Darkness was everywhere. It wasn't there before, but it was there now. It enveloped me. It obliterated me. The shining beacon of hope was vanquished, and all I thought we had, was lost. After what seemed like weeks, or seasons even, a path was opened up by the siren call of a falcon in the sky, which I felt compelled to follow. It was guiding me, watching me, pulling me towards a possibility. A chance at redemption. The path was dangerous, and I felt the end could come at any moment. The sky showed a level of destruction my eyes had never seen before. The being we came to know as the Traveler had been broken. Nothing was more apparent than the bleakness of my future. And with every monster I heard, fought, and defeated, I knew the end was nigh. But onward I moved. Unsure of what lies ahead, but knowing that it must be some cosmic coincidence which had brought me to this place, being led by this bird. We eventually arrived. I could see a farm in the distance with many people busying themselves within. Many I saw were strangers, but this locale was filled with familiar faces, as well. My friends Zavala, Ikora, and Cayde-6 were there. [spoiler]And so begins the story of Destiny 2, and all the wonderful, mysterious, fantastical acts that followed. The seasons we've experienced are not all equal. We lived through the beginning, where story driven content seemed too short, and unfinished. The rewards we received, too shallow. The events, competition and missions...lackluster, and options for customization all too familiar. Then came the underwhelming 2nd and 3rd acts, which felt like a winding down, and the inevitable demise, of Bungie.[/spoiler] [spoiler] Instead what we had was just the foundation of one the most rewarding, spectacular, and consequentially impactful video game experiences of our lives. It was Forsaken. We shall never forget the loss of our dear friend, Cayde-6. Nor should we forget about the largest and most interesting raid we've ever known. We STILL are unaware of the consequences and mysteries that will unravel from that Last Wish[/spoiler] [spoiler]Then, there is Gambit! While not everyone's favorite experience, it contained a magical sense of something new, bright, and rewarding on the horizon. Bungie was back. What followed was a split from a financially critical partner, Activision. A shallow, money-grubbing corporate giant with no sense of equity, or loyalty. Bungie needed to grow up, and understand the market it now held on its own. While using a fraction of the resources held before, but all of the commitment to fun, story-driven content, it attempted a new approach that could push Destiny 2 towards further greatness.[/spoiler] [spoiler] Seasons of the Forge, Drifter, and Opulence followed, and each one more spectacular than the one before. Then a massive story-driven Fall DLC dropped. It was a glimpse of what was to come as we continued to visit old locales and story-lines once thought forgotten. Shadowkeep, for me, was the sign I needed, that Bungie would be okay on their own. There were hiccups and bugs, but most were expected for an independent game studio attempting to keep up with the cadence of it's previous work.[/spoiler] [spoiler]However, the level of sophistication that continues to shine through boggles the mind. They continue to innovate and surprise us. Delight us, and intrigue us...and sometimes infuriate us. The experience of Trials is back, and with it comes another chapter in the story of Destiny. We may have to pay a little more for the experience, and the experience may be confusing at times, but trust the process. Stop worrying. Love Bungie for all they've given us before and all the artistic marvels we have yet to see.[/spoiler]