Regicide

See also: Regicide (Task)

Regicide is the final story mission in The Taken King's initial storyline. The Guardian arrives on the Dreadnaught, prepared to enter the Ascendant Realm of Oryx, the Taken King in order to confront him and end his reign of terror.

• Find Oryx
• Fight to the rupture
• Enter the rupture
• Kill the Taken
• Defeat the Taken lieutenants
• Defeat Oryx

{Loading screen}

• ERIS MORN: All of this was set in motion long ago. He calls out, and the Darkness answers.
• CAYDE-6: Okay, creepy sidekick, check. Rogue-ish commander, check. And then we have the Guardian, my greatest success story. I'd say we're ready to get this done!

{Gameplay}

The Guardian arrives at the Hull Breach.

• ERIS MORN: Push back the dark... End it.
• CAYDE-6: She's right, Guardian. There's no doubt in my mind this could possibly work. Now, get to that rupture.

The Guardian works their way to the Mausoleum by using the tunnel created by the crash site of Dantalion Exodus VI.

• GHOST: Okay, that's where the rupture should be.
• CAYDE-6: Get it open! Once you're there, send your coordinates. We'll lock down your position and send in reinforcements.

A large group of Hive are guarding the rupture. The Guardian fights them, even as several waves of Taken begin to appear. Once they are destroyed, the rupture opens, and no longer blows back the Guardian, allowing entry.

• ERIS: The rupture can sense the soul you hold! You are Ascendant!
• CAYDE-6: Time to go kill a king, eh, Guardian? Good luck.
• GHOST: Well, I'm ready if you are.

The Guardian enters the rupture, and arrives at the Founts. Only static is heard in the comms--the signal has been lost.

• GHOST: Looks like we're going to have to finish this on our own. My scans are returning nothing. We're definitely... somewhere, but no sign of Oryx.

The Guardian reaches the Asylum. One of Oryx's probes can be seen. It disappears as the Guardian approaches.

• GHOST: Well, now we know we have his attention. Hi, Oryx.

The Taken begin spawning, and all four enslaved species gather for what is finally a union between all of them. It is short-lived, as the Guardian begins destroying them. A door behind them opens, leading to a large courtyard, with another rupture near the front. The Guardian approaches the Asylum's rupture. Suddenly, Oryx's large figure form appears.

• ORYX: You are the last hope of the Light?! I have taken entire worlds! You are not worthy to face me!

Oryx's figure disappears, and Primus Ta'aun and Baxx, Hand of Oryx enter the room through the portal. With no escape, the Guardian is forced to destroy them once and for all. Taken forces assist Ta'aun and Baxx, including Goblins who shield their lieutenants. Eventually however, the Guardian kills them both, and the rupture opens.

• GHOST: Huh. Well, I guess we're worthy now!

Before they enter, the Guardian sends Ghost to scan the glowing portal.

• GHOST: It was opened from the other side. I can't promise it leads to Oryx, but there's definitely something bad waiting.
• ERIS: Only Toland glimpsed the Ascendant realm. He spoke of terrors beyond understanding. Some you defeat... some you become.
• CAYDE-6: (solemnly) Stick with the first one, Guardian.

The Guardian walks through the rupture, and finds themselves in a quiet, narrow hallway. They eventually reach the Trenchway, ironically only a few dozen meters away from where they first invaded the Dreadnaught. A towering door sits across the vast expanse, at the top of a small set of stairs. About a dozen Hive stand in front of the door.

• ORYX: Come to me, warrior of Light. I will finish what Crota began.

The door opens, and the Hive retreat inside. A single bridge forms across the gap. The Guardian walks down the bridge and reaches the door. Two gigantic statues sit on either side. If the Ghost scans the left statue:

• GHOST: The markings suggest that this is a Hive God, but I don't recognize the symbol... nothing in The World's Grave, either. The name is... Nokris...

If the Ghost scans the statue on the right:

• GHOST: There are no markings that suggest a carving tool. They were assembled and crafted through some sort of Hive spell. I think this one represents Crota.

As the Guardian walks inside, they find one more statue of Oryx himself. If the Ghost scans it:

• GHOST: It's Oryx. These statues, everything here was created before Earth was formed... I wonder how many worlds Oryx has taken.

