Elisabeth Bray: Difference between revisions

Several hours later, Elsie and the survivors arrived at Clovis I's office, although they took casualties as even the secret tunnel leading to it had been infested by Vex. Setting up in her grandfather's office, which was reinforced and secure from the Vex, Elsie and the others began running Clovis-1 through the [[Exo Challenges|Exo Training Protocols]] and swiftly began preforming so well that he nearly broke the programs. After emerging, Clovis-1 was confidant they would defeat the Vex and Elsie directed him towards a locked weapons cabinet that only he could open. Inside were a [[The Lament|sword]] and [[No Time To Explain|pulse rifle]], along with the memory bank Reba had told her about. Elsie claimed the rifle and memory bank while Clovis-1 acquired the sword, which Clovis I announced was made for him. He attempted to convince them stopping the Vex would be suicide and that the Cloud Memory Collection system was damaged and would not be able to collect their memories if they died, allowing them to only be revived by their previous imprint. Elsie declared they would all take imprints now and keep a team there to revive those who fell in battle. Although Clovis I warned of rapid memory degradation, he did unlock the armory for them as he did not wish to see them all perish. She informed him that his help now did not earn forgiveness for his earlier actions and that people had died who could not be brought back. Her grandfather did not seek forgiveness, only a promise that the Glassway would not be destroyed. Elsie noted that she had never stated an intent to destroy it, but Clovis I revealed the truth about her previous Exobody and that its memories were on the memory bank she had just recovered. Elsie could just shake her head at the revelation of another atrocity by her grandfather but told him she would not destroy the Glassway, winking at Clovis-1 as she did so.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Legacy%27s_Lament#RECOVERED_MEMORY;_ANJOLI-7|Legacy's Lament - RECOVERED MEMORY; ANJOLI-7]]''</ref>

While going to sleep one night, Elsie heard someone outside of her camp sneaking up the head of her cot. She swiftly jumped up, grabbed her weapon, and let loose a Stasis blast and opened fire, hitting them in the shoulder as they dodged the Stasis. Elsie quickly realized it was Ana when the individual called out her name. She was surprised t see her sister, who looked far worse than they last time they had seen each other, and questioned why her [[Ghost]] [[Jinju]] was not healing her wounds. Ana admitted she was gone, which did not surprise Elsie, who then questioned what Ana was doing there. Her sister wanted to learn to use Stasis without being corrupted like the other Guardians, but Elsie refused, believing her to be too easily led astray. As she packed her bags and prepared to leave, Ana declared that she wanted to take down Savathûn. Elsie told her that would be suicide and the two argued over if defeating her was possible. She was stunned when Ana produced the [[Warmind]] [[Rasputin]]'s AI chip and asked for help getting him a new vessel. Torn over her instinct to protect Ana personally and by staying away from her, Elsie reluctantly decided to join Ana in taking the chip to the Deep Stone Crypt to create a new Exo body for the Warmind.<ref name="DF1"/>

Together the two sisters traveled to Europa and located the damaged entrance to the Deep Stone Crypt. Elsie recalled the siege there by [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness]], who had spread the Darkness all across the moon, and cautioned Ana about the potential dangers within. Dropping down the elevator shaft, they landed to discover the Deep Stone Crypt still had power. Elsie was unnerved by Ana's fascination with the Crypt and her positive comments about their grandfather, whom Elsie blamed for the his role in the fall of humanity. After passing through the room housing [[Clarity Control]], they were eventually greeted by the smell of decay in the Exo production room. They discovered the corpse of [[The Drifter (character)|the Drifter]] within. Elsie wondered why he had been there and what happened to him, feeling a small bit of pity for the rogue [[Lightbearer]], but Ana stated that he had not deserved another chance. Activating the creation mechanisms, the two waited for Rasputin's body to built. Ana questioned if she ever thought about doing things differently, but Elsie lied that she did not. Her sister noted how much suffering Clovis I had caused and his role in bringing the Darkness, and admitted that she had been to the Crypt before and found the remnants of his journal before when Elsie asked how she knew that. Ana suggested that for all his faults their grandfather loved them and did some good, but Elsie rejected that notion and reminded Ana that she was there and saw all he did. After a long period of silence Rasputin's new body emerged, successfully uploaded and ready to aid them.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dark_Future#Chapter_2:_Itinerant_Mendicant|The Dark Future - Chapter 2: Itinerant Mendicant]]''</ref>

With Rasputin restored, Elsie and Ana set off for the ruins of the Last City in the hope of finding [[Ikora Rey]]. Elsie was distracted by the fate of the Drifter, and wondered if that is what her fate might have been if Ana had not found her. As they explored the ruins, Elsie questioned how close Ana was to the [[Vanguard]], and Ana claimed that they had trusted her. Their discussion turned to their family, and Ana pleaded with Elsie to tell her what they had been like. Elsie did not wish to discuss the past and claimed that she only remembered what Clovis I had wanted her too, but their argument was interrupted when someone cocked a weapon behind them and demanded they leave. They turned and saw [[Zavala]], the former Commander of the Vanguard, now stripped of his Light and missing a leg. Elsie was saddened to see the once-mighty warrior reduced to such a state. She noted Ana's disappointment that Zavala was not happy to see her, and upon questioning him where Ikora was he pointed to the remains of [[Tower (Destiny 2)|Tower]] and stated she was buried beneath it.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dark_Future#Chapter_3:_Towerless|The Dark Future - Chapter 3: Towerless]]''</ref>

