[Psion Flayer]]s have found the Sundial and they plan to use it to undo the Vanguard's victory in the Red War, so he tasks the Guardian with stopping the Psion Flayers' plot and rescuing a legendary Titan named [[Saint-14]]. They accomplish both objectives by defeating [[Inotam, Oblivion's Triune]] and changing Saint-14's fate. They would open the [[Trials of Osiris]] for the first time since the Red War through the billions of Fractalline donated to them as part of the Empyrean Foundation along with [[The Lantern of Osiris|the Lantern of Osiris]]. However, the Psions have one last plan: they would cause the Almighty to move in the direction of the Last City, so Zavala and Ana Bray would convince Rasputin to arm the [[Warsat]]s on the Almighty before it could reach the Last City.

As the Vanguard was busy dealing with the [[Almighty Crisis]], Rasputin reveals to Zavala and the Guardian that the Black Fleet's arrival in the Sol System is imminent as it begins to enter its outer edges. Zavala puts aside his suspicions of the Warmind and declares that they will work together to prepare for the arrival of the Black Fleet. As Rasputin begins arming his Warsats on the Almighty, he would also keep watch on the Black Fleet's movement as it begins to enter the Sol System through a 2D map displayed in each [[Seraph Bunker]] the Guardian powers up. As the Black Fleet approaches Saturn's orbital path, Rasputin was finally able to use the Warsats on the Almighty with success as it blows up in the Last City's skies. However, the Black Fleet would soon disable him and then make landfall above the [[The Cradle|Cradle]] on Io, ushering in the [[Arrival of the Black Fleet]] proper. They would also make landfall on Titan, Mercury, and [[Mars]] as the Guardian works with Eris to decrypt messages from [[The Ionian Pyramid|the Ionian Pyramid]] by first clearing Hive interference, then meeting her under the [[Tree of Silver Wings]] at the Cradle to receive the messages. The Guardian defeats Nokris and teleports to the Ionian Pyramid. The Voice instructs them to go to [[Europa]] to seek out an ancient power waiting for them there.

The Guardian follows the Voice's instructions after the Traveler healed from its wounds during the Red War and then Io, Titan, Mercury, and Mars disappeared. They would also intercept a distress signal sent by [[Variks, the Loyal]]. He reveals that [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness|Eramis]] is the [[Kell]] of the Fallen [[House of Salvation]] and the first Fallen member known to use [[Stasis]], and instructs the Guardian to infiltrate [[Riis-Reborn]], a Fallen city built in honor of their home planet Riis. They witness a sermon and escape from there. After they help Variks reactivate the communications array, the Voice contacts them again via a [[Crux of Darkness]] and invites them to follow it into the icy flats of [[Beyond (location)|Beyond]]. [[The Europan Pyramid]] projects a [[Ziggurat]] in anticipation of the Guardian's arrival and the Guardian reunites with the Exo Stranger, who is on Europa teach them how to use the power of Stasis for good. The Guardian works to defeat Eramis by understanding the power of Stasis and using intel provided by Variks to track down the Barons of the House of Salvation, then eliminating them. They would defeat Eramis as they remember the Stranger's advice to "look within, focus your power" and finish their understanding of Stasis. After the defeat of the House of Salvation near the [[Deep Stone Crypt]], the Guardian works to stop the next problem they must face: the rise of the [[Wrathborn]], mindless soldiers who are forced to serve Xivu Arath, the Hive God of War via the [[Cryptolith]]s. They world work alongside Uldren Sov, who is now reborn as Crow, to track down and slay Xivu Arath's [[High Celebrant of Xivu Arath|High Celebrant]]. They eventually slay the High Celebrant within the Ascendant Plane and grant Crow freedom from Spider's service as a reward.

