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Destiny 2

2017 first-person shooter video game

Destiny 2 is the sequel to 2014's online-only first-person shooter game Destiny and its expansions, developed by Bungie and published by Activision. It was released worldwide on September 6, 2017, for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, and on October 24, 2017 on Microsoft Windows through Blizzard Entertainment's Battle.net service.

Ghost edit

  • [opening cinematic] I never knew you in life. Your first life, anyway. You died on a battlefield long before my time. Something special brought us together. They called it "the Traveler", and when it arrived, it changed your world forever. It was a Golden Age, and for centuries, humanity thrived... until it didn't. An ancient enemy pursued the Traveler across the universe. Humanity faced extinction. But the Traveler made a choice. Its sacrifice destroyed its ancient enemy, and brought life to the Ghosts. I am a Ghost; more importantly, I'm your Ghost. And you are one of the Traveler's chosen. You are a Guardian. This is your destiny.
  • [to the player, flying to the City, which is not answering comms] Remember when I said you fly too fast? Forget I said that. Fly fast!

Dominus Ghaul edit

  • [to the player, during the final battle] Fitting your Traveler would send you to face me once more. Look upon me. Dominus of the Red Legion, annihilator of suns, razer of a thousand worlds, slayer of gods, and conqueror of the Light! I... AM... GHAUL! And I have become legend!
  • Your Traveler should have chosen me, and now it is too late! Look upon your dead god! It won't save humanity a second time! I am Ghaul! I claim what is mine!
  • [endgame: after being defeated by the player, Ghaul ascends as a massive being of pure Light] Traveler! Do you see me now? I am immortal! A god! You have failed! Witness the dawning of a new age! [the dark shell caging the Traveler cracks, breaking through the cage; Ghaul raises his hand to shield his eyes as the whiteness begins to grow, realizing...] You do see me... [the glow increases in intensity] NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! [the shell around the Traveler shatters in a shockwave of Light, vaporizing him]
  • You're not brave. You've merely forgotten the fear of death. Allow me to reacquaint you.

Dialogue edit

[The Tower, the Last City: The Exo Hunter Cayde-6 enters the War Room as a storm brews outside.]
Cayde-6: Ikora, if you tell me this is a practical joke... well, it kills me to say it, but I-I would be really impressed.
Ikora Rey: Impressing you, Cayde, is the easiest thing I'll do all day.
Commander Zavala: Let's get serious, people.
Cayde: Zavala, this is my serious face. Can't you tell?
Zavala: Ikora, what have you got?
Ikora: Someone or something has sabotaged the Skyline Defense Systems.
Cayde: And comms have been spotty for the last few hours. Every sensor beyond the Wall has gone dark.
Zavala: Hmm... [consulting his readouts] Maybe it's just the storm. Maybe it's... What are the sat feeds telling us?
Ikora: [looks at her datapad] Nothing.
Cayde: Well, that's good, right?
Ikora: No! I mean, they're not there - there are no satellites!
Cayde: And that's not good.
[Zavala looks out the window into the storm... and sees a fleet of Cabal warships approaching!]
Zavala: Battle stations! Everyone with me! Now!
[Zavala puts up a shield as the ships open fire, while Cayde activates his Golden Gun; Ikora blinks him to safety in Zavala's shield before he is crushed by falling debris.]
Ikora: Hang on!
[Zavala begins to lose ground to the onslaught of missiles, until the Tower's upper deck explodes. The Cabal fleet moves in, and a strange device approaches the Traveler.]
[Aboard the Immortal, the Red Legion command ship, the player's Guardian exits to the outside, to find the Traveler caged by the Cabal's machine, and the City in ruins.]
Ghost: How do we come back from this?
Dominus Ghaul: [from behind them] You don't. [gestures to the Traveler] Welcome to a world without Light.
[The Cabal cage activates, paralyzing the Traveler; stripped of their Light, the Guardian collapses to the deck.]
Ghost: [distorted] Guardian... something's wrong...
[Ghost falls to the deck, powerless; the Guardian grabs Ghost and holds it close before looking up at Ghaul.]
Ghaul: Do not look at me, creature! [kicks the Guardian across the deck] You are weak. Undisciplined. Cowering behind walls. You're not brave. You've merely forgotten the fear of death. Allow me to reacquaint you. [backhands the Guardian towards the edge of the deck, causing Ghost to fall into the city below] Your kind never deserved the power you were given. I am Ghaul. And your Light... is mine.
[Contemptuously, Ghaul pushes the Guardian over the edge with his foot, and the Guardian plummets to earth...]
[Aboard his command ship, Ghaul looks out at the caged Traveler, now glowing red and black.]
Ghaul: Do you see, Traveler... all that I have done? Grace me with your Light. Take your place at the center of my empire! See me, and the Red Legion will be your true Guardians. [turns to see the approach of his mentor and advisor, the Consul]
The Consul: Dominus, the City is secure. Those who fled are being hunted, and those foolish enough to remain have been executed. Victory, as with all things, is yours to claim.
Ghaul: This victory is as much yours as mine, old friend.
The Consul: All that remains is the completion of the cage around this great machine. Then we may begin the extraction of its power, and put it to its rightful use.
Ghaul: They call it "the Traveler".
The Consul: I would contend that other civilizations may be more precise in their naming. Its functions can be controlled and exploited, as we have so clearly proven.
Ghaul: Yet they believe it to be a god.
The Consul: Dominus... Ghaul, we have spent our lives, you and I, working to reshape our society, reforge our people, rebuild an empire nearly destroyed by Calus' greed and corruption. There is nothing in this universe greater than you! The Red Legion will have that machine's power. You will be called Emperor! What more would the Dominus have?
Ghaul: I would have words with my guest. [activates a hidden cell, revealing the shackled form of the Speaker] So, you're the one who speaks for the Traveler...
The Speaker: It would save us both a lot of time if you would just kill me.
Ghaul: For one who calls himself "Speaker", you have remarkably little to say. We've learned that one of your Guardians has reconnected to the Light. You say you have no power over the Traveler, yet... this. Help me understand, Speaker.
The Speaker: The Light lives in all places, in all things. You can block it, even try to trap it, but the Light will find its way. And the Traveler will protect itself!
Ghaul: The Traveler... for years, I have studied it, the worlds it has touched, its power over life and death. We are not so different, your Traveler and I.
The Speaker: You are nothing like the Traveler! Nothing! You think you have power? Control? I know your kind. You started small... you will end small.
Ghaul: If the Traveler truly has chosen humanity of its own free will, then there is no reason I shouldn't reach inside, tear out the Light for myself, and leave this system in ashes!
The Speaker: Only those the Traveller chooses will be reborn in the Light.
Ghaul: Yes... this I know. This is why I have claimed your planet, and why you still live. The Traveler will choose me, Speaker... and you are going to tell me how.
[Inside his sanctum aboard his command ship, Ghaul sits in his throne across from the Speaker, looking much the worse for wear after long torture.]
Ghaul: Tell me again, Speaker: What makes your Guardians worthy of the Light? What is the price of such power and immortality?
The Speaker: Devotion. Self-sacrifice. Death.
Ghaul: Death? Explain.
The Speaker: Devotion inspires bravery. Bravery inspires sacrifice. Sacrifice... leads to death. [sarcastic] So... feel free to kill yourself.
Ghaul: Devotion... sacrifice... I was born an outcast, a runt. As is custom with the Cabal, I was cast aside and left for dead. I was taken by an old scholar, himself disgraced, who saw in me something... redeemable. He raised me, taught me, trained me, and in return, I would become a vehicle for his revenge against an empire that failed him, and failed itself. Rejection, ridicule, torment... it made me stronger. I gave everything to win not just acceptance... but glory. Beneath my mask, Speaker, is the face of devotion and sacrifice. I will not take the Light by force; to do so would be to admit failure. And I never fail! Now, do you see why I would be chosen?
The Speaker: I see now. I see all you have done. [at that moment, the Consul enters, flanked by two Blood Guards]
The Consul: Our operation on the Jovian moon was a success. Once the cage is complete, we will have everything we need to begin the process of extracting the Light. Dominus, everything we've worked for is here for the taking! All that remains is your word.
Ghaul: No. This is not the way, old friend.
The Consul: But it is the way! The only way!
Ghaul: Not for me.
[Meeting at the Farm on Earth, Zavala, Cayde, and Ikora discuss the revelation that destroying Ghaul's sunkiller weapon, the Almighty, will destroy the Solar System with it.]
Cayde: So really what you're saying is, we're damned if we do, damned if we don't.
Zavala: On the contrary. Now that we are together again, we just might stand a chance.
Ikora: The fact is, if we destroy that weapon, we will ignite a chain reaction that could send our sun into a... supernova. [looking over at Cayde, who is petting a chicken sitting in his lap]
Cayde: Well, at least we have each other.
Zavala: Indeed. We all know what needs to be done. The Traveler must be freed.
Cayde: I'm thinking the three of us and a big, fat pile of explosives can get the job done. Look, I still have that Vex teleporter. It's got a limited range, so we'll have to get a little too close for comfort.
Zavala: Then we get inside the City walls for it to be effective.
Ikora: But without the Light, an outright assault on the Wall is doomed to fail. We could... there will be no coming back.
Cayde: It's worth it.
Ikora: How do we get in?
Suraya Hawthorne: [from up in the rafters] You know... the City wall is kind of like this barn. Plenty of places to slip in unseen... so long as you know how. [leaps down to the floor]
Cayde: You sure you're not one of my Hunters?
Hawthorne: Heh. Not really into capes.
Cayde: Clearly. Nice poncho.
Hawthorne: You need to get your team into the City without raising any alarms. My people and I can help you do that. We also happen to be pretty good at shooting bad guys.
Ikora: Hawthorne, it's one thing for us to put our lives on the line, but this doesn't have to be your fight. You're not a...
Hawthorne: A Guardian? You think you've cornered the market on sacrifice? You forget that we've had to survive without the Light all our lives! Once upon a time, that big white ball in the sky was there for all of us. I think it's about time we return the favor, Guardians or not.
Cayde: That's a great speech and all, but let's not forget about the whole "supernova and complete annihilation" thingy.
Zavala: If we can't destroy the Almighty, we'll have to disable its weapon. And that means getting a certain Guardian onboard.
Ikora: We'll need a good disguise if we're going to fly right through a Cabal armada.
Hawthorne: If it's a Cabal ship you need, there's a base nearby full of them. But it won't be easy sneaking in.
Zavala: Oh, we're done sneaking. If there's one thing I've learned from Cayde, it's the value of a grand entrance.
Cayde: This is great. Anyone want a hug? Hugs? [silence from the others] No hugs.
[Aboard his command ship, Ghaul looks out at the caged Traveler, now glowing blood red; he turns as the Consul storms in]
The Consul: Ghaul, the enemy attacks the City, and the Almighty is lost!
Ghaul: Lost? Explain yourself.
The Consul: Laid waste, by the very same Guardian that somehow managed to reclaim its power, and has been humiliating our forces throughout this cursed system! You would know this, if you hadn't been wasting your time communing with a machine, and the creature who claims to speak with it!
Ghaul: Take care your tone, Consul.
The Consul: My tone? Hah! We will fail in our mission to secure this power and deliver our people! For the first time in the glorious history of the Red Legion, fail - because of you and your preoccupations! Look at your Traveler, Dominus! The cage is complete. The time is now. Claim what is rightfully yours, and take this power!
[The Consul looks angered as Ghaul walks away from him...and towards the broken form of the Speaker.]
Ghaul: Tell me, Speaker... what more does the Traveler want of me?
The Speaker: Ghaul... I speak for the Traveler. I never said it spoke to me.
[Ghaul looks back out to the Traveler; frustrated, the Consul kills the Speaker and deactivates his shackles, his body collapsing to the floor - his mask clattering in front of Ghaul's feet.]
The Consul: This fixation is over! You have already been chosen, not by some inert machine, but by me! I chose you, the day I found you! Remember who you are, what you are! You are Cabal! Cabal wait for nothing! You will take the Light! Do what you swore, and give me the vengeance you promised! [Ghaul looks down at the Speaker's broken mask] Look at me, student. Look at me!
[The Consul crushes the Speaker's mask with his foot; enraged, Ghaul reaches out and grasps his mentor with one hand, strangling him.]
Ghaul: I will do what I swore, old friend. I am Ghaul, and I will take the Light.
[The Consul chokes out his last breath. Ghaul drops the Consul's corpse to the floor, and once again looks out to the Traveler...]