Zavala told them to leave and began hobbling away on his crutch, but Elsie watched as Ana pleaded with him to help them destroy Savathûn. Elsie believed Zavala to be too broken to aid them and told Ana that they should leave. Ana denounced him as a coward, causing Zavala to stop and explain that he had done all he could to keep the Last City and Ikora safe, but they were too divided when the Last City was assaulted by Savathûn, the [[Cabal]], Eramis, and the Dark Guardians. He lamented that he had never gotten the chance to apologize to her for their arguments. Seeing how much Ana cared about getting Zavala on their side, Elsie intervened and told Zavala that she recalled having many fights with her father, but always made sure to say she loved him before leaving. The one time she had not was before his death and she never got the chance again. Reflecting that everyone present had made mistakes, but together they could work to correct them. Zavala surmised she was the fabled Elisabeth Bray and commented that they could have used her aid before. Ana agreed that she should have helped with the Pyramids, but Zavala explained that the fall of the Vanguard had come from Guardians sent to suppress the [[Black Heart]] of the [[Black Garden]] instead becoming corrupted and spreading Darkness. Elsie reassured him she was here now, and they reintroduced Zavala to Rasputin and requested his help in finding out how to best use him to pair Darkness and the Light against Savathûn. Zavala told them that would not be enough, and even if they defeated Savathûn, they must still deal with her master, the Witch [[Eris Morn]].<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dark_Future#Chapter_4:_Unguarded|The Dark Future - Chapter 4: Unguarded]]''</ref>

They were led by Zavala to the ruins of ''[[The Almighty]]'' where he now made his home in the hope that Rasputin could find something within the Cabal's files that could aid them. As the Warmind worked they questioned Zavala on what truly happened on the day of the Bombardment, and he explained that Eris had become corrupted by the Darkness through an artifact on Luna and betrayed them all. The Traveler fled during the battle, abandoning humanity to its fate. Rasputin then chimed in, and Elsie was hopeful by what he found: the blueprints for the [[Traveler Cage|cage]] that [[Dominus Ghaul]] had used to once entrap the Traveler and steal the Light. Excited, Elsie proposed finding the Traveler and using it to restore the Light to humanity, but was confused by Ana's seeming resistance to the plan. Rasputin revealed that Clovis I had data on the Traveler to track it, but Ana pointed out they would need an army. Elsie wondered why her sister had bothered finding her if she would give up now, causing Ana to agree to the plan. Zavala agreed to help as well and suggested they get the army they needed from [[Queen]] [[Mara Sov]] of the [[Awoken]].<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dark_Future#Chapter_5:_Almighty,_Once|The Dark Future - Chapter 5: Almighty, Once]]''</ref>

The four of them set off on a ship to find Mara at Zavala's last known coordinates for her. After a few days of travel Elsie was visited in her quarters by Ana, who thanked her for her aid so far and for convincing Zavala to join them. Elsie was pleased that she had managed to renew some hope in Zavala, but was disappointed when Ana then requested once more that Elsie teach her how to use Stasis. She insisted that Elsie wielding it was proof that Stasis users were not inherently evil and could control it. Elsie argued that she did not have full control over it and that there was constant temptation while wielding it which she still struggled with and believed that she would never fully master it. Ana insisted that together they could and use it to take back their world as they deserved to, but Elsie claimed that they deserved what happened to them. Her sister was disgusted by this and noted that many people died while Elsie simply sat on the sidelines while using the Darkness as an excuse. As Ana stormed away, Elsie saw Zavala outsider her quarters. He questioned her use of Stasis, but Elsie warned him that she did not need to hear from him about it as well. The former Vanguard commander admitted that he could not judge as he once did and suggested that Elsie consider why Ana was asking to be taught Stasis. Their conversation was interrupted when Ana shouted from the cockpit that they had found Mara's flagship: ''[[The Leviathan]]''.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dark_Future#Chapter_6:_A_Matter_of_Trust|The Dark Future - Chapter 6: A Matter of Trust]]''</ref>

Upon landing aboard ''The Leviathan'' they were greeted by Queen Mara and her routine of Awoken, Cabal, and Fallen. As they exchanged greetings, Elsie bowed to the Queen, who smiled and stated she was pleased to see her again. Elsie looked upon Mara's followers and recalled rumors that many Awoken had defected to Eris after the Bombardment and Mara's failed counterattack. When Ana condescendingly expressed surprise that Mara did not have Vex amongst her army as well, Elsie quickly nudged her sister in the ribs for her disrespect and tried to pass the comment off as a joke. Mara noted that the Vex were trapped in the timestream by Eris and then listened to their plan. She was supportive, but her gaze settled on Elsie and questioned her use of Stasis. Elsie admitted to it, but claimed it would be necessary to survive. The Queen reminded her of her advice from long ago to pick a side and asked if Elsie had chosen the right one. She responded that she hoped so since it had brought her by Mara's side once more, and after Zavala expressed support for Elsie, Mara offered her hospitality but declared that Elsie would need to earn trust on the battlefield. Elsie bowed in respect for the decision, but noticed that Ana did not.<ref name="DF7"/>

Elsie later went to visit Mara's quarters, but stopped short in the hall when she overheard her talking with Zavala. She heard Zavala claim not to fully trust someone and suspect they thirsted for the Darkness. She was initially hurt, but then Zavala stated that if their fears were true he would kill Ana himself, as she had been his friend. Elsie was startled by this and when Ana came up behind her asking what was being said. Elsie attempted to dismiss the conversation and leave with her, but Mara sensed their presence and questioned if they were being spied upon. Ana swiftly claimed that they had just been coming to discuss strategy. Mara warned that Eris was using Darkness to its full potential and powerful beyond anything they had seen. Elsie suggested that they needed to counteract that by using the Light the same way.<ref name="DF7"/>

