Editing Hive

Sometime later, Mars suddenly reappeared, albeit exhibiting temporal distortions, which has the Vanguard have Guardian fireteams deployed to survey the planet. They discovered several Darkness-related structures, including the Enclave, and a forge-like device called the Relic within. Research teams led by the Hidden began studying both the structures and the temporal anomalies and documenting their findings. In addition, [[Cabal]] forces began deploying across the planet, reclaiming old territory and setting up anti-air defenses. This was in response to Savathûn's flagship decloaking over the Martian Cradle and began engaging with Cabal forces. A Guardian, however, managed to board the flagship and reported a terrifying finding; Hive soldiers wielding the Light and with some even having their own Ghosts. These Light-imbued Hive would become known as the [[Lucent Brood]]. Horrified to see the Hive, one of humanity's greatest enemies, wielding the Light, the Guardians managed to reenter [[Savathûn's Throne World]] to search how the Witch Queen managed to steal the Light but encounter a renegade Hive Ghost named [[Fynch]], who explains that Savathûn tricked several guardian-less ghosts to raise her Hive as Lightbearers, claiming they were more deserving of the Light than humanity. Fynch, however, began to have doubts about Savathûn's intentions, leading him to hide out and ultimately refuse to revive the Hive Knight he originally raised.

Despite being suspicious, the Guardians listen to Fynch, who directs them to a temple Savathûn had made in honor of her sister, Xivu Arath, the [[Temple of the Wrathful]], and what they found inside was, to their surprise, Sagira's shell, collected by Savathûn after her light was taken by Xivu Arath. Traversing the dark temple and battling organized Scorn forces, the Guardians were able to retrieve Sagira but, in doing so, they hear Savathûn's voice telling them of a being called "the Witness". Uncertain of what the Witness is, the Guardians learn they heard was a memory of Savathûn and to fully see the memory, they delve deeper into the Throne World, passing various Darkness-related illusions, before entering a portal that leads them to a strange area called the [[Altar of Reflection]]. There, placing Sagira's shell at the altar, the Guardian see Savathûn's memory where she impersonated Osiris and from his friends, learned secrets of the Light. Believing that those secrets involve how the Witch Queen stole the Light, Ikora has the Guardian continue working with Fynch in discerning more from Savathûn's memory. However, to fully do so, Ikora allowed the Guardian to enter the Pyramid on [[Europa]] to directly commune with the Darkness, heightening their [[Deepsight]] abilities to see through the illusions in Savathûn's Throne World.

Returning to Fynch, the Hive Ghost informs them of another temple that Savathûn had made in honor of her brother, Oryx, the [[Temple of the Navigator]], claiming there is a secret within. The Guardians enter the Temple and battle with to their surprise, [[Alak-Hul]], now raised as a Lightbearer called the Lightblade. Though the Guardian managed to slay Alak-Hul, his Ghost managed to escape before they could destroy it. Nonetheless, at the center of the Temple, the Guardian found a piece of the [[Tablets of Ruin]], the artifact that taught Oryx how to Take. Bringing the tablet piece to the Altar of Reflection, they see Savathûn's memory where she refused to become the Taken Queen but learn to their shock, that Savathûn intends to bring the Traveler to her Throne World and seal it away, as a way to "protect" it from the Witness. However, such an act would cut the Guardians off from the Light and leave the Last City vulnerable.

Admitting that she anticipated this and needing every advantage they can get before the Witch Queen enacts her plan, Ikora has the Guardian follow another tip from Fynch, believing that there is another important artifact hidden within Savathûn's Throne World. Fynch informs the Guardian that deep beneath the tunnels of the [[Quagmire]] lies a temple dedicated to Sathona, the Witch Queen's former identity before becoming a Hive God, and within lies an artifact next to a statue of Sathona. Despite heavily entrenched Scorn forces and many illusionary securities impeding them, the Guardian manages to locate the [[Temple of the Cunning]] and enter it. There, they find the statue of Sathona and after slaying the Scorn Warden and moving past Savathûn's illusionary tricks, they collect a separate piece of the statue: a calcified Worm Familiar, the same one Sathona had kept by her side that whispered to her about Fundament's end. However, taking the familiar activates a powerful illusion of an Ahamkara and a suffocating haze that nearly kills the Guardian. Despite this, the Guardian manages to escape with the Worm Familiar and attempts to take the familiar to the Altar of Reflection but the portal entrance rejects them, forcing Ikora to call upon Eris Morn for guidance. Eris tells them that from a trusted source, Mara Sov, a memento from Savathûn before her conversion to the Light is located deep in her fortress, a possible answer to how the Witch Queen gained of the Light. Guiding them to the Apothecary Wing of the Fortress, Eris claims that the item is a crystal that was once a part of Savathûn's prison during her time with the Awoken. Using their gift to pierce through illusions, the Guardian is able to traverse Savathûn's fortress and breach the [[Apothecary]], the grounds from which the Lucent Brood conduct their wretched experiments with the Light.

