War against the Witness
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The War against the Witness was a conflict that was fought all across Sol between the forces of the Coalition and the forces of the Witness, with other parties being involved as well. After dealing with the threat Savathûn and her brood posed on Sol, the Vanguard began to shift their attention to prepare for the Witness's arrival. The Vanguard and its allies would stop the influence of Rhulk and the Psions on their future, take on the threat imposed by Calus's connection to the Lunar Pyramid as he ascends into a Disciple of the Witness, task the Guardian with securing the relics of Nezarec before Eramis can use it, and assist Ana Bray and Osiris with rebuilding Rasputin in order to both have a means of defense against the Witness and also help Osiris confirm his visions of Neptune were true.
Shortly after the final assault on Seraph Station the Witness would arrive with its fleet, along with its newest Disciple, Calus. Despite their best efforts, the Witness managed to establish a link with The Veil after hijacking the Guardian's Ghost and thus begun the Final Shape by creating a portal into the Traveler's Pale Heart. While the Guardian aided in prison break operations across Earth, the Vanguard would repeatedly try to find a way through the portal, all attempts ending in failure. After the reemergence of Titan, the Vanguard would discover that Sloane had survived the disappearance, although she was no partially infused with Taken energy. The Vanguard also discovered that Sloane had befriended Ahsa, a proto-worm that had fled to Titan after the Witness caused her species to slaughter itself in the name of the Sword Logic. After strengthening their psychic connection, Ahsa would reveal to Sloane, and the rest of the Vanguard, about the origins of the Witness and the Final Shape, and that the key to getting through the portal was held by none other than Savathûn herself. After some reluctance, The Vanguard reached an agreement with Immaru, Savathûn's Ghost, in which he would help them bring back Savathûn, under one condition: they deal with her sister, Xivu Arath, first. In order to combat Xivu without a direct conflict, Eris Morn would turn herself into a Hive God of Vengeance, and using the tithes collected by the Guardians, would eventually grow in strength, temporarily becoming the strongest Hive God in existenc. Eris would then use her power to sever Xivu Arath from her throne world, rendering her mortal.
Shortly afterwards The Guardian and Eris would find out that Savathûn kept the end of the bargain reached between Immaru and The Vanguard, revealing to them the way into the Traveler, that being the 15th wish. After responding to an incursion of Sol Divisive and Taken forces in the Dreaming City, The Guardian would attempt to initiate the 15th wish, before being denied by the spirit of Riven who was brought back by Mara Sov and her Techeuns. Revealing to them that her clutch needed to be saved and brought back to her, The Guardian sought out to collect Riven’s missing clutch across the Dreaming City and the Riven's Lair to find them. After securing the final egg, Riven granted the wish, and the cost of her continued existence, allowing Crow to safely cross into the Pale Heart via the Ley Lines as his bond to his sister Mara allowed for a connection to be established between them.
In the weeks after Crow’s passage, The Witness would launch an assault against the Last City and its defenses. The Vanguard would task Shaxx with the counteroffensive of the attack, which required him to bring out previously banned and restricted weapons under Vanguard policy back into circulation. Once the attacks were repelled, Osiris contacted The Guardian about an interference that prevented Crow from fully crossing the portal, reporting it was coming from the Black Garden. The Guardian was sent to investigate, only to discover the Black Heart was remade by the Sol Divisive under direction's from The Witness. The Guardian would successfully destroy the Black Heart once more, finally allowing Crow to cross into the Pale Heart as he awaited for support to stop the Final Shape from occurring.
Prelude
Birth of the Witness
Being the first civilization uplifted by the Traveler's Light in recorded history, the species that would eventually become the Witness lived in a Golden Age and would prosper under its influence. However, their people demanded purpose, so they discovered the Traveler shared a connection with the Veil, an enigma associated with Darkness. The species could not agree on how the Final Shape could be carried out, as it was recorded in a conversation between HNW047622 and RS6243199. HNW047622 followed the beliefs of the Nihilists: a faction who believed that the Final Shape is the result of the species' self-destruction and that they should leave the universe alone while RS6243199 followed the beliefs of the Penitents: a faction who believed that the Final Shape is the result of perfection through the intervention of the universe. Both of these individuals oppose the views of the Solipsists: a faction who believe that the Final Shape can be achieved by the will of the species that believe them. These factions were ruled by the Consensus. They eventually learn that the Light affects the physical world and the Darkness affects the mental world. After recovering the Veil from the cosmos, they would link it to the Traveler to enact the Final Shape, but the Traveler refuses the connection and leaves their home planet. The species finally found purpose when the Consensus ruled in favor of the Penitent majority, who were undeterred in their pursuit of the Final Shape, so they waged war with the Nihilists and the Solipsists. Once the civil war of their species was over, the Consensus would use the power of the Darkness from the Veil to become one singular, unfathomable being. Thus, the Witness was born.
Over time, the Witness would use its philosophy of the Final Shape to recruit other species into its fold, imprison its dissenters who disagreed with its pursuit of the Final Shape within its own mind, cause suffering to various species that were uplifted by the Traveler, and swiftly conquer any species that weren't. It caused the extinction of the Noesis, a friendly alien species that met its form first, and the Eurhythmia, a mysterious species that welcomed the Witness's presence until it saw that the Traveler uplifted them and subsequently wiped them out. It then uplifted the last Lubraean named Rhulk, who became the first of its Disciples upon destroying his home planet of Lubrae. The next species to be influenced by the Witness were the proto-Worm Gods living on Fundament. The proto-Worm Gods would become seduced by the power it offered and accepted it through their invention of the Sword Logic, but one of their kin escaped Fundament through unknown means.
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 Aurash of the event. Aurash fled with her sisters Sathona and 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 The Leviathan, who was injured as a result of Rhulk's subjugation of the Worm God 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, Yul, Xol, Eir, and 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 Ammonites 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 Humanity 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.
As the Traveler was busy terraforming Io's surface, a period of great calamity known as the Collapse would begin. It would first be seen on Titan, when the Black Fleet used its weapons to alter Titan's gravity and destroy the structures supporting the New Pacific Arcology domes. Ahsa, the same proto-Worm that escaped Fundament long ago and sought refuge on Titan's methane seas, was injured by an unknown entity. The Traveler would flee to Earth and defend humanity as a result. It would also affect the people aboard the Yang Liwei, where the clash between the Traveler and its ancient enemy resulted in the existence of the Distributary and subsequently the birth of the Awoken. It would affect the people on Earth and the colonists aboard the Exodus Yellow as well.
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 Ghosts 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 Lightbearers called Warlords in the Sol System.
The Dark Age would soon end with the formation of the Last City and the fall of the Warlords, The Lightbearers defending the Last City became the Guardians led by different members of the Vanguard. The Last City faced many challenges before the arrival of the Guardian, from the clash with the Fallen united under the banners of the House of Devils, House of Kings, and House of Winter to the attempted reclamation of the Moon ending in a Great Disaster. The people of the Last City soon discover that the Traveler's ancient enemy is coming back to finish what it started during the Collapse and that they are unable to survive it this time.