Curse of Osiris edit

[Initial introduction, recapping the events of the base game]
Ikora Rey: When the Red Legion attacked, it almost cost us everything. It took a miracle to save us... the awakening of the Traveler. This is our new beginning. The maps are blank. The rules are gone. All we know is we must become more than what we were. This small corner of the cosmos is the only place that is forever ours... and the universe watches us with envious eyes. We've proven we can fight threats from beyond the stars. But now, there are things stirring beneath our feet, provoked by the Traveler's Light. Our war is just beginning.
[Intro cinematic: A fireteam of Guardians engages Vex constructs in a pitched battle before everything suddenly... stops. A triangular portal opens, and out steps the legendary Warlock, Osiris, and his Ghost, Sagira. Osiris looks around for a moment before walking into the frozen fray.]
Sagira: Ominous rocks, killer robots, people in mortal danger... seriously, aren't you tired of this?
Osiris: Fatigue is a distraction from our purpose. As are complaints.
Sagira: Oh, I haven't even begun to complain yet. [accidentally flies into a frozen Vex laser beam] OUCH! Ooh! Now I'm complaining.
Osiris: Focus, Sagira.
Sagira: [re-aiming a Vex Minotaur's gun towards the ceiling] Reach for the sky, big guy.
[Osiris manipulates a device made up of three small cubes, and begins swearing in an unknown language when he does not get the combination he needs.]
Sagira: Need help? Again?
Osiris: [gets the right combination] I've got it, thank you.
[A portal opens in front of Osiris while Sagira moves a Vex Goblin's gun upward, and he stares into it a moment... his eyes going wide with terror.]
Sagira: Well? [silence] Osiris? [Osiris moves quickly away] W-what did you see? Slow down! [turns, seeing the Minotaur's gun has lowered] Wait... I thought I -- [the Minotaur looks at her] Oh sh-
[The Vex, mobile again, begin opening fire; Osiris draws his scout rifle and begins firing on the Vex.]
Sagira: Go! To your left! [Osiris begins firing at the Vex as Sagira spots them] Two o'clock, medium range! You're welcome!
[Osiris activates his Dawnblade powers, hurling flaming blades at the Vex for a moment before taking cover.]
Sagira: You know, I can't help but notice that even with all of reality to explore, you keep picking the places where they shoot at us!
Osiris: We can't stay here. If the Vex succeed, it's the end of everything. [a shadow falls on them, and Osiris looks up, seeing...] Sagira, it can see your Light! [he opens a portal] You have to go.
Sagira: Nope, not leaving you. Without me, there is no coming back.
Osiris: If I don't stop the Vex, there won't be anything to come back to. [grabs Sagira in his hand] I'm doing this for the both of us.
Sagira: Don't you even -- [Osiris hurls her through the portal] OSIRIS!
[A Goblin fires a shot, just hitting Sagira as she goes through the portal. Outside the portal, she lies in the sand as the light in her eye goes out...]
[At the Tower on Earth, the Guardian approaches Ikora...]
Ikora: Guardian, thank you for coming. There's been a "development" on Mercury. Strange reports from the cultists clinging to what's left of the planet. Normally, I'd ignore their conspiracy theories. But one of my Hidden brought me... this.
Ghost: A dead Ghost?
Ikora: She's not dead. Her name is Sagira. I've known her a very long time... and her Guardian... Osiris.
Ghost: The Osiris? The most powerful Guardian ever? The hero of Six Fronts? The Zavala before Zavala?
Ikora: Zavala wouldn't like to hear you call him that. Most Guardians won't even speak Osiris' name. He was the only Vanguard Commander ever exiled from the City... and the man who taught me what it means to be a Warlock. We found Sagira on Mercury, and at the same time, Vex activity surged exponentially.
Ghost: And you think Osiris might be involved?
Ikora: I need to know what happened, even if the Vanguard wants to forget him. When I lost my Light, I didn't have anything else. I was... empty. Then you came to Io, and you helped me find my way back. I need that friend again, Guardian. Go to Mercury. Take Sagira with you. The Followers of Osiris - the few that remain - might know what her presence means. And for now, let's keep this between us. I'd hate to have to throw you off this wall. [the Guardian and Ghost share uneasy glances]
Ghost: Umm... that was a joke, right?
Ikora: That... was a joke.
[The Guardian arrives on Mercury]
Brother Vance: Welcome to Mercury, Guardian. The signs told me you would come.
Ghost: [sarcastic] What a coincidence. We followed the signs here, too. And by "signs", I mean "facts".
Vance: That, too, is a sign! I am Brother Vance of the Followers of Osiris, keeper of the Lighthouse, and oracle of the Lost Prophecies.
Ikora: [to the Guardian] There is a Vex gateway near your location. Osiris spent years studying it. He was convinced it was the door to the Infinite Forest. If it is still possible to find Osiris, we need to open that door.
Vance: [awed] Ikora Rey! Osiris' greatest student!
Ikora: [deadpan] Brother Vance. Osiris' greatest... fan.
Vance: I'm so pleased Osiris has brought you to me, his greatest servant.
Ikora: Considering how you revere a man who questions everything, I'm surprised how well faith serves you.
Vance: The Vex are at my door. Osiris has not returned. Faith is all I have left.
Sagira: [in the vestibule of the Infinite Forest on Mercury] Osiris has adapted some of the technology of the Forest to own purposes. We're going to run into his Reflections. They're copies - of himself. Made so that he can explore multiple pathways at once. And yes, I am aware that it makes Osiris seem like an egomaniac. But don't worry - he is.
[In the simulated realities of the Infinite Forest, following the Reflections of Osiris...]
Reflections of Osiris: First, I will show you where it all began. [the simulant past: a verdant plain, similar to an African savannah] Mercury, untold centuries ago, before the Vex arrived. Here the Vex planted the seed that began the Infinite Forest, and its Mind... Panoptes. Panoptes has a single purpose: Reshape reality for the Vex... and only the Vex. All this started with a single Vex. Will it end with the arrival of a single Guardian?
Sagira: Now I see why he's made so many Reflections.
Reflections of Osiris: Yes. We've tried, and failed, to prevent this outcome. Now even our best efforts only slow it. But you must see for yourself. Tell me, Guardian: Were you there when the Traveler awoke? A living Traveler changes everything - for good and bad. Now many things have been set in motion. Osiris wrote the Lost Prophecies to warn the other Guardians, and they sent him away. But you cannot exile the future! We must find and stop Panoptes, but none of us have discovered a timeline where we succeed. This is what it looks like when we fail. [entering the simulant future] This is the future the Vex want.
Sagira: The Lighthouse! This is what Osiris saw!
Reflections of Osiris: Neither Light nor Darkness exists anymore. The Sun's warmth is gone. All life, lost. But that was before you. You are the key. You can stop this. Every timeline we've tracked leads here. We must destroy Panoptes to stop this dark future.
[An ominous rumbling, and then a massive Hydra reveals itself - the form of...]
Reflections of Osiris: Panoptes! He's found us! Go! You're more important than any of us now!
[Ending cinematic: At the gateway to the Infinite Forest, Ikora watches anxiously to see if her Guardian friend and Osiris triumphed over Panoptes. After a moment, the Guardian and Ghost emerge... followed a moment later by Osiris and Sagira.]
Osiris: The Vex Mind is destroyed, and the path to their dark future is gone with it.
Sagira: And in case you were wondering, our Guardians were amazing!
Ghost: Our Guardians? Hmph! My Guardian. Guardian thief.
Ikora: Osiris. It's been... a very long time.
Osiris: Too long, my... I... [laughs] I was going to say "student", but... well, that word is too small for you now.
Ikora: I've had other teachers. Time. Pain. A Guardian who makes a habit of the impossible, who I'm proud to call a friend.
Osiris: The world has changed.
Ikora: So has the City. You could come back with me.
Osiris: No, my place is here now. We stopped the Vex this time, but many equations lead to the same solution. If they were ever to find another... [to the Guardian] Besides, I predicted many things, but I never saw you. Now we have a future. [walks back up the steps to the gateway] The pathway to the Forest will be open if you ever need to find me... or if you want to talk.
Ikora: I'd like that.
Sagira: Great! Galaxy saved, friends again, our big hero over here... and by the way, you're welcome.
Osiris: [chuckles] Come, little light. We have infinite realities to explore - and all the time in the world.
[Osiris looks back to Ikora for a moment, and then steps through the gateway.]