===Formation of the Coalition===

Following the High Celebrant's death at the hands of the Guardian, [[Empress Caiatl]] arrives in the Sol System after the [[Fall of Torobatl|fall]] of the Cabal home planet [[Torobatl]] occurred. She seeks an alliance with the Vanguard on the condition that they bend the knee to her, but the Vanguard refuses and goes to war with the [[Imperial Cabal]]. The Guardian engages in the [[Rite of Proving]] to stop Caiatl from filling a seat on her [[War Council]]. The various contenders included [[Commander Dracus]], [[Basilius the Golem]], [[Val Ma'rag]], and [[Ixel, the Far-Reaching]]. As the Guardian continues engaging in the Rites of Proving, they would also uncover the [[Psion Conclave]]'s plot to assassinate Zavala. After the failed attempt to assassinate him, Zavala proposes the final Rite of Proving. He anoints the Guardian as his champion as Empress Caiatl anoints [[Ignovun, Chosen of Caiatl|Ignovun]] as her champion. The champions meet inside the [[Halphas Electus]] and duel, with the Guardian emerging victorious. The Vanguard and the Cabal Empire led by Empress Caiatl would sign an armistice despite the Psion Conclave's attempt to sabotage it.

===Operation Elbrus===

{{Quote|Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack.|Empress Caiatl quoting Sun Tzu.}}

The Guardian receives the Synaptic Spear from Ikora Rey after learning more information about the Lucent Hive. Caiatl then briefs them of a plan to extract the different Lucent Hive lieutenants and bring them to the Psisorium in the [[H.E.L.M.]] to discover intel on the Lucent Hive's plans. She explains that in order to extract the Lucent Hive lieutenant, the Guardian would use her [[Psion]]s to enter the [[Mindscape]] to connect the Guardian's Light to the Lucent Hive lieutenant's Light, and then use the Synaptic Spear to sever the latter's connection through the phantasms of Savathûn. The Psions would then lock down the lieutenant for extraction. With the plan now set in motion and the coalition between her Cabal and the Vanguard forged, the Guardian would track down the first Lucent Hive lieutenant in the EDZ: a [[Lightbearer Acolyte]] named [[Mor'ak, Lightstealer]], who is responsible for stealing the Light from missing Guardians patrolling there. Determining that more intel is needed, the Guardian would locate the second Lucent Hive lieutenant within the Cosmodrome: a Lightbearer Knight named [[Uul'nath, Lightcleanser]], who would repurpose the stolen Light for a purification ritual and distribute [[Lucent Beacon]]s throughout the battlegrounds that spawn [[Lighthoarder]]s. When enough intel is gathered from both of them, Caiatl begins deploying her forces to the Scarlet Keep on Luna, with the Guardian following soon after. They discover an invasion force led by the third and final Lucent Hive lieutenant: a Lightbearer Wizard named [[Korosek, Thronebringer]]. The Guardian puts an end to the invasion force.

After finishing the operations across Earth and Luna, the Guardian return to Savathûn's throne world to work alongside the Hidden and Fynch. He points them to the first object of interest: Sagira's Ghost shell, located inside the [[Temple of the Wrathful]], a temple dedicated to Xivu Arath. Fynch explains the Scorn are sent in by a powerful wielder of Darkness as counter to Savathûn's Light. They recover Sagira's shell and it plays a memory of Savathûn revealing the identity of the Voice in the Darkness, which is now known as the Witness, but they are unable to decipher the memory further, so Eris and Ikora asks them to return to the Europan Pyramid to enhance their Deepsight abilities. They deal with the Cabal forces invading the Pyramid and commune with the statue. They then return to the throne world to find the [[Altar of Reflection]], a location of overwhelming psychic energy. They take Sagira's shell there and it replays the memory they heard earlier, but also plays the memory of Savathûn planning to use Osiris's body to learn the secrets of the Light. They return to Fynch, who points them to the next object of interest: the Tablets of Ruin, located in the [[Temple of the Navigator]], a temple dedicated to Oryx. They recover and then take it to the Altar of Reflection, where it plays the memory of Savathûn's plans to conduct a ritual to place the Traveler into her throne world using the powers she borrowed from the Witness.