Ascension of the Young Wolf
On the eve of the Darkness's return to the Sol System, a lone Ghost discovers his Guardian's corpse in the outskirts of the Cosmodrome whilst avoiding the Fallen House of Devils. They soon acquire their first jumpship after dealing with the Fallen and make their way to the Last City to meet the various individuals there: the Titan Vanguard Commander Zavala, the Warlock Vanguard Ikora Rey, the Hunter Vanguard Cayde-6, the Crucible handler Lord Shaxx, the Gunsmith Banshee-44, and the Speaker, a disciple who speaks for the Traveler. After meeting the people of the Last City, they return to the Cosmodrome to acquire a warp drive, eliminating a Devil Archon named Riksis in the process. They soon discover their purpose as a Guardian from the Speaker and he tasks them with investigating what is stopping the Traveler from healing after its conflict with the Darkness during the Collapse. They begin solving the mystery upon discovering the Hive's presence in the Cosmodrome. They travel to the Moon to stop the Hive from commencing an invasion on Earth.
They first investigate leads from another Guardian who went missing and eventually died near the entrance to the Temple of Crota, then enter a Hive fortress called the Hellmouth to seek out the World's Grave, a compendium of Hive knowledge and their plans to invade Earth. They learn of the Hive's plans to conduct a ritual to drain the Traveler's Light and warn the Speaker about the revelation. He organizes the forces of the Last City to stop the ritual. As the Guardian travels near the ritual site, the Exo Stranger issues a challenge to them: if they stop the Hive ritual and return alive, she can meet them face to face and discuss a threat more troubling. Ghost tracks the coordinates of the message to Venus. They discover the ritual in the Chamber of Night involved the Hive using a piece of the Traveler but were successful in stopping it. They then meet the Stranger in the ruins of Ishtar Academy, who informs them of the Black Heart, a failed replica of the Veil created by the Vex of the Sol Divisive. She instructs them to find a way into the Black Garden and destroy its heart in order for the Traveler to heal. They would seek counsel from the Awoken of the Reef. They reveal that in order to gain the coordinates to the Black Garden gate, they must first confront a Gate Lord and retrieve its eye. They return to Venus to lure out and defeat Zydron. They present the eye and learn the coordinates to the Black Garden gate lies on Meridian Bay, but they must get past the Exclusion Zone set up by the Cabal scout legions including the Sand Eaters, Dust Giants, Siege Dancers, and Blind Legion. They enter the Black Garden after charging the Gate Lord's eye and destroy the Black Heart by defeating 3 frames comprising the Sol Progeny: the Primeval Mind, the Imminent Mind, and the Eschaton Mind.
After destroying the Black Heart, the Guardian continues their mission to push back the minions of the Darkness. They infiltrate the 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, 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 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 Plane, slaying the God-King of the Hive. They then had to return to the Cosmodrome to stop the spread of SIVA, nanotechnology produced by Clovis Bray, and the House of Devil Splicers who worship it with assistance from Shiro-4 and Lord Saladin, the last surviving Iron Lords 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 Red War begins as the Cabal Red Legion under the command of Dominus Ghaul would activate the Traveler Cage, strip all Guardians of their Light, and invade the Last City. The Dominus aspired to claim the Light for his own, under the mad belief the he is more worthy of it. The Guardian leaves the Last City and reclaims their Light powers from the Shard of the Traveler after dealing with the Fallen from the House of Dusk, a conglomerate of the Fallen as their continued losses against the Guardians forced the Houses to unite in desperation. After reclaiming their Light, they help the civilians of the Farm and EDZ before they discover a message from Zavala instructing them to travel to Titan. They do so and and discover a Hive presence as they work along with Zavala, Deputy Commander Sloane, and Amanda Holliday to restore power to the New Pacific Arcology rig. They do and retrieve the Arcology CPU to decrypt Red Legion transmissions. The decryption reveals that the Red Legion has placed the Almighty, Ghaul's prized warship, near Sol's to destabilize it and destroy the entire system, using Mercury as its fuel, leading Zavala to task the Guardian with reassembling the Vanguard since they are the only one with the Light. They retrieve Cayde-6 from the planetoid Nessus and Ikora Rey from Io, disrupting Vex and Red Legion operations in the former and encountering a Taken resurgence in the latter. The Vanguard and Suraya Hawthorne would formulate a plan to take back the Last City: the Guardian would board the Almighty and disable its star-killing weapon, but first they must break into the Red Legion base and defeat Thumos. After the Almighty is disabled, the counterattack begins, but the Vanguard are unable to continue the assault, forcing the Guardian to confront Ghaul themselves inside his flagship, the Immortal. They are able to defeat him despite his forced acquisition of the Light and reawaken the Traveler from its long-dormant slumber as it sends out a wave of Light across the Milky Way Galaxy. The wave would cause the Black Fleet to mobilize and begin making its way back to the Sol System.
The Black Fleet's Return
Despite the death of Dominus Ghaul, the Red War would still carry on until the death of Val Ca'uor. Before they can confront Val Ca'uor, they first had to help an exiled Warlock named Osiris and his Ghost Sagira stop the Vex from taking advantage of the Traveler's reawakening, then confront Xol and his herald Nokris near Hellas Basin. The death of Val Ca'uor would mark the end of the Red War, but another tragedy soon strikes. While containing the prison break in the Prison of Elders, the Guardian discovers that Cayde-6 has been murdered by Uldren Sov and the Scorn, a race of Fallen brought back to life through Dark Ether. The Guardian would seek vengeance for the death of Cayde-6 by traveling to the most lawless frontier within the Reef: the Tangled Shore. They would accept a deal with a shady Fallen mob boss named the Spider to remove the Scorn's influence on the Tangled Shore and isolate Uldren. After defeating the Scorn Barons, they would confront Uldren Sov at the Watchtower, a gateway into the Dreaming City. It is soon revealed that Uldren was corrupted by Riven, the last living Ahamkara who was Taken by Oryx shortly before his defeat and now serves Savathûn, but the Guardian would kill him anyways. Petra eventually opens the Dreaming City to them and made contact with Mara, who orders them to slay Riven. Unbeknownst to the Guardian, Riven would grant one last wish before her death: the curse on the Dreaming City. They soon enter the throne world of Mara Sov, Eleusinia and confront Dûl Incaru, the daughter of Savathûn, but they discover that Dûl Incaru's death caused the curse to reset itself every 3 weeks. The Guardian would face more threats in the Sol System. They would first help a mysterious Exo named Ada-1 recovery Black Armory technology stolen by the Kell's Scourge and its leader Siviks, then investigate Drifter, the Gambit handler with a mysterious connection to the IX, and finally accept an invitation sent by former Cabal Emperor Calus to participate for glory through the Menagerie. They soon learn from an apparition of Toland that a dark secret is hiding under the Lunar surface and the Vanguard would soon return to the Moon.