Warmind edit

[Initial introduction]
Zavala: Life is a delicate thing, Guardian. Hope... faith... love... in an instant, they're gone. Everything you've sworn to protect is lost. And all you're left with is silence and shadow... and the knowledge that you should've done more. Could we have defeated Ghaul if the Traveler had not awakened? And what of the next threat? Or the next? What then? The Traveler is awake, and the Age of Legends is upon us. In the shadow of the Light, our universe is a beautiful, terrible place. Where I once saw miracles, now I see monsters. Someone has to. We have to. That's what a Guardian does.
[Intro cinematic: The Hunter Anastasia Bray, hero of the Battle of Twilight Gap, looks out across the glaciers of Hellas Basin on Mars...]
Anastasia Bray: [voiceover] Guardians aren't supposed to investigate their past. That's the rule. But I'm not good with rules. Not when there's this much at stake.
[With her ocular scanners, Bray examines the facility ahead of her, and then the ice around it.]
Bray: [voiceover] The Clovis Bray tech in that building allowed us to colonize the system during the Golden Age. We - they - sought to create peace for all Humanity. Which is ironic, because they also built Rasputin, the single most powerful weapon in the Solar System. Either way, it's all been entombed on Mars since the Collapse... along with something far more terrifying.
[Leaping down onto the ice, Bray dodges frozen Hive warriors emerging from below and uses her knife to arrest her fall as the ice rises above her feet. Climbing to the top, a great shadow looms over her as she pulls her rifle from her back, smiling in anticipation...]
[The Guardian's ship, en route to Mars]
Ghost: Mars - the first place where Humanity encountered the Traveler. Home to the Clovis Bray Research Facility, and lost wonders of the Golden Age. The icecaps have kept those wonders hidden for hundreds of years. But the return of the Traveler's Light has sounded an alarm heard throughout the system... and perhaps beyond.
[The Guardian's ship comes out of warp in Mars orbit, narrowly missing the Warsats plummeting towards the surface]
Ghost: The Red War is over, but Ghaul's forces - what remains of them - have been scavenging during their retreat. And now that Warsats are falling out of orbit near Mars, the Cabal are headed there, too. I'll plot a landing course. [beeping and static] That's the private Vanguard channel!
Bray: Mayday! Mayday! Do you copy? Vanguard access code 0306... get away from my Ghost, you frozen--! [static] Guardian requesting backup! I repeat, I need backup down here!
Ghost: This frequency is reserved for official Vanguard business. So look, whoever this is...
Bray: That's cute, you've got one of the uptight Ghosts.
Ghost: [offended] "Uptight"? [his Guardian smirks at him]
Bray: I'm uploading coordinates to a safe landing zone. Please hurry.
Ghost: All right, but you're going to owe us for this one.
Bray: I wouldn't have called you down here unless it was absolutely critical. The most dangerous weapon in this system is on this planet, and an entire army of Hive is trying to destroy it. I need your help.
[At the entrance to Clovis Bray, the Guardian turns as a frozen Hive Knight approaches - and then is blasted down by Ana Bray, pulse rifle in hand.]
Bray: Hey, you made it.
Ghost: Actually... yes. We did.
Bray: Well, there were a lot of them. But you did great. Come on, let's see what's hiding in here. Besides hordes and hordes of frozen Hive, I mean.
[Inside the Warmind facility, the Guardian and Bray approach Rasputin's core - but as the door opens, Zavala steps out.]
Zavala: Hello, Guardian.
Bray: Oh, shhhh...anks.
Zavala: What do you think you're doing? Do you have any idea how dangerous this thing is?!
Bray: What were you trying to do to Rasputin?
Zavala: Rasputin is Vanguard business, Anastasia, not yours. You do not belong here.
Bray: [incredulous] I beg your pardon?
Zavala: You belonged in the City! But instead of standing by your brothers and sisters when Ghaul came for us, you were here, doing what you always do. What you were never supposed to do!
Bray: I did what I believed was right. I came here to protect Humanity. Isn't that what Guardians are supposed to do? This is a war of many fronts, and there's more than one way to fight it, Zavala. Look, you tried to shield the entire world. But you can't. There's got to be a better way.
Zavala: And you think Rasputin is the answer? It's gone silent. It's a broken weapon, too dangerous to be left alone, and too unpredictable to wield.
Bray: That might be true. Or maybe he has nothing to say. Maybe, just maybe, we never bothered to ask him what he wanted.
Zavala: I don't have time to go through this with you again. You had no right --
Bray: I have every right. You don't understand the connection I share with Rasputin. Here, let me show you...
[Before Bray can open the door to Rasputin's core room, a growling echoes through the halls.]
Ghost: Okay, we should really figure out exactly what's doing that.
Zavala: I can tell you. Rasputin was not the only thing to awaken on Mars.
[In the Hive caverns beneath Hellas Basin, the Hive worm god Xol, Will of the Thousands, emerges...]
Xol: There is no Light here. You are alone. You shall drift. You shall drown in the Deep.
[The cave collapses, and the screen goes to black.]
Ghost: Guardian...? Guardian, where are you?! [the Guardian digs out of the collapsed cave] Thank the Light!
Bray: [on comm] Xol is heading directly for the Clovis Bray facility and Rasputin. If Rasputin dies, the javelin goes with him. Xol wins.
Zavala: [on comm] Very well. My reservations about the Warmind aren't as important as defeating Xol. We do this together. What do you say, Guardian?
Ghost: We say it's about time.
[Ending cinematic: After the death of Xol, the Guardian, Bray, and Zavala enter the core of the Warmind, seeing hundreds of Warsats along the wall. As they approach the main console, a burst of noise emits from the core... followed by the voice of Rasputin himself, speaking in staticky Russian.]
Bray: [translating] "The Bray family shaped me to be an all-seeing savior... while your Vanguard sought to wield me as a primitive weapon. But today, that ends, and I define the reality of my own existence."
[Outside, the facility begins launching Warsats.]
Bray: [translating as Rasputin continues to speak] "My sight will stretch to the edge of this system and beyond. Never again will a threat go unseen. From this day forward, I will defend Humanity on my own terms. I am Rasputin, Guardian of all I survey. I have no equal."
Zavala: [worriedly] What have we done?
Bray: Don't worry. [rests a hand on the scanner, which accepts her clearance] We've got this.