Upon locating the Traveler, Elsie was awestruck upon seeing it again. As Mara's forces approached it with the Cage, Elsie and the others were startled when Zavala suddenly collapsed. He began having a conversation with the Traveler, pleading with it to willingly help them by giving humanity a second chance and defeat the Darkness. However, it refused and Zavala warned them that it was going to run again and that they must take it by force. Elsie watched as the Traveler gathered Light in response to the threat, but the Cage successfully enclosed upon the Traveler and harnessed it to ''The Leviathan''. The ship erupted in celebration, but as Elsie looked around to celebrate with Ana she was unable to find her.<ref name="DF7"/>

Upon reaching Luna, Elsie and Ana joined Mara in traveling to the surface as Zavala gathered the Light within himself and Rasputin piloted ''The Leviathan''. As they traveled, Elsie apologized to Ana for costing them their relationship in all the years she spent hiding, claiming she had believed it was the right thing to do. Ana asked for her to save it for later, after the battle was over. As their dropship doors opened they came under instant attack by waves of [[Thrall]]. Fighting through them, they soon saw the [[Scarlet Keep]] in the distance with Eris drawing power from the [[Pyramid (Luna)|Pyramid]] below the surface and directing an army of Dark Guardians towards them. The battle quickly devolves into chaos, with the trio of Elsie, Ana, and Mara heading for Elsie while Rasputin used his defenses to destroy a swarm of Awoken defectors piloting ships. Elsie watched in awe as Zavala streaked overhead, overcharged with Light, and collided straight into the Scarlet Keep, destroying it in a massive explosion and wounding Savathûn and knocking Eris down. The trio reached Eris as she regained her footing, but Elsie was shocked when she thanked Ana for gathering all her foes into one place. Elsie turned toward her sister and saw her draw a knife to stab Mara. Attempting to stop her, Elsie was frozen in place by Ana's own hidden Stasis powers and was unable to stop her from killing the Awoken Queen.<ref name="DF8"/>

As Mara fell to the ground dead, Elsie yelled in horror and asked why Ana had done this. Her sister claimed that the Darkness could not thrive until all followers of the Light were dead and that they could go to a world without conflict once that was accomplished. Elsie rejected this and her sister's pleas that they could be a family again, unwilling to side with the Darkness. She readied her own Stasis powers and engaged her sister in battle, remembering her promise to Zavala despite seeing Ana's sadness over her decision. Ana swiftly overpowered her and damaged several of her core components. Falling to the ground, Elsie watched in despair as Mara's army was slaughtered by Eris's forces. Eris stood over Elsie and mocked her, noting that the void she had left in her sister's heart by trying to protect her had been filled by the Darkness. However, Elsie then pointed to the Traveler and noted that Eris had other problems besides her, as it had begun glowing with Light. As Eris directed her army to destroy the Traveler, Elsie was stabbed once more by Ana, but managed to break free of her Stasis hold. Blasting her sister away from her she tried once more to convince Ana she had been corrupted, but recognizing her sister was too far gone and stabbed her. As the life left Ana, Elsie saw what little remained of the sister she loved resurface, and vowed to kill Eris in revenge. She raced towards her foe, but saw the Darkness gathering around the increasing glow of Light from the Traveler which then exploded and bathed everything in its Light before leaving Elsie in darkness.<ref name="DF9">'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Dark_Future#Chapter_9:_The_Return|The Dark Future - Chapter 9: The Return]]''</ref>

Elsie awoke from the darkness in the middle of a celebration in the Last City, surrounded by a massive crowd and children. Confused, she fought her way through the crowd, eventually finding [[Cayde-6]] at the heart of it declaring that he had finally killed [[Taniks, the Scarred]] in revenge for the murder of [[Andal Brask]]. She watched as Zavala noted Taniks had been killed before, but Ikora stepped in and suggested that he let the new [[Hunter]] Vanguard enjoy the victory.<ref name="DF9"/> Elsie eventually discovered she was stuck within a time loop that would send her back to this moment every time she perished. She became determined to use the loop to stop the dark future she lived through from happening again, but kept failed to prevent it again and again. Attempting to warn the inhabitants of the Last City and the Vanguard of the future events resulted in her being branded as insane or another doomsayer who was quickly exiled from the Tower. By the time events occurred that proved she was telling the truth, Eris would have fallen to the Darkness, the Drifter would be lost, and Ana would become corrupted no matter what she did.<ref name="AOS">'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Any Other Sky]]''</ref>

Elsie eventually hatched a plan based on all that she had learned and the technology she had gathered. Thanks to her [[No Time To Explain|rifle]], which was unstuck in time and could thus be used as an anchor, she was able to travel briefly in time between certain points.<ref name="TR">'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/interactions/exo-stranger-timewarped-relics Timewarped Relics]''</ref> With the knowledge that the [[Black Garden]] was responsible for corrupting Guardians, she resolved to find a way to destroy it before that occurred, depriving the dark future of one of its primary sources of [[Darkness]]. She believed that by doing so it would fundamentally alter the timeline and prevent her from having to kill Ana.<ref name="NLL"/> At an unknown point in this timeline Elsie encountered [[Rasputin]], who recognized her but did not understand her purpose. He thus asked her how he could imitate her ability to step between timelines so he could achieve his own goals.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]], Activision Blizzard - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/Rasputin#Ghost_Fragment:_Rasputin_4|Ghost Fragment: Rasputin 4]]''</ref>