==History==

===Calus's Acension into a Disciple===

{{Quote|You could have stood by my side, but instead, you chose this!|Emperor Calus before attacking Empress Caiatl}}

The Psions' prediction would come true as the Leviathan suddenly returns in the Sol System, but derelict, heavily infested with [[Egregore]], and in Luna's orbit. They receive intelligence from Eris Morn that Emperor Calus has begun communing with the Lunar Pyramid and unleashed the [[Nightmare]]s once intended as the Lunar Pyramid's security mechanism. They investigate the Derelict Leviathan and would eventually come under assault from [[Loyalist]] forces after the [[Nightmare of Safiyah]] leads them to a broken effigy of Calus. Upon their return from from their investigation into the Derelict Leviathan, they participate in a seance with Zavala, Crow, and Eris, who is using the [[Nightmare Harvester]] to bind the Nightmares to the [[Crown of Sorrow]]. After the seance is complete, she and the Guardian work together to sever Calus's connection to the Lunar Pyramid by helping various allies confront their worst traumas made manifest through the Nightmares haunting them. They begin with Crow, who is facing up against the [[Nightmare of Uldren]], his pre-Guardian self. He fails the first severance when refuses to accept his past. They attempt the ritual, but this time they were successful when Crow turns his Nightmare into a Memory and learns from the Memory to not ignore his past as Uldren Sov. At the same time, Eris tasks the Guardian to enter Calus's mindscape and find his worst fear inside. It is revealed that the [[Nightmare of Caiatl, Princess-Imperial]] is his Nightmare and by recovering the broken [[Bell of Conquests|Bells of Conquests]], they learn more about Calus's plan to become another Disciple of the Witness.

===The Reliquary Hunt===

{{Quote|The House of Light are citizens of the Last City now. It is our duty to assist.|Eido, Scribe of the House of Light}}

The Psions' prediction would come true once again when Eramis breaks free of her Stasis prison. Drifter tasks the Guardian with recovering a valuable asset on Europa. The asset is revealed to be the Spider, who fled from from Tangled Shore as a result of Mara's punishment for him for his attitude towards Crow before the Guardian freed him. Spider lends his assistance as the Guardian works to repel the House of Salvation attempting to board [[Spider's Ketch|his Ketch]]. They ally with [[SCUR-V]], [[Halsiks]] the Sniper, and the [[Skiffblade]]s as they work to recover Spider's Ketch. They drive out the boarders and discover that Eramis has broken free from her Stasis prison and begun rallying the old crews of pirates, Ketchkillers, and Skiffblades. The Guardian assembles a crew to hunt the Pirate Lords scattered throughout the [[Themis Cluster]] after retrieving the [[Skeleton Key (Artifact)|Skeleton Key]] and the Spider lends them his Ketch. They, along with the Drifter, the Spider, [[Eido]], and Mithrax team up to prevent Eramis from acquiring the relics containing body parts of another Disciple of the Witness, Nezarec.  

===Rasputin vs. the Wrathborn===

{{Quote|If I am to be humanity's war god, then I will smite those who threaten it.|Rasputin}}