The Hive would reemerge, this time under the Daughters of Crota: Hashladun, 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, 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 Flayers 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. 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 Warsats 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 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 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 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. 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 Cryptoliths. They world work alongside Uldren Sov, who is now reborn as Crow, to track down and slay Xivu Arath's 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 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 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.
After the Vanguard signed an armistice with Empress Caiatl, they discovered a Vex simulation threatening the Last City where Sol wouldn't rise. The people dubbed this Vex simulation the Endless Night. With no way to dispel the Endless Night on their own, Ikora asks the Guardian to seek out Mithrax, Kell of the Fallen House of Light and the last Sacred Splicer who was last seen helping Variks evacuate defectors of the House of Salvation on Europa. They clear the Skiff's crash site of the Vex and finally meet him in Asterion Abyss. He teaches the Guardian how to explore the Vex Domain through splicing and instructs them to slay the curator of the domain and claim the living code from its corpse. They do so and return to him. Ikora propose the integration of the House of Light into the Last City, with Mithrax agreeing to the proposal. After settling the House of Light into the Last City, the Guardian begins their mastery of splicing after retrieving a Splicer Gauntlet from the Splicer Servitor. As they continue their mastery of splicing, Lakshmi-2 of the Future War Cult would begin spreading anti-Eliksni propaganda throughout the Last City, and they gain the ability to penetrate the deeper enclaves of the Vex Domain and defeat the Oppressive Minds occupying them. Mithrax discovers that Quria, Blade Transform is the Vex Mind responsible for the Endless Night, so they work together to pinpoint its location within the Vex Domain. After the Guardian finishes their mastery of splicing, they infiltrate Quria's lair within the domain and destroy it, finally dispelling the Endless Night. The House of Light celebrate their first Solstice as a reward for dispelling the Endless Night and enter an official alliance with the Vanguard. Despite the Endless Night ending, Lakshmi-2 continues spreading her propaganda and would attempt a coup, but the coup backfires on her as Vex gunfire kills her, forcing the people to defend the Last City. As the skirmish ends, Savathûn, who used the body of Osiris to divide the Vanguard from within and learn the secrets of the Light, flees to the Dreaming City.
The Guardian, along with Crow and Saint-14, pursues Savathûn throughout the Dreaming City, battling the forces of Xivu Arath along the way. They ambush her as she is conversing with Mara Sov, who has returned to the Dreaming City. Savathûn finally reveals her true form, but Mara contains her in a crystalline prison. After the Guardian acquires the Wayfinder's Compass, Mara and Petra explain the plan: in order to conduct a ritual to remove Savathûn's worm, they must use the Wayfinder's Compass to navigate the Ley Lines, which are bridges between the material plane and the Ascendant Plane, and rescue the Techeuns lost within the Ley Lines from Xivu Arath's forces. The Guardian would also help Mara foil Kelgorath's plan to steal Ager's Scepter. Once enough Techeuns are rescued from the Ley Lines, Mara forbids all access to Savathûn until the ritual is ready for alignment. Months later, the ritual is ready, but it is under assault from Xivu Arath's forces who are desperate to stop the ritual separating Savathûn from her worm, so Mara requests the Guardian's assistance. They arrive to the ritual site along with Saint-14 and defend Mara, Ylaia, Austyn, and Sjari as they perform the exorcism ritual from Xivu Arath's forces led by Kelgorath. The ritual succeeds; however, Savathûn transports herself near the Traveler and eventually becomes the first Hive resurrected in the Traveler's Light. Meanwhile, the Coalition forms as result of signing an armistice with Empress Caiatl, integrating the House of Light into the Last City, and helping the Awoken rescue their lost Techeuns.
Operation Elbrus
- "Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack."
- — Empress Caiatl quoting Sun Tzu.
After Mars suddenly reappears in the Sol System, the Hidden immediately investigates the presence of the Relic, a structure of Pyramid origin and witness Catatl's Cabal set up a cannon to use to aim at Savathûn's ship, the Lure, as it lands above the Cradle on Mars. The Guardian arrives to the scene and comes under fire from Cabal troops loyal to the Empress despite the armistice. They would use themselves to launch into the Lure. Upon landing on the Lure, they follow traces of Void Light on the ship and manage to recover an artifact of the Black Fleet. Before they can follow Savathûn into her throne world, they are forced to defeat a Lightbearer Knight and crush its Ghost. They follow her and defeat her illusion before she ejects them from the throne world. They land at the Enclave, a camp used by Hidden agents to investigate the Relic. With the artifact they recovered earlier used to interact with the Relic, they discover Deepsight, an aspect of Darkness used to reveal echoes of past events and enables weapon crafting, by using the Relic to create their first weapon: the Enigma. After creating their first weapon, Ikora instructs them to return to the throne world to gain more clues on how Savathûn was able to acquire the Light. While exploring the throne world, they discover a Scorn presence and a mysterious Ghost named Fynch contacts them. After dealing with the Scorn and a Lightbearer Wizard, they finally meet him, but they would first need to attend a meeting with Empress Caiatl. She arranges a meeting with Saladin Forge, Zavala, Crow, and the same Guardian responsible for killing her people on Mars in the Tower Hangar. As the argument continues, Zavala defuses the situation and asks for Caiatl's help in stopping the Lucent Hive on Earth. She agrees and in return, she supplies Light-suppressing tech in the form of a Synaptic Spear.
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 Psions 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 Beacons throughout the battlegrounds that spawn Lighthoarders. 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.
While the Guardian was deployed on Luna, Crow attempts to shut down the Psisorium out of concern that the experiments on the Lucent Hive were unethical, but he inadvertently kills the Psion running it. The Guardian and Saladin discover the destruction upon the Guardian returning from Luna. Saladin would inform Caiatl of Crow's actions there and they, along with Zavala, would meet back in the Tower Hangar to discuss Crow's life debt per Cabal tradition of a life for a life. Saladin repays the life debt on Crow's behalf by becoming a member on her War Council. Caiatl would name him "Bracus Forge" and they both depart from the Tower, although she would allow him permission to continue to run the Iron Banner in the Tower albeit with some new ideas of her own. Three days after this meeting, Caiatl gives Saladin a promotion to "Valus Forge" after he defeats another member of her War Council: Valus Guhrn Or'ohk.
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.