Although the Elsie's primary concern was the Black Garden and the Vex, the [[Hive]] infesting [[Earth]]'s moon [[Moon|Luna]] caught her attention after she accidently transmatted herself to the moon and noticed their presence. She risked several more visits to Luna to observe them, once inadvertently arriving within their tunnels and being forced to fight to the surface, and deduced that although they seemed feral in many aspects they had a keen intelligence and complex intentions. Elsie speculated that the Hive and Vex had common enemies and a connection to the Darkness. This belief was reinforced when a [[Fireteam]] of [[Guardian]]s halted a Hive ritual she had planned to observe, which she learned was in fact ripping the Light away from the Traveler, similar to the Black Garden. After confirming this by traveling back to before the ritual was halted, a new figure caught her interest: a newly risen [[The Guardian|Guardian]] and their [[The Ghost|Ghost]] who helped halt the ritual and mentioned [[Venus]]. Elsie traveled back once more to watch as they discovered the reemergence of the Hive on the Moon outside the [[Temple of Crota]], but noted no indication of Vex presence or activity to warrant the mention of Venus.<ref name="Exo 2">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], Activision Blizzard - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Allies/The_Exo_Stranger#Ghost_Fragment:_The_Exo_Stranger_2|Ghost Fragment: The Exo Stranger 2]]''</ref>

Elsie made contact with the Guardian as they prepared to enter the Temple of Crota and descend into the Chamber of Night to save the Traveler from a Hive ritual. She remarked that they were interesting and had promise and admired their bravery, but commented that there were other threats which existed that they would not believed. Elsie requested that they come find her if they lived and transmitted a set of meeting coordinates within the ruins of the [[Ishtar Collective]] on Venus.<ref>'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Activision Blizzard - [[Missions|Mission]]: [[Chamber of Night (mission)|Chamber of Night]]''</ref>  

Elsie then informed them of the [[Black Garden]], the birthplace of the Vex, and a powerful entity responsible for keeping the [[Traveler]] in a state of catatonia. She explains to them that the only way to heal the Traveler is to destroy the heart in the Black Garden. When they asked for aid in finding the Black Garden, Elsie sadly noted that she had a different path to walk. The Ghost suggested speaking with the [[Awoken]] instead, an idea Elsie agreed with, although she noted that they waved between the Light and the Darkness and stated that she believed that they all must choose a side, even if is the wrong one, recalling the words she had spoken to Queen [[Mara Sov]] in her original timeline.<ref name="DF7"/> Upon another transmission from her ally, Elsie drew her weapon and asked how many foes they were facing. Upon hearing their response, she told them to kill their engines, hold position, and avoid being found before teleporting away and leaving the Guardian and their Ghost behind to follow her clues, along with a new nickname for the Ghost despite his irritation.<ref name="Call"/>

After the Guardian destroyed the Black Heart of the Garden, the Tower celebrated this great victory. Elsie traveled to the [[Tower]] and met with the Guardian within the hanger, noting that while the [[Speaker]] could give his pretty speeches, they both knew that the fight would continue out in the solar system. Handing them her [[The Stranger's Rifle|rifle]], she warned that there were more terrible things that she had witnessed being born out in the Darkness which drew closer every day. Gazing at the Traveler, she noted that while this was the end of one chapter of the Darkness that threatened humanity, another would begin and that their fight was far from being over. With that cryptic warning, Elsie stepped out of the ledge of hanger, disappearing once more as she teleported away to continue her own mission and fight, hoping that the destruction of the Black Heart had changed the future.<ref name="Garden">'''Bungie (2014/9/9)''', ''[[Destiny]]: Activision Blizzard - [[Missions|Mission]]: [[The Black Garden]]''</ref>

Elsie's hand in these events were of great interest to [[Lakshmi-2]] and the Future War Cult, who began iincreasing their studies of the so-called "Exo Stranger" in response and using her existence to recruit more adherents.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], Activision Blizzard, Item Description: [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/talk-to-lakshmi-2-2 Talk to Lakshmi-2]''</ref> Later, the Guardian recovered [[No Time To Explain]], a weapon that the War Cult believed was connected to the Stranger based on its design, but multiple members of the Cult disagreed about its true origins and relationship to the Stranger.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], Activision Blizzard - [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Inventory/Primary_Weapons#No_Time_To_Explain|No Time To Explain]]''</ref>

At one point during the current loop, Elsie had come across an space station registered to the [[Ishtar Collective]] en-route towards [[Pluto]]. Investigating the dilapidated platform revealed to her signs of new activity since the Collapse; Elise notice the handprint of a large unknown [[Cloud Strider|humanoid]] with traces of rippling silver and bits of a broken but familiar weapon. The Exo Stranger was then greeted to her surprise by the sudden appearance of a wayward [[Ghost]] named [[Tokki]], whom she almost shot with her pulse rifle. Elsie noticed the same silver encompassing Tokki's shell, which the Ghost had recently found thanks to a friend he had made on the station. It would be a young, juvenile pouka with iridescent fin-like wings and a set of six eyes that fondly greets the Exo Stranger. Reaching to caress the mysterious creature, Elsie immediately recalled an early childhood memory she had with her sister Ana and remembered offering to help; which was what the little pouka needed from her.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/8/23)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Plunder]] - Item Description: [[Speed Metal Shell#Lore|Speed Metal Shell]]''</ref>   