Within the Apothecary, the Guardian search for the Crystal but encounter the keeper of the Apothecary, [[Savathûn's Right Hand]], a Lightbearer Wizard. Chasing the wizard throughout the Apothecary, the Guardian manages to corner the wizard at the crystal's location and slay her. Grabbing the crystal allows the Guardian to hear a piece of Savathûn's memory but to fully see the memory, they return to the Altar of Reflection. Bringing the crystal to the altar, the Guardians witness that after Savathûn escaped from her crystal prison in the Reef, she came to Earth, to a mountain range overlooking the Traveler and the Last City. There, she came to the Traveler as a "supplicant" but at that point, the wounds from her escape became too much and died. However, to their shock and horror, the Traveler willingly has a Ghost, [[Immaru]], revive Savathûn as a Lightbearer the same way as a Guardian. At the memory's end, Savathûn herself enters and "thanks" the Guardian for helping her remember her memories, proving that the Witch Queen never stole the Light but was ''granted'' it. Before Savathûn could attack the Guardian, they managed to escape and report back to the Last City, telling the Vanguard of the awful truth they had witnessed.

The Vanguard is left completely shocked and rattled to the core that the Traveler would raise Savathûn, one of humanity's most devious adversaries, and grant her the Light. Zavala himself is left incredulous and in near denial but Eris Morn points out the Traveler's behavior of uplifting countless civilizations and then abandoning them in the [[Books of Sorrow]]. Zavala attempts to denounce this as mere Hive propaganda but Eris further details that the Fallen themselves tell a similar story, the moment the Witness and its Black Fleet arrived, the Traveler left, leaving them to the [[Whirlwind]], and eventually making it's way to the Sol System. However, Zavala angrily reminds everyone present that when the Black Fleet arrived in the Sol System, the Traveler sacrificed itself to save humanity. Yet, the Vanguard Commander cannot comprehend that after everything the Hive had done, the Traveler would give Savathûn the Light. Ikora merely states that it doesn't matter, regardless of the Traveler's reasons, only concerned that if the Witch Queen takes the Traveler and seals it away, humanity would lose any hope of surviving the Witness.

Theorizing that the calcified Worm Familiar found in Savathûn's temple may hold the key to stopping the Witch Queen, Ikora takes the Worm to the Enclave, believing that the Relic within may be able to slice into its past. With Eris helping her prepare, Ikora, after a struggle, can see into a memory of the Worm Familiar and discovers a shocking revelation: the Worm Familiar whispered that a cataclysm would come and destroy their home of Fundament but in truth, it was the Witness who spoke and it lied to Sathona. There was no cataclysm coming. The Hive were lied to. The Witness was aware that the Krill would soon encounter the Traveler and so, to claim them first, the Witness deceived Sathona into guiding her siblings into the Deep, thereby leading them to release the Worm Gods and forge the pact that would create the Hive species and rebirthing Sathona and her siblings into the Hive Gods, Oryx, Xivu Arath and Savathûn.

Armed with this knowledge and with Savathûn's ritual already beginning, Ikora has the Guardian take the familiar so when they confront the Witch Queen, the truth would destabilize the Hive God of Lies, breaking her hold over the ritual. With no time to lose, the Guardian enters Savathûn's Throne World but finds that the Traveler is already within her domain, forcing the Guardian to fight through Hive and Scorn forces to reach the portal to the ritual's location. Fortunately, Ikora herself arrives to help open the way after the Guardian held off Hive reinforcements, allowing the Guardian to enter the [[Court of Thorns]] and fight their way up to the top of Savathûn's fortress. Despite Lightbearer Hive barring the way and the Witch Queen's taunts, the Guardian was able to reach Savathûn's inner chamber and the ritual's location, the [[Sanctum of the Brood Queen]]. Confronting Savathûn, the Guardian battles her and her Lightbearer Hive and managed to defeat her, but before they could destroy her ghost, she traps them in a thread-bound spell, allowing herself the time to revive and retreat to her ritual's center point. Pursuing, the Guardian battles with Savathûn once more but proves too powerful for them.  