They warn Ikora of Savathûn's plan before they report to Fynch, who instructs to recover the next object of interest: a calcified Worm familiar, located in the Temple of the Cunning, a temple dedicated to Savathûn's younger self Sathona. After they get past the security measures set by Savathûn and the Scorn invading the temple, they are forced to fight the illusion of an Ahamkara and escape upon recovering the Worm familiar. They are unable to take the Worm familiar into the Altar of Reflection, forcing Ikora to take a temporary leave before Eris reveals the final object of interest the Guardian must recover: a shard of the crystalline prison used to trap Savathûn, located in the Apothecary, the site of Savathûn's experiments with the Light. They take the shard to the Altar of Reflection, where it plays the memory of Savathûn's final moments before her resurrection in the Traveler's Light. They inform the Vanguard of the terrifying revelation, questoining Zavala's faith in the Traveler, before Ikora rallies them. She and the Guardian leaves the Last City to stop Savathûn's plans from coming to pass, but first she uses the Relic to unlock the memory of the Worm familiar. The memory records the Witness's plan to trick the Krill into accepting the Darkness and stop them from being uplifted by the Traveler. She relays the memory recorded in the Worm familiar to the Guardian before they arrive at the throne world. The ritual to move the Traveler into Savathûn's throne world begins upon their arrival. To stop the ritual, they are forced to confront the Witch Queen by showing her the memory recorded in the Worm familiar. They defeat her, but she gives them one last warning before she faints: the Witness is coming.
History
Duel with the First Disciple
- "The Witness sees you. Grants you opportunity. And you squander it!"
- — Rhulk's taunt to the Guardians.
After Savathûn's death at the hands of the Guardian, the Witness finally reveals itself and informs the Traveler that it has run out of pieces left to place and nowhere left to escape, beginning the first phase of the war. It reveals that the key to the Final Shape lies within the Traveler's Pale Heart. The Guardian convinces the Coalition to begin making preparations for the Witness's arrival in the Sol System. They meet Mara Sov at the Enclave. She forms a plan to gain information regarding the end of the Collapse from Savathûn's Worm she obtained after performing the exorcism ritual on Savathûn. They infiltrate Harvest, a Worm distribution facility, to recover an incubator. Mara reveals that the Witness tried to recruit her as one of its Disciples, but she refused and allied with the Coalition forces instead. They finally get the information from Savathûn's Worm after Mara binds the Worm to a grenade launcher through a ritual. She instructs the Guardian to keep Parasite handy in the future as she parts ways with the Worm.
Meanwhile, Rhulk sends the Scorn to invade the throne world en masse and destroy The Wellspring, the main source of Light distribution across the throne world and of the curse which had kept him trapped within the Sunken Pyramid. Instead the Guardians would repeatedly quash their attempts and keep the Wellspring secured from both Scorn and Lucent Hive parties. Fynch would also inform Ikora Rey and the Vanguard of the curse surrounding the Sunken Pyramid, albeit unaware of the disciple inside it kept from escaping. Eventually, the Guardian would lead a raid fireteam to investigate the sunken Pyramid. Mara Sov would warn them of the threat posed by Rhulk only to be cut of by his own whispers greeting the Lightbearers and inviting them to enter; cryptically warning them to either "drown in the Deep" or "rise from it".
The Guardians would first approach Acquisition, a vast repository of artifacts from Rhulk's past conquests, including a rib he took from the Leviathan of Fundament. The Disciple would then explain that the Witness would see the Light fall and glimpsed of the potential Guardians would possess freed of its chains. Despite opposition by both Scorn and Taken forces, the Guardians journeyed deeper into the Pyramid. They then looked upon the Upended in the distance, which Rhulk described as a "triumvirate" of the three core tenets of the Witness: opportunity, preservation, and salvation. After the Guardians killed the Caretaker, Rhulk remarked that those "defiant" of the Witness’ campaign would be subjugated in service of the Final Shape, which he described as an "ailing, endless, void". They would discover a prophecy inside the Pyramid that foretells of the Witness's plan: "The Hive and the Scorn will love the Darkness and worship the Witness. The Black Fleet will enter Earth and stop the Guardians. The Witness will commune with the Traveler and drink the Light. The Witness will kill ____." As they approached the Upended, Rhulk further compliments the Guardians as resilient yet credulous. In blindly killing scores of Scorn and Taken, however, the fireteam had aided Rhulk by powering the Upended with their bloodshed. With the machine reaching full power, Rhulk was prepared to seal the throne world permanently off from the Light, leaving both the Guardians and the Lucent Hive to suffer. As a final rebuke, the Disciple told the Guardians they were not fit to serve the Witness nor its goals, instead deserving to drown in Darkness.
With the Guardians having reached the Upended, Rhulk emerged from a sarcophagus to personally greet them. Stating that he had no use in them anymore, the Disciple commenced a climactic battle with his interlopers by dropping his glaive and unleashing a massive resonant barrier of Darkness to push them back. The fireteam retaliated in turn by exploiting the resonance from his attacks to push back the barrier, all while Rhulk taunts the fireteam as they fight Scorn and Taken reinforcements. With the barrier having pushed inward and reached the Disciple, Rhulk disables it before inviting the Guardians to the inner sanctum of the Upended. There Rhulk would challenge his opponents in person, to which he toys with the fireteam and even kick them to death on occasion. His composure was only short-lived as they found and then took advantage of four chinks in Rhulk's impervious defense, enraging the Disciple as he became vulnerable to their attacks. In his final moments, Rhulk cried out to the Witness for forgiveness as his body was warped by his own out-of-control powers, transforming him into what appeared to be a petrified, lifeless tree with gnarled vein-like roots of Darkness growing from it. With the death of Rhulk, the Scorn within the throne falls under the control of the Witness and would attempt to take control of the Sunken Pyramid. Mara tasks them with stopping them and learning more about Rhulk's origins.
Vox Obscura
- "We must remain united if we are to forge a different path."
- — Empress Caiatl
Following the events of Operation Elbrus, Caiatl discovers that a sect of Psions are using Psionic propaganda to force her Psions to defect to the forces of the Witness. She asks the Guardian to return to Mars, this time near the city of Freehold to stop the Psions responsible. The Guardian deploys to the abandoned Cabal bunker near Freehold with Caiatl and Zavala monitoring their activity and Amanda Holliday providing support for the assault on the bunker. The Guardian discover that Qabix was the Psion Flayer spreading Psionic propaganda, and Caiatl orders them to eliminate the Psion Flayer. They all learn that Yirix and her conclave has allied with her father Calus and to a certain extent the Witness. They would learn more of the Psionic propaganda on subsequent incursions, including the history of the Psions prior to Cabal enslavement, the supposed resurrection of Eramis, the Traveler's Light tainted with Darkness, the fall of Neomuna and the return of the Leviathan. Caiatl declares that the existing alliances in the Last City must grow stronger if the possible futures are to be prevented from coming to pass and to fight against the forces of the Witness.
Calus's Acension into a Disciple
- "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 Nightmares 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 Bells of Conquests, they learn more about Calus's plan to become another Disciple of the Witness.
Then they turn to Zavala, who is facing up against the Nightmare of Safiyah, his former wife. He fails the ritual when he surrenders to his grief for Safiyah and Hakim. Before they try tthe severance again, Eris recounts the story of Zavala's relationship with Safiyah during the Dark Age. Their relationship was able to bring their son Hakim into the family. Hakim was killed during a Fallen raid, forcing Zavala to abandon his relationship with Safiyah. He would attempt to seek forgiveness from her and her descendants, with no answer. They retry the ritual, this time with success. He turns his Nightmare into a Memory when he lets go his grief for Safiyah and Hakim.