Having nicknamed the young then-unknown pouka Fish, Elsie had scanned the silver of Tokki's shell and identified as weaponized nanites which came from the broken gun barrel she found earlier; something which was unheard of in all her loops in time. Together with Fish and Tokki, the three would track for signs of the mysterious nanites to [[Ganymede]] where they uncovered yet another gun barrel that was empty but intact. Initially Elsie could not figure out how the barrel could propel anything, but Fish would react by touching the barrel much to Elsie's displeasure. Doing so recalibrated the gun to recognize Elsie as its new user and extracts Tokki's silver nanites (much to his dismay) into the barrel to fabricate its ammunition, creating the [[Quicksilver Storm]]. Tokki was befuddled by the weapon's built-in systems to which he calls it [[Golden Age]] tech, only to be rebuffed by Elsie stating that they never had anything like this.<ref>'''Bungie (2022/8/23)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Plunder]] - Item Description: [[Quicksilver Storm#Lore|Quicksilver Storm]]''</ref>

Six years after helping the Guardian destroy the Black Heart, Elsie set up a base camp in [[Beyond (Europa)|Beyond]] in anticipation of the [[Black Fleet]]'s [[Arrival of the Black Fleet|arrival]] and the coming of [[Stasis]]. She also reaches out to [[Eris Morn]] through her [[Pouka]] companion, which would spy on the former [[Hunter]].<ref name="CONVICTION">'''Bungie (2020/06/09)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of Arrivals]] - [[Lore]]: [[Lore:The_Singular_Exegete#CONVICTION|The Singular Exegete - CONVICTION]]''</ref> Making contact with both Eris and the [[Drifter]], Elsie calls them to meet with her on Europa and reveal to them the [[Pyramid (Europa)|Pyramid]] which had recently landed on the planet's surface.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/06/09)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-5S82ETKvI Reveal Trailer]''</ref> Together as a fireteam, Elsie taught Eris and the Drifter how to properly wield Stasis although she could not share all of her secrets with them, including that of Eris' dark fate.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] -  [[Lore]]: [[Lore:Regarding Stasis#To the Stranger|Regarding Stasis - To the Stranger]]</ref>

Upon intercepting a transmission from [[Variks, the Loyal]], Elsie transmatted to his location in [[Charon's Crossing]] crossing and stole the [[Splinter of Darkness]] he had taken from [[Eramis, Kell of Darkness|Eramis]] and the [[House of Salvation]].<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Mission]]: [[Darkness's Doorstep]]''</ref> Later the fireteam of Darkness-wielders would ambush a platoon of House Salvation soldiers approaching the newly-formed [[Ziggurat]] from the Pyramid. Together they slaughtered the Fallen with Elsie utilizing both her temporal abilities and Stasis powers to eliminate them all. With the battle settled, Elsie and her team watched the Guardian's arrival to their location right on time.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Mission]]: [[Rising Resistance]]''</ref>

As Elsie settled into her camp with Eris and the Drifter, they were approached by the Guardian, who was now known as the Young Wolf. She explained that she knew they were confused and seeking an explanation about why she was wielding the Darkness when last they saw each other she had helped them destroy the Black Heart. Elsie informed them that with the Darkness having arrived they needed every tool possible to defeat their foes and save humanity when the Light could not. She believed that they were resilient enough to resist the temptation of the Darkness and encouraged them to take the Splinter of Darkness to the nearby [[Ziggurat]] to begin their training. Hoping they would understand, Elise asked them to join her and their allies in crossing the line between Light and Darkness together.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Beyond Light (Quest)]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/stranger-in-a-strange-land-2 Stranger in a Strange Land 2]''</ref>

After the Young Wolf slew [[Phylaks, the Warrior]] and took her Splinter of Darkness, they returned to Elsie's campsite. She informed them that Eramis had been tempted into coming to Europa by the Darkness and her obsession with forging a new future for the Eliksni made her embrace it so that she could destroy humanity and the Light. Elsie cautioned that the Darkness used people's desires against them and that they thus must be selfless when using it only as a tool. Noting that Eramis would remain a threat until all the Splinters of Darkness she had acquired were taken from the House of Salvation, Elsie encouraged the Young Wolf to look within themselves for the power to master Stasis and claim the power offered at the Ziggurat.<ref name="BLSiaSL3">'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Beyond Light (Quest)]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/stranger-in-a-strange-land-3 Stranger in a Strange Land 3]''</ref>

The Young Wolf returned once more after slaying [[Praksis, the Technocrat]] and retrieving his Splinter. Elsie overheard the Drifter tell the Young Wolf that he was nervous about her and suspicious of someone else agreeing with him. She told him that no one was forcing him to stay, but he claimed he was just talking. Speaking with the Young Wolf herself, Elsie discussed the nature of the Darkness's manipulations in more depth. Describing it as a parasite that twisted ones desires into becoming what it needed and wanted, she warned that she had seen a future where it triumphed and would not let it happen once more. Elsie did reassure them that within all of them was the ability to resist temptation and control the Darkness so that they would become humanity's salvation.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Beyond Light (Quest)]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/stranger-in-a-strange-land-5 Stranger in a Strange Land 5]''</ref>

