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===Return of The Leviathan=== | ===Return of The Leviathan=== | ||
Sometime following the Vanguard-Cabal Coalition handling the Lucent Brood and Yirix's Deserters, the Guardians and Empress Caiatl would face a surprise encounter: the return of [[The Leviathan]], the personal pleasure craft of the former Emperor of the Cabal, Caiatl's father Calus, hanging derelict near the Moon. More strangely, the Leviathan began broadcasting a call towards the Pyramid beneath the Moon's surface, causing the Nightmare phantoms to resurface and torment anyone who | Sometime following the Vanguard-Cabal Coalition handling the Lucent Brood and Yirix's Deserters, the Guardians and Empress Caiatl would face a surprise encounter: the return of [[The Leviathan]], the personal pleasure craft of the former Emperor of the Cabal, Caiatl's father Calus, hanging derelict near the Moon. More strangely, the Leviathan began broadcasting a call towards the Pyramid beneath the Moon's surface, causing the Nightmare phantoms to resurface and torment anyone who came too close to the Leviathan. Believing that Calus's obsession with the Darkness has created a new threat, [[Eris Morn]] calls upon the Guardian to investigate the massive vessel. | ||
As the Guardian ventures onto the vessel, they find it eerily deserted and large sections of it overgrown with the same dark flora that had overtaken the Glykon Volatus. Unnerved by this discovery, the Guardians venture deeper into the Leviathan but encounter a unique Nightmare that actually speaks in a voice that Zavala recognizes. However, the Guardian encounters a Loyalist Gladiator that they cannot seem to harm. Left with no choice but to hide and escape, the Guardian proceeds further through the vessel until reaching Calus's throne room, and encounters one of the Emperor's damaged robotic proxies. Investigating the robot seemed to activate it, producing the laughter of Calus himself before summoning swarms of Loyalist forces. On the verge of being overwhelmed, Eris attempts to teleport the Guardian to safety, only to discover that a power is blocking her attempts, forcing the Guardian to flee from the Leviathan on their own. Despite the Loyalists' efforts, the Guardian managed to reach their ship and return to the Vanguard to report their findings. | As the Guardian ventures onto the vessel, they find it eerily deserted and large sections of it overgrown with the same dark flora that had overtaken the Glykon Volatus. Unnerved by this discovery, the Guardians venture deeper into the Leviathan but encounter a unique Nightmare that actually speaks in a voice that Zavala recognizes. However, the Guardian encounters a Loyalist Gladiator that they cannot seem to harm. Left with no choice but to hide and escape, the Guardian proceeds further through the vessel until reaching Calus's throne room, and encounters one of the Emperor's damaged robotic proxies. Investigating the robot seemed to activate it, producing the laughter of Calus himself before summoning swarms of Loyalist forces. On the verge of being overwhelmed, Eris attempts to teleport the Guardian to safety, only to discover that a power is blocking her attempts, forcing the Guardian to flee from the Leviathan on their own. Despite the Loyalists' efforts, the Guardian managed to reach their ship and return to the Vanguard to report their findings. | ||
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Returning to Eris, she states that Zavala's wounds run deeper than he would allow those to see and though she understands his pain and unwillingness to open up, she likewise knows that he needs to open himself if he wishes to move beyond the past. Eris believes that if he is counseled by friends and family, there can be hope for Zavala, as there is no running from the past. | Returning to Eris, she states that Zavala's wounds run deeper than he would allow those to see and though she understands his pain and unwillingness to open up, she likewise knows that he needs to open himself if he wishes to move beyond the past. Eris believes that if he is counseled by friends and family, there can be hope for Zavala, as there is no running from the past. | ||
[[File:Zavala severance ritual.jpg|thumb|right|290px|Zavala's severance ritual with the Nightmare of Safiyah.]] | [[File:Zavala severance ritual.jpg|thumb|right|290px|Zavala's severance ritual with the Nightmare of Safiyah.]] | ||
After a time, Zavala finally came to understand what he needed to do and with Eris's guidance, prepares to partake in the severance ritual once more. Despite the Nightmare of Safiyah condemning Zavala for valuing his duty and his "god" over their family, Zavala remains resolute, refusing to acknowledge the Traveler as his god. After setting up the amplifiers and reaching the ritual location, Zavala begins the severance which brings the Nightmare of Kethiks once more. Despite the Nightmare's strength, the Guardian prevails and Zavala finally manages to reach a measure of forgiveness for himself, turning the [[Nightmare of Safiyah]] into the ''Memory of Safiyah'', completing the ritual. Though Eris commends Zavala and the Guardian, she can't help but wonder what | After a time, Zavala finally came to understand what he needed to do and with Eris's guidance, prepares to partake in the severance ritual once more. Despite the Nightmare of Safiyah condemning Zavala for valuing his duty and his "god" over their family, Zavala remains resolute, refusing to acknowledge the Traveler as his god. After setting up the amplifiers and reaching the ritual location, Zavala begins the severance which brings the Nightmare of Kethiks once more. Despite the Nightmare's strength, the Guardian prevails and Zavala finally manages to reach a measure of forgiveness for himself, turning the [[Nightmare of Safiyah]] into the ''Memory of Safiyah'', completing the ritual. Though Eris commends Zavala and the Guardian, she can't help but wonder what Calus is planning as they severed two of his connections to the Lunar Pyramid, leaving only one, and yet the former emperor hasn't made a single move against them. She does notice however that as they remove each connection, the remaining grow stronger, which only necessitates the need to complete the last ritual for if they fail, then the Nightmares will flood from the Leviathan and spread across the system. | ||