Finally, they turn to Caiatl, who is facing up against the Nightmare of Dominus Ghaul, her former idol. Unfortunately, since she doesn't have the protection against the Nightmares, she is vulnerable to its influence. Caiatl fails the severance as the Nightmare berates her for alliance with the Guardian and her failures during the Fall of Torobatl. After Eris gives her the protection needed, she is able to turn her Nightmare into a Memory and finally realizes she is more worthy than her idol in leading the Cabal Empire. The Guardian, Eris, Crow, Caiatl, and Zavala all begin to strike, but Calus anticipates their arrival and has his forces ambush them. The Guardian makes their way to the Chantry of the Darkest Hour within the Lunar Pyramid and together with Empress Caiatl, faces a projection of the Herald of the Witness. Although they were able to to banish his influence from the Lunar Pyramid, they were too late in stopping Calus from becoming a Disciple of the Witness.
The Reliquary Hunt
- "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 his Ketch. They ally with SCUR-V, Halsiks the Sniper, and the Skiffblades 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 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.
Over the course of recovering Nezarec's relics, Eido would attempt to understand Mithrax's past, but he repeatedly refuses to reveal that information, so she would from the Spider. After Mithrax intercepts her conversation with the Spider, he scolds the Spider by revealing his real name, Rakis. Eido begins a parlay with Eramis as the relationship between Mithrax and his adopted daughter continues to be more distant. Eido, Mithrax, Eramis, and the Guardian meet in the Neutal Asteroid, where Eramis finally reveals Mithrax's past to Eido. She explains that the House of Wolves led a raid on the Lunar Pyramid and harvested Nezarec's body parts to be used as relics. Mithrax became one one the relic's owners, until he gave up his pirate life by marooning the Spider and Siviks on the Reef. Mithrax becomes regretful for not revealing this information and would be more protective of his daughter as she attempts to recover the final relic of Nezarec alone. After driving out the Lucent Brood, the Guardian and Eido witness a duel between Eramis and Mithrax. The duel ends when Mithrax grants Eramis mercy and she flees from the Themis Cluster out of defeat.
With the relics of Nezarec recovered and the relationship between Eido and Mithrax on good terms again, the Guardian shifts their attention to helping their Fallen allies improve the Eliksni Quarter so Mithrax can use the relics to bring Osiris out of coma. After making enough improvements to the Eliksni Quarter, Mithrax finally discovers a way to use the relics for good. He purifies them and reduces them to a concoction to be delivered to Osiris. After drinking the concoction, Osiris is finally awake from his coma and reveals to Saint-14 a secret Savathûn hid on the planet Neptune. They would embrace other as they finally reunite. Meanwhile, the Hidden manages to recover information regarding Nefele Stronghold within Mars' temporal anomalies.
Rasputin vs. the Wrathborn
- "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 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 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 Beasts 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.
As they work on rebuilding Rasputin, the Hidden informs Osiris of the Ares Spire's discovery within the temporal anomaly on Mars. He tasks them with stopping the Sol Divisive invading the spire and recovering the information stored inside. After the Guardian defeats Akelous, the Siren's Current, the Sol Divisive would activate the nuclear reactor in an attempt to destroy the spire through a nuclear meltdown, forcing the Guardian to stop them. They were able to stop the nuclear meltdown by defeating Persys, Primordial Ruin and free the AI trapped within the spire: an Augurmind named Soteria, who is stored inside a caster bow. After the Guardian finishes their mission, Ana leads a fireteam to clear out the Sol Divisive still remaining around the spire and manages to share data on Soteria with Osiris.
After assisting the Bray family and Osiris in bringing Rasputin back online, Mara Sov informs the leaders of the Coalition that the usage of the Warsats would allow Xivu Arath's forces to invade Earth. In response, Rasputin is forced to sacrifice himself to not only destroy all of the Warsats but also prevent Eramis from successfully completing ABHORRENT IMPERATIVE and allowing Xivu Arath a foothold to commence her invasion on Earth. The Traveler departs from Earth to confront the Black Fleet, beginning the second phase of the war. In its absence, the Vanguard declares that the Guardians, the Awoken, the House of Light, and the Imperial Cabal will unite to stop the Witness and its Disciples together. Evidence of this union can be seen in the Tower's skies as the ships from each member of the Coalition occupy it, including Awoken Galliots, Eliksni Ketches controlled by the House of Light, and Cabal Carriers under Empress Caiatl's command.
Siege of Neomuna
- "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 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.
They first break into the Typhon Imperator, a Pyramid vessel used by Calus as a staging ground for the Shadow Legion's siege on the city, in an attempt to destroy the Radial Mast before it can be linked to Veil. They fail in this endeavor and flee from the Typhon Imperator with assistance from Empress Caiatl. They then help the Cloud Striders restore power to the CloudArk, an infrastructure network that powers the defenses scattered throughout Neomuna and also a digital space inhabited by the Neomuni. After restoring power to the CloudArk and using the power of Strand to escape an ambush set up by the Shadow Legion, the Guardian works to learn more about its nature. Osiris explains to Nimbus the nature of Light and Darkness. Nimbus instructs the Guardian to travel to Maya's Retreat to learn the philosophy of Strand. They succeed in using the power of Strand when they let go of control used by the philosophy Stasis and defeat the Inquisitor Mind.
Osiris meets the Poukas, semi-aquatic creatures capable of reflecting emotion onto its subject, as he conversing with Rohan before it's interrupted by the Shadow Legion transporting the Radial Mast into the city. Rohan is forced to sacrifice himself to destroy the Radial Mast and prevent it from establishing a link with the Veil, leaving Nimbus as the sole Cloud Strider to defend Neomuna. Now burdened with the responsibility of protecting Neomuna on their own, Nimbus tasks the Guardian with stopping the Taken invading the CloudArk. As they explore the CloudArk, Nezarec reveals his voice after the Traveler's terraforming power inadvertently resurrects his physical form inside the Witness's Pyramid, and he plans to torment the Neomuni living inside the CloudArk. After driving out the Taken, they would work to make their final assault on Calus by having Caiatl rally the Cabal to fight alongside the Guardian, Nimbus reactivate the remaining CloudArk defenses throughout Neomuna, and Osiris assist the Guardian in their mastery of Strand.