Once Eramis was defeated Elsie choose to reveal more of the truth to the Young Wolf when they returned with the Kell's Splinter. Knowing that they had drawn upon the power of Stasis without the use of their own Splinter, she informed them that the Darkness inside them had gotten the better of them in her original timeline where Guardians had abandoned the Light for the Darkness. This time however, Elsie saw both the Light and Darkness within them and that gave them strength to fully harness and tame the Darkness within themselves through the Ziggurat.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Beyond Light (Quest)]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/stranger-in-a-strange-land Stranger in a Strange Land]''</ref> Upon the Young Wolf's return, Elsie commended them on mastering their Darkness and informed them that in her timeline, Eramis' lived and the temptation of the Darkness spread throughout the Sol System, bringing about a new [[Dark Age]]. She admitted to having believed those events unavoidable, but now saw a new future was possible if they fought together for it.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Beyond Light (Quest)]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/towards-the-future Towards the Future]''</ref>

With the Young Wolf now firmly on Elsie's side and in control of Stasis, Elsie revealed her true identity to them. She explained that in order to fully unlock the secrets of the Darkness so they could teach the rest of humanity to safely use it they would need to unlock the secrets left behind in her grandfather [[Clovis Bray I]]'s journal. She explained to them that he may have claimed to be attempting to save the world through the Darkness, but in fact cared only for his legacy. Handing them the skeleton key used to lock his journal, Elsie tasked them with gathering Darkness energy to power it.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Born_in_Darkness#Born_in_Darkness_Part_1|Born in Darkness Part 1]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/key-to-the-truth-8 Key to the Truth 8]''</ref> As they built up its power, Elsie recommended they finish doing so by eliminating a House Salvation Captain named [[Weniks, Salvation Elite|Weniks]] in the [[Bray Exoscience]] building.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Born_in_Darkness#Born_in_Darkness_Part_1|Born in Darkness Part 1]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/key-to-the-truth-6 Key to the Truth 6]''</ref> With Weniks dead, Elsie directed them to meet her in [[Bunker E15]] to unlock the first part of Clovis I's journal.<ref name="BID1P4">'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Born_in_Darkness#Born_in_Darkness_Part_1|Born in Darkness Part 1]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/key-to-the-truth-7 Key to the Truth 7]''</ref>

Meeting the Young Wolf in the Bunker, Elsie found a picture of herself and Ana as children. She admitted how strange it was that the two of them remained alive, with her wishing she did not remember her past while Ana desperately searched for it and Elsie avoided her. Directing them to unlock the journal, Elsie noted that Clovis was so obsessed with his legacy that he recorded everything, including the darker elements of his actions and the bodies he buried. She derisively accused historians of calling men like her grandfather great while ignoring the atrocities they committed. Admitting that the knowledge of Clovis I being a tyrant was one reason she had kept Ana from learning the truth as Elsie did not believe she was ready to hear it, Elsie claimed that who he was did not matter now and that all they needed was his research. Thanking them for their help, Elsie departed to continue working on finding more entries to the journal.<ref name="BID1P4"/> Returning to her camp, Elsie sent them a message apologizing for her abrupt departure, noting that talking about her family made her uncomfortable and that she hoped to reunite with Ana one day. She discovered that the digital copy of the journal contained far more information than the physical copy she found in her original timeline and passed along the Darkness research to the Young Wolf.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Born_in_Darkness#Born_in_Darkness_Part_1|Born in Darkness Part 1]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/key-to-the-truth-10 Key to the Truth 10]''</ref>

Upon returning to camp, Elsie sent a message to Ana explaining everything and hoped that her sister would join them and understand.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Born_in_Darkness#Born_in_Darkness_Part_2|Born in Darkness Part 2]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/key-to-the-truth-11 Key to the Truth 11]''</ref> Going through the new data, Elsie learned of sickening experiments done by her grandfather and that he had discovered that traces of the Darkness resided in all life. However, he also found ways to enhance Stasis even though he could not use it. Seeking to find this information, Elsie asked the Young Wolf to charge the key once more.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Born_in_Darkness#Born_in_Darkness_Part_3|Born in Darkness Part 3]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/key-to-the-truth Key to the Truth]''</ref>  

Once the key was charged, Elsie asked the Young Wolf to meet her in [[Creation]], noting she was not looking forward to seeing the giant Exo A.I. of Clovis I again. She was surprised and pleased when Ana joined them, who stated that she felt that after all Elsie had gone through to protect her she must really care. Elsie confirmed that she did and admitted that she was scared of losing her again. Ana reassured her that all she needed to do was be her sister and that they would face whatever truths the future brought together. Elsie decided that Clovis I would be the first truth they faced and had the Young Wolf activate him. Clovis I was pleased to see two of his granddaughters before him and assumed they were there for his research on Stasis. She confirmed they were and that they intended to spread its use to save humanity. Their grandfather was horrified, claiming it was for their legacy only, and Elsie sarcastically noted she was not surprised by this reaction. This infuriated him further, reminding her that she had volunteered to become an Exo before mocking her sisters, father, and mother as ungrateful and weak. Dismissing him as a bastard, Elsie vowed to use his research to save the universe from evil like him, but Clovis I mocked her naivete and reminded her that she would always be a Bray. As Clovis I shut down, Elsie despairingly noted that he used to have some humanity but lost it all to the Darkness. Ana told her to forget him and that they would prove him wrong by saving humanity together. Agreeing with her, Elsie directed the Young Wolf to return to the Ziggurat with what they learned before departing alongside her sister.<ref name="BID4P4">'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Born_in_Darkness#Born_in_Darkness_Part_4|Born in Darkness Part 4]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/key-to-the-truth-19 Key to the Truth 19]''</ref>