Knowing the truth won't likely stop her but aware they need to try, the Guardian gains access to a portal that leads them to a memory altar but also see that Savathûn is casting a spell that is weaving a web around the Traveler. Heading to two of the towers, the Guardian can slay the spell's [[Threadweaver]]s, undoing the spell before showing Savathûn the memory of the Witness' lie. At first, the memory surprises and confuses Savathûn, she ultimately becomes infuriated that the Guardian is using her own tricks against her, sending the Witch Queen into a fury, as they disrupt her ritual and undo her spell. With the last of the Threadweavers slain and her spell broken, the enraged Savathûn forces the Guardian back to her Sanctum and battles them. Despite the full force of her light and the support of her Lucent Brood, the Guardian nonetheless defeats the Witch Queen. Before dying, Savathûn admits she miscalculated and gives the warning to the Guardian that the Witness is coming and the "game" is theirs to play now. However, before the Guardian is able to destroy her ghost, the Traveler returns to the Last City in a flash of light, allowing Immaru to flee. Taking it nonetheless as a victory, Ikora sends her Hidden to collect Savathûn's remains with the Guardian believing that their next plan is to prepare for the Witness' return and prevent another Collapse.

Despite the loss of their queen, the Lucent Brood continued to operate under Immaru, plotting his return as the Hive and Scorn struggled for supremacy over Savathûn's Throne World. This forces the Vanguard to conduct operations within the Throne World to prevent either faction from gaining any ground.

Following Savathûn's death, Ikora knows that the Witness is likely returning to finish what it started and understanding they need the support, she summons the Guardian to the Enclave on Mars to meet with Mara Sov who requested them for a special task. At the Relic, the Guardian finds the Witch's Queen's dying worm, brought by Mara Sov who believes the worm holds secrets that they could learn from involving humanity's collapse. The Awoken Queen states she plans to give the worm strength and host to keep it alive, thereby allowing them to glean the secrets they require. Though the Guardian believes this to be a death sentence, Mara believes for her, it will be worth the risk.

Knowing where they can find the means to breathe life into the worm, Mara Sov guides the Guardian to a city shrouded in Darkness near the caverns of Savathûn's Throne World. Taking the worm with them, the Guardian can locate the doorway to the Dark City, finding it to be similar to what they found inside a Pyramid. Mara Sov explains that a disciple of the Witness created the Dark City with the purpose to grow and facilitate beings similar to the worm itself and what they are looking for is akin to a Cryptoglyph, a Darkness incubator that will provide life for the worm. The Guardian locates the Dark City but finds only a resonance of a Cryptglyph that the Scorn gave their lives to protect. Mara Sov suspects that the resonance is but a trick and advises the Guardian to clear it, doing so opens a portal that allows the Guardian to traverse deeper into the Dark City and locate the Cryptoglyph, claiming it from the Scorn thieves. Traversing further, the Guardian can locate the Incubation Chamber they need, forcing them to confront the Scorn leader, [[Heimiks, Warden of the Harvest]]. Despite the Scorn's strength, the Guardian can clear them out, allowing them to access the incubator. Placing [[Savathûn's Worm]] at the altar, the Darkness energy breaths life into it, allowing it to speak for only a moment but its vitals remain low. Mara Sov believes this to be a partial success and knowing that there are more incubators hidden in the Throne World, she tasks the Guardian to keep the worm safe and refill the Cryptoglyph with energy, while she locates more incubators.

To refill the Cryptoglyph with energy, the Guardian meets with Fynch, who believes to know what they need; a Cryptoglyph rune and they are located within the Temple of the Cunning. Returning to the Temple, the Guardian can find the rune but had to slay a large number of Scorn forces to energize it. Fynch then directs them to a Lost Sector called the Sepulcher, a hive tomb and after slaying its keepers, they find another incubator that allows the worm to regain some it its strength and speak again. The Awoken then strikes a bargain with the worm, offering a  new host in exchange for secrets regarding humanity's collapse. Savathûn's Worm grudgingly accepts to keep itself alive. Despite their concerns that she is offering herself as the host, Mara Sov has the Guardian continue onward in finding more incubators within the Lost Sectors of the Throne World as well as keeping a location called the Wellspring secure from the Hive and Scorn. During this time, Savathûn's Worm repeatedly attempts to sow distrust between Mara and the Guardian but despite its words, they continue with Fynch aiding them in locating more runes and incubators.