The Guardian walks behind the statue to find themselves in a pitch black room. The only thing they can see is a small light on the floor, one of Oryx's probes. When the Guardian approaches it, a deafening screech is heard as the probe races down a small hallway, lighting a path along the way, before it creeps up a dark door, taking the form of Oryx's symbol. The symbol turns red before the door opens slowly. The Guardian walks through, an eerie red glow on the horizon in front of them. The door shuts, and the red skyline slowly peels away, until it reveals that the shadow is comprised entirely of Oryx's wings, blotting out all light entirely. They reform on Oryx's back, and he slams into the ground, shaking the entire room. Oryx's sword materializes above his head, and his declaration of hatred is roared at the Guardian in a booming voice.

• ORYX: At last! I will have vengeance!

Immediately surrounded by Taken, Oryx mercilessly battles the Guardian, using the Darkness against them. The Guardian remains persistent and attacks Oryx until he is forced to retreat. As he reappears and continues firing at the Guardian, more Taken spawn, and in more advanced forms. All throughtout the battle Oryx coldly taunts the Guardian.

• ORYX: Your Taveler's light cannot reach you here.
• ORYX: What you call Darkness is the end of your evolution!

Eventually, the Guardian damages Oryx enough to force him into hiding once more. Finally, after attempting to hunt down the Guardian to no success, he spins in place and covers himself with his wings. The Guardian's vision goes black, and they find themselves in the center of Oryx's altar, closed off by walls of the Darkness.

• ORYX: Your Light... will... die.
• ORYX: The Darkness is a gift. Let my will set you free.

Oryx begins firing through the thick smog, the Guardian unable to defend or attack. They can only attempt to dodge Oryx's bolts of energy, enraging him to the point where he flies through the fog and attempts to kill them himself with the enormous blade. The Guardian uses his moment of distracted vulnerability to weaken him even further.

• ORYX: Crota fell... I will not!

Oryx attempts a final strike, but the Guardian overpowers him, delivering the killing blow. Oryx screams in pain and falls, his sword quickly following him.

{Cinematic}

Oryx and his sword land in the thick pool of black slime covering the Altar. Oryx struggles to stand, but he is grievously injured. Oryx reaches for his sword, sticking out of the pool. It begins to glow with Taken energy, and the defeated King touches it. The energy flows into a large white orb, jerking the sword backward with force. Holding the blight closely, Oryx holds the orb in the air, screaming angrily. He slams the orb into his chest, and a shockwave spreads throughout the Altar of Oryx. He stands up quickly, jerking and convulsing as he is hoisted into the air. His body starts to decay and his wings break apart. As Oryx writhes in pain, a smile appears on Oryx's face, and his intentions become clear: he has taken himself. The King laughs evilly as the blight consumes the rest of his body, and he quickly disappears, the Altar suddenly quiet. The camera slowly pans down to the sword of Oryx, now dead and useless. Fades to black.

Mission ends.

{Cinematic}

Fades in to the Altar of Oryx, now silent and abandoned. The camera cuts to a low shot of the sword, sitting upright in the black grime. Eris Morn steps into view.

• ERIS MORN: My Queen... you were right.

Eris walks toward the sword.

• ERIS: The Guardian was the key...

She continues toward the fallen weapon until she stands in front of it, the gigantic blade literally matching her full height.

• ERIS: For the first time, the whispers are silent. It is done.

Eris reaches forward to gently touch the handle. It breaks apart easily, the entire sword crumbling as if made out of dry stone. More pieces fall and silently splash into the pool below. Enough pieces fall to reveal a large purple shard, floating in front of Eris. The last pieces fall; the sword is wholly disintegrated. The shard starts to fall, but Eris catches it right before it submerges into the dark slime.

• ERIS: I accepted my fate...

She lifts the shard into her hand and stares at it, before putting it away.

• ERIS: I... will... not... fail.

Eris slowly looks down as she pockets the shard, then jerks her head upwards, looking straight forward.

Cut to black.

The Mission name is a reference to the word Regicide, which means killing a king.