As time is running out for the Coalition to prepare for the Witness's arrival in the Sol System and the looming threat it poses, Osiris attempts to inquire Rasputin about the visions he had experienced of [[Neptune]], but he learns from [[Anastasia Bray|Ana Bray]] that Rasputin is still offline since his confrontation with the Black Fleet was disastrous. Much to Ana's chagrin, she agrees to Osiris's proposal to seek out [[Clovis Bray I]], who possesses the knowledge needed to rebuild Rasputin. They travel with the Guardian to seek an audience with Clovis I, but discover a Wrathborn presence within [[Bray Exoscience]]. The Guardian enters the [[Creation]] wing and defeats a [[Deathtongue Chorister]] attempting to overwhelm them with Xivu Arath's Battlesong. Clovis I requests the Guardian's assistance in driving out the House of Salvation forces corrupted into Wrathborn along with [[Xivu Arath's Horde|Hive forces]]. They do so an seek an audience with him, who agrees to help Ana bring Rasputin. He instructs them to recover data from [[Malahayati]] on Luna and [[Charlemagne]] on Mars, along with an AI framework from Europa. They follow Clovis I's instructions, but Rasputin remains offline, so he and Elsie hatches a plan: the Guardian would infiltrate [[Seraph Station]] and upload a virus to speed up Rasputin's recovery efforts. Despite the plan succeeding, Rasputin still remains offline, so Ana proposes that the Guardian return to the [[Iron Temple]] and recover data fron [[Felwinter]]'s Ghost, [[Felspring]] as the [[Iron War Beast]]s defend it from the House of Salvation. Rasputin finally comes online upon recovering data from Felwinter and warns them of Clovis I's deception. She was able to transfer Rasputin out of the Pillory Engram she used to place Rasputin's data before she evacuated from Mars and into the Exo Frame.

===Siege of Neomuna===

{{Quote|Though failure, through loss... we can overcome the impossible.|Osiris}}

The Witness and its forces finally arrive at Earth's orbit to confront the Traveler. The forces of the Coalition respond to defend it, but the defense fails as the pilots go down in the fight and the Witness soon learns the location of the Veil in a [[Neomuna|city]] set among the waves of Neptune. The Guardian and Osiris follow the [[Shadow Legion]] fleet heading for Neptune. Upon landing on Neptune, the Coalition begins an alliance with the people of Neomuna by assisting the Cloud Striders in the fight against the Shadow Legion led by the newly-risen Disciple of the Witness, Emperor Calus. Through a holoprojector on Neptune, Mara informs the Guardian that she is responding to the Vanguard's aid and they are fighting a two-front war with the Shadow Legion, with one front on Neptune, and the other front on Earth. With the information in mind, the Guardian works to prevent Calus and the Witness from establishing a link with the Veil alongside Osiris, Nimbus, Rohan, and Caiatl.  

===Invasion of Earth===

{{Quote|I remember where I came from and who I'm fighting for.|Amanda Holiday}}

The Guardian returns to Earth after pursuing Emperor Calus and the Shadow Legion to Neptune and meets with Mara, [[Devrim Kay|Devrim]], and Mithrax at the Farm. They follow Amanda's distress signal into the EDZ and breach the Pyramid outpost's warding with the [[Ascendant Scepter]]. They kill the [[Warden Vincu'us, Shadow Legion|warden]] in charge and rescue the prisoners captured by the Shadow Legion including Amanda. They go and rescue more prisoners in the Cosmodrome by killing the [[Zatocc, Devoted to the Witness|warden]] in charge there and overcoming its Psionic powers. Next, they infiltrate a Shadow Legion prison ship to kill the [[Bracus Kravaum, Shadow Legion|warden]] there and rescue more prisoners. Amanda and Mithrax intercept a distress signal inside the EDZ Tunnels and requests the Guardian's assistance. After defeating a [[Tormentor]] named [[Vereziia, Reverent of the Witness]], they assist in getting the prisoners out. Tragically however, Amanda is killed in the prison facility's explosion. The Coalition holds a vigil for Amanda in the Farm as Crow forms a plan to avenge Amanda.