After finding enough incubators for Savathûn's Worm to regain its strength, Mara Sov demands the information they seek first before gaining its host. Just when it was about to speak of Savathûn's part in the Collapse, the Worm begins to writhe in pain, as a dormant curse the Witch Queen placed on it activated in the event Savathûn's Worm attempted to speak her secrets. Unsure of what to do, Mara Sov leaves but the Guardian quickly takes to the only other being they know who has information on Hive worms: Fynch. The renegade Hive ghost gives them a casing that temporarily prevents the worm from dying and now have to carry the Worm through springs of Hive energy to give it strength again. Despite Lucent Brood's forces attempting to stop them, the Guardian reaches through enough springs for the worm to stop dying. Mara Sov returns after this, apologizing, and directs the Guardian to fill the Cryptoglyph with Hive Light for the Worms ritual. Returning to the Apothecary, the Guardian manages to steal the Hive Light they need and reach the Temple of the Wrathful, where Mara Sov lays the groundwork for the ritual. Though the Guardian and their Ghost believe the Awoken Queen is about to become the Worm's new host, she instead turns the Worm into a weapon called [[Parasite]], much to the Worm's shock and dismay. Mara clarifies that she fulfilled her end of the bargain by providing a vessel for the worm, thereby allowing it to continue living, but its new host is now more like a prison, to which the Worm objects. The Scorn react to the Worm's presence in the ritual and, to prevent the worm from escaping, Mara Sov has the Guardian hold them off with their new weapon as she completes the ritual.  

The weapon proves useful against the Scorn as Mara Sov finishes the ritual and now demands Savathûn's Worm deliver its end of the deal. Though angered at being deceived, it nonetheless agrees. Savathûn's Worm tells them in the wake of Humanity's Collapse, Savathûn rode along in the apocalypse but deceived the Witness when it turned a violent gaze upon the Traveler, weaving tricks and lies that ultimately turned the tides and forced the Witness to return to the stars. Though this information leads Mara and the Guardian to believe that Savathûn tricked the Witness to save humanity, Savathûn's Worm corrects them stating that she did so to protect the Traveler. With his part of the deal complete, Savathûn's Worm refuses to speak anymore but Mara Sov is nonetheless satisfied with the information they now have. The Awoken Queen then gives the Guardian another task: to keep the weapon so the information the Worm has does not fall into the wrong hands and hopefully it will speak more of its secrets.

At the Tower Hanger where the meeting was taking place, the Guardian arrived as Empress Caiatl expressed her anger that the Vanguard's Guardians opened fire on her troops, who were responding to an unexpected threat, towards Zavala, Lord Saladin and Crow. After offering their condolences, Zavala suggests they put that act behind them and work together to combat the threat of the Lightbearer Hive, which pose a threat to both humanity and the Cabal. Caiatl, despite her anger, agrees to form an alliance against the Lucent Brood, as she is pleased that the Vanguard needs them to hit the Hive hard. Thus, operations in the Vanguard [[H.E.L.M.]] are set up and [[Lord Saladin]] works with Caiatl in combating the Lucent Hive. Caiatl explains that the Synaptic Spear is a weapon made from Light-suppressing technology, refined and weaponized. The Cabal Empress then instructs the Guardian to locate a Hive Lieutenant brimming with Savathûn's influence, then her Psions will force it into their mindscape, connect the Guardian's Light with the weakened Hive's. Doing so will force the Guardian to face the embodiment of the Hive's belief in their god, an [[Aspect of Savathûn]]. At that point, the Guardian will use the Spear to destroy the aspect, rendering the Hive Lightless. Without a worm or the Light, the Hive will die but Caiatl informs the Guardian that with her Psions keeping them alive, they can bring it to the Vanguard's H.E.L.M. and have [[Psion (Psisorium)|Caiatl's Psion]] shift through the Hive's mind to discover any secrets.

The Guardians and Cabals unified efforts in capturing Lightbearing Hive Lieutenants would force the Lucent Brood to redouble their efforts, increasing their hostilities on all fronts, leading Lord Saladin to believe that they are getting close to whatever it is they are hiding. Ultimately, the Guardians' efforts led to the Hive falling into disarray. Lord Saladin then spoke to Empress Caiatl's most trusted Psion, who runs the Psisorium, telling the Iron Lord that within the minds of the Lucent Hive, he saw "[[Moon|flashes of grey and red]]", leading Saladin to believe they will soon know where to strike next. Saladin's suspicions would be confirmed after the Psion was able to deduce the Hive ritual's location: the Scarlet Keep on the Moon. Further, the Lucent Brood intends to claim the Keep for their own, seizing it from Xivu Arath's forces and, using the Light they stole from the Guardians, they plan on manifesting Savathûn's Throne World. With this, the Lucent Brood would be able to launch an invasion of Earth.