The Crown of Sorrow, a Hive armament once wielded by Gahlran, the Sorrow-Bearer who was once one of Calus' Loyalists. The ornate crown drove the Cabal insane with Hive arcana, drawing Gryphon to him. The Hive artifact is now linked to Eris Morn for the purpose of discovering the planet-eater Leviathan's return near the Moon.
With Empress Caiatl's Nightmare of Dominus Gaul pacified, Calus' true goal remains to be gleaned.
However, Eris sensed something strange through the Crown. A feeling similar to a fish tugging a hook in the wide open ocean.
She traveled to the H.E.L.M. for answers. Direct contact with the Crown was necessary to discern where this disturbance was coming from, it was just that far out.
As Eris descended down the stairs and into the wing of the haunted, the tugging feeling she felt only grew. She walked until she stood before the Crown of Sorrow before slowly reaching out until just the tip of her finger made contact with the object.
The moment it did, an devastating aura washed over her. An intense Hive presence she hadn't felt in years.
The powers of Oryx, the Taken King. Something was wrong, however, it felt like Oryx but he was the weakest of his siblings. This power was leagues above Savathun and Xivu Arath, dwarfing them in comparison.
It was him. Months after his disappearance, finally, he makes himself known.
Eris backs away from the Crown, a faint smile graced her face for the first in a very long time.
Eris: Gryphon...I've finally found you.
Her smile faded slowly as she realized. Gryphon's aura was shrouding a familiar darkness.
Gryphon was being hounded by a Nightmare of his own.
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The sounds of thunder and gunfire are heard against a black screen. A wide shot of Kuroyuri shows the empty, degraded town. A billowing cloud of dust and pieces of wood rise in the distance around the top of a tree that is barely visible above the town rooftops.
Pyrrha Nikos, Ruby Rose, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, Shae Amethyst, and Gwen Azul-Isbert all fall back by the dead cherry tree.
The Nuckelavee comes into view, twitching its various body parts. It sends out a shockwave roar that causes all four teenagers and one adult (Gwen) to flinch. The Grimm observes it's surroundings, searching for the teenagers like they are prey.
Shae: If we calm down and stay here, we can wait for it to pass us by.
Nora gazed at Ren, only to see him gone. She looks around for a moment before hearing gunshots in the direction of the Nuckelavee and everyone peeks out from behind the tree to see him dodging the thin arm of the Grimm and rushing towards it with rage in his eyes.
Gwen: Welp, that plan's out. We've got to cover him.
All of them leap out together and those who can fire upon it to so. The Grimm is using its arms to grab hold of each of Pyrrha's teammates, but is continually distracted by the fire of the next one.
Gryphon leaned around a corner watching the group fight the Nuckelavee. An impressed smile crosses his face before a voice comes from behind him.
Eris: So you would rather stand here than aid them? What if one of them loses a limb? Or dies? Will you be able to suffer that burden of guilt? The same guilt you feel for Eriana, Toland, Vell, Omar, and Sai?
Gryphon: Of all the times...
Gryphon turned around to look the Nightmare of Eris Morn's former self in the eyes.
Gryphon: I was in the middle of a scouting mission for the Vanguard when I got the news. I was prohibited from coming back to the Tower mid mission.
Eris: So you're excuse is "bad timing"? My apologies for not working around your schedule.
Gryphon sighed and cast his gaze towards the ground, the atmosphere drowning out the sounds of gunfire and exertion.
Gryphon: No matter what rebuttal or insult you come up with, it won't change the fact that what happened was out of my control. I still remember staying up all night to make sure you didn't have nightmares while I was helping you recover. No matter what I realize I can't turn back time...
He removed his helmet and looked Eris in the eyes, the dark crimson coloring his eyes becoming lighter.
Gryphon: So instead of trying to purge it from my memory, I'll hold onto all of it. My memories of them...and my love for you.
The Nightmare stared for a moment before smiling. Her hateful crimson was replaced by a cool blue hue as smiled down at him.
Eris (Phantom): So, you finally admit it.
Gryphon: I hope you don't think it was that easy.
Eris (Phantom): Is it not?
Gryphon: *sigh*
Gryphon felt the burden the Nightmare essence lessen greatly as his Ghost manifested in front of him.
?Riven?: Very well done. Your surpassed this test faster than I was expecting, which I should have expected from you.
Confused by his enemy's praise, Gryphon and Eris glance at each other for a moment.
?Riven?: As a reward, the abilities the Darkness has afflicted you with are yours to keep without strings attached. Farewell for now, Champion of Light.
Riven's shell was suddenly purged of Nightmare essence like flame exploding from a exhaust vent. She looked around before focusing on her Guardian again.
Riven: Gryphon! Holy shit it's so good to see you again! I could hear what was going on but I couldn't see or talk to you!
Gryphon: It's great to have you back, Riven. I really needed you to fill the silence.
Riven: I wish I could have helped you work through this. However, I don't think this is all bad.
Gryphon raised his hands and the faint outline of a sword and shield was made by Dark powers now resting inside him.
Gryphon: Yeah, I've got some new weapons in the tool belt.
Riven: That too, but I meant that The Witness showed me something. It was the Leviathan, it came back to attack the Moon. Apparently Calus became obsessed with The Witness and is trying to become a messenger of sorts for it. Eris, Zavala, Crow and Empress Caiatl are using the Crown of Sorrow to find out why. Apparently, the Empress was in a similar situation to you as you both weren't involved in the Ritual that summoned your Nightmare.
Gryphon: That means...
Eris (Phantom): You need to help them. Their ritual won't succeed without you.
Gryphon cast a look around the corner, the students (and Gwen)'s fight with the Nuckelavee was reaching a conclusion. Eris saw the expression in of worry on his face.
Eris (Phantom): You don't have to abandon them. You can always come back afterwards.
Gryphon: I should at least make sure they're all together before I leave.
A bright silver light shined from the corner of his and turned to see said light shining from the approaching Pyramid. Suddenly, a silver missile shot towards the area where Ruby and her group were.
Gryphon: Mm. Juno will be my eyes. Meanwhile, I need to regroup with the others while i figure out a way to get back to earth...
Gryphon shrouded himself in Void energy and disappeared from sight.
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The Banished Guardian
FanfictionGryphon Light... An old Guardian that's been around since the Traveller's first contact with humanity. Killed permanently once before, but resurrected by a compassionate Wish Dragon. There was a condition though, he was required to wield a weapon t...