===Titan's Return===

{{Quote|RISE FROM THE DEEP! DROWN THEM IN BATTLE!|Xivu Arath}}

Following Titan's disappearance from the Sol System, the Taken and Xivu Arath's forces began invading the moon, and Sloane is forced to survive on her own using the Golden Age power armor she tasked the Guardian with recovering prior to Titan's disappearance. After falling from the rig and into the methane oceans of [[Kraken Mare]], Sloane begins to receive visions from a strange creature living in the methane ocean. She finally recovers from her fall and explains the visions to her Ghost [[Síocháin]] as they continue the mission to pursue the Pyramid around Titan. During their travels, they discover a temporal anomaly similar to the ones found on Mars' surface, and would learn of the creature's existence from [[Gideon Tepin]] before the rift closes shut. As they arrive where the Pyramid used to be, they discover evidence of a Hive ritual to summon the [[Black Terrace]], the throne world of Xivu Arath. She intercepts one of the rituals at the cost of becoming infused with Taken energy, and just as Xivu Arath's forces begin to overwhelm Sloane, the same creature that sent Sloane the visions would come to her rescue and bring her to safety. The creature reveals its name to be Ahsa as Sloane accepts her bond and informs her that she has valuable information on the Witness. Realizing the importance of the information Ahsa possesses on the Witness to be shared with the Vanguard and her allies, Sloane organizes a distress signal that would soon be answered.

===Clash of the Hive Gods===

{{Quote|I am your ruin.|Eris Morn before striking down Savathûn}}

After Ahsa reveals to the Vanguard that Savathûn has the instructions they need to follow the Witness into the portal inside the Traveler unscathed, Saint and Saladin express their disappointment, but Zavala reassures them that Ikora and Eris would keep the situation contained. The Vanguard would find [[Immaru]], but he refuses to bring back Savathûn until they deal with her sister Xivu Arath. He and Eris craft the [[Acolyte's Staff]], a relic of Hive arcana used to dispel the illusions scattered throughout the Witch Queen's throne world, and give it to the Guardian upon their arrival into the throne world. They discover [[Savathûn's Spire]] by using Hive magic provided by the Acolyte's Staff. They explore the spire and meet Eris as she prepares a ritual to transform herself into the Hive God of Vengeance. She explaina that in order to be powerful enough to challenge Xivu Arath, they must bring Eris her tithes by invoking the Sword Logic. They would use the [[Altars of Summoning|Witch Queen's oubliette]] to bring Eris the tribute she needs to challenge Xivu Arath. After finishing the Altars of Summoning, they are able to reveal the [[Deck of Whispers]] within the [[Athenaeum]], a pocket realm of Savathûn's throne world currently occupied by Eris's Hive form.  

===The Hunt for Riven's Clutch===

With Xivu Arath out of the battle thanks to Eris Morn, the Vanguard begins its efforts to bypass the portal inside the Traveler without suffering the same fate as Joxer. The Witness would send in the Sol Divisive to invade the Dreaming City while it continue its plans to enact the Final Shape since the Scorn and Taken forces have become leaderless within the Dreaming City. The Guardian pushes back the Sol Divisive and assists the Techeuns in conjuring Riven's spirit. Riven refuses to reveal the 15th wish until the Guardian recovers more of her eggs from her lair. Osiris reveals that the [[Ahamkara]] are the only solution since it's impossible to replicate the Witness's link to the Veil through the Guardian's Ghost. He reinforces this statement when he is unable to replicate how the Witness used the Guardian's Ghost to link the Traveler to the Veil and decides that Riven is the only solution as the Guardian uses the last remaining [[Harbinger (Reef superweapon)|Harbinger]] to locate more of Riven's clutch after attuning it to the [[Starlight Lodestone]]. As they recover more of Riven's clutch, she reveals more about her species along with her interactions with the Sov siblings.  

===Defense of the Last City===

The Witness responds to Crow and Osiris's attempts to forge the bridge necessary to pass through the portal to the Pale Heart by sending in both forces of the [[House of Salvation]] and [[Xivu Arath's Horde]] to attack the Last City and other Coalition areas of interest. To combat the coming threat of the Final Shape as the Witness perceives it, the Vanguard gives Lord Shaxx permission to create weapons once deemed heretical to wield: the [[BRAVE Arsenal]]. He also opens up his personal Hall of Champions as a base of operations to coordinate the Last City's defenses against the forces of the Witness.