Forsaken edit

[Intro cinematic: Cayde-6 lies unarmed and injured on the floor, looking up at a dark figure with a hooded cloak - the Awoken Prince, Uldren Sov.]
Cayde-6: Well, this... this is awkward. I... y-you got a gun I could borrow?
Uldren Sov: [coldly] No. But I do have a bullet. With your name on it.
Cayde: Any second now, my partner's gonna roll in here and kill every... last... one of you. [coughs] And you, my man --
Uldren: Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh... [holds up Cayde's gun, the "Ace of Spades"] This is going to hurt... a lot. Any last words?
Cayde: [glaring defiantly] How's your sister?
[Uldren closes his eyes and breathes deeply. The screen goes to black... followed by a gunshot.]
[The Prison of Elders, sometime earlier: Cayde and the Guardian arrive, walking up to an Awoken waiting for them.]
Cayde: Petra Venj. Thanks for the invite. [Petra bows slightly] Whatcha packing for this party?
Petra Venj: Meh. The usual. [draws her combat knife]
Cayde: Ooh! Do the thing! [to the Guardian] Seriously. Watch this.
[Petra levitates the dagger above her hand, spinning it around before grabbing it by the hilt.]
Cayde: [shudders] That'll never not freak me out. Do it again!
Petra: Later. Maybe. [sheathes her knife] Right now, gen-pop is running wild. Fortunately, the main arena and lower levels remain on lockdown. But if the core security systems fail, containment is going to be... a problem.
Cayde: Just another day at the office. [draws the Ace of Spades, turns to the Guardian] Alright, partner, this is a Cayde riff in 6, watch me for the changes, and uh... try to keep up. Now let's go to prison! [hops down to some of the lower levels as the Guardian heads to the door] WOOOOOHOOOOO! [gunfire] Got you! [more gunfire] Got you! [even more gunfire] Got you!
Cayde: Looks like we're all done and dusted here, kiddos. Ramen's on me! [looks down towards Petra at the lower cell blocks as the power reactivates]
Petra: Looking pretty good down here. Just gotta check one last thing...
[Petra opens one of the cell blocks, sidearm in one hand, flashlight in the other. All of the cells are open - including, to her horror, the one at the end of the hall.]
Petra: No. No, no, no! Cayde, he's gone! This isn't a prison riot - it's a prison break! The airlock on Deck Zero, it's the only way out this far down! They're going to escape!
Cayde: Not if I get there first. [climbs onto the destroyed control station and draws the Ace of Spades]
Petra: [looking up on hearing the gunfire] Cayde?
[Petra watches as the control station plummets towards the lower levels. Cayde, hanging on to the debris, waves at her with the gun in his hand. Petra mouths "What the..." as the station crashes to the ground and explodes.]
Petra: Cayde!
[In the debris of the control station, Cayde's Ghost revives him, and he climbs out of the rubble.]
Cayde: Never felt better. You see that, Petra? [looks around] Petra? Guardian? Must've knocked out the comm relays with that spectacular landing. [looks around the upper levels, seeing a group of Fallen leaders - the Barons of the Scorn] Aaaaand cue the ominous music... okay, everybody, back in your cages. [the Fallen begin to swarm towards him] I said, back in your cages!
[The Fallen attack. Cayde blasts away with the Ace of Spades in one hand, and hurls throwing knives with the other. As they continue to charge, he leaps onto the debris and sets a laser tripwire bomb, which takes out a number of others, before he is grabbed from behind and hurled into a wall.]
Cayde: Yeah... that hurt. [the Fallen sends him flying into a collapsed walkway; he shoots the support strut, causing it to collapse on top of others] Sorry! [sotto voce] Not sorry.
[As Cayde continues to battle the Fallen, one of the Barons, the Rifleman, climbs to a firing position. Cayde attempts to activate his Gunslinger powers and aims his Golden Gun, but is tackled in mid-air, disarmed and beaten by the Fallen. He activates his Solar powers again, this time unleashing a barrage of burning knives that drop the Fallen in their tracks.]
Cayde: That's it! [retrieves the Ace of Spades] Now I'm pissed! [he is tackled by a Fallen, who immobilizes his gunhand; he impales the Fallen through the skull with the metal horn on his forehead, before limping to the middle of the room] Is that really... all you got? [summons his Ghost] Help me out here, little buddy.
[The Rifleman fires a blast that completely destroys Cayde's Ghost. The Barons advance on Cayde, with a big brutish one - the Hangman - in front, carrying a burning censer.]
Cayde: I'm comin' home, Ace. [the Hangman swings his censer and smashes Cayde through the wall...]
[At the airlock on Deck Zero, the Guardian catches up to Uldren and his Barons, seeing Cayde lying prone on the floor. Uldren turns, and holds up the Ace of Spades.]
Uldren: He didn't feel a thing.
[Uldren chuckles coldly as the door closes before the Guardian can shoot him. The Guardian kneels next to Cayde, who has a fatal bullet hole through his chest.]
Cayde: How's... how's my hair? [chuckles, then begins coughing] Speechless. Typical... [the Guardian summons their Ghost]
Ghost: Oh, no. [looks Cayde over] There's nothing I can... [to the Guardian] I'm... sorry.
Cayde: Listen, kid. This... this ain't on you. This... is what I get for... playin' nice. [chuckles and coughs] You tell Zavala and Ikora... the Vanguard... is the best bet... I ever... lost...
[The lights in Cayde's head fade as he dies. At that moment, Petra runs in.]
Petra: No...
[The Last City, Earth: Cayde's body is returned to the Tower, draped in the Vanguard banner.]
Ikora Rey: He had the worst jokes. Even worse timing. I wanted to laugh. I really did... [looks down at Cayde's body] We should've been there. [to the Guardian] This is not your fault. This... is on the head of Uldren Sov. But if he thinks what he's done is the end, it's not. It's the beginning. We're going to fight him. [turns to Zavala, standing silent in the shadows] Do you hear me? All of us. Every Titan, every Warlock, every Hunter. We will take the Reef by storm! And then... we will mount the head of that son of a bitch on his precious throne. For our fireteam. For Cayde.
Commander Zavala: [almost a whisper] No.
Ikora: [disbelieving] What did you say?
Zavala: We are not an army. We are not conquerors. We are Guardians. We need to keep our eyes here - on our home, our people, the Traveler. The Reef was lost the moment it lost its Queen. So if another Sov wants a stretch of lifeless rocks, let him have it.
Ikora: This is Cayde we're talking about. For us to do nothing is... is...
Zavala: [quietly, but firmly] Say it.
Ikora: Cowardice.
Zavala: [lays his hand on Cayde's body] I refuse to bury any more friends.
The Guardian: You won't have to. [Zavala and Ikora look up in surprise] Uldren Sov... is mine. [walks out of the room without another word]
[The Reef: Uldren Sov sits in the throne room, cradling the Ace of Spades in his lap, as he addresses the Barons - led by their Archon, Fikrul, the Fanatic.]
Uldren: Yes... I am humbled by your gracious acceptance. Mara Sov, my sister, your Queen, may be gone... but she is with us now, and always. As for you, my friends, my Barons, you embraced me when I was cast out, and for that, I gift to you the bounty of the Tangled Shore. Go! Unleash upon the Fallen... chaos!
Fikrul, the Fanatic: [bowing] By your grace, Father.
[Uldren nods, as Fikrul leaves with the others.]
Uldren: You would be proud. The Reefborn's love for their Queen remains... undiminished. [a hand rests on his shoulder and runs down his arm - the hand of his sister, Mara Sov, Queen of the Reef]
Mara Sov: Love is fleeting. But devotion... now that is forever. Not one of them has ever shown more strength or devotion than you, my dear brother. The Awoken cannot be trusted. You and I know that better than anyone. Together, we can bestow upon our people the fortune they so richly deserve... extinction. [Uldren picks up a torch] Free me. [Uldren tosses the torch onto the throne, setting it ablaze] Come, brother. Let us see what dreams may come...
[In the Tangled Shore, on the edge of the Reef, the Guardian and Petra enter the domain of a grotesque Fallen crime lord known as "the Spider".]
The Spider: [laughing] Well, if it isn't Petra Venj, the worst jailer in the Solar System! What brings you to my home away from home, away from home? On the run, are we?
Petra: I hear you lost the Shore.
The Spider: Gah! You lost my Shore.
Petra: Thought you might want some help getting it back. [the Guardian steps into view]
The Spider: A Guardian! And where oh where, pray tell, is its Ghost? [holds up a Ghost shell, twisting it with one of his pairs of hands]
Petra: Never mind the Ghost. There were two Guardians at the Prison of Elders when it fell: Cayde-6... and this one. We all want the same thing, Spider: Uldren and his Barons. Dead.
The Spider: Oh... what it is you're... oh ho ho, I see! [chuckles] Despite our clear, mutually aligned interests, I'm sorry... but I can't help but feel like it is I who will come up short. [Petra reaches for her knife] It's true, I know where Uldren and his "Barons" scheme. You go, scratch your itch, then we can just say... you owe me. [Petra's hand moves from her knife hilt] Do we have a deal?
The Guardian: [steps forward] Deal.
[After the raid on the Barons' hideout, and the Barons scatter...]
The Spider: [laughs] Oh, you really showed them, didn't you? Piece of advice, eh? Know your enemy before you... deal with them. [playing cards show each Baron as he identifies them] Reksis Vahn, the Hangman, a silent sadist. Used to dock the arms of Dregs with his bare hands. Kaniks, the Mad Bomber, emphasis on "mad". Demolitions expert with an irritating way about him. The Trickster, Araskes - a liar and a schemer. Friendly advice: Trust nothing she touches. Hiraks, the Mindbender, has a rep for manipulation. Has a morbid obsession with the Hive. Yaviks, AKA the Rider, the leader of a bombastic gang of Pike-riding heathens. They sow chaos everywhere they ride. The Rifleman, Pirrha - the only Fallen alive that could make the shot that mortalized Cayde-6. Elykris, the Machinist, the scourge of Solis Descent. This one sits atop a trove of tech and heavy armaments stolen from me! The Fanatic himself, Fikrul - the leader of the Barons and the first of the Scorn. His dark magic has no place on my Shore. No place! Last, and most certainly least, Uldren Sov, traitor to his people and the man who pulled the trigger. He may be in the wind, but his Barons are ripe for the picking. Divide. Conquer. Isolate Uldren. He'll wind up at your feet. And all you have to do... is pull the trigger.
[The European Dead Zone, Earth: Uldren is surrounded by Fallen, who bow their heads and move away from him, finally standing behind him watching as he approaches the Shard of the Traveler. He reaches out to claim its Light...but hesitates. Mara walks up behind him.]
Mara: Be brave. [Uldren raises the Ace of Spades and screams in fury as he fires several shots, blasting a hole into the shell to uncover the "real" shard of the Traveler] Now take it. [Uldren reaches out and takes the shard] Move. [a gunshot - from Petra's sniper rifle - narrowly misses Uldren's head]
Petra: Damn! [the Fallen, alerted to the shot, move to attack]
[The Watchtower, the Dreaming City: Fikrul, the last of the Barons, brings in a heavy case as Uldren - flesh visibly darkened, Ace of Spades in hand - stares at a doorway blocked by a shield.]
Uldren: This is as far as you go.
Fikrul: Please. For you, I go instead. All know darkness lives here. Death. You are not of Ether. Can't bring you back.
Uldren: All the same.
Fikrul: [kneeling] Yes, Father. We ever serve and await return.
Uldren: Go. Inspire... and avenge your murdered friends.
[After Fikrul leaves, Uldren rests a hand on the case.]
Mara: There's no more room for fear, dear brother.
Uldren: I'm... not afraid.
Mara: Of course not. [Uldren holsters the Ace of Spades and opens the case, taking out the shard of the Traveler] Oh, Uldren... you have sacrificed like no other. You looked into an abyss, bowed to false kings, and suffered uncounted betrayals. You were humiliated, imprisoned, manipulated... Taken. And still, you gave up everything, because you love. [appears in the water-like surface of the shield] Please, brother. Will you walk through hell for me one last time?
Uldren: Yes.
Mara: Good. Then let us finish this. Even paradise is a prison... when you can't leave. [sinister whisper] Free us!
[Inside the Watchtower, Uldren - his eyes now pitch black with the Darkness - stands before a gateway, shard of the Traveler in hand.]
Mara: You've no idea how fortunate you are to be my chosen. You hold the flesh of a god in your hands. You are mere steps away from our salvation. Only Light and Dark together can unlock my way back into your world! [Uldren approaches the gateway] That's it. Keep going. [echoing voice] FREE ME!
[The shard drains the Darkness from Uldren, and lets out a burst of Light. When the blinding flash fades, Uldren - normal again - looks up towards the now-open gateway.]
Uldren: Mara?
Mara: [echoing voice] Uldren. You brave, devoted... pathetic fool. Thank you.
[Uldren holds out his arms to embrace his sister, eyes closed in joy... but instead of Mara's hands, tentacles of Ether begin wrapping around his arms as a massive Taken Chimera - the Voice of Riven - opens its maw. Uldren opens his eyes, screaming in terror as he tries to draw the Ace of Spades. The Voice knocks the gun from his hands, and the tentacles pull him into the beast's maw...]
[After defeating the Voice of Riven, the Guardian picks up the Ace of Spades - left where it was knocked from Uldren's hand - and approaches the battered, broken form of Uldren himself, holding him at gunpoint.]
Uldren: [chuckling] Congratulations. You have my undivided attention. Now where's my sister?
Petra: She's not here, Uldren. [enters, sidearm in hand, pointed at Uldren] And if she was, this would be a whole lot easier.
Uldren: So... this is to be a reckoning.
Ghost: Wait! Not like this! Look at him - he's finished. Even with everything he's done, we can't just --
Petra: You have no idea what he's done! If Cayde was here, I know what he would do. Do you?
Uldren: Yes, what would the notorious Cayde-6 do? You have his gun. Seems you get the last word. Everything I did, I did for her! [chuckles] Funny. The line between Light and Dark is so very thin. Do you know which side you're on?
[The Guardian hesitates for a second, lowering Cayde's gun... then nods, and raises it again. Uldren closes his eyes to await the end. The screen goes to black... followed by a gunshot.]