The Guardian finally learns to master the power of Strand inside the Vex Domain. Once the mastery of Strand is complete, the Guardian begins the final assault on Calus by first disabling the AA turrets set up by the Shadow Legion, then defend the plaza containing the Veil Containment entrance alongside the Empress before Calus's projection eventually blasts open the entrance. They confront Calus at the Veil Containment site underneath the Veil and defeat him, but the victory is short-lived as the Witness possesses Ghost to establish a link with the Veil and open the portal to the Traveler's Pale Heart using its energy so it can subsequently begin the Final Shape. Despite the setback, the Guardian work to assist Nimbus in tracking down Rohan's notes leading into the Black Garden, repair Cloud Strider monuments damaged by the Vex, and end Nezarec's influence on the Neomuni by confronting him inside the terraformed Pyramid once inhabited by the Witness. Soteria informs the Guardian that an enemy of the Witness is hiding somewhere on Titan and urges them to not waste time.
Invasion of Earth
- "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, 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 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 warden in charge there and overcoming its Psionic powers. Next, they infiltrate a Shadow Legion prison ship to kill the 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.
He soon does so and tells the Guardian of the plan: they would infiltrate the Shadow Legion Flagship while he, Devrim, and Mithrax would assist them in eliminating the forces occupying it. After dispelling the Pyramid beacons, Crow detonates the charges set up in the hangar. The Guardian then makes their way to the engine room and use the powers sent by Mara Sov to destroy the cooling fans, then the engine. They finally scuttle the flagship and see it blow up from the sky. The forces of the Coalition celebrate their victory and honor Amanda's memory. The Coalition soon turn their attention to a Cabal warbase in the EDZ. Empress Caiatl dispatches her Psions to secure the warbase, but they are soon captured by Shadow Legion forces led by a new Bracus Zahn. The Empress, with the assistance from Devrim, tasks the Guardian with freeing her forces so her Ascendant Guards can fight alongside them in their assault on the warbase. They follow the new Bracus Zahn to the top of the warbase and together with their Cabal allies, finally put an end to Bracus Zahn's legacy. They would also stop the Taken and Shadow Legion forcs poisoning the Reservoir again using the Resonant Splinter reverse-engineered by the Imperial Cabal and then killing Gor'ath Gath.
Titan's Return
- "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.
The Vanguard would be forced to follow Soteria's lead as their attempts to follow the Witness into the Traveler's Pale Heart have failed with the death of Joxer. As Titan reappears in the Sol System, they discover Deputy Commander Sloane's distress signal. Zavala organizes a rescue team including himself, Saladin, Saint-14, and the Guardian. As the rescue team explore the derelict rig, Xivu Arath announces her presence on Titan by sending in Hive and Taken forces to hamper the rescue team's efforts to find Sloane. After pushing back her forces, the Drifter arrives in the Derelict to assist the rescue team. Zavala discovers the origin of the distress signal lies in the depths of Kraken Mare at 1 kilometer. The Guardian, Drifter, and Zavala reunite with Sloane. She reveals the Taken corruption inhabiting her body and introduces them to a large sea creature named Ahsa. Sloane informs them that Ahsa has vital information regarding the Witness, but in order to do so, she will need Egregore coral and technology salvaged from the New Pacific Arcology so she can form a psychic connection with Ahsa and get the message delivered to the Coalition. After enough Egregore is used to strengthen Sloane's connection with Ahsa, Ahsa is able to tell the Coalition of a huge revelation: the Witness is a gestalt of the first civilization uplifted by the Traveler made manifest through the power of Darkness they learned from the Veil. Ahsa also reveals more information about the Final Shape, a plan to reshape the universe to the Witness's desire by connecting the Veil and the Traveler together. However, the connection is lost before Ahsa is able to explain the next step that will allow the Vanguard to follow the Witness. The Coalition discovers that Xivu Arath is using her Wizards to conduct a ritual to Take Ahsa and responds to stop the ritual. The Guardian and the Iron War Beasts led by Saladin work together to stop the ritual. After escorting Ahsa to safety, she finally reveals the next step: resurrect Savathûn. Meanwhile, Osiris and Nimbus work together to gain more information about the Veil through various logs left behind by Dr. Chioma Esi. It is soon revealed by Osiris through data acquired from the Conceptual Mind's core and Dr. Esi's notes on the Veil that the Witness used it to open a portal inside the Traveler's Pale Heart and that the Traveler is responding to the Witness's incursions as the reason why it is currently dormant.
Before Xivu Arath withdraws her forces from Titan, she issues a challenge to the Guardian. After retrieving the broken blades and depositing them to 3 Hive statues around Kraken Mare and then completing the Bathypelagic Midnight depth of Deep Dives, Xivu opens her temple to the Guardian and awards them the Wicked Implement after overcoming her challenge by defeating a Taken Knight and a powerful Tormentor inside the Pyramid labyrinth. After she rewards them with with the weapon, she finally withdraws her forces from Titan, and a Lucent Brood vessel crash-lands near the New Pacific Arcolgy. Sloane tasks the Guardian with investigating a Lucent Hive ritual, but she is unable to provide further instructions due to the ritual blocking the comms. They discover that the Lucent Brood were conducting a ritual to resurrect Oryx, and manages to put an end to the ritual by defeating Šimmumah ur-Nokru, the Lucent Necromancer and crushing the Ghost. After stopping the ritual, the comms are restored, and Sloane request that the Hidden recover the body of Oryx. Lisbon-13, Fenchurch Everis, and Chalco Yong are the Hidden members selected to recover the body, and after thorough examinations, would send a revealing report: Oryx is still alive despite the lack of his Worm symbiote.
Clash of the Hive Gods
- "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 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.
As they continue their work to empower Eris, Xivu Arath responds to Eris's ascension to the Hive God of Vengeance by sending in Wrathborn forces to occupy her sister's throne world. After dealing with the Wrathborn invading the spire, Eris instructs the Guardian to return to the oubliette and stop Xivu Arath's attempt to steal tribute from her. Xivu Arath responds by sending in her greatest champion to test the Guardian's combat capabilities: the Leviathan-Eater, Bane of the Ammonites. It retreats from combat in order to assemble Xivu Arath's brood, buying Eris time until she is ready to challenge the Hive God of War. Meanwhile, they learn from Ahsa that she chose to become a willing participant in Eris's tithing ritual as the latter invoke the name of the Worm Gods alongside the former's fallen sisters, Sel, Ora, and Leis.
After finishing Savathûn's experiments with the Light and discovering the secrets contained within the Imbaru engine above the oubliette, Eris is ready for the final tithing ritual. She requests that Ikora bring Savathûn's body out from vault security and deliver it to Savathûn's throne world. She then meets the Guardian at the oubliette for the final tithing ritual. They tithe to her after they defeat the Leviathan-Eater. Eris uses the tithes from the Guardian along with the power from the resurrected Savathûn to sever Xivu Arath's connection to the Black Terrace, which makes Xivu Arath mortal and therefore vulnerable. Xivu Arath's expulsion from her own throne world begins the third and final phase of the war. Eris gives up her Hive form soon after, and both Ikora and the Guardian help her recover. Before they leave the throne world, Savathûn is resurrected again and allows Immaru to fall under Vanguard custody. She also reveals the secret they need to follow the Witness into the portal, but she refuses to elaborate on what it is. The Guardian discovers the riddles on their own as they recover one of Riven's eggs from the Imbaru Engine and uncover the mystery of the 15th wish revealed on her wings.