===Stopping the Final Shape===

Before Crow can enter the Pale Heart, Osiris uncovers a plot by the Sol Divisive to replace the Veil with the recreated Black Heart, and instructs the Guardian to return to the Black Garden. They enter it using the passageway provided by Riven and learn the Witness has instructed the Sol Divisive to recreate the Black Heart as its final attempt to keep them out of the Pale Heart. After destroying the [[Withdrawn Mind]] along with the [[Transfer Gate]]s throughout the Black Garden, they returned to the site where they found the Black Heart and destroy it again by defeating the [[Established Mind]], [[Synchronal Mind]], and [[Inevitable Mind]]. Destroying the Black Heart allows Crow to enter the Pale Heart safely. He spots the Witness's monolith in the horizon, then meets Cayde-6. Although they meet in a duel, it ends when Glint reveals himself to Cayde. He helps Crow up and they both see the Light pulsing from the monolith. Osiris reveals that Crow has made it through safely, and the Vanguard plans to accompany the Guardian once he is able to replicate the Witness’s link to the Veil.

The Witness begins to enact the Final Shape, but the Traveler resists the Witness's efforts. The Vanguard launches [[Operation Ahamkara]] and travels through the portal with the Guardian in tow. They crash-land in the threshold between the outside world and the Pale Heart and discovers the existence of the [[The Dread|Dread]], a new faction of Darkness creatures which are made up of various creatures that have had their DNA warped by the Witness. They eventually pushes their way out of the Threshold, with Mara Sov's connection severed by the Witness. Within the Pale Heart, they discover a place that is made up of the amalgamation of memories of those within it but slightly changed into new and unfamiliar ways. They discover the "Lost City," a place built from the memory of the Tower prior to its destruction in the Red War and the Last City. They eventually discover [[Prismatic]], a fusion of Light and Darkness energies. They find a Vanguard signal and are ambushed by the Taken and Dread forces including a [[Subjugator]], but they were able to fight it off and reunite with Cayde-6. Cayde reveals that when Guardians and Ghosts die their final deaths, they return to the Traveler as beings of pure light and are integrated within it. He also reveals that Crow has gone missing doing patrols around the area and sends the Guardian to help find him. They discover [[Glint]] just outside the Lost City and discover that Crow had been called into a mysterious cave full of Darkness before being trapped inside. The Guardian helps punch a way through the cave entrance as Cayde orders Glint to stay outside. Within the cave, the Witness begins to speak to the Guardian, temporarily incapacitating them before Ghost shuts it out. The Witness then attempts to explain what is has offered to Crow, but he has rejected it all for what the Witness says is "suffering." The Guardian then finds Crow standing in front of a statue, listening to its whispers. Glint suddenly appears and convinces Crow to never leave without him ever again. Crow agrees and leaves the cave. The three of them then regroup to discuss what to do next. They decide to look for Ikora as her crashed ship can be seen in the distance. A radio message also comes through from Mara though it is heavily scrambled. The three embark to seek out Ikora and discover her crashed ship. Within it, Ikora says that she will be at the replica of the Tree of Silver Wings to meditate and hopefully commune with The Traveler. The Guardian finds Ikora but has to defend her as she's meditating from hordes of Dread. Once the coast is clear, Ikora comes out of meditation and meets back at camp where she finds Cayde. The two have a fight before reconciling together.