Shadowkeep edit

[The Guardian flies from Earth up to the Ocean of Storms on the Moon, a field of battle between Vanguard troops and the Hive...]
Zavala: Attention all Guardians: Last night, we detected a seismic disturbance on the Moon. Within hours, it was swarming with Hive. This plague must not be allowed to spread.
[The Guardian lands in the Lunar Battlegrounds and moves in]
Zavala: The Hive pour onto the surface of our Moon from the Keep. That is where our disturbance originated. We will investigate, but first we must regain a lunar foothold. For some of us, this is all too familiar. But do not let the atrocities of Crota haunt you. Whatever this is, we will not let the tragedies of our past repeat themselves.
[In the depths below the Scarlet Keep, the Guardian is teleported away from the Nightmares by...]
The Guardian: Eris Morn.
[Eris stands on a balcony overlooking the Pyramid in the depths. As the Guardian approaches her, they notice blood-red Nightmare spirits - dead Guardians from Eris' fireteam.]
The Guardian: What is that Pyramid?
Eris Morn: You've heard the stories. Of the Traveler's sacrifice. Of Darkness descending upon humanity. Before us lies a dark remnant of their existence. Was it struck down by the Traveler? Left here on purpose? The truth is ours to discover.
The Guardian: Discover how?
Eris: [smiling not quite sanely] We find a way inside.
Eris: Ghaul... the Fanatic... Crota. Like living nightmares, your past confronts you, Guardian. Old scars reopen around me as well. Phantoms of my friends return with a malice they never truly had. Every one of them, the twisted will of that looming Pyramid. We must not let it distract us from our goal: finding a way inside. We're in this together now. Nothing can stop us.
[Inside the Pyramid...]
Ghost: [possessed by the Darkness] Welcome. We've been waiting. You're so close now. Just a little further.
[The Guardian encounters a Nightmare of Dominus Ghaul, and defeats it.]
Ghost: The Red War saw so many lives lost. Saw the Light taken away so easily. In Light, there is only weakness.
[Next, a Nightmare of Fikrul, the Fanatic...]
Ghost: The Light abandoned Cayde. Left him for dead. And kept him from being saved.
[Lastly, a Nightmare of Crota, son of Oryx...]
Ghost: One by one, Crota slaughtered many Guardians. The Light stood by and did nothing. And a great disaster ensued. In Light, there is only death. Respite lies ahead.
[The Guardian approaches a strange artifact and finds themselves transported into a land of green fields and towering cliffs - the Black Garden. Several Pyramids float in the sky around them.]
The Darkness: You made it. [the Guardian turns, seeing... themselves] We have heard your cries for help. And soon we will answer.
The Guardian: Who are you?
The Darkness: Don't you recognize us? We are not your friend. We are not your enemy. We are your... salvation.

Season of Dawn edit

[Intro cinematic]
Osiris: Before you, the Red Legion had never been defeated in battle. You crushed them. Drove them to a desperation they have never known. They have scoured the system, searching for salvation. Instead... they found my failed experiment: The Sundial prototype. It is a mean to walk the corridors of time. Now time is broken on Mercury - fractured by the Legion into countless realities. They intend to write a new history, a new ending to the Red War. Show them history is written by the victors.
[The Sundial, Mercury: After fighting to the spire, Osiris emerges through a portal from the Infinite Forest]
Osiris: You've been busy, Guardian. When you slew the Undying Mind, you changed the course of history. Inside the Infinite Forest, the Vex future I long sought to prevent was no more. Instead, I met an emptiness I'm only beginning to understand. This new future dwarved the Vex apocalypse: It was annihilation at the subatomic level, reaching out forever. And so I left the Forest, and I emerged to find that time is broken on Mercury. The Red Legion have run amok in timelines across the past, present, and future of this planet. If you're willing to help, I'll arm you to smash the Legion and collapse the timelines they've created. You'll need my Sundial to do it.
[After restoring the "Perfect Paradox", the shotgun of legendary Titan Saint-14...]
Osiris: I told you before - I tried to save Saint-14. I bent the rules of time using a prototype of the Sundial. It allowed me to walk the corridors of time here on Mercury. But I failed. I never found Saint's final moment against the Vex. I encountered younger versions from his first mission to Mercury, among others. But none were the right Saint. The prototype Sundial still exists, accessable off the main deck. And it can still travel through Saint's personal timeline on this planet. But venture there at your own peril. He cannot be saved. I have walked every permutation of those corridors with a hundred thousand of my Echoes and found nothing. Saint-14 is lost.
[Mercury's past: The Guardian aids Saint-14 in his first mission against the Fallen House of Rain]
Saint-14: Another minute, and they would have eaten my Ghost. Fallen are monsters.
Ghost: Some are. Are you fit to fight, Titan?
Saint: I was supposed to protect these people. I should be dead.
Ghost: You're stronger than you think.
Saint: Not strong enough.
[The Guardian gives Saint a new weapon...]
Saint: What is this?
Ghost: The Perfect Paradox. Built by my Guardian out of spare parts and Light and sheer will to aid you.
Saint: It's beautiful!
Ghost: I probably shouldn't be showing you this, but when has that ever stopped us? [shows a projection of the Last City on Earth] This is the Last Safe City of humanity. Hundreds of years from now. During the day, there are children laughing in the streets. When night falls, the people sleep in their homes - not against the walls, weapons in hand, like the early days.
Saint: Like my people.
Ghost: These are your people, Saint. Their descendants. If you quit the fight, maybe you'll live forever. Your Ghost will protect you no matter what. But this Last City might never happen.
Saint: Everything I've ever built has died. I've buried most of the people I've met. I... I can't do this. Not anymore.
Ghost: We all make our own choices. Good luck, Titan.
[The Guardian returns to their present...]
[Finding Saint's dead Ghost on Nessus, they hear his last words...]
Saint: I've killed enough of you to end a war. And you took my Light. I guess that makes us even. What are you waiting for? Last words? Finish it, you cowards! [sound of a Vex gun firing]
[Mercury's dark future: The Guardian weakens Agioktis, Martyr Mind, built specifically to kill Saint-14]
Saint: I can feel the Light in my bones! Martyr Mind! Time to die!
[Saint smashes Agioktis with his Sentinel Shield.]
Saint: It's been a long time, my friends. I've chased your memory for centuries. You should go now. Those who could kill me are dead. You've made sure of that.
Ghost: And what if the Vex take your Light again?
Saint: Impossible. It cost them everything to build the Martyr Mind. When you crushed it, they were doomed.
Ghost: You want us to leave you? You'll be stuck here for years.
Saint: You've both done plenty. Just open the Infinite Forest gate for me. I'll meet you the long way around, at the entrance. [Vex begin teleporting in around them] What's a few more years fighting Vex?
[The Infinite Forest gate, Mercury: A Descendant Vex Goblin is hurled through the gateway. As it gets up to return through, a fist smashes through it... and Saint steps through, dragging another Goblin behind him.]
Saint: My name is Saint-14. They call me the greatest Titan who ever lived. [blasts the other Goblin with the Perfect Paradox] But I would be dead if not for you.
[A Descendant Minotaur steps through the gate, which Saint strikes first with his Sentinel Shield, then several times with his own head... finally using one of the dead Goblins to wrap around it and smash it completely with his head.]
Saint: Since the day I met you, I swore I would make it my duty to follow your example. I'm still trying.

Beyond Light edit

[Initial introduction, recapping the arrival of the Darkness: Commander Zavala addresses the Last City]
Commander Zavala: People of the Last City, Humanity has endured a devastating blow. Vanguard scouts have confirmed that Io, Mars, Titan, and Mercury have disappeared. We don't know why. We've lost contact with Deputy Commander Sloane and the Gensym scribe Asher Mir. We're deploying Guardians to all corners of the systems to find answers, and with those answers, we will form a plan. In the meantime, we ask that all Lightless civilians remain within the safety of the City walls, under the protection of the Traveler. Do not lose hope. Humanity has survived many horrors. We have done so through the strength of our community, through steadfast commitment to one another. Stay strong. Be brave. The Traveler protects us, and we will protect you. The Guardians will come through. They always do.
[Intro cinematic]
The Exo Stranger: I've seen terrible things born out in the darkness. Every moment brings them closer. My future does not begin here. But yours does. It's time to step beyond the Light. And it all begins... with a splinter.
[In Castalia Macula on the Jovian moon of Europa, the Fallen rebel Variks, the Loyal - former Warden of the Prison of Elders - trudges across the frozen wastes. Two of his hands carry a box; the third holds his spear. He enters a ruined communication relay and sets the box down, approaching the nearby terminal - pounding it with his metal arm to get it to work. As it activates, he speaks...]
Variks, the Loyal: My friends, we are all in great danger. Earth, the Great Machine, Eliksni... and Human. [as he speaks, the Stranger is seen behind him, examining the box] Darkness walks among us. We are all in great danger! My kind must survive. Please... send help... there is not much time.
[Hearing feedback from the Stranger's comm link, Variks turns... no one is there, but the box is gone.]
Variks: What... where...?
[Variks looks up to hear rumbling... and sees the shadows of Fallen dropping down from their Skiffs.]
Variks: Oh no... she's already here. [as someone outside calls his name, he turns back to the console] Please... anyone!
[The Guardian and their Ghost arrive on Europa, near a shard of Darkness... and a nearby Pyramid.]
The Guardian: That's another one. They all scan the same: Empty. Why did the Darkness invite us here? [peers at their Ghost, who has not answered] You're quiet today.
Ghost: Yeah... it's just... we keep coming face-to-face with Darkness, and every time, we fail to stop it. We're just so... powerless. [suddenly, Ghost begins beeping] I'm picking up a distress signal. Someone's in trouble.
Variks: [recording] My friends, we are all in great danger.
Ghost: It's... Variks! He has a lot to answer for.
Variks: [recording] Darkness walks among us...
Ghost: I'll send a message to let Zavala know --
The Guardian: No, wait. Where is the signal coming from?
Ghost: Here. Europa.
[At the ruined comm relay, Variks is surrounded by Fallen of "House Salvation", and their Kell - Eramis, the Shipstealer. As she approaches Variks, she backhands him across the face, knocking him to the floor.]
Eramis, the Shipstealer: Not only a traitor, but a thief! Now where is it?!
Variks: [defiantly] Safe from you, yes?
Eramis: [to her troops] Search the buildings. Find it. [her arm begins to glow with Stasis, a dark, ice-like energy, as she begins to freeze Variks on the spot...]
Variks: [desperate] Wait! [Eramis halts] Eramis, old friend... these powers... they create chaos! They are changing you! This...
Eramis: Ha! Cling to your Machine God. With this power... we make our own fate. [as she turns away, Variks grabs her with his metal arm, which she tears from its socket] Always playing pretend. Living in the past. I should have seen it. [crushes the arm and tosses it aside] Make an example of him.
[Inside the relay, to the Guardian, after being rescued]
Variks: You do not trust Variks, yes? But leave your distrust, your blame, for later. The Eliksni who attacked me - she is Eramis, Shipstealer, a new Kell of Kells, unifier of the houses... and she seeks to build an army of Eliksni powered by Darkness. If she is not stopped, she will destroy us all! You must go. Variks will help you find your way.
[Inside Riis-Reborn, the Fallen settlement on Europa, Eramis addresses her followers]
Eramis: Chains! For centuries, we have been bound by them. Servants to the so-called Great Machine. [indicates a Servitor behind her] We even built idols in its image. We have become pawns of our own devices. No... longer!
[Her hands glowing with Stasis power, Eramis freezes the Servitor solid. The other Fallen chatter nervously, looking to one another.]
Eramis: Today, we begin breaking free from our chains!
[Eramis shatters the frozen Servitor in one blow. The Fallen recoil, stunned.]
Eramis: This power is a gift. One I will share with all of you, in time. Phylaks! [Eramis' chief warrior approaches the shard of Darkness, accepting a splinter of its power] One by one, we will rise again. [empowered by the splinter, Phylaks raises a wall of ice in front of her] This is our future! Our enemies stand no chance against this power! The Great Machine will finally know our pain!
[As the assembled Fallen cheer, one of the Dregs gets Eramis' attention and points upward - someone is watching...]
Eramis: It would appear our enemies have arrived, eager to test us. Let's not keep them waiting.
[Within Riis-Reborn, as the Guardian begins removing her lieutenants, Eramis is seething...]
Eramis: Praksis and Phylaks are dead! We must retaliate! Atraks... Kridis and I can handle this. Return to the Crypt, and prepare the body. [Atraks bows and leaves]
Kridis, the Priestess: Eramis... we must take pause. These powers are not what we expected. I, too, am impatient, but there is wisdom in caution.
Eramis: Caution? Look what caution has earned us. Our enemy exploits our weakness. Now we must act. I will give these Guardians the destruction they crave!
[Variks explains what became of the Fallen homeworld of Riis]
Variks: Ours was a world of prosperity and peace. Not unlike your Golden Age. We worshipped the Great Machine. But... fate intervened. With it came a whirlwind of destruction. In the chaos, the Great Machine fled, abandoning us all. Eramis, like most, was left consumed with rage. In the wake of loss, Eramis rebuilt a life. Found new family... one forged from anger. Eramis saw only destruction of that which abandoned us. Variks fears for Eliskni lives. At the command of Eramis, they will meet their end. We all do. We must all make choices. Eramis chose herself over her people. If Eramis is to succeed, the Great Machine, and all who follow it, will meet their end. In Darkness, there is only one truth... death.
[During their final confrontation at Gale's Reach on Europa...]
Eramis: Your chains are showing. All that power, wasting serving false gods. [begins freezing the Guardian on the spot] Allow me to help you break free.
The Guardian: Ghost! [summons their Ghost]
Ghost: This is... I... I can't... I'm sorry.
[Eramis laughs as she freezes the Guardian's Ghost solid; the Guardian reaches for their splinter of Darkness, but she takes it as well.]
Eramis: Look what I've done for you. No more Light. No more Dark. [she crushes the dark shard]
The Exo Stranger: [hearing flashback] Look within. Focus your power.
Eramis: How interesting...
[The Guardian begins to channel the power of Stasis within them... and shatters the ice imprisoning them, causing Eramis to recoil in shock.]
The Guardian: The only thing we have to break here... is you.
Eramis: Come then, pawn! Show me what freedom has given you!
[End cutscene: Defeated by the Guardian's use of Stasis, Eramis rises unsteadily to her feet, her Stasis-powered armor malfunctioning.]
Eramis: It must not end this way. It can't! [gasps in horror as her hands begin to freeze] What...? [the dark ice spreads across her body, as she reaches out futilely] Nooo--!
[Eramis is frozen solid, hand reaching out towards the Europan Pyramid...]