Over time, Caiatl tires of the situation with Calus not moving forward, and has had enough of the Nightmare of Ghaul taunting her. She misinterprets Eris' ritual as simply "conquest" of a foe and believes she is enough to take out the Nightmare of Ghaul. She advises the Guardian not to interfere, and declares an open challenge to her former Dominus, seeking battle with the Nightmare in the depths of the Derelict Leviathan. Seeing this as folly, Eris has the Guardian follow Caiatl to the ritual location. The empress, angered that the Guardians are following her, allows them to fight alongside her forces against Calus's Loyalists but forbids them from interfering with the ritual. During all of this, the Nightmare of Ghaul continues to taunt Caiatl about her supposed weakness and failures as a leader. Upon reaching the ritual site, Caiatl begins the severance but like Crow and Zavala before her, Caiatl struggles against the Nightmare who then summons the Nightmare of Dominus Ghaul, forcing the Guardian to fight it. Though the Guardian slays the Nightmare, the ritual fails with the Nightmare denouncing Caiatl as not the one he had trained when he first rose to power. | Over time, Caiatl tires of the situation with Calus not moving forward, and has had enough of the Nightmare of Ghaul taunting her. She misinterprets Eris' ritual as simply "conquest" of a foe and believes she is enough to take out the Nightmare of Ghaul. She advises the Guardian not to interfere, and declares an open challenge to her former Dominus, seeking battle with the Nightmare in the depths of the Derelict Leviathan. Seeing this as folly, Eris has the Guardian follow Caiatl to the ritual location. The empress, angered that the Guardians are following her, allows them to fight alongside her forces against Calus's Loyalists but forbids them from interfering with the ritual. During all of this, the Nightmare of Ghaul continues to taunt Caiatl about her supposed weakness and failures as a leader. Upon reaching the ritual site, Caiatl begins the severance but like Crow and Zavala before her, Caiatl struggles against the Nightmare who then summons the Nightmare of Dominus Ghaul, forcing the Guardian to fight it. Though the Guardian slays the Nightmare, the ritual fails with the Nightmare denouncing Caiatl as not the one he had trained when he first rose to power. | ||
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Reuniting with Eris, Zavala and Crow, the team witnesses the memories fade away as Caiatl confirms that her father is gone, that he has given himself over to the Witness, leaving all present relieved by exhausted by what they went through. Nonetheless, the mission was a success; Calus has been pushed back, the Leviathan has gone silent and the memories have returned into the psychic noise of the Pyramid. However, while Eris commends the Guardian's efforts, she states that their battle with Calus was not a victory as they have merely bought themselves time. She further states that while Calus may be defeated, he is not gone, as he was successful in becoming a herald of the Witness and the harbinger of the Second Collapse. In addition, the Leviathan remains and it will take months to clear out the rest of the Nightmares and ensure it is no longer a threat. However, Eris remains somber as their efforts are likely for naught, for they have reached the point of no return. That the Witness is near and it is the beginning of the end. | Reuniting with Eris, Zavala and Crow, the team witnesses the memories fade away as Caiatl confirms that her father is gone, that he has given himself over to the Witness, leaving all present relieved by exhausted by what they went through. Nonetheless, the mission was a success; Calus has been pushed back, the Leviathan has gone silent and the memories have returned into the psychic noise of the Pyramid. However, while Eris commends the Guardian's efforts, she states that their battle with Calus was not a victory as they have merely bought themselves time. She further states that while Calus may be defeated, he is not gone, as he was successful in becoming a herald of the Witness and the harbinger of the Second Collapse. In addition, the Leviathan remains and it will take months to clear out the rest of the Nightmares and ensure it is no longer a threat. However, Eris remains somber as their efforts are likely for naught, for they have reached the point of no return. That the Witness is near and it is the beginning of the end. | ||
Sometime after pushing Calus back, the Guardians would receive a priority message from the H.E.L.M. vessel. Arriving at the H.E.L.M.'s main hall, nearly overcome with egregore flora, the Guardians are greeted by one last, surprise message from the former emperor of the Cabal turned Herald of the Witness. Calus taunts the Guardians as they have amused and entertained him, granting them gilded rewards and hoping they would join him in preparing for the end but instead is disappointed in their stubbornness to resist. Speaking of how the Witness has turned it's gaze towards the Traveler, Calus states if they instead refuse his final offer of "salvation" in experiencing revelry before the inevitable, then the newly made Herald will savor the Guardians final moments, finally bidding them farewell until they meet again. | Sometime after pushing Calus back, the Guardians would receive a priority message from the H.E.L.M. vessel. Arriving at the H.E.L.M.'s main hall, nearly overcome with egregore flora, the Guardians are greeted by one last, surprise message from the former emperor of the Cabal turned Herald of the Witness. Calus taunts the Guardians as they have amused and entertained him, granting them gilded rewards and hoping they would join him in preparing for the end but instead is disappointed in their stubbornness to resist. Speaking of how the Witness has turned it's gaze towards the Traveler, Calus states if they instead refuse his final offer of "salvation" in experiencing revelry before the inevitable, then the newly made Herald will savor the Guardians final moments, finally bidding them farewell until they meet again. Zavala later confirms the same projection of Calus appeared over the Last City, threatening all who live there with the same fate. | ||
====Into Calus's Mind==== | ====Into Calus's Mind==== | ||