During the preparations of this assault, Mara Sov recruits [[Micah-10]] of the [[Six Coyotes]] to oversee a solution to heal the Traveler from the Witness's influence, along with Empress Caiatl and Mithrax. After arriving in the Pale Heart, the Coalition sets up a base of operations within the Lost City and assists the Guardian in preparing for the assault on the Witness's monolith. They first fight off a Lucent Brood attack on the Lost City which turned out to be a trick by Savathûn to test their strength. The Guardian then takes up arms against the killer of Mithrax's [[Inaaks|mother]], an Eliksni Captain named [[Korha, the Hollow]] by tracking him down to Europa. Mithrax demands Korha duel him but Korha's consciousness has been completely lost to the Darkness and is instead crushed to death by a House of Light Brig. The Guardian then turns to the Shadow Legion, who are planning to harvest Light from the Pale Heart. Caiatl assists the Guardian with this endeavor and the Light-harvesting machines were sabotaged. Zavala and Caiatl bond over their shared loss of home and Caiatl reinvigorates Zavala's confidence to lead. After this, Savathûn reappears and baits the Guardian and Mara in to "stop" her plans. During this, Mara learns how to find fissures of Light within with the realm of the Taken which can be used to help heal the Traveler. Savathûn laughs at another plan well executed and Ghost manages to use this knowledge to create a Dyadic Prism, something that merges both Light and Darkness. The Guardian takes this prism to the place where they confronted the Witness and claims a sword made of Light, the [[Ergo Sum]], a gift from the Traveler. Soon after this, Crow, Cayde, and The Guardian take a trip to investigate a Dark Ether theft around the Pale Heart. During which, the pair bond and Crow fulfills his wish by apologizing to Cayde. Cayde urges him that it is all okay and not to worry about it anymore. They track down the Dark Ether theft to a Scorn-infested cave and encounter an Abomination which has become engorged with Ether. The trio corner the beast into a cave where they subsequently crush it with a cave in. After the mission is done, Cayde hands the cloak of the Hunter Vanguard over to Crow and says that he doesn't intend to return to the Tower and take up command again. Crow is initially hesitant but Cayde urges him to think on it, even daring him to.

===The War Ends===

The Guardian recruits a fireteam and begins their assault on the Witness's monolith, fighting off the Sol Divisive, Taken, Shadow Legion, Scorn, and Dread forces along the way. They assault the monolith to prevent the Witness from acquiring Traveler's Light and finishing its vision of the Final Shape. As they ascend towards the monolith's summit, the Witness taunts the fireteam and explains that it is not the Winnower but merely a champion of it and that the Final Shape is a way for the Winnower to end its game with the Gardener. The Guardians press on and ascend all the way to the summit of the monolith where a gargantuan Witness stares down at them, preparing for the Final Shape. The Guardians manage to use the Light to gravely injure the Witness once again which forces it to halt the Final Shape and retreat onto the surface of the Pale Heart. With the threat of the Final Shape over, the Coalition rallies its forces to finish the fight. A massive Coalition fleet arrives to the Pale Heart and drop in hundreds of Guardians, House of Light Eliksni, Imperial Cabal, and various forces of humanity like Eris Morn, Drifter, Nimbus, Osiris, and Elise Bray. Savathûn makes an appearance as well, leading the Lucent Brood in a temporary alliance with the Coalition. Zavala gives a speech before the army before leading the charge against hordes of the Witness's remaining Guardian. The battle is fierce but the Coalition forces eventually punch through the Witness's last line of defense with the Guardian leading the charge. They eventually find the Witness and Saint-14 places his Ward of Dawn in the center of the arena to give the Guardians cover as Valus Forge, Mithrax, Nimbus, and Savathûn drop in weaponry for aid against the remaining forces of the Witness. Fissures of Light begin to pool on the surface of the arena as its forces are beaten back and once enough Light is collected, another portal to the realm of Darkness is created. More swords of Light are manifested within the realm and the Guardians use them to kill the remaining Dissenters. This further exposes the Witness to attacks and the Guardians damage it even further but when it is about to die, it shields itself. Ghost calls for his Guardian to channel the Traveler’s Light through him and together, the pair blast the Witness with a beam of pure Light which finally kills it. As it falls, it remarks that it doesn't understand.  

==Aftermath==

==Forces of the Conflict==

**[[Destined Heroes]]

***Queens

****[[Wild Card]]

****[[Queens, Part II]]

***Found in the Dark

***Lost in Light

***[[Hope (The Final Shape)|Hope]]

**Convalescence

***[[The Shadows]]

***[[The Return]]

***[[The Oracle]]

***[[The Ascendant]]

**''[[Season of the Witch]]''

**''[[Season of the Wish]]''

**''[[The Final Shape]]''

**''[[Episode: Echoes]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Entelechy]]''