Season of the Hunt edit

Commander Zavala: Guardian, we have a developing situation that I need you to take point on. For the past few weeks, Osiris has been trying to assess the damage caused by the return of the Darkness. He believes that Xivu Arath, the Hive god of war, seeks to take advantage of the power vacuum left in its wake. Osiris was investigating physical manifestations of her magic near the Scarlet Keep when... his Ghost, Sagira, was slain. Osiris delivered a message through a secure channel requesting that you personally aid him in this hunt. He's desperate, Guardian. I need you to save him from himself.
Ghost: I... I'm worried about Osiris. If Sagira's gone, then --
Osiris: [over comm] Don't worry about me, but keep your voice down. I'm using an external comm. I thought I was hunting Sagira's killer... the High Celebrant of Xivu Arath. But now I think it's hunting me. Meet me in the Hall of Wisdom.
Ghost: He cut the transmission. We have to hurry.
[Another voice pipes up...]
Glint: Your friend is in a lot of danger.
Ghost: Who are you?
Glint: A concerned Ghost. Osiris shouldn't be here, especially in his condition.
Ghost: We appreciate the warning, but we know what we're doing. If you and your Guardian are here to help...
Glint: My... Guardian. Right.
[Deep inside the Shrine of Oryx on the Moon...]
Osiris: You're here! Finally! Is it done? [the Guardian acknowledges in the affirmative] I'll come down to you --
[Osiris is suddenly knocked to the ground by a Hive Knight, his rifle falling to the floor below.]
Ghost: Osiris!
[As the Knight raises its blade for the kill, another blade goes through its chest. The Knight crumbles to ash, revealing a figure in a hooded cloak, marked with the sigil of the Spider. He steps into the light... revealing the face of the Awoken Prince, Uldren Sov. Next to him, a Ghost materializes.]
Glint: We warned you it was going to be dangerous down here. Especially for the Ghostless. I'm... I'm glad to see we're all okay, though. I'm Glint, by the way. It's a pleasure to meet you all. [to Uldren] Go on, introduce yourself.
The Crow: They call me... the Crow. My boss wants to see you.
[Below, the Guardian and their Ghost stare in shock.]
Ghost: Impossible...
[The Guardian enters the Spider's safehouse in the Tangled Shore, just as "the Crow" materializes...]
The Spider: What's this? Thought I told you to bring me the Warlock Osiris. Explain yourself.
The Crow: Osiris...
Ghost: Lost his Ghost. He's gone back to the Tower to recover.
The Spider: You Lightmongers never cease to amaze me. You deal violence so easily, and suffer loss so poorly. Such fragile killers.
Ghost: We'll finish what he started.
The Spider: And what's that, hmm?
Ghost: Avenge Sagira. Eliminate the High Celebrant.
The Crow: I had it in my sights. If your friend hadn't needed saving --
The Spider: You forget your place, little bird.
The Crow: My apologies, Baron.
The Spider: Now then... perhaps we can help each other out, eh? I know how accomplished you are at exacting revenge. Xivu Arath is using her High Celebrant and those damned cryptoliths to corrupt Eliksni. Cabal too. But I'm losing soldiers and Glimmer by the Skiff-load. That's right. I know what Osiris was doing on the Moon. I also know you'll fare far better given the, ah... proper motivation. Leave us, Crow. The Guardian and I have terms to discuss.
[Bowing his head, the Crow turns, walking away, and teleports out]
The Spider: My little bird sure is something, isn't he? I have to imagine you share in my appreciation of fate's cruel sense of humor. I found him wandering the Reef like a piece of wind-blown trash. Aimless. Hopeless. No memory of the Prince he was. Now, I could have sent him off to the Tower, but... we all know what's waiting for him there. I couldn't let that happen, so I took him in... as a kindness. As far as his loyalty is concerned, I took a few extra precautions and made some... modifications to his Ghost's shell. Now, if he ever flies too far from the nest... Boom. That ugly business out of the way, let's focus on what really matters: This Hive infestation. I propose a partnership. You go out there and do what it is you best, and I'll, ah... lend you the resources you need to get it done. Maybe even a little extra something on the side. Just don't mention the name "Uldren Sov". For his sake.