The Hunt for Riven's Clutch
- "Last words, last wish..."
- — Riven of a Thousand Voices
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 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.
As the Vanguard and its allies continue its efforts to bypass the portal through Riven, Crow discovers a Scorn presence within the EDZ and reports his findings to the Hidden. The Guardian follows the last known location of a Scorn sighting to a snowy mountain within the EDZ. The Guardian enters a Dark Age castle and confronts a powerful Chieftain partly infused with Taken energy named Rathil, the leader of the Broken Knights sent by Fikrul to bring home the Scorn raised from House of Kings along with Malaris, Vrysiks, Nymeks, and Sirloks. The Guardian defeats Rathil by capturing corrupted Ether Totems and being empowered by the wishes of the former Warlord Naeem. After Rathil is defeated, the Chimera bearing the avatar of another Ahamkara named Hefnd reveals itself and transorts the Guardian to the castle's jail ceĺls. The Guardian escapes from the jail cells using the stone tablets laying next to the skeletons. They pursue the Chimera throughout the castle and arrive at the ramparts where the Locus of Wailing Grief awaits them. They would survive the tempest and defeat the Taken Ogre by lighting and then staying within the 4 stone braziers. They would continue their pursuit of the Chimera and finally confront it at the top of the castle at the mountain's summit. After a difficult battle, the Guardian finally defeats the Chimera, allowing them to collect the bones of Hefnd. They would uncover more of Hefnd's bones scattered throughout the castle by opening sealed doors. They would discover Hefnd's Cairn and discover that Shaxx was responsible for Hefnd's death, with Crow and Petra discovering the truth behind the castle's history. They would conclude the investigation by reporting additional findings to Ikora Rey.
As the Guardian works to recover more of Riven's eggs, the Sol Divisive would respond by creating an Axis Mind to match the capabilities of the Techeuns and also deploy the Oracles into the Dreaming City that mimics resonance used by the Witness and its Disciples. The Guardian arrives too late to recover the egg as the Sol Divisive was able to steal the egg and place it in the Black Garden, near Taranis's corpse. The Guardian explores a new section of the Black Garden that once used as an Ahamkara lair. Riven and Crow assist the Guardian as tactical support. Using the sparks inside a field of green flowers, the Guardian was able to dispel paracausal locks. They would also use the sparks inside a field of red flowers to cross a mist that would otherwise be hazardous to them. Riven reveals that her and another Ahamkara left behind the sparks scattered throughout the Black Garden. They are able to combine the sparks to defeat Akardon, Pitiless Mind. After its defeat, Riven would discover that her mate, Taranis, has died as a result of granting his own wish to scatter the clutch. Riven would reflect on his death, then instructs the Guardian to use Wish-Keeper to honor Taranis. She would discover that the Taken are attempting to corrupt one of her eggs and instructs the Guardian to stop them. They defeat a Taken Knight once loyal to Xivu Arath and learn that the Taken have succeeded in corrupting the egg. Mara proposes a solution to cleanse the egg, but first they must acquire Taken essentia from completing an Ascendant Challenge, then defeating foes within Riven's lair. After cleansing the egg, Osiris updates Mara on how the Pale Heart can be entered, and Riven would reveal that only 1 individual can enter the Pale Heart through the Ley Lines, per her previous bargains with Savathûn. Mara would threaten Riven for her deception before Osiris stops her using Strand. Mara and Osiris both leave, with thr latter informing the Guardian that his investigations on the Veil's ability to replicate the Witness's actions has concluded.
They would recover the final egg, but first the Guardian had to destroy the Sol Divisive Oracles around the Confluence so that the Oracle Engine could be reactivated. Once the Oracle Engine is brought back online, Crow is ready to his plans with them, Mara, Osiris. Crow volunteers to be the first Guardian to enter the Pale Heart. Although she was reluctant to lose her brother again, she accepts the path laid before him. The Guardian manages to stop the Scorn forces led by Fikrul from making a wish on the final egg and save the Ahamkara from extinction. Before they return to the Wall of Wishes to enter the 15th and final wish, Crow reflects on his journey as a Guardian before he bids them farewell for now. They enter the final wish as Riven makes the same fate as Taranis before her. After the wish is completed, Riven makes her sacrifice to ensure that her and Taranis's whims are saved from the Witness's pursuit of the Final Shape. Mara informs the Guardian that while Crow and Osiris form the bridge to bypass the portal to the Pale Heart, they must gather the Coalition allies to stop the Witness once amd for all. The upcoming battle to stop the Final Shape soon decides the fate of the universe.
Defense of the Last City
- "So if the enemies of humanity want war, lets give them war."
- — Ikora Rey
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.
Assistance from all aspects of the Coalition is called upon, with various figures devoting their expertise and knowledge to supporting the effort. Elisabeth Bray informs Shaxx of the varying weaknesses of the Last City in the many Dark Futures she has experienced, with Shaxx guaranteeing her that with the information given, he won't let the City fall like it has so many times before. Ada-1 once more begins weapons development after previously turning her hand to non-violent support of the City, pressuring the forges of the Last City to abandon their self-interest for the good of all, even looking towards improving their output beyond what they currently do. Devrim visits human settlements of the EDZ in an effort to warn them and prepare them for incoming assaults, especially after the invasion of Earth by the Shadow Legion just under a year prior, with his fears being unfounded as the settlers had taken the lessons of before to heart. With the actions of these people, the Coalition looks forward to fortifying itself on Earth, so that Guardians are free to go after the Witness when the time comes.
As the Last City finishes setting up its defenses against the forces of the Witness, Eido would travel around the Sol System to gain information on the Witness and compile the information found on data recovered from Simiks-Fel, Taliks-Syn, CloudArk archives, the Black Armory Papers, etc. Ada-1, Quinn Laghari, and the Reef Cryptarchy would assist Eido in her search for knowledge. Before she submits the information she has found along with her notes into a book titled Entelechy, she conducts an interview with Mara, who reveals more of the Witness’s plan. She reveals that the Final Shape as the Witness perceives it is a twisted calcification of reality made manifest by the union of Light and Darkness. She also assist in the creation of an autograph book written by Guardians, children of the Last City, Coalition allies, and Hidden agents wishing them good luck as they prepare to enter the Pale Heart and stop the Witness from enacting the Final Shape.
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 Gates 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 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.