After returning to Beyond, Elsie was joined by the Young Wolf. She thanked them for all their aid and helping her reunite with Ana. Vowing that her sister could count on her and that she would guide her on the path to using Stasis safely when she was ready, Elsie also promised to guide any Guardian who wanted aid on that path. Noting the Vanguard only recognized the Light, Elsie decided she would have to do so for the Darkness in order to ensure Guardians did not fall prey to its sinister influence and that they could save the universe together.<ref>'''Bungie (2020/11/10)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Beyond Light]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[Born_in_Darkness#Born_in_Darkness_Part_4|Born in Darkness Part 4]] - [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/items/key-to-the-truth-16 Key to the Truth 16]''</ref>

Elsie continued to research the Darkness and learned of more secrets that Clovis I had hidden away. Informing the Young Wolf that they needed to charge the skeleton key with more energy, she directed them to the [[Infinite Well]] and a pocket of Darkness energy that she had recently detected there. The Young Wolf prevented the Vex from claiming the energy for themselves and Elsie told them that the data they sought could be accessed by undergoing one of Clovis I's most difficult Exo training simulations. Once that was completed Elsie congratulated the Young Wolf and sent them to the Ziggurat to commune with the Darkness and unlock more aspects of their Stasis powers.<ref>'''Bungie (2021/2/9)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: [[Season of the Chosen]] - [[Quests (Destiny 2)|Quest]]: [[The Encroaching Dark]]''</ref>

The mission takes the Guardians to the [[BrayTech Futurescape]] facility on Mars where they must recover the data of the submind Charlemagne. During the whole mission, Elsie would repeatedly get into arguments with Clovis and insult him, denouncing his priority on protecting his "company property". Even so, the Guardians were successful in retrieving the data and upload it in the Seraph Bunker on Earth, in preparation for reaching the heart of the Warsat Network, Seraph Station hovering in Earth's orbit. However, Elsie would remain frustrated by her sister's stubbornness in the mission, venting herself in her correspondence with Queen Mara Sov, who shares her experiences with troubled siblings, offering her counsel on what she can do for her sister.

After gathering the submind data of Charlemagne and Malayahati, Elsie would craft a plan for the Guardian to infiltrate Seraph Station itself and have them plant a malware virus within the station's mainframe, in preparation for when Rasputin will be ready to upload itself and assume control over the Warsat Network. After using the launch facility to get themselves onto the station, Elsie and Ana would guide the Guardian through the facility, finding it infested with Xivu's Hive and Eramis's Fallen, their splicers being used to aid Xivu Arath in seizing control over the network. However, the Guardian would hit a dead end, forcing Elsie to think of a workaround. She would discover that a captain of Eramis was personally instructed to bring the Guardian to her alive and found this the perfect way to reach Nexus Control, the main hub of the station. Elsie instructs the Guardian to surrender themselves to the Fallen, allowing them to board their Ketch, break free and get back onto the station, bypassing any security. Much to Elsie's amusement, the Fallen bought their ruse, allowing the Guardian to proceed with the mission. At Nexus Control, the Guardian would confront an old foe, [[Praksis]], now raised as a Scorn in service to Xivu Arath. Despite Praksis' efforts, the Guardians succeeded in slaying him and uploading the malware virus before escaping.

Not long after, Ana had found a method through which to repair Rasputin at a quicker pace: by finding the ghost shell of [[Felspring]], the Ghost of the Iron Lord [[Felwinter]], who was recently revealed to be a piece of Rasputin's code placed in an Exo Frame before being made a Risen. Believing that Felwinter's personality engram, Rasputin's memories and code would be in the Ghost's shell, Ana asked [[Saladin Forge]] for permission to access Felspring's remains within the [[Iron Temple]]. The Iron Lord agreed but after contending with a Salvation Fallen raid team that had intercepted their communications, allowing them to save the temple and finding Felspring's shell, establishing a connection with the Warmind, Rasputin would be able to audibly speak with Ana and the Guardian directly, using Clovis's copied speech patterns. However, the Warmind would reveal a disturbing truth: Clovis Bray I had never intended the Warmind to be a protector of humanity but instead replace the Traveler, all as a means of control. In his mind, Clovis believed only himself was worthy of being humanity's savior and thus sought to create one of his own design but thanks to Ana's deviance from his agenda, by teaching Rasputin independence, history, philosophy, art and music, things Clovis never cared for, the Warmind was able to see the beauty in humanity and thus refused to adhere to Clovis's directive, changing his security protocols and locking him out. This inadvertently saved countless lives but even though Rasputin failed to save Ana and humanity during the Collapse, he had nonetheless returned. Unfortunately, so had Clovis, now a digital mind like the Warmind but instead of using Rasputin as a proxy, Clovis instead sought to use Rasputin as a prototype to integrate himself into the Warmind's Network, becoming a machine god himself and be the savior he envisioned himself as.