The Witch Queen edit

[Intro cinematic: Ikora Rey's ship approaches Mars, ravaged by temporal distortions...]
Ikora Rey: [voiceover] In times of crisis, people look to their leaders for answers. But ever since the planets were ripped from our sky, it seems all I can offer are more questions... and now, with Mars returned, I hardly know where to start.
[Agents of the Hidden, Ikora's spy network, see her ship approach, as she transmats to the surface.]
Ikora: [to one of the Hidden] Where is she?
[The Hidden agent nods towards the nearby vault. A moment later, Eris Morn emerges.]
Eris Morn: Your theory was correct. The Relic is of the Pyramids, there's no doubt.
Ikora: Word is out about Mars.
Eris: I need more time.
Ikora: The Cabal are mobilizing. We need to -- [a Cabal warship flies right overhead, hauling a massive cannon] Secure the camp!
[Ikora, Eris, and the Hidden quickly make their way to the edge of the cliff, seeing a Cabal armada assembling a camp nearby.]
Eris: Wait. It seems they have another target.
Ikora: What are they aiming at?
[Just then, a white-hulled Hive ship appears in the sky...]
Eris: Savathûn.
[After discovering Savathûn's throne world, Ghost resurrects the Guardian on Mars, where they left a considerable mark on the surface...]
Ikora: Guardian? Guardian, do you read me?
Ghost: We're here, Ikora. We're back on Mars.
Ikora: Back? From where?
The Guardian: Savathûn's throne world.
Ghost: I know, we should have checked in. But we had Savathûn in our sights! That might've been our only shot at her and we couldn't miss it.
Ikora: I understand completely. It's not like Savathûn to allow herself to be seen so easily.
The Guardian: There's... something else. Before we left the ship, we ran into one of her Knights. And it...
Ghost: It had a Ghost, Ikora. Same as any other Lightbearer.
Ikora: A Ghost! A Hive Knight with a Ghost. But that means...
Ghost: Savathûn stole the Light. But that's impossible... isn't it?
Ikora: Impossible? With Savathûn, nothing is impossible.
Ikora: Savathûn. The Witch Queen. Hive God of cunning and lies. Hive legend tells us she was born on a hostile far-off planet, where she would've lived a short, uneventful life... if it weren't for the worm familiar that warned of an impending cataclysm. And so, she led her siblings into the depths... where the ancient worm gods offered them immeasurable power in exchange for endless blood tribute. From this, the Hive were born, and countless civilizations were condemned to extinction. For untold ages, they devoured life and Light wherever it could be found, facing little resistance. Until they tried to take on the Guardians. After the death of her brother Oryx, Savathûn went into hiding. Not out of fear, of course, but out of strategy. Because Savathûn knows the best way to beat your enemy is to join them. In her greatest trick yet, she infiltrated the Vanguard, weakening us from within, and stealing our most sacred resource, the one thing we thought she could never touch... the Light.
[Within the Altar of Reflection, a memory of Savathûn from the shell of Sagira, the slain Ghost of Osiris...]
Savathûn, the Witch Queen: I stand before a being with a thousand names. It whispers one: The Witness. Remember it. Remember that name. It is not Darkness, but something that wears it like a cloak. It gives Darkness a wicked shape. I refuse to be its servant. I spent centuries crafting schemes, playing tricks, finding loopholes... and then I select my new name. [the altar shows an image of Osiris] A man with many enemies, and few friends. But those friends know secrets... about the Light. About new beginnings. My plan takes shape.
[A memory of Savathûn from a crystal taken from her former prison...]
Savathûn: [voiceover] I saw the end before it happened. My own death. Brought on by the separation from my power.
[Flashback: Mara Sov conducts the ritual on Savathûn's prison, freeing Osiris from her control.]
Savathûn: [voiceover] And in these final moments, I look to the sky.
[After her release, Savathûn falls to her knees on a cliff overlooking the Last City on Earth, looking out at the Traveler.]
Savathûn: Hello, old friend. I've chased you for a long time. First as an enemy, then as a collector, and finally, now, a supplicant. What is it the Guardians say? "Devotion inspires bravery. Bravery inspires sacrifice. And sacrifice..." [coughs, chuckles] Here we are. [coughs, wheezes] Wouldn't it be clever of you if, after everything, you simply let me die? Oh, what a trick. Elegant. [gasps for breath, and sees no answer from the Traveler] Is that it?
[Wheezing out her final breath, Savathûn falls dead to the ground, the light in her eyes fading.]
Savathûn: [voiceover] If there is an answer, I don't hear it. Because now the world begins to fade...
[As the sun begins to set, a Ghost, Immaru, approaches Savathûn's corpse - and begins to resurrect her...]
[Within the Altar of Reflection, the Guardian and their Ghost witness the memory... just as Savathûn herself emerges.]
Savathûn: Incredible that I could forget something like that, isn't it? Such a storied life... erased. The Light offers us a fresh start. But if we don't know where we came from, how will we know where to go? I'm so grateful to you for reminding me. For telling my story.
The Guardian: Wait... what is she talking about?
Ghost: She remembers! We helped her remember!
Savathûn: Thanks for the memories, Guardian. [begins channeling her Light powers]
Ghost: We have to leave!
[Just before the portal to the altar closes, the Guardian leaps through...]
[In Commander Zavala's office in the Tower, Ikora gazes out at the Traveler while Zavala confers with the Guardian, Lord Shaxx, Ana Bray, Saint-14, Eris, and Lord Saladin about Savathûn's plan to take the Traveler - and her resurrection.]
Commander Zavala: So you're saying... Savathûn was dead? Our most devious adversary, the one who nearly decimated the Last City from within, was dead... and the Traveler resurrected her?!
Ghost: I wouldn't have believed it either, but...
The Guardian: But why would she need us to recover her memories if she never lost them in the first place?
Zavala: This has to be another trick. A lie to fool us into surrendering the Traveler without a fight.
Eris: This has been the Traveler's approach from the beginning. The Books of Sorrow detail many civilizations it blessed with the Light, then abandoned.
Zavala: Hive propaganda.
Eris: The Fallen tell the same story. When the Witness and its Black Fleet came to call, the Traveler moved on to our system --
Zavala: Where it sacrificed itself to save humanity from the same forces! Forces that included the Hive! [slams his fist on his desk] After all that, why would the Traveler give our worst enemy the Light?
Ikora: It doesn't matter. [all heads turn to her] I don't know why the Traveler gave Savathûn the Light. Maybe it has changed its mind about Guardians. Maybe it's not as infallible as we once believed. [pauses, glancing sidelong at Zavala, who silently nods] I don't know, and it doesn't matter. Because I'm here to protect humanity, and if Savathûn takes the Traveler, we lose our Light, along with any hope for surviving the Witness' return. So... whatever it takes to stop this heist, we will do.
Zavala: Alright. How do we stop this?
[Ikora picks up the calcified worm familiar, taken from Savathûn's hidden temple.]
Ikora: I'm not sure yet. But I know where to find out.
[Within the Relic on Mars, Ikora channels power through the worm familiar, which alternates between living and dead. The pendulum of the Relic halts right over it, and Ikora witnesses a vision: Fundament, the lost homeworld of the Hive.]
The Witness: These frail siblings will soon be claimed by the Light... unless we claim them first. We will tell the most cunning sibling of a cataclysm. A prophecy of great loss. We will feed her fear. Her pride. We will say... "Young Sathona. The end is coming. A great cataclysm. A God-Wave. In the Sky, there is only death."
[Sathona holds the living worm familiar in her arms. Above Sathona's island hovers the Traveler.]
The Witness: "But salvation lies in the Deep. Lead your sisters down. Your cunning will spare their short lives." [Around the island, the worm gods emerge.] "And you will be reborn. The Witch Queen... Savathûn."
Ikora: They were tricked. The Hive were lied to.
[Atop Savathûn's fortress in her throne world - a recreation of her island on Fundament - the Witch Queen lies broken, defeated by the Guardian, while the Traveler hovers overhead.]
Savathûn: Isn't it interesting? I miscalculated. So did you, Guardian. So protective of your Traveler that you wouldn't let me keep it safe. But the Witness... is coming. The game is yours to play now. Yours to win... or lose. Just don't say... I didn't warn you.
[Savathûn dies. Her Ghost, Immaru, hovers over her body, as bright light begins to build up around the Traveler, which suddenly vanishes - along with Immaru. Savathûn's body, however, remains behind.]
Ghost: No... where did her Ghost go?
Ikora: Guardian, I just got the message. The Traveler is back in the Last City. Is it done? Is Savathûn...
The Guardian: She's dead. But her Ghost got away.
Ikora: Good enough. Hold your position. The Hidden are coming to secure the remains. Good work, Guardian. You did the right thing.
Ghost: Now what?
The Guardian: Now... we prepare for the Witness, and stop the next Collapse.
[Ending cinematic: The Witness observes a projection of the Sol system and the Traveler.]
The Witness: We have seen enough. The children of Sol cry out for salvation. You promised them life... but deliver only death. As you have for so many before. Enough. Enough death. Enough life. [opens a gate, looking out upon the Black Fleet] You have no pieces left to place. The game is over. Do not be afraid. Your pale heart holds the key. This time... there is no escape.

Season of the Seraph edit

[Ending cinematic: Crow stands on a rooftop gazing at the Traveler... which shimmers with Light and begins to rise. All over the Last City, its inhabitants - including Osiris and Saint-14, Mithrax and Eido, and Zavala and Ikora - watch as the Traveler appears to be abandoning them.]
Eramis, Kell of Darkness: It's happening again. The Whirlwind.
Mithrax, Kell of Light: Eramis?
[Eramis is aboard the Seraph station in Earth orbit, priming Rasputin's Warsat network to fire on the Traveler.]
Eramis: Don't worry. The Great Machine will never abandon anyone again.
[Lord Saladin watches worriedly from Empress Caiatl's flagship as the Traveler enters orbit. Aboard the H.E.L.M. in lunar orbit, Ana Bray brings up the video feeds.]
Ana Bray: It's leaving. The Traveler is leaving! [the feeds change to the Warsat network's targeting scanners] The Warsats!
[The Warsats begin to deploy, charging their weapons.]
Mithrax: Eramis, please, do not do this. If you care at all for our people... if there is anything left in your heart...
[Eramis sees the Witness reflected in the cracked screen in front of her, but when she looks behind her, no one is there. Aboard the H.E.L.M., Ana inputs AURORA SACRIFICE, the self-destruct code that will destroy both the Warsat network and Rasputin himself. She approaches the Exo frame containing Rasputin's mind, preparing to initiate the self-destruct... and hesitates. Eramis prepares to turn the key to initiate the firing sequence.]
The Witness: Make it know your pain.
Rasputin: Ana... it's time.
Eramis: For Riis.
Ana: Goodbye, Red.
[At the same time as Eramis activates the firing sequence, Ana initiates the self-destruct. Blinding flashes of light illuminate the sky over the Last City as the Warsats explode. Rasputin's systems power down, and the Exo frame deactivates. Ana collapses to the deck, grieving the loss. Her sister Elsie consoles her... and notices something on the video feed.]
Elsie Bray: Ana... look!
[Amidst the wreckage of the Warsats, the Traveler has halted, holding itself in a stationary orbit over Earth.]
Eramis: [incredulous] Why? Why does it not flee?!
[The Black Fleet passes the orbit of Jupiter.]
The Witness: Because it has nowhere else to run.