The Guardian is then tasked with finding Zavala who is nearby. While looking for him, the Guardian must push through another cave of darkness in which the Witness talks of lifting the burdens of guilt from Zavala's shoulders as he still carries doubt and shame from his years of loss. Afterwards, the Guardian discovers a small home in a field, a replica of the one Zavala had with Safiyah and Hakim in the Dark Age. The House of Salvation attack the home and Zavala and the Guardian fight them off. Zavala then enters the house to say goodbye to Safiyah, having a vision of one of the statues saying "help me." The group of five then spend the night camping there, reconciling and reminiscing about those they had lost. The next day, Crow, Cayde, and he Guardian go to scout up ahead, bantering with each other as they enter a replica of the Cosmodrome wall. It is there that Crow reveals to Cayde that it wasn't the Traveler that brought him back but a wish to Riven that he made subconsciously when wishing to enter the Pale Heart. Cayde tells Crow not to let the others know about this and the three press onwards. After fighting through the Sol Divisive and Taken, The Guardian encounters an area that is a replica of the Cosmodrome, where the Guardian was born on the eve of the Darkness’s return. It is there they discover a large fissure of Light. The Traveler grants them new Supers, which they use to dispatch the Taken that had ambushed the area. The group makes camp again and discuss what to do, with Zavala suggesting that they talk to the statues which is quickly shot down by Ikora. Later on, the Guardian is sent to scout for sources of Light, in an attempt to commune with the Traveler. They search three locations before finding a light fissure in the third as well as Luzaku, a friendly Lightbearer Wizard who assists the Guardian in evicting the Taken in the area. Luzaku reveals that she had infiltrated a Black Fleet vessel and snuck into the Traveler under orders from Savathûn. She promises to guard the light fissure for the Guardians which they accept. Cayde then transmats in and steps within the fissure, receiving a vision from the Traveler. In that vision, Sundance speaks to him and says that Guardians, Ghosts, and the Traveler are all connected before being cut off by the Witness. Before the vision can be fully cut away, Sundance says "Devotion, bravery, sacrifice…" before the vision ends.
The group reconvenes and Zavala talks to his ghost, Targe about the vision. Targe urges Zavala to keep fighting and that the two of them would be together. The Guardian is once again called on to find a path towards the Witness's monolith, where they discover the remains of an Ahamkara deep within the caves beneath the surface, its bones and guts integrated within the architecture. They also find a city beneath the surface and realize that it is a manifestation of memories of the Witness's precursors and their home planet. It is here that another statue is found and it tries to speak, saying "Give yourself to Darkness, only there will you find the answers you seek." Zavala wants to follow through with this request but Ikora says not to, with the two of them getting into a verbal fight. The Guardian eventually defeats the powerful Tormentor guarding the path to the monolith. Regrouping, Zavala gets into another fight with Ikora and Crow about what to do next, his faith in the Traveler fully shattered. Frustrated, he goes off to seek answers himself, leaving even Targe behind. The Guardian is tasked with assisting Targe to find him. Targe gets the idea to speak to the statues to learn about Zavala's whereabouts. They push on and find more statues who reveal their true nature. They are "dissenters" of the Witness, parts of the Witness that disagree with its plans and who the Witness has imprisoned within the statues. The Guardian moves on and defeats a powerful Scorn but once that happens, the area becomes unstable and begins to crumble away. They run forwards and find Zavala standing in front of a cave of Darkness. Ikora, Crow, and Cayde are not too far behind and the group urges Zavala not to walk in. Zavala ignores them and has a vision from the Witness and the Dissenters once he enters. Here, The Witness shows Zavala how it came into being, merging the collective consciousness of its precursor species from the Penitent faction with Darkness from the Veil to become the Witness. During the vision, a dissenter whispers into Zavala's ear "What was made can be unmade. Meet us where we destroyed ourselves." The Witness reaches out and offers Zavala to join its cause but Targe suddenly appears to prevent this and accuses the Witness of being afraid. The Witness denies this and kills Targe, the explosion sending Zavala out of the cave. Outside, the group mourns the loss but they now have a clear plan ahead.
Zavala knows where to go and the Guardian is tasked with bringing him to the sire where the Penitent was able to create the Witness. Along the way, Ikora realizes what the Dissenters were talking about. They can use the Light to destroy the Witness and unmake it. The Guardian is also spoken to by the Witness, offering them freedom from the Traveler, freedom from the constant struggle to seek glory, and instead to become a god of the Final Shape. Ghost realizes that The Witness would not make this offer unless it is truly desperate after which the Witness lashes out in anger and disappointment and says to "come and be destroyed." The Guardian finally enters the memory of the place where the Penitent was able to create the Witness using the Veil. There, the Witness appears and begins to fight the Guardian as the rest of the group move in closer to assist. After some fighting with the Witness's forces, the Traveler manifests a sword made of Light which the Guardian takes into the realm of Darkness where the Dissenters reside. The Dissenters call on the Guardian to use the sword to kill them which will rip apart the collective consciousness of the Witness. The Guardian obliges and greatly wounds the Witness before being forced out of the realm. The Guardian does this sequence once more, after which Ikora, Zavala, Crow, and Cayde all arrive to deal with the Witness's forces. This allows The Guardian to enter the realm immediately and destroy more dissenters but not before the Witness attacks them and Ghost directly, gravely wounding them both. They are both teleported into an area where the Witness attempts to shred them apart with debris and Darkness but the Traveler manifests the Aegis which they use to escape the trap. However, Taken forces are still chasing the pair until Mara Sov appears with the H.E.L.M. and picks them up. Zavala, Ikora, Cayde, and Crow witness a wounded Witness before it transforms and attacks them. However, all four of them escape into the H.E.L.M. before anyone can be hurt. After the attack, the Witness retreats to its monolith to finish its plans for the Final Shape. Mara reveals that the rest of the Coalition has made it through into the Pale Heart and are grouping up for one last major offensive against the Witness.
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 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.
Ghost, already weakened from the Witness's previous attack, collapses and dies. The Guardian scrambles to pick up their Ghost and its transported to a realm of Light, beginning to beg The Traveler to bring him back, pleading with it to "bring back one Ghost." The Traveler does not answer but Cayde-6 appears and chooses to push his Light into Ghost, effectively dying but resurrecting Ghost in the process. Ghost is revived and the pair are returned to the Pale Heart, victorious. The Vanguard and Guardian return to the Last City with Crow fully initiaited as Hunter Vanguard. The four consider the future ahead but decide to celebrate their victory for now. They release floating lanterns into the sky as thousands of other do the same.
Aftermath
Forces of the Conflict
The Coalition
Forces of the Witness
- Black Fleet
- House of Salvation
- Psion Conclave
- Scorn
- Shadow Legion
- Sol Divisive
- Taken
- Xivu Arath's Horde
Savathûn's Forces
Vex
Fikrul's Forces
- Scorn
Engagements of the Conflict
1st Phase
2nd Phase
Final Phase
- The Imbaru Engine (A Parting Gift)
- Hunt for Riven's Clutch
- Onslaught
- Operation Ahamkara
- Transmigration
- Temptation
- Exegesis
- Requiem
- Ascent
- The Message
- Liminality
- Dissent
- Iconoclasm
- Destined Heroes
- Queens
- Found in the Dark
- Lost in Light
- Hope
- Convalescence
- Lost Ghosts
- Salvation's Edge
- Excision