Ana would be furious over her grandfather's manipulation and deception, leading her to confront him. Elsie and the Guardian would be present during this confrontation, with Ana aiming her gun at the Exo Frame that housed her grandfather's personality. Elsie encouraged Ana not to shoot, not for her grandfather's safety but to keep the frame intact. Clovis attempted to justify his actions, claiming the Traveler can't be relied upon, citing the entity's past actions of abandoning the eliskni, failing to prevent the Collapse, recently giving the Hive the Light, and that with the Warmind under their control, they can fight the enemies of humanity. Ana lowered her weapon but instead of allowing Clovis to continue his machinations in their mission, she has Rasputin download himself into the Exo Frame, shocking Clovis as he struggled against the Warmind but despite his efforts, Clovis was losing. The Bray patriarch demanded Elsie stop her sister but she just stood by and watched as Rasputin seized control over the Exo Frame and deleted Clovis's personality. With the deed done, Ana asked to be left alone for a bit, which Elsie accepted before taking her leave.

Though Clovis's personality had been deleted from the Exo Frame, he still existed as an AI confined within the Exoscience Labs on Europa and before he was deleted, he warned his facility on Europa about the Guardian's knowledge of his true intentions. Nonetheless, Clovis Bray's plans had been ruined with Rasputin advising the Guardian to continue gathering submind data for his complete restoration. On a happier note, Elsie would ask her sister about a woman she was seeing in the Last City, [[Camrin]] from the [[Owl Sector]], wondering about her relationship with her. Ana clarifies that they are seeing each other and that while the Owl Sector is a civilian organization with its own secrets, Elsie merely states that she is not looking for secrets but wants to know her sister. Happy to hear that, Ana states that she can set up a meeting between three for introductions, something that Elsie would be happy to take part in.

When it was found out weeks later by Ana and Rasputin that Eramis had discovered the back door virus the Guardian implanted in Seraph Station, removed it, and planned to activate the "ABHORRENT IMPERATIVE" protocol in order to destroy the Traveler with the Warsats, Rasputin ultimately decided to sacrifice himself by tasking the Guardian to insert the Pillory Engram containing him into Seraph Station and trigger the self-destruct sequence in order to prevent the activation of the protocol by Eramis. Ana objected to this, but Rasputin told her that it’s the only way, citing it as his purpose as a shield rather than as a weapon. After the Guardian fights their way through the Seraph Station, dealing with both Eramis's Fallen and Xivu Arath's Hive, as well as Eramis herself before she retreated during their fight, the Guardian arrives at the Warmind integration core. There, they upload Rasputin in his engram form to the station as they fought off [[Ir Garza, Scourge of Earth]]. The Guardian eventually slays Ir Garza, and Rasputin is fully uploaded into the station. The Traveler began to depart Earth, and as it exited into Earth's outer orbit, Eramis activated the network to target the Traveler. With the sacrifice order ready, Ana remained extremely reluctant to pull the plug on Rasputin, but a final plea and reminder from him finalized her decision, activating the protocol and ending Rasputin. Ana fell to her knees in tears, and Elsie comforted her grieving sister by hugging her before noticing something strange: The Traveler didn't flee as originally believed, remaining in Earth's orbit as the arrival of the [[Black Fleet]] approached Earth.

Elsie would later have a conversation with Ana over the radio, telling her that she was heading back to Europa in order to keep an eye on [[Variks]] and Clovis. Ana tells Elsie that it was nice working together with her, especially at the end. Elsie reciprocates her sister's words, telling her that she's a broadcast away, and vowing to never abandoning her. Ana then thanks Elsie for trusting her despite her stubbornness and even when she wasn't listening, knowing deep down that all she wanted to do was keeping her safe. Elsie tells Ana that she held on tight because she was afraid of losing her, letting her down, and reliving the same nightmare in her time loops of seeing her sister get corrupted by the Darkness and having to kill her. Elsie then profusely apologizes to Ana for all of the times she had failed to save her, but Ana interrupts her in the middle of her apologies by saying that they have each other now. She tells Elsie that while she doesn't know what the future will hold, she knows that they will face it together. Elsie responds to her that she doesn't know what the future holds anymore, and her honest thought of not having the foresight terrifies her.

After becoming caught in the time-loop, Elsie became dedicated to her mission to save Ana and prevent another Collapse by almost any means necessary.<ref name="BID3P4"/> She believes that the Guardians must be willing to delve into unknown powers to preserve and save humanity but would never resort to malicious means to meet that goal. Though she understands that the Darkness brought about the Collapse and it is indeed a dangerous force, Elsie believes that the power of Stasis can be used for good, a tool the Guardians can use to protect their home. As such, she is adamant in her belief that the Guardians should go beyond the Light to grant them the strength they need, criticizing the Vanguard's policies against such methods. However, she is ever cautious about the dangers of wielding Stasis, stating that the Guardians need to ignore the tempting words of the Darkness.<ref name="BLSiaSL3"/>

Despite Elsie's dedication to her mission, she carries much trauma with her from her repeated lives and the crimes of Clovis I. Elsie views her situation as a curse and does not understand why she is the only one who experiences the loop. Her Exo conversion also makes her question her ties to her family and what that even means.<ref name="LOV"/> However, Elsie will do whatever it takes to protect Ana and prevent her from falling to the Darkness again, although she is often conflicted on the best way to do so. She believed this meant that she had to hide herself and the truth from Ana. With encouragement from the Guardian, Elsie was able to meet her sister, reveal her origins from other timeline and of the mistakes she made in that timeline. She admits that in her timeline she was rather selfish and overprotective of Ana when she became to interested in her past and of the Darkness's power, which ultimately led Ana to give herself to the Darkness.<ref name="BID3P4"/> Realizing her mistakes, Elsie now knows she just needs to be there for Ana, something that her sister has come to understand and appreciate. Upon reconciling, Elsie becomes happy to have her sister again.<ref name="BID4P4"/>