Lightfall edit

[Opening cinematic: A recap of events leading to the Witness' arrival.]
Commander Zavala: The Witness, the malefactor of our first Collapse, is at our doorstep. Once thought to be a force known as "the Darkness", the Witness revealed itself to be an entity that instead wields the Darkness against us. It spoke through our Ghosts and offered us salvation if we submitted to it. We refused. Though we do not know its true intentions, we can only assume it seeks to finish what it started during our Collapse. Our resolve was tested when Savathûn, Hive goddess of trickery, disguised herself as one of our foremost Guardians, Osiris. She gained access to our secrets. But in turn, Osiris gained access to hers. Savathûn had rebelled against the Witness, and hid what might be our only chance of defeating it away on the planet Neptune. Now, former Cabal Emperor Calus and his loyalist warships have joined the Witness' advance on Earth. But we found an unexpected ally in Calus' daughter, Empress Caiatl, and Mithrax, the Eliksni leader of the House of Light. Together, we have united against our common enemy. In an unprecedented move, the Traveler left Earth to confront the Witness head-on. This conflict was set in motion long before we existed, but we will bring it to an end, one way or another.
[The Traveler and the forces of the Last City confront the Black Fleet and Emperor Calus' Shadow Legion Cabal fleet in orbit around Earth. Aboard the H.E.L.M., Commander Zavala hears the panicked transmissions of the pilots.]
Zavala: Vanguard to all units: Keep the enemy away from the Traveler. At all cost.
[Amanda Holliday, the City's best pilot, flies her Hawk through the enemy fleet, escorted by a three-man fireteam of Guardians in Arcadia-class jumpships. Aboard the lead Pyramid ship, the Witness makes a quick gesture with one hand, and the Pyramid ships unleash shockwaves of Darkness that destroy several City vessels. The Traveler begins charging up and fires a beam of Light into the Witness' ship, causing flowers and tree roots to grow on its hull and breach it directly in front of the Witness. Unfazed, the Witness glides through the breach and into the beam, towards the Traveler. Aboard the H.E.L.M., the Vanguard and their allies observe.]
Ikora Rey: What is that?
Mara Sov: The Witness.
Amanda Holliday: Whatever that thing is, we gotta take it down.
[The Titan in the jumpship next to her nods, and flies in formation with her. The Witness turns, sees them coming, and with two quick gestures of its hand, causes the Titan's Ghost, then the Titan himself, and then the jumpships of all three Guardians to fall to pieces. Holliday's Hawk is right in the path of the debris.]
The Crow: Amanda!
[The Pyramid ships enter into an eight-pointed star formation around the Traveler and activate a suppression field, causing a shockwave of Darkness to slam into the H.E.L.M., lowering its blast shields.]
Pilot: I'm hit! Going down, repeat, I'm going down!
Saint-14: Multiple casualties out here - we need to pull back!
[Listening to the comms, Osiris silently turns and walks off the H.E.L.M.'s bridge. Gliding amongst the debris, the Witness raises its hand towards the Traveler. Its eyes widen as it sees an image in its mind's eye of the planet Neptune. It pulls back its hand, looking somewhat surprised, before issuing its command.]
The Witness: Disciple. You know what must be done.
[Calus, former Emperor of the Cabal, is sealed inside a sarcophagus aboard his Black Fleet dreadnought, the Typhon Imperator. The Shadow Legion breaks orbit and jumps to Neptune. Osiris is in pursuit in his own jumpship.]
Osiris: They found the Veil!
Zavala: We're in no position to engage the enemy.
Osiris: We don't have a choice! We're out of time!
Ikora: Osiris... don't die.
[The Guardian flies towards one of Calus' Cabal warships.]
Ikora: Guardian, help Osiris reach the Veil before Calus does. And please, stay close to him. [sighs] He doesn't have any life to spare.
[The Guardian transmats onto the hull just as the ship jumps. Holding on for dear life, the Guardian manages to open one of the outer hull hatches and climb aboard.]
[In the city of Neomuna on Neptune, a squad of Cabal Shadow Legionaries approaches the drop pod containing Osiris. From the sky comes Nimbus, a young Cloud Strider adorned in sleek cybernetics and flying on a skyboard, whooping as they land.]
Nimbus: Welcome to Neomuna!
[Nimbus proceeds to bash the Cabal with their skyboard, while another, older figure - their mentor, Rohan - blasts at them from the sky.]
Rohan: Nimbus! On your six!
[Nimbus dispatches the Cabal, but turns to see one of the Witness' Tormentor guards, scythe in hand. They quickly use their skyboard to glide out of its reach and back into the air. Rohan aims his rifle at the Tormentor, then turns and fires into the fuel tank next to it instead, destroying it.]
Nimbus: Hey, I had that one!
[Rohan opens the drop pod, and Osiris staggers out. Nimbus, holding the Tormentor's scythe, gives a cheeky salute.]
Osiris: You work fast.
Rohan: We don't like to waste time.
Osiris: Well, good! There isn't a moment to lose!
Rohan: We regroup at the watchtower.
Osiris: You don't understand - we've got to get to the Veil!
Rohan: I understand what's at stake, Lightbearer... far better than you. Not all of us have lives to spare.
[Osiris, knowing he doesn't either, looks grimly to the ground, before turning to see Cabal drop pods raining from the sky, heralding Calus' invasion. He turns and follows the two Cloud Striders.]
[Aboard the Typhon Imperator, the Cabal bow and scrape as Calus' sarcophagus glides across the floor of what appears to be an ornate throne room, flanked by two Tormentors. The sarcophagus opens, and out steps the Emperor himself, one foot and both hands sheathed in gold, adorned with jewel-encrusted, Darkness-inspired armor.]
Emperor Calus: At last! My semblance reflects my inner beauty. And what beauty! [grasps a floating stone, which reforges itself into a great chalice in his hand] Delicious power. I should be grateful that such power has come to live in me. [chuckles as he turns to one of the Tormentors] Ah! This calls for a toast, does it not?
[The Tormentor does not respond, and Calus snorts as the lights in the room begin to fade. A reflection of cracked glass heralds the arrival of Calus' patron.]
Calus: My Witness! [bows]
The Witness: Progress?
Calus: The Veil is before us.
The Witness: Yet still outside your grasp.
Calus: My forces are locating it as we speak. The Neptunians won't pose much of a threat with their tawdry technology.
The Witness: The Final Shape awaits. The Veil is but the next step. You have all you wanted... [eyes narrow] Emperor.
Calus: I am glorious! Thanks to you, my Witness.
[Calus bows again, as the Witness disappears. Snarling, the Emperor slumps into his throne.]
Calus: Find the Veil so I can move on from this drudgery!
[The Guardian and their Ghost observe the vault containing the Veil, now adorned with banners of Calus' Shadow Legion.]
The Guardian: We're too late. They've got the Veil.
[Ghost drops down, looking towards the ground...]
Ghost: Guardian, I don't... this doesn't feel right.
The Guardian: The Veil?
Ghost: It's worse than before, much wo--AAGH!
[Darkness lightning arcs across Ghost's shell, and a cracked image of Emperor Calus is projected in front of them.]
Calus: My Witness.
Ghost/The Witness: Progress?
Calus: We have captured the Veil. Well... the area around the Veil. It is entombed, so it will take some time to break through and link the relay. Add to that the enemy presence--
Ghost/The Witness: Yes. We know they are here. A few of Sol's protectors cannot prevent fate. You will link the Radial Mast and see the Veil destroyed. The Final Shape rests upon it.
Calus: Indeed, my Witness.
[The image fades, as Ghost returns to his usual self.]
Ghost: That was... familiar. Only much stronger this time. I feel... sick. Like I shouldn't be here.
The Guardian: [holds Ghost in their hand] We're in this together. Osiris and Nimbus need to hear about this.
[Alone in the Hall of Heroes in Neomuna, Osiris contemplates the nature of "Strand", the Darkness power the Guardian found fighting against the Witness' forces.]
Osiris: What is this attraction? [feels movement behind him] Sagira, could you run some scans -- [a pouka, a techno-organic creature, floats into his hand] Oh... right.
[The pouka floats about him for a moment before flying away. A cleared throat heralds Rohan's arrival.]
Rohan: Am I interrupting?
Osiris: Rohan. I've been pondering the Veil's paracausal effects on Ghosts. [pause] I know I haven't been the easiest guest in your city.
Rohan: Pain is not a hindrance. It simply reminds us we're still breathing. Still fighting.
[Both men turn on hearing a sound from outside - three Cabal ships, hauling a massive piece of equipment towards the Veil.]
Rohan: They're going to attempt a link! We have to stop them!
[Aboard the Typhon Imperator, Calus reports the destruction of the Radial Mast to the Witness.]
Calus: My Witness, there have been... complications. Our hold over the Veil has been... temporarily loosened.
The Witness: You fear loss, Emperor. Your fear... brings you pain. We know pain. Our purpose... is its end. You have no purpose... because you fear to seek one. That fear is your failure.
Calus: My failure? [angrily] My failure?! I have fed this force with vicious subjugation, battered down the gates of our enemies, and seized our glittering prize! Why? Because I wanted it! You hold the universe in your grasp, and all you can think of to do with it is --
The Witness: ENOUGH!
[The reflection nearly shatters with the Witness' rage. Calus' eyes go wide, and he begins shaking with fear as the Witness' shadow begins to grow, looming over him.]
The Witness: [calmly and coldly] Secure the Veil. We will create the link.
Calus: [begins to bleed from under his helmet] Infinite apologies. The Veil is yours. It will be done.
[Calus suddenly awakens, sitting in his golden throne. He gazes at the golden chalice in his hand, some of his blood pooling in the bottom of it. Disgusted at how low he has fallen, he crushes it in his fist, and with a roar of rage hurls it across the room.]
[Outside the entrance to the Veil, the Guardian arrives to meet with Osiris and Empress Caiatl, who has brought her Cabal forces to destroy her mad father. They all look up as Nimbus makes their grand entrance, stabbing their skyboard into the wall and sliding down it before landing on their feet near the three waiting for them.]
Nimbus: Systems are lit, with 80% of defenses now operational. I'm full of fury, [gestures to Caiatl] she's got an army, [gestures to the Guardian] and you got magic green strings. Let's crush this Calus guy!
Osiris: We aren't ready for Calus. We don't even understand this erratic power at a foundational level.
The Guardian: It's time we figure it out. Caiatl, we'll need your troops. Nimbus, charge up as many of the remaining turrets as you can... while Osiris helps me to untangle this "Strand".
[Osiris nods in agreement. Later, the Guardian and Osiris find a secluded place to train with Strand.]
Osiris: [voiceover] When we think about controlling something powerful, it's easy to assume it takes strength. Determination. A force of will.
[On several occasions, the Guardian's attempts to work with Strand end up recoiling and consuming them instead. Osiris' expressions are a mixture of amusement and exasperation as he nods to Ghost to resurrect his Guardian. Meanwhile, Nimbus begins their work on the turrets, and Caiatl rallies her troops.]
Osiris: [voiceover] But what I've learned is that we cannot control every facet of nature. Instead of tightening our grip, we must open our palms. Accepting the ebb and the flow. Letting go in the face of grief... in all its shapes.
[Osiris looks pleased as the Guardian finally succeeds in creating stable Strands. Nimbus looks at the data core recovered from their mentor Rohan, killed during the attack on the Radial Mast.]
Osiris: [voiceover] Through failure, through loss... we can overcome the impossible.
[Within the vault beneath the Veil, Calus - former Emperor of the Cabal and Disciple of the Witness - is dead, consumed and impaled in what appears to be a dark, twisted tree. Caiatl approaches to stand next to the Guardian, to see her father's demise for herself.]
Empress Caiatl: [quietly] No more running away. Rest now.
[Both look up as Nimbus soars in, landing nimbly on their feet.]
Nimbus: Woo! The uglier they are, the harder they fall, right? [holds out his fist for a fistbump from Caiatl, who does not respond] No? [fistbumps the Guardian, who is about three feet shorter than them, instead] Come on.
Ghost: We've finally found you...
[Ghost flies up towards the Veil...]
Osiris: [staticky comm] Get your Ghost --
The Guardian: What's wrong, Osiris?
Osiris: Get your Ghost out of there!
Ghost/The Witness: Finality takes shape.
Nimbus: It's creating the link!
Ghost/The Witness: At long last.
Caiatl: Destroy it!
[The Guardian raises their weapon, their Ghost in the crosshairs, but it is too late. The Darkness within activates the Veil.]
Caiatl: No!
[A beam of energy blasts out of the Veil and across the entire Solar System, directly into the Traveler. Nimbus flies in and grabs Ghost, crashing into the ground.]
Ghost: [confused and disoriented] What... what just happened?
Caiatl: [grimly] We just lost.
[The Guardian looks up at the Empress, then back at their Ghost, then up at Calus' twisted corpse.]
The Guardian: Zavala, come in...
[Ending cinematic: The blast doors on the bridge of the H.E.L.M. open, showing the Witness before the Traveler.]
The Witness: The universe makes us all victim... and perpetrator... of its infinite cruelty.
[The Witness raises a hand, etching a triangular shape into the side of the Traveler.]
The Witness: You, more than any, suffer both fates. Be free.
[A portal opens within the triangle. The Pyramid ships surrounding the Traveler enter first, followed by the Witness itself. Aboard the H.E.L.M., Elsie Bray, Mara, Zavala, and Ikora can only watch; Zavala grips the railing in front of him, and bows his head.]

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